A small plane crashed and burned in a densely wooded area of the Coconino National Forest above Sedona on Thursday, Nov. 13, at about 3:45 p.m.
Officials believe two people were killed and another seriously injured, however, contents of the aircraft were burned beyond recognition, delaying confirmation of the number of occupants, according to Gerry Blair, principal information officer for the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.
A small plane crashed and burned in a densely wooded area of the Coconino National Forest above Sedona on Thursday, Nov. 13, at about 3:45 p.m.
Officials believe two people were killed and another seriously injured, however, contents of the aircraft were burned beyond recognition, delaying confirmation of the number of occupants, according to Gerry Blair, principal information officer for the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.
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Jeff Haake, a wildlife photographer working in the area, snapped shots of the crash of a Piper Cherokee Six at the top of Schnebly HIll road shortly after impact Thursday, Nov. 13.
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The aircraft was a PA-32 Cherokee Six, Saratoga Turbo and its pilot filed no flight plan, operating on visual flight rules only and registered to Wings of Promise out of Orange, Texas.
According to Orange County documents, Wings of Promise is a non-profit organization used only for flying passengers to medical institutions.
Weather was clear at the time with 10 miles of visibility.
Flames and billowing white smoke at the site of the crash could be seen all the way from Uptown.
Emergency personnel responding to the crash bushwhacked their way to the site with the help of several highly-modified Jeeps and drivers loaned by Pink Jeep Tours, using chainsaws to access a rugged area nearly two miles east of the top of Schnebly Hill Rd.
Traveling to the site took over an hour even after a path had been cleared.
Blair described the route to the site as a two-track primitive road for part of the way and then a hastily cleared path for the remainder, winding through a mountainous and heavily forested area.
According to Blair, parts of the aircraft were distinguishable, including a wing and what appeared to be the mangled remains of the fuselage.
According Gary Johnson, deputy fire marshal and public information officer for the Sedona Fire District, one occupant of the plane self-extricated and was flown by the Arizona Department of Public Safety to Flagstaff Medical Center.
That person’s condition and identity are not yet available.
Responders to the emergency included Coconino County Sheriffs who assumed incident management, Pinewood Fire Department, Sedona Fire District, Guardian Medical Transport and the U.S.F.S.
At 8 p.m., the wreckage continued to burn and the USFS was bringing in large light arrays and additional off-road vehicles.
Coconino Sheriffs guarded the site through the night, according to Blair who said that the National Transportation Safety Board is now on site and that parallel investigations by NTSB and CCSO are now taking place.
– Susan Johnson
