[UPDATE 3:11 p.m.: Eyewitness Account] Plane Crashed at Shelter Cove into the Water
Plane in the water before it sank. [Photo from the Shelter Cove Live Cam]
Reportedly the occupant or occupants are able to escape the plane. At least one person is said to be in the water swimming and now reportedly one swimmer is ashore at Black Sand Beach.
Shelter Cove Fire is responding with JetSkis.
Please remember that this story is unfolding. Information is being reported as we gather it. However, some of the information coming from witnesses and initial official reports could be wrong. We will do our best to get the facts but, in the case that something is inaccurate, we will update with correct information as soon as we can.
UPDATE 1:10 p.m.: According to a dispatcher speaking over the scanner, the plane only had two occupants and both are out of the water. The plane is now “fully submerged.”
UPDATE 1:20 p.m.: A Coast Guard plane is in the area, according to Flight Radar. Copter 909, a Cal Fire helicopter, is almost there.
UPDATE 1:23 p.m.: The Coast Guard is landing to medevac one patient is what we understand from scanner transmissions.
UPDATE 1:27 p.m.: Please don’t drive onto the Airport runway right now. Planes are needing quick access.
UPDATE 1:30 p.m.:
[Photo by David Gilchrist]
Rescuers returning up the Shelter Cove boat ramp. One of the plane crash victims is in the front in red, according to the photographer. [Photo by David Gilchrist]
Grant Prather, the witness, told us, “Then I heard it again.”
He knew then that the plane wasn’t going to make it. “They hit flat not nose down fortunately,” he said. “They [a man and a woman] were able to crawl out onto the wing.” But, he explained, after about five minutes, “the plane started to nose in.” So the two occupants began to swim to shore.
“It took them at least 20 minutes, maybe 30,” Prather said. “The woman made it all the way in.” Prather’s son, Nathan helped the woman to shore.
But the other occupant, a man, was quite a distance behind her. [A firefighter] made it out to him with a paddle board and Shelter Cove Fire Department arrived on a jet ski. They were able to get him aboard and he was brought to shore by Shelter Cove Fire.
UPDATE 3:11 p.m.: According to Cheryl Antony of Shelter Cove Fire Department, Two people extricated themselves from the crashed plane and swam toward shore. One swam made it all the way to shore. The other was rescued by SCFD.
Antony told us the patients were “VERY COLD” but they were “wrapped in hypothermia blankets” and flown to St Joseph’s Hospital by Reach Helicopter and US Coast Guard helicopter.
UPDATE: Harrowing Plane Crash Out at Shelter Cove Yesterday Captured on Video
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Thank you Shelter Cove Fire for your rescue work today.
Please consider donating to one of the many volunteer fire departments in our area. The men and women not only put out fires but raise money to buy their own equipment and pay for things like insurance so they can protect us all.
Here is a list of local volunteer fire departments and addresses where donations can be sent:
ALDERPOINT FIRE
POB 164
ALDERPOINT, CA 95511
BELL SPRINGS FIRE DEPARTMENT
PO Box 866
Laytonville, CA 95454
BLUE LAKE FIRE
PO Box 245
Blue Lake, CA 95525
BRICELAND FIRE
POB 1249
REDWAY, 95560.
BRIDGEVILLE FIRE
P.O. Box 4
Bridgeville, CA 95526
CARLOTTA FIRE
PO Box 33
Carlotta, CA 95528
COFFEE CREEK FIRE
HC 2 Box 3951
Trinity Center, CA, 96091
DOWN RIVER VFD
140 Fire House Rd
Big Bar, CA 96010
FERNDALE FIRE
PO Box 485
Ferndale Ca. 95536
FIELDBROOK FIRE
4584 Fieldbrook Rd.
Fieldbrook, CA. 95519
FORTUNA FIRE
320 S. Fortuna Blvd.
Fortuna, CA 95540
FRUITLAND RIDGE FIRE
POB 87
Myers Flat 95554
Douglas City Volunteer Fire Department
PO Box 10
Douglas City, CA 96024
Phone: (530) 623-5110
GARBERVILLE FIRE
PO Box 288
Garberville, CA 95542
Garberville has a donate link at the bottom of their website here: https://garbervillefpd.org/
GASQUET FIRE Department
PO Box 85
Gasquet, CA 95543
HAWKINS BAR VFD
PO Box 485
Salyer, CA 95563
HAYFORK VFD
195 Hyampom Rd
Hayfork, CA 96041
HONEYDEW FIRE
P.O. Box 74
Honeydew, CA, 95545-0074
HOOPA FIRE and Office of Emergency Services
P.O. Box 369
11121 HWY 96
Hoopa, CA, 95546
HYAMPOM FIRE
22509 Hyampom Rd.
Hyampom, CA 96046
HYDESVILLE FIRE
3494 CA 36
Hydesville, CA 95547
JUNCTION CITY FIRE
PO Box 418
Junction City, CA 96048
KETTENPOM ZENIA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT
Po Box 100
Zenia, CA 95595
KNEELAND FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
6201 Greenwood Heights Drive.
Kneeland, CA. 95549
Online donations
LAYTONVILLE FIRE
P.O. Box 89
Laytonville Ca 95454
LEGGETT FIRE
P.O. Box 191
Leggett ca 95585
Lewiston Fire Department
PO Box 113
Lewiston, CA 96052
Phone: (530) 778-3711
LOLETA FIRE
567 Park St.
Loleta, Ca. 95551
(707) 733-5407
MAPLE CREEK FIRE
15933 Maple Creek Rd.
Korbel, CA 95550
MIRANDA FIRE
POB 160
Miranda, Ca 95553
MYERS FLAT FIRE
PO Box 131
Myers Flat, CA 95554
ORLEANS FIRE
38162 Highway 96
(PO Box 312)
Orleans, CA 95556
Or you can donate via Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/orleansvolunteers
ORICK FIRE
PO Box 96
Orick, CA 95555
PALO VERDE FIRE
P O Box 1381,
Redway, Ca 95560
PETROLIA FIRE
(Donate online)
98 Sherman Street.
P.O. Box 169
Petrolia, CA
95558-0169
PHILLIPSVILLE FIRE
PO Box 39
Phillipsville, CA 95559
PIERCY FIRE
80401 Highway 271/ PO Box 206
Piercy, CA, 95587
POST MOUNTAIN FIRE
PO Box 1026
Hayfork, CA 96041
REDCREST FIRE
PO Box 27
Redcrest, CA 95569
REDWAY FIRE
PO Box 695
REDWAY, CA 95560
RIO DELL FIRE
50 West Center St.
Rio Dell, CA 95562
SALMON CREEK FIRE District
PO Box 662
Miranda, CA 95553
Salyer Volunteer Fire Department
PO Box 235
Salyer, CA 95563
Phone: (530) 629-2778
Samoa Fire
1982 Gass St
Samoa, CA 95564
SCOTIA FIRE
PO Box 185
Scotia, CA 95565
SHELTER COVE FIRE
9126 Shelter Cove Road
Whitethorn, CA 95589
SPROWEL CREEK FIRE
PO Box 2122
Redway, CA 95560
SOUTHERN TRINITY VFD, (a bi-county organization serving both eastern Humboldt and Southern Trinity)
P.O. Box 16
Mad River, Ca 95552
SOUTHERN TRINITY AREA RESCUE (STAR), a bi-county EMS/volunteer ambulance service
321 Van Duzen Rd
Bridgeville Ca 95526
TELEGRAPH RIDGE FIRE
PO Box 1152
Redway, CA 95560
TRINIDAD VFD
409 Trinity St, Trinidad, CA 95570
Trinity Center Volunteer Fire Department
PO Box 191
Trinity Center, CA 96091
Phone: (530) 266-3420
Weaverville Fire Department
PO Box 447
Weaverville, CA 96093
Phone: (530) 623-6156
WESTHAVEN FIRE Department
PO Box 2143,
Trinidad, CA, CA 95570
WHALE GULCH FIRE
76850B Usal Road
Whitethorn, CA 95589
WHITETHORN FIRE
PO Box 485
Whitethorn, CA 95589
WILLITS VFD
74 E. Commercial St
Willits, CA 95490
WILLOW CREEK FIRE
P.O. Box 51
Willow Creek, CA 95573
Thank you Kym for posting this list. Thank you Responders for helping so quickly. I’m so glad these people are okay.
Everytime I see this list my heart swells.
We are beyond blessed to have so many awesome community members making a real difference in all our lives!!!
If you are new here, part of our culture,as taught to me 30 years ago at least,is to do a sort of tything.
Donate to your vfd, kmud, kym, the mateel,etc.
Volunteer, its a great way to meet people if youve just moved here.
Usually pretty fun too!
Bake some cookies for your vfd members. Provide a meal to one of our many volunteer board members as they keep these many non-profit ships afloat.
Make a store credit at a local grocers or eating spot solely for someone youd like to support, like Kym (wink wink).
Hell ive gone and watered neighbors gardens while they are out riskjng their lives to protect us. I couldnt fight the fires but I sure could gladly support those that do in ways that matter to keep their lives going!
There are so many ways to help, everyone can contribute.
Thank you to all that helped my son and his girlfriend today when their plane crashed in the ocean near Shelter Cove. I will always be grateful to all the witnesses, Cal Fire and the Coast Guard who came to their rescue today. You have a wonderful caring community and for that you should be proud 🙏
I am so glad they made it in safely!
That will NOT just buff out. Salt water in the fuel lines is very bad for the engine.
Fuel lines in the salt water ain’t so great, either.
Somebody didn’t like my humor, methinks… Yours was a bit funnier…
Sounds like it might have run out of fuel…
Will make for an interesting dive site.
Sad end to a beautiful day. Glad to hear there were survivors. That water is icy cold.
Would salvage right apply?
My thoughts exactly!
Have at it. I guarantee you will have no competition.
Thank you, Shelter Cove rescuers! Glad everyone is safe, except the poor plane.
I sure hope the two occupants of the plane are going to be fine. The ocean is extremely cold and could have caused hypothermia. If they had been trapped in the cockpit they would have surely perished. A big thank you to Shelter Cove Fire for their quick response, the Coast Guard and Cal Fire copter 909 and all crew members.
I’m so happy the occupants survived and were able to make it to shore, that’s one a hell of a life-or-death situation!
Good landing = any landing you can walk or swim away from.
This would be a miracle if both occupants have survived.
Actually, two miracles.
The sentence that has go smacked me is:
“At least one person is said to be in the water swimming and now reportedly one swimmer is ashore at Black Sand Beach.”
If that swimmer made it alive and well, through the surf, onto Black Sand Beach, he must have been able to swim like a Navy Seal, and The Hand of God, must have been pulling him ashore, by the scruff of his shivering neck.
It doesn’t say that the swimmer made it alive onto Black Sand Beach, but let’s hope that we can assume that is true.
A confirmation of that will be welcomed.
Not sure which patient was medevaced, but I’ve also got to say how amazing and impressive Shelter Coves rescue team operates…
They are true life savers.
Waiting for the final report, hoping it will be as happy an ending as it sounds to be, so far…
Both occupants are extremely fortunate to have survived, and it’s extremely good news, compared to what it could have been, that’s for sure!
Thanks, Kym, for the clear, concise, and timely, up to the minute reports, complete with pictures…
You make it look easy and effortless, which it is surely neither.
After the last update, I better put a plug in for the Good Samaritan on the Paddle Board…
He was in the right place at the right time, to be sure.
Masterfully done , Sir…
masterfully done.
Turns out she was the one swimming like a Navy Seal. I hope they’re both okay.
The good guy in the wet suit with the paddle board was actually a Shelter Cove fire first responder and rescue swimmer. If you read the fire dept press release it explains that he was on duty and quickly made it on scene and swam out and helped patient on to board , then the rescue boat and jet ski arrived and they loaded patient on boat and brought back to boat ramp to await ambulance. Shelter Cove fire is Amazing! And that rescue swimmer is a Super Hero in my book!
Thanks for the update and correction…
So the Good Samaritan on the paddle board first to the swimmer was actually a SCVFD rescue swimmer…
That’s extraordinary.
Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me.
He needs a medal for that.
I have no doubt that he literally saved that person’s life.
That needs to be properly recognized.
Ya.
The hand of god cares about these 2 pilots in CA to actively intervene, but he doesn’t care about 11 children who lost their parents in this other CA plane crash:
The pilots were diligent and “highly trained,” he said. “I don’t understand the circumstances,” Morris said.
Morris declined to identify the deceased because some of their family members were yet to be notified. “The crash left 11 children without parents,” he said.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/six-dead-small-plane-crash-southern-california-rcna93216
Nevermind that every minute or two another child under 5 dies needlessly from Malaria.
Sounds like your god is a fucking psychopath.
I saw the plane hit the water I am glad both occupants made it to shore. I was not sure what had happened to them. Hope they will be okay.
3:30pm now. I’m about 3 stones throw from the hospital, across the gully, near the high school. Heard the Coastie fly in a bit ago. They just left St. Joe about 10 min ago. Possibly the plane folks?
Paddle Boarder, yes you!
Fireless plane crash, very rare. Along with fuel being expensive in these bideconomics as he calls it, it’s been extremely dirty. Pro-tip Check them fuel filters before flight, such thing as changing a filter too often.
Absolutely amazing that both occupants of that plane survived the crash, were able to get out of the plane, and could swim in that frigid water for 20 to 30 minutes, long enough to survive!
It wasn’t their day to die.
Adrenaline goes a long way to fight off pain. Plus, what ever they did in their britches on the way down probably helped to keep them warm. I know I’d need a change of skivvies once I reached shore.
Wow how scary that must have been!
Wonder if they were stopping in to grab a bite eat or resident locals.
❤️🙏❤️🙏❤️🙏❤️🙏❤️
2 NorCal plane crashes today and all survived! What a day https://www.actionnewsnow.com/news/plane-crashes-into-chico-airport-runway-saturday-morning-minor-injuries/article_ef49f674-1dc6-11ee-802b-8bb29864fc19.html
Sure glad those folks made it. Good job rescuers!
Article states “engines”. Can anyone confirm this was a twin engine aircraft? If not I’m going throw my hat in the ring and guess carb ice.
👍and the pilot and his mate live to fly again! Best ending for a near tragedy. How deep is the water at the sink site?
The depth at the sink site is less than ten fathoms (60′) if it’s inside the Bell or the Whistle near the Cove.
If it was further North, off of Black Sand Beach, as the story suggests, it could be much deeper.
It would be interesting to know a little closer where the plane hit the water.
A well covered story Kym.
Shelter Cove FD does it again. Hat’s off to them.
There are so many other ways this could have gone. While crashing into the ocean sounds horrible, had they made it another few hundred yards it would have been homes and most likely the plane would have burst into flames. Thank god both occupants survived the crash relatively unharmed. Thank you SCVFD and all other responders!
Many thanks to Shelter Cove Fire for your rescue work today.
So glad to read that it all ended well. There could have easily been fatalities…
Wow! Amazing story, pics and updates with a great ending. Great job to all and excellent reporting, Kym.