Sheriff’s Office Shares Details of Plane Crash Near Usal Road
![Plane crash near Whale Gulch. [Photo provided Shelter Cove VFD]](https://kymkemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/PHOTO-202-1.jpg)
A side view of the plane. [Photo provided Shelter Cove VFD]
On 03-08-2024 at around 1:15 PM, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Deputies were dispatched to a possible airplane crash in the area of Usal Road in Whitethorn, CA.
Deputies from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, CalFire, Southern Humboldt Tech Rescue, and members of the Whale Gulch, Shelter Cover, and Whitethorn Fire Departments responded to assist.
Upon locating the crash site, the three occupants from the airplane were found to have only suffered minor cuts and scratches. The three occupants of the airplane were identified as a 38-year-old male, 38-year-old female, and 2-year-old female all from Santa Rosa, CA.
During the investigation, Sheriff’s Deputies learned the airplane’s engine lost power about five minutes after taking off. The pilot began to troubleshoot why the airplane lost engine power, but had noticed the plane’s altitude was too low for recovery.
At this point, the pilot deployed the airplane’s Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) which slowed the airplane’s [descent]. The parachute carried the airplane until it ultimately crashed into trees in a heavily wooded area of Yellow Road in Whitethorn, CA.
Deputies initiated the Aircraft Accident protocols and contacted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), who have the primary responsibility for investigating accidents involving civilian aircrafts.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, CalFire, Southern Humboldt Tech Rescue, and members of the Whale Gulch, Shelter Cover, and Whitethorn Fire Departments who quickly responded to assist with this incident.
Earlier:
- Plane Crash on Usal Road in Northern Mendocino
- Miraculous Survival (With Innovative Parachute): Plane Crash in Northern Mendocino CO Leaves Man, Woman, & Child With Only Minor Injuries
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The press release forgot to thank the good neighbors who live in the immediate area, who rushed out to help, take pictures, call in the accident… big shout out to those good neighbors.
Look at the Cirrus airfoil and you’ll see why it comes equipped with a parachute.
You’re not going with the engine cutting out? I’m not sure what airfoil issue you speak of, but it was never designed to be a glider for very long!
The Internet is not as flooded with cirrus airfoil complaints as you hint at. Maybe you can explain with a bit more detail, since it was important to point out to the rest of us, and is not self evident.