Authorities have identified four of the five people died when a plane crashed near a Mesa airport and collided with a car late Tuesday afternoon.
Five individuals were on the plane, and unfortunately, four of them lost their lives at the scene. The victims have been identified as:
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- Spencer Lindahl, age 43
- Rustin Randall, age 48
- Drew Kimball, age 44
- Graham Kimball, age 12
The incident occurred around 4:45 p.m. near Greenfield and McKellips roads, just southwest of Falcon Field Airport. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), early data shows that a Honda HA-420 jet attempted to abort takeoff before crashing through an airport perimeter fence and hitting with a vehicle on Greenfield Road.
“Looks like there’s a big fire down at the other end of the runway,” says a voice from Falcon Field’s south tower, via liveATC.net.
According to Arizona’s Family, Randall was the pilot, and the party was supposedly headed to Provo, Utah. According to Mesa police, one individual survived the jet crash and is still in the hospital with burn injuries.
The vehicle’s driver was also killed in the catastrophic incident, but his identity has yet to be determined because next-of-kin notifications are still being processed.
The Arizona Family got security video from Flight Trails Helicopters, Inc., an airport business, showing the plane crashing through a fence and into a car on Greenfield Road. Fire and black smoke can then be seen billowing into the sky.
Keith Small works in the company’s hangar, repairing helicopters after crashes. He was at work on Tuesday afternoon when the accident occurred.
“I heard metal grinding but didn’t think of it at first. “And then I thought, ‘wait a minute,'” he said. “So I stood up and turned around, and I saw the dirt at the end of the runway. And as soon as I turned the corner, bam! The airplane exploded up. And it blew up two or three times.”
As of Wednesday night, Greenfield Road from McKellips to McDowell was still closed. The wreckage is still on the road, and only traffic to the Air Force Museum is allowed past.
Mesa police told Arizona’s Family that they will patrol the crash site until the jet is removed, which might be by Thursday night.
Drivers in the area are advised to use caution while the inquiry is ongoing.
NTSB investigators are also on the scene, with more arriving on Wednesday. After the on-site examination is completed, the jet will be transported to a secure location for additional evaluation.
Anyone who witnessed the crash, possesses surveillance video, or has other information about the inquiry is encouraged to contact the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov.
A preliminary study will be released within 30 days, but a complete report is not expected for another 12-24 months.