1 Dead, 1 Injured in Small Plane Crash at Everett’s Paine Field

Editor’s Update 4:30pm: Here is the official press release from Rebecca Hover from Snohomish County who owns and operated Paine Field in Everett…

Shortly after 9 a.m. today a Beachcraft Bonanza airplane making a southerly departure from Paine Field Airport crashed in a heavily wooded area south of the runway.

The aircraft had two male passengers on board – one died at the scene, the other was taken by ground to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with what are believed to be non-life threatening injuries.

The main runway was shut down for approximately three hours while response crews located the aircraft and rescued the injured person. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office recovered the body of the man who died at the scene.

Earlier reports indicated the deceased was the passenger. Officials have since learned that both seats in the plane were capable of piloting the aircraft, so it is unconfirmed at this time if the man who died was the pilot or the passenger.

The medical examiner’s office will determine cause and manner of death as well as identification. Please contact the medical examiner’s office for this information.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the cause of this fatal crash.

Editor’s Update 11:50am: The NTSB has identified the plane as a Beech BE F-35 and says investigators are on the way.

Plane crash 1

Crews had to cut through a chain link fence behind a shopping center to access the crash.

plane crash 2

At one point a machete had to be used to cut through the brush.

plane crash 3

The plane crashed about 400 yards east of a shopping center.

plane crash 4

Crews bring out a survivor.

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This patient was transported to Harborview Hospital by a medic unit.

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A Snohomish County Sheriff’s helicopter documents the crash site from above.

Investigators from the NTSB are expected on scene this afternoon to look into the crash of a small plane at the southwest end of the airport at Paine Field. Shortly after 9:00am a caller reported a plane down in the woods at the southwest side of the runway just east of Mukilteo Speedway. Fire units from Paine Field, Mukilteo and Fire District 1 began searching for the plane. Another small plane spotted the wreckage from above and firefighters had to use machetes to get through the thick brush to reach the crash. There were two people aboard the plane. One was removed and taken to Harborview Hospital by aid car. Rescuers reportedly began CPR on the second person but were unable to revive and the Medical Examiner was called. The area where the plane crashed is wooded and marshy and there was a small fuel spill that Paine Field crews were working to contain. No word yet on the identities of the people on the plane and whether it was landing or taking off at the time of the crash. The investigation could take some time. Here are a few MyEverettNews.com photos taken at the scene. Click to enlarge.


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