1 killed, 1 injured as plane crashes into home near Woodinville
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WOODINVILLE, Wash. - A small plane crashed into a home Saturday near Woodinville, killing the pilot and critically injuring a passenger aboard the aircraft, police said.
Firefighters and police responded to the scene, near NE 144th Street and 232rd Avenue NE, at about 3 p.m. after receiving a report of a plane crash into a single-family home.
Two people were aboard the plane. The pilot, Jay Uusitalo, 45, of Redmond, was found dead at the scene.
The passenger, a teen from Eastern Washington who is Uusitalo's nephew, was rushed to Harborview Medical Center with severe lacerations to the head and chest, as well as internal injuries. He initially was listed in critical condition, but was upgraded to serious on Saturday.
Two teenage boys were inside the home at the time, only feet away from the spot where the plane crashed.
In an interview, they said they heard a loud crash and the whole house shook. They then saw the wing of a plane inside the home.
"I was sitting in my house, and I hear a loud bang. And I - like thunder - I was thinking thunder," said one of the teens. "I look outside, and I look down, and there's the wing right down below it, below the window. And I was right there, too. I didn't realize how close it was to hitting me."
Other witnesses who live in the neighborhood say they heard sputtering and looked up. They saw the propeller on the plane stop and the aircraft flipped upside down, crashing into the home.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration registry, the fixed-wing single engine plane is registered in Redmond and it seats up to four people.
It was not immediately known where the plane was coming from or where it was headed.
The FAA, National Transportation Safety Board and the King County Sheriff's Office are all investigating the crash.
The plane's wreckage likely will not be removed until Sunday, officials said.
Firefighters and police responded to the scene, near NE 144th Street and 232rd Avenue NE, at about 3 p.m. after receiving a report of a plane crash into a single-family home.
Two people were aboard the plane. The pilot, Jay Uusitalo, 45, of Redmond, was found dead at the scene.
The passenger, a teen from Eastern Washington who is Uusitalo's nephew, was rushed to Harborview Medical Center with severe lacerations to the head and chest, as well as internal injuries. He initially was listed in critical condition, but was upgraded to serious on Saturday.
Two teenage boys were inside the home at the time, only feet away from the spot where the plane crashed.
In an interview, they said they heard a loud crash and the whole house shook. They then saw the wing of a plane inside the home.
"I was sitting in my house, and I hear a loud bang. And I - like thunder - I was thinking thunder," said one of the teens. "I look outside, and I look down, and there's the wing right down below it, below the window. And I was right there, too. I didn't realize how close it was to hitting me."
 Jay Uusitalo |
Other witnesses who live in the neighborhood say they heard sputtering and looked up. They saw the propeller on the plane stop and the aircraft flipped upside down, crashing into the home.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration registry, the fixed-wing single engine plane is registered in Redmond and it seats up to four people.
It was not immediately known where the plane was coming from or where it was headed.
The FAA, National Transportation Safety Board and the King County Sheriff's Office are all investigating the crash.
The plane's wreckage likely will not be removed until Sunday, officials said.
I have flown on a lot of small planes and believe me you are taking your life in your hands with them.
Looks like he was trying to park in the garage
Also, I want to tell you guys that there was nearly a mid-air collision over Aurora yesterday, so close that people were screaming at each other on the common traffic frequency (there's no tower) and that would have been a fireball somewhere near Canby. Great big argument between all the pilots in the pattern, which is rare.
While that was going on, there were five planes waiting to take off at Troutdale, and probably three in the pattern. Half or more of them are Asian students who barely understand English. They're going to shut down Troutdale Airport for the sequester in April, which means there will be blood over Gresham, Troutdale or Fairview.
@Playanekes I was entering the pattern yesterday at aurora when I heard the yelling. One guy was on base and the other was doing a straight In on runway 35. The base guy was pissed that the straight in guy just kept going. They are just closing the troutdale tower right, not the airport.
@Playanekes
I drive by Aurora to visit my dad. I didn't realize that there is no tower. Flew into there once as a kid, and also Donald. OMSI program for kids. I even got wheel time. Yes wheel. It was a twin engine Bonanza.
http://youtu.be/akAnFCJ45H0
I think there was a midair collision above Champoeg State Park last year. No tower at Salem either, it's typical. I guess you're pilots and already know that.
The airplane is a Maule, which is sort of the king of bush-planes. He could have practically landed it in a parking lot, so, they must have hit a wind shift or something else... he was probably aiming for the field next to the house.
I hope the injured man will recover... condolences to the family of the man who died... Â I'm glad the people in the house weren't injured... A very scary crash, for sure..!
I wonder what would have happened to the pilot and passenger if the plane had not his the house. Would both be now dead, or both injured? Glad one survived anyway!
@jpk It doesn't have tundra tires but there are videos of Maules landing along stream-beds. They touch down on the water and skip across it until they hit the beach, and then come to stop there. I'm not aware of non-STOL Maules so if he hadn't hit a solid object they'd be drinking beer right now. Something caused them to veer. Might have been as simple as a hawk or a flight of geese.Â
Damned near drilled a bald eagle over the mouth of the Sandy River on Friday. As far as the birds are concerned, spring has arrived. Â
Before anyone starts making snide comments about the aim of the pilot in hitting a house instead of an open area, sometimes there are no choices when you have no control! Condolences to the family of the deceased and hope the injured one recovers. At least then the reason for the crash may become known!
@jpk So true when no power and may not have enough altitude to try to glide anywhere. One of the instructors near where I work was able to bring a Cessna down on a gravel road. Some of our people went and helped recover it. They had to remove the wings and load on a trailer to take back to the airport. It was an engine problem. But it flew again.
@jpk
The heavy that went down a few decades ago aimed for the dark spot. Nailed an unoccupied house.
@WebFootSTi @jpk he didn't aim for anything.....see comment below.
@WebFootSTi @jpk The scar is still there on Burnside street. It's all '80s-era apartments now in an open area surrounded by douglas fir trees. That was right on my school bus route when I was a kid.
@WebFootSTi STUPID piloting. The United captain ran out of fuel trying to figure out how to get the gear down. Poor cockpit management. No one was checking the fuel status. Pure dumb luck that the DC 8 fell from the sky and hit the only place in east Portland that had no houses, malls, stores or apartment on it.
@WebFootSTi @Playanekes You were skiing on the Banfield?  Sorry, couldn't resist.
@Playanekes @WebFootSTi @jpk
I was driving home from a day of skiing on the Banfield when the radio said "Heavy down". At home I saw the TV crews providing light for rescue workers.
Nice bit of piloting.
@jpk Just gotta be amazed anyone lived through it.
@KATUNews tragic
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@Welfair Chick   He made an emergency landing on Sauvie Island, fixed the airplane, took off again and made it to work in time for the evening news broadcast. I don't believe they revoked his license. You see him around the airports from time to time... very tall man.
I think the plane was headed down. Ban gravity
Blackhawk down...
@CramRalphden BlackHawk BlackHawk BlackHawk -- say it fast.  *wink*