Sheriff William F. Honsal | Humboldt Sheriff’s Office website
Sheriff William F. Honsal | Humboldt Sheriff’s Office website
On July 23 at approximately 11:15 AM, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Deputies, Fire Services, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were dispatched to Kneeland Airport following reports of a fire and possible aircraft crash.
CAL FIRE personnel arrived first on the scene, reporting a fire and wreckage area in a steep ravine north of the airstrip. Deputies subsequently arrived to assist and secure the area. Tragically, two fatalities were confirmed within the wreckage. The bodies have been recovered and transported to the HCSO Coroner Station for autopsy in the coming days.
The HCSO expressed gratitude to their Search and Rescue (SAR) Volunteers, CAL FIRE, the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the Humboldt County Aviation Department, Humboldt Bay Fire (HBF), Arcata Fire Department (AFD), Blue Lake Volunteer Fire Department (BLVFD), Kneeland Fire Protection District (KFPD), Reach Air Medical Services, and City Ambulance for their assistance and collaborative response.
Additionally, HCSO extended sincere condolences to the families of those lost in this incident. Identification of the victims is pending notification of next of kin.
The crash site has been turned over to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for further investigation. All inquiries regarding the crash should be directed to these agencies. The NTSB can be contacted at 1(202)314-6000.
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