ELMIRA, Ore. (KMTR) -- Four people are dead after a plane crash in Elmira, west of Eugene. The plane went down a little after 3 PM, not far from Suttle Road and Ridiculous Lane where there is a small airfield.
According to the Lane County Sheriff's Office, the names of the pilot and three passengers will not be released until families are notified. Deputies have taped off the area until investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board arrive.
Fire officials say it appears the Cessna 172 took off, clipped a tree and crashed.
A neighbor, Ed Daniels, heard the crash and ran to help but said it was too late. "The plane was upside down. There were no wings on it and the fuselage had been torn apart. The gas tank was removed. Dispatch had me ask if I want to check for a pulse. There were two bodies I could get to and check, but there was no response from anybody. There was no body movement - they all perished."
Representatives from the NTSB will take over the investigation soon. More details should be released in the coming days.
