Authorities Identify Victims After Plane Crashes Into West Jordan Home
WEST JORDAN, Utah — Two adults and one child have died following a small plane crash in Salt Lake County.
Authorities on Sunday identified them as pilot Lee Wyckoff, 43, Milda Shibonis, 36, and Coral Wyckoff, 9 months.
Officials confirmed a Piper PA-32R airplane crashed in the area of 3800 West and Piccadilly Circle in West Jordan around 2 p.m. Saturday after taking off from the South Valley Regional Airport.
Crews from multiple agencies responded.
A Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson said six people were aboard the aircraft when it crashed into a residential backyard.
LIVE: Officials hold a press conference to provide updates after a small plane crashed into a West Jordan neighborhood.
Posted by KSL 5 TV on Saturday, July 25, 2020
Jennifer Worthen with the West Jordan Police Department reported multiple injuries and possible casualties in an afternoon press conference.
The WJPD later confirmed there were three adults and three children on the plane.
Passengers Rebecca Wyckoff, 36, Cody Mitchell, 2, and Veda Sheperd, 12, survived. Rebecca Wyckoff is in critical condition. Mitchell sustained burns on his legs and arms, and Sheperd was able to walk away from the crash, according to the West Jordan Police Department.
UPDATE: Two adults and a 9-month-old baby have died following a small plane crash in West Jordan. Four other people, including an elderly homeowner, have been hospitalized with injuries. One child has been treated and released.
📷: Randy Barfuss
Details: https://t.co/T6mix3v89W pic.twitter.com/vixRPsCYPT
— KSL 5 TV (@KSL5TV) July 26, 2020
Mary Quintana, 72, was a resident in the home who was injured in the crash. Officials said she is also in critical condition.
@WJPD_PIO CONFIRMED: 6 people injured on the plane- there may be fatalities. 1 elderly woman was on her deck. 3 homes damaged.
What neighbors say: 1 baby was in the plane. 1 home looks to be total loss, there may have been propane tanks near crash site. @KSL5TV
— Garna Mejia KSL (@GarnaMejiaKSL) July 25, 2020
Video from the scene showed at least one medical helicopter on the ground.
Medical Helicopter At Scene Of West Jordan Plane Crash
BREAKING: At least one medical helicopter has responded to a plane crash near Old Bingham Highway and Bangerter Highway in West Jordan.Updates will be posted here: https://ksltv.com/?p=442078(Video: Francis Cooke/KSL TV)
Posted by KSL 5 TV on Saturday, July 25, 2020
Three homes sustained damaged, according to Worthen.
Video from Chopper 5 showed extensive damage to one of the homes in the neighborhood.
LIVE: Chopper 5 is over the scene of a small plane crash in West Jordan. No information as to how many people were involved or how serious the injuries were.
Posted by KSL 5 TV on Saturday, July 25, 2020
No cause for the crash has been given.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident.
BREAKING NEWS: A plane has crashed into a home in West Jordan. Garna Mejia has the late start information.
Posted by KSL 5 TV on Saturday, July 25, 2020
Many turned to the heroic actions of the neighbors and community members who rushed towards the danger when the plane crashed in the West Jordan neighborhood.
“It went right over our house and then we heard the big boom,” said Chase Jones who helped rescue the passengers.
“Everybody was so panicked,” said Emily Acosta, who also helped in rescue efforts. “So many people were trying to help, it was chaotic.”
“I jumped these two fences cut through here,” said Jones. “As soon as I got to the cul-de-sac, I could feel the heat from it.”
On the ground, neighbors found an elderly woman who was on her deck when the plane hit.
“My son actually managed to jump up on the deck and hand her over,” said Nick Faber who assisted in rescuing the passengers. “I grabbed her, she came rolling off of the top of the deck, and we moved her away from the house.”
“She flew off her balcony and was 90% covered in burns,” said Autumn Allen who also helped. “We had to drag her from under the fence.”
Making the most of every second, neighbors rushed towards the flames.
“I heard propane tanks in the garage, and you could hear those exploding as well as we were helping everyone get out of the house,” said Jones.
On board the plane, police said they found six people — three adults and three children.
“We pulled one of the victims out of the plane across the street,” said Laura Michelle Lyons who ran towards the plane. “The man was stuck in the plane. We couldn’t get him out.”
Neighbors said they had to tear a fence down to get to the pilot.
“They were pulling the fence down from the house next to it to extricate the pilot from the plane,” said Jones. “And then we pulled out the female from the back of the plane.”
Police said the dead include the pilot, a woman, and a 9-month-old baby girl.
“It was a family, it was a family. The mom who was in the plane, she came stumbling out with her little baby,” said Lyons. “He was limp in her arms.”
They rushed to help, even taking off the shirts from their backs.
“And you saw the 2-year-old holding his teddy bear, and he was just burned,” said Lyons.
Police said one of the surviving children was released from the hospital.
A 2 year old boy is in stable condition, and the third adult — a woman — is in critical condition, along with the elderly homeowner.
“Seeing that little boy hold his bear, it’s just very hard, and the mom just lay there and the mom just fought for her babies,” said Lyons.
The community turned to prayer and gratitude for the actions of those everyday heroes Saturday night.
“Just happened to be in the right place at the right time I guess,” said Faber.
Police said notification of next of kin is pending. They expect to release the names of the plane’s passengers Sunday.
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