Two Experienced Pilots Killed in Small Plane Crash in Central California
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating a single-engine plane crash that killed two people Wednesday afternoon about seven miles west of Meadows Field Airport, and about a mile south of Highway 58, near the Frito-Lay Plant in Bakersfield. The Kern County Coroner's Office identified the victims as pilot Alfred Fredrick Goss, 68, of Bakersfield, and passenger Steven Dean Ballard, 54, of Anchorage, AK. The plane broke into pieces upon crash landing and caught fire; both Goss and Ballard died at the scene of the crash.
According to reports in the Bakersfield Californian, both of the men killed in the crash were experienced pilots. Goss was veteran of the Reno Air Races and one-time national air racing champion and member of the Warlock Team. Ballard was a pilot for FedEx. The plane was AT-6 Texan, a single-engine fixed wing propeller plane used to train pilots in World War II. Our sympathy goes out to the families of Al Goss and Steve Ballard, and everyone who knew and loved them. Please keep both of these families in your prayers as they are dealing with such a sudden and unexpected loss.
What Caused this Fatal Airplane Crash?
Friends at the scene were reportedly puzzled as to why the crash occurred because both men were very experienced pilots and weather conditions were favorable. Hopefully the NTSB investigation will yield answers as to what went wrong and caused the plane to go down suddenly. Meanwhile, the families of both men killed in this crash would be well advised to speak to an experienced aviation accident lawyer about this incident. An attorney can monitor the investigation and hire additional investigators to look into what went wrong, whether it is negligence in maintenance or mechanical system component malfunction. If this devastating plane crash was the result of someone else's negligent, an aviation accident attorney can pursue justice, accountability and compensation for the families' losses.
Continue reading "Two Experienced Pilots Killed in Small Plane Crash in Central California " »
