Jul. 18—Two people died Sunday morning when the aircraft they were riding in crashed in northeast Napa County, authorities said.
The crash happened at about 8:30 a.m. in the Berryessa Estates neighborhood in Pope Valley, according to officials with the Federal Aviation Administration and Cal Fire.
Nobody else was on board the aircraft, an Evolution RevoLT weight-shift trike, according to officials with the FAA, which is investigating the crash along with the National Transportation Safety Board.
Firefighters were dispatched to the crash site to put out a fire, according to Cal Fire spokesperson Tyree Zander. The blaze grew to about an acre before it was contained by residents and firefighters, according to Zander.
NTSB investigating the 7/17/2022 crash of an Evolution Revolt Weight Shift Control Trike aircraft near Napa, California.
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) July 18, 2022
The Napa County Sheriff's Office was working to identify the victims on Monday, according to agency spokesperson Henry Wofford.
He said the agency did not have an estimation for when the identifications would be available, adding that "it may take a while due to the amount of damage at the scene."
Sunday's crash occurred a day after the year anniversary of another small Napa County aircraft crash. That incident resulted in the deaths of three people.
On July 16, 2021, a pilot and two passengers were killed when their single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza crashed into a vineyard in Angwin.
According to the FAA, this crash occurred as the plane underwent a missed approach procedure at Angwin Airport-Parrett Field.
"A missed approach occurs when a pilot aborts their landing for whatever reason. In this instance, the pilot clipped trees while trying to gain altitude following an aborted landing," FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said at the time.
The plane crashed into a vineyard on Las Posadas Road south of the airport and caught fire.
Authorities later identified the trio as a Southern California man and his daughter and son-in-law from Virginia.
Robert Nicholas, 73 of Murrieta, piloted the Beechcraft Bonanza, according to the Napa County Sheriff's Office.
Also on board were James and Shauna Waite, both 37, of Arlington.
You can reach Staff Writer Matt Pera at [email protected]. On Twitter @Matt__Pera.
___
(c)2022 The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, Calif.)
Visit The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, Calif.) at www.pressdemocrat.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
