The victims of a deadly plane crash that occurred on Saturday in San Rafael have been identified by the Marin County Sheriff’s Office. The incident happened just after 10 p.m., when the San Rafael Police Department received a call about a bright flash of light in the sky and a power outage near San Rafael Airport.
Subsequent reports confirmed that a plane had struck power lines near the airport. The initial investigation found that one person was deceased, and another was in critical condition.
The investigation further determined that the plane’s tailfin had hit power lines before hitting the ground. Power lines were tangled around the plane and strewn across the crash site, a wetlands area, making access to the plane difficult.
Once PG&E had cut power to the lines, responders from the San Rafael Fire Department were able to extricate the pilot, later identified as Kirk Harford of San Rafael. Harford was taken to John Muir Medical Center where he remains in critical condition.
The plane’s passenger, 59-year-old Marc Pankin of Novato, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
According to flight manifests, only two people were onboard the plane, which had taken off from Minden, Nevada, on its way to San Rafael.
The Marin County Sheriff’s Office is currently working alongside the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate the cause of this tragic crash. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of aviation safety and the need for comprehensive investigations following such incidents.