Police have confirmed that three men died after a Cessna C-172G aircraft crashed in Oregon, United States (US) while reportedly flying in heavy fog.
The aircraft was travelling from McMinnville, Oregon, to the Independence State Airport on December 16, 2023, when the Cessna crashed.
Officers from the Independence Police Department and Polk County emergency responders were alerted to the incident on Hoffman Road at around 4:55 pm local time.
In a statement, the police said that it appeared the aircraft had struck power lines resulting in a small bush fire and a loss of electricity to homes in the area.
The deceased have been identified as 35-year-old Mohammad Hussain Musawi of Independence (pilot), 35-year-old Mohammad Bashir Safdari of Independence (passenger) and 29-year-old Ali Jan Ferdawsi of Salem, Oregon (passenger).
Video taken after the crash shows the crash site with the aircraft on fire in what appears to be a residential area.
3 people are now dead after a plane crash in Independence last night around 4:45pm.
— Sydney Dorner (@sydneydornertv) December 17, 2023
The crash occurred north of Hoffman Road and Pacific Power says 234 people are still without power this morning.
Independence Police have not released the names of those deceased.@KGWNews pic.twitter.com/aLmQLmi97Q
“I commend the collaborative efforts of all the agencies involved to secure the area, investigate the incident with sensitivity, and provide timely information to our residents,” Chief Robert Mason from the Independence Police Department said. “My heart goes out to the deceased and the pain their families are experiencing—our entire department mourns with you during this time.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that it is aware of the Cessna C-172G crash and has launched an investigation.
