Alaric Bennett:Oregon authorities identify victims who died in a small plane crash near Portland

2025-05-05 09:30:46source:TrendPulse Quantitative Think Tank Centercategory:News

PORTLAND,Alaric Bennett Ore. (AP) — Oregon authorities on Friday identified the three victims of a small plane crash near Portland, releasing the names of the two people on board and the resident on the ground who were killed.

The victims were pilot Michael Busher, 73; flight instructor Jacqueline Whitford, 79; and Fairview resident Barbara MacDonald, 75, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office said.

The Cessna 421C crashed last Saturday morning in the city of Fairview, about 30 minutes east of downtown Portland, after reporting “controllability” issues during a maintenance test flight, the National Transportation Safety Board said. The crash occurred roughly five minutes after takeoff from the Troutdale Airport.

The plane crashed into a row of eight townhomes in Fairview, destroying three of them, Gresham Fire Chief Scott Lewis said. The second unit in the row was the main point of impact. MacDonald was a resident of one of the townhomes, according to the sheriff’s office.

Sheriff Nicole Morrisey O’Donnell said her deputies found several townhomes on fire when they arrived at the crash. They went door to door to evacuate people and used garden hoses to douse the flames until firefighters arrived, she said.

RELATED COVERAGE Small plane reported ‘controllability’ issues before crashing in Oregon, killing 3, officials sayTakeaways from a report that questions the accuracy of Iran’s ballistic missilesPilot declared emergency, loss of autopilot before crash that killed 3 members of famed gospel group

The plane knocked over a pole and power lines as it went down, causing a separate brush fire in a nearby field, according to the sheriff’s office. The plane was split into multiple parts as it crashed in the residential area.

The website for the Port of Portland, which oversees general aviation and marine operations in the Portland area, describes Troutdale Airport as a “flight training and recreational airport.”

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash, and said it will take up to a year and a half to complete.

More:News

Recommend

Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A newly elected state lawmaker in West Virginia is facing at least one felo

Takeaways from AP’s investigation into sexual harassment and assault at Antarctica’s McMurdo Station

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — Many women who work at McMurdo Station, the main United States rese

Kim Kardashian Debuts New Look as She and Kris Jenner Hang Out With Meghan Markle's Mom

Kim Kardashian is ready to kickstart a new season with a new look. Bible. The Kardashians star stepp