Deputies located a plane crash and deceased pilot. This is preliminary information. Last night at about 6:40 PM Sonoma County Sheriff's received a call from the US Air Force about an emergency transponder activation from a small passenger plane in eastern Petaluma. Deputies responded to the coordinates given on Sonoma Mountain and were unable to immediately locate the plane.
Around the same time, a woman from San Diego County had called Petaluma PD and reported her husband was overdue home. He was believed to have left the Petaluma Airport en route to San Diego County in his Mooney M20 fix winged airplane.
Shortly after 10:00 PM deputies spotted a small fire in a remote ravine near the 3600 block of Manor Ln. Deputies hiked to the location of the fire and found the downed aircraft and confirmed the fatality of one man believed to be the pilot.
Due to extreme weather and darkness, deputies secured the scene and notified the National Transportation Safety Board who will respond and investigate the cause of the collision.
The man's identity has not been confirmed yet, but it is believed to be a 75-year-old man from San Diego County. The Coroner's Office will release his name when his identity is confirmed.
Prepared by: Sgt. Spencer Crum
Media Inquiries: 707-565-3941
