SAN DIEGO — The National Transportation Safety Board said a preliminary report on the June 8 plane crash that killed six Gila Valley residents should be available within the next 30 days.
In an e-mail to Gila Valley Central, NTSB officials said a final report, which will include findings on the probable cause for the crash, is expected in 12 to 24 months.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Coast Guard announced it had suspended recovery efforts, after searching more than 300 square miles of the Pacific Ocean over a 35-hour period.
The plane departed San Diego International Airport at about 12:30 p.m. Sunday, June 8, to return to the Gila Valley, and almost immediately the pilot told air traffic control he was “heavy” and struggling to reach an altitude of more than 1,000 feet. Air traffic control directed the pilot to make an emergency landing at a nearby airstrip, but the pilot said he couldn’t see the air field, called out, “Mayday,” and then radio contact was broken.
NTSB officials did not release names of the victims, instead referring Gila Valley Central to local officials. Calling for a moment of silence for the victims during Tuesday’s Pima Town Council meeting, Pima Mayor Brian Paull identified the victims as husband and wife Landon and Torrie (nee Beus) Baldwin, of Pima; and Jeremy Bingham and his three sons, Bailey, Gavin and Ayden, of Thatcher.
Kat Kountry 94.5 FM originally set up Venmo donation portals to help the victims’ families; however, due to the story of the crash gaining national attention, a number of scam accounts popped up in an effort to divert funding. That led to Kat Kountry officials creating a secure GoFundMe page to ensure the families receive the donations, which can be reached by clicking here.
