A third person who was aboard a small plane that crashed Saturday has died, according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday.
The sheriff’s office said a woman who was on board died at a hospital.
She was identified later Sunday as 41-year-old Danna Eady of Auberry.
A fourth person, a man, remains in critical condition.
Two children also died in the crash. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
They have not been identified as of Sunday afternoon.
First responders arrived to find a fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft that had crashed off the runway in the river-bottom area of the San Joaquin River.
It remains unclear whether the plane was arriving at or departing from the airport.
In an update Sunday, sheriff’s office spokesperson Tony Botti said it’s likely the plane was departing Sierra Sky Park. He said it’s not clear how long they had been in the air or their destination.
He added that the two adults were found outside the plane.
A nearby resident, who asked not to be identified, said he did not hear the crash itself. Instead, he heard sirens and wondered what was happening.
He then noticed a fire near the airport and became concerned that it could spread to nearby homes.
Fire crews were able to prevent the fire from spreading.
The National Transportation Safety Board is on scene investigating the crash.
This story was originally published September 6, 2026 at 12:41 PM.
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Anthony Galaviz writes about breaking news/sports for The Fresno Bee. He covers the Las Vegas Raiders, high schools, boxing, MMA and junior colleges. He’s been with The Bee since 1997 and attended Fresno City College before graduating from Fresno State with a major in journalism and a minor in criminology.
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