HILLSBORO, Ore. — Officials confirmed one person was killed when a small two-seater plane crashed into a field near the Twin Oaks Airpark in Hillsboro, Oregon on Friday evening.
According to Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, witnesses said the plane crashed into a grassy field during takeoff.
According to the the National Transportation Safety Board, the airplane was an experimental Lancair 235.
There were no other reports of injuries or deaths.
The crash sparked a grass fire that then spread to a nearby field.
Firefighters sent to the scene reported seeing a large column of black smoke rising into the air in the distance, according to TVF&R. When crews arrived at the crash site, the fire was beginning to diminish. They quickly put out the remaining pockets of fire and found the plane’s only occupant dead.
Lt. Marcus Koss, with TVF&R, said the challenges for first responders in this crash is comparable to responding to a car crash.
“This is very similar to a car crash in terms of the type of materials that are involved,” Koss said. “Typically, there’s a little more heat involved, because it is a highly flammable fuel, and of course our biggest concern is around the spread, especially as we move into these summer months. Firefighters were able to make a quick response and contain it to just the aircraft.”
The airpark is along Southwest River Road outside of Hillsboro in Washington County. Flights in and out of the airpark were canceled the rest of Friday.
“This airport has a good safety record,” Koss said. “We don’t have very many incidents that are out here. It appears to be an isolated incident related to this particular airport.”
Investigators with the Federal Aviation Administration and NTSB have been called to the scene to take over the investigation.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
The Twin Oaks Airpark is home to flight training programs. KATU reached out to the airpark and has not heard back.