Register Staff
7-11-2009

Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are trying to determine what caused a small plane to go down near Mammoth Wednesday evening.
Two individuals, Donald Alan Hall, 52, of Dallesport, Wash. and Sherril Dene Wilson, 54, of Turner, Ore., were killed in the crash.
According to the Mono County Sheriff’s Department, personnel with the Mammoth Lakes Police Department, Mammoth Lakes Fire Department, Mono County Paramedics and the Mono County Search and Rescue were dispatched to the Twin Lakes area of Mammoth Lakes at approximately 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The aircraft was located above Twin Lakes Resort and the occupants were found to be deceased.

Investigators sift through wreckage of a small plane crash near Twin Lakes in Mammoth Wednesday evening. The pilot and passenger of the plane died in the crash. Photo by Dave Michalski/Mammoth Times

According to officials, the aircraft was traveling from Phoenix en route to Washington when it landed at the Mammoth-Yosemite Airport to refuel. It was reported that the aircraft was flying very low upon takeoff and then apparently attempted a turn before hitting some trees and crashing.
Further details are pending the investigation.