FRESNO COUNTY – Four people have died following a plane crash in northwest Fresno.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office identified the victims as two adults from Auberry, including Danna Eady, 41, and Craig Eady, 44, and two children. FSO has not publicly confirmed the identities of the children but a support campaign for the family identified them as the Eadys’ two youngest children.
A press release from FSO said police and firefighters responded to a report of a plane crash shortly before 2 p.m. on Sept. 5 near the 7300 block of North Blythe Avenue, just northwest of Sierra Sky Park Airport. There, first responders discovered a fixed wing single-engine airplane on fire on top of the bluff overlooking the San Joaquin River.
An FSO spokesperson shared that the two adults were located outside the plane with severe injuries and were transported to the hospital in critical condition. The two children were found deceased in the wreckage. Danna Eady later died overnight at the hospital on Saturday and Craig Eady died at the hospital on Monday.
The National Transportation Safety Board sent an investigator to the scene on Sept. 5 and will be handling the investigation into the plane crash.
“We need the community to understand we can’t be in the speculation game,” FSO public information officer Tony Botti told members of the media Sept. 6. “A lot of people believe they know aeronautics and what could have happened. These are the investigators, this is their specialty and they’re gonna figure it out.”
Botti said the NTSB may have a preliminary report within a few weeks but that it could take up to a year for a final report to be released.
Danna Eady was a flight instructor with Reedley College. Reedley College said the accident did not involve any students or a Reedley College plane.
“Danna was an incredible instructor and a mentor to all of our flight science students, especially to the five young women who are currently in our program and consider her to be a role model and inspiration to fulfill their dreams of becoming pilots,” Reedley College said.
Reedley College President Jerry Buckley said Eady was a valued member of the flight science department and a “tremendous” certified flight instructor.
“We will miss her greatly,” Buckley said.
A SupportNow fundraiser has been set up for the Eady family and their two surviving children.
