1 dead in aircraft crash near Calipatria

A crash involving one aircraft resulted in one fatality Tuesday morning, stated Imperial County Fire Department on Wednesday.

The aircraft, a crop duster, fell during flight near Highline Canal next to Butters and Yocum roads, confirmed county Fire Chief Tony Rouhotas.

Steven Turner, 40, was the pilot of the plane and the only person onboard.

Turner, who had been living in Mexicali for a while, was determined to be dead at the scene at 10:58 a.m., confirmed Imperial County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Office.

The time of the crash was determined to be the same as the time of death Tuesday.

According to county Sheriff’s Office activity logs, the plane was fully engulfed in fire and witnesses did not see the pilot get out of the plane.

Turner’s body was eventually retrieved, the coroner’s office confirmed.

The crop duster belonged to Farm Aviation, a farm company in Brawley, stated activity logs.

The farm company stated the chemicals involved with the plane were Siv-anto Prime Insecticide, Buffer PF and Coragen.

The chemicals did not pose a serious threat to the fire department, as they were very minor products with low hazards, explained Rouhotas.

The autopsy on Turner’s body will take place Friday.

The incident is being investigated by the National Transpiration Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration and the cause of the crash has yet to be determined, stated the fire chief.