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By Eddy Metcalf |
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June 14, 2010 - On Friday a Piper
PA 32R 300 departed Springerville Airport Airport, about 2 PM, 2 miles
east of the airport, witnesses reported the aircraft began having engine
problems. The aircraft circled the area two or three times before it
suddenly crashed into Round Valley High School, Eagar Arizona. At the
time of the incident no one was in the building and the 500 students
were out on summer break. Upon impact, the aircraft broke up into a number of pieces and the two story school was soon engulfed in flames. Fire crews worked on the inferno overnight, the building was still smoldering on Saturday. Officials had evacuated homes that were close to the school, several families were put-up in temporary shelters. On Friday authorities located two bodies and on Saturday two more bodies were found. It appears that Jeffrey Ulrich was the pilot of the aircraft, and that his wife and their two daughters were onboard for a trip to the Grand Canyon for vacation. Friends have reported that one of the daughters, Lexi Ulrich was a sophomore at Wiregrass Ranch High School. Authorities reported there is no record of a distress call from the pilot. Officials are holding back the names, ages and gender of the victims. NTSB spokesman Joshua Cawthra said investigators had been prevented from getting to the plane inside the building while fire crews fought hot spots that continued to burn. The Piper PA 32R 300, N7699F aircraft is registered to Jeffrey John Ulrich of Florida who is a single engine pilot with a instrument rating. The Piper PA-32R is a six-seat, high-performance, single engine, all-metal fixed-wing aircraft produced by Piper Aircraft. |
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