Details Emerge From Plane Crash That Killed Two Near Porterville

By KSEE News

Details Emerge From Plane Crash That Killed Two Near Porterville

January 18, 2013 Updated Jan 18, 2013 at 11:19 AM PDT

Details emerge from the plane crash that killed two near Porterville.

After an all night search, Kern County sheriff's deputies located the plane about 30 miles south of the Porterville Municipal Airport, in a remote area near the community of Woody, California.

The plane, a Beech V35A, collided with terrain near Woody resulting in the pilot and passenger sustaining fatal injuries.

The pilot and owner James Johnston and passenger Jacob Curiel attempted a cross-country personal flight that departed from Imperial, California with a planned destination of Fresno, when visual conditions diminished.

During the flight, Johnston contacted Bakersfield Approach Control, and was issued a descent to 7,000 feet after previously maintaining 14,000 feet. Johnston acknowledged the descent, however contact was lost first by voice and later by radar.

The wreckage was located about 1 mile from the last radar return.

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