A spokesman for the FAA reported on Wednesday morning that an 11 seat Beechcraft Airplane crashed just after taking off at around 9:15 AM. It was quite foggy and the pilot was using instruments to take off but the actual cause is still under investigation. It is reported tha the flight was headed to Visalia. The victims names were withheld until their relatives are notified.
According to a correctional officer at the gate of the Hemen Stark Correctional Facility, the crash occurred on state property, most of which is open fields and dairy land. But only one and 1/2 miles west of the crash site there are two Chino Hills communities, including Fairfield Ranch and Los Serranos. Chapparal Elementary School is also straight due west of the main runway.
Update:
David Castellon of the Visalia Times reported that the identities of the two men killed have now been released.
One of them was Roland Henry Barthelemy, 76, of Orange. Mr. Barthelemy owned a dairy in the Tulare area and apparently was on his way there. The other victim was the pilot, Robert Alan Lewis, 66, who lived in Chino.
The plane's listed owner is RHB-JMJ LLC. in Chino, which according to state records is owned by Barthelemy. The plane reportedly flew regularly to and from the Central Valley to Chino.
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