David Charron dies in plane crash in Montana
CBC News has learned the names of a Chestermere couple involved in a fatal plane crash on Thursday afternoon in a mountainous area of Montana.
David Charron, 56, was the pilot and died on impact.
His wife Valerie Charron, 54, survived. She was able to call 911 from the crash site using her cellphone.
She stayed in communication with rescue crews for the five hours it took them to get to the remote crash site.
“The lady said that they had that indicator that went off that said they were about to have a collision, so they turned, but they were in the clouds so they started taking out trees and crashed,” David Wendt, under-sheriff at the Meagher County Sheriff's office, told CBC News.
Wife received medical treatment
John Lopp, the sheriff at the Meagher County Sheriff's office, told CBC News what he heard from rescue personnel on the site near Hidden Lake, Mont.
“It was mostly impact still, the wings were broken off but the fuselage was mostly together. It appears the plane started losing altitude, started clipping trees,” he said.
Valerie Charron is being treated in hospital in Great Falls, Mont.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board told CBC News their investigation into the cause of the crash has not yet started.
Officials said investigators have not yet arrived at the crash site.
The Federal Aviation Administration will also be involved in the investigation.
The sheriff said the autopsy on Charron is now complete and his body would be released to the family later on Friday.
