News Release from: Clackamas Co. Sheriff's Office

Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, other agencies respond to small-engine plane crash in Estacada

Posted: Oct. 29, 2008

Photos:
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Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Patrol deputies and Estacada Fire rescue personnel have located a downed small-engine aircraft at 30751 SE Lawrence Road in Estacada.

On Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008 at 7:30 p.m., the Clackamas County Communications Center (C-COM) received information from a concerned citizen that a small aircraft had flown over his home with no lights on; moments later, the caller had heard a series of crashing sounds believed to have been the plane hitting trees or the ground.

Less than 5 minutes later, another emergency call was received by C-COM reporting that the pilot of a small plane was experiencing electrical problems and that all the equipment on the plane was inoperable. It is believed the pilot of this plane in distress had called a friend on the ground from his cell phone to report the problems encountered onboard the aircraft.

Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Patrol deputies and Estacada Fire emergency personnel responded to the area to search for the possibly downed small-engine aircraft.

At 7:50 p.m., dense smoke was observed wafting around a large stand of trees at the rural address of 30751 SE Lawrence Rd. in Estacada. Rescue personnel followed the smoke to the location of the downed craft. They also found debris from the crash scattered for some distance around the crash site.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was alerted and responded to the crash scene.

Rescue personnel on-scene began the work of extracting any occupants inside the fuselage -- and confirmed that there were two deceased male occupants on board the crashed plane.

Family notifications were completed by the end of Wednesday morning, Oct. 29. The deceased are identified as:

1. Mark Steven Greenup, 54, of Estacada. Greenup is believed to have been piloting this plane at the time of the crash. According to FAA documents, the crashed plane -- a 1964 Cessna P206 -- is registered to Mark Steven Greenup of Estacada.

2. George Joseph Smetana (pronounced SME-TAUNA), 50, also of Estacada. Smetana is identified as the passenger in this plane at the time of this crash.

Josh Cawthra, representing the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), requested the crash site be preserved with restricted access. Clackamas County Sheriff's Deputies were stationed on the outer perimeter and at the crash site. Photos are linked above. Media is restricted to this outer perimeter; media representatives are asked to park anywhere along SE Lawrence Road near the site.

Cawthra conducted a media briefing this afternoon (Oct. 29) at the SE Lawrence Road location, near the Estacada airport. He then escorted all media into the scene for a photo opportunity at the crash site.

The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office is grateful for the generous support provided by the Estacada Fire Department, Clackamas Fire, American Medical Response, Pacific Northwest Search & Rescue, the Clackamas County 4X4 Club, the Clackamas County Deputy Medical Examiner, the FAA, and the NTSB.

Additional updates will be posted as received.

[END]

Contact Info: Jim Strovink, Detective