Authorities identify pilot who died in small plane crash near Buchanan Field Airport in Concord
Authorities on Wednesday identified the pilot who died in the Tuesday morning small plane crash near Buchanan Field Airport in Concord.
According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office, the pilot was identified as 75-years-old Berkeley resident Jacek Romanski.
The Van's Aircraft RV-6 single-engine plane crashed at about 10:30 a.m. and came to rest at the intersection of Concord Ave. and Diamond Boulevard near the southern end of the airport runway.
The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) confirmed the pilot was deceased and was the only person on the plane.
During a Wednesday afternoon update, Scott Johnson with the National Transportation Safety Board said his crew spent most of the day examining the wreckage from the plane and its fuel system, trying to determine what went wrong.
"There was some indication from witnesses saying that there might be engine issues," Johnson said. "We are looking for any audio that might be available to help us determine as evidence of that situation."
Johnson asked the public to provide any video or information that might help with the investigation by contacting the email witness@NTSB.gov.
Johnson said that "nothing that was catastrophic" was found with the airplane.
Contra Costa County Fire Battalion Chief Kevin Platt on Tuesday said that given the proximity of businesses and homes in the area, the crash could have been much worse.
"Immediately off the airport are hotels, commercial businesses, car dealerships. Eventually, we run into residences. So it's a regular community around it. The community begins directly adjacent to the airport," Platt explained. "So we were fortunate that the aircraft was on a roadway."
A vehicle on the ground was also involved in the crash and the driver was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, Con Fire said.
Shortly after the crash, police said residents should expect road closures for up to 12 hours. A later update from Concord Police indicated the road closures would stay in place until Wednesday afternoon. Police said the streets were reopened as of 2:45 p.m.
The Concord Ave and Diamond Blvd roadways have reopened. Thank you for your patience and understanding as officers worked this tragedy. Please drive safe.
— Concord Police Dept. (@ConcordPD_CA) January 31, 2024
A preliminary report on the crash will be available on NTSB website in the next 15 days. The incident is also being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration.