Octorara School Board president dies in small plane crash in Chester County
COATESVILLE, Pa. (CBS) - A pilot died after a small plane crashed in Chester County, Pennsylvania, on Thursday afternoon, West Caln Township police said.
The crash happened shortly after 1:30 p.m. in the 500 block of Old Wilmington Road in Coatesville. Multiple fire departments and emergency responders were at the scene.
The Octorara Area School District identified the pilot on its website as Sam Ganow, the district's school board president. Police said he was in his 60s.
"It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that we share with you the news of the tragic passing of our School Board President, Mr. Sam Ganow. Earlier today, we learned that Sam lost his life in a plane crash in Coatesville, leaving us with a deep sense of loss and grief," the school district posted on its website in part. "Mr. Ganow was not only a dedicated member of the Octorara Area School District School Board but also a cherished and respected member of our community. Mr. Ganow served the Octorara community as a school board member for 26 years. His commitment to education and his tireless efforts to enhance the educational experience for our students made a lasting impact on our school district."
Chopper 3 was over the scene where the wreckage was found in a backyard.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the pilot was the only person on board.
The National Transportation Safety Board went to the scene to begin an investigation. The FAA said the NTSB will likely post an initial incident report on Friday.
Authorities said no homes were damaged in the crash, but the plane barely avoided a house.
According to the flight-tracking website FlightAware, the plane flew out of Chester County Airport in Coatesville.
One neighbor said he didn't hear about the crash until he saw crowds forming in the neighborhood.
"Crazy, I mean, my first thought is that he probably aimed for some open area rather than an area where he would hit a house or something like that, so that's kind of heroic if you ask me," Ed Bodnar said. "We have a little airport around the corner, probably two miles from here, so we see little planes all the time."
There's no word on what caused the crash.
