Plane crash claims life of Tyrone man

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

The victim of Wednesday afternoon's fatal ultralight plane crash in Tyrone has been identified as John Kelly Bass, 32, of Tyrone.

Tyrone Police Chief Roger Spencer said Bass had taken off from a makeshift airstrip near the cabin where he lived at the end of Laurelwood Drive. Several witnesses saw the aircraft fly low above the trees before banking to the right and falling into the woods, Spencer said. One of the witnesses heard the crash and called 911, he added.

"They saw him pass over several trees real low and vanish," Spencer said.

It took less than a half-hour to locate the plane with the assistance of a helicopter from Phoenix Aircare, said Capt. Pete Nelms of the Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services. Getting to Bass, however, was difficult since the plane was lodged in a tree at an estimated 40 feet off the ground.

An employee from Chief's Tree Service was called in and scaled the tree to free Bass from the wreckage, Nelms said. The area was so heavily wooded that it left rescuers with few options, Nelms said.

Bass was pronounced dead at the scene by the Fayette County Coroner's Office.

Spencer said witnesses reported that they had previously only seen Bass pilot the aircraft up and down the makeshift airstrip.

"I had seen him a couple of times take it from one end of the airstrip to the other and fly 5 feet off the ground and come back down," Spencer said. "I had not really seen him go airborne.

The plane is reportedly 26 years old, Spencer said. It was equipped with an engine, a rudder and other controls, he added.

Several years ago, another ultralight plane crashed in Tyrone, but the victim survived after stalling the aircraft and crashing into a wooded area.

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