HILLSBORO, Ore. — One person was killed Friday after a small aircraft crashed and caught fire during takeoff at Twin Oaks Airpark, prompting a response from multiple emergency agencies.
According to Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, crews were dispatched alongside Hillsboro Fire & Rescue and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office following reports of an aircraft crash near the airpark.
Witnesses reported seeing the small aircraft go down in a grassy field during takeoff. Callers told emergency dispatchers the plane was engulfed in flames and that the fire posed a threat to nearby vegetation.
Hillsboro Fire & Rescue firefighters were the first to arrive at the scene and observed a large column of thick black smoke rising from the crash site. As crews approached, the fire began to subside, producing brown smoke with several remaining pockets of active flames within the wreckage.
Firefighters quickly launched an aggressive fire suppression effort, successfully extinguishing the blaze before it could spread beyond the aircraft or ignite surrounding grasslands.
The aircraft’s sole occupant was located in the wreckage and was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not yet released the victim’s identity pending notification of next of kin.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation in coordination with the National Transportation Safety Board. Officials said the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
No additional injuries were reported.
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