Rescuer Dies At Scene Of CA Plane Crash

Aero-News has learned, sadly, that last week's accident involving a Cessna 172 that went down outside Gilroy, CA has claimed a fifth life. In addition to the four passengers who perished in the Wednesday night accident, one of the rescuers who valiantly attempted to reach the accident scene, gave his life in that noble duty.

Santa Clara County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Assistant Director Doug Mincey collapsed soon after he arrived at the accident scene, according to CBS-5. Mincey was among the SAR team who scoured the mountains Wednesday night and Thursday attempting to locate the downed aircraft.

Those working the accident scene said Mincey played a key role among the search team. He had hiked to the scene to collect information on the accident scene and take photographs of the wreckage.

"He's the one that ran the show," said Santa Clara County Sheriff Department Sgt. Serg Palanov. "It was really sad."

Search-and-rescue team members told CBS-5 emergency personnel from the California Department of Forestry, the Gilroy Fire Department and Santa Clara Sheriff's deputies responded to the scene and attempted to revive Mincey, but were unable to do so.

According to media reports, Mincey -- who had previously worked as a Director of Sales Support for the Altera Corporation headquartered in San Jose -- joined the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team in Oct. 1993. He had volunteered "thousands" of hours with search-and-rescue, said his fellow team members, and even went so far as to convert his personal 4x4 vehicle into a mobile command center.

As was reported in Aero-News, the red-and-white Cessna 172 (file photo of type, above) went down Wednesday night in the hills of Coyote Park, just north of the town of Gilroy. Witnesses to the accident reported the airplane was in a spin as it impacted the ground.

Two of the four passengers who died in the accident have been identified, as Matthew Armstrong and his wife Sara. The two other fatalities, both children, have not been identified.  

FMI: www.sccssar.org