Caden West, 27, of Pocatello, died late Saturday night when the plane he was flying crashed at the Blackfoot Airport. The aircraft ended up across Teeples Drive. Debris covered the roadway. Police closed the street for hours.
Blackfoot police got the call around 11 p.m. Three people were in the plane. West was the pilot. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The two adult male passengers went by ambulance to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls. Their names and conditions stayed private.
This was the second plane crash at the same airport that day. The first one happened about 8:30 a.m. A single-engine plane hit a berm while landing and flipped upside down near the runway. The pilot was alone. He walked away with only minor injuries and needed no hospital stay. His name was not released.
The fatal crash left Teeples Drive blocked. Drivers had to find other ways around. Nearby residents used different routes until the road opened again. Emergency crews worked the scene for a long time.
Blackfoot police are looking into the crash with the FAA and NTSB. No word yet on what caused it. The earlier crash is under review too.
West’s plane came down on the north end of the airport. The wreckage stretched onto the street. Officials kept people clear while they checked everything.
Both incidents stay open. Blackfoot Police, Blackfoot Fire, the FAA, and the NTSB keep digging into what happened that Saturday.
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