Plane Crash That Killed Loma Linda Alums is Discussed

The National Transportation Safety Board, on July 12, is expected to discuss the probable cause of a 2009 crash of a single engine aircraft that killed 14 people, many of them alumni of Loma Linda University.

On March 22, 2009, a Pilatus PC-12/45 aircraft departed from Redlands Airport headed to Bozeman, Mont. The aircraft carried at least seven university alums and seven children.

The aircraft made a stop in Vacaville and Oroville, where it picked up passengers, according to a NTSB preliminary report. They left their last stop just after noon, officials said.

According to a flight report filed by the pilot, identified by several news reports as Ellison “Bud” Summerfield, 65, of Highland, the group was headed to Bozeman, Mont., but requested to divert to Butte for unknown reasons, according to the report.

The group was on their way to a ski vacation, NTSB officials said.

At 2:27 p.m. Montana time, air traffic control asked the pilot if he had the airport in sight and the pilot indicated he had one more cloud to maneuver around, according to the report. At 2:28 p.m., the pilot reported the airport in sight and air traffic control “terminated radar service,” according to the report. A minute after that, air traffic control called the aircraft, but got no response. The crash was reported to local authorities four minutes later.

The aircraft had crashed into Holy Cross cemetery west of runway 33 at Bert Mooney Airport in Butte.

According to a 2009 press reports, the deceased were identified as Summerfield, Dr. Erin Jacobson, 36, an ophthalmologist; his wife, Amy Jacobson, 34, a dental hygienist; their children Ava, 3, Taylor, 4, and Jude, 1, all of St. Helena; and Dr. Michael Pullen, 39, a dentist; his wife, Dr. Vanessa Pullen, 37, a pediatrician; and their children, Christopher, 7, and Sydney, 9, all of Galt; and Brent Ching, 37; wife Kristen Ching, 31; and their children Hailey, 5, and Caleb, 3, of Durham.

One witness with flying experience told NTSB authorities he “saw the airplane bank to the left and fly farther west when it rolled, pitched down, and descended out of his view.”

NTSB public events are also streamed live via webcast, officials said. For information on the time of the meeting call (202) 314-6551 or (800) 877-6799. You may also request this information from the NTSB website or write to the National Transportation Safety Board, Records Management Division (CIO-40), 490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, DC 20594.