Victims of Columbia Plane Crash ID’d By Authorities
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Columbia, CA — Tuolumne County Sheriff’s officials have released the names of the four victims who died in the crash landing at Columbia Airport now that all family members have been notified of the tragic situation.
As first reported here, around 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday the private plane, a Cessna, crashed and caught on fire with the flames spreading to nearby vegetation. The National Transportation Safety Board is heading the investigation into what caused the aircraft to crash.
The sheriff’s office reports the deceased were two married couples who were positively identified through dental records. They are:
- KRUETZFELDT, Daniel Allan
43 years old
Pilot, seated left front in plane Married to Kristin Kruetzfeldt
Employed as commercial pilot - KRUETZFELDT, Kristin Kay
44 years old
Seated left rear in plane
Married to Daniel Kruetzfeldt (Daniel and Kristen share three children together.) - CHANDLER, Claude Ernest
69 years old
Seated right front on plane
Retired from Sierra Conservation Center
Married to Mary Chandler, Step-father to Daniel Kruetzfeldt - CHANDLER, Mary Lynne
71 years old
Seated right rear in plane
Married to Claude Chandler
Mother of Daniel Kruetzfeldt
Sheriff’s officials report both couples lived in Tuolumne County; the Kruetzfeldts in Sonora; the Chandlers outside of Tuolumne City.
