Victims of Columbia Plane Crash ID’d By Authorities

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.