TCSO Releases Recap Of Columbia Airplane Crash
Columbia plane crash outside the Columbia Airport when TCSO deputies arrived on the scene -- courtesy TCSO
View VideoColumbia, CA – A video comprised of Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Deputies’ body cameras gives a recap of the rescue efforts after the plane crashed last week outside the Columbia Airport with two people inside.
Sheriff’s spokesperson Ashley Boujikian also shared the conditions of the male pilot and female passenger.
“After reaching out to the family, we are happy to report both individuals involved in last week’s plane crash are now safely at home and on the road to recovery.” Stated Boujikian. “We sincerely appreciate the support from our community and the many thoughts and prayers contributing to a positive outcome. Additionally, we extend our gratitude to the community members who reported this emergency; their quick action showcased exceptional teamwork.”
The identity of the two occupants and whether the Cessna 172 aircraft was taking off or landing have not been released, but as earlier reported here, the FAA detailed that the 1969 fixed-wing single-engine aircraft was registered to Richard Edwards from Acampo, California. As reported last Thursday (1/23), the plane crash happened after 3 p.m., sending first responders racing to the scene in the 10500 block of Horseshoe Bend Road, off South Airport Road. Below is a TCSO summary of the crash along with a video in the image box of body camera video from the point of view of the sheriff’s deputies on the scene:
On Thursday, January 23rd, 2025, at approximately 3:15 PM, deputies responded with emergency lights and sirens to a report of a plane crash in the area of Horseshoe Bend Road in Columbia. TNT Agents arrived on the scene shortly after the first call. They found a man and a woman trapped inside the wrecked airplane and immediately began coordinating resources for the rescue operation.
While additional resources were enroute, the woman was able to climb out of the aircraft. Tuolumne County Fire personnel successfully extracted the man from the plane. Both individuals were then flown to out-of-county hospitals for medical treatment.
The swift response of the deputies and our first responder partners was crucial to the positive outcome of this incident. We want to thank all first responders and everyone involved in this emergency for their unwavering service to our community.
