Coroner Releases Names Of 4 People Who Died In Corona Plane Crash
CORONA (CBSLA) — The coroner Friday released the names of the four people killed when a small plane crashed at the Corona Municipal Airport Wednesday afternoon.
Authorities identified the pilot of the aircraft as 85-year-old Joseph Zingali of Torrance. The three passengers were 61-year-old Paula Mitchell of La Mirada and 70-year-old Daniel Rodriguez and 63-year-old Teresa Rodriguez, both of Whittier.
Witnesses said the single-engine Beech B-36 Bonanza crashed after the pilot made several attempts to take off downwind, briefly going airborne a number of times before crashing through a fence and bursting into flames.
A spokesperson with the Corona Fire Department said it was possible that the plane was overloaded.
A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board will likely be published next week.