WINAMAC, INDIANA (January 27, 2017) – A small plane crashed in a rural area of Indiana on Sunday, killing George P. Irick, Jr, according to a local news source. (map)
The plane, a small Cessna 337A Super Skymaster, crashed on Saturday around 10:30 pm. The plane had taken off from Columbus, Ohio and was en route to Vermilion Regional Airport in Illinois carrying 68 year old George Parker Irick Jr. George had been a licensed commercial pilot since 2012, and was certified to fly multi engine planes, as well as being trained in instrument only operation of an aircraft.
The plane’s wreckage was located on Sunday morning by the Indiana State Police. Once search and rescue reached the location, they sadly confirmed that George Irick Jr had been killed as a result of the crash. The search was a joint effort that included many agencies, including the Warren County sheriff’s department, the West Lebanon Fire Department, Civil Air Patrol, the American Red Cross, and the Warren County EMS and coroner’s office.
There have been a total of 287 crashes of Cessna Skymasters since their first production in 1966. Out of the 287, 165 were fatal… more than half of the total crashes. 340 people have been tragically killed in these crashes involving Skymaster planes. The high percentage of fatal crashes involving Skymaster planes could indicate a pattern.
The NTSB and the FAA are both on scene to investigate the accident at this time. This is the latest in several plane crashes in Indiana recently. In December of 2017, a Cessna carrying three people went down near Franklin County, killing all three passengers.
Cessna is one of the leading aircraft manufacturers in the world, with over 44,000 Cessna 172s produced alone. Another popular model is the Cessna 182, with 23,000 produced. Small planes are much more likely to crash than commercial sized airlines, and since Cessna is one of the leading manufacturers of small planes, they are involved in a high number of crashes. Cessna’s have been involved in 26 crashes in 2018 already, with three of them being fatal.
“The thoughts and prayers of everyone at HWG Law Firm are with the family and friends of George Parker Irick. We are sad to hear of your loss. Aviation accidents are especially difficult to hear about,” said the attorneys from HWG Law Firm. We are here for you, day and night, to answer your questions about your potential aviation related case. Call us today at (877) 541-2111.
