A young flight instructor and his student were killed when their small plane went out of control and crashed into an Oregon home, leaving the plane’s third occupant seriously injured in the hospital.
Instructor Michele Cavallotti, 22, and student pilot Barrett Bevacqua, 20, were killed when the plane fell from the sky and crashed through the roof of the Newberg home around 7 p.m. Tuesday.
The plane’s third occupant, Emily Hurd, 20, was flown to a Portland trauma hospital where she was treated for serious injuries. The residents of the house were also miraculously able to escape unscathed.
Cavallotti was an instructor at Hillsboro Aero Academy and Bevacqua and Hurd were student pilots at Horizon Air Ascend Pilot Academy. All three were from Hillsboro, Oregon and were all roommates.
Several residents called 911 and recorded the plane spiraling toward the ground and crashing near North Cedar Street.
The injured resident was identified as 20-year-old Emily Hurd. She is in hospital with lung trauma, chest and rib fractures, pelvic fractures and a brain contusion as a result of the crash
20-year-old Barrett Bevacqua is one of the two people killed. Parents Matt and Haley plan to hold a public memorial for Barrett on Oct. 8 at his old school, the Lakeridge High School football field
22-year-old Michele Cavallotti was an instructor at the Hillsboro Aero Academy and was found dead at the scene by firefighters
Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue said they were able to retrieve a deceased passenger, along with another who was injured.
Upon further searching the plane, they found a third passenger who was also dead.
Initially, firefighters thought the house was empty, but upon closer inspection they discovered that there were several people in the house and that they had all managed to evacuate.
The Red Cross was on site to provide assistance to the family displaced from the home. Federal transportation officials have begun investigating the reason for the crash.
The plane did not catch fire after the crash and responders were able to maintain the structural integrity of the house.
Jenny Hurd, Emily’s sister, posted an update about her injuries on Facebook. As a result of the crash, Hurd suffered lung trauma, chest and rib fractures, pelvic fractures and a brain contusion.
She wrote: ‘The operation went well and took a long time due to an injury. I can’t even express how grateful we are for all your prayers for our Emily and our family.
“All her brothers and sisters are here or coming here. Both my sisters and their families are here. We are well cared for and completely loved.
“Also dear friends, please continue to pray for the families of Emily’s friends who died in the crash. Both boys were close friends of hers and also pursued their dreams of becoming pilots. Their loss will be absolutely devastating for her.”
Bevacqua’s parents, Matt and Haley, plan to hold a public memorial for Barrett on Oct. 8 at his old school, the Lakeridge High School football field.
He entered the Alaska Airlines training program in March to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a pilot.
Matt told me KATU2: ‘He told them he would be the fastest to complete the training and the youngest commercial pilot they had, and a week ago he passed his test and received his commercial license.’ It is unclear which of the three was piloting the plane.
‘Living in an apartment with good friends, cooking all the time and flying all day, every day. That’s really all he dreamed of, he did everything he wanted to do,” Haley said.
Several residents called 911 and reported seeing the plane spin toward the ground and crash near North Cedar Street in Newberg on Oct. 3 around 7 p.m.
Fortunately, the plane never caught fire after the crash and rescuers were able to maintain the structural integrity of the house
It is unclear which of the three passengers was piloting the plane
Initially, firefighters thought the house was empty, but upon closer inspection they discovered that there were several people in the house and that they had all managed to evacuate.
Cavallotti’s family has not yet made a statement about his death.
The Newberg-Dundee Police Department, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have launched a joint investigation into the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board told KATU2, “We’re looking at everything: flight training programs, the experience of the pilots, what was going on with the flight path information. I’m not trying to get into one specific thing. We try to collect as much data as possible.’
A vigil was held for Bevacqua and Cavallotti last night at the Hillsboro Aero Academy. They confirmed that the plane came from their Academy.
In a statement they said: ‘We at Hillsboro Aero Academy are deeply saddened to report an aircraft accident that resulted in the death of two members of our aviation community and serious injury to a third.
“We can confirm that one of our aircraft crashed near the town of Newberg, OR during a training flight on the evening of October 3rd.
“The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has begun its investigation and we cannot comment further while the investigation is ongoing.
“This is a very challenging time for our community as we process this event and support each other in our grief. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this, especially the families and loved ones of those affected.”
Alaska Airlines also released a statement about the crash, writing: “Horizon Air has partnered with Hillsboro Aero Academy as part of our Ascend Pilot Academy. The two students on board were Barrett Bevacqua and Emily Hurd. We are devastated to hear of Barrett’s passing, and we wish Emily a speedy recovery.”