The Verde Valley Fire District, Cottonwood Fire Department and Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene of a plane crash in the Verde Villages around 6:56 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 8.
The small 1966 Mooney M20F fixed-wing single-engine, four-seater plane crashed into a residential area in the 70 block of E. Spur Drive, 2,887 feet from the southern end of the Cottonwood Airport runway and 140 feet outside Cottonwood city limits in the Verde Village Unit 8 subdivision.
“About 7 o’clock this morning, Verde Valley crews and Cottonwood crews were dispatched to a plane into residence,” VVFD Fire Chief Danny Johnson said. “Crews got on scene, they found the plane upside down inside of the house.
“They began assessing the patient, the patient was trapped inside the cockpit of the plane, still. They began working on the plan to extricate the patient. It took about 30 to 35 minutes to get the patient out of the cockpit.”
Photo courtesy Verde Valley Fire District
“The patient had multiple injuries to the extremities,” Johnson said. “The patient was transported by ambulance to local LZ and flown to Flagstaff Medical Center for more ongoing treatment. Verde Valley crews remained on scene throughout the day, they’re working with FAA and ycso to stabilize the plane and help them move their investigation.”
“They anticipate being out here for a few more hours as they begin the process of Removing the plane from inside the structure,” Johnson said.
The pilot is in stable condition having been transported to an area hospital, YCSO Public Affairs and Government Relations Director Kristin Greene stated. No one else was on board the plane and no one on the ground was injured.
Property damaged is limited to the plane and a detached carport. The home was not damaged. The FAA will be investigating the cause of the incident.
The aircraft is owned by Michael A. Meyer, of Phoenix, and had a scheduled departure from Deer Valley Airport at 6:23 a.m.
