Another source:

SANTA YNEZ, Calif. The pilot of a small plane was killed today when he crashed after taking off from Santa Ynez (ee-NEZ') Airport in Santa Barbara County.

The plane crashed into a vineyard and burst into flames.

The pilot was the only person on board, and no one on the ground was hurt. The cause is under investigation.

Santa Ynez is about 30 miles northeast of Santa Barbara.

 

 

TV Station Source 

Central Coast Man Dies in Plane Crash

Video

January 28, 2006

SANTA YNEZ -- A Central Coast man is dead after his single engine plane crashed about a mile from the Santa Ynez Airport.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigators are going through the charred remains of the experimental plane, to determine what caused the plane to crash Saturday afternoon.

The home built plane took off from the Santa Ynez Airport at around one o'clock in the afternoon. According to the airport's president, the victim was in the air for about ten to 15 minutes, just as he was getting ready to land the aircraft.

The airport does not have a tower, so pilots use a radio system to communicate with one another. 

The next of kin have not yet be notified, therefore we are not releasing the victim's name. He is believed to be a Santa Barbara man in his sixties, who kept his plane at the Santa Ynez Airport.

The Coroner's office will need to go through dental records to positively identify the victim since he was so badly burned in the accident.

TV station source

A single-engine airplane crashes near the Santa Ynez Airport killing the pilot.

Fire officials say the plane burst into flames upon impact Saturday afternoon a half mile south of the San Ynez Airport.

"A light aircraft crashed in what appeared to be an approach to the airport here in Santa Ynez," said Santa Barbara County Fire Captain Keith Collum. "We don't know the circumstances. The FAA is on their way to investigate the crash site."

Fire burned most of the plane and the victim.

"There's no damage to anything but the aircraft, and that's been destroyed by the impact and the fire," said Collum.

The fire department arrived at the crash site at around 1:45p.m. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash, along with the National Transportation Safety Board.

The victim has not been identified.

 

Scott Krueger AKA Grayhawk
Lancair N92EX IO320 SB 89/96
Aurora, IL (KARR)