A Morgan Hill man died and his wife suffered serious injuries after the plane they were flying crashed in Arizona on Sept. 22 for unknown reasons.
The couple was identified by Classic Air Medical as Jim and Uta Petersen. Jim was the pilot of the plane, a Piper Arrow.
According to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, at 5:30pm deputies responded to the Paria Plateau area west of Page, Ariz. on the report of an aircraft crash.
Deputies learned that the plane had originated from the San Martin Airport and crashed while preparing to land at the Page Airport.
With assistance from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, the last known location of the plane was determined, and first responders were able to locate the crash site in the desert terrain, the sheriff’s office said in a press release.
Uta Petersen was flown to St. George Utah Hospital, and Jim Petersen was flown to Marble Canyon where he was transported to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office in Flagstaff, Ariz.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are continuing to investigate the cause of the crash, according to the sheriff’s office.
Jim Petersen was the owner of the Rocky Mountain Sheepskin airplane and automotive seat cover company based in Morgan Hill. He also served as treasurer and president of the South County Airport Pilots Association.
