Plane Crash Victim ID'd As Peninsula Man

MENLO PARK, CA – A home-built plane that crashed Saturday afternoon in an Oregon canyon took the life of Menlo Park resident Mark James Rich, central Oregon emergency managers said.

Rich, in his 50s, died in a crash that occurred at about 2 p.m. in Willow Creek Canyon and about 1.5 miles south of Madras Municipal Airport in Madras, where people were gathering to watch Monday's solar eclipse.

Rich was piloting a 2002 fixed-wing, single-engine Wheeler Express. County emergency officials said he was the only person on board.

Flames engulfed the plane and it was completely destroyed, according to the emergency officials. The flames started a small fire that was quickly extinguished.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Keith Holloway said Rich crashed as he was approaching the airport. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

"A reservation tied to the plane for two persons to stay in the local area originally suggested that the pilot and a passenger were on board," said Jefferson County Sheriff Jim Adkins. "After talking to a family member who had originally planned to make the trip, but changed plans, we can confirm there was just one person on the flight."

"The Rich family has asked me to convey their request for privacy at this time," Adkins said. "I appreciate the sensitivity of the media in particular to make every effort to show respect for the family's needs and allow them to mourn in private."

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--Bay City News and Travis Loose of Patch contributed to this report/Photo via Jefferson County Sheriff's Office;Image of plane via Central Oregon Emergency Information Network