A disoriented seven-year-old US girl has walked to a home in the US
state of Kentucky to report that her plane had crashed, police say
A 7-year-old girl survived a plane crash in Kentucky that killed four
people Friday night, and the disoriented little girl walked away from
the wreckage and reported the crash to a local resident, authorities
said.
The small Piper PA-34 reported engine trouble and lost contact with air
traffic controllers as it was flying over the southwestern part of
Kentucky about 5:55 p.m. CST, the FAA said.
About a half hour later, a Lyon County resident called 911 and told
dispatchers that a 7-year-old girl had walked to his home and said she
had been involved in a plane crash, said Sgt. Dean Patterson of the
Kentucky State Police.
"This girl came out of the wreckage herself and found the closest
residence and reported the plane crash," Patterson said. "It's a miracle
in a sense that she survived it, but it's tragic that four others
didn't."
The girl was in emotional distress and taken to a hospital with
non-life-threatening injuries, Patterson said. At that point,
authorities launched a search for the crash site and also confirmed with
the FAA that they had received a distress call.
About two hours later, authorities found the crash site in a heavily
wooded area near Kentucky lake, a popular tourist attraction in the
state. They discovered four bodies, including the pilot and the three
passengers.
The FAA said the plane had taken off from Tallahassee Regional Airport,
Florida, and was bound for Mount Vernon, Illinois. Patterson said the
girl indicted that the plane had left from Key West, Florida.
Patterson said in a statement that the victims were identified
49-year-old Marty Gutzler; 45-year-old Kimberly Gutzler; their daughter,
9-year-old Piper Gutzler; and her cousin, 14-year-old Sierra Wilder.
All four were from Nashville, IL. Police say the name of the 7-year-old
passenger is being withheld at the request of family.
Patterson said it had been raining in the area for most of Friday. The cause of the crash was under investigation.
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