Texan pilot dies after crash in Jordan Valley
By Katie Pizza
Argus Observer
Wednesday, May 28, 2008 10:11 AM PDT
Jordan Valley — A Texan pilot died after crashing his aircraft on Danner Loop Road in Jordan Valley at 10:15 a.m. Sunday.
John Andrew Williamson, the sole occupant of the aircraft, was attempting to land his Registered experimental amateur built plane in Skinner Ranch Airport when he crashed and died on impact.
“He basically fell out of the sky,” Malheur County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Brad Williams said.
Williams said the pilot had logged 1,500 hours of flight time inside the plane and in similar planes. The cause of the accident has yet to be determined.
“It’s been turned over to the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration),” Williams said.
As is the case with most smaller aircraft, the plane did not have a flight data recorder or “black box,” normally used to determine the cause of air accidents.
In other Malheur County news over the weekend, sheriff’s deputies were led in a high-speed pursuit involving a Vale woman at 11:35 a.m. Monday.
Valerie Jean Brinton, 39, was headed north on U.S. Highway 26 when a deputy attempted to stop her for speeding. A pursuit, which reached speeds of 90 miles per hour, ensued.
“Several small cars and a camper had to leave the road for her to pass,” Williams said.
The chase ended when Brinton rolled her vehicle off the road at mile marker 225 near Eldorado pass.
“She was transported to Holy Rosary Medical Center,” he said. “The deputy saw that she had a broken arm and a broken leg.”
The Oregon State Police are working with Malheur County in the investigation, with charges for Brinton pending.
Deputies also were involved in another high-speed chase involving a Salt Lake man that began at milepost 47 on U.S. Highway 95 at around 9 p.m. Sunday.
Alan Jackson Jr., 42, was heading southbound toward Reno when the 14-mile chase began, Williams said.
“Speeds reached up to close to 100 miles per hour,” he said.
Jackson was arrested for reckless driving and attempting to elude police. He is currently in Malheur County Jail.
