SANTA PAULA : Pilot Who Crashed Drowned, Coroner Says

The pilot of a small plane that lost power just after takeoff from Santa Paula Airport Friday drowned when the aircraft crashed into the shallow water of the Santa Clara River, a deputy coroner said Saturday.

Pilot Michael Dirkers, 26, of North Carolina, was a member of a helicopter squadron based at Point Mugu Naval Air Station.

Dirkers’ brother--24-year-old Peter Dirkers--was a passenger in the two-seat airplane. He was flown to Ventura County Medical Center and was reported in good condition Saturday with head injuries and a compound hip fracture.

The brothers lived aboard a boat in Channel Islands Harbor.

The plane went down about 3:30 p.m. Friday about 600 yards south of Steckel Drive after apparently losing power and trying to turn back toward the airport.

Santa Paula police officers Friday located the burning single-engine aircraft upside down in about four feet of water. Peter Dirkers managed to free himself from the wreckage by the time rescue personnel arrived.

Federal Aviation Administration investigators on Saturday were looking into the cause of the crash.

Michael Dirkers was a member of the Helicopter Combat Support Special Squadron Five at Point Mugu. The unit, which is trained to search for and rescue downed pilots, was deployed during the Persian Gulf War.

The crash was the fourth fatal accident in the last three years at or near Santa Paula Airport.