Pilot Killed in Crash Identified
A pilot who died when his single-engine aircraft crashed Wednesday in mountainous terrain near the Grapevine has been identified as James Wesley Hines, 52, of Bakersfield, the Los Angeles County coroner said Thursday.
Around 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, several motorists on Interstate 5 called 911 to report a low-flying plane just east of the highway near Gorman. Moments later, Hines’ white and green 1972 Bellanca slammed into a nearby hillside above an electric power plant.
A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue Team recovered Hines’ body from the wreckage Wednesday afternoon.
Hines was the only person aboard the aircraft, investigators said.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the accident. NTSB officials said Thursday that it was still unclear whether rain and heavy winds in the area at the time contributed to crash.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
