Officer Finds Wreckage of Runaway Airplane
Authorities found the wreckage of a small plane Thursday that broke from its moorings at a rural Sonoma County airstrip and took off without a pilot.
A California Highway Patrol plane saw the two-seat Aeronca Champion in a remote area near Lake Berryessa in Napa County.
No one was sure how it took off Wednesday afternoon and flew 20 to 25 miles before crashing. The owner, identified only as a San Rafael man, “was working on the engine, and it got away from him,” a Sonoma County sheriff’s spokesman said.
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.
