Plane Crash Near Chiloquin Injures Three

According to witnesses, the plane made a left turn to the west and disappeared from sight. Minutes later, the deputy in the area received the call of the downed aircraft.

(CHILOQUIN, Ore.) - A pilot and three passengers survived an airplane crash Friday in a treeline adjacent to the Chiloquin Airport. The pilot, Ron Gullickson, and his wife Suzanne Gullickson are from Battle Ground Washington. The other passengers, Trevor Gullickson and Jonathan McGinley, are from Portland, Oregon.

Investigators say the aircraft received substantial damage in the crash that was reported to 911 just before 4:00 PM Friday, as a downed airplane near Chiloquin.

The call was made by a survivor of the plane crash calling from his cell phone. The airplane passenger was reporting that he and three others had survived the crash.

Rescuers from Chiloquin Fire, Chiloquin Ambulance and the Forest Service responded with Klamath County Sheriff's Deputies and Search and Rescue.

Sheriff Tim Evinger of the Klamath County Sheriffs Office says the aircraft was located in a forested area, approximately 1 mile west of the Chiloquin Airport, 30 minutes after the call was received.

The three passengers were taken to Merle West Medical Center where they were treated for their injuries Friday night. None of the injuries appear to be life threatening. The pilot, 64-year old Ronald Gullickson, emerged from the crashed plane without any injuries.

Gullickson, his wife, 63-year old Susan Gullickson, their son 32-year old Trevor Gullickson, and a family friend, 39-year old Jonathan McGinley, said they were traveling from the Portland area Friday afternoon when they stopped for lunch at the Chiloquin Airport on their way to an airport South of Red Bluff, California.

The 1953 Piper Tri-Pacer, which is a single engine private aircraft, was observed by witnesses, including a sheriff's deputy, taking off to the north from the Chiloquin State Airport. The airplane appeared to not be climbing well and witnesses believed that the aircraft may not clear the terrain and trees adjacent to the airport.

According to witnesses, the plane made a left turn to the west and disappeared from sight. Minutes later, the deputy in the area received the call of the downed aircraft.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) were contacted and will be overseeing the investigation into the cause of the accident. The investigation is being conducted in cooperation with the Klamath County Sheriff's Office.