GRAND COUNTY, Utah, Aug. 4, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — Two people suffered serious injuries in a plane crash in Grand County Thursday night.
The incident occurred 1.5 miles south of Canyonlands Airport at approximately 8:20 p.m., the Grand County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
The pilot, Nathan D. Rydman, 46, and the passenger, Rani D. Derasary, 47, both from Moab, suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries. Derasary is a Moab City councilwoman.
The aircraft, a Cessna 170A, was a complete loss.
Rydman and Derasary left Canyonlands Airport at approximately 7:45 p.m., and sudden shifts in wind speed and wind direction are believed to be a contributing factor in the accident.
Grand County Sheriff’s Office, Grand County EMS, Moab Fire Department and Grand County Search and Rescue responded to the accident, which happened in an area with sandy hills and sagebrush, the news release said.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified of the accident, which is still under investigation.
