GILLETTE, Wyo. — Efforts to recover plane crash passenger remains north of Gillette have ceased, with authorities now looking to return what they can to the affected families, Campbell County Coroner Paul Wallem said Thursday.
The update provided by Wallem marks the end of the first phase of the investigation into a plane crash that claimed the lives of all seven people on board: Jason Clark, Kelly Nelon Clark, Amber Kistler, Nathan Kistler, Melodi Hodges, Larry Haynie and Melissa Haynie.
The crash occurred around 1:06 p.m. July 26 when a single-engine Pilatus PC-12/47E went down approximately 20–30 miles north of the Northeast Wyoming Regional Airport. The Campbell County Fire Department reports the crash sparked a timber fire that consumed 38 acres.
“There will be no more effort to recover remains,” Wallem said on Aug. 1. “We’re going to have to use the assistance of [the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation] in Cheyenne for fingerprints and DNA for identification to try and get each of those affected families … some remains returned to their care.”
According to Wallem, efforts to recover remains started Friday until a couple of hours after sunset. Those efforts continued Saturday until dark, with investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board having sole reign of the crash site on Sunday. On Monday, Campbell County Road and Bridge responded to the scene to excavate the plane crash crater, with efforts officially ceasing on Tuesday, July 30.
Emergency responders went above and beyond in helping to recover remains, Wallem said, adding that it was an unpleasant experience all around, especially for Road and Bridge personnel who don’t typically have anything to do with situations like a plane crash.
As of Aug. 1, nearly 400 pounds of personal belongings have been recovered in addition to the remains, including a challenge coin and a Capitol Hill identification badge belonging to one of the passengers that responders were asked to look for specifically by family, per Wallem.
The families of the plane’s passengers could receive a preliminary report with additional details regarding the crash in as little as one month, though the official NTSB crash investigation report could take up to two years to complete, Wallem said.
What caused the crash is still unknown, according to NTSB spokesperson Keith Holloway, who recently told Oil City News that new information suggests media allegations of an autopilot malfunction may not be correct.
According to Holloway, the NTSB does not speculate on what causes plane crashes and nothing is being ruled out. The plane will be recovered and taken to a secure facility for additional evaluation.
