Pilot killed in seaplane crash on Lake Sammamish identified
Sep 19, 2023, 8:36 AM | Updated: 10:50 am
(Photo courtesy of Bellevue Fire Department)
(Photo courtesy of Bellevue Fire Department)
The pilot killed in a floatplane that crashed into Lake Sammamish last Friday has been identified by the King County Medical Examiner (KCME).
KCME identified the pilot as 80-year-old Anthoney Jurcan, who died in the crash from multiple blunt force injuries. A second person was injured in the crash but survived.
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Bellevue firefighters arrived at the scene of the crash late Friday morning to find the single-engine Seawind 3000 had crashed into the lake; according to KIRO 7. The plane had a damaged nose cone and was floating near the surface of the water.
A nearby boat was able to pull both people out of the plane and started performing CPR until first responders got to the scene.
Crews are responding to reports of a float plane crash on Lake Sammamish. PIO en route. Details to follow. pic.twitter.com/VElxJlfFC8
— Bellevue Fire Dept (@BvueFD) September 15, 2023
“Both occupants of the plane have been found,” Bellevue Fire wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, after the incident Friday. “One survivor is in critical condition and en route to the hospital. The other sadly did not survive.”
The Seattle Times reports that Jurcan was certified to fly the plane with both a private pilot’s license and a repairman certificate for the aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide further updates.
