Pilot killed in small plane crash in Merced County identified

MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- The aviator who was killed successful a tiny level clang successful Merced County has been identified arsenic 31-year-old Mahesh Chigurupati.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The video supra is from a erstwhile broadcast and volition beryllium updated.

The Merced County Sheriff's Office says that Chigurupati was from Santa Clara.

Authorities accidental the single-engine Cessna went down Wednesday evening conscionable a fewer 100 yards from Interstate 5.

Investigators judge Chigurupati departed from Reid-Hillview County Airport successful the San Jose area. As helium made his mode into Merced County, the formation took a terrifying turn.

A antheral who asked to stay anonymous told ABC30 helium heard the pilot's distress calls implicit an aviation scanner astir 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. Chigurupati reported that his formation controls were not moving and that helium could lone alert successful circles.

Flight tracking information shows the level circled for astir 3 hours earlier crashing.

The NTSB said its probe volition see reviewing formation way data, aerial postulation power communications and immoderate disposable surveillance video. A preliminary study is expected wrong 30 days.