An aircraft crash that started a 64-acre blaze near Mount Rose ski resort claimed the lives of two California men.
The bodies of 80-year-old Sergio Colacevich, of Carmichael, Calif., and 60-year-old James Alton, of San Ramon, Calif., were extracted from the crash site Sept. 3, one day after a glider aircraft crashed 1 mile southeast of the Winter Creek Lodge of Mount Rose Ski Tahoe.
The Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, which confirmed the identities of the two men, said the cause of death hasn’t yet been determined.
Autopsies were performed Sept. 4, and a dental comparison was used to confirm their identities.
The crash ignited a blaze named the Slide Fire, which quickly grew to more than 60 acres. As of Thursday afternoon, the fire reportedly burned 64 acres. Crews reached 100 percent containment on Friday, according to a tweet from the Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest.
The crash is currently being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board. A public affairs official confirmed the investigation is ongoing. A preliminary report has yet to be issued.
A Federal Aviation Administration official told the Tribune the aircraft was a Schempp-Flugzeugbau GmbH, Duo Discus motor-glider.
The Schempp-Flugzeugbau website describes the aircraft as: “Easy to fly, comfortable, handy, agile — with outstanding performance: The Duo-Discus XL is the perfect device for enjoying flights together, whether in syndicates, in the family or in daily gliding club operation.”
The NTSB official said the investigation will determine who was piloting the aircraft at the time. Colacevich was a known pilot. He served as a mentor with the Truckee Airport Soaring Mentorship Academy.
The glider departed from the Truckee Tahoe Airport before it crashed.