ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. – Authorities say the victims of a mid-air collision between two single-engine planes over southwestern Wyoming include a local student pilot and men from Ohio and Illinois.
The collision happened just before 12:30 p.m. Sunday about five miles northwest of the Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport.
Sweetwater County Sheriff Rich Haskell said Monday that 54-year-old Dave Knezovich (KUH’-nez-oh-vich) of Rock Springs was killed in the crash. Knezovich had been piloting a routine student solo flight out of the local airport for about an hour when the collision occurred.
Haskell says the two victims in the second aircraft were 67-year-old Ralph Otto, of Wilmette, Ill., and 67-year-old C. Michael Downey of Columbus, Ohio. The two had taken off for Rock Springs from Polson, Mont.
Federal investigators are at the scene of the crash.