‘Incredible instructor’ among 3 killed in Fresno’s weekend plane crash: What do we know so far?
Sep 07, 2026
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A deadly weekend plane crash in Fresno that left two children and a 41-year-old woman dead remains under investigation on Monday.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) has identified one of the victims of the plane crash just outside Sierra Sky Park on Saturday
afternoon as 41-year-old Danna Eady, who died at the hospital overnight following the crash.
According to the latest update, the fourth person, an adult man, remains in critical condition.
On Saturday, Fresno Fire Department officials reported four people were involved in the plane crash. The FCSO later confirmed two of those people were children who were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
Tony Botti with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office says authorities are still working to learn more, including what happened in the events leading up to the crash.
“The NTSB, the National Transportation Safety Board, they immediately sent an investigator out on Saturday evening. He’s been here all day looking at the wreckage,” Botti said.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office says Eady was one of two adults found outside the plane by fire responders. Eady died at the hospital as a result of her injuries.
In a statement, Reedley College confirmed Eady was a flight instructor at Reedley College. The college did state that she was not onboard one of the college's aircraft at the time, and confirmed the crash did not involve any Reedley College students.
"Danna was an incredible instructor and a mentor to all of our flight science students, especially to the five young women who are currently in our program and consider her to be a role model and inspiration to fulfill their dreams of becoming pilots," a Reedley College spokesperson said. “Danna was a valued member of our Flight."
AITS Flight School owners Carl and Rubi Garrison, who live at Sierra Sky Park, say they are devastated by the loss.
“We were privileged to work alongside Danna... She represented the very best of our aviation community and will be deeply missed,” the Garrisons said in part in a statement to YourCentralValley.com. "Danna was a pillar of the Central Valley aviation community. As president of Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 376 at Sierra Sky Park Airport and a certified flight instructor at a local college, she dedicated herself to aviation education, mentorship, and creating opportunities for the next generation of aviators."
As the investigation continues, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office is urging the community not to speculate about the cause of the crash out of respect for the family.
“The bottom line is we lost three people in this, and we have somebody else who is severely hurt," Botti said. "Double-check yourself before you type something online. Please keep that in mind as you share your opinions.”
The sheriff’s office says the children killed in the crash were between 8 and 12 years old. Authorities say it will take time to positively identify them because of the significance of the burns to their bodies.
The crash remains under investigation by the federal National Transportation Safety Board.
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