Submitted by Fox First at Ten on September 9th
UPDATE: Idaho authorities say a pilot flying over a Republican gathering had been dropping rolls of toilet paper or streamers from his airplane before it crashed. The Federal Aviation Administration says early indications are the experimental aircraft stalled or reached a speed and angle at which it lost its lift. The pilot, 60-year-old Randy Humble, of Moscow, Idaho, died at the scene Saturday. Witnesses say the airplane's engine revved and the pilot appeared to be trying to pull up just before it crashed near Viola, Idaho. Humble and another pilot had been performing aerial tricks for the GOP event. Latah County Sheriff's Lt. Brannon Jordan says Humble was dropping tissue or streamers from the plane as part of the aerial display. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating with FAA assistance.
UPDATE: Officials with the Latah County sheriff's office say the pilot of an airplane flying over a Republican party gathering had been dropping rolls of toilet paper before the airplane crashed. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer says early indications are that the airplane stalled, or reached a speed and angle at which it lost its lift. The crash Saturday afternoon killed 60-year-old Randy Humble of Moscow. Witnesses reported the airplane's engine revved and the pilot appeared to be trying to pull up just before it crashed near Viola. Lt. Brandon Jordan says witnesses stated that Humble was dropping rolls of toilet paper and that Humble and another pilot had been performing aerial tricks for the Republican gathering. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating with the help of the FAA.
UPDATE: The Latah County Sheriff's Department has identified the pilot killed in a plane crash at a GOP fundraiser on Saturday as Randy Humble of Moscow, Idaho.
The FAA is still investigating. We are expecting another update on Monday.
Previous Coverage:
MOSCOW, Idaho - An air show at a Republican Party fundraiser turned fatal Saturday, after a pilot crashed his plane into the ground.
It happened at the annual fundraiser for the District 7 Candidates for Latah and Benewah counties. It happened about 6 miles north of Moscow, near Viola. The Latah County Sheriff was attending the fundraiser and was the first responder at the scene. KHQ is told neighbors and attendees rushed to assist the Sheriff and put out the fire.
The FAA is part of the investigation into what caused the crash. The pilot has not yet been identified.
