Roy City Officials Hold Town Hall After Multiple Plane Crashes
Jan 23, 2020, 11:11 PM
ROY, Utah – Plane crashes were the focus of a town hall in Roy one week after a pilot crashed his plane into the middle of a neighborhood.
“We don’t know what the problem is right now,” said Roy Police Chief Carl Merino, who organized the town hall after receiving a flood of emails and calls from residents and pilots.
Since July 2017 there have been five crashes near the Ogden-Hinckley Airport, killing a total of five people. The most recent crash happened on Jan. 15 when 64-year-old Dave Goode crashed in the middle of a neighborhood.
Goode was killed in the crash.
“My heart says he sacrificed himself to save from actually crashing into the building. It could have been worse,” said Cynthia Soriano, whose home was clipped when the plane flew into the neighborhood. She returned home shortly after to find a wing lodged in her roof.
“It was a somber scene and there was just a surreal moment for all of us,” she said. “We were all just blessed and fortunate that none of us were home and injured.”
Soriano was living with friends as repairs continued at her home.
“Now when I see a plane or hear a plane I kind of cringe a little bit,” she said. Soriano was one of dozens that filled Thursday’s town hall, which focused on the crashes.
“Do not wait until it’s a larger jet or commercial airliner crashing into our neighborhoods before you realize that this is a problem,” one Roy resident said.
Some in attendance focused their attention on the Ogden Airport manager.
“I don’t see him here today. Is he here?” one man asked while holding up a picture.
Others threw out ideas to make changes to the airport’s runway and to reach out to the Federal Aviation Administration about enforcing plane maintenance and insurance.
“This is unusual. You just don’t see these numbers of accidents in an area,” Merino said. “Let’s take a look. Let’s see if there’s something we can make safer.”
Merino said the city had already met with staff at Ogden-Hinckley Airport. They plan to hold another meeting with airport staff and FAA officials.
