Pilot Killed In Banning Plane Crash Was Arizona Man

BANNING, CA — A pilot killed in a fiery Banning plane crash last month was identified Tuesday night by the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner's Bureau.

William Hunter, 55, of Aguila, Ariz., died Nov. 22 in the burning wreckage that was strewn across an open field located approximately 109 yards south of the California Highway Patrol's eastbound Interstate 10 Banning Weigh Station, the coroner reported.

Hunter was the only person on board the plane and there were no injuries reported on the ground, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The crash was reported at 6:28 p.m. and it caused a quarter-acre brush fire that was contained at 6:58 p.m., according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department spokesperson Rob Roseen. Multiple agencies responded to the scene. Train traffic was stopped in the area, according to the CHP.

Hunter's experimental fixed-wing single-engine Gallagher XLT-RG was registered to a corporation, MPDKM Inc., located at 7260 W. Azure Drive, Suite 140-645, in Las Vegas, Nev., according to the FAA. Details about the company and its principals were unavailable

The plane's engine was a Lycoming TI0-540 SER, which the FAA categorizes as "amateur built."

The aircraft was completely destroyed in the crash, according to the FAA.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board continue to investigate the incident, but the NTSB is the lead agency, according to Ian Gregor, public affairs specialist for the FAA.