BATTLE GROUND, Wash. – Local pilot Ken Shaffer tragically lost his life in a plane crash Friday afternoon near Goheen Airport in Battle Ground, Washington.
The crash happened shortly after 1 p.m. when Shaffer’s Cessna 172 went down in a field just outside the airport perimeter. The impact severely damaged the fuselage, and the aircraft became fully engulfed in flames moments later.
Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue crews arrived within seven minutes and quickly extinguished the blaze, but sadly, Shaffer did not survive. No additional passengers were reported aboard the aircraft.
Early witness accounts and site observations suggest the crash may have involved a stall/spin event, though investigators stressed these findings are preliminary. Weather conditions did not appear to contribute.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office secured the area, while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launched an official investigation.
Authorities are expected to release further details as the investigation develops.