The plane crash that killed six people, including 23-year-old Instagram model Mariah Sunshine Coogan, is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The private plane was en route to Las Vegas when it crashed on a golf course in Scottsdale, Arizona, Monday night, leaving the plane's burning wreckage on the course. The Scottsdale Police Department confirmed that all six people aboard the private plane died: Coogan, 23; Anand Patel, 26; Helena Lagos, 22; James Pedroza, 28; Erik Valente, 26; and Iris Rodriguez Garcia, 23. The names of the victims were first reported by People.
According to NTSB spokesperson Terry Williams, who spoke to Newsweek on Friday, the NTSB has taken the plane, a Piper PA-24 Comanche, to a secure location. The board is now conducting a standard investigation which includes interviewing witnesses, gathering weather records and reviewing security camera footage. Williams said a report will be available on the NTSB Twitter page 10 days after the accident, next Thursday. The report will not determine the probable cause of the accident but will update on the preliminary findings of the investigation. A detailed report could take up to 18 months.
Just witnessed a plane crash in Scottsdale. pic.twitter.com/wmZz008JSQ
— Versace King (@versaceking101) April 10, 2018
The board identified Pedroza as the aircraft's pilot. According to a report from CBS News, Pedroza spoke to aircraft control just before the crash but did not indicate he was experiencing any difficulty.
"Are you experiencing any difficulty?" an air traffic controller asked.
"Uh, we're good, we're just a training lesson," Pedroza replied.
The plane crashed shortly afterward on the Champions Golf Course at TPC Scottsdale, not far from the airport where it took off. No one on the ground was hurt.
Coogan had a large social media following, with over 30,000 followers on Instagram. Her last post was a photo of her and her dog eating brunch at The Montauk, a restaurant in Scottsdale. She was a horse trainer who left high school in 2012 to pursue a modeling career, according to a report from The Arizona Republic. Pedroza worked as a host at a nightclub, The Mirage, in Las Vegas. His Instagram bio described him as "an avid traveler," and he had over 12,000 followers.
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