Redwood City man killed in Ukiah plane crash

A Redwood City man was identified as the person killed in a plane crash Thursday afternoon in Ukiah.

Todd Michael Parsons, 43, died in the crash at Ukiah Regional Airport, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.

He was the only person on board the plane when it crashed and flipped over, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The crash, which involved a Cessna 172 M Skyhawk light plane, occurred around 1:14 p.m. at the south end of the Ukiah Regional Airport, according to a statement from the city of Ukiah. The runway, closed following the crash, was reopened around 11:30 a.m. Friday, according to airport spokesman Greg Owen.

Ukiah Valley Fire responded to the wrecked plane, which local news site MendoFever reported was upside-down and had damaged landing gear.

“It looked like he was landing,” Owen said. “The airplane hit the ground and there was a fatality.”

The plane was flying from Napa, Owen said. It was not known to airport staff, according to the city.

Authorities have not yet identified the cause of the crash.

Investigators with National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA were at the airport Friday gathering evidence and examining the location and wreckage.

A preliminary report will be published in about two weeks, said NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss. The probable cause of the crash will be explained in the final report, which will be released in one to two years from now.

Press Democrat reporter Colin Atagi contributed to this story

You can reach Staff Writer Emily Wilder at 707-521-5337 or emily.wilder@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @vv1lder.