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ROSEBURG, Ore. - The pilot and sole occupant of a single-engine plane was killed Thursday morning while attempting to land on the turf runway of George Felt Airport in the 400 block of Felt St in Roseburg.
At about 11:30 am on October 3, 2024, 9-1-1 dispatchers received calls from witnesses working at the private airfield known as Felt's Field. The witnesses advised the pilot was attempting to land the small, yellow, fixed-wing plane when the crash occurred.
After running out of runway on the first attempt, the pilot circled around and attempted the landing again, according to witnesses. The plane bounced off the ground, was launched back into the air and hit the top of a tree with the propeller before taking a nosedive to the ground.
Deputies responded with firefighters and emergency medical providers from Central Douglas Fire and Rescue and Umpqua Valley Ambulance.
The pilot, Steven H. Kretsinger, 65, of Eugene, was pronounced deceased on scene.
Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were notified of the crash. Kretsinger's next of kin has been notified.