Federal investigators on their way to fatal Mottsville plane crash

The Federal Aviation Administration is due to arrive within the hour at the scene of a airplane crash that killed five people near Mottsville today.

Douglas County Sheriff Ron Pierini said the identities of the people killed in the crash won't be confirmed until after the Federal Aviation Administration has had an opportunity to examine the crash scene.

Once federal investigators have completed their examination of the wreckage, the coroner's office will be able to remove the bodies and confirm their identities.

The six-seat aircraft took off at about 4 p.m. from Minden-Tahoe Airport.

Pierini described the final moments before the twin-engine aircraft went down as reported by witnesses to the crash.

The plane flew south 200-300 feet above a branding party before crossing Mottsville Lane.

About 500 yards south of Mottsville, the plane pulled up, and then nosed over into the ground not far from a home on the end of Mottsville Meadows at about 4:10 p.m.

No one was in the home at the time of the crash, Pierini said.

East Fork Fire & Paramedics, Douglas County Sheriff's units and the Douglas County Sheriff's Search & Rescue responded and secured the scene.

Mottsville Meadows was blocked off, and onlookers asked not to park along Mottsville Lane.

Mottsville is the main route between Carson Valley and Kingsbury Grade, leading to Lake Tahoe.

Motorists should watch out for television news crews parked on either side of the narrow road.