Pilot died from injuries suffered in crash east of Otterbein; DNA needed to ID pilot
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The pilot who died in Thursday's single-engine plane crash in northwestern Tippecanoe County currently is identified only as John Doe, according to information released Monday by Tippecanoe County Coroner Carrie Costello.
The preliminary cause of Doe's death is the multiple injuries he sustained when the plane crashed into the ground, according to Monday's autopsy findings.
Doe's manner of death is pending the completion of the investigation and the lab results from toxicology reports, which can take up to eight weeks.
As for Doe's identity, Costello said she has a presumptive ID of the pilot, but she must get positive identification before releasing Doe's name. She has DNA from the presumptive pilot's family member and will compare that to Doe's DNA. However, DNA tests can take weeks before the report is returned, Costello said.
The pilot and the plane, owned by Purdue Aviation, were last seen about 8 p.m. Thursday, according to the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Office. At about 3:30 p.m. Friday, deputies received a report of a missing plane and pilot, which started a search.
Jeff Pittard, president of Purdue Aviation, said Monday that he had no comment about the plane, its crash or Doe because the case is under investigation.
More: Saturday update: Fatal plane crash west of U.S. 231 east of Otterbein
Deputies found the wrecked plane in a farm field east of Otterbein. The plane crashed south of Tippecanoe County Road 750 North, north of Tippecanoe County Road 600 North and west of U.S. 231.
On Saturday, the plane was removed from the ground and Doe's remains were extricated from the wreckage, according to Costello's comments on Saturday.
Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration were also on scene Saturday morning, Costello said last week.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Coroner using to positively ID pilot killed in Thursday's crash
