Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013: The following statement was issued by the Emmet County Sheriff's office:
The Emmet County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal plane crash that occurred on Tuesday, January 15, 2013, in McKinley Township, according to Sheriff Pete Wallin.
At approximately 10:45 p.m. deputies from the Emmet County Sheriff’s Office were advised of a missing aircraft that had taken off from the Pellston Regional Airport. The Emmet County Sheriff’s Deputies and Emmet County Search and Rescue located the aircraft in a wooded area southwest of the airport near the intersection of Camp and Durkalic Roads.
The aircraft left Chippewa/Kinross Airport and landed in Pellston to refuel. The aircraft left Pellston and was to continue onto Lansing when it crashed. The aircraft was piloted by Jeffrey M. Salles, 26 yrs., Terrytown, LA. Salles was pronounced dead at the scene. Salles was the only occupant of the aircraft. The aircraft involved was a 1994 Cessna Model 208 B which was leased to Martinaire Aviation out of Addison , TX. The accident remains under investigation and the Emmet County Sheriff’s Office is awaiting the arrival of officials from NTSB.
