ORCAS ISLAND

One man dead, one injured after plane crash

posted 03/30/05
Darrell Davey, 67, died after the plane he was piloting crashed into the water near Point Lawrence off of Orcas Island. The 67-year-old man had homes in Camarillo, California and Blakely Island. His passenger, Jesse Van Golen, 24, of Bellingham was airlifted to St. Joseph's Hospital in Bellingham by a Coast Guard helicopter. He was treated for hypothermia.

At 12:24 p.m. San Juan County Sheriff’s Dispatch received a report from an Orcas Island resident living in the Sea Acres area of a plane down in the water. Both San Juan County Sheriff and Friday Harbor Fire Dept. response vessels were dispatched immediately to the scene from Friday Harbor.

Two Coast Guard helicopters from Air Station/Group Port Angeles, a helicopter from Naval Air Station Whidbey, an 87-foot cutter Sea Lion and a motor lifeboat from Coast Guard Station Bellingham were also dispatched to the scene. A Washington State Parks vessel working on Matia Island assisted with the rescue as well.

A pilot from Island Air heard the call and diverted his flight to go to the scene. He spotted a person in distress in the water near Peapod Rock at approximately 1:02 p.m.

Four minutes later, the sheriff response vessel was the first unit to arrive on scene. Sheriff William Cumming and Undersheriff Jon Zerby were on board the vessel and recovered a victim in the water, conscious, but extremely hypothermic. The victim was wrapped in a blanket and placed inside the heated vessel cabin as the search continued for other victims.

Shortly after, a second victim was spotted, unconscious and face down in the water. Friday Harbor Firefighter and EMT Frank Chaffee transferred to the Sheriff’s vessel to assist Undersheriff Zerby with CPR on the second victim. Both victims were transported to shore for immediate treatment by Orcas Island Fire/EMS personnel on scene.

The first victim was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bellingham via Coast Guard helicopter with symptoms of severe hypothermia. CPR was administered to the unconscious second victim for approximately 40 minutes after initial recovery, however attempts at resuscitation were unsuccessful.

There is no clear sign of the aircraft fuselage. As of 10 p.m. Tuesday evening, the tail number of the aircraft is unknown. The plane is believed to have orginated on Blakely Island. The approximate point of impact occurred in roughly 300 feet of water.

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