Watsonville Mid-Air Collision Victims Identified

A Cessna 340A reportedly clipped the wing of the Cessna 152.

Wednesday, August 24, 2022 at 12:48 PM ET

Verified

A Cessna 340A crashed into a hangar next to a runway at Watsonville Municipal Airport August 18, after a mid-air collision with a 152, according to authorities. [Courtesy: City of Watsonville]

Key Takeaways:

A mid-air collision between a twin-engine Cessna 340A and a Cessna 152 occurred on August 18 in Watsonville, California, killing all three occupants (Carl and Nannette Plett-Kruppa, Stuart Camenson) and a dog.
The collision happened during the approach to Watsonville Municipal Airport, with the Cessna 340 performing a straight-in entry while the Cessna 152 was in the airport traffic pattern, despite radio communication between the pilots.
Investigators are particularly examining the Cessna 340's speed, which was approximately 180 knots on approach—significantly above its normal flap and landing gear extension speeds—raising questions about its configuration for landing.

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Officials have identified the victims of last week’s deadly mid-air collision between a twin-engine Cessna 340A and a Cessna 152 in Watsonville, California.

Carl Kruppa, 75, and Nannette Plett-Kruppa, 67, from Winton, California, and their dog were aboard the 340. Stuart Camenson, 32, from Santa Cruz was piloting the 152, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff-Coroner. The aircraft collided while on approach to Runway 20 at Watsonville Municipal Airport (KWVI) just before 3 p.m. on August 18. All occupants of the two aircraft were pronounced dead at the scene.