Fatal plane crash at Palisades Reservoir caught on camera

IDAHO FALLS – The pilot who crashed into the Palisades Reservoir Thursday afternoon has died.

The crash happened shortly after 5 p.m. near Alpine, Wyoming, according to Sergeant Bryan Lovell of the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office. The 53-year-old from California crashed while practicing aerobatic maneuvers. He was the only person on board the plane.

Boaters in the area reportedly saw what had happened and began running for their lives until they reached first responders on shore.

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Star Valley EMS transported the pilot to Star Valley Hospital, where he died. His name is not being released until family and friends are notified.

Details on the Federal Aviation Administration website state that the crash was an “accident” and that “the aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances.”

Bonneville County officials are working with the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board on the investigation and are asking the public to avoid the area for the foreseeable future.

Emergency personnel from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office in Wyoming responded, along with its search and rescue team. Star Valley EMS, Idaho Falls Ambulance and the Idaho State Police also assisted.

A passerby filmed the accident, which you can watch below.