Both occupants sustained serious injuries and were transported to local hospitals

On Monday (Aug. 10) at approximately 1 p.m., deputies with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to assist Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue and AMR with a small, single-engine aircraft crash south of Daybreak Airport, near the 4400 block of NE 290th Street in La Center.

A 9-1-1 caller inside the aircraft provided initial information about the crash. Two people were aboard the aircraft at the time of the crash.

Due to the remote location of the crash site, it took responders more than 20 minutes to reach the aircraft. Both occupants sustained serious injuries and were transported to local hospitals. One occupant was transported by Life Flight, while the other was transported by AMR.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has responded and will conduct an investigation.

A Clark County Sheriff’s Office spokesman could not confirm the identity of the occupants. In a Facebook post, former state Rep. Liz Pike identified the pilot as her husband Neil Cahoon.

“Dear friends,’’ Pike wrote. “My beloved husband Neil Cahoon was in a very serious airplane accident today while flying with a student in the student’s single engine aircraft in Clark County, WA. Both survived the crash. Praise God!

“Neil’s injuries are severe but he has a big team of expert trauma doctors who are going to put him back together,’’ Pike wrote. “He is lucky to be alive! It’s clear God has more plans for Neil.’’

No other injuries were reported.

Information provided by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.