Who Is Craig Eady? Husband Survives Fresno Plane Crash That Killed Wife and Two Sons

A California flight instructor and her two sons were killed after their small plane crashed near Fresno’s Sierra Sky Park Airport on Saturday, Sept. 5, while her husband remains hospitalized.

Danna Eady, 41, of Auberry, died Sunday from injuries suffered from the crash, raising the death toll to three.

Her sons, Pavel, 10, and Remus, 13, died at the scene, according to the family fundraiser created following the tragedy.

Eady’s husband, Craig, suffered severe burns and extensive injuries, the fundraiser says.

What happened in the Fresno plane crash?

The crash occurred around 1:50 p.m. Saturday near the 7300 block of N. Blythe Avenue, close to Sierra Sky Park Airport in northwest Fresno.

The aircraft was carrying four people at the time of the crash, according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.

Emergency crews found the plane burning on a bluff above the San Joaquin River when they arrived.

Firefighters contained the flames before they could spread to nearby homes.

Children were pronounced dead, while the two adults were taken to a hospital in critical condition.

Eady initially survived the crash but later died from her injuries at the hospital on Sunday.

The cause of the crash has not been determined.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, with the Federal Aviation Administration also involved.

Investigators have maintained a safety perimeter around the crash site as they work to determine what happened.

Who Is Craig Eady?

Craig Eady is Danna Eady’s husband and the fourth person aboard the plane when it crashed near Sierra Sky Park Airport in Fresno on Saturday, Sept. 5.

Current reporting provides very limited information about Craig’s occupation, background or professional life.

Craig survived the crash but suffered severe, third-degree burns and extensive injuries.

He remains admitted in critical condition.

The fundraiser also mentions his recovery is expected to last at least six months and potentially longer.

Who was Danna Eady?

Eady was a flight instructor in Reedley College’s Flight Science Department and was active in the Central California aviation community.

She also served as president of a local Experimental Aircraft Association chapter, according to reporting on her aviation work.

Nick Wilcox, owner of Soar Paso Flight School and a friend of Eady, remembered her as a major presence in the local flying community.

“She was a very special soul,” Wilcox told the New York Post adding she was deeply involved in aviation and had inspired others, including students and fellow pilots.

Reedley College is also mourning Eady’s death.

College President Dr. Jerry Buckley said the school’s flight science community is “a very close group” and that the college would provide resources and time for students and staff to grieve.

Flight science classes would also be canceled Tuesday and counseling support available.

Family fundraiser launched after crash

A SupportNow campaign created by friends and family identifies Pavel and Remus as Eady’s two youngest sons.

Donations are intended to help with his medical treatment, travel and other expenses, household needs and the family’s unexpected costs.

The family fundraiser also identifies Eady’s surviving children as Lucien, 17, and Felicity, 18.

The NTSB’s examination of the wreckage and surrounding evidence is expected to provide the next significant update.

The investigation remains ongoing.