Sheriff IDs Men Injured In Plane Crash

HILLSBORO, OR — Sheriff's officials on Friday identified the two men who were seriously hurt in a plane crash just west of Hillsboro Thursday afternoon.

Hood River resident Gennaro Avolio, 88, was reportedly piloting the single-engine Yakovlev Yak-52 Soviet aircraft when it began experiencing engine trouble while en route to Hillsboro just after 4:15 p.m. April 26.

Minutes after communicating their trouble with the Hillsboro Airport, which in turn called Washington County's 911 dispatch, Avolio and his passenger, 73-year-old Canby resident Gary Hagstrom, made an emergency landing in an orchard just outside Hillsboro in the 1000-block of Southwest 331st Avenue.

Hitting trees in the orchard, both men were seriously hurt, according to Washington County Sheriff's spokesman Jeff Talbot.

After both men were taken to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center; Avolio was taken by LifeFlight, and Hagstrom was taken by ambulance.

At the time of this posting, Avolio was listed in serious condition; Hagstrom was listed in critical condition.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

This post has been updated from a previous version to include the identities of the men involved.

Images via Washington County Sheriff's Office