Berkeley man identified as pilot of downed plane in river north of Antioch
Deputies in a Contra Costa Sheriff’s Marine Unit patrol boat search for the plane and pilot on Monday, June 10, 2019. Photo by CCCSheriff.
By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Office of the Contra Costa County Sheriff
During a search yesterday of Broad Slough where the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Marine Services Unit located the plane wreckage, the Dive Team recovered a body from the wreckage, which was in approximately 20 feet of water, at about 5:30 PM.
The Coroner’s Division later identified the person, who was the pilot and only occupant of the plane, as 22-year-old Colin Um of Berkeley.
On Sunday, June 9, 2019, at about 5:32 PM, a boater notified Sheriff’s Office Dispatch of a small plane crashing into the Delta at the north end of Broad Slough, north of Antioch. (See related articles, here and here).
Several public safety agencies immediately responded. Debris and a backpack were found at the location. The plane took off from Buchanan Field Airport in Concord at about 5:00 PM.
The National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the cause of the crash. Any witnesses to this incident are asked to contact the NTSB by email at: witness@NTSB.GOV.
Although a date has not been set, a salvage company is expected to remove the plane wreckage in the near future.
The Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office would like to extend our condolences and sympathies to the family and friends of Colin Um. An autopsy into the cause of death is scheduled for tomorrow.
