The National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report about a small plane crash that killed Auburn's former mayor and seriously injured a second person in mid-April.  

The NTSB says the passenger told them that the Cessna TU206 plane lost engine power shortly after takeoff on April 18th. The pilot, Dr. Bill Kirby, tried to make an emergency landing but lost control. The unidentified passenger also stated that there were no warning lights or alerts in the cockpit during the less than one minute flight. 

Dr. Kirby died on scene, while the passenger suffered minor injuries in the crash near Auburn Municipal Airport in Placer County. 

The Sacramento Bee previously reported that Dr. Kirby stepped down as mayor after he criticized President Trump and his supporters.

Kirby gained notoriety after social media posts criticizing Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and comparing the president’s supporters to KKK members.

 

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