CASA GRANDE, AZ (CBS5) -
Officials at Tucson Aeroservice Center have told CBS 5 News that one of the persons killed Wednesday in a plane crash has been identified as Steve Stafford. Stafford, 51, of Green Valley, worked as a salesman for the company and was an accomplished pilot.
The second victim has been identified by the Pinal County Sheriff's Office as Del Steinbronn, 65, of Tucson. Steinbronn was a retired private practice urologist who also had many years of flight experience.
The crash happened as a twin-engine Beechcraft King Air was landing at about 11:45 a.m. Wednesday at Casa Grande Municipal Airport, located at 3225 N. Lear Ave. in north Casa Grande.
Stafford and Steinbronn died when the two-engine turbo prop plane crashed and burst into flames upon impact.
Gary Couch was with some friends at the airport at the time of the crash.
"We turned around and looked and there was a fireball and black smoke coming up off the plane that had crashed on the runway."
Couch said the wreckage burned for quite a while.
While the FAA is involved in the investigation, the NTSB will take the lead in trying to determine a cause.
Stay with cbs5az.com for updates on this developing story.
[Text BREAKING to 23765 to get news alerts on your mobile phone]
Copyright 2013 CBS 5 (KPHO Broadcasting Corporation). All rights reserved.
© CBS 5
Courtesy of Gary Couch
Steve Stafford
© CBS 5
