NORTH COLLINS, N.Y. - The Erie County Sheriffs Department has identified the three people who died when two planes collided over North Collins, N.Y. on Sunday morning. Paul Rosiek, 60, Hamburg; Richard Walker, 69 and Kathleen Walker, 69, both of Eden, N.Y.
Paul Rosiek was flying solo when his plane collided and crashed in a field.
The crash happened around 9:30 a.m. near School Street, Jennings and Eden Roads in North Collins. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed a Cessna 120 and Piper PA 28 made contact and crashed.
The two planes were part of a group of six flights headed from Hamburg Airfield to St. Mary's, Pennsylvania.
"They would go for Sunday morning breakfast," said fellow pilot Jerry Malachowski. "In aviation circles, going to fly to eat is called going to get the $100 hamburger."
Kathleen Walker is a retired school teacher. She spent over three decades in the North Collins Central School District where she was a kindergarten teacher. Her husband Richard retired as a printer from Quebecor. He was also a sailor. Mike Sendor remembers his friend of 33-years as a person always willing to help others. The Eden couple has one daughter who lives in Portland, Oregon. "They are wonderful parents," said Sendor.
The NTSB is still has investigators on site. They believe a preliminary report will be available within ten days but the investigation could last around one year.
Erie County Sheriff officials asked Monday that anyone who finds any debris around the crash site call the Erie County Sheriff. They are also urged to leave any debris found undisturbed and to document where they were found before calling the sheriff's dispatch line at 716-858-2903.
WEB EXTRA: Interviews with plane crash witnesses