Plane crashes into Napa vineyard
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A light aeroplane crashed into Napa Valley vineyards yesterday, killing the pilot and destroying vines.
Amateur pilot and San Francisco-based psychiatrist Kenneth Gottlieb was killed when the Cessna aeroplane he was piloting hit the ground in vineyards belonging to Napa producer Jaeger.
The crash is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
According to local newspaper the San Francisco Chronicle, Gottlieb was setting off to meet his wife in Bakersfield, California, 400km south of Napa.
Jaegers Clark Ranch vineyards, 6km south east of the Carneros appellation, and inside the American Canyon vineyard area, are three kilometres from Napa County Airport, where Gottlieb took off.
According to Salvador Ramos, Jaegers vineyard manager, only 12 vines were destroyed.
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Written by Oliver Styles
Chris Mercer is a Bristol-based freelance editor and journalist who spent nearly four years as digital editor of Decanter.com, having previously been Decanter’s news editor across online and print.
He has written about, and reported on, the wine and food sectors for more than 10 years for both consumer and trade media.
Chris first became interested in the wine world while living in Languedoc-Roussillon after completing a journalism Masters in the UK. These days, his love of wine commonly tests his budgeting skills.
Beyond wine, Chris also has an MSc in food policy and has a particular interest in sustainability issues. He has also been a food judge at the UK’s Great Taste Awards.