Elderly Couple dies in plane crash on their way to Thanksgiving dinner with family in North Carolina

An elderly couple was tragically killed in a plane crash near the Smith Reynolds Airport in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Illinois residents Patty Kreher and Joe Kreher were on their way to have thanksgiving dinner with their family in North Carolina when their small aircraft, a Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche, lost control and crashed.

Media reports have confirmed that no one except the couple was present inside the aircraft. Following the crash, a medical examiner from Forsyth County was called in around 3 pm, after which the police authorities confirmed the deaths in the night. A Mirror report confirmed that the pilot informed the air traffic control about an engine not making as much power as the other one.




The aircraft was found split in half near a group of houses, and the National Transportation Safety Board was investigating the accident. Reports have confirmed that Joe Kreher was the aircraft's registered owner, which was in service for about two decades. Joe was the President of General Machine Inc., while his wife, Patty, was the Financial Controller and co-owner of the Freeburg-based company.

The family was preparing for the thanksgiving dinner and were left devasted after learning about the horrific accident. The couple flew from St Louis, Missouri, to North Carolina. A witness said that she was close when the aircraft crashed between hers and her neighbour’s properties. Susan Harrison-Bailey said she couldn’t tell whether it was a plane at first, and that there was a lot of smoke as it smashed into the trees.

FAQs

Who were the couple that died in the crash?
Patty Kreher and Joe Kreher.

Who was the owner of the aircraft?
Joe Kreher was the registered owner of the Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche aircraft.