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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Coeur d’Alene man killed in wilderness plane crash

Associated Press
A 48-year-old Coeur d’Alene man was killed Thursday in a small plane crash at the Moose Creek Airstrip in the Nez Perce/Clearwater National Forest. Officials in Idaho County say a gust of wind hit the airplane just as it was taking off, forcing the plane to crash and killing the pilot. The pilot was identified as Jahan Ashtiani. A second man on board, Anthony DiPaola, 49, of Evergreen, Colo., was treated for minor injuries. Authorities said the men were taking off from the Moose Creek Airstrip about 32 miles east of Lowell ahead of an expected thunderstorm when a gust of wind caught the plane, causing it to crash and catch fire. Ashtiani’s family has been notified. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration is continuing.