Crop-Spraying Planes Collide; Pilots Killed

Two pilots were killed on impact when their crop-spraying planes collided in rural Minidoka County.

Michael James Hoard, 41, of Burley, and Bruce Kinney, 50, of Missoula, died in Thursday morning’s collision over potato fields northwest of Paul.

Minidoka County Sheriff’s Lt. Randall White said the crash occurred about 8:15 a.m.

Officers at first saw only one plane when they arrived, but White said a field worker directed them to the other wreckage in a field to the south.

“It’s kind of a freak thing,” White said. “Both fliers were experienced, from what I understand.”

Federal Aviation Administration officials continued to investigate the crash on Friday.