Man From Orange Survives Plane Crash; Two Uncles Killed

A pilot from Orange County is in critical condition with burns after he crawled out of his plane following a crash in Arizona that killed his two uncles.

Rocky Herring is in a medical-induced coma at a hospital in Flagstaff, Arizona. Herring owns the "Wings of Promise" Medical Transport Service in Orange.

Tom Johnson of Kountze and Mike Johnson of Arizona died in yesterday's crash. Rocky and his uncles were on a recreational flight when the plane went down and burned about eight miles east of Sedona.

Herring's brother-in-law Tex Roark is still in shock, "When they got ready to take off a witness said they seen a plane take off and then the next thing he saw was smoke." He can't believe the man he says is so full of life is in a medical induced coma at an Arizona hospital,"hanging in there he is a fighter, he will survive."

Roark says Thursday Herring and his two uncles were enjoying their vacation. Herring left the Orange County Airport last Saturday and was planning to return home tomorrow. They spent the day riding 18 wheelers and decided to take a flight in Herring's small six seater plane. Moments after taking off it crashed and burst into flames. Witnesses ran to the wreckage sight. Roark said, "witnesses were hollering to see if there was any survivors Rocky had already gotten out of the plane and was walking." Roark says that's his brother in law, a survivor. He says when Herring was 15 he was in a motorcycle accident that almost killed him, so he isn't at all surprised Herring was able to pull himself from the wreckage.

Roark said, "the most honest guy, he loves other people, loves people period. He loves to joke and cut up. He loves to fly." Roark says Herring was able to combine his love of people and flying when he founded "Wings of Promise" about a year ago. "Wings of Promise" is a non profit organization that flies bed ridden people to and from hospitals. Herring helped transfer several patients to safety during the Hurricane Ike evacuation, "he felt the Lord had blessed him with his license so he really wanted to help people out."

John Craus saw first hand Herring's generosity. He works at the Orange County Airport were Herring housed his two planes. Craus said, "unbelievable Rocky was such a good pilot I don't know what happened. It's amazed us all and set us back a little bite."

Craus and Roark are both praying for Herring to make a quick recovery for a man they say has always been willing to give his all to others. The crash left Herring with third degree burns from his chest to his shoulders and on his arms. The FAA is investigating the crash.

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KFDM News has learned a plane registered to a man in Orange crashed and burst into flames in Arizona, killing his two uncles, including a man from Kountze, and seriously injuring the pilot.

The plane crashed Thursday afternoon about 8 miles east of Sedona, Arizona.

The victims include Tom Johnson of Kountze his brother Mike of Arizona.

Investigators say the survivor, Rocky Herring, 51, of Orange County, was flying the plane.  He crawled out of the wreckage of the single-engine Piper Cherokee. He was taken to Flagstaff Medical Center with serious injuries, including burns.

Authorities say the plane's registered owner is Wings of Promise, Inc., in Orange. Herring owned the non-profit air medical transport company.  Herring and his uncles were on a recreational flight when the plane crashed. 

Witnesses say the plane broke apart and burned after it crashed.

It was being tracked on radar but was flying on visual flight rules, which don't require a flight plan to be filed.

Herring and his uncle from Kountze left the Orange County Airport for Arizona last Saturday.  They were scheduled to return this Saturday. 

Herring told rescuers the plane experienced mechanical failure.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.

Watch KFDM News at 6 for more on the story.