79-year-old pilot instructor in deadly Fairview plane crash 'died doing what she loved'

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The family of the 79-year-old pilot instructor who died as a passenger in the fiery Fairview small-plane crash this past weekend has set up a GoFundMe to give her "the memorial that she deserves."

Jacqueline Whitford died on Aug. 31, along with two others, when a twin-engine Cessna 421C fell from the sky around 10:20 a.m. and hit a townhome at the Fairview Terrace. Authorities have identified the people who were killed, including the pilot, 73-year-old Michael C. Busher, and the resident of the townhome, 75-year-old Barbara J. MacDonald.

Several other adjacent homes in the same row of buildings were damaged in the crash from the explosive impact and fire. Four families who were displaced are now also asking for help rebuilding their lives.

The GoFundMe for Whitford, organized by Kayla Raynes, had the following description:

"During a test flight it seems that there were mechanical issues, with the pilot inside and her as the passenger. One thing that brings our family some solace is that she died doing what she loved. Jackie was an amazing pilot and flying was the love of her life, next to her family. She was also a very caring mother, grandmother, friend, etc - intelligent, witty, and sharp."

Below are the links to the GoFundMe fundraisers for the displaced families:

• Help Kim and Morgan Rebuild After Tragedy

• Help Tom and Judy Rebuild After Tragic Plane Crash

• Assist Murff's During Displacement After Tragic Plane Crash

• Two separate GoFundMe campaigns for the same displaced family, Jodi and Hailey:
  • Support Jodi and Hailey After Plane Crash
  • House Fire Relocation for Hailey and Jodi

All of the fundraising campaigns were verified by GoFundMe, a spokesperson for the crowdfunding site told KOIN 6 News via email.

KOIN 6 previously spoke with some of the other families who were displaced and seeking help through GoFundMe campaigns.

Kim Williams said she and her daughter were not home when the crash happened but her three cats were. She was able to locate all three animals and one of them was hospitalized for burns.

Tom Keegan told KOIN 6 that he was home during the crash and that the explosion sent him flying. He and his wife, Judy Keegan, were also best friends with their next-door neighbor who died in the crash.

"During the maintenance test flight, the pilot reported issues with controllability,” said National Transportation Safety Board Air Safety Investigator Michael Hicks on Tuesday. “What those issues are, we are going to find out.”

The NTSB said an investigation could take up to 18 months to complete.