Redwood City Man ID'd as Pilot of Last Week's Deadly North Bay Plane Crash

By Bay City News Service

The Marin County coroner’s office has identified the pilot of the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza plane that crashed west of Novato last week as 51-year-old Robert John Madge of Redwood City.

Marin County Assistant Chief Deputy Coroner Lt. Keith Boyd said Madge suffered thermal burn injuries in the Aug. 18 crash and was identified through dental records. Madge was the registered owner of the plane, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said the plane departed from Brookings, Oregon, and was heading to San Carlos.

The pilot reported engine troubles around 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 18 and said he would try to make it to Gnoss Field in Novato, Gregor said. Air traffic controllers lost contact with the pilot shortly afterward and the plane crashed.

Marin County sheriff’s Lt. Doug Pittman said the plane was found around 4 a.m. the next day.

The crash apparently started a 32-acre brushfire on a rural ranch in west Marin County north of Hicks Valley.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash and the Marin County coroner’s office is investigating the cause, manner and circumstances of Madge’s death.