2 Flight Nurses, Including Wife of Retired Fire Chief, Among Victims of San Diego Plane Crash

Two flight nurses among the identified as victims of a fatal plane crash on Monday in San Diego Country.

According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, the small plane was on its way to Gillespie Field Airport in San Diego County when it crashed after 7 pm local time. There were no survivors.

According to a social media post by the Oceanside Firefighters Association, one of the flight nurses was identified as Tinaward, the wife of Joeward, a former Deputy Chief of the Oceanside Fire Department who retired in November.

“It is with heavy hearts that the Oceanside Fire Department and their fire family would like to extend our deepest condolences to our recently retired Chief Ward, his family, and all family and friends of the Aeromedevac flight crew N88OZ,” they wrote in a post on Tuesday, alongside a series of images of Tina and her husband.

Aeromedevac is an airline based in El Cajon, a suburb of San Diego where the crash occurred.

“Chief Ward’s wife Tina, was a flight nurse on board of the aircraft that crashed last night in El Cajon,” the post continued. “We are shocked and saddened by this devastating news and are keeping you all in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”

According to the International Association of EMTs and Paramedics, Laurie Gentz ​​was also identified as a victim of the crash.

“The IAEP extends sincere condolences for the devastating and sudden loss of Local 162 President Laurie Gentz, her fellow passengers and the Learjet flight crew early this morning,” they wrote in a statement shared on Facebook. “President Gentz will be greatly missed by all who knew her and all who benefit from her selfless contributions to organized labor in the Greater San Diego area.”

The post shows a photo of Gentz ​​standing with the other three. One of them appeared to be Tina Ward.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Gentz ​​worked as a flight nurse at Aeromedevac.
The company issued a statement on social media on Wednesday, stating that “with a heavy heart we mourn the lives of our friends and our family.”

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Rick Breitenfeld had previously stated that the Learjet 35 business jet first departed from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, which is also investigating the crash, the pilot “requested a change” to their landing while the plane made its approach to the small airport at Gillespie Field. Immediately after receiving landing clearance from Air Control, the aircraft crashed about 2.4 miles from the runway edge of a residential area.

More information about the victims is expected to be released by the medical examiner’s office.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by the plane crash,” the San Diego Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.