Pilot mum dies alongside sons in California plane crash as dad fights for his life

Pilot mum dies alongside sons in California plane crash as dad fights for his life Danna Eady was flying with her husband and their two youngest children when their plane crashed and burst into flames shortly after leaving an airport in California A flight instructor mum and her two sons have been killed in a horror plane crash which also left her husband in a critical condition with severe burns. Danna Eady, 41, was flying alongside her husband Craig and their two youngest children, Pavel and Remus, when their small aircraft crashed and burst into flames shortly after leaving Sierra Sky Park Airport in California. The two boys were sadly pronounced dead at the scene, while Danna was pulled from the wreckage with severe injuries and rushed to hospital. Tragically, the mum also later died. Craig remains in hospital with third-degree burns and other serious injuries. Heartbreaking images shared by the family show Danna smiling alongside her husband, Pavel, Remus and their two older children, Lucien, 17, and Felicity, 18. The single-engine aircraft came down shortly after leaving the airport on Saturday, September 5. Emergency crews arrived to find it engulfed in flames on a bluff overlooking the San Joaquin River. Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze before it could spread to nearby homes. Danna and Craig were found outside the aircraft, while the two children were discovered dead inside. A fundraiser set up by friends and family said the Eadys had experienced "an unimaginable loss" following the deaths of Danna and her two young sons. "Her husband, Craig, survived and is now facing a long and difficult road of recovery, requiring extensive medical care and support in the months ahead." It added: "Craig is grieving the loss of his wife and two children while beginning a challenging recovery of his own. Their two older children are also facing the devastating loss of their mother and brothers." Danna was an experienced certified flight instructor who taught students at Reedley College and dreamed of becoming a commercial airline pilot. Friend and fellow flight instructor Nick Wilcox said: "Danna was always just up for an adventure. "She loved flying. She died doing what she loved." He described her as a veteran instructor who had helped multiple students go on to become pilots. The fundraiser, which has raised over $34,000 (£25,000) so far, says Craig faces a lengthy recovery while grieving the loss of his wife and sons. Donations will be going towards his medical treatment and other family expenses. The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.