Pilot who died after plane crash at Palisades Reservoir has been identified
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IRWIN — The pilot who crashed in the Palisades Reservoir and died last week has been identified.
Coroner Dain Schwab of Lincoln County, Wyoming said the man was Edan Shalev, 53, of Los Angeles. Schwab said the preliminary investigation shows the crash was an accident and Shalev’s cause of death was due to severe internal trauma.
Clipper Aviation, a flight school in Los Angeles, posted about Shalev on social media in 2022. At that time, Shalev had been flying aerobatics for 35 years. Shalev participated in many aerobatic competitions and then went on to represent Israel in the World Aerobatic Championships, the post said. He also became a certified flight instructor to teach aerobatics.
Background
The crash happened on July 4 after 5:20 p.m. near Alpine, Wyoming, according to Sgt. Bryan Lovell with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office. Shalev crashed while practicing aerobatic maneuvers. He was the only person on the single-engine plane.
Boaters in the area reportedly saw what happened and began life-saving measures until they reached first responders at the shoreline.
Star Valley EMS took the pilot to Star Valley Hospital, where he died.
Details from the Federal Aviation Administration’s website indicate the crash was an “accident” and the “aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances.”