Centre County Coroner Scott Sayers has now positively identified the two individuals killed in a small plane crash near University Park Airport on Thursday morning.
Late Thursday the pilot was identified as Gary Orner, of White Oak, Pa. On Friday morning, Sayers positively identified the passenger as Dr. Robert C. Arffa, of Pittsburgh. Arffa was a LASIK eye surgeon with his own practice in the Pittsburgh area. He regularly travelled to State College to perform LASIK surgery for Nittany Eye Associates.
Nittany Eye Associates issued a statement on Friday morning:
‘Robert Arffa, M.D., noted corneal specialist and LASIK surgeon, was in a plane that crashed during landing yesterday at University Park Airport. There were no survivors. As he has done for every month in the last fifteen years, Dr. Arffa was traveling from Pittsburgh to State College to perform LASIK and YAG laser procedures at Nittany Eye. We, at Nittany Eye, are devastated by this news. Dr. Arffa was a world class surgeon. He was also a world class friend to all who knew him. We deeply appreciate the exceptional care you have provided to our patients, Dr. Arffa, and we will miss you tremendously.’
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash. Senior Air Safety Investigator Brian Rayner arrived in State College Thursday and began assembling a team of experts from the NTSB, FAA, and elsewhere to piece together what happened.
The plane was approaching the airport near Barnes Lane Thursday morning when the air traffic control tower noticed smoke coming from the plane. The tower attempted to contact the plane and received no response. The plane crashed in a heavily wooded area in Benner Township, approximately one mile east of the airport and on Penn State property. The initial 911 call was placed at 8:45 a.m.
