At least one dead in Fresno County aircraft accident

Update as of 4:00 PSD.

 At least one person died when a single-engine plane that took off from Fresno's Chandler airport crashed this afternoon in a vineyard near Nebraska and Peach avenues, a Fresno County sheriff's spokesman said.

Lt. Robert Kandarian, area commander for the Sheriff's Department, confirmed one fatality, but would not give out further details about the plane until the family of the victim has been notified.

Kandarian said the sheriff's office began receiving reports of a plane crash about 2 p.m. Witnesses said the plane broke up in mid-air. Early reports indicated there might have a mid-air collision, possibly with a helicopter. Kandarian said no evidence of a helicopter has been found.

Mark and Elisabeth Freeman, who operate a chicken farm in the area, said they were riding around in a golf cart when they heard a noise in the sky that sounded like an engine. They then heard a pop or crash, then saw parts of a small plane falling to the ground. They got into a car and drove to the crash site, where debris -- paper and red plastic -- was still falling from the sky.

The couple, who were about one-half mile east of the crash site, said they did not see a second aircraft.

"My first thought was there were no survivors," Elisabeth Freeman said.

Charlotte Stoll, an administrative assistant at Monroe Elementary School at Nebraska and Chestnut avenues, said she was outside when she heard what sounded like a plane engine stalling. She said she then heard a noise and saw debris falling to the ground.

The crash site is east of the school.

The plane went down in a vineyard about 300 yards north of Nebraska Avenue and about one-quarter mile west of Peach Avenue. One half of the plane's wing could be seen resting on a vine at a 45-degree angle.

Mark Freeman said he didn't know how high the airplane was flying, but he estimated it took about 10 seconds for the two wings and other parts of the plane to hit the ground.