Pilot talks about crashing, surviving in Sequoia National Park

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Bay Area pilot is talking about how he survived a plane crash in the sierra, and the people who came to his aid.

Tim Cassell crashed his single-engine plane into the Sequoia National Park last Monday. He was just 20 minutes from his destination, when his plane's propeller broke in half 13,000 feet in the air.

"As I'm fighting this aircraft down, wasn't a friendly aircraft at that point, thinking please heavenly father, let me survive this -- and I did," said Tim Cassell.

"I didn't care about the plane, I didn't care about anything in the plane except him. Just let us find him," said Marsha Cassell.

Cassell suffered a series of injuries, including broken ribs and fractures in his face. He said he wrapped himself with blankets and an airplane cover to keep himself warm throughout the night.

The next morning rescuers spotted his aircraft and spotted him waving a red blanket.

Cassell credits his faith, his pilot training, and his motivation for making it out alive.

Cassell said he is grateful for those who helped him, including park rangers, the U.S. Air Force, the Civil Air Patrol, and the doctors at Community Regional Medical Center.