Oakley residents die in plane crash

OAKLEY, CA (KGO) -- A terrible tragedy over the weekend has left seven young East Bay children orphaned. Two couples, who flew a small plane to Vegas to celebrate their anniversaries, never made it home. There is an investigation underway to find out what happened.

The City of Oakley is in mourning. In one tragic accident this tight-knit community in Contra Costa County has lost four of its own and seven children have lost their parents.

"It's much more noticeable in a smaller city than a larger one and it think we have to come to terms and grips with what's happened," said Oakley City Councilmember Kevin Rommick.

Erik Nunn and his wife Tanya were celebrating their 10th anniversary with their close friends and neighbors, Craig Wilson and his wife Michelle.

The two couples were heading home from Las Vegas on Saturday. Nunn was piloting a single engine Cherokee, when something went wrong and the plane ended up hitting a powerline and crashing.

Nunn and his wife leave behind four children, ages 9,8, 7 and 3.

"It probably hasn't hit them completely and some are too young to understand, but we're praying for them," said Robert Lister, Tanya Nunn's brother.

Nunn was campaigning for County Supervisor and was also pastor at a local church, but his devastated friends say he was first and foremost an amazing father.

"He was the consummate dad. The kind of guy I wanted to be," said Jim Frazier, Erik Nunn's friend.

There was also praise and tribute Monday for Craig Wilson, the father of 3 young children. He was a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Police officer just about to complete five years on the job. The Chief says Wilson was a standout, the 206 members of the force are wearing black bands across their badges as a sign of respect and mourning. Three of his fellow officers have been assigned to help the family.

"I think the shock has still hit all of us," said BART Police Chief Gary Gee. "And the immediate impulse is to reach out to the family to see what we can do to take care of the children."

Lots of people are concerned about the small seven children who must go on without their parents. The City of Oakley has established trust funds for both families. Donations can be made at any Bank of the West to the Nunn Children Trust Fund and the Wilson Children Trust Fund.

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