BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- An airplane has crashed off of Highway 58 near the Frito Lay Plant northwest of Bakersfield.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said the single-engine plane crashed around noon Wednesday.

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The two people aboard the aircraft were killed.

Alfred Goss, 68, was from Bakersfield. He died at 11:32 a.m. according to the Coroner's report.

Pilot Steve Ballard, 54, was from Anchorage Alaska. He died at 11:32 a.m. according to the Coroner's report.

Preliminary information from the FAA indicates the plane was a fixed wing aircraft built in 1945. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash.

Kern County Fire crews arrived and had to put out a small fire associated with the crash.

Goss had been piloting his AT-6 trainer, Warlock, in the skies over Kern County and at the Reno air races for nearly 30 years.

Goss was a well-decorated competitor in Reno, bringing home his first gold in the AT-6 division in 2004 after nearly 24 years of competition.

Goss was a vintage cowboy, right down to his boots.

He raced with longtime friend and fellow AT-6 competitor Eddie Van Fossen.

The Warlock and Fossen's plane, Miss TNT, dueled many times over the years at Reno.

The air races were a special place for the Shafter pilots, including Bill “Tiger” Destefani.

The death of Goss and fellow pilot Ballard Wednesday morning sent a shockwave through the tight community.

Goss also flew with Fossen at Old River Crop Dusting.

Friends said Ballard was a pilot for Federal Express and a flight instructor.

The Minter Field fly-in is scheduled for April 17.

The fly-in is an aviation event held at Minter Field where many kinds of aircraft that actually flew at Minter Field will be reuniting in Shafter to recall the days of WW II.

For more information visit, www.minterfieldairmuseum.com.

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John Cavanaugh with the air museum said they have a meeting planned this Saturday at which point they will most likely talk about Wednesday’s tragedy and how they will remember Goss during the event.