Tragedy in the Skies: Young Pilot's Dream Cut Short in Niagara Falls Crash

Melanie Georger, a 26-year-old aspiring commercial pilot, tragically died in a skydiving-related plane crash near Niagara Falls. Georger, the sole occupant of the aircraft, was working for a local skydiving company when the single-engine Cessna crashed. An investigation led by the NTSB is underway.

Officials on Sunday released the name of a young pilot who tragically died in a skydiving flight accident near Niagara Falls. Melanie Georger, 26, was the only person onboard a single-engine Cessna when it crashed on Saturday, according to the Niagara County Sheriff's Office.

Georger, from Towanda, New York, was on the cusp of realizing her dream of becoming a commercial pilot. Her father, Paul Georger, expressed his grief in a heartfelt Facebook post, stating, 'My beloved daughter, my best friend and one of the two lights of my life passed away suddenly today.'

The skydiving company involved, Skydive the Falls, has not commented publicly on the incident. One of the skydivers, Jeffrey Walker, who had jumped shortly before the crash, told Buffalo TV station WIBV that he felt 'blessed to be alive.' According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the crashed aircraft was a single-engine Cessna 208B, and the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation.

(With inputs from agencies.)