CLINTON COUNTY, Pa. — The Clinton County coroner confirms Maisie Bitler, 17, was the pilot and the only person in the plane that crashed in Woodward Township, near Lock Haven last Thursday.
The Piper Composite Squadron, PA Wing, Civil Air Patrol posted pictures of Bitler on Facebook, describing her as a phenomenal person who brought light, friendship, and caring.
In the days following the deadly crash, friends and family have been mourning the loss of the teenager who died doing what she loved the most: flying.
Sierra Zaborowski met Maisie Bitler through the Piper Composite Squadron, PA Wing, Civil Air Patrol, in Lock Haven.
"During that time, she was always just a complete ray of light and a joy to be around, and she just always lit up the room, every single room she was in."
Zaborowski says Maisie was always interested in flying.
"I remember her just being the most excited going up. In the plane, she was a little nervous, and I just remember after landing her just talking about it nonstop. So she was from the get-go very interested, fell in love with it very early on, and I think it just grew from there."
Zaborowski tells us she doesn't want people to remember Maisie by the way she died but instead by the way she lived.
"She's one of those rare human beings that the way that she lived is inspiring, not just people who were her peers but to me as an adult I want to be more like Maisie because of the way that she encouraged and loved."
That's why Zaborowski wants to create stickers, so Maisie's family and friends have something to remember her by. The sticker is a piece of toast flying a plane. Maisie was given the nickname "Toast" by her friends in the Civil Air Patrol for bringing food during a youth program.
"Every single piece of bread brought ended up getting eaten, and from that point on, she brought toast to almost every single event, and that was where it just grew that she became our toastmaster. She was our 'Toast' at squadron, and it kind of stuck. It's the number one memory that pops in my head of her every time."
Zaborowski says she's still in the process of creating the stickers. She plans to give them away for free to those who knew and loved Maisie.
A vigil is planned for Thursday evening.
The NTSB is continuing to investigate the crash.