Plane Flew Low, Slow Minutes Before Accident
Police in Tallahassee, FL have
confirmed the identities of a man and woman killed when their
Cirrus SR22 crashed in a residential neighborhood Thursday
night.
Donald Hess and his wife, Victoria, both 64 years old, were
flying from Columbus, OH to Tallahassee when their plane crashed
about two miles from Tallahassee Regional Airport (TLH) at
approximately 7:21 pm EST. Witnesses told The Tallahassee
Democrat they heard the aircraft's engine quit before the
crash.
Online flight tracking data shows the aircraft was operating on
an IFR flight plan. Florida State meteorologist Tim Barry said
conditions at TLH were deteriorating around the time of the
accident; at 7 pm 10-mile visibility was recorded, but that had
dropped to just 3 miles within 20 minutes. At 8 pm, reported
visibility was down to 2.5 miles.
In its preliminary report, the Federal Aviation Administration
states the aircraft was being vectored to the ILS 27 approach at
TLH when it crashed.
According to track log data on
FlightAware.com, the aircraft descended from 2,000
feet to 300 feet over the course of four minutes, and
slowed to approach speed, about eight minutes before the
accident.
The aircraft struck power lines before impacting two parked
vehicles in front of a home, according to a Tallahassee Police
Department news release. A woman was inside one of the vehicles
when it was hit, and a second was walking nearby; both were taken
to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
A third woman inside the home was treated at the scene for minor
cuts.
The aircraft (file photo of type shown below) came to rest
against the home in an inverted attitude. There was no post-impact
fire, though there was some concern about the possibility the
aircraft's rocket-launched ballistic parachute system would
misfire. Police briefly evacuated 10 nearby homes as a
precaution.
Local authorities remained on scene throughout the night,
guarding the wreckage from onlookers and until investigators with
the National Transportation Safety Board and FAA arrived on scene
Friday morning.
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 827GM
Make/Model: SR22 Description:
SR-22
Date: 11/13/2008 Time: 0018
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury:
Fatal Mid Air: N Missing:
N
Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
City: TALLAHASSEE State: FL
Country: US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES AFTER BEING
VECTORED TO ILS
RWY 27, TALLASHASSEE, FL
INJURY DATA Total
Fatal: 2
# Crew: 1 Fat:
1 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Pass: 1 Fat:
1 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Grnd:
Fat: 0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
WEATHER: 1SM BK OVC002 22/22 A2992
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase:
Landing Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: ORLANDO, FL
(SO15)
Entry date: 11/14/2008