Three Lost In Thursday Accident

The crash of a Cessna 182 that took the lives of the pilot and two passengers near Columbia (SC) Metropolitan Airport Thursday night is under investigation by the NTSB.

Authorities state the plane went down about 11:30 pm, though a State Law Enforcement Division helicopter did not spot the wreckage until about 6:45 am Friday. Bernard Stanek, Jr. of Columbia, SC was the pilot of the Cessna.

The helicopter could not be sent sooner because of fog, according to Lexington County sheriff's spokesman Maj. John Allard. Deputies on foot and on all-terrain vehicles searched the area during the night but were unable to locate the wreckage.

News of the accident surprised several homeowners living near the airport. Even those who live within a few hundred yards of the crash site said they didn't hear it, according to published reports.

Along with the FAA, NTSB public affairs director Ted Lopatkiewicz said representatives from Cessna and the engine manufacturer will likely assist in the investigation.

The plane (file photo of type, below) reportedly was en route from Newport News, VA, to Owens Field in downtown Columbia, but was diverted to Columbia Metropolitan Airport because of fog, said airport Director Flack.

Flight-tracking Web site flightaware.com indicates the plane took off from the Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport about 8:30 pm Thursday.

FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said the flight plan showed Owens Field as the plane's destination.

The pilot reportedly was flying IFR when he missed an approach to Owens Field and was instructed to proceed to Columbia Metropolitan Airport, according to Lopatkiewicz. The plane disappeared from radar and broke off radio contact at 11:36 pm.

The wreckage was found about three-quarters of a mile from Columbia Metropolitan's Runway No. 11, where the plane was supposed to land, Lopatkiewicz said.

The plane was built in 1976, and registered to Four Seasons LLC of Wilmington, DE according to an FAA database.

FMI: www.columbiaairport.com, www.faa.gov, www.ntsb.gov