Passenger Says Pilot Struggled To Keep Plane On Runway

In its Preliminary Report on a fatal landing accident earlier this month near Marietta, OK, the National Transportation Safety Board says a Beechcraft Baron 58 made a hard landing on a turf runway just before the plane's right wing came down on rollout, leading to the aircraft's departure from the runway.

The NTSB states a passenger onboard the plane told investigators after landing on the landing strip, adjacent to McGehee Catfish Restaurant (T40), he observed the right wing come down, and "grass being kicked-up from the right propeller."

The passenger said the pilot, Michael Phillips, struggled to keep the plane centered on the runway, and at one point appeared to bring the plane -- but something "grabbed" the right side of the plane once again, causing the aircraft to ground-loop off the right side of the runway, and down an embankment before settling in an upright position. Flames from the right engine spread to the rest of the aircraft.

As Aero-News reported, one of the four persons onboard the aircraft, Bobby Blanchard, died in the accident. The passenger interviewed by the NTSB states the pilot and another passenger "repeatedly reentered the burning airplane in an attempt to remove the remaining passenger [Blanchard] to no avail." Blanchard was seated in the aft-right position of the Baron's cabin.

The Preliminary Report does not mention what may have caused the right wing to come down. It could take six months for the NTSB to release a possible cause of the accident, according to The Oklahoman newspaper.

FMI: Read The Full NTSB Prelim