Turned Plane On Takeoff To Avoid Trees, Lost Control

Three Florida residents walked away from a Cessna 182 that went down shortly after takeoff from Hendersonville Airport on Friday.

The plane (file photo of type, above) came to rest in an open field behind some houses off of Birch Tree Lane and Loop Road, near Hendersonville, NC.

Passenger Bob Erickson remembered only a conversation about the takeoff not being good before the plane went down, according to a story on BlueRidgeNow.com website.

"We hit a tree, but were still in flight," Erickson said. "In the span of 45 seconds we hit three more trees. It all happened so quickly. I wasn't terrified, I just dealt with the cards that were given to me at that time."

Bob Jackson, the pilot, said he took off from the Hendersonville Airport at 10 am headed back to Stuart, FL.

The pilot took responsibility for the crash, stating density altitude may have been a factor for the labored takeoff.

"I suspect the crash was due to a pilot mistake," Jackson said. "With such a light aircraft it becomes sensitive to air density and altitude."

Jackson said he barely missed trees at the end of the Hendersonville Airport runway, and lost control of the plane after he turned to miss the trees.

According to the online report, the sky was overcast and the air was muggy following rain showers Friday morning.

Jackson, Erickson and Lyndle Volz all in the aircraft when it landed were in Hendersonville for a golf tournament.

Spokesman Joe Johnson of the Henderson County Sheriff's office said he did not believe there would be any charges issued in relation to the plane crash, but that it was still under investigation Friday afternoon.

FMI: www.hendersonvilleairport.com/