Two Years Since Deadly Small Plane Crash That Killed Six

The NTSB issued its report last week on the March 26, 2005, small plane crash that killed six on approach to University Park Airport in State College, PA.

Those who perished in the accident had flown from Florida for a Penn State University lacrosse game.

Although the NTSB has not identified the cause of the crash, the report confirmed the single-engine Pilatus PC-12 (sample image) left Naples, FL, just before 10 am, that the last radio contact with the pilot was at 1: 45 pm, and that the plane dropped off radar at 1: 48 pm. The crash occurred just before 2 pm, when it impacted the ground near Bellefonte, PA.

When the PC-12 crashed, its landing gear was down and the flaps up and the de-icing equipment on, the report states. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site; however, instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the altitude where the accident sequence began.

One witness reported seeing the airplane over some pine trees. "Its right wing was up and then it went nose down to the ground after doing a counter-clockwise spin."

Additional witnesses reported seeing the airplane "with its left wing down and right wing up, doing a spin toward the ground," and "nose down doing approximately three to four slow revolutions to the earth."

The airplane impacted the ground nearby in a nose-down, slightly left bank attitude, and the tail of the airplane "ripped off," according to a third witness.

The 51-year old pilot held a private pilot certificate, with airplane single engine land, airplane multi-engine land, and instrument airplane ratings. He had disengaged the autopilot, according to the NTSB report.

An autopsy did not detect any evidence of drugs or carbon monoxide poisoning, while an evaluation by the engine manufacturer, Pratt and Whitney Canada, found no anomalies in the plane.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov