Plane had ‘total loss of power’ at 3,000 feet before crashing in NC, report says
A pilot headed for North Carolina’s Outer Banks was cruising at 3,000 feet when the plane lost all power and began slamming into trees, according to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board.
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Three people were aboard and all survived with minor injuries, officials said.
The crash happened Aug. 6, after the plane departed Martin County Airport in Williamston, bound for Ocracoke Island Airport, the report states.
“About 10 minutes after establishing cruise flight, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot established the airplane’s best-glide airspeed, transmitted a mayday call, and attempted to restart the engine,” the NTSB report states.
“Unable to restore engine power, he selected a logging path within a wooded area for a forced landing.”
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The plane’s left wing struck a tree along the path, then the fuselage impacted another tree, causing “substantial damage,” officials said. The aircraft came to a stop in a ditch, with its landing gear snapped off, photos show.
A bystander saw the wrecked plane near Cahoon Road and called law enforcement around 2 p.m., WCTI reports.
Investigators did not report what caused the loss of power to the engines.
The plane was owned by KL&Z FARMS LLC, based in Littleton, North Carolina, according to Aviation Safety Network.
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Pinetown is about a 120-mile drive southeast from downtown Raleigh.
