NTSB Releases Preliminary Report On Fatal Plane Crash

A preliminary report on this month’s fatal plane crash on Lake Hartwell said the plane collided with terrain following an in-flight breakup.

The National Transportation Safety Board released the preliminary accident report within the last few days.

In the report, the NTSB said one witness saw the airplane descending vertically, in a spiral motion, until it disappeared behind a tree line.

Another witness told investigators that the engine was running until ground impact and a third witness reported hearing a loud “boom,” followed by white pieces of debris falling into Lake Hartwell.

The NTSB said preliminary information from the Federal Aviation Administration shows the plane was about 6,000 feet above sea level preparing for approach at Oconee County Regional Airport just before the wreck.

According to FAA information, the pilot was cleared for approach and reported that the plane was established outbound on the procedure turn.

Investigators said the controller queried the pilot when he did not report inbound on the approach and no response was received.

Then, the NTSB said radar contact was lost over Lake Hartwell on the Stephens County border with Oconee County at about 2,200 feet above mean sea level.

The main wreckage of the plane was found inverted in a wooden area on the South Carolina side of the lake, about 50 yards off the shoreline.

NTSB investigators said damage to trees was indicative of a near-vertical descent angle at impact and evidence shows there was no fire.

According to the NTSB, that main wreckage consisted of the main cabin, cockpit, engine, propeller, left wing, and the inboard half of the right wing.

Officials said about 10 percent of the tail assembly was recovered on the Stephens County side of the lake, while part of the right wing and tail assembly have not yet been found.

The NTSB said it has taken the wreckage for further investigation.

Four Warsaw, Indiana residents were killed when the plane went down just after 3 p.m. on October 2.

They were the pilot, 71-year-old Charles D. Smith, and passengers 44-year-old Scott A. Smith, 54-year-old Tony Elliott, and 51-year-old Scott D. Bibler.

NTSB officials said the pilot did have a private pilot certificate with airplane single engine land and instrument airplane ratings, having reported 1,448 hours flight time on his most recent medical certification application in October 2013.