NTSB Releases Final Report on 2015 Plane Crash near Lake Hartwell

The National Transportation Safety Board has released its final report on the October 2, 2015 plane crash near Lake Hartwell.

The NTSB determines the probable cause of the accident to be the pilot’s loss of airplane control for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

The pilot was 71-year-old Charles Smith and there were three passengers, all from Indiana. They were traveling to the Oconee Regional Airport for the Clemson-Notre Dame game that was to take place the following day.

According to the investigators’ analysis, the pilot reported to air traffic control that he was outbound on the procedure turn in approach to the destination airport. However, he never reported when the plane was inbound and shortly after, a flight on the frequency reported hearing a mayday call and that the plane was going down.

Radar and GPS show the plane in a right, rapidly descending spiral.

Witnesses, along with the distribution of the wreckage, indicated that the airplane experienced an in-flight breakup. A post-accident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures.

Fractures to the right wing and stabilator were consistent with overstress and likely occurred during an attempted recovery from the descending spiral.

The pilot and all three passengers were killed in the accident.