Federal investigators analyzing video evidence after a deadly plane crash in a Warren County cornfield on Wednesday.
The evidence shows a Cessna 177RG making contact with an object during takeoff before crashing. NTSB Aviation Accident Investigator Ryan Enders said the aircraft departed from a private airstrip located about seven miles southeast of the crash site.
“We have a video of some kind of contact, and we haven’t been out to that departing airport yet, so I don’t know what they’ve contacted yet, but in the video, you can see what appears to be something leaving the airplane, and we were able to confirm that with what we saw on scene,” Enders said.
Enders said the on-scene portion of the investigation is concluding and the wreckage will be moved to a secured facility for a detailed examination. The official said the investigative team includes representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration as well as the airframe and engine manufacturers.
The investigation will evaluate the mechanical condition of the airplane, the environment, and the qualifications of the two occupants. Enders said investigators are working to determine who was flying the aircraft and what their specific flight experience was at the time of the accident.
“We’re going to look at all kinds of things,” Enders said. “We’re going to talk to the local airport over here to see if they could hear anything on the radio. We’ll pull all kinds of ATC data to see if they were in contact with air traffic control. There’s all kinds of radar services out there, ADSB data, so hopefully we can pull together a flight track and get some good altitudes and airspeeds and start to finish of the flight.”
Enders said the crash site is relatively condensed with the majority of the aircraft located in one spot. The official said a preliminary report is expected within 30 days, while a final report could take up to 18 months to complete.
