NTSB: Could Be A Year Before Cause of Crash is Determined
By: Alanna Quillen
Updated: January 28, 2013
MONROE -- Days after the fatal plane crash in Richwood, investigators are still piecing together their findings.
"[We want] to bestow condolences to the family and friends of those who perished in the crash," said a lead investigator of the National Transportation Safety Board, Stuart Bothwell, who called a press conference on Monday morning.
"This is one of the worst accidents I've come across," said Bothwell. "I've done some pretty bad accidents, but as far as the destruction of aircraft, this is one of the worst aircraft I've looked at."
The crash killed Don Thompson, Dean Hart Sr., and Max Larche -- all from Northeast Louisiana --
and the pilot, Mason Maudlin of Little Rock, Arkansas.
Investigators say the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza left Beaumont, Tex. around 12:25 p.m. on Thursday, the day of the crash. Airport officials say the plane lost radio contact and dropped off radar shortly before 2 p.m.
Bothwell says the plane had a missed approach due to problems with the landing gear, then crashed into a marshy area in Richwood and left a hole in the ground, measuring eight feet in the deepest part. The crash also created a one acre debris field. Crews had to dig a hole just to extract the wreckage, and didn't fully remove it until noon Sunday.
Bothwell also said the last ground speed recorded on place was in excess of 200 knots, or around 230 miles per hour.
"The normal approach for a Beechcraft is 120 knots," said Bothwell.
A picture of the plane taken at an unknown date before the crash. (flightaware.com)
"[We want] to bestow condolences to the family and friends of those who perished in the crash," said a lead investigator of the National Transportation Safety Board, Stuart Bothwell, who called a press conference on Monday morning.
"This is one of the worst accidents I've come across," said Bothwell. "I've done some pretty bad accidents, but as far as the destruction of aircraft, this is one of the worst aircraft I've looked at."
The crash killed Don Thompson, Dean Hart Sr., and Max Larche -- all from Northeast Louisiana --
and the pilot, Mason Maudlin of Little Rock, Arkansas.
Investigators say the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza left Beaumont, Tex. around 12:25 p.m. on Thursday, the day of the crash. Airport officials say the plane lost radio contact and dropped off radar shortly before 2 p.m.
Bothwell says the plane had a missed approach due to problems with the landing gear, then crashed into a marshy area in Richwood and left a hole in the ground, measuring eight feet in the deepest part. The crash also created a one acre debris field. Crews had to dig a hole just to extract the wreckage, and didn't fully remove it until noon Sunday.
Bothwell also said the last ground speed recorded on place was in excess of 200 knots, or around 230 miles per hour.
"The normal approach for a Beechcraft is 120 knots," said Bothwell.
A picture of the plane taken at an unknown date before the crash. (flightaware.com)
Witnesses told investigators that the plane descended near vertical toward the ground before impact. The plane is completely destroyed.
"So, as it came out of the clouds, the way they described this is the plane was literally going to the ground at a vertical descent," Bothwell said.
Bothwell said the 31-year old pilot had a commercial pilot's license and 470 total flying hours. He was also an instructor pilot, had received his 1st Class Medical Certificate in May 2008, and had completed check rides for his employment with Central Flying Service in Little Rock.
"The point in which he started his career, I don't know what that time is," Bothwell said. "Commercial pilots can be commercial pilots with as little as just over 100 hours"
Officials say the flight's purpose was general transportation for a business trip.
The plane wreckage is sitting in a hangar at Monroe Regional Airport and will continue to be looked at by NTSB for the investigation. A preliminary report will be released in a couple of days, but the complete report for a probable cause of the crash won't be ready until a year from now.
Investigators will spend the next year looking over things like pilot
history, medical conditions, the aircraft controls, and weather and
other conditions on the day of the crash.
The location of the crash site. The eight-foot hole has been filled.
Stuart Bothwell at Monday's press conference.
Stuart Bothwell at Monday's press conference.
Readers Feel...
hello
©1998 - 2013 Myarklamiss.com
Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.
All Rights Reserved