JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The National Transportation Safety Board released its report on a deadly plane crash last month at Northeast Florida Regional Airport in St. Augustine.
On June 29, the Cessna 152 airplane took off at about 1:44 p.m. with a pilot and one passenger aboard. The purpose of the flight was the pilot was taking a prospective student on a discovery flight, the report says.
The plane flew south for about 14 miles then circled back to St. Augustine and flew another 21 miles north along the coastline, the report says. The plane turned south to lane.
A witness saw the plane approaching the runway about 100 feet above the ground level with its wings, according to the report. The plane was swaying up and down about one foot in each direction.
The plane was nose-up, then pitched down at a 45-degree angle before crashing at about 2:27 p.m, the report states. The plane caught fire and slid 200 feet.
Both the pilot and passenger were killed.
The report suggests the propeller spinner and left-wing hit the asphalt runaway first before the nose wheel made contact with the report. The angle at which the plane hit the runaway is estimated to be 38 degrees.
The fire destroyed much of the plane including most of the cockpit and instrument panel, the inboard portion of the right wing and the tail section.
The plane's propellers also suffered significant damage from the crash.
Investigators did not find any trouble with the engine cylinders.