No indications of engine problems in deadly Missouri skydiving crash last month, NTSB says

By Alexandra Skores, CNN

Washington (CNN) — There were “no indications” of any mechanical malfunctions or failures of the engine on a skydiving plane that crashed last month in Missouri, according to a National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report released on Thursday.

On June 14, just after takeoff at Butler Memorial Airport in Missouri, the Pacific Aerospace P750 crashed with 12 people on board, including the pilot. Nine of the victims were experienced skydivers, and the other two passengers were about to go on tandem jumps with instructors.

The morning of the accident, the plane had gone up for two skydiving jumps with no problems reported, the report noted. Just before the final flight, the plane was filled with 60 gallons of Jet A aircraft fuel. A post-accident sample from the fuel truck found no sediment or debris present, the NTSB said.

When the plane took off for the last time, it gradually turned to the left, but continued to turn until both wings eventually became perpendicular to the ground. The plane crashed nose-first into a field about 300 yards from the runway and caught fire.

The post-accident review also showed the plane was not overweight when it crashed and met the balance limitations, investigators said.

The company that operated the flight reported to the NTSB that it did not have any previous concerns with the pilot, calling him “safety oriented” and “conservative with his decision making as a jump pilot.”

The plane was not equipped with a voice or data recorder, as it was not required.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, and the NTSB could take one to two years to release its final report.

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