Preliminary Plane Crash Report Released by NTSB/FAA

A preliminary report by an FAA inspector reveals the crash of a small, two-seat plane in late April at Mountain Rest does not indicate any catastrophic failures that would have prevented normal operations.

The preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board noted serious injuries April 25 by the pilot and passenger. At the time the two aboard flew in an experimental, amateur-built Kitfox Classic IV that left the Oconee Regional Airport near Clemson for the purpose of surveying fields that could be used for runways.

The pilot stated that the engine stopped producing power about 600 ft above ground level and performed a forced landing into the trees, according to the report. The tail of the plane was fractured and found in a tree. One wing was also fractured and located about 50’ from the main wreckage.

The pilot and passenger, not identified by name, were taken to a Greenville hospital.