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The report, obtained by First Coast News on Sunday, notes several possibilities for the single-engine plane crash that killed a 56-year-old pilot on May 10.
YULEE, Fla. — A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is providing insight into what could have caused the deadly plane crash in a Yulee neighborhood earlier this month.
The report, obtained by First Coast News on Sunday, notes several possibilities for the single-engine plane crash that killed a 56-year-old pilot. He was the only victim, and no one on the ground was injured when the plane crashed in a wooded area near Blackrock Road on May 10, around 9:35 a.m.
The NTSB preliminary report states that the pilot’s wife told investigators her husband was flying the plane from the Nassau Airport in Yulee to the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport due to incoming storms, before flying to Tennessee.
The wife said that she and her husband had flown from Clearwater to the Nassau Airport several weeks before the plane crash, and no fuel had been added to the plane after that flight, according to the report.
Preliminary report identifies three potential causes of crash
Investigators said surveillance video showed that the nose baggage door was open during takeoff.
“The door stayed open until the airplane became airborne and exited the video frame,” the report states.
Items, including a case of aviation oil and a bag of dog food, were found on the runway, suggesting that the cargo could have fallen from the aircraft during takeoff.
Photos included in the preliminary report show the airplane during taxi and takeoff. The red circles on the photos show the nose baggage door.
Additionally, the report states that the plane could have lost control during takeoff.
The report cites the surveillance video showing the plane in a “steep left wing low descent” about 10 seconds after liftoff.
Finally, the NTSB said the weather could have contributed to the plane crash.
“Preliminary review of weather radar data showed a line of intense precipitation echoes moving through the area at the time of the accident,” the report states.
The First Coast News Most Accurate Weather Team issued a Weather Impact Alert Day for May 10, citing the possibility of heavy rain and severe storms.
The infomation in the report is preliminary and is subject to change. An NTSB spokesperson told First Coast News that a typical investigation can take up to two years to complete to determine the official cause of the crash.
