FRESNO, Calif. — The National Transportation Safety Board has issued a preliminary report on the Sept. 5 plane crash in northwest Fresno that killed four members of the Eady family: pilot Danna Eady, her husband, Craig, and two of their youngest sons.
Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows Danna and the three other passengers boarding a Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-5 at the aircraft owner’s home at Sierra Sky Park Airport.
The aircraft started its takeoff but aborted about halfway along the runway. It then turned around at the runway’s end and returned to the owner’s home.
Text messages between Danna and the owner indicated that she was having trouble with the airplane’s radio. The owner then contacted a mechanic to investigate the problem.
The mechanic arrived a few minutes later and examined the plane. Shortly afterward, the aircraft was seen taxiing toward the runway for a second takeoff attempt.
ABC News aviation consultant John Nance said the available information suggests the mechanic may not have inspected other systems on the airplane.
“I seriously doubt it was anything more than the radio at that particular point, or probably the takeoff would’ve not continued,” Nance said.
Witnesses near the runway told the NTSB they saw the airplane begin its takeoff before its nose suddenly pitched upward as the aircraft lifted off.
Nance said that detail is significant and raises additional questions about what happened during the takeoff.
“It pitched up suddenly at the end of takeoff, which an experienced instructor would not normally do. Would not do, except in response to something,” Nance said.
Witnesses also reported that the engine sounded weak, although they did not hear it misfire or sputter.
The preliminary report states that the airplane continued along the runway in a “nose-high attitude,” flying about 30 to 40 feet above the ground.
A second surveillance video shows the plane farther down the runway before it disappeared from the camera’s view.
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The NTSB said the crash occurred roughly 1,000 feet northwest of the runway’s end, at the top of a slope near a group of trees.
The aircraft first struck a large branch near the top of a 40-foot tree. The tree had recently been cut to meet Federal Aviation Administration regulations for the airport.
The plane eventually came to rest upright. Its nose landing gear had separated from the aircraft and was found uphill near the trees it struck.
“There’s a real puzzle here that gets to the heart in my view, looking closely at weight and balance, and anything else that might’ve affected the flight controls of the airplane,” Nance said.
A post-crash fire destroyed most of the airplane and burned approximately one acre surrounding the crash site.
Investigators transported the wreckage to a secure facility for additional examination.
Emergency crews found Danna and Craig Eady outside the wreckage with severe injuries. Their sons were later found dead at the scene.
Danna and Craig were both taken to the hospital.
Danna died on Sept. 5 in the evening from injuries suffered in the crash.
Craig had suffered severe burn wounds and died two days later, on Sept. 7, surrounded by family, including his oldest son and daughter.
The two surviving children were not on the plane at the time of the crash.
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