Fri, Mar 30, 2007
Passenger Says Pilot Struggled To Keep Plane On
Runway
In its Preliminary Report on a fatal
landing accident earlier this month near Marietta, OK, the National
Transportation Safety Board says a Beechcraft Baron 58 made a
hard landing on a turf runway just before the plane's right wing
came down on rollout, leading to the aircraft's departure from the
runway.
The NTSB states a passenger onboard the plane told investigators
after landing on the landing strip, adjacent to McGehee Catfish
Restaurant (T40), he observed the right wing come down, and "grass
being kicked-up from the right propeller."
The passenger said the pilot, Michael Phillips, struggled to
keep the plane centered on the runway, and at one point appeared to
bring the plane -- but something "grabbed" the right side of the
plane once again, causing the aircraft to ground-loop off the right
side of the runway, and down an embankment before settling in an
upright position. Flames from the right engine spread to the rest
of the aircraft.
As Aero-News reported, one of
the four persons onboard the aircraft, Bobby Blanchard, died in the
accident. The passenger interviewed by the NTSB states the pilot
and another passenger "repeatedly reentered the burning airplane in
an attempt to remove the remaining passenger [Blanchard] to no
avail." Blanchard was seated in the aft-right position of the
Baron's cabin.
The Preliminary Report does not mention what may have caused the
right wing to come down. It could take six months for the NTSB to
release a possible cause of the accident, according to The
Oklahoman newspaper.
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