NTSB releases preliminary report on deadly Banning plane crash
The National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary report on the ongoing investigation into a deadly plane crash in Banning last month.
William Hunter, 55, of Aguila Arizona was killed when a single-engine Gallagher XLT-RG was in a fiery crash near Interstate 10 and the Banning scales on Nov. 22. Hunter was the lone passenger on the plane.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration's preliminary report on the crash, the aircraft registered out of Las Vegas, Nevada. The plane's engine was a Lycoming TI0-540 SER. The FAA classified the engine as "experimental" and categorized it as "amateur build."
The crash caused a small fire to break out around the area. Video shows the fiery wreckage shortly after.
The NTSB's report revealed that witnesses and video caught that the plane was on fire before it crashed.
One witness told investigators that he was driving on Interstate 10 when he noticed a trail of smoke and fire from the rear of the airplane. The witness said that the airplane appeared to be in a stable flight condition as it crossed the highway and there were no erratic movements.
"As the airplane continued its flight path toward the Banning Municipal Airport (BNG), the fire progressively got worse. Shortly after, the airplane entered a right bank and impacted terrain," reads the NTSB's report.
The NTSB also revealed that security camera footage and dashcam video showed that the plane was on fire prior to impact.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
According to FlightAware.com, a flight tracking website, the plane originally flew out of the Eagle Roost Airpark Airport in Aguila, Arizona. Aguila is located about 88 miles east of Blythe.
The plane took off at 6:09 p.m. MST (or 5:09 p.m. PT). The plane was last seen near the Banning Municipal Airport at 6:19 p.m. PT
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.
