A small plane that crashed near Denver and killed both pilots on board in early September had an engine malfunction in mid-air, according to preliminary reports released by investigators.
One of the pilots was receiving instruction when the Beech BE35 plane suddenly crashed near Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colo. on Sept. 5, according to a report released by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The early morning endeavor was requested by one of the pilots, who wanted to receive training in that specific aircraft because he was planning on purchasing a similar model, officials said.
The pair took off around 5:45 a.m. and remained in their set traffic pattern. They performed several successful landings before the engine suddenly went silent.
After less than an hour in the air, the plane collided with several concrete pole barriers in front of a generator before it finally came to a stop. The aircraft was demolished and both pilots were killed.
The victims were later identified as Perry “Matt” Feeney and Lee “Rob” Hill, two Colorado natives.
The crash was originally reported as an explosion, likely because of the site’s proximity to the diesel-powered generator.
The aircraft was quickly engulfed in flames after the crash. The fire spread and was inching closer to a nearby building by the time first responders arrived.
Witnesses within two miles of the crash site said that they were able to hear the engine go silent while it was flying overhead, according to the report.
One woman who lives south of the airport added that she saw the small plane deviate from the flight path and start drifting lower than she was used to seeing before it banked hard to the left and started its descent.
Neither pilot sent a distress call before the fiery crash, according to the report.
Air traffic control audio posted by LiveATC.net catches an air traffic controller clearing the plane for takeoff just before the crash.
The NTSB and the FAA are still investigating the wreck.
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