NTSB Looking At Equipment Failure As Possible Crash Cause

NORTHPORT, AL (WCBI) – A preliminary report on the plane crash which killed six Oxford residents indicates equipment failure might be a key reason the plane went down.

The National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary findings Thursday morning.  In that report, Investigators say Dr. Jason Farese, who was flying the plane, told flight controllers the plane had lost a fuel pump and requested permission to land at the nearest airport.  They were guiding him to Tuscaloosa Regional when Farese reported the second fuel pump had failed while the plane was ten miles away from the airport.   The aircraft was able to stay in the air but eventually descended to the point where it clipped the tops of trees about a quarter mile from the runway.   That’s when the plane crashed, broke apart and caught fire.   The NTSB report says the plane had passed its annual inspection in November 2015.   Weather conditions at the time were normal for flying conditions.

Farese, His wife and fellow dentist Dr. Lea Farese. Dr. Austin Poole and his wife Angie along with Dr. Michael Perry and his wife Kim all died in the crash.

The final report is expected in about a year.

To read entire report click here

http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20160814X40011&key=1