Cause of Plane Crash Still Unknown
March 24, 2009
Los Angeles – Authorities said the small plane which crashed in Montana has no black box, radar data, or emergency call prior to the accident that can help them identify the cause of this air disaster which left 14 people dead.
Investigators are finding ways to resolve the crash since the plane also lacks flight data and cockpit voice recorder. Meanwhile, experts said it would take months to identify the cause of this air tragedy.
On Sunday, the single-engine plane plunged into a cemetery, near Butte airport. Three families were killed in the accident including seven children.
Experts believe the crash may have been caused by overloading, or the freezing temperature may have affected the engine.
“Investigators are focusing on the weather condition since there has been an earlier incident where an airplane crashed due to the freezing temperature”, a former official of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in an interview.
Safety experts also said they will compute the total weight of the passengers, their luggage, and fuel to determine if overloading has caused the plane crash.
Investigators were also baffled on the pilot’s failure to make emergency call that will allow flight controllers to know if the plane is having trouble.
Meanwhile, federal officials identified the pilot as Buddy Summerfield, 65, a former military flyer and an experienced pilot who has accumulated more than 2,000 hours of flying.
OFFICE ADDRESS
