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A small plane skidded off before slamming into a home Monday
By Anthony McCartney
The Tampa Tribune
TAMPA – Investigators looking into a fatal plane crash on Davis Islands have found a number of scars and propeller scratches on the runway, officials said this afternoon.
Tim Monville, a senior investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said a runway at Peter O’Knight Airport has 14 propeller slash marks and other scars from where a Beechcraft King Air 90 touched down before careening into a house.
The impact and ensuing fire gutted the house at 629 E. Davis Islands Blvd., killing the pilot and seriously injuring a co-pilot.
The fire consumed most of the plane’s cockpit and the cabin, Monville said.
However, he said investigators will meticulously examine the remaining portions of the plane, including propellers, engines, switches and fuselage, to try to determine what caused the crash.
He said he will also rely on transcripts from the plane’s communications with air traffic controllers, and witness statements. He said he hopes to interview the injured co-pilot, Sean Launder, this evening.
Launder remains at Tampa General Hospital’s Burn Center in critical condition.
At least one witness has reported that the plane approached the runway with its landing gears up, Monville said.
NTSB investigators spent much of Tuesday surveying the runway and wreckage as scores of passersby slowed to look at the burned out house owned by Cynthia and Tom Tate.
Cynthia Tate, who was at home at the time of the crash, was able to escape unharmed. The charred remains of their house has been condemned.
Monville said the plane’s occupants also radioed air traffic controllers on at least two occasions, declaring they were having mechanical problems with the plane and planned to make an emergency landing.
While he said it may take months to review all the communications and evidence, Monville said his preliminary review didn’t indicate the plane’s occupants were concerned about weather conditions.
The plane crashed around noon Monday, when several areas of the Tampa Bay area were experiencing heavy winds and rain from Tropical Storm Alberto.
Monville’s afternoon briefing detailed only the facts he has determined so far, he said. An opinion on what caused the crash will take up to a year to formulate, he said.
Reporter Anthony McCartney can be reached at (813) 259-7616 or amccartney@tampatrib.com
Steve Huisman was a competent pilot, but even a better Husband and Dad. Tonight God holds Steve in His arms. We may never know what really happened that Monday but answers will be sought. Gods will shall be done in the investigation as it was in the accident. The Lord GIVES and the Lord TAKES AWAY.
I would think that Tampa Int’l would be the place to go if you were really expecting trouble and wanted the emergency equipment standing by. Attempting to land at Knight would suggest either A) They didn’t feel they had a serious emergency, or B) They didn’t feel they could make the 5 nautical miles from Knight to Int’l. In this case, they may not have been able to make MacDill either.
No matter what happened, it is certainly a tragic event and my condolences go out to all involved. I’ll be keeping an eye on the NTSB reports for this one…
From the runway marks, and witness statement, it looks like the pilot forgot to put down the gear and then when the prop on the good engine started chewing up the runway attempted a go around that didnt work with a single engine due to assymetric thrust. It is obvious that the Trib’s photo shows an engine that was caged with the prop feathered. My prayers for all involved. A real tragedy. My heart goes out to all those kids.
Are you an aviation expert, Robert?....Please refrain from making comments unless you know what you are talking about. You have no idea what circumstances were involved in the situation. I personally know parties involved in this tragedy, and reading meaningless, uninformed comments second guessing the decisions of the pilot and ATC’s does nothing to help us cope with our loss. Please be quiet.
i was on the island a block away when it happened. i saw the planes explosion as it hit the home and felt the intense heat from it. the fire dept’s. reaction time was amazing. those guys are true heroes.
Land in Federally restricted air space??? Personally I would rather take a chance at 2700 foot than being shot out of the sky.
I agree about MacDill. Also, there is a second, significantly longer runway available at Peter O’Knight. The crew must have really wanted to get the pane on the ground!
I would have thought Macdill would have been a better choice to make an emergency landing at then Peter o Knight due to the length of the runway. The runway the plane attempted to land on was slighty less then 2700 feet.
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Posted by Tommy Tate, Tampa on 09/06 at 05:46 PM
this is my house.