An initial report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has provided new insights into the tragic plane crash that claimed the life of a pilot in the Town of Porter last month. According to the report, the plane went "straight down" just moments before the crash which occurred just east of Old Fort Niagara.
While the report does not specify the cause of the crash, it offers a timeline and description of the incident. The crash took place between 11:39am and 11:40am on July 20th, shortly after a parachutist had jumped out of the plane. Video footage obtained by investigators shows the aircraft pitching over in a dive and rolling along its vertical axis before disappearing from view.
Witnesses interviewed by the NTSB reported seeing the plane descending "straight down" towards the ground before the crash. Another witness observed that one wing of the aircraft was pointed towards the ground while the other was pointed towards the sky as it descended.
Tracking data ceased at 11:39:20am according to the report. At the same time the plane went down, a controller attempted to terminate radio services but received no response. Four minutes later, at 11:44am, another company airplane searching for the crashed plane spotted smoke on the ground approximately two to three miles west of the jump zone.
The plane had crashed into a hill leading up to the southbound lanes of the Niagara Scenic Parkway. The pilot, identified as 26-year-old Melanie Gregor from the Town of Tonawanda, tragically lost her life in the crash. Gregor had been working for the company since April and had accumulated 1,449 hours of flight experience with just over 100 hours in the same make and model as the crashed aircraft.
Georger attended Kenmore East and obtained a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from the University at Buffalo. Afterward, she started working to be a commercial pilot. Her father said that she was, "on the cusp of realizing her dream to fly for the airlines. She was doing what she loved.”
The aircraft's most recent inspection was completed on March 24th. At the time of the inspection, the plane had accumulated 8,471 hours of operation and the engine had undergone a major overhaul with approximately 1,050 hours since.
The NTSB is continuing to investigate the crash.
NTSB Report Reveals that the Plane Went 'Straight down' Before Fatal Plane Crash in Niagara County