A deadly aircraft crash in San Rafael final month stays underneath investigation, however a preliminary report says the climate situations have been “conducive to severe carburetor icing at cruise energy.”
The report by the Nationwide Transportation Security Board makes no conclusion about the reason for the crash. Nevertheless, the federal authorities say extreme carburetor icing can cut back move to the purpose the engine may cease.
The report states the wreckage confirmed no proof of an explosion or fireplace, and investigators discovered no indicators of mechanical malfunctions that will have prevented the aircraft from flying usually.
The crash occurred at about 10 p.m. July 8 close to San Rafael Airport. The aircraft’s tail hit energy strains earlier than the aircraft struck the bottom.
The only-engine Cessna 172 was carrying the pilot, Kirk Harford of San Rafael, and one passenger, Marc Pankin of Novato. Pankin, 59, was declared lifeless on the scene, and Harford suffered main accidents. Medics took Harford to John Muir Medical Middle in Walnut Creek. His situation was not accessible.
Harford is the co-founder of DSX Knowledge and Pankin was an worker and longtime good friend of Harford. They have been flying house from a company-related journey.
The NTSB report states that the airplane left the Minden-Tahoe Airport in Nevada at 8:08 p.m. and was headed to San Rafael Airport. Flight monitoring knowledge confirmed the airplane started descending about 65 miles from San Rafael Airport and maintained a gradual descent till about 0.4 miles northeast of the airport runway. The ability strains the aircraft hit have been 0.2 miles from the runway and 30 ft excessive.
The report stated investigators have no studies of the pilot making misery calls earlier than the crash. Whereas the physique, wings and tail part of the aircraft have been considerably broken, the propeller blades have been minimally broken.
Full aviation investigations are taking one to 2 years to finish, in response to an NTBS official. The Federal Aviation Administration can be investigating the crash.
The incident was the fourth lethal aircraft crash in Marin County in lower than a decade, in response to Federal Aviation Administration data. In 2022, a Vans RV-10 crashed within the Marin Headlands, killing two folks; in 2017, a Cessna 172N crashed within the Level Reyes Nationwide Seashore, killing the pilot; and in 2014, a Beechcraft V35B Bonanza went down close to Novato, killing the pilot.
