At 1315 eastern time, a Cessna 205 crashed just after takeoff from Greensburg Jeannette Regional Airport, killing the pilot and three skydivers and leaving a fourth skydiver seriously injured. Witnesses said the engine began to sputter when the airplane was about a quarter mile from the runway. The pilot apparently tried to execute a turn back to land in the opposite direction, but the engine stopped sputtering and the turn was continued until the airplane was perpendicular to the runway. The airplane began to climb, then the engine ceased and the airplane crashed into trees. Examination of the wreckage found the fuel in the tanks, lines and boost pump was contaminated. The operator had been fueling the airplane from plastic fuel containers, but the fuel tanks were not found.
June 15, Jeannette, Pa. / Cessna 205
At 1315 eastern time, a Cessna 205 crashed just after takeoff from Greensburg Jeannette Regional Airport, killing the pilot and three skydivers and leaving a fourth skydiver seriously injured. Witnesses said the engine began to sputter when the airplane was about a quarter mile from the runway. The pilot apparently tried to execute a turn back to land in the opposite direction, but the engine stopped sputtering and the turn was continued until the airplane was perpendicular to the runway. The airplane began to climb, then the engine ceased and the airplane crashed into trees. Examination of the wreckage found the fuel in the tanks, lines and boost pump was contaminated. The operator had been...
Key Takeaways:
- A Cessna 205 crashed shortly after takeoff from Greensburg Jeannette Regional Airport, killing the pilot and three skydivers, and seriously injuring a fourth.
- Witnesses reported the engine sputtering, an attempted turn-back to the runway, and then a complete engine cessation before the aircraft crashed into trees.
- Investigation of the wreckage found contaminated fuel in the engine's lines and boost pump, suggesting a potential cause for the engine failure.
- The operator had reportedly fueled the aircraft from plastic containers, but the aircraft's main fuel tanks were not recovered from the wreckage.
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