At about 16:12 EDT, a North American SNJ-5 on an IFR flight plan crashed into Beech Mountain while en route from Hickory, N.C., to Indianapolis. The two occupants were killed. The flight was level at 8,000 feet when radio and radar contact was lost. The flight was last observed on radar to make a left descending turn and was lost from radar at 5,000 feet, two miles north of the Elk River Airport. A witness said the engine was spitting and sputtering.
April 28, Elk Park, N.C. / North American Texan
At about 16:12 EDT, a North American SNJ-5 on an IFR flight plan crashed into Beech Mountain while en route from Hickory, N.C., to Indianapolis. The two occupants were killed. The flight was level at 8,000 feet when radio and radar contact was lost. The flight was last observed on radar to make a left descending turn and was lost from radar at 5,000 feet, two miles north of the Elk River Airport. A witness said the engine was spitting and sputtering....
Key Takeaways:
- A North American SNJ-5 aircraft crashed into Beech Mountain at approximately 16:12 EDT, killing both occupants, while en route from Hickory, NC to Indianapolis.
- The IFR flight lost radio and radar contact while level at 8,000 feet, then was observed making a left descending turn before disappearing from radar at 5,000 feet.
- A witness reported that the engine was "spitting and sputtering" before the crash.
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