NTSB: Pilot Discussed Weather, ‘Avoiding Ice’ Before Crash
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The pilot of the twin-engine plane that crashed a mile from the Chautauqua County-Jamestown Airport on Nov. 1 reported experiencing snow and “light to moderate” turbulence to air traffic control shortly before contact was lost.
There was no mention of ice accumulation between the pilot, Warren, Pa., resident Alan Fuller, and the tower located at the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport.
However, according to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board, Fuller and his flight instructor discussed “weather decisions and avoiding ice” by phone prior to the crash.
Fuller was with two passengers, Valerie Holmes and Linda Edwards, when their Grumman American GA-7 lost contact with air traffic control around 5:47 p.m. The plane was returning to the Jamestown airport, located north of the city in the town of Ellicott, following a trip that began Oct. 28 to Burlington, North Carolina.
A large-scale search for the missing plane ensued amid wintry conditions. The wreckage was located the following morning on Nov. 2 on a steep embankment off Route 60, north of Turner Road.
All three occupants were killed in the crash.
The NTSB report notes that Fuller’s flight instructor, who’s not identified by name, learned that Fuller and his two passengers were set to fly into Jamestown that evening.
“He hoped that the pilot would divert and sent him a text message to that effect,” the report states. “The flight instructor subsequently drove to the airport and listened to air traffic control communications as well as common traffic advisory frequency communication. The flight instructor added that the weather was conducive to icing.”
In addition to snow and turbulence, Fuller said in a pilot report requested by air traffic control of being in and out of the clouds while inbound and experiencing updrafts and downdrafts.
Radio contact was lost about 1 1/2 miles northeast of the Jamestown airport with no further communication between the tower and plane.
See Wednesday’s edition for complete coverage.