Crash report: Plane was landing in Highmore
Aberdeen News|Bryan Horwath|May 3, 2014
The Piper PA-32R-300 aircraft had taken off from Hereford, Texas, at 5 p.m. and was headed to Highmore, according to the flight intinerary, but struck the blade of a wind turbine at a South Dakota Wind Energy farm.
The Piper PA-32R-300 aircraft had taken off from Hereford, Texas, at 5 p.m. and was headed to Highmore, according to the flight intinerary, but struck the blade of a wind turbine at a South Dakota Wind Energy farm.
A plane that crashed Sunday resulting in the deaths of four South Dakota men was destined for the Highmore Municipal Airport, according to an accident report released Thursday by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The preliminary report – the first document released in what could be a months-long investigation process, according to NTSB officials – also confirmed that Donald "DJ" Fischer, of Gettysburg, was at the controls of the aircraft.
Along with Fischer, Brent Beitelspacher, of Bowdle, Logan Rau, of Java, and Ree Heights resident Nick Reimann died as a result of the crash, which occurred at 9:16 p.m. Sunday night about 11 miles south of Highmore, according to the three-page report. The Piper PA-32R-300 aircraft had taken off …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]A plane that crashed Sunday resulting in the deaths of four South Dakota men was destined for the Highmore Municipal Airport, according to an accident report released Thursday by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The preliminary report – the first document released in what could be a months-long investigation process, according to NTSB officials – also confirmed that Donald "DJ" Fischer, of Gettysburg, was at the controls of the aircraft.
Along with Fischer, Brent Beitelspacher, of Bowdle, Logan Rau, of Java, and Ree Heights resident Nick Reimann died as a result of the crash, which occurred at 9:16 p.m. Sunday night about 11 miles south of Highmore, according to the three-page report. The Piper PA-32R-300 aircraft had taken off from Hereford, Texas, at 5 p.m. and was headed to Highmore, according to the flight intinerary, but struck the blade of a wind turbine at a South Dakota Wind Energy farm.
The report states the Federal Aviation Administration was made aware of a possible problem after a concerned family member of one of the crash victims noted Sunday that the plane hadn't arrived as scheduled in Gettysburg. Wreckage of the plane – described by NTSB investigator Jennifer Rodi as "fragmented" – was located by members of the Hyde County Sheriff's Office at about 3:30 a.m. on Monday.
The report failed to shed light on questions about why the plane may have been flying so low before hitting the wind turbine.