Tuesday, April 18, 2017

PIKE CO. FAMILY DIES IN FLA PLANE CRASH

ACCORDING TO THE GAINESVILLE FLORIDA SUN NEWSPAPER---MORE THAN 20 PILOTS FLEW OUT OF THE WILLISTON, FLORIDA AIRPORT BEFORE ONE OF THEM NOTICED THE WRECKAGE OF A PLANE THAT KILLED A PIKE COUNTY COUPLE AND THEIR TWO SMALL CHILDREN SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

NATHAN ENDERS AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLER , HIS WIFE LAURA AND THEIR TWO SMALL KIDS PERISHED IN THE CRASH OF A VINTAGE CESSNA THAT WAS DISCOVERED 21 HOURS AFTER IT WENT DOWN. AN OLDER SON WAS NOT WITH THEM ON THE TRIP.

THE AIRPORT HOSTED A BAR B Q FLY-IN EVENT SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND POLICE SAID THE PLANE ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF AT 3;10PM AND CRASHED ABOUT 150 FEET BEFORE THE TREE LINE AT THE NORTH END OF THE TAXIWAY.

BETWEEN 20 AND 30 AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF FROM THE AIRPORT AFTER THE CRASH SATURDAY BUT IT WAS A JET PILOT LEAVING THE AIRPORT SUNDAY AFTERNOON WHO FIRST ALERTED AUTHORITIES.

ACCORDING TO THE NTSB---THE CESSNA WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER THAT CONTINUED TO SEND A RADIO SIGNAL THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTICED BY PILOTS WITHIN 2 OR 3 MILES EVEN IF THE ANTENNA WAS DAMAGED.

IT WILL BE A WEEK OR SO BEFORE THE PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE CRASH IS AVAILABLE FROM THE NTSB—BUT WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE GOOD AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH.

NATHAN ENDERS IS A FORMER FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR



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