Preliminary report reveals new details about deadly Missouri plane crash
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A report released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is revealing new details about a plane crash that killed two people in Clay County last month.
On Aug. 27, a small plane crashed near the Midwest National Air Center in Mosby, Missouri. Vickie and Mark Spelts, a couple from California, were killed in the crash.
According to the NTSB's preliminary report, the airplane started to descent about 25 miles from the airport.
"The airplane's altitude was lower than normal for a standard traffic pattern and continued to descend," the report says.
An eyewitness who lived near the accident site reported that the airplane appeared to be low and slow, according to the report.
"The airplane's left wing dipped down momentarily, returned wings level, then the left wing dipped again, and the airplane rolled left until it collided with terrain," the report states.
On-scene examination of the airplane found that the landing gear was down, and the flaps
were retracted, according to the report.
The report does not mention any mechanical issues with the plane, nor does it reference any pilot communication prior to the crash.
The preliminary report does not determine the cause of the plane crash; that typically takes 12-18 months.
