(WJBF) – The NTSB has released its preliminary report on a deadly plane crash in Sandersville that happened earlier this month.
On August 1, a twin-engine Velocity Twin crashed into a pond near Kaolin Field Airport in Sandersville around 9:20 a.m.
The plane crash’s two victims were 67-year-old pilot Daniel Mesnard of Florida and 69-year-old Timothy Fisher of Ohio.
Fisher died at Atrium Health Navicent Medical Center in Macon later in the week.
A portion of the NTSB’s report states:
The airplane had arrived at Kaolin Field Airport (OKZ), Sandersville, Georgia, about mid-day on the July 31, 2023, to stop for fuel and have the engines examined by a local authorized dealer for the engine manufacturer. The mechanic reported that they completed an inspection of the engines, which included checking valve clearance tolerances and adjusting the right propeller brush blocks, and that “ground operation was checked, and no leaks were noted.”
The pilot arrived back at the airport the next morning, fueled the airplane, and after startup, the mechanic spoke with the pilot and verified that ground operation was normal. Fuel receipts showed the pilot purchased 60 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel at OKZ the morning of the accident flight.
A local law enforcement officer who saw the airplane in flight reported the engine “seemed to change pitch” and the airplane “banked right” and that it “appeared to descend quickly.”
First responders arrived in the area shortly after and were able to locate the wreckage.
The pilot reported to first responders that after departing the airport, the airplane “had an engine failure.”
NTSB Preliminary Report
You can read the full report below or by clicking HERE.
