[JYO] Small Plane Crashes in Pr. George's County - Two Passengers Dead, One Critically

_http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/22/AR20060222008
96.html_ 
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/22/AR2006022200896.html)
  
 
Small Plane Crashes in Pr. George's  County
Two Passengers Dead, One Critically Injured
By Hamil R. Harris, Allison Klein and Daniela  Deane
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, February 22, 2006; 12:51  PM
A single-engine plane nose-dived into a field near Freeway Airport in Bowie  
in thick fog and cloud cover this morning, instantly killing two men and  
seriously injuring a woman, Prince George's County fire officials said. 
The Cessna 172 Skyhawk crashed about 300 yards south of the runway just  
before 10 a.m. when visibility in the area was very poor, according to Mark  
Brady, chief spokesman for Prince George's County Fire and Rescue. 
"The plane was attempting to land," Brady said. "For whatever reason, it had  
to abort the landing and power back up. As a result, it crashed nose-first 
into  the ground." 
Marcel Bernard, chief pilot instructor at the airport, said the plane's pilot 
 was advised not to land because of poor visibility and was told to fly to 
BWI  airport, which has more precise landing capabilities. He said when clouds 
are  lower than 500 feet, landing is not recommended. He said clouds were at 
200-300  feet at the time of the crash. 
"It looks like he lost control of the plane," Bernard said. He said the plane 
 crashed on the second landing the pilot attempted. 
Travis Cruz, who works the front desk at the airport, said the plane was on a 
 business trip from Warrenton, Va. The three people on the plane were 
colleagues  who were picking up their boss in Bowie to then go on to New 
Jersey. 
Brady said the front end of the private plane sustained significant damage  
and that the two fatalities were front-seated passengers, including the plane's 
 pilot. The plane's female passenger, who was taken to a nearby trauma center 
 with serious upper body injuries, was seated in the back of the plane, Brady 
 said. The names of the passengers were not immediately released. 
The plane appeared mostly intact with its nose lodged in the ground like a  
dagger at a 45-degree angle after the crash. 
Brady said visibility in the area was 0 to 500 feet at the time of the  crash.

Other related posts: