Aerostar Filmed Buzzing Before Fatal Crash
Video shows a Piper Aerostar apparently buzzing a neighborhood east of Denver, Colo., before pitching up and then diving into the ground where it exploded, killing the pilot and setting a two-acre grass fire.
Video shows a Piper Aerostar apparently buzzing a neighborhood east of Denver, Colo., before pitching up and then diving into the ground where it exploded, killing the pilot and setting a two-acre grass fire. The aircraft owner and pilot have not been identified; however, the airplane had been based in California until two weeks ago and the previous owner said that hed sold it to a buyer in Colorado. Neighbors were alerted to the sound of the low-flying airplane, causing one, Jennifer Dandy, to make a video of some of the pilots antics prior to the crash. "I was just hoping he wasn't going to crash into my house," Dandy said. "The plane came out of nowhere."
Former NTSB investigator Greg Feith says the video of the pilot flying low and doing tricks raises some red flags. He said the pilot may have lived in the area and was showing off to a friend or family member. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have been called in to investigate. No other information has been released. The NTSB will issue a factual report and probable cause report on the accident-the process usually takes about 18 months.