Air traffic control audio about a fatal small airplane crash in Chandler included witnesses saying the plane had just departed before the collision.
“They just departed, looks like they went down right off the departure end,” the witness said to air traffic control in the recording about the July 28 crash. The witness said he can see smoke coming from the crash, near McQueen and Queen Creek roads.
The pilot was the only person aboard the Piper PA-28-180 and was pronounced dead at the scene, Chandler Police Department spokesperson Ryan Cody said. No one on the ground was injured. Officials have not identified the pilot.
The plane went down at about 7:49 p.m., shortly after takeoff, National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson Keith Holloway
said. The cause of the crash remained unknown.
An initial Federal Aviation Administration accident notice described the flight as personal and listed the aircraft in the takeoff phase.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
They will document the scene and examine the aircraft, which will be transported to a secure facility.
Investigators will review the pilot, the plane and the conditions around the flight. They plan to collect air traffic control recordings, radar data, weather reports, witness accounts, video and any electronic devices.
They also will examine the aircraft’s maintenance history and the pilot’s license, ratings and recent flight experience.
The NTSB asked witnesses and anyone with video or other information to contact the agency at witness@ntsb.gov.
A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, while a final report on the probable cause and any contributing factors could take 12 to 24 months.
Corina Vanek covers development for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at cvanek@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X @CorinaVanek.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Chandler plane crashed just after departure, witness audio says
