Crystal Lake Plane Crash - Nov. 26, 2011
A Cirrus SR-20 4 seat aircraft crashed this afternoon in Crystal Lake. The plane was destroyed and all 4 occupants died in the crash. Weather conditions at the time were IFR, but the FAA is reporting that the there was no flight plan filed and the plane was operating under VFR (Visual Flight Rules) conditions. The aircraft was also apparently equipped with a ballistic chute, a safety feature available for light aircraft. The intent of ballistic chute safety system is to lower the aircraft safely to the ground to minimize personal injury. Unfortunately it didn't seem to help in this situation.
When reports first started coming out about the crash, it was described as a hot-air balloon that went down, and then a para-plane. The debris field however indicates there was still plenty of forward motion when the plane impacted the ground.
It's been a bad week for General Aviation with this crash, the one in Pingree Grove that killed the pilot and the Supersticious Mountains crash in Arizona where a small plane with 6 occupants flew into the side of the mountain.
Read MoreWhen reports first started coming out about the crash, it was described as a hot-air balloon that went down, and then a para-plane. The debris field however indicates there was still plenty of forward motion when the plane impacted the ground.
It's been a bad week for General Aviation with this crash, the one in Pingree Grove that killed the pilot and the Supersticious Mountains crash in Arizona where a small plane with 6 occupants flew into the side of the mountain.
