A plane from an aviation school crashed into a runway at Palm Beach International Airport, killing a flight instructor, another licensed pilot and two passengers. The group was heading back to the aviation school in Melbourne, Florida after stopping in West Palm Beach to refuel and pass through customs. They had been doing training exercises in the Bahamas prior to the crash.
The Piper PA-44 Seminole was registered to and operated by the Florida Institute of Technology Aviation, LLC. The pilot in control of the plane at the time of the crash, Kristopher Henegar, 22, held a pilot’s license, but was a student at the school.
Certified flight instructor Jenny Frembling, 26, was operating the radio and seated in the right front seat, where instructors typically sit. School employee Kyle Henegar, 26 and student, Jordyn Agostini, 21, were seated in the rear. Kyle Henegar died in the hospital later, while the other three died at the scene. The Henegar’s were brothers.
Shortly after taking off, the instructor reported engine problems, and said they needed to turn around. The control tower granted permission to use any runway, but there was no further contact. The plane crashed nose first into the runway and exploded.
The Piper PA-44 is a two-engine, four seat plane. A National Transportation Safety Board investigation has revealed that the left side fuel pumps, carburetor and spark plugs were all dry, indicating no fuel in the engine. The lack of fuel may have been caused by a clogged fuel line or filter. The 2008 plane had no history of mechanical issues, and was last inspected on Oct. 25, 2010.
An NTSB investigator, Ralph Wilson, said that despite the engine trouble, the pilot could have landed the plane with proper corrective actions. Wilson did not specify what corrective actions should have been taken, but said the pilots lack of training and experience were factors in the crash.
(Source(s): Sun Sentinel & NTSB)
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