Lake Berryessa Plane Crash: Pilot Was Conducting A 'Familiarization Flight'

NAPA COUNTY, CA -- A witness who saw an ICON A5 amphibious light sport aircraft just before it crashed at Lake Berryessa on May 8 said he heard the plane "rev up" and saw it pitch upward before the crash.

The witness's statement is contained in the National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary accident report, released May 12, regarding the 9:10 a.m. May 8 crash that killed two people.

Representatives from ICON Aircraft Inc. of Vacaville said the pilot was conducting a "new employee familiarization flight" with a passenger who was recently hired by the company. The flight departed the Nut Tree Airport in Vacaville and flew to Lake Berryessa, according to the NTSB report.

The witness was in a boat and saw the plane flying about 30 to 50 feet above the water at what seemed a low speed, according to the report.

The witness heard the engine rev up as it drifted to the right side of a cove, pitched upward and entered a left turn as it flew out of sight. The witness heard the impact shortly thereafter.

The plane landed upright in the northern area of Little Portuguese Canyon. Some parts of the plane were found on a steep embankment on the shoreline and some parts were partially under water, according to the report.

The pilot did not file a flight plan, visibility was 10 miles and damage to the plane was substantial, according to the report. The plane was scheduled to return to Vacaville after the training session.

Jon Murray Karkow, 55, the pilot, and passenger Cagri Sever, 41, both of Vacaville, died in the crash.

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Bay City News contributed to this report/Image via Michael Freshwater/ EyeEm/Getty Images