Preliminary Report On Plymouth Plane Crash Sheds No Light On Cause Of Crash

By Justin Muszynski, The Bristol Press

July 15, 2022

A preliminary report released on a plane crash reported last week indicates authorities have little information about why the vehicle went down.

The report – regularly released by the Federal Aviation Administration for each plane crash before the investigation is complete – indicated the Cessna 185 went down under “unknown circumstances.” The plane was headed for Waterbury Airport when it crashed into the woods of Camp Mattatuck – a Boy Scout camp – July 5, around 1 p.m.

Though the FAA investigates incidents and accidents involving plane crashes, a cause is not always determined. The plane that went down in the same Boy Scout camp in October 2016 experienced a loss of its engine power before crashing in the trees of a wooded area in the camp, according to the FAA.

The pilot in that crash was performing touch-and-go landings before, about 30 minutes into his flight, witnesses noticed the engine sputtered multiple times before the aircraft – an amateur-built Flying Flea HM14/360 – descended into the trees around 5 p.m. The pilot suffered serious injuries, and the plane was heavily damaged.

According to the final report released by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board, an examination of the fuel system did not reveal any fuel contamination. Further, the final report indicates, an examination of the airframe did not reveal any anomalies.

Having determined the crash was likely not caused by “fuel quantity” or contamination, the reason for the partial loss of engine power could not be determined, according to the report.

The crash reported last Tuesday resulted in minor injuries for the pilot, a Nevada man. The plane leaked fuel upon touchdown, though state authorities said there was not expected to be significant impact to the environment. The wreckage of the plane, which sustained heavy damage, was expected to be removed from the woods of the camp last Thursday.

Justin Muszynski can be reached at 860-973-1809 or jmuszynski@bristolpress.com.