'Weather Was Deteriorating' At Time Of Deadly HV Plane Crash: NTSB

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — Three days after a crash left six dead and rocked a Hudson Valley community to its core, investigators are working tirelessly — searching for answers.

At a press briefing Monday, officials said "deteriorating" weather had been recorded just four minutes before the deadly crash.

The private plane that crashed in upstate New York after departing Westchester County Airport on Saturday afternoon was carrying six members of a close-knit family of reputed physicians and student-athletes, including the "2022 NCAA Woman of the Year," on a journey to the Catskills for a birthday celebration and the Passover holiday, according to the AP.

A statement from the FAA said that a Mitsubishi MU-2B crashed in a field near Copake at around 12:15 p.m. The aircraft was headed to Columbia County Airport in Hudson. Six people, the pilot and five passengers, were on board and all lost their lives, the FAA said.

According to a statement from the National Transportation Safety Board, the Mitsubishi MU-2B-40, N635TA, a private plane, was destroyed when it crashed.

"NTSB investigators are responding and are collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses. All aspects of this accident remain under investigation," the statement read.

A preliminary report is expected within 30 days from the date of the accident. The preliminary report will contain factual information gathered during the initial phase of the investigation. A probable cause of the crash and any contributing factors will come in the final report, which is expected in 12 to 24 months.

Speaking with the media in a second update Monday, NTSB board member Todd Inman paid solemn respect to those who perished.

"On behalf of all the NTSB, our sincerest condolences to all who lost loved ones in that crash," he said. "It's truly a tragedy. We hate that, for the families. It’s never an easy thing, and our thoughts are with them. Very much so."

The NTSB's family assistance group is working to help and inform families and survivors; they will continue that support throughout the entire investigation, he said.

Inman explained that in the hours after the crash, an organizational meeting was held, with various groups created to facilitate the investigation.

A drone team was at the site, and had provided a "full aerial view" of the wreckage and surrounding area. In addition, the Columbia County Sheriff's Office had provided about 1,000 images of the area, "post impact," which were very helpful. "The entire community has been very welcoming," Inman said.

Inman detailed steps of the investigation, including interviews with all air traffic controllers connected to the flight; an air traffic controller from Harrisburg, PA will also be interviewed as they have a similar-sized control tower.

Some pieces of equipment have been pulled from the aircraft itself; some are damaged. "None are in pristine condition due to the force of impact," Inman said, adding that they may be useful in the laboratory to determine if they were working. Multiple memory cards have also been retrieved, he said. Both engines will ultimately be torn down in Phoenix, AZ and examined, he said.

The extraction of the aircraft was slated to be completed by Tuesday night; the plane will then be moved to a secure place in Massachusetts, where a thorough investigation will continue, Inman said.

Inman also broke down the details of what NTSB has determined so far: The flight was the second of the day, leaving at 9:30 a.m. from Norwood Memorial Airport in Massachusetts, and landing in White Plains at 10:19 a.m. Then, it left White Plains at 11:34 a.m., headed to Columbia County Airport before "it was lost on the screens and found, post impact," he said.

Weather "deteriorating"

Automated weather conditions were recorded at Columbia County Airport just four minutes prior to the crash, Inman said, noting that the crash scene was 10 minutes from the airport.

"The weather was deteriorating at that time," Inman said.

Officials told Patch that the conditions were overcast at the time, and there had been snow earlier in the morning.

On Saturday, Columbia County Undersheriff Jacqueline Salvatore updated the press and said the plane crashed in the middle of a "pretty muddy" field, making access difficult.

Teams are working to gather all pertinent weather data from the time of the crash, officials said.

In a media briefing on Sunday, NTSB officials said that shortly before the crash, the pilot told air traffic control at Columbia County Airport that he had missed his initial approach, and requested a new approach plan. While preparing the new approach plan, air traffic controllers tried to alert the pilot to a dangerously low altitude at least three times, but got no response from the pilot and never received a distress call.

Inman noted that the plane itself required special training, in addition to what is required by the Federal Aviation Administration for a "normal" pilot's license; the pilot had received that training in October and was "proficient," Inman said.

"Our goal is to collect all perishable evidence to be evaluated later," Inman said, adding that he expected that investigation was expected to continue at the site for about five days. "We've made good progress today and yesterday. We want to find out not just what happened, but why it happened, so we can make recommendations so that it doesn't happen again."

Inman sent out a heartfelt thank you to the community that opened its collective arms to help, despite difficult conditions such as mud and an abundance of jet fuel — some had to decontaminate three times in one day, in a wash bay.

"There are unsung heroes in this community," Inman said.

He thanked all law enforcement, agencies, fire departments, schools and others who raced to help in the face of tragedy.

When asked about the issue of "airworthiness," Inman said: "Our initial review indicates that we feel this plane should be flying." However, he said, the investigation would include a review of maintenance records for the entire life of the aircraft, as well as interviews with all involved. The fact that it was the second flight of the day could open the door to questions about possible movement damage, fluid leaks, storage issues or other factors, Inman said.

Crash investigators recovered video of the moments before the crash. That video evidence "appears to show that the aircraft was intact and crashed at a high rate of descent into the ground," Inman told reporters.

And, he said, while it did not appear that the plane had broken up in midair, anyone who finds debris or evidence in their yards or on their property should email Witness@ntsb.gov.

"Teams are working round the clock to gather information and determine what caused this crash, to help prevent such a tragedy from happening again," Inman said.

The AP and Patch's Jeff Edwards contributed to the report.