Crew Tried To Control Plane Carrying Dogs Before Pewaukee Crash: NTSB

PEWAUKEE, WI — The pilots who flew the plane that crashed in Pewaukee on Nov. 15 with a cargo of over 50 dogs attempted to regain control before the flight crashed, according to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Crews had departed from New Orleans and were using their instruments to land at Waukesha County Airport that day with visibility limited to around a half mile, but after the autopilot was disengaged on approach, the plane rolled to the right, the NTSB report said. The report is subject to change before its official publication. Although the aircraft was substantially damaged, two crew members only suffered minor injuries, the report said.

The pilots attempted to regain control by throttling up and were able to level the plane before it hit the ground and went through trees, causing its wings to be torn off, according to the NTSB.

Over 50 dogs were on board the flight and some were hurt, though none seriously, police said at the time.

Among the first people to adopt the dogs have been the very first responders who arrived at the crash scene, according to a report by CBS58.

"I corralled a lot of puppies over the hour or so that we were working on getting them all moved, and I remember thinking that this is such a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Lake Country Firefighter Elle Steitzer told CBS58.

Steitzer, one of several responders who ended up bringing a dog home, told the television station that the crash was "incredibly lucky."

See also: Plane Carrying Over 50 Dogs Crashes At Waukesha-Area Golf Course