BOCA RATON, Fla. — A small plane crash that killed three people in Boca Raton last month was on its first flight after having its annual inspection completed, according to a preliminary report released by the NTSB.
The April 11 crash on Military Trail at Glades Road killed three people: Robert Stark, 81, of Boca Raton; Stephen Stark, 54, and Brooke Stark, 17, both from Delray Beach. A man who was driving when the plane crashed sustained minor injuries.
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The plane took off from Boca Raton Airport bound for Tallahassee International Airport but was only in the air for 11 minutes before crashing.
Confirming what witnesses told WPTV on the day of the crash, the NTSB report said that the pilot of the Cessna 310R was having rudder problems, preventing the aircraft from turning right.
"According to preliminary air traffic control recordings, one of the pilots reported that they were having a problem with the airplane's rudder and that they could only make left turns," the report said.
Investigators said preliminary data revealed that immediately after takeoff at 10:12 a.m., the airplane drifted to the left, followed by a left 180-degree turn and then a left 360-degree turn.
The airplane continued making several left 360-degree turns until its ninth turn at 10:22 a.m. before it crashed a minute later.
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The report said the plane's initial impact point was when it hit several trees in the median of the road.
"The airplane then impacted the road, and the wreckage path continued until the main wreckage site, which was on a set of railroad tracks, about 370 feet from the initial impact point," the report said. "The furthest piece of wreckage was identified as the left engine and was found 320 feet past the main wreckage location."
The NTSB said the fuselage, including the cockpit, sustained "significant thermal damage" from the fire that occurred at the crash, and most of it was "consumed."
Investigators said the airplane's rudder was found near where the initial crash occurred.
"Flight control cable continuity for the right rudder was confirmed and was continuous from the rudder pedal attach point to the rudder bellcrank attach bracket," the report said. "However, the rudder bellcrank attach bracket had separated from the rest of the bellcrank. There were no visible signs of fretting between the rudder cable attach bracket and the rudder bellcrank. The left rudder cable was fractured near the rudder pedal attach point and at the rudder bellcrank. The separated cable ends exhibited a splayed, broomstrawed appearance, consistent with tension overload separation."
The wreckage is still being examined before the cause of the crash is released.
The NTSB said on the day of the crash that a final report wouldn't be released for one to two years.
Read the full report below:
