KODIAK, Alaska — Witnesses said an amateur-built kit airplane made a steep right turn and “entered a spiraling descent” before crashing shortly after takeoff from an airport in Kodiak, according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board.
The pilot and sole occupant of the plane died in the Nov. 7 crash. According to the report released Wednesday, the plane was bound for a remote off-airport landing site, with a friend of the pilot reporting that the intent was to haul gear that would be used for a hunting camp.
None of the witnesses who saw the plane make a steep turn and spiral downward reported any unusual sounds from the engine, the report states. The airplane hit a gravel road, and surveillance video captured the “impact sequence,” the report states.
The preliminary report does not draw any conclusions about what happened. Final reports on crashes take additional time to complete.