A flight instructor was teaching a student how to restart a plane’s engine in flight when mechanical problems forced the pair to attempt a landing on Interstate 25 near Larkspur last year. according to a federal report.
The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report details the circumstances of the emergency landing and crash, which occurred after one of the plane’s wings struck a road sign, sending it into a nearby swamp.
The report did not say what caused the malfunction aboard the Tecnam P2006T aircraft, and the NTSB’s investigation into the crash is ongoing.
On June 16, the pair left Centennial Airport in Englewood and completed five landings before taking off again to practice airborne emergency procedures.
When they shut down one of the plane’s engines, it took two attempts to restart. They decided to return to the airport, but noticed that the plane became difficult to fly as the engine’s coolant level and RPM dropped.
The flight instructor took over, but the plane continued to descend and the two prepared for an emergency landing on I-25. The instructor and student were seriously injured in the accident.
The report notes that bystander video of the crash shows that the plane’s left propeller was not turning as the plane descended over the highway.
The recording equipment on board the aircraft was recovered from the crash site and examined along with the aircraft by NTSB investigators.
Sign up to receive crime news straight to your inbox every day.