NTSB releases final report on deadly airplane crash near Monterey that killed two and dog
MONTEREY, Calif. (KION-TV) UPDATE ON JUNE 9, 2023 AT 2:49 PM- The National Transportation Safety Board released its final report on a plane crash that killed a Pacific Grove woman, a passenger and a dog in July of 2021.
The NTSB says the pilot, previously identified by family members as Mary Ellen Carlin, 74, of Pacific Grove, was given instructions to take a left turn after taking off from the Monterey Airport.
NTSB says the pilot established communication with Oakland ARTCC as the plane ascended. The controller then noticed that the pilot was traveling in the wrong direction and was "issued an immediate right turn to a heading of 030° which was acknowledged by the pilot."
A combination of the pilot's inability to maintain control due to spatial disorientation and "the pilot’s lack of recent instrument flying experience" contributed to the crash, said the NTSB.
A review of the pilot's logbook showed that a flight review was completed on July 17, 2020, but an instrument proficiency test was not present. In the 12 months leading up to the crash, the pilot had accumulated 18 minutes of flying, 42 minutes of simulating flying and no instrument approaches.
This crash also killed 61-year-old Alice Diane Emig a resident of Rancho Cordova.
NTSB noted the airplane struck trees about a mile south of the runway, with a 50 to 75-foot tall tree having its limbs damaged near the top of that tree.
The main wreckage of the plane was located about 405 feet from where that tree was hit.
The plane ultimately crashed into the home of Roger Goulart, who says no one was home at the time of the incident.
You can view the full report here:
NTSB releases preliminary report on deadly airplane crash near Monterey
The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report on a deadly plane crash near Monterey that they've now confirmed has claimed the lives of two people.
The NTSB says the pilot, previously identified by family members as Mary Ellen Carlin of Pacific Grove, was given instructions to take a left turn after taking off from the Monterey Airport.
Carlin was reportedly onboard with Rancho Cordova resident Alice Diane Emig as her passenger, along with a dog named Toby.
In its report, NTSB says the pilot was also instructed to contact Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) for additional information on takeoff.
NTSB says the pilot established communication with Oakland ARTCC as the plane ascended. The controller then noticed that the pilot was traveling in the wrong direction and was "issued an immediate right turn to a heading of 030° which was acknowledged by the pilot."
The pilot was also reportedly given two alerts about being too low to the ground, which the pilot did not respond to. NTSB says following those alerts "no further communication with the pilot was received."
Witnesses told NTSB they saw the plane descending below the cloud layer at a low-nose altitude with the landing gear retracted.
Similar witnesses also told NTSB the plane made a right turn, hitting the top of a pine tree before crashing below the tree line.
NTSB noted the airplane struck trees about a mile south of the runway, with a 50 to 75-foot tall tree having its limbs damaged near the top of that tree.
The main wreckage of the plane was located about 405 feet from where that tree was hit.
The plane ultimately crashed into the home of Roger Goulart, who says no one was home at the time of the incident.
