The National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report on the July 22 fatal plane crash that killed a Fredericksburg couple with deep ties to the community.
Chris Kucera and Zach Hatcher died when the Beech A36 plane Kucera was piloting crashed shortly after takeoff at the Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip, New York.
The NTSB report states that takeoff, liftoff, and initial climb all appeared normal but shortly after the landing gear was raised, ground speed began to “steadily decay” before the airplane started a descending turn to the left.
The report states that several witnesses heard “sputtering” and a “loud pop” as the airplane climbed. The airplane rolled to the left and impacted the terrain just off the paved runway. Details are included on the condition of the aircraft after impact as well as inspection of fuel lines, flight control cables, propellers, and engine components — and no anomalies were detected.
The wreckage was retained for further examination. A representative from the NTSB said a probable cause of the crash along with any contributing factors will be detailed in the final report, which can take up to 24 months.
Hatcher and Kucera were a well-known couple in the Fredericksburg region. Hatcher was slated to be the new CEO of the Community Foundation this month. Kucera, an experienced pilot, was vice president of strategy at OneSky, an aviation technology company.
