Preliminary report investigating plane crash in Hillsville, Va., released by NTSB

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a preliminary report on Thursday investigating the Feb. 27 crash of a single-engine Cessna 150G in Hillsville, Va.

The aircraft (registration N2991J) was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Hillsville, Va. The pilot was fatally injured.

A friend of the pilot said the plane was flying from Twin County Airport, Hillsville, Va., to Burlington/Alamance Regional Airport, Burlington, N.C., to pick up parts for an engine the pilot was working on.

A witness reported speaking to the owner of the maintenance shop, where the pilot was going to pick up the engine parts, who confirmed that the pilot arrived to pick up the parts and departed.

According to preliminary Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) radar data, the plane departed Burlington/Alamance Regional at 4:12 p.m. EST. The pilot flew a nearly direct route toward Twin County Airport. About 15 miles from the destination, at 4:53 p.m., the pilot made a left 180-degree turn. The last radar return was at 4:54 p.m. and was about one mile from the accident site.

An alert notice was issued by the FAA at 7:46 p.m. after family and friends reported the airplane missing. The plane was located by a private citizen at about 10:30 a.m. EST on the following day. The plane came to rest in a wooded area at an elevation of 2,776 feet. The aircraft impacted a tree about 205 ft prior to the final resting place.

“There was no evidence of fire,” the NTSB said in their report, “and all major components of the airplane were located in the vicinity of the main wreckage.” The left-wing, outboard of the flap, was impact separated and located 60 ft prior to the main wreckage. The remainder of the left wing remained attached to the fuselage. The fuselage remained intact.

After examination, “there were no anomalies found with the engine that would have precluded normal operation,” the NTSB said.

An emergency locator transmitter aboard the plane remained secure in the fuselage and was in the off position.

A Garmin Aera 660 GPS was retained and sent to Washington, D.C., for data download at the NTSB Recorders Laboratory.

The NTSB will continue to investigate the accident and file a final report later.

This is the third fatal plane crash in Virginia under investigation by the NTSB in 2023. Two fatal plane crashes were reported near Suffork and Dayton in January.