The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of a plane crash that killed two people. The small aircraft went down en route to Durango after leaving Georgetown, Texas. Having disappeared from air traffic control Monday, the wreckage of the Piper PA-28 later was found between Corona and Vaughn, New Mexico – about 100 miles southeast of Albuquerque on Wednesday.
In an email, NTSB public affairs officer Keith Holloway said investigators have documented the scene and examined the aircraft, but there is no determined cause of the crash. Further examination will take place after the plane is moved to a secure location. Holloway said determining the cause of a crash can take up to 18 months, but a preliminary report of the incident could be available within two weeks.
Sgt. Chad Pierce with the New Mexico State Police said Civil Air Patrol from Albuquerque, an auxiliary of the United States Air Force, alerted state police of the crash, and authorities responded with search and rescue ground crews.
“The Civil Air Patrol is the one who alerted us about it, and our search and rescue teams went and located the wreckage and secured it for NTSB investigators,” Pierce said.
New Mexico’s KOB-TV reported that CAP pilots flew into inclement weather in order to track the aircraft’s Emergency Locator Transmitter and then led ground crews to the location.
bmathis@durangoherald.com
