MT. COMFORT — Investigators on Thursday began puzzling over the mystery of why a fully fueled small jet crashed in a field just after takeoff the day before from Indianapolis Regional Airport.
Experts from the National Transportation Safety Board, who officially took over control of the crash site late Wednesday, were back on scene first thing Thursday morning. Their local investigation is expected to take three to five days, NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss said.
A preliminary report about Wednesday’s crash could be released in a couple of weeks, Weiss said.
The names of the victims still haven’t been released. The Hancock County Sheriff’s Department had the task of notifying the victims’ relatives, but they said it could be some time before they release the names to the public. Because of the nature of the crash, official identification likely will come via dental records and DNA.
On Thursday, County Road 400W, the road closest to the crash site, was closed between County Roads 400N and 500N, just east of the airport runway, so work by the NTSB would not be disturbed.
Investigators are looking for perishable evidence that might shed light on the final seconds of the flight. They were looking for electronic devices such as cell phones or GPS systems, Weiss said.
The overall investigation will fall into three main areas, Weiss said: human, the plane itself and the environment.
“After they document the wreckage site and the wreckage itself to find clues about what happened based on the wreckage location and the field, the wreckage will then be moved to a secure location out of the weather,” Weiss said.
That’s when the investigators will go over every part of the airplane remaining and begin to look at individual components, which will then be sent to laboratories in Washington, D.C., for further analysis.
Results from the full investigation could take as long as 12 to 24 months, Weiss said.
Firefighters from Buck Creek Fire Department, located just west of Indianapolis Regional Airport, were first on the scene shortly after 12:40 p.m. Wednesday. Fire Chief David Sutherlin described the crash scene as a worst-case scenario.
“While we carry items on our trucks to handle airplane crashes, when it’s out in the middle of a muddy field like that, it makes our job extremely difficult,” Sutherlin said, noting that trucks could not navigate the mud without getting stuck.
Nearby farmers Gary Edwards and Josh Hancock where on the scene within minutes the chief said, supplying first-responders with ATVs and allowing them to get to the scene. With their help and the assistance from a Buck Creek firefighter who was off duty, who brought his truck with specialty designed mud tires, they were able to shuttle firefighters and gear back and fourth.
“It really kept the flow going for us,” Sutherlin said.
Sutherlin and 10 other Buck Creek firefighters saw flames and a lot of smoke when they first arrived, Sutherlin said, but he noted most of the aircraft was destroyed.
“That’s how aircraft crashes are,” the chief said, “They’re very violent.”
Fire officials were told by a member of the airport maintenance crew who saw the plane on the ground that it taxied and took off normally. The maintenance worker turned to go about his work, but seconds later, the plane crashed.
The NTSB investigators called Buck Creek firefighters back to the scene late Wednesday night to help handle the disarming of the fire extinguishers that were on board the plane. However, Sutherlin said, the NTSB officials ended up handling the situation on their own.
