Home Local News NTSB report: Pilot certified 21 days before Lake Erie plane crash

NTSB report: Pilot certified 21 days before Lake Erie plane crash

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CLEVELAND (AP) — The pilot of a plane that crashed into Lake Erie last month received his certification to fly that type of aircraft just 21 days before the fatal crash, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report.

The NTSB report issued Thursday night provides a timeline for the Dec. 29 crash, but does not indicate why the Cessna Citation 525 suddenly lost altitude and crashed just one minute after takeoff.

Killed were Columbus businessman John Fleming, who was piloting the plane; his wife, Sue Fleming; their teenage sons, Jack and Andrew Fleming; their neighbor Brian Casey; and Casey’s teenage daughter, Megan Casey, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The six were heading back to Columbus after attending a Cleveland Cavaliers game that evening.

According to the NTSB report, the air traffic controller at Burke Lakefront Airport cleared Fleming for takeoff at 10:56 p.m. and instructed him to turn right and maintain an altitude of 2,000 feet. Fleming acknowledged the clearance. After takeoff, the controller told Fleming to contact departure control. Fleming didn’t respond.

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