National Transportation Safety Board investigators determined that the 2018 crash of an airplane shortly after taking off from the Scottsdale Airport could be attributed to the weight exceeding maximum capacity, according to a recently released final crash report.
The report released earlier this month identified multiple factors related to loading that likely contributed to the small Piper PA-24 Comanche crashing less than a mile away from Scottsdale Airport on April 9, 2018.
The flight instructor, 32-year-old Erik Valante, failed to maintain control during the initial climb of the airplane resulting from it being above its maximum weight and beyond the limits of the center of gravity, the report stated.
Between the weight of the passengers and the estimated amount of fuel, the plane likely weighed about 135 pounds over the maximum limits, according to the report.
Investigators wrote that the plane can rotate prematurely on takeoff if the center of gravity is too far off, and it's likely "the pilot was unable to maintain airspeed which resulted in a loss of control."
The report details how a tower controller and airport surveillance camera witnessed unusual movement as the plane began its departure down the runway.
The controller told investigators the plane's wings appeared to be rocking. The wings stabilized as the plane passed the tower, but the controller said it sounded like the engine wasn't producing enough power.
The controller asked the pilot if the plane was experiencing any difficulties. Valante replied that they were "good" and were "just in training mode."
The plane continued without gaining much altitude and was in the air for roughly 70 seconds before it made a left turn at the end of the runway, nosediving shortly after, the report said.
"The airplane's wings were nearly vertical before the airplane impacted terrain," investigators wrote. "A post-crash fire ensued."
The plane landed on a golf course about a quarter-mile from the end of the departure runway. The main cabin was mostly burned, and parts of the wings were located separated from the fuselage.
An examination of the engine after the crash found that a cylinder intake outer valve spring was broken, the report said. Investigators determined the failure likely occurred before the crash and went undetected.
"It is likely that the failure reduced the available engine power that, although not detectable during previous flights, was more critical with the overloaded condition of the accident flight," the report said.
Investigators were unable to determine who was in control of the plane at the time of the crash. Valante was in the front seat of the plane with a student pilot, 28-year-old James Pedroza, along with four passengers who were traveling to Las Vegas.
According to toxicology results in the report, Pedroza had traces of cocaine and MDMA in his system.
The final report states the metabolites found in Pedroza's system indicated past use of the drugs and were determined not to be a factor in the crash.
Valante did not have any substances in his system, according to his toxicology results.
The report stated Pedroza was receiving training from another instructor, but investigators were unable to determine his level of experience or hours logged.
All six people on board died, including Pedroza and Valante. Mariah Coogan, 23; Anand Kamlesh Patel, 28; Helena Lagos, 22; and Iris Carolina Rodriguez Garcia, 23, also died in the crash.
Reporter Chelsea Hofmann can be reached at email chelsea.hofmann@arizonarepublic.com and follow her on Twitter @chofmann528.
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2018 Scottsdale plane crash: Final report says instructor lost control due to excess load - AZCentral
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