Updated: 10/19/2009 5:47:30 PM
A pilot, killed in a plane crash over the weekend in Oliver Springs, has now been identified.
Doyle R. Chadwick, 65, was killed in the crash. Three other passengers survived.
Chadwick lived in the Claxton community. His wife, JoAnn Hasty, told 10News her husband began flying about five years ago after he retired.
She says he often e-mailed friends and acquaintances to offer short rides so that he could keep up his flight hours for his pilot's license.
On Sunday afternoon, he had at least two trips scheduled. The first was with some members of the Byrge family of Knoxville. Three of them were in the Piper Cherokee when it crashed.
The Anderson County Sheriff's Office identifies them as Phillip Byrge, 49, and his 12-year-old son Nathan and 8-year-old daughter Mary. The three survived with injuries the sheriff's office believed to be minor.
FAA and NTSB staff are still on-site for the investigation of the crash.
NTSB Air Safety Investigator Paul Cox said his preliminary report should be complete in about ten days. He stressed his role was not to determine the cause of the crash but to collect evidence.
"I look at the damage to the aircraft, I look at the position of the aircraft, I look at any skid marks, anything else in the local environment that I can document, I will document," Cox said. "We're going to look at all aspects of the man, the machine and the environment to come to a conclusion."
Steve Hamel, president of the Oliver Springs Airport board of directors, said he believes wind and a wet runway likely played a role in the crash.
"It was gusty yesterday, and that makes for a little bit more difficulty in landing," he said. "I believe that there was a possible tailwind, which would mean that touchdown's going to be a little faster, higher speed, so you have more slowing down before you can get the plane stopped, and it was wet. It's a grass runway, and it looks like the skid marks of extended distance here, that the brakes may have been locked up on the airplane, it was out of control."
Meanwhile, he's upset about the impact this crash has on the Oak Ridge Flyers, the club to which Chadwick belonged, and the airport itself.
"Future pilots may think twice about flying or may have spouses that don't want them to fly because of the accident," he said, "but I think most of us that are here will stay and continue flying."
Previous: Crash kills pilot; three child passengers survive
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of a crash that killed the plane's pilot Sunday afternoon at the airport in Oliver Springs. Three other passengers survived the crash.
The names of the pilot and passengers are not being released by the FAA or NTSB at this time.
Witnesses tell 10 News the single-engine Piper Cherokee 180 crashed at 1:47 p.m. while landing at the 2,500 grass landing strip, known as Braden Field.
The four-seat aircraft was owned by the Oak Ridge Flyers, a flying club that operates several aircraft at the airport in Oliver Springs. The club's president, Susan McCue, said the pilot who was killed had been a member of the club for several years.
"Today is a sad day for the Flyers. We lost one of our pilot friends," said McCue. "Everyone is concerned and wanting to know what happened."
Pilots Ernesteen and Lee Hunt were at the airport tending to their own plane in its hangar when they witnessed the crash.
"We knew he [the pilot] was coming in so we walked over to watch him land," said Lee Hunt. "He touched down pretty hard and bounced up off the runway about four or five feet. Then the airplane lost control. It skidded sideways off the left side of the runway and into some trees. It crashed with the cockpit up against a fairly good sized tree down there."
Hunt said he thought the pilot regained control in time to prevent disaster. Both Lee and Ernesteen rushed to the crash site in an attempt to help and called 911.
"Just before he hit the trees, the airplane had slowed down considerably so I thought he saved it. But that was not to be. I feel bad for him and a lot of sympathy for his family."
The Piper Cherokee was carrying the pilot and three additional passengers. The passengers were children, two boys and one girl, according to Hunt. He said all three children walked away from the crash relatively unscathed.
"By the time we got there, the children were already out and walking across the field. About that time the emergency crews showed up and I think they stopped the children just to make sure they were okay," said Hunt.
Chief Deputy Mark Lucas with the Anderson County Sheriff's Department said all three passengers were taken to the Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge with minor injuries.
"I am so thankful that those children in that airplane walked away," said McCue. "I'm a pediatric nurse and children are my life. Of the tragedy of today, that is what I take away. What happened is terrible and hurts us all, but it could have been so much worse."
McCue said the Oak Ridge Flyers currently have around 40 members as well as a mechanic.
"A lot of clubs are not fortunate enough to have their own mechanic. And ours is an extremely talented mechanic who keeps everything in order. I have all the confidence in the world in our members and these machines. The club also keeps track of everyone's medical and flight reviews to make sure those are up to date," said McCue.
Since almost all plane crashes receive publicity, McCue expressed concerns about a distorted negative perception about the safety of flying.
"Unfortunately, accidents happen and things like this can occur in any vehicle. While this tragedy hurts, I would not want anyone to be put off from flying. It is a thing that we feel very passionate about. We love it and it is generally a very safe activity that is heavily regulated."
Editor's note: Witness reports indicated three children had survived the crash as passengers. The word from officials indicates it was instead an adult and his two children.
