Feds study Owls Head plane wreckage

OWLS HEAD – Aviation officials Monday examined the wreckage of the light plane that crashed in 3 feet of water near Crockett’s Beach on Saturday morning.

The officials then turned the plane over to the insurance company Monday.

Knox County Regional Airport Manager Jeff Northgraves said the National Transportation Safety Board sent two representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration to investigate the crash of the single-engine, four-seat Piper Cherokee in which Janet Strong, 73, of Topsfield, Mass., died shortly after taking off from the regional airport.

“They came here, took statements from witnesses, looked over the wreckage, did a fuel analysis and released the plane to the insurance company,” Northgraves said Monday of the FAA representatives.

The NTSB, which oversees the investigation, is expected to release its report on the accident in about a month, he said.

The plane belongs to the Knox County Flying Club, said Northgraves.

Northgraves said skies had just cleared at the runway but there was a fog bank in the area of the crash.

“She was doing pattern work and approaches and landings at the airport,” he said.

Strong intended to take a flight around the midcoast area, he said. She had friends in the area, came to visit often and would rent a plane from the club.

Cleanup of the wreckage began at low tide at 7 p.m. Saturday, when members of Charlie’s Salvage in Rockland went to the site to pick up the pieces and carry them to a hangar at the airport.

Northgraves said a boat waited until high tide to go in and hoist the engine from the water.

Maine State Trooper Jeremiah Wesbrock of Troop D in Thomaston monitored the cleanup.

“The only thing left to be done would be to tear down the engine, and only if the FAA decides to do that,” Northgraves added.

gchappell@bangordailynews.net

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