KVOA

Posted: Nov 10, 2009 7:34 PM
Updated: Nov 10, 2009 11:06 PM

BENAVIDES, TX - The NTSB confirmed today that weather is likely what caused a flight to go down in Duval county two weeks ago, killing all four people onboard.

And the preliminary crash report also details the final moments of that fatal flight, as well as the pilot's plan to try and avoid disaster.

The pilot of the twin engine plane was Paul Mazak.

He and three friends were returning to Leesburg, Florida after a hunting trip to Uvalde, west of San Antonio.

Despite a massive cold front moving through South Texas that day, and three separate weather briefings on the ground, the normally cautious pilot opted to take off anyway.

According to the NTSB report, Mazak took off at 10:58am, and at 11:05 contacted the FAA's Air Route Traffic Control Center in Houston requesting assistance.

"Alright, if you don't mind helping us we're looking at the radar... it might be better for us to go down toward Laredo route... looks like a squall line," he said.

The controller responded, "Yes, there is a significant squall line between you and your destination. Not sure how you'll get through, but we'll work on it somehow."

The report indicates Mazak's plan was to take off from Uvalde, fly almost directly south toward Laredo, then turn east, to try and fly around the severe weather.

At 11:22am, Mazak thought he saw a break in the weather, allowing him to cross through.

He said the Traffic Control Center, "We're looking at a hole going towards Corpus, is it possible we could get about a one five zero degree heading try and work through that way?"

The controller responded, "Fly heading of one two zero when able proceed direct Corpus Christi rest of route unchanged."

At 11:40, Mazak was questioned by the controller after dropping 1000 feet.

He reported turbulence to the controller, and said he would climb again.

At 11:42, the controller heard an expletive and propeller noise coming from Mazak's radio.

It was followed by another 35 seconds of static, before the plane made a near vertical descent into a private ranch a few miles north of Benavides.

The next day, a secondary pile of wreckage was found about a mile away from the main site, leading investigators to believe the plane broke apart before impact, although it wasn't exactly clear why.

According to weather radar data, the NTSB believes the plane flew into moderate to extreme thunderstorms just before the crash.

The wreckage was transferred to a secure site for closer examination.

An NTSB spokesman said a final crash report can take 12 to 18 months to complete.

Read the full NTSB report

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