PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The skydiving plane that crashed near the Cross Keys Airport in Gloucester County, New Jersey, earlier this month reached 3,000 feet before it lost power, but investigators haven't yet determined what caused the loss of power, according to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The plane took off at 5:14 p.m. on July 2. Soon thereafter, the NTSB said the pilot reported a loss of engine power and tried to glide back to the runway but touched down near the end of it. The plane ran off the runway and crashed into trees about 700 feet away.
The flight was the plane’s second of the day. There were 13 passengers and two pilots on board.
The pilots and 10 passengers suffered serious injuries. Three other passengers had minor injuries.