A report released by the NTSB notes that the pilot in November’s plane crash near Myrtle Beach State Park said they may have experienced a microburst before the plane rapidly descended into the water.
Rescue crews pulled the Aero Commander from the water on November 12. The pilot was the only person onboard and was taken to the hospital for his injuries. The report classified those injuries as ” serious,” but officials were unable to confirm how he was hurt.
According to the NTSB report, the pilot said he was following radar vectors to land at Myrtle Beach International Airport when he encountered heavy turbulence. It was raining in the Myrtle Beach area at the time.
“As he continued the approach, he described what he believed to be a microburst and the airplane started to descend rapidly. The pilot added full power in an attempt to climb, but the airplane continued to descend until it collided with the Atlantic Ocean 1 mile from the approach end of runway 36,” the reports says.
Photos of the wreckage show that the plane’s cockpit broke away from the fuselage after impact.
FAA records show the plane departed from Cumberland Maryland and was registered to C&C Flying LLC, out of West Virginia. West Virginia’s Secretary of State website says C&C Flying, LLC supports activities for mining.
