2021 Percy Priest Lake Cessna Citation crash

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2021 Percy Priest Lake Cessna Citation crash
N66BK Cessna 501 Citation I at Okeechobee County Airport.jpg
N66BK, the aircraft involved in the accident, in 2018 at Okeechobee County Airport, Florida
Accident
Date29 May 2021 (2021-05-29)
SummaryCrashed into the lake; under investigation
SitePercy Priest Lake, Tennessee, United States
Aircraft
Aircraft typeCessna 501 Citation I/SP
OperatorJL&GL Productions LP
RegistrationN66BK
Flight originSmyrna Airport, Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States
DestinationPalm Beach International Airport, Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Occupants7
Passengers6
Crew1
Fatalities7
Survivors0

On 29 May 2021, a Cessna 501 Citation I/SP crashed into the Percy Priest Lake in Tennessee. All seven occupants died, including actor Joe Lara and his wife, diet guru Gwen Shamblin Lara.[1][2] The cause of the accident is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).[2]

Accident[]

The aircraft, a 1982 model, had taken off from Smyrna Airport in Smyrna, Tennessee at 10:50 a.m. for a planned Federal Aviation Regulations Part 91 personal flight to Palm Beach International Airport.[1][3] After takeoff, the aircraft started a right turn and climbed to an altitude of 2,900 ft (880 m) before descending to 1,800 ft (550 m), climbing again to 3,000 ft (910 m), and suddenly descending rapidly into the lake. Weather reports indicated the presence of an overcast cloud layer at 1,300 ft (400 m) in the area at the time.[3]

Aftermath[]

By 1 June 2021, searchers had recovered both aircraft engines, a significant portion of the fuselage, and unidentified human remains. Authorities had named the seven victims, all of whom were leaders at the Remnant Fellowship Church. While it initially remained unclear who was flying the aircraft when it crashed,[4] Joe Lara and another victim were pilots, but according to pilot certification records examined by USA Today, the other man lacked the required type rating to fly the jet.[2] Aviation International News said that Lara had a valid medical certificate and that both pilots had multi-engine and instrument ratings.[3] However, the preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board stated, "The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane." and "The pilot held a type rating for the airplane with no restrictions. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) second-class medical certificate was issued on November 12, 2019, with the limitation that he 'must wear corrective lenses.'".[5] While the NTSB has not released the pilot's name during the ongoing investigation, according to a CNN article on June 15, 2021, "The pilot, who was among the seven killed, had a commercial pilot certificate and a private pilot certificate and had logged 1,680 total flight hours, 83 of those in the plane involved in the crash" which has led some reports to conclude the pilot could only have been Lara.[6][7]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Barnes, Mike (30 May 2021). "Joe Lara, Star of 'Tarzan: The Epic Adventures,' Dies in Plane Crash at 58". The Hollywood Reporter. Associated Press. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Bacon, John; Sharon, Keith (30 May 2021). "Plane carrying diet guru Gwen Lara, 6 others crashes into Tennessee lake; all on board presumed dead". USA Today. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Gilbert, Gordon (1 June 2021). "NTSB Begins Probe into Fatal Citation Accident". AINonline.com. Aviation International News. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  4. ^ Hineman, Brinley; Humbles, Andy; Wegner, Rachel (1 June 2021). "What to know about the plane crash that killed Christian dietitian Gwen Shamblin Lara". USA Today. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  5. ^ Read, Leah (29 May 2021). "National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Accident Preliminary Report" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 June 2021.
  6. ^ Lynch, Jamiel (15 June 2021). "Investigators release preliminary report on plane crash that killed 7, including a Christian diet guru and 'Tarzan' actor". CNN. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  7. ^ Osborne, Mike (16 June 2021). "Feds release preliminary report on small jet that crashed into Percy Priest Lake". WMOT. Retrieved 10 November 2021.

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