HANNA CITY, Ill. — There’s new information regarding the single-engine plane crash that killed two people in Hanna City earlier this month.
A statement from the National Transportation Safety Board was released Saturday night, detailing some of their findings over the course of the investigation.
According to 25 News, archived FAA data showed the plane left Santa Fe, New Mexico the morning of August 13, with no stops or issues for most of the five-hour flight. When the plane was about ten miles from Peoria International Airport, the pilot, 75-year-old James Evanson, told air traffic controllers they lost power to the engine. When asked if he would be able to reach PIA, he said they would be unable to.
During the plane’s descent, surveillance camera footage shows it striking powerlines, which were trapped in parts of the aircraft. After continuing the descent and touching down, the left wing hit a railing and a speed limit sign, later impacting with a power pole and severing the wing from the base. The rest of the plane continued until it collided with a building, damaging the fuselage.
After the impact, investigators found the left-wing fuel tank was breached, and completely empty. The right wing tank, completely intact, only had a little fuel left inside. The fuel selector was found to be on “RIGHT TANK.” There were no other blockages or electrical issues found. A fuel receipt shows some purchased on August 10, with only one flight lasting four minutes between the purchase and the fatal flight. No other receipts showed more fuel was bought.
The crash left Evanson and his wife, 67-year-old Lisa Evanson – both of Santa Fe – dead. The Peoria County Coroner has said James saved potentially several lives when landing, steering around nearby obstacles.
