NTSB Releases Preliminary Report of Plane Crash in Lindale Area

LINDALE — The National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report on the November crash of a private airplane near Lindale. The NTSB’s report indicates that an engine failure is the primary cause of the crash. According to information provided by the plane’s pilot, the engine began to shake violently shortly after the plane leveled at its cruising altitude.

The aircraft was equipped with an emergency parachute that is designed to bring the entire aircraft to the ground in a controlled descent. That parachute was deployed and the plane contacted the ground without seriously injuring its occupants. The NTSB reported finding that a belt was missing and that an oil line was damaged. The pilot and passengers were from Mississippi. According to information from the FAA, they were flying from Gladewater to Terrell when the crash occurred.