Monday, August 28, 2017

Loss of Engine Power (Total): Beech A36 Bonanza, N87RY; fatal accident occurred August 28, 2017 in Ellabell, Bryan County, Georgia

The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Atlanta, Georgia
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf


Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms


http://registry.faa.gov/N87RY 


Location: Ellabell, GA
Accident Number: CEN17FA331
Date & Time: 08/28/2017, 0839 EDT
Registration: N87RY
Aircraft: BEECH A36
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 3 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Business 

On August 28, 2017, at 0839 eastern daylight time, a Beech A36 airplane, N87RY, was destroyed when it collided with trees and terrain near Ellabell, Georgia, during a forced landing following a complete loss of engine power. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to the pilot who was operating it under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)Part 91 as a business flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV), Savannah, Georgia, at 0829 and was destined for Cobb County International Airport – McCollum Field (RYY), Kennesaw, Georgia.

Radar data for the flight showed that the airplane departed SAV at 0829. After takeoff, the airplane made a left turn to a heading of about 300° and reached an altitude of 3,900 ft mean sea level (msl) about 6 minutes later; at that time, the airplane was about 16 miles northwest of SAV. At 0835:46, the pilot declared an emergency and reported that the airplane's engine had failed. At 0837:35, a tower controller at SAV provided the pilot with directional guidance to Cypress Lakes Airport (GA35), Bloomingdale, Georgia, but the controller then expressed concern about whether the airplane would make it to GA35. The final communication that the controller received from the pilot was at 0838:57; the pilot stated that the airplane "would probably make it."

After reaching its peak altitude of 3,900 ft msl about 0835, the airplane began descending and made a left 180° turn. The final radar data point, at 0839:39, showed the airplane at an altitude of 400 ft msl and a heading of about 120°. At that time, the airplane was about 0.1 mile from the accident site, which was about 6 miles from GA35.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION


The 39-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane ratings. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) first-class medical certificate was issued on March 20, 2017, without waivers or limitations.

The pilot's logbook was found within the wreckage. The logbook indicated that the pilot had accumulated 1,420 hours of total flight experience, including 786 hours in single-engine land airplanes and 633 hours in multiengine land airplanes.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The Beech A36, serial number E-2917, was manufactured in 1994 as a single-engine airplane with retractable tricycle landing gear and seating for six occupants, including two flight crewmembers. The airplane was constructed primarily of aluminum and was powered by a 300-horsepower Continental Motors IO-550-B29B engine, serial number 675936.

The airplane's maintenance records indicated that the airplane was maintained in accordance with 14 CFR 91.409, Inspections, using a program recommended by the airplane manufacturer. The most recent engine overhaul was performed on December 5, 2007, at which time the engine had accumulated a total of 1,815 hours. A maintenance entry dated May 23, 2016, indicated that all six engine cylinders were replaced on that date; the Hobbs meter reading at the time was 516.6 hours. The most recent maintenance was performed on June 29, 2017, at which time the airframe had accumulated a total of 3,215.2 hours. The recording hour meter reading at the time was 680.6 hours.

The recording hour meter reading during the postaccident examination was 743.2 hours, indicating that the airplane had accumulated 62.6 hours since the most recent maintenance and that the engine had accumulated 226.6 hours since the engine cylinders were replaced.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 0853, the weather reporting station at SAV recorded wind from 030° at 12 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 4,000 ft above ground level (agl), broken clouds at 7,000 ft agl, broken clouds at 25,000 ft agl, a temperature of 23°C, a dew point of 18°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.12 inches of mercury.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Radar data and voice communications revealed the airplane was traveling on a heading of about 300° when the pilot reported the engine power loss. At that time, GA35 was about 6.5 nautical miles (nm) away on a heading of 174°, which required a 126° left turn to divert to GA35. Radar plots showed that the airplane was able to glide about 6.3 nm after the pilot declared the emergency and made the left turn.

FAA published charts for the area showed that Briggs Field Airport (GA43), Guyton, Georgia, was about 3.4 miles away on a heading of 345° when the pilot reported the engine power loss, which would have required a 45° right turn toward GA43. GA43 was a private airstrip with a 2,300-ft long turf runway. Although GA35 was depicted on the air traffic controller's emergency obstruction video map (EOVM) that was used in handling the accident flight, GA43 was not depicted. The figure shows the positions of the airports relative to the airplane's track.


Figure - Google Earth plot of the airplane's flight path (in white) along with the nearest alternate airports. 


FAA Order JO 7210.3Z, Facility Operations and Administration, which was in effect at the time of the accident, provided guidance regarding items depicted on the EOVM. Paragraph 3-8-4d, EOVM Design, stated that the basic design of the EOVM must incorporate, among other items, satellite airports and other airports that could serve in an emergency. This paragraph of the order contained a note stating "to avoid clutter and facilitate maintenance, information depicted on the EOVM should be restricted to only that which is absolutely essential." No guidance was found regarding the determination of airports essential for depiction on the EOVM.

After the accident, GA43, along with several other small airports in the Savannah area, were added to the EOVM at the SAV ATCT.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION


The airplane impacted trees and terrain near Ellabell, GA. The airplane was found in a wooded swamp area at a GPS elevation of 59 ft. The airplane was upright and facing 323°. An impact crater was centered about 10 ft directly in front of the nose of the airplane. Beyond the impact crater were trees with broken limbs and trunks that indicated a descent angle of about 45°.

The engine was partially separated from the fuselage. The fuselage was buckled in the cabin section with the aft section bent upward. The tail surfaces remained attached to the aft fuselage. The elevator was attached to the horizontal stabilizer, and the rudder was attached to the vertical stabilizer. The windshield and window posts had been cut by first responders to facilitate extrication of the occupants. The forward fuselage was crushed rearward. Both wings exhibited rearward crushing with the right wing crushing more pronounced than that on the left wing. The crush angles indicated a ground impact that was about 25° from vertical. Both wings remained attached to the fuselage, and the flaps and ailerons remained attached to the wings.

The location of the airplane and the terrain precluded a comprehensive on-scene examination. The airplane was recovered from the accident site and transported to a facility for a more comprehensive examination. Subsequent examination of the airframe revealed:
  • The aft fuselage had been cut off to facilitate removal from the scene.
  • The left horizontal stabilizer and elevator had been cut to facilitate removal from the scene
  • The right wing tip had been cut to facilitate removal from the scene.
  • The engine had been removed to facilitate removal from the scene.
Flight control system continuity was verified. The flaps were found in the up position (0°). The landing gear was retracted. No preimpact defects were noted on the airframe.

Examination of the engine revealed a hole that was about 2 inches in diameter in the top right rear of the engine case. The crankshaft was visible through the hole, and no connecting rod was attached to the rod journal. A subsequent teardown examination of the engine revealed that the No. 1 connecting rod was separated from the crankshaft and the piston. Fragments of the No. 1 connecting rod were found within the crankcase. Further examination revealed that four of the eight nuts that retained the No. 1 cylinder and one nut that retained the No. 2 cylinder were loose during disassembly, and no breakout torque reading could be measured. Two of the loose nuts on the No. 1 cylinder were on the studs that provided clamping force on the No. 1 main crankshaft bearing (through-studs). Disassembly of the crankcase revealed that the No. 1 main bearing had shifted to the rear of the crankcase, which obstructed the oil flow to the No. 1 main bearing and the No. 1 connecting rod bearing. All other connecting rods exhibited normal operating signatures with some mechanical damage from the internal components of the engine. No other preimpact anomalies were detected.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Division of Forensic Sciences, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Savannah, Georgia, performed an autopsy on the pilot. The cause of death was multiple injuries.

Toxicology testing performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory was negative for all substances in the screening profile. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial; Private
Age: 39, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 1 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/20/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 07/01/2016
Flight Time:  1420 hours (Total, all aircraft), 873 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: BEECH
Registration: N87RY
Model/Series: A36 UNDESIGNATED
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1994
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: E-2917
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 6
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/29/2017, AAIP
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3651 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 63 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3278 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Continental Motors
ELT: C91A installed
Engine Model/Series: IO-550-B29B
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 300 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: SAV, 50 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 13 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1253 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 120°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 4000 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 7000 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 12 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 30°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 29.89 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 23°C / 18°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: SAVANNAH, GA (SAV)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: ATLANTA, GA (RYY)
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 0829 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 2 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude:  32.239444, -81.439167

Location: Ellabell, GA
Accident Number: CEN17FA331
Date & Time: 08/28/2017, 0849 EDT
Registration: N87RY
Aircraft: BEECH A36
Injuries: 3 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Business 

On August 28, 2017, about 849 eastern daylight time, a Beechcraft model A36 airplane, N87RY, was destroyed when it collided with trees and terrain following a complete loss of engine power near Ellabell, Georgia.. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The airplane sustained damage to all major components during the accident sequence. The aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a business flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The flight originated from the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV), near Savannah, Georgia, at an undetermined time, and was destined for the Cobb County International Airport-McCollum Field (RYY), near Atlanta, Georgia.

The airplane impacted trees and terrain near Ellabell, GA. The airplane was found in a wooded swamp area at coordinates 32.23946, -81.43914, at a GPS elevation of 59 feet. The airplane was upright and facing 323 degrees. There was an impact crater centered about 10 feet directly in front of the nose of the airplane. Beyond the impact crater were trees with broken limbs and trunks that indicated a descent angle of about 45 degrees. The engine was partially separated from the fuselage. The fuselage was buckled in the cabin section with the aft section bent upward. The tail surfaces remained attached to the aft fuselage The elevator was still attached to the horizontal stabilizer, and the rudder was still attached to the vertical stabilizer. The windshield and window posts had been cut by first responders to facilitate extrication of the occupants. The forward fuselage was crushed rearward. Both wings exhibited rearward crushing with the right wing crushing being more pronounced than the left. The crush angles indicated a ground impact that was about 25 degrees from vertical. Both wings remained attached to the fuselage and the flaps and ailerons remained attached to the wings. The location of the airplane and the terrain precluded a comprehensive on-scene examination. 

The airplane was recovered from the accident site and transported to a facility for a more comprehensive examination.Subsequent examination of the airframe revealed:
  • The aft fuselage had been cut off to facilitate removal from the scene
  • The left horizontal stabilizer and elevator had been cut to facilitate removal from the scene
  • The right wing tip had been cut to facilitate removal from the scene.
  • The engine had been removed to facilitate removal from the scene.
  • Aileron control system continuity was verified from the cabin to the control surfaces.
  • Elevator control system continuity was verified from the cabin to the elevator with the exception of the cuts made to the cable in order to extract the airplane.
  • Rudder control system continuity was verified from the cabin to the rudder with the exception of the cuts made to the cable in order to extract the airplane.
  • The flaps were found in the up position (0 degrees)
  • The landing gear was retracted.
  • No pre-impact defects were noted with respect to the airframe.

Examination of the engine revealed a hole in the top right rear of the engine case that was about 2 inches in diameter. The crankshaft was visible through the hole and there was no connecting rod attached to the visible rod journal. The engine was retained for a future teardown examination.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: BEECH
Registration: N87RY
Model/Series: A36 UNDESIGNATED
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built:
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation:  SAV, 50 ft msl
Observation Time: 1253 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 13 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 23°C / 18°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 4000 ft agl
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 12 knots, 30°
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 7000 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.89 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point: SAVANNAH, GA (SAV)
Destination:  ATLANTA, GA (RYY) 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 2 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude:  32.239444, -81.439167


Pilot Randy Hunter (bottom right) along with (top right) Byron Cocke and wife Catherine Cocke died when the Beechcraft Bonanza they were in (left) crashed in Bryan County on August 28th, 2017.

Byron and Catherine Cocke 
In Loving Memory


Randy Hunter of Peachtree City, Georgia 
Hunter Aviation and Consultants

Video released Friday from the Savannah Chatham County Aviation Unit shows what search and rescue crews were up against Monday when they launched a frantic search for a missing plane in Bryan County.

Freddie Howell, the Bryan County Emergency Services Director told us that day that 40 to 50 emergency personnel from Bryan and Effingham Counties were searching, mostly by ground. He said some searchers had been in the area of Croft Road where the plane was later found by air.

Personnel with the Savannah Chatham County Aviation Unit spotted the plane in the wooded swampy area, according to Howell.

Howell told us Monday these operations are always “emotional”, for the first responders. “Our hearts are with the families of the victims, in this case, the family members of this young couple from Savannah.”

42 year old William “Byron” Cocke and his 39 year old wife Catherine were passengers in the plane. Both were killed along with pilot Randy Hunter who had flown the plane from the Cobb County area.

Howell says first responders also suffered that day and “do on many days when they are called to answer emergencies. “So keep them in your thoughts along with the families who suffered in this tragic event,” he told us.

Story and video  ➤  http://wsav.com


Catherine and William Byron Cocke


Celebrating the life of Byron & Catherine Cocke

Passed away on August 28, 2017

William Byron Cocke, 41, and Catherine Montford Cocke, 39, died on impact in a plane crash Monday, August 28, 2017.

Memorial Visitation: Friday, from 2-4 p.m. at Fox & Weeks, Hodgson Chapel.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 2, 2017, at St. John’s Church in Savannah. A reception will follow at the Green Meldrim House.

Please sign our online guestbook at www.foxandweeks.com

Memorial Visitation
2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. - Friday, September 01, 2017
Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel
7200 Hodgson Memorial Drive 
Savannah, Georgia 31406

Memorial Service
11:00 a.m. - Saturday, September 02, 2017
St. John's Church
1 West Macon Street 
Savannah, Georgia 31401

Reception to follow
- Saturday, September 02, 2017
Green Meldrim House
14 West Macon Street
Savannah, Georgia 31401

http://foxandweeks.com

The wife of Randy Hunter, the Tyrone pilot killed while flying a Savannah couple to Cobb County, has shared her thoughts about her husband.

The statement was released on Wednesday by Sanchez Hayes & Associates, a Fayette County law firm, on behalf of wife, Kristen Hunter.

“Randy had a passion for his family and all things related to aviation and loved flying,” the statement reads in part.

Rudjard Hayes, a partner at the firm, said the 39-year-old pilot had two young girls who “are obviously devastated.”

The charter pilot was flying Byron Cocke, a prominent 42-year-old metro Atlanta real estate developer, and his wife 39-year-old Catherine Cocke, an interior designer once featured on HGTV, when the plane crashed Monday morning.

Hayes said Hunter had flown the Cockes on business trips in the past.

A spokeswoman with Byron Cocke’s company, CF Real Estate Services, said the couple had five children. 

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Cocke family who also lost two beloved and cherished family members in this tragic accident,” the wife’s statement reads.

Soon after Hunter took off, he radioed to air traffic controllers in Savannah saying he was having mechanical trouble and wanted to return before the plane disappeared off the radar at 8:39 a.m., a National Transportation Safety Board investigator told media.

A spokeswoman with the Federal Aviation Agency said the plane was flying to Cobb County International Airport-McCollum Field from Savannah International Airport when it crashed.

Dozens of emergency workers from several local, state and federal agencies responded to the crash site in Bryan County about 150 feet from the Ogeechee River, Freddy Howell, director of emergency services in Bryan, previously said.

He said a Chatham County Mosquito Control helicopter found the downed Beechcraft Bonanza, a fixed-wing single-engine aircraft, about 11:20 a.m. on Monday, nearly two hours after being notified that it had crashed in a marshy wooded area.

“The Hunter family is sincerely grateful to all the first responders in their efforts to locate the aircraft,” the statement said. “We ask for your prayers for the Hunter family as well as the Cocke family as we all try to deal with this tragedy.”

The NTSB will tear apart and inspect the plane, including its engine, to see if there were any malfunctions as part of its investigation.

http://www.ajc.com



A final determination of a single-engine plane crash Monday in North Bryan County that killed three people could take up to a year, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

John Brannen, a senior air safety investigator with the federal agency, said he should have a preliminary report done within a week after returning to his Chicago office, but that the final report detailing the probable cause of the crash could take six months to a year.

Killed in the crash were William Cocke, 42, and Catherine Cocke, 39, of Savannah, along with the pilot of the chartered plane that was flying the couple from Savannah to Cobb County. The couple leaves behind five children ranging in age from 10 months to 13 years. The pilot has been identified as Randy Hunter of Tyrone, Ga.

Bryan County Emergency Services Chief Freddy Howell said the FAA contacted his agency around 9:30 a.m. saying the plane was flying at an altitude of about 300 feet before it crashed.

The wreckage of the aircraft was found at 11:18 a.m. when it was spotted by a Coast Guard helicopter. Searchers included Bryan County Emergency Services, Bryan County Sheriff's Office, Effingham County Sheriff's Office and Effingham County Emergency Services. Emergency personnel used ATVs to get to the aircraft. It was located off of Eldora and Croft roads.

Brannen said the last radio contact the pilot had with air traffic control at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport was at 8:39 a.m. Monday when he indicated he was having engine problems and would attempt to return to the airport.

The plane crashed in a heavily wooded area near a cotton field in North Bryan near the Effingham County line. Brannen said he is unsure if the pilot was attempting to land in the field or not.

“We are gathering the voice recordings and radar data right now,” he said. “We’ve also located the maintenance records for the plane.”

Because of the location of the crash, Brannen said a company out of Griffin, Ga., has been contacted to remove the plane.

“We can’t do a whole lot of examination on the scene because of where it’s at,” he said.

Once the plane is extracted, the engine will be sent to the manufacturer’s headquarters in Mobile, Ala., for a thorough examination.

Brannen said the final report will take into account “man, machine and environment,” including whether or not Monday’s high winds and rain from a tropical depression off the coast played a part.

Howell said about 40 to 50 personnel were involved in the search, which included two boats on the Ogeechee River. There was no fire from the crash, so Howell said searchers could not locate it by following black smoke. Some media are reporting that the pilot radioed that he was having engine trouble and that he was attempting to return to Savannah.

Authorities have closed off the area.

"It's very heavily wooded," Howell said. "Georgia Forestry cut a path for us to access the site."

The Bryan County Coroner’s Office arrived at the scene about 12:30 p.m. Monday. Officials said all three occupants of the plane died on impact.

Howell said Hunter, the pilot, owned Hunter Aviation out of Peachtree City. He was chartered to fly to Savannah to take the Cockes to Cobb County. Officials are unsure if Hunter flew the plane to Savannah earlier Monday morning or Sunday.

Howell said the Beechcraft Bonanza plane bearing the tail identification of N87RY was chartered from Falcon Field near Atlanta. Brannen said the plane was manufactured in 1994 and its records will be looked at as well as the pilot’s flight log.

A woman driving a vehicle with a Chatham County license plate showed up at the Bryan County Emergency Services staging site at the Georgia Forestry office on Eldora Road around 1 p.m. Monday. She was visibly upset and crying. Howell later identified her as a nanny for the Cocke family.

Howell asked the public to pray for the victims as well as the first responders involved.

“The rescue people are just as traumatized about a situation like this as the general public is,” Howell said of those who located the crash and found the bodies.

Original article  ➤ http://www.bryancountynews.com

An official said Tuesday that a pilot of a single-engine plane reported engine trouble at some point before the craft crashed into a heavily wooded area of north Bryan County on Monday, killing three people.

But John Brannen, NTSB senior air safety investigator, stressed that officials are still assessing the site and the wreckage, and investigators have not determined a definitive cause of the crash.

“We arrived on the scene (Tuesday) morning. We have had a chance to assess the scene. The airplane came to rest in a wooded, swampy area. Because of the location of the wreckage we can’t do a whole lot of examination on scene,” Brannen said.

“For that reason I have been in touch with the recovery service that will remove the airplane from the scene. It will be taken to their facility in Griffin, Ga., where we will do more examination over the coming days,” he said.

The crash killed William Byron Cocke, 42, his wife Catherine Cocke, 39, both of Savannah, along with pilot and owner of the plane, Randy D. Hunter of Tyrone, Ga.

“The airplane departed the Savannah airport on an instrument flight plan. So he was in communication with the Savannah air traffic control tower. He communicated by radio to the Savannah air traffic control tower that he was having engine problems. At the time of the accident he was attempting to return to the Savannah airport,” Brannen said.

“For that reason we will also remove the engine from the airplane. It will be sent to the manufacturer’s facility in Mobile, Ala. I will go down at a later date to do a full tear-down examination of that engine.”

Radar data and voice communications between the pilot and the tower are being collected for review. Maintenance records for the airplane have been located and are being taken to the FAA facility in Atlanta.

The single-engine Beech Bonanza en route from the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport to Cobb County disappeared from radar about 8:30 a.m. Monday.

The plane’s last known altitude was 300 feet, according to Freddie Howell, director of Bryan County Emergency Services, which helped in the search for the plane Monday. “They gave us coordinates close to here. We proceeded to those coordinates and we rode past that area several times. The Coast Guard was dispatched, two helicopters, the Savannah Mosquito Control helicopter was also sent to the area. They searched for some time.

“At 11:18 the Mosquito Control crew notified us that they had identified a downed aircraft off of Croft Road.”

The helicopter crew was able to land in an adjacent field and make its way to the crash site, where they found no survivors, Howell said.

Brannen said most investigations of this type typically take between six and 12 months.

Cocke and his wife had five children. The couple were remembered Tuesday by the Savannah Downtown Neighborhood Association as well as Byron Cocke’s company. Cocke was the co-CEO of CF Real Estate Services.

Co-CEO Brett Finkelstein issued a statement on behalf of the company: “On Monday, Aug. 28 our Co-CEO Byron Cocke and his wife Catherine passed away in the crash of a small plane. We are devastated by this tragic loss. They were philanthropic, creative, intelligent, caring and entrepreneurial. Byron and Catherine were devoted to their five beautiful children, who are being cared for by their extended family. As we all cope with this loss, we ask that everyone celebrate their lives and respect the privacy of those who love them.”

Finkelstein said Byron “personified love of family, love of company and love for co-workers. He was laid back – yet motivated us to be the best we could possibly be and to treat the company as if it were our own. … We will always strive for the greatness Byron envisioned. His dreams are still very much alive, as we continue in his honor. We send our love to their family.”

The Savannah DNA also issued a statement on the Cockes: “The Downtown Neighborhood Association Board is shaken and saddened by the tragic loss of a Board member, dear friends and neighbors, Catherine and William Byron Cocke. Mr. and Mrs. Cocke have been active in not only the Downtown Neighborhood Association but also countless other civic organizations. The Savannah community has lost a shining light in this beautiful couple and while our hearts are heavy, we ask for prayers for their surviving five children and encourage that the media respect the family’s wish for privacy.

“Our support is unwavering and those closest to the family are committed to helping them in whatever capacity needed in this difficult time.”

Original article can be found here ➤  http://savannahnow.com

Freddie Howell, director of Bryan County Emergency Services


The pilot of the airplane that crashed in a heavily wooded area of north Bryan County killing three people Monday morning has been identified as Randy Hunter of Tyrone, Ga. 

The single-engine Beech Bonanza en route from the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport to Cobb County disappeared from radar about 9:30 a.m., prompting the FAA to contact Bryan County Emergency Services regarding the possibility of a downed aircraft.

The crew of the Chatham County Mosquito Control helicopter spotted the downed aircraft at 11:18 a.m., landed in an adjacent field and made their way to the crash site where they found no survivors.

Also killed in the crash were Savannah residents William Byron Cocke, 42, and his wife Catherine Cocke, 39.

“We were hoping that they had just lost communications and that they had landed somewhere. It is not what we wanted and our thoughts and our prayers go out to the family members of the pilot and the two passengers who were on board,” Bryan County EMS Director Freddie Howell said Monday.

Hunter was also the owner of the airplane. No prior incidents or accidents had been reported for the aircraft.

Cocke was the co-CEO of CF Real Estate Services. Co-CEO Brett Finkelstein issued a statement on behalf of the company:

“On Monday, Aug. 28 Our Co-CEO Byron Cocke and his wife Catherine passed away in the crash of a small plane. We are devastated by this tragic loss. They were philanthropic, creative, intelligent, caring and entrepreneurial. Byron and Catherine were devoted to their five beautiful children, who are being cared for by their extended family. As we all cope with this loss, we ask that everyone celebrate their lives and respect the privacy of those who love them. Working with Byron was a joy. He personified love of family, love of company and love for co-workers. He was laid back – yet motivated us to be the best we could possibly be and to treat the company as if it were our own. I will continue to lead this solid and growing organization. I’m confident in our senior team and their leadership and we are working together to ensure continuity. We will always strive for the greatness Byron envisioned. His dreams are still very much alive, as we continue in his honor. We send our love to their family.”

Cocke and his wife were members of the Downtown Neighborhood Association.

A statement from the DNA read: “The Downtown Neighborhood Association Board is shaken and saddened by the tragic loss of a Board member, dear friends and neighbors, Catherine and William Byron Cocke. Mr. and Mrs. Cocke have been active in not only the Downtown Neighborhood Association but also countless other civic organizations. The Savannah community has lost a shining light in this beautiful couple and while our hearts are heavy, we ask for prayers for their surviving five children and encourage that the media respect the family’s wish for privacy. Our support is unwavering and those closest to the family are committed to helping them in whatever capacity needed in this difficult time.”

The Cockes had five children.

Original article can be found here ➤  http://savannahnow.com



SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - We're learning more about the Savannah couple killed in a plane crash near the Bryan/Effingham County line on Monday. 

The two were well known around downtown and involved with several local organizations. Catherine and Byron Cocke's charter flight left from the airport around 9:30 Monday morning. They are being remembered as a 'shining light' in the community. 

The Downtown Neighborhood Association says it's 'shaken and saddened by the tragic loss' of 'dear friends and neighbors, Catherine and Byron Cocke.' The couple leaves behind five young children, ranging in age from just 10 months to 13-years-old. They were members of the Historic Savannah Foundation, and both had businesses based in Atlanta. 

Catherine was the owner and designer at Catherine Cocke Interiors, receiving accolades and recognition from Atlanta Homes and Lifestyle and HGTV. She was also involved with the Telfair Museums in Savannah. Byron was the co-founder and co-CEO of CF Real Estate Services. He led the operations, construction, and business development team, and was responsible for the strategic planning and growth of the company. He was also an advisor on the Downtown Neighborhood Association board. They released the following statement Monday afternoon. 

"The Downtown Neighborhood Association is shaken and saddened by the tragic loss of our board member, friends, and neighbors, Catherine and William Byron Cocke. Mr. and Mrs. Cocke have been active in not only the Downtown Neighborhood Association but also countless other civic organizations. The Savannah community has lost a shining light in this beautiful couple and while our hearts are heavvy, we ask for prayers for their surviving five children and encourage that the media respect the family's wish for privacy. Our support is unwavering and those closest to the family are committed to helping them in whatever capacity needed in this difficult time."

Research with the plane's tail identification number indicates it is a 1994 Beech A-36 Bonanza. It's a six seater, single engine plane. According to its registry on the FAA website, the plane belongs to Randy Hunter of Fayette County, GA.

We spoke with one woman who lives near the site of the crash. 

"Little helicopters don't usually fly this low unless it's like first responders that come and they usually land in the field across from us if it's a car accident, but for them to be flying in the field, and then to see a police officer come out of the field, that indicates, okay, something's wrong,' said Tonya Redmond. 

Redmond's parents actually own the land where the plane crashed. She says they will do all they can to assist first responders in their investigation. 

There are no details on funeral arrangements at this time. We'll keep you updated as we get more information. 

Story and video:   http://www.wtoc.com


BRYAN CO., GA (WTOC) - The Bryan County Emergency Management Agency has released the names of two of the victims in a plane crash near the Bryan-Effingham county line Monday. 

It happened on Croft Road, off of Eldora Road. Couple, William Byron Cocke and Catherine Cocke were killed in the crash. The pilot has not yet been identified pending notification of next of kin. 

The dense, wooded area made it difficult for crews to get to the wreckage. Georgia Forestry had to cut a path through the trees. 

Air Traffic Control lost contact with the plane with the three aboard - the pilot and two passengers. A Chatham County Mosquito Control aircraft located the wreckage. 

According to a WTOC aviation source in communication with the Federal Aviation Administration in Georgia, the plane was going from Savannah to Cobb County, GA when they radioed engine trouble. The plane turned around and was trying to get back to Savannah. The plane was a charter from Peachtree City, GA. 

Chief Freddie Howell is asking the public to pray for the victims. 

"I also ask that the public pray for these guys and women that went down to search and rescue and remove these occupants from the plane. The rescue people are just as traumatized about a situation like this as the general public is," said Chief Howell, Bryan County Emergency Services. 

The Downtown Neighborhood Association released this statement Monday evening: 

"The Downtown Neighborhood Association is shaken and saddened by the tragic loss of our board member, friends, and neighbors, Catherine and William Byron Cocke. Mr. and Mrs. Cocke have been active in not only the Downtown Neighborhood Association but also countless other civic organizations. The Savannah community has lost a shining light in this beautiful couple and while our hearts are heavvy, we ask for prayers for their surviving five children and encourage that the media respect the family's wish for privacy. Our support is unwavering and those closest to the family are committed to helping them in whatever capacity needed in this difficult time."

The Federal Aviation Administration, Bryan County Emergency Services, Effingham County Emergency Management Agency, Chatham County Mosquito Control, Georgia Forestry, and the United States Coast Guard all responded.

The FAA is taking over the investigation. Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board will arrive Tuesday morning. 

"Luckily, we work well with all of our surrounding jurisdictions, Bryan County included. We have approximately 40 people between Bryan County and Effingham at the moment. We have boats going up and down the Ogeechee River and we also have three aircraft between the Coast Guard and Savannah Mosquito Control," said Clint Hodges, Effingham County EMA Director. 

Story, video and photo gallery: http://www.wtoc.com



UPDATE: As of 5 p.m., authorities have identified the passengers on the plane as William Cocke, 42, and Catherine Cocke, 39, of Savannah. The pilot still has not been identified pending notification of his family.

Authorities say there are no survivors after a single-engine plane went down Monday morning in a swampy, heavily wooded area of North Bryan near the Effingham County line.

Three people were on board the plane, which crashed about two miles from Highway 280 off Croft Road. Their identities have not been released. 

Bryan County Emergency Services Director Freddy Howell said the Federal Aviation Administration contacted his agency around 9:30 a.m. saying the plane was flying at an altitude of about 300 feet before it crashed.

Howell said the pilot and two passengers died in the crash.

The wreckage of the aircraft was found at 11:18 a.m. when it was spotted by a Coast Guard helicopter. Searchers included Bryan County Emergency Services, Bryan County Sheriff's Office, Effingham County Sheriff's Office and Effingham County Emergency Services. Emergency personnel used ATVs to get to the aircraft. 

Howell said about 40 to 50 personnel were involved in the search, including two boats on the Ogeechee River. There was no fire from the crash, so Howell said searchers could not locate it by following black smoke. He added that the pilot did not send out a distress call before the plane went down.

Authorities have closed off the area. Howell asked that the public stay away from the area. 

"It's very heavily wooded," Howell said. "Georgia Forestry is cutting a path for us to access the site."

The plane had reportedly taken off from Savannah and was headed to Cobb County when it went down. Howell said the Beechcraft Bonanza plane bearing the tail identification of N87RY was chartered from Falcon Field near Atlanta through a private company to pick the passengers up in Savannah and fly them to Cobb County. He added that he believed the couple was married as they shared the same last name. 

A woman driving a vehicle with a Chatham County license plate showed up at the Bryan County Emergency Services staging site at the Georgia Forestry office on Eldora Road around 1 p.m. She was visibly upset and crying. Howell later identified her as a nanny for the passengers on the plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate, Howell said. Names are not being released until family is notified.

Original article  ➤  http://www.bryancountynews.com




A plane crash in a heavily wooded area of north Bryan County killed three people Monday morning.

The single-engine Beech Bonanza en route from the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport to Cobb County disappeared from radar about 9:30 a.m., prompting the FAA to contact Bryan County Emergency Services regarding the possibility of a downed aircraft. But finding the plane took some time.

“Its last known altitude was 300 feet,” said Freddie Howell, director of Bryan County Emergency Services. “They gave us coordinates close to here. We proceeded to those coordinates and we rode past that area several times. The Coast Guard was dispatched, two helicopters, the Savannah Mosquito Control helicopter was also sent to the area. They searched for some time. At 11:18 the Mosquito Control crew notified us that they had identified a downed aircraft off of Croft Road.”

The helicopter crew was able to land in an adjacent field and make its way to the crash site, where they found no survivors.

Passengers in the airplane were William Byron Cocke, 42, and his wife Catherine Cocke, 39. The pilot has not yet been identified pending notification of next of kin.

“We were hoping that they had just lost communications and that they had landed somewhere. It is not what we wanted and our thoughts and our prayers go out to the family members of the pilot and the two passengers who were on board,” Howell said.

The search for the downed aircraft was extensive.

“We probably had 40 to 50 people on the ground, in the air and even in boats. We had two boats along the Ogeechee River. Effingham County had a boat, we had a boat, we were doing everything possible to find the airplane. We had the Coast Guard and several people riding the roads just hunting. Actually … several of us rode past the area. It is behind a field, it is wooded terrain, it goes downhill where they are located. You could not have seen it from the road,” Howell added.

The nature of the terrain surrounding the crash site has made the recovery operation difficult.

“We have Georgia Forestry down there cutting a path to the aircraft. The aircraft is in a very heavily wooded, swampy, marsh area. There is going to be a lot of work before this operation is over. We have FAA on the way. They will do a thorough investigation of the plane and site to try to determine what actually happened,” Howell said. “Right now we have 4-wheelers, ATVs and mules down there getting our people in. We have to clear a path to help get the FAA people in there to determine what happened.”

Anne Horn, who lives a few miles from the crash site, said she heard the airplane fly over her house.

“I heard it, it was real low. But I am so used to hearing Army stuff go over I didn’t go outside to check on it. My neighbor saw it and said it was real loud,” she said.

Access to Croft Road and the crash site is being blocked by the Bryan County Sheriff’s Department and the GSP Howell said.


Story and comments  ➤  http://savannahnow.com



The two passengers on board the plane have been identified as William Cocke, 42 and Catherine Cocke, 39 both of Savannah. The name of the pilot has not been released.

ELLABELL, Ga. (WSAV) — Emergency crews announced that all three people on board a small plane traveling from Savannah to Cobb County have died. The missing plane was spotted by a Coast Guard chopper near the Bryan-Effingham County line. Emergency crews reported the small plane crashed near Ellabell. Bryan County and Effingham County emergency management officials are on the scene and will continue their investigation and recovery efforts.

According to officials, the Coast Guard contacted 911 around 9 a.m. to report a beacon signal from a small plane. Air Traffic Control also reported they lost contact with the plane around the same time.

The small craft had a pilot and two passengers on board and the plane was travelling from Savannah to Cobb County.

Story and video   http://wsav.com



SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) -  Savannah civic organizations are remembering the couple killed in a plane crash near the Bryan and Effingham County line on Monday for their generosity and contagious spirit.

Catherine and Byron Cocke were well-known in downtown Savannah and involved with several organizations, including the Historic Savannah Foundation and the Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra.

"I don't think our reaction is different from anyone else's reaction," said Daniel Carey, executive director of the Historic Savannah Foundation. "I think it's just pure loss, and it's just really sad. We just hope that the family can weather this, and find the silver lining on the other side."

Carey said the couple was more like extended family, and learning they were killed in the crash was surreal. 

"I was dumbstruck, and just really deeply saddened," Carey said. "Really good people, and just the worst thing you could imagine."

Savannah Philharmonic Executive Director Terri O'Neil shared the same sentiment.

"Oh it was heart wrenching. It's just beyond belief, really, for us to hear that Byron and Catherine had this tragic accident. They were not only loyal donors of the arts and Savannah Philharmonic, but when they jumped into our community a couple years ago, I mean, they jumped in with gusto."

Carey said, "They really represented the next generation of philanthropists in Savannah, and that's pretty remarkable because that ethic doesn't always transfer from one generation to the next. But it definitely took seat with them. They had this terrific family, and you knew that their kids were going to get the same message and do the same things and will. That's what we have to hope and be encouraged by is that their kids will live the life their parents lived and do good things."

As well-known as they were for being generous donors, O'Neil and Carey said the Cocke's will be remembered throughout Savannah as friends- almost extended family members- who could change the atmosphere of a room just by being in it.

"Anytime Catherine and Byron walked into the room, I mean, they just lit up the room," O'Neil said. "I mean, they were definitely a couple. They were connected. They were committed. As parents, you just couldn't have wanted a better family unit to have Catherine and Byron as the parent."

Carey said, "Savannah is worse for this, no question. We have all lost something, not just the organizations and family and friends, but the whole community has lost something."

Both had businesses based in Atlanta.

Byron's co-founder and co-CEO of CF Real Estate Services, Brett Finkelstein, shared the same thoughts in a statement released Tuesday.

“On Monday, Aug. 28 Our Co-CEO Byron Cocke and his wife Catherine passed away in the crash of a small plane. We are devastated by this tragic loss. They were philanthropic, creative, intelligent, caring and entrepreneurial. Byron and Catherine were devoted to their five beautiful children, who are being cared for by their extended family. As we all cope with this loss, we ask that everyone celebrate their lives and respect the privacy of those who love them. Working with Byron was a joy. He personified love of family, love of company and love for co-workers. He was laid back – yet motivated us to be the best we could possibly be and to treat the company as if it were our own. I will continue to lead this solid and growing organization. I’m confident in our senior team and their leadership and we are working together to ensure continuity. We will always strive for the greatness Byron envisioned. His dreams are still very much alive, as we continue in his honor. We send our love to their family.”

Catherine was the owner and designer at Catherine Cocke Interiors, receiving accolades and recognition from Atlanta Homes and Lifestyle and HGTV.

The couple was also involved with the Telfair Museums in Savannah, which also released a statement Tuesday.

"Telfair Museums is shocked and deeply heartbroken by the tragic loss of Catherine and William Byron Cocke. The Cockes were supporters of Telfair Museums as well as other local organizations. It is a sad day for Savannah to have lost these two dynamic, caring, philanthropic people. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their family, especially their 5 young children."

Byron was an advisor on the Downtown Neighborhood Association Board. It released a statement on Monday.

"The Downtown Neighborhood Association is shaken and saddened by the tragic loss of our board member, friends, and neighbors, Catherine and William Byron Cocke. Mr. and Mrs. Cocke have been active in not only the Downtown Neighborhood Association but also countless other civic organizations. The Savannah community has lost a shining light in this beautiful couple and while our hearts are heavvy, we ask for prayers for their surviving five children and encourage that the media respect the family's wish for privacy. Our support is unwavering and those closest to the family are committed to helping them in whatever capacity needed in this difficult time."

The couple had five children ranging in age from 10 months to 13 years old, and were members of St. John's Episcopal Church in Savannah. There are no details about funeral arrangements yet.

Story and video:  http://www.wtoc.com

A prominent metro Atlanta real estate developer and his wife, an interior designer featured on HGTV, were on a charter plane that crashed near Savannah on Monday, killing them and the pilot, officials confirmed.

Byron Cocke, 42, and Catherine Cocke, 39, died when the plane crashed in a “very heavily wooded area” of Bryan County about 150 feet from the Ogeechee River, said Freddy Howell, director of emergency services in Bryan.

He identified the pilot as Randy Hunter of Tyrone, where records show he lived off of Palmetto Road.

Howell said he spoke on Tuesday with Hunter’s wife, who was doing her best to process the situation.

“Our hearts are heavy for everyone involved,” he said.

A Chatham County Mosquito Control helicopter found the downed Beechcraft Bonanza, a fixed-wing single-engine aircraft built in 1994, about 11:20 a.m. on Monday, nearly two hours after being notified that it had crashed, Howell said.

Kathleen Bergen, a spokeswoman with the Federal Aviation Administration, said the plane was flying to Cobb County International Airport-McCollum Field from Savannah International Airport when it crashed.

That contradicts earlier information given to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution from local authorities that the plane had been flying into Atlanta Regional Airport-Falcon Field in Peachtree City.

Soon after Hunter took off, he radioed to air traffic controllers in Savannah saying he was having mechanical trouble and wanted to return, said John Brannen, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board.

The plane disappeared off the radar at 8:39 a.m., Brannen told media Tuesday.

Howell said the couple was known in the Savannah area, where they lived full-time, though they had ties to metro Atlanta.

The husband is the co-founder and co-CEO of CF Real Estate Services, a company that formed from a 2013 merger between Cocke Finkelstein, Inc., and Atlanta-based Lane Company, according to its website.

CF Real Estate has properties as far north as Michigan, but is responsible for several metro Atlanta housing projects, including The Lofts at Atlantic Station and Olmsted Chamblee, which features a big sign of the city’s name.

Emergnecy officials weren’t sure whether the couple was flying for business from Savannah, where the company has a student-centric apartment complex named The Hue.

The company’s other co-founder Brett Finkelstein released a statement Tuesday about the couple’s death.

“We are devastated by this tragic loss. They were philanthropic, creative, intelligent, caring and entrepreneurial,” the statement reads in part.

Finkelstein said the couple had five children, who are now being cared for by extended family.

The website for the wife’s interior design business said she was featured on a 2011 episode of HGTV’s “My Big Amazing Renovation,” titled “Going Big in Georgia” showing her 18-month renovation of the couple’s 1950s home.

The Savannah Downtown Neighborhood Association also posted a statement about the couple’s death on its website. The statement said one member of the couple was part of the association’s board but didn’t say which.

“The Savannah community has lost a shining light in this beautiful couple and while our hearts are heavy, we ask for prayers for their surviving five children.”

Eric Weiss, a spokesman with NTSB, said Tuesday that after investigators document the crash site, contractors will move the plane to Griffin by Wednesday. There, staff will take apart the aircraft to review its systems.

Investigators will interview witnesses, look at radar data, listen to audio recordings from air traffic controllers and assess the weather at the time of the crash.

The engine will be broken down at a facility in Mobile, Alabama, to determine whether there was a malfunction, he said. 


Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.ajc.com

Bryan County, Ga. —  Emergency crews from Effingham and Bryan counties have discovered the wreckage of a downed plane in Bryan County and officials say three people are confirmed dead.

Bryan County Emergency Management Agency Chief Freddy Howell confirmed the names of the couple on board as William Cocke, 42, and Catherine Cocke, 39, both from Savannah.

The pilot's identity has still not been released.


Both the NTSB and the FAA have been contacted and could be on the scene for days.


The plane went down in a heavily wooded area, which is private property, off Eldora Road near Croft Road.


Crews were only able to reach the crash site on foot or by using ATV's.


According Howell, air traffic control lost contact with a plane that had recently taken off from Savannah.


Howell said the Cocke's were heading to Cobb County in Metro Atlanta.


The last known altitude of the plane was 300 feet.


A witness said he saw the plane flying low over his house, just barely above the tree line.


Original article ➤ http://www.wjcl.com


Three people died Monday morning after their charter plane crashed near Savannah while heading back to metro Atlanta.

Authorities in Bryan and Effingham counties said they were having trouble notifying the next of kin for the pilot and two passengers and thus have not identified the three.

Clint Hodges, Effingham’s director of emergency management, said the plane was heading for Atlanta Regional Airport-Falcon Field in Peachtree City.

He said a Chatham County Mosquito Control helicopter found the downed Beechcraft Bonanza, a fixed-wing single-engine aircraft built in 1994, about 11:20 a.m. nearly two hours after being notified that it had crashed.

Hodges described the crash site as a “very heavily wooded area” about 150 feet from the Ogeechee River, which is the border between Bryan and Effingham counties. Units from both areas responded.

Freddy Howell, head of Bryan County emergency services, told reporters Monday afternoon that of the three inside the plane, two were men and one was a woman. He said the pilot was a man and a preliminary investigation showed the other two were a couple.

The agency gave the plane’s tail number, which is registered to a man who lives in Tyrone, according to Federal Aviation Administration records.

Howell said there were 40 to 50 units on land, air and water trying to find the plane. He said some had to use ATVs to get to the plane, which is on private property.

“We were hoping they’d just lost communications and landed somewhere,” he said.

Bulldozers with the state forestry agency had to clear a path to the downed plane, said Byron Haire, assistant district manager for the Ogeechee District of the Georgia Forestry Commission.

He said his agency got the call about noon to help to “punch a hole” to the crash site.

Howell said the plane may remain where it is for days, as the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board investigate.

Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.ajc.com


ELLABELL, Ga. (WSAV) – A representative of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is on-scene where a plane crash in Bryan County yesterday, August 28. 

The crash claimed the lives of William ‘Byron’ Cocke, 42, and Catherine Cocke, 39 both of Savannah.

The pilot has been identified as Randy Hunter of Peachtree City, Georgia with Hunter Aviation and Consultants.

John Brannen of the NTSB says parts of the plane are being removed from the scene for analysis, including the engine.

Brannen said air traffic control at the Savannah International Airport lost sight (on radar) of the plane at 8:39 am Monday.

He also said that shortly before that the pilot had told controllers he was having engine trouble and returning to the airport.

Brannen says a preliminary report on the crash may be available in a few weeks, but a final report and, or cause may not be known for months.

He says the engine will be analyzed but that the pilot’s record, plane maintenance, and weather conditions are also considered as possible factors.

The plane was a 1994 Beechcraft Bonanza with six seats.

Bryan County officials say that Hunter and the Cocke both had young children and their hearts go out to both families.

Story, video and photo gallery ➤ http://wsav.com

14 comments:

  1. The IO550 engine in the A-36 Bonanza is 300 horsepower. This would not make it capable of 300 miles per hour. A correction appears to be in order.

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  2. The Planes speed capabilities would be irrelevant and off topic wouldn't you say? Come on...

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  3. If they have 5 children, pilots please never put both parents on one single engine aircraft.

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  4. This one has an IO-520 285/300 hp and 300 ft not 300 mph

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  5. "If they have 5 children, pilots please never put both parents on one single engine aircraft."
    ^ Excellent point. Thank you!
    I know a family where both young parents were killed in a GA plane crash, it was, of course, a devastating event. They had 4 children under 9.
    Our company executives (business partners) always, always, take separate flights.
    Fly Safe, Train Often....

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  6. Another Bonanza crash? What's happening?

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  7. Wondering why comments that are critical are anonymous.........

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  8. I am so sorry that this happened. Your family is in our thoughts and prayers.

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  9. My heart goes out to you on this tragic loss.

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  10. It says chartered, but reports says Part 91 Operations. Was this a 134 1/2 Operation?

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  11. "Examination of the engine revealed a hole in the top right rear of the engine case that was about 2 inches in diameter. The crankshaft was visible through the hole and there was no connecting rod attached to the visible rod journal." Sad testimony for a modern Continental Engine in an expensive airplane.

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  12. In our country commercial charter flights in SE planes are limited to VFR only. But whatever, those poor kids. A lifelong trauma...

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  13. Photo of the plane and crash evidence show it fell into the trees rather than flew into them under control. Elevator is up, possibly indicating it stalled as pilot was holding back elevator. Descent angle was 45º forward and 25º wing down indicating that it spun in. This is also confirmed by an impact crater 10 feet in front of the aircraft. The trees are small and would have absorbed the energy if the aircraft was flown into the trees under control and letting the wings rip off to absorb energy. Stall speed is 60 with flaps and gear down. Wind was 10 mph from the north, which would have lowered ground speed to 50 with flaps down and landing into the wind. Aircraft was found with flaps and gear up in cruise configuration rather than landing configuration. Emergency landing procedure without power is 30º flaps. Possibly a survivable crash if done right. Falling into the trees from 300 feet pretty much eliminated the chance to survive. Aircraft had flown approximately 20 miles to the crash site so should have had enough altitude to glide to a runway or highway. There was a field just beyond the crash site and pilot may have tried to stretch the glide to the field causing the stall/spin rather than fly into the trees under control. There were several cleared areas to land enroute as well as roads including an interstate. Depending on air traffic control and flight plan, had time to climb to at least 7,500, possible 10,000 before engine failed. Cypress Lakes airfield should have been enroute. It was Daylite so there should have been time to survey for glide distance landing spot better than where they crashed. The aircraft business has blocked web flight data, maybe insurance blocked. FAA and NTSB has not commented on radar returns and communications for flight history or emergency vectors when it was declared. Lesson again is to always fly into the crash under control. Don’t try to beat physics by stretching that glide. You will stall and die. While engine failure was cause of altitude loss and forced descent, I believe these deaths were due to pilot error for failing to fly the aircraft all the way into the forced landing. Tragedy for all on board.

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  14. I’m sure if the pilot survived he would go back through the flight in his head and look at every possible survivable scenario. Who knows what all he was dealing with, he wasn’t safe in the comfort of his home where he could recall all of his emergency training, or hit pause on those simulator days. This was a real emergency, and tragically people died, hearts were broken.

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