Advertisement

Engine issues cited in report on fatal plane crash near Westchester County Airport

WHITE PLAINS − The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report on the Jan. 19 crash of a single-engine plane near Westchester County Airport that killed two men from Cleveland.

Pilot Boruch Taub and passenger Ben Chafetz were returning to Cleveland after attending a funeral.

The plane took off from John F. Kennedy International Airport shortly after 5 p.m.

According to the report, at about 5:16 p.m., Taub informed an air traffic controller at Westchester County Airport that the plane was experiencing poor flight performance. He subsequently reported that the plane's instruments were not indicating any anomalies.

Police block the entrance to an office park on King St; in Armonk Jan. 20, 2023 near where a small plane crashed near Westchester County Airport Thursday evening. Two people died in the crash.
Police block the entrance to an office park on King St; in Armonk Jan. 20, 2023 near where a small plane crashed near Westchester County Airport Thursday evening. Two people died in the crash.

At 5:18 p.m., Taub told the controller he had a dead cylinder, and asked permission to proceed to Westchester County Airport. The controller said the instrument landing runway was in use at that moment.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cat hoarding: SPCA addressing medical issues, seeks public's help for hundreds of cats rescued from home

Recording banned: Mount Vernon to reconsider law restricting access, recording in City Hall

Murder charge: Two 20-year-olds plead not guilty in shooting death of Mount Vernon teen.

A minute later, the controller asked Taub if he was declaring an emergency, but Taub said he was not. But at 5:21 p.m., Taub declared an emergency and advised the controller he was dropping oil pressure.

At 5:25 p.m., Taub broadcast, "Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!" He was cleared to land at the airport at 5:27 p.m. A minute later the controller advised Taub of his direction and distance from the airport. He was about 1.6 miles from the airport at that time, and acknowledged the controller's information in his last transmission.

Less than a minute later, the controller reported that radar contact with the plane was lost.

The location of single-engine plane crash near Westchester County Airport on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023. Officials said the plane was located in a deeply wooded area near north of the airport just before 11 p.m., after hundreds of first responders searched for hours.
The location of single-engine plane crash near Westchester County Airport on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023. Officials said the plane was located in a deeply wooded area near north of the airport just before 11 p.m., after hundreds of first responders searched for hours.

The plane crashed in a deeply wooded area shortly after 5:30 p.m., but the wreckage was not found until 11 p.m.

The report said the plane hit the first of several trees when it was about 100 feet off the ground, and finally came to rest about 250 feet from the first tree strike.

The report said fresh oil was seen on the bottom of the fuselage, beginning where the wings attached and extending to the tail cone. Fresh oil also was seen at the outlet of the lower crankcase breather line.

Examination of the engine revealed a hole in the top of the crankcase in-line with the number six cylinder position. A deformed connecting rod cap with two fractured and entrapped rod bolts also was found. The NTSB report said the agency retained the engine for further examination.

As previously indicated, it will be at least a year before the NTSB issues its final report, which would include any final determination as to the cause of the crash.

Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record, the Poughkeepsie Journal and the Journal News-lohud. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com or on Twitter @mikerandall845.

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Westchester County Airport fatal crash update: engine issues cited