CLEARWATER, Fla. — A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released Tuesday revealed that the pilot who died after crashing into a mobile home park in Clearwater back in February could not find the airport he was supposed to land at.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the flight departed about 6:09 p.m. on Feb. 1 from Vero Beach Municipal Airport (VRB) in Vero Beach on a flight plan destined for Clearwater Air Park (CLW).
According to two people at CLW, the pilot, 54-year-old Jemin Patel, said that he could not find the airport and asked them to turn on the runway lights, which were already on from an airplane that had just landed.
They also stated that after Patel requested a second time to turn the runway lights on, the pilot-controlled runway lighting was changed to the highest intensity.
Both people then heard Patel announce he had a “fire.”
The flight proceeded west of CLW, then turned toward the northwest, heading nearly parallel to runway 34 at the airport.
The flight continued heading north of CLW, then the pilot turned left and proceeded going southeast.
About two minutes later, Patel said, "I can’t see the other airport.”
The controller told Patel that the flight was 1 mile south of CLW and asked if he could turn to heading 180° and to maintain the present altitude of 1,300 feet MSL.
Shortly after, Patel told the controller that he was "losing engine.”
The controller then asked Patel if he could see the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), which was 3 miles ahead of his position. He also told Patel that runways 18 and 36 were available at that airport.
Patel, who was the only person on board, did not respond to the controller.
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A pilot flying nearby reported seeing the plane, a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza V35B, descend at a 30 to 40-degree angle that he described as “like an uncontrolled descent.”
He also said that while the plane was descending, he saw a “very bright light” descending very fast to impact.
The pilot flying nearby observed the impact and reported it to air traffic control.
Another witness, who was a passenger in a car northwest of the accident, reported seeing the plane flying ahead of where they were located from west to east.
She said she did not hear any sound and reported seeing a “fireball” or something on fire while airborne before the impact. The witness did not identify the object as an airplane at that time but she did describe the fire as a round fireball with a white cone in the front portion.
Multiple videos from commercial businesses west of the accident depicted a light descending steeply with sounds associated with engine operation, followed by a fireball. The videos were provided to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for further review.
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86-year-old Martha Parry, of Long Island, New York, and 54-year-old Mary Ellen Pender, of Treasure Island, also perished when the plane slammed into Bayside Waters, a mobile home park just south of Clearwater Mall. Pender was visiting the mobile home.
Clearwater Fire & Rescue Chief Scott Ehlers said the call of a fire came in around 7:08 p.m. Thursday and the first fire and rescue crews arrived by 7:15 p.m.
Clearwater Fire Rescue said that much of the damage was in the Pagoda Drive area in the park.
Multiple mobile homes caught fire after the plane crash, and firefighters from multiple jurisdictions responded to the scene to offer assistance.
According to Clearwater Fire, at least one mobile home had severe damage, and two other mobile homes sustained minor damage from heat and flames.
Clearwater officials said up to nine people were inside the mobile home before the crash, but only two people were still inside when the plane crashed into the home.
The Beechcraft Bonanza V35B can hold up to four people, including a pilot, and can hold at least 50 gallons of fuel. According to FAA records, the plane that crashed was manufactured in 1979.
The remains of the wreckage were secured by NTSB for further examination.
