NTSB: Greenacres pilot at fault in fatal crash
A new report faults a Greenacres pilot for the crash that killed him, saying his poor flying caused the airplane to break up in the skies over Illinois.
The final report from the National Transportation Safety Board says Garry Thomas Bernardo, 58, was at fault in the crash, which may have involved freakish weather, a shredded wing and a host of mechanical failures that spread debris over a mile of Plainfield, Ill., in July 2016. No one else was on the airplane, and no one on the ground was hurt. The crash caused several fires.
The report issued this week said Bernardo likely was trying to raise his airplane over an area of “convective activity,” which could have included updrafts that were moving at a rate of a football field every second. That spot of worsening weather, which included a thunderstorm, may have affected the airplane during the time period when Bernardo began climbing and when he apparently lost control, the NTSB said, though it noted there was no way to know what conditions the airplane actually encountered.
The NTSB said Bernardo may have climbed at such a high rate that his airplane lost too much airspeed. The plane slowed to as little as 55 mph, well below its stall speed, before falling and turning. The plane reached about 243 mph, above the speed the plane’s 230 mph “never exceed” limit.
The report said some work on Bernardo’s left wing prior to the fatal flight might not have been done properly. Investigators found a 7-foot strip of the leading edge of the wing — the part that goes most directly into the wind — peeled off, and the wing itself was bent in several directions before it was ripped off the airplane. The report said the mechanical problems on the wing “likely did not contribute to the accident” because the plane was moved so fast it exceeded its limits.
The NTSB said Bernardo’s antidepressant medication and underlying depression may have hindered his piloting abilities, as such medications have warnings about potential impairment that could affect the ability to drive or operate other machinery. Pilots with depression are supposed to receive special evaluations, but Bernardo reported no chronic medical conditions and no medications.
Bernardo’s last received radio transmission was routine. He never radioed about climbing or the weather. He also never got a weather briefing for flight over Illinois. Forecasts said there was a potential for isolated severe thunderstorms.
Detectors logged five pages’ worth of lightning in a 90-minute period around the crash site. A computer model suggested the updrafts could have been six times more powerful than what’s considered a moderate level.
Bernardo was flying a 1964 Twin Comanche airplane. The main wreckage fell in front of a house, and set a nearby home on fire; a woman and her pets escaped.
Some parts from an engine were found about a mile to the east. Parts of the wing were found a half-mile south. The left fuel tank, left propeller and left engine were found at separate sites. Evidence suggests the wing twisted around its axis before coming off.