A partial loss of engine power, due to a contaminated fuel manifold, caused a single-engine aircraft to crash onto a median wall on I-285, killing the pilot and three other passengers, the National Transportation Safety Board announced Tuesday.
Former Asheville police officer Greg Byrd was traveling with his sons Christopher and Phillip and Christopher's fiancee, Jackie Kulzer to Oxford, Miss., to attend his youngest son's graduation. The May 2015 crash brought traffic in both directions to a standstill for hours but resulted in no injuries on the ground.
During the takeoff from DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, Byrd told air traffic control the plane was having trouble climbing before ramming into the interstate roughly two miles away.
“Post-accident testing of the fuel manifold showed that it was not operating normally and was contaminated with debris,” the NTSB report states. “The composition of debris and its origin could not be determined, but it was likely that the debris moved within the fuel manifold during operation and resulted in fluctuating power indications.”
The agency concludes that it is likely that debris prevented the engine from obtaining full power.
For more details, visit myajc.com.
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