MAY 4, 2015
PENN YAN, NY
One person was killed in a plane crash Sunday morning at the
Penn Yan airport. Officials identified the pilot as 55-year-old Steven Seely of
Ontario County. They say he was the only person inside the plane.
We're told Seely was a member of the Penn Yan Flying Club
but owned his own plane that he kept at the airport. Officials say he was a
student pilot. A preliminary investigation indicates he was practicing take
offs and landings.
Deputies say Seely is from Stanley and tell us he is the owner of Seely Engine Machine in Ontario County. According to our news partners at the Messenger Post, a barn at Seely's business was heavily damaged by fire earlier this year.
Deputies say Seely is from Stanley and tell us he is the owner of Seely Engine Machine in Ontario County. According to our news partners at the Messenger Post, a barn at Seely's business was heavily damaged by fire earlier this year.
The Yates County Sheriff told us when Seely tried taking off
on the 5,500-foot runway and once he got into the air, he spun around and took
a nose dive. The tail went up against the fence near the tree line beside the
runway. Seely was dead on scene.
While nothing is official, investigators pointed to two
possible causes: a medical episode or mechanical failure. "I’m saying
those are probably the number of factors that could have taken place,” said
Yates County Sheriff Ron Spike.
Seely owned a student pilot’s license and was a member of
the Penn Yan Flying Club. The plane itself was a personal aircraft -- a
single-engine Cessna. FAA investigators were on scene Sunday along with
Sheriff’s deputies.
NTBS investigators arrive Monday morning. The hope is that
they'll be able to put a few more of the pieces together then. They'll be
relying on interviews with the few witnesses who were golfing at a nearby
country club at the time of the crash.
"Witnesses told us, from a nearby golf course, had told
us that they saw the plane didn't get higher than 100 feet off the ground when
it came back down and veered off,” said Sheriff Spike.
Seelys wife was out of town at the time of the accident and
we understand he has a large family and it took deputies a while to notify
everyone.
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Date:
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03-MAY-2015
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Time:
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11:38
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Type:
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Owner/operator:
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Private
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Registration:
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N3969L
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C/n / msn:
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17254138
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Fatalities:
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Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
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Other fatalities:
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0
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Airplane damage:
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Substantial
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Location:
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Penn Yan Airport (KPEO), Penn Yan, NY -
United States
of America
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Phase:
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Take off
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Nature:
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Unknown
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Departure airport:
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Penn Yan (KPEO)
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Destination airport:
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Narrative:
The aircraft impacted airport terrain shortly after takeoff from Penn Yan Airport (KPEO), Penn Yan, New York. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the sole pilot onboard received fatal injuries.
The aircraft impacted airport terrain shortly after takeoff from Penn Yan Airport (KPEO), Penn Yan, New York. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the sole pilot onboard received fatal injuries.
Sources: