The National Transportation Safety Board offered up a few more details Tuesday morning about the plane crash that killed an Omaha couple at the Millard Airport. The crash Sunday morning claimed the lives of 63 year old M. David Steier and his wife, 61 year old Arlene Steier.
At a Tuesday morning press conference, NTSB investigator Aaron Sauer says that although it is too early to determine the cause of the crash, they do have some very preliminary information. "The airplane did become airborne briefly, it did impact the right side of the runway where it cartwheeled and came to rest. There was a post-crash fire."
There will be quite a bit of information to comb through during the investigation, but they will have some help from witness statements and video surveillance. Where the Steiers were headed is unclear at this time, but Sauer says another plane that took-off from the Millard Airport before the couple could have been related to the Steier's trip.
Sauer says both David and Arlene were certified pilots, but it is unclear which one of them were flying at the time of the crash. He says "man, machine and environment" will all be looked over as part of the investigation meaning they will check for any human error, mechanical failure or weather. Sauer did indicate though that the weather was favorable on Sunday. The Steier's health records along with flight training and ratings will also be examined.
A preliminary report could be available as soon as next week, but a full report and investigation could take six months up to a year.