Augusta, GA

NTSB releases initial report on Augusta plane crash a week ago

Published

8 months ago

May 10, 2024

NTSB releases initial report on Augusta plane crash a week ago

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The National Transportation Safety Board has released its initial report of a plane crash that killed a pilot near Daniel Field a week ago.

The report reaches no conclusion about the cause of the crash that killed Jason McKenzie – and isn’t meant to.

The first report is just a statement of facts, while the report on possible causes of the crash won’t come for a year to two years.

This new report doesn’t tell us much more than we already knew about the incident at Hillcrest Avenue at Belmount Drive.

It says the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza A36 departed Runway 5 at Daniel Field at 7:12 a.m. last Thursday, proceeded on the runway heading for about half a nautical mile, where a left turn was initiated.

The airplane continued in the left turn, at about 200 to 300 feet above the ground, for about 30 seconds and crashed into the top of mature oak trees in a residential area, severing the outboard half of the left wing.

The wing section remained lodged in a tree, about 60 feet above the ground.

The airplane continued and impacted the front yard of a residence, coming to rest upright.

There, it burst into flame at about 7:13 a.m.

READ THE REPORT:

Many are calling McKenzie a hero for avoiding deaths and injuries on the ground, even though he died in the crash.

Investigators took pieces of the airplane to a hangar elsewhere in Georgia, where they’ll put it back together and try to determine what happened.

In addition to physical evidence, investigators will be looking at flights the plane made in the 72 hours before the crash that may indicate whether anything has gone wrong.

We looked at the flight records, which show the plane had made several trips in the days before the crash, including:

To Greensboro, N.C., on April 24 and back to Daniel Field on Saturday.
To Southern Pines, N.C., and back on April 23.
To Sevierville, Tenn., and back on April 20.
To Thomson and back on April 18.

We know the Beechcraft Bonanza A36 was manufactured in 1999 and owned by WBME, a limited-liability corporation based in Warrenville, according to government records.

The plane had four cabin windows on each side, starboard rear double doors and seats for six. Two of those seats were in the cockpit and four were in the cabin – configured as two rows of two seats each, with the rows facing each other, according to photos of the plane posted online. It had a small cargo area in the rear.

Its certificate was valid until 2030.

Equipped with a three-blade propeller and a 300-horsepower engine, the model was introduced in 1968 and is still being made by the Beechcraft division of Textron – a company that has a plant in Augusta.

WBME was created in October 2023 and the plane was registered to it the next month. The previous owner was in California, so this was a new plane for the owner, though it was made 25 years ago.

The plane’s first flight under WBME ownership was in February of this year.

Beyond witness statements and video, the NTSB will scrutinize:

Recordings of any air traffic control communications.
Aircraft maintenance records.
Weather forecasts and actual weather and lighting conditions around the time of the accident.
A 72-hour background of the pilot.
Electronic devices.

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Augusta, GA

Winter weather causes crashes across CSRA on slick roads

Published

11 hours ago

January 10, 2025

Press Room

Winter weather causes crashes across CSRA on slick roads

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Multiple cars crashed due to winter weather conditions on I-20 in the CSRA early Friday morning, according to authorities.

On I-20 in Augusta, the road conditions at the Washington Road exit were hazardous, according to our reporter on the interstate.

Our reporter saw another wreck on the Bobby Jones overpass from I-520 to I-20 at 10:35 a.m. We’ve reached out to learn more.

Across the river, on I-20 westbound just before mile marker 4, multiple vehicles were pulled over after a car carrier crash around 10 a.m. in Aiken County.

On I-20 westbound just before mile marker 4, multiple vehicles were pulled over after a car carrier crash around 10 a.m. in Aiken County.

We have reached out to learn more.

Dispatch told us crews were on the scene of a multiple-car crash on I-20 eastbound at the Walton Way extension ramp at 9:25 a.m.

Officials say at least two vehicles were involved, but more were reported, and they are unsure how many exactly.

They did however say more vehicles became involved after sliding on the road from weather conditions.

Dispatch says they are unsure of any injuries or if any lanes were blocked.

Augusta, GA

Wayfair Outlet store opens at the Augusta Exchange

Published

20 hours ago

January 10, 2025

Press Room

Wayfair Outlet store opens at the Augusta Exchange

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The new Wayfair outlet is now open at the Augusta Exchange.

You will be able to find furniture and home décor at the location that used to be a Buy Buy Baby store.

It’s the latest store to open in the Augusta area.

One customer we spoke with says he thinks the store will be here for a while as it brings something different to the area.

“People are here spending money and they are here to make their house look better. I never thought I would be a dude in his 40s in an outlet, me in an outlet. But I did it today and I think it’s good,” said Carlton Ferguson.

It’s welcome news for fans of the Augusta Exchange, which has seen a bevy of closures in the past couple of years, including Subway, Genghis Grill, O’Charley’s, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Buy Buy Baby and Christmas Tree Shops.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta takes step to hire full time EMA Director

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Augusta takes step to hire full time EMA Director

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – There can be big time disaster emergencies in Augusta, but an emergency management director is not a full-time position for the city.

“I think lessons learned from Hurricane Helene, we desperately need it as we try to recover our city as we try to prepare from the next storm,” said Mayor Garnett Johnson.

The consolidation bill gives the mayor the authority to name an EMA director.

But for the last 20 years, the mayors have called on the fire chief to pull double duty while getting supplement pay.

But at the Mayor Johnson’s request, commissioners have approved beginning the process to hire a full time EMA director.

“You want to make sure that when disasters come, we are 100 percent fully prepared,” said Commissioner Stacy Pulliam.

“A city our size deserves someone who is full time committed to that role that helps with our storm preparedness,” said Mayor Johnson.

But when commissioners approved this year’s budget in November, funding for a new EMA director was not a part of it.

“You talking about cutting budgets but yet you’re talking about increasing personnel. It comes with a cost,” said Commissioner Tony Lewis.

“It will pay for itself as we go through this recovery for Hurricane Helene, as we try to see out grant opportunities and funding opportunities for reimbursement,” said the Mayor.

For sure the city has not seen its last emergency, now the city is seeking a permanent director to manage it.

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