"I've never seen anything like that": Witness describes deadly Texas plane crash
Addison, Texas — New details are emerging about the victims of a small plane crash outside Dallas. All 10 people on board were killed Sunday morning when the plane crashed into a hangar just after takeoff.
Among the passengers who died was Alice Maritato, a sophomore in high school and her brother, middle school student Dylan Maritato. They were traveling with their mother, Ornella and step-father Brian Ellard, heading to St. Petersburg, Florida.
Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board found the cockpit voice recorder late Sunday night.
Pilot David Snell witnessed the crash from a nearby hangar.
"Myself and my other pilot friend, we knew that the plane was not producing the type of takeoff power that it typically would by the sound, plus it wasn't climbing the way it typically would and it appeared a little tail low and we knew that airplane was in trouble," he said.
The twin-engine Beechcraft Super King was taking off at the north end of the airport. Witnesses said it lifted off the runway, reaching about 300 feet, when it began losing power and altitude. The plane then veered left and dropped its left wing, before slamming into the hangar.
"All my years of flying I've never seen anything like that. But my thoughts are for the families, the people, the lives changed and there's nothing you can do about it," Snell said.
There is security video of the accident, but it's not expected to be released until the final report is released. A preliminary report could come out in a few weeks.
