ELKO — Federal regulators investigating a fatal plane crash in Elko say the medical aircraft appeared to lose power immediately after takeoff before it crashed into a parking lot and burst into flames, killing all four people on board.
The National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report Thursday the twin-engine Piper "Cheyenne II" was still making its initial climb about a half-mile from the runway on Nov. 18 when it turned left about 30 degrees and stopped climbing.
A witness told the NTSB the plane bound for Salt Lake City then made an abrupt left bank and descended out of his line of sight before crashing.
The pilot of the American Med Flight Inc. was killed along with two medical crew members and a patient.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
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