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SPANISH FORK, Utah (AP) - Authorities have released a preliminary report on a Utah County plane crash in June that left a passenger dead and a pilot injured.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators say the plane crash happened June 27 after the pilot detected some equipment inside the plane overheating and burning. Officials say the pilot tried to land on the road near Birdseye, but hit powerlines and terrain on the way down.
Utah County Sheriff's Lt. Yvette Rice said at about 10:25 a.m. that morning, the Cessna 172 reported there was a fire in the cockpit and that the pilot was going to attempt to land on U.S. 89.
Then Utah Highway Patrol reported a plane crash off to the side of U.S. 89 near Birdseye at almost the same time the Salt Lake City International Airport was relaying the message.
The crash killed South Jordan resident Gerald Wilson, who was a crew member.
It seriously injured 66-year-old Orem resident Nicholas Soter, who was a contract pilot with the Springville-based company IMSAR. It took about 25 minutes to free Soter from the wreckage.
The flight was intended to test airborne radar systems. The report says the overheating happened in a supplementary electrical system meant to power the radar equipment.
Contributing: Pat Reavy
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