Preliminary Report on Fatal Redwood Shores Plane Crash Released By National Transportation Safety Board

The National Transportation Safety Board has issued its preliminary report two weeks after the fatal Sept. 2 airplane crash that took three lives. The cause of the accidents has yet to be determined. 

On an otherwise calm Thursday afternoon, a Beech 65 airplane took off from the San Carlos Airport. Minutes later, the plane crashed into the saltwater lagoon of the Redwood Shores, damaging the plane and taking the lives of the pilot, plane owner, and one passenger.

Earlier reports identified the victims as Robert Borrmann, 91, of East Palo Alto, Adelina Urbina-Suarez, 57, of Daly City, and William Heinicke, 73, of San Francisco.

Made in 1961, the airplane had undergone its annual inspection last September and was engaged in flight to position itself for this years inspection, Federal Aviation Administration records show.

"The airplane was removed from the water about 30 hours after the accident," said the report.

"On-site examination revealed crush damage...to the nose, cabin, wings, and engine nacelles," the report said. "Recovery divers reported that the lagoon bottom was silt and mud, with a water depth of about 10 feet. The engines had separated from the wings, but remained attached by cables."

The first of three planned reports, the next is due out within nine to 12 months of the accident, and the third report, detailing the cause of the crash, is expected to be issued in 18 months.