FAA: Plane in ‘dive’ before fatal crash

An initial report on the fatal plane crash near Maricopa Feb. 5 indicates the vintage craft was in a downward spiral before it hit the ground.

The two men on board were killed. The accident was off Peters and Nall Road west of Ralston Road just before noon.

The preliminary report released Thursday by the Federal Aviation Administration does not speculate on the cause of the crash of the North American F-51D Mustang “Big Beautiful Doll,” a model used during World War II to escort B-17 aircraft.

A witness a mile from the crash site told FAA investigators the plane was in a nose-down spiral 1,500-2,000 feet above the ground. Another witness near the crash reported “the airplane was in a dive and that he did not observe the airplane pull out of the descent.”

According to the report, the flight left Stellar Airpark in Chandler that morning with no flight plan filed. The airplane apparently caught fire after it hit the ground.

The pilot was 61-year-old Chandler resident Jeffrey Pino, former president of Sikorsky Aircraft. He was also a former test pilot for the U.S. Army. The passenger was former commercial airline pilot Nicholas Tramontano, 72, of Connecticut.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge reported “all the major components of the airplane were located at the main wreckage site. A debris path extended from the forward part of the airplane about 150 feet and contained various debris including fragments of the canopy. A majority of the fuselage structure and wings were consumed by a post impact fire. The power lines located adjacent to the main wreckage were not damaged.”

The airplane’s remains were transported to a secure facility for examination as FAA’s investigation continues.