The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report on a plane crash near the Billings airport in April that took the life of a Billings man.
According to the report, 64-year-old Lloyd Gerber of Billings was the pilot and only person on board the Piper twin engine plane. It took off 9:50 a.m. April 20 from runway 28L heading west.
Witnesses saw the plane lower than normal at the end of the runway. One witness said the plane was in a slow descent with the nose up. The plane flew about a mile before it crashed into a ravine and burst into flames.
The tower did not have any communication with the pilot after he took off, and the plane was intact before it crashed near the Billings Rod and Gun Club.
The airplane reached 100 feet above ground before losing power and descending.
Click here to read the full report.
