LAKEWAY, Texas — No malfunctions or mechanical issues were found in an airplane that crashed in Lakeway, killing a student pilot and seriously injuring a flight instructor, according to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board.
After the Cessna 172 airplane crashed into an intersection while attempting to land at the Lakeway Airpark on March 14, a student pilot -- identified as Kevin Henderson -- died. Randall "Scott" Nelson, the certified flight instructor (CFI), was seriously injured.
The airplane was registered to a private individual was being used by the Lakeway Flying Club to train Henderson. Around the time of the crash, a witness -- who is also a certified flight instructor -- saw the airplane "abort two landings," according to the report.
During the third landing attempt, the witness reportedly saw the plane "depart the controlled flight for unknown reasons" and crash. Investigators found that the plane hit a tree and a road sign before colliding with the ground.
The report said no other pilots flying in the area made any distress calls before the plane went down.
The student pilot and Nelson were taken out of the wreckage and taken to hospitals via air ambulance.
Henderson died when he got to the medical facility and Nelson remained in serious condition for several days after the crash. Nelson's wife told KVUE he is in good spirits and no longer needs help with oxygen.
PHOTOS: Plane Crash Wreckage in Lakeway
Two days after the crash, on March 16, investigators looked at the frame of the plane and the engine but found that no mechanical malfunctions or failures happened before the impact. Investigators also looked at the plane's maintenance records and found no evidence of mechanical discrepancies with the plane's airframe and engine.
The day the crash happened, the report said a CFI flew the plane with a student pilot earlier and reported no mechanical malfunctions or problems with the frame or engine.
At the site of the accident that day, investigators found no visual problems with the weather conditions.
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