VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The National Transportation Safety Board is trying to verify if the two planes that collided and crashed in Edgewater on Saturday were among planes practicing formations.
If that did happen, the NTSB said the pilots, who were both killed, more than likely would have had a lot of experience.
Skywitness 9 pilot Nicholas Christokas said he could tell a few things from the wreckage.
“What I could tell, in the midair, is that they hit and they lost control because they came straight down,” said Christokes. “There were no trees or anything where they would try to run on or hit.”
[ Photos: Double-plane crash in Volusia County ]
NTSB air safety investigator Dan Boggs said he hasn’t spoken to the other pilots to confirm what they were doing while flying.
“I don’t know if the aircraft were here for 'Sun and Fun,' which starts next week, or if they’re just a group of aviation enthusiasts that like to practice flying on weekends and all,” said Boggs.
Boggs said before formation practice, pilots usually sit down and have a long briefing about what will be done in the air.
[ Raw: Scene where 2 planes crashed, collided in Edgewater ]
“They’re all in communication with each other but radio and they usually plan out the whole flight of what’s going to happen,” Boggs said.
He plans to interview the other pilots Sunday.