FULLERTON : Plane Crash Probe Will Last About 6 Months

The cause of a crash of a private plane last week while the pilot was trying to land in the fog at Fullerton Airport will not be known until accident investigators complete their probe in about six months, officials said Tuesday.

National Transportation Safety Board officials released a preliminary report this week that noted weather conditions at the time of the crash but did not list a possible cause for the accident, which killed two people in the airplane and a third person on the ground.

Fullerton Airport Manager Roland Elder said the official cause of the crash will not be determined until federal aviation officials finish their investigation in about six months. Last week, NTSB Regional Director Gary Mucho said the investigation could take longer.

Leslie Arehart and Michael Benson, owner of the six-seater Piper Cherokee, died when the plane crashed into a townhouse complex during an approach to the airport. Sharan Ernst died while sleeping in her bed.

The three-page NTSB report released this week includes a one-paragraph narrative of the crash that noted the aircraft was attempting an instrument landing in the fog when it crashed about 6:30 a.m. Nov. 20.