Still no cause in latest NTSB report on 2015 plane crash

April 06--BLOOMINGTON -- Federal investigators still are not saying what caused the April 7, 2015, plane crash near Central Illinois Regional Airport that killed seven Twin City area men.

"A final report that includes all pertinent facts, conditions and circumstances of this accident will be issued upon completion, along with the (National Transportation) Safety Board's analysis and probable cause," according to a 14-page interim factual summary report issued Thursday.

The summary provides more details on the 12:06 a.m. crash but will be amended with more information, confirmed NTSB Air Safety Investigator Todd Fox. He said he couldn't estimate when the report will be finalized.

Killed in the crash that took place two years ago Friday were pilot Tom Hileman and six passengers: Torrey Ward and Aaron Leetch from Illinois State University's athletic department; Terry Stralow, co-owner of Pub II in Normal; Scott Bittner, owner of Eureka Locker Co.; Andy Butler, national account manager, Sprint/Nextel; and Jason Jones, senior vice president/investment officer of Secord-Jones Wealth Management Group.

The summary states the plane was overloaded, which can contribute to the pilot losing control, and the weather, as reported at the time of the crash, was very poor at the airport during the plane's approach.

"Calculations estimated that at the time of the accident the airplane was 366 (pounds) over the maximum landing weight," according the summary. "If the loaded airplane results in a (center of gravity) that is aft (nearer to the plane's rear) of the allowable limits, the airplane can become unstable and difficult to recover from an aerodynamic stall."

The summary also notes declining visibility and fog at CIRA between 9:56 p.m. April 6 and 12:05 a.m. April 7.

"About an hour before the flight departed, (CIRA equipment) reported 10 mile surface visibility," according to the summary. "About a minute before the accident, (CIRA equipment) reported ... 1/2 mile surface visibility with light rain and fog."

The summary also suggests Hileman was not fatigued during the flight; his wife, it states, reported that he was in good health and sleeping well.

The men were returning from the NCAA men's basketball championship game in Indianapolis at the time of the crash.

They had close ties to the ISU athletics department, and a memorial to them now stands near Redbird Arena in Normal.

A year after the crash, their families started "Project 7," an effort to honor the men's legacy and encourage Twin City residents to be kind to each other by completing acts of kindness for others. That effort continues Friday.

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Follow Derek Beigh on Twitter: @pg_beigh

Edith Brady-Lunny contributed to this report.

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