SCOTTSDALE, AZ — A landing gear issue may have played a role in a deadly plane crash at Scottsdale airport earlier this month.
In a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Thursday, photos show the plane's landing gear "aft from its normal position" for a landing at the airport as it touched down that day.
It adds that once on the ground, the plane started veering left off the runway, over a rock-covered safety area between the runway and taxiways before crashing into a windsock, then a second plane.
The NTSB says the plane was traveling about 55 miles per hour when it hit the other aircraft.
The plane's captain was killed in the crash. The first officer, a passenger on the plane, and the captain of the other aircraft suffered serious injuries in the crash. Another passenger on the plane at fault had minor injuries.
NTSB investigators say the flight originated in Florida that morning and was transporting the passengers to Arizona for a local event.
After a stop in Austin, Texas to refuel, the plane departed for Scottsdale.
Investigators say they received security camera footage and numerous cell phone videos showing the plane's final descent into Scottsdale.
The landing gear that had an issue on the landing reportedly came off the plane during the landing and the crash.
The report also mentions the same plane had a hard landing incident last summer in Oklahoma.
A mechanic for the plane's previous owner worked on the plane after that incident.
Another mechanic who performed landing gear servicing on the plane in December stated nothing appeared unusual, but did not mention that the landing gear that did not work during the crash "took an excessive amount of grease."
The flight crews did not make any radio calls indicating they were aware that the landing gear may not be functioning.
A full report on the crash is not expected until at least next year.
