Florida Tech And FIT Aviation Pilots Killed In Plane Crash

 

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Florida Tech And FIT Aviation Pilots Killed In Plane Crash

By
Mike Mitchell
 
 

November 15, 2010 – On Thursday at 6:05 PM, Florida Institute of Technology pilot training facility, FIT Aviation, aircraft, a Piper PA-44-180 Seminole, N883FT, carrying four onboard crashed just after takeoff at Palm Beach International Airport.

The NTSB lead investigator Ralph “Butch” Wilson reported the Piper Seminole’s left engine failed on takeoff as a result of the engine not getting any fuel. When "corrective action" wasn't taken quickly enough, the pilots lost control.

"There are things that the pilots could have done, if they had reacted quickly, that might have helped the end result," Wilson said. "If you don't take corrective action, there is no control of the aircraft. It's going to roll over and do its thing."

The aircraft crashed about two minutes after takeoff, the twin-engine plane's right wing struck the ground, cartwheel and caught on fire killing three of the four passengers at the time of the crash and on Saturday the fourth passenger died at St. Mary’s Medical Center.

The Florida Institute of Technology aircraft was on a training flight in which the pilot and his instructor and passengers flew to the Bahamas and returned back to the states landing at Palm Beach International Airport to refuel and to go through customs and was headed back to their home base, Melbourne International Airport.

The pilot Kristopher Henegar and flight instructor Dheni "Jenny" Frembling where at the controls on takeoff. Frembling reported to air traffic control just after departure that the left engine was not working. Shortly after that transmission the aircraft crashed.

 

Onboard were pilot Kristopher Joy Henegar, age 22, of Memphis Tennessee. Henegar held a commercial pilot certificate and Instrument rating in airplane single engine land and airplane multiengine land. Henegar was a student at Florida Institute of Technology and was to graduate in December.

Kristopher’s brother, Kyle Henegar, age 26 of Palm Bay, Florida was onboard. Kyle was a former student of Florida Institute of Technology alumnus class of 2008. Kyle survived the initial crashed but past away on Saturday.

Dheni “Jenny” Teresa Frembling, age 26, from Melbourne, Florida was a flight instructor at FIT Aviation and instructor on the aircraft. Frembling is also a Florida Institute of Technology alumna class of 2006.

 

Jordyn Leigh Agostini, age 21, girlfriend to Kristopher was from Broomall, Pennsylvania was a student at Florida Institute of Technology and a flight instructor at FIT Aviation. She was due to graduate from Florida Tech College of Aeronautics in December.

 
   

Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech) has set up grief counseling services for students and employees and held a candlelight vigil at the Panther Plaza on the Melbourne campus on Friday at 8 p.m.  

"Florida Tech and F.I.T. Aviation are dealing with great sorrow today. Words do not do justice to the loss we are all feeling at this time. As a university community, we are coming together to support each other. We continue to reach out to the friends and loved ones of those lost in this tragedy” said Anthony J. Catanese, Florida Tech President.  

FIT Aviation which provides flight training is a subsidiary of Florida Institute of Technology and are located at the Melbourne International Airport on Florida’s Space Coast. It operates a fleet of more than 40 aircraft, from basic single-engine flight trainers to more advanced twin-engine airplanes. 

 

 

 
 
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