NTSB investigates fatal plane crash in Niagara County

YOUNGSTOWN, NY – The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into the crash of a single-engine plane that killed a 26-year-old pilot from the town of Tonawanda.

According to the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, Melanie Georger was pronounced dead Saturday at the crash site along the Niagara Scenic Parkway after the Cessna 208B she was flying in hit the ground around 12:30 p.m.

An initial investigation by the sheriff’s office revealed that Georger was the only person on board when the plane fell from the sky. She was returning to land after dropping off several skydivers from Skydive the Falls.

Georger is a graduate of Kenmore East High School and the University at Buffalo, where she studied aerospace engineering. Her father told 2 On Your Side on Saturday that she is an aviation lover.

On Monday, NTSB investigators were at the crash site and examined the wreckage.

The fuselage, or main body, of the aircraft was loaded onto the back of a trailer and what appeared to be part of the tail was lifted with the help of a small crane and moved up the embankment where it lay.

The NTSB said in a statement that it would not speculate on the cause of the crash while it collected possible evidence at the scene. However, investigators have already begun documenting, packing and preparing the wreckage for further examination at an off-site location.

Investigators collect the following information and records, considering three main areas: the pilot, the aircraft, and the operating environment.

• Flight route data
• Records of all air traffic control communications
• Aircraft maintenance records
• Weather forecasts and actual weather and lighting conditions at the time of the accident
• Pilot license, authorizations and current flight experience
• 72-hour pilot background to determine if there were any issues that may have affected the pilot’s ability to safely conduct the flight
• Witness statements
• Electronic devices that may contain information relevant to the investigation
• All available surveillance videos, including doorbell cameras

The NTSB has asked anyone who witnessed the accident or who may have surveillance video or other information that may be relevant to the investigation to contact the company at [email protected].

A representative from Skydive the Falls told 2 On Your Side by phone on Monday that they would not comment on the crash until the NTSB’s investigation was complete.

A preliminary report from the NTSB detailing the exact facts of the crash is expected within 30 days of the accident.

All likely causes and factors contributing to the crash will be detailed in a final report, which may take 12 to 24 months to be published.