Investigators say pilot error caused ’06 crash

Pilot error was the likely cause of a late-night plane crash last year that killed five IU students, federal investigators have said.\nAccording to a National Transportation Safety Board report, no mechanical problems were found with the plane that would have caused the April 20, 2006, crash after it clipped trees about half a mile short of the Monroe County Airport.\nThose killed were the pilot, Georgina Joshi, 24, of South Bend, and passengers Zachary Novak, 25, of Anderson; Robert Clayton Samels, 24, of Medina, Ohio; Garth Eppley, 25, of Wabash, Ind. and Chris Bates Carducci, 28, of Monroe, Mich.\nAll were graduate students at the IU Jacobs School of Music and were returning to Bloomington after a concert rehearsal in West Lafayette.\nThe NTSB report released Wednesday blamed the crash on "the pilot's continued descent below decision height and not maintaining adequate altitude/clearance from the trees while on approach."\nA review of the single-engine Cessna's engine monitor found a reduction in fuel flow consistent with slowing for a descent, followed by an increase to full power before the crash, the report said.\nOther factors for the crash cited by investigators were the nighttime lighting conditions and mist as the Bloomington airport reported visibility of one mile and overcast conditions at 100 feet.\nGeorgina Joshi, the pilot, was certified for instrument flight and had nearly 380 hours of flight time, the report said. Toxicology tests on Joshi returned negative.\nThe NTSB report said the pilot made a radio call at 11:43 p.m., telling flight controllers at the Terre Haute airport that the plane was about six miles from the Bloomington airport and approaching land.\nA flight controller told the pilot the radio frequency for flights at the Bloomington airport, after which the pilot responded, "Thank you, sir." That was the last communication controllers had with the plane, the report said.\nThe Monroe County Sheriff's Department received its first calls of a possible plane crash about 11:45 p.m., and the wreckage was found some four hours later.