NTSB investigator: Plane was flying too high to land before deadly crash

On Friday, June 10, 2016, a crew works to remove the wreckage of a small plane from a parking lot where it crashed Thursday killing three people, in Houston. On Friday, June 10, 2016, a crew works to remove the wreckage of a small plane from a parking lot where it crashed Thursday killing three people, in Houston. Photo: Jon Shapley / Houston Chronicle Photo: Jon Shapley / Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 63 Caption Close NTSB investigator: Plane was flying too high to land before deadly crash 1 / 63 Back to Gallery

Air traffic controllers at Hobby Airport on Thursday twice ordered the pilot of a small private plane to go around and make another attempt at a safe landing before it crashed into a nearby parking lot, killing the three people who were aboard.

The single-engine Cirrus SR-20 crashed shortly after 1 p.m., striking a car parked at an Ace Hardware store in the 6800 block of Telephone - about a mile northwest of the airport. The pilot and two passengers were killed on impact.

An investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board said the tower at Hobby Airport told the pilot the airplane was approaching the runway at too high an altitude.

"On the second approach, they were also too high. The air traffic controller again directed the aircraft to go around," said NTSB investigator Tom Latson.

As it was making a third attempt to land at Hobby, the airplane apparently stalled and lost power. Witnesses saw it dive nose-first toward the ground, Latson said.

The airplane collided with a car but narrowly missed any nearby buildings, power lines and a propane tank. There were no other reported injuries.

"That is remarkable," Latson said.

The airplane departed from the airport in Norman, Okla. about 10:15 a.m. Thursday for the flight to Houston. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the airplane is owned by Safe Aviation LLC in Moore, Okla.

Latson did not identify the pilot or passengers, saying that would be up to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, the Thunder Valley Raceway Park in Noble, Okla. identified the victims as Tony Gray, his wife Dana and brother Jerry.

"Everyone at (Thunder Valley Raceway Park) would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the Gray family. We have no words to describe the loss to the (Thunder Valley Raceway Park) family, as the Gray family have been long time racers, sponsors, and friends at the track," they said in the Facebook post. They ended it with: "Race in Peace."

FAA records also list a Dana Frances Gray from Moore, Okla., as having a license to be a private pilot. But, it wasn't immediately known Thursday whether she was at the controls during the fatal crash.

The airplane was equipped with a unique parachute system that is designed to prevent such crashes. If necessary, the pilot can pull a handle on the cockpit ceiling that will trigger the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System. It is designed to provide a crucial extra layer of safety.

When the handle is pulled, a rocket will shoot out and draw out a parachute. The force of the rocket also releases straps once connected to the fuselage that within seconds become part of the harness for the unfurling parachute.

"It appears the rocket motor deployed either immediately before or just after impact," Latson said. "The rocket motor did deploy (but) the parachute did not."

On Thursday, a spokesman for the Duluth, Minn.-based Cirrus Aircraft could not be reached for comment. Last year, a private plane with the same parachute system successfully set down in a neighborhood cul-de-sac in northwest Harris County after the pilot reported having engine problems. Company officials have said their system works when the plane is at least 500 feet above the ground and flying about 130 knots.

The investigation into Thursday's fatal crash will continue Friday. The manufacturer of the aircraft and the engine will be involved in the inquiry. After that, the aircraft will be taken to Dallas and stored in a secure facility until the investigation continues, Latson said.

Chron.com's Craig Hlavaty contributed to this report.