ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The NTSB blames “excessive air speed” for a deadly plane crash in St Augustine more than two years ago.
The pilot was Marianne Fox, who was an experienced competitive flyer. She died after crashing near the regional airport.
Before the crash, Fox said her engine was doing something “weird.”
The final report from the NTSB could not tell what happened to the engine.
It does say the engine lost power but investigators do not know why.
“Did the boat leave yet”? Fox asked an air traffic controller shortly after crashing, as she was figuring out when first responders would be able to reach her.
“Yes, the boat left and [first responders are] trying to get it through,” the air traffic controller responded. “It is a little tricky where you are at. It is kind of marshy so it’s going to be a few minutes, but they are on the way to get you. Just hang in there.”
That was the last communication Fox had with air traffic control shortly after crashing back in March 2022.
She died at the hospital soon after.
According to the final NTSB report, Fox was going too fast during her emergency landing and overshot the runway before crashing into some marsh nearby.
The report says the recommended speed in a situation like that is 90 knots. It says Fox came in at 165 knots.
She acknowledged that while in communication with air traffic control.
“It was too much speed,” Fox said. “I should have slowed down.”
“We are getting help out to you right now,” the air traffic controller said to her.
According to the report, Fox’s fiancé was flying in a separate plane behind her and saw that she was having problems. He radioed air traffic control and that is when an emergency was declared.
“My flight partner is having engine troubles,” Fox’s fiancé said to air traffic control. “Her engine is not running well. She is making a beeline to the airport right now.”
The NTSB says Fox died by drowning.
The report says that after the crash, Fox was trapped and the cockpit was filling with water.
She managed to communicate with air traffic control for a little bit:
“Are you doing OK?” an air traffic controller asked Fox.
“I am trapped under this canopy,” Fox said.
Fox said she was wedged between the ground and mud, and had a bad cut that was bleeding.
The final report says the shallow water and the terrain made it challenging for first responders to get to Fox quickly.
The reports say a good Samaritan managed to get to her first to try and help her breathe through a hole in the plane.
Eventually, first responders got to her and took her to a hospital, where she died.
Fox was a skilled and experienced pilot who flew in aerobatic competitions.
According to the International Aerobatic Club, which Fox was a member of, she flew in her first competition in 2020 in the Primary category in Oregon.
Fox moved up to the Sportsman Category in 2021 and flew in five different contests
She came in first place in the Regional Series competition in the Northwest Region
A lot of people had a lot of good things to say about Fox.
A post on the International Aerobatic Club’s website said Fox would be remembered as someone who was adventurous, charming, intelligent and inspired people who were around her.