NTSB report: Plane crash not weather-related

2 St. Augustine businessmen killed in crash in Indiana on Oct. 3

CROWN POINT, Ind. – The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report in a plane crash in Indiana that killed two St. Augustine businessmen.

According to the report, the pilot was Patsy Crisafi, 45, and the passenger was Vincent Vaccarello, 48. Investigators said the crash doesn't appear to be weather-related.

The single-engine Cirrus SR2 crashed about 11:20 a.m. Oct. 3 in a wooded area about a mile short of Gary-Chicago International Airport in northwestern Indiana.

The plane is registered to Gandy AIR LLC in St. Augustine, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. It had left St. Augustine the day before and spent that night in Symrna, Tenn., before taking off for the Gary-Chicago airport about 9:25 a.m.

The pilot requested and was cleared for approach into the airport, according to the preliminary report. He was then issued a frequency change and instructed to contact the air traffic control tower. Investigators said the pilot did not check in on the tower frequency, and the plane hit trees and crashed.