Welcome to TBO.com. Skip directly to: our Keyword Search, Section Navigation, Content.

TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online

TBO > News

3 People Killed In Vandenberg Airport Plane Crash

Tribune photo by JAY NOLAN

Tampa International Airport spokeswoman Brenda Geoghagan says officials think the plane hit a large antenna.

By JOSH POLTILOVE, RAY REYES and ELAINE SILVESTRINI

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 17, 2008

Updated: 07/17/2008 08:36 pm

Related Links

View Larger Map

Beechcraft Bonanza Aircraft, Similar To The Crashed Plane

TAMPA - Three people died in the crash of a single-engine airplane this afternoon at Vandenberg Airport. The plane was used by Angel Flight, a medical charity that takes poor patients to medical treatment.

Pilot Harlan Northcott, 81, of Sun City Center, Tyler McLellan, 15, of Stuart, and a 49-year-old woman died in the crash, Hillsborough sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said in a news release.

The name of the woman, who was receiving medical treatment in Tampa, has not yet been released by authorities because relatives have not been notified. McLellan was a family friend of the woman's, Carter said.

The Beechcraft Bonanza was registered to H.E. Northcott of Sun City Center, according the Federal Aviation Administration. It was scheduled to fly to Witham Field in Stuart.

Northcott was the pilot of the plane, son Glenn Northcott confirmed.

He fought back tears moments after arriving at the airport this afternoon. Glenn Northcott, who is a pilot for Continental Airlines, said his father had been flying Angel Flights for 20 years and today was transporting someone who had cancer.

Northcott was taking off from Vandenberg this afternoon and asked for flight clearance six minutes before the 3:27 p.m. crash, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue spokesman Bruce Delk said.

"The plane is pretty much scattered over a 100-yard area," Delk said.

The aircraft caught fire and burned after the crash.

Runway 5-23 is closed, Tampa International Airport spokeswoman Brenda Geoghagan said.

"They think it hit the glide slope antenna," an instrument that helps pilots land, Geoghagan said.

Hillsborough County deputies responded to the scene, 5808 Wilkins Road, along with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.

When fire crews arrived, they found the plane 100 feet off the runway and on fire. The fuselage was on fire, there was one wing on the ground and the propeller was 50 feet from the wreckage.

Fire crews used foam to extinguish the flames and found three people dead inside the plane. No other injuries were reported.

The plane never left airport property, Glenn Northcott said.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating what caused the crash. It is too early to tell whether weather played a factor or if there was a mechanical problem, Northcott said.

The National Weather Service said thunderstorms over the area were starting to diminish by about 3:15 p.m. and at 3:30 there was only light rain in the vicinity of the airport.

Winds were light, though there was heavy rain about 3 p.m. when thunderstorms spiked just west of the airport. Thunderstorms began in the area about 1:30.

Harlan Northcott has been flying since 1976 and enjoyed volunteering for Angel Flight, his son said.

"Eighty percent of the time he was doing volunteer work," Glenn Northcott said. "Twenty percent of the time, he was just flying to see people he loved."

Bill Shivers, wing leader for the Tampa Bay area Angel Flight, said the plane was on a flight for the organization. He did not have details on the purpose of the flight.

Describing Angel Flight's mission, Shivers said, "We fly financially distressed patients that could not otherwise get medical attention because they don't have money to travel."

According to the organization's Web site, the flights are made "by private aircraft to distant medical facilities when commercial service is not available, impractical or simply not affordable."

Glenn Northcott said he and his two children flew in to Tampa today from New Orleans to meet his father for dinner. Harlan Northcott told his son that he expected to return from his flight to Stuart by 6:30 p.m.

The last thing his father said to him was that he was excited to see everyone, Northcott said.

The last time the entire family was together was during a 10-day ski trip at Lake Tahoe in March, Northcott said. Other than being treated for prostate cancer, Harlan Northcott was in great shape, his son said.

"He was a very jovial guy," said Michael Green, Harlan Northcott's neighbor at Sun City Center. "He told me he was the happiest cancer patient in Sun City."

Today's crash was the deadliest Hillsborough County air crash in almost 11 years. In October 1997, a Cessna 402B crashed at Tampa International Airport, killing the commercial pilot and two passengers and seriously injuring as passenger.

Stay with TBO.com for details.

Reporter Neil Johnson, editor Howard Altman, researcher Melanie Coon and News Channel 8's Natalie Shepherd and Nadira Kharmai contributed to this report. Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7691.

Share this:

* To:
Your Name:
Your Email Address:
Personal Message [optional]: