Weather 
FRESNO, Calif. — The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report on a deadly plane crash in northwest Fresno, California, on Sept. 5 that killed four members of the Eady family: Danna, who piloted the aircraft, her husband, Craig, and two of their youngest sons.
According to the report, surveillance video shows Danna and the other three passengers boarding a Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-5 airplane at the owner’s home located at the Sierra Sky Park Airport.
The plane began its takeoff and aborted halfway down the runway. The airplane turned around at the end of the runway and went back to the owner’s home.
Text messages between Danna and the owner show that she was experiencing a radio problem. According to additional messages, the plane’s owner contacted a mechanic to troubleshoot the radio issue.
A few minutes later, the mechanic arrived and looked at the plane shortly before the airplane was seen taxiing toward the runway for the second time.
News Aviation Consultant John Nance says this tells him the mechanic may not have checked anything else.
“I seriously doubt it was anything more than the radio at that particular point, or probably the takeoff would’ve not continued,” says Nance.
NTSB says witnesses near the runway saw the airplane begin to take off, and as it lifted off, the nose suddenly turned upward.
This is a key piece of information; Nance says it leads to further questions.
“It pitched up suddenly at the end of takeoff, which an experienced instructor would not normally do. Would not do, except in response to something,” Nance said.
According to witnesses, the engine sounded weak but did not misfire or sputter.
The report goes on to say that the airplane continued down the runway with a “nose-high attitude” 30 to 40 feet above ground.
Additional surveillance video shows the plane further down the runway before it flew out of view of the camera.
NTSB says the crash happened approximately 1,000 feet northwest of the end of the runway at the top of a slope near trees.
The first sign of impact was with a large branch near the top of a 40-foot tree that had recently been cut to comply with Federal Aviation Administration regulations for the airport.
The plane came to rest upright, but the nose landing gear was separated and found uphill near the impacted trees.
Nance says while the report gave a glimpse into what may have led to the tragedy, we are far from having all of the facts.
“There’s a real puzzle here that gets to the heart in my view, looking closely at weight and balance, and anything else that might’ve affected the flight controls of the airplane,” says Nance.
The plane was mostly destroyed by a fire that started after it crashed, which burned about one acre around the crash site.
The wreckage was taken to a secure facility for further investigation.
Emergency crews found Danna and Craig Eady outside of the wreckage with severe injuries, while the couple’s sons were later found dead at the scene.
Danna and Craig were both taken to the hospital.
Danna died on Sept. 5 in the evening from injuries suffered in the crash.
Craig had suffered severe burn wounds and died two days later, on Sept. 7, surrounded by family, including his oldest son and daughter.
The two surviving children were not on the plane at the time of the crash.
© 2026 KFSN-TV. All Rights Reserved.
