A total of 12 people died in two separate crashes of light twins over last few days. A Beech Baron crashed at Shannon Airport in Fredericksburg, Virginia, at midday on Friday and a Piper Navajo went down in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Sunday morning. In both cases, all six aboard each of the aircraft died. Local authorities in Virginia are discussing possible causes of the crash while a technical problem appears to be a factor in the Alabama tragedy.
Although the official cause won’t be released for a year or more, local authorities in Virginia were quoted by the Washington Post as saying the Shannon crash occurred during a go-around attempt. The aircraft flew from Louisville to Shelbyville, Indiana, before heading to Shannon as the final destination. Late Sunday morning, the Navajo crashed just short of the runway in Tuscaloosa. The pilot issued a distress call reporting engine problems just before the crash. The aircraft departed Kissimmee Airport in Florida for a flight to Oxford, Mississippi.
