The pilot of a small plane that crashed in Cumberland County in 2022, killing the pilot and his father, pulled up too sharply after takeoff, which caused the plane to stall, according to federal investigators.
Pilot Kristofer Noone, 24 and his father, John Noone III, 67, had just taken off from Bucks Airport in Upper Deerfield on the afternoon of Sept. 19, 2022, when their Champion Aeronca 7AC single-engine aircraft “aggressively pulled up” in a steep climb near the end of the runway, a witness told National Transportation Safety Board investigators.
The agency’s findings are contained in a final report on the crash issued Jan. 30.
While the plane cleared nearby power lines, the engine sounded as if it was not accelerating or generating full power, according to the witness, and the craft “entered a descending left turn” before impact.
The plane crashed in the front yard of a residence about 500 feet from the end of the runway.
The National Transportation Safety Board concluded that the probable cause of the crash was a stall and loss of control after the angle of the plane exceeded its ability to generate lift.
Family and friends gathered to remember Kristofer Noone, 24, and his father, John Noone III, 67, during a memorial in 2022. Kristofer and John were killed when their small plane crashed in Cumberland County.Dave Hernandez | For NJ Advance
One of Kristofer’s brothers, John Noone IV, said he disagreed with the investigation’s finding of pilot error. After seeing videos of the takeoff, he believes the plane lost power.
“Based on what I saw, he lost engine power when he was still on the runway, but he was already committed to flying,” said Noone, who is also a pilot.
He feels his brother was trying to safely bring the plane back down in a nearby cornfield to avoid endangering others.
“I think he was just trying to do his best to get the plane away from any obstructions, away from any houses and into an open field,” Noone said.
The investigation found no mechanical problems which would have prevented normal engine operation and no issues with the plane’s flight controls.
The federal report did find that the temperature and dew point at the time of the crash were favorable for “serious carburetor icing,” which could have resulted in a partial loss of engine power during the initial climb after takeoff.
“The available evidence for this investigation did not indicate whether or not the pilot applied carburetor heat before or during the flight,” the investigator added in the report.
An accomplished pilot, Kristofer Noone served as first officer with Spirit Airlines, flying an Airbus A320, and had previously worked as a flight instructor.
John Noone III was also a pilot and had recently opened a new hangar facility at Bucks Airport with his sons, fulfilling a lifelong dream, according to his family.
Kristofer Noone was a professional with thousands of hours of flight experience, John Noone IV said, adding that his bother and father were “stellar pilots.”
The family’s tragedy has only reinforced Noone’s commitment to flying and carrying on his family’s legacy. He’s pursuing a career as a commercial airline pilot.
“I’m a third-generation pilot. I can’t just walk away from it,” he said. “It’s been such a part of our life for all these generation. I’ve got to keep on keeping on for our family’s sake.”
Stories by Matt Gray
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Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com.