OSHP releases body camera footage from deadly Ashtabula County plane crash

ASHTABULA COUNTY, Ohio (WOIO) - The Ohio State Highway Patrol released body worn camera footage from the May 25 plane crash in Ashtabula County.

OSHP identified 75-year-old Alan C. Kettunen of Geneva as the one who suffered fatal injuries from the crash.

OSHP said the other occupant in the plane was a 59-year-old Madison man who suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration continues to investigate the deadly crash, which OSHP said happened around 10 a.m. near SR 307 west of Sexton Road in Geneva.

“When we arrived on scene it was determined that the aircraft was a 2007 Zenith 701,” Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Timothy Grimm said. “Single engine aircraft, it did have two occupants.”

According to NTSB investigators on scene, the owner of the plane was not the main pilot.

Instead, a second person was piloting the small airplane when it collided with some trees in the area, which lead to it crashing down.

“There is one confirmed fatality, the other occupant did suffer some serious burns but is expected to make a recovery,” Grimm said.

NTSB investigators on scene also told 19 News that the flight was local after taking off from Germack Airport that same morning, where it was supposed to land shortly after.

“There was one witness of the crash, didn’t hear any kind of mechanical issues with the plane but did see that it was flying low,” Grimm said. “(He) heard the contact with the trees and then the subsequent crash into the ground.”

The NTSB released it’s preliminary investigation report.

According to the pilot-rated passenger, who was also the owner of the airplane, he purchased the airplane in October 2024. He and the pilot subsequently removed the wings and transported the airplane to Germack Airport (7D9), Geneva, Ohio. The purpose of the flight was to conduct a test flight following the airplane’s reassembly and inspection. During the preflight inspection, the pilot ensured the flight controls were free and correct and no anomalies were noted during the engine run-up check.

The passenger reported that during the initial takeoff roll, “the airplane didn’t seem like it wanted to fly”, and the takeoff was aborted. The pilot taxied the airplane back to the departure end of runway 19 and initiated a second takeoff. The airplane became airborne approximately 1,800 ft down the 3,260-ft-long paved runway. During the initial climb, at an altitude of about 150 ft above ground level (agl), the airplane was unable to gain additional altitude. The pilot then pitched the nose down to gain airspeed, but the airplane was unable to maintain level flight. A surveillance video captured the engine sound consistent with operating power as the airplane descended to the trees in a nose-up attitude.

You can read the full report here.