A preliminary report about a small plane crash that killed a pilot at a southwestern Michigan airport last month says witnesses reported seeing the plane operating erratically while taking off.
The Battle Creek Enquirer reports the National Transportation Safety Board says a witness "saw that the wings were rocking back and forth during the takeoff."
The plane crashed Aug. 27 at Battle Creek's W.K. Kellogg Airport, killing 48-year-old William Pergerson II. The pastor from Berrien Springs was the lone occupant.
Officials say he took off from the airport, began experiencing difficulty and tried to land the plane. On the second landing attempt, the plane crashed into a grassy field near a runway.
A full report on the investigation of the crash won't be complete for about a year.
Report: Small plane operating erratically before fatal crash
