NORCO – (INT) – The National Transportation Safety Board reported Thursday that the ‘flying wing’ that crashed April 22nd at the California rehabilitation Center was performing a “barrel roll”.

Pilot David Vopat was at the controls and was killed when the vintage twin-engine plane plunged into an outpatient housing yard at the prison.

Witnesses said the plane ‘wobbled from side to side’ coming out of the ‘barrel roll’ before the canopy separated. The aircraft entered a steep right turn and dove nose-first to the ground.

Vopat regularly flew the plane owned by the Planes of Fame Museum at the Chino airport.

The cause of the crash is not expected for several months.

Watch David Vopat at controls of the flying wing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57ZyBbhcqbU

Story Date: May 22, 2019