Investigators are trying to figure out whether fog caused a small plane to crash Monday morning moments after it took off from Centennial Airport. The crash killed pilot John Raymer of Cincinnati. He was the only person on board. The plane crashed south of the airport near Peoria and E-470. It crashed in a field a quarter-mile south from the runway.
Witnesses say the plane burst into flames when it hit the ground.
It took rescue crews a while to find the plane, due to heavy fog in the area. We've got a debris field that goes for over half a mile. On impact where the wings were sheared off, those did catch fire. However, the passenger compartment of the aircraft is intact, explained South Metro Fire Chief Robert Rinne. The plane was bound for Santa Monica, California.