NTSB Blames Pilot For Keystone Lake Plane Crash

Federal investigators are blaming the pilot for a plane crash in Lake Keystone back in august of 2022.

Wednesday, November 2nd 2022, 6:57 am

By: News On 6

OASGE COUNTY, Okla. -

Federal investigators are blaming the pilot for a plane crash in Lake Keystone back in august of 2022.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its final report on the crash.

The crash involved 66-year-old pilot Bruce Forbes and 19-year-old passenger Bailey Nevill, according to OHP. Forbes was injured in the crash, Nevill was uninjured.

Authorities say Forbes, of Collinsville, was flying a Boeing Stearman PT-17 Biplane when the two crashed into Keystone Lake near Mud Creek in Osage County just after 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 27.

The NTSB report said that after the crash, Forbes told investigators the engine of the plane began to sputter amid a descent and while working to troubleshoot the problem, he crashed into a power line. The passenger of the plane, however, told investigators that the plane's engine was “running completely fine the entire ride." The passenger went on to say that they "then began flying really low [and the pilot] said, ‘this is where I like to do some water dancing.’” The passenger told investigators that, while flying low, they had noticed that the airplane was at the same level as some nearby power lines when they collided with the power lines before crashing in the water.

The NTSB's report determined the probable cause of the crash to be a failure by the pilot to maintain a proper distance from the power lines while intentionally flying low.

The report said, "The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during intentional low-level maneuvering."

After the crash, the two were rescued by boat and taken to shore.