Report says pilot error caused Centralia plane crash in July

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A report from the National Transportation Safety Board indicates pilot error was the likely reason for a July 22 plane crash in a cornfield near Centralia.

The report says the pilot failed “to maintain clearance from power lines during low-level maneuvering."

Wren Johannaber, 31, of Huntsville, suffered serious injuries after crashing a crop duster plane into power lines in July. He was in fair condition the next day, according to previous reporting.

Johannaber allegedly told investigators that “there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation,” the report says. The plane’s last inspection was on July 1.

The crash led to more than 1,200 electric customers losing power in Boone County. The report says there was “substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.”