Greensboro—More information is emerging regarding the type of plane Frank Mascia flew at the time of Wednesday's deadly crash.
Carolyn Woodruff is an attorney in Greensboro, but in her spare time, she enjoys flying her Piper airplane.
"A Piper Archer is a standard plane for a low time pilot,” Woodruff said. “It's not totally a beginner plane. It's probably one step after the first plane pilots would fly."
It's the same type of plane Mascia was operating when he crashed Wednesday at Air Harbor Airport.
"Frank's was a 140, I own a 180 horsepower,” Woodruff said.
She doesn't think the crash was a failure in plane safety.
"The Piper is a very safe aircraft,” Woodruff said. “They've been making them for years and years. One of the reasons that small airplanes are safe are the FAA maintenance requirements."
Those requirements are extensive.
"You have to maintain and replace everything in an airplane on a schedule,” Woodruff said. “You don't wait until an airplane breaks; you fix it proactively. You at least have to have an annual inspection."
Those safety measures offer a reassurance that Woodruff says will keep her flying.
"A lot of people say 'Isn't it dangerous to fly a small plane like that?'” Woodruff said. “And I say it was more dangerous driving my car to the airport than it is to fly the plane. Yes, sometimes, it's unfortunate, we have aircraft accidents, but it doesn't create the fear of flying small planes for me."
Woodruff suspects the engine in Mascia's plane went out on takeoff, forcing him to land in trees at the airport.
She doesn't think weather was a factor in the crash.