National Transportation Safety Board investigators released a preliminary report Tuesday on the plane crash that killed a man who was flying upstate with three dogs he had rescued from a high-kill shelter in the South.
Seuk Kim, 49, died last month when the small plane he was flying to Albany from Maryland crashed in a remote area of Windham, Greene County. Two of the three dogs flying with him survived the crash.
The NTSB's preliminary report states that the Mooney M20J Kim was piloting reached an altitude of about 5,000 feet before it began descending. It does not say what caused the plane to descend.
While the the pilot reported moderate-to-heavy turbulence to air traffic control, he did not make any distress calls and in his last transmission, indicated the turbulence had subsided, the report states.
Kim, of Springfield, Virginia, helped save hundreds of animals from shelters, according to the Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley (ASSV). He was recently remembered as a dedicated, selfless friend.
While a puppy died in the plane crash, "Whiskey," a 4-month-old lab mix, and "Pluto," a young yorkie/terrier mix, survived despite suffering significant injuries.
The ASSV provided updates on Whiskey and Pluto on Facebook over the last couple of days. It said Whiskey is doing great at his foster home.
The vet plans to remove his splint this week and get some updated X-rays to see how his legs are healing. Whiskey has about another 4-5 weeks of healing before he will be ready for a "forever home."
It's happy days for Pluto. His foster mom helped ASSV find a perfect home.