SPALDING COUNTY, Ga. — As family and friends mourn the loss of four people killed in a plane crash on Interstate 285, federal investigators are working to figure out what caused the tragic crash.
The NTSB Investigator in Charge Eric Alleyne gave Channel 2's Aaron Diamant an exclusive tour of the Griffin salvage yard where NTSB investigators are sorting through what's left of the plane.
Alleyne is heading up the agency's effort to figure out what caused the single-engine Piper Saratoga to crash onto I-285 in Doraville Friday and burst into flames.
The plane crashed just minutes after taking off from DeKalb Peachtree Airport, killing pilot Greg Byrd, of Asheville, North Carolina, his sons Phillip and Christopher Byrd, and Christopher's fiancée, Jackie Kulzer of Atlanta. The plane was heading to a family member's graduation at the University of Mississippi.
"There's no pressure whatsoever. There is no deadline. There is no rush. What we want to do is prevent it from happening again," Alleyne said.
Alleyne walked Diamant through the painstaking process of piecing together the wreckage.
"Right now, I can't put my finger on anything. I can't tell you I'm looking at anything specifically. I'm just looking at everything right now," Alleyne said. "I'm looking at the airframe, and once that's completed then we'll move on to the engine, and once that's completed we'll move on to another part of the aircraft."
Alleyne the fact that the plane crashed on the highway, while horrific, helped contain the wreckage and any clues within it.
"I have all the parts of the aircraft and that's why I said that we're going to do a reconstruction. We're going to put those pieces in their respective locations to see what might have happened," Alleyne said. "As I go through that methodically, I'll close doors. If this wasn't the cause then I'll continue on. Whatever parts I find that I may feel that may be suspect, I'll send out to my lab to take a look at that."
Air traffic control radios give few clues as to what happened in the final moments. Pilot Greg Byrd's final words heard on the radio was the phrase, "We're gonna be down."
Alleyne says those recordings are just pieces of his puzzle. He says it's methodical work that he's confident will pay off.
"We will come up with a probable cause, that's what we do. We'll definitely come up with a probable cause. It will just take time," Alleyne said. "That is the purpose of the NTSB to prevent it from happening again."
While it could take the NTSB up to a year to issue its final report on the crash, Alleyne says he could release his preliminary report later this week.
Funeral service held for 3 victims
Hundreds of people gathered in Asheville, North Carolina, Monday to remember Greg Byrd and his sons, Phillip and Christopher.
Trinity Episcopal Church, where the Byrds were members, was packed full of friends, family and police officers there to honor reserve deputy Greg Byrd.
"Today has been a terrible day of remembering the loss of Greg, Phillip and Christopher and also Christopher's fiancée," said Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan.
Duncan fought to control his emotions as he talked about the three Byrds lost in the tragic crash. He said it was a tough day for the family, the community and local law enforcement.
Duncan said he and Greg Byrd started working for the Sheriff's Office on the same day, 17 years ago. To honor Greg, sheriff's deputies will have black bands over their badges through Tuesday.
"It is a strong bond, that law enforcement bond, and having that relationship with Greg, I knew he loved his family and was very proud of his boys," Duncan said. "It's just a very tragic loss for us and it's a very tragic loss for the family."
More than 700 people attended the memorial service. Our cameras were not allowed inside the church, but outside the service there were lots of hugs and tears as the church bells tolled for the lives lost.
"Terrific, great family on both sides. You should have heard the homily, you would've understood," said Phillip and Christopher's aunt Margaret Swicegood, who described the boys as top notch.
Chris and his fiancée, Jackie Kulzer, who was also on the plane, were set to be married in October in Asheville.
Kulzer's funeral will be held at Christ the King Church in Atlanta on Thursday.