New Details And Cause Of Plane Crash That Killed NASCAR Driver

NORTH BRANFORD, CT — Federal investigators report that a shop rag clogged a fuel line and was the cause of the fatal September 2017 crash of a four-seat prop plane, claiming the lives of the 81-year-old pilot and a NASCAR car racer.

The National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday that there was a "total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as the result of foreign object debris in the fuel selector valve." Improper maintenance, investigators said, led to a piece of a red mechanic's shop towel ending up in the plane's fuel system.

The crash killed veteran modified NASCAR driver, Ted Christopher, 59, and pilot Charles Dundas.

The plane came down, crashing into a stand of trees on September 16, a clear 75-degree day just around 2 p.m. in the area of West Street in North Branford.

According to the NTSB documents, Dundas, who owned and maintained the Mooney M20 plane, and Christopher had flown together for more than a decade. And, the two had flown the route they flew that day many times before: departing from Robertson Field Airport in Plainville, Connecticut, bound for Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach, New York. Christopher was driving in a NASCAR event at Riverhead Raceway in Long Island, New York that afternoon.

The NTSB also noted that Dundas' medical certificate had been denied 10 years before. And, investigators wrote, he suffered from severe cardiac disease, through that did not contribute to the crash.

The NTSB could not find the plane's maintenance logs and so don't know how or when the rag ended up inside the fuel system. Investigators also noted that there was a "homemade tool constructed of PVC pipe and connection fittings was found in the wreckage that appeared to be designed to manipulate the fuel selector" but couldn't be sure how or why it was made or used.

Federal aviation investigators wrote that once the plane lost power and Dundas could no longer fly the plane, he likely "was attempting to reach an open field that was about 1,500 ft beyond the accident site and had lowered the landing gear in preparation for landing, but due to the airplane's low altitude, it was unable to reach the field and impacted trees."

Read the full report here:

NTSB Final, Revised Report ... by Ellyn Santiago on Scribd

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At the time, NASCAR released a statement about Christopher's death.

“We are all saddened to learn of the tragic plane crash this afternoon that claimed the lives of NASCAR driver Ted Christopher and the aircraft’s pilot. As a championship driver on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and New England short tracks, Christopher was a throwback to NASCAR’s roots. He was a tough racer’s racer, and his hard driving style and candid personality endeared him to short track fans throughout the country. He will be missed throughout the racing community, in the garage and, especially, in the hearts of his many fans. NASCAR has his family and friends in its thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”