NTSB releases report on plane crash that killed pastor

The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report of its investigation into a deadly plane crash that took the life of a Berrien Springs Pastor last month.

William Pergerson was killed on Aug. 27 when his home-built One Easy plane crashed shortly after taking off from the W K Kellogg Airport in Battle Creek, Mich.

Witness at the airport the day of the crash spoke to NTSB investigators about what happened that day.

The reports states people who had met with Pergerson earlier in the day noticed some dripping oil on the back of the plane. They said Pergerson wiped it off, and said he'd been having trouble keeping the cap to the oil tank secured tightly.

Around 8 p.m. Pergerson  started taxiing his plane on the runway. An airport employee told investigators she noticed the aircraft "bouncing" back and forth. She says the plane's wings continued to rock back and forth during takeoff.

Once airborne, the plane couldn't fly in a straight line, so the pilot turned the plane around to land. An employee in the control tower told investigators the plane took a nose dive and then crashed into the ground, catching fire.