Flightaware photo by wbcjr
FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said the person in the plane died in the crash around 0715 Friday at the Rock Hill/York County Airport.
The Cirrus SR-22 had just departed - aircraft returned to the airport and ‘nose dived into the ground’. (from witness).
News coverage video and photos.
Very sad.
Even sadder when FA has a user-submitted photo of the aircraft. Let’s all hope it wasn’t another member in the crash. I’m originally from upstate SC and have family that fly out of that airport. Very sad indeed.
Aircraft owned by one of the owners of the Charlotte Bobcats NBA team - Skip Beck - killed in the crash.
Two witnesses both described the departure as very low, with the engine making a vibration sound. Aircraft banked at least 45 degrees attempting to return to the airport - aircraft stalled - went near vertical striking an embankment which fragmented the aircraft.
NTSB will release a preliminary report in a few days.
So the lesson to be learned here is when something happens you got to keep flying the plane. So far I’ve been able to do that but there is always next time. Had he pulled the power and gone into a field/trees/road this would have been a non event. I don’t know what was going on but why is it so important to get back to the airport?
My god, how fast was the plane going when it hit?
He got his license to fly last year. Friends say his hobby for flying had turned into his passion.
If you abort the take off, you are admitting failure.
If you take off and manage to turn around and land, your a hero.
Pilots are A type personalities.
you do the math.
Frank…I agree 110 percent…only, and I stress the ONLY part, to return to the airport if altitude and speed allows. And even thats questionable. In my opinion, you have more, shall we say, controll of the situation by continuing to fly the aircraft and look forward to find ANYTHING that looks suitable enough to make somewhat of a controlled crash. Hell, we learned that in basic emergency procedures. The less you have to tip the wings the less altitude you lose. We all know this. I spent my better years for NAVAIR responding to aftermaths. And not a one ever made it by trying to return back to home plate. There are some…but extremely few. And that was becuase altitude and speed allowed. Just my opinion. And…if you fly with me and we lose power, during climbout, guess what…we’re not turning! You can handle the radios for me.
I think I’ve had too much coffee this morning. I’m rambling.
When will the rookie pilots start learning that they can not turn around and land back at the airport? Don’t CFI’s teach to land straight ahead? I never taught my students to turn back to the airport with an engine failure. This is what happens. 
No offense Im4point, but you dont have to be a rookie to make this kind of fatal mistake. Its part of flight planning in my opinion. And most importantly, and above all, decision making skills. Many pilots holding ATPs have made this mistake. A case that comes to my mind was 40 years ago, the summer of 69 in Miami, I was 10 years old and went to see the aftermath of what a DC4, converted to a Carvair, an ATL-98 lost power on take off in one engine and had fire in another, looked like. Yes, He tried to turn it around. The result was catastrophic. It was some Dominican Republic Airliner// freighter. I dont think he ever made it to 500 ft agl. So again, in my opinion, CFIs please feel free to opine, flight planning and decision making skills are paramount in these type of scenarios. Not the level of certification.
Heres the Official Report;
airdisaster.com/reports/ntsb/AAR70-17.pdf
Its kind of neat to say I was there. It was the most surreal thing for a 10 year old as myself to witness. Especially me, who was totally enamored with airplanes. Little did I know then, I would become a pilot and make a career out of fighting AC fires and rescuing pilots. Life is funny that way.
I have heard a few high time pilots almost brag that they would try the 180 so long as they have 500 ft. First thing I point out is that its not 180, its more like 220 + depending on wind etc and then I ask if they ever took a look at what’s straight ahead or a little to either side before they have to make such a decision in a split second. Best to think about what you would do at a given your altitude/speed wind direction, etc before you get in the plane.
I have heard a few high time pilots almost brag that they would try the 180 so long as they have 500 ft. First thing I point out is that its not 180, its more like 220 + depending on wind etc and then I ask if they ever took a look at what’s straight ahead or a little to either side before they have to make such a decision in a split second. Best to think about what you would do at a given your altitude/speed wind direction, etc before you get in the plane.
You can say that again! Oh, you did.
Roger, sorry, sorry. 
What time did the crash happen? My dad and I flew a Baron back from KMRH to KEXX yesterday and heard an ELT going off sometime after 12. It was only going off a few minutes. We were on 118.5 with Greensboro and heard just a minute of it going off. We just figured it was someone testing their ELT. Very sad to hear about the crash. Cirrus isn’t looking so hot.
Why didn’t he pull the chute?