Two men killed in an Erie plane crash were practicing touch-and-go landings during an instructional flight before the crash, a National Transportation Safety Board report found.

The plane completed four touch-and-go landings, but as it approached the runway a fifth time, it began to climb in elevation instead of touching down, according to the report.

Witnesses reported seeing the airplane tumble or flip and surveillance camera footage showed the airplane spinning toward the ground.

An emergency airframe parachute did not deploy during the crash, the report states.

The NTSB has recovered the plane for further examination, according to the report.

Niles August Tilenius, 22, of San Mateo County, California, and William Johnston, 21, of Hillsborough County, Florida, were identified as th

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