Wasilla man killed in plane crash was student pilot

The 25-year-old Wasilla man killed in a plane crash on a Knik River gravel bar a week ago was a student pilot, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

The federal agency has released its preliminary report on the Oct. 29 crash. Ray Justen was the pilot and sole occupant of the Cessna 172 aircraft. He died at the scene, Alaska State Troopers reported.

[Read more: Wasilla man killed in Knik River plane crash]

Justen's Cessna sustained "substantial damage" following a loss of control after takeoff, hitting the gravel bar 12 miles southeast of Palmer, according to the NTSB report.

"The airplane was registered to the student pilot, and was operated as a visual flight rules personal flight," the report says. No flight plan was filed, and Justen took off from the Wasilla airport at an unknown time.

Witnesses told investigators they saw the Cessna flying in the river valley. The plane did a touch-and-go landing on the gravel bar, and turned left after climbing about 100 feet.

When it turned, "the wings of the airplane rolled perpendicular to the ground, and it descended, nose low, before colliding" with the ground, the report says.

Gusty winds of up to about 29 mph were reported at the time of the crash.

Officials have recovered the wreckage from the scene and moved it to a secure facility for further examination of the frame and engine, which the report indicates were both heavily damaged.