A cockpit voice recorder recovered from Lake Erie captured the moments before a plane carrying six people crashed into the water nearly two weeks ago, federal investigators said Wednesday.
The National Transportation Safety Board said that sounds from the entire flight were captured on the recording. The agency plans a detailed analysis of the recording, said spokesman Eric Weiss.
Recovery crews on Wednesday continued to find more pieces of debris near what is believed to be the crash site from the business jet that vanished from radar shortly after taking off from Cleveland's lakefront on Dec. 29.
The pilot, a Columbus businessman, his wife, their two sons, and two neighbours are presumed dead.
Divers found the plane's cockpit voice recorder Friday along with a seat containing human remains.
Crews on Wednesday found more debris from the wreckage, including items city officials described as being large pieces.
The search resumed after rough weather on Tuesday forced recovery crews to stay out of the water. Divers earlier this week located part of the fuselage, several seats and an engine.
The search in an area about the size of a football field has been slow because of limited visibility underwater, ice and winds.
A memorial service was held Tuesday for the pilot, John T. Fleming, his wife, Sue Fleming, and their teenage sons, Jack and Andrew.
The Flemings were returning to Columbus after making the trip to a Cleveland Cavaliers game with their neighbour Brian Casey and his teenage daughter, University of Wisconsin-Madison nursing student Megan Casey.
