By News 8's Craig McKee (CBS8) - While National Transportation Safety Board investigators scour over the crash site and wreckage of the Velocity XLR-G5, family members of those on board are trying to come to grips with the tragedy.
"My wife answered the phone," explains Earl Orner, father of the Lori Crane who died in the crash. "She got the news first and I heard her scream."
Earl Orner says his son in law Gregory Crane remains in a coma, and their three children, 11-year-old Summer, 10-year-old Tia and 8-year-old Austin remain in critical condition following the crash, which occurred shortly after takeoff from Montgomery Field Monday afternoon.
Witnesses saw the final moments of the experimental airplane just after it reported to Montgomery's Air Traffic Control Tower it lost one of it's doors.
"As it was flying away it was kind of teeter tottering," described one lady.
Veteran pilots tell News 8 that controlling the aircraft would have been challenging, but possible. And it appears Lori's husband and pilot Gregory was trying to do everything possible to get the plane back safely to Montgomery Field, when everything went wrong.
"Turned to miss that pole, his left wing went down looked like he hit the ground and that was it flipped him right over," describes Robert Bartolomucci, a worker at the Admiral Baker Golf Course in Tierrasanta where the plane went down.
He rushed over with a group of others to try and help.
"We just went over to checked them to see if anyone was alive and the two in the back were moving at the time," he said.
Two children were swiftly taken away by helicopter, Gregory and another child were taken in an ambulance.
Lori and the kids were just visiting San Diego. Gregory had flown in to pick them up and take them back home to Arizona.
Earl Orner says his daughter was a dedicated mother.
"She was a sweetheart, defines her to everybody. She spent all her time with her kids. They were everything," he said.
He adds that the grandchildren are the sparkle in his eye.
"They were the best, not just because I'm they're grandpa. They were the leaders in school, the tops in their class, very loving kids, into everything," said Orner.
Gregory's mother immediately made arrangements to fly to San Diego from Arizona to be with her son and grandchildren.
Family members tell News 8 that Gregory had spent five years building this experimental plane, which is sold as a kit. He had flown it for over a year without incident.
The Federal Aviation Administration's web site shows the plane was certified and considered airworthy.
