AP News, June 4th, 2007
The cinematographer of "The Blair Witch Project" could not escape from a plane that crashed into the sea in 2004 because he had tied himself to his seat with rope, the National Transportation Safety Board said.
Neal Fredericks, 35, drowned as he was dragged down by the wreckage of the single-engine plane in 36-foot deep water, according to an NTSB report released May 29. He was flying with others in August 2004 to get footage for the movie "Cross Bones."
Before taking off, Fredericks had the plane's cargo door removed to better film Fort Jefferson and the islands off Key West. He then tied a rope across his legs and around his waist and seat, as well as around his camera. His seat was equipped with a seat belt.
The plane's engine sputtered as it approached the fort. The pilot failed to restart it, and was forced to ditch the airplane.
The pilot and an assistant cameraman attempted to free Fredericks as the plane sank off the Dry Tortugas islands about 70 miles west of Key West, according to the report. Also on board were the film's director and producer; all four survived the crash.
The pilot told the NTSB he saw that Fredericks had failed to evacuate with the other passengers, and tried to twice to free him from what he thought was the camera harness.
The assistant cameraman reported that Fredericks said to him, "The rope," before the plane submerged. He told the board that the rope was pulled out of his hands as the plane sank, and that he could not reach Fredericks.
The NTSB determined the cause of the crash to be a "loss of engine power for an undetermined reason during cruise flight."
