The National Transportation Safety Board recently completed a preliminary report about a May 9 plane crash in West Penn Township.

Todd Gunther, investigator in charge, said the pilot was able to make a smooth landing after an engine failed, but the craft became “substantially damaged” after it slid into a ditch and flipped.

“The flight instructor, student pilot, and pilot rated passenger were not injured” in the 11:45 a.m. crash,” Gunther noted in his report.

The aircraft, a Diamond DA-42, had taken off from Allentown.

“According to the flight instructor, he was conducting flight training in the twin-engine airplane to the northwest of Allentown, Pennsylvania,” Gunther said.

The training included a simulated engine securing drill, which mimics engine failure.

During the drill, the airplane descended a few hundred feet. The crew followed procedure to restart the plane, which Gunther said “took some time to complete.”

“They slowly increased manifold pressure to keep shock cooling to a minimum, and as they slowly advanced the throttle it became apparent that the engine was not producing power and the propeller was only windmilling,” Gunther wrote.

They again attempted to restore engine power.

“At this point the airplane was descending and abeam ridge tops and the flight instructor elected to perform a forced landing to a field,” according to the report. “The touchdown was smooth and under control, but the airplane then slid into a ditch by the side of a road that crossed the field, and the airplane nosed over.”

After the airplane came to rest near the intersection of St. Peter’s and Golf roads, the passengers shut off the fuel and master switch. All safely escaped.

The wreckage was retained for examination, Gunther noted.

Jennifer Gabris, a NTSB spokeswoman, said the report contains the complete factual information known to date.

“Final reports take between 12 and 24 months to complete,” she noted.

A registration number for the plane lists the owner as Elias Salameh of Bethlehem.