takeoff

Like winged creatures of the sky it draws its nickname from, the bird of paradise seems always ready for takeoff, angling itself toward the light of better tomorrows, or at least the possibility of them.

This obscure and hilariously outrageous takeoff on the genre of Italian opera buffa, written in 1846, turned out to be the hit of the weekend.

But when the pilot attempted to prepare for takeoff, the right engine would not start because of insufficient battery power, according to the report.

Tracking data show that the plane climbed to 75 feet above the runway, veered right and then nosed into a sudden, steep dive seconds after its 8:08 p.m. takeoff.

A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board reveals that the aircraft had insufficient power and needed to be charged shortly before takeoff.