Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are focusing their investigation of the US Airways Express/Air Midwest commuter plane that crashed Wednesday in Charlotte, North Carolina on maintenance conducted on the aircraft two nights before the accident. According to a NTSB spokesperson, the Beech 1900D turboprop plane's nose took off at a normal 7-degree angle but continued to rise, reaching a 52-degree angle, which most likely caused the aircraft to stall and crash.

Officials are investigating whether mechanics made a mistake while adjusting the plane's elevator system, which controls the aircraft's climb and decent. Flight 5481 was departing for Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport when it crashed on takeoff. The plane clipped a US Airways hangar and burst into flames, killing 21 people.