HARRIETSTOWN — The pilot who crashed in Lake Clear April 18 had $60,000 in cash with him when he died and had changed his name 15 years earlier.

The mystery surrounding the fatal crash continues to unfold, as the National Transportation Safety Board issued its preliminary report, calling the incident an accident.

NAME CHANGE

The Beechcraft B55 twin-engine, registered as N868ST, crashed shortly after taking off at 1:14 p.m. under clear visibility.

The pilot, who was identified at the wreckage as Scott E. Thomas by membership cards, medical consultations, credit cards and subsequently in several Beechcraft club photos and Web sites, was not listed among airmen licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Upon further investigation, State Police found Thomas had apparently changed his name and Social Security number in 1992 from a previous identity of Phillip W. Cook.

State Police Investigator Larry Cragle said the Cook identity was confirmed with fingerprints of the pilot’s body.

There are indications he had a criminal past before the name change, Cragle said.

He said that when Thomas crashed, he had a total of $60,000 in cash on the plane, both on his person and in a suitcase. No criminal activity has been linked to the money, Cragle said.

But the investigation is ongoing.

The National Transportation Safety Board report said the pilot’s license was held under the name Phillip W. Cook.

“According to FAA records, under the second name (Cook), the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a single-engine land and instrument-airplane ratings.

“He also held a flight-instructor certificate, for airplane single engine, which expired on June 30, 1978. The pilot’s latest FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on November 20, 1981, and at the time, the pilot claimed 3,000 hours of flight experience.”