Investigators revealed that the plane piloted by former NFL tight end Russ Francis and another man that crashed and killed the two experienced power loss in the engine moments before the tragic incident. 

The single-engine Cessna 177, piloted by Francis and Richard McSpadden, encountered the issue shortly after taking off from the Lake Placid Airport, and they then turned around in an attempt to land, National Transportation Safety Board investigator Todd Gunther told reporters on Tuesday. 

Francis, 70, and McSpadden, 63, were at the helm for what had been planned to be a scenic photoshoot of the plane they were flying, according to the Adirondack Daily Enterprise.

“The engine apparently lost power,” Gunther said, according to the outlet. “The pilot, or pilots in this case, turned back toward the runway.”

There were two planes as part of the photoshoot — the other containing photographers — and the ill-fated Cessna was attempting to catch up with the photo aircraft.

The plane piloted by Francis and McSpadden, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s senior vice president, was only in the air for a short period of time and “did not appear to be climbing very well,” Gunther said during a briefing in upstate New York. 

Witnesses have told investigators, per the Associated Press, that the pilots had made calls over the radio to alert nearby air traffic that they were experiencing a problem and were planning to return to the airport. 

When the plane tried to land, it hit a berm at the end of the runway and fell 30 feet into a ravine. 

Investigators will remain in Lake Placid until Friday to continue the investigation and later file a preliminary report on the crash.

The NTSB will release its final factual report in 18 months, which will include the probable cause of the accident, the Daily Enterprise reported. 

Francis, who had become a co-owner of Lake Placid Airways in July, was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 1975 NFL Draft and went on to play 13 seasons in the league with both the Pats and 49ers. 

“We are deeply saddened by the sudden and tragic loss of former New England Patriots tight end Russ Francis. Our condolences are extended to Francis’ family and friends,” the Patriots said in a statement on Monday.

Francis was named to the Pro Bowl three consecutive times from 1977-79 and won a Super Bowl with San Francisco in 1984. 

He recorded 393 receptions and 40 touchdowns over his pro career.