ROCK HILL, S.C. -- Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) were back out at the Rock Hill/York County Airport Saturday, where a plane crash killed Charlotte businessman William "Skipper" Beck Jr., 49, on Friday morning.

They gathered what was left of Beck’s plane and shipped the evidence to Atlanta.

For the second straight day, investigators looked over the debris, hoping the smallest detail could give some indication to what brought the plane down.

“We spent a great deal of time this morning searching through the grass and looking for specific electronic components,” said Luke Schiada with the National Traffic Safety Board.

Investigators said some of those components have the potential to record flight data from Beck’s plane.

Eyewitness News found out Beck had about 400 hours of flight experience, including a certification for a high-performance aircraft.

The plane itself had just 93 hours of use, and was inspected at the end of August.

NTSB investigators said they will be gathering additional information about the pilot’s background and experience over the next few weeks.

Veteran pilot Michael Fitzgerald said the newer planes, like Beck’s, are designed to be easier to fly and he believe Beck’s time in the air qualified him to be flying the plane.

Fitzgerald questioned what could have caused Beck to turn his plane around after takeoff.

“It makes you go back and think about your own training and your own proficiency and say to yourself, 'if that was to happen to me how would I have reacted and what would I have done,’” Fitzgerald said.

Investigators will issue what they call a "factual report" late next week.

On Friday night, investigators stood at the end of a runway and surveyed what was left of the Cirrus SR-22 aircraft owned and piloted by Beck.

The hillside near the runway was charred from the crash.

The plane went down Friday morning shortly after it took off from the airport. Beck was the only person onboard.

"Witnesses say they heard a loud engine sound before and then a boom prior to the accident," according to Luke Schiada, an NTSB spokesman who addressed reporters at a news conference late Friday afternoon.

Investigators planned to return on Saturday morning to the scene of the crash.

Channel 9 Eyewitness News spoke Friday evening with Jim Noble, a friend who had flown with Beck in the plane that crashed.

Noble said Beck never feared flying, and that Beck had recently become a devout Christian.

Officials said the plane caught fire after the crash. Pieces of the wreckage were small and widespread across the northwest edge of the airport.

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“At first when I looked, I thought maybe it was a brush fire. But then I saw the big, long black line on the hill and then I started to see little pieces of debris. But the biggest piece of debris was maybe the size of my steering wheel, “ said witness Juliet Baucom, who had been taking her children to school when the crash happened. “I was completely amazed at how there was absolutely nothing left.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the NTSB are investigating the crash. They said they will continue to document evidence overnight and then remove the wreckage Saturday. A preliminary report is expected next week but it could be months before the cause of the crash is released.

Officials said Beck was flying on a visual flight rules and did not have to file a flight plan, but a family spokeswoman said Beck was flying himself to Teterboro, N.J., and that no other passengers were on board. Flight records show he had flown from New Jersey to Rock Hill on Wednesday.

The spokeswoman said the family is asking that its privacy be respected during this very difficult time. Beck’s pastor at Forest Hill Church, David Chadwick, said he’s not ready to talk publicly about the loss.

FAA records show Beck had gotten his pilot’s license at the end of November 2008. The Cirrus SR22, a small single-engine plane that seats four people, was bought by Beck Management Group in Charlotte in late June, but the company had owned several others.

Aviation experts said that model is extremely popular with aircraft buyers. It’s best known for being equipped with an emergency parachute that can lower the entire aircraft to the ground in an emergency. The red and white parachute from Beck’s plane could be seen among the wreckage. Investigators said it’s unclear whether it deployed before or after the crash.

Other pilots told Eyewitness News the Cirrus SR22 is a high-tech, state-of-the-art plane that’s tough to master and requires an expert pilot. Experienced pilot Dave Griffin said the plane is getting a reputation for accidents.

"It's a wonderful airplane in the hands of a very well-trained pilot, but at low speed it needs extremely careful handling," he said.

He said he was shocked by the violence of the crash.

“A few bits and pieces of wreckage, and the plane had totally disintegrated," he said.

Beck A Major Charlotte Personality

Beck's visitation is 6-8 p.m. Sunday at the Quail Hollow Country Club. The funeral is set for Monday, Sept. 14, at 1 p.m. at Forest Hill Church.

Beck put his money into car dealerships, the Charlotte Bobcats and a number of charities.

He drew negative attention recently when he was charged in connection with a high-end prostitution ring in SouthPark. Prosecutors dropped the charges when Beck agreed to take "John" classes.

But Charlotte City Councilman and friend Andy Dulin said people should remember Beck for his generosity more than anything.

"The charitable work that he and his wife, Lynn, did -- that nobody knows about, you know -- they were that anonymous check that would show up," Dulin said. Beck was part owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. He played in the 2007 Wachovia Championship pro-am with fellow owner Michael Jordan and golf legend Tiger Woods.

The Bobcats released a statement from majority owner Robert Johnson on Friday. It said, "The entire Bobcats Sports & Entertainment family mourns the loss of our partner and great friend, Skipper Beck. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues and friends. Not only has BSE lost an energetic business champion, but so has the Charlotte business community. Skipper loved basketball and was instrumental in bringing the Bobcats to Charlotte, and as an owner, he was without question the Bobcats greatest fan. We will miss him at courtside."

Beck’s company, Beck Management Group, includes Beck Automotive Group, Beck Aviation Group and Beck Motorsports. Beck Automotive Group owns car dealerships around the country. Beck Imports of Charlotte was recently sold to the Hendrick Automotive Group.

On the Beck Aviation Group Web site, Beck wrote, “(Flying) has always been a passion of mine.” The aviation group brokered the buying and selling of aircrafts.

Beck Motorsports operates in the Arena Racing League of Charlotte.