Hong Kong: Jardine Aviation staff threaten action

Staff of Jardine Aviation Services are threatening to take industrial action unless the firm improves their pay and working hours.

The employees union - which represents about half of the staff at the ground-support services firm - claims many of its members work long hours and shift patterns. In the most extreme case, it says a worker was rostered on for 28 days without a break.

The union's secretary-general, Wong Yu-loy, said it had held three rounds of talks with Jardine Aviation management over the past nine months without seeing any movement on its concerns. He said the union had waited long enough.

http://rthk.hk

Aft fuselage for Global 7000, 8000 to be built in Mexico: Bombardier

MONTREAL - Bombardier Inc. is adding to the heft of its Queretaro plant in Mexico by making it the sole manufacturing base for the aft fuselage of the new Global 7000 and Global 8000 long-range business jets due for delivery in 2016-17.

Queretaro began five years ago, making wiring harnesses for Bombardier aircraft. It is now building large parts for several Bombardier business aircraft, including the Global 5000 and 6000 business jets.

“Its participation in the Global 7000 and 8000 programs will contribute further to this world-class plant’s expertise and to Bombardier’s industry leadership,” Steve Ridolfi, president of Bombardier Business Aircraft, said in a statement.

Queretaro now employs 1,700 and builds the aft fuselage sections for the Global 5000 and 6000 business jets, as well as major composite structures for the new Learjet 85, such as fuselage lay-up and sub-system installation, wiring harness fabrication and installation, wing assembly and horizontal and vertical stabilizer assemblies.

Final assembly of the Global 7000 and 8000 series will be done at Bombardier’s Toronto plant, while Bombardier’s Global Completion Centre in Dorval will do the interior completions. Bombardier has already revealed the avionics, hydraulics, fly-by-wire, landing-gear, braking, fuel and air systems, engine and centre fuselage suppliers.

Bombardier itself will handle the fore fuselage section besides the aft section.

The large-cabin Global 7000, with four zones and 20 per cent more space than the existing Global 6000, will have a range of 13,520 kilometres and fly 10 passengers non-stop Sydney-Dubai or Beijing-Washington. First delivery is set for 2016.

The Global 8000 will have a three-zone cabin and range of 14,631 kilometres and fly eight passengers non-stop Sydney-Los Angeles, Hong Kong-New York and Mumbai-New York. Entry into service is due in 2017

http://www.montrealgazette.com

Elkind Cozy MK IV, N795DB: Accident occurred October 23, 2011 in Lexington, North Carolina

http://registry.faa.gov/N795DB
 
NTSB Identification: ERA12FA021 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 23, 2011 in Lexington, NC
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/08/2012
Aircraft: ELKIND BRUCE COZY MK IV, registration: N795DB
Injuries: 1 Fatal,1 Serious.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

According to the passenger, when the cross-country flight was about 20 minutes from the destination airport, the pilot informed him that they had 7 gallons of fuel remaining in the right fuel tank. The passenger encouraged the pilot to switch to the left fuel tank, but he declined. The passenger asked the pilot if he was going to land straight ahead on the runway that was aligned with their course. The pilot stated no, he was going to enter a left downwind for the opposite direction runway. About 2.25 hours into the flight, the pilot lowered the nosewheel and was about to turn from the downwind leg to the base leg of the traffic pattern, when the engine began sputtering. The pilot initiated a steep descending turn toward the runway and did not attempt to change the fuel tank. The airplane collided with trees and terrain about 1/8 mile before the runway.

Examination of the crash site revealed that the airplane impacted an isolated clump of trees in an open, flat soybean field. During postaccident examination of the airplane, the fuel selector valve was found positioned between the left tank position and the off position; however, this may not represent the pre-impact position of the valve, because the cables connected to the valve could have moved during the impact sequence. The left and right fuel sump tanks were not ruptured, the left sump tank contained about 1 gallon of fuel, and the right sump tank was empty. The left and right main fuel tanks were ruptured and contained no fuel. No evidence of fuel leakage from either main tank was noted.

Examination of the airframe, flight controls, and engine assembly did not reveal evidence of any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the passenger’s statement and the fuel quantities found in the sump tanks, it is likely that the pilot delayed switching to the left fuel tank and allowed the right fuel tank to run dry.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's inadequate fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 23, 2011, at about 1100 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Elkind Cozy MK IV, N795DB, collided with a tree, in a soy bean field, while performing a forced landing following loss of engine power near Lexington, North Carolina. The airplane was registered to a private owner, and was operating as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the airframe. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR), flight plan was filed. The certificated private pilot was killed and the certificated airline transport pilot passenger received serious injuries. The flight departed from Craig Municipal Airport (CRG), Jacksonville, Florida, at 0846 en-route to Davidson County Airport (EXX) Lexington, North Carolina.

The passenger stated they departed CRG on an IFR flight plan. They canceled their IFR flight plan about 60 miles south of EXX and proceeded VFR to the airport. About 20 minutes from EXX, the pilot informed the passenger they had 7 gallons of fuel remaining in right fuel tank. The passenger encouraged the pilot to switch fuel tanks, but he declined. Upon approach to EXX, the passenger asked the pilot if he was going to land straight ahead to runway 6. The pilot stated he would enter the traffic pattern on a left downwind leg for runway 24. The pilot lowered the nose wheel and was about to turn onto base leg when the engine began sputtering. The pilot initiated a steep descending turn towards the runway and did not attempt to change the fuel tank. The airplane subsequently collided with a tree about 1/8 mile from the runway 24 threshold.

A lineman at EXX stated he observed the airplane in a steep descending turn east of the airport, before the airplane descended from view behind a tree line. Two other witnesses, who lived in the vicinity of EXX, stated they heard the engine sputtering, follow by an impact sound similar an object hitting a tree.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The certificated private pilot, age 69, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land, issued on July 29, 2009. The pilot’ logbook was not recovered. According to the pilot's wife, his logbook was kept in a flight bag located in the airplane. The pilot held a third-class medical certificate, issued on November 18, 2010, with the restriction "must wear corrective lenses." The pilot indicated on his application for the third-class medical that he had 725 total flight hours, and he had flown 25 hours in the last 6 months. The pilot’s last flight review was conducted on July 2, 2011.
The certified flight instructor (CFI), who administered the flight review, stated the pilot purchased the airplane about 1 year before he started flying with the pilot in April 2011. The pilot informed him that he had around 1200 to 1300 flight hours. The CFI gave the pilot 13 hours of instruction in the Cozy MK IV before he signed-off his flight review.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The Cozy MK IV is a four-place composite canard airplane, with a fixed main landing gear, and a retractable nose landing gear. The airplane, serial number 165, was manufactured in 1996. An experimental Lycon IO-360, 220-horsepower, horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine powered the airplane. The last condition inspection was conducted on February 9, 2011 at a recorded tachometer time of 387 hours. The tachometer at the crash site was destroyed and the total airframe time and engine time could not be determined. The airplane was last refueled at Palatka, Florida, on October 16, 2011, with 37.62 gallons of 100 low lead fuel.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The 1115 EXX surface weather observation was: wind calm, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 14 degrees Celsius, dew point temperature 6 degrees Celsius, and altimeter 30.16 inches of mercury. The flight crew received a weather briefing and filed their flight plan with Miami Contracted Flight Service at 0756 on October 23, 2011.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

The wreckage was located 1/8 mile east of runway 24 at EXX, in a soy bean field. Examination of the crash site revealed the airplane’s right wing collided with a tree 32 feet above the base of the tree, inboard of the right winglet in a left descending turn, on a heading of 291 degrees magnetic. Fiberglass from the leading edge of the right wing was embedded in the tree. The right wing, right elevator, and right canard were located adjacent to the tree. The airplane continued down the crash debris line (CDL) and impacted the ground 91 feet down the CDL. The canopy separated and was located 105 feet down the CDL. The left wing separated and was located 139 feet down the CDL. The main fuselage came to rest inverted, 140 feet down the CDL on a heading of 261 degrees magnetic. The CDL was 140 feet long.

The right side of the canard and right elevator were damaged and separated at the fuselage. The elevator control rod separated in overload at the fuselage.

The nose cone and cockpit were fragmented and separated from the fuselage forward of the leading edge of the left and right strakes. The nose wheel was separated from the nose strut and the nose wheel strut was extended. The canopy and hinges separated from the fuselage. The canopy lock remained attached to the fuselage, and the canopy lock actuator rod was separated. The locking bolts on the canopy were distorted. The left side forward and rear canopy hinges were separated from the fuselage canopy rails. The forward canopy windscreen and left canopy side window were broken. The right canopy side window was not damaged. The main landing gear separated from the fuselage at its attachment points. The landing brake was not damaged and was in the retracted position.

The instrument panel was fragmented and separated from the fuselage. The throttle was at mid-range and the throttle friction was loose. The mixture lever was full rich. The fuel selector valve was positioned between the left main fuel tank and off positions.

The left and right cockpit molded seat bottoms were destroyed and the seat backs were damaged. The seatbelt mounts were separated from the fuselage. The roll over structure separated from the fuselage and the seat backs. The left and right shoulder harnesses remained attached to the roll over structure. The combined left rear seat bottom and sump tank separated from the cabin floor. The left sump tank was not ruptured. The fuel lines to the left sump tank were ruptured. The left sump tank had about 1 gallon of fuel present. The left seat back remained attached to the cabin floor. The rear seatbelt and shoulder harness were fastened and not damaged. The combined right rear seat bottom and right sump tank remained attached to the cabin floor. The right sump tank was not ruptured and no fuel was present. The right seat back separated from the cabin floor. The right rear seatbelt and shoulder harness were fastened and not damaged.

The pilot’s control stick and control linkage were intact extending rearward to the passenger backseat area, where the left aileron torque tube failed consistent with overload. The pilot’s canard linkage also failed consistent with overload. The passenger’s control stick and linkage were intact and damaged. The passenger’s canard linkage was also intact and damaged. The left aileron push rod bell crank separated from the inboard end of the wing, consistent with overload. The right aileron rod end also failed consistent with overload.

The right wing and a section of the center spar separated from the fuselage. The right wing remained bolted to the center spar. The right strake (fuel tank) separated at the wing root. The right main fuel tank was ruptured. No fuel or browning of vegetation was present. The right main fuel cap was secure with a tight seal. No fuel staining was present on the strake, or surface of the right wing. The leading edge of the wing was damaged 9 feet outboard of the outboard edge of the right strake. The inboard and outboard vortilions remained attached to the wing. The middle vortilon was bent rearward. The upper wing fiberglass layers were buckled. The right winglet remained attached to the wing and the leading edge was damaged. The right rudder remained attached to the winglet at all hinge points. The rudder was not damaged. The rudder cable was separated from the Army-Navy cable fork, consistent with overload. The right aileron remained attached at all hinge points. The right aileron linkage was intact up to the right aileron control rod end at the junction of the right wing. The rod there was separated in overload.

The aft pusher engine compartment remained attached to the fuselage and the firewall was not damaged. The lower and upper engine cowlings were fractured and remained attached to the fuselage. The engine assembly remained attached to all engine mounts. The composite propeller remained attached to the propeller crankshaft flange. The propeller blades were not damaged, and the composite spinner was fractured.
The center section of the canard remained attached to its mounts on the fuselage. The left side of the canard and the left elevator were fragmented.

The inboard portion of the left wing remained bolted to the fuselage. The remainder of the left wing separated outboard of the left strake. The leading edge of the wing was damaged from the wing root extending outboard to the left winglet. The inboard, middle, and outboard vortilions remained attached to the wing. The left winglet separated from the wing at the winglet wing intersection. The rudder was damaged and remained attached at all hinge points. The rudder control cable remained attached to the rudder. The rudder cable failed within the wing structure consistent with overload. The aileron was damaged and remained attached at all hinge points. The aileron torque tube failed at the inboard aileron universal joint. The left main fuel tank was ruptured. No fuel or browning of vegetation was present. The left main fuel cap was secure with a tight seal. No fuel staining was present on the strake, or surface of the left wing.

Examination of the engine assembly revealed the left and right engine exhaust pipes were not damaged. All induction tubes were attached to their respective attached points. The oil sump was intact and the oil dip stick remained in place. The oil suction screen was removed and no anomalies were noted. An unmeasured amount of oil was present in the oil sump. The National Automotive Parts Association oil filter was removed and opened. The filter media was free of contaminants. The front oil cooler was damaged and the rear oil cooler was not damaged.

The alternator and drive pulley remained attached to the engine assembly and was not damaged. The alternator cooling fan was not damaged. The starter remained attached to the engine and the drive pinion was retracted. The left magneto remained attached to its mount. The magneto produce spark at all ignition leads when the propeller was rotated by hand. The right magneto mounting location was blocked off with a cover plate. A Light Speed Engineering plasma capacitive discharge (CD) ignition system was installed in lieu of a right magneto with an ignition box installed behind the firewall. Two ignition coil packs were installed on top of the engine with automotive style ignition leads. The leads were routed to automotive style spark plugs in the top spark plug holes. The CD ignition was not tested because the airplane battery had been removed by first responders. The top and bottom ignition harnesses were not damaged. The vacuum pump remained attached to the engine. The vacuum pump was removed and disassembled. The composite drive unit was intact and the vacuum pump produced air at the vacuum pump outlet port when the drive was rotated by hand.

The aircraft fuel strainer bowl was removed and contained about 1 teaspoon of blue liquid that smelled like aviation gasoline. The fuel screen was removed and was free of contaminants. The fuel lines leading to engine driven fuel pump and the fuel injector servo were removed and contained fuel. The engine driven fuel pump was removed and contained fuel. The engine driven fuel pump produced pressure at the outlet port when it was actuated by hand. The throttle cable remained attached to the throttle control arm on the fuel injector servo and was at mid-range. The mixture control remained attached to the mixture control arm and was in the full rich position. The fuel injector servo was removed and contained fuel. The fuel injector servo fuel inlet screen was removed and free of contaminants. The fuel injector servo regulator section was disassembled and no anomalies were noted. The fuel flow divider was removed, disassembled and no anomalies were noted. The fuel injector nozzles were removed from all cylinders and no anomalies were noted. All spark plugs were removed. The upper spark plugs displayed dark gray combustion deposits and worn normal condition. The bottom spark plugs exhibited dark brown combustion deposits and worn normal condition.

The engine was partially disassembled. The engine was rotated by hand using the propeller. Suction and compression was obtained on all cylinders. Valve train continuity was observed through all cylinder rocker arms. The accessory drive gears were observed rotating. Crankshaft and valve train continuity was verified. All cylinders were examined using a lighted bore scope and no anomalies were noted.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, conducted an autopsy on the pilot on October 24, 2011. The cause of death was blunt force trauma. The Bioaeronautical Research Science Laboratory, FAA, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma performed a postmortem toxicology of specimens from the pilot. The specimens were negative for carbon monoxide and ethanol in the blood. No ethanol was detected in the vitreous and no drugs were detected in the urine.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Notations on the pilot’s printed flight plan, on October 23, 2011, indicated the left main fuel tank had 15 gallons of fuel and the right main fuel tank had 24 gallons of fuel. The airplane has 2 gallons of un-usable fuel. The passenger stated the left main fuel tank had 20 gallons of fuel and the right main tank had 17 gallons of fuel. He also stated that 4 gallons of fuel would be utilized for engine start, run-up, and climb to cruise altitude. The total flight time from takeoff to the accident time was 2 hours and 14 minutes.

Estimated fuel consumption data for the Ly-Con experimental engine was provided by a representative of Ly-Con Engines and Accessories. Review of the fuel consumption data provided indicates a fuel burn rate of 10.33 gallons per hour at 65 percent rated horsepower. At 75 percent the fuel burn rate would be 13.75 gallons per hour. At 85 percent the fuel burn rate would be 14.66 gallons per hour. The calculated total fuel burn for a flight time of 2 hours and 14 minutes at 65 percent power would be 23.04 gallons. At 75 percent power the calculated fuel burn would be 30.66 gallons. At 85 percent power the calculated fuel burn would be 32.69 gallons. These figures do not take into account additional fuel required for start, taxi and climb to cruise altitude.

 

In Memory of  Roland Augustus Bremer
March 3, 1942 - October 23, 2011

Roland A Bremer, 69, died October 23, 2011 in Lexington, NC.

Mr. Bremer was born March 3, 1942 in Marksville, LA. He served in the US Air Force in Verona, Italy where he met his wife of 46 years, Giuliana.

He indulged his love for cars by working in the automotive industry for over 30 years and his passion for flying by being a private pilot for more than 20 years. Roland was the best at whatever he did. He was known for his in-depth knowledge, discipline and tremendous attention to detail.

He is survived by his wife Giuliana; daughters, Jecyn and Alyssa; son, Art; grandson, Gage Douglas; sister, Maxine Crowell.

He was loved dearly and will be greatly missed.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, October 29, 2011 at Hardage-Giddens Chapel Hills Funeral Home, 850 St. Johns Bluff Rd. N., Jacksonville. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Entombment will follow at Chapel Hills Memory Gardens. Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.hardage-giddenschapelhills.com.


http://obits.dignitymemorial.com

LEXINGTON --  The pilot killed in a plane crash Sunday had been planning to visit the High Point Furniture Market.

Roland Augustus Bremer, 69, of Jacksonville, Fla., was the pilot and owner of the Mark IV plane that crashed Sunday morning. His passenger, Farshid Yaghmaee, also of Jacksonville, Fla., was injured but was in good condition Monday at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

The friends were going to High Point for the day to visit the furniture market, said Farnoosh Yaghmaee, Farshid's brother. Farnoosh Yaghmaee said his brother was resting and couldn't talk Monday. Bremer's family members could not be reached.

Authorities continued Monday trying to piece together what caused the plane to go down in a soybean field about a mile north of the Davidson County Airport.

Corky Smith, a senior investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said he has not found any problems with the plane or the flight control.

Smith said the crash is still under investigation and that he needs to talk to witnesses, as well as Farshid Yaghmaee.

Peter Knudson, a spokesman with the NTSB, told the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville that a preliminary investigation did not find any gasoline in either of the four-seat airplane's tanks.

The plane went into a sharp descent and hit a tree in a soybean field.

Investigators on Monday appeared to be looking at an area just east of the airport near Brown Street and Henry Link Road, close to Lexington Furniture Brand plants numbers 5 and 6.

The crash site is not visible from that intersection. The east end of the runway is visible, and flights were taking off from the airport Monday morning.

The crash occurred Sunday just before 11 a.m. An airport employee noticed the plane approaching, and then it disappeared, Karel Van Der Linden said Sunday. Linden's Fly High Lexington organization manages the airport as a private contractor for the county.

Kathleen Bergen, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said the NTSB should have a preliminary report in five to 10 days.

Coroner queries whether 16 too young to fly. New Zealand.

CESSNA PILOT: Bevan Hookway, 17.

ANDREW GORRIE

SUBURBAN CRASH SITE: The wreckage of Cessna flown by 17-year-old Bevan Hookway.

Wellington regional coroner Ian Smith queried today whether New Zealand's starting age of 16 for pilot training was set too low.

However, CAA spokesman John McKinlay said it was in line with international practice and up to the judgement of a qualified and competent flight instructor.

The question came on the first morning of the inquest into the deaths of two teenagers and a 30-year-old in a mid-air crash above Paraparaumu.

Those who died were the solo pilot of a Cessna light plane, Bevan Hookway, aged 17, and the occupants of a Robinson helicopter - student pilot James Taylor, 19, and the experienced rescue pilot testing him, David Fielding, 30.

Bevan Hookway, who was studying aviation, was sufficiently skilled and competent to fly solo, the coroner was told.

Mr Smith said he was "a little surprised'' that Bevan, who had only five hours solo (experience), was flying from "such a massively busy airport like Paraparaumu.''

He was concerned about placing young people with very limited flying experience alone at the controls.

Mr McKinlay said that over the years "we have thousands of student pilots through this process and it has been successful.''

It was up to the judgement of the flight instructor, and risks needed to be recognised and mitigated, he said.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz

Air Force F-15 figter jet crashes in remote area north of Las Vegas; pilot ejects safely

ALAMO, Nev. — An Air Force fighter jet crashed in a remote part of southern Nevada on Monday, but the pilot was able to eject from the aircraft and was uninjured, a military spokesman said.

The F-15C Eagle crashed in an unpopulated area northwest of Alamo, Nev., about 4:45 p.m., said Lt. Ken Lustig, a spokesman for Nellis Air Force Base. Alamo is about 100 miles north of Las Vegas.

“There’s no ongoing threat to the public,” Lustig said. “It’s a fairly remote area.”

The pilot was taken to Mike O’Callaghan Federal Hospital for an examination that revealed no injuries, Lustig said.

Lustig didn’t have any details about the nature of the flight and couldn’t say whether the jet that crashed was accompanied by other aircraft.

An investigation into the cause of the crash was already under way Monday night, Lustig said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com

Madison Municipal Airport (KMDS), South Dakota: City to find new spot for excess snow

The Madison City Commission reviewed on Monday the minutes of the Oct. 18 airport board meeting that contained a recommendation for the city to stop dumping excess snow onto airport property.

During winter months, city snow removal crews have picked up snow from Madison's streets and moved it by dump truck to open areas at the airport where the snow is unloaded.

Municipal airport officials were notified by the Federal Aviation Administration that the city's ability to obtain federal grants would be jeopardized if Madison continued to dump snow onto airport land. The federal government could refuse to provide grant money for future projects at Madison Municipal Airport.

The federal government has typically provided 95 percent of the funding for major construction and maintenance projects at the airport.

The city commissioners also approved the final acceptance agreement for this summer's airport hangar taxiway project in which D&G Concrete Construction installed new concrete taxiways.

The final cost of the taxiway project was about $544,000.

http://madisonet.com

Airplane noise rattles south Minneapolis neighborhood

MINNEAPOLIS - Jason Stone thought he was getting away from airport noise when he moved into Nokomis East two years ago.

"We literally moved from the other side of the lake, getting out of the well established traffic pattern into an area where you still know the airport is there but you know what to expect," Stone said.

What he didn't expect was the traffic pattern to change. Stone said he and other neighbors noticed an increase in airplane noise in their neighborhood about four months but they didn't know why. Turns out the Federal Aviation Administration changed the traffic pattern and are now routing planes right over Stone's new house.

Elizabeth Isham Cory, a spokesperson for the FAA, said they are routing more departures over the neighborhood as a safety precaution after two planes almost collided last year.

Since the change airplane traffic in South Minneapolis has increased from 14,660 flights last year to 19,488 this year-that's almost a 33 percent increase, according to Metropolitan Airports Commission spokesperson Pat Hogan. Hogan said they are aware of the noise complaints but there is nothing MAC can do about it because the FAA controls the runways and air traffic.

However, Stone and fellow neighbors said they aren't giving up until they can get some peace and quiet. Council Member Sandy Colvin Roy will be joining the neighborhood in their fight. Colvin Roy said she wants answers about the increase in noise.

Stone said he expects about 100 neighbors to show up at MAC's public meeting Tuesday. He said even though MAC says they can't do anything he believes being heard is the first step toward a solution.

The Metropolitan Airports Commission Public Input meeting will be held Tuesday, October 25 at 7pm at the MAC general offices at 6040 28th Avenue South, Minneapolis. 

http://www.kare11.com

Planes travelling at five times the speed of sound could be with us by the end of the century

Passenger planes designed to carry people direct to their front door could come to pass by the end of the century, according to a new report today.

A report by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME) talked of a system called 'a sort of Ark Royal for the skies' that could see the UK at the forefront of future aerospace innovation.

Looking towards 2075 and beyond, the report talked of advances that could be made in aircraft design such as Scramjet planes able to fly at around 4,000mph - five times the speed of sound - and commercial aircraft flying in a V-shaped form designed to save power by making use of airflow generated by the plane in front.

Scramjet planes contain a type of jet engine, that allows them to 'combust' fuel and decelerate the incoming air to produce speed and thrust.

The fastest air-breathing aircraft is a Scramjet designed by NASA, which reached a velocity of Mach 9.8.

The report also discusses looking at ways to create a 'aircraft carrier' system in which a large aircraft carries individual units that can be released over a destination to float down to the designated area where a passenger needs to go.

Other ideas are a 'flying wing' design, where the plane's main body, wings and engine blended together and a 'flying fuel station' so future planes do not have to take off with full tanks.

IME chief executive, Stephen Tetlow chief executive of UME said that even in the next 20 years, there were potential sales of 25,000 new aircraft set to be worth more than £2,000 billion.

He said: 'Now is the time for industry and government to focus on sectors that can help lift the country's economy.

'The UK aerospace sector already employs over 100,000 people around the country and is worth over £29 billion a year to our economy, but we need to take action now to ensure this sector can continue to thrive and grow.

'There is great potential for new UK aerospace technologies, but in order to compete with emerging nations, we need to set up a strategic vision for UK aerospace, establish a new dedicated aerospace research body and restore research and development funding to pre-recession levels.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Pennsylvania: Cumberland County report looks at how to preserve and expand Carlisle Airport (N94)

DAN GLEITER The Patriot-News

One of Penn State's Life Lion helicopters lands at Carlisle Airport.

Think of airports and places like Harrisburg International and BWI come to mind.

But 75 percent of air traffic in the United States isn’t the big Delta Airlines or US Airways variety, but aircraft owned and operated by private individuals and businesses for leisure or corporate use, according to a 2004 report by the Transportation Security Administration.

And much of that air traffic flows through smaller privately owned airports such as Carlisle Airport in South Middleton Township.

These airports are seen as economic drivers in their communities, helping retain businesses and attract new ones. Carlisle Airport generates an estimated $7 million in annual economic activity, according to a 2010 study done for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

But each month at least one airport goes out of business somewhere in the United States, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Most often the facilities that close are ones like Carlisle Airport, which despite being a public airport is not eligible for federal money because of its for-profit private ownership, said Chris Dancy, spokesman for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

“Often times they can get substantially more money if they sell their property to developers than if they continue to operate it as an airport,” Dancy said.

Cumberland County officials say the county can’t allow that to happen to Carlisle Airport.

“It’s essentially irreplaceable,” said county Commission Chairman Gary Eichelberger, who in June 2009 asked the county’s nonprofit economic development office to do a study on how best to preserve Carlisle Airport and maximize its potential.

 

The results of that study — done at no cost to the county by a volunteer task force — were released this month.

The findings say the airport would benefit and be more viable with several improvements.

These start with upgrading the runway and adding a parallel taxiway so aircraft waiting to land don’t have to stay in a holding pattern overhead until the runway is clear.

Businesses and users also told the task force Carlisle Airport needs closer lodging, better access to ground transportation, such as rental cars, and expanded onsite facilities like a business lounge.

Jim Kingsborough, a member of the group that has owned Carlisle Airport since 1997, would not say whether the airport is profitable.

He said recreational flying is down due to the economy and higher fuel costs. But business travel remains steady.

While Kingsborough is pleased with the county report, saying it is generally positive, he’s not happy about a more than doubling of the airport’s property assessment that occurred as part of Cumberland’s 2010 county-wide revaluing of land. The airport is not tax-exempt.

“That’s been a heavy anchor on us,” Kingsborough said. The airport got its assessment lowered somewhat by appealing this year, and the airport plans to appeal the assessment again in the spring.

Eichelberger regrets that the reassessment — which he voted against when it came to certifying the results — is akin to the county saying one thing and doing another when it comes to preserving the airport.

“We may, as a county, be shooting ourselves in the foot,” he said.

The report suggests tax breaks and tax incentives could be the most effective strategies in effecting improvements.

The county in past years has considered acquiring the airport, so it would be publicly owned and qualify for federal money. In 1998, the now-defunct county transportation authority sought an FAA grant to buy the airport, but the deal fell through.

This new report says public ownership isn’t the panacea it once was, as no federal programs seem safe because of the national debt. Plus, “The county is not looking to own the airport,” Eichelberger said.

He said the study’s objective was being ready with a plan before things get to where the owners can’t run the airport anymore, or decide they don’t want to and there’s no one to succeed them.

One alternative could be an arrangement where the county and municipalities team with a group of private investors in a transition that could lead to eventual public ownership of the airport, Eichelberger said. Officials in Carlisle and South Middleton have expressed interest in being part of such a venture, he said.

Kingsborough declined to say how long the current owners are willing to hold on to the airport. But even if the price is right from a developer, getting out from under a public use airport isn’t as easy as just walking away.

Robert Rockmaker, executive director of the Aviation Council of Pennsylvania, said while Carlisle doesn’t qualify for the big FAA money, it is eligible for state grants for some improvements. Any airport receiving state money is obligated to stay a public airport for 10 years from the date of project completion, or the airport may have to pay the money back.

That doesn’t make it impossible for Carlisle Airport to be sold into another use, but it makes it considerably more challenging to do so, Rockmaker said.

PennDOT spokeswoman Erin Waters said Carlisle Airport since 2005 has gotten $1.2 million from the state. The state money comes from an aviation fuel tax.

BY THE NUMBERS

 

1963: Date Carlisle Airport was established

4,008 feet: Length of runway

60: Number of aircraft based there

1: Life Lion helicopter to cover the West Shore

67: Daily takeoffs or landings, many involving businesses and institutions, including U.S. Army War College, Dickinson College, Carlisle Events, Gannett Fleming, Giant Foods, PPG Industries

Sources: www.airnav.com, Cumberland County Economic Development Carlisle Airport Feasibility Study, airport owners 

http://www.pennlive.com

Diamond DA20: Hard landing. Flight instructor and student pilot uninjured. Pueblo Airport, Colorado. (With Video)

An instructor and a student walked away from a "hard landing" Monday afternoon at Pueblo Airport. One of the runways is closed.

An Air Force representative called the crash a "hard landing," which "dinged up the aircraft."

An airport representative who spoke LIVE on KKTV 11 News at 5:30 said the plane had difficulty while landing around 3:45 p.m. It left the runway and traveled about 125-feet south.

John Van Winkle with the Air Force said the plane is a Diamond DA20, which is a propeller driven side-by-side seated airplane. A lieutenant was onboard with a Doss Aviation pilot. The lieutenant was doing flight screening, basically learning how to land at airfields and learning the basics of flying.

Both the instructor and the student walked away without injuries. The NTSB is beginning their investigation into the crash.

Watch Video: http://www.kktv.com

Old hand returns for one last big job: Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules being upgraded at Base Woodbourne, near Blenheim

DEREK FLYNN

CAREFUL WORK: Royal Australian Air Force corporal Adam Bland, left, and air force flight sergeant Jeff McHaffie check each of the rivet holes around the cockpit of the first of three Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules being upgraded at Base Woodbourne, near Blenheim

Waikawa man Graeme Gilmore was supposed to be retired for good.

But when his old friend and former colleague, Deputy Secretary of Defence (acquisition) Des Ashton asked for help to put the C-130 Hercules life-extension project together, the retired Safe Air boss had to break a promise to his wife and come back for one last job.

Mr Gilmore is the Defence Ministry programme manager for upgrading the three remaining aircraft at Base Woodbourne. The upgrade is expected to extend the operational life of the planes by 15 to 20 years.

The $254 million project involves stripping and rebuilding the five 1960s C-130 Hercules, installing modern avionics and new systems to protect the aircraft from missile attack.

Two aircraft used as prototypes for the project have already been completed in the United States.

The Defence Ministry project is using a 50-strong team of mostly contractors after the original plan using Marlborough company Safe Air fell over last year.

Safe Air pulled out and underwent restructuring after more than two years of delays as the head contractor, US-based L-3 Communications, struggled to overcome technical problems with the project.

It was the first time the ministry had run a production project and it was a massive job, Mr Gilmore said.

The whole plane was being rewired – a total of 82 kilometres – and every part, down to each rivet, was being checked.

A total of 110,000 man hours were being spent on each plane, believed to be the largest single job on an aircraft in New Zealand, he said.

The first plane is due to be finished by April 30.

"One thing I'm crystal clear on is that we'll do the job and it will come out as a really good plane."

He has the credentials to be confident. He spent 33 years in the air force, and was former assistant chief of defence staff, engineering manager of Air New Zealand, vice-president of planning for Singapore Airlines and general manager of Safe Air.

He has retired a few times before being drawn back into work, but he and his wife moved to Waikawa to retire for good after his spell at Singapore Airlines.

"That was supposed to be it," he said.

But then Mr Ashton, approached him last year to help get the project running and he could not say no.

The contractors working on the project have come to Marlborough from around New Zealand and the world for the three-year project.

"There are some very clever guys working here," he said.

The upgrade team was finding more maintenance work than expected, he said. This needed more materials than planned, especially fasteners, but they were ordering enough to cater for the two remaining planes as well.

http://www.stuff.co.nz

Three Bids Compete for Hibbing Air Service, Delta May Stay. Range Regional Airport (KHIB), Minnesota.

Three companies have submitted bids to provide air service at the Range Regional Airport in Hibbing. The airport is recommending that Delta continue to be the provider.

Delta has submitted a bid that would lower the number of daily flights from three to two, but use jets instead of the smaller aircraft. The other companies include Air Choice One and Sovereign Air.

Airport Executive Director Shaun Germolus said once Minnesota's Department of Transportation gets comments from communities, they'll make a decision on a two-year contract.

http://www.wdio.com

Cirrus SR22T, Cam & Muz Industries LLC, N227TX: Accident occurred October 24, 2011 in Carrollton, Texas

NTSB Identification: CEN12FA037
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, October 24, 2011 in Carrollton, TX
Probable Cause Approval Date: 01/31/2013
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22T, registration: N227TX
Injuries: 1 Fatal,2 Serious.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

Prior to the flight, the pilot did not visually verify the fuel level in the tanks during his preflight and departed with low fuel alerts on his flight displays. About 10 minutes into the flight, the pilot reported to an air traffic controller that the engine was running rough and that he needed to return to his departure airport. During a second instrument approach, the engine lost power, and the pilot attempted a forced landing to a field. The airplane impacted terrain, the right wing separated, and the airplane came to rest on its right side. No evidence of fuel or fuel spillage was observed at the accident site. According to the pilot, the management company did not fuel the airplane as he had requested. An examination and operational test of the engine was performed. No defects in engine operation were detected, and the engine produced full rated power during the test.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to adequately preflight the airplane prior to departure, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 24, 2011, approximately 1135 central daylight time, a Cirrus SR22T single-engine airplane, N227TX, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain following a loss of engine power while maneuvering near Carrollton, Texas. The private pilot and one passenger sustained serious injuries and a second passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was co-owned and operated by the pilot. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed the Addison Airport (ADS), Dallas, Texas, at 1058 and was destined for Houston, Texas.

According to PlaneSmart Aviation, LLC, the company that managed the airplane for the pilot and other co-owners, on August 24, 2011, the pilot requested a reservation for the airplane for October 25 and 26th. At that time, the pilot requested via electronic mail to PlaneSmart that the airplane be fueled to the "tabs or better." On September 6, 2011, the pilot changed the departure date to October 24th with the return date remaining on the 26th. There was no change to the original fuel request.

On October 19, 2011, a PlaneSmart staff pilot flew the airplane from ADS to Cincinnati, Ohio, and returned the following day. The pilot reported there was a total of 9.8 gallons of fuel on board at the time he shut down the airplane. The airplane was not flown again until the accident flight four days later.

According to a Landmark Aviation (the fixed based operator (FBO) that PlaneSmart and its customers used for fueling) line service technician, he fueled the airplane on October 18th with 51.8 gallons of fuel. On October 21st, a PlaneSmart representative contacted Landmark Aviation for a fuel request on three airplanes, to include N227TX, which was to be filled "to the tabs +5." The PlaneSmart representative asked that the airplanes be filled by 2000 on the 21st. The line service technician went to fill the airplanes; however, N227TX was not available or out on the ramp for him to service with fuel. The line service technician returned at 2040 to fuel N227TX and still did not locate the airplane. At that time, the line service technician returned to the FBO and moved N227TX's fuel request to October 22nd. The line service technician returned to work at the FBO later in the day on October 22nd. When he returned, he was not sure if N227TX had been fueled that morning, so he returned to PlaneSmart to locate the airplane. The technician passed through the PlaneSmart ramp and did not locate N227TX. He then returned to the FBO and cancelled the fuel request. There was no record from the FBO the accident airplane had been fueled prior to the accident flight.

PlaneSmart representatives noted the pilot entered their facility approximately 1000 on the day of the accident. The pilot indicated to PlaneSmart staff he was waiting for two individuals who were traveling with him. The two individuals arrived and the airplane was observed taxiing for departure from one of PlaneSmart's shaded parking stalls. PlaneSmart representatives did not observe the pilot's actions after he and his two passengers exited the facility and the airplane began to taxi.

According to air traffic control (ATC) communications, radar data, and data extracted from the airplane's recoverable data module (RDM), at 1043, the engine was started and the white advisory alert left fuel quantity crew alerting system (CAS) message illuminated on the Garmin Perspective primary flight display (PFD). At 1043, the pilot requested an IFR clearance to David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH), Houston, Texas. At 1056, the amber FUEL QTY CAS message illuminated on the PFD when both tanks dropped below 14 gallons. At 1058, the airplane was cleared for takeoff on runway 15.

At 1110, the pilot contacted approach control and requested a direct route back to ADS because of a rough running engine. The controller asked if the pilot wanted to declare an emergency and he replied not at this time. The pilot was then given vectors to ADS. At 1118, the approach controller asked if the pilot needed assistance on the ground at ADS and the pilot responded negative. At 1123, the pilot contacted the ADS air traffic control tower (ATCT) and the controller inquired whether he needed any assistance. The pilot responded not at this time. At 1124, ADS ATCT issued the pilot a low altitude alert while on the instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 15 and reported he appeared to be right of the final approach course. A few seconds later, the pilot stated he would be executing a missed approach. At 1127, the pilot was given a traffic advisory call and instructed to contact approach control. Approach control vectored the pilot for a second ILS approach to runway 15.

At 1133:03, the pilot reported to approach control that he had no glideslope indication and he needed to execute another missed approach. At 1133:21, the pilot declared an emergency and requested vectors to ADS. At 1133:47, the pilot again requested vectors to ADS. No further communications were received by ATC from the pilot. Radar data showed the airplane turned east and then north. At 1134:35, the RDM data showed the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) rocket deployed. The last radar contact was at 1134:41 at an altitude of 600 feet mean sea level (msl). The last data point on the RDM was recorded at 1134:44 at a global positioning system (GPS) altitude of 593 feet msl.

A witness observed the airplane flying low in a north to south direction. He heard the engine "sputter...slightly rev up" and then no sound. The airplane then made a left turn to the north, the parachute deployed, and the airplane disappeared from the witness's view.

Another witness observed the airplane flying northwest to southeast going in and out of the clouds and fog. He reported the engine sounded "sick, like it was knocking, sputtering..." The airplane came out of the clouds in level flight low to the ground. The airplane then entered the clouds and the witness lost sight of the airplane.

The airplane impacted a ditch adjacent to a railroad track next to a high school. Several witnesses at the high school observed the airplane parachute deploy and the airplane impact terrain.

The pilot reported he had no recollection of the accident or proceeding 10 days.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 40, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument ratings. The pilot's third class medical certificate was issued on December 10, 2009, with no limitations or restrictions. The pilot reported 550 total flight hours, 209 flight hours in the accident airplane make/model, and 35 actual instrument flight hours.

Planesmart records showed the pilot accumulated 87.8 flight hours in Cirrus Garmin Perspective equipped airplanes.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a 2010 Cirrus SR22T, serial number 0029. The SR22T was a four-place, single-engine, low wing, composite structure airplane. The airplane was equipped from the factory with a Garmin Perspective PFD and a Garmin Perspective multi-function display (MFD). The airplane was powered by a Continental Motors TSIO-550-K, 315-horsepower engine, and equipped with a Hartzell propeller.

The airplane was issued a standard airworthiness certificate on September 23, 2010, and was registered to the owners on April 21, 2011.

A review of the maintenance logbooks revealed that the airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on October 14, 2011. At that time, the airplane had accumulated 474.2 total hours. According to the flight meter, the airplane had accumulated 487.8 total hours at the time of the accident.

The airplane's total fuel capacity was 94.5 gallons (47.25 gallons each tank) and total usable fuel was 92.0 gallons. Fuel quantity was sensed by fuel level sensors in each tank. Their signals are passed to a Rochester fuel gauge visible to the pilot on the center pedestal, aft of the throttle. Fuel flow was measured at the engine by a fuel flow sensor just upstream of the throttle metering valve and injector manifold. Fuel used was calculated by integrating the measured fuel flow from engine start time. Both fuel flow and fuel used were recorded by the RDM; however, fuel remaining was not recorded.

When the sensed fuel drops below 14 gallons in either tank for 60 seconds, the Rochester fuel gauge sets the appropriate left or right "Fuel Tank Low Warn" discrete on the RDM and provides the low fuel alert to the Garmin avionics for the appropriate annunciation to the pilot. The 60 second delay is used to reduce noise in the data due to fuel slosh when maneuvering. If the sensed fuel rises above the 14 gallon threshold due to fuel slosh or refueling, the discrete recorded on the RDM is deactivated and the 60 second delay is again applied if sensed fuel in a particular tank drops below 14 gallons.

In order to prevent nuisance low fuel alerts to the pilot, another 60 second delay is applied in the Garmin avionics before a white "L/R FUEL QTY" advisory is displayed on the PFD, depending on the low tank. If the sensed fuel in the other tank falls below 14 gallons, the white advisory message is replaced with an amber "FUEL QTY" caution accompanied by a double chime. If the fuel totalizer calculates total fuel below 9 gallons, a red "FUEL QTY" warning appears accompanied by a continuous chime until acknowledged. Each fuel quantity annunciation is latched and is not removed, even if acknowledged. Unlike the white advisory and amber caution messages, the red warning message is not based on sensed fuel level, but dependent on the accurate input of fuel quantity that the pilot must confirm on the initial usable fuel page during the avionics startup sequence.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1147, the ADS automated weather observing system, reported the wind from 230 degrees at 4 knots, 3 miles visibility, ceiling broken at 1,400 feet above ground level, haze, temperature 19 degrees Celsius, dew point 18 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.23 inches of Mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The accident site was located adjacent to a single railroad track, and the airplane came to rest on its right side at a GPS elevation of 593 feet msl. The initial ground scar contained a separated section of the right wing tip. The right wing was separated from the airplane and came to rest between the initial ground scar and the main wreckage. The main wreckage consisted of the engine, left wing, fuselage, and empennage. Two of the three composite propeller blades were separated at the propeller hub and came to rest within the debris field. The Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) was found partially deployed, and the parachute canopy came to rest in the debris field attached to the airframe. The wreckage path was oriented on a bearing of approximately 015 degrees magnetic and was about 220 feet in length.

The left wing remained attached to the fuselage. The aileron and flap remained attached to the wing. The wing tip was damaged and contained earthen debris. Flight control continuity was established to the flap and aileron. The landing gear remained attached. The fuel cap was secure and no fuel was evident in the left fuel tank.

The right wing was separated from the fuselage at the wing root. The aileron and flap remained attached to the wing. The wing tip was damaged and contained earthen debris. Flight control continuity was established to the aileron at the separated wing root. The landing gear remained attached. The fuel cap was secure and no fuel was evident in the right fuel tank.

The empennage structure was fractured and remained attached to the fuselage via control cables. The right elevator tip was bent and fractured. Flight control continuity was established to the elevator and rudder.

The fuselage was crushed and fragmented. The left door was separated and the locking mechanism was engaged. The forward two seat pans were crushed. The forward two seat restraint airbags were deployed. The rear seats were not equipped with restraint airbags. The instrument panel and display units were crushed and deformed. The throttle and mixture were in the full forward position, and the fuel boost pump was on. The fuel selector handle was separated and the selector valve was found in the right tank position. The flap actuator was found in the flaps up position.

The CAPS system was found partially deployed and attached to the airplane. The airframe cover and parachute bag were found approximately 1,000 feet south of the main wreckage. The CAPS handle was found pulled.

The engine was partially separated from the fuselage. The propeller was rotated by hand and mechanical continuity was established throughout the engine. The propeller remained attached to the crankshaft.

Examination of the accident site on the day following the accident revealed no evidence of fuel spill/foliage blight in the vicinity of the right wing or main wreckage.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed on the passenger by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner on October 25, 2011. The cause of death was reported as craniocervical dislocation due to backseat passenger of a small airplane that crashed.

Toxicological specimens were not retained from the pilot.

TEST AND RESEARCH

The airplane contained a Cirrus RDM which was a crash hardened flight recording device installed in the tail that recorded flight information. The RDM stored over 145 hours of flight data at a 1 Hz recording rate. The recorder was in good condition and the data were extracted normally from the recorder. In addition to the RDM, seven SD cards were recovered from the airplane.

When an SD card is inserted into the top slot of the Garmin Perspective MFD, flight data is logged to the card at a recording rate of 1 Hz. A separate data file is created at each power cycle. Six of the seven SD cards contained various navigation and terrain databases for use with the G1000 avionics. One SD card contained 445 data files dating back to January 2011.

A review of the accident flight data indicated that both navigation radios were tuned to 110.10 MHz prior to takeoff and remained on that frequency for the entire flight. That frequency was the same as the ADS runway 15 ILS frequency. The SD cards were in good condition and the data were extracted normally.

The recorded data were examined for the four flights prior to the accident flight to asses fuel use. The following depicts those flights:

October 20, 2011 - Fuel Used - 82.4 gallons
October 19, 2011 - Fuel Used - 78.5 gallons
October 16, 2011 - Fuel Used - 51.4 gallons
October 14, 2011 - Fuel Used - 43.5 gallons

According to the data, there was a brief engine power back cycle on the ground on October 19th, lasting approximately 2 minutes and using 0.1 gallons of fuel calculated by the fuel totalizer. There were other periods where the airplane was powered on the ground before the flight on October 19th, but there was no indication the engine was running.

On December 6, 2011, an examination and functional test were conducted on the engine at the Continental Motors facility in Mobile, Alabama. The NTSB investigator-in-charge was present for the preparation and engine functional test. Due to impact damage, the following components were replace and/or cleaned: both right side engine mounts replaced, exhaust system crushed and replaced, turbo chargers were cleaned and reinstalled, fuel pump inlet fitting broke and replaced, starter and starter adapter were replaced, and oil sump. The engine was mounted in an engine test cell and test run at various power settings from idle to full power. No anomalies were noted during the engine test run that would have precluded normal engine operation.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The airplane was managed by PlaneSmart Aviation of Addison for the owners of the airplane. The management program provided services to the owners to include, but not limited to, cleaning, maintenance coordination, hangar service and scheduling. PlaneSmart Aviation had no operational control for the accident flight.
============

NTSB Identification: CEN12FA037 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, October 24, 2011 in Carrollton, TX
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22T, registration: N227TX
Injuries: 1 Fatal,2 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On October 24, 2011, approximately 1135 central daylight time, a Cirrus SR22T single-engine airplane, N227TX, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain following a loss of engine power while maneuvering near Carrollton, Texas. The private pilot and one passenger each sustained serious injuries and a second passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was co-owned and operated by the pilot. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed the Addison Airport (ADS), Dallas, Texas, approximately 1045 and was destined for Houston, Texas.

According to preliminary air traffic control (ATC) communications and radar data, approximately 10 minutes after takeoff, the pilot reported he was experiencing a rough running engine and needed a direct return to ADS. The pilot was vectored to the instrument landing system (ILS) approach for runway 15. Approximately 2 miles from ADS while on the final approach course for runway 15, the pilot discontinued the approach and stated he was going "missed". The airplane was then vectored for another approach to runway 15. After turning on to the final approach course for the second ILS approach, the pilot stated he could not capture the glideslope and was executing another missed approach. The pilot then declared an emergency and no further communication were received by ATC from the pilot.

A witness observed the airplane flying low in a north to south direction. He heard the engine "sputter...slightly rev up" and then no sound. The airplane then made a left turn to the north, and the parachute deployed. The airplane then disappeared from the witness's view.

Another witness observed the airplane flying northwest to southeast going in and out of the clouds and fog. He reported the engine sounded "sick, like it was knocking, sputtering..." The airplane came out of the clouds in level flight low to the ground. The airplane then entered the clouds and the witness lost sight of the airplane.

The accident site was located adjacent to a single railroad track, and the airplane came to rest on its right side. The initial ground scar contained a separated section of the right wing tip. The right wing was separated from the airplane and came to rest between the initial ground scar and the main wreckage. The main wreckage consisted of the engine, left wing, fuselage, and empennage. Two of the three propeller blades were separated at the propeller hub and came to rest within the debris field. The Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) was found deployed, and the parachute canopy came to rest in the debris field attached to the airframe. Three non-volatile memory chips were recovered from the primary and multi-function display units, and the remote data module was recovered from the empennage. The chips and module were sent to the NTSB recorders laboratory for data extraction.

At 1147, the ADS automated weather observing system, reported the wind from 230 degrees at 4 knots, 3 statue miles visibility, ceiling broken at 1,400 feet above ground level, haze, temperature 19 degrees Celsius, dew point 18 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.23 inches of Mercury.

The airplane was managed by Planesmart! Aviation of Addison for the owners of the airplane. The management program provided services to the owners to include, but not limited to, cleaning, maintenance coordination, hangar service and scheduling. Planesmart! Aviation had no operational control for the accident flight.

 

CARROLLTON (CBSDFW.COM) - At least one person has been killed in a plane crash near Hebron High School in Carrollton.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesman Tony Molinaro, the Cirrus SR 22 aircraft had just taken off from the Addison Airport when the pilot reported engine trouble.

The pilot contacted the air traffic control tower, saying he needed to return. It is believed the pilot made one attempt at landing that was unsuccessful. The plane crashed just after 11:30 a.m. on second approach – going down in the 4200 block of Plano Parkway.

Carrollton Fire Chief Greg Samli said three people were onboard the plane.

At the Noon hour Chief Samli said rescue crews were working to get one person out of the plane and that another was already en route to a local hospital. The person transported to the hospital by ambulance was said to be conscious.

Police have blocked part of Plano Parkway as a precaution.

Fire crews from Addison and Lewisville are assisting the Carrollton Fire Department.

CARROLLTON, Texas - Three people were on board a small plane that crashed near the Hebron High School/9th Grade Center complex in Carrollton on Monday.

The aircraft, believed to be a Cirrus SR22, went down sometime before noon and crashed in a field near Hebron High School at 4207 Plano Pkwy.

The deceased was still in the wreckage as of about 12:30 p.m. but the injured were both transported to area hospitals, officials said.

Workers at PlaneSmart Aviation, a chartering service and pilot school at Addison Airport, confirmed the plane had taken off from their facility, but would not make any further statement.

Witnesses reported that the plane appeared to have been suffering a mechanical failure prior to the crash.

No identities were released and no further details were available.

CARROLLTON, Texas - Three people were on board a small plane that crashed near the Hebron High School/9th Grade Center complex in Carrollton on Monday.

The aircraft went down sometime before noon, crashing in a field near Hebron High School at 4207 Plano Pkwy.

The deceased was still in the wreckage as of about 12:30 p.m. but the injured were both transported to area hospitals, officials said.

They said the plane had taken off from Addison Airport.

Witnesses reported that the plane appeared to have been suffering a mechanical failure prior to the crash.

No identities were released and no further details were available.
=========

CARROLLTON, Texas - Three people were on board a small plane that crashed near the Hebron High School/9th Grade Center complex in Carrollton on Monday.

The aircraft went down sometime before noon, crashing in a field near Hebron High School at 4207 Plano Pkwy.

The deceased was still in the wreckage as of about 12:30 p.m. but the injured were both transported to area hospitals, officials said.

They said the plane had taken off from Addison Airport.

Witnesses reported that the plane appeared to have been suffering a mechanical failure prior to the crash.

No identities were released and no further details were available.
Witnesses reported that the plane appeared to have been suffering a mechanical failure prior to the crash.

No identities were released and no further details were available.

CARROLLTON -- A small plane that left out of Addison crashed around 11:35 a.m., killing one person.

The plane crash landed in the 4200 block of Plano Parkway near Hebron High School. The wreckage is not on school property, but about 100 yards on the other side of the railroad tracks.

WooHoo!!! Happy stories are rare these days . . . but this is a good one ENJOY! Delta Air Lines Engagement - Arvin & Alex

Arvin proposes to Alex on board Delta Air Lines Flight from ORD to LGA.

http://youtu.be/xU0OIxLmI3o

(Hat tip to Frank at 160 Knots)

Delta passenger tries to open door in flight

A Delta Air Lines flight from Las Vegas to Atlanta was grounded Sunday afternoon when a passenger tried to open the cabin door.

"We had an unruly passenger," Delta spokesman Anthony Black said.

Around 1:50 p.m., Transportation Security Administration was notified of a disruptive passenger on board Flight 1702, TSA spokesman Jon Allen said.

“For two or three minutes, it was very scary,” said Katie Hindman, who was returning home to Atlanta from vacation.

About an hour into the flight, Hindman said a man sitting in one of the emergency exit seats tried to open the emergency latch while the plane was at cruising altitude of more than 30,000 feet.

She was seated several rows behind the aisle where the incident occur, but could see a crowd gathered around the seat.

“It seemed that he retreated, and the passengers backed off,” Hindman said. “But he made a second run for it, and a big group of guys tackled him.”

She said the man laid on the ground for about 40 minutes as the plane returned to its departure point and flight staff subdued him.

“I thought Delta handled the situation really well,” Hindman said. “They struck a good balance of being professional and at the same time letting passengers know what what was going on.”

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said the emergency doors won’t open while the cabin is pressurized, which is the case when the plane is in flight.

The flight returned safely to McCarran International Airport, where the individual was arrested by Las Vegas police, Allen said.

The disruptive passenger was arrested at the gate, and the plane took off again, arriving in Atlanta at 7:05 p.m.

http://www.ajc.com

(Hat tip to Jim in Augusta, Georgia  < < - - - - Loves helicopters)