FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Scottsdale FSDO-07
NTSB Identification: WPR16FA158
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, August 02, 2016 in Flagstaff, AZ
Aircraft: PIPER PA 34-200T, registration: N82806
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
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 August 2, 2016, about 2122 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II, N82806, was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain shortly after takeoff from Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG), Flagstaff, Arizona. The airline transport pilot received fatal injuries. The personal flight was being conducted as a medical delivery mission for the volunteer organization Flights for Life (FFL), under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at FLG at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed.
According to its website, FFL is "a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free air transportation to transport blood for the United Blood Service (UBS) of Arizona." FFL works in cooperation with hospitals, blood banks, health-care agencies and private individuals, and flies scheduled and on-demand missions, primarily within Arizona. The pilot was a well-known, long serving, and very active member of FFL.
The pilot owned the accident airplane, and based it at Falcon Field (FFZ), Mesa, Arizona. Commercial flight tracking data indicated that the airplane departed FFZ about 0945, and landed at Show Low Regional Airport (SOW), Show Low, AZ about 1030, and then departed SOW about 1055, arriving at FLG about 1140. According to the line service technician at FLG who met the airplane, at the time of its arrival, it was "pouring" rain. The technician, who was an employee of Wiseman Aviation, a FLG fixed base operation (FBO), reported that the pilot did not want any fuel, and that the pilot unloaded some of his personal items about 30 minutes after landing, once the rain stopped. The pilot then spent the day in the FBO, generally working on his computer, while awaiting a UBS delivery that was expected about 2100. About 1900 the pilot and technician re-located the airplane closer to the terminal, and the pilot began "cleaning" and/or re-arranging some contents in the airplane to make room for the expected cargo.
About 2000, a Beech King Air operated by Tri-State Care Flight arrived at FLG for a patient pickup, and the line service technician tended to that airplane. About 2040, the FBO owner stopped by and spoke briefly with the Seneca pilot, whom he had known for about 5 years. Shortly thereafter the FBO owner left, and the technician asked the pilot again if he needed fuel, and he again declined. The technician then left the airport. Neither he nor the FBO owner witnessed the loading of the Seneca, or saw the King Air or the Seneca depart. Both FBO personnel reported that it was a "dark night" and that it was cloudy, but not raining, when they left.
The UBS employee who delivered the cargo reported that the total load was four "large" boxes and two "small" boxes. She stated that full large boxes weigh about 30 lbs each, small ones weigh about 10 lbs each, and that two of the large boxes were not full. The pilot loaded all the boxes via the aft left-side cargo door(s). He placed the large boxes on the floor of the aft cabin, and the two small boxes on top of them. The UBS employee reported that the pilot then closed the door(s), and that he did not restrain the boxes with a net or any other means.
The FLG air traffic control tower closed at 2100. Sometime after that, while still on the ground, the Seneca pilot contacted Phoenix Approach control, and advised them that he was requesting VFR (visual flight rules) flight following for a return trip to FFZ. At 2119:44, the Seneca pilot radioed to Phoenix Approach that he was "off [runway] two one" and climbing to "eleven thousand five hundred" feet. At 2120:17 the controller advised the pilot of "radar contact one mile south" of FLG, and advised him to maintain VFR. At 2120:21 the pilot radioed his thank you; this was the last radio transmission from the flight. At 21:22:57, the controller advised the pilot that radar contact had been lost, and thereafter made repeated, unanswered calls to the flight.
Ground-based Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) radar tracking data first detected the airplane at 21:19:49. The radar returns indicated that the airplane climbed at a rate of about 1,000 feet per minute (fpm) for about 60 seconds, and then the climb rate decreased to and remained at about 400 fpm for the next minute. The airplane reached a maximum radar altitude of 8,400 feet, and then descended to ground impact during the next 20 seconds.
The impact site was located about 2.6 miles, on a true bearing of 236º, from the threshold of FLG runway 3, at an elevation of about 6,950 feet above mean sea level (msl). The airplane was highly fragmented; the debris field measured about 80 feet wide by about 500 feet long, and was oriented on a true heading of 042º. Earwitnesses reported that the engines were operating at high power. Ground scar and propeller signatures were consistent with both engines operating at impact. Initial post recovery evaluation of the wreckage did not reveal any mechanical anomalies, including fire, that would have precluded continued normal operation.
According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 1980, and was equipped with two Continental Motors TSIO-360 series engines. The pilot purchased the airplane in March 2015. Maintenance records indicated that its most recent annual inspection was completed in May 2016, when the airframe had a total time (TT) in service of about 7,453 hours. The left engine had a TT of about 3,992 hours, with about 342 hours since overhaul. The right engine had a TT of about 353 hours.
The 76 year old pilot held multiple certificates and ratings. On his most recent application for an FAA second-class medical certificate in March 2016, he reported a total flight experience of 11,858 hours.
FLG was situated at an elevation of 7,014 feet msl. It was equipped with a single paved runway, 3/21, which measured 8,800 feet by 150 feet.
The 2057 FLG automated weather observation included calm winds, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 ft, temperature 14 degrees C, dew point 14 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.35 inches of mercury. The 2157 observation included winds from 240 degrees at 3 knots, visibility 10 miles, a broken cloud layer at 11,000 feet, with unchanged temperature, dew point, and altimeter setting.
Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board investigation may contact them by email eyewitnessreport@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.
Mac McClure in 2012 receives a volunteer award with Flights for Life Marketing Director Jane Tellier.
The former director of Oklahoma City’s Federal Aviation Administration center died in a plane crash in Arizona Tuesday.
The Coconinio County Sheriff’s Office said Mac McClure’s twin-engine plane crashed near Flagstaff while he was transporting donated blood to Scottsdale. Authorities said the plane may have had engine trouble shortly after it took off. It then crashed into a wooded area.
During his time in Oklahoma City, McClure volunteered with the Boy Scouts and United Way. His successor Lindy Ritz told The Journal Record’s Dale Denwalt that McClure embraced Oklahoma as soon as he got here:
She was head of the human resources office when he came to Oklahoma City, and Ritz said one of the first things McClure did was to walk around the building to meet employees. He was a mentor to the FAA workers there, and a role model to the community, she said.
“He was a motivator and an inspirer,” said Ritz. “He was just an outstanding leader in the way he was able to reach down and have people feel like they were capable of doing things they didn’t think they were able to do.”
She recalled that one time during his tenure, repairs to Southeast High School kept students from coming back to class. He let them have class at the FAA’s building instead.
Tuesday night’s flight was on behalf of his organization Flights for Life. The volunteer organization is made up of more than 100 pilots who transport blood donations across the state. McClure flew nearly 900 missions.
Flights for Life Mission Coordinator Jerry Kapp said McClure trained the volunteer pilots so well that the organization will keep going. He had plans to expand Flights for Life to other states.
In a 2014 interview about his work with Flights for Life, McClure told the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association magazine that he’s done every type of volunteer work.
“Nothing is as fulfilling as this work because I know I’m saving lives,” McClure said.
The 76-year-old McClure is survived by his wife and two sons.
Homer "Mac" McClure, 76, was killed in the crash. He was from Mesa.
McClure was transporting a blood donation from the United Blood Services in Flagstaff. He left from Pulliam Airport around 9:15 p.m. on Tuesday.
Residents in the area of Kachina Village, and Forest Highlands reported hearing unusual airplane engine sounds followed by a large crash.
Officials said via their Facebook page that the wreckage was located just east of Highway 89A at milepost 395.
The Federal Aviation Administration said a Piper PA 34 crash under unknown circumstances. The crash happened around 9 p.m., 5 miles southwest of the airport. The debris field of the crash if over 200 yards long.
According to the FAA, the aircraft was completely destroyed.
The Coconino County Sheriff's Office, Medical Examiners Office, the FAA, and the NTSB will be investigating.
Story and video: http://www.abc15.com
The pilot who was killed when his twin-engine plane crashed south of Flagstaff on Tuesday night had been transporting donated blood, officials said.
Coconino County sheriff's officials have identified the pilot as Homer "Mac" McClure, 76, of Mesa.
A Sheriff's Office Facebook post said McClure picked up donated blood from United Blood Services and took off from Flagstaff Pulliam Airport around 9:14 p.m. Soon after, residents in Kachina Village and Forest Highlands reported hearing unstable airplane engine sounds followed by a large crash.
The wreckage was located east of State Route 89A and milepost 395 in a forested area about 5 miles southwest of the airport, according to information from the Highlands Fire District. The smell of fuel helped lead authorities there.
Erika Wiltenmuth, a Sheriff's Office spokeswoman, said tops of trees that had been sheared off, showing the plane's path to impact. The debris field was 200 yards long.
What caused the crash was not immediately known.
The Coconino County Sheriff's Office, county Medical Examiner's Office, FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.
FAA Flight Standards District Office: SCOTTSDALE, AZ (WP07)
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 82806 Make/Model: PA34 Description: PA-34 Seneca
Date: 10/19/2012 Time: 1530
Event Type: Incident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Minor
LOCATION
City: GOODYEAR State: AZ Country: US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT ON LANDING, GEAR COLLAPSED, GOODYEAR, AZ
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1
# Pass: 2
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Landing Operation: OTHER
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- A pilot was able to walk away unharmed after an incident at Phoenix Goodyear Airport Friday morning.
While it's not clear what happened, aerial video from the Fort McDowell Casino News Chopper showed the twin-engine airplane what appeared to be collapsed landing gear near the end of the runway.
There was no fire and the damage looked relatively minor.
"It's good to see people walking around the aircraft," Bruce Haffner said. The fire department had already cleared the scene.
It's not known if the plane was landing or taking off. No information about the pilot was immediately available.
Phoenix bought and started operating Phoenix Goodyear Airport, which is classified as a general aviation reliever airport for Sky Harbor International Airport, in July 1968. Before that it was U.S. Naval Air Facility used to test fly and deliver aircraft. It was decommissioned after the Korean War ended in 1953.
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