Friday, February 17, 2012

Van's Aircraft RV-10: Doctor ready to soar after building plane

The Van's Aircraft RV-10 is a four-seat, single-engine, low-wing homebuilt airplane that Dr. Carroll Verhange and his wife, Sherry, are assembling at the old Fairmont Air Base. 
(JOANIE CRADICK/Lincoln Journal Star)

 Dr. Carroll Verhage and his wife, Sherry, have built a four-seat, single-engine, low-wing airplane.
 (JOANIE CRADICK/Lincoln Journal Star)

Sherry Verhage and her husband, Carroll, have built an experimental airplane together at the old Fairmont Air Base.
 (JOANIE CRADICK/Lincoln Journal Star)


Dr. Carroll Verhage built the instrument panel of this Van's Aircraft RV-10, a four-seat, single-engine, low-wing airplane. He added GPS and auto pilot to the panel and hopes to fly the plane in March.
 (JOANIE CRADICK/Lincoln Journal Star)


FAIRMONT -- Early in March, Carroll Verhage, a 67-year-old family physician, will taxi the airplane he built toward its maiden flight.

The Geneva doctor has 2,700 hours under his wings during 36 years as a private pilot, many in his Cessna 206.

He expects his new VANS RV-10 experimental aircraft will fly about 40 mph faster than that six-seat ship and reach 180 knots at 8,000 feet. That extra speed, plus the challenge of building it, as well as the soundness of the investment, prompted the venture. He estimates resale value at 120 percent of building costs, which roughly equaled the price of an average house.

He invested an additional $5,000 on special tools -- drills, air riveters and bucking bars.

He and his wife, Sherry -- she's the navigator -- began work on the four-seat kit on June 10, 2010. They finished in January.

The directions were deficient, said the 1960s-era U.S. Navy electronics technician, and installing the instruments was the most demanding task.

One appeal of an experimental airplane, Verhage said, is that "You can add and subtract things as long as it doesn't interfere with the flight characteristics."

He installed autopilot, GPS tracking and courtesy lights that come on when the doors open.

The plane also has an external power plug, which can be convenient when it won't start, and save the 30 minutes it takes to take out part of the back cabin in order to get at the battery.

During construction, Sherry Verhage manned the air hammer, one of the few tools small enough for her to manage, and applied thousands of match-head size rivets to the plane exterior.

"There are 13 rows of 180 plus rivets per row just in the tail section," Carroll Verhage said.

Among other notable numbers: a 260-horsepower engine, 60-gallon fuel tank for a 900-mile range, plus super heaters that can keep the cabin warm at 20 degrees below zero.

"This one has terrific heaters," Carroll Verhage said, "one on each muffler."

In the United States, nearly three times the number of experimental planes as commercially made planes are built, he said.

In all, there are 386 completed RV-10s flying, said Cynthia Schrantz, administrative assistant at Van's Aircraft Inc., in Aurora, Ore.

"We have everywhere from one-seat aircraft to four seats. The RV-10s are the most complicated," she said.

The company's website promotes the aircraft's ability to land on grass, gravel or pavement.

Occasionally, Carroll Verhage said, he asked friend and retired military pilot Lyle Bender for advice. Bender spent 41/2 years building his own RV-10.

"To do it in 18 months is pretty fast. I don't know anyone (else) who put it together in that length of time," Bender said. "It depends on the individual. The better measure is how many hours did you spend building it."

Carroll Verhage said he and his wife put in more than 4,000 hours, doubling the 2,000 he'd anticipated.

"It's been a real dedication," said Sherry Verhage.

After a check-off period -- a 40-hour-flying-time obligation, Carroll Verhage expects to make his maiden flight, alone, on March 1.

His wife said some of the couple's 10 grandchildren have asked them to paint the plane fluorescent purple and pink.

Carroll Verhage frowned at the combination and said he doesn't know what he'll use.

"You don't paint 'em 'til you fly 'em because you don't want to ruin a good paint job."

The Verhages, who have four children, already have flown all over the continental United States and Alaska in the Cessna 206.

"Anywhere is fair game," he said.

Saskatoon air show for veterans cancelled: Credit Union Centre CEO says it has not done well financially

This year will only see the Remembrance Day ceremony to honor veterans, with the Canada Remembers Air Show grounded.

CUC CEO Will Lofdahl explained the air show is too expensive, and suffers from big losses.

"It is something that our management and our board have been looking at in recent years, as to whether it's an event that we want to go forward with in the future," he said.

"It has not done well financially."

He added that the decision was not unexpected, but it doesn't have anything to do with the firing of two employees earlier in the year.

http://cjme.com

Two men escape injury in plane crash

The amphibious amateur-built aircraft in a Port Macquarie paddock this morning. 
Pic: Jacinta Bailey

Two elderly men escaped injury when their amphibious aircraft suffered engine trouble heading out of Port Macquarie this morning.

The men - one from Melbourne, the other from Cairns -were "hopping" the light aircraft to Innisfail from Melbourne when trouble struck this morning.

The pilots had barely left Port Macquarie airport when they were forced into a "controlled landing" in a paddock near the Oxley-Pacific highway intersection about 8am.

It is understood the men put to use the long grass in an open paddock to help cushion their landing.

The aircraft, believed to be amateur built, was not seriously damaged.

Who's paddock was it? Find out in Monday's Port News:  http://www.portnews.com.au

Air France flight aborted

An Air France jet, en route from Paris to Sao Paulo, had to return to Charles de Gaulle airport due to the failure of the onboard fire extinguishing system.

According to eyewitnesses, the plane spent another two hours in mid-air dumping the extra fuel before landing at Charles de Gaulle international airport. None of the 185 passengers was hurt.

On July 1, 2009 a Paris-bound Air France Airbus A330 crashed into the Atlantic shortly after taking off from Rio de Janeiro, killing all 228 passengers and crew.

Family: Ex-Teacher Killed in Plane Crash was Larger than Life. Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee C, N4824L. Plattsburg, Missouri



KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The family of J.C. Waters say that the retired teacher died this week doing what he did best – living life to the fullest.

Waters and another man were killed when the small plane they were flying clipped a tree and crashed on Tuesday in rural Clinton County. Waters’ family say that the men were doing a flyover a family friend’s farm at the time of the wreck.

“I think his primary statement would be if you have a dream, a goal, go for it. Do what it takes to make it happen,” said Paul Waters, J.C.’s younger brother. He says that his older brother was larger than life in many ways.

After retiring from teaching math and computer science at Truman High School, J.C. Waters moved to Virginia where he ran a charter sailing business.

Paul Waters says that owner of the property where the crash happened is devastated by the accident. But as painful as the accident has been for the former teacher’s friends and family, he says that it’s comforting to hear from his big brother’s former Truman High School students. He says that if his brother could speak, his message would be clear.

“He would say, ‘Hey guys, you know, life goes on’,” said Paul Waters.

J.C. Waters left behind his wife, also a retired teacher, three children and several grandchildren.


IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 4824L        Make/Model: PA28      Description: PA-28 CHEROKEE, ARROW, WARRIOR, ACHER, D
  Date: 02/14/2012     Time: 2230

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: PLATTSBURG   State: MO   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CLIPPED TREES AND CRASHED, THE 1 PERSON ON BOARD WAS FATALLY 
  INJURED,NEAR PLATTSBURG, MO

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: KANSAS CITY, MO  (CE05)               Entry date: 02/15/2012 

Beechcraft 95-B55 Baron, N4624A: Near Lancaster Municipal Airport (73C), Wisconsin


From the Grant County Sheriff's Department:

Location of Incident:
Hwy 61 @ Aupperle Road – South Lancaster Township

Date and Time:
February 17, 2012 1:20 p.m.

Pilot:
Dennis Dangberg
68-year-old
Minor scrape to face

Aircraft:
1970 Beechcraft Baron – twin engine plane

Details:
Dennis Dangberg, of Windside Nebraska, was operating his 1970 Beechcraft Baron plane just north of the Lancaster Airport.

Mr. Dangberg was flying from Freeport, IL back to Windside and needed to get fuel.

He was about 2 miles from the Lancaster airport, when he ran out of fuel.

Mr. Dangberg attempted to land his plane on Hwy 61 just south of Aupperle Road, but was unable to do so.

The plane landed in the ditch line on the west side of Hwy 61 and Mr. Dangberg was able to keep it upright and it traveled several hundred feet in the ditch before coming to rest.

Mr. Dangberg was able to exit the plane and was treated on scene by the Lancaster Rescue Squad. The Sheriff’s Department was assisted by the Lancaster Fire Department, Lancaster Rescue Squad and Bennett’s Towing.

The investigation was turned over to the FAA.

New York State Electric and Gas Takes to the Sky

Over the next couple of weeks, low flying helicopters will be seen in the towns of Chenango, Fenton, and the Binghamton area.

The rotary aircraft will be controlled by NYSEG.

Starting Tuesday and continuing into early march, the choppers will be pruning trees along transmissions lines.

They'll use a special saw that hangs beneath the helicopter.

Stopping deadly airline accidents before they happen

Rolling across the tarmac in a line, waiting to take off ... or arrive at the gate.

It can be hard on your patience, but did you know it's also the most dangerous moment of your entire flight?

With more flights and increased runway traffic, KING 5 aviation specialist Glenn Farley reports on how a Redmond company is developing technology that stops deadly accidents before they can happen.

Tonight at 11 on KING 5 News:  http://www.king5.com

Nigeria Airspace Management Agency Now to Install Airfield Lighting at Airport Runways

The Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) would now take the responsibility of providing airfield lighting at the nation’s airports.

It will also provide bird hazard control to eliminate bird strikes on flights and carry out calibrations of airport facilities.

Before the new policy, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) was providing airfield lighting which obviously accompanies construction of runways, while calibration is done by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

The Ministry of Aviation may have decided on this new policy because over the years FAAN seemed incapable of providing airfield lighting at rehabilitated airports, thus subjecting many of the nation’s airports to day light flights.

An important example is the domestic runway (18L) of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, which was commissioned in December 2008 after rehabilitation by the then Minister of Aviation, Babatunde Omotoba without runway lighting, and since then, four years after, the runway has been without lighting.

This adversely affect the operations of domestic airlines at sundown, and aircraft have to trudge to the international runway (18R) which is about two kilometer away, burning fuel that was put at about N500 million annually to take off to domestic destinations.

Not only that, using the international runway alone in the evenings gives rise to congestion because it is the period of peak landing and take-off by international flights, so aircraft have to hover for minutes to wait for its own turn to land, which also wastes a lot of fuel.

Ideally, both the runway and airfield lighting are built simultaneously so that they are ready for commissioning together, but at the Lagos airport, it was different; the same with the Owerri and Enugu airports.

A statement from NAMA, signed by its the General Manager, Public Affairs, Supo Atobatele, said that the agency has been given additional responsibilities to effectively manage the nation’s airspace as the Federal Government directed the agency to oversee airfield lighting at all airports and also be in charge of bird harzard control.

It noted that similarly, the agency under the new dispensation was to take over the calibration unit otherwise known as Navigational Aids Flight Inspection and Surveillance (NAFIS) from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

This directive the statement said, given to the affected agencies by the Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah would take immediate effect.

The exercise according to the Minister ’’is in line with the Federal Government’s transformation agenda for the industry’’.

All the Chief Executives of the affected agencies have been directed to work out modalities for the take over and complete the details for same.

The managing director of NAMA, Mr. Nnamdi Udoh addressing the management staff of the agency in Lagos on Thursday over the new development, remarked that the workforce, especially the technical staff would have to brace up for the emerging challenges.

The NAMA boss, described the additional job as enormous and reminded the staff of the need to realign for corporate goal of providing high quality air traffic services.

‘’With these huge responsibilities given to NAMA, we need to settle down and work assiduously to justify the new status bestowed on the agency by the Federal Government’’, the Managing Director stressed.

NAMA by the Act No.48 of 1999 has the mandate to provide Air Navigation Services in the country and commenced operation in January, 2000.

Recent booms heard throughout the Borderland caused by F-22 Raptor


HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. —  Lt. Col. Robert Teschner on Friday addressed what residents in the Borderland have been talking about since Feb. 9.

Due to Mission F-22A -- training exercises where the Raptors are being flown over the local airspace -- Teschner said when a flying object is traveling faster than the speed of sound through the air, you're going to get a sonic boom.

The base is home of the 49th Wing, which operates the F-22A Raptor. Its is one of three that trains and operates the aircraft. Teschner said it's designed to fly at high speed.

If you were wondering why these booms weren't heard before, its because the aircraft were grounded due to suspended operations, said Teschner.

Recently, Holloman Air Force Base got the green light to start flying again.


ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (KRQE) - It's the fastest fighter plane in the Air Force.

The F-22 Raptor flies at supersonic speeds, and can create a boom loud enough to set off car alarms.

One of the squadrons is based at Holloman Air Force Base outside Alamogordo. But, the booms that come with them are rattling some people up to 50 miles away.

The explosive sound is a result of the super-fast aircraft breaking the sound barrier. It can be heard from the ground, sometimes from 30-50 miles away.

"With a family that lives downtown as well, I am sensitive to the noise issues with this airplane," explained F-22 pilot, and 49th Operations Group Deputy Commander Robert Teschner., our balance is that the nation needs us to be as prepared as possible

Since the F-22 squadron at Holloman is one of the five operational squadrons for the jets in the United States, being combat-ready is vital.

"Our daily training prepares us to be ready to execute worldwide contingency missions on a moments notice," Teschner said.

With 26 Raptors on base and 39 qualified F-22 pilots, flight times often run Monday through Fridays and sometimes on Saturdays. The flights are during the day, but in the past they've occasionally flown at night.

Many people have complained about the booms. Some say they moved to the surrounding mountains for the tranquility only to be subjected to the booms.

Others complain that it spooks their livestock.

F-22 pilots at Holloman Air Force Base explained that the sonic booms are a natural consequence to a very important mission and that constant training is necessary.

To lessen the impact on the public, the Air Forces uses air space over less-populated areas.

But they are not cutting down their test flights. Air Force officials say the sonic booms represent the sound of freedom.

"You have to be able to absorb lots of different kinds of data, quickly assimilate, and then do something about it," Teschner said. "And the only way to be able to do that effectively is to do it often."

Teschner said even a few days off from flying can make a pilot feel like he's losing his edge.

"For the nation, we don't want any of our pilots to get into that rusty-sort of feeling," he explained.

Officials at Holloman also send out flight schedules to let the public know about their mission and when to expect possible booms. The schedules also are published on the Holloman website under Boom Report.

Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP, N665SP: Fatal accident occurred February 15, 2012 in North Bend, Washington

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf 

Docket And Docket Items -   National Transportation Safety Board:   http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

Aviation Accident Data Summary -  National Transportation Safety Board:   http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

NTSB Identification: WPR12FA105
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, February 15, 2012 in North Bend, WA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/13/2013
Aircraft: CESSNA 172S, registration: N665SP
Injuries: 3 Fatal.

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.

During the local flight, which took place in dark night visual meteorological conditions, several witnesses reported observing the airplane’s lights at a low altitude and hearing the airplane’s engine running before the sound of impact. One witness, a certificated pilot, estimated that when he saw the airplane there was an overcast layer of clouds about 2,000 feet mean sea level (msl) with some lower level clouds and patchy areas of fog. Recorded radar data showed the flight departing the airport and ascending to an altitude of about 2,400 feet msl while traveling in a northeasterly direction. The data subsequently showed that the airplane descended on an east-southeasterly heading to an altitude of about 1,500 feet msl before radar contact was lost. The last recorded radar target was about 6 miles northwest of the accident site, which was located at an elevation of about 1,958 feet msl. The terrain along the pilot’s route of flight ranged between about 500 and 1,000 feet msl; the accident occurred as the airplane approached an area of rising (mountainous) terrain. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. Toxicology tests of the pilot revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 154 mg/dl. Federal Aviation Administration regulations prohibit operation of an airplane by persons with blood alcohol concentrations exceeding 40.0 mg/dL. It is likely that the pilot was impaired during the flight, which affected his ability to operate the airplane and maintain clearance from terrain.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The pilot's physical impairment due to alcohol, which adversely affected his ability to operate the airplane and to maintain clearance from mountainous terrain while operating in dark night conditions.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On February 15, 2012, about 0154 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172S, N665SP, was substantially damaged following impact with terrain on the western face of Mount Si, near North Bend, Washington. The airplane was registered to Christiansen Aviation Inc., Wilmington, Delaware, and operated by the pilot, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot and his two passengers sustained fatal injuries. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The local flight originated from the Renton Municipal Airport (RNT), Renton, Washington, at 0135.

A witness, who was a rated private pilot, reported that while driving in an easterly direction on Interstate 90 (I-90), he observed anti-collision and navigation lights from a low flying airplane that was flying in a southeasterly direction, about 1 mile north of I-90. The witness stated that as I-90 turned to a southwesterly direction, he lost sight of the airplane for a couple of minutes, however, reestablished visual contact with the airplane as he and the airplane approached North Bend. The witness said that at that time, the airplane altered its course and was traveling in a northeasterly direction at an estimated altitude of about 1,000 feet above ground level (agl). The witness added that visibility was at least 3 miles with a high overcast cloud ceiling and a few lower elevation clouds.

Several witnesses located near the accident site reported having heard an impact sound. One witness reported observing the lights of a low flying airplane over his location about 300 to 500 feet agl. The witness stated that he heard the engine rev up and couldn’t see the lights anymore. Shortly thereafter, they heard a pop along with the engine noise suddenly stop.

A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recorded radar data revealed that the accident airplane was on initial climb from RNT. The airplane ascended to an altitude of about 2,400 feet mean sea level (msl), initially traveling in a northeasterly direction. As the airplane approached the area of Snoqualmie Falls, it descended to an altitude of about 1,500 feet msl, and traveled along an east-southeasterly course. The last recorded radar target was at 0146, about 1.5 miles southwest of Snoqualmie Falls at an altitude of 1,500 feet msl. The last radar target was located about 6.11 miles northwest of the accident site.

According to one of the passenger’s family members, the pilot and the two passengers attended a local hockey game that started at 1930. Following the game, the pilot and passengers went to dinner.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 30, held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land, airplane multi-engine land, and instrument airplane ratings. The pilot also held a flight instructor certificate with airplane single-engine land, airplane multi-engine land, and instrument airplane ratings. A first-class airman medical certificate was issued to the pilot on August 8, 2007, with no limitations stated. Review of the pilot’s logbook revealed that as of the most current logbook entry, dated February 12, 2012, he had accumulated 991.5 hours of total flight time.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The four-seat, high-wing, fixed-gear airplane, serial number (S/N) 172S8069, was manufactured in 1998. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-360-L2A engine, serial number L-27912-51A, rated at 180 horsepower. The airplane was also equipped with a McCauley 1A170E/JHA7660, serial number SH101, fixed pitch propeller. Review of the aircraft maintenance records revealed that the most recent annual inspection was completed on October 10, 2011, at an airframe total time of 5,477.3 hours and engine time since major overhaul of 560.7 hours.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

A review of recorded data from the Renton Municipal Airport automated weather observation station, located 21 miles east of the accident site, revealed at 0756, conditions were wind from 160 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, few clouds at 2,800 feet, overcast cloud layer at 4,000 feet, temperature 2 degrees Celsius, dew point 2 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.25 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted trees and terrain on an approximate heading of about 120 degrees magnetic at an elevation of about 1,958 feet msl. Multiple topped trees and damaged tree limbs were noted within the wreckage debris path. Both wings, horizontal, and vertical stabilizers were separated and located throughout the wreckage debris path. The fuselage came to rest inverted and the engine remained attached.

Partial flight control cable continuity was established due to the extent of impact damage to the aircraft. The rudder flight control cables remained attached to the control horn at the tail of the aircraft. The ailerons and flap control cables were observed with tension overload separations at the inboard section of each wing and remained attached to the flight controls. The flap actuator was observed with no threads exposed corresponding to a 0 degree flap setting. The elevator control cables were observed with tension overload separations consistent with the separation of the horizontal stabilizer surfaces. The elevator trim tab control cables and actuator remained attached to the tail. The elevator trim actuator was measured and found to be 1.3 inches, which equated to a neutral trim position.

The top spark plug for the number 2 cylinder was removed and exhibited normal wear signatures as per the Champion Aviation Check-a-Plug chart. The fuel distribution valve was opened and observed with no debris or damage to the diaphragm. The propeller was separated from the crankshaft and exhibited leading edge polishing and “S” bending.

The on-site examination of the airframe and engine, revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure with the airframe or engine prior to impact. The wreckage was not recovered from the accident site.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The King County Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy of the pilot on February 16, 2012. The medical examiner determined that the cause of death was “...blunt force trauma...”

The FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology tests on the pilot. According to CAMI's report, carbon monoxide, cyanide, volatiles, and drugs were tested, and had positive results for 246 (mg/dL, mg/hg) Ethanol detected in the Urine, 195 (mg/dL, mg/hg) Ethanol detected in the Vitreous, 154 (mg/dL, mg/hg) Ethanol detected in the blood, 92.08 (ug/ml, ug/g) Acetaminophen detected in the urine, 6.852 (ug/ml, ug/g) Dipehnhydramine detected in the blood, and an unspecified amount of Dipehnhydramine in the urine and liver.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Information obtained from CAMI revealed, “…ethanol is primarily a social drug with a powerful central nervous system depressant. After absorption, ethanol is uniformly distributed throughout all tissues and body fluids. The distribution pattern parallels the water content and blood supply of each organ. Postmortem production of ethanol also takes place due to putrefaction processes, but vitreous humor and urine do not suffer from such production to any significant extent in relation to blood. Vitreous humor would normally have about 12% more ethanol than blood if the system is in the post absorptive state, and urine would normally have about 25% more ethanol than blood. The average rate of elimination of ethanol from blood is 18 mg/dL (15-20 mg/dL) per hour.”

CAMI also states that Title 14 CFR 91.17 (a) “prohibits any person from acting or attempting to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft while having 0.040 g/dL (40.0 mg/dL) or more alcohol in the blood.” Adverse clinical symptoms have been noted with blood ethanol levels as low as 20.0 mg/dL (0.020 g/dL).”






 NTSB Identification: WPR12FA105 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, February 15, 2012 in North Bend, WA
Aircraft: CESSNA 172S, registration: N665SP
Injuries: 3 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 February 15, 2012, about 0154 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172S, N665SP, cruised into the western face of Mount Si, about 1.75 miles east of North Bend, Washington. The airplane fragmented upon impacting trees and upsloping mountainous terrain, which resulted in substantial structural damage. The airplane’s registered owner, Christiansen Aviation, Inc., Wilmington, Delaware, leased the airplane to a fixed base flight school operator in Renton, Washington, called AcuWings. The commercial pilot held a certified flight instructor certificate. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The flight was performed under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the dark nighttime, personal sightseeing flight. No flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Renton Municipal Airport (RNT), about 0135.

A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recorded radar was performed for an aircraft having performance characteristics of a Cessna 172, that flew on a route from RNT to the accident site vicinity, and that disappeared about the time of the accident near the crash site. Only one target was found that met these criteria. The FAA’s recorded radar shows an aircraft on initial climb out from RNT. The aircraft climbed to 2,400 feet mean sea level (msl), as indicated by its altitude encoding transponder. Initially, the aircraft proceeded in a northeasterly direction. However, as the aircraft approached Snoqualmie Falls, it descended to 1,500 feet and proceeded on an east-southeasterly course. The last radar hit occurred at 0146, at which time the aircraft was about 1 mile southwest of the Falls, and about 1 mile north of Interstate Highway 90 (I-90). During the last minute of recorded flight, the aircraft’s ground speed decreased from about 112 to 106 knots.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigator received information from a witness who stated that about 0150 he was driving in an easterly direction on I-90. The witness holds a private pilot certificate. He reported having observed the anticollision and navigation lights from a low flying airplane that was cruising in a southeasterly direction an estimated 1 mile north of I-90. The witness stated that when I-90 turned southeasterly, he lost sight of the airplane for a couple of minutes. However, he regained visual contact with the airplane as he and the airplane approached North Bend. At that time, the airplane had altered its course and was heading in a northeasterly direction. The witness estimated that the airplane’s altitude was about 1,000 feet above ground level. (North Bend’s elevation is 400 to 500 feet msl.) The witness stated that the visibility was at least 3 miles. There was an overcast ceiling several thousand feet above the ground, with a few lower elevation clouds. Based upon the flight path drawing provided by the witness, the Safety Board investigator notes that when the witness lost visual contact with the airplane, it was flying toward the Mount Si area and was within 3 miles of the crash site.

Beginning about 0154, several persons located in North Bend telephoned 911 and reported having heard an impact sound. At least one witness reported having observed the lights of a low flying airplane and the sound of its engine suddenly stop following its 0153 low altitude easterly direction flight over the city toward Mount Si.

The Safety Board investigator’s on scene examination of the accident site and airplane wreckage revealed evidence of multiple broken tree trunks and felled branches on the mountainside in Mount Si’s Natural Resource Conservation Area. Fragmented airframe components, including both crushed wings, were noted below dozens of felled branches on an approximate 120-degree magnetic track leading to the fuselage, which was upside down. No evidence of preimpact oil leaks, fuel filter blockage, flight control anomalies, or fire was noted at the estimated 1,950-foot msl crash site.

NORTH BEND, Wash. - Two investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board have arrived at a trailhead near the scene of a plane crash near North Bend, said KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Jeff Dubois.

The two did not say anything as they geared up and walked into the woods, said Dubois, who reported earlier that the trailhead was closed to the public for the investigation.

A witness to the crash told Dubois that he called 911 after seeing the plane go down.  He said he heard nothing usual from the plane before it crashed, but he thought he was strange the pilot was flying so low.

 The crash early Wednesday morning of a Cessna 172 killed three people: Liz Redling, Seth Dawson and the pilot, Rob Hill.

Hill was a flight instructor for a company out of Renton Air Field.

According to The Seattle Times, no one at the flight school was aware Hill had taken the plane out late Tuesday night.

No flight plan was filed, and Hill hadn't been in contact with air traffic controllers.

Company agrees to higher fuel surcharge in lieu of landing fees at Hilton Head airport

After months of wrangling, Beaufort County has dropped plans to charge landing fees at the Hilton Head Island Airport.

Instead, it will collect a larger percentage of fuel sales to raise revenues.

The County Council on Monday approved an increase in fuel surcharges collected from the company that provides flight support for private pilots. The surcharge will not affect commercial carriers.

Signature Flight Support opposed the landing fee, which was proposed to make the airport more self-sufficient. The company said it was willing to find alternatives to give more money back to the county.

A landing fee would have driven off business at a time when air traffic has declined because of the struggling economy and Delta Air Lines' departure from Hilton Head in 2010, the company has said.

The S.C. Aeronautics Commission also said the landing fee could reduce airport use and hurt the island and state economies.

Signature pays the county 3 percent on all retail fuel sales for general aviation at the airport. Under the new agreement, the county will collect 6 percent this year and next. In 2014, the surcharge will increase to 7 percent, then 8 percent in 2016 and 9 percent when the runway is lengthened to 5,000 feet, which is expected to happen in two to three years.

The company also agreed to lower from 25 percent to 15 percent the fee it collects for managing rentals of county-owned hangars.

Councilman Rick Caporale, the council's liaison to the county Airports Board -- which endorsed the revisions -- said the new agreement would bring in more revenue than landing fees would have and it won't discourage pilots from flying to Hilton Head. He also said the landing fee would have required spending on equipment to log landings and could have cost the airport grants from the S.C. Aeronautics Commission.

"Signature deserves a lot of credit for coming to the table when they did not have to," Caporale said. "Same with the airport board for pushing for this."

The county expected to collect about $100,000 from the landing fee, compared to an extra $134,000 this year and next year with the higher fuel surcharge.

Revenues would rise by another $40,000 in 2014 and 2016, based on current fuel sales. If less fuel is sold, those figures would drop.

Airports director Paul Andres said the extra money will help the airport pay for operations. Although it made money the past three years when not factoring in depreciation, airport officials say maintenance and needed items have been deferred to balance the budget.

"It's going to help the financial bottom line of the airport, but we still have a lot of financial liabilities on the books," Andres said. "This is one step."

Council last month also approved a $4.50-per-ticket fee for departing commercial passengers at Hilton Head. The county expects to collect about $2.7 million over 10 years, according to forecasts based on current passenger counts.

The new passenger fee would take effect this spring and expire in 2022, if the Federal Aviation Administration approves it, Andres said. It would be used to repay the county about $1.5 million for prior airport construction. The rest would cover the county's share of the proposed extension of the runway to 5,400 feet and renovating the commercial terminal.

The airport charged a $3 passenger fee from 2000 to 2007, collecting about $1.4 million. The money was used to buy land for the air traffic control tower and general-aviation development.

Crews unable to remove crashed Wyoming helicopter

Teton County Search and Rescue helicopter pilot Ken Johnson is assisted after being flown out of the Togwotee Pass back country in northwestern Wyoming near Jackson on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012. A helicopter crash in remote northwest Wyoming has killed one of the three people aboard who were trying to help a snowmobiler, and sheriff's officials say the snowmobiler also has died. The snowmobiler's party had called for help Wednesday. Teton County sheriff's officials say the helicopter had reached them but was leaving to get more help when it crashed on Togwotee Pass. They say 63-year-old rescuer Ray Shriver was killed, and the pilot and another rescuer were taken to a hospital. Sheriff's officials say deputies reached the snowmobilers after tending to the helicopter victims, but 53-year-old Steven Anderson of Morris, Minn., also has died. Details of what led his party to call for help weren't immediately available
(AP Photo/Jackson Hole News & Guide, Bradly J. Boner) 
MANDATORY CREDIT

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Snowy weather and other factors on Friday prevented crews from retrieving a helicopter that crashed in the Wyoming backcountry earlier in the week, killing a volunteer search-and-rescue team member.

Michael Huhn, lead investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said he hasn't heard when the next attempt will be made to retrieve the helicopter, which remains mostly intact.

The helicopter crashed Wednesday while on a rescue mission in a remote area of the Bridger-Teton National Forest northwest of Jackson. The pilot told investigators that the chopper began to spin and fall into a thick of trees where it landed in deep snow.

Huhn, who interviewed the pilot over the telephone, said the probe is in its early stages, and an official determination of the cause will come after an investigation expected to take nine months to a year.

"The question right now is what's the underlying cause or causes of that loss of control" Huhn said Friday.

A key part of the investigation is being able to move the helicopter to a storage facility for examination in Greeley, Colo., he said. But that was thwarted by poor weather conditions and a determination that a bigger helicopter will be needed to lift the wreckage out, Huhn said.

Longtime search and rescue volunteer Ray Shriver, of Jackson, was killed in the crash. The rescue team was responding to help a man involved in a separate snowmobile accident. Steven Anderson, of Morris, Minn., died of injuries in the accident.

Teton County Coroner Kiley Campbell said Anderson was vacationing with members of his family at the time. No one saw what happened to Anderson, but indications were that his snowmobile hit a tree and he was pinned underneath the machine, Campbell said.

Pilot Ken Johnson, 62, of Victor, Idaho, and another rescuer, Mike Moyer, 44, of Wilson, were hurt. Moyer was treated and released from St. John's Medical Center in Jackson Wednesday night, while Johnson was released from the hospital Thursday.

Huhn said that when the helicopter responded to the call for help the search and rescue team initially couldn't find the site of the wrecked snowmobile in the heavily wooded area. The helicopter landed and the team talked to one of the snowmobilers who called for help.

It was agreed that the team in the helicopter would follow from above as the snowmobiler led them to the wreck, Huhn said in a telephone interview from his office in California.

The helicopter was 100 to 200 feet in the air when it began to spin and crash, he said.

"It's almost inverted at 135 degrees over on its right side," he said Friday.

The investigation will look at a number of factors, including the machine's maintenance history, Huhn said.

"We're planning to look at all that, we're still in the fact gathering phase," he said.


IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 407HL        Make/Model: B407      Description: Bell 407
  Date: 02/15/2012     Time: 2105

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: JACKSON   State: WY   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  N407HL BELL 407 ROTORCRAFT CRASHED DURING A SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION, 
  THERE WERE 3 PERSONS ON BOARD, 1 WAS FATALLY INJURED, 2 SUSTAINED SERIOUS 
  INJURIES, 25 MILES FROM JACKSON, WY

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:   3     Fat:   1     Ser:   2     Min:   0     Unk:    
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: CASPER, WY  (NM04)                    Entry date: 02/16/2012 
 
http://www.statesman.com

Aviation recruiter talks to Rockford students about their future



ROCKFORD (WREX) - Aerospace may be what Rockford needs to lift its unemployment out of its "worst-in-the-state" status. And one Rockford high school wants to lead the way. Jefferson High School brought in an expert to get students excited about the possibilities.

"We feel there is a growing disparity right now in available skilled positions and individuals, young America, to have the skill set and education to do those jobs," says Greg Dellinger, AAR Corp. Recruiting Director.

He met with a small group of Jefferson High School students to talk to them about choosing a job in aerospace

"Every commercial aircraft flying is on a maintenance schedule. We do that work with certificated mechanics they are known as airframe and power plant technicians and that is an area that I am heavily recruiting in right now," says Dellinger.

One of AAR's customers is Allegiant Airlines which also happens to fly out of Rockford's airport. Dellinger says over the next 15 years, the aviation industry will need more than 600-thousand mechanics. Dellinger says the average wage for an airframe or power plant technician with experience can be around $20 to $30 per hour. The jobs require a certification, something Rock Valley College already offers. And Jefferson administrators are trying to see whether students might be interested in working towards that certificate or another like it while they're still in high school.

"We are looking at academies as a possibility, nothing is set in stone. So we thought it would be important to have the community bring forth people that could talk to our students to see, is this viable, is this something we could intersperse here and to make it better," says Devon LaRosa, Jefferson High School Assistant Principal.

Jefferson High School has also been working with Woodward and Hamiliton-Sundstrand to talk about the possibility of an aerospace career academy.


Military plane touch-and-gos at Piedmont Triad International Airport too loud, neighbors say

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Neighbors near PTI said they’re getting fed up with their homes shaking and the deafening noises due to large military planes doing touch-and-gos.

Patty Webb lives in the Cardinal neighborhood north of PTI. It’s part of the flight path of the new runway that opened a year or so ago.

Webb said the touch-and-gos happen so often that she began videotaping them.

“I just call it the beast. It’s so loud and screeches so loud you just have to take footage of it,” Webb said. “You hear these planes well before you see them. Their behind those trees, especially in the summertime….It gets louder and louder, and then they come over the tops of those trees. By the time they’re here, it’s crazy noisy.”

Kevin Baker, PTI Airport executive director, said they’ve been working with neighbors like Webb for a year to decrease the number of times the military planes fly over their homes.

Baker said they do their best to put them on the runway that doesn’t fly over people’s homes, but sometimes that can’t work logistically.

However, Baker said they can’t stop the Air Force from completely using their runways.

Also, while Greensboro is thinking about changing its noise ordinance, a city spokesman said Friday the city doesn’t have the authority to include the airport and airplanes in such an ordinance.

Neighbors said they aren’t complaining about every plane that flies over, only the military planes.

Pilot visits Naval Air Station Wildwood to visit the F-14 he flew in Iraq, Afghanistan

LOWER TOWNSHIP - Lt. Cmdr. Dominic Telenko counts himself a lucky man. He got to do the one thing he had wanted to do since he was a boy, and it's something nobody will likely do again.

The Navy aviator caught the perfect career window to fly the F-14 Tomcat in combat, with missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries. He even participated in peaceful missions, including a flyby at the Gator Bowl in Florida.

On Friday, he came to the Naval Air Station Wildwood Museum to show his wife and children one of the planes he flew.

Telenko, still a Navy pilot who now flies F-18 Super Hornets, waxed nostalgic about a plane that served the military from 1974 to 2006.

"The Tomcat was the one airplane I always wanted to fly since I was little. I was lucky enough to get to fly them. The whole reason I got into Navy aviation was because of the F-14," Telenko said.

The museum has had the demilitarized, engineless F-14 on display since 2005. The name of plane's last pilot, Lt. Dom Telenko, and his call sign, "Gomer," are painted on the entrance to the cockpit. NASW volunteer John Fitzpatrick decided to do some research and try to find Telenko.

On Friday morning, Telenko, his wife, Darcy, and their children, Vincent, 3, and Sophia, 11 months, visited the museum. Telenko, a native of a Chicago suburb, is about to be deployed on the USS Enterprise but had time for a quick trip from his base at Naval Air Station Oceania in Virginia.

The museum has done plenty of research on the plane that flew in the Jolly Rodger Squadron. It knew about the 2,061 carrier landings the plane made, including a famous one future astronaut Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Edwards made with the front of the plane missing.

The visit by Telenko was a chance to record some of the stories behind the plane's history. Telenko gave museum officials plenty of details they did not know, showing them the numerous steps needed to activate the ejection seat, explaining how they could not unload fuel when afterburners were on because it would ignite, and telling them about landing the supersonic plane on an aircraft carrier. He also explained what different insignias on the plane meant.

His love of the machine was evident as he talked.

"This airplane is the aviation equivalent of a muscle car. It's one of the fastest fighters the Navy has ever flown. It's capable of some pretty amazing things," Telenko said.

Designed in the 1960s, he marveled at the "ingenious design of the airframe" and its "variable geometry wings." He said the plane was very flexible, built as a long-range interceptor but later adapted for ground-to-air warfare. It was outfitted with multiple weapon systems, including laser-guided bombs, missiles and a 20-millimeter cannon that can fire 100 rounds a second.

He described it as a "stick and rudder airplane," complaining that the F-18 Hornet has an electronic joystick "with no feel to it."

Telenko said he began flying at age 13 in a single-engine Cessna, doing his first solo flight at 17, but after graduating high school he joined the Army and became a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne. After four years in the Army, his love of flying led him to enroll at Southern Illinois University, where he studied aviation before going to the Navy's Officer Candidates School. The Navy started him on smaller training planes, but all the while he had his eye on the Tomcats.

"This is the only airplane I really wanted to fly," he said.

He flew this particular F-14 from November 2003 to January 2005 from Naval Air Station Oceania and the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy.

"It's never looked this good. These gentlemen did a great job restoring it," Telenko said.

Fitzgerald corrected him. After the Navy gave the museum the plane, it sent a crew to paint it.

Telenko resisted when Museum Director Joe Salvatore wanted him to autograph the plane below the cockpit. He didn't want to mark it up.

"I can't bring myself to do this," he said.

He finally did sign and was thanked by the museum officials for coming. Telenko thanked them back.

"You saved my favorite jet," he said.

Mooney M20TN Acclaim, Tenn Realty LLC , N118RZ: Accident occurred February 17, 2012 in Fayetteville, North Carolina,

NTSB Identification: ERA12LA184
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, February 17, 2012 in Fayetteville, NC
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/29/2013
Aircraft: MOONEY AIRPLANE CO INC M20TN, registration: N118RZ
Injuries: 1 Serious,1 Minor.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot was in the traffic pattern for landing and was informed by the tower air traffic controller that there was a large airplane (Gulfstream) at his one o'clock position on a 5-mile final approach. The accident pilot replied at 17:27:19, "I see the gulfstream ah gulfstream on the final." A 5.72-mile separation was noted on the controller’s radar screen at that time. At 17:27:24, the approach controller informed the accident airplane, which was at 2,500 feet, "caution wake turbulence" and instructed the pilot to contact the tower. The accident airplane was cleared to land on runway 4 by the controller at 17:27:54. The pilot acknowledged the transmission. The tower controller informed the accident pilot, “caution wake turbulence from the gulfstream" at 17:29:09. The response from the accident airplane was unintelligible. The pilot stated he encountered wake turbulence from the Gulfstream that landed ahead of him and lost airplane control. A witness observed the airplane about 8 feet over the runway when it stalled and landed hard. The pilot applied full engine power and attempted a go-around. The airplane drifted to the left toward an airplane parking ramp, struck a light pole, and spun around, coming to rest in a grass area past the parking ramp.

The required separation in accordance with FAA regulations was 4 miles. It stated that a pilot landing a smaller airplane behind a larger airplane on the same runway should stay above the larger airplane’s final approach path and land beyond it to avoid an encounter with wake turbulence. The pilot had contacted the tower controller, after a handoff from the approach controller, and was cautioned again about wake turbulence. It is likely that the pilot did not land beyond the Gulfstream's touchdown point, and the airplane encountered wake turbulence, which led to the runway excursion and on-ground collision with a pole. The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane before the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate separation behind a large airplane during landing, which resulted in an encounter with wake turbulence and a loss of control.

On February 17, 2012, at 1732 eastern standard time, a Mooney M20TN, N118RZ, collided with a pole when the pilot lost aircraft control while landing at Fayetteville Regional Airport (FAY), Fayetteville, North Carolina. The airplane was registered to and operated by Tenn. Reality LLC as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The certificated private pilot sustained serious injuries and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight originated from Raleigh Durham International Airport, Raleigh, North Carolina at 1707.

The pilot stated that upon arrival at FAY, he was instructed by FAY Tower personnel to enter a left downwind leg of the traffic pattern for landing to runway 4. These instructions were subsequently changed to a right downwind leg. A Gulfstream jet was cleared to land in front of him. He was then cleared to land and the airplane touched down on the main landing gear. The airplane subsequently encountered wake turbulence from the jet. The nose of the airplane pitched up high and the airplane lifted off the runway. He applied power and the airplane went to the left. He immediately applied right rudder and right aileron, which put the airplane in a right bank. The airplane collided with a pole on the pilot's left side of the fuselage and the impact pushed the fuselage inward. The airplane spun around and came to a stop. The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane before the accident.

A witness, who was located on the ramp, stated he observed the Mooney about 8 feet above runway 4 when the airplane stalled. "The main landing gear and tail section hit the runway." He heard the engine go to what he describe as "full power" and he observed the nose of the airplane pitch up to about a 30-degree attitude at a slow airspeed. The airplane reached about 15 feet off the runway and stalled again. The airplane then collided with the runway on the main landing gear and tail section. The pilot applied full power again and reached about 15 feet, in a 35 to 40-degree left bank when the airplane stalled a third time. The left wing and left main landing gear scraped the runway. The pilot subsequently rolled the airplane to the right to avoid hitting a Gulfstream airplane on the ramp and scrapped the right wing. The right main landing gear touched down on the tarmac and the nose of the airplane collided with a light pole. The engine assembly and nose landing gear separated from the airframe. The airplane spun to the left, completing two 360-degree turns before it came to a stop in a nose down attitude resting on the main landing gear.

Another witness informed the NTSB that he observed the Mooney landing on runway 4. He initially saw top of the airplane in a torque roll to the left at full power. The airplane rolled back to the right and disappeared from view, followed by an impact sound. He went to the crash site and observed the airplane in an upright but nose down attitude. The engine assembly had collided with a light pole and had separated from the light pole. The engine was on fire and he put the fire out.

A third witness was standing next to his company Gulfstream that had just landed. It had been on the ground for about 4 minutes. He was under the right wing hooking up the single point refueling receptacle when he observed the Mooney land on runway 4. The next time he saw the Mooney the right wing tip was dragging the ground and the engine was at full power. The nose section of the Mooney collided with a light pole adjacent to the Gulfstream. The engine assembly separated from the airplane and it spun around to the right before coming to a complete stop.

Review of radio communications between N118RZ and Fayetteville Air Traffic Control revealed that at 17:27:09, a Gulfstream airplane was between twelve to one o’clock at 5 miles on final approach. N118RZ replied at 17:27:19, with a 5.72 mile separation on radar, "I see the gulfstream ah gulfstream on the final." At 17:27:24, the controller informed N118RZ while at 2,500 feet, "caution wake turbulence" and instructed to contact the tower at 17:27:24. N118RZ was cleared to land on runway 4 at 17:27:54. The pilot acknowledged the transmission. The local controller informed N118RZ, "Mooney eight Romeo Zulu caution wake turbulence from the gulfstream" at 1729:09. The response from N118RZ was unintelligible.

The Airman’s Information Manual states in Chapter 4 Air Traffic Control, paragraph 4-4-14 Visual Separation, (b), "A pilot’s acceptance of instructions to follow another aircraft or to provide visual separation from it is an acknowledgment that the pilot will maneuver the aircraft as necessary to avoid the other aircraft or to maintain in-trail separation. In operations conducted behind heavy jet aircraft, it is also an acknowledgment that the pilot accepts the responsibility for wake turbulence separation." The Mooney M20 is considered a small airplane and the Gulfstream is considered a large airplane in accordance with paragraph 7-3-9 Air Traffic Wake Turbulence Separations. The required separation between the two airplanes is 4 miles. The pilot who is landing behind a larger aircraft on the same runway should stay above the larger aircraft’s final approach flight path and note its touchdown point and land beyond it in accordance with paragraph 7-3-5 Vortex Avoidance Procedures. The controller will provide to VFR aircraft that they are in contact with, when in their opinion may be adversely affected by wake turbulence from a larger aircraft, the position, altitude, and direction of flight of larger aircraft followed by the phrase "Caution Wake Turbulence."

Review of the aircraft logbooks revealed the last annual inspection was conducted on December 24, 2011. The airplane has flown 33 hours since the last annual inspection. The engine and airframe had 390 total hours at the time of the accident.

Post accident examination of the crash site by an FAA inspector revealed the left wing left a ground scar on the tarmac. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and traveled about 200 yards before the nose section of the airplane collided with the base of a light pole. Propeller strike marks were present on the base of the concrete block holding the light pole. The nose section with the nose landing gear and propeller assembly separated from the airframe. The airplane spun around to the left and came to rest on a heading of 120 degrees magnetic. The engine assembly had a post crash fire from a ruptured fuel line and was extinguished by an individual who ran to the site to assist.


 http://registry.faa.gov/N118RZ

NTSB Identification: ERA12LA184 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, February 17, 2012 in Fayetteville, NC
Aircraft: MOONEY AIRPLANE CO INC M20TN, registration: N118RZ
Injuries: 1 Serious,1 Minor.

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 may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On February 17, 2012, at 1732 eastern standard time, a Mooney M20TN, N118RZ, collided with a pole, while landing at Fayetteville Regional Airport (FAY), Fayetteville, North Carolina. The airplane was registered to and operated by Tenn. Reality LLC as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The certificated private pilot sustained serious injuries and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight originated from Raleigh Durham International Airport, Raleigh, North Carolina at 1707.

The pilot stated that upon arrival at FAY, he was instructed by FAY Tower personnel to enter a left downwind leg of the traffic pattern for landing to runway 4. These instructions were subsequently changed to a right downwind leg. A Gulfstream jet was cleared to land in front of him. He was then cleared to land and the airplane touched down on the main landing gear. The airplane subsequently encountered wake turbulence from the jet. The nose of the airplane pitched up high and the airplane lifted off the runway. He applied power and the airplane went to the left. He immediately applied right rudder and right aileron, which put the airplane in a right bank. The airplane collided with a pole on the pilot's left side of the fuselage and pushed it inward. The airplane spun around and came to a stop. The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane before the accident.

Review of radio communications between Fay Tower and the pilot of N118RZ revealed the pilot was cleared to land on runway 4 at 17:2746. At 17:29:11, the pilot was informed to be aware of wake turbulence from a landing Gulfstream airplane. At 17:29:58, the controller informed the Gulfstream pilot nice landing. At 22:32, the ground control crash alarm is heard going off.




Two people were taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries Friday evening after their small airplane crashed at Fayetteville Regional Airport, authorities said.

The single-engine Mooney M20TN airplane was landing along Runway 4/22 about 5:30 p.m. when it crashed into a grassy area, striking a light pole, said Tony Coleman, the assistant airport director.

Fayetteville police said that the airplane, piloted by a man with a female passenger, flipped at least once before coming to rest. Both occupants suffered minor injuries and were taken to Cape Fear Valley Regional Medical Center, police said.

The airplane was destroyed, its wreckage coming to rest in a grassy area to the west of Taxiway A, which runs parallel to the main runway, Coleman said. The airplane could be seen sitting upright in the grass, its main fuselage appearing intact.

The cause of the crash remained unknown. Coleman said he was not aware of the pilot radioing the control tower to report any problems.

The aircraft had a tail number of N118RZ, which is owned by Tenn Realty LLC, at 1139 Offshore Drive, according to Federal Aviation Administration records.

The aircraft was built in 2007 and was certified with the company last month, according to records.

According to state corporation records, Tenn Realty is owned by Rita Nitin Desai. Attempts to reach her were unsuccessful Friday night.

The FAA was being consulted about the incident, but because there were no fatalities, it wasn't known whether the agency would investigate, Coleman said.

Coleman said he did not know where the flight originated.

The crash caused some flights to be delayed while crews checked the runways for debris, but the airport was able to remain open to air traffic, Coleman said.

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. --  Federal Aviation Administration officials say a small aircraft carrying two people flipped "several times" off a runway at the Fayetteville Regional Airport Friday evening.

After the aircraft flipped it came to rest upright on the grass near the airport's primary runway.

Airport assistant director Tony Coleman told NBC-17 the two passengers escaped serious injury when the crash happened about 5:30 Friday evening.

The Mooney M-20TN aircraft was piloted by Dr. Nitin Desai and according to airport officials was attempting to land when the accident occurred.

Both Dr. Desai and his wife were injured in the crash and Cumberland County dispatchers say both were taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center with what dispatchers described as “minor injuries.”

Dr. Desai is reported by a hospital spokeswoman to be in good condition still undergoing treatment for his injuries.

Hospital officials were not able to provide a condition report on his wife who was also being treated.

The crash threw debris across the airport’s main runway which officials told NBC-17 was shut down for about 40 minutes until it was cleared.

That shutdown caused two commercial flights to be delayed until that runway was re-opened.

The plane is registered to Tenn Realty LLC., which is registered to Rita Nitin Desai of Fayetteville.

The FAA will be conducting the investigation into the accident.