Monday, June 11, 2012

Siskiyou Sheriff's Office reports felony airplane vandalism investigation - Montague Airport-Yreka Rohrer Field (1O5), Montague, California


Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office submission
 The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office reported June 11, 2012 that it is investigating a felony vandalism case and possible attempted plane theft at the Montague-Yreka Airport. The Sheriff's Office submitted this photo of two planes at the airport, taken June 11.

Montague, Calif. —   The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office reported Monday, June 11, that it is investigating a felony plane vandalism and possible attempted plane theft at the Montague-Yreka Airport.

According to a Sheriff’s Office press release, deputies responded early Monday morning to a report of vandalism at the airport and found two planes had been damaged.

An initial investigation found that one of the planes had been started and then crashed into the other plane, according to the release. Deputies also found that two other planes had been vandalized.

A nearby hangar was also entered, leading to investigation of a burglary and theft, the press release states.

The Sheriff’s Office report says initial damage estimates are approximately $250,000.

“Due to the magnitude of the crime, size of the crime scene, and limited departmental resources, crime scene processing and analysis was requested and ultimately conducted by the California Department of Justice (Redding Crime Lab),” according to the Sheriff’s Office release. “The California Highway Patrol assisted by completing a comprehensive crime scene sketch. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was also notified and responded to the scene to assist the Sheriff’s Office, since federal offense(s) may have been committed by the perpetrators.”

The Sheriff’s Office says it is requesting Secret Witness funds for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects. Citizens with information about this incident are urged to contact Detective Jeff Moser of the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office at (530) 842-8764 or SOS dispatch at (530) 841-2900 24 hours a day.


Source:   http://www.mtshastanews.com

Four letters and fly by nerve: Air India Regional Avion de Transport Regional ATR-42-300, Air India, VT-ABO, Flight AI-9760

SANJAY MANDAL Urmila Yadav in Guwahati on Sunday. (PTI) Calcutta, June 11: 

Oh s***!  So swore Urmila Yadav. 

 When you have just been radioed “something had dropped off” your airborne plane, you can’t check whether the cockpit carries the latest edition of Polite Words, can you?

Urmila, who was flying the Guwahati-bound ATR-42, was told by the Silchar ATC that it was probably a wheel. “For a split second, she was at a loss. But she is the type who knows how to regain composure without a fuss,” a source close to Urmila said today.

She asked the ATC to rush an official to the runway and confirm whether it was a wheel. A wheel was indeed found on the edge of the runway.

The next moment, Urmila, who does yoga every morning and jogs — “not on the treadmill” — for an hour, had her nose in place.

“She told herself staying calm was the need of the moment,” said the source. Several passengers had yesterday lauded the composure and presence of mind shown by the crew after all the 50 people on board the Air India flight landed safely in Guwahati.

Urmila had to make a landing but one decision had to be taken before anything else: where? The pilot, with 4,500 flying hours to her credit, picked Guwahati.

For two factors, said the source. “First, it was drizzling in Silchar while the weather in Guwahati was fine. Second, the back-up required for an emergency landing — fire services and medical equipment — are better in Guwahati compared to Silchar in Barak Valley.”

What does it take to land when one of the nose wheels is missing? “It takes skill to land on the rear wheels keeping the nose wheel up. Intelligent use of power while landing ensures that an aircraft lands smoothly without jerks in such conditions,” explained a pilot. An aviation trainer had clarified yesterday that there wasn’t much risk, provided the standard procedure for such situations was followed.

Urmila’s main concern was to ensure there was no panic among the passengers. “There were frantic conversations inside the cockpit — between the ATC and the pilots and between the pilots and the cabin crew — but none of the underlying tension could be allowed to creep into the cabin,” said the source familiar with the happenings between 8.55am and 10.31am on Sunday.

The response during such an emergency is drilled in at training sessions but, as another pilot said, only personnel who have experienced mid-air situations know the gulf between the virtual and the real.

The engine and other systems in the aircraft were working properly. What was required was good piloting. “At every moment, Urmila said, she was reminded of her training manual,” the source said.

Civil aviation minister Ajit Singh called Urmila and congratulated her today. She was kind of overwhelmed after taking calls through the day. “I did what was expected of me,” the source quoted her as saying.

Urmila, in her mid-forties, was in Calcutta from 2006 to 2008, after she joined Alliance Air — the wholly owned Air India subsidiary — as a junior pilot. The lady from Gurgaon had spent two years in an apartment off Haldiram’s on VIP Road and loved Park Street. Yes, she takes rosogollas home and she does devour fish curry.

She learnt to fly at the Karnal Aviation Club and worked as an instructor with several flying clubs before joining a private firm, from where she moved on to Alliance.

“She left Calcutta because she wanted to relocate closer to Gurgaon and joined the Airports Authority of India in 2008,” the source said.

However, she returned to Alliance in 2010 with a Delhi posting. Earlier this year, Urmila became a commander from a co-pilot.

In 2008, when Urmila landed an ATR in Kanpur, a Nilgai had come in the way. She pressed the brakes. “The antelope couldn’t be saved but the passengers were unscathed,” the source said.

Correction: The Telegraph had reported on Monday that the plane had an all-woman crew. The crew included a man, co-pilot Yeshu Bareja. We apologize for the mistake.

http://www.telegraphindia.com

Fears over air safety if Air India pilots are replaced

MUMBAI: The news that civil aviation minister Ajit Singh is exploring the option of terminating the jobs of a majority of Air India pilots and hiring fresh recruits has alarmed many in the airline industry who fear that flight safety will suffer. The AI pilots have been striking for the past month.

Air India recently put out advertisements calling for pilots trained on Boeing aircraft. So far the airline has terminated over 100 pilots and, according to sources, termination letters are being sent to many more.

Capt Manoj Hathi, ex-Air India director of operations and flight safety and an examiner/instructor on Boeing 747-400, categorically said that replacing 400-odd "company-experienced pilots" with fresh recruits could have repercussions on flight safety. "In the 1960s, Japan Airlines replaced its American pilots with Japanese pilots with minimal experience on jets. They had a large number of American pilots and replacing them en masse was a bad decision as the airline had more than half-a-dozen accidents in the next nine years, all attributed to lack of experience, training and pilot error,'' said Hathi.

He said there were numerous, serious CRM (Cockpit Crew Resource Management) issues the airline would face in training the new recruits. CRM covers factors like interpersonal communication between pilots, human error and so on -- all vital requirements to ensure flight safety in a multi-crew aircraft.

"All airlines follow different Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to standardize pilots. As a matter of interest, even Indian airline and Air India follow different SOPs. Having a mixed crew in a cockpit increases the probability of CRM failure," he added. Hathi said that Air India's operations and flight safety custodians must give serious thought to unilaterally replacing company-trained and well-experienced pilots. "There is just no short cut to experience," he added.

Air India executive pilots also fear that the move could have air safety implications. An executive pilot, who wished to remain unnamed, said: "Which airline in the world would let go 400 experienced pilots and recruit fresh ones, only to spend considerable time and money on their training, pay them double the salary if they are foreign pilots and in the end operate flights that have a high risk of getting involved in an incident or accident because of CRM failure?"

Said another commander who is also an instructor: "With fresh recruits, there is always the possibility of their past airline training rearing its head unexpectedly during an emergency, when split-second decisions need to be taken. It can be disastrous when two pilots take action based on two different SOPs,'' he added.

A section of Air India pilots who operate flights to the US, Europe, Far East and Middle East have been on strike for over a month now. They have demanded equal opportunity to career progression as their Indian airline counterparts.

Executive pilots feel strain

Air India's executive pilots who have been working to their full capacity for the past month to fill in for the absent pilots have started feeling the strain. About 15 to 20 executive pilots have called in sick in the last few days, apparently in protest against the airline management's failure to resolve the issue. Two executive pilots resigned in the last two days, sources added. An airline spokesperson did not comment on the developments.

Plane touches down in Butler Township, Pennsylvania

A single-engine airplane landed in Butler Township on Monday afternoon, though initial reports indicate that no one was injured. 

Emergency personnel arrived at the scene after the incident was reported around 5:30 p.m. and cordoned the area off.

Reports said a man was attempting to fly from Burlington, Vt., to Hazleton Municipal Airport. 

 Check for updates and read the full story in Tuesday’s edition of The Citizens' Voice.

Dispenser Malfunctions, Flooding Rickenbacker Airport Hangar With Foam












COLUMBUS, Ohio - An air foam dispenser malfunctioned at Rickenbacker International Airport late Monday morning, spreading white foam across a hangar. 

Firefighters were called to the scene at about 11 a.m. and used high-pressure hoses to clear the mess, 10TV News reported. 

No injuries were reported. 

The cause of the malfunction was under investigation.

http://www.10tv.com

Cessna 210: Impounded aircraft stolen in Colombia

A small plane impounded by Colombian authorities last December after entering the country illegally has been stolen from an airport in the northwestern region of Uraba, authorities said.

The plane took off amid a hail of bullets, according to the Colombian air force and the civil aviation agency.

The aircraft, a Cessna 210 with a false Guatemalan registration, was apparently used for drug trafficking and, the air force said, had been impounded after entering Colombia illegally.

The small plane came from Honduras and "was detected, intercepted and forced to land" on Dec. 11, 2011, and was being held at Los Cedros airport in Uraba, the air force said.

The robbery took place Sunday night and was carried out by a group of armed men who seized it in the hangar where it was being guarded, taxied it onto the runway and took off amid shots by police trying to stop it.

The air force said that its control systems "tracked the aircraft until it crossed into Panamanian air space and informed the Central American countries with which an has an inderdiction agreement."

"As yet we have no information as to the whereabouts of the aircraft," the air force said, adding that it will "remain alert to any request and will support Central American authorities in their search for the aircraft."

Patricia Mawuli: Ghana’s High-Flying Woman

At age 23, Patricia Mawuli is among the youngest pilots in the west African nation of Ghana. And she’s also the country’s first female pilot. The best place to find Mawuli is at the Kpong Airfield, where she is an instructor at Ghana’s Aviation and Technology Academy.

And if this weren’t unusual enough for a woman in rural Ghana, Mawuli is also an aircraft engineer. She teaches other young women from the Lake Volta region to build and fly ultra-light planes. It is a traditionally all-male occupation, but Mawuli believes women have unique qualities that enable them to be good pilots.

“Many people consider aviation to be very risky,” Mawuli said. “In an environment where women are seen as the wives who should look after the family, I actually believe there is a reason why God made women to be the people who deliver to children, because women have more patience and are able to handle things in a much more fragile manner.”

And Mawuli exercises that “fragile manner” in her volunteer work with Medicine on the Move. It’s an organization that works together with the Aviation Academy to deliver medical services and health education to rural communities across Ghana.

Mawuli transports medical supplies and doctors all around the country, and she occasionally drops educational pamphlets over remote villages.

“For jobs like that I’m quite happy to jump into the plane and to take people and especially sometimes they do medicine advice like giving health programs on malaria, schistosomiasis, and things like that to the community,” she said. “So they print it out and I can fly and drop it to the communities.”

One of Mawuli’s favorite places to fly is over nearby Lake Volta, the largest man-made lake in the world at 3,000 square miles.

“You can see some communities that are farming or fishing, and they are actually a bit isolated,” she said. “And so flying overhead seeing how hardworking they are lets me appreciate much more what my people can do.”

Pittsylvania County plane crash injures pilot, passenger

Two Pittsylvania County men were flown to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital Sunday afternoon after the plane they were in crashed in a field just west of Gretna.

 Donald Wayne Young, of Gretna, and his passenger Obie Henry Spencer, Jr., of Gretna, were flying in Young’s SR7 Sixchuter Powered Parachute when he attempted to make a right turn and crashed into a pine tree, said Virginia State Police public information officer Sgt. Robert Carpentieri.

Young said that he has been asked not to comment on the accident at this time, but both he and Spencer are doing well and suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Carpentieri said the crash is currently being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Pilot OK after plane flips near Delmar

 
Photo Credit: Wayne Barrall 
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Photo Credit: Wayne Barrall



Photo Credit: Wayne Barrall



Photo Credit: Wayne Barrall



Photo Credit: Wayne Barrall



Photo Credit: Wayne Barrall



Photo Credit: Wayne Barrall



Photo Credit: Wayne Barrall



Photo Credit: Wayne Barrall
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The pilot was unhurt when a small plane flipped over after landing in a field west of Delmar. 

 State police say the crash occurred just before 1 p.m. in the 38000 block of Contentment Lane, about a mile and a half west of Delmar and just north of the Maryland state line.

The pilot was taxiing after landing when the plane flipped, Master Cpl. Gary Fournier said.

The pilot was able to free himself. No one else was aboard, Fournier said.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the accident.

Chip Guy, spokesman for Sussex County government, said the Delmar Fire company responded to the crash.

Coast Guard: Unmanned Navy aircraft crashes in Maryland

The U.S. Coast Guard says an unmanned Naval aircraft has crashed on Maryland's Eastern Shore and there are no injuries. 

Petty Officer Jonathan Lindberg said the Coast Guard is setting up a safety zone around the marshy area along the Nanticoke River where the crash occurred Monday.

Beechcraft A36 Bonanza, Harrison Gypsum LLC, N976S: Accident occurred May 31, 2012 in Macon, Mississippi

NTSB Identification: ERA12FA376 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, May 31, 2012 in Macon, MS
Probable Cause Approval Date: 01/15/2013
Aircraft: HAWKER BEECHCRAFT A36, registration: N976S
Injuries: 1 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.

While on a long cross-country flight on an instrument flight rules flight plan, the pilot attempted to fly through a line of thunderstorms. The airplane was equipped with satellite radar weather (NEXRAD Composite) and a stormscope/strikefinder. Using his equipment and talking with air traffic controllers, the pilot noted a break in the extreme precipitation, which still contained moderate to heavy precipitation, about 115 miles from the airplane's position. As the airplane approached that area, the pilot reported that a thunderstorm cell had filled it in; however, there was still a gap in the line of thunderstorms about 10 miles north. The pilot then attempted to fly to that gap and no further communications were received from the accident airplane. Review of the airplane's radar track was overlaid on a weather radar plot and revealed that the pilot attempted to fly though a Level 5, or heavy, thunderstorm cell. The turbulence from that cell resulted in an in-flight breakup of the airplane due to overstress, and the wreckage was scattered over a mile on the ground.

The satellite radar weather information, most likely displayed in the airplane cockpit when the pilot was attempting to fly to a gap in thunderstorm cells, was about 6 to 7 minutes old at the time of the accident and depicted the airplane in an area clear of precipitation. The airplane's stormscope/strikefinder would have provided real-time lightning information; however, it would have had significantly less detail than composite weather radar depictions and thus be less suitable for use in attempting to navigate through a line of thunderstorms and in between thunderstorm cells. Both sources of weather information used were less suitable than onboard weather radar, which would have provided real-time weather radar images in the cockpit. The pilot had obtained his instrument rating less than 2 years before the accident and had accrued about 32 total hours of actual instrument experience.

The NTSB recently issued a related Safety Alert, In-Cockpit NEXRAD Mosaic Imagery, viewable at www.ntsb.gov, describing how the actual age of NEXRAD data can differ significantly from the age displayed.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's decision to continue flight into an area of known thunderstorms, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in actual instrument meteorological conditions and his reliance on datalink weather radar imagery for tactical avoidance of convective weather.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On May 31, 2012, at 1656 central daylight time, a Hawker Beechcraft A36, N976S, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged during an in-flight break-up and collision with terrain near Macon, Mississippi. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed near the accident site and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the planned flight to University of Oklahoma Westheimer Airport (OUN), Norman Oklahoma. The flight originated from Saint Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), Clearwater, Florida, at 1415.

According to air traffic control information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot was in radio contact with Memphis Center at 1625 and the airplane was level at 20,000 feet. At that time, the center controller advised of extreme precipitation at the airplane's 12 o'clock position and 85 miles away, extending north and south. The pilot acknowledged the information and stated, "…I'm looking at that trying to see if there is any way I can get through it and I'm beginning to think there is…"

At 1626, the controller advised that there was a break in the extreme precipitation, but still moderate to heavy precipitation, on a heading of 330 degrees at 115 miles. The pilot stated that he saw that as well, and thought it would be the best spot to fly through the line of precipitation. The pilot received permission to deviate to that spot. At 1633, the controller asked the pilot if he had weather radar onboard, and the pilot replied that he had "Nexrad Composite." At 1636, the pilot requested a lower altitude to remain below the freezing level, and he ultimately descended to 12,000 feet. At 1653, the pilot advised the controller that a cell had filled in the area he wanted to fly through, but there was still a gap about 10 miles north. He planned to fly north 10 more miles before going through the gap. The controller acknowledged the pilot's intentions. No further communication was received from the accident airplane. At 1656:27, the speed information disappeared from the airplane's radar target, followed by the altitude information.

PILOT INFORMATION

The pilot, age 53, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on February 23, 2011. At that time, he reported a total flight experience of 258 hours. The pilot obtained his instrument rating on August 20, 2010. According to the pilot's logbook, he had accrued a total flight experience of approximately 342 hours; of which about 32 hours were in actual instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot had flown 23.8 hours and 9.8 hours during the 90-day and 30-day period preceding the accident, respectively; of which, 7.6 hours and 3.4 hours were in actual instrument meteorological conditions, respectively.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The six-seat, low-wing, retractable tricycle-gear airplane, serial number E-3370, was manufactured in 2001. It was powered by a Continental IO-550, 300-horsepower engine, equipped with a three-blade constant-speed McCauley propeller. Review of the airplane's logbooks revealed that the most recent annual inspection was completed on June 14, 2011. At that time, the airplane had accumulated 1,337.0 total hours of operation. The engine had accumulated 358.0 hours since major overhaul. The airplane had flown about 200 hours since the annual inspection.

The airplane was equipped with XM WX Satellite Weather and an L3 (Goodrich) WX 500 Stormscope/Strikefinder.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

There was no record of the pilot receiving a weather briefing or filing a flight plan with flight service or direct user access terminals; however, the pilot's business partner reported that the pilot commonly used ForeFlight, an iPad app to obtain weather briefings and file flight plans.

An NTSB Meteorologist collected and compiled weather data into a factual report. The National Weather Service Surface Analysis Chart for 1600, about 1 hour before the accident, depicted the accident site east of a squall line. Ground based weather radar (WSR-88D) at Birmingham, Alabama and Jackson, Mississippi, depicted heavy precipitation associated with thunderstorms along the squall line. Specifically, at 1656, ground based radar showed the airplane had penetrated an area characterized by reflectivity values of 50 dBZ or greater (Level 5).

The XM WX Satellite Weather (Nexrad Composite) radar product, time stamped at 1650, depicted the airplane clear of precipitation. This product would have been presented to the pilot as being approximately 6 to 7 minutes old at the time of the accident. The next product was broadcast at 1656:05, time stamped 1655, and may have uploaded to the cockpit within seconds of the in-flight breakup. This product would have also depicted the airplane clear of precipitation and would have been presented to the pilot as being approximately 1 to 2 minutes old. The airplane was also equipped with a stormscope/strikefinder, which would have depicted real-time lightning information, but contained less detail than Nexrad Composite weather radar.

George M Bryan Airport (STF), Starkville, Mississippi, was located about 24 miles north of the accident site. The recorded weather at STF, at 1655, was: wind from 240 degrees at 7 knots, gusting to 22 knots; visibility 4 miles in thunderstorms with heavy rain; scattered clouds at 1,100 feet; broken ceiling at 2,600 feet; broken ceiling at 4,000 feet; temperature 20 degrees C; dew point 18 degrees C; altimeter 29.79 inches of mercury.

[For more information, see "Meteorology Group Chairman's Factual Report" in the NTSB Public Docket.]

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

The wreckage impacted a rural area near Macon, Mississippi, consisting of fields and wooded terrain. A debris path extended approximately 1.25 miles on a magnetic course about 300 degrees. Pieces of window seal and cabin roof, with a global positioning system receiver antenna, were located at the beginning of the debris path. The left wing, cabin door, vertical stabilizer, and right wing were located in a field along the first one-third of the debris path. The top rudder section, both ailerons, fuselage, right wingtip fuel tank and middle seats were located along the second one-third of the debris path, in a wooded area. The pilot's seat was located along the final one-third, with the debris path terminating at the engine and forward cockpit section, also resting in a wooded area.

The left wing was separated at the root and the left main landing gear remained retracted in the wing. The left wing outboard section also separated about 10 feet from the root. The left flap was intact and retracted, while the left aileron had separated. The left aileron was recovered about .4 mile northwest of the left wing. Its trim tab and bellcrank remained attached. The left aileron was ballooned from 14 inches to 54 inches from the aileron tip. The left wing top main spar bolt remained in place and was bent upward, consistent with a positive wing separation. The fuel cap remained secured and fuel remained in the left wing fuel tank. The aileron trim actuator rod extension measured 2.5 inches, which equated to an off-scale tab down position. Buckling was observed on the lower wing skin, in a crosshatch pattern.

The right wing front spar remained attached to the front carry through spar via the upper and lower spar bolts. The right main landing gear and right flap were intact and retracted. An approximate 1-foot section of right aileron remained attached to the right wing and no other sections of right aileron were recovered. The right wingtip exhibited compression damage at the leading edge and the wingtip fuel tank had separated. The fuel cap was secured and no fuel was in tank; however, blue staining and vegetation discoloration was noted near the fuel tank. The pilot's left seat track remained intact and the right seat track had separated. The adjustment (center) track separated at the third adjustment hole from the front.

The rudder separated from the vertical stabilizer. Vertical stabilizer leading edge compression damage was observed, which extended approximately 20 inches, consistent with wing contact. The vertical stabilizer forward spar was buckled on the right side and bent aft, which the aft spar completely separated.

The main fuselage was crushed on the left side. The left horizontal stabilizer was bent aft and rotated 90 degrees. The left elevator had separated and was not recovered. The right horizontal stabilizer was bent up and aft. The right horizontal stabilizer exhibited leading edge impact marks, located 38 inches from the root. The right elevator inboard section remained attached and the outboard section separated 41 inches from the root. The right elevator trim actuator jackscrew measured 1.5 inches of extension, which equated to an approximate 10-degree tab down position. The rudder bellcrank, rudder torque tube, and 22 inches of rudder remained attached by rudder cables.

The engine remained attached to the firewall and the propeller remained attached to the engine. Both the engine and propeller were buried in mud. The instrument panel came to rest inverted and both control yokes separated. Some postcrash fire damage was noted. The bottom section of the instrument panel had been consumed by fire and the top section did not sustain fire damage.

The airplane's satellite weather information and stormscope/strikefinder information were both displayed on a Honeywell KMD-550 multi-function display unit. The airplane was also equipped with a JPI 700 engine monitor. The display unit and engine monitor were retained and forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory, Washington, D.C., for data retrieval. The KMD-550 did not contain any non-volatile memory; however, radar data available to XM WX Satellite Weather subscribers surrounding the time of the accident was provided to an NTSB Meteorologist by the company that disseminates the information. Data from the JPI engine monitor was successfully downloaded and plotted. Review of the plot revealed that the exhaust gas temperatures were consisted with cruise engine power until the end of the data.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed on the pilot on June 1, 2012, by the State of Mississippi Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Jackson, Mississippi.

Toxicological testing was performed on the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Science Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Review of the toxicology report revealed:

"… 0.097 (ug/ml, ug/g) Diphenhydramine detected in Blood
Diphenhydramine detected in Urine…"



 NTSB Identification: ERA12FA376 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, May 31, 2012 in Macon, MS
Aircraft: HAWKER BEECHCRAFT A36, registration: N976S
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 May 31, 2012, at 1656 central daylight time, a Hawker Beechcraft A36, N976S, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged during an in-flight break-up and collision with terrain near Macon, Mississippi. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the planned flight to University of Oklahoma Westheimer Airport (OUN), Norman Oklahoma. The flight originated from Saint Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), Clearwater, Florida, at 1415.

According to preliminary air traffic control information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilot was in radio contact with Memphis Center at 1625, and the airplane was level at 20,000 feet. At that time, the center controller advised the pilot of extreme precipitation at the airplane's 12 o'clock position and 85 miles away, extending north and south. The pilot acknowledged the information and added that he was looking at it, and evaluating if there was any way to get through it. At 1626, the controller advised the pilot that there was a break in the extreme precipitation, but still moderate to heavy precipitation, on a heading of 330 degrees at 115 miles. The pilot stated that he saw that as well, and thought it would be the best location to fly through the line of precipitation. The pilot subsequently received permission to deviate to that location. At 1633, the controller asked the pilot if he had weather radar onboard, and the pilot replied that he had "Nexrad Composite." At 1636, the pilot requested a lower altitude to remain below the freezing level, and he ultimately descended to 12,000 feet. At 1653, the pilot advised the controller that a cell had "filled in," but there was still a gap about 10 miles north, which he planned to fly through. The controller acknowledged the pilot's intentions. No further communication was received from the accident airplane and radar contact was lost at 1656:27.

The wreckage impacted a rural area near Macon, Mississippi, consisting of fields and wooded terrain. A debris path extended approximately 1.25 miles on a magnetic course about 300 degrees. The airplane was equipped with satellite weather and radar weather, which were both displayed on a KDM-550 multifunction display (MFD). The airplane was also equipped with a JPI 700 engine monitor. The MFD and engine monitor were retained and forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory, Washington, D.C., for data retrieval.


A federal report says the pilot of a plane that crashed in Noxubee County on May 31st was attempting to fly through severe weather at the time the plane crashed. 

 Tracy Shirley III of Oklahoma was attempting to fly through a break in the weather according to a  preliminary report filed by the National Transportation Safety Administration,

The report says the plane was flying at 20,000 feet and the pilot was in contact with air traffic controllers in Memphis.

Shirley then asked for permission to descend to a lower altitude to remain below the freezing level and ultimately descended to 12,000 feet.

The discussion on the radio concerned the weather, and Shirley informed the tower he did have radar on board and was attempting to fly through the gap when it disappeared from radar around 5 p.m.

The report says the plane suffered an in-flight breakup.

Shirley died in the crash.

Debris from the plane was scattered for 1.25 miles in the Butler Road area southwest of Mashulaville in Noxubee County.

Shirley, the chief financial officer of Harrison Gypsum in Norman, Oklahoma, was the only person on the plane.

The multifunctional display and the engine monitor from the aircraft were recovered and are being analyzed.

The final report will be released at a later date.

Seawind 3000 (built by Larry E. Sapp), N514KT: Accident occurred April 02, 2012 in Deland, Florida

http://registry.faa.gov/N514KT

NTSB Identification: ERA12FA265  
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, April 02, 2012 in Deland, FL
Aircraft: SAPP LARRY E SEAWIND 3000, registration: N514KT
Injuries: 3 Serious,2 Minor.

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.


HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On April 2, 2012, about 1920 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built amphibious Seawind 3000, N514KT, owned and operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged when it impacted a building shortly after takeoff from the Deland Municipal Airport (DED), Deland, Florida. The private pilot owner and a commercial pilot passenger were seriously injured (The private pilot owner succumbed to his injuries on May 26, 2012). One person inside the building was seriously injured, and two other individuals inside the building sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight that was destined for the Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB), Daytona Beach, Florida. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to witnesses and information obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot/owner and pilot-rated passenger flew from the Aurora Municipal Airport (ARR), Aurora, Illinois, to DED on April 1, 2012, with a refueling stop in Tennessee, to begin training for a seaplane rating on the morning of the accident. The training was to be conducted on a lake in Altamonte Springs, Florida, utilizing a float equipped Maule M-7-235. The owner originally intended to land in Sanford, Florida; however, he elected to land at DED after the airplane's transponder malfunctioned while en route. The purpose of the accident flight was to fly to DAB to have the transponder replaced at a maintenance facility.

During a telephone conversation with an employee at the maintenance facility, the pilot/owner reported that he was new to the airplane, which he had purchased about 6 weeks earlier, after it had not been flown for about 3 years.

The airplane departed from runway 23, a 4,301-foot-long, asphalt runway.

The passenger reported that there were no problems with the airplane’s takeoff roll and initial climb. As the pilot turned crosswind, the engine suddenly quit. His next recollection was rolling on the floor of a supermarket. The passenger did not hear any engine sputtering or observe any other anomalies during the flight. He was also not able to recall the point at which the airplane lifted off the runway, the altitude the engine lost power, or any instrument indications.
 
A pilot at DED reported that he landed on runway 23, and while taxiing, observed the accident airplane depart. The airplane rotated about 500 feet prior to the end of the runway, and began a shallow climb, while mostly maintaining a high pitch angle. Shortly thereafter, he observed the airplane "stall" and enter a descending left spin, before it disappeared behind a tree line. He did not hear any communications from the accident airplane over the airport common traffic advisory frequency after the takeoff.

A witness, who was in a car that was parked outside the front entrance of the supermarket, reported that she heard one or two "sputtering" engine sounds. She then looked up and observed the airplane in a climb attitude, very low in the sky. The airplane turned left and immediately descended straight down, nose first into the roof of the supermarket.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot/owner, age 60, held a private pilot certificate, with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multiengine land and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on September 9, 2010. At that time, he reported a total flight experience of 450 hours. The pilot reported 495 hours of total flight experience, which included 15 hours during the previous 12 months, on an insurance application dated September 22, 2009.

The pilot/owner’s logbooks were not located and his total flight experience and his flight experience in make and model could not be determined. 

The passenger, age 52, held a commercial pilot certificate, with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multiengine land and instrument airplane. He also held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine, multiengine and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate, prior to the accident, was issued on January 3, 2012. At that time, he reported 4,000 hours of total flight experience.

The passenger had known the pilot since 1994. He was not aware of the pilot’s intention to purchase the accident airplane. He was aware that the pilot was previously interested in purchasing the certified version of the Seawind upon its release. The passenger had flown with the pilot in the accident airplane for about 1 hour, about 1 week prior to the accident. He believed the pilot had received some initial training in the airplane from the individual who brokered the sale; however, he was not able to estimate the pilot’s flight experience in make and model.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The amphibian, four-seat, high-wing, retractable-gear, composite airplane, serial number 60, was manufactured from a kit in 2002. It was powered by a tail-mounted Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D, serial number L-18822-48A, 300-horsepower engine, equipped with a three-bladed Hartzell HC-E3YR-1RF constant-speed propeller assembly.

According to records obtained from the FAA, the airplane was issued an experimental airworthiness certificate in July 2002, and was purchased by the private pilot on January 7, 2012.

The airframe and engine logbooks were not located.

According to Lycoming, the engine was manufactured in 1978 and subsequently shipped to Piper Aircraft Company.

A search of the NTSB accident database revealed that the same serial number engine that was installed on the accident airplane was previously installed on a Piper PA32RT-300, N2221G that was involved in a fatal accident on March 7, 1993, after it experienced a partial loss of engine power during takeoff, in Big Bear City, California (NTSB Accident Number - LAX93FA141). At that time, the engine had been operated for about 3,800 total hours and about 1,030 hours since it was overhauled during February 1985.

An engine repair invoice from a repair station in Zephyrhills, Florida, revealed that the engine was overhauled during October 2001.

The airplane listing information provided by the pilot’s representative indicated that the airplane had been operated for 400 hours, which included the engine being operated for 400 total hours since overhaul. The listing also noted that the airplane was equipped with long range fuel tanks (110 gallons), had undergone a condition inspection on May 3, 2011, and the sale price included 10 hours of dual instruction. The broker was fatally injured in a Seawind 3000 accident that occurred in Sarasota, Florida, on January 12, 2013 (NTSB Accident Number – ERA13FA109).

A third individual, who was a friend of the passenger, and was also attending the seaplane training reported that the pilot/owner told him the that the airplane performed well during the flight from Illinois to Florida, and cruised at 155 knots, with a fuel burn of 17 gallons per hour. The pilot/owner also mentioned to him that the airplane was purchased from an estate sale and had not been flown for a 3 year period.

According to fueling records obtained from a fixed-base operator at McMinn County Airport (MMI), Athens, Texas, the airplane was “topped-off” with 50.8 gallons of 100-low-lead aviation gasoline on April 1, 2012.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The reported weather at DED, elevation 80 feet, at 1935 was: wind 240 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 7 statute miles; sky clear; temperature 29 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 15 degrees C; altimeter 29.87 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

The airplane descended into the roof of a supermarket, located about 1 mile from the departure end of runway 23. The airplane penetrated the roof, and impacted shelving before coming to rest upright, on a heading of about 260 degrees.

The airplane was initially examined at the accident site and then recovered to a storage facility for additional examination.

A postcrash fire destroyed the cockpit and consumed the airframe, with the exception of the outboard 8 feet of the right wing and small composite fragments. The outboard 56 inches of the right aileron and outboard 11-inches of the right flap remained attached. Both right wing fuel tank caps remained installed. The right elevator tip was located on the roof top. All three landing gear were located in the debris, as was the top portion of the vertical fin.

All primary flight controls were connected at their respective control columns and pedals in the cockpit. Flight control continuity for the elevator was confirmed from the cockpit to the elevator bellcrank control tube. The right aileron control cable remained attached to the control surface. The left aileron cable was intact to a charred portion of the left aileron bellcrank. The rudder control cables were continuous from the cockpit, to about the mid-cabin area.

The propeller assembly remained attached to the crankshaft flange. One propeller blade was melted about 24 inches from the hub. A second blade was separated about 17 inches from the hub, with its outboard section located in the debris. A third blade was intact. Two of the propeller blades had curled tips and contained a series of small leading edge gouges. All of the propeller blades were relatively straight, with no twisting damage. The propeller pitch change mechanism remained intact; however, it did not display any witness marks associated with propeller blade angle position.

The engine, including all accessories sustained fire damage. A subsequent teardown of the engine at Lycoming Engines, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions. The engine was rotated about 350 degrees, with corresponding valve continuity and piston movement, prior to coming to a hard stop. During disassembly, a piece of molten metal was located between a connecting rod and counterweight, which resulted in restricted movement. The spark plugs were removed and their electrodes were found intact. The fuel injector fuel inlet screen was found properly installed and absent of contamination. It was also noted that the engine crankcase numbers did not match. In addition, five of the six cylinders contained different part numbers. According to a Lycoming representative, two of the cylinders (Nos. 1 and 2) were not approved for installation on the IO-540K series engine.

The engine fuel flow transducer, fuel line and fitting, which were heavily fire damaged, were examined at the Safety Board’s Material’s Laboratory, Washington, DC., in an attempt to identify if debris found in those components may have been present prior to the accident. A black colored particulate was removed from the transducer and similar material was removed from the fuel line. Examination of the particles utilizing a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) micro-spectrometer with a germanium attenuated total reflectance (ATR) accessory revealed no significant spectral patterns, which was consistent with little or no organic material present. The samples were then analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and quantitative standardless energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), which revealed the presence of materials found within the engine and fuel system. Due to the extent of the fire damage to the transducer, fuel lines, and fitting it was not possible to determine if the debris was present prior to the fire.       


NTSB Identification: ERA12FA265 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, April 02, 2012 in Deland, FL
Aircraft: SAPP LARRY E SEAWIND 3000, registration: N514KT
Injuries: 3 Serious,2 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 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 April 2, 2012, about 1920 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Seawind 3000, N514KT, owned and operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged when it impacted a building shortly after takeoff from the Deland Municipal Airport (DED), Deland, Florida. The certificated private pilot owner and a commercial pilot in the airplane were seriously injured. One person inside the building was seriously injured, and two other individuals inside the building sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight that was destined for the Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB), Daytona Beach, Florida. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to records obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the amphibious airplane was issued an experimental airworthiness certificate in July 2002, and was purchased by the private pilot during January 2012.

According to witnesses and information obtained from the FAA, the pilot/owner and pilot-rated passenger flew from Aurora, Illinois, to DED on April 1, 2012, with a refueling stop in Tennessee, to begin training for a seaplane rating in Altamonte Springs, Florida, on the morning of the accident. The owner originally intended to land in Sanford, Florida; however, he elected to land at DED after the airplane's transponder malfunctioned while en route. The purpose of the accident flight was to fly to DAB to have the transponder replaced at a maintenance facility.

During a telephone conversation with an employee at the maintenance facility, the pilot/owner reported that he was new to the airplane, which he had purchased about 6 weeks earlier, after it had not been flown for about 3 years.

The airplane departed from runway 23, a 4,301-foot-long, asphalt runway.

A pilot at DED reported that he landed on runway 23, and while taxiing, observed the accident airplane depart. The airplane rotated about 500 feet prior to the end of the runway, and began a shallow climb, while mostly maintaining a high pitch angle. Shortly thereafter, he observed the airplane "stall" and enter a descending left spin, before it disappeared behind a tree line. He did not hear any communications from the accident airplane over the airport common traffic advisory frequency after the takeoff.

A witness, who was in a car that was parked outside the front entrance of a supermarket, reported that she heard two "sputtering" engine sounds. She then looked up and observed the airplane in a climb attitude, very low in the sky. The airplane turned left and immediately descended straight down, nose first.

The airplane descended into the roof of a supermarket, located about 1 mile from the departure end of the runway. The airplane penetrated the roof, and impacted shelving before coming to rest upright, on a heading of about 260 degrees.

A postcrash fire destroyed the cockpit and consumed a majority of the airframe, which was constructed of composite materials. The airplane was equipped with a tail-mounted Lycoming IO-540 series, 300-horsepower engine, with a three-bladed Hartzell constant-speed propeller assembly. One propeller blade was melted about 24-inches from the hub. A second blade was fractured about 17-inches from the hub, with its outboard section located in the debris. A third blade was intact. Two of the propeller blades had curled tips; however, all of the propeller blades were relatively straight, with no twisting damage. The engine, including all accessories sustained fire damage. Initial external examination of the engine did not reveal any catastrophic failures; however, the engine was retained for further examination.

=============

The engine in an experimental plane that crashed into a DeLand Publix supermarket last year, killing the pilot and injuring four others, was involved in a fatal crash nearly 20 years earlier, according to a federal report. 

The Seawind 3000 nose-dived into the roof of the Publix shortly after take-off from DeLand Municipal Airport on April 2, 2012, injuring three shoppers in the store. The pilot later died from burns while the passenger in the plane was seriously injured.

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board said the plane's 300-horsepower 1978 engine was involved in a fatal accident in Big Bear City, Calif., in 1993, in another aircraft. It experienced a “partial loss of engine power during takeoff,” leaving two dead, including the pilot, and four injured, the NTSB reported.

The report, issued Oct. 23, didn't pinpoint the cause of the crash into the Publix at 299 E. International Speedway Blvd. That will come in the next phase of the NTSB investigation.

“It's just a factual report. It's not a probable cause (report),” said Keith Holloway, a public affairs officer with the NTSB. “That information will be analyzed and a probable cause will be determined,” which usually takes at least six months.

After taking off under clear skies, the Seawind went into a downward left spin and crashed into the building, about a mile from the end the runway. One witness, parked in a car in front of Publix, reported hearing “sputtering” engine sounds before the crash, the report said.

Kim Presbrey, an Illinois attorney and private pilot, died nearly two months after the crash due to complications from third-degree burns. His friend and passenger, Thomas Rhoades of Illinois, a commercial pilot, was seriously injured.

Rhoades told investigators “there were no problems with the airplane's takeoff roll and initial climb. As the pilot turned crosswind, the engine suddenly quit. His next recollection was rolling on the floor of a supermarket,” according to the NTSB report.

Presbrey and Rhoades left Aurora, Ill., on April 1, heading to Altamonte Springs for seaplane training. They stopped to refuel in Tennessee and attempted to continue on to Orlando Sanford International Airport. When the plane's transponder — a device which reports a plane's location to air-traffic controllers — malfunctioned, they landed in DeLand.

The fatal crash occurred the next day, when the pair took off for Daytona Beach International Airport in order to have the transponder replaced at a maintenance facility.

During a conversation with an employee at the maintenance facility, Presbrey said he was “new to the airplane, which he had purchased about six weeks earlier, after it had not been flown for about three years,” the report states.

Presbrey had about 500 hours of total flying time and 20 hours flying the Seawind, the report say.

Rhoades told investigators he flew with Presbrey in the plane for about an hour, one week prior to the accident. He believed Presbrey got “some initial training” from the person who brokered the plane's sale.

That broker also was killed in a Seawind 3000 accident in Sarasota on Jan. 12, the report said.

After the crash, Publix was closed for several months for repairs and renovations. In July 2012, Publix sued Presbrey's estate, claiming the crash caused nearly $1 million in damage to the store. The suit, which is pending in circuit court, claims Presbrey was inadequately trained.

The crash sparked an inferno that destroyed the plane's cockpit and damaged the engine. Investigators sent the engine to its manufacturer, Lycoming Engines, for examination, which “did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions,” the report states. However, two of the six cylinders in the engine were not approved for installation on that model of engine by the manufacturer, the report notes.

http://www.news-journalonline.com
 

The DeLand Publix that was damaged in April when a small airplane crashed into its roof will reopen later this month, the supermarket announced. 

 The renovated Publix will reopen at the Northgate Shopping Center on International Speedway Boulevard on June 28. A ribbon cutting ceremony with DeLand officials will begin at 7:30 a.m.

Evektor Sportstar, Fast Track Flight, N902LA: Accident occurred June 11, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana

http://registry.faa.gov/N902LA
 
NTSB Identification: CEN12CA356  
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, June 11, 2012 in Indianapolis, IN
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/04/2012
Aircraft: EVEKTOR-AEROTECHNIK AS SPORTSTAR, registration: N902LA
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The student pilot reported that the flight began as a dual instruction flight with his flight instructor. They performed 6 or 7 landings, which included simulated engine failures. The instructor then exited the airplane, and the student pilot performed two more takeoffs and landings to a full stop without incident. On the third solo takeoff, the left wing dipped and contacted the ground. The airplane then began to skid left, then off the runway to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The student pilot listed no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.

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

The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff.


The student pilot reported that the flight began as a dual instruction flight with his flight instructor. They performed 6 or 7 landings, which included simulated engine failures. The instructor then exited the airplane and the student pilot performed 2 more takeoffs and landings to a full stop without incident. On the third solo takeoff the left wing dipped and contacted the ground. The airplane then began to skid to the left, off the runway to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The student pilot listed no mechanical failure or malfunction of the airplane.


 A student pilot crashed a single engine airplane during his first solo flight Monday morning at the Greenwood Municipal Airport. No injuries were reported.


A plane crashed Monday morning at the Greenwood Municipal Airport. 




PHOTO BY SCOTT ROBERSON


PHOTO BY SCOTT ROBERSON


 Greenwood firefighters work to stabilize a single engine airplane that crashed Monday morning at the Greenwood Municipal Airport by a student pilot on his first solo flight.


 A student pilot walked away uninjured after crash-landing a small plane this morning at the Greenwood Municipal Airport.

R. Wade Kohlmano, 59, Indianapolis, was practicing his landings about 9:30 a.m. when the incident occurred, said Assistant Chief Matthew Fillenwarth of the Greenwood Police Department.

“He was supposed to do two landings with an instructor on board and then a third one by himself,” Fillenwarth said. “The instructor said he did the first two landings just fine.”

On the third landing, however — with the instructor watching from the ground — the plane touched down hard and appeared to bounce back into the air, Filllenwarth said. The impact caused some of the plane’s landing gear to collapse, he said, and when the plane touched down again, it tilted onto one of its wings and slid off the runway.

The plane, a two-seat 2007 Evekton Light Sport, is owned by a Greenwood flight school called Fast Track Flight, Fillenwarth said.

Explosion and Fire at LIAT Hangar




(ANTIGUA OBSERVER) St. John’s Antigua- Plumes of smoke filled the skies Sunday night as one of LIATs two hangars went up in flames, carrying with it one of its aircraft; the motor pool; operations office, and several other offices. 

 Firemen fought with heavy winds from about 9:40 pm to put out the flames but two hours later the blaze was still raging.

Reports reaching OBSERVER Media indicate no one was injured and neither was anyone in the hangar at the time of the first explosion.

A source said the hangar is not used on the weekend and the aircraft registration LGH was in the centre for a routine C check or engine check.

CARIBARENA reported that fuel tanks exploded and a fire raged. Latest eyewitness reports are that the LIAT hangar has been completely destroyed. Employees of LIAT have confirmed that one Dash-8 aircraft, apparently under repair, was in the hangar and has been destroyed.

The first of several explosions occurred at approximately 10.00 pm. Since then there have been several further blasts, as fuel tanks in the area succumb to the heat and blaze.

A LIAT source advises that fuel and oil would have been stored in the hangar, and would have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.

Several fire engines five at last count are attending the conflagration, dousing the flames with water.

The LIAT hangar is located near the Northern extremity of the airport complex, near to the Cargo/Customs building and Runway 10, from which FBO 2000 operates.

According to eye witness the entire LIAT hangar is completely destroyed, everything in it including Dash-8 aircraft lost, it is reported that an underground fuel line that passes under hangar ruptured and every time.

http://www.demerarawaves.com

Antigua St John's - Fuel tanks have exploded and a fire is raging at the LIAT hangar at VC Bird International airport.

Latest eyewitness reports are that the LIAT hangar has been completely destroyed. Employees of LIAT have confirmed that one Dash-8 aircraft, apparently under repair, was in the hangar and has been lost.
The first of several explosions occurred at approximately 10.00 pm. Since then there have been several further blasts, as fuel tanks in the area succumb to the heat and blaze.

A LIAT source advises that fuel and oil would have been stored in the hangar, and would have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.

Several fire engines five at last count  are attending the conflagration, dousing the flames.

Fire Department and Police personnel are keeping the large crowd of several hundred onlookers that has assembled some distance from the blaze, making it difficult to generate clear images of the disaster.

The LIAT hangar is located near the Northern extremity of the airport complex, near to the Cargo/Customs building and Runway 10, from which FBO 2000 operates.

Caribarena will provide further details as they become available.

According to eye witness the entire LIAT hangar is completely destroyed, everything in it including Dash-8 aircraft lost, it is reported that an underground fule line that passes under hangar ruptured and every time Fire crew pours water on it it erupts with flames again, all efforts now concentrated on controlling that ruptured fuel line.

Meanwhile LIAT Has said that the Company is working with the investigative authorities of Antigua and Barbuda as well as the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA) to ascertain the cause of the fire.

It is expected at this time that all flights will operate normally today, Monday June 11.
 

Air Zimbabwe staff accused of embezzling parcels

Monday, 11 June 2012 09:48 The Editor News 
 
By Eugene Majuru


 AIR Zimbabwe staff who used to ply the popular Harare-London route have been accused of pilfering customers’ parcels sent from Britain.

Investigations by ZimDiaspora showed that several air hostess who diverted the parcels from mostly bread-winners toiling in the United Kingdom to their personal after being entrusted with goods varying from mobile phones, cameras, clothes and cash.

Air Zimbabwe suspended the London-Harare route after one of its planes was impounded in Britain over an outstanding debt. The government made a last-minute payment to rescue the plane from being auctioned.

But the staff at the national airline also tainted the already damaged reputation of the company after embezzling the much-needed goods by struggling families in Zimbabwe.

It is said the airliner staff also bleed the company of thousands of dollars after benefiting heavily subsided fares at a time when the parastatal was battling crippling challenges.

A Zimbabwean working in Manchester identified as Audrey was ripped off by air hostess who disappeared with a consignment of wedding dresses which were supposed to be delivered in Harare.

Audrey told ZimDispora that the air hostess promised to get the dresses to their destination on time but this was not the case as she played hide and seek. The unscrupulous air hostess then ignored numerous phone calls and also claimed to be busy.

“We requested the air hostess to give us her home address so that someone in Zimbabwe could pick up the dresses but to no avail,” said a bitter Audrey.

It also emerged that a woman who sent items through Wonder Maroto with a suitcase containing many items which included an instant camera and clothes was also frustrated after the man failed to deliver the goods on time. Maroto took the goods to his residence where his children used the camera before it was delivered to the sender’s family. Other items were also found to be missing.

Questioned about such a shameful act Maroto denied having knowledge of using the camera even though the evidence was all before him.

On another occasion Maroto was given 30kgs of items to take to Harare but according to him he had left the other 10 kgs behind in Leeds as he had not received the payment.

In November last year, Maroto failed to deliver a consignment of scientific calculators and mathematical.

Another very disturbing incident involved Stella Gondo who is also in the same business of taking parcels to Zimbabwe from the United Kingdom. Gondo is known to have delivered goods with certain items missing. She was paid for taking 40kgs to Harare and among those goods included a basic mobile phone with a camera which was meant to be a gift for some old man.

She did not deliver the mobile phone but instead claimed money for it claiming it had been impounded by customs as she had failed to pay customs duty.

Gondo`s statement was checked and verified by the sender from the United Kingdom who directly rang customs at Harare Airport enquiring about the phone. The sender was horrified to hear that customs did not even have a mobile phone in their store room and that they had not impounded any phone for several months.

On confronting Gondo she is said to have become verbally abusive claiming that she would not release the phone unless she was paid money to pay at customs.

She was supported by her husband who then claimed he had paid for the phone with his money.

A recent incident involved a John Marange who was given 27kgs of goods to take to Harare. Marange was advised he would be paid his money in Harare. Marange was agreeable to this arrangement and he gave the assurance that the goods would be handed over on payment of the money.

After collecting the goods Marange changed his flight days five times on all occasions failed to notify the sender that he was not flying on scheduled dates.

The sender had become worried as some of the items were for school children who were going to boarding school. In the end the children had to leave for boarding school without the items.

On Marange`s arrival in Harare he made a U-turn and demanded the $400 without delivering the goods claiming he needed the money to collect the goods at customs.

The intended recipient was agreeable to that provided they both went to the airport together to collect the goods but Marange would not hear of this. There was a 4 day delay until the intended recipient decided to pay him the money and wait for the goods although she was not happy by the change of goal posts.

Marange was said to have brought the goods the following day and demanded an extra $150 for storage charges. He failed to produce the receipt to prove he had paid $150.

The lady had to pay a total of $550 in order to get the items but several items were also missing.

One lady, Happiness based in Nottingham sent one air hostess with a box containing a stereo, mobile phones and other valuable goods but these were not delivered and she has since stopped communicating with the air hostess as she has failed to get her items back.

Surely this kind of dishonesty and greed is not acceptable; it causes a lot of inconveniences and heartaches to the senders and recipients who end up losing.

At the same time if these staff members are not honest they will end up losing the business.  They are the ones who tarnish the image of the airline as well.

To those who engage services of Air Zimbabwe staff to carry their goods, a  word of advice would be to list all items sent and make sure the recipient checks and ticks off item by item. This may help but if dealing with such characters be prepared for theft of items, delays or damages to goods.

Source:  http://www.zimdiaspora.com