Saturday, July 14, 2012

Cessna 170B, N3413D: Plane makes emergency landing in field near Orange County neighborhood, Florida


ORLANDO, Fla. - A plane made an emergency landing near an Orange County neighborhood on Friday.   

Robert Mitchell, a pilot since 1958, had to bring his small plane down in a field along County Road 535, just west of Bay Hill.

Mitchell was flying the small Cessna from Bartow to New Smyrna Beach when he said he started having problems with his plane and looked for a place to land.

He said he chose the field because it was the option furthest away from any homes.

Mitchell landed safely and said he believes he has water in his gas tank.

He'll sleep in his plane overnight and once it's light out, he'll check everything out and continue on his flight to New Smyrna Beach.

Mitchell said he has had the plane since 1971 and this is the first time he's had any problems.




March 2010: 

Cessna 172 Skyhawk

Photo shows the wreckage of a crashed four-seat Cessna 172 Skyhawk training plane on the outskirts of Qazvin city



An Iranian pilot and co-pilot have been killed after their single-engine plane crashed while on a training flight in the country’s northwestern province of Qazvin.

The four-seat, high-wing fixed-wing Cessna 172 Skyhawk aircraft went down on the southeastern outskirts of Qazvin city - located some 165 kilometers (102 miles) northwest of the capital Tehran - on Thursday, IRNA quoted an informed source who wished to remain anonymous.

The instructor and the trainee were identified as 42-year-old Ali Fakhr and 26-year-old Baqer Baqeri respectively.

There were no immediate reports of any casualties on the ground.

The aircraft reportedly belonged to a local flying club named Me’raj Aviation Academy and crashed moments after takeoff.

Why was aviation regulator Bharat Bhushan shunted out?

 

July 12, 2012 by ndtv 

He shook up the aviation industry by unearthing the fake pilot scam and threatening action against all airlines who erred in the slightest on safety norms, but now he's been asked to step down. But just why did Bharat Bhushan fall out of favor? We discuss.

Caribbean Airlines must drop Air Jamaica brand from planes

By Asha Javeed - Trinidad Express 

Story Created: Jul 14, 2012 at 10:50 PM ECT
Story Updated: Jul 14, 2012 at 10:57 PM ECT


The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has instructed national carrier Caribbean Airlines (CAL) to drop its Air Jamaica (AJ) brand from its aircraft.

The Sunday Express understands that use of the AJ brand does not comply with CAL’s airline operator certificate.

Despite the acquisition of AJ routes, CAL is not licensed to operate two brands but has been doing so for over a year.

For CAL to use the AJ brand, it will have to register a new airline in the name of Air Jamaica.

CAL, the Sunday Express understands, was alerted about this disparity by CAA a few months ago as it sought to improve its systems ahead of a planned audit by the international Federal Aviation Authority (FAA).

CAA is being audited by the FAA.

In the short term, the onus is on CAL to repaint AJ’s six planes at a cost of US$60,000 an aircraft.

CAL’s head, Corporate Communications Clint Williams confirmed that CAL had received recommendations from CAA which had been passed to its new line minister, Vasant Bharath.

Minister of Trade, Industry and Development, Bharath, as Minister in the Ministry of Finance, is in charge of all State enterprises. Williams said yesterday that Bharath is expected to meet with his counterpart in Jamaica to discuss the matter.

Former transport minister Devant Maharaj, under whose purview both CAL and CAA had fallen, will also be part of the discussions.

Asked whether CAL was already repainting its aircraft, Williams said it will be part of the discussions between the ministers. He admitted that one aircraft, which was already undergoing scheduled maintenance, was already re-touched with CAL’s logo.

CAL’s investment in AJ has already been costly.

Apart from an initial US$50 million for acquisition of routes, former finance minister Winston Dookeran had disclosed to Parliament that Air Jamaica recorded an unaudited loss of US$38.1 million ($245.2 million) for 2011.

CAL’s investments (US$149 million), the Sunday Express had reported, have had to be liquidated to address the costly operations of Air Jamaica.

The business plan for the Air Jamaica operations for the months of May to December 2010 forecast a profit of US$4.6 million and $16 million for 2011.

However, data obtained show the actual performance for the Air Jamaica operation from May to December 2010 was a loss of US$21 million “for various reasons” and US$38 million for 2011. The 2011 figure has to be contextualized given there was an adjusted fuel subsidy from US$1.50 to US$2.34 a gallon.

The government of Air Jamaica owns 16 per cent of CAL, following the consummation of a shareholders agreement which was signed on May 26, 2011.

Meanwhile, CAL has put four of its nine ATR aircraft it ordered up for sale.

CAL has only collected two of the aircraft it had ordered from the France’s Aviones de Transport Regional (ATR) .

When the proposal to acquire the ATR was made on September 9, 2010 from a note submitted by then line minister, Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner for CAL to enter into a purchase agreement with ATR for nine aircraft, no funding requirements were identified.

CAL paid the US$1.8 million commitment fee-—calculated to a $200,000 deposit on each aircraft—out of pocket on September 13.

By January 2011, CAL management had approached the Ministry of Finance for money for the ATR purchase but was told that no funding had been requested on the Cabinet note, and CAL was forced to utilize its own internal funding to pay fully for the first two aircraft.

The Sunday Express learned CAL is hoping to acquire three more of the aircraft to complete its propeller fleet.

As such, it intends to mortgage the first two ATRs and use those funds to finance the acquisition of the other three. Williams confirmed the four ATRs were up for sale as there were “changes in CAL’s business model moving forward”.

The four aircraft for sale remain at the manufacturer’s plant in France. 

Source:   http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/CAL-must-drop-Air-Jamaica-brand-from-planes-162491756.html

Pilot Ignores Weather Warning: Arik Air Disaster Averted In Abuja

Arik flight W3232 from Enugu to Abuja scheduled to depart Enugu at about 10:00am was delayed until 11:40am, due to reports of approaching bad weather in Abuja. 

 According to an eyewitness, in a rush to get to Abuja before the start of the rains the pilot ignored all warnings and took the aircraft and passengers through an extremely turbulent flight.

A passenger on the fight said, “People clung on to their seats for dear life with shouts and cries of Jesus”.

On landing at Abuja the plane almost skidded off of the runway and passengers had to wait on the aircraft for thirty minutes before disembarking due to heavy rains in Abuja.

“This is the hallmark of the flight delays and the resultant effects of lack of NCAA,” the passenger added.

http://leadership.ng

Arik Air aircraft in near mishap

AN Arik Air aircraft was involved in an incident on Saturday when the aircraft on landing at Jos Airport rammed into the body of an Air Force plane parked on the tarmac.

The development came even as another aircraft also belonging to Arik was alleged to have almost skidded off the Abuja Airport runway on landing.

According to information gathered, the pilot of the aircraft was alleged to have disobeyed warning against flying due to bad weather.

Despite the warning, the airline with flight number W3 232 flying from Enugu to Abuja was operated against bad weather which led to its involvement in serious weather situation.

The airline’s aircraft which rammed into an Air Force plane parked on the tarmac eventually caused substantial damage to the two aircraft.

The Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren, confirmed the Jos incident.

According to information gathered, the aircraft, a Boeing 737- 700 from Enugu to Abuja scheduled to depart Enugu at about 10:00 am was delayed until 11:40 am due to reports of approaching bad weather in Abuja.

Unfortunately, the pilot, in a bid to get to Abuja before the start of the rains, allegedly ignored all warnings and “took the aircraft and passengers through an extremely turbulent flight”.

On landing at Abuja the plane almost skidded off of the runway and passengers had to remain on the aircraft for 30 minutes before disembarking due to heavy rains in Abuja.

The NCAA had last week issued a statement where Dr Demuren advised pilots and airlines that there was need for pilots to exercise restraint in adverse weather and always respect weather forecast.

Demuren, in the statement, strongly advised pilots to be patient enough to allow it to subside or pass over the airfield before commencing flight.

As at the time of filing this report, all efforts made to reach the public relations officer of the airline to react failed as his phone rang severally without response.Arik plane in near mishap.

Weather grounds planes at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (KPHX), Phoenix, Arizona

All planes have been grounded at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport due to the bad weather, an official said. 

 Mike Sotomayor, a supervisor of airport communications, said officials issued a temporary ground stop, which means all aircraft are not able to take off or land.

Sotomayor said the stoppage was due to viability and other complications the inclement weather. He didn't know when the stoppage would be lifted.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com

Airbus Plans to Cut 15,000 Jobs, Citing Impact of Coronavirus Pandemic: The move comes after months of stalled air traffic that has resulted in a run of airline bankruptcies and restructurings around the world



Airbus said it would cut 15,000 jobs across its commercial aircraft division, the biggest restructuring in the plane maker’s history, citing what it expects to be the Covid-19 pandemic’s yearslong impact on the aviation sector.

The majority of the cuts, which amount to about 11% of the company’s total workforce, will be mostly in France and Germany, Airbus’s main manufacturing sites.

The move comes after months of stalled air traffic that has resulted in a run of airline bankruptcies and restructurings around the world, including moves to reduce fleet numbers and cancel orders for new planes.

A recovery in air traffic to pre-pandemic levels isn’t expected before 2023 and could come as late as 2025, Airbus said.

“Airbus is facing the gravest crisis this industry has ever experienced,” Chief Executive Guillaume Faury said. “We must ensure that we can sustain our enterprise and emerge from the crisis as a healthy, global aerospace leader, adjusting to the overwhelming challenges of our customers.”

The move follows that by Boeing Co. which outlined plans to reduce its workforce by 10%.

The aviation industry has been suffering as border restrictions and fears by passengers of contracting the virus have stymied air travel. Airlines aren’t expecting a full recovery soon, with the economic fallout from the pandemic set to weigh on demand in the coming years.

The job losses in the sector add to those already being cut at airlines across the world, including 12,000 at British Airways and 6,000 at Australia’s Qantas. Deutsche Lufthansa AG has said it may need to cut as many as 22,000 positions.

American Airlines Group Inc. and United Airlines Holdings Inc. have both said they are looking at cutting 30% of management and administrative staff to weather the crisis.

In addition to the 15,000 cuts, Airbus has already outlined pre-pandemic plans to shed 900 jobs at its Premium Aerotec business in Germany. A separate restructuring of its defense and space business is also ongoing and will result in a reduction of about 2,600 staff.

The 15,000 jobs still need to be negotiated with unions, Airbus said, with an aim to reach agreements by autumn and complete the restructuring by summer next year.

Ezjet aircraft damaged in ground accident; stranded passengers to leave

About 200 New York-bound passengers were Saturday suffering a nine-hour delay at Guyana’s Cheddi Jagan International Airport after a Rapid Loader damaged the fuselage of an Ezjet aircraft. 

The incident happened Saturday morning between 5:50 and 6:00 as the aircraft was being cleaned for its outbound journey. The extent of the damage is not immediately known.

“It was a ground handling accident in which a loader, during the course of cleaning the plane, damaged the plane. It’s a minor damage but it prevented the plane from flying,” Ezjet’s spokesman, Kit Nascimento told Demerara Waves Online News (www.demwaves.com).

DemWaves understands that the Rapid Loader is owned by New Timehri Handling Services.

Nascimento said Ezjet has arranged for another aircraft to arrive here to take the 201 stranded passengers to the John F. Kennedy International Airport. Departure time is expected to be around midnight.

The now damaged aircraft should have left Guyana at 3 PM Saturday.

An investigation has been launched into the incident.

Nascimento said the delay and backlog would not affect Monday’s launch of its inaugural flight to and from Canada. 

Schempp-Hirth Nimbus 2I, N96132: Accident occurred July 13, 2012 in Redmond, Oregon

http://registry.faa.gov/N96132

NTSB Identification: WPR12CA304 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, July 13, 2012 in Redmond, OR
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/04/2012
Aircraft: SCHEMPP HIRTH NIMBUS II, registration: N96132
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.

According to the pilot, his glider was towed to an altitude of 6,000 feet above mean sea level (msl), which was about 2,600 feet above ground level, and released. The glider achieved an altitude of 7,500 feet msl, and the pilot continued to an area that he normally used for soaring. Once he reached the location, he realized the glider was too low to glide back to the airport and that in order to get to the next available safe field for landing the glider would have to cross a tree line. Upon approach to the trees, the pilot did not think the glider would be able to clear them, so he set up his approach for landing onto a road adjacent to the tree line. On the landing roll the glider’s right wing struck a tree. The pilot reported that the right wing was damaged and that the tail boom had separated. He also stated that there were no mechanical problems with the glider prior to the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
A loss of aerodynamic lift that resulted in a forced landing on unsuitable terrain.

According to the pilot, his glider was towed to an altitude of 6,500 feet above mean sea level (msl), which was about 2,600 feet above ground level (agl), and released. The glider achieved an altitude of 7,500 feet, and the pilot continued on to an area that he normally used for soaring. Once he reached the location, he realized the glider was too low to glide back to the airport, or to a known suitable field for an off-airport landing. The pilot stated that his option was to soar to the next available safe field for landing. However, in order to get to the field, the glider would have to cross over a tree line. Upon approach to the trees, the pilot did not think the glider would be able to make it over them, so he set up his approach for landing onto a road adjacent to the tree line. On the landing roll out the right wing struck a tree. The pilot reported that the right wing was damaged, and the tail boom had separated. He also stated that there were no mechanical problems with the glider.


IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 96132        Make/Model: GLID      Description: SCHEMPP NIMBUS II GLIDER
  Date: 07/13/2012     Time: 2130

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
  City: BEND   State: OR   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT ON LANDING,  TAIL SEPARATED, BEND OR

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   0     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: Unknown      Phase: Landing      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: PORTLAND, OR  (NM09)                  Entry date: 07/16/2012 
 

BEND, Ore. - A Bend man escaped serious injury Friday afternoon when he tried to land his glider plane on a forest road near Tumalo Falls and its wings clipped a small tree, causing it to crash, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.

 Deputies were dispatched around 2:20 p.m. to a report of a plane crash near the falls, west of Bend, said special services Deputy Liam Klatt.

Responding deputies found the glider and its pilot, John Bentley, 52, on Forest Service Road 4603, which runs from Skyliners Road to Tumalo Falls, Klatt said.

Bentley told deputies he’d started his flight from the Bend Airport and was in the air for almost an hour when the glider experienced what he described as an irrevocable loss of lift west of Bend.

Klatt said the Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-2, an open-class glider, has a wingspan of more than 66 feet, and it clipped a small tree as it neared the ground, causing it to crash onto the forest road.

Bentley suffered only minor injuries, Klatt said, and declined any medical attention.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were notified of the crash, and officials with both agencies spoke with the pilot before allowing him to remove the plane from the crash scene.

Klatt said Bentley is an experienced pilot, with about 30 years of experience in both gliders and powered aircraft. He also said alcohol is not believed to have been a contributing factor in the crash.
 
 Watch Video Here:    http://www.ktvz.com

AERONCA 7CCM, N83977: Aircraft force landed near Oklawaha, Florida


FAA IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 83977        Make/Model: 7CCM      Description: 1946 AERONCA 7CCM
  Date: 07/14/2012     Time: 1115

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

LOCATION
  City: OKLAWAHA   State: FL   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED NEAR OKLAWAHA, FL

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   1     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: ORLANDO, FL  (SO15)                   Entry date: 07/16/2012 

http://registry.faa.gov/N83977

SILVER SPRINGS -- A single-engine plane made an emergency landing in a swamp on Saturday morning and the pilot suffered only minor injuries, Marion County sheriff's officials said.

Authorities said that around 7 a.m., the pilot, whose name was not released, called them about the accident and said he needed assistance in getting out of the swamp near County Road 314A.

Deputies responded to the area and, unable to find wreckage, called for the helicopter to look for the man and the plane.

The helicopter was able to hover low enough at the crash site that officials could scoop him up and carry him to safety, officials said.

The plane crashed two to three miles away from a landing strip, officials said.

Deputies said the pilot was treated by medical personnel for minor cuts and bruises.

The Federal Aviation Administration was notified about the crash, officials said.

Source:   http://www.ocala.com

Piper PA-32-300 Cherokee Six, N1127X: Accident occurred July 14, 2012 in Elkader, Iowa

 http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/ N1127X

NTSB Identification: CEN12LA441
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, July 14, 2012 in Elkader, IA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/26/2012
Aircraft: PIPER PA-32-300, registration: N1127X
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 reported that the airplane touched down on the first third of the wet grass runway, but the braking action was ineffective. He stated that because of the ineffective braking action and the short runway length, he applied full engine power to abort the landing. He reported that although the airplane initially cleared trees located off the departure end of the runway, it was inexplicably pushed down into the tree line. The airplane came to rest in a 100-foot deep wooded ravine located off the departure end of the runway. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Based on the available weather radar data and witness observations, localized instrument flight rule conditions likely existed due to thunderstorms and heavy rain in the vicinity of the airport.
An on-site investigation found tire marks on the grass runway consistent with the tire width of the accident airplane. The first of these tire marks was more than halfway down the 1,705-foot-long runway, about 741 feet from the departure end. These tire tracks continued past the departure threshold until a point where the terrain sloped away from the runway elevation, indicating that the airplane had not become airborne on the usable runway. The physical evidence was consistent with the airplane running off the end of the runway before descending into treetops that were at or below the runway elevation. Review of available performance data indicated that the expected landing distance for a wet grass runway would be in excess of 748 feet. The landing performance calculations established that there was sufficient runway available for a ground roll if the pilot had touched down within the first half of the runway.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point while landing on the wet grass runway.

On July 14, 2012, about 1021 central daylight time, a Piper model PA-32-300 airplane, N1127X, was substantially damaged while landing at the Elkader Airport (I27) near Elkader, Iowa. The private pilot sustained minor injuries. The passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by Wild River Flying Club, LLC, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Day instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight originated from L.O. Simenstad Municipal Airport (KOEO), Osceola, Wisconsin, at 0910.

The pilot reported that as the flight approached the intended destination he descended from 5,500 feet to 2,000 feet mean sea level in order to remain clear of clouds. The flight subsequently encountered light rain and reduced forward visibilities. The pilot eventually performed a 180-degree turn while he considered diverting to an alternate airport. He stated that during the turn he noticed that the weather had closed-in behind him; however, as he continued the turn he was able to establish visual contact with the intended destination because the clouds had moved past the airport. He overflew the airport before entering a left traffic pattern for runway 17 on the upwind leg. He stated that the airplane touched down within the first third of the runway with the wing flaps fully extended. The pilot reported that braking action was ineffective after touchdown due to the wet grass runway condition. Because of the ineffective braking action and the short runway length (1,705 feet), the pilot applied full engine power to abort the landing. He reported that although the airplane initially cleared trees located off the departure end of the runway, it was inexplicably pushed down into the tree line. (The treetops were at or below the runway elevation, due to sloping terrain located off the end of the runway.) The airplane came to rest in a 100-foot deep wooded ravine. The fuselage and both wings were substantially damaged during the accident. The pilot noted that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

Witnesses located at the destination airport reported that the airplane first overflew the airport at approximately 1020, at which time there was heavy rain and lightning. A few minutes later the witnesses heard the airplane attempting to land on runway 17; however, they were subsequently unable to locate the airplane as they drove the length of the runway.

Based on the available weather radar data and the witness observations, localized instrument flight rule (IFR) conditions existed due to the thunderstorms and heavy rain affecting the destination airport. The closest weather observing station was at Prairie du Chien Municipal Airport (KPDC), located about 15 miles northeast of the accident site. At 1035, the KPDC automated surface observing system reported the following weather conditions: wind 130 degrees at 7 knots; visibility 3 miles with light rain; scattered clouds at 1,100 feet above ground level (agl), a broken ceiling at 3,800 feet agl, and a overcast ceiling at 4,900 feet agl; temperature 20 degrees Celsius; dew point 20 degrees Celsius; altimeter setting 30.04 inches of mercury.

An on-site investigation was completed by local law enforcement and inspectors with the Federal Aviation Administration. Their investigation revealed that there were visible tracks located on the grass runway that were consistent with the tire width of the accident airplane. According to photographs and direct measurements, the first visible tire marks were located about 741 feet from the departure end of runway 17. These tire tracks continued past the departure threshold until a point where the terrain sloped away from the runway elevation.

A global positioning system (GPS) handheld device was found at the accident site. The plotted GPS data suggested that the airplane landed about halfway down the 1,705 foot long runway; however, the exact touchdown point could not be inferred from the track data. The GPS data indicated that the airplane's groundspeed was 46 knots and 45 knots when it was 638 feet and 180 feet from the departure threshold, respectively. These groundspeeds were not consistent with the airplane decelerating during a landing roll. The final GPS data point was located about 195 feet past the departure threshold.

The pilot reported that the airplane's weight was 2,858 pounds at time of the accident. According to the Piper PA-32-300 Pilot's Operating Manual (POM), the stall speed is 50 knots with the wing flaps fully extended to 40-degrees. The landing ground roll for a paved, level, and dry surfaced runway with no headwind and using maximum braking is about 575 feet. The POM does not provide landing distances for grass or wet surfaces; however, Civil Aviation Authority research indicates that ground rolls increase 30-percent to 40-percent when landing on wet grass runways. Therefore, the expected landing roll distance on a level, wet grass runway without a headwind and using maximum braking would be between 748 feet and 805 feet.



 NTSB Identification: CEN12LA441 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, July 14, 2012 in Elkader, IA
Aircraft: PIPER PA-32-300, registration: N1127X
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.


On July 14, 2012, about 1030 central daylight time, a Piper model PA-32-300 airplane, N1127X, was substantially damaged while landing at the Elkader Airport (I27) near Elkader, Iowa. The private pilot sustained minor injuries. The passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by Wild River Flying Club under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Day instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The cross-country flight originated from L.O. Simenstad Municipal Airport (KOEO), Osceola, Wisconsin, at an unconfirmed time.

Witnesses located at I27 reported that the airplane first overflew runway 17 (1,705 feet by 75 feet, grass) at approximately 1020. The witnesses reported that there was heavy rain and lightning at the time. About 10 minutes later the witnesses heard the airplane attempting to land on runway 17 for a second time. After the second landing attempt, the witnesses were unable to locate the airplane as they drove the length of the runway. The airplane was subsequently located in a 100-foot deep wooded ravine located off the departure end of runway 17.

Based on the available weather radar data and the witness observations at the time the accident, localized instrument flight rule (IFR) conditions existed due to thunderstorms and heavy rain at the time of the accident.

The closest weather observing station was at Prairie du Chien Municipal Airport (KPDC), located about 15 miles northeast of the accident site. At 1035, the KPDC automated surface observing system reported the following weather conditions: wind 130 degrees at 7 knots; visibility 3 miles with light rain; scattered clouds at 1,100 feet above ground level (agl), a broken ceiling at 3,800 feet agl, and a overcast ceiling at 4,900 feet agl; temperature 20 degrees Celsius; dew point 20 degrees Celsius; altimeter setting 30.04 inches of
mercury.

CLAYTON COUNTY (KWWL) -  A plane crash at the Elkader Municipal Airport in Clayton County injured two people around 10:30 Saturday morning.

The Clayton County Sheriff's Office said it's not immediately clear why the  plane went down in some woods near the end of the airport's runway. Officials say influencing factors include the weather and where the pilot initially touched down on the runway. The Clayton County Sheriff's Office said National Weather Service data show there were storms in the area at the time of the crash.

Brake tracks show the pilot may have landed about halfway down the runway, taken off again just prior to the end of the strip and then took a nose-dive into woods just beyond the runway's edge.

The two people on board were taken to a Rochester, Minn.

hospital. Officials said the couple was alert and talking at the scene. The man flying the plane had a cut on his forehead, Clayton County officials said. His female passenger had a broken ankle and shoulder injury.

The owners of the airport said the couple has flown in and out of there before and have family in the area.

The plane is registered to Wild River Flying Club based in St. Croix Falls, Wis.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been called in to investigate along with the Iowa State Patrol. The FAA will be at the airport Monday.

Ryan Johnson is chief deputy with the Clayton County Sheriff's Office. He said the couple is lucky to be alive.

"Typically, a plane crash is not something that is similar to a car crash, where people walk away, you have airbags or safety devices that keep you safe in an accident. An airplane crash are pretty, mostly, fatal accidents, and to be able to walk away from this is truly amazing," he said.

The Clayton County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday released the names of people injured July 14 in a plane crash at the Elkader Municipal Airport.

Pilot Arthur D. Beaupre, 58, and passenger Thora G. Fisko, 54, both of St. Croix Falls, Wis., were injured and transported to a hospital by helicopter. Clayton County Chief Deputy Ryan Johnson Beaupre suffered a broken ankle and it was believed that Fisko dislocated her shoulder.

Pilot, 88, honored for 50 years of safe flight - Spokane International Airport (KGEG), Washington

 
Photo Credit:  Tyler Tjomsland
Bill Webber of the United Flying Octogenarians walks past his plane carrying the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award which was awarded to him on Thursday at Spokane International Airport.

 
Photo Credit:  Tyler Tjomsland
Lew Wetzel climbs aboard as Ann Orton goes through a preflight checklist before leaving Spokane International Airport on Thursday after a United Flying Octogenarians meeting. Orton, now 81, became a pilot at age 78. “I love flying to see my children,” she said.

Bill Webber began piloting planes in 1962 as a swimwear salesman traveling to meet clients throughout the Northwest, and half a century later he’s still flying. 

The 88-year-old Spokanite marked his 50th year as an aviator this April. To commemorate the accomplishment, the Federal Aviation Administration has selected Webber for the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, which recognizes airmen with at least 50 years of safe flying experience.

Webber is vice president of the United Flying Octogenarians, an international group of airmen who continue to fly well into their 80s. Several of his friends from the group flew their planes to Spokane for the award ceremony Thursday morning at the XN Air executive terminal at Spokane International Airport.

“We don’t see too many who do this,” Webber said. “Most people here today have no fear of flying in their 80s.”

Ann Orton, 81, developed her interest in flying a few years ago when Lew Wetzel, a retired Air Force pilot of the same age, took her out for an exhilarating ride in a glider.

“I enjoyed it so much that I took up flying lessons,” Orton said.

Now Orton has a pilot’s license and regularly does aerobatics with Wetzel, her neighbor. The activity, she says, is like flying in a roller coaster.

For her 80th birthday, Orton flew her Piper Cherokee 140, which she upgraded to 170 horsepower, all the way to California to see her children.

“I thought this old body would have a tough time, but it went fine,” she said.

More than 2,170 pilots throughout the U.S. have won the master pilot award, according to the FAA. That includes at least 51 from Washington.

“There are like 12,000 pilots in Washington,” said Jim Hultgrien, a program manager for the FAA safety team. “So, it’s not a real common thing.”

Of the master pilot award recipients, about 250 are UFO members, Webber said.

Webber has spent 3,985 hours in the pilot seat during his 50 years of flying.

Nowadays, he works as a financial adviser, flying to help clients in Portland and Western Washington manage their stock portfolios. Webber’s plane is a Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six, which he said has just enough room for four guys and four sets of golf clubs.

When not flying for business or golf trips with friends, Webber volunteers for Angel Flight, a nonprofit organization of pilots who voluntarily use their planes to help people in need of medical assistance.

“It’s very good at doing Angel Flights, taking people to and from hospitals and doctors,” Webber said about his plane. “We take people to hospitals when they can’t afford it.”

He has done three Angel Flights this year and 76 altogether.

“It’s a nice way to pay back society for all its good will,” he said. 

Story and photos:  http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/jul/13/no-age-limit-in-blue-yonder/

Tasmania plane emergency

An air drama involving a light plane at Wynyard airport in Tasmania's north-west has ended with the aircraft landing safely. 

The plane with only a male pilot on board was flying from Melbourne when he reported a mechanical problem with the twin-engine Piper Chieftain aircraft about 8:30pm [AEST].

The pilot circled the airport for about an hour while emergency crews prepared for his landing.

The pilot was not injured and the aircraft is now being checked.

Source:   http://www.abc.net.au

Council approves renovation work for Wharton Regional Airport (KARM), Texas

The Wharton City Council on Monday gave the go ahead for renovation work for Wharton Regional Airport.

 The council approved an agreement between the city and BLS Construction of El Campo in the amount of $14,900 for the work. Of that amount, half of the costs for hangar improvements can be included in the 2012 Routine Airport Maintenance Program (RAMP) for reimbursement, City Manager Andres Garza Jr. said in a report to council members.

“Three hangars will be rehabilitated and the terminal building in this project,” Airport Manager David Allen told council members.

The project includes removing faded tin and replacing it with new tin on the three hangers. On the terminal building, the project includes removing wall tin and replacing it with panels.

Allen said he wanted to get the project started as soon as possible so it could be completed by Aug. 31. He also told council members that things were going well at the airport.

“All of the hangars are rented,” Allen said. “The airport is doing well.”

Source:   http://www.journal-spectator.com

In Las Vegas, an airport built for extreme heat: Mc Carran International (KLAS), Nevada

The soaring temperatures that Las Vegas is experiencing this week could cause grief for pilots at other airports, because heat thins the air and makes it more difficult for aircraft to lift at take-off. To deal with that, pilots need to gain more momentum as they roll down the runway before reaching liftoff speed.

But McCarran International Airport has two built-in advantages that help pilots deal with extreme heat: an exceptionally long runway and one that goes downhill just enough -- 1.1 degree over its 14,505-foot-length -- to help jets reach takeoff speed. The airport was designed that way because of our desert environment.

The alternative at airports that aren't built with extreme temperatures in mind: Aircraft might have to take off with fewer passengers to lessen their weight, or with less fuel, requiring a refueling stop along the way to its destination that normally wouldn't be necessary.

So far during the recent heat wave, when temperatures have climbed to near record-setting levels in the 115-degree range, Southwest Airlines, the busiest airline at McCarran, hasn’t had to disrupt any travel plans, though it could if some variables were to change.

“We’re always in communication with the pilot on every flight,” said Steve West, senior director of the operations coordination center for Southwest in Dallas, which operates a dispatch center monitoring every Southwest flight.

“They have onboard computers that monitor the plane’s weight, the temperature, the wind, the runway conditions and the weather along the route,” West said. “We have similar operational performance formulas in our computers for every plane here.”

As the temperature climbs, the so-called “density altitude” rises. That’s an important flight variable, said Jeff Jorgensen, director of academics for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s worldwide campus in Las Vegas and a commercially rated pilot.

Density altitude is calculated with the level of atmospheric pressure and temperature. McCarran is at 2,181 feet in elevation, but on hot days, the density altitude is closer to 5,000 feet, affecting not only an aircraft’s lift capability but its engine performance.

McCarran has the 27th longest runway in the world and the third longest among commercial airports in the United States at 14,505 feet.

Read more here:    http://www.lasvegassun.com

Learjet 60, N56: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Low Flyby - Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX), California

 
FAA Learjet 60 performing flight checks at LAX with a low flyby and early turn midfield.

Life aboard a floating city: Top Gun has nothing on this

Rick Westhead/Toronto Star 
The Carl Vinson has 5,000 crew members, giving it a larger population than some cities


An aircraft carrier’s flight deck is widely considered to be among the most dangerous work environments in the world and it’s easy to see why.

 The USS Carl Vinson’s 1.8-hectare, steel-topped deck is a hive of activity. Jets take off, sometimes two at a time, reaching speeds of 240 kilometres per hour in three seconds.

“The flight deck can be terribly unforgiving,” says U.S. navy Capt. Rick Labranche.

Four catch wires are stretched across the aft of the ship and pilots aim to catch the third wire with the hook that extends from the bottom of their planes. When it catches, the planes are jolted to a quick stop.

At least once a day a plane will miss all four wires and have to open up its thrusters to immediately take off again.

“A landing is a mission in itself,” Labranche says. “You’re trying to get that hook down on a four-by-four square and there are times when the ship is pitching and rolling so much that its screws (propellers) are all the way out of the water.”

While the steel wires are discarded after every 150 catches — they’re typically thrown overboard — some can snap after some wear.

In 2003, a wire snapped on the carrier USS George Washington while an F-18 was landing.

As the wire split, it snapped back across the deck, injuring 11 crewmen. The jet crashed into the sea, although the pilot ejected safely.

“This is not like hitting your hand with a hammer,” Labranche says. “Getting hit with a trap cable or being knocked down by jet wash can be life altering.”

Nowadays, it’s standard for a team of crew members to get on all fours to examine the wires for signs of fraying.

They also walk the flight deck and hangar bay four times a day, searching for foreign objects such as pen caps, pennies or Kleenex that could blow a jet engine.

With a crew of 5,000, the Carl Vinson is bigger than some cities.

The carrier is home to 44 fighter jets, as well as a complement of helicopters and command-and-control and radar-jamming aircraft. By turning some of the fighters into aerial tankers, the fighters can strike some 1,300 kilometres away from the carrier — roughly the distance between Toronto and Thunder Bay.

The jets are armed with a battery of air-to-air missiles, 20-mm cannons, and laser- and GPS- guided bombs, shells packed with high explosive that have proven effective at taking out Taliban militants in the craggy hills and mountains of Afghanistan.

Read more here:  http://www.thestar.com

Reconnaissance aircraft crashes in Baalbek

The National News Agency reported on Saturday that a reconnaissance aircraft crashed near Baalbek’s town of Younine. 

“A number of citizens saw a burning object fall down from the sky [near] Younine in Baalbek causing a fire in the area,” the report said.

It also said that security forces and Civil Defense Forces headed to the crash site, adding that it “later turned out that the object was a reconnaissance aircraft of unknown identity.”

“Security forces cordoned the area, transferred the aircraft and closed the hole [the crash] had caused,” the NNA added.

http://nowlebanon.com

Piper PA-32RT-300T Turbo Lance II, C-GDWA: Fatal accident occurred March 17, 2015 in French River Provincial Park, Canada

Vilma Gumpal



Ontario Provincial Police have identified the third victim of a March 17 airplane crash as Vilma Gumpal, 42, of Sudbury. 

  Gumpal died after a Piper aircraft being flown by Sudbury lawyer Leo Arseneau crashed in rugged terrain in French River Provincial Park, near the mouth of the French and Pickerel rivers.

Arseneau, 64, and his wife Mary Lou, 65, also died in the accident. Their names were released last week and a funeral service was held for the couple this morning (Thursday) at Glad Tidings Church.

The OPP didn't release Gumpal's name until after what they are calling an additional post-mortem.

Sources say Gumpal was a caretaker to Mary Lou Arseneau, who was in a wheelchair because of a debiliating disease.

The three were on their way to Florida, via North Carolina, when Arseneau reported the plane was in distress about an hour after they left Sudbury.

========


The Piper aircraft that crashed south of Sudbury and killed three people March 17 broke apart in mid-air, says the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

The six-seater plane, which was manufactured in 1979 and imported to Canada in 2006, was about 70 kilometres south of Sudbury when the pilot, Leo Arseneau, 64, called air traffic control to say he had to turn the plane back to land in Sudbury.

Air traffic control gave him the go-ahead, and cleared for him to descend to 5,000 feet.

When they asked if there was anything else they could do to help, they never heard a response, said Don Enns, regional manager of the Transportation Safety Board's Toronto office.

“On radar, the airplane appears to suddenly start to descend extremely rapidly,” Enns said.

Investigators do not yet know what forced Arseneau to change his course, and eventually tore the plane apart.

They do know the plane broke apart while still in the air, though, because the debris was spread out at three separate crash sites.

The majority of the wreckage – which included the fuselage and tail of the aircraft, was discovered in a wooded area near the mouth of the French and Pickerel rivers.

Investigators discovered the majority of the left wing about half a kilometre to the northeast of the main crash site, and found parts of the right wing nearly two kilometres to the southeast. 

“The first thing we need to do is get the aircraft wreckage out of the bush and into our facility here in Toronto,” Enns said.

It will be up to the insurance company to retrieve the wreckage, and due to the difficulties accessing the crash sites Enns could not say when that would happen.

They would likely need a helicopter to gather all the pieces of the aircraft, he said, and would then need to transport those pieces to Toronto.

Once the Transportation Safety Board of Canada reconstructs the aircraft, investigators will be better able to determine what failed first.

“Hopefully we can put together enough information that we can figure out the scenario of what happened,” Enns said.

In addition to Arseneau, who was a well-known lawyer from Sudbury, his wife Mary Lou, 65, and her caregiver, who has not yet been identified, were killed in the crash.







An effort to recover three bodies from the wreckage of a small Sudbury plane continued Thursday in the bush west of Henvey Inlet.

"We're taking the bodies out today," said Const. Miles Loach, community service officer with the West Parry Sound OPP. "We found the plane and the three people who were supposedly in it, but we are still trying to verify the identities."

Names would not be released by the OPP until post-mortems were carried out in Sudbury, he said.

A team of investigators with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada was also on site, beginning Wednesday.

"Transport Canada and our investigator were the first two in there yesterday," said Loach.

Investigators are visiting the site by helicopter, he noted, as it is in rugged terrain near the mouth of the Pickerel River.

"The OPP chopper is there now," Loach said. "Initially we were using the Coast Guard's, because you can't even get to it by snowmobile."

The plane, a six-seat Piper Saratoga owned by Sudbury lawyer Leo Arseneau, departed from the city's airport around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, bound for Winston-Salem, NC, but reported engine difficulties less than an hour after takeoff.

Arseneau's wife, Mary Lou, and a caregiver are believed to have also been on board.

Derek Young, who filled in occasionally as legal secretary at Arseneau's law office, described a shaken workplace on Thursday.

"The team at Arseneau Poulson and their associates are grieving," he wrote in a Facebook post. "Leo was a friend, a colleague and a family man, with a gentle and kind spirit."

Young said the lawyer and his wife were extremely close. "He was just shy of his 65th birthday and he and his wife of 48 years planned on renewing their vows this spring."

Arseneau was also a magician who "enjoyed performing card tricks," noted Young, and performed an altruistic role by "flying disadvantaged families to hospital appointments. This is a big loss to the community."

A mayday was received by the OPP just before 4 p.m. on Tuesday, after which the plane lost radio contact.

"When we first got the call, the location we were given was just out from Sans Souci Island (near Parry Sound)," said Loach. "I gather they turned around and were trying to make their way back to Sudbury."

All planes are required to have an emergency locator device, but in this case there was no signal coming from the Piper's transponder unit.

"I understand there was some fire when it landed," said Loach. "Whether it wasn't working or was burnt, we're not sure."

In the absence of exact coordinates, spotters with the OPP and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre out of Trenton had to scour a broad area Tuesday evening and overnight, using a Hercules plane and helicopter to conduct grid searches.

By 8:55 a.m. Wednesday morning, JRCC personnel were able to pinpoint the wreckage and a member of the OPP's emergency response team was delivered to the site via a Coast Guard helicopter.

"They found a spot on the ice (of the Pickerel River) close to that where they could land, and our officer walked over to it from there," said Loach. (Earlier reports mistakenly said the ERT officer had to rappel down.)

Loach said the plane was found "in two pieces, but very close together," suggesting the aircraft may have broken apart upon landing.

Chris Krepski, a spokesman with the Transportation Safety Board, said no determination had yet been made on the cause of the plane crash.

"Our investigators arrived yesterday and will spend as much time as they need to," he said. "Usually they will spend a day or so on site, depending on how easy it is to access. They may also interview people in the area and look at pilot training records and aircraft maintenance history."

Krepski said he wasn't able to communicate Thursday with the team dispatched to the crash site, as they were out of cellphone range.

"I've been unsuccessful in reaching them, which is often the case in isolated areas," he said. "They're there, but there's been no information since they were deployed."

Leo Arseneau
~


The death of a Sudbury pilot and two passengers hit hard among local aviation and legal circles Wednesday.

Leo Arseneau, an accomplished family lawyer and member of the Sudbury Flying Club, perished along with his wife, Mary Lou, and his wife's caregiver after his Piper six-seater plane went down in the bush near the mouth of the French and Pickerel Rivers on Tuesday.

The three were bound for Winston-Salem, NC, but reported engine problems after leaving the Sudbury Airport and crashed while attempting to execute an emergency landing.

News of the tragedy was showing on the faces of many lawyers at the Sudbury Courthouse Wednesday afternoon.

"He and I go back a ways, quite a ways," reflected Robert Beckett, a long-time Sudbury lawyer. "He just reached 35 years (in law) at the end of last year. He was one of my golf buddies."

Another veteran solicitor, Richard Pharand, described Arseneau as a doting husband and skilled attorney.

"In recent years, he was his wife's caregiver," said Pharand. "He was basically taking care of her. He would go to the office and do work and spend all his other time with his wife. He told me he had been at the hospital when she was there and spent a lot of time at her bedside."

Arseneau was involved in a number of noteworthy cases, said Pharand, including a civil suit against disgraced financial adviser Pierre Montpellier, who was convicted of conning 128 people out of $5.3 million in 2004.

"He acted on behalf of the victims and got them a good result," he said.

The suit, filed in 1999, sought $25 million in damages. In 2004, Arseneau obtained $4.6 million on behalf of more than 70 Sudburians who said they were cheated out of investments.

Arseneau also represented the parents of Davinder Kochar, killed in 2005, in their quest to have retroactive child support paid by their daughter's husband, Harinder Kochar, for the couple's three children.

A court ruled in 2011 that $200,000 was owed to the elder Kochars on behalf of their grandchildren.

As lawyers grieved a popular colleague and mentor, those who frequent local hangars and runways were also feeling the loss.

Michael Rocha, chief flight instructor with the Central North Flying Club, said he was more of an acquaintance than a close friend but would often encounter Arseneau at the airport, especially in the days when the Sudbury Flying Club -- of which Arseneau was a member -- was more active.

"The airplane community is a small one, so you get to know each other," he said.

Arseneau was a seasoned pilot, said Rocha, and used his plane mostly for long trips, as opposed to shorter leisure outings.

"The first time I met Leo was back around 1998, so he's probably been flying for over 20 years," he said.

The Piper Saratoga flown by Arseneau was a "higher performance" type of single-engine plane that is "designed more for long trips than sightseeing," said Rocha.

Anytime a plane goes down it sends a chill through the flying community, said Rocha, especially if someone is killed.

"You feel bad for everybody involved, and it gives you a bit of a pause for thought and reflection," he said.

Aviators are "are a very safety-oriented group of people, very conscious of safety," said the flight instructor. "And flying is one of the safest modes of transportation -- I've always said it's more dangerous driving to the airport than flying. But accidents still happen, and it's very unfortunate."




July 13, 2012: Piper PA-32RT-300T, C-GDWA, Forced landing on highway


Joseph Arseneau's Piper Lance small engine aircraft parked in a parking lot at the Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport after being forced to make an emergency landing on westbound Highway 402 Friday night. The right wing tip sustained damage after being clipped by an oncoming Dodge Caravan on the highway. The female driver of the van, her four passengers, Arseneau and his four passengers were all unharmed. Arseneau and his family was enroute from Sudbury, according to OPP. 


 Submitted photo of the Piper Lance small engine aircraft after it landed just after 10 p.m. Friday night. 


The foreground shows a broken piece from the tip of pilot Joseph Arseneau's Piper Lance small engine aircraft, which sustained damage after being clipped by an oncoming Dodge Caravan Friday night on westbound Highway 402. The carrier is currently parked in a parking lot at the Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport. Pieces from the tip lie underneath the aircraft. According to the Huron Flight Centre, the small plane will be moved to the airside of the airport after an insurance company examines the carrier on Monday. 



 A close up of Joseph Arseneau's Piper Lance small engine aircraft, parked in a parking lot at the Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport, shows damage sustained to the right wing tip. Pieces from the tip lie underneath the aircraft. According to the Huron Flight Centre, the small plane will be moved to the airside of the airport after an insurance company examines the carrier on Monday. 



A small airplane was forced to make an emergency landing on Highway 402 Friday night.

Joseph Arseneau, a 62-year-old pilot, was travelling with four family members enroute to Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport from Sudbury in a Piper Lance small engine aircraft around 9 p.m. Friday, said Const. John Reurink of the OPP.

Reurink said Arseneau experienced an onboard electrical failure that left him circling the area to locate the airport.

“He was without electrical power for about an hour,” said Reurink.

“He’s not aware of this area, being from Sudbury.”

After losing navigation directions and contact with Toronto Air Traffic Control, Arseneau contacted Sarnia Police around 9:50 p.m.

“He made a call to our switchboard from a private cell phone because his power supply was interrupted and his radio and navigation system was down,” said Staff Sgt. Chris Oram of Sarnia Police.

Arseneau, running low on fuel, made an emergency landing on westbound 402 between Oil Heritage Road and Mandaumin Road exits with the assistance of Sarnia Police and Lambton OPP.

“The original plan was to get (Arseneau) to the airport, but he notified us that he was running out of fuel,” said Oram.

After Arseneau’s aircraft landed successfully on the highway, west of Plowing Match Road, a Dodge Caravan clipped the ring wing of the carrier.

Reurink said the female driver of the van, 40-year-old Elizabeth Goodall of Sarnia, and four other passengers, were uninjured, while the driver side of the van sustained some damage.

“Thank goodness that nobody was hurt. That’s 10 lives... I get goosebumps just thinking about it,” said Judy Ryan of Huron Flight Centre in Sarnia.

“The plane could have gone up on flames. There could have been 10 fatalities.”
She added that Arseneau would have been disadvantaged and “flying blind” without electrical power.

“The weigh scales on the 402 were probably the only things he could see,” said Ryan.

Transport Canada is investigating the source of the onboard electrical failure, according to Reurink.

Oram said he has never heard of an emergency landing on the highway during his 29-year career with Sarnia Police.

Arseneau’s Piper Lance small engine aircraft sustained minimal damage to the tip of the right wing and is currently parked at the Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport.
“The highway is open to ground traffic now, but closed to air traffic,” joked Oram.

Source:   http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca

 The 402 could sometimes use someone to direct traffic, but last night the busy highway needed an air traffic controller. 

Lambton OPP say a plane made an emergency landing on the highway near Wyoming, just east of Sarnia.

Officers say it was around 9 p.m. when 62-year-old pilot Joseph Arseneau of Sudbury was flying with four of his family members in his Piper Lance small engine plane to Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport when the aircraft went into on-board electrical failure.

Police say without his instruments to help him, Arseneau circled continuously to find the airport, but without his signalling the runway lights wouldn't come on.

The OPP says it was around 10 p.m. that Arseneau was running low on fuel and was forced to make an emergency landing in the westbound lanes of the 402 between Oil Heritage Road and Mandaumin Road Exits.

Officers say Arseneau brought the plane down successfully, but even though they were on the ground the drama wasn't over yet.

Police say once the aircraft was on the roadway a passing van clipped the right wing tip. Police say the 40-year-old driver of the van, Elizabeth Goodall of Sarnia and her four passengers were not hurt. Arseneau and his family were also uninjured by the collision.

Officers say the van and the wing tip of the plane did sustain some damage.

OPP say the westbound lanes of the 402 were closed until the plane and the vehicle could be removed.

A picture from the scene shows the small plane sitting on the highway bathed in the glow of emergency vehicles' lights.

Transport Canada has now begun an investigation into what may have caused the on-board electrical failure in the aircraft.

Source:   http://www.am980.ca
 
The steady hands of a Sudbury pilot faced with an on-board electrical failure landed his small airplane on Hwy 402 just outside of Sarnia on Friday night without any injuries. 

Lambton OPP said Joseph Arseneau, 62, of Sudbury was flying his Piper Lance aircraft with four family members to Chris Hadfield Airport in Sarnia when at about 9 p.m. the electrical failure happened.

He circled the plane for an hour looking for the airport, but without his on-board instruments, he couldn't signal the airport to light up the runway.

For an hour, he continued circling the plane. At 10 p.m., now low on fuel, he had to make an emergency landing – and did in the westbound lanes of Hwy. 402 between Oil Heritage Rd.and Maudamin Rd.

While making the landing, his right wing clipped a van. The 40-year old female driver and her four passengers were not injured.

Both the plane and the van were damaged in the collision.

Transport Canada is investigating.