Sunday, July 22, 2012

Life jacket poser after copter crash: Victim's family wonders if ill-fated aircraft had any on board

KUCHING: THE relatives of one of the three victims who died in last Friday's helicopter crash in Batang Lupar have expressed there were no life jackets on board.

The talk among relatives and friends yesterday at the Petra Jaya home of Siti Khuzaimah Annuar, 27, was: "Could she and the other two victims have survived if they had life jackets?"

Siti Khuzaimah was a quantity surveyor with Sebiro Holdings, the company that owned the helicopter that plunged into the river near Kampung Triso.

The other two victims are architect Henry Loh and state Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president Peter Ato Mayau.

Ato is a business associate of Sebiro Holdings owner Datuk Sng Chee Hua.

State Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) director Ling Swee Ing said he was not in a position to say whether the helicopter was carrying life jackets or if it was mandatory for it to have life jackets.

He said officers in DCA's flight operations section were more competent to answer those questions.

A source in the aviation industry said it was mandatory for all aircraft in Malaysia flying over water or close to water to have enough life jackets on board.

The sources said DCA crash investigators had started their investigations and some questions could be answered if they recovered the wreckage.

Sng yesterday paid his last respects and offered his condolences to the family of Siti Khuzaimah at her home.

He was then asked if the helicopter had life jackets. "I do not want to answer any questions on life jackets (on my aircraft) as it is a technical issue."

None of those who died had life jackets on when their bodies were recovered. They reportedly also could not swim.

The pilot, the only survivor, swam for about four hours to seek help without a life jacket.

Yesterday, a nephew of Loh, whose body was found yesterday, posted a message on Facebook, saying he wanted to know why Sng had asked the four to fly in such bad weather.

Loh, 42, was not an employee of Sebiro, as reported earlier, but an employee of a private firm engaged by Sebiro Holdings.

Siti Khuzaimah was buried at the Gita Muslim cemetery yesterday.

Her mother, Hashimah Fadzli, said: "My daughter was so much against flying that day."

She said Siti Khuzaimah had been "forced" to fly.

The weather over the city on Friday was poor with reduced visibility because of heavy rain.  In an SMS to her mother just before take off, Siti Khuzaimah asked her mother to pray for a safe journey.

Group seeks release of accident audio transcript: Dana Air McDonnell Douglas MD-83, 5N-RAM, Flight 9J-992 - Lagos, Nigeria

IN a bid to ensure transparency in the ongoing investigation of the Dana airline crash of June 3, 2012, the Aviation Round Table (ART), has asked the Federal Government to release the Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) audio transcription of the ill-fated aircraft. 

 ART is a professional body, whose aim is to pursue the advancement, growth and promote professionalism in the aviation industry. The call was made by the President of ART, Capt Dele Ore, while briefing journalists at the group’s headquarters in Lagos last week.

He wondered why the Federal Government has refused to release the transcription of the audio-tape, arguing that in other climes it would have been made public.

Still on the Dana crash, the ART boss, said that there have been several speculations as to the cause of the accident but that ART like other professional bodies have decided to distance themselves from these speculations.

On the reports allegedly credited to the Minister of Aviation, Mrs Stella Oduah- Ogiewonyi in a media briefing that the plane crashed at 3.43 pm, Ore said that one of the ingredients the minister should have included in the preliminary report is the take off time of the flight from Abuja and the estimated time of arrival in Lagos.

The body called for a review of the emergency management and response time of the rescue services such as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and others to the Dana crash, as the rescue response and management was a shame to the country

According to him, “while the management of the rescue services during Sosoliso and Belview crash in 2005 was considered a disaster, the management of the rescue services during the Dana crash was a shame of the nation.”

He called on the Federal Government to make the first response team in the event of any emergency of accident should be the local government instead of the NEMA and LASEMA that are not only far away but that would not also respond on time.

According to him, “the first responder to emergency or accident cannot always be the LASEMA or NEMA that are located at the state capitals and Abuja. It makes no sense for victims of air crash at Iju-Ishaga, Abeokuta or Calabar. If they must wait, the so lucky survivors, who need first aid will have no hope of surviving.”

He said that NEMA and LASEMA should be come in as contingency plans in the event that the local emergency services are not able to handle the emergency rescue operations.

The General Secretary of ART, Mr. Sam Akerele, who read the group’s position paper, said that the Federal Government should be blamed for non-release of previous accident reports instead of the investigator, the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB). He added that the investigation into Belview and Sosoliso crashes had since been completed and handed over to the government and submitted to the presidency in line with the Act, which established AIB in 2006.


 Source:   http://www.ngrguardiannews.com

Covering of tail numbers






University of North Dakota: Piper PA-44-180 Seminole, N580ND and Cessna 172S, N523ND

by KVRR Newsroom 
July 20, 2012

 A couple of mishaps involving student pilots at UND. 

On Saturday, a landing gear malfunction caused a UND plane to land hard.

Then on Wednesday, a plane ran off the runway.

The planes were grounded for 24 hours.

They were back in the air today.

No injuries reported in the two incidents.  


http://www.kvrr.com

http://registry.faa.gov/N580ND

FAA IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 580ND        Make/Model: PA44      Description: PA-44 Seminole
  Date: 07/15/2012     Time: 0420

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

LOCATION
  City: GRAND FORKS   State: ND   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT GEAR COLLAPSED WHILE ON RUNWAY, GRAND FORKS, ND

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   2     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: Training      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: FARGO, ND  (GL21)                     Entry date: 07/16/2012 

http://registry.faa.gov/N523ND

FAA IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 523ND        Make/Model: C172      Description: 172 Skyhawk
  Date: 07/19/2012     Time: 0140

  Event Type: Incident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Unknown

LOCATION
  City: GRAND FORKS   State: ND   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT WENT OFF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK A SIGN, GRAND FORKS, ND

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   2     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: Unknown      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: FARGO, ND  (GL21)                     Entry date: 07/19/2012 

Cessna 150G, N2955J: Aircraft lost power and forced to land in a field - Addison, Texas

 
Credit: Michael Richard / WFAA 
A pilot landed safely in a Richardson farm field on Sunday after developing engine problems. 

 Credit: Michael Richard / WFAA 

Credit: Michael Richard / WFAA 

Credit: Michael Richard / WFAA



RICHARDSON — There were some tense moments Sunday for the pilot of a small plane who was having engine problems on Sunday.

He was forced to make a hard landing in a field near the intersection of Renner Road and Plano Raod in Richardson.

No one was hurt, but the plane had to be towed out of the field.

Story and photos:   http://www.wfaa.com


 http://registry.faa.gov/N2955J
 
IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 2955J        Make/Model: C150      Description: 150, A150, Commuter, Aerobat
  Date: 07/22/2012     Time: 1340

  Event Type: Incident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: None

LOCATION
  City: ADDISON   State: TX   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A FIELD. ADDISON, TX

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


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Landing      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: DALLAS, TX  (SW05)                    Entry date: 07/23/2012 

Cirrus SR-22, Rgd. CAIR LLC, N138CK: Accident occurred July 22, 2012 in Pickens, South Carolina

NTSB Identification: ERA12LA473
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 22, 2012 in Pickens, SC
Probable Cause Approval Date: 04/23/2014
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR-22, registration: N138CK
Injuries: 4 Uninjured.

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

A few minutes after leveling the airplane at a cruise altitude of 9,000 feet mean sea level, the pilot felt the engine slightly vibrate or “wiggle.” The propeller rpm then began to rise rapidly, and the pilot noted an engine oil pressure warning on the primary flight display. After unsuccessfully troubleshooting the engine problems, the pilot secured the engine and declared an emergency. An air traffic controller informed the pilot of an airport 4 miles from his location, and he turned the airplane toward that airport and prepared for an emergency landing. The pilot again unsuccessfully attempted to restart the engine and then resecured it while on the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern. When the pilot turned the airplane toward the base leg of the traffic pattern at 1,200 feet, he added one notch of flaps, at which point, he felt the handling characteristics of the airplane change, and it began to feel “mushy.” He then retracted the flaps, and the condition worsened. As the airplane descended through 1,000 feet, the pilot thought that he had “lost control of the airplane” and decided to activate the airframe emergency parachute. The parachute deployed, and, within seconds, the airplane settled into trees about 2 miles from the airport. The airplane remained suspended in the trees until emergency personnel arrived on scene and rescued the occupants.
After the accident, the presence of oil was noted on the underside of the airplane. After the airplane was recovered from the trees, examination of the oil dipstick revealed small pieces of metal in the engine oil. Examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft was fractured and that the crankcase exhibited varying degrees of fretting and lock-slot elongation on the main bearing supports, which is consistent with the application of insufficient torque on the cylinder through-bolts by maintenance personnel. New cylinders had been installed on the engine 113 hours before the accident. Because the cylinders were loose, the oil supply at the No. 2 main journal was shut off and the crankshaft broke, which resulted in the subsequent loss of oil pressure to the engine.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
A total loss of engine power due to the failure of the crankshaft, which resulted from the application of insufficient torque on the cylinder through-bolts by maintenance personnel.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT
 

On July 22, 2012, at 1705 eastern daylight time, N138CK, a Cirrus SR-22, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Pickens, South Carolina. The commercial pilot and three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Cobb County Airport-Mc Collum Field (RYY), Atlanta, Georgia, and was destined for Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO), Greensboro, North Carolina. The business flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot, he began the day flying the airplane alone from Shelby County Airport (EET), Alabaster, Alabama to Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport (GPT), Gulfport, Mississippi, where he picked up 3 passengers. Prior to departure from GPT, the airplane was fueled "to the tabs" and 1 quart of oil was added to the engine. He and the 3 passengers then departed GPT, destined for RYY. As the airplane was descending enroute to RYY, the engine experienced a "brief misfire," which the pilot reported he had experienced in other airplanes before and was not concerned about. The airplane also experienced an ALT 2 failure enroute. The pilot attempted to troubleshoot the problem, without success, and then shed some of the electrical load. He continued to RYY and landed without incident.

The landing at RYY was a planned fuel stop, enroute to the final destination of GSO, where the airplane was based. Prior to departure from RYY, the airplane was fueled with 60 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel, which again filled the tanks "to the tabs." The pilot checked the oil (about 6 1/2 quarts) and examined the engine and underside of the airplane for any abnormal conditions which would have explained the earlier engine misfire. He found no anomalies and proceeded with the departure.

The takeoff from RYY was normal, and as the airplane climbed through an altitude of 800 feet, the pilot noted the oil temperature was "in the green" (about 190 deg) and the airspeed was about 130 knots.

The pilot leveled the airplane at 9,000 feet, at a cruise speed of 165 knots. A few minutes later, the pilot felt a "wiggle," or a slight vibration from the engine. The prop RPM began to rise rapidly and he noted an engine oil pressure warning on the primary flight display (PFD). The pilot disengaged the autopilot, applied full mixture, and turned the fuel pump on. He also assured the magnetos were in the "on" position. The pilot thought he may have had a propeller overspeed condition, so he reduced the throttle; however, the RPMs remained high. He then secured the engine and declared an emergency with Greer Approach Control, with whom he had been communicating. The air traffic controller informed the pilot that Pickens County Airport (LQK) was at his "10:00 and 4 miles," and the pilot turned toward the field and prepared for a forced landing. He noted the RPMs were not decreasing as he pitched the airplane down for the descent (the airspeed was about 110-120 knots). The pilot attempted unsuccessfully to restart the engine, and then re-secured it while on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for runway 23 at LQK. He believed he had plenty of airspeed and altitude, when he turned base at 1,200 feet, and added one notch of flaps.

As the pilot added the flaps, he felt the handling characteristics of the airplane change, and it began to feel "mushy." He then retracted the notch of flaps and the condition became worse. As the airplane descended through 1,000 feet, the pilot felt as if he had "lost control of the airplane" and decided to activate the airframe emergency parachute. The parachute deployed and within seconds the airplane settled into the trees. The airplane remained suspended in the trees until emergency personnel arrived on-scene and rescued the occupants.

PILOT INFORMATION

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate and a flight instructor certificate with multiple ratings including: instrument airplane, airplane single-engine land, and multiengine land. His most recent first-class medical certificate was issued on May 1, 2012. The pilot reported 1,800 hours of total flight experience, 350 of which were in the make and model of the accident airplane.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION



The airplane was manufactured in 2009 and equipped with a Continental IO-550 engine. The following entries were noted in the airplane and engine logbooks:

On April 28, 2010, all six cylinders were removed from the engine and sent to a repair station. According to the work order, maintenance to the cylinders included, "checking the guides and resealing the valves." The cylinders were reinstalled on May 4, 2010, and an operational check revealed no leaks or other anomalies.

The most recent annual inspection was completed on the airframe and engine on September 1, 2011 at a tachometer time of 963 hours. No anomalies were noted during the inspection.

On April 4, 2012, a new crankshaft seal and new cylinders were installed on the engine at a tachometer time of 1,252 hours. According to the logbook entry, an operational check was performed after installation, with no anomalies noted.

The next entry in the logbook was on May 3, 2012. This entry described compression checks on all 6 cylinders with the following values: "1. 78/80; 2. 74/80; 3. 76/80; 4. 77/80; 5. 75/80; 6. 75/80." According to the entry, another operational check was performed with "no leaks noted."

An oil change was performed on July 18, 2012. According to the logbook entry, the oil filter was cut and no metal was noted.

The tachometer time noted at the accident site was 1,365 hours.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed the airplane impacted trees about 2 miles from LQK. The airplane remained suspended in the trees during the inspector's examination; however, he did note the presence of oil on the underside of the airplane. After the airplane was recovered from the trees, examination of the oil dipstick revealed approximately 4 quarts of oil in the engine. There were also small pieces of metal noted on the dipstick.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Recoverable Data Module (RDM) Examination

The airplane was equipped with a Heads Up Technology Recoverable Data Module (RDM) mounted in the empennage, which was intended to record various flight and aircraft parameters. The device was retained after the accident, and forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, D.C., for data recovery.

According to the RDM data, the engine lost power at 1659, and the airplane began a descent immediately after. The CAPS handle was pulled at 1704:55, and the CAPS rocket deployed at the same time. The last data points were recorded at 1705:20

Engine Teardown Inspection

The engine was sent to Teledyne Continental Motors in Mobile, Alabama for a teardown inspection. The inspection revealed the crankshaft was fractured through the number 3 cheek between the number 2 rod journal and the number 2 main journal. The camshaft exhibited mechanical damage and was fractured in two places; forward of the second lobe and at the center of the second main journal. The crankcase exhibited varying degrees of fretting and lock slot elongation on the main bearing supports. The number 2 main bearing support exhibited signs of bearing rotation.

Additionally, low torque values were noted for the cylinder through-bolts.

No indications of fatigue were noted on any of the fractured components (For additional information regarding the engine teardown, see the Continental Motors Teardown Report and the FAA Inspector Teardown Report in the public docket for this accident).


 NTSB Identification: ERA12LA473
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 22, 2012 in Pickens, SC
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N138CK
Injuries: 4 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On July 22, 2012, at 1705 eastern daylight time, N138CK, a Cirrus SR-22, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Pickens, South Carolina. The commercial pilot and three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Cobb County Airport-Mc Collum Field (RYY), Atlanta, Georgia, and was destined for Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO), Greensboro, North Carolina. The business flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot, he fueled the aircraft "to the tabs" and performed a preflight and run-up inspection prior to takeoff from RYY. No abnormalities were noted during the inspections. The pilot departed, and as the airplane climbed through an altitude of 800 feet, he noted the oil temperature was "in the green" (about 190 deg) and the airspeed was about 130 knots.

A few minutes later, the pilot felt a "wiggle," or a slight vibration from the engine, as the airplane continued to climb. The engine RPMs began to rise rapidly and he noted an engine oil pressure warning on the primary flight display (PFD). The pilot applied full mixture, turned the fuel pump on, and manipulated the throttle. He also assured the magnetos were in the "on" position. The pilot thought he may have had a propeller overspeed condition, so he reduced the throttle; however, the RPMs remained high. He then secured the engine and declared an emergency with Greer Approach Control, with whom he had been communicating. The air traffic controller informed the pilot that Pickens County Airport (LQK) was at his "10:00 and 4 miles," and the pilot turned toward the field and prepared for a forced landing. He noted the RPMs were not decreasing as he pitched the airplane down for the descent (the airspeed was about 110-120 knots). The pilot attempted unsuccessfully to restart the engine, and then re-secured it while on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for runway 23 at LQK. He believed he had plenty of airspeed and altitude, when he turned base at 1,200 feet, and added one notch of flaps.

As the pilot added the flaps, he felt the handling characteristics of the airplane change, and it began to feel "mushy." He then retracted the notch of flaps and the condition became worse. As the airplane descended through 1,000 feet, the pilot felt as if he had "lost control of the airplane" and decided to pull the emergency parachute. The parachute deployed and within seconds the airplane settled into the trees. The airplane remained suspended in the trees until emergency personnel arrived on-scene and rescued the occupants.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed the presence of oil on the underside of the airplane. An examination of the engine was planned for a later date after the airplane was recovered from the trees.



FAA  IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 138CK        Make/Model: SR22      Description: SR-22
  Date: 07/22/2012     Time: 2105

  Event Type: Incident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Unknown

LOCATION
  City: PICKENS   State: SC   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND DEPLOYED THE EMERGENCY PARACHUTE. PICKENS, SC

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


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Cruise      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: COLUMBIA, SC  (SO13)                  Entry date: 07/23/2012 





A red parachute was deployed when Cirrus SR-22, N138CK crashed in Pickens Co. Sunday

Cirrus SR-22, N138CK crash in woods near the Pickens County airport

 

 
 Chuck Hayne, Pickens Co. Emergency Management


 Chuck Hayne, Pickens Co. Emergency Management





Plane crash-lands in trees in Pickens Co. It took emergency crews a while to get the plane and passengers down from the trees. 
Courtesy Jonathan Browder

 Plane crash-lands in trees in Pickens Co.
Four people were on board, two of who were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Courtesy Jonathan Browder




  Plane crash-lands in trees in Pickens Co.
A plane crash-landed into trees near McClanahan Road in Liberty Sunday afternoon.
Courtesy Jonathan Browder





 Plane crash-lands in trees in Pickens Co.
The plane reported problems by cell phone to authorities and was trying to land at the Pickens County airport when it went down.
Courtesy Jonathan Browder



 Plane crash-lands in trees in Pickens Co.
A plane crash-landed into trees near McClanahan Road in Liberty Sunday afternoon, sending two people to the hospital.
Courtesy Jonathan Browder

~




Emergency crews were placed at two different staging areas to offer aid with the plane crash near Liberty. 
 PAUL BROWN

LIBERTY, SC (FOX Carolina) -  A plane crash-landed into trees near McClanahan Road in Liberty Sunday afternoon, sending two people to the hospital.

Pickens County Emergency Management officials said the plane had four passengers and was headed from Cobb County, GA, to Greensboro, NC, when they reported problems by cell phone to authorities.

Officials said the pilot was trying to make an emergency landing at the Pickens County Airport when the plane went down.

The plane's parachute deployed, guiding it into the trees, officials said. We're told two of the four people on board were taken to the hospital and two refused treatment.

Story, video and photo:   http://www.foxcarolina.com



PICKENS, SC (WACH / AP) – Four people escaped serious injury Sunday, when their planes engine stalled, when the pilot deployed a parachute that brought the plane safely down into a stand of trees.

According to Pickens County Sheriff’s Capt. Keith Galloway said the incident happened at about 5:00 p.m.  Galloway said the plane had taken off from another state, when the engine stalled, the pilot planned to land the plane at Pickens County’s airport, however, the plane came down about a mile and a half away from the landing strip.  

The plane came to rest about 15 to 20 feet up in a stand of trees.  Multiple EMS agencies responded to the incident, and the occupants were checked my medical personnel, but there were no life-threatening injuries.


LIBERTY, S.C. --   Pickens County emergency officials say four people survived a plane crash.It happened around 4:45 Sunday afternoon on Breazeale Road -- not too far from the Pickens County Airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration says the plane was a Cirrus SR22 and the pilot of the plane reported engine trouble.

The Pickens County Director of Emergency Management Chuck Haynes says the pilot tried to make an emergency landing at the Pickens County Airport, but didn't make it.

Haynes says the plane was equipped with a parachute and the four on board stayed with the plane and it landed safely in the trees.

Haynes says the four people were rescued from the plane.

Two people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries and two others refused treatment.

Story, photo and video, comments:  http://www2.wspa.com


 

PICKENS, S.C. (AP) — Four occupants of a small airplane escaped serious injury Sunday when the plane's engine stalled and the pilot deployed a parachute that brought the craft safely into a stand of trees in northwestern South Carolina, according to a local official.

It happened about 5 p.m. Sunday, not far from the Pickens County Airport, Sheriff's Capt. Keith Galloway said.

He said the plane had taken off from another state and was in the Pickens County area when the engine quit and the pilot couldn't restart it.

"They were in the vicinity of the airport when they started to experience some engine trouble," Galloway said. The pilot was aiming for the airport, he said, but couldn't make it.

"Fortunately he had a parachute-equipped airplane as a safety device," Galloway said. "He deployed the parachute on the airplane and it slowed the airplane down and it glided into a stand of trees about a mile and a half to two miles from the runway."

Galloway said the craft came to rest about 15 to 20 feet up in a stand of trees. Multiple emergency response agencies using ladders helped free the occupants. Galloway said they were checked by medical personnel, but there were no life-threatening injuries.  He said the plane was a Cirrus. According to the Cirrus Aircraft website, an airframe parachute is standard equipment on all airplanes manufactured by the company.

The plane remained in the trees Sunday night. Galloway said local authorities secured the scene at the request of the Federal Aviation Administration. He said federal investigators would survey the site on Monday.

Pickens County sits on the North Carolina line, near northeastern Georgia.


PICKENS, S.C. (AP) - An official says four occupants of a small airplane escaped serious injury when the plane's engine stalled and the pilot deployed a parachute that brought the craft safely into a stand of trees in northwestern South Carolina.

Pickens County Sheriff's Capt. Keith Galloway said it happened about 5 p.m. Sunday.

He said the plane had taken off from another state and happened to be near Pickens County's airport when the engine quit. The pilot sought to land there, but the plane parachuted down about a mile and a half away.

Galloway said the craft came to rest about 15 to 20 feet up in a stand of trees. Multiple emergency response agencies helped free the occupants. Galloway said they were checked by medical personnel, but there were no life-threatening injuries.

Source:   http://www.wbtv.com



 LIBERTY — A single-engine plane landed in a tree two miles from an airport runway Sunday evening, sparing four passengers of serious injury.

The plane’s engine stopped, and the pilot tried to land at the Pickens County Airport, said Capt. Keith Galloway of the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office. The pilot deployed a parachute attached to the bottom of the Cirrus plane and sailed into the woods off Breazeale Road near the Pickens County Career & Technology Center. The crash happened at 5 p.m., Galloway said, and by 6 p.m. passengers had been removed. All could walk and were taken to an area hospital to be checked.

“We’ve been blessed, and I think they’re going to be OK,” Galloway said.

The pilot flew in from another state, but his name and the names of passengers were unknown Sunday night.

The parachute likely saved every life on board, Galloway said.

“He’s very fortunate to have had the parachute on the plane because if not we probably would have been facing a tragedy in the county tonight,” he said.

The crash caused a small fuel spill and was cleaned, said Chuck Haynes, director of the Pickens County Emergency Management Agency.

Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration in Columbia will investigate the crash Monday morning.

Liberty Fire Department, Pickens County Rescue and Pickens County Emergency Management also responded to the crash.

Source:   http://www.independentmail.com




News 4 has learned that a small plane crashed near the Pickens County Airport. The crash happened in a wooded area at about 5:00 p.m. near McClanahan Road. 

 News 4 was told all four people on the plane survived the crash.

Rescue crews are having a difficult time getting to the crash site that was a quarter of a mile into a wooded area.

According to investigators shortly after flying over the Pickens County airport the pilot reported engine trouble, but before the pilot could return to the airport the engine quit.

That's when the pilot deployed the plane's parachute to help bring it to a slow crash landing in the wooded area.

Two of the people on board were taken to the hospital for evaluation.

Investigators said the plane was headed to Greensboro, North Carolina, but have not said where the plane was from.

Loss of Control on Ground: Mooney M20J, N339PB; accident occurred July 21, 2012 Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Location: Oshkosh, WI
Accident Number: CEN12CA465
Date & Time: 07/21/2012, 1620 CDT
Registration:N339PB 
Aircraft:MOONEY M20J 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control on ground
Injuries:1 Serious, 1 None 
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

Analysis

The pilot stated that, during landing, he was concentrating on touching down at a particular location, and he forced the airplane onto the runway at an airspeed that was too fast. The airplane bounced two or three times and traveled off the right side of the runway/taxiway into the grass where it contacted a taxiway light. The pilot stated that the brakes were ineffective due to the speed and the grass. The airplane continued across a service road where it contacted six heavy military vehicles that were among a row of parked vehicles. Both wings and the firewall were substantially damaged. The pilot stated that there was nothing mechanically wrong with the airplane.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot’s excessive airspeed at touchdown and his loss of control of the airplane during the landing roll.

Findings

Aircraft
Airspeed - Not attained/maintained (Cause)
Directional control - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Aircraft control - Pilot (Cause)

Factual Information

History of Flight

Landing-landing roll
Loss of control on ground (Defining event)

Runway excursion
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 73, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Glider
Restraint Used: Seatbelt, Shoulder harness
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 08/12/2011
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 10/15/2011
Flight Time: 2886 hours (Total, all aircraft), 2700 hours (Total, this make and model), 2867 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 40 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 15 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 4 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: MOONEY
Registration: N339PB
Model/Series: M20J
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 24-1221
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 01/10/2012, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2740 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 5026 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: Installed
Engine Model/Series: IO-360
Registered Owner: BARTHOLOMEW PATRICIA
Rated Power: 200 hp
Operator: John C. Bartholomew
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: OSH, 808 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1553 CDT
Direction from Accident Site: 0°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 8 knots / 14 knots
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 260°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 30 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 31°C / 17°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Madison, WI (MSN)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Oshkosh, WI (OSH)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 1530 CDT
Type of Airspace: Class D

Airport Information

Airport: Wittman Airport (OSH)
Runway Surface Type: Concrete
Airport Elevation: 0 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 36R
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 6300 ft / 50 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full Stop 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries:N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 43.985000, -88.561667 (est)

India's civil aviation industry risks safety downgrade, warns report

India faces the possibility of a downgrade of its aviation safety system by the United States if it does not take urgent steps to strengthen institutions like the civil aviation regulator to meet the challenges of a fast-growing air traffic, an aviation consultancy group has said.

"In the last two years alone domestic traffic has grown by 36 percent and international by 19 per cent. However, there has been virtually no increase in resources at the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) so under-staffing is once again a major concern. FAA could once again threaten to downgrade India to Category-II," the Sydney-based aviation consultancy, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), said in a study.

In 2009, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), concerned by what it considered to be gross under-staffing of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), had threatened to downgrade India to Category-II status.

However, swift steps on recruitment and promises for more time-bound measures led India to pass the FAA audit and retain its Category-I status that is on a par with developed nations.

The CAPA report pointed out that since 2009, there have been a number of changes in key positions in the Civil Aviation Ministry, including the DGCA, and “the momentum was lost”.

The study came soon after E K Bharat Bhushan was removed abruptly as the aviation regulator and replaced by a Joint Secretary in the Ministry, Prashant Sukul.

CAPA also observed “it is disappointing to note that the focus on safety which emerged in the aftermath of the Mangalore accident in May 2010 has evaporated”.

Terming the safety report card “dismal”, it said the Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Council, set up to suggest steps to boost aviation safety, did not meet for a year, while incident and operational data analysis was "poor"

Despite announcements, an independent accident investigation bureau or a safety board was yet to be established, the CAPA report said.

A concerted effort to restructure the DGCA "appears to be on hold pending establishment of a new independent regulator" in the form of a Civil Aviation Authority with more financial and functional autonomy, it said.

"As a result of these issues, regulatory oversight is weak which in a growing market increases near-term safety risks and CAPA believes that such concerns could lead to India once again being faced with the possibility of a downgrade by the FAA," the report said.

CAPA also recommended that long-term institutional strengthening of the DGCA organisation should be accorded the highest priority.

Though over 130 officers were in the process of being recruited, the major task would be to train them up to the required levels of expertise, it said.

"CAPA believes the weakness of the DGCA is one of the most critical issues for India's industry in FY13. Safety is paramount and without an independent and capable regulator India will not be able to achieve the standards which it must aim for," the report said.


Sources:   
http://profit.ndtv.com
http://zeenews.india.com

LET 410UVP-E3: Emergency landing of aircraft

http://www.50.mchs.gov.ru/news/detail.php?news=25051

http://russianplanes.net/id79117

RF-00138  LET 410UVP-E3  s/n 871908  of 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOSAAF  



Two persons hurt in L-410 light plane accident in Moscow region 

 MOSCOW, July 22 (Itar-Tass) —— Two persons were hurt in an L-410 light aircraft accident in the Moscow region on Sunday, a spokesman for the regional emergencies administration told Itar-Tass.

The accident, the third one reported during the day in central European Russia, took place at the Bolshoye Gryzlovo airfield in the Moscow region’s Serpukhov district at about 19:00 Moscow time.

According to preliminary data, the plane’s landing gear broke when it was about to land. There were two pilots onboard. Both received craniocerebral injuries and were taken to a hospital. An investigation is underway.

Earlier in the day, a light plane crash killed three people in the Ryazan region, and three people were injured in a forced landing of a light aircraft in the Lipetsk region.

Yamokoski Glastar, N4970Y: Accident occurred July 22, 2012 in Chicago, Illinoios

http://registry.faa.gov/N4970Y

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo

NTSB Identification: CEN12LA470
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 22, 2012 in Chicago, IL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/19/2012
Aircraft: YAMOKOSKI WILLIAM GLASTAR, registration: N4970Y
Injuries: 1 Minor.

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

The pilot was on a cross-country flight in an experimental airplane when the engine began to “race.” The pilot tried to reduce power by adjusting the throttle, but the engine and propeller were unresponsive. He then made a forced landing to a soft field, and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the automotive engine revealed that the spline-shaft and adapter gears in the reduction gearbox were worn, which resulted in the gearbox's failure. According to the pilot, the gearbox was not a regularly inspected item for this particular engine/gearbox combination. At the time it failed, the gearbox had accrued 247 total hours since new.

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

Failure of the automotive engine's reduction gearbox while in cruise flight.

On June 22, 2012, at 1330 central daylight time, an experimental-amateur built Yamokoski Glastar was substantially damaged after it made a forced landing to a field in Chicago, Illinois. The private pilot/owner/builder sustained minor injuries. No flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Osh Kosh, Wisconsin, around 1200 and was destined for Southwest Michigan Regional Airport (BEH), Benton Harbor, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The pilot said he was following the shoreline back to Michigan when he heard and felt two "thumps" from the engine compartment. Approximately 10 seconds later, the pilot heard another thump and the engine RPM began to race. The pilot tried to reduce power by adjusting the throttle, but the engine and propeller were unresponsive. The pilot made a forced landing to a soft field and the airplane nosed-over damaging the right wing strut and the vertical stabilizer.

Examination of the automotive engine revealed that the spline-shaft and adapter gears in the reduction gearbox were worn, which caused the gearbox to fail. The pilot reported that the gearbox was not a regularly inspected item for this particular engine/gearbox combination. The gearbox was installed new and had only accrued 247 hours at the time of the accident.


 NTSB Identification: CEN12LA470 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 22, 2012 in Chicago, IL
Aircraft: YAMOKOSKI WILLIAM GLASTAR, registration: N4970Y
Injuries: 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 June 22, 2012, at 1330 central daylight time, an experimental-amateur built Yamokoski Glastar was substantially damaged after it made a forced landing to a field in Chicago, Illinois. The private pilot/owner/builder sustained minor injuries. No flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Osh Kosh, Wisconsin, at an undetermined time and was destined for Southwest Michigan Regional Airport (BEH), Benton Harbor, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations part 91.

The pilot said that he was following the shoreline back to Michigan, when the engine began to run rough. He made a forced landing to a soft field and flipped over. Examination of photographs taken by emergency personnel revealed that the right wing strut was bent and the vertical stabilizer was crushed. The pilot reported that there was approximately 14 gallons of fuel on board at the time of the power loss.

The airplane and engine were retained for further examination.

 
FAA IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 4970Y        Make/Model: EXP       Description: EXP- GLASTAR
  Date: 07/21/2012     Time: 1935

  Event Type: Incident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Unknown

LOCATION
  City: CHICAGO   State: IL   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND CRASHED IN A FIELD FLIPPING UPSIDE DOWN. CHICAGO, IL

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   1
                 # 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: LINCOLN, NE  (CE09)                   Entry date: 07/23/2012 


The pilot of a plane was on his feet and able to talk to emergency crews after a lakefront crash on the city's southeast side Sunday afternoon. The kit built plane went down around 1:30 a.m. The pilot suffered head injuries and was taken to the hospital in fair condition. He was flying from Oshkosh, Wisconsin to Benton Harbor, near his home in St. Joseph, Michigan. 

A plane flipped over when the pilot tried to land on a marshy area on the lakefront at 93rd Street on July 22, 2012.
 (Credit: Chicago Fire Department)



The pilot of a small, experimental plane was injured Sunday afternoon when the plane he landed in a marshy area on the lakefront on the South Side flipped over as its nose stuck into the mud.

The unexpected landing about 1:30 p.m. at 93rd Street and the lakefront, according to Fire Media Affairs Chief Joe Roccasalva.

The plane was headed from Oshkosh, Wisconsin to Benton Harbor, Michigan, when the pilot attempted to land in the marshy area, Roccasalva said.

Roccasalva described the spot where the plane landed as a "dried-up marshy area."

As the plane landed its "front nose dug into the dirt, and it flipped," Roccasalva said. The plane was upside down, an FAA spokesman said.

The pilot was taken in fair to serious condition to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Roccasalva said. He suffered "minor injuries," according to the FAA spokesman. No one else was onboard the plane at the time.

The fixed wing, single-engine plane, considered an "experimental" aircraft, was manufactured in 2002, according to the FAA. It is registered to William Yamokoski, of St. Joseph, Michigan, according to FAA records.

Following the emergency landing of a small experimental plane near Peru, Illinois last weekend, an FAA official noted that "this time of year you're going to see" more experimental aircraft across northern Illinois, because of the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual Fly-In Convention, held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin July 23-29.  


Story and photo:   http://www.myfoxchicago.com

http://dms.ntsb.gov/aviation/AccidentReports/ku3znaqycm1xrm55fym22z451/W07222012120000.pdf

 Previous accident report: 
NTSB Identification: CHI05CA236.
The docket is stored in the Docket Management System (DMS). Please contact Records Management Division
Accident occurred Sunday, August 21, 2005 in Marcellus, MI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/28/2006
Aircraft: Yamokoski Glastar, registration: N4970Y
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

The experimental amateur-built airplane sustained substantial damage when the airplane nosed over on impact with high vegetation and terrain during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power. The pilot stated, "At first sign of [decreased] power, turned in direction of nearest airport. Altitude was about [2,800 feet]. Ran fuel selector through all positions; no improvement noted. Determined nearest airport unreachable. Found empty field and directed airplane toward it. Landed short in field [with] tall corn. Aircraft slowed, nose dug in, flipped forward onto its back." An examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact anomalies.

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

The in-flight loss of engine power during cruise for undetermined reasons and the unsuitable terrain the pilot encountered during the forced landing. A factor was the tall corn he encountered.


 CHICAGO (STMW) – A pilot was injured Sunday afternoon when the plane he landed in a marshy area on the lakefront on the South Side flipped over as the plane’s nose stuck into the mud.  The incident happened about 1:30 p.m. at 93rd Street and the lakefront, according to Fire Media Affairs Chief Joe Roccasalva.

The plane was headed from Oshkosh, Wisconsin to Benton Harbor, Michigan, when the pilot attempted to land in the marshy area, Roccasalva said.

Roccasalva described the spot where the plane landed as a “dried-up marshy area.”

As the plane landed its “front nose dug into the dirt, and it flipped,” Roccasalva said.

The pilot was taken in fair to serious condition to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Story and photo:   http://chicago.cbslocal.com


 A pilot was injured Sunday afternoon when the plane he landed in a marshy area on the lakefront on the South Side flipped over as the plane’s nose stuck into the mud.  

 The incident happened about 1:30 p.m. at 93rd Street and the lakefront, according to Fire Media Affairs Chief Joe Roccasalva.

The plane was headed from Oshkosh, Wisconsin to Benton Harbor, Michigan, when the pilot attempted to land in the marshy area, Roccasalva said.

Roccasalva described the spot where the plane landed as a “dried-up marshy area.”

As the plane landed its “front nose dug into the dirt, and it flipped,” Roccasalva said.

The pilot was taken in fair to serious condition to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.


Story:    http://www.suntimes.com

The pilot of a small plane was able to stand and talk to emergency crews after crashing a single-engine Cessna near the lakefront on the Southeast Side, police said. 

Calls started coming in about 1:37 p.m. about the crash of what's believed to be a single-engine plane near 9500 S. Crilly Drive, near a Chicago Police heliport, said Chicago Police Department News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli said.

The pilot appeared to be a man in his mid 40s or 50 who was standing outside the plane when emergency crews got there, according to Chicago Fire Department spokesman Joe Roccasalva.

“He was standing and talking,’’ Roccasalva said.

The victim suffered head injuries and paramedics were still examining him on the scene as of 2:05 p.m., but he is expected to be taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in fair condition, Roccasalva said.

No one else was inside the aircraft, a single-engine Cessna, which was in one piece, lying upside down in a marsh.

The man had taken off from Oshkosh, Wisconsin and was headed to Benton Harbor, Michigan when the crash occurred, Roccasalva said.

An aircraft crashed on land near Calumet Park, according to U.S. Coast GuardPetty Officer Michael Cope.

“It’s not in the water,’’ Cope said of the plane. 


Story:    http://www.chicagotribune.com

Remote-controlled airplane battery sparks garage fire - Petaluma, California

The battery in a remote control airplane started a fire Saturday that destroyed a Petaluma garage, fire officials said. 
 
Neighbors to the Redwood Circle home near East Washington Street were hosing down the fire when firefighters arrived, Battalion Chief Phil Sutsos said.

The fire, reported at 6:36 p.m., started in a garage and had begun to spread into the attic of the two-story home near downtown, Sutsos said.

The neighbors knocked down visible flames with the hoses and fire crews then attacked fire and hot spots still spreading through the garage attic, Sutsos said.

Damage to the garage was extensive, estimated to be about $12,000 to the structure and $15,000 to the contents, Sutsos said.

Rancho Adobe, CAL FIRE, Wilmar, Lakeville, San Antonio and Sonoma County firefighters assisted.

Story:   http://www.petaluma360.com

Sky Star Kitfox 4, N602JT: Fatal accident occurred July 22, 2012 in Crosslake, Minnesota

http://registry.faa.gov/N602JT

NTSB Identification: CEN12LA466  
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 22, 2012 in Cross Lake, MN
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/13/2013
Aircraft: TOMAN JACK JR SKYSTAR KITFOX 4, registration: N602JT
Injuries: 1 Fatal,1 Serious.

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 airplane was observed flying low and slow over a lake. The airplane stalled and entered a spin before it impacted the water. The passenger was able to exit the airplane on his own, but the pilot was pinned in the wreckage. A first responder was able to keep the pilot's head above the water until an ambulance arrived, but the pilot later succumbed to his injuries. Examination of the airplane and engine found no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The medical examiner found drug paraphernalia in the pilot's shirt pocket. Postaccident toxicology testing was consistent with impairment of the pilot due to his use of marijuana prior to the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment due to marijuana.

On July 22, 2012, at 0951 central daylight time, an experimental-amateur built Sky Star Kitfox 4 sustained substantial damage after it lost control and impacted Upper Whitefish Lake near Cross Lake, Minnesota. The private pilot was fatally injured and the passenger was seriously injured. No flight plan was filed for the local flight that departed from Pine River Regional Airport (PWC), Pine River, Minnesota, at 0938. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The passenger stated the purpose of the flight was to look for fishing spots in the lake and check out some property on the shoreline. The passenger said that as they headed toward the shoreline, the airplane was in a slight nose up attitude and climbing, but he did not recall how fast they were going. The doors of the airplane were open, and the passenger was looking outside "watching everything." Up to this point, it was a normal flight. He said that the airplane then suddenly jerked violently to the left, rolled, and spun down toward the lake. As soon as they hit the water, the passenger unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the airplane. Almost immediately, a boat pulled up and he was lifted onto the boat.

There were several eyewitnesses who saw the airplane spin toward the water. One witness, who had taken flight lessons, was in his boat when he first observed the airplane. He said it was flying about twice the height of the tree tops and was headed east. The witness said the airplane's attitude was tail down and nose high. The airplane appeared to be "wallowing" and about to stall. The witness momentarily took his eyes off the airplane, but when he looked back up, the airplane was spinning nose down toward the water. He immediately drove his boat to the accident site and assisted the passenger and the pilot.

A handheld Garmin global positioning system (GPS) was found in the airplane and sent to the Safety Board’s Research and Engineering laboratory in Washington DC to be downloaded. The accident flight was recorded from the time it departed Pine River Regional Airport at 0938.28 up until 0951.13 when the unit stopped recording. A review of the last minute of the flight revealed that at 0950:20, the airplane was at an altitude of 1,624 feet mean sea level (msl), or approximately 328 feet above the water headed southeast at a ground speed of 39 knots. Over the next 53 seconds, the airplane began to make a shallow descent to 1,496 feet msl (approximately 200 feet above the water) and slowed to a ground speed of 34 knots before the data ended just northwest of the shoreline.

Examination of the airplane by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors revealed the airframe sustained substantial damage from impact with the water. No pre-impact mechanical anomalies were noted.

According to the pilot's autopsy report, the cause of death was multiple traumatic injuries resulting from an airplane crash. No significant natural disease was identified, but the medical examiner identified an object found in the left shirt pocket as a “one hit” pipe.

The toxicology results from an independent lab used by the medical examiner found evidence of tetrahydrocannabinol (Marijuana) in the urine and performed a test that quantified the amount in the pilot’s peripheral blood with a result of 0.0056 ug/ml ,along with 0.0059 ug/ml of its primary metabolite, tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid.

Femoral and heart blood was sent to the FAA's Civil AeroMedical Institute’s toxicology lab in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, along with tissue specimens. The CAMI lab found the blood unsuitable for the quantification of tetrahydrocannabinol. However, 0.046 ug/ml of tetrahydrocannabinol was found in lung and tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid, the primary metabolite, was found in urine (0.0952 ug/ml), liver (0.0873 ug/ml), lung (0.0094 ug/ml), and blood (0.0111 ug/ml).


NTSB Identification: CEN12LA466 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 22, 2012 in Cross Lake, MN
Aircraft: TOMAN JACK JR SKYSTAR KITFOX 4, registration: N602JT
Injuries: 1 Fatal,1 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.


On June 22, 2012, at 1103 central daylight time, an experimental-amateur built Sky Star Kitfox 4 sustained substantial damage after it lost control and impacted the water near Cross Lake, Minnesota. The private pilot was fatally injured and the passenger was seriously injured. No flight plan was filed for the local flight that departed from Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD), Brainerd, Minnesota, and an undetermined time. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed an on-scene examination of the airplane and talked to several witnesses. According to the inspector, the airplane was observed flying about 300-500 feet above the lake and it appeared to be in a slight climb. The airplane then banked hard to the left and entered a nose dive into the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to most of the airframe.

 
 Ken Speake remembers 'Daisy the Goose' owner who died in plane crash 


CROW WING COUNTY, Minn. - Authorities have identified the man who died in a Sunday morning plane crash near Brainerd. 

The Crow Wing County sheriff's office says Dan Morgan Steffen, 55, died after the experimental airplane he was flying crashed into Upper Whitefish Lake Sunday morning. 

Steffen was featured in a story on KARE 11 in October of 1995. The story, by veteran reporter Ken Speake and photojournalist Mark Anderson, told of a special relationship Steffen had with a Canadian goose named Daisy. 

The day after the fatal plane crash, Speake returned to KARE 11 to talk to Julie Nelson about his memories of that story. 

 The only other passenger on the plane at the time of the crash, 61-year-old Frederick Graham Hammer Jr., suffered non-life threatening injuries and is expected to recover.

Story, Photo and Video:   http://www.kare11.com

The family of the man who survived a deadly plane crash is offering sympathy to the pilot's family. 

 Authorities have identified the pilot as 55-year-old Dan Steffen of Crosslake.

Steffen was killed when the small plane went down Sunday on Upper Whitefish Lake, about 25 miles north of Brainerd.

His passenger, 61-year-old Frederick Hammer Junior survived the crash, and is expected to recover.




One person died and another was injured after a small airplane crashed Sunday into Upper Whitefish Lake near Crosslake.  

 The crash was reported to the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s office at 9:52 a.m., and witnesses indicated there were two occupants in the plane.

The pilot, a 55-year-old Crosslake man, was pronounced dead at the scene after resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s office reported. The passenger, a 61-year-old Crosslake man, was treated at the scene before being transported to Cuyuna Regional Medical Center for serious injuries. The sheriff’s office was withholding the names of the pilot and passenger as of Sunday afternoon while family members are notified.

Roland Herwig, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman in Oklahoma City, said the airplane was a Skystar Kitfox 4 fixed-wing, single-engine plane.

“It appears to be an plane you build yourself,” Herwig said.

Herwig said he had no information about the cause of the crash. The airplane was submerged about 75 feet off shore, he said.

The FAA will be investigating the crash on-site, Herwig said, and the National Transportation Safety Board also has been notified of the crash.

Crow Wing County Sergent Chad Paulson said the cause of the the crash still remains unknown but the FAA is expected to arrive on scene late Sunday where the crash will be assessed.

“Hopefully based on witness statements and a look at the wreckage they (the FAA) will be able to determine a cause,” said Paulson.

Assisting the sheriff’s office at the scene were the Crosslake, Nisswa and Breezy Point police departments; the Minnesota State Patrol; the DNR; North Memorial Ambulance Service; Ideal and Crosslake fire departments; and first responders.



One man is dead and another injured after a small plane crashed Sunday on Upper Whitefish Lake, about 25 miles north of Brainerd.

The Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office says it was called to the east end of the lake near the peninsula just before 10 a.m. Sunday.

According to the FAA the Skystar Kitfox 4 fixed-wing, single-engine plane was submerged about 75 miles offshore.

The pilot, a 55 year-old Crosslake man was pronounced dead on the scene. His passenger, a 61 year-old Crosslake man, was transported to Cuyuna Regional Medical Center with serious injuries.

The Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office, the FAA and NTSB are looking into the cause of the crash.

No one else was hurt.


Upper Whitefish Lake is part of the Whitefish chain of Lakes near Crosslake. The area is heavily populated in the summer with cabin goers and vacationers.


A small experimental aircraft has crashed in Upper Whitefish Lake near Brainerd, killing the pilot and injuring a passenger, the Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed. 

The Skystar Kitfox 4 fixed-wing single-engine plane crashed the morning of Sunday, July 22, said FAA spokesman Roland Herwig in Oklahoma City.

The aircraft is submerged about 75 yards offshore, he said.

The FAA will investigate, and will report the crash to the National Transportation Safety Administration.

Herwig said he had no further details. Local authorities were releasing no information as of noon Sunday.

Information from the FAA website about the aircraft says it was amateur built in 2008