Weatherly 620B, N2008S: Accident occurred August 03, 2012 in Holcomb, Kansas

NTSB Identification: CEN12LA514 
 14 CFR Part 137: Agricultural
Accident occurred Friday, August 03, 2012 in Holcomb, KS
Aircraft: WEATHERLY AVIATION CO INC 620B, registration: N2008S
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. 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 August 3, 2012, about 0919 central daylight time, a Weatherly 620B, N2008S, sustained substantial damage when it impacted the ground following a loss of engine power during takeoff from a field near Holcomb, Kansas. The pilot received minor injuries. The aircraft was owned and operated by Farmers Aviation, Inc., under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an agricultural application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 2008S        Make/Model: W62T      Description: 620TP
  Date: 08/03/2012     Time: 1519

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Serious     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
  City: HOLCOMB   State: KS   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT ON TAKEOFF, CRASHED, NEAR HOLCOMB, KS

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


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Aerial Application      Phase: Take-off      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: WICHITA, KS  (CE07)                   Entry date: 08/06/2012 

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=2008S

 

A pilot suffered severe injuries after crashing his plane in Finney County.  It happened just before 10 a.m. in field about 15 miles south of Scott City. Officials say the pilot was flying a crop-dusting plane. He had taken off from a nearby airstrip and had flown about a mile when his plane lost power and he crashed. He was transported to a nearby hospital with several broken bones.

The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. Their report identifies the pilot as John Crist, 64, of Garden City.

GARDEN CITY, Kansas — The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating after a small plane went down northwest of Garden City.   It happened around 9:15 a.m. near 19550 North Big Lowe Road. It is three miles south of the Scott-Finney County line.   According to the KHP, the crop duster had mechanical issues and lost power upon taking off and crashed in a field.   The pilot, 64-year-old John Crist, was taken St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City.

A pilot was critically injured after crashing his plane in Finney County. It happened just before 10 a.m. in field about 15 miles south of Scott City.  Officials say the pilot was flying a crop-dusting plane and crashed for unknown reasons. He is being taken to the hospital by helicopter. 

http://registry.faa.gov/N2008S

http://www.ksn.com

http://www.kscbnews.net

http://www.kake.com
 
http://www.airport-data.com/N2008S.html

Piper PA-28-161 Warrior III, N5319X: Aircraft engine caught fire during refueling - Penn Yan, New York

 

Provided by Michael Linehan 

Penn Yan Firefighters responded to the Yates County airport Thursday evening to extinguish a fire in this 2001 Piper.

Penn Yan, N.Y. — The Yates County Fire Investigation Team and the Federal Aviation Administration are working to determine the cause of a fire that damaged a small airplane at the Yates County Airport Thursday evening. 

 At 8:22 p.m. Penn Yan Fire fighters were called to extinguish the blaze that damaged a 2001 Piper owned by Prior Aviation of Buffalo.

The Yates County Sheriff's Office reports the aircraft was flown to Penn Yan by Gary L. Stevens, 69, of Corfu, and his passenger was Kimberty M. Hanley, 28, of Buffalo.

According to information available on flightaware.com, the aircraft left Buffalo Niagara International Airport at 7:32 p.m. and arrived in Penn Yan at 8 p.m.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 5319X        Make/Model: PA28      Description: PA-28, WARRIOR
  Date: 08/03/2012     Time: 0100

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

LOCATION
  City: PENN YAN   State: NY   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE DURING REFUELING. PENN YAN, NY

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: Standing      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: ROCHESTER, NY  (EA23)                 Entry date: 08/03/2012 

http://registry.faa.gov/N5319X  

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N5319X 

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

Caribbean Airlines, Flight 523, Boeing 737-800, 9Y-PBM: 1 year later

 

NTSB Identification: DCA11RA092

Scheduled 14 CFR Non-U.S., Commercial operation of Caribbean Airlines
Accident occurred Saturday, July 30, 2011 in Georgetown, Guyana
Aircraft: BOEING 737, registration: 9Y-PBM
Injuries: 1 Serious,161 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors.
On July 30, 2011, at 1:25 am local time (0525 UTC), a Boeing 737-800, Trinidad & Tobago registration 9Y-PBM, operated by Caribbean Airlines as flight 523, overran the runway upon landing at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Georgetown, Guyana. Of the 156 passengers and six crew on board, there was reportedly one serious and multiple minor injuries. Weather was reported as raining at the time of the accident. Preliminary details from local authorities indicate that the airplane fractured in two pieces as a result of the overrun. The flight was a scheduled passenger flight from Piarco International Airport, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago.

The accident is being investigated by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The NTSB has designated a U.S. Accredited Representative as the state of manufacture. All inquiries should be directed to the Guyana CAA at:

Civil Aviation Authority
Fairlie House Lot 96
Duke St
Kingston
Georgetown

Farmer fed up with crop duster, fires shotgun

EDGAR, Wisconsin - An Edgar man says he was fed up with a low-flying crop duster when he fired his shotgun to send a message to the pilot. Now he’s facing a Disorderly Conduct Charge. 

Louis Olson tells NewsChannel 7 the plane was passing less than 30 feet above his house, and spooking his cattle. He told deputies the plane even went under some power lines, and says it wasn’t the first time.

Louis called 911 to try to report the plane, but a dispatcher told him that without a tail number, they couldn’t help him.

That’s when Louis says he told the dispatcher he’d shoot the plane down to get his tail number. He says he didn’t shoot at the plane, but fired a shotgun into his field.

Louis tells NewsChannel 7 he overreacted, but says he’s glad he got law enforcement’s attention about his problems with the plane.

No word yet on whether deputies have identified the pilot.

http://www.wsaw.com

Now that's fly fishing! Amazing vintage footage shows anglers catching shark from a BLIMP

 

 This incredible footage shows daring anglers taking fly fishing to the next level - by capturing a shark from the cabin of a huge aircraft. 

The black and white video shows a baby shark caught on the hook of a fishing line.

But as the camera pans out, there is no boat to be seen and the line extends up to show a huge blimp attached to it.

The shark is then slowly winched up, flying through the air, before it is eventually pulled into the aircraft.

The proud fisherman and the aircraft pilots are then seen next to the dead shark - which must measure at least 5ft-long as it's body length is as tall as the men standing next to it.

The 57 second clip was filmed in 1934 in Fisher Island in Miami, Florida, America.

Traditional fly fishing is actually completely different to this adaptation - and is an angling method that uses an artificial 'fly' to catch fish.

The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line and can be used in fresh or salt water.

Read more, photos and video: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Pollution around transport plane crash site

 

The crash site on top of Kebnekaise. (Photo: Forsvaret)

The Hercules C-130J military transport plane with five Norwegian officers on board was on its way from Evenes in northern Norway to Kiruna in the far north of Sweden when it went missing on March 15. The plane was participating in the Cold Response military training exercise. The aircraft was found two days later, on top of Sweden’s highest mountain Kebnekaise. 

As a result of the strong crash and the following explosion, the wreckage was scattered over a large area and buried in an avalanche.

The crash site is polluted with some 10.000 liters of petrol. Brooks running down from melting glaciers in the mountain have been found to contain traces of the fuel, Norrländska Socialdemokraten writes.

The level of pollution in the brooks is small and does not constitute any health hazard for humans or animals, but authorities warn people not to melt snow from the glaciers to use as drinking water.

Police, the aircraft accident investigation board and personnel from Norwegian and Swedish armed forces are currently at the crash site, searching for the airplane’s black boxes and remains of the crew. The work on the more than 2000 meters high mountain top is extremely hard and dangerous. 

 Lieutenant Colonel Truls Audun Ørpen (46), Captain Bjørn Yngvar Haug (40), Captain Siw Robertsen (45), Captain Ståle Garberg (42), and Captain Steinar Utne (35) were killed in the accident.
 

Related content: 

All five Hercules crew members identified

Hercules crashsite found on mountain peak
http://barentsobserver.com

Singapore Airlines Unit SilkAir Orders US$4.9 Worth of Boeing Jets

SINGAPORE: SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines (SIA), said Friday it would buy 54 new Boeing planes in a deal worth US$4.9 billion, with an option to buy a further 14 aircraft. 

The airline said the order is the largest in its history and "remains subject to the negotiation of a final purchase agreement".

SilkAir said the firm orders will cover 23 Boeing 737-800s and 31 Boeing 737 MAX 8s.

The deal for the 54 aircraft is worth US$4.9 billion based on Boeing's current list prices.

The B737-800 is the best selling variant of Boeing's popular next generation family of single-aisle aircraft, and the 737 MAX is currently in development.

"Deliveries are due to begin in 2014 and continue to 2021, by which time the airline's fleet will have more than doubled in size," the carrier said.

SilkAir currently operates 21 Airbus A319s and A320s, with three more A320s due for delivery by the end of 2013. It said the new orders will cater for both growth and fleet renewal.

"We continue to see very strong growth within the region and these new aircraft will position SilkAir well," said SilkAir chief executive Marvin Tan.

"They will enable us to spread our wings to even more destinations and increase capacity on existing routes, contributing to the overall SIA Group network," he added.

"The selection of the B737 follows detailed evaluations and extensive negotiations with both Airbus and Boeing."

SilkAir is a wholly owned subsidiary of SIA and flies to popular holiday destinations in the Asia Pacific region.

SIA also has a long-haul budget carrier called Scoot and owns nearly 33 percent in low-cost carrier Tiger Airways. 

http://www.channelnewsasia.com

Cessna 180G, US Registry N4695U: Accident occurred August 01, 2012 in Kenora/Trout Lake, Ontario, Canada

NTSB Identification: CEN12WA528 
14 CFR Non-U.S., Non-Commercial
Accident occurred Wednesday, August 01, 2012 in Kenora/Trout Lake, Ontario, Canada
Aircraft: CESSNA 180G, registration: N4695U
Injuries: 2 Serious,1 Minor.

On August 1, 2012, about 1453 UTC, a Cessna 180G, US Registry N4695U collided with terrain while departing from Trout Lake, Ontario. The float-equipped airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and one passenger were seriously injured, and one passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorlogical conditions prevailed for the personal flight in the local area.

This investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Canadian government. Any further information may be obtained from:

Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB)
335-550 Century Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3H0Y1

Telephone: 204-983-5548
Facsimile: 204-983-8026
E-mail: airops@bst-tsb.gc.ca

This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by, or obtained from, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

 

The scene of a plane crash near Trout Lake, north of Kenora, Ont., on Wednesday morning. The 78-year-old pilot and a 62-year-old passenger were seriously injured in the crash. 

(Submitted by Kelly Huff)

JEFF Martin was too shaken Thursday to speak at length about the plane crash he survived a day earlier along with his father and his dad's friend near Kenora.

He and his family are desperately trying to get his dad, Art Martin, the plane's pilot, back to Minnesota for surgery. The elder Martin, in his mid-70s, was transported in serious condition from Kenora to a hospital in Thunder Bay on Wednesday.

His father's friend, Linda May, was taken to hospital in Duluth, Minn. She was also reported to be in serious condition.

"There's too much bureaucracy in getting a plane to bring him across the border," Jeff Martin said of his dad. "He needs that operation and we want it in the States."

Art Martin was at the controls of the Cessna 180 float plane when it crashed shortly after takeoff in a wooded area near Trout Lake. All three are from Minnesota.

They were initially rushed to Lake of the Woods Hospital in Kenora. Jeff Martin, who suffered only minor injuries, was soon released.

When reached by telephone on Thursday, he did not want to elaborate on his father's injuries or talk about the accident.

The Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the cause of the crash, said Peter Hildebrand, regional manager for the TSB in Winnipeg. Witnesses said they heard the float plane's engine cut out before it crashed into the woods around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.

"I noticed when (Art) was up in the air and I couldn't hear the engine anymore," said Kelly Huff, a Winnipegger who has a cottage on the lake. "Instead of the noise fading off into the distance, it just stopped."

Soon after, he said, he heard a thrashing noise as the plane hit the trees in the woods across the lake. He then saw his neighbour, Jay Gard, and Gard's friend, Larry Ingram, jump in a boat and race over to the remote crash site.

Huff and his other neighbour, Laurie Bush, soon followed in another boat.

"We could hear this faint voice of someone saying 'Help, help.' " Huff said.

That faint voice was Jeff Martin, who emerged from the crash scratched and bruised, while May and Art Martin were trapped inside. The plane, Huff said, was torn to shreds.

"The tail of the plane was 60 feet (18 metres) up in a pine tree. Both wings were sheered off... fuel was pouring out of the plane," he said.

The plane was about 1.5 metres from a rock wall, he added.

"If it had hit that rock wall, no one would have survived," Huff said.

The four people worked to free May and then Martin. Martin was trapped beneath the fuselage and Gard and Ingram had to push against it using their feet to free him, Huff said.

Huff then returned to the other side of the lake to call emergency services. He had to ferry them over to the crash site when they arrived around 9:30 a.m., since it was too rocky for their helicopter to land in the woods, he said.

Otto Kemerle used his pontoon boat to take emergency crews and then the wounded to and from shore.

When he arrived at the crash site, he said, the plane looked as if it was split in half.

"The wings are gone. The tail is high up in a tree," he said.

"(Art's) head was wrapped and he had a gash in his left side," Kemerle said, adding one arm also looked broken.

Huff said Art Martin flies the plane once or twice a week in the summer to fish in remote areas. He said Martin has had a cottage on the lake for more than 40 years.

The Transportation Safety Board was still on the scene Thursday investigating the crash and have not yet figured out the cause, said Hildebrand.

He said they have no further information than the initial reports.

Story: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com

Piper PA-22-160 Tri Pacer, N3442Z: Accident occurred August 01, 2012 in McKinleyville, California

NTSB Identification: WPR12CA340  
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, August 01, 2012 in McKinleyville, CA
Aircraft: PIPER PA-22-160, registration: N3442Z
Injuries: 1 Minor.

The pilot said that he had just acquired the airplane and was flying his first cross-country flight in it. He was not monitoring the fuel quantity in the left and right fuel tanks, because he thought the fuel selector had a both selection only. However, the fuel selector was positioned to the left tank for the entire trip. On short final at his destination, the airplane’s engine lost power due to fuel starvation. The pilot performed a forced landing, which bent and wrinkled the fuselage and wings. The pilot had a total flight time of about 150 hours, of which only 5 hours were in the accident make and model.


Sheriff's office names pilot in Wednesday's crash 

The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office released Friday the name of the Chico pilot whose small single-engine plane made an emergency landing Wednesday in McKinleyville.

Aaron Andrus, 33, piloted the plane that was attempting to land at the Arcata/Eureka Airport in McKinleyville on Wednesday night when the plane's engine quit, according to the sheriff's office.

Law enforcement officials said it was later discovered that the plane had run out of fuel. Andrus was unable to make it to the runway and instead returned to a pasture near the airport, where he made an emergency landing. Officials said he escaped the crash with a small bump on the head.

The incident was forwarded to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board for further investigation.

Small plane crash in McKinleyville wounds pilot's pride 

A small single-engine plane crash this evening in McKinleyville left a 33-year-old Chico man with just a small bump on the head, according to local law enforcement officials.

Arcata Fire Protection District Fire Chief John McFarland said he received a call about the crash around 7 p.m. He said the pilot was from Chico, and had flown to the Arcata/Eureka Airport in McKinleyville to show off his new plane to some Humboldt County relatives.

McFarland said the pilot -- the single occupant of the plane -- was trying to take off from the airport runway when things went awry.

”When he approached the end of the runway in Arcata, the engine quit,” McFarland said.

Thinking he could make it off the runway, McFarland said the pilot took off and then made an emergency landing.

”He doubled back and landed in a field of clover that been mowed,” McFarland said.

The plane hit the ground hard, and did a little cartwheel before coming to rest upright on the field -- which is near Martin Road. McFarland said the man was shaken, but basically unhurt.

”He climbed out and had a goose-egg bump on his head,” McFarland said.

That's when the Arcata Fire Protection District, Humboldt County Sheriff's Department, California Highway Patrol, Arcata Ambulance and an airport crash crew arrived at on scene, McFarland said.

The Federal Aviation Administration has already interviewed the pilot, McFarland said, who is fairly new to flying and had just purchased the pre-owned plane about one month ago. He said the pilot was embarrassed when it was discovered that his engine quit due to a lack of gasoline. He said the plane had one gas tank empty and one full, and that the pilot had forgotten to switch to the filled tank.

A press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Department said the pilot was treated and released on scene. The investigation has been turned over to the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board for further investigation.

http://www.times-standard.com
 
http://registry.faa.gov/N3442Z

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 3442Z        Make/Model: PA22      Description: PA-22 Tri-Pacer, Caribbean, Colt
  Date: 08/02/2012     Time: 0155

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

LOCATION
  City: MCKINLEYVILLE   State: CA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED IN A FIELD, NEAR MCKINLEYVILLE, CA

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: Unknown      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: OAKLAND, CA  (WP27)                   Entry date: 08/02/2012 

Beech D55, N554LR: Investigators Say Boy, Age 6, May Have Pulled Landing Gear Lever As Plane Touched Down - Fallbrook Community Airpark (L18), California

FALLBROOK, Calif. -- A young boy may have been responsible for causing his father's plane to land without its landing gear at a North County airpark. 

 According to an FAA report, a 55 Baron T-42 Cochise plane landed on its belly at the Fallbrook Community Airpark Wednesday afternoon.

Lauren Funkhouser, of California Aero Marketing, was in her office nearby when someone ran by.

"'Someone just bellied down, gear-up down the runway,'" Funkhouser said she heard someone say. "'Please call 911. We don't know how bad, but we're taking off.'"

Firefighters said a father and his six-year-old son were in the twin-engine four-seat plane. It was later determined that the boy apparently pulled the landing gear lever just as the plane touched down, retracting the landing gear and putting the plane on its belly. It skidded to stop without injuring either passenger.

Funkhouser told 10News the plane is worth about $150,000 and may cost too much to repair.

"Oh, it's totaled; yeah, on the belly," she said.

The propellers were bent, the flaps on both wings are no longer flat and the underside of the plane was scratched.

As the plane sat on the runway, airpark personnel realized other planes might be trying to land. The airpark doesn't have an air traffic control tower.

Funkhouser said she and another man ran down the runway towards several planes trying to land "and waved just big Xs. He saw us last minute, averted, took off."

The airpark was closed for a short time as crews moved the plane off the runway.

An FAA spokesman told 10News an investigator would be sent to figure out exactly what happened with the landing.

There is no word on whether the boy has been grounded as well.

Story, photo and comments:   http://www.10news.com

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 554LR        Make/Model: BE55      Description: 55 BARON (T-42 COCHISE
  Date: 08/01/2012     Time: 2200

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

LOCATION
  City: FALLBROOK   State: CA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT ON LANDING, GEAR COLLAPSED, FALLBROOK, CA

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: Unknown      Phase: Landing      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: SAN DIEGO, CA  (WP09)                 Entry date: 08/02/2012 

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=554LR

Seaglide, N52596: Pilot stopped on Kiawah beach for photos, got stuck - South Carolina coast

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N52596

http://registry.faa.gov/N52596

KIAWAH ISLAND, SC (WCSC) - Authorities say the pilot who landed a small plane on a Kiawah Island beach on Thursday morning just wanted to take a few photos. 
  
According to Charleston County Sheriff's Office Major Jim Brady, the pilot told authorities he was traveling from Tampa to New Jersey and wanted to land so he could take some pictures of the beach.

During that process, his plane became stuck in the sand, Brady said.

The major also said that while unusual, the landing did not appear to violate any FFA regulations, so no charges were filed.

The plane was cleared for takeoff around noon, Brady added.

http://www.wistv.com

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. - (AP) -- Authorities say a small plane landed on the beach on Kiawah Island near the Ocean Course, the site of next week's PGA Championship, so the pilot could take some pictures.  

Maj. Jim Brady of the Charleston County Sheriff's Office says the plane landed around 11:15 a.m. Thursday and got stuck for a while in soft sand.

Brady said the pilot, who was not immediately identified, was flying from Tampa to New Jersey and decided to stop and take the photos. The plane was freed from the sand and took off again around noon.

Brady said while the landing was unusual, it did not violate Federal Aviation Administration rules so no charges were filed.

http://www.newsday.com 

Kiawah Islands, SC (WLTX) - An airplane landed on a beach Thursday close to the Ocean Course Golf Course, the site of this month's PGA Championship. 

Charleston County deputies say around 11:13 a..m, they got a call that a plane had landed at a beach on Kiawah Island. Officers say when they arrived, they discovered a single engine plane a quarter mile from the golf course.

According to deputies, the pilot was traveling from Tampa, Florida to New Jersey, and landed on the beach to take a few photos. The plane's tire's however, got stuck in the sand.

Around noon, the plane was cleared and took flight back on its original destination.

Police say no charges are planned, and it doesn't appear the pilot violated any FAA regulations.

http://www.wltx.com

Fighter jet makes emergency landing at Midway Atoll

HONOLULU - A U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18 fighter jet traveling from Honolulu to Iwakuni, Japan, made a precautionary landing on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge early Thursday after experiencing a mechanical problem. 

 Traveling in a convoy of four F/A-18s and a KC-10 after supporting a Rim of the Pacific exercise, the F/A-18 landed safely at Henderson Airfield on Midway’s Sand Island at 10:33 a.m. SST, followed by its escort.  The other aircraft circled the Atoll and continued their transit to Wake Island.  No one was injured.

"There is never a dull moment on this strategically positioned atoll," said Barry Stieglitz, Supervisor of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s national wildlife refuges in the Pacific.

Since its operation as a national wildlife refuge, Midway has become a landing strip not only for millions of seabirds but for commercial aircraft, such as the Delta 747 that made an emergency landing with 359 passengers on board last year.  Military aircraft often request permission to land for refueling purposes, and ships at sea call for emergency medical services and boat and airlift help to provide critical transport via medevac to Honolulu.

"These rescues at sea and on land are a credit to the skills and services provided by the Fish and Wildlife Service staff and its contractor, Defense Base Services, Inc.," Stieglitz said.

In addition to Fish and Wildlife Service funding, money is provided by the Federal Aviation Administration to administer Henderson Airfield on Sand Island.

Unfortunately, providing these life-support services may soon be compromised due to a $1.2 million dollar shortfall in Midway’s budget beginning October 1.

"The budget has simply not kept up with increases in the cost of fuel and infrastructure maintenance," Stieglitz said.

Located within the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, the Refuge’s Henderson Airfield is the responsibility of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with funding support from the Federal Aviation Administration.

This year alone the Refuge staff and its Defense Base Services, Inc., contractor successfully managed and served more than 30 landings for refueling or emergency landing purposes.

Read more:  http://www.kitv.com

VIDEO: Retired Pilot Mark Weiss Discusses Near-Miss At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA), Washington, District of Columbia

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WUSA) - Mark Weiss of the Spectrum Group talked with Derek McGinty about the near-collision at Reagan National Airport this week. 

Weiss, a former pilot with American Airlines, is a longtime aviation expert, and says the incident which took place Tuesday never should have occurred. 

He said he believes the incident is isolated and is not a systemic problem. 

See the entire interview in the above video.

Ill-fated plane engine was changed when it was faulty —Dana Air official

The head of Corporate Communications at Dana Air, Tony Usidamen, on Thursday, testified before the coroner presiding over the inquest into the crash and death of the 153 passengers on board the aircraft that crashed in IJu/Ishaga on June 3, 2012, Mr Alexander Oyetade Komolafe.

Usidamen, while being cross-examined by lawyers, said though the ill-fated plane had engine failure due to bird attacks two years ago, the engine was promptly replaced with a new one.

According to him, on April 19, 2010, when the airline discovered that the engine of the plane was bad, it returned to safety and the engine was changed.

When asked by a counsel, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, if he was aware that the same aircraft, on May 23, 2012, had hydraulic leakage, he said he was not aware.

When another counsel, Mr Akintunde Ba-kare, from the Ministry of Justice, asked for the name of the engineer who certified the air worthiness of the aircraft before it flew on June 3, he said he could not give the name.

Komolafe, however, said witnesses should not be seen shying away from answering questions.

Usidame, thereby, answered that the engineer who certified the aircraft and several other engineers were still working with Dana, adding that the ill-fated plane was in good and perfect working condition when it took off.

He also said the aircraft had gone on two trips on that fateful day, adding that it was while on the third trip that it crashed.

Another witness from the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Mr Emmanuel Dialla, told the court that their investigation is non-punitive, while the agency would not apportion any blame, though it was out to prevent recurrent.

While being cross-examined by Bolaji Ayorinde, Dialla said the preliminary report submitted to the court were factual findings and evidences, but held that the investigation was still going, as he could not tell if there was still going to be any addition or substration to the submitted report.

http://tribune.com.ng

Yamhill, Oregon: Flying M Ranch - "If you go away hungry, it’s your own fault”

Pilot Doug Jackson

The sun’s out and the weather’s warm and summer’s in full swing, so make  time to head for the hills to enjoy forest adventure with folks who know all about western hospitality.

Each Sunday morning, private airplanes fly in from all over western Oregon as pilots waste little time to get to the Flying M Ranch in Yamhill County.

The ranch’s 100-yard air strip is a perfect fit for short, fast take offs and landings.

Pilot Doug Jackson said the small aircraft fly in just for the weekly gathering:  “Just look at it – you could be in remote eastern Oregon – it’s so isolated, tucked up into this mountain valley and yet we’re just minutes from town. We love this place and the people who run it – it’s a great time.”

The Flying M Ranch's owner, operator and chief cook, Barbara Mitchell, has been in the kitchen, hard at work since 5am – busy baking and cooking up a storm.

Read more here:  http://www.kgw.com/lifestyle/grants-getaways/Grants-Getaways---Flying-M-Ranch-Trail-Ride-164822786.html

Cessna 172 emergency landing in Ribble Valley

A LIGHT aircraft crash landed in a field in a Ribble Valley village. 

The 172 plane is understood to have been travelling from Blackpool Airport when it found itself in difficulty.

It was due to make an emergency landing in Garstang but was forced to detour to Dunsop Bridge instead.

There were two passengers on board the plane but neither was injured. The aircraft received only minor damage.

Police were called to the incident at around 3.15pm today and the crash is now being investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority.  

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk

Coroner Inquest On Dana Flight 992 Crash: Court Invites Aviation Minister

The coroner’s inquest into the June 3, 2012 crash of Dana Flight 992 flight continued today with witnesses from the airline as well as the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB).

The coroner, Oyetade Komolafe, is seeking to establish the ‘cause’ of the ‘unnatural’ death of victims aboard the Dana flight as well as the ‘manner’ of their death. At today’s hearing, Mr. Komolafe interviewed a representative of Dana Airline and an AIB investigator. Tony Usideme, head of the airline’s Corporate Communications, told the coroner that he knew nothing about the cause of the crash.

In an effort to impress the coroner about the airline’s commitment to safety, Mr. Usideme stated that Dana had changed the engines of the ill-fated plane after it suffered a bird strike on April 19, 2010. He remarked that the airline’s decision to completely change the engine, instead of repairing it, underscored a focus on safety. 

Mr. Usideme also defended the airline from critics who had zeroed in on the age of the crashed plane. He contended that the age of any aircraft did not matter as long as the maintenance record guaranteed its air-worthiness. The airline’s representative was, however, unable to disclose the doomed plane’s record of technical hitches or maintenance logs.

Meanwhile, C.E. Diala, the AIB’s director of engineering, told the court that “the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) retained about 31 minutes of the flight progress. Mr. Dialla disclosed that the recordings started about 15:15 hours. Part of the recordings featured Captain Peter Waxton and his First Officer discussing an abnormal functioning of the engine throttle setting as well as an
engine power indicator.

In the preliminary report presented to the coroner, the AIB had suggested that the airplane was mostly destroyed by a post-crash fire. The report disclosed that “the tail sections, both engines and portions of both wings, representing only about 15% of the airplane were recovered from the
accident site for further investigation.” 

The AIB’s engineering director stated that his agency collected some wrecked parts from the crash site so as to reconstruct the plane in an effort to further its investigation. Mr. Diala added that AIB carried out its investigation along with the America-based National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

At today’s hearing, the coroner was curious that Julius Berger, a construction firm, handled the retrieval of the plane’s wreckage. Mr. Komolafe asked why the Aviation Ministry or any of its departments or agencies could not take possession of the wreckage, thus leaving the evacuation
to Julius Berger.

“Does the Aviation Ministry not have this equipment at all?” the coroner asked, and demanded that the Aviation Minister appear before him to provide information on that and other questions. 

Babatunde Irukera, a counsel to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, tried to protect the minister from appearing physically in court, but the coroner demanded her presence by Monday to take questions.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/coroner-inquest-dana-flight-992-crash-court-invites-aviation-minister

Allentown, Pennsylvania: It's time to move on from a possible sale of Queen City Airport

Opinion > Letter To The Editor 

The zealous quest that selling Queen City Airport would be the financial solution of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority and would benefit Allentown managed to waste a lot of the authority's time "jousting with the windmill" for a sale of this valuable asset — an asset not only to aviation but also to the public and the City of Allentown. I have been adamant that all one had to do is read the Federal Aviation Administration's 2000 deed and agreement.

Negatively, the perception of divisiveness within the board has affected our FAA grant of $551,000 to design a new taxiway at Queen City and who knows what else?

On the positive, this managed to activate the local general aviation community, our local, state and federal representatives, and aviation organizations that are alarmed at the loss of smaller airports in the interest of development.

Allentown's approach should be that of cooperation to enhance the Queen City Airport and to assist the authority in the improvement and lease of this property for aviation-related uses, businesses and jobs.

Authority board members have a fiduciary responsibility to all three airports — Braden Airpark, Queen City and Lehigh Valley International — and not sacrifice one for another as an easy way out or as a panacea for a local entity.

Frank J. Kovacs Jr.
Bethlehem
The writer is a Lehigh-Northampton
Airport Authority board member and
private pilot whose plane is housed in
a hangar at Lehigh Valley
International Airport.

http://www.mcall.com/opinion/letter

Pemco World Air Services warns it will lay off nearly 500 at Tampa International Airport (KTPA), Florida

Anyone affected by the impending layoffs who wants to speak to a reporter should contact Jamal Thalji at thalji@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3404 or Jeff Harrington at jharrington@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8242.

Source:  http://www.tampabay.com

TAMPA — PEMCO World Air Services is laying off 474 workers at its aircraft maintenance complex at Tampa International Airport after the loss of a major contract with United Airlines.

PEMCO officials could not immediately be reached for comment. However, based on recent employee head counts, the cuts represent the bulk of the company's operation.

"We're saddened by this turn of events," said Tampa International CEO Joe Lopano in a prepared statement. "No one likes to see layoffs."

In a state-required mass layoff notice sent to Florida officials, PEMCO executives said the "recent sudden cancellation and withdrawal" of all of United's repair business caught it off guard.

"While PEMCO would have preferred giving more notice, this loss of a key customer's business was not foreseen by the company, which has had a long relationship with UAL," company director of human resources Colleen Picard wrote. "Although PEMCO's Tampa facilities will continue operations, these layoff(s) are expected to be permanent."

The news comes just five months after PEMCO filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, blaming a tough economy and a decline in the number of airline maintenance, repair and overhaul orders.

At the time, the company promised to continue to operate in the normal course of business without interruption. 

The cuts rank among the single-largest layoffs statewide this year, second only to a largely seasonal layoff of 608 workers in June by a partnership controlled by strawberry grower Gary Wishnatzki.

PEMCO has been the largest airplane maintenance and repair company at Tampa International, operating out of two cavernous hangars for airlines such as United and JetBlue. While most airlines keep a small crew of mechanics in Tampa to perform overnight repairs and maintenance, planes requiring more complicated repairs spent much more time being worked on in PEMCO's facility.

When it arrived on the scene in 2008, it was viewed as a major coup. The company leased the old US Airways hangar that had been vacant for six years, ever since US Air had filed for bankruptcy and cut 300 workers at the repair site.

In 2010, PEMCO expanded into the airport's other big jet-repair facility, the former Delta Air Lines hangar. Delta had abandoned the facility in 2005 and eliminated 300 jobs there as part of a $240 million cost-cutting plan. 

PEMCO moved its headquarters to Tampa last year from Dothan, Ala., with pledges of continued growth.

"We intend for our Tampa facility to be the company's flagship," then-CEO Wake Smith said at the time, "and we see Tampa as a better market to attract the sort of executive talent we need to lead the company."

But according to Tampa International, PEMCO owes the airport about $188,000 in rent for the hanger space. About $126,000 of that was owed before March's bankruptcy filing. Since then, the airport said, PEMCO had paid its monthly $77,608 rent in May, June and July. However, as of Thursday, the company had yet to pay August's rent, which is now due.

But PEMCO owes money to more than just Tampa International. When the company filed for bankruptcy, according to court records, it owed its creditors $12 million, including the airport and Impact Industrial Supplies, a supplier of airplane parts and equipment in Tampa.

According to the layoff notice filed Thursday, the job cuts would take place between now and Aug. 15. According to PEMCO's letter to the state, 328 of those jobs are employed by the company and 146 are contract workers.

Those set to lose their jobs include: 172 aircraft mechanics, 100 sheet metal mechanics, 49 avionics technicians and 34 quality inspectors.

Anyone affected by the impending layoffs who wants to speak to a reporter should contact Jamal Thalji at thalji@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3404 or Jeff Harrington at jharrington@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8242.

Source:  http://www.tampabay.com

PenAir wants to get out of air taxi service in SW Alaska

As first reported by KAKN-FM, the Anchorage-based airline cites financial reasons for wanting to stop air taxi service to small communities in Southwest Alaska. The airline that began in 1955 serving the Bush now operates in 36 communities. Sixteen of those communities are non-hub destinations in Southwest Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, including Pilot Point, Chignik, Akutan, Egegik and King Cove. 

 CEO Daniel Seybert, the 51-year-old son of PenAir founder Orin Seybert, said that the air taxi service business has been shrinking for the last decade. He said not all the non-hub routes were losing money, but it has become increasingly obvious that getting out of the air taxi business would be financially best for the airline.

PenAir will continue service until another airline picks up the routes, he said.

"We will not abandon any community or customer out there," Sebert said.

He said he didn't know if any other carrier would be interested in picking up the routes.

If the Alaska Peninsula community of Chignik with about 70 full-time residents loses air service, it would have a devastating impact, said Sandra Stepanoff, the town's administration assistant. The town is only accessible by air or sea. PenAir provides daily service to Chignik. Ferry service is available from May to October.

"We really depend on PenAir," she said.

Chignik relies on PenAir to deliver the mail, Stepanoff said. Many of the town's goods arrive by air. And, she said, the town's elders need air service in case of medical emergency, a need Stepanoff knows well. She has asthma that can turn into pneumonia and was flown twice last year to Anchorage to be hospitalized.

If Chignik, which is 450 miles southwest of Anchorage, loses air service, Stepanoff said, her health problems would force her to "pack up and move out."

In June, PenAir began providing service on the East Coast. It picked up three routes out of Boston, one a New York destination and the other two in Maine.

"This airline has always changed," Seybert said.

The airline began 57 years ago by providing air taxi service between Pilot Point and Dillingham for medical patients.

Source:  http://www.adn.com

Cessna 210, VH MDX: Has plane crash mystery been solved? Accident occurred on August 09, 1981 in the Barrington Tops NSW Australia

 

On the 9th of August in 1981 at 9:39 PM Cessna VH MDX crashed somewhere in the Barrington Tops NSW Australia. After many searches over the past 30 years the remains of the aircraft and the 5 persons on board has never been found. This is the radio transmission of that fatal flight.

Australia's only unsolved civil air crash happened 31 years ago in the Barrington Tops. Now two men who've been searching for the wreckage for years claim they've pinpointed its location.

It was an icy night on Sunday, August 9, 1981 when a Cessna 210, call sign VH-MDX, went missing over the Barrington Tops with five people on board.

The area where it disappeared was so remote and rugged it presented an almost impossible task for search teams.

In unpredictable weather conditions they inched their way through thick forest with undergrowth so impenetrable it had to be cut away, risking life and limb as they negotiated steep ridges and plunging ravines.

After a fortnight the search was called off, but over the three decades since then a number of people have continued trying to solve the mystery.

Two of them, Gloucester retiree Don Readford and barrister Gary Donovan, now believe they have.

They told 1233 ABC Newcastle's Aaron Kearney they have pinpointed the crash site to an area called Scattered Top Mountain.

Don was present at Bankstown Aero Club, where the Cessna was based, on the night it disappeared en route from Coolangatta.

"The details were very, very sketchy at that time," he says.

"The pilot had reported that the aircraft was badly iced up and he was going down, and he was reading his altitudes as he was going down."

(You can hear the final transmission from the Cessna pilot in the attached audio)

Aside from pilot Michael Hutchins, those on board included Philip Pembroke, Rhett Bosler, Noel Wildash and Ken Price, then deputy of Sydney Water Police.

The group had been on a yachting holiday and were returning to Sydney.

Don and Gary say that both the original official search and subsequent private searches have been hampered by the extreme terrain, with even the RAAF unable to find a trace of the missing aircraft.

"It's a very rugged area, very rugged," Gary says.

"There were no roads, no tracks, it's heavily laden with scrub and bracken, and finding the aircraft will be extremely, extremely difficult."

One team of searchers back in 1981 emerged from an area known as the Devil's Triangle, exhausted, bleeding and demoralised, describing the task as "mission impossible".

The men say they've narrowed down the crash site to an area of two square kilometres on the south-western side of Scattered Top Mountain in the Barrington Tops.

"Because the fuel did not ignite, there was no visible scar and that made any chance of locating the aircraft very, very difficult," Don says.

The pair have written a book about the Cessna mystery, called Operation Phoenix ~ the theoretical search for the Cessna VH-MDX and they hope their conclusions motivate others to search the area they've pinpointed and finally find the wreckage.

"It's important not only to find the aircraft and of course the remains of the five people, first of all to see whether anything extra can be learned from that accident, but also to bring closure to the families," Gary says.

Coincidentally, the area Don and Gary have targeted as the crash site is very close to the property where fugitive Malcolm Naden was taken into custody, only around 2.5km away.

Newcastle Library has a copy of the Operation Phoenix publication.

Story, photos and audio:    http://www.abc.net.au

Bird collision grounds Buddha Airways plane

BIRATNAGAR: A Buddha Airways plane bound for Biratnagar from Kathmandu was grounded in Biratnagar airport today after a bird hit it while landing. The bird strike caused minor damage to its wing. 

 The right wing of the Buddha Air 9ATR aircraft was slightly damaged after an eagle collided with it while it was taxiing on the runway at about 8:00 am.

All the 70 passengers on board are safe, informed Nepal Civil Aviation Authority Office of Biratnagar.

“The plane was about to return to Kathmandu with all on board after refuelling, but during pre-flight inspection crew members spotted blood on the right wing and confirmed a bird strike. Then the aircraft was grounded,” said Biratnagar-based CAAN acting chief Janak Basnet, adding that the wing blade needed to be changed.

A team of engineers and CAAN technicians from Kathmandu inspected the plane.

“We have already ordered a new blade from the concerned aircraft-maker. Once it arrives, the plane will resume its flight,” said Buddha Air station manager Giriraj Basnet.

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com

'What Happened?' Planes Come Close in D.C. - Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA), Washington, District of Columbia

 

The FAA is investigating how three commuter jets came too close near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport outside the nation's capital. They were operated by US Airways carrying 192 passengers and crew members.

Trouble for new company in Delaware?

Two weeks after opening a new facility in New Castle, Hawker Beechcraft is laying off 170 employees at its Little Rock, Arkansas aircraft finishing plant.

The company in November assured Little Rock employees that there was enough work at the plant so that layoffs would not be necessary.

In May, the Wichita, Kan.-based company filed for bankruptcy protection and in July agreed to sell the company to a Chinese firm for $1.8 billion.

Demand for business jets has declined since the 2008 economic downturn.

When it opened its new service facility in New Castle, the company promised to bring as many as 100 new jobs to Delaware.

http://www.wdel.com

BEECH S35, N5874J: Aircraft landed gear up - Galveston, Texas

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 5874J        Make/Model: BE35      Description: 35 Bonanza
  Date: 08/02/2012     Time: 2110

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

LOCATION
  City: GALVESTON   State: TX   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR UP. GALVESTON, TX

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: Business      Phase: Landing      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: HOUSTON, TX  (SW09)                   Entry date: 08/03/2012 

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=5874J 

GALVESTON, TX (KTRK) -- There were two close calls for pilots in Galveston and west Houston Thursday afternoon.

At Scholes Field in Galveston, the landing gear of a small plane apparently malfunctioned, forcing the pilot to make a belly landing there.

The pilot had to put it down without its wheels. The belly landing was a success. The pilot, who was the only one on the plane, walked away OK.

It was the second problem involving a small plane Thursday. Earlier in the morning near West Houston Airport, a plane lost power during takeoff and never got off the ground. It hit a street sing and ended up in a ditch at the end of the runway. The pilot and the passenger were not hurt. 

http://abclocal.go.com

Dana Air Crash: Plane Had Faulty Engine 2 Years Ago – Official

Dana Air spokesman Tony Usidamen on Thursday told a Lagos State Coroner that the plane that crashed on June 3 at Iju-Ishaga, a Lagos suburb, had a faulty engine two years ago.

Usidamen, the Head, Corporate Communications of the airline, disclosed this while testifying at the coroner's inquest investigating the crash.

He told the coroner, Magistrate Komolafe Oyetade, that the airline had discovered on April 19, 2010 that the engine of the plane was bad.

"The plane was returned to safety and we changed the engine because of our interest in the safety of passengers,’’ Usidamen said.

When asked by a counsel, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, if he was aware that the same plane had hydraulic leakages on May 23, Usidamen said he was not aware of the problem.

He said the plane was certified okay by the firm's engineers for the June 3 flights.

"If an airplane is not in perfect condition, according to international laws, it would not be allowed to fly.

"The aircraft had gone on two round-trips on that fateful day before it crashed on the third trip,’’ he said.

A witness from the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Mr Emmanuel Dialla, told the coroner that their investigation was still ongoing.

He said: The aim of the investigation is not to apportion blame, but to promote safety and avert a recurrence.’’
http://leadership.ng

Cessna Skyhawk, N662NA: US registered plane belly landing at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Guyana

WORKERS of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) acted swiftly yesterday to keep runway 24/06 at that international airport clear, safe, and in a position to facilitate scheduled departure flights, after a US-registered 172 aircraft, number N662NA, crashed landed on the runway following failure of its retractable landing gear.

That aircraft was at the time being piloted by Freederico Rattle of Florida, USA, the only person on board the aircraft at the time of the accident. He reportedly suffered no injury.

Transport Minister Robeson Benn related after the incident that the plane was making a scheduled refuelling stop at the CJIA when the accident occurred. The plane was reportedly en-route to Cayenne.

Minister Benn told the Chronicle that following failure of the landing gear, the aircraft landed on its belly, causing damage to its undercarriage and the propeller. Workers were present to ensure the plane was speedily removed from the runway, and scheduled departure and arrival times of other aircraft were successfully facilitated.

Shortly after the accident, the Minister said, a LIAT aircraft was able to execute its scheduled landing.

According to Benn, within a few hours of the mishap, the aircraft was placed in a hanger, examined, and reports were being compiled in keeping with standard operating procedures.

Minister Benn said he received a call about the incident just after ten hours yesterday morning. A source at the airport told the Chronicle that at about 10:30 hrs yesterday morning, the Dopplar Radar Tower reported that itinerant aircraft Cessna 172 crash-landed on runway 24/06.

Coming from Grenada, the craft had about two hours of fuel on board at the time of the incident. The aircraft is registered and owned by Zenette Inc.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N662NA

 http://registry.faa.gov/N662NA

 http://www.demerarawaves.com

 http://www.guyanachronicleonline.com

Bad weather hampers search for missing Nepali plane

New Delhi, Aug. 2: The aerial search for the Royal Napalese Airlines Dakota, reported missing since yesterday afternoon, while on a scheduled flight from Kathmandu to Delhi, was called off late this evening and is to be resumed tomorrow when IAF planes will fly over the sector in which the plane was reported to have been lost, according to official sources.

The plane had on board six passengers, including the Nepalese Ambassador to India, Mr Narpratap Thapa and a crew of four. It was due to land at Safdarjang Airport here at 3.30 pm yesterday, but lost contact with the Delhi area control at about 1 pm. Intense aerial and land search for the missing plane began at dawn today and continued till late this evening, had proved fruitless.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com

Piper PA-32-301, N8200M: Accident occurred August 02, 2012 in Hoonah, Alaska

NTSB Identification: ANC12FA083
 Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Thursday, August 02, 2012 in Hoonah, AK
Aircraft: PIPER PA-32-301, registration: N8200M
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On August 2, 2012, about 0800 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-32-301 airplane, N8200M, sustained substantial damage when it collided with tree-covered terrain during cruise flight, about 10 miles north-northwest of Hoonah, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Air Excursions, Juneau, Alaska, as a visual flight rules (VFR) cargo flight, under Code of Federal Regulations Part 135, when the accident occurred. The solo airline transport pilot received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the airplane's point of departure, and company VFR flight following procedures were in effect. The airplane departed Juneau, about 0730 as flight 303, bound for Gustavus, Alaska.

The area between Juneau and Gustavus consists of remote inland fjords, coastal waterways, and steep mountainous tree-covered terrain.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on August 2, the director of operations for Air Excursions reported that during the flight, contact was lost with the airplane. When the airplane failed to reach its destination, a search was initiated. Subsequently, the wreckage was located in a densely wooded area along the airplane's route to its destination. The pilot had not reported any mechanical anomalies.

Another Air Excursions pilot flying in the area at the time of the accident reported hearing the accident pilot making routine position reports on the airplane's radio just prior to the accident.

On August 4, the NTSB IIC examined the airplane's wreckage at the accident site. The debris field extended about 300 feet, on a heading of 190 degrees, in an area of dense tree-covered terrain. Large sections of the airplane's fragmented structure remained suspended in the tall trees. Control continuity could not be established at the accident site. A detailed wreckage exam is pending following recovery.

The closest weather reporting facility was the Hoonah Airport, about 10 miles south-southeast of the accident site. About 4 minutes before the accident, at 0756, a weather observation from the Hoonah Airport was reporting, in part: Wind, 060 degrees (true) at 6 knots; visibility, 4 statute miles with light rain and mist; clouds and sky condition, 2,300 feet few, 3,300 feet overcast; temperature, 55 degrees F; dew point, 54 degrees F; altimeter, 30.15 inches Hg.

 Crews recover plane wreckage, pilot’s body

 Authorities have recovered the body of Air Excursions pilot Kevin Murray, along with wreckage of the Piper Cherokee airplane he was flying last Thursday when it went down between Juneau and Gustavus.

Alaska State Trooper Tim Birt says Juneau Mountain Rescue and Coastal Helicopters assisted with Saturday’s recovery effort near Point Howard, about 23 miles west of Juneau. Poor weather on Friday delayed the mission until this weekend.

The 56-year-old Murray was the only person on board the flight to Gustavus.

The plane was turned over to the National Transportation Safety Board to determine the cause of the crash.

Alaska State Troopers have identified the pilot who died in yesterday’s plane crash near Juneau. 

He’s 56-year-old Kevin Murray from Washington state. Family has been notified, and Trooper Tim Birt says crews will attempt to recover the body and plane this afternoon, if the weather improves.

Murray was the only person on board the Piper Cherokee owned by Air Excursions when it went down at about 8:50 yesterday morning near Point Howard, 23 miles west of Juneau.

He had been due into Gustavus at 8:55 and last made contact around 8:47.

An aerial search by the Coast Guard and Coastal Helicopters launched about 9:15 yesterday morning. The Coastal crew spotted the wrecked plane about 3 o’ clock in the afternoon. A team from Juneau Mountain Rescue was dropped near the crash site and found Murray’s body around 4:30 p.m.

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 8200M        Make/Model: PA32      Description: PA-32 Cherokee Six, Six, Saratoga, Turbo
  Date: 08/02/2012     Time: 0238

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

LOCATION
  City: HOONAH   State: AK   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. HOONAH, AK

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


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Business      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: JUNEAU, AK  (AL05)                    Entry date: 08/03/2012 

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=8200M

A search and rescue effort to find a missing plane between Juneau and Gustavus Thursday is now a recovery mission.

A crew from Juneau-based Coastal Helicopters spotted wreckage from the Air Excursions Piper Cherokee at about 3 o’ clock Thursday afternoon. A Juneau Mountain Rescue team later found the pilot’s body at the crash site, near Point Howard 23 miles west of Juneau. He was the only one on board.

Coast Guard Lieutenant Ryan Erickson says an MH-60 Jayhawk from Air Station Sitka dropped the JMR team as close as it could get to the wreckage.

“We ended up having to drop them about a half mile away or so, couldn’t get them any closer just because of the terrain, it was so steep,” Erickson says. “And once they got on scene they were able to verify it was the plane that was missing.”

Erickson would not release any information about the pilot, though he says family has been notified.
A woman who answered the phone at Air Excursions’ Juneau office declined to comment. The company provides flight seeing and scheduled service in several northern Southeast communities.
The Coast Guard has offered to assist Alaska State Troopers with recovery on Friday.

The plane was reported missing about 9:15 Thursday morning. It had been en route from Juneau to Gustavus, and was due to arrive at 8:55 a.m. The pilot last made contact with flight service around 8:47.

The Coastal helicopter and Jayhawk conducted the initial aerial search, joined later by Civil Air Patrol. Troopers coordinated with Juneau Mountain Rescue on the ground search.

Erickson says low clouds and rain hampered their efforts throughout the day.

http://www.ktoonews.org/2012/08/02/update-searchers-locate-wreckage-of-missing-plane-pilot-dead/

The Coast Guard and Juneau Mountain Rescue have located the wreckage of a missing small plane in near Juneau Thursday.

The pilot, who has yet to be identified, died in the crash.

“It is extremely unfortunate that we were unable to rescue the pilot and our deepest condolences go out to his family,” said Lt. Ryan Erickson, Sector Juneau incident management division chief. “We thank all the personnel who have taken part in the search.”

Members of Juneau Mountain Rescue (JMR) were called in to help the U.S. Coast Guard search for the missing plane today near Point Howard, west of Juneau.

Ericksonsaid in a phone interview that a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter departed with JMR members onboard around 2:40 p.m.

A private Coastal Helicopters crew from Juneau located the wreckage at about 3 p.m. near Point Howard in the Tongass National Forest 23 miles west of Juneau. The Coast Guard rescue helicopter delivered a four-man Juneau Mountain Rescue team to the ground approximately one half mile from the crash site. Upon arrival to the crash site at about 4:24 p.m. they located the pilot of plane, deceased.

Helicopters already searching in the area are unable to fly above 300 feet due to low visibility, Erickson said.

“We did have some helicopters fly up in the area that said the weather was really snotty,” Erickson said. “The cloud level was really low around 300 feet in some of the areas, and that’s why we offered to get the ground rescue out there as well.”

Civil Air Patrol aircraft and a helicopter from Coastal Helicopters in Juneau are also assisted in the search.

The Coast Guard said in an earlier release that a white and teal Piper Cherokee from Air Excursions LLC was overdue on a flight from Juneau to Gustavus at about 9:17 a.m.

The aircraft and the pilot, who was the only person reported on board, were due in Gustavus at 8:55 a.m. and were last heard from at 8:47 a.m., near Point Howard.

“Our last communication with them was definitely over land,” Erickson said, adding that air traffic controllers with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Flight Service Station did a routine check-in before they lost signal and the radar picture.

Erickson said he did not know if the pilot at that point reported anything out of the ordinary.
Air Excursions could not be immediately reached for comment.

Air Excursions is a company that offers flight-seeing tours of Southeast Alaska and offers scheduled service from Juneau to Gustavus, Hoonah, Haines, Skagway and Kake, according to its website.

http://juneauempire.com/local/2012-08-02/pilot-dies-plane-crash#.UBvInJb3u70

ANCHORAGE, Alaska—  In Southeast Alaska, the Coast Guard and a civilian helicopter are searching for a missing plane last seen near Point Howard Thursday morning.

A white and teal Piper Cherokee from Air Excursions, LLC with only the pilot on board was en route from Juneau to Gustavus and reported missing around 9:17 a.m., according to the Coast Guard.
The plane was scheduled to arrive at 8:55 a.m. and was last heard from around 8:47 a.m. near Point Howard.

A helicopter from the Juneau-based Coastal Helicopters and a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Sitka are searching for the plane.

“Small plane traffic is very common in Alaska and we take any report of lost communications with an aircraft very seriously,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Adam Burleson, a Sector Juneau search and rescue controller. “We have launched a helicopter to investigate and welcome the assistance from Coastal Helicopters who are also searching.”

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