Thursday, August 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/N5874J 




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: 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://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.”

http://www.ktuu.com

Piper PA-18A-150 Super Cub, N2364P: Accident occurred August 02, 2012 in McNeal, Arizona

NTSB Identification: WPR12CA342 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, August 02, 2012 in McNeal, AZ
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/09/2012
Aircraft: PIPER PA18, registration: N2364P
Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Minor.

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

The pilot was taking a passenger on a tour of the local area. The pilot had previously conducted such flights, and he had a normal route that he followed. However, on this occasion, he deviated from that route to "do something a little different" and turned up a canyon that he normally did not fly into. He noticed that the terrain was rising and attempted to climb to clear it. Shortly thereafter, he noticed that the airplane was not going to clear the terrain. He realized that there was insufficient room to execute a course reversal to exit the area and decided to land straight ahead on the rising, vegetation-covered, desert terrain. Immediately after touchdown, the airplane rotated sharply to the right and stopped. The outboard section of the right wing was bent and crumpled. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems or failures of the airplane or engine before the accident. The automated weather observation at an airport located 8 miles south of the accident site, at an elevation of 4,150 feet above mean sea level (msl), reported winds from 280 degrees at 3 knots, clear skies, and a temperature of 26 degrees C. The accident site elevation was about 5,400 feet msl, and the estimated density altitude was about 7,600 feet.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's in-flight decision to fly at low level into an unfamiliar canyon, which resulted in an off-airport landing when the airplane's climb capability was exceeded. Contributing to the accident was the airplane’s decreased performance due to the high density altitude.

The pilot co-owned the airplane with two other individuals, and the three were business partners in a flight school that specialized in training missionaries for bush pilot operations. The pilot was also a flight instructor for the school, and the airplane was one of the school fleet airplanes. The accident flight was a personal flight to provide the passenger, who was a relative of a colleague, with a tour of the local area. The pilot had previously conducted such flights, and he had a normal route that he followed. However, on this occasion, he deviated from that route to "do something a little different," and turned up a canyon that he normally did not fly into. He noticed the terrain was rising, and attempted to climb to clear it. Shortly thereafter, he noticed that the airplane was not going to clear the terrain. He realized that there was insufficient room to execute a course reversal to exit the area, and decided to land straight ahead on the rising, vegetation-covered desert terrain. Immediately after touchdown, the airplane rotated sharply around to the right and stopped. The passenger sustained minor injuries, while the pilot incurred a skull fracture. The outboard section of the right wing was bent and crumpled. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems or failures of the airplane or engine prior to the accident. The automated weather observation at an airport located 8 miles south of the accident site, at an elevation of 4,150 feet above mean sea level (msl), reported winds from 280 degrees at 3 knots; clear skies; and a temperature of 26 degrees C. The accident site elevation was about 5,400 feet msl, with an estimated density altitude of about 7,600 feet.


NTSB Identification: WPR12CA342 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, August 02, 2012 in McNeal, AZ
Aircraft: PIPER PA18, registration: N2364P
Injuries: 1 Serious,1 Minor.

The pilot co-owned the airplane with two other individuals, and the three were business partners in a flight school that specialized in training missionaries for bush pilot operations. The pilot was also a flight instructor for the school, and the airplane was one of the school fleet airplanes. The accident flight was a personal flight to provide the passenger, who was a relative of a colleague, with a tour of the local area. The pilot had previously conducted such flights, and he had a normal route that he followed. However, on this occasion, he deviated from that route to "do something a little different," and turned up a canyon that he normally did not fly into. He noticed the terrain was rising, and attempted to climb to clear it. Shortly thereafter, he noticed that the airplane was not going to clear the terrain. He realized that there was insufficient room to execute a course reversal to exit the area, and decided to land straight ahead on the rising, vegetation-covered desert terrain. Immediately after touchdown, the airplane rotated sharply around to the right and stopped. The passenger sustained minor injuries, while the pilot incurred a skull fracture. The outboard section of the right wing was bent and crumpled. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems or failures of the airplane or engine prior to the accident. The automated weather observation at an airport located 8 miles south of the accident site, at an elevation of 4,150 feet above mean sea level (msl), reported winds from 280 degrees at 3 knots; clear skies; and a temperature of 26 degrees C. The accident site elevation was about 5,400 feet msl, with an estimated density altitude of about 7,600 feet.



SIERRA VISTA — Two occupants of a single-engine personal 
airplane are safe after being forced to land in the mountains east of 
McNeal this morning, the sheriff’s office has announced.

The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office was advised of a crash landing in the Swisshelm Mountains at 9:23 a.m. Personnel from the Tribal Air Airport in McNeal informed the sheriff’s office that the Piper Super Cub had taken off from the airport earlier this morning, at about 7: 30 a.m.

The 55-year-old pilot and his teenage male passenger were about seven miles out of the airport and over the Swisshelm Mountains when a down draft forced the pilot to make an emergency landing, according to the sheriff’s office.

The pilot reported sustaining minor injuries and the passenger was uninjured. The pilot contacted Tribal Air Airport about the incident and informed staff there that he and the teen were going to walk to the nearest roadway to be picked up by airport personnel.

The Federal Aviation Administration will be notified of the accident, said Carol Capas, spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office.

The pilot was scheduled to meet with a doctor today for a possible injury to his eye sustained in the emergency landing, Capas said.

McNEAL, Ariz. — A pilot suffered minor injuries after his small plane was forced to land in the Swisshelm mountains in eastern Cochise County.

County sheriff’s officials say the single-engine Piper Super Cub encountered a downdraft over the mountain range and the 55-year-old pilot made a forced landing about 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

The pilot resides in the small town of McNeal and his passenger was a teenage boy who escaped injury.

After the pilot contacted Tribal Air Airport in McNeal about the incident, he and the boy walked out to the nearest roadway to be picked up by airport personnel.

The plane had taken off from the airport about two hours earlier.

The names of the pilot and boy haven’t been released. The Federal Aviation Administration was notified of the incident.

Experimental plane crashes upside down in trees – Bob Lee Flight Strip (1J6) DeLand, Florida


Volusia County deputy sheriffs are responding to the scene of a plane crash in DeLand where an experimental aircraft crashed due to engine failure, officials said. 

The pilot was not harmed, according to Sheriff’s Office spokesman Gary Davidson.

He took off from Bob Lee Airport at about 7:49 a.m. in his single-seat experimental plane when the plane banked hard to the right and crashed into a treeline near the airstrip.

Sheriff’s Office dispatchers reported the pilot was able to leave the scene on foot while his aircraft remained inverted in the trees and heavily damaged.


Story, photo and comments: http://www.clickorlando.com


DeLAND, Fla.   - An experimental plane crashed into some trees Thursday morning in DeLand, but the pilot was not injured.

According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the plane took off from Bob Lee Airport but its engine failed a short time later.

The plane crashed upside down into a tree line just north of the airstrip, deputies said.

The aircraft, which remains in the trees, was damaged, but the pilot was unharmed, deputies said.

Beechcraft E55 Baron, N3644A: Accident occurred August 02, 2012 in Houston, Texas

 http://registry.faa.gov/N3644A

NTSB Identification: CEN12LA515 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, August 02, 2012 in Houston, TX
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/05/2013
Aircraft: BEECH E-55, registration: N3644A
Injuries: 2 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.

The pilot aborted the takeoff in the twin-engine airplane due to a rough running engine. The airplane exited the end of the runway and struck an embankment. Postaccident examination and testing of the airplane’s left engine revealed damage to the ignition harness and rough operation during a test run. Replacement of the worn harness resulted in normal operation during a second test run. Based on the available information, it is likely that the airplane's left engine experienced a partial loss of power due to the damaged ignition harness. The reason for the damaged ignition harness could not be determined.

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

A damaged ignition harness, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power.


On August 2, 2012, about 1028 central daylight time, a Beech E-55, N3644A, sustained substantial damage when it struck a road embankment following an aborted takeoff after a loss of engine power on the left engine at the West Houston Airport, Houston, Texas. The pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal 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.

The pilot reported that during the initial portion of the takeoff, the engines accelerated smoothly and the systems and gauges indicated normal operation. As the airplane accelerated the pilot noticed a roughness in performance and verified that the throttle, mixture, and propeller controls for both engines were forward. Due to the roughness and a perceived loss of engine power on one engine, the pilot aborted the takeoff. There was insufficient runway remaining to stop the airplane and it went off the end of the runway and struck an embankment that bordered the airport perimeter road.

Postaccident examination of the airplanes left engine revealed damage to two of the six spark plug leads. The engine was mounted on a test stand and during a subsequent test run the engine exhibited rough operation. The damaged ignition harness was replaced with the harness from the right engine and the test run repeated. During the second test run the engine started immediately and ran through various power settings with no hesitations, stumbling or interruptions in power. The reason for the damage to the ignition harness could not be determined. The most recent annual inspection of the airplane was completed on July 16, 2012.


NTSB Identification: CEN12LA515 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, August 02, 2012 in Houston, TX
Aircraft: BEECH E-55, registration: N3644A
Injuries: 1 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.

On August 2, 2012, about 1028 central daylight time, a Beech E-55, N3644A, sustained substantial damage when it struck a road embankment following an aborted takeoff after a loss of engine power on the left engine. The pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal 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#: 3644A        Make/Model: BE55      Description: 55 Baron (T-42 Cochise, C-55, E-20)
  Date: 08/02/2012     Time: 1528

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

LOCATION
  City: HOUSTON   State: TX   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT ABORTED ITS TAKEOFF RUN AND SLID OFF THE RUNWAY. HOUSTON, 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: Take-off      Operation: OTHER


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




 





  



 




























A small, private plane ran off the runway at West Houston Airport in west Harris county late Thursday morning.   The twin-engine propeller plane rolled from the tarmac about 10:30 a.m. at the airport near Groschke and Barker Cypress, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.   Deputies said no injuries were reported.  It was unclear what led to the mishap, deputies added.


HOUSTON -   A small plane crashed and slammed into a sign near a northwest Harris County airport Thursday. 

The two-engine plane crashed near a runway at the West Houston Airport on Groeschke Road at Barker Cypress shortly before 11 a.m.

Officials said the pilot was trying to take off, but could not get the aircraft off the ground. It ran off the runway, across a street and crashed into a left-turn road sign.

The pilot and passenger were not injured.

The cause is under investigation.