Veteran pilot still excels in flight

Scott Ferguson and his twin engine Cessna 310L. Ferguson took first place as the most outstanding Cessna 310 at the recent Oshkosh air show. 

By MARTIN MULL - The Billings Outpost

In 1958, newlyweds Edward “Scott” and Marian Ferguson hopped in a back-to-back two-seater Beechcraft T-34 Mentor airplane at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, D.C., and flew east toward the Atlantic Ocean. Once over water, First Lieutenant Ferguson banked the training plane right, maintained a bird’s eye 500-feet altitude view, and the couple motored on down the coast to Key West, Fla. for their honeymoon, stopping overnight in Sea Island, Ga.

“When we taxied on the runway down in Georgia, a fellow comes and rolls out a red carpet for us,” Scott Ferguson reminisced with a smile. “And Marian, well, she has kind of liked airplanes ever since that day.”

Yes, the young, handsome Air Force officer chalked up some good romance points coordinating that trip 54 years ago. Back then he belonged to the base’s Aero Club for military pilots, where he could rent the retired Air Force trainer for $5 a flying hour.

The couple have flown together since then, going through about a half-dozen family planes beginning in 1964 when Ferguson purchased his first aircraft, the now-popular Beechcraft Staggerwing, a biplane.

Nowadays, the 81-year-old escorts Marian in their award-winning twin engine 1967 Cessna 310L, which seats six.

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

Johnston Douglas S SAFARI, N70415: Accident occurred September 01, 2012 in McVeytown, Pennsylvania

NTSB Identification: ERA12LA541
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 01, 2012 in McVeytown, PA
Aircraft: JOHNSTON DOUGLAS S SAFARI, registration: N70415
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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

On September 1, 2012, at 0900 eastern daylight time, N70415, experimental amateur-built Safari helicopter was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground while maneuvering in McVeytown, PA. The non-certificated pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal, local flight that was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot was maneuvering over his property when witnesses heard the engine "skip." The helicopter subsequently descended vertically and impacted a field.

Examination of the accident site confirmed the helicopter impacted the ground with no evidence of forward speed. A preliminary examination of the helicopter revealed cyclic, collective, and tail rotor control continuity.

The helicopter was removed from the scene and secured for a subsequent examination.

The weather recorded at the nearest airport, at 0853, included wind from 280 degrees at 7 knots, 10 miles visibility, a broken cloud layer at 7,000 feet, temperature 23 degrees C, dew point 19 degrees C, and altimeter setting 30.13 inches mercury.


 Johnston Douglas S SAFARI, N70415:   Accident occurred September 1, 2012 in McVeytown, Pennsylvania

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 70415        Make/Model: EXP       Description: SAFARI HELICOPTER
  Date: 09/01/2012     Time: 1400

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

LOCATION
  City: MCVEYTOWN   State: PA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  EXPERIMENTAL HELICOPTER CRASHED IN A FIELD, THE 1 PERSON ON BOARD WAS 
  FATALLY INJURED, NEAR MCVEYTOWN, PA

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


  FAA FSDO: HARRISBURG, PA  (EA13)                Entry date: 09/04/2012 

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N70415.html

http://registry.faa.gov/N70415

McVEYTOWN — A McVeytown man was killed Saturday morning when his helicopter crashed into a farm field in Wayne Township, Mifflin County. County Coroner Daniel Lynch identified the victim as Kenneth M. Smith, 61. Smith was piloting the 2-seat helicopter when the engine shut off and the aircraft crashed. He was killed on impact, Lynch said. State police and the Federal Aviation Administration also are investigating. Read Full Article 

 
Kenneth M. Smith

McVEYTOWN - Kenneth M. Smith, 61, of 90 Pine Hill Road, McVeytown, Pennsylvania, died at 9:20 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, as a result of injuries sustained in a helicopter accident near his home.

Mr. Smith was born on June 27, 1951, in Wayne Township, Mifflin County, a son of James M. Smith and the late Thelma J. (Ranck) Smith, of McVeytown. He married Carol J. Pollicino on April 24, 1992, in Winchester, Va. She survives at their home.   He also is survived by: children, Tracey L. Carolus and husband, David, of Milroy, and Ken J. Smith, of Dillon Beach, Calif.; a stepson, Nathan E. Longacre, of Mount Union; a granddaughter, Katelyn S. Carolus; and siblings, Dorothy Gearhart, of McVeytown, Peggy Souders and husband, Sam, of Newton Hamilton, Sandra Scott and husband, Eric, of McVeytown, Tammy Worthy and husband, Neal, of Shirleysburg, and Tina S. Smith, of Warfordsburg.

Mr. Smith was the owner of K M Smith & Son Logging and Land Clearing, a business that started with his father, with whom he worked, even as a child, and continued to operate after his father's retirement.

He was a 1969 graduate of Mount Union Area High School.

Mr. Smith was a member of the F & AM Lodge 688, Mount Union.

He was well known as a sprint car owner and driver and raced for many years primarily at Port Royal Speedway. He was also involved in drag-racing, particularly at Beaver Springs, and raced go-karts in his younger years at area tracks.

Mr. Smith will be remembered for his strong work ethic and his generosity to others. He also was proud of his special bond with his granddaughter Katelyn and his constant companion, his dog Belle.

Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012, at the Robert D. Heath Funeral Home, Mount Union, with Pastor Brian Myfelt officiating. The interment will be in the Atkinson Mills Methodist Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday evening, and from 9 a.m. until the time of the service, on Wednesday.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Huntingdon County Humane Society, 11371 Schoolhouse Hollow Rd, Huntingdon, PA 16652, or the American Cancer Society, PO Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123.

Source: http://lewistownsentinel.com

Battle of Britain memorial Spitfire set to display over Lossiemouth

Spitfire will visit Moray base on Friday, September 14 for one night only. 

Moray aircraft enthusiasts are in for a treat next month when RAF Lossiemouth receives an elderly and distinguished overnight guest.

The base will be host for one night only to a legendary Spitfire flown by the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

While details of the visit are yet to be confirmed the famous second world war fighter will arrive in Lossiemouth on Friday, September 14 and conduct a display over Moray on the same evening.

A spokesman for RAF Lossiemouth said: “More details and confirmation will be announced as soon as we know them, but we expect that the sound of a Merlin engine flying around RAF Lossiemouth for the Battle of Britain celebrations will be very impressive.”

Spitfires first came into RAF service with 19 Squadron almost a year before the start of the second world war in August, 1938, with over 20,000 being build in 22 variants over a 12-year period.

The most successful fighter aircraft design ever created and without doubt the most charismatic, the distinctive sound of the Rolls Royce Merlin engine remains one of the most popular attractions at air displays around the world.

http://local.stv.tv

In Pictures: Plane built by Mohamed Mahmed, 22, in Berrechid near Casablanca - Jovem constrói avião em casa e vira atração em cidade marroquina

 Moroccan villagers look at a plane built by a 22-year-old Mohamed Mahmedin in Berrechid, near Casablanca, on Friday. According to the builder, the plane can fly up to 120 kms with a speed of 200km/h, at 33 meters altitude. (AFP)

 http://www.arabnews.com/photo_gallery/homemade-plane

 http://www.eastnews.pl/en/pictures/subject/id/01019306/section/news/

 http://cabralianoticias.blogspot.com/

Airline services company Regional Elite closes its Roanoke location

Regional Elite, an airline services company, is closing its Roanoke location. 

About 38 employees will be affected, according to a notice filed last week by the company with the Virginia Workforce Network under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. The WARN website says the cuts will take effect Oct. 30.

Calls to Regional Elite's headquarters in Minneapolis and its Roanoke location were not returned Wednesday.

Regional Elite, a Delta Air Lines subsidiary that provides ground handling and customer service for regional carrier flights, is shutting down, Delta announced this month.

According to an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, most of Regional Elite's 4,000 employees are expected to get jobs with a second subsidiary.

A phone recording at the company's Roanoke location says it provides services to Delta and United Airlines.

Roanoke Regional Airport spokewoman Sherry Wallace said passengers wouldn't notice any changes.

http://www.roanoke.com

His story told, pilot at peace

A CHANCE meeting has led to buried memories being unearthed - and a new book.

Never Been Hit tells the story of Rye man Les Streete and his experiences as an Australian flying officer with the RAF during World War II.

He was one of the many thousands who journeyed to Canada to train as a fighter pilot, later joining 66 Squadron RAF in Belgium at the end of November 1944.

Mr Streete's logbook became a lasting record of his war service, but preferring to forget the often painful memories, on his return to Australia he put the journal away. 

More than 60 years later, during a casual meeting with peninsula aviation enthusiast Peter Fitton, he was encouraged to lay some demons to rest and talk about his experiences.

Fitton says Never Been Hit, his first book, is the remarkable story of a country boy from New South Wales who found himself involved in defence of Britain and Holland against a German onslaught.

He was a part of the infamous Battle of the Bulge, Germany's last stand against the Allies and the defeat of the Russian army. 

The book details Mr Streete's flight training and combat experience and includes photographs and campaign maps.

Fitton said writing Never Been Hit had not only brought peace to Mr Streete, but given new generations the opportunity to learn more about Australia's war history through an extraordinary memoir.

"Writing this book has been a challenge and a privilege," he said.

To purchase a copy of Never Been Hit, call 1800618969 or go to amazon.com, xlibris.com.au or barnesandnoble.com.

Source:  http://www.peninsulaweekly.com.au

Cessna 152, N48869: Accident occurred June 09, 2011 in Vero Beach, Florida

NTSB Identification: ERA11FA332 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, June 09, 2011 in Vero Beach, FL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/29/2012
Aircraft: CESSNA 152, registration: N48869
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

The flight departed on a visual flight rules personal flight and did not return to the operator’s home base at its scheduled time. The operator began calling other airports trying to locate the airplane and cell phone companies in an attempt to locate the pilot by her cell phone. The Federal Aviation Administration issued an Alert Notice; after several hours of searching the wreckage was located. There were no witnesses to the accident.

Review of radar data revealed that in the last few minutes of flight the airplane made several maneuvering turns. The reason the pilot chose to maneuver in that location is unknown. The final maneuvers included a 70-degree right turn to a heading of 180 degrees. About 2 minutes later, the airplane made a 360-degree left turn, and radar contact was lost. The radar data was consistent with cruise speed throughout the flight, except for the last return, which indicated that the airplane had slowed significantly. Postaccident wreckage signatures were consistent with a spinning descent and impact, indicating that the airplane likely entered an aerodynamic stall from which the pilot did not recover.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent spin.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 9, 2011, about 1014 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N48869, registered to N70FT Incorporated, and operated by Space Coast Aviation, collided with the ground after a loss of control in flight, in Vero Beach, Florida. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. The certificated private pilot and passenger were fatally injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane departed from Merritt Island Airport (COI), Merritt Island, Florida, about 0930. There were no reported witnesses to the accident.

According to personnel at Space Coast Aviation, the flight was due back at COI at 1400. About 1500, they began calling other airports trying to locate the airplane, and contacted cell phone companies in an attempt to locate the pilot by her cell phone. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an Alert Notice (ALNOT) and a search was initiated at 1920.

At 2130, the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was notified of the missing airplane and obtained a mission briefing. The Incident Commander (IC) contacted the flight school at COI and was given the airplane’s probable flight path. He was informed that no flight plan was filed and no flight plan was left at the flight school. The IC launched aircraft on a probable flight path from COI to OBE at 2230, based on information from the flight school. A law enforcement detective called and informed the IC that a phone company had found a cell tower location, at the Yeehaw Junction Tower, located at N27 40.29, W080 48.35. The detective notified the Osceloa County Sheriff concerning a possible search area for the missing aircraft. The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) then informed the IC of a location and probable flight path, based on radar data. At 00:30, the AFRCC sent an email to the IC of radar returns. The path started at COI and terminated at the southern edge of Blue Cypress Lake, just northeast of the Yeehaw Junction Tower and on a flight path between COI and OBE. Civil Air Patrol aircraft made radio contact with the Indian River Sheriff’s helicopter about 0115 and had acquired a weak emergency locator Transmitter (ELT) signal. The Indian River Sheriff's aircrew located the wreckage about 0154.

Review of radar data revealed that at 10:12:02, the airplane made a right 70-degree turn to a heading of 180 degrees. At 10:14:26, the airplane then made a left 360-degree turn. The last radar return was at 10:14:26.

A FAA inspector, who interviewed an FAA radar specialist that obtained radar data from a facility located 10 miles from the accident site, stated the radar specialist informed him the airplane's altitude information was missing and the airplane had a ground speed of approximately 90 to 95 knots for almost the entire time of the flight. In addition, he stated, "The ground speed gets very slow right at the very end of the flight path; that is, on the very last radar return."

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The private pilot, age 21, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, issued on May 2, 2011 with the limitation, "Airplane single engine land limitation: English proficient, issued on the basis of and valid only when accompanied by United Kingdom Pilot License. All limitations and restrictions on the United Kingdom Pilot License apply." The pilot held a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Joint Aviation Authorities Class 1 medical certificate, issued on August 13, 2009, with no restrictions. In addition, she held an FAA third-class medical certificate, issued on April 26, 2010, with the restriction, "Not valid for any class after." Review of the pilot’s logbook revealed the pilot had 165 total flight hours of which 117 hours were in make and model and as pilot in command. The pilot had flown 89 hours in the last 90 days, 79 hours in the last 30 days and 1 hour in the last 24 hours prior to the accident.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The Cessna 152 was a two-place high-wing airplane with a fixed tricycle landing gear, serial number 15281014, manufactured in 1977. A Lycoming O-235-L2C, 118-horsepower, horizontally-opposed, four-cylinder engine powered the airplane. Review of the airplane logbooks revealed the last annual inspection was conducted on July 20, 2010, at a recorded tachometer time of 2505.0 hours. The total time on the airframe at the annual was 10345.0 hours. The last 100-hour inspection was conducted on June 1, 2011 at a recorded tachometer time of 2804.3 hours. At that time, the airframe had 10745.3 hours and the engine had 7459.3 hours. The propeller had 2552.3 hours. The total airframe hours at the time of the accident were 10767.6 hours. The airplane had flown 422.6 hours since the last annual inspection. The airplane had flown 21.7 hours since the last 100-hour inspection.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Vero Beach Municipal Airport (VRB) Vero Beach, Florida, 1053 surface weather observation was: wind 100 degrees at 10 knots, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds, 2,400 feet, temperature 29 degrees Celsius, dew point temperature 22 degrees Celsius, and altimeter 30.03 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

The wreckage was located .20 mile southwest of Blue Cypress Lake in the vicinity of Vero Beach, Florida. Examination of the crash site revealed the airplane collided with trees and a swamp in a nose down attitude left wing low and came to rest on a heading of 320 degrees magnetic. There was no crash debris line. The propeller spinner was crushed. The propeller remained attached to the crankshaft flange by one propeller bolt. The remaining bolts were unbroken, but the propeller flange bushings were fractured. The propeller flange was bent. One propeller blade exhibited paint scuffing on the leading edge. The remaining propeller blade was bent aft about 20 degrees at about 18 inches outboard of the hub. The engine cowling was damaged and remained attached to the engine. The engine assembly remained attached to the engine mounts and the firewall. The propeller assembly and engine assembly and accessories were buried 3 feet below the surface of the ground with the accessory case level with the ground.

The windshield was destroyed. The cabin doors were opened and remained attached at their hinge points. Both door windows were broken and both door latches were in the latched position. The instrument panel was fragmented. The attitude indicator indicated 5 degrees pitch up, and 5 degrees left wing low. The vertical speed indicator indicated 2,000 feet-per-minute down. The stall warning horn was an aural device. It was checked and functioned. The fuel selector valve was in the on position. The throttle and mixture control was full forward. The left and right cabin seats remained attached to the seat tracks. Both seatbelts and shoulder harness were in use. Continuity of the flight control surfaces was established from all flight control surfaces to the cockpit controls. The rear baggage compartment window was shattered. The left and right main landing gear remained attached to the fuselage and was buried below the surface of the ground.

The right wing remained attached at the wing root. The leading edge of the right wing sustained accordion crush damage from the wing root, extending outboard to the wing tip. The right wing tip remained attached but was damaged. The upper wing skin sustained minor damage. The lower skin sustained accordion wrinkles from the leading edge to the rear spar. The right main fuel tank was ruptured with evidence of hydraulic action. The right main fuel cap was removed and had a tight seal. No browning of vegetation was present at the crash site. The right flap remained attached sustained minor damage and was in the retracted position. The right aileron remained attached at all hinge points and sustained minor damage. The right wing strut remained attached to the wing and the fuselage.

The empennage was displaced to the right and downward from cabin area at the baggage compartment. The horizontal stabilizer sustained minor damage. The vertical stabilizer sustained minor damage and remained attached to the empennage. The rudder sustained minor damaged and was attached at all hinge points. The rudder balance weight was intact. Review of the wreckage indicated that the rudder stop modification, Service Bulletin SEB 01-1 and Service Kit SK 152-24A was improperly complied with. Specifically, the nut plate at the accident site was attached to the doubler on the inner surface of the tail cone bulkhead. It should have been attached to the outer side of the tail cone skin. The vertical tail and adjacent portion of the empennage was sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory, Washington, DC, for further examination. The examination revealed the fracture was consistent with a shearing over stress separation. No indication of corrosion or preexisting cracking such as fatigue was observed. The right horizontal stabilizer was damaged and remained attached to the empennage assembly. The elevator remained attached to the stabilizer by the inboard and center hinge locations. Upper bending was present on the right stabilizer near mid-span. The elevator trim tab remained attached to the right elevator. The right elevator trim tab actuator was observed in the near neutral position. The right elevator balance weight was intact. The left horizontal stabilizer remained attached to the empennage and sustained minor damage. The elevator remained attached by all three hinge points. The balance weight was intact.

The left wing remained attached at the wing root. The leading edge of the left wing sustained accordion crush from the wing root extending outboard to the wing tip. The left wing slide down the side of a tree and the forward and rear spars were broken. The left forward wing tip separated from the wing. The upper and lower wing skins sustained minor damaged between the forward and rear spars. The left main fuel tank was ruptured with evidence of hydraulic action. The left main fuel cap was removed and had a tight seal. No browning of vegetation was present at the crash site. The left flap was damaged and was in the retracted position. The left aileron remained attached at all hinge points and sustained minor damage. The left wing strut remained attached to the wing and separated at mid span.

The engine was partially disassembled. The carburetor was fractured across the throttle bore and partially separated from the engine. The carburetor bowl screw safeties were intact. Fuel stains were not observed on the outside of the carburetor bowl. The carburetor was disassembled and a small amount of blue liquid with an odor consistent with that of aviation gasoline was present. No debris was present in the carburetor fuel inlet screen. Compression was noted on the outboard sides of the brass floats. A check of the liquid with water finding paste revealed no indication of the presence of water.

The left magneto remained attached to the engine and was not damaged. The right magneto mounting flange was fractured and the magneto was partially separated from the engine. Both magnetos were removed and rotated by hand. Both magnetos produced spark from all ignition towers. The ignition harness was damaged. The upper spark plugs were removed and exhibited light gray coloration of the electrodes and worn normal condition when compared to the Champion Check-A-Plug chart. The lower were removed and exhibited light gray to light brown coloration and worn normal condition. Lead deposits were noted in the electrode wells of the lower. The electrode gaps were inconsistent.

The starter and alternator remained attached to the engine. Radial score marks were noted on the starter nose case. The alternator was damaged. The alternator belt remained in place and was broken. The vacuum pump remained attached to the engine and was removed and disassembled. The carbon rotor, carbon vanes and the drive coupling were intact. The screw holding the internal drive spline to the carbon rotor drive was fractured and observed in the center cavity of the carbon rotor.
Oil drained from the engine when it was lifted for examination. The oil filter was examined and no metallic debris was noted in the folds of the filter media. No debris was noted in the oil suction screen. The oil cooler remained attached to the rear baffle and the oil cooler hoses remained attached to the oil cooler.

The engine was rotated by hand using a tool inserted in the vacuum pump drive pad and continuity of the crankshaft to the rear gears and to the valve train was confirmed. Compression and suction were confirmed from all four cylinders. The interiors of all four cylinders were examined using a lighted bore scope and no anomalies noted.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Office of the Medical Examiner of District 19 of St Lucie, Martin, Indian River, and Okeechobee Counties in Florida conducted the autopsy on the pilot on June 11, 2011. The cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma. The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory performed toxicology testing on specimens from the private pilot. No carbon monoxide, cyanide or drugs were detected in the blood. Ethanol was detected in the muscle, blood and brain due to putrefaction.

The Office of the Medical Examiner of District 19 of St Lucie, Martin, Indian River, and Okeechobee Counties in Florida conducted the autopsy on the passenger on June 13, 2011. The cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma. The Weusthoff Reference Laboratory, Melbourne, Florida, performed toxicology testing on specimens from the passenger. The specimens were negative for basic, acidic, and neutral drugs. Caffeine and acetaminophen was present in the urine.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Cessna 152 Pilot's Operating Handbook states in Section 5, Performance, STALL SPEEDS, at a weight of 1,670 pounds, with a 0-degree angle of bank and flaps retracted, the airplane will stall at 36 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS). At a 30-degree angle of bank the airplane will stall at 39 KIAS. At a 45-degree angle of bank the airplane will stall at 43 KIAS. At a 60 degree angle of bank the airplane will stall at 51 KIAS.

 

Carly Beattie, 21, was at the controls of the Cessna 152 aircraft when it plummeted into a Florida swap on June 9, 2011 killing her and her 24-year-old brother Daniel

 

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

 http://www.express.co.uk

A SCOTS trainee pilot who died alongside her brother in a plane crash last year was at fault for the tragic accident, the American authorities have ruled.

Carly Beattie, 21, was at the controls of the Cessna 152 aircraft when it plummeted into a Florida swap on June 9, killing her and her 24-year-old brother Daniel.

Although initial reports suggested the plane might have suffered technical problems, a year-long investigation into the tragedy has determined that pilot error was the most likely cause.

The findings will come as a further blow to the siblings' devastated parents, Thomas and Elaine Beattie, from Penicuik, Midlothian.

The family were visiting Miss Beattie, who was studying in the US as part of her pilot degree, at the time of the ill-fated flight last year. A report by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) states the "probable cause" of the crash was Miss Beattie's "failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent spin".

The siblings hired the Cessna from the Space Coast Aviation flying school on Flordia's Merritt Island but never returned.

It took the authorities several hours to find the wreckage of the plane, which had "nose-dived" into a wooded swamp near the Blue Cypress resort, 50 miles away.

The inquiry found that the plane issued a distress signal shortly before the crash and the investigation focused on part of the Cessna's rudder which was said to be incorrectly fitted. News reports last year suggested that a second crash involving another aircraft leased from the same flying school could indicate the planes had suffered technical problems.

The report, published on Friday, reads: "Review of radar data revealed that in the last few minutes of the flight the airplane made several maneuvering turns. The reason the pilot chose to maneuver in that location is unknown. The final maneuvers included a 70-degree right turn to a heading of 180 degrees.

"About two minutes later, the airplane made a 360-degree left turn, and radar contact was lost. The radar data was consistent with cruise speed throughout the flight, except for the last return, which indicated that the airplane had slowed significantly.

"Post-accident wreckage signatures were consistent with a spinning descent and impact, indicating that the airplane likely entered an aerodynamic stall from which the pilot did not recover."

Bill Walker, a family friend and Miss Beattie's former athletics coach, told the Sunday Express that he was "surprised" by the verdict.

"Carly had quite a bit of experience, she had studied flying down in England and had travelled to America to get even more experience with commercial planes. She had been passing all of her exams.

"I'd be surprised if Carly was at fault here - I've heard that the [leasing] company had experienced crashes in the past and they had been down to problems with their planes.

"I think that hearing the findings will be quite distressing for her parents but I can't see them challenging the decision - I don't think that they'd want to drag this out any longer."

In April the Sunday Express revealed that Edinburgh Athletic Club, where Carly trained as a sprinter, had decided to hold a special annual event in tribute to her, whilst Morningside School of Music launched an award in memory of Daniel, who was a keen guitarist.

Speaking at the time Mr Beattie admitted the tragedy was "too tender" to revisit, adding: "I've lost my kids, and that is never going to go away."

And Mr Walker, who too has experienced his own tragic losses within the past year, explained that the couple have tried to spend time away from home in an attempt to deal with their grief.

"I lost my daughter last year and my wife last month so I've been spending time with them both. On Carly's birthday we went out for a meal together.

"They seem to be coping, they have been on quite a lot of holidays. I think it makes it easier not being around the family home." http://www.express.co.uk

Burkhart Grob G103 Twin II glider, N5489X: Accident occurred September 01, 2012 in El Paso, Texas

NTSB Identification: CEN12LA605 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 01, 2012 in El Paso, TX
Aircraft: BURKHART GROB G 103 TWIN II, registration: N5489X
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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

On September 1, 2012, around 1100 mountain daylight time, N5489X, a Burkhart Grob G103 Twin II glider, sustained substantial damage when it landed hard during an attempted takeoff using a ground winch at the Horizon Airport near El Paso, Texas. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The glider was registered to and operated by the El Paso Soaring Society Incorporated, El Paso, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The glider club was using the ground winch to launch gliders on the day of the accident because their tow airplane was down for maintenance. The winch was set up on the overrun area on the east side of Runway 08.

According to several witnesses, the glider's first launch attempt ended in the glider over-flying the winch cable. The pilot released the tow cable and made an uneventful landing. During the second attempt, the glider again overflew the winch cable and had to release at an approximate height of 75-feet-above the ground. Due to a crosswind, the airplane drifted to the north of the runway and landed hard on it's belly damaging the tail section.

According to an inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the ground winch utilized a 350-cubic-inch Chevrolet engine with a two-speed automatic transmission and coupled to a modified auto differential. Club members reported the winch had only been used about 9 times in the last 4 years. The pilot's son, who was standing behind the winch on both launch attempts, said the winch engine sounded as if it was producing a high RPM but was running rough.

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land. In addition, he had a certified flight instructor certificate for airplane single-engine land. The pilot's last FAA Third Class medical was issued on December 28, 2011. At that time, he reported a total of 1,500 flight hours.

http://foros.elsiglodetorreon.com

 http://foros.elsiglodetorreon.com

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 5489X        Make/Model: GLID      Description: GROB G 103 TWIN II GLIDER
  Date: 09/01/2012     Time: 1800

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

LOCATION
  City: EL PASO   State: TX   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 1 PERSON ON BOARD WAS 
  FATALLY INJURED, HORIZON AIRPORT,  NEAR EL PASO, TX

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


  FAA FSDO: LUBBOCK, TX  (SW13)                   Entry date: 09/04/2012 

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=5489X

HORIZON CITY -- A pilot was seriously injured after complications from a takeoff caused his glider to crash into the Horizon Airport runway Saturday. 

 The El Paso County Sheriff's Office and the Department of Public Safety responded to several calls about a glider plane crashing about 11 a.m.

Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration said the pilot, who was only identified as a man, was attempting to take off when his plane crashed into the runway after it failed to gain enough altitude.

The pilot was airlifted to University Medical Center, and the plane, a G-103 Twin II, received substantial damage.

FAA officials are investigating the crash, said Lynn Lunsford, spokesman for the agency.

Officials would not release the identity of the pilot, but according to the FAA registry, the plane was owned by the El Paso Soaring Society.

Members of the El Paso Soaring Society did not return calls for comment.

A witness at the airport said he and other pilots who had seen the crash were instructed not to speak to news reporters by Horizon Airport officials.

The Horizon Airport, at 12787 Taxiway Drive, is a private airport owned by Marjorie Barrett and managed by Pat Barrett, according to FAA documents.

Officials with Horizon Airport would only confirm what the FAA had reported and would not comment further on the crash or the pilot.

This is the second aviation accident this year in the area.

In June,  strong winds caused a Robinson R-44 helicopter to crash onto its side after takeoff at the Doña Ana County Airport in Santa Teresa. The three people aboard the helicopter were not injured.

http://www.elpasotimes.com

Emergency vehicles surrounded glider which crashed at the West Texas Airport Saturday.

 (Victor Calzada)

EL PASO, TX —  Officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety said one man was injured after the glider plane he was in crashed at the Horizon Airport on Saturday morning.

The crash happened around 11.am.  at the Horizon airport that is located off Pelicano in Horizon.

Officials said the plane crashed after the pilot had problems during takeoff.  The pilot who was only described as a male, was airlifted to a local hospital with minor injuries.

Source:   http://www.kfoxtv.com

A glider plane, which was expected to take off from a runway in Horizon City, has crashed. 

Officials at the Horizon Airport said the pilot was attempting to take off when his plane crashed in the runway. 

The plane is damaged and its pilot is injured. 

No other information was immediately available. 

http://www.elpasotimes.com

Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros, N139G: Accident occurred September 01, 2012 in Davenport, Iowa

NTSB Identification: CEN12LA602 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 01, 2012 in Davenport, IA
Aircraft: AERO VODOCHODY L39C, registration: N139GS
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 September 1, 2012, approximately 1330 central daylight time, an Aero Vodochody L39C single-engine turbo-jet airplane, N139GS, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain while maneuvering during an air show performance at the Davenport Municipal Airport (DVN), Davenport, Iowa. The commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to the Warbird Education Foundation, Frisco, Texas, and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as an air show flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The flight originated from DVN approximately 1315.

Preliminary video and witness information revealed the flight of three L-39 airplanes during their air show performance. Shortly before the accident, the three airplanes were traveling in a westerly direction away from the spectators. According to the lead pilot, the airplanes were executing a crossover break maneuver, which the accident airplane was in the left wing position. During the crossover break maneuver, the lead airplane first entered a climbing maneuver, the left wing airplane entered a right turn and then the right wing airplane entered a left turn with adequate longitudinal spacing. During the maneuver, the accident airplane entered the right turn, descended, and impacted the terrain. A post-impact fire ensued. No evidence of any in-flight collision with the other airplanes was observed.

Examination of the accident site by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors showed the airplane was severely fragmented and consumed by fire. The main wreckage came to rest 1.2 miles from DVN in a field. The airplane was recovered from the field and brought to a secure location for further examination.

At 1347, the DVN automated surface observing system reported the wind from 070 degrees at 14 knots, visibility 9 miles, decreasing rain, scattered clouds at 2,300 feet, sky overcast at 4,000 feet, temperature 22 degrees Celsius, dew point 20 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.97 inches of Mercury.




Glenn “Skids” Smith was flying as a member of The Hoppers flight team when his plane crashed at the Quad City Air Show Saturday, September 1, 2012.

The crash happened just after 1 p.m. in an alfalfa field southwest of the Davenport Municipal Airport at Mount Joy, Iowa.

See more about the crash, including video and photos at this link:  http://wqad.com/2012/09/01/plane-goes-down-at-quad-city-air-show/

The Hoppers website said Smith was the newest member of The Hoppers team and he was working on becoming a certified lead formation pilot. 

Smith was from Frisco, Texas. 

 Smith had more than two decades, and more than 2,000 hours, of flying experience and held a commercial pilot’s license with instrument rating. 

“The Hoppers quickly became close and trusted friends. They are a special group of aviators dedicated to aviation safety and proficiency; and we use the excitement of aviation as a message to motivate kids to succeed,” the site said, quoting Smith.

Smith flew as First Officer on the crew for the Grace Flight Around the World Mission 2010.  He and two other aviators flew around the world in the summer of 2010 to raise awareness and funding for Grace Flight of America, which relies on donations and volunteer pilots to give free air transportation for medical and humanitarian purposes.  

Smith was also a certified scuba diver and licensed sailor who enjoyed snow skiing and golf.  He was 58 years old.

Story, photo gallery, video:  http://wqad.com

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 139GS        Make/Model: EXP       Description: AERO VODOCHODY L39C
  Date: 09/01/2012     Time: 1830

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

LOCATION
  City: DAVENPORT   State: IA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 1 PERSON ON BOARD WAS 
  FATALLY INJURED, NEAR DAVENPORT, IA

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


  FAA FSDO: DES MOINES, IA  (CE01)                Entry date: 09/04/2012 

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=139GS

 

 

Glenn Smith, 58, of Frisco, Texas, was killed when his jet crashed Saturday at the Quad-City Air Show. (Photo from Hopperflight.com.)

Story and photo gallery:    http://qctimes.com

http://www.quadcityairshow.com

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N139GS.html

Update: 11:48 a.m.: Authorities have released the name of the pilot. He is Glenn A. Smith, 58, of Frisco, Texas. He also is listed as the director of the foundation, Warbird Education Foundation, that owned the plane.

Smith, whose nickname is “Skids” was a technology entrepreneur who founded a company in 1981 that provides information technology services to local governments, according to the Hoppers team website.

He started flying about 24 years ago and earned his commercial pilot’s license.

The website said Smith is the newest member of the team and flies a PT-17 Stearman, T-37 Tweet, MiG-17, L-39 and Super Cub, according to the site.
Glenn also was a certified scuba diver, licensed sailor and enjoyed sking and golf, the Hopper site said.

Shortly after 8 a.m., a squadron of planes flew over the crash site in missing man formation.

Investigators are mapping the scene and will take aerial photos of the crash site this morning. The plan is to be done and out of the field today.

---

Pilot dies in plane crash during Quad-City Air Show

Updated 9:12 p.m.: A pilot flying in formation with two other retired military jets failed to come out of a 45-degree bank during a Quad-City Air Show performance, crashing Saturday afternoon into a field just north of Interstate 80.

The pilot, part of the Hoppers Flight Jet Team, died in the crash about 1:25 p.m.

The impact sent a huge fireball into the sky just southwest of the Davenport Municipal Airport, where thousands of spectators were watching the annual air show.

Davenport Assistant Police Chief Don Schaeffer told reporters the plane went directly into the ground.

“He never had an opportunity to come out of it,” Schaeffer added.

No one on the ground was injured.

Schaeffer said the Davenport Police Department was the lead agency investigating the crash Saturday afternoon. Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, officials, who were stationed at the air show, were also at the crash scene in the Eastern Iowa Industrial Center off Northwest Boulevard.

An FAA spokesman, Lynn Lunsford, said that because it was a fatal crash, the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation. He did not know when officials from that agency would be on-site.

As the air show continued and planes roared overhead, investigators began setting up a grid system to organize the search for pieces of the wreckage.

The air show is scheduled to continue today.

Schaeffer said the plane crashed in an alfalfa field, but the wreckage was widely scattered. He estimated that parts of the plane were strewn over an area that measured about 75 by 220 yards. The crash occurred a few hundred yards from buildings in the industrial park, but they were not damaged.

The pilot was the only person in the plane and his body was removed from the wreckage. The person’s name will not be released until today because not all relatives had been notified as of Saturday night, but Schaeffer said “this portion” of the air show was not from the Quad-City area. Schaeffer also said he did not know the names of the two other pilots, both of whom landed safely.
Schaeffer had no information about what may have caused the crash.

The plane that crashed was a 1984 single-engine fixed-wing Aero Vodochody L-39C. That model was originally a military training jet, used mainly in Europe, Lunsford said. Over the years, a number of them have been purchased by private owners and used for weekend flying and for air shows, he said.

FAA records show that the plane, which had the tail number N139GS, is owned by the Warbird Education Foundation, based in Frisco, Texas. The plane was built in 1984 and has a turbo-jet engine. The foundation’s 2010 tax return said that Glenn Smith of Frisco is the organization’s president. David Mills of Moline is listed as a director. The return listed a 1984 Aero Vodochody L-39C with a fair market value of $550,000.

Mills also is a member of the Hoppers Flight Jet Team and was at the air show Saturday.
An L-39C crashed in May near Boulder City, Nev., killing two people, according to a report in the Las Vegas Sun newspaper. And a website for enthusiasts of the plane listed 20 crashes of the aircraft since 1998. The website said more than 2,800 of the aircraft were built and 300-plus were flying in private ownership. The plane was developed in Czechoslovakia and was used by the Soviet Union and eastern bloc countries, according to the site.

At the time of the police briefing Saturday afternoon, Schaeffer said there were a number of canisters scattered about the field with the valves broken off, raising the possibility of toxic fumes in the area. He said, however, that the fire department was on hand and authorities were ensuring the safety of the scene before officers began processing it.

Schaeffer said authorities would guard the crash scene at the Eastern Iowa Industrial Center throughout the night. Investigators are expected to return there this morning.

Six of the police department’s crime scene technicians were on the crash scene Saturday, as were many Scott County Sheriff’s deputies and firefighters. The large contingent of investigators walked the field, looking for debris. The plane’s ejection seat mechanism was found intact. The Quad-City Bomb Squad was called to the scene to detonate the explosives package that powers the ejection seat since it was believed to be a potential danger to anyone in the area.

Schaeffer said investigators who return to the field today will “identify the location of each piece of debris we find.”

“We’re going to photograph it and then remove it to a hangar at the airport,” he said. The crash site will be mapped using the police department’s crime scene mapping equipment.

“There are literally hundreds of pieces of debris scattered across the field,” he said. “We want to collect and catalog each piece so that if the FAA or some other investigating body wants to rebuild the plane, they can do it.”


Updated 3:44 p.m.: Davenport police and federal investigators were preparing to comb a field north of Interstate-80, where a retired military plane failed to come out of a 45-degree bank at the Quad-City Air Show and crashed about 1:25 p.m. today, killing the pilot, authorities said.

Assistant Davenport Police Chief Don Schaeffer briefed reporters about 3 p.m. Schaeffer said the plane went directly into the ground.

“He never had an opportunity to come out of it,” Schaeffer said.

Nobody on the ground was hurt by the crash.

The pilot was not identified and is “not from around here,” Schaefer said.

This afternoon, authorities were preparing to search what Schaeffer believed to be an alfalfa field for wreckage, but it was widely scattered. He estimated parts of the plane were strewn over an area that measured 75 yards to 220 yards.

Schaeffer had no information about what may have caused the crash. Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration were at the scene, but they did not take part in the briefing.

At the time of the briefing, Schaeffer said there were cannisters, presumably from the plane, that were scattered about the field with the valves broken off. He said the fire department was on hand, and that authorities were ensuring the safety of the scene before officers began processing it.

“So far, we’re in great shape,” he said.

Schaeffer said that authorities would be combing the field at the Eastern Iowa Industrial Center for much of the afternoon and would guard the site throughout the night. The crash investigation is expected to resume Sunday morning.

Updated: 3:23 p.m.: The pilot was killed, Davenport Assistant Police Chief Don Schaeffer said. The pilot’s name was not released, pending notification of his family.

Schaeffer indicated the flying team was not from the area and presumed the next of kin was not as well.

Updated 2:47 p.m.: A Soviet-era training jet flying in formation crashed and burst into flames at the Quad-City Air Show about 1:25 p.m. today.

The pilot is feared dead, and the rubble from the crash fell into a field at the Eastern Iowa Industrial Center in northern Davenport adjacent to Interstate 80.

Officials at the scene told spectators to not go to their cars because the area near the air show at the Davenport Municipal Airport in Mt. Joy was being cordoned off to let emergency vehicles in and out.

The other two L-39 fighter jets returned safely, and flights continued soon after the crash, according to witnesses at the scene.

Two other L-39 planes have crashed this year, according to a website devoted to the planes made in Czechoslovakia beginning in 1966. The site, L39.com, listed fatal crashes on May 18 in Boulder City, Nev., where two people were killed, and Jan. 20 in Rainbow City, Ala.

Earlier today, an official at the air show said flights would continue in the rain, but would be suspended if conditions became unsafe. The National Weather Service reported rain in the area, but no storm activity “within 50 miles miles of here all day,” according to meteorologist Brian Pierce at the National Weather Service in the Quad-Cities.

The airshow official earlier today said the Federal Aviation Administration was onsite and was overseeing the situation and making those decisions.

The L-39 website said that more than 2,800 were made and that an “unknown number” are still in military service, and 300 are “flying in private ownership.”

Updated 2:08 p.m.: A plane at the Quad-City Air Show crashed into the Eastern Iowa Industrial Center in northern Davenport about 1:23 p.m. today.

There is a preliminary report that one person was killed.

Officials at the scene told spectators to not go to their cars because the area near the air show at the Davenport Municipal Airport in Mt. Joy was being cordoned off to let emergency vehicles in and out.

Flights continued soon after the crash, according to witnesses at the scene.

Earlier today, an official at the air show said flights would continue in the rain, but would be suspended if conditions became unsafe. The National Weather Service reported rain in the area, but no storm activity “within 50 miles miles of here all day,” according to meteorologist Brian Pierce at the National Weather Service in the Quad-Cities.

The airshow official earlier today said the Federal Aviation Administration was onsite and was overseeing the situation and making those decisions.

Posted 1:35 p.m.: A plane at the Quad-City Air Show crashed into the Eastern Iowa Industrial Center about 1:23 p.m.

Update??? Is there any update on the 2 people from Arizona who crashed the Mooney (N6455Q) In Hooker, Oklahoma, in June?

Mooney M20F Executive 21, N6455Q:  Accident occurred June 12, 2012 in Hooker, Oklahoma 


June 12, 2012:  HOOKER, OKLA. — A small plane crash Tuesday afternoon in Oklahoma Panhandle town of Hooker injured two people, authorities said. 

 The pilot, 55-year-old Terry Meil of Phoenix, along with a 34-year-old passenger, John Escalante, of Maricpa, Ariz., were both airlifted to Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo. Meil was last listed in critical condition with arm and internal injuries. Escalante was also listed in critical condition with leg and internal injuries. 

 According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP), the plane was a four-seat low-wing 1967 Mooney M20F. The OHP said the plane lost power before it crashed about 300 yards east of the end of the Hooker runway. The National Transportation Safety Board has asked the OHP to secure the scene and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating.

Source:  http://www.connectamarillo.com 

 

Courtesy Karen Goosen

 Courtesy Karen Goosen

NTSB Identification: CEN12LA368 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, June 12, 2012 in Hooker, OK
Aircraft: MOONEY M20F, registration: N6455Q
Injuries: 2 Serious.

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

On June 12, 2012, about 1520 central daylight time, a Mooney M20F, N6455Q, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during initial climb after take-off from Hooker Municipal Airport (O45), Hooker, Oklahoma. The private pilot and the non-pilot passenger were seriously injured. The airplane was registered to West Coast Properties, LLC; Cheyenne, Wyoming, and was operated the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. At the time of the accident the airplane was departing O45 for a flight to an unknown airport in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The pilot told first responders that the airplane was full of fuel and he had made a normal take-off from runway 17. He rotated on the take-off roll at 68 knots and was in initial climb when he had a sudden and substantial loss of power, but the engine did not quit completely. He retracted the landing gear and shortly after that the airplane stalled. Evidence at the scene showed the airplane impacted in a nose-down attitude on the nose and both wing tips in an agricultural field about 900 feet southeast of the runway departure end. There was a significant fuel spill but no postimpact fire.

After the accident, the airport manager at O45 immediately quarantined the airport fuel facility and completed fuel quality checks that showed the fuel was clean and uncontaminated.

At 1515, the automated weather reporting station at Liberal Mid-America Regional Airport (KLBL), Liberal, Kansas, located 17 miles northeast from the accident site, reported wind from 140 degrees at 24 knots with gusts to 32 knots, visibility of 10 miles or greater, sky clear, temperature 30 degrees Celsius (C), dew point temperature 9 degrees C, and altimeter setting 30.10 inches of Mercury.

Easton Gilbert SeaRey, N346PE: Accident occurred August 31, 2012 in Friday Harbor, Washington

Richard Bach, author of the 1970s bestseller "Jonathan Livingston Seagull," who was seriously injured when his small plane flipped during a landing, is improving and will soon be moved out of intensive care, a hospital spokeswoman said on Monday, September 10, 2012.

Doctors at Seattle's Harborview Medical Center were upgrading Bach's condition to satisfactory from serious, spokeswoman Susan Gregg said. "He's improving."
 
Bach, 76, clipped power lines with the landing gear of his 2008 Easton Gilbert Searey on August 31 while trying to land on a grass airstrip on San Juan Island in northwestern Washington state.

A group of young tourists found Bach, suspended upside down and strapped to his harness in the heavily damaged single-engine plane, and cut him loose from the wreckage.

Bach is now able to enjoy chocolate milk and respond to verbal commands such as "cough" and "give a thumbs up." He was expected to be moved out of intensive care late on Monday, son James Bach told Reuters.

"He can say some words, but it's hard for him. so he mostly sticks to 'yes' or 'no',  the son said.

"We still can't tell if he understands that he is in the hospital and why he is there. But he asked for chocolate milk today - so at least his love of chocolate milk is intact," said the younger Bach, 46.

"We think it's going to be a long slow recovery. We're taking it one day at a time. We're optimistic."

The author's injuries included a head blow that caused internal bleeding, bruised ribs, a bruised shoulder that doctors initially thought was broken and a right eye that remains shut, his son said.

"Jonathan Livingston Seagull," the story of a seagull expelled from his clan after he pushes himself to become an extraordinary flyer, was published in 1970. It topped the New York Times best-sellers list two years later and was made into a movie in 1973.

NTSB Identification: WPR12LA385
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, August 31, 2012 in Friday Harbor, WA
Aircraft: EASTON SEAREY, registration: N346PE
Injuries: 1 Serious.

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

On August 31, 2012, about 1630 Pacific daylight time, an Easton SeaRey amphibian amateur-built airplane, N346PE, sustained substantial damage during impact with wires and terrain while landing near Friday Harbor, Washington. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was seriously injured. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight, which had originated from Eastsound, Washington, approximately 45 minutes before the accident. A flight plan had not been filed.

A witness stated the he observed the airplane on short final to a private grass airstrip when it struck power line wires. The aircraft nosed over and impacted terrain.

In this Friday, Aug. 31, 2012 photo provided by the San Juan Islander, authorities examine a plane, piloted by author Richard Bach, that crashed in a field in Friday Harbor, Wash. Bach, the author of the 1970s best-selling novella "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" among other spiritually oriented writings often rooted in themes of flight, was in serious condition Saturday at Harborview Medical Center. (AP Photo/San Juan Islander, Matt Pranger) MANDATORY CREDIT

  (Courtesy of sanjuanislander.com / September 1, 2012)
Story and photos:   http://www.sanjuanislander.com

  (Courtesy of sanjuanislander.com / September 1, 2012)

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

 

Bach's plane was badly damaged in the crash

 (Courtesy of sanjuanislander.com / September 1, 2012)

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

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 346PE        Make/Model: EXP       Description: EXP- SEAREY
  Date: 08/31/2012     Time: 2330

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

LOCATION
  City: FRIDAY HARBOR   State: WA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT ON APPROACH, STRUCK POWERLINES AND CRASHED, 3 MILES FROM FRIDAY 
  HARBOR, WA

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


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Approach      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: SEATTLE, WA  (NM01)                   Entry date: 09/04/2012 

 
http://registry.faa.gov/N346PE 

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

 Richard Bach is in critical condition in Harborview Medical Center after a plane crash on San Juan Island Friday, August 31, 2012. The author of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, snagged power lines with the landing gear of his 2008 Easton Gilbert Searey plane as he attempted to land at a grassy air strip off of San Juan Valley Road.

Two power poles snapped in half, dropping live electric lines on the roadway. The plane landed upside down in the grass with the seriously injured 76-year-old Eastsound resident stuck hanging upside down in his harness in the heavily damaged plane.

The downed power lines sparked a fire a quarter of a mile away.

A group of young Seattle residents on San Juan Island for a mini-camping vacation, cut Bach free from the harness. The group had just turned around on the narrow county road because they were lost.

"There were live electric cables on the road," said Lucy Williams. "He was dangling. Just hanging forward from his shoulders. He was bleeding. He had this dent in his head. He was about 65. The guys (in her group) didn't have a knife. We used the tiny knife on my keychain to cut him loose. We got a jacket from some random person and put it on his head (to stop the bleeding)."

San Juan County Emergency Medical Services, Sheriff Deputies, and San Juan Island Fire Department firefighters arrived on scene. The seriously injured pilot was treated on scene by SJEMS and airlifted to HarborView Medical Center where he is in critical condition Friday night.

San Juan County Sheriff Rob Nou said the preliminary investigation indicates the pilot was attempting to land on a grass airstrip and caught overhead power lines with the landing gear as he neared the runway. The power lines broke at least two nearby poles, dropping live wires which sparked the fire about a quarter of a mile away.

Power was disrupted in the area, and will remain out for several hours as utility crews reset poles and repair the downed lines. San Juan Valley Road remained closed as of 6:30 p.m. Friday evening.

The crash is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and FAA.  on scene and prepared to be medevacued to the mainland.

On his official website richardbach.com, Bach wrote on August 27, 2012 "...Puff and I’ve been flying just about every day."

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

Photo Gallery:   http://www.q13fox.com

Read more here:  http://www.katu.com

Isle of Wight: Aircraft Crash Near Freshwater

A light aircraft has come down in a field at Tapnell Farm in Freshwater.  
Two people were on board and have been taken to St Mary’s hospital in Newport.

The Island Fire service attended, but luckily there was no fire.

Our thoughts are with those involved.

Source:   http://onthewight.com
 
A light aircraft has crashed near Freshwater. 

The plane, with two people on board, came down near Tapnell Farm just before 6:50pm (Saturday) 

Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene. 

 More to follow