Flight instructor mourned after Pitt Lake float plane crash - Cessna 172N Skyhawk, C-GKPD, Pacific Rim Aviation Academy Inc.

I'm very sorry to announce the loss of our beloved colleague, mentor, and friend Jim Stevens.  The staff at Pacific Rim Aviation Academy would like to extend our condolences to Jim's family and friends and thank you to all for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.'

http://pacificrimaviation.ca/2012/10/18/arizona-jim-3/

http://pacificrimaviation.ca/2012/01/31/jim-stevens-bush-pilot/   Jim Stevens - Bush Pilot

http://www.theprovince.com

The staff at Pitt Meadows’ Pacific Rim Aviation Academy are mourning their colleague, instructor James Stevens this week, after the 71-year-old was killed in a float plane crash Monday afternoon. 

 “James Stevens was a man among men and a gentle giant whose instructional capabilities, were beyond exception. He loved to fly,” flight school owner Chris Georgas said in a statement to the media Thursday.

Stevens was killed when the Cessna 172 he was flying in with a 55-year-old male student flipped in Pitt Lake Monday just after 4 p.m. The cabin was submerged under water. His student survived with only minor injuries and was treated and released from hospital Monday evening.

Bill Yearwood, the Transportation Safety Board’s regional manager for aviation accident investigations said the float plane had been doing touch and go — consecutive touch down and take off manoeuvers — in gusty wind conditions at the time of the crash.

Pacific Rim staff called Stevens “Arizona Jim,” Georgas recalled, for his yearly habit of heading south for the winter. He was admired as a “respected colleague, dedicated co-worker and ... pilot instructor whose diligence, pre-flight planning, quiet and decisive cockpit management skills and general knowledge of his ‘water world’ environment could easily be described as being without equal.” Georgas explained.

Now, his colleagues are left reeling from his tragic loss.

“It has taken these past few days for all of us to come to grips with the fact that he won’t be showing up at the Fraser River Float Ramp,” Georgas wrote. “What a smile our Jim has. Standing there in his Tilley hat, black jacket, life vest and lunch box and those ‘god awful’ rubber gum boots he always wore when one of his float plane students was about to solo in that shiny, bright Cessna 172 office he loved to fly.”

On the company website, Stevens is described as a veteran pilot. “Many people at our airport were trained by Jim decades ago,’ it states. “Some now have white hair or no hair at all. With thousands of hours of bush flying and float plane experience, Jim is the instructor of choice for seaplane ratings and taildragger conversion. His vast experience, knowledge and his caring attitude are a safe flying asset to our school.”

Georgas and the company extended their thoughts to Stevens’ “immediate family of wife, sons and daughters and grandchildren who knew and loved him as ‘Grandpa Jim,’ our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.”

And Georgas stressed that his legacy of teaching will continue with his students. “To the group of youthful, highly trained and caring Instructors who are struggling with the loss of a dear friend and respected colleague,” he concluded, “the lesson is not over by a long-shot.”


To read the statement in full click here.

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

 

A coast guard dive team returns a body to the Grant Narrows Regional Park dock area Monday afternoon after a plane crashed into Pitt Lake The plane would be retrieved later.

 Colleen Flanagan/The News

A 71-year-old flying instructor from Surrey is dead, while his 55-year-old passenger was treated in hospital following a float plane crash on Pitt Lake, Monday. 

Police said the two were in a Pacific Rim Aviation Academy Cessna 172 float plane from Pitt Meadows Regional Airport.

The plane flipped over on the lake at about 4:30 p.m. during stormy conditions.

“They were carrying out touch-and-go landings for training. During the sixth touch-and-go the aircraft tipped over,” said Bill Yearwood, with the Transportation Safety Board.

“The student was able to get out, but tragically the instructor was not.”

Yearwood said when a plane over turns in water it can be challenging even for an uninjured person to get out. Many people have died in such instances, he added.

“It is a risk when an aircraft upsets and submerges.

“The student made an attempt to help the instructor, but the aircraft was filling up with water fast. He was unable to help him.”

About an hour later, a passing boater rescued the student, who had been sitting on the plane’s pontoons.

Yearwood pointed out that both were wearing lifejackets.

“There’s no information to suggest any medical issues.”

The coroner will determine cause of death, whether from injuries caused in the accident or from drowning or both.

Weather conditions were challenging at the time incident. “The winds strong and gusty.”

Yearwood said another pilot in the area at the time returned to the airport because of the strong winds.

Canadian Coast Guard brought its hovercraft to the south end of Pitt Lake while members of the RCMP and Coast Guard dive teams went to the accident site and retrieved the body at about 6:30 p.m.

The student pilot was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries, then released that night and interviewed Tuesday by Transportation Safety Board staff.

The wreck of the plane was barged down the Pitt and Fraser rivers Tuesday to the Pitt Meadows airport so that TSB staff could inspect it today.

Tom Drybrough with Island Coastal Aviation, was also instructing at Pitt Lake that afternoon.

The lesson ended about 3:30 p.m., but the weather was starting to close in, said Drybrough.

Conditions were getting turbulent, “but there was nothing out there that was abnormal.”


 http://www.mapleridgenews.com

http://www.vancouversun.com/Video+Pitt+Lake+plane+crash/7398053/story.html

 Unconfirmed as; 99.999% Owner is correct 100%

C-GKPD 1979 Cessna 172N imported 2002, in service with Pacific Rim Flight Academy since Jan 2007

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33932332@N07/3860854070/sizes/l/  C-GKPD
http://pacificrimaviation.ca/about-us/fleet-and-equipment/  Company website

 One person is dead and another taken to hospital after a float plane crashed Monday afternoon in Pitt Lake.

 Capt. Erik Niemi, an air controller with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, said the Cessna 172, which took off from Pitt Meadows airport with two people on board, was found in the southern part of the lake by a boater.

One man managed to get out of the plane and was rescued by the boater. He was taken to hospital and is expected to survive.

However, Niemi said the other person in the plane – who he had no information about - was not responsive after a rescue hovercraft and Cormorant helicopter attended the scene.

The person who died was reportedly trapped in the upside-down plane, but Niemi couldn't confirm that.

Niemi also said he didn't know if the plane crashed during takeoff or landing, and that it might have been a training flight.

He said Transport Canada will be conducting an investigation.

http://www.vancouversun.com

One person has been killed and another is in hospital with undetermined injuries after a small plane crashed late Monday afternoon into Pitt Lake, east of Vancouver.

The Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria says the plane had taken off shortly before the crash from the nearby Pitt Meadows airport.

It's unclear at this time what caused the aircraft to go down.

Weather conditions were overcast at the time of the crash.
 http://www.vancouversun.com/Video+Pitt+Lake+plane+crash/7398053/story.html


 PLEASE NOTE:   Unconfirmed as; 99.999% Owner is correct 100%

C-GKPD 1979 Cessna 172N imported 2002, in service with Pacific Rim Flight Academy since Jan 2007

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33932332@N07/3860854070/sizes/l/  C-GKPD
 

http://pacificrimaviation.ca/about-us/fleet-and-equipment/  Company website


One person is dead and another taken to hospital after a float plane crashed Monday afternoon in Pitt Lake.

 Capt. Erik Niemi, an air controller with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, said the Cessna 172, which took off from Pitt Meadows airport with two people on board, was found in the southern part of the lake by a boater.

One man managed to get out of the plane and was rescued by the boater. He was taken to hospital and is expected to survive.

However, Niemi said the other person in the plane – who he had no information about - was not responsive after a rescue hovercraft and Cormorant helicopter attended the scene.

The person who died was reportedly trapped in the upside-down plane, but Niemi couldn't confirm that.

Niemi also said he didn't know if the plane crashed during takeoff or landing, and that it might have been a training flight.

He said Transport Canada will be conducting an investigation.

http://www.vancouversun.com

 One person has been killed and another is in hospital with undetermined injuries after a small plane crashed late Monday afternoon into Pitt Lake, east of Vancouver.   

The Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria says the plane had taken off shortly before the crash from the nearby Pitt Meadows airport.

It's unclear at this time what caused the aircraft to go down.

Weather conditions were overcast at the time of the crash.

http://www.cbc.ca

 METRO VANCOUVER -- A rescue hovercraft and Cormorant helicopter were heading to the scene of a floatplane crash on Pitt Lake late Monday where a person was possibly trapped inside.

Capt. Erik Niemi, an air controller with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, said the Cessna 172, which took off from Pitt Meadows airport and was apparently upside down in the water, crashed at about 4 p.m. Monday and that a passenger escaped.

A vessel on the lake discovered the plane.

http://www.mapleridgenews.com 
http://www.vancouversun.com

Pilot's misjudgement led to crash of historic Tiger Moth

Pilot error was to blame for the loss of an iconic Moray biplane after crashing into a field earlier this year.
 
Doubts have been cast on if the historic bright yellow Tiger Moth that had become such a popular sight in the region in recent years would ever take to the air again following the accident.

The aircraft, described as the "pride and joy" of members at the Shempston Flying Group near Lossiemouth, crashed when attempting to land on August 12.

Now the UK Air Accidents Branch (AAIB) has published a report that includes an admission by airline pilot Jim Lachendro, who was at the controls that day, that his failure to fully take account of weather conditions was the cause of the accident.

Mr Lachendro, 57, was accompanied by his son on the flight. Both survived with only minor injuries but the 70-year-old aircraft was badly damaged.

The AAIB report said: "The pilot steered the aircraft to an area of low crops with the intention of regaining lost airspeed, but was unable to prevent it from striking the ground. The pilot believed that he had focused too much on the ground-handling characteristics of the aircraft and not taken into account how the prevailing conditions would affect other phases of flight."

Mr Lachendro said that he had been concerned the Tiger Moth might crash into a small wooden knoll so had chosen to turn towards an open barley field. The report added: "He thought the aircraft had encountered a tailwind as it climbed out of the relative shelter at ground level and then had stalled when he initiated the right turn.

"All three emergency services attended the scene and the pilot and his passenger were taken to hospital but had suffered only minor injuries."

Immediately following the accident flying club member John Farquhar, 66, said he was "heartbroken" at the loss of the aircraft. He said: "My emotions have fluctuated between despair and depression and then into anger. Aircraft in similar condition have been repaired to flying condition - but at great expense."

http://local.stv.tv

Piper PA-18A 150 Super Cub, N444LZ: Accident occurred October 13, 2012 in Kenai, Alaska

NTSB Identification: ANC13FAMS1 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, October 13, 2012 in Kenai, AK
Aircraft: PIPER PA-18-150, registration: N444LZ
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 either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On October 13, 2012, at an undetermined time, a tailwheel-equipped Piper PA-18-150 airplane, N444LZ, went missing and is presumed to have crashed, possibly at a location between Soldotna, Alaska, and Palmer, Alaska. The student pilot, who was also the airplane owner, is presumed to have received fatal injuries, and the airplane is presumed to have sustained substantial damage. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules cross-country personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the point of departure, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Soldotna Airport in Soldotna, at an unknown time and was reportedly en route to the Wolf Lake Airport in Palmer.

After the accident airplane did not arrive in Palmer, family and friends of the missing pilot reported the airplane overdue. The Federal Aviation Administration issued an alert notice on October 14 at 0923 Alaska daylight time. Search personnel from the Civil Air Patrol, Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Air National Guard, and the U.S. Coast Guard, along with several volunteers, were dispatched to conduct an extensive search effort. No emergency locator transmitter signal was detected. The official search was suspended on October 23. Family members and volunteers have continued to search for the missing airplane.

A review of archived radar data revealed that, on October 13, about 0137, an unidentified aircraft, believed to be the accident airplane, departed from the Soldotna Airport. After departure, the radar track initially proceeded southeast of the airport before it turned and proceeded west then northeast over land before making more turns and eventually proceeding over the waters of Cook Inlet. The last position of the radar target was recorded about 0248, mid-channel over the Cook Inlet, about 30 miles north of Soldotna, or about 25 miles north-northeast of Kenai, Alaska.

The closest weather reporting facility was at the Kenai Municipal Airport, about 25 miles south-southwest of the last position of the radar target. At 0153, a weather observation from the Kenai Airport was reporting, in part: Wind, 020 degrees (true) at 3 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; cloud and sky conditions, clear; temperature, 25 degrees F; dew point, 23 degrees F; altimeter, 29.11 inHg. Dark night conditions prevailed at that time.

Search efforts were unsuccessful, and the airplane and the sole occupant remain missing.

http://registry.faa.gov/N444LZ

PALMER, Alaska — A pilot and his plane have been missing since Saturday afternoon, according to pilot's friends.

Brendan Mattingly of Palmer was last seen at the Soldotna Airport between the hours of 8 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. He was flying east to Palmer, a flight that generally takes an hour and a half.

Mattingly's friend, who prefers to remain anonymous, notified officials that Mattingly's flight was overdue.

Civil Air Patrol and the Alaska State Troopers are leading the search, but a few private pilots have joined the official search efforts today. The focus areas of the private search party are Chickaloon Flats and the Soldotna Game Refuge between Soldotna and Cook Inlet.

Mattingly has been a pilot for two years. He was flying a green, red, and white PA 18 Super Cub.

This is a developing story. Check www.ktuu.com and stay tuned with Channel 2 News for more information

Piper PA-28-151, N151SV: Accident occurred October 14, 2012 in Marana, Arizona

NTSB Identification: WPR13FA010
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 14, 2012 in Marana, AZ
Aircraft: PIPER PA-28-151, registration: N151SV
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 either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On October 14, 2012, about 1910 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-151, N151SV, collided with desert terrain near Marana, Arizona. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was substantially damaged. The personal cross-country flight departed from Benson Municipal Airport, Benson, Arizona, about 1830, with a planned destination of Imperial County Airport, Imperial, California. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed along the intended route of flight, and the pilot was receiving visual flight rules (VFR) flight following services; he had not filed a flight plan.

The pilot had flown his spouse to Benson earlier in the day and the accident flight was his return flight back to his home base. Fuel receipts indicated that in Benson he added about 28 gallons of fuel at 1216, and then added about 14 gallons at 1804. Recorded radar data and Air Traffic Control (ATC) recordings were obtained and reviewed by a National Transportation Safety Board investigator.

Recorded radar data covering the area of the accident was examined for the time frame, and a discreet secondary beacon code target was observed that matched the anticipated flight track of the airplane en route from Benson to Imperial. The radar data, consisting of returns from 1838:02 to 1907:22, was consistent with the airplane flying in a northwesterly direction and gradually climbing from about 6,600 feet mean sea level (msl) to peak altitude of 8,600 feet msl.

A review of the data disclosed that about 1850 the track was over Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona, cruising at an altitude around 8,500 feet msl. The track continued another 30 miles with a majority of the radar returns spaced uniformly and following a track of about 300 degrees true. The track made a left turn and headed west for a mile and then turned back to the northwest direction for about 2 miles. The course turned southwest for 2 miles and began to descend. The returns then made a 360-degree turn from 1906:03 until the last hit at 1907:22, during which time the altitude descend by 1,700 feet.

The main wreckage was approximately 2 miles north of the last radar return at an elevation of about 2,365 feet msl. The accident site was located in the desert, with the debris stretching over 470 feet from the first impact marking to the farthest debris found (right main landing wheel); the main wreckage was situated at the end portion of the path. In character, the terrain was comprised of dirt and rocks, populated by scattered brush and cactus typical of the southern Arizona region.

 TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN9-TV) - Pima County Sheriff's deputies tell KGUN9 On Your Side a small plane crashed on the far northwest side of town, near the Tucson Mountains, killing one man.

 Deputy Tom Peine with PCSD tells KGUN9 that James Lloyd Thompson, 57, was killed in the crash. He was from El Centro, Calif.

A Customs and Border Protection Blackhawk helicopter found the wreck site after the FAA lost radar contact with the airplane early Sunday night.

The crash site was found late Sunday night.

Deputies responded to the remote desert area four miles south of Avra Valley Road and Agua Dulce Ranch Road to investigate the crash.

They learned that the plane was a Piper Model and that Thompson has dropped off family members in Las Cruces, N.M. and then stopped in Benson, Ariz.

He planned to return from Benson to El Centreo.

The cause of the crash is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA.



 Tucson News Now


TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) - 

UPDATE:  The Pima Co. Sheriff's Office has confirmed the pilot died in a plane crash outside the Tohono O'odham Nation northwest of Tucson.

It happened around 8:30 Sunday night five miles west of Pump Station Road and Avra Valley Road.

The wreckage is scattered over a wide area.

We have learned the plane was registered out of California, and it was heading west.

The Federal Aviation Administration contacted U.S. Customs and Border Protection after the FAA lost contact with the plane.

CBP sent up a Blackhawk helicopter, and the crew located the wreckage.

Deputies believe the male pilot was the only person on board.

They have not yet released where the plane took off from, or where it was going.

Federal investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are expected to arrive on scene sometime Monday.

We will be tracking the latest developments throughout the morning on KOLD News 13 and FOX 11.  

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N151SV

http://registry.faa.gov/N151SV

TUCSON, AZ - Authorities say a pilot died in a small plane crash late Sunday night in the Tucson area.

According to KGUN9.com, it happened near the Tucson Mountains on the northwest part of Tucson.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said the pilot was the only person on the single-engine plane, reported KGUN9.
 
The cause of the collision is unknown at this time.

MARANA - Deputies from the Pima County Sheriff's Office are at the scene of a single-engine airplane crash that happened late last night. 

 We're told one person, likely the pilot, has died.

It all began some time shortly after 9 pm, when Border Patrol agents were asked by the FAA to search for a privately owned airplane it had lost communication with.

Border Patrol found the plane crashed in a remote area on the far north-west side off of West Avra Valley Road.

This morning additional crews responded to the area to investigate.

News Four Tucson has a crew there, and we will keep you posted.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 151SV        Make/Model: PA28      Description: PA-28 CHEROKEE, ARROW, WARRIOR, ACHER, D
  Date: 10/15/2012     Time: 0210

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

LOCATION
  City: TUCSON   State: AZ   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 1 PERSON ON BOARD WAS 
  FATALLY INJURED, 30 MILES FROM TUCSON, AZ

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: SCOTTSDALE, AZ  (WP07)                Entry date: 10/15/2012 

Father and son survive Bangholme glider crash

 

The glider crash at Bangholme. 

Photo: Channel Nine

A FATHER and son have escaped with minor injuries after their motor glider flipped over during an emergency landing in long grass south-east of Melbourne's yesterday. 

 The man, 50, and his son, 13, from Canterbury, had taken off from Mansfield in Victoria's north-east heading for Moorabbin airport.

Police say the pilot encountered problems with his engine over Healesville just after 4.40pm and made the emergency landing in a paddock at Bangholme, east of Chelsea. The pair escaped with cuts and bumps to the head and were taken to hospital for observation.

Photographer Dallas Goldburg who was on the scene soon after the crash, said the MFB, CFA and police all attended.

The father walked from the wreckage to an ambulance and the son was put on a stretcher. ''It was lucky that they survived and there was no power lines nearby,'' Mr Goldburg said.

http://www.theage.com.au

Airborne Windsports Pty Ltd XT-912, N811RW: Accident occurred October 14, 2012 in Winter Haven, Florida

NTSB Identification: ERA13LA020 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 14, 2012 in Winter Haven, FL
Aircraft: AIRBORNE WINDSPORTS PTY LTD XT-912, registration: N811RW
Injuries: 2 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 October 14, 2012, about 1116 eastern standard time, an experimental Airborne Wind Sports XT-912, N811RW, was substantially damaged following a collision with the ground at Winter Haven’s Gilbert Airport (GIF), Winter Haven, Florida. The sport pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The aircraft was registered to and operated by Funwings Incorporated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

According to witnesses, they watched as the aircraft began its take off run down runway 5. The aircraft appeared to climb to an altitude of approximately 50-75 feet before the right wing banked at an estimated 80 degree downward angle. The nose of the aircraft pitched downward and the engine rpm increased as the aircraft continued to turn right. The witnesses lost sight of the aircraft and they heard it impact the ground. They called 911 and emergency services arrived to assist the victims.

According to preliminary information obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilot was not in radio contact with air traffic control at the time of departure and no radio transmissions were recorded. The aircraft came to rest on its side, on the airport ramp adjacent a hangar. The aircraft was recovered for further examination.

WINTER HAVEN, Florida -- On Monday, James and Arthur Tyler wanted to be at Winter Haven Municipal Airport. They wanted to sit at the same table inside the airport's restaurant as their sister, Susanne Broadbelt, did before she was killed in a small plane crash at the airport on Sunday. 

 "She died doing what she loved best and she was flying, and now she's flying wrapped around the angels' wings," said James.

On Sunday, the twin brothers were at an air show, wondering how strong wind gusts were affecting the pilots. They didn't know that, at the same time, their sister was doing touch and go maneuvers in a lightsport aircraft when it hit the ground, flipped, then skidded 168 feet. Right now, investigators believe the crash may have been caused by a wind gust of up to 35 miles an hour. The man inside the aircraft with her, Gary Lawrence, was also killed.

"I asked her if she had made her bucket list and she said she was working on it and wanted to fly," James recalled. "I said 'You have a hard time finding your way around on the planet while driving, and you're going to fly?' But I was really proud of her. She got her certificate and her license. She's been a thrillseeker ever since she retired."

Broadbelt retired after working in Pasco County schools for 36 years. Then two months ago, around the same time she got her FAA sport pilot certification, she returned to the classroom as a substitute teacher, according to the school district.

"She was a very flamboyant, energetic, outgoing sister," said Arthur. "Loving, caring, a great person altogether."

To fly the lightsport aircraft that Broadbelt was in, you have to be a certified pilot, and the FAA has stricter rules than it would for an ultralight aircraft.

"[The rules are] much closer to the certified large airplane world than it has been compared to the ultralights," said Dr. Pat Anderson, professor of Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the director of the Eagle Flight Research Center. "The consensus is that the safety record of these planes is not significantly different from the other categories of airplanes."

Broadbelt's family hopes this tragic crash won't stop people from following their dreams of flying.

"They are safe. It's just, sometimes, God takes you when you don't expect it," James said.

"Susanne, we love you," Arthur added. "We miss you."

According to the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board will be handling the investigation.

http://www.wtsp.com

Authorities say Susanne Broadbelt of Zephryhills died from her injuries at the scene of the crash.

Photographer: Mike Dixon

ERNST PETERS | THE LEDGER

 Investigators look over an ultralight aircraft that crashed during takeoff at Winter Haven Municipal Airport on Sunday. Two people were killed.

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/174966.html

 http://registry.faa.gov/N811RW

WINTER HAVEN | Two people died after their ultralight aircraft crashed Sunday morning at Winter Haven Municipal Airport, officials said. 

 Susanne Broadbelt, 60, of Zephyrhills, died at the scene and Gary Lawrence, 61, of Inverness, was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center where he died, according to Winter Haven police.

Winter Haven police spokeswoman Jamie Brown said she couldn't confirm which of the two was controlling the aircraft at the time of the crash.

They were doing touch-and-go maneuvers and were taking off about 11:20 a.m. when the Airborne Windsport aircraft hit the ground, flipped and slid about 168 feet, police said.

Debbie Murphy, the airport's director, said the pair had eaten at Pappy's Grill at the airport and were taking off when the crash happened. She said Broadbelt and Lawrence had eaten at the restaurant several times this week.

Bernice Williams, 86, of Winter Haven, was checking on her aircraft in a nearby hangar when the crashed happened.

After the crash, people rushed to help the pair and performed CPR.

"The plane didn't stall, it looked like something got under the wing," Williams said. "I knew it was going to crash and it went ‘boom.'?"

She said the aircraft had been making a gradual decline when it looked like something, possibly a gust of wind, got under the left wing causing the right wing to go down.

Williams has lived in the area for about 20 years and is a pilot.

She didn't recognize or know the pair as being part of the Winter Haven aviation community.

On Broadbelt's Facebook page, she is seen in a photo smiling near an ultralight aircraft. She listed Pasco County Schools as her previous employer.

The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation and Safety Board.

Brown said 30 to 35 mph wind gusts were reported in the area and that could have been a factor in the crash.

Murphy has worked as the director for the airport for the past two years and said she doesn't remember a fatal crash such as this one happening in those years.

The airport is open to the public, and on a daily basis there are about 100 to 150 aircraft using the runways.

Murphy said there isn't a fee to land on the property, and many pilots fly in to eat at the restaurant.

The south ramp of the airport was closed Sunday afternoon while officials investigated the crash. Aircraft in other parts of the airport continued to fly in and out as the investigation continued.

Brown described the aviation community as a tight-knit group and said the crash was unfortunate.

Winter Haven Police Chief Gary Hester said in a prepared statement that, "Our thoughts and prayers go out to both families as they endure the realization of losing their loved one."

http://www.theledger.com

 WINTER HAVEN (FOX 13) - Two people were killed Sunday morning when an ultra-light plane crashed at the Winter Haven Municipal Airport – Gilbert Field.  The incident occurred just before 11:30 a.m.

According to a Winter Haven Police Department report emergency service personnel were dispatched to the scene after receiving a 9-1-1 call that a Airborne Windsport experimental aircraft impacted the ground, flipped over and slid over 150 feet.

The plane was conducting touch and go maneuvers witnesses say.

Susanne Broadbelt, a 60-year-old Zephyrhills resident, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gary Lawrence, a 61-year-old Inverness man, was transported to Lakeland Regional Medical Center where he died a short time later.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to both families as they endure the realization of losing their loved ones," said Winter Haven Police Chief Gary Hester.

A reported wind gust of at least 30 miles per hour may have played a role in the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration responded to the scene and the National Transportation and Safety Board will conduct a full investigation.

The airport is located at 2073 Highway 92 West in Winter Haven.

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com

 WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - A man and a woman were involved in a fatal ultralight aircraft crash Sunday morning, Winter Haven police say. 

Winter Haven police arrived on scene at the Winter Haven Municipal Airport at 11:20 a.m.

Upon arrival they found Susanne Broadbelt, 60, dead at the scene and Gary Lawrence, 61, suffering from serious injuries.

According to Jamie Brown, Winter Haven police spokeswoman, the pair had been practicing touch and goes in their Airborne Windsport.

Officials say that while they were practicing the touch and go maneuvers the aircraft hit the ground, flipped over and slid 168 feet before coming to a stop.

Lawrence was transported to Lakeland Regional Medical Center where he died a short time later due to his injuries.

Strong wind gusts of 30 to 35 miles per hour where reported at the time. It is believed the wind gusts could have played a role in the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation and Safety Board are currently investigating the scene.

Cief of Winter Haven police, Gary Hester, commented on the crash saying, “Our thoughts and prayers go out ot both families as they endure the realization of losing their loved ones.”

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

WINTER HAVEN — A man and woman were killed Sunday when an ultralight aircraft crashed during takeoff and landing maneuvers at Winter Haven Municipal Airport.

Susanne Broadbelt, 60, of Zephyrhills died at site of the accident at Gilbert Field. Gary Lawrence, 61, of Inverness, died a short while later at Lakeland Regional Medical Center.

Police said the Airborne Windsport experimental aircraft the two were riding in hit the ground, flipped over and slid 168 feet.

Broadbelt and Lawrence were reportedly practicing touch-and-go maneuvers, a procedure where aircraft briefly touch down and take off again, when the crash occurred about 11:20 a.m.

Police said a sudden wind gust may have contributed.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating to determine the cause.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to both families as they endure the realization of losing their loved ones," Winter Haven police Chief Gary Hester said.

http://www.tampabay.com
 

WINTER HAVEN, Florida -- An ultralight plane has crashed at Winter Haven Airport, according to the Winter Haven Police Department.

Authorities say one person died at the scene. Another person was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center, but later died as well. Their identities are being withheld until next of kin are notified.
 -------------
Federal aviation officials are investigating a small plane crash in central Florida that killed two passengers.

The ultralight plane crashed before noon Sunday at the Winter Haven Municipal Airport. Police say the pilot of the Airborne Windsport experimental aircraft was performing touch and go maneuvers when the plane hit the ground, flipped and slid almost 200 feet.

Police say a wind gust may have played a factor in the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation and Safety Board will determine the cause of the crash in the city about 40 miles southwest of Orlando.

Police say a woman passenger died in the crash and a man was pronounced dead at the hospital.

 http://abcnews.go.com

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 811RW        Make/Model: EXP       Description: AIRBORNE PTY LTD XT-912
  Date: 10/14/2012     Time: 1518

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

LOCATION
  City: WINTER HAVEN   State: FL   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT ON LANDING, CRASHED, THE 2 PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, 
  WINTER HAVEN, FL

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   2
                 # Crew:   2     Fat:   2     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Landing      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: ORLANDO, FL  (SO15)                   Entry date: 10/15/2012 

Piper PA-38-112, N4309E: Accident occurred October 13, 2012 in Corona, California

NTSB Identification: WPR13LA009 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, October 13, 2012 in Corona, CA
Aircraft: PIPER PA-38-112, registration: N4309E
Injuries: 1 Minor.

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

On October 13, 2012, about 1215 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-38-112, N4309E, collided with terrain following a loss of engine power during landing at Corona Municipal Airport, Corona, California. The pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The certificated commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The local flight departed Corona about 1115. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The pilot reported that during the landing approach he performed his pre-landing checks, and that shortly after turning on the auxiliary fuel pump, the engine lost all power. He performed troubleshooting procedures, with no increase in engine power. The airplane was on the left downwind leg of runway 07, and the pilot was concerned that he did not have enough altitude to turn towards the runway; he elected to land the airplane in a field directly ahead. During the approach, the right wing struck a tree, and the airplane descended underneath a power line, striking the airport perimeter fence and coming to rest in a field.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, firewall, and tailcone during the accident sequence.

 

A small plane crashed near a little league field across from Corona Municipal Airport on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012.

 (KABC Photo)

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N4309E

 A Corona man escaped with what were initially believed to be minor injuries when his small plane crashed at Corona Municipal Airport early Saturday afternoon, Oct. 13, a police lieutenant said.

Corona resident Alan Sinman, 49, was coming in for a landing about 12:11 p.m. when his single-engine Piper Tomahawk lost power and clipped some trees at the southern edge of the airport before coming down in a field just short of the runway, Corona police Lt. Neil Reynolds said. Though the plane suffered major damage, Sinman was taken to a Riverside hospital with complaints of pain to his neck and chest, Reynolds said.

No one else was reported injured.

Sinman had flown in from John Wayne airport in Orange County. The plane also appeared to have hit a fence before coming to rest on airport property near the north side of Butterfield Driver, witness Jackson Shaw said.

Corona Municipal Airport supervisor Mike Word believes that Sinman handled the crash well.
“He’s a good pilot who spends quite a few hours in his plane,” he said. “I talked to him afterward, and he said he was okay.”

The plane had been towed away by 2 p.m. to a storage site. The National Transportation Safety Board had been notified and planned to take over the crash investigation, Reynolds said.

The Piper Tomahawk has a wingspan of 34 feet and can comfortably seat two people, according to pipertomahawk.com, a website for the plane’s enthusiasts. 

Story and comments:   http://www.pe.com

CORONA, Calif. (KABC) -- A pilot is lucky to be alive after his light plane crashed near a little league field across from Corona Municipal Airport. 

 Airport officials say the plane was en route from John Wayne Airport when it lost power.

Witnesses say the plane was very low when it flew over the Corona Butterfield Park Baseball Field where several games were going on. It clipped some tree branches, began to cartwheel, crashed near the edge of the park and skidded across the street.

The pilot, identified as 49-year-old Alan Sinman of Corona, was taken to the hospital. There was no word on his condition.

http://abclocal.go.com

 http://registry.faa.gov/N4309E

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/048116.html

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 4309E        Make/Model: PA38      Description: PA-38 Tomahawk
  Date: 10/13/2012     Time: 1915

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

LOCATION
  City: CORONA   State: CA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO A FIELD, NEAR CORONA, CA

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


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: RIVERSIDE, CA  (WP21)                 Entry date: 10/15/2012 

Stumpfhauser Richard F SLIPSTREAM, N454RS: Aircraft force landed into a field - Fresno, California

The pilot of an ultralight aircraft escaped injury Saturday morning when he was forced to make an emergency landing in a field along the San Joaquin River.

The pilot collapsed the landing gear of the plane when he brought the plane down near Milburn Avenue and the river in northwest Fresno. The crash happened about 10 a.m. and sent firefighters and other emergency workers speeding to the area.

Battalion Chief Chuck Tobias said the pilot "did a very good job of bringing the plane down."

At the crash site, a man who said he was the pilot but declined to identify himself said he took off from nearby Sierra Sky Park just a few minutes before the engine began cutting out, forcing him to make the landing. He said damage to the aircraft appeared to be limited to the landing gear.

 http://www.fresnobee.com

 http://registry.faa.gov/N454RS

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 454RS        Make/Model: EXP       Description: SLIPSTREAM
  Date: 10/13/2012     Time: 1723

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

LOCATION
  City: FRESNO   State: CA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED INTO A FIELD, NEAR FRESNO, CA

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


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: FRESNO, CA  (WP17)                    Entry date: 10/15/2012 

Drunk Pilot Crashes Aircraft

 

Drunk Pilot Crashes Aircraft © Photo 

Emergency Situations Ministry press service, Krasnodar Territory 16:03 01/10/2012 KRASNODAR, October 1

 (RIA Novosti)

The pilot of a light aircraft that crashed into a Black Sea estuary near the town of Anapa on Sunday evening was drunk and operating the aircraft without permission, prosecutors in Krasnodar Territory reported on Monday.

The aircraft crashed into the Kiziltash estuary 500 meters from shore. The pilot, who was flying solo, was rescued and hospitalized in serious condition.

“The plane was being operated without permission. In addition the pilot was under the influence of alcohol,” prosecutors said in a statement.

According to preliminary information, during an attempted water landing the aircraft hit a sand bank and broke apart.

The Novorossiysk transportation prosecutors are investigating the incident.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20121001/176337671.html

Piper PA-28-151 Warrior, G-BCTF: Accident occurred March 25, 2012 at the Durham Tees Valley Airport, North Yorkshire

Report name:  Piper PA-28-151 Warrior, G-BCTF
Registration:  G-BCTF
Type:  Piper PA-28-151 Warrior
Location:  Durham Tees Valley Airport, North Yorkshire
Date of occurrence:  25 March 2012
Category:  General Aviation - Fixed Wing

Summary:  Following a normal landing the right main gear leg separated from its wing spar attachment. Two of the bolts which had secured the leg were found to have failed due to fatigue. The root cause of the fatigue failure could not be established.

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/sites/aaib/publications/bulletins/october_2012/piper_pa_28_151_warrior__g_bctf.cfm

 Download report:
Piper PA-28-151 Warrior G-BCTF 10-12.pdf (1,983.23 kb)

Robinson R44, II, N474FA: Accident occurred October 11, 2012 in Blanco, Texas

NTSB Identification: CEN13FA010
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, October 11, 2012 in Blanco, TX
Aircraft: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, registration: N474FA
Injuries: 3 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 either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On October 11, 2012, about 2006 central daylight time, a Robinson Helicopter Company model R44 II, N474FA, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during cruise flight near Blanco, Texas. The flight instructor, passenger-receiving-instruction, and one additional passenger were fatally injured. The helicopter was operated by Veracity Aviation LLC, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight, which departed Gillespie County Airport (T82), Fredericksburg, Texas, approximately 1956, enroute to Huber Airpark Civic Club LLC Airport (E70), Seguin, Texas.

According to the operator of the helicopter, the purpose of the flight was a roundtrip cross-country flight from the operator’s home base at E70, located in Seguin, Texas, to Midland International Airport (KMAF), in Midland, Texas. The return flight from KMAF to E70 had departed shortly after 1716, according to fueling documentation obtained from the fix-based operator that serviced the accident helicopter with 37.7 gallons of 100 low-lead aviation fuel.

There were no witnesses to the helicopter arriving at T82 or while it was being refueled at one of the airport’s self-serve fueling stations. At 1936, the accident helicopter was fueled with 15.92 gallons of 100 low-lead aviation fuel, according to fueling documentation and credit card receipts. A witness, who was also a helicopter pilot, subsequently reported seeing a Robinson R44 helicopter depart toward the southeast; however, due to the dark night conditions he was unable to discern the helicopter’s registration number or paint color. He noted that the helicopter had departed from the self-service fueling station near the main airport building.

At 2006, the United States Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC), located at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, received a 406 MHz emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal assigned to the accident helicopter. About 18 minutes later, the AFRCC received their first of several triangulated positions for the active ELT signal. The accident site was subsequently located, with the assistance of airborne and ground units, at 0824 the morning following the accident. The wreckage was located in a sparsely populated area comprised of hilly terrain.

The closest weather observing station was located at the Gillespie County Airport (T82), Fredericksburg, Texas, about 22 miles northwest of the accident site. At 1955, the automated surface observing system reported the following weather conditions: wind 140 degrees magnetic at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 1,900 feet above ground level, temperature 23 degrees Celsius, dew point 22 degrees Celsius, altimeter setting 30.10 inches of mercury.

The United States Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department reported that the sunset and end of civil twilight at the departure airport was at 1908 and 1932, respectively.

 Two men and a woman died Thursday night when their helicopter crashed in far northern Kendall County as it flew from Fredericksburg to its base in Seguin.

The wreckage was found about 9 a.m. Friday, in rugged terrain between Fredericksburg and Blanco — far from any road.

“We’re securing the scene and awaiting the arrival of the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board,” Department of Public Safety Spokesman Jason Reyes said.
FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford in Fort Worth said the team led by the NTSB, which oversees all fatal aircraft investigations, was expected to arrive at the scene today.

The victims’ names were being withheld as authorities sought to notify their families, Reyes said.
Kendall County Chief Deputy Matt King said the four-seat Robinson R44 helicopter, owned by Veracity Aviation, crashed on the last leg of a flight from Midland to Seguin.

Officials at the company, a flight school based at Huber Air Park in Seguin, declined comment.
After leaving Midland, King said, the copter had stopped about 7:30 p.m. Thursday to refuel at Gillespie County Airport, then left for Seguin.

Its emergency beacon activated about 8 p.m., King said, leading a company official to alert authorities, who tried to locate the downed craft using the beacon.

“We searched through the night with the DPS, game wardens, firefighters and EMS personnel,” King said.

A Veracity Aviation helicopter crew spotted the wreckage off Ranch Road 1888, King said, and emergency personnel dispatched to the site on foot found no one alive.

David Smith, owner of Fredericksburg FBO, a fuel facility at Gillspie County Airport, said the helicopter refueled at a self-serve fueling terminal after his business had closed for the night.
“We had no interaction with them at all,” he said of the helicopter’s occupants.

Upon learning of the crash late Thursday, Smith suspended fuel sales to test the fuel and inspect the system. He said no problems were discovered.

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

UPDATE: NewsWest 9 has just learned that Venture Energy Services Inc., out of Bridgeport, rented the helicopter involved in the crash in Kendall County. They tell us two of their employees were lost in the crash along with the pilot who was employed with the company they chartered the helicopter with.

FREDERICKSBURG, Texas — Three people have been killed in a helicopter crash in Kendall County.

The crash happened around 8:00 p.m. Thursday on a private ranch in the 4600 block of Ranch Road 1888 in Far North Kendall County.

According to the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office, a call came in from the owner of the helicopter in Seguin around 10:30 p.m. Thursday night. The owner said he had received a call from an OnStar-like company saying an emergency beacon had gone off on the chopper.

The helicopter was traveling from Midland to Seguin and had stopped in Fredericksburg to refuel. The chopper left Fredericksburg around 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The emergency beacon then activated about 30 minutes later.

Department of Public Safety officials said emergency crews were unable to locate the crash site until Friday morning. All three people onboard were killed. Their identifies have not been released.

 http://registry.faa.gov/N474FA

 http://www.futurshox.net

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 474FA        Make/Model: R44       Description: ROBINSON R44
  Date: 10/12/2012     Time: 1420

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

LOCATION
  City: FREDERICKSBURG   State: TX   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  N474FA ROBINSON R44 ROTORCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 3 
  PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, NEAR FREDRICKSBURG, TX

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   3
                 # Crew:   3     Fat:   3     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: SAN ANTONIO, TX  (SW17)               Entry date: 10/15/2012 

Piper PA28-140, N15037: Accident occurred October 12, 2012 in Allentown, Pennsylvania

NTSB Identification: ERA13LA025 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, October 12, 2012 in Allentown, PA
Aircraft: PIPER PA-28-140, registration: N15037
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

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

On October 12, 2012, about 1835 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N15037, operated by Ace Pilot Training Inc., was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a corn field, following a partial loss of engine power during initial climb from Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE), Allentown, Pennsylvania. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and private pilot were not injured. The instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the planned local flight.

The CFI stated that the airplane was fueled to 36 gallons prior to the flight. The engine start-up, taxi, and run-up were normal. While departing from runway 31, about 200 feet above ground level, the CFI noticed that the throttle lever did not appear to be completely forward. He and the private pilot pushed the throttle lever full forward with resistance, which was followed by engine sputtering. The CFI then applied carburetor heat; however, the engine continued to sputter. He then elected to land in a corn field. During the landing, the engine firewall and right aileron were damaged.

Examination of the airplane was planned following its recovery from the corn field.

Published on October 12, 2012 

Catasauqua, PA. - Around 18:48 hours, a resident in the area of Walnut Street and Cambridge Place reported a small aircraft crashed in the wooded area behind his home.

Lehigh County transmitted a "Plane Crash" followed by an alert 1 for an aircraft down in this area.

Catasauqua Chief 201 staged at Walnut and Cambridge while all apparatus staging was on Race Street at Willow Brook Road.

The Air Traffic Control Tower confirmed there was an aircraft down north of the airfield. Han-Le-Co Chief 3301 staged on Willow Brook Road as units started a search. By 19:10 hours, two people emerged from the corn field, the pilot and a passenger, uninjured.

Crews remained on scene searching for the aircraft that was lost in the high corn field.

Units on Scene: Lehigh County 2, 33, 42, 75, 62, 41, Allentown and Whitehall. Northampton County stations 45 and 46.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 15037        Make/Model: PA28      Description: PA-28 CHEROKEE
  Date: 10/12/2012     Time: 2235

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

LOCATION
  City: ALLENTOWN   State: PA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT HAD TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT BUT WAS FORCED TO 
  LAND IN A FIELD. ALLENTOWN, PA

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   2     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Training      Phase: Take-off      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: ALLENTOWN, PA  (EA05)                 Entry date: 10/16/2012 

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N15037

http://registry.faa.gov/N15037

 

 

The Federal Aviation Administration on Saturday began investigating the crash of a small, 40-year-old plane that landed in a cornfield near Lehigh Valley International Airport Friday night shortly after takeoff.

The two men aboard the plane were not injured, according to officials. Their identities have not been released.

The FAA identified the owner of the plane as Constantine G. Yialamas of Nazareth. Airport officials confirmed Yialamas is an employee with Ace Pilot Training, a flight school that rents space at the airport.

Attempts to reach Yialamas at the flight school Saturday were unsuccessful.

Charles Everett, executive director of the airport, said the crash likely involved a flight school student, but he's not sure if a student was in the pilot or co-pilot seat.

Everett said he was told that the pilot had a "rough engine and wanted to head back" to the airport. Everett doesn't believe the plane, listed in an FAA registry as a Piper PA-28-140 fixed wing single-engine plane built in 1972, was severely damaged.

"There might be slight damage," he said.

The plane left the runway at 6:34 p.m., according to the FAA. After experiencing trouble, the pilot tried to return to the airport, but ended up descending into the cornfield near the border of Hanover Township, Lehigh County, and Allen Township, about a mile and a half from the airport.

Firefighters and airport workers rushed to the area and searched the woods and fields for more than a half-hour before the pilot radioed he was trying to find his way out of the field with a flashlight.

The pilot and his co-pilot emerged from the field along Willowbrook Road in Hanover Township, about 7:15 p.m.

An ambulance crew was sent to evaluate the two men.

Firefighters found the aircraft about 7:45 p.m.

Everett said it's been "many years" since an incident like this occurred at the airport, but he couldn't supply a specific date. Airport spokeswoman Susan Kittle said she also didn't know the last time a crash occurred out of LVIA.

FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said it could take up to a year for the National Transportation Safety Board to determine the cause of the crash.

http://www.poconorecord.com

A Federal Aviation Administration official said the pilot of a plane that went down near Lehigh Valley International Airport Friday night was trying to return to the airport shortly after takeoff. 

 Spokesperson Kathleen Bergen said the FAA is investigating the crash of the Piper Cherokee general aviation airplane that was reported down about 6:50 p.m. near the Hanover Township, Lehigh County, facility.

The plane is registered to Constantine Yialamas, of Lower Nazareth Township, according to FAA registry records. He is also listed as treasurer of Ace Pilot Training Inc., located at LVIA. Reached this morning at the business, Yialamas declined to comment when asked about the crash.

Officials said the plane went down near Runway 13/31, in a cornfield about 1.5 miles northwest of the airport. The pilot and co-pilot were not injured, Bergen said, and they walked to Willowbrook Road near the Catasauqua border, airport spokeswoman Susan Kittle said.

This morning the tail of the plane could be seen sticking out of the field, a path for emergency vehicles cut through the corn stalks. In terms of removing the plane, Bergen said the aircraft owner and his insurance company are responsible for removing the aircraft. 


http://www.airnav.com/airport/KABE

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com

A pilot and co-pilot aboard a small plane walked away after the aircraft crashed this evening in a field near Lehigh Valley International Airport, an airport representative said.

The Piper Cherokee  was reported down about 6:50 p.m. near the Hanover Township, Lehigh County, facility.

The plane went down near Runway 13/31, airport spokeswoman Susan Kittle said, though it wasn’t immediately clear whether it was taking off or landing at the time.

The occupants walked to Willowbrook Road, Kittle said. A witness to efforts to find the plane said efforts were focused northwest of Willowbrook Road and Race Street, near the Catasauqua border.

Emergency personnel reported recovering the two people but were still searching for the plane as of about 7:30 p.m. Emergency officials said the two people were being treated by EMS, but declined to go to the hospital.

“Both have been located and they’re OK,” airport spokeswoman Susan Kittle said.

No one on the ground was reported injured.

A Lehigh County 911 dispatcher said no information was immediately available. Pennsylvania State Police at Bethlehem, stationed nearby on Airport Road in the city, also had no information immediately available.

Sikorsky S-55B, N443FD: Accident occurred October 12, 2012 in Yorktown, New York

NTSB Identification: ERA13LA018 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, October 12, 2012 in Yorktown, NY
Aircraft: SIKORSKY S-55B, registration: N443FD
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

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

On October 12, 2012, about 1800 eastern daylight time, a Sikorsky S-55B, N443FD, was substantially damaged during an off airport precautionary landing near Yorktown, New York. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor and left side of the fuselage. The helicopter was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight destined for the Igor I Sikorsky Memorial Airport (BDR), Bridgeport, Connecticut. The flight originated from Newton Airport (3N5), Newton, New Jersey, approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident.

According to the pilot, while in cruise flight, with a quartering tailwind, an unusual noise was heard. He elected to perform a precautionary landing to a farm field. As the helicopter was descending for the precautionary landing, he utilized the collective to arrest the descent rate beginning about 30 feet above ground level. However, utilizing the full travel of the collective the helicopter continued with no noticeable reduction in descent. The helicopter landed in the field; however, all four landing gears sank into the soft ground and it rolled over and came to rest on the left side of the fuselage.

Initial examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that substantial damage had occurred to the main rotor blades as well as the left side of the helicopter. However, due to the helicopters position a detailed examination was not able to be accomplished at that time. The FAA inspector will examine the helicopter after it has been recovered.

Workers at Kitchawan Farm in Yorktown look over the chopper that crashed there Friday evening. 

 Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News

 

 

YORKTOWN, N.Y. (WABC) -- A helicopter was forced to make a crash landing in a field in Yorktown Friday evening. There were no injuries either to the pilot or his passenger, the identities of who were not immediately available. It happened at about 6:15 p.m. The vintage N443FD, an S55B, landed in a field at a working farm, then rolled over on its side. No one on the ground was hurt. The Yorktown Police said the chopper was enroute from Newton, New Jersey to Bridgeport, Connecticut when the pilot said the on board power failed. Both the pilot and his passenger walked away from the accident and refused medical attention at the scene. The homeowners refused to comment. The FAA was on the scene. The cause of the accident was thought to be due to a malfuctioning fuel pump. 

 YORKTOWN — The Federal Aviation Administration is continuing its investigation into a helicopter that crashed onto a field at Kitchawan Farm, officials said this morning.  

Two people on board walked away from the scene unharmed after their single-engine helicopter made a hard landing in the field and flipped over on its side about 6 p.m. Friday.

Yorktown police said the helicopter took off from Newton and was headed to an airshow near Bridgeport, Conn.

FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said the extent of damage to the helicopter, a Sikorsky S-55B, is under investigation and that the National Transportation Safety Board determines probable causes of accidents. Their investigation could take up to a year, she said, though a preliminary report will be available in a week or two.

Initial reports indicated a malfunctioning fuel pump may have caused the crash, FAA officials said Friday.

Early today, the helicopter remained on its side in the field as horses grazed nearby. The property owners refused to allow reporters onto the farm that grows vegetables, herbs and flowers.

“They got plenty of space for crashes over there,” said neighbor Frank Bergh. “Sounds to me like the pilot knew what he was doing, that he landed in an area without a lot of trees.

Bergh, who lives across the street from Kitchawan Farm, said he was happy the helicopter did not land on his property where he has lived for 49 years.

According to the FAA, the helicopter was made in 1955 and seats 12 people. It is registered to Sparta Rotors in Newton, N.J. The company specializes in aerial photography, surveying, fire control and search and rescue. A message left at their New York City offices was not immediately returned.

In April, a single-engine plane crash-landed at the IBM research center, a little more than a mile east of Friday’s accident. That crash also did not result in serious injuries.

http://www.lohud.com

YORKTOWN — Two people walked away unharmed Friday after their helicopter crashed onto a field at Kitchawan Farms, police said. Holly Baker, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said the Sikorsky S-55B made a hard landing off Kitchawan Road about 6 p.m. before flipping onto its side. Initial reports indicated a malfunctioning fuel pump may have caused the crash, Baker said.

 Yorktown police, as well as and Westchester County police and the Department of Environmental Protection were at the crash site. The helicopter was said to have landed a short distance from several buildings. The property owners, however, refused to grant reporters access to the site, brusquely stating that no trespassing is permitted on the private grounds. 

According to the FAA, the one-engine helicopter was made in 1955 and seats 12 people. It is registered to Sparta Rotors in Newton, N.J. According to the company’s website, Sparta Rotors, which also has offices in New York City, it specializes in aerial photography, surveying, fire control and search and rescue. A message left at the company was not immediately returned. 

 At 8:15 p.m., Baker said FAA authorities were on their way to the crash site and would be heading up the investigation. She could not say where the helicopter had flown out of or where it was headed. Also unclear was how badly the craft had been damaged and when it would be removed.

 The crash appeared to have had little impact on the surrounding area. Traffic was flowing normally on the neighboring streets and several people living nearby reported not having seen or heard the crash. Friday's crash site is located about a mile and a half east of the IBM research center where a single-engine plane crash-landed on April 20. That crash also resulted in no serious injuries. 

 http://registry.faa.gov/N443FD

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IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 443FD        Make/Model: S55B      Description: SIKORSKY S-55B ROTORCRAFT
  Date: 10/12/2012     Time: 2248

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

LOCATION
  City: YORKTOWN   State: NY   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  N443FD SIKORSKY S-55B ROTORCRAFT LANDED IN A FIELD AND ROLLED ONTO ITS 
  SIDE, NEAR YORKTOWN, NY

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   2     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Landing      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: GARDEN CITY, NY  (EA15)               Entry date: 10/15/2012