Friday, October 19, 2012

Aeropro Cz A240, N72AH: Accident occurred October 15, 2012 in Half Moon Bay, California

NTSB Identification: WPR13FA013 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, October 15, 2012 in Half Moon Bay, CA
Aircraft: AEROPRO CZ A240, registration: N72AH
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 15, 2012, about 0600 Pacific daylight time a light sport, Aeropro CZ A240, N72AH, impacted terrain near Half Moon Bay, California. The sport pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence, and was consumed by a post impact fire. The cross-country personal flight departed Half Moon Bay Airport (HAF), in Half Moon Bay, California with a planned destination of Apple Valley Airport, Apple Valley, California. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The airplane did not reach its destination at its expected time, and became the subject of an Alert Notice (ALNOT). A search was conducted by the Civil Air Patrol and the Coast Guard, and the airplane was subsequently located the morning of October 16. The wreckage was located about 400 yards west of HAF on a west facing slope. The slope was part of a ridge line that overlooked and paralleled the runway at HAF.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration examined the wreckage at the accident scene. The first identified point of contact (FIPOC) was a pattern of broken and displaced brush and limbs about 35 feet in length. Paralleling the pattern was a narrow swath about 15 feet in length. A red colored lens assembly was found near the (FIPOC). The pattern and swath led uphill to the principle impact crater (PIC) which was about 5 feet in diameter. Multiple propeller blade fragments were found near the PIC. The main wreckage was found further uphill surrounded by undamaged trees and bushes about 10 feet in height. Thermal damage was contained only to the main wreckage and was not found in the debris path.

An automated surface weather observation at HAF, (elevation 66 feet msl, about 1/4 mile west of the accident site). It indicated wind from 360 degrees at 6 knots, 3/4 miles visibility, mist, with an overcast ceiling at 300 feet, temperature at 13 degrees C, dew point 13 degrees C, and an altimeter setting at 30.08 inches of mercury.


 
Charles Russo
A salvage crew worker removes the tail fin of Andrew Charles Hayden's crashed airplane, along the bluffs in Moss Beach in California.

Officials have identified an airplane that crashed Monday morning on the bluffs at Pillar Point in Moss Beach as that of 75-year-old Andrew Charles Hayden, better known as “Andy.” 

 The Punta Gorda, Florida, resident took off Monday morning from Half Moon Bay Airport with the intention of meeting his 79-year-old cousin, Ken Sowles, at the Marana Regional Airport in Tucson. At the time, Hayden was finishing a 6,000-mile trip to visit friends and family across various states before heading home to Florida.

Hayden’s wife reported the plane missing that evening, and search and rescue teams were dispatched. The plane was found Tuesday morning by a San Mateo County Parks ranger. The San Mateo County Coroner’s Office identified Hayden on Wednesday.

Cause of death has not been confirmed, but the coroner's investigation suggests Hayden may have died before the plane crashed, said Sowles. San Mateo County Coroner Robert Fourcrault has said in published reports that the condition of the remains preclude a full examination.

Sowles remembered Hayden as his best friend, a good man who was quiet and focused and cared a lot about his family. He also remembered a man with a penchant for adventure.

“He went out of this world in a blaze the way he came into this world in a blaze. He was always pushing the envelope,” Sowles said.

They were the types of cousins who didn’t have to talk every day to stay close. Whenever they got together, they had fun.

Riding horses on an Arizona ranch, surfing in Hawaii or piloting his own plane cross-country were all activities that were part of just another day in the life of Hayden.

Though Hayden seldom spoke of it, he was highly decorated as a young man when he served as a member of the U.S. Navy SEAL team.

“I would classify him as a hero in my mind,” said Sowles.

Hayden got his first taste of ocean life as he grew up in a seafaring family, and after his days as a SEAL, he built a sailboat and traveled by himself all over the Pacific. Skydiving – a skill he picked up in the Navy – was another pastime Hayden enjoyed.

“We didn’t do those things anymore, but these are the kinds of things we used to reminisce about, joke about,” said Sowles.

When visiting his cousin’s ranch in Arizona, Hayden would take to the land as easily as the sea.

“He’d become a cowboy real quick. We’d go off and get in a little trouble every now and then as kids do,” said Sowles, reflecting on their youth.

They also bonded in the air.

“When he got into airplanes, we had even more of a common denominator,” said Sowles, a former bush pilot.

Despite being constantly in motion, Hayden was a man with whom Sowles could sit down, talk and have a beer.

Besides Sowles, Hayden was the oldest of his generation on that side of their family. They kept up the family’s history.

Hayden is survived by his daughter, a Bay Area resident, and his wife.

Plans for services are pending.

Source:  http://www.gvnews.com

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photos
http://registry.faa.gov/N72AH

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: N72AH        Make/Model: A240      Description: AEROPRO CZ
  Date: 10/15/2012     Time: 1230

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

LOCATION
  City: HALF MOON BAY   State: CA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TERRAIN UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES

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: OAKLAND, CA  (WP27)                   Entry date: 10/17/2012 

Texas A&M University looking to privatize Easterwood Field Airport (KCLL), College Station, Texas

Texas A&M University has taken the first steps toward privatizing portions of the university-owned airport that services the Bryan-College Station area.

Requests for qualifications for outsourcing Easterwood Airport's management and its fixed-base operator services, such as fueling, hangaring, parking and aircraft maintenance, are due on Oct. 26.

A university official said the process is exploratory, and that the university is looking for additional revenue streams.

The airport is currently self-sustaining and does not get funding from nor give revenue to Texas A&M.

Easterwood provides the only commercial flights, through American and United airlines, for the area between Houston and Dallas. Texas A&M university system regents authorized the development of the airport in 1938. It was used primarily as a flight school until 1951.


http://www.theeagle.com

Brainerd Lakes Regional (KBRD), Minnesota: Airport manager candidate's earlier guilty plea related to airport spending

A candidate for the airport manager position at the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport earlier pleaded guilty to an amended misdemeanor charge of conspiracy to commit theft by deception in 2010.

The Lexington Herald-Leader (Ky.) newspaper reported in March of 2010 that John Coon, who now works at an airport in Anderson, Ind., pleaded guilty to the charge that had been amended down from a felony theft charge. The plea deal, according to the newspaper, required Coon to testify at any trials against any other defendants in a case involving spending of airport money.

Coon said he felt bad about the incident but felt that he had paid his debt to society and done a good job in the past 18 months as airport manager at the Anderson (Ind.) Municipal Airport.

“It was an unfortunate situation and I have a lot of remorse towards it,” Coon said. “It damaged by career, my family and my reputation in the industry. I feel very bad that it happened.”

Coon previously worked at the Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Ky., and according to the Herald-Leader was one of four men indicted after law agencies spent more than nine months investigating spending at the Blue Grass Airport. All four men, the newspaper reported, were forced to step down in January of 2009. They spent more than $530,000 on travel, meals and entertainment and other expenses from 2006 to 2008, the Herald-Leader reported.

Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport Commission Chair Andy Larson could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon. Commissioner Beth Pfingsten said Friday she knew nothing about any problems Coon had in the past and had no comment.

Coon is one of five candidates who are scheduled to be interviewed for the permanent airport manager post that has been open since December.

Two Brainerd area candidates have surfaced for the airport manager position. Rick Adair, the current interim airport manager, and Jeff Wig, a dean at Central Lakes College, are among the five candidates who will be interviewed within the next two weeks.

The other candidates are Anthony Dudas, airport operations officer at Sloulin Field International Airport in Williston, N.D.; Brian Madsen, airport manager at Skyharbor in Duluth; and Coons.

Dudas, Wig and Madsen will be interviewed Thursday. Coon and Adair will be interviewed Oct. 30.

The Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport Commission and Manager Search Committee will conduct the first set of interviews at 1 p.m. Thursday in the airport conference room at the airport. The two groups will also conduct interviews at 1 p.m. Oct. 30 at the same location.

http://brainerddispatch.com

American Eagle worries

Dominicans have been told to prepare for the worst as American Eagle get ready to end flights from Puerto Rico in 2013. 

 The airline has confirmed plans to suspend flights from San Juan to a number of destinations in the Caribbean in attempts to shave $75-million per year in labor costs.

Executive Director of the Discover Dominica Authority Collin Piper told the 41st annual general meeting of the Dominica Hotel and Tourism Association at the Fort Young hotel on Wednesday night that American Eagle has also confirmed ongoing discussions with three companies to help breach the gaps which will be left by the airline.

He did not name the companies, only referring to them as ‘X, Y, Z.’

“We also heard from American Airlines who confirmed that they are in discussion with three companies towards an American Airline service or an American Eagle service operated by X, Y, Z,” Piper said. “We don’t know what will materialize but I heard someone mention that they were able to book tickets up to July next year.”

Piper is anticipating that a decision will be made soon and that American Airlines will announce its intentions concerning that matter.

Despite this, the is warning that Dominica should prepare for the worst.

“I think we need to prepare for the worst in this particular case because if they are not able to come to an agreement with any one of these three airlines its entirely possible that American Airlines will make other arrangements for those ticketed passengers and that would include putting them on seats of alternate airlines,” the DDA boss disclosed.

American Eagle serves Dominica with 896 seats from San Juan weekly.


http://dominicanewsonline.com

DCA gives PC Air one last chance

The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) has warned Thai-owned PC Air that if it leaves passengers stranded again, the troubled airline will be grounded.

The warning came in talks between the DCA, deputy transport minister Chatchart Sithipan and airline executives yesterday, after PC Air on Tuesday left 400 of its passengers stranded at South Korea's Incheon International Airport.

The department decided not to revoke the airline's operating license immediately, as many customers had already bought tickets for future flights. But they would not hesitate to do so if the problem recurs, the deputy minister said.

The recent stranding of passengers was the first time the privately owned PC Air has had a problem of that kind. The incident occurred due to a conflict between the airline and its South Korean agent, Skyjet, over unpaid bills for airport charges and jet fuel totaling more than 10 million baht.

According to the deputy transport minister, PC Air said it sent staff to Incheon Airport to deal with the situation. The airline's payment system to Skyjet will be terminated, he said.

"As far as the company's financial status is concerned, it appears to have no problem. We will therefore not terminate its license," Mr Chatchart said.

PC Air's license must be renewed every month. The current license will expire at the end of this month.

DCA director-general Woradej Harnprasert said the airline had not yet filed a request for an extension of its license, but said the proposal could be lodged any time within 45 days prior to its expiry.

In the wake of the stranding, the DCA has been directed to draft additional regulations to protect passengers' rights on domestic and international charter flights. The regulations could be enforced within a month, Mr Chatchart said.

Besides PC Air, Thailand has five other airlines providing international charter flights - Jet Asia Airways, City Airways, Solar Aviation, U Airlines and Siam General Aviation. Executives of the six airlines will meet the Transport Ministry next Friday to discuss imposing tighter measures to protect passengers' rights.


 http://www.bangkokpost.com

Piper PA-24, N7107P: Pilot reported gear problems .. After pilot attempted to manually extend the gear, the gear partially extended, pilot landed and gear collapsed - Lewiston, Idaho

 
LEWISTON, ID - A pilot and his dog walked away from an emergency landing at the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport Thursday morning. 

The plane circled the tarmac before attempting to make a smooth belly landing on the runway, after the pilot discovered a malfunction that disabled the wheels from fully extending. The plane skidded on it's belly before quickly coming to a stop. Eye witness Jim Otey said he and a group of bystanders were nervous for the pilot as they watched.

"We are all agreeing he did a beautiful job considering the circumstances," said Otey. "The wind was not exactly on line with the runway but he did a perfect job of setting it down."

There was minimal damage to the plane and no one was injured. The pilot has yet to be identified, however airport authorities told KLEW News that he and his dog were uninjured. 


Story and video:   http://www.klewtv.com


http://registry.faa.gov/N7107P
 
IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 7107P        Make/Model: PA24      Description: PA-24 Comanche
  Date: 10/18/2012     Time: 1935

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

LOCATION
  City: LEWISTON   State: ID   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  PILOT REPORTED GEAR PROBLEMS. AFTER PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MANUALLY EXTEND THE 
  GEAR, THE GEAR PARTIALLY EXTENDED. PILOT LANDED AND GEAR COLLAPSED

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


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Landing      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: SPOKANE, WA  (NM13)                   Entry date: 10/19/2012 

Palm Beach International Airport, West Palm Beach, Florida: Plane forced to land at KPBI was on its way to Bahamas

A general aviation plane on its way to the Bahamas made an emergency landing this morning at Palm Beach International Airport after a report of a possible fire in the plane’s luggage compartment.

The plane, a Beech Baron 55 which originated from Fort Myers, landed safely at 11:35 a.m. None of the four people on board were injured, a Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman said. Officials initially reported there were 12 people on board.

“The plane landed safely,” said airport spokeswoman Cassandra Davis. “No fire.”

After the plane landed, fire rescue crews found out that there was no actual fire, said Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Capt. Albert Borroto.

The plane was en route to Chub Cay International Airport in the Berry Islands of the Bahamas.


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

WEST PALM BEACH, FL (WFLX) - A plane was forced to make an emergency landing at the Palm Beach International Airport before noon Friday.

Aviation officials first indicated there was a possible fire in the baggage compartment area of the plane.

It was later discovered that the plane, a general aviation private jet that holds up to 12 passengers, was not on fire.

Everyone is okay, and the plane has landed said Palm Beach International Airport spokeswoman Cassandra Davis.

http://www.wflx.com

South Carolina flight logs: Clemson University is biggest user of state-owned planes

COLUMBIA, S.C. — When Clemson University sold one of its two planes last year, the school started using a new type of public transportation – the state’s airplanes.

Clemson has used the state’s two planes for more trips between Oct. 1, 2011, and Sept. 30 than Gov. Nikki Haley or state lawmakers, according to flight log data from the S.C. Aeronautics Commission.

The university has reimbursed the state $90,455 for 30 flights in the past year. Haley’s office used the state-owned planes for 21 trips, while all state agencies combined accounted for 18. Lawmakers used the planes for 16 trips, led by four by House Speaker Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston.

Talk about who is using the state-owned planes ramped up after Gov. Nikki Haley said last week that she thinks South Carolina should sell its aircraft. Haley made the suggestion after she had to repay nearly $10,000 for using the planes to attend bill signings and news conferences – uses no longer deemed legitimate state business by legislators.

Clemson is the only public college that has used the state-owned planes in the past year, according to state flight logs.

The University of South Carolina owns two planes and spent nearly $700,000 on flights and pilots from July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012, according to school data. That was $200,000 less than Clemson spent on its two planes in 2010-11, the last full fiscal year that Clemson owned two planes.

Clemson says it uses the state-owned planes to save money – the school spent nearly $160,000 less in flight costs in 2010-11 than during the previous year. By using the state-owned planes, the school says it also avoided the cost of buying a new university-owned plane.

Using the state planes saves Clemson officials time traveling from its campus in the northwest corner of South Carolina.

“Because of our location, a one-hour budget presentation in Columbia could easily consume an entire day for auto travel,” school spokeswoman Robin Denny said.

Clemson sold one of its planes, a 1977 Aero Commander, for $512,000 in February 2011 and has been relying on a plane bought for its athletics department by its booster group IPTAY.

When the athletics department or state-owned planes are booked, the university leases charter planes, at a cost of nearly $113,000 since December 2010.

Clemson began using state planes in October 2011 at the suggestion of S.C. Aeronautics officials.

Clemson president James Barker has flown state planes for 11 trips in the past year, mostly to come Columbia for meetings. Barker also has flown to an Atlantic Coast Conference gathering and to Atlanta for a trip to London for the Summer Olympic Games, according to manifests. Some of his flights listed no specific purpose.

Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney and basketball coach Brad Brownell have used state-owned planes on 10 occasions though no specifics of their travel were listed on manifests.

The school said all travel on the state-owned planes was for university business.

“It (also) has improved the cost-effectiveness of the state’s air service, which is why the state encouraged us to use this shared resource,” Barker said in a statement.

Clemson’s increased use of the state planes has not led to scheduling conflicts with other agencies, S.C. Aeronautics executive director Paul Werts said. Planes are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis with no priority given to any state officials, he said.

If the state planes are sold, as Clemson grad Haley has suggested, the school would lean on leasing charter planes for its travel needs, Denny said. The hourly rate on charter flights is about half the cost of operating the Clemson-owned plane, the university said.

Haley said she is not concerned about her alma mater having to find alternate travel if the state-owned planes are sold. Instead, she said her focus is on how lawmakers are using the aircraft.

Haley, lawmakers and agency officials use the planes mostly for speaking engagements, to meet with members of Congress or economic development prospects, and attend association meetings, according to manifests.

“When I think about the state plane, I don’t think about the colleges and the universities,” Haley said. “The plane is for the people.

“It’s not for the users for convenience.”

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

Cirrus SR20, N499SF: Accident occurred October 15, 2012 in Parker, Arizona

NTSB Identification: WPR13LA011
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, October 15, 2012 in Parker, AZ
Probable Cause Approval Date: 01/13/2014
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR20, registration: N499SF
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

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

Before the first flight of the day, the pilot visually checked the airplane’s fuel quantity through the fuel tank filler necks, observing what he believed to be full tanks. He subsequently checked the fuel gauges, which indicated that both wing tanks were less than half full. Surmising that the gauges were faulty, the pilot departed on a short flight to a local airport to pick up a passenger. After picking up the passenger, they departed for a cross-country flight. He did not refuel the airplane before that departure, and after travelling for about 90 minutes the engine lost total power. The pilot made a forced landing in mountainous terrain.

Subsequent examination of the airframe revealed that both fuel tanks were empty, and neither the engine nor airframe exhibited indications of a fuel leak. Examination of recorded data recovered from the airplane's flight displays revealed that its fuel consumption was appropriate for the flight profile. The data further revealed that the airplane was approaching an airport as one of the tanks ran out of fuel. The engine lost power; however, rather than landing, the pilot continued the flight after switching to the other fuel tank. The other tank ran out of fuel a short time later, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a rocky outcropping, where the airplane sustained substantial damage.

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

The pilot's failure to perform an adequate preflight inspection, which resulted in inadequate fuel for the flight and the subsequent fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to land the airplane at the first indication of low fuel.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 15, 2012, at 1131 mountain standard time, a Cirrus Design Corp SR20, N499SF, landed hard during a forced landing in mountainous desert terrain near Suquilla Airport, Parker, Arizona. The pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage and both wings during the accident sequence. The cross-country flight departed John Wayne-Orange County Airport, Santa Ana, California, at 0959, with a planned destination of Ernest A. Love Field Airport, Prescott, Arizona. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The pilot stated that the first leg of the flight was from Santa Monica Municipal Airport earlier that morning, and that prior to departure he visually established the fuel quantity through the filler necks, observing what he believed to be full tanks. He subsequently checked the fuel gauges, which indicated that the wing tanks were each under half full. He surmised that the gauges were faulty, basing this assumption on the fact that the gauges of an airplane he had previously owned were inaccurate. He subsequently departed for Santa Ana, where he picked up a passenger. Without refueling the airplane, the flight departed for Prescott.

The pilot stated that the airplane subsequently ran out of fuel as they approached the Parker very high frequency omnidirectional radio range transmitter (VOR), about 200 miles west of Santa Ana. He performed a forced landing into a rocky outcropping, about 13 miles northeast of Avi Suquilla Airport.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Recovery personnel drained about 6 ounces of fuel from the fuel tanks during recovery of the airplane, and a subsequent examination of the airframe and engine by an FAA inspector did not reveal any fuel leaks.

The airplane was equipped with both an Avidyne Entegra Primary (PFD), and Multifunction (MFD) Flight Display, and two Garmin GNS 430 GPS/Navigation/Communication transceivers. The Avidyne units were capable of recording the airplane's GPS position, as well as engine and fuel flow parameters. The units were sent to the NTSB Office of Research and Engineering for data extraction. The data for both flights had been recorded.

The flight from Santa Monica to Santa Ana lasted about 23 minutes, and included an initial climb from about sea level to 3,500 feet pressure altitude.

Following departure from Santa Ana, the airplane initiated a climb to 7,500 feet, while on an east-northeast track. Twelve minutes later, at 1011, the engine power reduced with its speed decreasing from 2,650 to 2,540 rpm, and fuel flow falling from just under 17 gallons per hour (gph) to about 10.5 gph.

At 1114:54, the fuel flow decreased from 10.6 to 1.5 gph, with a corresponding engine exhaust gas temperature (EGT) reduction of approximately 400 degrees F, and a drop in engine speed of 250 rpm. Over the course of the next 80 seconds, the parameters recovered, with the fuel flow rising to 16.6 gph before settling back to about 10 gph at 1117. Five minutes later, the EGT, fuel flow, and engine rpm values all began oscillating, and at 1123:30, the aircraft began a 1,000-feet-per-minute descent. For the remainder of the flight, the fuel flow dropped below 4 gph, and the EGT fell below the recording limit of 500 degrees F.

Fuel consumption computed by the MFD for the accident flight was 17.4 gallons, with the prior flight consumption computed as 5.5 gallons.

The airplane was equipped with two 28-gallon usable wet-wing fuel storage tanks, and a three-position selector valve, configured for the left tank, right tank, and OFF position.

The SR20 Pilot's Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual defined the range/endurance profile under the "Performance Data" section. The data revealed that at a gross weight of 3,000 pounds, standard temperature, with the engine producing 65 percent power, and the mixture set to "best power," fuel would be consumed at the rate of 10.5 gph at all altitudes up to 12,000 feet. Fuel used to climb from sea level to 4,000 feet and sea level to 8,000 feet, was 1.3 and 2.9 gallons, respectively.

GPS data revealed that about the time of the initial fuel flow drop, the airplane was about 17 miles west of Gene Wash Reservoir Airport, Parker Dam, California, and 15 miles northwest of Avi Suquilla Airport. The airplane continued on the same track, flying directly over Gene Wash Reservoir Airport, about 6 minutes later. Two minutes after overflying the airport, the engine parameters dropped, and the airplane began a descending right turn towards Avi Suquilla.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Gene Wash Reservoir was a private airport comprised of a single 2,200-foot-long, 30-foot-wide asphalt airstrip. Its presence was documented on the FAA Phoenix Sectional Aeronautical Chart.

The 77-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate, and reported a total flight experience of 2,480 hours, 50 of which were in the SR20.


REGAL AIR LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N499SF

NTSB Identification: WPR13LA011
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, October 15, 2012 in Parker, AZ
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR20, registration: N499SF
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 15, 2012, about 1000 mountain daylight time, a Cirrus Design Corp SR20, N499SF, landed hard during a forced landing in mountainous desert terrain near Parker, Arizona. The pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage and both wings during the accident sequence. The cross-country flight departed John Wayne-Orange County Airport, Santa Ana, California, about 0850, with a planned destination of Ernest A. Love Field Airport, Prescott, Arizona. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The pilot reported departing in the airplane from Santa Monica Municipal Airport, Santa Monica, California, on the morning of the accident. Prior to flight, he checked the fuel gauges, which indicated that the wing tanks were half full. He visually examined the fuel quantity through the filler necks, and observing fuel in the tanks, assumed the gauges were faulty. He subsequently departed for Santa Ana, where he picked up a passenger.

They departed for Prescott, and the pilot reported that the airplane subsequently ran out of fuel as they approached the Parker very high frequency omnidirectional radio range transmitter (VOR), where he performed a forced landing into a rocky outcropping. Recovery personnel drained about 6 ounces of fuel from the fuel tanks during recovery of the airplane. The Parker VOR is located about 200 miles from Santa Ana. 































































































































2005 CIRRUS SR20 N499SF 

Bids close August 1, 2014
                 
AIRCRAFT:   2005 Cirrus SR 20, Serial number 1540, registration number N499SF.

ENGINE – TCM Rebuilt engine model IO360ES16B, serial number 1000729.

PROPELLER – Hartzell HC-J3YF-1RF/F7392-1.

APPROXIMATE TOTAL HOURS (estimated TT & TSMO from logbooks or other information):

ENGINE:   Engine rebuilt 7/15/2009.  ENG TT:  1,713.8; TSMOH:  1,158.7

PROPELLER:    Hartzell HC-J3YF-1RF/F7392-1.  TT 515.7  

AIRFRAME:    A/C TSN:  1,713.8        

OTHER EQUIPMENT:    Avidyne Screens, Two Garmin GNS 430s, Garmin GTX 330, Stec 50x autopilot.

DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT:  Aircraft ran out of fuel and made an emergency landing in the desert.

DESCRIPTION OF DAMAGES:    There is substantial damage throughout the aircraft.  Many holes/punctures under the a/c and wings.  Prop bent and engine appears to be off the mounts.  Main gears are torn off the wings.  Nose gear is twisted and bent.  Wing is one piece and is destroyed.


Bid information and photos:  http://www.avclaims.com/N499SF.htm


IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 499SF        Make/Model: SR20      Description: SR-20
  Date: 10/15/2012     Time: 1730

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

LOCATION
  City: PARKER   State: AZ   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED OFF AIRPORT. PARKER, AZ

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    
                 # Pass:   2     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: SCOTTSDALE, AZ  (WP07)                Entry date: 10/16/2012 




The occupants of a plane flying from Santa Monica to Prescott are OK after the pilot had to ditch his plane in the desert near Parker.

The pilot flew his Cirrus 4-seat aircraft from Santa Monica, California to John Wayne Airport to pick up a passenger before heading out to Prescott, Arizona. While flying over the Colorado River area the plane ran out of fuel, and the pilot had to look for an area to make an emergency crash landing.

Buckskin Fire Chief Chris Chambers said he was lucky. “There are 150 feet of skid marks. He came off a knoll. The plane held up really well,” he said.

Another plane flying overhead saw the aircraft on the ground and picked up either an emergency beacon or radio, which was used to call help to the area. Native Air found the plane and stayed with it to guide Buckskin Fire Department to the area, which Chambers says took around 2 hours.

The Marine Corp. Search and Rescue from Yuma, Arizona also attended, and flew the occupants out to Castle Rock Shore. 


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