Tuesday, October 23, 2012

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N444LZ

NTSB Identification: ANC13FAMS1  
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, October 13, 2012 in Kenai, AK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 02/27/2013
Aircraft: PIPER PA-18-150, registration: N444LZ
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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.

The solo student pilot likely departed during dark night conditions on a personal, visual flight rules, cross-country flight between two Alaskan communities. An Alaska state trooper said that, during his initial investigation, he learned that the pilot was asked by security personnel to leave a bar after a disturbance with other bar patrons. The bar security guard stated that the “very intoxicated” individual left in a taxicab about midnight. The taxicab driver reported that, just after midnight, he drove the pilot to the airport. The taxicab driver stated that the pilot told him that he intended to sleep in the airplane overnight, which was something that he had done many times before.
A review of archived radar data revealed that, about 0137, an unidentified aircraft, believed to be the missing airplane, departed from the airport. After departure, the radar target initially proceeded southeast of the airport before it turned and flew west, then northeast, before making a series of erratic turns, along with several changes in speed, heading, and altitude. Eventually, the radar target proceeded northwest over a saltwater inlet, before turning back to the northeast. The last position of the radar target was recorded about 0248, roughly mid-channel, while in a descent over the inlet, about 30 miles north of the departure airport. The area of the presumed crash site experiences extreme tides and strong currents, with reduced visibility due to turbidity. An extensive search was conducted, but the airplane has been declared missing and is presumed to have crashed; the student pilot is presumed to have received fatal injuries.

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

Undetermined. The airplane and pilot were not found.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

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, 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 been destroyed. 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. Dark night, visual meteorological conditions likely prevailed at the point of departure, and no flight plan was filed. The flight is presumed to have originated at the Soldotna Airport in Soldotna, at 0137 and was reportedly en route to the private Wolf Lake Airport in Palmer.

An Alaska State Trooper who participated in the search reported that the missing airplane was one of two airplanes that arrived at the Soldotna Airport on the afternoon of October 12. He said that the two pilots parked their airplanes in the transient parking area with plans to stay overnight in Soldotna and return to Palmer the next day. The State Trooper added that, during his initial investigation, he learned that both pilots went to local bar in Soldotna, and that the pilot of the missing airplane left the bar in a taxicab about midnight.

In a written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), dated November 2, the pilot of the second airplane, a longtime friend of the missing pilot, reported that after arriving in Soldotna the pair attended a local hockey game together. After the game, they met a group of friends and visited a few local bars in Soldotna. He added that just after midnight, on October 13, his friend was asked by security personnel to leave a bar, so he walked his friend to an awaiting taxicab. He reported that, once his friend was in the back of the taxicab, he instructed the driver to take him to a local hotel, and that was the last time he saw him.

During a telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) on October 30, a bar security guard reported that, just after midnight on October 13, he escorted an individual matching the description of the pilot to an awaiting taxicab after the individual had a brief disturbance with other bar customers. The security guard stated that the individual was very intoxicated.

During a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC on October 30, a taxicab driver reported that, just after midnight at the bar, two individuals placed an intoxicated person (later determined to be the missing pilot) in the back of his taxicab and instructed him to take the pilot to a local hotel. The taxicab driver said that, after he drove the pilot to the hotel as instructed, the pilot refused to get out of the taxicab. The driver stated that the pilot first asked to be taken back to the bar but subsequently insisted to be taken to the Soldotna Airport. After the taxicab driver reluctantly agreed to take him to the airport, and when he asked the man about his intentions, the pilot reported that was going to sleep in the airplane, something he had done many times before. The taxicab driver said that after arriving at the Soldotna Airport, the pilot got out, but he did not see which way he went, and he did not see an airplane nearby.

A review and forensic analysis of archived radar data was done by the National Radar Assessment Team, along with technicians for the U.S. Air Force 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron, commonly known as RADES, which revealed that, on October 13, about 0137, an unidentified aircraft, believed to be the missing airplane, departed from the Soldotna Airport. After departure, the radar track initially proceeded southeast of the airport before it turned and flew west, then northeast, before making a series of erratic turns, along with several changes in speed, heading and altitude. Eventually, the radar track proceeded northwest over the waters of Cook Inlet, before turning back to the northeast. The last position of the radar target was recorded about 0248, roughly mid-channel, while in a descent over the Cook Inlet, about 30 miles north of Soldotna, or about 25 miles north-northeast of Kenai, Alaska. A copy of the radar flight track map overlay is included in the public docket for this accident.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 27, held a student pilot/third class medical certificate that was issued on April 11, 2011. The medical certificate contained no limitations. A student pilot certificate, for an individual under 40 years old, is valid for 60 months.

No personal flight records were located for the student pilot, and the aeronautical experience listed on page 3 of this report was obtained from FAA records on file in the Airman and Medical Records Center located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. On his application for medical certificate, dated April 11, 2011, he indicated that his total aeronautical experience was 15 flight hours, all of which were accrued in the previous 6 months.

A review of the student pilot’s third class medical certificate, dated April 11, 2011, revealed that in section "V" of the application for airman medical and student certificate, FAA form number 8500-8, the accident pilot checked "No," indicating that he had never been convicted or arrested on any charges of driving while intoxicated (DWI).
According to information provided by the Alaska State Troopers, the pilot was charged, and he was convicted to a DWI charge in June of 2002.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

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.

COMMUNICATIONS

There were no reports of communications with the missing airplane.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The presumed crash site is the Cook Inlet, a saltwater inlet off the Gulf of Alaska. According to nautical charts, at the last known location of the airplane, the water is less than 100 feet deep during mean low tide. The several rivers that terminate at the inlet are glacier fed, and visibility in the water is often less than 1 foot due to turbidity. The Inlet is an area with strong tidal influence, and strong currents.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The sole occupant has not been recovered, and no medical or pathological information is available.

SEARCH AND RESCUE / SURVIVAL ASPECTS

After the airplane did not arrive in Palmer the following day, family and friends of the missing pilot reported the airplane overdue. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 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. The official search was suspended on October 21. Family members and volunteers continued to search for the missing airplane.

No emergency transmitter locator (ELT) signal was received by search personnel. The missing airplane was not equipped with, nor required to be equipped with, a digital, 406 MHz ELT that instantly transmits a distress signal to search and rescue satellites, thereby alerting rescue personnel within minutes of the location of the crash. As of February 1, 2009, analog, 121.5 MHz ELT's stopped being monitored by search and rescue satellites, and the installation of the 406 MHz has been voluntary. The missing airplane had an older generation 121.5 MHz ELT installed. Both types of ELT’s can be turned on manually, or automatically, by impact forces.

Search personnel reported that survival time, in water less than 40 degrees F, is typically less than one hour.



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.


 ANCHORAGE, Alaska—  The 11th Air Force’s Rescue Coordination Center has called off the eight-day-long official search for missing pilot Brendan Mattingley, who has not been seen since taking off from Soldotna on an Oct. 13 flight to Palmer.

Alaska National Guard spokesperson Maj. Guy Hayes says the decision was made under the authority of 11th Air Force commander Lt. Gen. Stephen Hoog to stop looking for Mattingley, whose green, red and white Piper PA-18 Super Cub never landed after taking off for the Wolf Lake airport near Palmer.

“The RCC requested assistance from multiple agencies during the intensive search, including the Alaska Air National Guard, Civil Air Patrol, Alaska State Troopers and U.S. Coast Guard, totaling 221 hours of flight time and 66 missions during the search efforts,” Hayes wrote in a Tuesday statement. “Volunteer search efforts were led simultaneously by family and friends, generating approximately 350 hours of flight time while utilizing 54 aircraft.”

While the volunteer flights aren’t considered official search data, Hayes says all leads that came up during the search were investigated. Private search efforts are expected to continue, and the RCC can reopen the case in response to new findings or information.


http://www.ktuu.com

The A350 XWB Final Assembly Line: efficiency in motion

 

Published on Oct 23, 2012 by Airbus 

The A350 XWB final assembly line -- located near Airbus' existing A330 jetliner assembly facility in Toulouse, France -- has been thought out with efficiency in mind to obtain a shorter assembly time and a more effective test programme. When A350 XWB production reaches full capacity, the complete process, from the beginning of final assembly through delivery to the customer, will take two and a half months, which represents a 30 per cent time-saving compared with the other programmes.

Gold seized in plane from Dubai

Customs officials at Bangladesh’s second largest airport have seized gold bars weighing about 5kg from a plane of the national carrier arriving from Dubai, an official said yesterday.
 

 “We’ve seized 41 gold bars weighing 5kg from an aircraft of Biman Bangladesh Airlines,” the official of the customs intelligence department who preferred to be unnamed told Xinhua over phone.  He said the seizure was made at the Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong, some 242km southeast of Dhaka, on Monday. Acting on a tip-off, the official said customs officials conducted the raid and found the gold bars in a bag lying in an aisle of the aircraft of Biman. He said no one was arrested in connection with the seizure at the airport. Last month police seized 13.5kg gold and arrested a Dubai returnee at the airport in Dhaka.

http://www.gulf-times.com

Lehigh Valley International (KABE), Allentown, Pennsylvania: Airport passenger volume plunges 23 percent in September

Passenger volume plunged again in September at Lehigh Valley International Airport, the seventh straight drop from year-ago levels.
 

The trend comes as airport management scramble to find new business, rein in costs, and pay a $16 million legal judgment by 2015.

The regional airport drew 48,402 passengers in September, down 22.7 percent from 62,592 travelers in September 2011, according to figures release today by the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority.

Traffic has fallen every month since March compared with year-ago levels. In each of the past four months, volume has declined more than 20 percent. Year to date, traffic is down 13.5 percent from the 2011 pace.

LNAA Executive Director Charles Everett said rising fuel costs is a big reason as it forces airlines to consolidate. Fifty-seat regional jets common at LVIA lag in fuel efficiency, he said, and are being scaled back.

“All carriers are looking at cutting back when prices are this high,” Everett said. “We, like other small airports, are experiencing" declines.

LVIA Business Development Director Susan Kittle said major airlines are raising fares to offset higher fuel costs and are settling for fewer seats as a result.

US Airways and United posted drops of more than 20 percent in September. Plus United plans to end service to Washington D.C. in February.

Also driving volume down is the departure of AirTran Airways, now part of Southwest Airlines, which ended LVIA flights in August. Southwest pulled the service out as it integrated AirTran into its airline system.

Everett said the authority is exploring options to invite new business, including installing an inspection station for customs clearance at a cost of about $5 million.

That would allow for international flights, such as to Caribbean spots. LVIA has provided flights to Canada before but that was through a pre-approved clearance process.

“We’re doing serious things to try to improve passenger levels at this airport,” board member Bert Daday said of a possible inspections station. “This is one of the prime options we have in increasing passenger levels.”

Hanover Township, Lehigh County-based LVIA has for years sought to lure local travelers who often travel extra distance to Newark or Philadelphia in pursuit of more offerings or lower fares.

Airport officials said they are negotiating with new airlines and lobbying existing airlines to add service.

“I don’t know a successful business that has cost cut their way to the promised land,” LNAA chairman Tony Iannelli said. “Income generation will get us to the promised land and we can not let the marketplace be an excuse for failure.”

Cost pressures add to the problem. Everett said the authority is planning reductions in the coming years, possibly staff cuts. He did not specify what positions could be reduced, saying plans are not final. LNAA employs 106 full-time employees.

The authority owes $16 million to developers to settle litigation concerning its condemnation of land surrounding LVIA, once targeted for homes, in the 1990s.

The court-ordered judgment is payable in annual installments ending in December 2015. The first $2 million of the mostly backloaded agreement is due Dec. 1.

To help raise money, LNAA has hired the Rockefeller Group real estate company to explore sale of authority-owned land excluding Queen City Airport in Allentown. That includes Braden Airpark in Forks Township plus some 600 acres of undeveloped land outside LVIA.

Everett said LNAA expects a conceptual plan from The Rockefeller Group in November.


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

http://flylvia.com/index.html

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

Beech V35 Bonanza, N2059W: October 23, 2012 near St Cloud Regional Airport (KSTC), Minnesota

http://registry.faa.gov/N2059W





 A pilot undershot the runway Tuesday at the St. Cloud Airport, and ended up landing on a street.   According to the Sherburne County Sheriff's Office, 67-year-old Bruce Deckinga of Petoskey, Michigan and two passengers were returning to Michigan from the Dakotas.


Deckinga planned to make a scheduled landing at the St. Cloud Airport for fuel. He undershot the runway and set the plane down on Benton County Road 90 before ending up on 40th Avenue North.

Authorities say rain and poor visibility were factors in the faulty landing.

No one was injured, and there was no damage to the plane or other vehicles on the roadway.    The FAA will investigate this incident.

NEAR ST. CLOUD, Minn. - A small plane made what appears to be an emergency landing on a road in rural Sherburne County Tuesday afternoon.   Helen Schommer and her father were returning home from having lunch when they came upon the plane just before 1 p.m. not far from St. Cloud Regional Airport. From the pictures Helen took it appears that there is either no damage or very little to the aircraft, but no one has been able to provide information on what may have caused the unplanned landing...

 A small airplane made an emergency landing Tuesday afternoon on a road while trying to make it to the St. Cloud Regional Airport, authorities said.

The pilot and two passengers aboard the single-engine Beechcraft were not hurt, and there was no damage to the plane, said Elizabeth Isham Cory, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The plane was heading from the airport in Pierre, S.D., to the Cambridge (Minn.) Municipal Airport, when it "requested to be diverted to the St. Cloud airport" on the eastern edge of the city because of "weather concerns," Cory said.

The pilot ended up landing on a road about a mile from the airport, the FAA spokeswoman said.

Identities of those aboard have yet to be disclosed.

Cessna 150H, N7250S: Accident occurred October 21, 2012 in Mansfield, Massachusetts

NTSB Identification: ERA13LA034
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 21, 2012 in Mansfield, MA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/06/2013
Aircraft: CESSNA 150H, registration: N7250S
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

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

The flight instructor stated that during takeoff, when the airplane reached 250 feet above ground level, it "stopped climbing." The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane from the student and verified the position of the engine controls; however, despite adjusting airspeeds between best rate and best angle of climb, the airplane continued to descend until it settled into trees off the departure end of the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the empennage and tail sections. The occupants egressed without injury. After the accident, the airplane was removed from the trees by local authorities and placed inverted on the ground. As a result, all residual fuel drained from the airplane, and no fuel was available for testing. Examination of the airframe revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The engine was removed from the airframe and placed in a test cell where it started immediately, accelerated smoothly, and ran continuously at rated power. Atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to serious icing at any power setting, and the flight instructor stated that he ensured that the carburetor heat control was in its cold position during the takeoff. Therefore, it is likely that the loss of engine power was related to the accumulation of carburetor ice during takeoff.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilots’ failure to apply carburetor heat during takeoff, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power due to the formation of carburetor ice.

On October 21, 2012, about 1330 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150H, N7250S, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after takeoff from Mansfield Municipal Airport (1B9), Mansfield, Massachusetts. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the CFI, the purpose of the flight was to practice takeoffs and landings at 1B9 and then proceed to a practice area for "aircraft familiarization." The student performed the first landing to a full stop. The second landing attempt was aborted, and another traffic pattern was completed. The CFI "assisted" the subsequent touch-and-go landing. The landing was successful, the flaps were retracted to 20 degrees, carburetor heat was closed, and full engine power was applied. The airplane climbed as expected at 600 feet per minute and the flaps were retracted fully when the airplane climbed above treetop height.

The CFI stated that when the airplane reached 250 feet above ground level, it "stopped climbing." He assumed control of the airplane, verified the position of the engine controls, and despite adjusting airspeeds between best rate and best angle of climb, the airplane continued to descend until it settled into trees off the departure end of the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the empennage and tail sections. The airplane came to rest in the trees, and the occupants climbed down from the airplane uninjured.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector who responded to the accident site, the airplane had been removed from the trees by local authorities, and was placed inverted on the ground. As a consequence, all residual fuel drained from the airplane, and no fuel was retained for examination or testing. Examination of the airframe revealed no pre-impact mechanical anomalies.

The CFI held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. He also held a flight instructor certificate with a rating for airplane single engine. He reported 1,730 total hours of flight experience, of which 53 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.

At 1352, the weather reported at Taunton Municipal Airport (TAN), 11 miles southeast of 1B9, included winds from 290 degrees at 10 knots, variable between 270 and 330 degrees. There were scattered clouds at 4,800 feet with 10 miles visibility. The temperature was 10 degrees C and the dew point was 5 degrees C.

Review of Advisory Circular 91-51A EFFECT OF ICING ON AIRCRAFT CONTROL AND AIRPLANE DEICE AND ANTI-ICE SYSTEMS states in paragraph 5 DISCUSSION b. " There are two kinds of icing that are significant to aviation: structural icing and induction icing....c. Small aircraft engines commonly employ a carburetor fuel system or a pressure fuel injection system to supply fuel for combustion. Both types of induction systems hold the potential for icing which can cause engine failure. (1) The pilot should be aware that carburetor icing can occur at temperatures between 13 degrees Celsius (C) (20 degrees Fahrenheit (F) and +21C (70F) when there is visible moisture or high humidity. This can occur in the carburetor because vaporization of fuel, combined with the expansion of air as it flows through the carburetor, causes sudden cooling, sometimes by a significant amount within a fraction of a second. Carburetor ice can be detected by a drop in rpm in fixed pitch propeller airplanes and a drop in manifold pressure in constant speed propeller airplanes. In both types, usually there will be a roughness in engine operation. Some engines are equipped with carburetor heat for use in both prevention and removal of ice."

According to a carburetor icing probability chart, the atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to serious icing at any power setting.

The engine was removed from the airframe and shipped to the manufacturer for examination and a test run under the supervision of an NTSB investigator. On February 28, 2013, the engine was placed in a test cell where it started immediately, accelerated smoothly, and ran continuously at rated power. The engine was shut down and restarted “several times” with the same result each time. 



 http://www.avclaims.com/N7250S.html

http://registry.faa.gov/N7250S







 
Credit Mansfield Fire Department

 
Credit Mansfield Fire Department


 
Credit Mansfield Fire Department


 
Photo Credit: Mansfield Fire Department 



IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 7250S        Make/Model: C150      Description: 150, A150, Commuter, Aerobat
  Date: 10/21/2012     Time: 1710

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

LOCATION 
  City: MANSFIELD   State: MA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO TREES SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, NEAR MANSFIELD, MA

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: BOSTON, MA  (EA61)                    Entry date: 10/22/2012 

NTSB Identification: ERA13LA034 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 21, 2012 in Manfield, ME
Aircraft: CESSNA 150H, registration: N7250S
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 21, 2012, about 1330 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150H, N7250S, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after takeoff from Mansfield Municipal Airport (1B9), Mansfield, Massachusetts. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and a student pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the CFI, the purpose of the flight was to practice takeoffs and landings at 1B9 and then proceed to a practice area for "aircraft familiarization." The student performed the first landing to a full stop, the second landing attempted was aborted, and another traffic pattern was completed. The CFI "assisted" the subsequent touch-and-go landing. The landing was successful, the flaps were retracted to 20 degrees, carburetor heat was closed, and full engine power was applied. The airplane climbed as expected at 600 feet per minute and the flaps were retracted fully when the airplane climbed above treetop height.

The CFI stated that when the airplane reached 250 feet above ground level, it "stopped climbing." He assumed control of the airplane, verified the position of the engine controls, and despite adjusting airspeeds between best-rate and best-angle-of-climb, the airplane continued to descend until it settled into trees off the departure end of the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the empennage and tail sections. The airplane came to rest in the trees, and the occupants climbed down from the airplane uninjured.

The CFI held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine, multi-engine, and instrument airplane. He also held a flight instructor certificate with a rating for airplane single engine. He reported 1,730 total hours of flight experience, of which 53 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.

The airplane was manufactured in 1967, and its most recent annual inspection was completed September 26, 2012, at 6,814 total aircraft hours.

At 1352, the weather reported at Taunton Municipal Airport (TAN), 11 southeast of 1B9, included winds from 290 degrees at 10 knots, variable between 270 and 330 degrees. There were scattered clouds at 4,800 feet with 10 miles visibility. The temperature was 10 degrees C and the dew point was 5 degrees C.

An examination of the airplane's engine was scheduled for a later date.



Authorities were on-scene near the Mansfield Municipal Airport Sunday afternoon after responding to a small airplane crash involving a student pilot and an instructor.

 Mansfield Police received a call at 1:18 p.m. Sunday reporting that a 1968 Cessna 150H airplane had endured an emergency crash landing into a tree near the Mansfield Animal Shelter in the area of Fruit Street.

The plane, which came out of an airfield in Marshfield, lost power during takeoff. A student pilot and instructor, both males, were doing what is referred to as "touch and go" landings, which involves landing on a runway and taking off again without coming to a full stop.

“They lost power on the takeoff, they were too far down the runway to abort the takeoff, so they did take off and did not have enough power to maintain forward air speed so they set it down, pancaked it," Mansfield Police Chief Arthur O'Neill said Sunday.

The instructor took over operation of the airplane and crash landed it into a tree, using a practice called pancaking. The plane was badly damaged and became stuck in a tree about 30-35 feet in the air. The two climbed out of the cockpit and climbed down the tree to safety.

“The instructor knew that they had a problem and he just called out that he was taking the controls and used his experience and made a safe, all things considered, crash landing,” O'Neill said. “He did save their lives. We had a crash here a few years ago where two people were killed where had someone been at the controls that knew how to do that they wouldn't have crashed the way they did. So it was that knowledge and experience that saved them.”

Mansfield Fire Chief Neal Boldrighini said, “On arrival the two victims were actually down on the ground. We did an evaluation on them medically, they signed off, there was no real injury there were just some scrapes and bruises.”

The Massachusetts Aeronautics Division and State Police were on-scene investigating the crash.

“We do have an active fuel leak at this time and have been from the start. We've applied foam to the ground to keep the vapors down and we're looking at approximately 20 gallons of fuel that in the end will come out of this plane,” Boldrighini said. “We're maintaining a presence until we can figure out how to get [the plane] down. We're working with the aeronautics people and the airport to make that happen and make it safe.”


 To read the full story on Mansfield Patch, click here.

California Pacific Airlines Plans Spring Launch Date: CP Air hopes to be flying in and out of Carlsbad by March 2013



Many Patch readers have asked us to keep them posted as to when CP Air will start taking reservations for flights in and out of McClellan-Palomar Airport. CP Air is currently waiting for regulatory approval to offer non-stop jet service to California, Nevada, Arizona, and Mexico.

Tom Morrow, senior vice president of communications for CP Air recently provided Carlsbad Patch with an update on the new airline and his company's thoughts on having specials for Carlsbad residents. 

Morrow wrote in an email:

The latest information I can give you as to our status is we should realize certification by late December or early January. At this time there are no plans for specific marketing, however as we get closer to launch, which should be by March, we will be offering a number of opportunities for local residents to travel to our various destinations.

The delays we have experienced up until now are primarily due to working through the long list of requirements by the FAA and the Department of Transportation.

We'll keep you posted as we work toward full certification. It's going to happen, but we can move only as fast as governmental requirements allow us to move.

Source:  http://carlsbad.patch.com

March 4-10, 2013 is declared “COPA Girls Week”!

COPA (Canadian Owners and Pilots Association) is pleased to announce that the organization is partnering with the Institute for Women of Aviation Worldwide to make the week of March 4-10, 2013 “COPA Girls Week.”

In her acceptance speech at the COPA convention in Hanover this past June, Mireille Goyer, founder of the Institute for Women Of Aviation Worldwide and winner of COPA’s 2012 President’s Award, invited COPA to “consider officially joining the Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week celebration by declaring the week of March 8, “COPA Girls Week”. COPA President and CEO Kevin Psutka graciously accepted the invitation.

The Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, held annually during the week of March 8, aims to foster diversity in aviation by celebrating history, raising awareness, and sparking vocations as thousands of girls and women are introduced to aviation through industry-wide collaboration. The most popular and fun way to introduce girls and women to aviation is to hold a ‘fly-it-forward’ event and take them flying
.

Read more:   http://www.womenofaviationweek.org

Press Release: Southeast Aviation Expo 2013 Dates Announced


For Immediate Release
Contact:  Lara Kaufmann
864-634-1380

Southeast Aviation Expo Dates for 2013 Announced

The 2013 Southeast Aviation Expo will be held on Friday, September 27th and Saturday, September 28th at the Greenville Downtown Airport in South Carolina.

“This event is an annual fundraiser for the South Carolina Aviation Association (SCAA)," stated SCAA President Marion Hope.   "Post event exhibitor surveys were extremely favorable.  Many expressed that they got face time with existing clients and met a number of valuable prospective customers which made the expo a very worthwhile tool to strengthen their network of aviation-focused contacts,” Hope said.  “This is exactly what we were trying to achieve, a trade show type event for people in our region who are in the aviation industry,” added Hope.

“We hope to grow this event each year, and who knows one day we might be as big as the Northwest Aviation Conference & Trade Show in Washington state.  It has been in existence for 29 years and pulls about 12,000 attendees!" Stated Joe Frasher, Airport Director of the Greenville Downtown Airport.

The 2012 event sponsors were Trade-A-Plane, South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center (SCTAC), Special Services Corporation, Greenville Jet Center, Civil Air Patrol and the Greenville Downtown Airport.  Exhibitors included:  Cessna, Cirrus, Michelin Aircraft Tires, ADEX Machining Technologies, AeroCab, Louis Berger Services Inc., James A. Gardner Company, Mint Air, Flight Design USA, Baldwin Safety & Compliance, Motley Rice LLC, Advocate Consulting, Aircare Aviation Services & Support, Hope Aviation Insurance, Just Aircraft, Greenville Downtown Airport, Sebring US Sport Aviation Expo, Lycoming, Aviation Tax Consultants, LLC.,  USAeroTech - Professional Aircraft Maintenance Training, Liberty University, PF Flyers, Runway Cafe, Special Services Corporation, Trade-A-Plane, Eclipse Aerospace, Precision Hose Technologies, Inc.,  CTS International, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Daher-Socata, Champion Aerospace, Skytech, Tempest, Stevens Aviation, LandRover Carolinas, Premier Aircraft Sales, Diamond Aircraft, SWT Aviation Inc., Cubcrafters, Airwolf Aviation Services, 4 Paws Aviation, DTC DUAT Service, Applied Technical Services, Inc., Camden/Donaldson/Greenville Jet Centers, Fractrade, Civil Air Patrol, Pilots N Paws,  Eastern Aviation Fuels - Shell Aviation, Eagle Aviation, SCAA, SC Aeronautics Commission, SC Aviation Safety Council, SC Historic Aviation Foundation, The FAA Flight Standards Districts Office, BMW Performance Driving School, Drumm Health Services, Davis & Floyd and Angel Flight.

SCAA's mission is to actively promote and encourage aviation and airport development to meet air transportation needs and assist the state in achieving economic development goals.  For more information about the event visit http://www.scaaonline.com/content/southeast-aviation-show-0 , call 1 (877) FLY-SCAA (359- 7222) or email Katie@associationsplus.com

GMU is the busiest general aviation airport in South Carolina and is a self-sufficient entity with financial strength that doesn't rely on local taxpayers for funding. GMU is home to Greenville Jet Center, the largest Fixed Base Operator (FBO) in S.C., as well as more than 25 other aviation-related businesses creating 453 jobs that annually contribute more than $35.2 million to the Upstate economy. For more information about GMU please visit http://www.greenvilledowntownairport.com or contact Joe Frasher at 864-242-4777 or joe@greenvilledowntownairport.com

Time-lapse video: Space shuttle Endeavour’s trek across Los Angles

 Los Angeles Times reports:  http://framework.latimes.com

The space shuttle Endeavour made its final journey last weekend, traveling 12-miles from Los Angeles International Airport, through Inglewood, to the California Science Center in Exposition Park.

The retired orbiter was carried through city streets atop a special transporter. Throngs of people lined the route as it shimmied around trees, utility poles and other obstacles.

More time-lapse video: Endeavour detached from Boeing 747

It had arrived in Los Angeles on a Boeing 747 on Sept. 20 and kept in LAX’s United Airlines hangar as it was prepared for the crosstown trip.

“Mission 26″ as it was dubbed because of the spacecraft’s 25 flight missions for NASA started just before midnight Thursday and finished Sunday afternoon, more than 16 hours late.

Its final journey was slowed by unexpected maintenance issues and last-minute maneuvers to avoid obstacles like trees and utility poles. The 85-ton orbiter survived the trip with nary a scratch.

- Los Angeles Times reports:  http://framework.latimes.com


Beechcraft B90 King Air, Direct Aviation LLC, N821DA: Accident occurred October 22, 2012 in Sturtevant, Wisconsin

http://registry.faa.gov/N821DA

NTSB Identification: CEN13LA023  
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, October 22, 2012 in Sturtevant, WI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/30/2013
Aircraft: BEECH B90, registration: N821DA
Injuries: 1 Minor,1 Uninjured.

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

The pilot reported that the airplane floated during the landing flare, touched down long, bounced, and went off the end of the runway. The airplane struck two ditches before coming to rest on a road. The pilot stated that he should have recognized that braking action would be significantly reduced with the possibility of hydroplaning, that pulling the power levers to the stops before touchdown induced a lag in realization of reverse thrust, and that he should have executed a go-around when the airplane floated before landing. No mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane were reported. Heavy rain was reported about the time of the accident at a nearby airport.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's decision to continue the landing after touching down long and on a wet runway that reduced the airplane’s braking capability, which resulted in an overrun.

On October 22, 2012, about 1845 central daylight time, a Beech B90 airplane, N821DA, collided with a fence and a ditch when it overran runway 8R (2,272 feet by 38 feet, asphalt) while landing at the Sylvania Airport (C89), Sturtevant, Wisconsin. The commercial pilot was not injured and his passenger received minor injuries. The airplane sustained damage to its fuselage and both wings. The airplane was registered to Direct Action Aviation LLC, and was operated by Skydive Midwest. The accident flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Jackson County Airport-Reynolds Field (JXN), Jackson, Michigan, about 1800.

The pilot reported that the landing approach was normal and when the airplane crossed the runway threshold it floated and he pulled the engine power levers to the stops. He stated that although he did not remember the airplane bouncing, his passenger told him that it had. He pulled the power levers to reverse, but there was no immediate reverse thrust. He applied brakes and felt the airplane accelerate. He recognized that he would not be able to stop the airplane on the remaining runway and attempted to steer it to the north. The airplane left the runway, impacted two ditches and came to rest on a highway. The pilot stated that he should have recognized that braking action would be significantly reduced with the possibility of hydroplaning, that pulling the power levers to the stops before touchdown induced a lag in realization of reverse thrust, and that he should have executed a go-around when the airplane floated before landing. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.

At 1853, weather conditions reported at the Kenosha regional Airport (ENW), located 6 miles south of the accident site, included heavy rain.


NTSB Identification: CEN13LA023 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, October 22, 2012 in Sturtevant, WI
Aircraft: BEECH B90, registration: N821DA
Injuries: 1 Minor,1 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. 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 22, 2012, about 1845 central daylight time, a Beech B90 airplane, N821DA, collided with a fence and a ditch when it overran runway 8R while landing at the Sylvania Airport (C89), Sturtevant, Wisconsin. The commercial pilot was not injured and his passenger received minor injuries. The airplane sustained damage to its fuselage and both wings. The aircraft was registered to Direct Action Aviation LLC, and was operated by Skydive Midwest. The accident flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Jackson County Airport-Reynolds Field (JXN), Jackson, Michigan, at an unconfirmed time. 


Firefighters from Union Grove-Yorkville and Raymond in Racine County work in the southbound lanes of I-94 between Highways 11 and 20 on Monday after a plane force landed not far from the Sylvania Airport (C89). 

Flying for apples - Tehachapi, California

Members of the Orange County 99 women pilots group held a fly-in on Saturday, Sept. 29, to pick Tehachapi apples. 

Eight members of the club flew in and six others drove in to pick apples at Kolesar's Apple Ranch.

Penelope Hecker was the first to arrive on her F8L Falco experimental plane. She was followed by Diane Myers, a retired Continental Airlines pilot, in her six passenger, twin engine Cessna 414 making an on time landing at 10:30 a.m. as scheduled. Diane had five other members of the group on board she had picked up on her way from Palomar Airport in Carlsbad.

The group met at the Apple Shed restaurant for lunch then headed to Kolesar's where they received a briefing on Golden and Red Delicious apples followed by a taste test. Then it was off to the trees to fill up their bags.

The fly-in was organized by Mary VanVelzer who lives in Orange County but had a cabin in Old West Ranch until it was destroyed in last year's fire.

Members of the group came from Mission Viejo, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, San Clementi, Garden Grove, Orange, Laguna Niguel, Huntington Beach, Laguna Woods and Long Beach. The group is part of International Ninety-Nine, Inc. that was founded by Amelia Earhart in 1927 to support women in learning to fly.

Since 1962, O.C. 99s have promoted aviation through educational, scientific and community service and encouraging women to fly through individual mentoring and scholarships.

Members range from future women pilots to private, commercial, corporate and airline transport pilots. Monthly activities include general meetings, feature events and fly-ins to other airports.

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

Press Release - Jim Wall Reappointed to Greenville Airport Commission


For Immediate Release
Contact
Lara Kaufmann
Public Relations Director - GMU
864-634-1380


Jim Wall Reappointed to Greenville Airport Commission

Jim Wall has been reappointed to the Greenville Airport Commission by Greenville County Council to serve an additional three-year term.  The Greenville Airport Commission is the owner and operator of the Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU).  GMU is the busiest general aviation airport in South Carolina and is a self-sufficient entity with financial strength that doesn't rely on local taxpayers for funding.  GMU is also home to Greenville Jet Center, the largest Fixed Base Operator (FBO) in S.C., as well as more than 25 other aviation-related businesses creating 453 jobs that annually contribute more than $35.2 million to the Upstate economy.  For more information about GMU please visit http://www.greenvilledowntownairport.com  or contact Joe Frasher at 864-242-4777 or joe@greenvilledowntownairport.com

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