Thursday, October 25, 2012

Auckland, New Zealand - Intact bird's nest found in plane from United States

A bird’s nest with eggs still in it has been found on a plane which arrived in Auckland from the United States last week.
 

Engineers working on the plane alerted biosecurity staff to the nest which they found in the wheel housing of the Boeing 737.

The nest was made from mud, feathers and straw and contained two hatched eggs and two whole eggs. The species of bird is not yet known.
Click here to find out more!

Ministry for Primary Industries team leader Steve Gay says the nest could be a biosecurity risk.

“The engineers did the right thing. The materials had potential to carry plant and avian diseases that could have threatened our wildlife and primary industries.”

The plane was transported to Auckland from Arizona to be dismantled, after having been stored in the Mojave Desert for some time.

Mr Gay says quarantine inspectors will be checking the plane regularly as it is dismantled for other potential biosecurity-risk material.

http://www.3news.co.nz

Fire and Rescue Department sorry for misleading Facebook post - Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Malaysia

 MISLEADING INFORMATION: The Facebook posting by the Fire and Rescue Department caused people to panic and inquire about the ‘crash’ 

 

A screenshot of the posting on the Fire and Rescue Department’s Facebook page on the drill and the queries from the public that followed.

KUALA LUMPUR:  The Fire and Rescue Department expressed regret and apologized for the Facebook posting on a drill simulating a plane crash at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) on Wednesday.The post was mistaken for a real crash and had sparked panic in cyberspace. The public were led to believe that 14 people had died in the incident.

 Department director-general Datuk Wan Mohd Wan Ibrahim assured the public such an incident would not happen again.

On Wednesday, the official Fire and Rescue Department Facebook page had posted that a ATR 72 plane had crashed in KKIA.

The report described 14 people had been killed. About 10 minutes after it was posted, the administrator retracted the post after receiving numerous queries on its Facebook account from distraught and worried members of the public.

The department later posted an apology and clarified that it was only a drill and no such incident had taken place.

The drill by 70 volunteers, including Malaysia Airports Bhd, took place from 10.50pm on Tuesday until midnight but the posting was uploaded only yesterday.

"It was an honest mistake and we are terribly sorry for the misunderstanding.

"I am aware that it caused panic among the public. We will be more careful in sharing information.

"We have cautioned the administrator regarding the issue and we will monitor what goes on the page closely."

Asked if any action would be taken against the officer, Wan Mohd said no, as the officer followed the standard operating procedure.

"Before breaking the 'news', he had checked with the control centre and followed all the guidelines. His work record also showed that he was efficient in carrying out his duties.

"But we still had to warn him as it was the right thing to do and we could not afford to compromise on something like this."

Wan Mohd said the only reason the department only had one officer manning the page was to minimize room for error in sharing false information.

"If there is more than one person assigned to the web page, we fear it could create unwanted confusion among the unit itself and give them the opportunity to pass the buck to others if a mistake were to occur."

http://www.nst.com.my

Obituary: Kenneth Lee Guidry

 
Kenneth Lee Guidry


January 28, 1942 ~ October 24, 2012

Abbeville—Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 27, 2012 at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville honoring the life of Kenneth Lee Guidry, 70, who passed away on Wednesday, October 24, 2012.

Burial will follow at St. Paul Cemetery in Abbeville, LA. Pastor John Vining of Abbeville United Methodist Church will conduct the service.

He is survived by his wife, Claire Tessier Guidry of Abbeville; two step-children, Kelly Barras Broussard and her husband Marc of Broussard and Jeb Barras and his wife Anna of Abbeville; two step -grandchildren, Amelie Anne and Camille Catherine Broussard; one brother, Donald Guidry and wife Marla of Lafayette; and three nephews, Shannon, Jason and Lee.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Marion “MG” Guidry and the former Irma Smith Guidry.

Ken graduated from Abbeville High School in 1960. He started flying lessons at Paul Fournet Flying Service in Lafayette and later became and an instructor there.

In 1961 he went to Embry Riddle Flight School to study in Miami, Florida. He got his commercial license and started crop-dusting in 1962. At that time he went to work for Hanks and Cormier Flying Service in Kaplan, LA. He also flew for Summerall Flying Service in Ferriday, LA where he sprayed cotton piloting an N3N.

In 1969 he became the owner of Victory Flyers Inc. and over the next thirty years he purchased Gueydan Flying Service, Will’s Flying Service, Chris Crusta Flying Service and Harrington’s Flying Service. He went on to eventually own five turbine GRUMAN AG-Cats. In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s he was the 2nd largest AG-Cat operator in the United States.

Ken also became an Aerobatic Pilot under the direction of Duane Cole. He enjoyed taking friends flying and performing aerobatic stunts in his Stearman Biplane. Participating in the yearly Stearman Fly-In and conversing with friends and fellow pilots from around the US was a favorite pastime.

Along with flying, Ken had many other pastimes. He became certified in scuba diving taking many fishing and diving trips aboard his boat the SKY 1. He also began breeding Registered Percheron Horses which are a draft breed rarely seen in Louisiana. He had a strong love for animals and on occasion would take his dogs flying with him.

The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles Street, on Saturday, October 27, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. until time of service at 11:00 a.m.

The family would like to give their thanks to Amedysis Hospice and the many doctors and nurses who cared for him over the years.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be sent to Abbeville United Methodist Church, 213 North State Street, Abbeville, LA 70510.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincent-abbeville.com.

All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville (337) 893-4661.

Read more: VermilionToday.com - Kenneth Lee Guidry

One man is dead after plane crash near Puslinch Lake

 http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab20/bizjets101/CanCessnafloat1.jpg
C-GBLG Cessna 172N Skyhawk II based Waterloo ON


The man who died after a small float plane crashed on the edge of Puslinch Lake has been identified as 47-year-old Russell Hawkins of Guelph.  

 OPP say Hawkins was killed after the plane he was in crashed into heavy bush on the southeast corner of Puslinch Lake on Thursday afternoon.

A second male in the plane was transported to Cambridge Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The plane, a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, sustained major damage to the nose and floats after apparently landing upside down.

Witness say the plane was doing repeated take-off and landing exercises along with a second plane when something went wrong.

The Transportation Safety Board is investigating and says it is currently waiting to talk to the crash survivor.

The wreckage is expected to be removed from the site by the end of Friday.


Read more, video and photos: http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca



PUSLINCH — Police have confirmed a small plane crash Thursday afternoon resulted in one fatality. 

 Rescue crews scrambled to reach a small plane that crashed at the southeast corner of Puslinch Lake, east of the Cambridge city limits.

OPP Inspector Scott Lawson, Wellington County detachment commander, said there were two men aboard the plane.

One was taken to Cambridge Memorial Hospital by land ambulance, the other died at the scene. The coroner arrived on scene later Thursday evening.

There were no details offered on the extent of the injuries of the man sent to hospital. Cambridge Fire Department Platoon Chief Dave Mawdsley said an air ambulance had been dispatched, but was then called off. His people were not called upon to help get the occupants out of the aircraft.

No information was made available on the age, names or place of residence of the two occupants.

Cambridge firefighters, paramedics and Ontario Provincial Police were alerted by witnesses at 2:29 p.m. They used a driveway at 6620 Concession 1 to access the wreckage.

Eyewitnesses say two float planes had been practising landings and takeoffs when one crashed into the woods near a home.

Ken Elligson, an area resident, was at the Old Marina Restaurant watching the planes. The red and white float plane had completed about three takeoffs when it quickly taxied across the lake, he said.

But the pilot seemed to be getting out the water late and “had just enough altitude to get over the trees.”

“It looked like he was trying to take off, but it was just too low,” said witness Matt Davey who lives at the end of Eagle Lane. “I heard it hit the top of the trees. I was just at the front of my house. I saw him coming toward me.”

When asked if the pilot seemed to be trying to avoid a large house under construction about 100 metres from the shore, Elligson said “That’s really the way it looked.”

The plane banked, “flipped over” and disappeared into the trees, he said.

Elligson jumped on his motorcycle and raced to the scene where he ran into others who heard the crash. They waited for emergency workers to arrive.

Mawdsley said five trucks were scrambled to join paramedics and OPP. Puslinch Fire Department was expected to take over Thursday evening.

Mawdsley said it was fortunate to have clear directions to the site and he noted emergency workers were able to get to the scene quickly. There was no fire, but crews are working to ensure no fuel reached the lake.

A nearby home was not damaged, but power was out. Lawson said power lines on or near the wreckage had posed a hazard to emergency workers.

It is uncertain how many homes are affected by the power outage or how long it will last.

Police officers were conducting a number of interviews with witnesses Thursday afternoon. Lawson also noted Transportation Safety Board investigators had arrived to conduct their work.

“They will give us direction on what we need to do,” he said. “They’re the experts … We want to rely on their good judgment.”



http://www.therecord.com


CAMBRIDGE, Ont. - A float plane crash near Puslinch Lake east of Cambridge, Ont., has left one man dead an another in hospital. 

 Waterloo paramedic spokesman John Prno says two people were in the aircraft when it crashed and one was transported to hospital, but his condition isn't known.

Provincial police confirm that the other occupant of the plane has died.

Insp. Scott Lawson says the Transportation Safety Board is on scene conducting their investigation.

A witness said he was watching float planes practicing takeoffs and landings on Thursday afternoon when he saw the crash.

The witness says the plane had trouble with a takeoff, lost altitude and went down in the yard of a cottage.


http://www.globaltoronto.com

PUSLINCH — Rescue crews are hiking through trees to reach a small plane that’s crashed at the southeast corner of Puslinch Lake, east of the Cambridge city limits.

Two people are injured, said John Prno, manger of Waterloo Region emergency medical services.
Cambridge firefighters, paramedics and Ontario Provincial Police were alerted by witnesses at 2:29 p.m. They used a driveway at 6620 Concession 1 access to the wreckage.

“It’s really awkward to get to. You have to go in a path then take a horse trail to get to the little plane,” Prno said.

Watch therecord.com for updates. We have a photographer and reporters heading to the scene.

Park Electrochemical Corp. Announces the Election of Peter Maurer to Its Board of Directors

MELVILLE, N.Y., Oct 25, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Park Electrochemical Corp. (NYSE-PKE) announced that its Board of Directors has elected Peter Maurer as a Director of the Company effective immediately.

Mr. Maurer has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Aircraft Industries, Inc., located in London, Ontario, Canada, since 2000. Diamond Aircraft Industries, Inc. designs, develops and manufactures composite aircraft for the global general aviation markets. From 1993 to 2000, Mr. Maurer held a number of positions of increasing responsibility in Diamond Aircraft Industries, Inc., including Manager of Quality Assurance and Airworthiness, Engineering Manager, Technical Director and Director of Operations. Prior to joining Diamond Aircraft Industries, Mr. Maurer held several positions with MBB Helicopter Canada/Eurocopter Canada, including Quality Engineer, Manager of Quality Assurance, Manager of Quality Assurance and Airworthiness and Director of Product Integrity. Mr. Maurer is currently a member of the Executive Board of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association ("GAMA"), a member of the Board of Trustees of the University Aviation Association ("UAA") and a member of the Board of Directors of Diamond Aircraft Industries, Inc. Mr. Maurer received a Bachelor of Engineering degree in mechanical engineering from McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

Brian Shore, Park's Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, said, "Park is very fortunate to have someone with Peter's extensive aerospace experience, background and expertise join its Board. I am very pleased to have Peter on our Board of Directors."

Park Electrochemical Corp. is a global advanced materials company which develops and manufactures high-technology digital and RF/microwave printed circuit materials principally for the telecommunications and internet infrastructure and high-end computing markets and advanced composite materials, parts and assemblies for the aerospace markets. Park's core capabilities are in the areas of polymer chemistry formulation and coating technology. The Company's manufacturing facilities are located in Singapore, France, Kansas, Arizona and California. The Company also maintains R & D facilities in Arizona, Kansas and Singapore.

Additional corporate information is available on the Company's web site at www.parkelectro.com .

SOURCE: Park Electrochemical Corp.

Beechcraft A36 Bonanza, Herman Hassinger Architects, N4325W: Fatal accident occurred October 25, 2012 in Hooksett, New Hampshire

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Docket And Docket Items   -  National Transportation Safety Board:   http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

Aviation Accident Data Summary  - National Transportation Safety Board:   http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

http://registry.faa.gov/N4325W

NTSB Identification: ERA13FA039 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, October 25, 2012 in Hooksett, NH
Probable Cause Approval Date: 07/09/2014
Aircraft: BEECH A36, registration: N4325W
Injuries: 2 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 airplane was on the second leg of a visual flight rules cross-country flight and was receiving flight following services from air traffic control (ATC). About 10 minutes after establishing radio and radar contact with ATC, the airplane's discrete transponder code was lost, and an air traffic controller made several unsuccessful attempts to contact the airplane. Postaccident review of radar data showed a primary target, correlated to be the accident airplane, as it tracked north toward the pilot's destination. About 7 minutes later, the target initiated a left turn south, paralleling its northerly course. The last several radar returns showed the target tracking southbound directly over an interstate highway. The last radar return was located about 2,500 feet north of where the airplane was found resting upright against an interstate guardrail. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Review of the pilot's medical history revealed multiple medical conditions and a coronary artery bypass graft procedure for three-vessel coronary artery disease and insertion of a pacemaker for symptomatic bradycardia. The pilot provided the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) extensive documentation regarding his conditions and the medications used to treat the conditions and was granted special-issuance medical certificates. His most recent medical certificate was issued 3 months before the accident. The pilot's autopsy report indicated that he died from an acute heart attack at some point during the accident flight.

The pilot-rated passenger held a pilot certificate, and, according to the pilot's logbook, had acted as a safety pilot on flights in the accident airplane during the previous year. However, she did not hold a current medical certificate, and no other evidence of recent flight experience could be found to suggest that she was capable of flying the accident airplane unassisted.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's total incapacitation in flight due to an acute heart attack.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 25, 2012, at approximately 1306 eastern daylight time, a Beechcraft A36, N4325W, was substantially damaged during impact with a light stanchion and terrain near Hooksett, New Hampshire. The private pilot/owner and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed Boire Field (ASH), Nashua, New Hampshire, with a planned destination of Laconia Municipal Airport (LCI), Laconia, New Hampshire. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to line workers at ASH, the pilot and his wife departed the airplane's base at Block Island State Airport (BID), Block Island, Rhode Island, the morning of the accident, and landed at ASH to clean the airplane's windscreen before departing for LCI. They stated that the airplane did not take on fuel at ASH, and that the pilot appeared to be in good spirits. A fixed-base operator at LCI reported that the pilot had reserved a rental car, and was scheduled to arrive at 1330.

The pilot contacted the FAA Boston terminal radar approach control facility at 1239, shortly after takeoff from ASH, and requested visual flight rules (VFR) flight following services. The airplane was issued a discrete transponder code and continued direct to LCI at a cruise altitude of 5,500 feet. At 1247, the airplane's transponder code was lost. Air traffic control attempted to contact the pilot several times to verify the airplane's altitude, but after no response was received, flight following services were terminated.

Review of radar data from Manchester Airport (MHT), Manchester, New Hampshire, revealed a series of primary radar returns correlated to the accident airplane, which provided position, but not altitude, information. The target tracked north towards LCI until about 1254, when it began a left turn towards the south, nearly parallel to its northerly track. About 1303, the target began an approximate 30-degree left turn, followed by an approximate 50-degree right turn. The last several returns showed the target tracking southbound directly overhead Interstate 93, with the last return located about 2,200 feet north of the airplane's initial impact point.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 83, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single- and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third class medical certificate was issued in August 2012. His most recent flight review was conducted in March 2011. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed a total flight experience of 9,675 hours.

According to FAA airman records, the passenger was issued a third-class medical/student pilot certificate in August 1972. She was issued a private pilot certificate in November 1972, at which time she reported 62 total hours of flight experience. There were no further airman or medical records on file with the FAA, and no records were found during the investigation to suggest that the passenger was a current pilot; however, according to the pilot's logbook, the passenger acted as a safety pilot during several flights in the accident airplane the year prior to the accident, while the pilot conducted flight under simulated instrument meteorological conditions.

AIRPLANE INFORMATION

The airplane was manufactured in 1974 and registered to the pilot in 2004. It was equipped with one Continental Motors Inc. IO-520-BB, 285 horsepower, reciprocating engine. Review of the airplane's maintenance logs revealed that the most recent annual inspection was completed on April 17, 2012, at a total aircraft time of 4,130 hours.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The 1253 weather observation at Manchester Airport, located approximately 7 nm southeast of the accident site, reported winds from 120 degrees at 5 knots, clear skies, 10 miles visibility, and an altimeter setting of 30.27 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The initial impact point was identified as a light stanchion, located on the east side of Interstate 93 at 43 degrees, 3 minutes, 1.5 seconds north latitude; 71 degrees, 28 minutes, 13.41 seconds west longitude, at an elevation of approximately 300 feet. The outboard portion of the right wing was located about 55 feet north of the stanchion. The main wreckage came to rest upright against the guardrail on the west side of the northbound lanes, on an approximate 280 degree heading, about 300 feet from the initial impact point. The propeller was separated from the engine, and came to rest about 50 feet past the main wreckage.

The wreckage was removed from the interstate and recovered to a hangar for further examination. The cabin area exhibited significant impact damage, and the fuselage structure displayed buckling at the rear spar carry-through. The empennage was intact, and exhibited wrinkling of the skin. The landing gear was observed in the retracted position. The airplane was equipped with dual flight control yokes mounted on a T-arm. The T-arm was separated at the single control column. Continuity was established from all flight control surfaces to the cockpit area.

The engine remained attached to the airframe by various lines, cables, and hoses. The top spark plugs were removed; each was light gray in color and exhibited normal wear. The engine was rotated by hand through the accessory drive, and valve train continuity was confirmed. Compression was obtained on all cylinders using the thumb method. Both left and right magnetos produced spark on all terminal leads.

The metal, three-bladed, constant-speed propeller was separated just aft of the propeller flange. All three blades remained attached at the hub. Two of the blades exhibited s-bending, twisting, and leading edge gouging. The third blade was relatively undamaged.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

Review of the pilot's FAA airman medical file revealed that the pilot was first granted a third class medical certificate in 1967. From 1967 through 1997, the pilot received second or third class medical certificates and did not report the use of any medications or any medical problems, with the exception of hay fever.

In 1999, the pilot reported high blood pressure being treated with a beta blocker. He was issued a third class medical certificate, but was required to provide further documentation regarding his condition to the FAA, and was cautioned against flying if he developed new symptoms or side effects from the medication. In 2003, the pilot reported having undergone coronary artery bypass grafting and pacemaker insertion the year prior. His medical certificate was deferred, and the FAA again requested additional information. The submitted documentation revealed a previously unreported history of hypertension, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, aortic insufficiency, stroke, shortness of breath with exertion, renal insufficiency, and type 2 diabetes. Stress testing and cardiac catheterization revealed ischemia and three-vessel coronary artery disease. The pilot underwent three-vessel bypass grafting in July 2002, and in December 2002, he had developed symptomatic bradycardia, which required insertion of the pacemaker.

The pilot was subsequently granted a third class, special issuance medical certificate valid for 6 months only. The pilot continued to supply extensive documentation of his health conditions as requested by the FAA, and continued to receive special issuance, time-limited medical certificates over the next several years. During this time, the pilot reported additional medical issues, including bilateral cataract removal, prostate surgery, and sleep apnea requiring the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. In 2012, the pilot's medical certificate application was deferred due to the reported use of two diabetes medications, the concomitant use of which was prohibited by the FAA. The pilot worked with his physicians to discontinue one of these medications, and was subsequently granted a third class, special issuance medical certificate in August 2012.

Toxicological testing was performed on the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Testing revealed metoprolol (trade name Lopressor), a beta blocker used to treat hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and coronary artery disease; ranitidine (trade name Zantac), used to treat ulcers and heartburn, and warfarin (trade name Coumadin), an anticoagulant or blood thinner, used to prevent blood clots; in urine and blood. All of these medications had been reported to the FAA on the pilot's most recent medical certificate application. Blood samples were negative for carbon monoxide.

Toxicological testing of the passenger revealed diphenhydramine in urine. Blood samples were negative for carbon monoxide.

An autopsy was performed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Concord, New Hampshire. The cause of death was determined to be coronary artery bypass graft thrombosis due to atherosclerosis, and the manner of death was natural. The autopsy further noted a lack of significant hemorrhage associated with the traumatic injuries, consistent with the injuries having been sustained postmortem. Post mortem interrogation of the pacemaker did not reveal any anomalies.


NTSB Identification: ERA13FA039 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, October 25, 2012 in Hooksett, NH
Aircraft: BEECH A36, registration: N4325W
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 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 25, 2012, approximately 1306 eastern daylight time, a Beechcraft A36, N4325W, was substantially damaged during impact with a light stanchion and terrain near Hooksett, New Hampshire. The certificated private pilot/owner and passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed Boire Field (ASH), Nashua, New Hampshire, with a planned destination of Laconia Municipal Airport (LCI), Laconia, New Hampshire. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to line workers at ASH, the pilot and his wife departed the airplane’s base at Block Island State Airport (BID), Block Island, Rhode Island, the morning of the accident, and landed at ASH to clean the airplane’s windscreen before departing for LCI. They stated that the airplane did not take on fuel at ASH, and that the pilot appeared to be in good spirits.

Review of preliminary air traffic control and radar data revealed that the pilot contacted the Boston terminal radar approach control facility at 1239, shortly after takeoff from ASH. The airplane was issued a discrete transponder code and continued direct to LCI at a cruise altitude of 5,500 feet. At 1249, the airplane was observed making a 180-degree turn from its established northerly course from the south, and the airplane’s transponder code was lost. Air traffic control attempted to contact the pilot several times via radio to verify the airplane’s altitude, but no response was received. The airplane was lost from radar contact at 1306.

The initial impact point was identified as a light stanchion, located on the east side of Interstate 93, and the outboard portion of the right wing was located about 55 feet north of the tower. The main wreckage came to rest against the guardrail on the west side of the northbound lanes, on an approximate 280 degree heading.

The airplane was recovered from the interstate and examined in a hangar. The cabin area exhibited significant impact damage, and the empennage remained intact. The landing gear were observed in the retracted position. Control continuity was established from all flight controls to the cockpit area.

The engine remained attached to the airframe by various lines, cables, and hoses. The propeller was separated at the flange, and all three blades remained attached at the hub, 2 of the blades exhibiting leading edge gouging and s-bending, with the third blade relatively undamaged. The engine was rotated by hand through the accessory drive, and valve train continuity was confirmed. Compression was obtained on all cylinders using the thumb method. The top spark plugs were removed; each was light gray in color and exhibited normal wear. Both left and right magnetos produced spark on all terminal leads.


IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 4325W        Make/Model: BE36      Description: 36 Bonanza
  Date: 10/25/2012     Time: 1200

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

LOCATION
  City: MANCHESTER   State: NH   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED ONTO INTERSTATE 93 UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. 
  MANCHESTER, NH

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   2
                 # Crew:   0     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: Unknown      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: PORTLAND, ME  (EA65)                  Entry date: 10/26/2012 

 
Journal file photo 
 Herman Hassinger with part of his mermaid collection in 2005.

NEW HAMPTON, N.H. — A moment of silence was held Friday in memory of 83-year-old Herman Hassinger at the start of the board of trustees meeting at the New Hampton School. “We actually have a chair in the board meeting room where Mr. Hassinger sat that's marked with a green ribbon,” said Andrew Menke, the head of the school.

Hassinger and his wife, Doris, were killed Thursday when their small plane crashed near Interstate 93 northbound in Hookset. The two were on their way to the board of trustees meeting at the New Hampton school when the plane went down shortly after 1 p.m.

One trucker narrowly avoided colliding with the plane.

“I was in the northbound lane and I saw a plane hit a pole and coming spinning through the air, it was going to land right on top of me, and I hit the brakes. It landed right in front of me slid right in front and hit the guardrail,” said Bruce, a trucker.

There is still no word on why the plane crashed, but this was not the first time Hassinger was involved in an incident in the air. In 2010, he was forced to belly flop in Nashua when the landing gear refused to come down. That time, he walked away without injury.

The head of the school says when they heard about the plane crash, they became concerned.

“We weren't sure initially, but were worried and eventually as reports came to us we learned of the tragic news,” said Menke.

Hassinger was the longest serving board of trustees member at the New Hampton School, having been on the board since 1978.

An architect, Hassinger was responsible for designing several buildings around the campus, donating his time.
He will be missed. He was a character in all the very best ways and at the same time, tremendous positive memories about the impact he made all over this campus,” said Menke.

The New Hampshire state police said Friday that the investigation into the cause of the plane crash is expected to be lengthy.

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


The entire New Hampton School community is saddened by the passing of longtime member of the Board of Trustees Herman Hassinger and his wife Doris. Parents of two New Hampton School graduates, Herman and Doris died Thursday afternoon after being involved in a plane crash en route to this weekend's Board of Trustees meeting at the School.    A self-employed architect, Hassinger and Doris made their home in Block Island, Rhode Island, and routinely flew in Herman's plane to the School's four annual Board of Trustees meetings.


HOOKSETT, N.H. (AP) — A Rhode Island couple was killed when their small plane crashed onto a portion of Interstate 93 north in Hooksett Thursday afternoon.

No motorists were involved in the crash.

New Hampshire State Police say Herman and Doris Hassinger, both 83 and from Block Island, were killed in the crash. They were en route to this weekend's board of trustees' meeting at the New Hampton School, where Herman Hassinger was a longtime trustee, the school said.

Hassinger, a self-employed architect, and his wife routinely flew to the school's four annual board of trustee's meetings, the school said.

Peter Galletly, chairman of the New Hampton School Board of Trustees, said Hassinger was the longest-serving trustee on the board.

"Herman was the architect for many of our buildings on campus," he said. "He was incredibly generous with his time and thoughtful of the student experience at New Hampton. Our hearts go out to the Hassinger family. "

Police say one body was in the plane. The other was ejected from the plane and found a distance away in a wooded median strip.

The crash left the tail end of the aircraft on the passing lane of northbound I-93 in Hooksett.

Police say the single-engine Beechcraft hit a light pole alongside the northbound lanes just after 1 p.m., sending it crashing onto the highway and partially into the woods next to the roadway.

State Police Lt. Chris Wagner said one of the plane's wings hit the light tower, and the tail of the plane came to rest in the left lane of I-93 north.

"This absolutely could have been a lot worse," Wagner said.

The nose of the largely-intact plane was on the other side of the guard rail, in the wooded median between I-93 and I-293.

Wagner said state police received the first call about the plane crash at 1:10 p.m. When they arrived, there was no one at the scene who had witnessed the plane go down.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane had taken off from Nashua and was en route to Laconia.

A spokeswoman for the Rhode Island Airport Corporation said the plane had left Block Island Airport sometime Thursday. No one answered the airport's telephone Thursday afternoon.

FAA records show the plane was involved in an accident in August 2010 at Nashua's Boire Field after the landing gear failed. The plane skidded about 700 feet before coming to a rest on its belly. The pilot was Herman Hassinger of Block Island and the plane was registered to him. A phone message left at his home was not returned.

That same plane was involve in a hard landing at the Falmouth Airpark on Cape Cod in July 1993 and was blown off a runway at Beaumont Municipal Airport in Texas while taxiing behind a much larger plane in 1979, according to FAA records. The records do not identify the pilot of the plane on those occasions.

According to the FAA registry, the plane was registered to Herman Hassinger Architects in Block Island. Herman Hassinger was listed in the 2006 edition of "Who's Who in America" as CEO of Herman Hassinger Architects in Moorestown, N.J. The company's phone number is no longer in service, according to a recorded message Thursday.

According to the biography in that edition, Hassinger was born in Germany, and he and Doris have three children. Under "interests" he listed aviation and sailing.

Investigators from the Bureau of Aeronautics and the FBI were on the crash scene in Hooksett on Thursday and investigators from the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board were en route. The NTSB will head the investigation.

The plane was draped with a blue tarp, as was the body in the woods of the median strip Thursday afternoon. . Shattered pieces of the large tower light lay on an exit ramp and a grassy median behind the plane. DOT workers later loaded that debris and a large piece of the plane's wing into a DOT truck.

The ramp from I-93 north to I-293 south was closed and I-93 was down to one lane of travel. Police asked drivers to avoid traveling in the area and to seek alternate routes of travel.

State police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact them.

http://www.ctpost.com


 
Police direct traffic after a small plane crashed, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012 in Hookset, N.H. New Hampshire state police say a man and a woman died in the crash near Interstate 93 in Hooksett, N.H. 



 
Police and fire officials examine a small plane that crashed, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012 in Hookset, N.H. New Hampshire state police say a man and a woman died in the crash near Interstate 93 in Hooksett, N.H. 

Two people have died in a plane crash on Interstate 93 in Hooksett, where white cloths are covering one body in a wooded median and another still inside the craft. 

 The police do not know the identities of the two victims, according to state police Lt. Chris Wagner. The police have said one of the victims is a male, but declined to give the sex of the second victim.

The plane crashed around 1:10 p.m. at the intersection of I-93 northbound and Interstate 293. The plane was flying southbound when one of its wings struck a steel light pole, according to Wagner, who said it is unclear if the pilot was trying to make an emergency landing.

Wagner said the plane, which is partially visible underneath a blue tarp, is relatively intact, and he said there was only minor debris spread across the highway.

According to FAA records, the single-engine Beechcraft A36 is registered to Herman Hasinger Architects of Block Island, Rhode Island.

Wagner said two FAA investigators are headed to the scene, and the plane will not be moved until the investigation is complete.



HOOKSETT, N.H. -- New Hampshire state police say two people have died in a small plane crash near Interstate 93 in Hooksett.
 
Police say the single-engine Beechcraft hit a light pole alongside I-93 northbound Thursday afternoon, sending it crashing into the woods next to the highway.

The medical examiner is en route to the scene.

Police said a male and female were on the plane. The man was ejected from the plane; the female is still on board. They have not been identified.

Police say they do not know why the plane was flying so low as to hit the pole. The wreck is visible from the highway.

The left two lanes of northbound I-93 are closed to traffic. Vehicles are being funneled to the shoulder. The plane will not be moved until investigators arrive on the scene. Officials are currently in "standby mode."
Two people are dead following a plane crash on Interstate 93 in New Hampshire.

The crash was reported just after 1 p.m. near Exit 10 in Hooksett.

Hooksett, N.H. fire officials confirmed two people had died in the single-engine plane crash. Video from Skyfox showed the plane in the breakdown lane of the highway. It had crashed into a guard rail.

The plane appeared to have crashed near the exit 10 off-ramp. Pieces of the plane were scattered on the off-ramp as well as on the highway.

All lanes of the highway were closed. Traffic was get ting around the crash using the right-side breakdown lane.

Previous accident in August 2010:
 

No one hurt; Man had trouble with Beech Bonanza A36’s landing gear:

In August 2010, the same plane, which was piloted by Herman Hassinger of Block Island, was traveling an estimated 70-75 mph when its belly touched down at Boire Field in Nashua, New Hampshire. The plane skidded about 700 feet before coming to a rest.  Hassinger said at the time there was a problem with the plane's landing gear.


IDENTIFICATION
 Regis#: 4325W        Make/Model: A36       Description: HAWKER BEECH BONANZA
  Date: 08/17/2010     Time: 1638

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

LOCATION
  City: NASHUA   State: NH   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT LANDED WITH LANDING GEAR RETRACTED; NASHUA, NH

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:    

WEATHER: UNKNOWN

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Landing      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: PORTLAND, ME  (EA65)                  Entry date: 08/18/2010

Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee, N55620: Accident occurred October 24, 2012 in Maryland Heights, Missouri

http://registry.faa.gov/N55620

NTSB Identification: CEN13FA030  
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, October 24, 2012 in Maryland Heights, MO
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/19/2013
Aircraft: PIPER PA-28-140, registration: N55620
Injuries: 2 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.

As the airplane was approaching the destination airport for a night landing, a witness saw the airplane maneuvering as it passed overhead. She also remarked that the engine sounded like it was sputtering and thought that the pilot was attempting to land the airplane on the beach of a nearby lake. The airplane impacted the water and cartwheeled before sinking. A test run of the engine was conducted; the engine started and ran at various power settings. An examination of the airplane and engine revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The temperature and dew point about the time of the accident indicated that the airplane was operating in conditions that were conducive to serious icing at glide power. The pilot was in an extended descent and most likely had the power on the engine reduced for the descent. Although the carburetor heat was found on it is unknown when the pilot activated the carburetor heat. The engine controls were in positions consistent with an attempt to restart the engine; it is likely that the loss of engine power was due to carburetor ice and that the carburetor heat was not activated until after the engine began to lose power.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot’s failure to activate the carburetor heat while operating in conditions conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to carburetor ice.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 24, 2012, about 2040 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N55620, was substantially damaged when it impacted Creve Coeur Lake, near Maryland Heights, Missouri. The airline transport certificated pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on a visual flight rules flight plan. The flight originated from Delaware, Ohio, and was en route to Creve Coeur Airport (K1H0), St. Louis, Missouri.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the flight had departed Factoryville, Pennsylvania, the day of the accident and stopped in Delaware, Ohio, for fuel.

At 1952, the pilot contacted the St. Louis Lambert terminal radar approach control facility and reported his altitude as 4,500 feet. At 2007, the pilot requested clearance through class bravo (B) airspace, en route to Creve Coeur airport. The controller provided a clearance via the Cardinal VOR and was ultimately cleared to descend to and then below 2,200 feet. The pilot acknowledged these clearances. At 2037, the pilot was cleared to change to the advisory frequency for the Creve Coeur airport and acknowledged that transmission. No other communications were recorded between air traffic control and the pilot.

A witness located on the northeast side of the lake reported that she heard the airplane fly overhead and stated that it sounded low. The airplane approached her position from the east. She stated that the airplane turned to the south and then back to the east as it passed overhead. She also remarked that the engine sounded like it was sputtering. She thought that the pilot was attempting to land the airplane on the beach of Creve Coeur Lake. She then saw the airplane impact the water and cartwheel before sinking.

First responders reported that the airplane was submerged in five feet of water and came to rest inverted.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 78, held an airline transport pilot certificate with a multiengine land rating and 14 different type ratings. In addition, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with single engine land and sea ratings and five different type ratings. He was issued a third class airman medical certificate on July 13, 2011. The certificate contained the limitation “must wear corrective lenses. Not valid for any class after July 31, 2013.”

The pilot’s personal flight logbook was not located. According to his last airman medical certificate application dated July 13, 2011, he had logged no less than 27,000 hours flight time, five of which had been logged in the previous six months.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The accident airplane, a Piper PA28-140 (serial number 28-7325445), was manufactured in 1973. It was registered with the FAA on a standard airworthiness certificate for normal operations. A Lycoming O-320-E3D engine rated at 150 horsepower at 2,700 rpm powered the airplane. The engine was equipped with a fixed pitch, two-blade metal propeller.

The airplane was maintained under an annual inspection program. A review of the maintenance records indicated that an annual inspection had been completed on October 19, 2012, at an airframe total time of 2,481.5 hours. The airplane had flown approximately 9.3 hours between the last inspection and the accident and had a total airframe time of 2,490.78 hours.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The closest official weather observation station was at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (KSTL), St. Louis, Missouri, located 7 nautical miles (nm) east of the accident site. The elevation of the weather observation station was 618 feet mean sea level. The routine aviation weather report (METAR) for KSTL, issued at 2051, reported, wind from 160 degrees at 8 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky condition broken 2,500 feet, temperature 24 degrees Celsius (C), dew point temperature 16 degrees C, and altimeter 29.89 inches.

According to the United States Naval Observatory, Astronomical Applications Department Sun and Moon Data, the sunset was recorded at 1810 and the end of civil twilight was 1837. The Moon rose at 1523, and set at 0320 on the following day. The Moon was waxing gibbous with 76% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated.

A review of the carburetor icing probability chart, located in the FAA's Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, dated 6/30/2009, revealed that the airplane was operating in conditions favorable for the formation of “serious icing at glide power.”

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane came to rest inverted in Creve Coeur Lake in approximately 5 feet of water, at an elevation of 470 feet. The nose of the airplane was oriented on an approximate heading of south. The main wreckage included the left and right wings, empennage, fuselage, and engine and propeller assembly.

Rescue crews hooked on to the empennage of the airplane and pulled it towards shore in order to aid in recovery of the victims. The damage to the empennage was a result of recovery and not a result of the accident sequence.

The fuselage included two front seats, the instrument panel, forward and two side windscreens, and the main cabin door. The main cabin door remained attached to the fuselage and had been bent during the recovery process. The right forward seat was forward in the seat track, the seatbelt was unlatched, and shoulder harness had been cut during the rescue process. The left forward seat was aft in the seat track and the seatbelt and shoulder harness were unlatched. The fuselage was otherwise unremarkable.

The following engine and airplane control positions were recorded:
Throttle – Full forward
Mixture – Full rich
Carburetor Heat – On
Fuel Selector Valve – Right Tank

The engine and propeller assembly remained attached to the fuselage. The cowling was bent. Dirt, rocks, and vegetation were impacted between the propeller spinner and the propeller flange. Both propeller blades remained attached to the engine and were covered with dirt and rocks. Approximately 2 tablespoons of water were drained from the gascolator on the engine. The engine oil measured over 8 quarts on the engine oil dipstick and was consistent in texture and color with recently changed oil. The propeller and engine were otherwise unremarkable.

The right wing included the right aileron, right flap, and right landing gear assembly. The right flap was extended to the second “notch.” The right aileron flight control cables remained attached and were continuous and correct from the right aileron inboard to both flight control yokes in the cabin. The wing and wheel pant were otherwise unremarkable. Two gallons of water were drained from the right wing fuel tank. A thin film ¼ inch deep, of a blue liquid, consistent in smell and color with aviation fuel, layered on top of the two gallons of water.

The left wing included the left aileron, left flap, and left landing gear assembly. The left flap was extended to the second “notch.” The left aileron flight control cables remained attached and were continuous and correct from the left aileron inboard to both flight control yokes in the cabin. Approximately 90 inches of the outboard, leading edge of the left wing was crushed down, aft, and twisted. The inboard portion of the left wing was unremarkable. The forward portion of the left landing gear wheel pant was broken. Two and a half gallons of water were drained from the left wing fuel tank. A thin film of a blue liquid, ¼ inch deep, consistent in smell and color with aviation fuel, was layered on top of the two and a half gallons of water.

The empennage was bent and twisted; however, the damage was incurred during the recovery of the airplane from the water. Prior to recovery the empennage was unremarkable. The flight control cables for the rudder and stabilator were continuous and correct from the respective flight control forward to the flight control yokes and rudder pedals in the cabin of the airplane. No preimpact anomalies were found with the airframe.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The autopsy was performed by the Saint Louis County Health – Office of the Medical Examiner, on October 25, 2012. The autopsy on the pilot concluded that the cause of death was anoxic brain injury due to drowning.

The FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological tests on specimens that were collected during the autopsy (CAMI Reference #201200240001). Results were negative for all carbon monoxide, cyanide, and volatiles. Testing of the blood and muscle revealed atropine. Atropine is an acetylcholine muscarinic receptor antagonist often used in emergency resuscitation efforts.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

The airplane was recovered to a secure facility near Wright City, Missouri, for further examination of the engine.

The upper and lower banks of sparkplugs were removed from all four cylinders. The sparkplugs were wet with water and several were white in color consistent with a lean fuel situation. The oil sump was drained revealing both water and oil. The fuel gascolator was removed and was full of water. The screen was free of debris. The filter on the electric fuel pump was free of contamination and blockage and odor from the fluid inside the fuel pump smelled consistent with fuel. Water was drained from the cylinders and throughout the exhaust system. Borescope examination of the cylinders revealed signs of normal operation. Both magnetos were removed, placed on a test bench, and functionally tested. Once the magnetos were dry, they produced a blue spark across each lead.

The engine and airframe were tied to a trailer for the testing purposes. The magnetos were reinstalled, the engine was timed, and attached to an external fuel and power source. The engine started without hesitation and ran at varying power settings for 10 minutes. A maximum level of 1,900 rpm was reached. The engine throttle was not advanced to full rpm position because of the potential for unseen damage to the propeller and propeller flange. No preimpact anomalies were found with the engine.



NTSB Identification: CEN13FA030  
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, October 24, 2012 in Maryland Heights, MO
Aircraft: PIPER PA-28-140, registration: N55620
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

On October 24, 2012, about 2040 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N55620, was substantially damaged when it impacted Creve Coeur Lake, Maryland Heights, Missouri, under unknown circumstances. The airline transport certificated pilot was fatally injured and his passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on a visual flight rules flight plan. The flight originated from Delaware, Ohio, and was en route to Creve Coeur Airport (K1HO), St. Louis, Missouri.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the flight had departed Factoryville, Pennsylvania, the day of the accident and stopped in Delaware, Ohio, for fuel. A witness in the area reported hearing the engine sputtering and thought that the pilot was attempting to land the airplane on the beach of Creve Coeur Lake. The airplane impacted the water and cartwheel before sinking. First responders reported that the airplane was submerged in five feet of water and came to rest inverted. First responders pulled the airplane closer to shore in order to aid in recovering the two occupants.

The closest official weather observation station was Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (KSTL), St. Louis, Missouri, located 7 nautical miles (nm) east of the accident site. The elevation of the weather observation station was 618 feet mean sea level. The routine aviation weather report (METAR) for KSTL, issued at 2051, reported, winds 160 degrees at 8 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky condition broken 2,500, temperature 24 degrees Celsius (C), dew point temperature 16 degrees C, altimeter 28.89 inches.




 


Russell Hazelton




Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board combed through the wreckage of a Piper PA-28 Cherokee on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, the day after the small plane crashed into Creve Coeur Lake. The pilot, Russell Hazelton, died. His wife, Suzanne Hazelton, was reported to be in critical condition.


Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board combed through the wreckage of a Piper PA-28 Cherokee on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, the day after the small plane crashed into Creve Coeur Lake. The pilot, Russell Hazelton, died. His wife, Suzanne Hazelton, was reported to be in critical condition. Photo by Robert Cohen, Post Dispatch

 
Sandy Jones, walking her daughter's dogs Joey and Petey, looks at the wreckage of a Piper PA-28 Cherokee on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, the day after it into the lake. The pilot, Russell Hazelton, died. His wife, Suzanne Hazelton, was reported to be in critical condition. Photo by Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
~





 
 


PHOTOS: Plane crashes in Creve Coeur Lake

Russell Hazelton, the pilot of the plane that crashed into Creve Coeur Lake this week, died overnight. Hazelton’s wife, Suzanne, remains in critical condition. Friends say the loss will have an enormous impact on their neighborhood.

“Very tough. We’re going miss him as a neighbor and as friends,” said Fairfield condominium resident Sam Hopmeier in response to the news that Russell Hazelton, the pilot of the plane that crashed into Creve Coeur Lake Wednesday evening, died overnight after the crash.

Authorities made the announcement Thursday morning. They said Hazelton’s wife, Suzanne, remains in critical condition Thursday afternoon.

Russell and Suzanne, of 805 Fairfield Lake Drive in Town and Country, reportedly spent their time between three homes. Neighbors tell Patch that Russell was a retired TWA pilot and the couple usually spent four months each year at each of their homes in St. Louis, Vermont and Pennsylvania.

“I think Russell will be greatly missed and we are praying for Suzie. I know it’s in the Lord’s hands, but we are praying for her nonetheless,” next-door neighbor Juana Johnson tells Patch. She and her husband James, a bishop at Bethesda Temple Church in Normandy, would watch the Hazeltons home when they were out of town. They said the Hazeltons were extremely friendly, welcoming and active in the neighborhood.

“It’s going to drastically change the complexity of the neighborhood. Drastically,” James Johnson said. “We have been deeply touched by this tragedy.”

“She was just what you think of when you think of a good neighbor,” Juana added.

It’s a sentiment shared by all of the neighbors Patch spoke with.

One long-time neighbor who knew the Hazeltons for years, but did not want to be identified, described the situation as a “terrible tragedy” and described the couple as “wonderful people” who were “loved in the neighborhood.”

Suzanne reportedly helped organize a popular neighborhood pool party each year.

“Suzie and Russ were very much a part of the community,” said a tearful Pat Hopmeier who also knew the couple for years. “Very dear. Very giving.”

Pat and her husband Sam visited the Hazeltons at their Pennsylvania lake house.

Pat said the couple met in Pennsylvania and that they actually grew up together because their families were friends who lived near each other on the lake.

“Sad,” was Pat’s hard-to-muster comment on the tragedy.

“We hope she can recover,” Sam said of Suzanne’s current condition. “Just very warm and open and sharing and loving.”

Russell and Suzanne were also both graduates of the city’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training program through the local police and fire departments. The CERT program trains residents how to assist the community in the event of a large-scale disaster.

Sam completed the CERT program with the Hazeltons and close to 40 other Fairfield residents.
“They were willing to be involved in anything and everything in the community. They were just that type of people. Gregarious, involved and wiling to help and participate in virtually everything,” Sam tells Patch.

The Johnsons say the couple used to make the drive from the Midwest to the Northeast, but began flying back and forth more in recent years.

Juana said she used to pack them food for their trips.

“Our grandchildren even played with each other. They looked forward to seeing each other every Thanksgiving,” Juana explained. “They’re wonderful neighbors. I was looking so forward to them coming home.”

The Hazeltons were on their way to Creve Coeur Airport from Pennsylvania when the plane crashed.
“He was always very cautious in conversations,” Sam told Patch. “Circumstances occurred that with the best of intentions something went wrong. We’ll let the FAA decide what went wrong.”
Neighbors said they are not sure a funeral service will be held in the area, since most of the Hazelton’s family is in the Northeast.

PHOTOS: Plane crashes in Creve Coeur Lake

MARYLAND HEIGHTS • The pilot of a small plane that crashed into Creve Coeur Lake and then flipped over died early today, police said.

The only passenger was the pilot's wife; she was hospitalized and on life support Thursday morning, authorities said.

The single-engine, four-seat plane crashed about 8:40 p.m. Wednesday.

Russell Hazelton, 78, was the pilot. He died at DePaul Health Center in Bridgeton, said Maj. Bill Carson of the Maryland Heights Police Department. It was not yet clear if Hazelton died from injuries in the crash or if he drowned. His wife, Suzanne Hazelton, 69, was the passenger.

The Piper PA-28 Cherokee is registered with the Federal Aviation Administration to Russell Hazelton of Factoryville, Pa. The couple also had homes in Town and Country and in Vermont.

FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said the plane had left Delaware, Ohio, and was scheduled to land at Creve Coeur Airport. The crash scene is not far from the small airport. Both the airport and the lake are in Maryland Heights.

The first call about the crash came into Maryland Heights police at 8:40 p.m. Police and rescue workers were at the scene within minutes. Maj. Bill Carson of the Maryland Heights Police Department said the first Maryland Heights officer arrived within four minutes of the call.

He said the plane was upside down with the cockpit submerged. Officers swam to the plane but could not get the door open, Carson said. The Hazeltons were underwater for about seven to eight minutes.

Six Maryland Heights police officers and about 10 Maryland Heights and Pattonville firefighters dragged the plane to about waist-deep water where they held it up to keep the Hazeltons out of the water. Firefighters then used tools to pry the door open.

"It was a very valiant effort to save this couple," Carson said.

Chief Steve Olshwanger of the Maryland Heights Fire Protection District said it took about six minutes to pry open the door once police and firefighters got into the water. After rescuers freed the Hazeltons from their seat belts, they began CPR and were able to get them breathing again.

Dozens of emergency responders and vehicles, including a police helicopter shining a spotlight on the lake, were at the scene within an hour.

Members of the Lake Saint Louis Fire Protection District dive team waited on shore in case they were needed to recover bodies from the water. A hazmat team was also called to the site to respond to a fuel leak from the plane.

Police said a flight plan filed for the plane with the FAA listed only two people on board, but as a precaution, officials used sonar equipment to search the lake for others.

A witness told officials that the plane’s engine sounded as if it was sputtering as the Piper circled the lake. Despite an attempt to land on shore, the witness told police, the pilot set down on the water and the aircraft flipped.

"It banked and appeared to making an emergency landing, possibly on the beach," Carson said.

Carson said Hazelton was familiar with the area and was well-known at Creve Coeur airport.

The plane remained upside-down in waist-deep water in the eastern part of the lake hours after the crash. Rescuers reported some type of fuel or oil spill on the water's surface but it was unclear what that was.

Investigators from the FAA will be on the scene Thursday.  Tony Molinaro, a spokesman for the FAA, said since one of the victims died overnight, the National Transportation Safety Board will take over the investigation, Molinaro said. It will be the only agency authorized to discuss the investigation.

'LOVELY PEOPLE'

Neighbors of the Hazeltons on Fairfield Lake Drive in Town and Country said the Hazeltons generally lived in their condo there part of the year, from October to December and again from April to June.

Russell Hazelton had been a TWA pilot, according to James A. Johnson and Juana J. Johnson, who live next door and have known the couple for about three and a half years. Suzanne Hazelton had been a teacher.

"I asked her this spring, 'Are you nervous with Russell (in the plane?)'" Juana Johnson said. "She said, 'No, he's a pilot.' It's not an issue."

When they were in town, Suzanne Hazelton would attend Bethesda Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith in Normandy, where James Johnson is bishop. They had an adult son and daughter, who live in New York City.

"They were lovely people, the best neighbors you could ever have," Juana Johnson said. "She emailed me Monday and said they were coming in Wednesday. I thought, 'Great a good sunny day for travel.'"

The Johnsons were watching the World Series Wednesday night when they heard from a breaking news report that a plane had crashed. Fearing it was the Hazeltons, Juana Johnson ran outside, where she saw the Hazeltons' home was dark.

"It's hurtful," James Johnson said.

Tim Townsend of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.


MARYLAND HEIGHTS • One person died overnight after a small plane crashed into Creve Coeur Lake and then flipped on its back, police said today.

The crash happened about 8:40 p.m. Wednesday.

Emergency responders rescued two people from the plane. They were rushed to a hospital, where one of them died overnight, said Maj. Bill Carson of the Maryland Heights Police Department.

The second person remained hospitalized.

The Piper PA-28 Cherokee single-engine plane is registered with the Federal Aviation Administration to a Russell C. Hazelton of Factoryville, Pa. There was no answer at a phone number listed to that name in Factoryville.

FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said the plane had left Delaware, Ohio, and was scheduled to land at Creve Coeur Airport.

The first call about the crash came into Maryland Heights police at 8:40 p.m. Police and rescue workers were at the scene within minutes.

Dozens of emergency responders and vehicles, including a police helicopter shining a spotlight on the lake, were at the scene within an hour.

Members of the Lake Saint Louis Fire Protection District dive team waited on shore in case they were needed to recover bodies from the water. A hazmat team was also called to the site to respond to a fuel leak from the plane.

Police said a flight plan filed for the plane with the FAA listed only two people on board, but as a precaution, officials used sonar equipment to search the lake for others.

A witness told officials that the plane’s engine sounded as if it was sputtering as the Piper circled the lake. Despite an attempt to land on shore, the witness told police, the pilot set down on the water and the aircraft flipped.

The plane remained upside-down in waist-deep water in the eastern part of the lake hours after the crash.

The survivors of the crash were taken to DePaul Health Center. Their names were not released.


Police said a representative from the FAA would visit the scene today.

Cory said the FAA's probe could take several months as investigators talk with witnesses, pull radar records, and check the plane's history and pilot's training, among other details.

The crash scene is not far from the small Creve Coeur Airport. Both the airport and the lake are in Maryland Heights.

http://www.stltoday.com

Crews from St. Charles, Lake St. Louis, Maryland Heights, Monarch, and Robertson also responded to assist in the rescue.

Within the first 10 minutes, rescue crews were able to extricate two people from inside the plane. The man and woman were taken to SSM DePaul Health Center, a Level II trauma center. They were still unconscious as of Thursday morning. It is not believed anyone else was onboard.


Witnesses say the engine may have been sputtering when it went down and the pilot may have been trying to land on the water.


Dive teams conducted an underwater search.


The plane was traveling from Delaware, Ohio to Creve Coeur Airport, which is approximately two miles west of Creve Coeur Lake.


 A small plane has crashed into the lake at Creve Coeur Park in Maryland Heights.

Maryland Heights Deputy Police chief Maj. Bill Carson told St. Louis Public Radio's Tim Lloyd that his department got the first call about the crash around 8:40 p.m. on Wednesday. 

When police arrived at the scene, the cockpit was submerged and they couldn’t pry it open.  Multiple police officers got under the wings and lifted it out of the water to keep the pilot and passenger from drowning.

When firefighters arrived, they where able to free the two victims from the four-seat plane - they are in critical condition at DePaul Hospital. Their identities have not been released. Dive teams found no additional victims.

Carson said according to an eyewitness report, the plane sounded like it was having engine trouble and appeared to be trying to land on a beach on the east side of the lake.

"But, instead of hitting the shore the plane actually hit the water and flipped over upside down,” Carson said. 

Federal Aviation Administration records show the plane, a single-engine Piper Cherokee, is registered to Russell C. Hazelton of Pennsylvania, a former captain with Trans World Airlines and now a director at Penn Security Bank and Trust.  It's not yet known if Hazelton was on board. Flight records show the plane taking off from a municipal airport outside of Columbus, Ohio around 6 p.m., with plans to land at Creve Coeur Airport, which is located less than two miles from the crash site.   The scene will be left intact until the FAA can investigate.

http://news.stlpublicradio.org

 Maryland Heights, MO (KSDK) - The FAA is expected to arrive Thursday at the site of the Creve Coeur Lake plane crash.
 

Investigators scheduled a press conference for 9:30 a.m. about the crash.
The plane was tied overnight to a Maryland Heights police vehicle to keep it from drifting into the lake. 

 

The Pattonville Fire Protection District received a phone call at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday for a plane in the water.
 

When emergency personnel arrived they found the four-person plane upside down in the water and two people trapped inside.  


 MARYLAND HEIGHTS • A woman who was critically injured in a small plane crash last week that killed her pilot husband has also died. 

Suzanne Hazelton, 69, died at about 5:30 p.m. Monday, said a spokeswoman with DePaul Health Center in Bridgeton. She was critically injured in the crash, which happened in Creve Coeur Lake, and had been on life support.

Russell Hazelton, 78, died the morning after the Wednesday night crash. He was a former TWA pilot and had been flying with his wife to spend time at their Town and Country home.

The plane was registered to Russell Hazelton in Factoryville, Pa., but the couple also had homes in Vermont and Town and Country, authorities and neighbors said.

Russell Hazelton was piloting the Piper PA-28 Cherokee - a small, single-engine plane - from Delaware, Ohio, toward Creve Coeur Airport when something went wrong about 8:40 p.m. not far from the airfield in Maryland Heights.

A witness told officials that the plane's engine sounded as if it was sputtering as the Piper circled the lake. Officials said it banked and appeared to be making an emergency landing, possibly on the beach, when the pilot set the plane down on the water and the aircraft flipped over.

Rescue workers who came to the scene within minutes found the plane upside down with the cockpit submerged. They could not get the door open, so they dragged the plane to shallow water and held it up to keep the couple out of the water. Authorities estimated the Hazeltons were underwater for about seven to eight minutes.

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