Sunday, December 23, 2012

Beechcraft 95-B55 (T42A) Baron, N30WC: Accident occurred December 21, 2012 in Las Cruces, New Mexico

http://registry.faa.gov/N30WC

NTSB Identification: CEN13LA110  
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, December 21, 2012 in Las Cruces, NM
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/24/2013
Aircraft: BEECH 95-B55 (T42A), registration: N30WC
Injuries: 1 Minor.

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 said he added 31 gallons of fuel (for a total 0f 70 gallons) prior to departure. The fuel gauges indicated the main tanks were one-half to three-quarters full, with the remainder in the auxiliary tanks. The fuel selectors were on the main tanks. After a short 10-minute flight, the pilot executed an ILS approach in VMC. Ten miles from the runway threshold, the right engine started surging. Fuel flow fluctuated between 28 gph and 2 gph. He advanced the throttle, propeller, and mixture controls and turned on the fuel boost pumps. The airplane yawed and he identified the right engine as having lost power. He feathered the propeller and secured the engine. Shortly thereafter, the left engine lost power. The airplane impacted terrain, shearing off the left wing. The right engine was partially separated from the right wing. An FAA inspector examined the wreckage and said the right propeller was not feathered and both fuel selectors were in the auxiliary tank position. The left engine throttle, propeller, and mixture controls were full forward. The right engine throttle and propeller control were only slightly retarded, and the mixture control was in the IDLE CUTOFF position. Both fuel selectors were positioned on the auxiliary tanks, but the fuel gauge selector switch was on the main tanks.

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

The pilot's failure to properly manage the airplane's fuel, which resulted in engine failure due to fuel starvation.


On December 21, 2012, at 1650 mountain standard time, a Beech 95-B55, N30WC, impacted terrain 2 miles southeast of runway 30 while on landing approach to Las Cruces International Airport (KLRU), Las Cruces, New Mexico. The pilot, the sole occupant on board, sustained minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight originated from Santa Teresa (5T6), New Mexico, approximately 1640.

According to the pilot's accident report, he added 31 gallons of fuel (for a total of 70 gallons) prior to departing K5T6. The fuel gauges indicated the main tanks were one-half to three-quarters full, with the remainder in the auxiliary tanks. The fuel selectors were on the main tanks. He executed the ILS (instrument landing system) to runway 30, in visual meteorological conditions, and was 10 miles from the runway threshold when the right engine started surging. Fuel flow fluctuated between 28 gph (gallons per hour) to 2 gph. He advanced the throttle, propeller, and mixture controls and turned on the fuel boost pumps. He said the airplane yawed 45 to 70 degrees left and right, and he identified the right engine as having lost power. He feathered the propeller and secured the engine. Shortly thereafter, the left engine lost power. The airplane impacted terrain, shearing off the left wing. The right engine was partially separated from the right wing. In a hospital interview, the pilot told a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that he had shut down the right engine and he described the procedure he used.

The inspector told the pilot that the right propeller had not been feathered and that both fuel selectors were in the auxiliary tank position. Photographs taken by the inspector showed the left engine throttle, propeller, and mixture controls were full forward. The right engine throttle and propeller control were only slightly retarded, and the mixture control was in the IDLE CUTOFF position. Both fuel selectors were positioned on the auxiliary tanks, but the fuel gauge selector switch was on the main tanks.

In his written statement, the inspector estimated there should have had about 7 gallons in each auxiliary tank, and he computed this to be the fuel remaining after a flight from Santa Teresa to the accident site. The inspector also noted a placard affixed on the instrument panel, warning: DO NOT TAKE OFF IF FUEL QUANTITY GAGE INDICATES IN YELLOW ARC OR WITH LESS THAN 13 GALLONS IN EACH MAIN TANK.


NTSB Identification: CEN13LA110 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, December 21, 2012 in Las Cruces, NM
Aircraft: Beech 95-B55 (T42A), registration: N30WC
Injuries: 1 Minor.

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

On December 21, 2012, at 1648 mountain standard time, a Beech 95-B55, N30WC, impacted terrain 2 miles southeast of runway 30 while on landing approach to Las Cruces International Airport (KLRU), Las Cruces, New Mexico. The pilot, the sole occupant on board, sustained minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight originated from Santa Teresa, New Mexico (K5T6) approximately 1625.

According to the pilot, the right engine began running rough. He said he secured the engine and feathered the propeller. Shortly thereafter, the left engine lost power. The airplane impacted terrain, shearing off the left wing. The right engine was partially separated from the right wing.


 
Photo Credit: Scorpion


 



EL PASO, Texas - A plane crashed about two miles south of the Las Cruces airport Friday evening, according to New Mexico State Police

 The ABC-7 Investigative team learned the plane belongs to a man by the name of Sean Tommervik from East Bridgewater, Massachussetts.
 

Dona Ana County Sheriff Kelly Jameson said airport personnel called central dispatch at 5:08 p.m. after receiving radio dispatch from the pilot that they were having engine failure.

New Mexico State Police found the plane. The pilot was uninjured.

"Captain Rich Libicer said it's still unclear if the plane crashed or had an emergency landing," according to the Associated Press.  A person who lives near the scene of the accident said the beach craft plane hit a sand dune but did not catch on fire.


http://www.kvia.com

Civil Aviation Safety Authority suspends Cairns-based airline

The  Civil Aviation Safety Authority yesterday suspended all operations by a Cairns-based charter company because of alleged serious safety risks. 

The federal authority said it had evidence Barrier Aviation, which has a fleet of 34 aircraft, was operating aircraft with serious and known defects and was directing its pilots to fly with known aircraft defects.

The company is also accused of failing to record those defects on aircraft maintenance documentation when they became known.

A CASA spokesman said Barrier Aviation had been under investigation for six weeks, but more alleged maintenance problems had come to light in the "past couple of days''.

"There was an increased level of risk which was just too high," the spokesman said.

The five-day ban could stretch to another 40 days if the Federal Court agrees to extend the suspension while CASA carries out further investigations.

Managing director of Barrier Aviation, David Kilin, said the company was examining the suspension notification and would take legal advice on the matter.

"We will be challenging the allegations in the Federal Court," he said yesterday.

He said about 50 staff, including 37 pilots, would be affected by the suspension but the company had not had time to consider their options yet.

"We will also be notifying clients and helping them with alternative arrangements."

CASA acknowledged the timing of the suspension was "regrettable" for passengers and Barrier's employees, but its "primary and overriding consideration" was safety.

In its statement yesterday, CASA said:


"The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has suspended the operations of Barrier Aviation Pty Ltd with immediate effect from 23 December 2012.

"This action has been taken because CASA believes permitting Barrier Aviation to continue to fly poses a serious and imminent risk to air safety."

Barrier Aviation provides charter services, aerial work and is a flying training air operator with bases in Cairns, Darwin and Horn Island.

It also offers interstate, international flights,scenic flights over the Great Barrier Reef, and the carriage of dangerous and difficult cargo throughout PNG.


Source:   http://www.cairns.com.au

Watch Video:    http://www.abc.net.au

http://www.barrieraviation.com

Plane aborts take-off with fire in engine: General Mitchell International Airport (KMKE), Milwaukee, Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE - Everyone is okay after a plane at Mitchell International had to abort take-off with engine problems.

What started out as an ordinary flight for those Delta passengers turned into a travel nightmare. Many of them tell TODAY'S TMJ4 they don't think they'll make it home in time for Christmas Eve.

The plane was headed to the Twin Cities.

"There was a loud bang on the right side and they aborted the take-off," says Milwaukee resident Bob Noel. "You're not thinking about where you're going, you're thinking about your own safety. When you hear that, it's not a good sign."

Milwaukee County Fire Department crews were called to the airport at about 9:30 a.m. after a Delta commercial plane began having engine trouble.

An airport public relations official says the mechanical trouble happened prior to take-off.

"We can't get any other flight until tomorrow," Andy Smith says. "They told us later the right engine had lost its oil and had been on fire."

Many of the fire crews were called off before they got to the airport as the fire was under control quickly.

Right now, it's not clear how many passengers had to be put on other flights.


Story and video:   http://www.todaystmj4.com

Flights return to Aoraki: First commercial Mt Cook flight in 15 years

Aoraki Mt Cook put on stunning blue skies for the first scenic flight from Christchurch to Mt Cook in 15 years yesterday.

The passengers were treated to the first Air NZ commercial flight into the newly refurbished Mt Cook airfield since the service was stopped due to failing demand and more pressing need for aircraft in other parts of the country.

The flight was close to full, with 57 passengers taking the Christchurch to Mt Cook leg of the trip on the 68-seat ATR-72 plane.

It flew on to Queenstown before returning to Christchurch via Mt Cook later in the day.

The Hermitage Aoraki Mount Cook hotel general manager Nigel Harper said the weather was ''brilliant'' and the passengers had a good view of the mountains.

The hotel owns the airfield and had spent $50,000 to prepare it for commercial flights.

Most of the passengers appeared to be Kiwis, he said, with some stopping for lunch at the hotel before catching the return trip back to Christchurch in the afternoon.

An Air New Zealand spokeswoman said the flight was aimed at tourists and offered a convenient way of seeing several popular South Island visitor destinations.

The service would run three times a week until January 27 and there were no plans to make it a year-round route.

It could become a regular seasonal passage if it was popular enough, she said. 

 http://www.stuff.co.nz

Top 10 of 2012, #8: Local plane crashes (With Video)

From now until Dec. 31, CTV Kitchener is counting down the top 10 local stories of 2012. Catch the countdown each night on CTV News at Six.

At number 8 are the stories of six people with ties to Waterloo Region and the surrounding area that died tragically in plane crashes.

Calabogie crash


74-year-old Bob Reany was a pilot from Port Elgin with extensive international flying experience. But on Thanksgiving, he was killed when his brand new six seater plane went down in a wooded area near Calabogie.

Reany was the only one in the plane at the time, as he had dropped off the owner in Ottawa.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. At the time, Reany’s family said they couldn’t imagine a mechanical malfunction he was incapable of handling.

“If anybody could have done anything to salvage that aircraft and not crash it, he would have been the fellow,” Bob’s brother Bill Reany told CTV News at the time.

Puslinch Lake

A few weeks after the Calabogie incident, a float plane crashed at Puslinch Lake. The plane had been landing and taking off all afternoon.

The pilot, 47-year-old Russel Hawkins of Guelph, died at the scene. A passenger survived the crash.

Moorefield crash


In August, a single engine Cessna 172 from the Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre went down north of Kitchener in a cornfield near Moorefield.

Four people were on board and had taken off from the Region of Waterloo airport on what was supposed to be a sightseeing tour to Niagara Falls and Toronto. All four were killed when the plane crashed.

20-year-old Marko Misic was the pilot of the rented plane, and described by a former classmate as an avid flyer.

Read more: http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca

'Horrific': Glider slams to ground

A MELBOURNE man suffered “horrific” but not life-threatening leg injuries after his glider crashed near the Tocumwal aerodrome yesterday afternoon.

Sen-Constable James Prentice, of Finley police highway patrol, said the 40-year-old was 400 metres south of the aerodrome when his right wing clipped a tree as he tried to gain altitude about noon.

The glider crashed to the ground and Sen-Constable Prentice said the Melbourne man suffered “horrific” leg injuries, particularly to his ankles.

The man was placed on a spinal board but officers don’t believe he has spinal injuries and it was a precautionary measure.

The man, a recreational pilot, was flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Sen-Constable Prentice said the warm, westerly winds, affecting the glider’s climb, could have contributed to the crash.

Ambulance, NSW Fire and Rescue, the VRA and SES attended.

Pictures from the crash scene:  http://www.bordermail.com.au

Air India flight cancelled

Air India has canceled its Chandigarh-Delhi flight (AI864/863) for December 24. The operation of the flight has been canceled due to uncertainty in weather. Officials said that since this flight goes to Mumbai as well, the operation between Delhi and Mumbai has not been canceled and will operate as per normal schedule.

The passengers who were to board the flight from Chandigarh will be required to reach the Chandigarh Airport at 8 am from where alternate arrangements will be made to take them to Delhi.

Due to the thick cover of fog on Saturday, no airline could ply flights to and from Chandigarh. This led to harassment of the passengers who were stranded.

Station Manager, Air India, Chandigarh, M R Jindal said that many passengers have connecting flights from Delhi with the holiday season starting. It was decided that in order to avoid uncertainty, the flight would be canceled and passengers given alternate transportation facilities.


http://www.indianexpress.com

Air India pilot crunch grounds 300 flyers for 18 hours

MUMBAI: It was an almost 18-hour ordeal for 300 passengers booked on an Air India (AI) flight to Riyadh on Sunday morning. Facing a crew constraint, the airline rescheduled the flight at the eleventh hour, leaving flyers in the lurch. The flight was supposed to depart at 2.50am, but left only at 8.30pm. The flyers, however, were informed about the delay only after they had checked in.

Flight AI 921 was supposed to take off from Mumbai at 2.50am for Riyadh and flyers checked in around midnight. While they were waiting to board the plane, they were told the flight had been delayed. Till that time, they didn't know the long wait that was to follow.

Around 2am, the flyers were told the airline was facing a shortage of pilots and that the flight had been scheduled for 8.30pm. This agitated the flyers who were already upset that AI hadn't bothered to inform them in advance. "Suddenly, there was a chaos. Nobody was willing to wait that long for a flight. Also, they were not offered any refreshments by the airline while they waited at the terminal," said an airport official. Many flyers had arguments with the airline's ground staff. Officials said that many surrounded the airline's lounge at the airport demanding entry.

"People were upset as they were not informed about the delay. Also, since it was not a small delay, they expected the airline to at least make them feel at ease while they waited. They said that no food was offered by the airline despite the massive delay," said an airport official posted at the international terminal.

Refreshments came only later in the day.

An AI spokesperson said, the airline had a cockpit crew shortage.

"Refreshments and meals were provided to passengers for the delayed flight."

The incident highlights the shortage of pilots in AI. While the number of flights has gone up, the increase in the crew hasn't been proportional said airline insiders.

"If a crew member falls sick at the last moment or cannot report to duty due to other emergency, there is no one to fill in for him or her. The airline has been short of pilots for a long time now," and this affects the passengers as well,"
said a n airline source.

Trauma At Terminal

* AI's flight for Riyadh is supposed to take-off from Mumbai at 2.50am on Sunday morning

* After passengers check-in around midnight, they are told that the flight has been delayed

* Around 2am, the flyers are told that the airline is facing a shortage of pilots. The flight is eventually scheduled for 8.30pm


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Christmas flight chaos at Warsaw's Modlin airport after safety fears

Warsaw's newly-opened Modlin airport has announced that all scheduled flights have been redirected to the capital's Chopin airport after concern about the state of the runway. 

A notice on the web site of Modlin airport – which opened this year to take much of the low-cost air traffic flying in and out of the Polish capital – announces (in Polish only on Sunday morning) that the 2500 metre runway has been cut to 1500, meaning scheduled flights using, for example, Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s will not now be able to land over the busy holiday period.

All flights, including those of no-frills airline Ryanair, are now being redirected to Warsaw's Chopin international airport.

The decision taken by the Provincial Building Inspector to cut the runway length at Modlin airport, around 45 kilometres from Warsaw, will be in place until at least 31 December.

"The ERBUD S.A. Company is required to repair any damage occurring to the runway under warranty [and] the company will also be required to cover [financial] losses resulting from the need to suspend operations at the airport,” says a statement by the airport.

Passengers can ring a special infoline – at 00 48 22 346 43 60 – for more information.

The news of more travel chaos at Modlin airport comes after low-cost airline Wizz Air announced last week that it was suspending flights over the Christmas period due to safety concerns about the lack of a ground-based instrument landing system (ILS), which provides precision guidance to planes as they approach runways.

Wizz Air said that the “unprecedented decision” to suspend the flights between 17 December and midnight on 6 January was taken “over the Christmas peak travel period for over 55,000 passengers who otherwise would be subject to Modlin Airport’s lack of ILS infrastructure and massive flight disruptions and cancellations".

Since opening for business in July this year, Modlin has handled over 720,000 passengers on more than 5,000 air operations. "By the end of the year we will have handled over 900,000 passengers,” claimed the airport in a statement in November, though those numbers will now have to be revised downwards.

http://www.thenews.pl

Cracks in runway force closure of Warsaw airport

Warsaw's Modlin airport serving budget airlines was forced to close because of apparent cracks in the runway, its director said Sunday.
 

Wizzair and Ryanair flights were being diverted to Warsaw's main airport, Okecie, Piotr Okienczyc said, adding that repair work would begin on Monday.

The airport, which opened six months ago, handles about 20 flights and an average of 5,000 passengers daily.

Officials ordered the facility closed after an inspection Saturday.


http://news.ph.msn.com

Passenger caught at Cairo airport with ninety-six (96) snakes: Customs suspected passenger’s bulging clothes inside bag

Egyptian authorities arrested a man who was about to board a flight from Cairo to Saudi Arabia with 96 snakes he planned to sell in the Gulf Kingdom.

Customs men in Cairo suspected the passenger’s bulging clothes inside his bag as he headed for the aircraft, newspapers in Egypt and Saudi Arabia said.

When they searched the bag again, they found 96 snakes with a length ranging between 30 and 90 cm each.

The man said he had concealed the snakes to take them to Saudi Arabia to sell them for a large sum of money to known customers. The papers said the snakes ere of various types but it was not clear if they were poisonous.


http://www.emirates247.com

Robinson R22 BETA, N27AT: Rotorcraft crashed on landing at a private residence

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 27AT        Make/Model: R22       Description: ROBINSON R22 
  Date: 12/23/2012     Time: 1631

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

LOCATION
  City: CORCORAN   State: MN   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  N27AT ROBINSON R22 ROTORCRAFT CRASHED ON LANDING AT A PRIVATE RESIDENCE, 
  CORCORAN, MN

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


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Landing      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: MINNEAPOLIS, MN  (GL15)               Entry date: 12/26/2012 
 
 
Nils T. Svard , 68, of Minneapolis suffered minor injuries Sunday when the private helicopter he was piloting burned upon landing in Corcoran, where he’d flown to visit his grandchildren, according to the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.



Story and reaction/comments:   http://minnesota.cbslocal.com

Story and photo:  http://www.kare11.com

http://registry.faa.gov/N27AT


MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A 68-year-old grandfather was injured Sunday in a helicopter accident in Corcoran. 

Police say the man was on his way to visit his grandkids when the accident occurred. Corcoran Police, Rogers Police, Rogers Fire and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of a single-engine helicopter crash around 10:30 a.m. 

Officers say when the helicopter landed on the helipad at a private residence, it started to spin and the tail hit a nearby unoccupied trailer and caught on fire. 

The victim’s son, Stefan Svard, witnessed the incident.

“Within a few seconds the fire started, I ran out with extinguisher,” said Svard. “We got him out. We got his jacket off that was burning. Like I said, he’s just fine, but my extinguisher is no match for 20 gallons of fuel.”

Crews removed the man from the helicopter. They say he suffered minor burns in the incident.
Svard says the chopper is a Robbinson 22 and that his dad is a seasoned pilot.

The FAA is investigating the incident.

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com

CORCORAN, Minn. (AP) - The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after a helicopter caught fire after landing at a private home in Corcoran. 

Maj. Tracey Martin says the pilot had just landed on a helipad at his son's home around 10:30 a.m. Sunday when the helicopter started to spin and then collided with a nearby unoccupied trailer. The helicopter then caught fire. 

The son says he heard the crash and ran out to his backyard. He used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames on his father's clothing . The helicopter fire was too large to contain and was left to burn.
Sheriff's officials say no other structures were damaged. 

No one else was on board. 

The pilot was examined by a paramedic at the scene for minor injuries. 

The Star Tribune says the pilot is a 68-year-old Minneapolis grandfather who had flown to see his grandchildren. 
  
http://www.kare11.com

Cessna 150H, N7005S: Bizarre Christmas Eve plane crash remembered

 MIRAMAR BEACH — The fog rolled in quickly on that long-ago Christmas Eve, and by 1 p.m., it was so thick that people on the top floors of Hidden Dunes Resort couldn’t see the ground.

It also obscured the high rise from pilot Timothy Warren Butler, who was hurrying home for Christmas in his single-engine Cessna.

About 1:30 p.m. Dec. 24, 1987, Butler flew into the 19th floor of Hidden Dunes on U.S. Highway 98. The landing gear lodged in the window of a corner unit, keeping the plane from crashing to the ground.

“That fog just came in so damn fast,” Butler told reporters nearly a month after the crash. “It was clear — and then there was fog.”

Butler was critically injured. His passenger, 31-year-old Deanna Atkins, died at the scene, according to news reports.

Both lived in the Milton area, where Butler is believed to still be living. He could not be reached for comment.

News accounts of the crash in the days and weeks that followed were plentiful.

Then-Walton County Sheriff’s Lt. Bill Fowler told reporters that when he first drove up to the building, the fog was so thick he couldn’t see anything.

“As the fog cleared, I could see what had happened,” he said in 1987 news accounts. “I could see a body hanging out.”

He took the elevator to the 19th floor, broke down the door to Unit 1901 and found a tire from the plane had bounced off and rolled across the empty room.

He leaned out the hole in the wall while a woman he didn’t know held onto his belt to keep him from falling.

“I took hold of the woman’s (Atkins’) arm while the other woman held onto my belt,” Fowler told reporters at the time. “I was thinking, ‘what am I going to do?’ ”

Other rescue workers recalled getting the call about a plane hitting a building. They though it was a hoax until they got to the scene.

While horrified rescue workers watched, Butler undid his seat belt, slipped from the cockpit and became wedged between the building’s wall and the plane’s right wing, news accounts said. He was pulled to safety through an 18th-floor window.

“His time wasn’t up,” Fowler told reporters. “He should have slipped and fallen 19 floors.”

The plane was secured with ropes during the rescue. On Christmas Day, a helicopter was brought in to lower it to the ground.

Butler and Atkins were flying home from Cocoa Beach, where they had visited Atkins’ brother.

Their destination was a small airstrip in Navarre.

Atkins was the mother of a 3-year-old boy.

In an interview nearly a month after the crash, Butler told reporters that they wanted to get home for Christmas.

The weather had been “nearly perfect” on the first part of their trip, he said. But conditions deteriorated as the Cessna neared Destin.

Butler, who was not rated for instrument flying, said he planned to land in Destin. He spoke to someone at the airport who said there already was someone landing and he needed to go around again.

“So I was going around and — bingo — I smacked into that damned condo,” he said.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigated the crash. It found Butler to be at fault for flying in conditions for which he did not have the necessary ratings.

The report called his “in-flight planning/decision” poor, and cited fog as a contributing factor.

The Hidden Dunes tower was largely empty at the time. Unit 1901 belonged to Michael Pizitz of Birmingham, Ala. A decorator had been working in the unit, but was not there when the crash occurred because it was Christmas Eve.

Friends from Destin started calling Pizitz within 30 minutes of the wreck.

“I’ve got bad news and worse news,” one told him. “It crashed into the building. It also crashed into the unit.”

Pizitz requested a copy of the newspaper photo, which shows the plane hanging from the condo. A framed copy hangs in the bedroom where the crash occurred.

He said last week that the crash is still a topic of conversation around Hidden Dunes, even though decades have passed.

“My next door neighbor, who is relatively new, requested a picture of it when I was down there,” said Pizitz, who made her a copy.

“Now the condo is being used by children and grandchildren who weren’t even alive at the time.”

Story and photo:  http://www.nwfdailynews.com

NTSB Identification: MIA88FA071.
The docket is stored on NTSB microfiche number 35640.
Accident occurred Thursday, December 24, 1987 in DESTIN, FL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 02/24/1989
Aircraft: CESSNA 150H, registration: N7005S
Injuries: 1 Fatal,1 Serious.

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.

 
WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY OBSERVED THE ACFT FLYING IN THE FOG IN A SOUTHEASTERLY DIRECTION AND TURN HARD RIGHT JUST BEFORE IT STRUCK THE 19TH FLOOR OF A CONDOMINIUM. THE FOG ACCORDING TO RESIDENTS OF THE BLDG WAS SO THICK THAT THE GROUND COULD NOT BE SEEN FROM THE TOP FLOORS.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC..CONTINUED..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION..POOR..PILOT IN COMMAND
 

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..FOG

Learjet 25, Starwood Management LLC, N345MC: Accident occurred December 09, 2012 in Monterrey, Mexico

NTSB Identification: DCA13RA025 
 Accident occurred Sunday, December 09, 2012 in Monterrey, Mexico
Aircraft: LEARJET INC 25, registration: N345MC
Injuries: 7 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. The foreign authority was the source of this information.

On December 9, 2012, at 0333 Central Standard Time, a Learjet 25, N345MC, crashed in mountainous terrain at an elevation of about 5,600 feet above mean sea level approximately 70 miles south of Monterrey, Mexico. The flight departed General Mariano Escobedo International Airport (MMMY), Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico at 0319 and was enroute to Lic. Adolfo Lopez Mateo International Airport (MMTO), Toluca, Estado de Mexico, Mexico. The two crew members and five passengers on board were fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

The Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil of Mexico (DGAC) is investigating the accident. The NTSB has designated a U.S. Accredited Representative under the provisions of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 13 as the State of Manufacture and Registry of the aircraft.

Inquiries regarding this incident should be directed to:

Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil
Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes
Providencia No. 807 — 6° piso
Colonia del Valle
Codigo Postal 03100
México, D.F.
Mexico






IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 345MC        Make/Model: LJ25      Description: LEARJET 25
  Date: 12/09/2012     Time: 0630

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

LOCATION

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO A MOUNTAINOUS AREA, THE 7 PERSONS ON BOARD WERE 
  FATALLY INJURED, 61 MILES FROM MONTERREY, MEXICO

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   7
                 # Crew:   7     Fat:   7     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: DALLAS, TX  (SW05)                    Entry date: 12/10/2012 

Cessna 172P Skyhawk, N5404K, Raritan Valley Flying School

 
Plane that landed on Bay Head beach late Sun. afternoon 
(December 23, 2012) 
Credit Barnegat Bay Island 

Equipment starting to move the small plane that landed on Bay Head beach Sun. afternoon.
 Credit Max Lindeman on Barnegat Bay Island 

 
A plane making an emergency landing on the beach in Bay Head hit debris under the sand on Sunday and flipped over. Neither the pilot nor a passenger were hurt, police said. 
Photo courtesy of Sgt. Todd LaRue, Bay Head Police


No one was injured when a small plane landed on a Bay Head beach near Johnson Street at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Two people walked away from the small plane that landed on the beach and to an ambulance where they were checked, said Bay Head Assistant Fire Chief Joe Todisco at the firehouse on Bridge Avenue in Bay Head.

"I asked the pilot if we should be concerned about fuel in the wings and he said, 'I wouldn't worry about it, it's pretty empty,' " said Todisco, adding he did not know the name of the pilot or passenger.

The plane had departed from an airport in Princeton and the two aboard were checked by the Point Pleasant First Aid and Emergency Squad and were found to be unharmed, officials said.

State police and police, fire and first aid squads from Bay Head, Mantoloking Point Beach and Point Borough responded to the scene. A crew removed the plane through an entry point on the beach at Williams Avenue in Mantoloking, Todisco said.

Todisco said he believes police are having the wings removed from the plane so they can transport it elsewhere.

"I don't know where they're taking it," he said.

After the plane was removed, authorities had it in a section of East Avenue, which is parallel to Route 35, which is restricted to the public and blocked off by National Guard due to damage caused by Superstorm Sandy.
 
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 BAY HEAD — A small plane crashed along the beach in Bay Head about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, police said.   The small Cessna-style plane — which was flying northbound along the coast — experienced engine trouble and glided down to land on the beach near Johnson Street, said Lt. Geoffrey W. Barger of the Bay Head Police Department.

During the landing, it struck debris under the sand and flipped over, Barger said. Police said the pilot and a passenger — who were not identified — escaped the craft without injuries.   “Right now we’re in the process of removing the plane from a beach because of the tide moving in,” Barger said.   The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified and an examination of the craft will be performed, he said.

Story and photo:   http://www.app.com

BAY HEAD, N.J. (AP) — Two people escaped injury when a small plane crashed on a beach in southern New Jersey.  The crash occurred around 3:30 p.m. Sunday in the Ocean County community of Bay Head.

Authorities say the Cessna-style plane apparently experienced engine trouble and glided down to land on the beach. But as it came down, it struck debris under the sand and flipped over.  The pilot and a passenger, whose names were not released, were able to get out of the aircraft by themselves and did not appear to be injured. No one on the ground was injured.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation by local authorities and the Federal Aviation Administration.

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BAY HEAD — A small plane crashed along the beach in Bay Head, in an incident that did not result in any injuries, police said.  Police said the unidentified pilot was able to walk away from the plane. No other details were available. The incident occurred at around 3:30 p.m.

Story and reaction/comments:  http://www.nj.com

Me first!

Air India pilots in fight to train for Dreamliner 

Everybody in Air India (AI), it seems, wants to fly the premium Dreamliner.

In May, erstwhile AI pilots (who fly international routes) struck work when the company decided to distribute Dreamliner training slots between them and erstwhile Indian Airlines (IA) pilots.

Now,tension is simmering again with IA pilots appearing to be at loggerheads with each other on who gets to fly the state-of-the-art flying machine.

Commanders, based on seniority, from both AI and IA, are being sent for training on Dreamliners. However, in December, eight simulator slots in Singapore meant for training IA pilots had to be cancelled as the airline was unable to spare pilots.

In a letter dated December 17, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) — an association of IA pilots — demanded that the management break away from the tradition of following seniority for career upgrades and send pilots who are down below in seniority for training on Dreamliners.

Executive pilots (those who hold managerial posts) belonging to IA - and who are the senior most in the cadre and first in line to be trained on Dreamliner - are resisting the proposal. "Seniority is sacrosanct in any airline," an executive pilot said.

"The ICPA proposal not only violates line seniority but will create bad blood in rank and file and destabilize the airline... The co-pilots being trained on Dreamliners are anyways junior pilots so the ICPA shouldn't have raised this issue in the first place."

An ICPA office bearer said their suggestion was to "streamline the promotion process" and to ensure that there is no shortage of training captains on the Airbus fleet, which IA flies.

Story and reaction/comments:  http://www.hindustantimes.com