Tuesday, June 04, 2013
Crop dusting plane clips power lines, causes power outage: Kearney, Buffalo County, Nebraska
PLEASANTON - A crop dusting pilot was unharmed Tuesday evening after the plane he was flying clipped power lines in northern Buffalo County.
Around 5:15 p.m. a crop dusting plane was spraying a pasture near 370th and Hawk Roads, northeast of Pleasanton, when it clipped overhead power lines. The pilot was able to land successfully, and escaped without injuries, said Bob Anderson, Buffalo County Sheriff Captain.
Anderson declined to say where the pilot landed or name the pilot.
Power was out in the northern part of Buffalo County for several hours, but was restored by crews from Dawson Public Power and the Nebraska Public Power District.
Glasair SH-2RG, Captain John Christopher Hender, VH-IDF: Accident occurred March 12, 2006 in Mildura, Victoria - Australia
Photo: John Christopher Hender and his 10-year-old son were killed when the aircraft crashed into a shed.John Christopher Hender and Samuel Hender, 10, died when the home-made aircraft crashed into a shed in Mildura and burst into flames.
Mr Hender had failed to regain altitude after aborting an attempted landing at the nearby airport.
He was not allowed to carry passengers unless they were required for testing purposes, but decided to take his son flying on his birthday.
The coroner has recommended that children under 17 be prohibited from flying in any aircraft issued with an experimental class of airworthiness certificate.
Source: http://www.abc.net.au
Piper PA-28-181 Archer III, Transpac Aviation Academy, N327PA and Cessna 172SP Skyhawk, Westwind School of Aeronautics, N2459K: Accident occurred May 31, 2013 in Anthem, Arizona
NTSB Identification: WPR13FA254A
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 31, 2013 in Anthem, AZ
Aircraft: PIPER PA-28-181, registration: N327PA
Injuries: 4 Fatal.
NTSB Identification: WPR13FA254B
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 31, 2013 in Anthem, AZ
Aircraft: CESSNA 172S, registration: N2459K
Injuries: 4 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 May 31, 2013, at 1003 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N327PA, while airborne at 900 feet above ground level (agl) collided with a Cessna 172S, N2459K, that was also operating at 900 feet agl, 3 miles west of Anthem, Arizona. Both certified flight instructors (CFI’s) occupying the Piper were fatally injured, the CFI and student pilot occupying the Cessna were also fatally injured. Both airplanes impacted desert terrain in the vicinity of the collision and were destroyed. The Piper was registered to Bird Acquisitions LLC and operated by TransPac Academy, the Cessna was registered to Westwind Leasing LLC and operated as a rental airplane. Both airplanes were operated as instructional flights under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and both airplanes had company flight plans. The Cessna departed Deer Valley Airport, Phoenix, AZ at 0917 and the Piper departed the same airport at 0930.
Radar data shows two targets operating VFR (visual flight rules) about 1 mile apart. The western target was operating at 2,500 msl and 106 knots ground speed, as recorded by the radar playback. The eastern target was operating at 2,600 feet msl and 92 knots as recorded by the radar playback. The western target was on a northerly heading and made a 180 degree right turn to a southerly heading. The eastern target was also on a northerly heading and made a left turn to a southwesterly heading. Both airplanes executed their turn simultaneously. Shortly after each target completed its turn the paths of both targets intersected.
The wreckages of both airplanes were in the immediate vicinity of the radar depicted target intersection. The Piper had impacted the flat desert terrain in a flat and upright attitude. All essential components of the airplane were at the accident site. The Cessna wreckage was located 468 feet southwest of the Piper wreckage. The Cessna impacted the desert terrain vertically, imbedding the engine and propeller into the ground and the wings were crushed accordion style from the leading edges aft. The entire Cessna wreckage was consumed by a post impact fire. The vertical stabilizer and left elevator of the Cessna was located 1,152 feet north of the wreckage.
ANTHEM, Ariz. - Last week, two planes collided in mid-air and crashed into the desert northwest of the valley. Four people were killed. Tuesday, people came together to honor the victims killed in the crash. So far, only two of the victims have been identified. They are 37-year-old Paul Brownell and 26-year-old Basil Onuferko, flight instructors for TransPac Aviation Academy.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 5:38 PM
The two flight instructors who died Friday in the midair plane collision in a remote area of northwest Phoenix were flying in the same plane, officials said.
Paul Brownell, 37, was director of standardization at TransPac Aviation Academy and Basil Onuferko, 26, was a certified flight instructor at TransPac, which is a local flight school that trains U.S. and international pilots.
Local authorities have not released the names of the other two victims, in part because some family members have not yet been notified.
TransPac has created a memorial fund for each man. Donations to the Paul Brownell Family Fund will give financial help to his wife and two kids, ages 4 and 2. Onuferko’s parents requested the Basil Onuferko Memorial Scholarship fund to help young people who want to attend the TransPac training program.
Donations can be made at PaulBrownellFamilyFund.com and BasilOnuferkoMemorialScholarship.com beginning Friday or by calling TransPac Aviation at 623-580-7900.
Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash site, debris, all on-board electronics like cellphones and GPS systems and maintenance and health records to determine the cause of the collision.
The preliminary report should be available in a week or two, but it could take months to come up with probable cause for the collision.
The planes collided Friday at about 10 a.m. Fire crews responded to a remote desert area east of Lake Pleasant and found two planes. One, Cessna 172SP Skyhawk, caught fire on impact and was “unrecognizable,” according to Capt. Dave Wilson of the Daisy Mountain Fire Department.
The other plane, a Piper PA-28-181 Archer III, looked like it attempted to make a hard landing.
The Cessna 172SP Skyhawk is part of Westwind School of Aeronautics at Deer Valley Airport, Steve Martos, a spokesman for the Phoenix Police Department has said.
The Piper is owned by Bird Acquisition LLC, which operates TransPac Aviation Academy. Bird Acquisition is a Massachusetts company with an office at the Deer Valley Airport.
TransPac said it has a fleet of 60 Piper planes, which are maintained by Federal Aviation Administration-certified pilots. At least two additional TransPac planes have been involved in fatal crashes in recent years.
Source: http://www.azcentral.com
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 31, 2013 in Anthem, AZ
Aircraft: PIPER PA-28-181, registration: N327PA
Injuries: 4 Fatal.
NTSB Identification: WPR13FA254B
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 31, 2013 in Anthem, AZ
Aircraft: CESSNA 172S, registration: N2459K
Injuries: 4 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 May 31, 2013, at 1003 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N327PA, while airborne at 900 feet above ground level (agl) collided with a Cessna 172S, N2459K, that was also operating at 900 feet agl, 3 miles west of Anthem, Arizona. Both certified flight instructors (CFI’s) occupying the Piper were fatally injured, the CFI and student pilot occupying the Cessna were also fatally injured. Both airplanes impacted desert terrain in the vicinity of the collision and were destroyed. The Piper was registered to Bird Acquisitions LLC and operated by TransPac Academy, the Cessna was registered to Westwind Leasing LLC and operated as a rental airplane. Both airplanes were operated as instructional flights under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and both airplanes had company flight plans. The Cessna departed Deer Valley Airport, Phoenix, AZ at 0917 and the Piper departed the same airport at 0930.
Radar data shows two targets operating VFR (visual flight rules) about 1 mile apart. The western target was operating at 2,500 msl and 106 knots ground speed, as recorded by the radar playback. The eastern target was operating at 2,600 feet msl and 92 knots as recorded by the radar playback. The western target was on a northerly heading and made a 180 degree right turn to a southerly heading. The eastern target was also on a northerly heading and made a left turn to a southwesterly heading. Both airplanes executed their turn simultaneously. Shortly after each target completed its turn the paths of both targets intersected.
The wreckages of both airplanes were in the immediate vicinity of the radar depicted target intersection. The Piper had impacted the flat desert terrain in a flat and upright attitude. All essential components of the airplane were at the accident site. The Cessna wreckage was located 468 feet southwest of the Piper wreckage. The Cessna impacted the desert terrain vertically, imbedding the engine and propeller into the ground and the wings were crushed accordion style from the leading edges aft. The entire Cessna wreckage was consumed by a post impact fire. The vertical stabilizer and left elevator of the Cessna was located 1,152 feet north of the wreckage.
ANTHEM, Ariz. - Last week, two planes collided in mid-air and crashed into the desert northwest of the valley. Four people were killed. Tuesday, people came together to honor the victims killed in the crash. So far, only two of the victims have been identified. They are 37-year-old Paul Brownell and 26-year-old Basil Onuferko, flight instructors for TransPac Aviation Academy.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 5:38 PM
The two flight instructors who died Friday in the midair plane collision in a remote area of northwest Phoenix were flying in the same plane, officials said.
Paul Brownell, 37, was director of standardization at TransPac Aviation Academy and Basil Onuferko, 26, was a certified flight instructor at TransPac, which is a local flight school that trains U.S. and international pilots.
Local authorities have not released the names of the other two victims, in part because some family members have not yet been notified.
TransPac has created a memorial fund for each man. Donations to the Paul Brownell Family Fund will give financial help to his wife and two kids, ages 4 and 2. Onuferko’s parents requested the Basil Onuferko Memorial Scholarship fund to help young people who want to attend the TransPac training program.
Donations can be made at PaulBrownellFamilyFund.com and BasilOnuferkoMemorialScholarship.com beginning Friday or by calling TransPac Aviation at 623-580-7900.
Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash site, debris, all on-board electronics like cellphones and GPS systems and maintenance and health records to determine the cause of the collision.
The preliminary report should be available in a week or two, but it could take months to come up with probable cause for the collision.
The planes collided Friday at about 10 a.m. Fire crews responded to a remote desert area east of Lake Pleasant and found two planes. One, Cessna 172SP Skyhawk, caught fire on impact and was “unrecognizable,” according to Capt. Dave Wilson of the Daisy Mountain Fire Department.
The other plane, a Piper PA-28-181 Archer III, looked like it attempted to make a hard landing.
The Cessna 172SP Skyhawk is part of Westwind School of Aeronautics at Deer Valley Airport, Steve Martos, a spokesman for the Phoenix Police Department has said.
The Piper is owned by Bird Acquisition LLC, which operates TransPac Aviation Academy. Bird Acquisition is a Massachusetts company with an office at the Deer Valley Airport.
TransPac said it has a fleet of 60 Piper planes, which are maintained by Federal Aviation Administration-certified pilots. At least two additional TransPac planes have been involved in fatal crashes in recent years.
Source: http://www.azcentral.com
Medics grilled over barbecue blunder that forced hospital helipad to shut
A helicopter ferrying a sick patient from a remote island to a mainland hospital was forced to divert to an airport after the pilot spotted doctors having a barbecue near the helipad.
The Scottish Ambulance Service aircraft had to abort a planned landing at Lorn and Islands Hospital in Oban, Argyll, because of the “hazards” posed by the al fresco diners.
The aircraft was approaching the hospital last Thursday night when a crewman pointed out there were junior medical staff cooking food on the barbecue just yards from the landing spot.
The pilot radioed for an ambulance, which was to meet them on the ground, to head to Oban Airport seven miles away at North Connell.
Details of the incident emerged yesterday after an investigation by NHS Highland.
The health authority insisted no lives were put at risk because of the altered landing arrangements, but confirmed that “advice” would be given to the medical staff to avoid a repeat of the incident.
A hospital insider yesterday described the incident as “embarrassing” and added: “The fact an air ambulance couldn’t deliver a patient because some doctors were enjoying a barbecue in the sun next to the helipad really wasn’t our finest moment.
“The hospital is a lifeline service for the people in Argyll, the outlying countryside and on the Hebridean islands.
“To have a patient told they’re having to land miles away, then face a road trip by ambulance to reach the hospital, is quite frankly embarrassing.
“The doctors apparently did not even realise what they’d done. Did they not realise the big noisy object hovering overhead was trying to land?”
The Scottish Ambulance Service yesterday confirmed details of the incident, but insisted that no lives were put at risk.
A spokesman said the Glasgow-based helicopter was carrying out a “routine” transfer from an island to the hospital, and was picking up a patient for transfer to the city.
He added: “An air ambulance helicopter on a routine non-emergency medical transfer was unable to land at Lorn and Islands hospital due to a potential hazard near the helipad.
“The helicopter flew to Oban airport and undertook a planned refuelling, from where the patient was transferred to hospital by road ambulance.” Veronica Kennedy, acting locality manager at Lorn and Islands Hospital, said “steps will be taken” to avoid a repeat.
“An air ambulance helicopter on a routine non-emergency medical transfer was unable to land at Lorn and Islands Hospital due to a potential hazard near the helipad,” she said.
“This happened at about 9pm on Thursday evening. The helicopter flew to nearby Oban airport and undertook a planned refuelling, from where the patient was transferred into hospital by road ambulance.
“The potential hazard was staff having a barbecue outside their accommodation, which is about 50 yards from the landing pad.
“Staff were not aware that this would cause a problem. Steps will be taken to make sure this does not happen in the future.”
Source: http://www.express.co.uk
The aircraft was approaching the hospital last Thursday night when a crewman pointed out there were junior medical staff cooking food on the barbecue just yards from the landing spot.
The pilot radioed for an ambulance, which was to meet them on the ground, to head to Oban Airport seven miles away at North Connell.
Details of the incident emerged yesterday after an investigation by NHS Highland.
The health authority insisted no lives were put at risk because of the altered landing arrangements, but confirmed that “advice” would be given to the medical staff to avoid a repeat of the incident.
A hospital insider yesterday described the incident as “embarrassing” and added: “The fact an air ambulance couldn’t deliver a patient because some doctors were enjoying a barbecue in the sun next to the helipad really wasn’t our finest moment.
“The hospital is a lifeline service for the people in Argyll, the outlying countryside and on the Hebridean islands.
“To have a patient told they’re having to land miles away, then face a road trip by ambulance to reach the hospital, is quite frankly embarrassing.
“The doctors apparently did not even realise what they’d done. Did they not realise the big noisy object hovering overhead was trying to land?”
The Scottish Ambulance Service yesterday confirmed details of the incident, but insisted that no lives were put at risk.
A spokesman said the Glasgow-based helicopter was carrying out a “routine” transfer from an island to the hospital, and was picking up a patient for transfer to the city.
He added: “An air ambulance helicopter on a routine non-emergency medical transfer was unable to land at Lorn and Islands hospital due to a potential hazard near the helipad.
“The helicopter flew to Oban airport and undertook a planned refuelling, from where the patient was transferred to hospital by road ambulance.” Veronica Kennedy, acting locality manager at Lorn and Islands Hospital, said “steps will be taken” to avoid a repeat.
“An air ambulance helicopter on a routine non-emergency medical transfer was unable to land at Lorn and Islands Hospital due to a potential hazard near the helipad,” she said.
“This happened at about 9pm on Thursday evening. The helicopter flew to nearby Oban airport and undertook a planned refuelling, from where the patient was transferred into hospital by road ambulance.
“The potential hazard was staff having a barbecue outside their accommodation, which is about 50 yards from the landing pad.
“Staff were not aware that this would cause a problem. Steps will be taken to make sure this does not happen in the future.”
Source: http://www.express.co.uk
Transport minister orders Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways to inspect modified 787s
Japan’s transport minister said Tuesday he had ordered the country’s two biggest airlines to inspect their entire modified Dreamliner fleets after a fault was found with one aircraft at the weekend.
Minister Akihiro Ota said he issued the instruction to Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) after JAL found a fault with an air pressure sensor in the Dreamliner’s battery container on Sunday.
The setback, although not serious, is yet another embarrassment for Boeing, which admitted in April that despite months of testing it did not know the root cause of problems that had led to the worldwide grounding of the next-generation airliner.
The grounding order was issued in January after lithium-ion batteries overheated on two different planes, with one of them catching fire while the aircraft was parked.
Both airlines began regular flights with their 787 fleets on Saturday, but following the discovery of the fault on Sunday, JAL was forced to use a substitute aircraft.
The firm said the sensor in the battery container showed a difference in air pressure between inside and outside during a pre-departure safety check.
The difference came after small holes on the container—necessary for ventilation to prevent overheating—were mistakenly sealed when earlier modifications were carried out.
“It was regrettable that the modification operation was not fully done,” Ota said, according to a ministry official. “The trouble did not affect flight safety but it is true that it worried passengers.”
A spokesman for JAL said inspections had been carried out without delay.
“We finished checking the part on all the planes (787s) on Sunday. There is no impact on our operation of the aircraft,” he said.
No one from ANA was immediately available for comment.
Story and Comments/Reaction: http://www.japantoday.com
Minister Akihiro Ota said he issued the instruction to Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) after JAL found a fault with an air pressure sensor in the Dreamliner’s battery container on Sunday.
The setback, although not serious, is yet another embarrassment for Boeing, which admitted in April that despite months of testing it did not know the root cause of problems that had led to the worldwide grounding of the next-generation airliner.
The grounding order was issued in January after lithium-ion batteries overheated on two different planes, with one of them catching fire while the aircraft was parked.
Both airlines began regular flights with their 787 fleets on Saturday, but following the discovery of the fault on Sunday, JAL was forced to use a substitute aircraft.
The firm said the sensor in the battery container showed a difference in air pressure between inside and outside during a pre-departure safety check.
The difference came after small holes on the container—necessary for ventilation to prevent overheating—were mistakenly sealed when earlier modifications were carried out.
“It was regrettable that the modification operation was not fully done,” Ota said, according to a ministry official. “The trouble did not affect flight safety but it is true that it worried passengers.”
A spokesman for JAL said inspections had been carried out without delay.
“We finished checking the part on all the planes (787s) on Sunday. There is no impact on our operation of the aircraft,” he said.
No one from ANA was immediately available for comment.
Story and Comments/Reaction: http://www.japantoday.com
Diamond DA 20-C1 Eclipse, Best In Flight, N176MA: Accident occurred May 31, 2013 in Linden, New Jersey
NTSB Identification: ERA13FA259
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 31, 2013 in Linden, NJ
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/01/2015
Aircraft: DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA 20-C1, registration: N176MA
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.
The flight instructor was conducting an introductory flight for the passenger. Witnesses reported observing the airplane lift off about two-thirds down the 4,140-ft-long, asphalt runway and then struggle to gain altitude. The passenger reported that, after takeoff, the flight instructor told him that the engine was not “making power.” The flight instructor declared an emergency and was returning to the departure airport when the airplane stalled and impacted the ground about 1/2 mile northwest of the airport. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any discrepancies that would have precluded normal operation.
Weight and balance calculations revealed that the airplane was likely at or above its maximum allowable takeoff weight during the accident flight. Further, the temperature about the time of the accident was about 94 degrees F, and the estimated density altitude at the airport was about 2,200 ft mean sea level. Based on these conditions, if the engine had been operating perfectly, its available power production would have been between about 81 and 85 percent. Therefore, it is likely that these conditions, in combination with the airplane being near or slightly above its maximum allowable weight, reduced the airplane’s climb performance and that, while attempting to return to the airport, the pilot failed to maintain adequate airspeed and flew the airplane beyond its critical angle-of-attack, which led to an aerodynamic stall.
The flight instructor was ejected from the airplane during the impact after the right seatbelt quick release hook separated from its fuselage anchor. Examination of the quick release hook revealed that it was bent out of the plane of the attachment and twisted. In addition, the hook closure latch was also distorted and deformed. The combined deformations of the hook and latch allowed the hook to disengage. Although it is possible that the deformation occurred during the accident impact, it is more likely that preexisting deformation was present. The airplane had been operated for about 38 hours since its most recent 100-hour/annual inspection, which was performed about 3 weeks before the accident. A condition inspection of the restraint system was required to be performed during this inspection; however, no record was found indicating whether the condition inspection was performed.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The flight instructor's inadequate preflight planning and his decision to take off with the airplane at a high gross weight in high temperature conditions that degraded the engine’s available power and his subsequent failure to maintain airspeed while attempting to return to the departure airport, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall.
**This report was modified on May 18, 2015. Please see the public docket for this accident to view the original report.**
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On May 31, 2013, about 1310 eastern daylight time, a Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc., DA20-C1, N176MA, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground, shortly after takeoff from the Linden Airport (LDJ), Linden, New Jersey. The flight instructor was fatally injured and a passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local introductory instructional flight that was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The airplane was owned by a limited liability company, and operated by Best-in-Flight, a flight school based at LDJ.
A witness at LDJ reported that the airplane departed from runway 27, a 4,140-foot-long, asphalt runway. The airplane's takeoff roll was longer than other DA-20s he was use to observing and it "struggled" to break ground and gain altitude. The airplane made a right turn at an estimated altitude of between 125 to 150 feet above the ground, and immediately started to lose altitude. It descended behind a building and he heard the pilot radio "mayday" over the airport's common traffic advisory frequency, stating "plane going down." He was then informed by the pilot of another airplane that the airplane had crashed. He further stated that while he could not hear the airplane's engine noise clearly because of a nearby highway, the engine noise was constant and he did not hear any power interruptions until after the impact.
Another witness, the pilot of a Mooney M20K, was holding on the runway when he observed the accident airplane lift off about two-thirds down the runway. The airplane's attitude was flat and it did not seem to be climbing. He began his takeoff roll shortly thereafter and while on the upwind climb, he noted the accident airplane was below his altitude, heading northwest on a 45-degree angle from the runway about 200 to 300 feet above the ground. He heard the accident pilot transmit "mayday-mayday-mayday" and announce either "engine trouble" or "engine out." He then heard the pilot say "turning back to the airport." He immediately thought to himself that the airplane was too low to try to turn back to the airport and that the pilot should have continued straight and attempted to land in one of the surrounding factory lots. He next observed the airplane heading back toward the airport. The airplane was in a nose high pitch attitude, when it "stalled." The right wing dipped, the airplane descended, spun a quarter-turn and impacted railroad tracks.
During an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the passenger reported that the flight instructor told him that he had his feet on the brakes during the takeoff roll, and to place his feet flat on the floor, which he did. After takeoff, the flight instructor told him that the engine "wasn't making power." The flight instructor called "mayday" and was trying to return to the airport when the airplane suddenly impacted the ground.
Radar data provided by the FAA for the Newark Liberty International Airport, which was located about 5 miles northeast of the accident site revealed the accident airplane departed runway 27, and made a right turn to the north before radar contact was lost about 1 minute after takeoff. The target identified as the accident airplane did not climb above an altitude of 200 feet.
The airplane struck and came to rest on abandoned railroad tracks on the site of a former automotive factory about a 1/2-mile northwest of LDJ. The site contained several deteriorated asphalt parking lots adjacent to the south-southwest side of the railroad tracks.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The flight instructor, age 58, held a commercial pilot and a flight instructor certificate, with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on August 6, 2012.
According to the owner of the flight school, the flight instructor was hired during February 2011 and maintained a fulltime schedule as bookings permitted. The flight instructor's total flight experience at the time of the accident was about 4,400 hours, which included about 640 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The flight school reported that the flight instructor had accumulated about 200 and 45 hours of total flight experience, which included about 160 and 35 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane, during the 90 and 30 days that preceded the accident; respectively.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The two-seat, low-wing, fixed-gear, airplane, serial number C0345, was manufactured in 2005 and primarily constructed of carbon and glass fiber reinforced polymer. It was powered by a Continental Motors Inc. IO-240-B, 125-horsepower engine, equipped with a two-bladed Sensenich wooden propeller. The airplane was certified in the utility category by Transport Canada in accordance with Canadian Airworthiness Manual Chapter 523-VLA.
Review of maintenance records revealed that the airplane had been operated for about 1,985 hours since new, and 38 hours since its most recent "100hr/annual" inspection, which was performed on May 10, 2013. At the time of the accident, the engine had been operated for about 2,180 total hours. It was noted that the engine was disassembled, inspected, and repaired for a sudden stoppage during May 2008.
According to the airplane flight manual, the airplane's total fuel capacity was 24.5 gallons. According to the owner of the airplane and flight school, the airplane was "topped-off" with fuel the night before and was flown without incident for 2.6 hours prior to the accident. The airplane consumed between 4.5 and 6.0 gallons per hour (gph); however, he noted that consumption was generally "closer to 4.5 gallons" during flight school operations.
The owner further reported that performing a weight and balance calculation was part of the preflight checklist and that weight and balance forms for the airplane were available on tables in the flight school; however, flight instructors would normally ask passengers their weight and perform the weight and balance calculation mentally.
A weight and balance calculation for the accident flight was performed utilizing an airplane weight and balance form specific to the accident airplane that was available at the flight school. Based on the passenger's reported weight of 290 pounds and the flight instructor's weight during his most recent FAA medical certificate of 235 pounds, the airplane was estimated to be about 30 pounds above its maximum takeoff weight of 1,764 pounds. The airplane's center of gravity was within limits.
When asked if he would fly with a passenger that weighed about 290 pounds, the owner stated that he would not, and would use the opportunity to convince the passenger to fly in the DA-40, which was equipped with a 180-horsepower engine.
The owner felt that the accident airplane was "overpowered" with its 125 horsepower engine. He also stated that he was aware that it was "very hot" at the time of the accident and if the reported temperature at the airport was 93 degrees Fahrenheit (about 34 degrees C), it was likely over 100 degrees F on most of the airport property.
Both cockpit seats were equipped with a four-point safety belt. Each seat was equipped with two inertia reels that were secured to the aft bulkhead for shoulder restraint. The lap belts were connected via a quick release/spring loaded clip-type fitting which hooked to an attach point that was embedded in the floor of the fuselage on their respective outboard sides, and to a center tunnel attach point on their respective inboard sides. Each quick release was secured with a cotter pin. According to a representative of the aircraft manufacturer, at that time of certification, the airplane's seat and seat belt attachments were designed for a 9g forward, 1.5g sideward load, and a 190 pound occupant.
The aircraft maintenance manual, maintenance practices 100 hour inspection checklist requirements included "…Examine the safety belts for general condition and security of the metal fitting in the surrounding composite…."
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
The reported weather at LDJ, which was at an elevation of 22 feet mean sea level, at 1315, was: wind 220 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky clear, temperature 34 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 16 degrees C; altimeter 30.08 inches of mercury.
The estimated density altitude at LDJ at the time of the accident was about 2,200 feet mean sea level.
WRECKAGE INFORMATION
All major portions of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The airplane was found upright, with the nose down about 45 degrees. The right wing was displaced aft and folded underneath the fuselage. The empennage was separated about 4 feet forward of the rudder and was resting partially on the ground.
Examination of the ailerons, elevator, and rudder control systems did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions. The flap actuator was found in the takeoff position, and the elevator trim actuator was found in the neutral/takeoff position. An undetermined amount of fuel had leaked on the ground and additional fuel was observed leaking from an area around the engine driven fuel pump, which was separated and impact damaged. Fuel samples obtained from the gascolater and fuel tank sump were absent of contamination. The fuel shutoff valve was in the OPEN position. The mixture control linkage was continuous from the engine to the cockpit. The throttle control linkage was connected at the engine; however, the rod end at the cockpit was impact damaged, bent, and broken.
The engine sustained significant impact damage and remained attached to the airframe primarily by linkages to the throttle quadrant. The lower front portion of the crankcase was fractured consistent with impact with the ground. All of the cylinders remained attached to the crankcase. The right magneto remained attached. The left magneto was separated and remained attached to the engine via ignition leads. The top spark plugs were removed and exhibited normal operating signatures in accordance with a Champion aviation check-a-plug comparison chart. Their electrodes were intact and dark gray in color. The fuel pump drive coupling was intact and the drive shaft rotated freely when turned by hand. All cylinders were inspected using a lighted borescope. The cylinder bores were free of scoring and no evidence of hard particle passage was observed in the cylinder bore ring travel area. Suction and compression were obtained on all cylinders at the top spark plug holes when the crankshaft was rotated by hand at the crankshaft flange.
The propeller hub remained attached to the engine. One propeller blade was fractured at the hub, and the second propeller blade was separated about 2 feet outboard of the hub. Several small propeller blade fragments were observed scattered around the accident site.
Subsequent disassembly of the engine, which included bench testing of both magnetos, the fuel pump, throttle body, manifold valve and fuel nozzles did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation.
The left and right seatpans were attached to the aft cockpit bulkhead wall with seven screws (five along the top of the seatpan, and two screws on the bottom forward edge of the seatpan). The left seatpan contained a fracture on the bottom of the pan under a leather insert, a fracture in the middle of the seatpan, and a crushing damage on the inboard edge of the seatpan. The right seatpan contained a fracture along its outboard edge and a section of separated composite material near the inboard forward corner. The left seat restraint system remained intact. The right seat outboard lap belt was found disconnected from its attach point. The quick release hook was distorted and the cotter pin remained installed. [Additional information can be found in the Survival Factors Factual Report located in the public docket.]
The complete right seat restraint system and portions of the left seat restraint system were subsequently removed and forwarded to the NTSB Materials Laboratory, Washington, DC for further examination.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
First responders reported that the flight instructor, who was seated in the right seat, was ejected from the airplane. He was located next to the wreckage and was unresponsive.
An autopsy was subsequently performed on the flight instructor by the Union County Medical Examiner's Office, Westfield, New Jersey. The autopsy report revealed the cause of death as "blunt impact injuries."
Toxicological testing was performed on the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Science Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with no anomalies noted.
TESTS AND RESEARCH
Examination of the occupant restraint system performed by an NTSB metallurgist revealed the left seat quick release hook was intact and not deformed. The right seat quick release hook was bent out of the plane of the attachment and twisted. In addition, the hook closure latch was also distorted and deformed. The combined deformations of the hook and latch were such that the spring closure on the latch did not function and the throat of the hook was open, which would allow the hook to engage or disengage on the anchor with the properly installed cotter pin in-place. [Additional information can be found in the Materials Laboratory Factual Report located in the public docket.]
A representative from Diamond Aircraft calculated the available engine power during the accident flight based on the airport elevation and the outside air temperature, using flight test data to determine target manifold pressures and the average full power engine RPM. At an RPM of 2,500, and manifold pressures of 27 and 28 inches of mercury, chart brake horsepower was 101.4 (approximately 81 percent power being produced) and 105.9 (approximately 84.7 percent power being produced); respectively. The calculations represented a perfect operating engine and did not take into account engine wear, cylinder compression losses, and fuel system setup conditions.
http://registry.faa.gov/N176MA
http://www.bestinflight.net
http://www.bestinflight.net/#
NTSB Identification: ERA13FA259
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 31, 2013 in Linden, NJ
Aircraft: DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA 20-C1, registration: N176MA
Injuries: 1 Fatal,1 Serious.
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 May 31, 2013, about 1310 eastern daylight time, a Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc., DA20-C1, N176MA, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground, shortly after takeoff from the Linden Airport (LDJ), Linden, New Jersey. The flight instructor was fatally injured and a passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local introductory instructional flight that was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The airplane was owned by a limited liability company, and operated by Best-in-Flight, a flight school based at LDJ. The airplane was "topped-off" with fuel the night before and was flown without incident for 2.6 hours prior to the accident.
A witness at LDJ reported that the airplane departed from runway 27, a 4,140-foot-long, asphalt runway. The airplane "struggled" to break ground and gain altitude. The airplane made a right turn at an estimated altitude of between 125 to 150 feet above the ground, and immediately started to lose altitude. It descended behind a building and he heard the pilot radio "MAYDAY" over the airport's common traffic advisory frequency, stating "plane going down." He was then informed by the pilot of another airplane that the airplane had crashed. He further stated that while he could not hear the airplane's engine noise clearly because of a nearby highway, the engine noise was constant and he did not hear any power interruptions until after the impact.
The passenger reported that the flight instructor told him that he had his feet on the brakes during the takeoff roll, and to place his feet flat on the floor, which he did. After takeoff, the flight instructor told him that the engine "wasn't making power." The flight instructor called "MAYDAY" and was trying to return to the airport when the airplane suddenly impacted the ground.
The airplane struck and came to rest on abandoned rail road tracks located about a 1/2-mile northwest of LDJ. All major portions of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The airplane was found upright, with the nose down about 45 degrees. The right wing was displaced aft and folded underneath the fuselage. The empennage was separated about 4 feet forward of the rudder and was resting partially on the ground.
The airplane was powered by a Continental Motors Inc. IO-240-B3, 125-horspower engine, equipped with a wooden two-bladed Sensenich propeller assembly. Initial examination of the engine did not reveal any catastrophic preimpact mechanical failures. The lower front portion of the crankcase was fractured consistent with impact with the ground. One propeller blade was fractured at the hub, and the second propeller blade was separated about 2 feet outboard of the hub. Several small propeller blade fragments were observed scattered around the accident site. The engine was retained for further examination.
The airplane was manufactured in 2005. According to the operator, it had been operated for about 37 hours since its most recent annual inspection, which was performed on May 10, 2013, and the engine had been operated for 1,984 hours since new.
A flight instructor who died in a plane crash near Linden Airport in Union County last Friday will be memorialized Sunday at a special ceremony at Montclair High School.
Craig A. MacCallum, 58, was killed when his plane crashed into unused railroad tracks near Routes 1 and 9 just after taking off from the airport. A 19-year-old flight student was also on board; that student appears to be improving, according to a hospital spokesperson.
MacCallum was a native of New Hartford, New York. He was an Eagle Scout as a youth and graduated from New Hartford High School. He went on to earn a degree in economics at Princeton University and an MBA from New York University, ultimately becoming a certified public accountant with a specialty in real estate asset management, turnarounds and banking.
Flying reportedly had long been a passion of MacCallum's. A remembrance in the Star-Ledger noted that he earned his pilot's license before getting his license to operate a car.
Carol Schlein told NJ.com that her husband died a hero, noting that when the plane showed serious problems after he took off on what would turn out to be his final flight, MacCallum tried to land the plane on abandoned train tracks so that he wouldn't hit gas tanks, highways or a nearby shopping mall and hurt many more people.
MacCallum is survived by his wife and their two teenage children, Margaret and James.
A memorial service for MacCallum is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 9, at Montclair High School, 100 Chestnut Drive. Afterward, there will be a reception in the George Inness Annex.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Craig MacCallum Children Scholarship Fund to provide for college scholarships for his children as well as to a Montclair High School student interested in STEM or aviation. Details will be available on www.cremationnj.com. Source: http://montclair.patch.com
Flight school student in Linden airplane crash is improving
LINDEN — The 19-year-old flight school student, whose plane crash landed on railroad tracks across Routes 1 and 9 from Linden Airport last week, appears to be improving, according to a hospital spokesperson.
Timothy Monticchio, of the Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick is listed in good condition at University Hospital in Newark, according to Tiffany Smith, hospital spokesperson. Police said Monticchio was listed in serious to critical condition immediately following the accident.
A telephone message left at Monticchio’s home was not returned.
Flight instructor Craig A. MacCallum, 58, of Montclair, an instructor with Best in Flight flying school at Linden Airport, was pronounced dead at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Rahway shortly after the Friday 1:10 p.m. crash.
The Diamond DA20-C1 Eclipse plane crashed shortly after takeoff on Conrail railroad tracks about 300 yards off West Linden Avenue on property next to the vacant former General Motors plant. Witnesses reported the plane failed to gain altitude after taking off.
The plane appears to have crashed in a nose dive, police said. The front end of the plane fell apart and was severely damaged.
The cause of the accident is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Police dispatch received several 911 calls about a small plane that went down. A witness standing in the parking of the ShopRite supermarket in Aviation Plaza across Routes 1 and 9 from the GM property, told police the engine didn’t sound right and observed the plane having difficulty gaining altitude.
Paul Dudley, Linden Airport director, said he understood the plane barely cleared the airport building. He believes the pilot was trying to land on the field or get back around to the airport. Dudley said the vacant GM tract in an inviting spot to land in an emergency because it’s away from homes and other structures, offering the greatest chance for survival.
http://www.mycentraljersey.com
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 31, 2013 in Linden, NJ
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/01/2015
Aircraft: DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA 20-C1, registration: N176MA
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.
The flight instructor was conducting an introductory flight for the passenger. Witnesses reported observing the airplane lift off about two-thirds down the 4,140-ft-long, asphalt runway and then struggle to gain altitude. The passenger reported that, after takeoff, the flight instructor told him that the engine was not “making power.” The flight instructor declared an emergency and was returning to the departure airport when the airplane stalled and impacted the ground about 1/2 mile northwest of the airport. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any discrepancies that would have precluded normal operation.
Weight and balance calculations revealed that the airplane was likely at or above its maximum allowable takeoff weight during the accident flight. Further, the temperature about the time of the accident was about 94 degrees F, and the estimated density altitude at the airport was about 2,200 ft mean sea level. Based on these conditions, if the engine had been operating perfectly, its available power production would have been between about 81 and 85 percent. Therefore, it is likely that these conditions, in combination with the airplane being near or slightly above its maximum allowable weight, reduced the airplane’s climb performance and that, while attempting to return to the airport, the pilot failed to maintain adequate airspeed and flew the airplane beyond its critical angle-of-attack, which led to an aerodynamic stall.
The flight instructor was ejected from the airplane during the impact after the right seatbelt quick release hook separated from its fuselage anchor. Examination of the quick release hook revealed that it was bent out of the plane of the attachment and twisted. In addition, the hook closure latch was also distorted and deformed. The combined deformations of the hook and latch allowed the hook to disengage. Although it is possible that the deformation occurred during the accident impact, it is more likely that preexisting deformation was present. The airplane had been operated for about 38 hours since its most recent 100-hour/annual inspection, which was performed about 3 weeks before the accident. A condition inspection of the restraint system was required to be performed during this inspection; however, no record was found indicating whether the condition inspection was performed.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The flight instructor's inadequate preflight planning and his decision to take off with the airplane at a high gross weight in high temperature conditions that degraded the engine’s available power and his subsequent failure to maintain airspeed while attempting to return to the departure airport, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall.
**This report was modified on May 18, 2015. Please see the public docket for this accident to view the original report.**
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On May 31, 2013, about 1310 eastern daylight time, a Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc., DA20-C1, N176MA, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground, shortly after takeoff from the Linden Airport (LDJ), Linden, New Jersey. The flight instructor was fatally injured and a passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local introductory instructional flight that was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The airplane was owned by a limited liability company, and operated by Best-in-Flight, a flight school based at LDJ.
A witness at LDJ reported that the airplane departed from runway 27, a 4,140-foot-long, asphalt runway. The airplane's takeoff roll was longer than other DA-20s he was use to observing and it "struggled" to break ground and gain altitude. The airplane made a right turn at an estimated altitude of between 125 to 150 feet above the ground, and immediately started to lose altitude. It descended behind a building and he heard the pilot radio "mayday" over the airport's common traffic advisory frequency, stating "plane going down." He was then informed by the pilot of another airplane that the airplane had crashed. He further stated that while he could not hear the airplane's engine noise clearly because of a nearby highway, the engine noise was constant and he did not hear any power interruptions until after the impact.
Another witness, the pilot of a Mooney M20K, was holding on the runway when he observed the accident airplane lift off about two-thirds down the runway. The airplane's attitude was flat and it did not seem to be climbing. He began his takeoff roll shortly thereafter and while on the upwind climb, he noted the accident airplane was below his altitude, heading northwest on a 45-degree angle from the runway about 200 to 300 feet above the ground. He heard the accident pilot transmit "mayday-mayday-mayday" and announce either "engine trouble" or "engine out." He then heard the pilot say "turning back to the airport." He immediately thought to himself that the airplane was too low to try to turn back to the airport and that the pilot should have continued straight and attempted to land in one of the surrounding factory lots. He next observed the airplane heading back toward the airport. The airplane was in a nose high pitch attitude, when it "stalled." The right wing dipped, the airplane descended, spun a quarter-turn and impacted railroad tracks.
During an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the passenger reported that the flight instructor told him that he had his feet on the brakes during the takeoff roll, and to place his feet flat on the floor, which he did. After takeoff, the flight instructor told him that the engine "wasn't making power." The flight instructor called "mayday" and was trying to return to the airport when the airplane suddenly impacted the ground.
Radar data provided by the FAA for the Newark Liberty International Airport, which was located about 5 miles northeast of the accident site revealed the accident airplane departed runway 27, and made a right turn to the north before radar contact was lost about 1 minute after takeoff. The target identified as the accident airplane did not climb above an altitude of 200 feet.
The airplane struck and came to rest on abandoned railroad tracks on the site of a former automotive factory about a 1/2-mile northwest of LDJ. The site contained several deteriorated asphalt parking lots adjacent to the south-southwest side of the railroad tracks.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The flight instructor, age 58, held a commercial pilot and a flight instructor certificate, with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on August 6, 2012.
According to the owner of the flight school, the flight instructor was hired during February 2011 and maintained a fulltime schedule as bookings permitted. The flight instructor's total flight experience at the time of the accident was about 4,400 hours, which included about 640 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The flight school reported that the flight instructor had accumulated about 200 and 45 hours of total flight experience, which included about 160 and 35 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane, during the 90 and 30 days that preceded the accident; respectively.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The two-seat, low-wing, fixed-gear, airplane, serial number C0345, was manufactured in 2005 and primarily constructed of carbon and glass fiber reinforced polymer. It was powered by a Continental Motors Inc. IO-240-B, 125-horsepower engine, equipped with a two-bladed Sensenich wooden propeller. The airplane was certified in the utility category by Transport Canada in accordance with Canadian Airworthiness Manual Chapter 523-VLA.
Review of maintenance records revealed that the airplane had been operated for about 1,985 hours since new, and 38 hours since its most recent "100hr/annual" inspection, which was performed on May 10, 2013. At the time of the accident, the engine had been operated for about 2,180 total hours. It was noted that the engine was disassembled, inspected, and repaired for a sudden stoppage during May 2008.
According to the airplane flight manual, the airplane's total fuel capacity was 24.5 gallons. According to the owner of the airplane and flight school, the airplane was "topped-off" with fuel the night before and was flown without incident for 2.6 hours prior to the accident. The airplane consumed between 4.5 and 6.0 gallons per hour (gph); however, he noted that consumption was generally "closer to 4.5 gallons" during flight school operations.
The owner further reported that performing a weight and balance calculation was part of the preflight checklist and that weight and balance forms for the airplane were available on tables in the flight school; however, flight instructors would normally ask passengers their weight and perform the weight and balance calculation mentally.
A weight and balance calculation for the accident flight was performed utilizing an airplane weight and balance form specific to the accident airplane that was available at the flight school. Based on the passenger's reported weight of 290 pounds and the flight instructor's weight during his most recent FAA medical certificate of 235 pounds, the airplane was estimated to be about 30 pounds above its maximum takeoff weight of 1,764 pounds. The airplane's center of gravity was within limits.
When asked if he would fly with a passenger that weighed about 290 pounds, the owner stated that he would not, and would use the opportunity to convince the passenger to fly in the DA-40, which was equipped with a 180-horsepower engine.
The owner felt that the accident airplane was "overpowered" with its 125 horsepower engine. He also stated that he was aware that it was "very hot" at the time of the accident and if the reported temperature at the airport was 93 degrees Fahrenheit (about 34 degrees C), it was likely over 100 degrees F on most of the airport property.
Both cockpit seats were equipped with a four-point safety belt. Each seat was equipped with two inertia reels that were secured to the aft bulkhead for shoulder restraint. The lap belts were connected via a quick release/spring loaded clip-type fitting which hooked to an attach point that was embedded in the floor of the fuselage on their respective outboard sides, and to a center tunnel attach point on their respective inboard sides. Each quick release was secured with a cotter pin. According to a representative of the aircraft manufacturer, at that time of certification, the airplane's seat and seat belt attachments were designed for a 9g forward, 1.5g sideward load, and a 190 pound occupant.
The aircraft maintenance manual, maintenance practices 100 hour inspection checklist requirements included "…Examine the safety belts for general condition and security of the metal fitting in the surrounding composite…."
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
The reported weather at LDJ, which was at an elevation of 22 feet mean sea level, at 1315, was: wind 220 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky clear, temperature 34 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 16 degrees C; altimeter 30.08 inches of mercury.
The estimated density altitude at LDJ at the time of the accident was about 2,200 feet mean sea level.
WRECKAGE INFORMATION
All major portions of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The airplane was found upright, with the nose down about 45 degrees. The right wing was displaced aft and folded underneath the fuselage. The empennage was separated about 4 feet forward of the rudder and was resting partially on the ground.
Examination of the ailerons, elevator, and rudder control systems did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions. The flap actuator was found in the takeoff position, and the elevator trim actuator was found in the neutral/takeoff position. An undetermined amount of fuel had leaked on the ground and additional fuel was observed leaking from an area around the engine driven fuel pump, which was separated and impact damaged. Fuel samples obtained from the gascolater and fuel tank sump were absent of contamination. The fuel shutoff valve was in the OPEN position. The mixture control linkage was continuous from the engine to the cockpit. The throttle control linkage was connected at the engine; however, the rod end at the cockpit was impact damaged, bent, and broken.
The engine sustained significant impact damage and remained attached to the airframe primarily by linkages to the throttle quadrant. The lower front portion of the crankcase was fractured consistent with impact with the ground. All of the cylinders remained attached to the crankcase. The right magneto remained attached. The left magneto was separated and remained attached to the engine via ignition leads. The top spark plugs were removed and exhibited normal operating signatures in accordance with a Champion aviation check-a-plug comparison chart. Their electrodes were intact and dark gray in color. The fuel pump drive coupling was intact and the drive shaft rotated freely when turned by hand. All cylinders were inspected using a lighted borescope. The cylinder bores were free of scoring and no evidence of hard particle passage was observed in the cylinder bore ring travel area. Suction and compression were obtained on all cylinders at the top spark plug holes when the crankshaft was rotated by hand at the crankshaft flange.
The propeller hub remained attached to the engine. One propeller blade was fractured at the hub, and the second propeller blade was separated about 2 feet outboard of the hub. Several small propeller blade fragments were observed scattered around the accident site.
Subsequent disassembly of the engine, which included bench testing of both magnetos, the fuel pump, throttle body, manifold valve and fuel nozzles did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation.
The left and right seatpans were attached to the aft cockpit bulkhead wall with seven screws (five along the top of the seatpan, and two screws on the bottom forward edge of the seatpan). The left seatpan contained a fracture on the bottom of the pan under a leather insert, a fracture in the middle of the seatpan, and a crushing damage on the inboard edge of the seatpan. The right seatpan contained a fracture along its outboard edge and a section of separated composite material near the inboard forward corner. The left seat restraint system remained intact. The right seat outboard lap belt was found disconnected from its attach point. The quick release hook was distorted and the cotter pin remained installed. [Additional information can be found in the Survival Factors Factual Report located in the public docket.]
The complete right seat restraint system and portions of the left seat restraint system were subsequently removed and forwarded to the NTSB Materials Laboratory, Washington, DC for further examination.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
First responders reported that the flight instructor, who was seated in the right seat, was ejected from the airplane. He was located next to the wreckage and was unresponsive.
An autopsy was subsequently performed on the flight instructor by the Union County Medical Examiner's Office, Westfield, New Jersey. The autopsy report revealed the cause of death as "blunt impact injuries."
Toxicological testing was performed on the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Science Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with no anomalies noted.
TESTS AND RESEARCH
Examination of the occupant restraint system performed by an NTSB metallurgist revealed the left seat quick release hook was intact and not deformed. The right seat quick release hook was bent out of the plane of the attachment and twisted. In addition, the hook closure latch was also distorted and deformed. The combined deformations of the hook and latch were such that the spring closure on the latch did not function and the throat of the hook was open, which would allow the hook to engage or disengage on the anchor with the properly installed cotter pin in-place. [Additional information can be found in the Materials Laboratory Factual Report located in the public docket.]
A representative from Diamond Aircraft calculated the available engine power during the accident flight based on the airport elevation and the outside air temperature, using flight test data to determine target manifold pressures and the average full power engine RPM. At an RPM of 2,500, and manifold pressures of 27 and 28 inches of mercury, chart brake horsepower was 101.4 (approximately 81 percent power being produced) and 105.9 (approximately 84.7 percent power being produced); respectively. The calculations represented a perfect operating engine and did not take into account engine wear, cylinder compression losses, and fuel system setup conditions.
http://registry.faa.gov/N176MA
http://www.bestinflight.net
http://www.bestinflight.net/#
NTSB Identification: ERA13FA259
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 31, 2013 in Linden, NJ
Aircraft: DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA 20-C1, registration: N176MA
Injuries: 1 Fatal,1 Serious.
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 May 31, 2013, about 1310 eastern daylight time, a Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc., DA20-C1, N176MA, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground, shortly after takeoff from the Linden Airport (LDJ), Linden, New Jersey. The flight instructor was fatally injured and a passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local introductory instructional flight that was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The airplane was owned by a limited liability company, and operated by Best-in-Flight, a flight school based at LDJ. The airplane was "topped-off" with fuel the night before and was flown without incident for 2.6 hours prior to the accident.
A witness at LDJ reported that the airplane departed from runway 27, a 4,140-foot-long, asphalt runway. The airplane "struggled" to break ground and gain altitude. The airplane made a right turn at an estimated altitude of between 125 to 150 feet above the ground, and immediately started to lose altitude. It descended behind a building and he heard the pilot radio "MAYDAY" over the airport's common traffic advisory frequency, stating "plane going down." He was then informed by the pilot of another airplane that the airplane had crashed. He further stated that while he could not hear the airplane's engine noise clearly because of a nearby highway, the engine noise was constant and he did not hear any power interruptions until after the impact.
The passenger reported that the flight instructor told him that he had his feet on the brakes during the takeoff roll, and to place his feet flat on the floor, which he did. After takeoff, the flight instructor told him that the engine "wasn't making power." The flight instructor called "MAYDAY" and was trying to return to the airport when the airplane suddenly impacted the ground.
The airplane struck and came to rest on abandoned rail road tracks located about a 1/2-mile northwest of LDJ. All major portions of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The airplane was found upright, with the nose down about 45 degrees. The right wing was displaced aft and folded underneath the fuselage. The empennage was separated about 4 feet forward of the rudder and was resting partially on the ground.
The airplane was powered by a Continental Motors Inc. IO-240-B3, 125-horspower engine, equipped with a wooden two-bladed Sensenich propeller assembly. Initial examination of the engine did not reveal any catastrophic preimpact mechanical failures. The lower front portion of the crankcase was fractured consistent with impact with the ground. One propeller blade was fractured at the hub, and the second propeller blade was separated about 2 feet outboard of the hub. Several small propeller blade fragments were observed scattered around the accident site. The engine was retained for further examination.
The airplane was manufactured in 2005. According to the operator, it had been operated for about 37 hours since its most recent annual inspection, which was performed on May 10, 2013, and the engine had been operated for 1,984 hours since new.
Craig MacCallum died a hero, said his wife, Carol Schein.
A flight instructor who died in a plane crash near Linden Airport in Union County last Friday will be memorialized Sunday at a special ceremony at Montclair High School.
Craig A. MacCallum, 58, was killed when his plane crashed into unused railroad tracks near Routes 1 and 9 just after taking off from the airport. A 19-year-old flight student was also on board; that student appears to be improving, according to a hospital spokesperson.
MacCallum was a native of New Hartford, New York. He was an Eagle Scout as a youth and graduated from New Hartford High School. He went on to earn a degree in economics at Princeton University and an MBA from New York University, ultimately becoming a certified public accountant with a specialty in real estate asset management, turnarounds and banking.
Flying reportedly had long been a passion of MacCallum's. A remembrance in the Star-Ledger noted that he earned his pilot's license before getting his license to operate a car.
Carol Schlein told NJ.com that her husband died a hero, noting that when the plane showed serious problems after he took off on what would turn out to be his final flight, MacCallum tried to land the plane on abandoned train tracks so that he wouldn't hit gas tanks, highways or a nearby shopping mall and hurt many more people.
MacCallum is survived by his wife and their two teenage children, Margaret and James.
A memorial service for MacCallum is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 9, at Montclair High School, 100 Chestnut Drive. Afterward, there will be a reception in the George Inness Annex.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Craig MacCallum Children Scholarship Fund to provide for college scholarships for his children as well as to a Montclair High School student interested in STEM or aviation. Details will be available on www.cremationnj.com. Source: http://montclair.patch.com
Flight school student in Linden airplane crash is improving
LINDEN — The 19-year-old flight school student, whose plane crash landed on railroad tracks across Routes 1 and 9 from Linden Airport last week, appears to be improving, according to a hospital spokesperson.
Timothy Monticchio, of the Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick is listed in good condition at University Hospital in Newark, according to Tiffany Smith, hospital spokesperson. Police said Monticchio was listed in serious to critical condition immediately following the accident.
A telephone message left at Monticchio’s home was not returned.
Flight instructor Craig A. MacCallum, 58, of Montclair, an instructor with Best in Flight flying school at Linden Airport, was pronounced dead at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Rahway shortly after the Friday 1:10 p.m. crash.
The Diamond DA20-C1 Eclipse plane crashed shortly after takeoff on Conrail railroad tracks about 300 yards off West Linden Avenue on property next to the vacant former General Motors plant. Witnesses reported the plane failed to gain altitude after taking off.
The plane appears to have crashed in a nose dive, police said. The front end of the plane fell apart and was severely damaged.
The cause of the accident is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Police dispatch received several 911 calls about a small plane that went down. A witness standing in the parking of the ShopRite supermarket in Aviation Plaza across Routes 1 and 9 from the GM property, told police the engine didn’t sound right and observed the plane having difficulty gaining altitude.
Paul Dudley, Linden Airport director, said he understood the plane barely cleared the airport building. He believes the pilot was trying to land on the field or get back around to the airport. Dudley said the vacant GM tract in an inviting spot to land in an emergency because it’s away from homes and other structures, offering the greatest chance for survival.
http://www.mycentraljersey.com
Ghana: Former airport security boss nabbed in United States in drugs related offence
June 04, 2013 at 6:04pm
The Managing Director of Sohin Security Company, which until Monday provided security services at the Kotoka International Airport, Solomon Adelaquaye has been arrested in the United States of America (USA) as part of a drug trafficking syndicate.
Mr. Adelaquaye was arrested together with two Nigerians and Colombian in May for the role in a drug trafficking syndicate which had been operating in the West Africa sub-region.
This revelation was made by the Narcotics Control Board, (NACOB).
In a statement signed by the Executive Secretary of NACOB, Yaw Akrasi Sarpong, the Board said the bust was due to its corporation with the Drugs Enforcement Administration(DEA) of the Department of Justice of the United States of America.
“The corporation between the Drugs Enforcement Administration (DEA) of the Department of Justice of the United States of America and the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) has lead to the busting of another international drug trafficking which had been operating within the West African sub-region and the USA,” the statement said.
The statement also said “the members of the syndicate arrested are a Colombian national, two Nigerians and a Ghanaian were arrested in the USA in May following an operation by NACOB and the DEA.
The operation lasted slightly over a year. The arrested members have been charged in the USA.”
Story and Comments/Reaction: http://www.citifmonline.com
Cessna U206F Stationair, N59352, Accident occurred June 01, 2010 in Anchorage, Alaska
NTSB Identification: ANC10FA048
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, June 01, 2010 in Anchorage, AK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/16/2011
Aircraft: CESSNA U206F, registration: N59352
Injuries: 1 Fatal,4 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.
The commercial pilot and four passengers, three of whom were of the pilot's immediate family, were departing in a single-engine airplane on a personal cross-country flight to their lodge. The airplane was loaded with lumber, building materials, groceries, personal luggage, plants, and other items for the lodge. Two witnesses said that just before it took off the airplane was loaded so heavily that its tires looked almost flat.
The pilot reported to the NTSB that shortly after takeoff, at an estimated altitude of 150 feet, he raised the wing flaps from 30 degrees to 20 degrees, and the airplane began to sink. He said he started a slight right turn, but did not recall anything after that. According to multiple witnesses, the airplane was in an exaggerated nose-high, tail-low attitude, and struggling to climb as it approached the accident site. They related that the engine sounded loud, as if operating at full power, before it crashed into a parking lot and an unoccupied building.
A postimpact fire, and cargo in the cabin, slowed rescuers from quickly removing the victims. Four of the occupants survived with serious burns and other injuries; the pilot’s 4-year-old son was killed.
The cargo remaining in the pod and cabin after the fire was weighed, and exemplar weights were used for the burned materials. Using conservative weights, which did not include some burned items like a large container of detergent, the airplane’s total weight was estimated to be at least 658.2 pounds over its allowable gross weight, with a center of gravity significantly beyond the aft-most limit.
Both the aircraft and cargo pod manufacturer state maximum wing flap extension limits for takeoff; the aircraft manufacturer’s pilot operating handbook notes 20 degrees should be the maximum, and the cargo pod manufacturer notes a maximum of 10 degrees. Selecting more flap extension than recommended induces additional aerodynamic drag and adversely affects the airplane’s acceleration and ability to climb.
Federal air regulations require that children 2 years of age or older must be secured with a lap belt. Both of the child passengers, age 2 and 4 years, were not secured with a lap belt and were sitting on the two other passenger’s laps. During the crash sequence, the right front seat passenger was unable to hold onto the 4 year old. The child was pinned by the unsecured cargo and died in the fire.
Postaccident inspections of the airplane disclosed no preaccident mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
The excessive overloading of the airplane, coupled with the aft center of gravity and the pilot’s excessive use of flaps, placed the airplane well beyond its operating limitations, and made a successful takeoff highly improbable.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot’s decision to load the airplane well beyond its allowable weight and center of gravity limits, resulting in a loss of control during the initial climb. Contributing to the severity of the injuries was the pilot’s decision to allow two child passengers to sit on other passenger's laps without restraints, and his failure to properly secure the cargo in the cabin. Also contributing was the pilot's excessive extension of the wing flaps.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On June 1, 2010, about 1705 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna U206F airplane, N59352, sustained substantial damage when it impacted an unoccupied building and terrain following a loss of control during the initial climb from runway 25 at the Merrill Field Airport, Anchorage, Alaska. A postcrash fire consumed much of the airplane. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was owned by Cavner & Julian, Inc., Port Alsworth, Alaska. Of the five people on board, the commercial pilot/airplane owner and three passengers sustained serious injuries. The remaining passenger, the 4-year-old child of the pilot and the right front seat passenger, died at the scene. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was en route to the airplane owner’s lodge in Port Alsworth.
During on-scene interviews with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on June 1, witnesses reported that just after takeoff, the airplane was flying in a nose high, tail low attitude as it descended into the principally commercial area about 1/2 mile west of the Merrill Field Airport. One witness, who was also a pilot, commented that the airplane appeared to be “laboring” and possibly had an aft center of gravity or was very heavy. Another witness stated that the airplane was extremely nose high and tail low and was not climbing. The airplane was seen to enter a slight right turn, and then began to lose altitude before it crashed into an empty parking lot and adjacent unoccupied wood-framed single story building.
Shortly after impact, the airplane began to burn, which eventually spread to a portion of the building.
The crash site was adjacent to a major one-way north flowing roadway that serviced downtown Anchorage. Several witnesses and vehicle occupants went to the airplane to assist in removing the victims because of the imminent fire danger. Within a few minutes, law enforcement and fire department personnel arrived, put out the fire, and removed the remaining occupants.
During an interview with the pilot, he stated to the NTSB IIC that he recalled taking off and thinking that everything was okay. He remarked that he departed with 30 degrees of flaps which he said was standard for the Cessna 206. At 150 feet above the ground, he raised the flaps from 30 degrees to 20 degrees and detected “an issue” with the airplane. He said he was concerned about maintaining his airspeed and not stalling. He remembered initiating a slight right turn, and said he did not recall anything after that.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot, age 33, held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single engine land and sea ratings. He was issued a second class airman medical certificate without limitations on March 18, 2010.
The pilot’s flight logbook was reviewed by the NTSB. The logbook covered the period from March 24, 2007, through May 26, 2010, and indicated that he had logged 1,717.9 hours total time and 81.1 hours in a Cessna 206, all of which were in the accident airplane. The time in the Cessna 206 was between March 20, and May 26, 2010. The pilot received instruction in the Cessna 206 March 20 through 21, 2010. On March 21, 2010, he completed the requirements of a flight review, and received an endorsement for acting as pilot in command of a high performance airplane.
The NTSB IIC interviewed an aviation mechanic/pilot who had interacted and flown with the pilot. This individual stated he saw the pilot operate the airplane in what he believed was an overweight condition on four or five separate occasions. He said that this was over a 4 week period of time, and he did not know if this was standard. He also stated that he had not seen the pilot weigh any of the cargo or perform a weight and balance calculation during this period of time.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The accident airplane (serial number U20603221) was manufactured in 1976 and had a standard airworthiness certificate for normal operations. A Teledyne Continental Motors IO-520-F engine rated at 285 horsepower at 2,700 rpm powered the airplane. The engine was equipped with a three-blade, McCauley propeller.
The airplane was maintained under an annual inspection program. A review of the maintenance records indicated that an annual inspection was completed on August 14, 2009, at an airframe total time of 6,888.2 hours and a tachometer time of 6,978.2 hours. On March 24, 2010, at a tachometer time of 6,998.5 hours, the landing gear floats were replaced with wheel landing gear. On April 19, 2010, at a tachometer time of 7,008.5 hours, a gravel deflector kit was installed.
An Aerocet cargo pack, supplemental type certificate STC)SA00096SE was installed on the airplane. According to a mechanic who assisted the pilot, the cargo pack was installed during the week of April 26, 2010. The mechanic stated the owner told him that he would have his “IA” [inspection authorized mechanic] conduct the updated weight and balance calculation later. No maintenance log entry or updated weight and balance calculation for the cargo pack was discovered during the investigation.
According to Aerocet Incorporated, the cargo pack weighed 35 pounds, and for weight and balance calculations, had an arm at installation of 51.0 inches, and a resultant moment of 1,785.0 pound-inches. The weight capacity of the cargo pack was 300 pounds. Aerocet provided a flight manual supplement with the cargo pack, which noted general cargo pack information, the limitations, emergency procedures, normal procedures, and performance. Specifically, this supplement stated that no more than 10 degrees of flaps should be used for takeoff for operations at weights above 3,450 pounds due to the effect of the cargo pack on climb performance. This supplement was not located in the wreckage or in the pilot operating handbook located with the wreckage.
METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS
The closest official weather observation station was Merrill Field Airport (PAMR), Anchorage, Alaska, located 1/2 nautical mile (nm) east of the accident site. The elevation of the weather observation station was 137 feet mean sea level (msl). The routine aviation weather report (METAR) for PAMR, issued at 1653, reported, winds 200 degrees at 9 knots, visibility 10 miles, light rain, sky condition scattered at 4,000 feet, broken at 10,000 feet, temperature 15 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 7 degrees C; altimeter 29.48 inches.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The accident site was in a parking lot adjacent to a single story, unoccupied building on the northwest corner of Ingra and 7th street in downtown Anchorage. The accident site was at an elevation of 111 feet msl and the airplane impacted on a magnetic heading of 270 degrees.
An on scene examination revealed an impact mark on the multi-story building across the street (to the east) from the main wreckage. The tail cone and tail spring of the accident airplane were found in the parking lot below this building. One power line was down adjacent to the multi-story building. The main wreckage of the airplane came to rest on a heading of west, with the right side of the airplane against a mound of earth and concrete. The main wreckage consisted of the burned remains of the right wing and fuselage, the empennage, the left wing, the engine and propeller assembly, and cargo.
The wreckage was recovered to a facility in Wasilla, Alaska, for further examination and documentation.
SURVIVAL ASPECTS
In an interview with the 16-year-old rear left seat passenger, she stated that the pilot was in the front left seat, the pilot’s wife was in the front right seat, and the four-year-old passenger was unrestrained and seated on his mother’s lap in the front right seat. The two-year-old passenger sat unrestrained on her lap in the rear left seat. The two-year-old was not sharing a seatbelt with her; he was just sitting on her lap.
Multiple witnesses to the accident came to the aid of the occupants of the accident airplane as it was burning. Photographs and witness descriptions depict several volunteers holding up the left wing while others worked to gain access to the occupants through the left forward exit. One rescuer reported that the airplane cabin was loaded from floor to ceiling, and they had to remove some of the cargo to reach the occupants.
The pilot was the first occupant pulled from the airplane, followed by the two-year-old passenger, who was handed out by the rear seat passenger. The rear seat passenger was rescued next, followed by the front right seat passenger.
The front right seat passenger was unable to hold onto the four-year-old passenger during the impact sequence. During the impact, the cargo shifted, and trapped the child between the cargo and the instrument panel. This prevented initial responders from reaching his location.
TESTS AND RESEARCH
On June 2, 2010, an investigator from the NTSB separated airplane wreckage and cargo recovered from the accident site. The occupant’s packed clothing was laid out to dry, and food and grocery items were separated from the lumber and ceramic tile.
On June 3, 2010, the NTSB IIC, two aviation safety inspectors from the FAA, and investigators from Cessna Aircraft Company, and Teledyne Continental Motors examined the sorted wreckage.
The flight controls, including aileron cables, rudder cables, and elevator cables, were continuous except where they had been cut for transportation of the wreckage. Fuel screens were clean of contamination. The fuel selector valve was in the right fuel tank position. The elevator trim was set at 25 degrees tab up trim. The flap jack screw was measured to a position consistent with 25 degrees of flaps.
The finger screen on the engine driven fuel pump had contaminants across approximately 25 percent of the screen. The contaminants were permeable and were not a solid occlusion. The throttle control was partially open, the propeller control was at low pitch, and the mixture control was at idle cutoff. The spark plugs were clean. Further examination established continuity through the accessories, and valve train. Both magnetos produced spark when power was added.
All of the cargo items and lumber were weighed with a digital scale. See the section of this report titled “Additional Information” for the weight of each item from the accident wreckage. The cargo included a personal backpack full of medical equipment, a three-ring blow-up swimming pool, children’s clothing, floor mats, clothes hangers, pots and pans, a tool bag, ceramic tile, a yellow survival kit, a car battery, wet wipes, a suitcase containing personal effects and adult clothing, a bag containing a lap top, a bean bag toss game, several plastic totes/containers, laundry detergent, several tubes of construction adhesive, 55 pieces of lumber, and food including spice mixes, seasoning, fruits, raw meat, canned goods, pasta, rice, creamer, frozen foods, and soda.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Cessna Pilot’s Operating Handbook
According to the Cessna Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH) for the Cessna U206F, Section 2 - Limitations – the maximum takeoff weight for the airplane was 3,600 pounds. The most forward center of gravity limit was 42.5 inches at 3,600 pounds and the most aft center of gravity limit was 49.7 inches. Section 4 – Normal Procedures – discussed the use of no more than 20 degrees of flaps for takeoff, both normal and maximum performance takeoff procedures.
Weight and Balance Calculations
The most recent weight and balance calculation for the airplane was documented on April 19, 2010. The empty weight of the airplane was calculated to be 2,165.5 pounds, resulting in a useful load of 1,434.5 pounds. As previously noted, this weight did not include the cargo pack.
The cargo was separated from the main wreckage on June 2, 2010, and allowed to dry. On June 3, 2010, the cargo was quantified and weighed. The following represents a conservative estimate of the weight of the cargo on the accident airplane. The weight of the lost fluid from the juice cans, laundry detergent, fruit, and other burnt items were not represented in this calculation.
55 pieces of lumber were documented:
43 pieces of 8 foot 2 x 4 – 9 pounds each – 387 pounds total
12 pieces of 8 foot 1 x 2.5 – 4 pounds each – 48 pounds total
The cargo, as listed previously in this report was sorted and weighed as follows:
Survival Kit – 15.2 pounds
Car Battery – 40.4 pounds
Tile – 333.1 pounds
Pots and Pans – 29.8 pounds
Food and Grocery Items – 173.4 pounds
Clothing – 72 pounds
Backpack – 16.2 pounds
Bag full of a mini pool and various items – 12 pounds
Tool Bag – 12.2 pounds
Laptop Backpack – 12 pounds
The pilot and passenger weights were documented using hospital medical records from their admission following the accident, in addition to the autopsy report for the fatality. The total occupant weight was 546.4 pounds.
The documented cargo, occupant weights, cargo pack, and estimated fuel load came to a total of 2,092.7 pounds. The gross weight of the airplane at the time of the accident was conservatively calculated to be 4,258.2 pounds or 658.2 pounds over the approved gross weight of the accident airplane. The exact location of each piece of cargo could not be determined. The center of gravity at the time of the accident was estimated to range between 53.65 inches and 58.522 inches, or between 3.95 and 8.82 inches aft of the rear-most allowable limit.
Title 14 CFR Part 91.9 required that the pilot comply with the operating limitation represented in the approved airplane flight manual. The FAA Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Chapter 9 – Weight and Balance, provided guidance for performing a weight and balance calculation; however, the FAA Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge did not provide guidance regarding the risk of estimating the weight of passengers and cargo as opposed to physically weighing the passengers and cargo. The handbook did state that it may not be “possible to fill all of the seats, baggage compartments, and fuel tanks and still remain within the approved weight and balance limits.”
Cargo and Load Distribution
Multiple witnesses at Merrill field saw the pilot loading the airplane the day prior and the day of the accident flight. Several commented that the airplane was full and it was difficult to see where the passengers were sitting due to all of the cargo. Other witnesses reported that the tires were extremely low or flat, due to the excessive weight of the cargo on the airplane.
In an interview with the rear left seat passenger, she stated that lumber, food, tile, grout or mortar, and clothing were on the airplane. There was a “ton” of wood next to her seat. She estimated that there were 30 to 35 pieces of two by four lumber. The lumber was on the floor and some lumber was jutted up against the back of the front right seat, and some of the lumber extended forward between the front right and front left seats. There were also 10 to 15 boxes of ceramic tile on top of the wood. Several bins of food and her luggage were placed behind her in the rear of the airplane.
During an interview with the pilot, he stated that his estimation of the cargo, passengers, and fuel for the accident flight was 1,400 pounds to 1,450 pounds. He stated that all of the cargo weights were estimated, and not physically weighed. Specifically, he also stated that he had 360 pounds of fuel on board. The pilot said that he loaded one heavy item towards the front of the cargo pack, and lighter items towards the rear of the cargo pack. He put plants on top of the cargo in the cabin.
The pilot indicated that he did not use straps or a cargo net to secure the cargo in the cabin. He used twine or nylon to secure the tote and suit cases. He stated that the load was stable, and after he put the potted plants on top of the cargo, there was no room for shifting.
Federal Aviation Regulations
Part 91.107 (1) “No pilot may take off a U.S.-registered civil aircraft unless the pilot in command of that aircraft ensures that each person on board is briefed on how to fasten and unfasten that person’s safety belt and, if installed, shoulder harness…(3) Except as provided in this paragraph, each person on board a U.S.-registered civil aircraft must occupy an approved seat or berth with a safety belt and, if installed, shoulder harness, properly secured about him or her during movement on the surface, takeoff, and landing… Notwithstanding the preceding requirements of this paragraph, a person may: (i) Be held by an adult who is occupying an approved seat or berth provided that the person being held has not reached his or her second birthday and does not occupy or use any restraining device.
The FAA did not have a definition of adult as it pertains to this regulation. At the writing of this report, a definition or interpretation of adult has not been provided to the NTSB IIC.
FAA Hotline
The FAA has several avenues available to the public if they want to report their knowledge of an unsafe operation in the aviation community. This report can be done anonymously. The telephone numbers are 1-866-835-5322 (1-866-TELL-FAA) or 1-800-255-1111.
Family sues airplane engine manufacturers for death of their son
June 2, 2013
Laurel Andrews
An Alaska family whose son perished in a fiery 2010 plane crash shortly after takeoff in busy midtown Anchorage is suing the engine manufacturers over allegations of a faulty plane engine, two years after a government agency found that the cause of the crash was a plane overloaded with timber and tiles.
“This is a very important case for them,” the family’s attorney Bob Hopkins said.
Pilot Preston Cavner took off from Merrill Field in Anchorage on the afternoon of June 1, 2010, headed for the family lodge in Port Alsworth, 180 miles west of Anchorage, with his family and childrens' babysitter. Witnesses reported seeing the Cessna U206F flying off-kilter, its nose too high in the air. The plane crashed next to a vacant building on the corner of Seventh Avenue and Ingra in downtown Anchorage, blocks from where it departed. Passersby turned rescuers, and four people were pulled from the wreckage as the plane burned.
The Cavner’s 4-year-old son, Myles, perished. The other passengers -- Pilot Preston and and his wife Stacie Cavner, 2-year-old son Hudson Cavner, and babysister Rachel Zientek, all suffered severe injuries.
Stacie Cavner suffered the amputation of both of her lower legs, and the fingers on her right hand. Zientek suffered a broken back and permanent scarring on more than a fifth of her body. Preston Cavner lost vision to his right eye, a back fracture and facial reconstruction. Hudson Cavner faced severe burns, including over nearly his entire scalp with permanent loss of hair, and the loss of his right ear. The medical bills for the four survivors are listed as more than $3 million.
“Obviously the Cavner family was devastated by the crash,” Hopkins said, suffering “major injuries and humongous medical bills.”
Faulty engine or overloaded plane?
“It’s our belief that the cause of the crash related to the loss of power of the engine and that had not been thoroughly investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board,” Hopkins said.
A report released by the National Transportation Safety Board in January 2011 found that the airplane, headed for the owner’s lodge in Port Alsworth, was overloaded by more than 650 pounds, including 400 pounds of lumber and 300 pounds of tile. The report also includes an interview with a mechanic who "stated he saw the pilot operate the airplane in what he believed was an overweight condition on four or five separate occasions." The same mechanic said that he had not seen the pilot weigh any cargo loaded into the plane on those occasions.
The wrongful death suit being pursued by the Cavners alleges a different cause behind the fatal crash: a faulty engine.
They are suing three companies that manufactured, refurbished and installed the engine in the aircraft: Continental Motors, Inc., which rebuilt the engine; Northwest Seaplanes, Inc., which replaced parts on the engine; and Ace Aviation, which serviced the aircraft and engine in Washington, and conducted an inspection of the work.
The complaint alleges that Ace Aviation found low compression on two of the cylinders, but the company didn’t advise Preston Cavner to correct said low compression before flying, resulting in “a loss of engine power preventing it’s maintaining flight and resulting in its crashing,” according to court documents.
The complaint asks for compensation for the medical bills, and all related costs, both physical and psychological, including “the loss of care, comfort, society and companionship, past and future for the death of Myles Cavner.”
A settlement is underway with Northwest Seaplanes, Inc., according to a court document from April, but Hopkins said that nothing has been finalized. Calls for comments to the three defendants were not returned.
Reconsideration not pursued
There is one other option the family could pursue: a reconsideration of the NTSB's findings. For that to happen, new evidence must be presented that could potentially change the probable cause of a crash. NTSB can then choose to re-examine the case, weighing any new evidence.
The family hasn’t chosen to pursue this route, however. Hopkins said that even if the NTSB decided to reconsider the case, a reversal of their findings would accomplish little for the family. NTSB probable cause findings are not admissible in court, per government regulations, and have no impact on ongoing litigation.
The wrongful death suit continues to wind its way through the King County court in Washington, entering its second year. Preston Cavner still has his commercial pilot’s license, but it is valid only for flight tests or student pilot purposes. Meanwhile, the Cavners still own the Stonewood Lodge in Port Alsworth, devoted to hunting, fishing, boating and wildlife viewing.
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, June 01, 2010 in Anchorage, AK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/16/2011
Aircraft: CESSNA U206F, registration: N59352
Injuries: 1 Fatal,4 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.
The commercial pilot and four passengers, three of whom were of the pilot's immediate family, were departing in a single-engine airplane on a personal cross-country flight to their lodge. The airplane was loaded with lumber, building materials, groceries, personal luggage, plants, and other items for the lodge. Two witnesses said that just before it took off the airplane was loaded so heavily that its tires looked almost flat.
The pilot reported to the NTSB that shortly after takeoff, at an estimated altitude of 150 feet, he raised the wing flaps from 30 degrees to 20 degrees, and the airplane began to sink. He said he started a slight right turn, but did not recall anything after that. According to multiple witnesses, the airplane was in an exaggerated nose-high, tail-low attitude, and struggling to climb as it approached the accident site. They related that the engine sounded loud, as if operating at full power, before it crashed into a parking lot and an unoccupied building.
A postimpact fire, and cargo in the cabin, slowed rescuers from quickly removing the victims. Four of the occupants survived with serious burns and other injuries; the pilot’s 4-year-old son was killed.
The cargo remaining in the pod and cabin after the fire was weighed, and exemplar weights were used for the burned materials. Using conservative weights, which did not include some burned items like a large container of detergent, the airplane’s total weight was estimated to be at least 658.2 pounds over its allowable gross weight, with a center of gravity significantly beyond the aft-most limit.
Both the aircraft and cargo pod manufacturer state maximum wing flap extension limits for takeoff; the aircraft manufacturer’s pilot operating handbook notes 20 degrees should be the maximum, and the cargo pod manufacturer notes a maximum of 10 degrees. Selecting more flap extension than recommended induces additional aerodynamic drag and adversely affects the airplane’s acceleration and ability to climb.
Federal air regulations require that children 2 years of age or older must be secured with a lap belt. Both of the child passengers, age 2 and 4 years, were not secured with a lap belt and were sitting on the two other passenger’s laps. During the crash sequence, the right front seat passenger was unable to hold onto the 4 year old. The child was pinned by the unsecured cargo and died in the fire.
Postaccident inspections of the airplane disclosed no preaccident mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
The excessive overloading of the airplane, coupled with the aft center of gravity and the pilot’s excessive use of flaps, placed the airplane well beyond its operating limitations, and made a successful takeoff highly improbable.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot’s decision to load the airplane well beyond its allowable weight and center of gravity limits, resulting in a loss of control during the initial climb. Contributing to the severity of the injuries was the pilot’s decision to allow two child passengers to sit on other passenger's laps without restraints, and his failure to properly secure the cargo in the cabin. Also contributing was the pilot's excessive extension of the wing flaps.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On June 1, 2010, about 1705 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna U206F airplane, N59352, sustained substantial damage when it impacted an unoccupied building and terrain following a loss of control during the initial climb from runway 25 at the Merrill Field Airport, Anchorage, Alaska. A postcrash fire consumed much of the airplane. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was owned by Cavner & Julian, Inc., Port Alsworth, Alaska. Of the five people on board, the commercial pilot/airplane owner and three passengers sustained serious injuries. The remaining passenger, the 4-year-old child of the pilot and the right front seat passenger, died at the scene. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was en route to the airplane owner’s lodge in Port Alsworth.
During on-scene interviews with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on June 1, witnesses reported that just after takeoff, the airplane was flying in a nose high, tail low attitude as it descended into the principally commercial area about 1/2 mile west of the Merrill Field Airport. One witness, who was also a pilot, commented that the airplane appeared to be “laboring” and possibly had an aft center of gravity or was very heavy. Another witness stated that the airplane was extremely nose high and tail low and was not climbing. The airplane was seen to enter a slight right turn, and then began to lose altitude before it crashed into an empty parking lot and adjacent unoccupied wood-framed single story building.
Shortly after impact, the airplane began to burn, which eventually spread to a portion of the building.
The crash site was adjacent to a major one-way north flowing roadway that serviced downtown Anchorage. Several witnesses and vehicle occupants went to the airplane to assist in removing the victims because of the imminent fire danger. Within a few minutes, law enforcement and fire department personnel arrived, put out the fire, and removed the remaining occupants.
During an interview with the pilot, he stated to the NTSB IIC that he recalled taking off and thinking that everything was okay. He remarked that he departed with 30 degrees of flaps which he said was standard for the Cessna 206. At 150 feet above the ground, he raised the flaps from 30 degrees to 20 degrees and detected “an issue” with the airplane. He said he was concerned about maintaining his airspeed and not stalling. He remembered initiating a slight right turn, and said he did not recall anything after that.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot, age 33, held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single engine land and sea ratings. He was issued a second class airman medical certificate without limitations on March 18, 2010.
The pilot’s flight logbook was reviewed by the NTSB. The logbook covered the period from March 24, 2007, through May 26, 2010, and indicated that he had logged 1,717.9 hours total time and 81.1 hours in a Cessna 206, all of which were in the accident airplane. The time in the Cessna 206 was between March 20, and May 26, 2010. The pilot received instruction in the Cessna 206 March 20 through 21, 2010. On March 21, 2010, he completed the requirements of a flight review, and received an endorsement for acting as pilot in command of a high performance airplane.
The NTSB IIC interviewed an aviation mechanic/pilot who had interacted and flown with the pilot. This individual stated he saw the pilot operate the airplane in what he believed was an overweight condition on four or five separate occasions. He said that this was over a 4 week period of time, and he did not know if this was standard. He also stated that he had not seen the pilot weigh any of the cargo or perform a weight and balance calculation during this period of time.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The accident airplane (serial number U20603221) was manufactured in 1976 and had a standard airworthiness certificate for normal operations. A Teledyne Continental Motors IO-520-F engine rated at 285 horsepower at 2,700 rpm powered the airplane. The engine was equipped with a three-blade, McCauley propeller.
The airplane was maintained under an annual inspection program. A review of the maintenance records indicated that an annual inspection was completed on August 14, 2009, at an airframe total time of 6,888.2 hours and a tachometer time of 6,978.2 hours. On March 24, 2010, at a tachometer time of 6,998.5 hours, the landing gear floats were replaced with wheel landing gear. On April 19, 2010, at a tachometer time of 7,008.5 hours, a gravel deflector kit was installed.
An Aerocet cargo pack, supplemental type certificate STC)SA00096SE was installed on the airplane. According to a mechanic who assisted the pilot, the cargo pack was installed during the week of April 26, 2010. The mechanic stated the owner told him that he would have his “IA” [inspection authorized mechanic] conduct the updated weight and balance calculation later. No maintenance log entry or updated weight and balance calculation for the cargo pack was discovered during the investigation.
According to Aerocet Incorporated, the cargo pack weighed 35 pounds, and for weight and balance calculations, had an arm at installation of 51.0 inches, and a resultant moment of 1,785.0 pound-inches. The weight capacity of the cargo pack was 300 pounds. Aerocet provided a flight manual supplement with the cargo pack, which noted general cargo pack information, the limitations, emergency procedures, normal procedures, and performance. Specifically, this supplement stated that no more than 10 degrees of flaps should be used for takeoff for operations at weights above 3,450 pounds due to the effect of the cargo pack on climb performance. This supplement was not located in the wreckage or in the pilot operating handbook located with the wreckage.
METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS
The closest official weather observation station was Merrill Field Airport (PAMR), Anchorage, Alaska, located 1/2 nautical mile (nm) east of the accident site. The elevation of the weather observation station was 137 feet mean sea level (msl). The routine aviation weather report (METAR) for PAMR, issued at 1653, reported, winds 200 degrees at 9 knots, visibility 10 miles, light rain, sky condition scattered at 4,000 feet, broken at 10,000 feet, temperature 15 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 7 degrees C; altimeter 29.48 inches.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The accident site was in a parking lot adjacent to a single story, unoccupied building on the northwest corner of Ingra and 7th street in downtown Anchorage. The accident site was at an elevation of 111 feet msl and the airplane impacted on a magnetic heading of 270 degrees.
An on scene examination revealed an impact mark on the multi-story building across the street (to the east) from the main wreckage. The tail cone and tail spring of the accident airplane were found in the parking lot below this building. One power line was down adjacent to the multi-story building. The main wreckage of the airplane came to rest on a heading of west, with the right side of the airplane against a mound of earth and concrete. The main wreckage consisted of the burned remains of the right wing and fuselage, the empennage, the left wing, the engine and propeller assembly, and cargo.
The wreckage was recovered to a facility in Wasilla, Alaska, for further examination and documentation.
SURVIVAL ASPECTS
In an interview with the 16-year-old rear left seat passenger, she stated that the pilot was in the front left seat, the pilot’s wife was in the front right seat, and the four-year-old passenger was unrestrained and seated on his mother’s lap in the front right seat. The two-year-old passenger sat unrestrained on her lap in the rear left seat. The two-year-old was not sharing a seatbelt with her; he was just sitting on her lap.
Multiple witnesses to the accident came to the aid of the occupants of the accident airplane as it was burning. Photographs and witness descriptions depict several volunteers holding up the left wing while others worked to gain access to the occupants through the left forward exit. One rescuer reported that the airplane cabin was loaded from floor to ceiling, and they had to remove some of the cargo to reach the occupants.
The pilot was the first occupant pulled from the airplane, followed by the two-year-old passenger, who was handed out by the rear seat passenger. The rear seat passenger was rescued next, followed by the front right seat passenger.
The front right seat passenger was unable to hold onto the four-year-old passenger during the impact sequence. During the impact, the cargo shifted, and trapped the child between the cargo and the instrument panel. This prevented initial responders from reaching his location.
TESTS AND RESEARCH
On June 2, 2010, an investigator from the NTSB separated airplane wreckage and cargo recovered from the accident site. The occupant’s packed clothing was laid out to dry, and food and grocery items were separated from the lumber and ceramic tile.
On June 3, 2010, the NTSB IIC, two aviation safety inspectors from the FAA, and investigators from Cessna Aircraft Company, and Teledyne Continental Motors examined the sorted wreckage.
The flight controls, including aileron cables, rudder cables, and elevator cables, were continuous except where they had been cut for transportation of the wreckage. Fuel screens were clean of contamination. The fuel selector valve was in the right fuel tank position. The elevator trim was set at 25 degrees tab up trim. The flap jack screw was measured to a position consistent with 25 degrees of flaps.
The finger screen on the engine driven fuel pump had contaminants across approximately 25 percent of the screen. The contaminants were permeable and were not a solid occlusion. The throttle control was partially open, the propeller control was at low pitch, and the mixture control was at idle cutoff. The spark plugs were clean. Further examination established continuity through the accessories, and valve train. Both magnetos produced spark when power was added.
All of the cargo items and lumber were weighed with a digital scale. See the section of this report titled “Additional Information” for the weight of each item from the accident wreckage. The cargo included a personal backpack full of medical equipment, a three-ring blow-up swimming pool, children’s clothing, floor mats, clothes hangers, pots and pans, a tool bag, ceramic tile, a yellow survival kit, a car battery, wet wipes, a suitcase containing personal effects and adult clothing, a bag containing a lap top, a bean bag toss game, several plastic totes/containers, laundry detergent, several tubes of construction adhesive, 55 pieces of lumber, and food including spice mixes, seasoning, fruits, raw meat, canned goods, pasta, rice, creamer, frozen foods, and soda.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Cessna Pilot’s Operating Handbook
According to the Cessna Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH) for the Cessna U206F, Section 2 - Limitations – the maximum takeoff weight for the airplane was 3,600 pounds. The most forward center of gravity limit was 42.5 inches at 3,600 pounds and the most aft center of gravity limit was 49.7 inches. Section 4 – Normal Procedures – discussed the use of no more than 20 degrees of flaps for takeoff, both normal and maximum performance takeoff procedures.
Weight and Balance Calculations
The most recent weight and balance calculation for the airplane was documented on April 19, 2010. The empty weight of the airplane was calculated to be 2,165.5 pounds, resulting in a useful load of 1,434.5 pounds. As previously noted, this weight did not include the cargo pack.
The cargo was separated from the main wreckage on June 2, 2010, and allowed to dry. On June 3, 2010, the cargo was quantified and weighed. The following represents a conservative estimate of the weight of the cargo on the accident airplane. The weight of the lost fluid from the juice cans, laundry detergent, fruit, and other burnt items were not represented in this calculation.
55 pieces of lumber were documented:
43 pieces of 8 foot 2 x 4 – 9 pounds each – 387 pounds total
12 pieces of 8 foot 1 x 2.5 – 4 pounds each – 48 pounds total
The cargo, as listed previously in this report was sorted and weighed as follows:
Survival Kit – 15.2 pounds
Car Battery – 40.4 pounds
Tile – 333.1 pounds
Pots and Pans – 29.8 pounds
Food and Grocery Items – 173.4 pounds
Clothing – 72 pounds
Backpack – 16.2 pounds
Bag full of a mini pool and various items – 12 pounds
Tool Bag – 12.2 pounds
Laptop Backpack – 12 pounds
The pilot and passenger weights were documented using hospital medical records from their admission following the accident, in addition to the autopsy report for the fatality. The total occupant weight was 546.4 pounds.
The documented cargo, occupant weights, cargo pack, and estimated fuel load came to a total of 2,092.7 pounds. The gross weight of the airplane at the time of the accident was conservatively calculated to be 4,258.2 pounds or 658.2 pounds over the approved gross weight of the accident airplane. The exact location of each piece of cargo could not be determined. The center of gravity at the time of the accident was estimated to range between 53.65 inches and 58.522 inches, or between 3.95 and 8.82 inches aft of the rear-most allowable limit.
Title 14 CFR Part 91.9 required that the pilot comply with the operating limitation represented in the approved airplane flight manual. The FAA Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Chapter 9 – Weight and Balance, provided guidance for performing a weight and balance calculation; however, the FAA Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge did not provide guidance regarding the risk of estimating the weight of passengers and cargo as opposed to physically weighing the passengers and cargo. The handbook did state that it may not be “possible to fill all of the seats, baggage compartments, and fuel tanks and still remain within the approved weight and balance limits.”
Cargo and Load Distribution
Multiple witnesses at Merrill field saw the pilot loading the airplane the day prior and the day of the accident flight. Several commented that the airplane was full and it was difficult to see where the passengers were sitting due to all of the cargo. Other witnesses reported that the tires were extremely low or flat, due to the excessive weight of the cargo on the airplane.
In an interview with the rear left seat passenger, she stated that lumber, food, tile, grout or mortar, and clothing were on the airplane. There was a “ton” of wood next to her seat. She estimated that there were 30 to 35 pieces of two by four lumber. The lumber was on the floor and some lumber was jutted up against the back of the front right seat, and some of the lumber extended forward between the front right and front left seats. There were also 10 to 15 boxes of ceramic tile on top of the wood. Several bins of food and her luggage were placed behind her in the rear of the airplane.
During an interview with the pilot, he stated that his estimation of the cargo, passengers, and fuel for the accident flight was 1,400 pounds to 1,450 pounds. He stated that all of the cargo weights were estimated, and not physically weighed. Specifically, he also stated that he had 360 pounds of fuel on board. The pilot said that he loaded one heavy item towards the front of the cargo pack, and lighter items towards the rear of the cargo pack. He put plants on top of the cargo in the cabin.
The pilot indicated that he did not use straps or a cargo net to secure the cargo in the cabin. He used twine or nylon to secure the tote and suit cases. He stated that the load was stable, and after he put the potted plants on top of the cargo, there was no room for shifting.
Federal Aviation Regulations
Part 91.107 (1) “No pilot may take off a U.S.-registered civil aircraft unless the pilot in command of that aircraft ensures that each person on board is briefed on how to fasten and unfasten that person’s safety belt and, if installed, shoulder harness…(3) Except as provided in this paragraph, each person on board a U.S.-registered civil aircraft must occupy an approved seat or berth with a safety belt and, if installed, shoulder harness, properly secured about him or her during movement on the surface, takeoff, and landing… Notwithstanding the preceding requirements of this paragraph, a person may: (i) Be held by an adult who is occupying an approved seat or berth provided that the person being held has not reached his or her second birthday and does not occupy or use any restraining device.
The FAA did not have a definition of adult as it pertains to this regulation. At the writing of this report, a definition or interpretation of adult has not been provided to the NTSB IIC.
FAA Hotline
The FAA has several avenues available to the public if they want to report their knowledge of an unsafe operation in the aviation community. This report can be done anonymously. The telephone numbers are 1-866-835-5322 (1-866-TELL-FAA) or 1-800-255-1111.
Family sues airplane engine manufacturers for death of their son
June 2, 2013
Laurel Andrews
An Alaska family whose son perished in a fiery 2010 plane crash shortly after takeoff in busy midtown Anchorage is suing the engine manufacturers over allegations of a faulty plane engine, two years after a government agency found that the cause of the crash was a plane overloaded with timber and tiles.
“This is a very important case for them,” the family’s attorney Bob Hopkins said.
Pilot Preston Cavner took off from Merrill Field in Anchorage on the afternoon of June 1, 2010, headed for the family lodge in Port Alsworth, 180 miles west of Anchorage, with his family and childrens' babysitter. Witnesses reported seeing the Cessna U206F flying off-kilter, its nose too high in the air. The plane crashed next to a vacant building on the corner of Seventh Avenue and Ingra in downtown Anchorage, blocks from where it departed. Passersby turned rescuers, and four people were pulled from the wreckage as the plane burned.
The Cavner’s 4-year-old son, Myles, perished. The other passengers -- Pilot Preston and and his wife Stacie Cavner, 2-year-old son Hudson Cavner, and babysister Rachel Zientek, all suffered severe injuries.
Stacie Cavner suffered the amputation of both of her lower legs, and the fingers on her right hand. Zientek suffered a broken back and permanent scarring on more than a fifth of her body. Preston Cavner lost vision to his right eye, a back fracture and facial reconstruction. Hudson Cavner faced severe burns, including over nearly his entire scalp with permanent loss of hair, and the loss of his right ear. The medical bills for the four survivors are listed as more than $3 million.
“Obviously the Cavner family was devastated by the crash,” Hopkins said, suffering “major injuries and humongous medical bills.”
Faulty engine or overloaded plane?
“It’s our belief that the cause of the crash related to the loss of power of the engine and that had not been thoroughly investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board,” Hopkins said.
A report released by the National Transportation Safety Board in January 2011 found that the airplane, headed for the owner’s lodge in Port Alsworth, was overloaded by more than 650 pounds, including 400 pounds of lumber and 300 pounds of tile. The report also includes an interview with a mechanic who "stated he saw the pilot operate the airplane in what he believed was an overweight condition on four or five separate occasions." The same mechanic said that he had not seen the pilot weigh any cargo loaded into the plane on those occasions.
The wrongful death suit being pursued by the Cavners alleges a different cause behind the fatal crash: a faulty engine.
They are suing three companies that manufactured, refurbished and installed the engine in the aircraft: Continental Motors, Inc., which rebuilt the engine; Northwest Seaplanes, Inc., which replaced parts on the engine; and Ace Aviation, which serviced the aircraft and engine in Washington, and conducted an inspection of the work.
The complaint alleges that Ace Aviation found low compression on two of the cylinders, but the company didn’t advise Preston Cavner to correct said low compression before flying, resulting in “a loss of engine power preventing it’s maintaining flight and resulting in its crashing,” according to court documents.
The complaint asks for compensation for the medical bills, and all related costs, both physical and psychological, including “the loss of care, comfort, society and companionship, past and future for the death of Myles Cavner.”
A settlement is underway with Northwest Seaplanes, Inc., according to a court document from April, but Hopkins said that nothing has been finalized. Calls for comments to the three defendants were not returned.
Reconsideration not pursued
There is one other option the family could pursue: a reconsideration of the NTSB's findings. For that to happen, new evidence must be presented that could potentially change the probable cause of a crash. NTSB can then choose to re-examine the case, weighing any new evidence.
The family hasn’t chosen to pursue this route, however. Hopkins said that even if the NTSB decided to reconsider the case, a reversal of their findings would accomplish little for the family. NTSB probable cause findings are not admissible in court, per government regulations, and have no impact on ongoing litigation.
The wrongful death suit continues to wind its way through the King County court in Washington, entering its second year. Preston Cavner still has his commercial pilot’s license, but it is valid only for flight tests or student pilot purposes. Meanwhile, the Cavners still own the Stonewood Lodge in Port Alsworth, devoted to hunting, fishing, boating and wildlife viewing.
Vans RV-6, N77GT: Incident occurred September 11, 2016 in Jerome, Idaho (and Accident occurred June 04, 2013 in Brookfield, Waukesha County, Wisconsin
http://registry.faa.gov/N77GT
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Boise FSDO-11
AIRCRAFT ON LANDING SUSTAINED TAIL WHEEL DAMAGE, JERMONE, IDAHO
Date: 11-SEP-16
Time: 17:40:00Z
Regis#: N77GT
Aircraft Make: VANS
Aircraft Model: RV6
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Minor
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: JEROME
State: Idaho
=========
NTSB Identification: CEN13CA316
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, June 04, 2013 in Brookfield, WI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/13/2013
Aircraft: SHELDRICK JOHN H RV-6, registration: N77GT
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The pilot reported that he approached the airport, intending to land on the grass runway. He said that his approach was high and he introduced a slip in order to lose altitude. During the slip, the airplane turned to the left, which he did not notice. He continued the landing and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane. Postaccident examination revealed that the airplane was landed in a marsh about 400 yards north of the east-west oriented runway.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain runway alignment and his failure to recognize that the airplane had drifted away from the runway prior to landing.
WAUKESHA CO. (WITI) — A two-seat, experimental aircraft that was intending to land at the Capitol Drive Airport in Brookfield crashed in a marshy area just north of the airfield on Tuesday, June 4th.
Waukesha Co. authorities tell FOX6 News the pilot is fine and being evaluated for injuries after the crash. The pilot was apparently aware enough to notify authorities that he and his aircraft crashed moments after the incident.
“The pilot was in contact with the folks at Capitol Airport. After the crash, it was reported to us that he was in a swamp, in an upside-down environment,” said Brookfield Fire Chief Charlie Myers.
It apparently took emergency responders about ten minutes to walk into the field and get the pilot to drier ground so he could be checked out.
“We know it’s marshy, it’s just difficult to walk through it. They had a general location and they followed that location with Flight for Life guiding us, helping us as we got out there,” said Myers.
The pilot was evaluated at the scene — but was not hurt.
BROOKFIELD, Wis. —An experimental aircraft crashed near the Capitol Airport in Brookfield Tuesday.
Waukesha County Sheriff's dispatch officials said a report of an aircraft crashing north of the airport in a marshy area was received around 1:30 p.m.
Authorities said the pilot had made radio contact with the Crites Field tower stating that he was having problems.
The next time the tower heard from the pilot, he said he was upside down in a marsh near the airport.
The pilot exited the plane under their own power after emergency personnel helped lift the aircraft.
WISN 12 News reporter Nick Bohr said the pilot told authorities the plane was a two-seat, single-engine aircraft known as a Vans RV-6 experimental plane.
Bohr said FAA investigators are on the scene and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Capitol Airport is a non-towered airport, and pilots communicate to each other via a common frequency. Crites Field in Waukesha monitors the airspace around Capitol Airport.
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Boise FSDO-11
AIRCRAFT ON LANDING SUSTAINED TAIL WHEEL DAMAGE, JERMONE, IDAHO
Date: 11-SEP-16
Time: 17:40:00Z
Regis#: N77GT
Aircraft Make: VANS
Aircraft Model: RV6
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Minor
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: JEROME
State: Idaho
=========
NTSB Identification: CEN13CA316
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, June 04, 2013 in Brookfield, WI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/13/2013
Aircraft: SHELDRICK JOHN H RV-6, registration: N77GT
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The pilot reported that he approached the airport, intending to land on the grass runway. He said that his approach was high and he introduced a slip in order to lose altitude. During the slip, the airplane turned to the left, which he did not notice. He continued the landing and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane. Postaccident examination revealed that the airplane was landed in a marsh about 400 yards north of the east-west oriented runway.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain runway alignment and his failure to recognize that the airplane had drifted away from the runway prior to landing.
WAUKESHA CO. (WITI) — A two-seat, experimental aircraft that was intending to land at the Capitol Drive Airport in Brookfield crashed in a marshy area just north of the airfield on Tuesday, June 4th.
Waukesha Co. authorities tell FOX6 News the pilot is fine and being evaluated for injuries after the crash. The pilot was apparently aware enough to notify authorities that he and his aircraft crashed moments after the incident.
“The pilot was in contact with the folks at Capitol Airport. After the crash, it was reported to us that he was in a swamp, in an upside-down environment,” said Brookfield Fire Chief Charlie Myers.
It apparently took emergency responders about ten minutes to walk into the field and get the pilot to drier ground so he could be checked out.
“We know it’s marshy, it’s just difficult to walk through it. They had a general location and they followed that location with Flight for Life guiding us, helping us as we got out there,” said Myers.
The pilot was evaluated at the scene — but was not hurt.
BROOKFIELD, Wis. —An experimental aircraft crashed near the Capitol Airport in Brookfield Tuesday.
Waukesha County Sheriff's dispatch officials said a report of an aircraft crashing north of the airport in a marshy area was received around 1:30 p.m.
Authorities said the pilot had made radio contact with the Crites Field tower stating that he was having problems.
The next time the tower heard from the pilot, he said he was upside down in a marsh near the airport.
The pilot exited the plane under their own power after emergency personnel helped lift the aircraft.
WISN 12 News reporter Nick Bohr said the pilot told authorities the plane was a two-seat, single-engine aircraft known as a Vans RV-6 experimental plane.
Bohr said FAA investigators are on the scene and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Capitol Airport is a non-towered airport, and pilots communicate to each other via a common frequency. Crites Field in Waukesha monitors the airspace around Capitol Airport.
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