Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Low-flying planes seen all over North Carolina and Virginia

Last night 9 On Your Side received reports about a large group of low-flying planes that were seen in several counties. One viewer counted 19 ‘bomber' planes flying over Grimesland in Pitt County.

These aircraft were also spotted in Virginia and in Central North Carolina as well. Our CBS affiliate WFMY reports that planes were seen in Guilford, Alamance, Rockingham, and Stokes County.

WFMY also reports that the Marine Corps Air Station at Cherry Point told them a large exercise was being conducted.

Our CBS affiliate in Roanoke Virginia reported that The Roanoke Regional Airport told them 19 C-130 planes flew over their region Monday evening.

Flight instructor dies in aircraft crash at Great Bend Municipal Airport (KGBD), Kansas






(GREAT BEND, Kan.)— His job was to train others to fly airplanes, but Tuesday afternoon a Great Bend flight instructor lost his life when his aircraft crashed. 

Friends say 26-year-old Lucas Campbell was a shining star in the Central Kansas aviation community.

"He was very good," airport manager Martin Miller says.  "He put more pilots through the program and got them licensed as private pilots than we've seen in many years.  He did a good job.  He had a loyal group of students."

The wreckage of Campbell's one-seat ultralight sits in a grassy area just off the runway at Great Bend Municipal Airport guarded by Kansas state troopers.

"He had been out there for quite a bit of the day doing some flying," Trooper James Robinson says.  "One of the witnesses says he was flying at a very low rate of speed.  The aircraft elevated and then went straight down and crashed."

It was blustery with sustained winds of 20 miles per hour and gusts up to 37.  But Campbell was no stranger to flying in those conditions.  He'd been working as flight instructor for Centerline Aviation in Great Bend for a couple years.  Prior to that, Campbell had worked for an aviation company at Wichita's Mid-Continent Airport.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Cessna 172M Skyhawk, Reg. Flight 101 LLC, N9926Q: Accident occurred June 21, 2013 in Waterford, Michigan

PHILADELPHIA (CN) - Four people died screaming when a Cessna flying out of Michigan lost power and crashed, the families of two passengers claim in court. 

The May 4 complaint against Avco Corp., Lycoming Engines and other manufacturers involves a flight that took off from Oakland County International Airport on June 21, 2013.

When the plane was just a couple of hundred feet off the ground, it began suffering a power loss and "never recovered sufficient power to continue the flight," according to the complaint in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

The plane ultimately crashed into the ground and caught fire, killing Sandra Haley, 53, Jamie Jose, 35 and two others.

Haley's and Jose's families filed the May 4 complaint, which goes into minute detail that the terror these passengers endured in their final moments.

Jose, the father of three minor children, "suffered multiple skull fractures," among other injuries, and died in the crash, according to the complaint.

Haley made it to the hospital with burns to 65 percent of her body but was pronounced dead within hours, her mother says.

"She was heard screaming after the plane crashed and exploded," the complaint states.

The families say Pennsylvania-based Avco and its subsidiaries, Lycoming Engines and Avco Lycoming-Textron Williamsport, fraudulently concealed loose screws, crush-prone gaskets and a defective float system on their Lycoming O-320-E2D engine. Avstar Fuel Systems, a parts manufacturer for Lycoming engines, is also names as a defendant, as is D&G Design, the repair station "responsible for the airworthiness of the accident carburetor for use in the" engine that failed during Haley and Jose's flight.

Haley and Jose's families say these companies knew that the engine and its carburetor had a long history of malfunctions prior to this crash, but concealed this knowledge from the Federal Aviation Association and other aircraft regulatory authorities during and after the engine's certification process.

In particular, the defendants allegedly knew or should have known that crush-prone carburetor gaskets could result in an engine being unable to generate power.

The defendants also allegedly failed to provide adequate safety warnings or maintenance instructions to aircraft engine owners, including the owner of the Cessna aircraft involved in the fatal accident, according to the complaint.

Though the defendants overhauled the accident aircraft's engine in 2008, they failed to fix the defects they knew were present, the families say.

The families seek punitive damages for negligence, recklessness, strict product liability, fraud, and breach of implied and express warranties.

They are represented by Cynthia Devers of the Philadelphia-based Wolk Law Firm.  

NTSB Identification: CEN13FA364
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, June 21, 2013 in Waterford, MI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 02/10/2014
Aircraft: CESSNA 172M, registration: N9926Q
Injuries: 4 Fatal.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

Air traffic control tower personnel saw the airplane lift off the runway and attain an altitude of about 100 feet. A pilot approaching the runway for landing saw the airplane lift off and noticed it was not climbing. He saw the airplane "lagging" and "wallowing in the air with flaps extended." Shortly after, the accident pilot advised an air traffic controller that he was "a little overweight" and would need to return to the airport and land. The air traffic controller cleared the airplane to land on the parallel runway or the grass area surrounding the runways. The pilot did not respond. Several witnesses near the airport, including the pilot in the landing airplane, saw the accident airplane impact the ground and burst into flames. A postaccident examination revealed that the wing flaps were fully extended (40 degrees). Weight and balance calculations indicated the airplane was slightly under maximum gross weight. Postaccident examinations revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

The pilot received his private pilot certificate almost 2 months before the accident and had flown a Cirrus SR20 almost exclusively. He reportedly had flown the Cessna 172, the accident airplane make and model, for a few hours, but this report could not be confirmed. Cirrus SR20 takeoffs are normally made using 50 percent flaps, whereas Cessna 172M takeoffs are normally made with the flaps up. The pilot most likely configured the airplane incorrectly for takeoff and the airplane was unable to climb due to his lack of familiarity with the airplane make and model.

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

The pilot's failure to retract the wing flaps before attempting to take off, due to his lack of familiarity with the airplane make and model, which prevented the airplane from maintaining adequate altitude for takeoff.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 21, 2013, about 1340 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N9926Q, impacted terrain during takeoff at the Oakland County International Airport (KPTK), Waterford, Michigan. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and being operated by Flight 101, LLC, Waterford, Michigan, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot of N9926Q contacted KPTK ground control at 1328 and requested taxi instructions for a visual flight rules (VFR) flight to the west. He indicated he had received the current Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) information. At 1338, KPTK local control cleared N9926Q for takeoff on runway 09L from intersection M (Mike). Control tower personnel saw the airplane lift off the runway and attain an altitude of about 100 feet. Shortly thereafter, at 1340, the pilot advised that he was "a little overweight" and would need to return and land. He was cleared to land on runway 09R or on the grass area surrounding the runways. There was no reply. The airplane was seen to impact the ground. A post-crash fire ensued.

There were several witnesses to the accident. One witness was working in a nearby hangar and heard an airplane having "engine trouble." He saw the airplane about 100 feet in the air and the engine was "spitting and sputtering." The airplane was crabbing about 30 degrees while flying straight in line with the runway. The engine became "quiet," then regained power and began "spitting and sputtering" again. The airplane then descended in a nose-down attitude, impacted the ground and spun around.

Another witness, a pilot, was approaching runway 09L for landing. As he turned onto the base leg for runway 09L, N9926Q lifted off the runway. The pilot-witness noticed the airplane was not climbing as it should and it appeared the flaps were extended. As he turned onto final approach for landing, he saw the airplane "lagging" and "wallowing in the air with flaps extended." As he flared for landing, he heard the pilot of N9926Q tell the control tower that he was a little overweight and needed to return. The witness then saw the airplane about 100 to 200 feet in the air over the threshold of runway 27R, and its wings were "shaky." The left wing dipped and the airplane descended, struck the ground with its left wing, and pivoted 180 degrees. When the airplane struck the ground, a big divot of dirt was thrown into the air. A fire ball erupted about 3 to 5 seconds after impact.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 19, enrolled in Western Michigan University's (WMU) FAA-approved 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 141 flight school on August 28, 2012, flying the Cirrus SR20 exclusively. He received his private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating on May 2, 2013. He held a first class airman medical certificate, dated October 9, 2012, with the limitation that he must wear corrective lenses while exercising the privileges of his pilot certificate. He had recently been accepted as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy. The accident occurred a little more than a month after he received his pilot's certificate.

The pilot's logbook was never located. According to the FAA and WMU training records, when the pilot took his private pilot practical test on May 2, 2013, he had logged 52.3 hours total time, of which 42.2 hours were dual instruction. The pilot had reportedly flown a Cessna 172 for a few hours when he was in Florida, but this report could not be substantiated.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

N9926Q, serial number 17265870, was manufactured by the Cessna Aircraft Corporation in 1976. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320-E2D engine, serial number L-40946-27A, rated at 150 horsepower, driving a McCauley 2-blade, all-metal, fixed pitch propeller (model DTM7553, serial number 728396).

According to the aircraft maintenance records, the last annual and 100-hour inspections were done on May 23, 2013, at a tachometer time of 3,467.3 hours. At that time, the airframe and engine had accrued 17,949.3 hours and 13,016.8 hours, respectively, and 2,352.8 hours had elapsed since the last engine major overhaul. At the accident site, the tachometer read 3,539.5 hours.


METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The following weather observations were recorded by KPTK's Automated Surface Observing Station (ASOS) at 1321:

Wind, 130 degrees at 6 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; sky condition, 9,000 feet scattered, ceiling, 15,000 feet broken, 25,000 feet overcast; temperature, 28 degrees Celsius (C.); dew point, 17 degrees C.; altimeter, 30.17 inches of mercury.


AERODROME INFORMATION

Oakland County International Airport (KPTK) is located in Waterford, Michigan, about 5 miles west of Pontiac, Michigan. It is situated at an elevation of 981 feet msl (mean sea level), and is served by 3 runways: 09R-27L, 09L-27R, and 18-36. At the time of the accident, N9926Q was taking off on runway 09L-27R (5,676 feet x 100 feet, asphalt, porous friction course overlay).


WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

N9926Q started its takeoff roll on runway 09L from intersection M (5,320 feet of runway available). The airplane impacted terrain slightly to the left and just past the departure end of the runway at a location of 42 degrees, 40.035' north latitude and 83 degrees, 24.742' west longitude.

The on-scene investigation revealed the airplane impacted terrain in a nose-low, left wing-low attitude. There was a ground scar, measuring 7 feet long and 4 feet wide and aligned on a magnetic heading of 060 degrees, extending from the initial impact point to the wreckage. Upon impact, the airplane rotated approximately 180 degrees, coming to rest on a magnetic heading of 300 degrees. The cockpit area was consumed by post-impact fire. The airplane was equipped with seat belts and shoulder harnesses, but the webbing had been burned away.

The propeller blades bore chordwise and spanwise scratches on the camber surfaces. One blade had separated at mid-point. The separated piece was found in the impact crater, and was bent 90 degrees forward. The other blade bore a slight S-bend along its length.

The flap handle was burned away. The flap gage registered 0 degrees, but it had been burned and the needle was free to move. The wings flaps were full down. The flap actuator measured approximately 5.8 inches, which equated to flaps fully extended (40 degrees). The elevator trim tab measured between 0 and 5 degrees tab up.

After cleaning off the soot from the instrument glass, the airspeed indicator registered 0 KIAS (knots indicated airspeed), and the heading indicator was aligned with 245 degrees. The vertical speed indicator was unreadable. The altimeter read 2,660 feet, and the Kollsman window was set to 30.15 inches of mercury. The tachometer read 0 rpm and the recorder read 3,539.5 hours. The master switch was on, and the magnetos were on BOTH although the key was broken off. The fuel selector handle was separated from the fuel selector valve. The valve was not located. The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) activated on impact and was turned off by first responders. Control continuity was established.

There was no evidence of pre-impact airframe, power plant, or propeller malfunction or failure.


MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

According to the autopsy report, the pilot's death was attributed to thermal injuries. Specks of soot were found in the trachea. The only significant injury found was a closed fracture of the left ankle.

The Oakland County toxicology report found less than 1% carboxyhemoglobin saturation. Toxicological screening performed by FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute CAMI) revealed no carbon monoxide in blood and no ethanol in vitreous. Cyanide tests were not performed. Urine analysis detected 33.8 (ug/ml, ug/g) salicylate (aspirin).

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Security Camera Footage

Two videos from airport security cameras were sent to NTSB's Vehicle Recorder Division. The airplane can be seen taking off from runway 09L, climbing to about 150 feet, and then descending to the ground in a left wing-low attitude. A plume of smoke appears shortly thereafter.

Weight and Balance

Weight and balance calculations were performed by Cessna's technical representative, to wit:

Empty weight (dated July 15, 2005) 1,471.5 pounds
Occupants (from medical certificate and Michigan drivers licenses) 683
Estimated fuel on board * __144________
Estimated gross weight 2,298.5 pounds
Maximum allowable gross weight 2,300 pounds

*The airplane had previously been fueled to capacity. Another renter-pilot flew the airplane for about two hours prior to the accident.

Flaps

The majority of the pilot's flight experience was in the Cirrus SR20. Both the Cirrus SR20 and Cessna 172M wing flaps are electrically operated. The Cirrus wing flap switch is directly in front of the throttle control and has three position detents: UP (0 per cent), 50 per cent, and 100 per cent. Setting the switch to the desired position causes the flaps to extend or retract to the appropriate setting. An indicator light at each control switch position illuminates when the flaps reach the selected position. The UP (0 per cent) light is green and the 50 per cent and 100 per cent lights are yellow. The Cessna 172M employs a spring-loaded switch that must be held down or up until the desired flap setting is attained as indicated by the flap gage with markings at 0 degrees, 10 degrees, 20 degrees, 30 degrees, and 40 degrees.

The Western Michigan University Cirrus SR20 preflight checklist requires the pilot to begin his preflight inspection with the flaps set at 0. The pilot then places the flaps at 50 percent and 100 per cent, checking for proper annunciator light illumination. The Cessna 172M preflight checklist in the Pilot's Operating Handbook does not require the extension of the flaps for preflight inspection. Cirrus SR20 takeoffs are normally made using 50 per cent flaps. Takeoffs in the Cessna 172M are normally made with the flaps up.



 NTSB Identification: CEN13FA364 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, June 21, 2013 in Waterford, MI
Aircraft: Cessna 172M, registration: N9926Q
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 June 21, 2013, about 1240 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N9926Q, impacted terrain during takeoff at the Oakland County International Airport (KPTK), Waterford, Michigan. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by Flight 101, LLC, Waterford, Michigan, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.

Control tower personnel saw the airplane lift off from runway 09L and attain an altitude of about 100 feet. The pilot then reported he was "slightly overweight." He was cleared to land straight ahead on the grass. The airplane impacted the ground and burst into flames.

The on-scene investigation revealed no evidence of pre-impact airframe, powerplant, or propeller malfunction or failure. Control continuity was established. The flaps were found fully extended.




 
Troy Brothers


The students and staff at the International Academy of Macomb continued to mourn Monday the loss of one of the institution’s first graduates. 

Troy Brothers, 19, of Fraser, was the pilot of a single-engine Cessna 172 that crashed Friday near the end of a runway at Oakland County International Airport in Waterford.

Brothers was part of the inaugural graduating class at IAM when he earned his diploma in 2012. His mother, Sandra Haley, 53; stepfather, James Haley, 58; and Jamie Jose, a 34-year-old firefighter from South Lyon, also were killed as a result of the crash.

“(Brothers) was a great kid who dreamed of becoming a pilot,” said Lillian Demas, retired IAM principal. “He shared that dream with all of us.”

Brothers attended Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo last year, but was scheduled to leave Monday for the U.S. Naval Academy, where he had been accepted.


“I know he would have served his country well,” Demas said. 

Laura Strong, an IAM counselor, also recalled Brothers’ love for aviation.

“When I spoke to Troy, he often talked about flying,” Strong said. “His ambition to become a pilot was evident. I recall reading his college entrance essay. It was a creatively written work about his passion for flying and the dreams he had for his future.”

Michael DeVault is superintendent of the Macomb Intermediate School District, which coordinates the academy. He said Brothers is emblematic of many of today’s students.

“This young man embodies the spirit of our young people today who have set high goals for themselves, and are ready to be the leaders of tomorrow,” DeVault said. “Our sympathies are extended to Troy’s family and friends and during this difficult time.”

The Cessna 172 piloted by Brothers crashed as it attempted to return to the Oakland County airport about 1:40 p.m. Friday. According to published reports, a recording of radio traffic suggested the plane may have been overweight. The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting the investigation.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. The Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office on Monday was working to positively identify the victims through forensic dentistry, according to a county spokesman. Once identification is formally made, the bodies will be released to the next of kin.

Source:  http://www.theoaklandpress.com

Cirrus SR22 G2, Derr Liquors Inc., N33PV: Accident occurred June 25, 2013 in Stevensville, Maryland

http://registry.faa.gov/N33PV

NTSB Identification: ERA13CA305 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, June 25, 2013 in Stevensville, MD
Probable Cause Approval Date: 07/23/2013
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N33PV
Injuries: 2 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/owner of the airplane stated that after a preflight inspection and before-takeoff checks revealed no anomalies, he initiated a soft-field takeoff from the turf runway. At an airspeed of 50 knots during the takeoff roll, the airplane became airborne after traveling over a “deep dip,” then settled back onto the runway. The airplane then “swerved” to the left, and the pilot attempted to correct with aileron and rudder inputs. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, and came to rest about 300 feet beyond the runway's edge. Examination of the wreckage revealed substantial damage to the left wing, empennage, and tailcone. Examination of ground scars and the tailcone revealed damage consistent with dragging of the tail section on the runway. The pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. According to Federal Aviation Administration Publication FAA-H-8083-25A, Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge:

“The effect of torque increases in direct proportion to engine power, airspeed, and airplane attitude. If the power setting is high, the airspeed slow, and the angle of attack high, the effect of torque is greater. During takeoffs and climbs, when the effect of torque is most pronounced, the pilot must apply sufficient right rudder pressure to counteract the left-turning tendency and maintain a straight takeoff path.”

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff. Factors in the accident were the pilot's over-rotation at takeoff, and his failure to abort the takeoff prior to the runway excursion.








 STEVENSVILLE -- Two people are unharmed after their plane crashed shortly after it took off from the Kentmorr Airpark in Stevensville, Tuesday afternoon. According to Maryland State Police, Antonio Ilidio Quintans, 52, of Media, Pennsylvania, was piloting a Cirrus SR22 when, for unknown reasons, the plane crashed in a field near MD Route 8 and the airpark at about 2:30 p.m. Nina M. Wolvin, 36, of Mullica Hill, New Jersey was a passenger in the plane, police said. According to police, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board also responded to the crash.


KENT ISLAND, Maryland — Sources say three people were on board when a Cirrus SR22 made a crash landing on Kent Island on Tuesday afternoon.

Captain Jeff Long reports no one was injured.

The plane came to rest at the Kentmorr Airpark, a private grass strip located a few miles south of the Bay Bridge Airport.

There appears to be damage to both wings and to the propeller. 

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Two people on board a single-engine plane escaped injury after it crashed in a field on Kent Island on Tuesday afternoon, Maryland State Police said. 

 The crash occurred at 2:30 p.m. in the area of Route 8 south and Kentmorr Road, Sgt. Tim Riggleman with the state police's Centerville Barrack said.

The crash site is in close proximity to the Kentmorr Airpark. A person who answered the airpark's phone Tuesday afternoon confirmed that the plane had taken off from the airpark but deferred all questions to the Federal Aviation Administration.

FAA spokesman Jim Peters described the plane as a Cirrus SR22. Damage to the aircraft was unknown Tuesday afternoon.

Thunder Over the Boardwalk: Atlantic City Air Show

The 2013 Airshow is scheduled for takeoff tomorrow (Wednesday, June 26th).  For over a decade, the Atlantic City Airshow has been a tradition in Atlantic City, Family members of all ages, will ooohh and ahhh at the amazing stunts and breathtaking aeronautic maneuvers. It will be a priceless afternoon.

The Airshow is FREE, and can be viewed from anywhere on the Atlantic City beach and Boardwalk. The first flight takes off at Noon and the final one is scheduled for 3:00 PM.

For over a decade, the Atlantic City Airshow has been a tradition in Atlantic City, and the 2013 Airshow is getting ready for takeoff on Wednesday, June 26, 2013. Show organizers in Atlantic City are working to pack this year’s show with amazing stunts and breathtaking aeronautic maneuvers by a host of exciting commercial acts.

The Airshow will be the centerpiece of week-long “sand, sea and air” activities that will kick off the summer season with many free events along the Boardwalk. Free beaches, combined with great hotel deals and packages, are all designed to make this the perfect time to DO AC. 
2013 Atlantic City Airshow Schedule

11:35   Blue Cross Blimp Flybys 
11:45   Tow Banner Aircraft Flybys 
Noon    National Anthem w/Flyover by 4CE (Chapman, Holland, Knutson) 
12:03   4CE Aerobatic Team (3-ship) 
12:15   Jim Beasley Jr. Spitfire Demo
12:25   Warrior Aviation L-39 Solo  
12:32   Warrior Aviation YAK-9 Solo
12:38   Warrior Aviation Formation Flights
12:45   Raiders Demo Team (3-ship) 
12:55   News Chopper 10 Flyby
12:56   Atlantic Evac Medical Helicopter Flyby
12:58   PPG Dan McClung Eagle Talon Demo
  1:10   Andrew McKenna AT-6 Demo
  1:23   Firebirds Xtreme Aerobatic Team
  1:25   Matt Chapman CAP580 Aerobatics
  1:40   Jim Beasley Jr. P-51D Mustang Demo
  1:50   USAF Heritage Flight (P-51s)
  2:00   Matt Chapman CAP580 Aerobatics 
  2:14   Raiders Aerobatic Team
  2:30   Rob Holland MX-2 Aerobatics (World Unlimited Aerobatic Champion)
  2:45   Harrier Demonstration
  3:00   Geico Skytypers     
  4:00   Airshow Ends

Beechcraft A45 Mentor, Jet Test and Transport LLC, N434M: Fatal accident occurred June 23, 2013 in Boulder City, Nevada

NTSB Identification: WPR13FA284 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, June 23, 2013 in Boulder City, NV
Probable Cause Approval Date: 04/27/2015
Aircraft: BEECH A45, registration: N434M
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot, who was also the mechanic for the airplane, had replaced all six cylinders on the engine during the airplane’s annual inspection; he reported that, 3 days before the accident, the engine was operated and ran well. On the day of the accident, he was returning the airplane to its home base following a maintenance inspection on the wings. The pilot was near the end of the flight when he contacted approach control and requested priority handling because an engine chip light had illuminated. Shortly thereafter, the pilot stated that the engine had lost power on a cylinder, and he declared an emergency. When the airplane was at 9,500 ft mean sea level, the pilot said that he was going to attempt to land at a nearby airport (elevation 2,201 ft). Before switching to the airport’s common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF), the pilot reported to the approach controller that the airplane was at 3,800 ft with the landing gear down and that the situation was under control. The pilot did not contact approach control again and did not broadcast over the CTAF. The airplane collided with terrain in a nose- low attitude about 1 mile west of the airport. 

Postaccident examination of the airframe revealed no evidence of mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 6 cylinder had separated, and no nuts were located on its through bolts. Magnified examinations of the bolt threads found the thread profiles intact and only locally distorted, consistent with the nuts not being present during the No. 6 cylinder separation, which appeared to be the result of the incorrect assembly of the cylinder at the last cylinder change. Fretting damage on the mounting pad was observed, which indicates looseness and movement between the cylinder and the case that resulted from inadequate preload in the fasteners either through insufficient initial torque or loss of torque during operation. Considering the short time since cylinder installation, it is likely that the cylinder fasteners, or at least some of them, were not correctly torqued at installation.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot/mechanic's loss of control during an emergency descent following a loss of engine power while in cruise flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot/mechanic's incorrect assembly of the No. 6 cylinder at the last cylinder change, which resulted in a separation of the cylinder and the loss of engine power.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 23, 2013, about 1443 Pacific daylight time, a Beech A45, N434M, collided with terrain during a forced landing near Boulder City, Nevada. Jet Test and Transport LLC was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage from impact forces. The cross-country personal flight departed Chandler, Arizona, at an undetermined time with a planned destination of North Las Vegas Airport (VGT), Las Vegas, Nevada. Visual meteorological (VMC) conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

Information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) indicated that the pilot contacted Las Vegas Terminal Radar Approach Control (LAS TRACON). The airplane was at 9,500 feet mean sea level (msl); the pilot requested priority handling because an engine chip light had illuminated. Shortly thereafter, the pilot stated that he had lost a cylinder, and declared an emergency. He said that he was going to attempt to land at Boulder City Municipal Airport (BVU), and the controller approved him to switch to the BVU common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF).

Prior to switching frequencies, the pilot reported that the airplane was at 3,800 feet with the landing gear down, and the situation was under control. There was no other contact from the pilot with TRACON or on the CTAF.

The airplane collided with terrain about 1 mile west of the airport.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman records revealed that the 41-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, rotorcraft-helicopter, lighter-than-air balloon, and instrument airplane. The pilot had a certified flight instructor (CFI) certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and ground instructor-advanced. He additionally held an Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certificate with Inspection Authorization (IA).

The pilot was issued a second-class medical certificate on November 22, 2011, with no limitations.

No personal flight records were located for the pilot. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) obtained the aeronautical experience listed in this report from a review of the FAA airmen medical records on file in the Airman and Medical Records Center located in Oklahoma City. The pilot reported on his medical application that he had a total time of 945 hours with 250 hours logged in the previous 6 months.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a Beech A45, serial number G-756. A review of the airplane's logbook revealed that the original logbooks were lost; the current logbook was started on July 3, 1993, at a total time of 5,335.4 hours and a tachometer time of 581.4 hours. The tachometer read 691.5 at the last annual inspection on March 1, 2012.

The engine was a Continental Motors, Inc. (CMI), IO-550-B23B, serial number 296827-R. It was a factory remanufactured 0-time engine, and was installed on the airplane on June 21, 1996. A new hour meter was installed on May 5, 1997, that read 32.0 hours; this was to match the hour meter with the engine total time of 32.0 hours.

The pilot was performing maintenance on the airplane under his mechanic authorization. An annual inspection was in progress, and work completed included replacement of all six cylinders with new cylinders. He had flown the airplane to Chandler for a required maintenance inspection of the wings the day before the accident, and was returning to North Las Vegas.

Written communication between the pilot/mechanic and the owner of the airplane indicated that, 3 days prior to the accident, the engine had been operated. It ran well, and the airplane was nearly ready for flight.

An email to the owner the evening before the accident stated that the inspection in Chandler had been difficult, because the pilot/mechanic had spent a lot of time looking for tools and parts. The email stated that the plan was to return the airplane to North Las Vegas the following day. It noted that the airplane was flying great, and the cylinder head temperatures were coming down and equalizing. The pilot/mechanic said that the plan (for the day after the accident) was to complete all paperwork and billing for the work performed, and return the airplane to service.

METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

An aviation routine weather report (METAR) for BVU, (elevation 2,201 feet) was issued at 1435. It stated: wind from 140 degrees at 25 knots gusting to 30 knots; visibility 10 miles; sky clear; temperature 36/97 degrees Celsius/Fahrenheit; dew point -3/27 degrees Celsius/Fahrenheit; altimeter 29.67 inches of mercury; and 8 percent relative humidity.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The IIC and inspectors from the FAA examined the wreckage at the accident scene. Detailed on site notes are in the public docket.

The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was a circular ground scar with a narrow ground scar to the right that was perpendicular to the debris path and about 21 feet long. The orientation of the fuselage was opposite the direction of the debris path. The debris field was about 80 feet long by 80 feet wide.

The separated propeller hub with the spinner and all three blades attached was in the FIPC. A few feet away was the separated and deformed connecting rod for cylinder number six. Six feet into the debris field was cylinder number six, which had separated. The main wreckage was 34 feet past the FIPC, and consisted of the engine and airframe. A few small parts separated, and were scattered throughout the debris field. The rear canopy was one of the most distant parts at 76 feet past the FIPC along the debris path centerline.

The front of the airplane sustained severe upward crush damage. The forward fuselage and wings were crushed up about 45 degrees.

The nose landing gear separated, and was in the first part of the debris field. Both main landing gear remained attached, and were extended.

Both flaps were in an extended position, and sustained upward crush damage to their trailing edges.

The left horizontal stabilizer, elevator, and the trim tab all sustained crush damage. There were chevrons from the outboard leading edge toward the center inboard trailing edge. The inboard forward portion of the left side was coated with a black viscous substance. The right horizontal stabilizer and rudder appeared to be undamaged.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Clark County Coroner completed an autopsy on the pilot, and determined that the cause of death was blunt force trauma. The FAA Forensic Toxicology Research Team, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing of specimens of the pilot.

Analysis of the specimens contained no findings for carbon monoxide, volatiles, or tested drugs. They did not perform a test for cyanide.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Follow Up Examination

Investigators from the NTSB and CMI examined the wreckage at Air Transport, Phoenix, Arizona, on June 26, 2013.

A full report is contained within the public docket for this accident.

Airframe

Flight control continuity was established from the control surfaces to the deformed cockpit area. All identified push-pull tubes that connected the front and cockpit flight controls were bent or buckled, and many had fractured and separated along jagged and angular planes.

Engine

Numerous metal chunks were in the oil sump. Metal flakes contaminated the oil filter element, and metallic debris was on the chip detector.

The airplane was equipped with a warning light annunciator panel that included two chip lights. The panel was sent to the NTSB Office of Research and Engineering for examination. The filaments in both chip light bulbs exhibited stretching. Filaments for all of the other lights were intact and unstretched.

A JPI EDM-700 engine monitoring unit was installed in the airplane. This unit did not have recording capability, and no accident data was available.

NTSB Materials Laboratory Examination

The NTSB Materials Laboratory examined the number six cylinder and other engine components. A complete report is in the public docket.

As part of the engine design, the number six cylinder was attached to the crankcase by six case studs and two through bolts that passed through the base flange of the cylinder. The cylinder was designed to be further clamped to the case by a deck plate on a 7th stud located between the number six and number four cylinders. The two through bolts passed through the forward flange of the number six cylinder and through the number four main bearing. The follow up examination determined that the nuts were missing from the through bolts on the number six side of the cylinder. Threads of both bolt ends showed radially oriented contact damage, but no overall outward shearing or deformation of the thread forms.

The aft upper stud had been pulled from the case, and retained in the flange of the cylinder; its nut remained fully threaded onto the stud. Approximately four or five case threads were stripped from the crankcase with the thread remnants retained in the stud threads. The cylinder fins directly outboard of this stud were deformed consistent with contact with the end of the stud.

The examination revealed that the 7th stud had its nut present, but not the deck plate that in normal assembly was under the nut and in contact with the adjacent cylinder flange. The metallurgical exam noted that the stud appeared intact with the stud threads showing some contact deformation on the number six cylinder side. The contact area was in an area that in normal assembly was concealed by the deck plate.

Visual examinations of the mounting pad for cylinder number six revealed areas of fretting damage adjacent to both through bolts, at the two forward studs, and the two remaining upper studs. The pad surface at the lower two rear studs had a raised lip of material corresponding to the edge of the cylinder, and this was consistent with the cylinder rocking towards those studs.
  
http://registry.faa.gov/N434M
 
NTSB Identification: WPR13FA284 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, June 23, 2013 in Boulder City, NV
Aircraft: BEECH A45, registration: N434M
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to chan
ge, 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 June 23, 2013, about 1443 Pacific daylight time, a Beech A45, N434M, collided with terrain during a forced landing near Boulder City, Nevada. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, Jet Test and Transport LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot with a certified flight instructor (CFI) certificate and one passenger sustained fatal injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage from impact forces. The cross-country personal flight departed Chandler, Arizona, at an undetermined time with a planned destination of North Las Vegas Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada. Visual meteorological (VMC) conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

Preliminary information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) indicated that the pilot contacted Las Vegas Terminal Radar Approach Control (LAS TRACON). The airplane was at 9,500 feet mean sea level (msl); the pilot requested priority handling because an engine chip light had illuminated. Shortly thereafter, the pilot stated that he had lost a cylinder, declared an emergency, and he was going to attempt to land at Boulder City Municipal Airport (BVU). The pilot reported that he was at 3,800 feet with the landing gear down, and the situation was under control. TRACON approved him to switch to the BVU common traffic advisory frequency, but there was no other contact from the pilot.

The IIC and investigators from the FAA examined the wreckage at the accident scene.

The debris path was about 80 feet long and 80 feet wide. The main wreckage came to rest upright, and was 40 feet from the first identified point of contact (FIPC), which was a circular ground scar with a narrow ground scar to the right that was perpendicular to the debris path. At the end of the narrow ground scar were red lens fragments that were strewn several feet along the direction of the debris path. The three-bladed propeller separated, and was in the FIPC.

About 6 feet into the debris path along the centerline was a piece of engine cowling, the number six cylinder, and the number six connecting rod. The piston remained within the cylinder, but the piston pin was missing, and the boss area was damaged. The connecting rod exhibited crush damage at the piston pin end, which was somewhat rectangular in shape. The cap remained attached to the connecting rod with a bolt on one side; the nut was loose, and the cap rotated freely on the bolt. The other cap bolt remained in place, but the nut was off and not recovered.

The front of the airplane from the front cockpit forward sustained heavy crush damage. The wings bent up about 45°; the engine remained attached, but angled down so that the propeller flange was on the ground. The crankcase had a hole from the number six cylinder base across the top and halfway to the number five cylinder base. Case pieces were scattered across the top of the engine. The inside of the engine in this area exhibited numerous strike marks and damage. The crankshaft journal was not scarred or discolored.



 Sgt. Joseph Edwards served in the military for 11 years, according to the Nevada National Guard.


 Pfc. Cody Hall 


BOULDER CITY, NV (FOX5) - The two men who were killed in an airplane crash near Boulder City on Sunday were members of the Nevada National Guard, according to officials. 

 A spokesperson from the Federal Aviation Administration said the pilot of the Beech A-45 aircraft crashed in a field near the Boulder City Municipal Airport after the pilot reported engine trouble and was trying to make an emergency landing.

On Monday, the Clark County Coroner's Office said 23-year-old Cody Hall, of North Las Vegas, died in the crash. On Tuesday, the coroner's office identified the second victim as 41-year-old Joseph Edwards, of Las Vegas.

Also on Tuesday, it was revealed that the two men were members of the Nevada Army National Guard.

Sgt. First Class Erick Studenicka, of the Nevada National Guard Public Affairs Office, said Edwards held the rank of sergeant first class, while Hall held the rank of private first class.

Studenicka said Edwards served in the military for 11 years, most recently as a helicopter repairman in Detachment 1, B company 3/140th Security and Support unit. He said Hall had just completed his first year with the National Guard and served in the same unit as an aircraft electrician.

Investigators from the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are trying to determine the cause of the crash. Officials have not yet said which of the men was piloting the airplane.

A pilot at the North Las Vegas Airport told FOX5 there are a number of possible causes for engine loss, including high altitude, high temperatures, low fuel or mechanical problems.

Studenicka said the flight was not military related.

According to the FAA registration, the airplane was owned by Jet Test and Transport, of Henderson. The company has not yet returned phone calls and emails seeking comment about the history of the aircraft.

Aero Designs Pulsar, N2187F: Incident occurred June 25, 2013 at Lake Anna Airport (7W4), Bumpass, Virginia

 http://registry.faa.gov/N2187F






 

There are no injuries after a plane slid off the runway at Lake Anna Airport in Bumpass.

Virginia State Police (VSP) arrived at the scene of the crash to find the pilot and his wife, who were both on the plane, in good condition and unharmed.

A spokesman says shortly after 8 am the plane was attempting to make an emergency landing because of mechanical issues and overshot the runway.

"No injuries, no damage to anything other than the plane," says Trooper F.B. Ross from VSP. "This is my second plane crash. The last one was flipped over so this is an improvement to that."

The pilot, David Stewart, and his wife were traveling to Pennsylvania for vacation when their plane started to malfunction.

"Antifreeze started shooting all over the windshield again and I couldn't see," says Stewart. "So I was able to set it on the runway, but not as far back as I wanted to and I just couldn't get it stopped before the end of the runway and you see where it ended up."

Stewart explained that he recently practiced emergency landings with flight instructors and today those lessons paid off.

"We're on the ground,  we're safe,  good landing, that’s all that matters," says Stewart.


Story and Video:   http://www.newsplex.com
 
No injuries were reported after a small plane crash-landed in Louisa County Tuesday morning. 

State Police units responded to the Lake Anna Airport just after 8 a.m. for reports of a crash. State Police officials said the pilot of the small plane attempted to make an emergency landing while experiencing mechanical issues. 

The plane over-shot the runway by about 200 yards and landed in a field.

The pilot, a 63-year-old man from Dinwiddie, and his wife were uninjured in the crash. The couple was attempting to fly from Dinwiddie to Pennsylvania. 

2 Cebu Pacific pilots in mishap suspended: Airbus A320-200, RP-C3266, Flight 5J-971, Accident occurred June 02, 2013 in Davao, Philippines

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) ordered Tuesday the suspension of two pilots of the Cebu Pacific plane that overshot the runway of Davao International Airport on June 2, saying they violated regulations and failed to evacuate its 165 passengers within the required 90 seconds.

Management’s liability was not immediately spelled out, but the CAAP asked the budget carrier to reassess practices that had allegedly compromised safety.

Speaking at a press conference, CAAP deputy director general John Andrews said Capt. Antonio Roehl Oropesa and First Officer Edwin Perello, the pilot and copilot of Airbus A320-200, had been ordered suspended for six months and three months, respectively.

After the lapse of the suspension and the requirements for the reinstatement of his Airline Transport Pilot License had been complied with, Oropesa can only act as second in command in flights for one year, Andrews said.

Cebu Air Inc., operator of the budget carrier, said it would comply with the CAAP recommendations and was pursuing additional safety initiatives. “Safety has always been the highest priority for Cebu Pacific,” it said in a statement. “We aim to provide the safest airline service possible for the millions of passengers who travel with us every year.”

Andrews said information obtained by the CAAP from the data flight recorder of the Airbus, which was examined in Singapore, confirmed his earlier statement that the initial evidence pointed to human error as the cause of the accident.

Evacuation 25 minutes late

 
No passenger in the Cebu Pacific flight 5J-971 was injured when the aircraft rolled out of the runway in stormy weather and landed a meter away from the edge of the grassy surface, paralyzing airport operations for two days.

Andrews said when the pilots encountered “zero visibility upon landing” they should have done “balked landing” by maneuvering the aircraft back in the air to avoid the runway accident.

“This kind of aircraft is capable of balked landing and taking off again. The aircraft can be controlled easier when up in the air,” he explained.

Andrews said after the plane came to a full stop, all the cabin attendants positioned themselves at the exits and waited for the pilots’ directive to get the passengers out. “But the command never came … The pilots did not declare an emergency nor order an emergency evacuation,” he said, noting that the cabin attendants were not to blame for the incident.

He said that according to aviation protocols, the emergency exits should have been ordered opened and the passengers evacuated within 90 seconds. “The airline crew started evacuating passengers 20 minutes later,” he said.

The regulations that the pilots allegedly violated included those relating to “operations below decision height or minimum descent altitude, emergency evacuation demonstration and cockpit checklist procedure.”

Corrective actions

Andrews said the investigators during the three-week inquiry talked with CAAP personnel, firemen, cabin crew and the pilots. They also reviewed the transcripts of the control tower and approach control, as well as those found in the cockpit voice recorder, and performed visual inspections of both the runway and the aircraft, he said.

He said the CAAP had given Cebu Pacific a set of “corrective action plans,” which included reassessing its practices that compromise safety.

He said CAAP personnel would randomly check Cebu Pacific’s flight crew capabilities in unusual situations through flight simulations for one month to determine if the recent accident was an isolated case.

The CAAP will also hold special training for Cebu Pacific’s crew in initiating go-around or balked landing, Andrews said. “Balked landing has never been part of (Cebu Pacific’s) training and simulation,” he said. “In order to save costs, the levels of fuel of Cebu Pacific air buses were not enough to do a go-around.”

Safety initiatives


Asked if the CAAP was recommending a suit for damages, Andrews said: “We have not yet seen the need to do so.”

In its statement, Cebu Air said it was pursuing additional safety initiatives beyond CAAP’s recommendations:

– Enhancement of training curriculum to include additional focus on wet runway landings, “go-arounds” and inclement weather and nonprecision approaches.

– Implementation of the enhanced curriculum by Airbus trainers at the Philippine Academy for Aviation Training (PAAT), the only facility in the country that belongs to the CAE-Airbus Training cooperation, and with two state-of-the-art full-flight simulators. Inaugurated in Clark in December 2012, PAAT is a joint venture with Canada-based CAE. CAE operates the world’s largest airline training network.

– An independent review of flight operation systems and processes by Airbus Industries. Airbus will deploy a team of safety, flight operations and human factor experts to Manila for this review.

Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net

City cutting ties to airport manager: Fairmont Municipal (KFRM), Minnesota

FAIRMONT - Fairmont City Council voted Monday to terminate its contract with Five Lakes Aviation, effective Sept. 30.

The action comes at the end of the first full year of Five Lakes Aviation's five-year contract with the city.

The council has been discussing the airport manager contract since April, when City Administrator Mike Humpal compiled a list of concerns for Five Lakes Aviation to address, from cleaning up the property to providing flight training school. Months later, according to city staff, the problems were not resolved.

Not wanting to step on the toes of the airport board, the council voted earlier this month to have the advisory board discuss the topic and present its recommendation.

On June 17, the board met for a special meeting and walked through the airport, but it provided no recommendation. While some members of the advisory board believed Five Lakes Aviation had made progress, Councilman Terry Anderson was not impressed.

"He'd not paid attention to what we'd asked him to do," Anderson said.

The city administrator suggested three options for the council: to terminate the contract in 30 days, to terminate the contract in 90 days, or to continue to monitor the situation. In a 4-1 vote, the council chose to end the contract Sept. 30.

Councilman Darin Rahm voted no, preferring to end the agreement in 30 days.

"I think Al will be professional," said Rahm, referring to Al Pelzer, Five Lakes Aviation proprietor, "but I don't know any other position where they let you go and keep you on 90 days."

Anderson also was nervous about waiting 90 days, and he wanted to make sure the city has some recourse should any damage be done before Sept. 30.

"My concern is for the airport and the people," Anderson said.

The contract should cover Anderson's concerns, according to City Attorney Elizabeth Bloom-quist.

"In the letter we send out, we will remind him he'll need to fulfill his obligations under the contract," she said.

By waiting until September, Humpal pointed out, the city will have time to search for Pelzer's replacement, and the airport manager will have time to remove his personal belongings from the property.

"Change is hard, and this is a difficult situation," Humpal said. "... Sept. 30 allows us flexibility to make this change successful for all of us."


Source:  http://www.fairmontsentinel.com

Cessna 172M Skyhawk, Reg. Flight 101 LLC, N9926Q: Accident occurred June 21, 2013 in Waterford, Michigan

PHILADELPHIA (CN) - Four people died screaming when a Cessna flying out of Michigan lost power and crashed, the families of two passengers claim in court. 

The May 4 complaint against Avco Corp., Lycoming Engines and other manufacturers involves a flight that took off from Oakland County International Airport on June 21, 2013.

When the plane was just a couple of hundred feet off the ground, it began suffering a power loss and "never recovered sufficient power to continue the flight," according to the complaint in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

The plane ultimately crashed into the ground and caught fire, killing Sandra Haley, 53, Jamie Jose, 35 and two others.

Haley's and Jose's families filed the May 4 complaint, which goes into minute detail that the terror these passengers endured in their final moments.

Jose, the father of three minor children, "suffered multiple skull fractures," among other injuries, and died in the crash, according to the complaint.

Haley made it to the hospital with burns to 65 percent of her body but was pronounced dead within hours, her mother says.

"She was heard screaming after the plane crashed and exploded," the complaint states.

The families say Pennsylvania-based Avco and its subsidiaries, Lycoming Engines and Avco Lycoming-Textron Williamsport, fraudulently concealed loose screws, crush-prone gaskets and a defective float system on their Lycoming O-320-E2D engine. Avstar Fuel Systems, a parts manufacturer for Lycoming engines, is also names as a defendant, as is D&G Design, the repair station "responsible for the airworthiness of the accident carburetor for use in the" engine that failed during Haley and Jose's flight.

Haley and Jose's families say these companies knew that the engine and its carburetor had a long history of malfunctions prior to this crash, but concealed this knowledge from the Federal Aviation Association and other aircraft regulatory authorities during and after the engine's certification process.

In particular, the defendants allegedly knew or should have known that crush-prone carburetor gaskets could result in an engine being unable to generate power.

The defendants also allegedly failed to provide adequate safety warnings or maintenance instructions to aircraft engine owners, including the owner of the Cessna aircraft involved in the fatal accident, according to the complaint.

Though the defendants overhauled the accident aircraft's engine in 2008, they failed to fix the defects they knew were present, the families say.

The families seek punitive damages for negligence, recklessness, strict product liability, fraud, and breach of implied and express warranties.

They are represented by Cynthia Devers of the Philadelphia-based Wolk Law Firm.  


NTSB Identification: CEN13FA364
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, June 21, 2013 in Waterford, MI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 02/10/2014
Aircraft: CESSNA 172M, registration: N9926Q
Injuries: 4 Fatal.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

Air traffic control tower personnel saw the airplane lift off the runway and attain an altitude of about 100 feet. A pilot approaching the runway for landing saw the airplane lift off and noticed it was not climbing. He saw the airplane "lagging" and "wallowing in the air with flaps extended." Shortly after, the accident pilot advised an air traffic controller that he was "a little overweight" and would need to return to the airport and land. The air traffic controller cleared the airplane to land on the parallel runway or the grass area surrounding the runways. The pilot did not respond. Several witnesses near the airport, including the pilot in the landing airplane, saw the accident airplane impact the ground and burst into flames. A postaccident examination revealed that the wing flaps were fully extended (40 degrees). Weight and balance calculations indicated the airplane was slightly under maximum gross weight. Postaccident examinations revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

The pilot received his private pilot certificate almost 2 months before the accident and had flown a Cirrus SR20 almost exclusively. He reportedly had flown the Cessna 172, the accident airplane make and model, for a few hours, but this report could not be confirmed. Cirrus SR20 takeoffs are normally made using 50 percent flaps, whereas Cessna 172M takeoffs are normally made with the flaps up. The pilot most likely configured the airplane incorrectly for takeoff and the airplane was unable to climb due to his lack of familiarity with the airplane make and model.

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

The pilot's failure to retract the wing flaps before attempting to take off, due to his lack of familiarity with the airplane make and model, which prevented the airplane from maintaining adequate altitude for takeoff.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 21, 2013, about 1340 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N9926Q, impacted terrain during takeoff at the Oakland County International Airport (KPTK), Waterford, Michigan. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and being operated by Flight 101, LLC, Waterford, Michigan, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot of N9926Q contacted KPTK ground control at 1328 and requested taxi instructions for a visual flight rules (VFR) flight to the west. He indicated he had received the current Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) information. At 1338, KPTK local control cleared N9926Q for takeoff on runway 09L from intersection M (Mike). Control tower personnel saw the airplane lift off the runway and attain an altitude of about 100 feet. Shortly thereafter, at 1340, the pilot advised that he was "a little overweight" and would need to return and land. He was cleared to land on runway 09R or on the grass area surrounding the runways. There was no reply. The airplane was seen to impact the ground. A post-crash fire ensued.

There were several witnesses to the accident. One witness was working in a nearby hangar and heard an airplane having "engine trouble." He saw the airplane about 100 feet in the air and the engine was "spitting and sputtering." The airplane was crabbing about 30 degrees while flying straight in line with the runway. The engine became "quiet," then regained power and began "spitting and sputtering" again. The airplane then descended in a nose-down attitude, impacted the ground and spun around.

Another witness, a pilot, was approaching runway 09L for landing. As he turned onto the base leg for runway 09L, N9926Q lifted off the runway. The pilot-witness noticed the airplane was not climbing as it should and it appeared the flaps were extended. As he turned onto final approach for landing, he saw the airplane "lagging" and "wallowing in the air with flaps extended." As he flared for landing, he heard the pilot of N9926Q tell the control tower that he was a little overweight and needed to return. The witness then saw the airplane about 100 to 200 feet in the air over the threshold of runway 27R, and its wings were "shaky." The left wing dipped and the airplane descended, struck the ground with its left wing, and pivoted 180 degrees. When the airplane struck the ground, a big divot of dirt was thrown into the air. A fire ball erupted about 3 to 5 seconds after impact.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 19, enrolled in Western Michigan University's (WMU) FAA-approved 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 141 flight school on August 28, 2012, flying the Cirrus SR20 exclusively. He received his private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating on May 2, 2013. He held a first class airman medical certificate, dated October 9, 2012, with the limitation that he must wear corrective lenses while exercising the privileges of his pilot certificate. He had recently been accepted as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy. The accident occurred a little more than a month after he received his pilot's certificate.

The pilot's logbook was never located. According to the FAA and WMU training records, when the pilot took his private pilot practical test on May 2, 2013, he had logged 52.3 hours total time, of which 42.2 hours were dual instruction. The pilot had reportedly flown a Cessna 172 for a few hours when he was in Florida, but this report could not be substantiated.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

N9926Q, serial number 17265870, was manufactured by the Cessna Aircraft Corporation in 1976. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320-E2D engine, serial number L-40946-27A, rated at 150 horsepower, driving a McCauley 2-blade, all-metal, fixed pitch propeller (model DTM7553, serial number 728396).

According to the aircraft maintenance records, the last annual and 100-hour inspections were done on May 23, 2013, at a tachometer time of 3,467.3 hours. At that time, the airframe and engine had accrued 17,949.3 hours and 13,016.8 hours, respectively, and 2,352.8 hours had elapsed since the last engine major overhaul. At the accident site, the tachometer read 3,539.5 hours.


METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The following weather observations were recorded by KPTK's Automated Surface Observing Station (ASOS) at 1321:

Wind, 130 degrees at 6 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; sky condition, 9,000 feet scattered, ceiling, 15,000 feet broken, 25,000 feet overcast; temperature, 28 degrees Celsius (C.); dew point, 17 degrees C.; altimeter, 30.17 inches of mercury.


AERODROME INFORMATION

Oakland County International Airport (KPTK) is located in Waterford, Michigan, about 5 miles west of Pontiac, Michigan. It is situated at an elevation of 981 feet msl (mean sea level), and is served by 3 runways: 09R-27L, 09L-27R, and 18-36. At the time of the accident, N9926Q was taking off on runway 09L-27R (5,676 feet x 100 feet, asphalt, porous friction course overlay).


WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

N9926Q started its takeoff roll on runway 09L from intersection M (5,320 feet of runway available). The airplane impacted terrain slightly to the left and just past the departure end of the runway at a location of 42 degrees, 40.035' north latitude and 83 degrees, 24.742' west longitude.

The on-scene investigation revealed the airplane impacted terrain in a nose-low, left wing-low attitude. There was a ground scar, measuring 7 feet long and 4 feet wide and aligned on a magnetic heading of 060 degrees, extending from the initial impact point to the wreckage. Upon impact, the airplane rotated approximately 180 degrees, coming to rest on a magnetic heading of 300 degrees. The cockpit area was consumed by post-impact fire. The airplane was equipped with seat belts and shoulder harnesses, but the webbing had been burned away.

The propeller blades bore chordwise and spanwise scratches on the camber surfaces. One blade had separated at mid-point. The separated piece was found in the impact crater, and was bent 90 degrees forward. The other blade bore a slight S-bend along its length.

The flap handle was burned away. The flap gage registered 0 degrees, but it had been burned and the needle was free to move. The wings flaps were full down. The flap actuator measured approximately 5.8 inches, which equated to flaps fully extended (40 degrees). The elevator trim tab measured between 0 and 5 degrees tab up.

After cleaning off the soot from the instrument glass, the airspeed indicator registered 0 KIAS (knots indicated airspeed), and the heading indicator was aligned with 245 degrees. The vertical speed indicator was unreadable. The altimeter read 2,660 feet, and the Kollsman window was set to 30.15 inches of mercury. The tachometer read 0 rpm and the recorder read 3,539.5 hours. The master switch was on, and the magnetos were on BOTH although the key was broken off. The fuel selector handle was separated from the fuel selector valve. The valve was not located. The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) activated on impact and was turned off by first responders. Control continuity was established.

There was no evidence of pre-impact airframe, power plant, or propeller malfunction or failure.


MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

According to the autopsy report, the pilot's death was attributed to thermal injuries. Specks of soot were found in the trachea. The only significant injury found was a closed fracture of the left ankle.

The Oakland County toxicology report found less than 1% carboxyhemoglobin saturation. Toxicological screening performed by FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute CAMI) revealed no carbon monoxide in blood and no ethanol in vitreous. Cyanide tests were not performed. Urine analysis detected 33.8 (ug/ml, ug/g) salicylate (aspirin).


TESTS AND RESEARCH

Security Camera Footage

Two videos from airport security cameras were sent to NTSB's Vehicle Recorder Division. The airplane can be seen taking off from runway 09L, climbing to about 150 feet, and then descending to the ground in a left wing-low attitude. A plume of smoke appears shortly thereafter.

Weight and Balance

Weight and balance calculations were performed by Cessna's technical representative, to wit:

Empty weight (dated July 15, 2005) 1,471.5 pounds
Occupants (from medical certificate and Michigan drivers licenses) 683
Estimated fuel on board * __144________
Estimated gross weight 2,298.5 pounds
Maximum allowable gross weight 2,300 pounds

*The airplane had previously been fueled to capacity. Another renter-pilot flew the airplane for about two hours prior to the accident.

Flaps

The majority of the pilot's flight experience was in the Cirrus SR20. Both the Cirrus SR20 and Cessna 172M wing flaps are electrically operated. The Cirrus wing flap switch is directly in front of the throttle control and has three position detents: UP (0 per cent), 50 per cent, and 100 per cent. Setting the switch to the desired position causes the flaps to extend or retract to the appropriate setting. An indicator light at each control switch position illuminates when the flaps reach the selected position. The UP (0 per cent) light is green and the 50 per cent and 100 per cent lights are yellow. The Cessna 172M employs a spring-loaded switch that must be held down or up until the desired flap setting is attained as indicated by the flap gage with markings at 0 degrees, 10 degrees, 20 degrees, 30 degrees, and 40 degrees.

The Western Michigan University Cirrus SR20 preflight checklist requires the pilot to begin his preflight inspection with the flaps set at 0. The pilot then places the flaps at 50 per cent and 100 per cent, checking for proper annunciator light illumination. The Cessna 172M preflight checklist in the Pilot's Operating Handbook does not require the extension of the flaps for preflight inspection. Cirrus SR20 takeoffs are normally made using 50 per cent flaps. Takeoffs in the Cessna 172M are normally made with the flaps up.

 NTSB Identification: CEN13FA364 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, June 21, 2013 in Waterford, MI
Aircraft: Cessna 172M, registration: N9926Q
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 June 21, 2013, about 1240 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N9926Q, impacted terrain during takeoff at the Oakland County International Airport (KPTK), Waterford, Michigan. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by Flight 101, LLC, Waterford, Michigan, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.

Control tower personnel saw the airplane lift off from runway 09L and attain an altitude of about 100 feet. The pilot then reported he was "slightly overweight." He was cleared to land straight ahead on the grass. The airplane impacted the ground and burst into flames.

The on-scene investigation revealed no evidence of pre-impact airframe, powerplant, or propeller malfunction or failure. Control continuity was established. The flaps were found fully extended.

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 Pontiac— The son of one of four people killed in a June 21 airplane crash is suing the estate of the dead pilot — also his stepbrother — and the plane’s owner, Flight 101, for negligence. 

Steven James Haley, acting as the personal representative of the estate of James Ray Haley, is suing Flight 101 and the estate of Troy Michael Brothers, the 19-year-old pilot, alleging both had a duty to assure Brothers had experience in the aircraft. James Ray Haley is survived by two sons, Steven and James Jr., both of Warren.

The Oakland Circuit Court wrongful death lawsuit notes Brothers had obtained his pilot’s license at Western Michigan University just weeks before the crash. The family had recently celebrated the license certification and also Brothers’ acceptance to the U.S. Naval Academy. The young pilot rented the Cessna aircraft at Oakland International Airport in Waterford Township to take relatives, including his stepfather, out for a brief flight.

The elder Haley, 58, a successful Macomb County real estate broker, married Brothers’s mother, Sandra Haley, 53, six years prior. She and another relative, Jamie Jose, 34, a South Lyon Township firefighter, also perished on the ill-fated flight.

“It was a tragic event and these are always made sadder when family has to take legal action against family,” said attorney David W. Christensen, who filed the complaint. “But we are following the facts and the law. Actions have consequences.”

The lawsuit alleges both Brothers and Flight 101 never conducted a pre-flight checklist inspection of the aircraft which would have included operation of wing flaps which should have been up or retracted prior to takeoff. The apparent oversight, subsequently taking off with the plane’s flaps still fully extended, caused a “lack of thrust or attaining altitude on takeoff,” according to the complaint.

That contention also squares with a probable cause report released Monday by the National Transportation Board, which investigates all plane accidents. The federal agency cited pilot error and his failure to retract the wing flaps.

Officials at Flight 101 were out of the country on Thursday and could not be reached for comment, according to an office employee.

According to NTSB records reviewed by The News, Oakland International control tower personnel saw the Cessna lift off the runway and attain an altitude of about 100 feet when Brothers radioed back he was “a little overweight” and would need to return and land.

Brothers was then cleared on a runway or adjacent grass area but “there was no reply,” according to the NTSB report. The airplane could be heard “spittering and sputtering” by witnesses on the ground and crashed and caught fire within five seconds.

A logbook kept by pilots was never located nor was a flight plan filed, according to the lawsuit.

Brothers had reportedly logged more than 52 hours including dual instruction to obtain his license, primarily flying a Cirrus SR 20 single-engine aircraft. He had reportedly flown a Cessna 172 “for a few hours while he was in Florida,” according to an unsubstantiated NTSB report.

Investigators found no mechanical problems with the aircraft which had been flown just hours earlier. The Cessna has a maximum allowable gross weight of 2,300 pounds and with the four deceased, had an estimated gross weight of 2,298.5 pounds.

In an interview with investigators, another pilot, Mark Ebben, said he was landing his own aircraft and noticed Brothers’ Cessna taking off and then attempting to return to the airport because he was overweight.

“While continuing my final (approach) I looked again down the runway and saw him just wallowing in the air with flaps extended ... I could not believe what I was witnessing. Very shortly then, the left wing dipped, the aircraft fell out of the sky hitting left wing 1st then pivoting 180 degrees with a big divot of dirt thrown up in the air.”

The lawsuit, which seeks more than $25,000 in damages, is assigned to Judge Martha D. Anderson.
 

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


 Troy Brothers, his mother, Sandra Haley and his stepfather, James Haley



 Troy Brothers


Northfield Township Firefighter Jamie Jose was killed Friday in an Oakland County plane crash. 
Courtesy of Northfield Township Fire Department

 

Jamie Jose







 Troy Brothers, his mother, Sandra Haley and his stepfather, James Haley



 Troy Brothers



Northfield Township Firefighter Jamie Jose was killed Friday in an Oakland County plane crash. 
Courtesy of Northfield Township Fire Department


 
Jamie Jose
 Northfield Township Public Safety and Fire Chief William Wagner said in a release Saturday that 34-year-old father of three had been with the department for about a year-and-a-half.  A memorial scholarship fund has been set up for Jose's children at the PNC Bank in Whitmore Lake.



The 34-year-old Northfield Township man who died Friday in an Oakland County airplane crash along with three others is being remembered as a devoted firefighter and father by colleagues and family.

Jamie Jose was a husband, a father of three, a Northfield Township firefighter and a crew member of ships that traveled the world looking for oil, his father-in-law, Robert Joslin, told AnnArbor.com Monday.

Jose had recently returned from one of his world-traversing, oil-seeking expeditions that took him to the coast of Trinidad, Joslin said.

He'd typically be gone for about five weeks, then come home to Northfield Township, where he'd been living near the fire station for the past five months, and be an on-call firefighter for five weeks before heading back out to sea again.

“He was a good guy. He always wanted to help people,” Joslin said.

Jose grew up in Dearborn and Taylor, where he attended high school, and was living in Southfield when he met Joslin's daughter, Jessica, who also is a paramedic, Joslin said.

Jose and Jessica were married in November 2009

Jose is survived by Abigail, a 12-year-old daughter from a previous relationship; his wife Jessica; and their two children: 6-year-old Braden and 4-year-old Gabrielle.

The family is "doing as well as can be expected" right now, "Joslin said.

Jose worked for the Franklin-Bingham Fire Department for more than a decade before coming to Northfield Township.

The whole family was living with Joslin near South Lyon until moving about five months ago to be closer to the Northfield Township Fire Department in Whitmore Lake, Joslin said. Colleagues were surprised and saddened to hear about Jose's death.

“When he would speak, people would listen,” Fire Chief William Wagner said. “He was a quiet leader.”

Jose had been with the department for about a year and a half.

“He was a really well-liked guy,” Wagner added. “We’re dealing with it. It was difficult for sure."

Jose was a passenger in a Cessna 172M Skyhawk that crashed seconds after takeoff at Oakland County International Airport in Waterford Friday.

The pilot, 19-year-old Troy Brothers, was Jose's cousin, not brother-in-law as initially reported in the media, Joslin said. Their mothers were sisters, he added.

Brothers, who had recently been accepted into the Naval Academy, called Jose Friday and asked him if he wanted to go flying, according to Joslin. Brothers had his pilot license for about a month.

“At the last minute, he called Jamie and asked him if he wanted to go up," Joslin said. “If he would have called the day before, (Jose) would have said no, (that) he was with the kids.”

Jose, Brothers, his 53-year-old mother, Sandra Haley of Fraser and his 58-year-old stepfather, James Haley, all perished in the crash. MLive.com reported Brothers told a command center the plane was "a little overweight" before the accident.

The plane got up just 100 feet before Brothers radioed air traffic control for permission to land. The plane crashed in a field before making it to the runway and burst into flames, according to the MLive.com report.

"It's shocked everyone," Joslin said.

The National Transportation Safety Board told The Associated Press Monday that it has completed the on-scene phase of its probe. Investigators were set to review a video of the crash.

By Sunday the NTSB had completed documenting and taking photos of the crashed Cessna 172M Skyhawk and also spoke with the manufacturer of the single-engine Cessna and the maker of the plane's engine, according to the Associated Press report.

There will be a memorial service for Jose at the Vermeulen Funeral Home, located at 46401 W. Ann Arbor Road, Plymouth Township, from 2 to 9 p.m. Friday. A religious service will take place at an undetermined time Saturday at Dexter's St. Joseph Catholic Church, at the corner of Mast and North Territorial Road.

A memorial scholarship fund also has been set up for Jose's children at the PNC Bank in Whitmore Lake. Call (734) 449-4477 for information about how to donate.

Source:  http://ww.annarbor.com


Jose, Jamie D. 

Age 34 of South Lyon, June 21, 2013, Firefighter of Northfield Township.

Beloved husband of Jessica. Loving father of Abygale, Braden and Gabrielle. Proud son of Larry (Lisa) Jose and Victoria (Steven) Barber. Son in law of Bob (Gail) Joslin. Brother to Christopher Jose and Anthony Vaccaro. Grandson of Carol Dumont.

Visitation Friday 2-9 PM with a 7 PM Prayer service at Vermeulen Funeral Home, 46401 W Ann Arbor Rd., (btwn Sheldon & Beck) Plymouth.

In Lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Jamie Jose Memorial Fund,
c/o Northfield Twp. Fire Dept., 8350 Main St. Whitmore Lake, MI 48189. For funeral information or to share a memory, please visit vermeulenfuneralhome.com