ANCHORAGE - It's been a rough aviation season so far for Alaska. In fact, it's been one of the deadliest.
Summer time is the busiest time of the year for flying in Alaska. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) say they've never been busier.
"Unfortunately, we have had a very busy season," said Clint Johnson with the NTSB in Anchorage.
With a limited road system, flying is the only way Alaskans can get to many areas. Summer time is when we see the most plane accidents.
"It's no secret that obviously the Alaska NTSB has had a very busy spring coupled with the state trooper accident, the Dillingham accident, the Beech 1900 accident, [and] most recent the Rediske Air one and a host of others. But this is historically a busy time for us. There is no exception here," said Johnson.
Those accidents have added up to be one of the deadliest seasons for flying in Alaska. Twenty-five people have been killed this year compared to five people last year.
But when it comes to the total number of crashes, Alaska is actually down from last year with 52 crashes compared to 69. The number of fatal accidents however is up. Nine fatal accidents have occurred in Alaska this year and in 2012 there were five. That doesn't include the number of people killed, only the number of accidents.
Weather always seems to be part of the discussion.
"When you look at it, it's broken up into several different weather patterns. Weather might be really nice here in Anchorage and by the time you try to go through one of the passes like Lake Clark or Merrill Pass... the weather could substantially change halfway through the pass," said Colonel James Cockrell with the Alaska State Troopers Wildlife Division.
But the NTSB says weather isn't the cause of accidents. "To fly through weather is a decision that is made my the pilot or the crew at the time. So weather is not, from the NTSB stand point, is not a factor or cause," said Johnson.
As for weight being an issue, the NTSB says any plane has weight limitations but it still falls on the responsibility of the pilots to operate the plane within those limitations.
To fly in Alaska, pilots need to be on the top of their game.
"A lot of pilots let their airplanes sit. They aren't proficient and all of the sudden they want to go to their sheep camp that they haven't been to earlier this year or they haven't even practiced short field takeoffs and landings," said Cockrell.
Alaska may post different challenges but flying in Alaska is still considered a safe mode of transportation.
Friday, July 12, 2013
F-35 debate on noise grows louder as critics challenge: Guard comments Deadline for comment looms on basing proposal
A national expert on the health effects of noise says he told the Vermont Air National Guard that basing the F-35 aircraft at Burlington International Airport should not pose a health risk to nearby residents.
The expert’s comments were among several statements and responses that came Friday following a Guard meeting with reporters the day before and as F-35 opponents gear up for a major rally and march at 2 p.m. Saturday outside City Hall in Burlington.
Critics took issue with the Guard’s statements, politicians and political parties were pulled into the debate, and a deadline for public comments to be submitted to the Air Force is looming.
Meanwhile, Capt. William Murphy, a research scientist with National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health/Centers for Disease Control, focused his remarks on the potential for hearing loss, rather than on the cognitive impairment to children raised in some health studies and cited by F-35 opponents.
“The exposures to the community were not sufficient to present a risk of hearing loss and would not be expected to pose any increased health risk,” Murphy wrote in an email, responding to questions from the Burlington Free Press.
The newspaper questioned Murphy after Vermont Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Richard Harris told reporters Thursday he had just consulted a CDC expert and was told there was no conclusive evidence that excessive aircraft noise can have adverse health effects.
Harris later identified the CDC contact as Murphy.
Murphy said the national institute, known as NIOSH, has no official position on the overall health effects of excessive noise from aircraft or other sources.
“NIOSH is actively reviewing the scientific literature on the topic but has not drawn a conclusion about such effects,” Murphy wrote.
Noise concerns are a key part of a recent Air Force study regarding the environmental impact of the F-35s at various locations. Environmental impact is one of five factors in the review the Air Force is conducting to decide where to base the planes.
Burlington has been identified by the Air Force as the lead overall candidate for the aircraft. The planes would replace the Vermont Air Guard’s fleet of aging F-16s.
Also Friday, a leader of a group opposing the F-35s challenged claims made by Vermont Air National Guard officials a day earlier that the noise problem the planes present can be mitigated.
“I was shocked when I heard that,” said Chris Hurd, a South Burlington real estate agent. “The past is prelude. When the F-16s were brought in, we were told they would not be that loud, but then they started using the afterburners because of a redesign of the aircraft.”
Lt. Col. Dan Finnegan told reporters Thursday the Air Guard had been able to shrink the projected noise zone and would be able to do the same with the F-35s.
Hurd also disputed Air Guard claims that there was a lack of clear evidence that noise from the aircraft could cause health problems, particularly for young people.
“The Vermont Air National Guard is in very dangerous territory with the citizens of Vermont because of the evidence available today of the effects of noise on humans and children,” he said.
U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., also was drawn into the F-35 debate Friday when, during a Burlington news conference about domestic use of unmanned drone aircraft, reporters started asking him about the F-35 noise issue.
“I support the (environmental) assessment that’s now being done by the Air Force,” Welch said. Asked if he had read the document, Welch said he hadn’t.
He acknowledged he had not independently looked into the noise issue or the impact on the families and homes where noise levels are projected to be unsuitable.
“The bottom line is there is a community affected, there’s the Air Guard that’s affected, there’s an airport that’s affected, and there’s the jobs and the economy that’s affected,” Welch said.
Hurd, told of Welch’s remarks, said it was a “disgrace” that Welch, along with Gov. Peter Shumlin, Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, support basing the F-35s in Burlington.
“Do we care about the people here, or do we care about bringing in these planes?” Hurd asked.
Also Friday, the state Progressive Party urged its members to join Saturday’s rally against the F-35.
“The Air Force’s own studies say basing the F-35 in South Burlington could leave up to 3,000 homes and 7,000 people in a zone ‘generally not considered suitable for residential use,’” Progressive Party Chairman Martha Abbott said in a statement. “A disproportionate number of those affected would be low-income and immigrant Vermonters.”
The Air Force has set Monday as its deadline for public comment on the issue. A final decision on the basing question is expected in late fall.
Source: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com
The expert’s comments were among several statements and responses that came Friday following a Guard meeting with reporters the day before and as F-35 opponents gear up for a major rally and march at 2 p.m. Saturday outside City Hall in Burlington.
Critics took issue with the Guard’s statements, politicians and political parties were pulled into the debate, and a deadline for public comments to be submitted to the Air Force is looming.
Meanwhile, Capt. William Murphy, a research scientist with National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health/Centers for Disease Control, focused his remarks on the potential for hearing loss, rather than on the cognitive impairment to children raised in some health studies and cited by F-35 opponents.
“The exposures to the community were not sufficient to present a risk of hearing loss and would not be expected to pose any increased health risk,” Murphy wrote in an email, responding to questions from the Burlington Free Press.
The newspaper questioned Murphy after Vermont Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Richard Harris told reporters Thursday he had just consulted a CDC expert and was told there was no conclusive evidence that excessive aircraft noise can have adverse health effects.
Harris later identified the CDC contact as Murphy.
Murphy said the national institute, known as NIOSH, has no official position on the overall health effects of excessive noise from aircraft or other sources.
“NIOSH is actively reviewing the scientific literature on the topic but has not drawn a conclusion about such effects,” Murphy wrote.
Noise concerns are a key part of a recent Air Force study regarding the environmental impact of the F-35s at various locations. Environmental impact is one of five factors in the review the Air Force is conducting to decide where to base the planes.
Burlington has been identified by the Air Force as the lead overall candidate for the aircraft. The planes would replace the Vermont Air Guard’s fleet of aging F-16s.
Also Friday, a leader of a group opposing the F-35s challenged claims made by Vermont Air National Guard officials a day earlier that the noise problem the planes present can be mitigated.
“I was shocked when I heard that,” said Chris Hurd, a South Burlington real estate agent. “The past is prelude. When the F-16s were brought in, we were told they would not be that loud, but then they started using the afterburners because of a redesign of the aircraft.”
Lt. Col. Dan Finnegan told reporters Thursday the Air Guard had been able to shrink the projected noise zone and would be able to do the same with the F-35s.
Hurd also disputed Air Guard claims that there was a lack of clear evidence that noise from the aircraft could cause health problems, particularly for young people.
“The Vermont Air National Guard is in very dangerous territory with the citizens of Vermont because of the evidence available today of the effects of noise on humans and children,” he said.
U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., also was drawn into the F-35 debate Friday when, during a Burlington news conference about domestic use of unmanned drone aircraft, reporters started asking him about the F-35 noise issue.
“I support the (environmental) assessment that’s now being done by the Air Force,” Welch said. Asked if he had read the document, Welch said he hadn’t.
He acknowledged he had not independently looked into the noise issue or the impact on the families and homes where noise levels are projected to be unsuitable.
“The bottom line is there is a community affected, there’s the Air Guard that’s affected, there’s an airport that’s affected, and there’s the jobs and the economy that’s affected,” Welch said.
Hurd, told of Welch’s remarks, said it was a “disgrace” that Welch, along with Gov. Peter Shumlin, Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, support basing the F-35s in Burlington.
“Do we care about the people here, or do we care about bringing in these planes?” Hurd asked.
Also Friday, the state Progressive Party urged its members to join Saturday’s rally against the F-35.
“The Air Force’s own studies say basing the F-35 in South Burlington could leave up to 3,000 homes and 7,000 people in a zone ‘generally not considered suitable for residential use,’” Progressive Party Chairman Martha Abbott said in a statement. “A disproportionate number of those affected would be low-income and immigrant Vermonters.”
The Air Force has set Monday as its deadline for public comment on the issue. A final decision on the basing question is expected in late fall.
Source: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com
New Worries for Boeing 787 After Fire: WSJ
An unoccupied Ethiopian Airlines 787 Dreamliner caught fire while parked at London's Heathrow Airport, reprising worries over the Boeing Co. flagship jet three months after it resolved battery problems that had grounded it worldwide.
Emergency crews were called about 4:30 p.m. local time on Friday and soon extinguished the blaze. No one was injured in the incident, which prompted airport authorities to halt flights for more than an hour at Heathrow, the world's busiest international airport. Broadcast images showed that the fire, which authorities said started inside the plane, burned through a portion of the carbon-fiber skin on the top of the jet near the tail.
Officials had yet to determine the cause of the fire Friday evening. There was no indication that it was directly related to the Dreamliner's lithium-ion batteries, which are housed farther toward the front of the plane. Overheating of those batteries triggered burning on two 787s in mid-January that caused regulators to ground the jetliner.
Boeing developed a system to contain fire risk at the batteries, which the Federal Aviation Administration approved, enabling flights to resume in late April. Boeing's business has since been soaring, with deliveries in the latest quarter hitting their highest number in 15 years, including 17 new 787s. Boeing has delivered a total of 68 Dreamliners to 13 airlines around the world.
The incident hit Boeing shares, which had risen by more than 40% this year through Thursday despite the battery problems, knocking them as much as 7.4% lower before ending the day down 4.7% at $101.87 in Friday trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Other airlines continued to fly their Dreamliners in the hours after the fire. A spokeswoman for United Continental Holdings Inc., UAL +1.95% which operates six 787s and is the only U.S. carrier to fly the plane, said it wouldn't speculated on the cause of Friday's fire "but will monitor the findings."
All Nippon Airways, a unit of ANA Holdings Inc. and the jet's largest operator, said its 20 787s are operating normally. A spokeswoman said the carrier was "still trying to figure out what happened" in the Heathrow incident.
The Dreamliner had been parked at Heathrow for roughly eight hours before the fire was detected, Ethiopian Airlines said. While attention is focused on the plane's systems, it is possible something else caused the blaze. Fires occur on parked planes about once every five years, said Paul Hayes, director of air safety at Ascend, a British aviation consulting firm. Causes have included short-circuits in lavatory electrical sockets, a rag left in a galley oven, and cigarettes. Mr. Hayes said several incidents were suspected to have started after a cleaner or ground worker furtively smoked on a parked plane and then failed to fully extinguish the cigarette.
In a statement released shortly after the incident, Boeing said it had "personnel on the ground at Heathrow and [we] are working to fully understand and address this." Ethiopian Airlines said "the cause of the incident is under investigation by all concerned."
The U.K. Air Accident Investigation Branch sent a team to investigate. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending an expert to the scene, and the Federal Aviation Administration said it would also send an official "in support of the NTSB."
As early reports and images of the fire streamed in, several industry and government safety experts said they were struck by its apparent intensity. The incident is likely to generate additional questions and discussion about the flame-resistant qualities of the composite materials that form most of the jet.
Television footage of the 787 at Heathrow showed damage to the top of the jet's body near the passenger doors at the rear of the 787. That area of the aircraft typically houses the crew rest compartment, but two people familiar with the jet's layout say that Ethiopian's 787's likely do not have this overhead bunk. The 787's twin lithium-ion batteries are installed below the floor in electrical bays near the nose and between the wings of the aircraft underneath the cabin, far from the damaged area visible in the footage.
The safety experts said that where the flames seemingly exited also isn't near the location of the auxiliary power unit or certain electrical panels that have been involved in previous onboard incidents. If the fire originated in any of those areas or the battery compartments—all located in the lower part of the fuselage—the flames either burned through the floor or crept up inside the skin of the 787. Emergency crews and investigators should be able to pinpoint the origin shortly, these experts said.
One person familiar with the preliminary information the airline conveyed to Boeing and its suppliers said there were no obvious patterns of battery problems or malfunctions on the Ethiopian 787.
Dreamliners also have suffered a spate of smaller technical glitches that have forced airline operators to delay and cancel numerous flights. Those types of issues aren't necessarily uncommon for a new jetliner like the Dreamliner, which first began carrying passengers in 2011. However, a fire aboard an aircraft is a considerably more serious event and is likely to be evaluated separately from the jet's teething issues.
In a separate incident on Friday, another 787 aircraft suffered problems Friday when a Thomson Airways flight was grounded because of "technical issues," a spokesman for the airline said. The flight had taken off from U.K.'s Manchester airport and was headed to Florida's Orlando Sanford International Airport, but had to return to Manchester "as a precautionary measure," the spokesman said.
The aircraft, which can carry some 290 passengers, was near capacity. There were no injuries and passengers disembarked. Engineers were inspecting the plane, the spokesman said.
United has been bedeviled by "several" flight cancellations due to a variety of issues involving the aircraft since the model was allowed to resume operations in late April—although the frequency of the problems has diminished recently, the United spokeswoman said. The latest was on Tuesday when a flight from London to Houston was scratched after pilots saw a message indicating that something was wrong with the plane. After mechanics checked and found the message was false, the crew had "timed out" and wasn't allowed to fly, the company said.
Ethiopian Airlines, one of Africa's oldest and fastest-growing carriers, was the first airline to reintroduce the 787 in late-April after the jet's 3½ month grounding. The airline took delivery of its first 787 in August 2012, and currently operates four of the long-haul aircraft in its fleet.
Robert Stallard, an analyst for RBC Capital Markets, said in a note after the fire that "any issues with the aircraft will likely face heightened scrutiny" given the battery problems. But he noted that during the 787's grounding, production remained on schedule and Boeing's shares held up. "We could see a similar situation this time around," he wrote, recommending investors buy shares on Friday's drop.
Emergency crews were called about 4:30 p.m. local time on Friday and soon extinguished the blaze. No one was injured in the incident, which prompted airport authorities to halt flights for more than an hour at Heathrow, the world's busiest international airport. Broadcast images showed that the fire, which authorities said started inside the plane, burned through a portion of the carbon-fiber skin on the top of the jet near the tail.
Officials had yet to determine the cause of the fire Friday evening. There was no indication that it was directly related to the Dreamliner's lithium-ion batteries, which are housed farther toward the front of the plane. Overheating of those batteries triggered burning on two 787s in mid-January that caused regulators to ground the jetliner.
Boeing developed a system to contain fire risk at the batteries, which the Federal Aviation Administration approved, enabling flights to resume in late April. Boeing's business has since been soaring, with deliveries in the latest quarter hitting their highest number in 15 years, including 17 new 787s. Boeing has delivered a total of 68 Dreamliners to 13 airlines around the world.
The incident hit Boeing shares, which had risen by more than 40% this year through Thursday despite the battery problems, knocking them as much as 7.4% lower before ending the day down 4.7% at $101.87 in Friday trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Other airlines continued to fly their Dreamliners in the hours after the fire. A spokeswoman for United Continental Holdings Inc., UAL +1.95% which operates six 787s and is the only U.S. carrier to fly the plane, said it wouldn't speculated on the cause of Friday's fire "but will monitor the findings."
All Nippon Airways, a unit of ANA Holdings Inc. and the jet's largest operator, said its 20 787s are operating normally. A spokeswoman said the carrier was "still trying to figure out what happened" in the Heathrow incident.
The Dreamliner had been parked at Heathrow for roughly eight hours before the fire was detected, Ethiopian Airlines said. While attention is focused on the plane's systems, it is possible something else caused the blaze. Fires occur on parked planes about once every five years, said Paul Hayes, director of air safety at Ascend, a British aviation consulting firm. Causes have included short-circuits in lavatory electrical sockets, a rag left in a galley oven, and cigarettes. Mr. Hayes said several incidents were suspected to have started after a cleaner or ground worker furtively smoked on a parked plane and then failed to fully extinguish the cigarette.
In a statement released shortly after the incident, Boeing said it had "personnel on the ground at Heathrow and [we] are working to fully understand and address this." Ethiopian Airlines said "the cause of the incident is under investigation by all concerned."
The U.K. Air Accident Investigation Branch sent a team to investigate. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending an expert to the scene, and the Federal Aviation Administration said it would also send an official "in support of the NTSB."
As early reports and images of the fire streamed in, several industry and government safety experts said they were struck by its apparent intensity. The incident is likely to generate additional questions and discussion about the flame-resistant qualities of the composite materials that form most of the jet.
Television footage of the 787 at Heathrow showed damage to the top of the jet's body near the passenger doors at the rear of the 787. That area of the aircraft typically houses the crew rest compartment, but two people familiar with the jet's layout say that Ethiopian's 787's likely do not have this overhead bunk. The 787's twin lithium-ion batteries are installed below the floor in electrical bays near the nose and between the wings of the aircraft underneath the cabin, far from the damaged area visible in the footage.
The safety experts said that where the flames seemingly exited also isn't near the location of the auxiliary power unit or certain electrical panels that have been involved in previous onboard incidents. If the fire originated in any of those areas or the battery compartments—all located in the lower part of the fuselage—the flames either burned through the floor or crept up inside the skin of the 787. Emergency crews and investigators should be able to pinpoint the origin shortly, these experts said.
One person familiar with the preliminary information the airline conveyed to Boeing and its suppliers said there were no obvious patterns of battery problems or malfunctions on the Ethiopian 787.
Dreamliners also have suffered a spate of smaller technical glitches that have forced airline operators to delay and cancel numerous flights. Those types of issues aren't necessarily uncommon for a new jetliner like the Dreamliner, which first began carrying passengers in 2011. However, a fire aboard an aircraft is a considerably more serious event and is likely to be evaluated separately from the jet's teething issues.
In a separate incident on Friday, another 787 aircraft suffered problems Friday when a Thomson Airways flight was grounded because of "technical issues," a spokesman for the airline said. The flight had taken off from U.K.'s Manchester airport and was headed to Florida's Orlando Sanford International Airport, but had to return to Manchester "as a precautionary measure," the spokesman said.
The aircraft, which can carry some 290 passengers, was near capacity. There were no injuries and passengers disembarked. Engineers were inspecting the plane, the spokesman said.
United has been bedeviled by "several" flight cancellations due to a variety of issues involving the aircraft since the model was allowed to resume operations in late April—although the frequency of the problems has diminished recently, the United spokeswoman said. The latest was on Tuesday when a flight from London to Houston was scratched after pilots saw a message indicating that something was wrong with the plane. After mechanics checked and found the message was false, the crew had "timed out" and wasn't allowed to fly, the company said.
Ethiopian Airlines, one of Africa's oldest and fastest-growing carriers, was the first airline to reintroduce the 787 in late-April after the jet's 3½ month grounding. The airline took delivery of its first 787 in August 2012, and currently operates four of the long-haul aircraft in its fleet.
Robert Stallard, an analyst for RBC Capital Markets, said in a note after the fire that "any issues with the aircraft will likely face heightened scrutiny" given the battery problems. But he noted that during the 787's grounding, production remained on schedule and Boeing's shares held up. "We could see a similar situation this time around," he wrote, recommending investors buy shares on Friday's drop.
OUR VIEW: Give the OK for seaplanes to land on Lake Mitchell
Published July 12, 2013, 08:49 AM
By: Editorial board, The Daily Republic
Airplanes fitted with pontoons can’t legally land on Lake Mitchell, but it’s possible the City Council will soon make changes to allow this unique practice on our local reservoir.
Here’s the proposal: Make it legal to allow airplanes fitted with pontoon-like gear to land on the lake. Planes would need to weigh less than 10,000 pounds and they would be required to stay at least 500 feet above ground level when passing over populated areas. The proposal could get final approval at Monday’s City Council meeting.
Behind the proposal is local resident Jeff Krall, who owns and operates a seaplane. He says that statistically, seaplanes are safe and do not interfere with other activities on the water, such as boating and fishing. He also says the wake from a seaplane is minimal.
When we first heard of the idea, those were two of our top concerns. Too, we wonder about potential noise from seaplanes. Is an airplane louder than some of the high-end boats that zoom on Lake Mitchell’s waters? We really don’t know, but it’s something to consider.
Krall says collisions are rare, and noted seaplane operators are required to take additional training.
If the council gives the OK to the proposal, it likely will be to the benefit of very few.
On one hand, maybe that’s reason enough not to approve it. On the other, since so few are involved, is approving the idea such a big deal?
We say give it the OK, but be sure that noise won’t be an issue for current lake residents. We know floatplanes are used elsewhere in the country, including Minnesota, and apparently are just a way of life.
Lake Mitchell is bigger than it seems, and we feel there’s enough room for this unique practice to be made legal.
Source: http://www.mitchellrepublic.com
By: Editorial board, The Daily Republic
Airplanes fitted with pontoons can’t legally land on Lake Mitchell, but it’s possible the City Council will soon make changes to allow this unique practice on our local reservoir.
Here’s the proposal: Make it legal to allow airplanes fitted with pontoon-like gear to land on the lake. Planes would need to weigh less than 10,000 pounds and they would be required to stay at least 500 feet above ground level when passing over populated areas. The proposal could get final approval at Monday’s City Council meeting.
Behind the proposal is local resident Jeff Krall, who owns and operates a seaplane. He says that statistically, seaplanes are safe and do not interfere with other activities on the water, such as boating and fishing. He also says the wake from a seaplane is minimal.
When we first heard of the idea, those were two of our top concerns. Too, we wonder about potential noise from seaplanes. Is an airplane louder than some of the high-end boats that zoom on Lake Mitchell’s waters? We really don’t know, but it’s something to consider.
Krall says collisions are rare, and noted seaplane operators are required to take additional training.
If the council gives the OK to the proposal, it likely will be to the benefit of very few.
On one hand, maybe that’s reason enough not to approve it. On the other, since so few are involved, is approving the idea such a big deal?
We say give it the OK, but be sure that noise won’t be an issue for current lake residents. We know floatplanes are used elsewhere in the country, including Minnesota, and apparently are just a way of life.
Lake Mitchell is bigger than it seems, and we feel there’s enough room for this unique practice to be made legal.
Source: http://www.mitchellrepublic.com
UPS Lowers Its Earnings Outlook: WSJ -- Customers' Turn to Cheaper Options Clouds Profit Picture
Updated July 12, 2013, 4:29 p.m. ET
By DOUG CAMERON
The Wall Street Journal
United Parcel Service Inc. issued a profit warning Friday as customers continue to trade down to slower and cheaper shipping options. While the trend is clear, less so is whether it will reverse were the global economy to pick up.
UPS shares fell 5.8% after the firm cut its forecast because customers are forgoing pricier air-cargo options.
Big air-cargo shippers such as UPS and FedEx Corp. have been forced over the past year and a half to park dozens of jets in the desert as clients avoid pricier overnight services for shipping their laptops, high-end apparel and machine parts, or even opt to send them by sea.
FedEx Chief Executive Fred Smith has gone as far as to say that the industry faces a "secular" change in behavior as high oil prices push up the cost of air cargo, a view that increasingly has been embraced by analysts. It also fueled speculation this week that FedEx could be targeted by activist investors, agitating for an accelerated paring of its global network and for more cash going to shareholders rather than into pricey, long-range cargo jets.
However, the head of one of the world's largest supply-chain managers is reserving judgment, saying the move away from speedy air-freight services by retailers and manufacturers could reverse as interest rates rise and the economy improves.
"Some people talk about this being a permanent, secular shift—I'm not convinced," said Marvin Schlanger, chief executive of Netherlands-based Ceva Logistics, which organizes shipping services for many multinationals and is both a customer and competitor of UPS and FedEx.
Mr. Schlanger said low interest rates have left shipping customers less concerned about the cost of extra inventory they have to carry in opting for sea over air transport, and many have plenty of spare capacity to boost production if demand suddenly improves.
"With low interest rates they can afford to have more goods on the water…and they also have flex in their supply chain and manufacturing operation," he said.
Some analysts say the shift away from the speediest delivery options may be prolonged by the inability of supply-chain managers to gain approval from top management for a return to costlier delivery methods, in part because transportation costs are seen as a relatively easy way to trim expenses.
"The trade-downs are real, and they're not likely to go away soon," said David Vernon, who formerly worked at Deutsche Post AG's DHL shipping unit and now covers the logistics sector for Sanford C. Bernstein.
Mr. Schlanger, who added the CEO post to his role as Ceva's chairman last October, acknowledges that convincing CEOs and CFOs to look beyond cost and focus more on service and reliability is a tough nut to crack.
However, he already sees signs of transportation managers taking creative steps to avoid lost sales, such as using last-minute charter services to send small consignments by air using the fastest—and priciest—services offered by UPS and its rivals.
"What we're finding surprising is that our charter business is getting a lot of attention," he said. "When people get pressed, they're going to want to have their goods. Nobody wants to give up the sale."
In cutting its full-year earnings outlook, UPS on Friday cited an "increasing customer preference for lower-yielding shipping solutions," as well a slowing U.S. industrial economy and overcapacity in the global air-cargo market. The Atlanta-based company now expects adjusted earnings of $4.65 to $4.85 a share, down from its previous view of $4.80 to $5.06. The company pegged second-quarter earnings at $1.13 a share; analysts were expecting $1.20.
"We expect the second-quarter market trends to persist and UPS is adapting to meet these conditions," said UPS finance chief Kurt Kuehn.
UPS shares closed down 5.8% at $86.12 on Friday, while FedEx ended 2.1% lower at $102.25. FedEx shares had rallied Wednesday on speculation that an activist investor was preparing to build a position in the company.
Source: http://online.wsj.com
By DOUG CAMERON
The Wall Street Journal
United Parcel Service Inc. issued a profit warning Friday as customers continue to trade down to slower and cheaper shipping options. While the trend is clear, less so is whether it will reverse were the global economy to pick up.
UPS shares fell 5.8% after the firm cut its forecast because customers are forgoing pricier air-cargo options.
Big air-cargo shippers such as UPS and FedEx Corp. have been forced over the past year and a half to park dozens of jets in the desert as clients avoid pricier overnight services for shipping their laptops, high-end apparel and machine parts, or even opt to send them by sea.
FedEx Chief Executive Fred Smith has gone as far as to say that the industry faces a "secular" change in behavior as high oil prices push up the cost of air cargo, a view that increasingly has been embraced by analysts. It also fueled speculation this week that FedEx could be targeted by activist investors, agitating for an accelerated paring of its global network and for more cash going to shareholders rather than into pricey, long-range cargo jets.
However, the head of one of the world's largest supply-chain managers is reserving judgment, saying the move away from speedy air-freight services by retailers and manufacturers could reverse as interest rates rise and the economy improves.
"Some people talk about this being a permanent, secular shift—I'm not convinced," said Marvin Schlanger, chief executive of Netherlands-based Ceva Logistics, which organizes shipping services for many multinationals and is both a customer and competitor of UPS and FedEx.
Mr. Schlanger said low interest rates have left shipping customers less concerned about the cost of extra inventory they have to carry in opting for sea over air transport, and many have plenty of spare capacity to boost production if demand suddenly improves.
"With low interest rates they can afford to have more goods on the water…and they also have flex in their supply chain and manufacturing operation," he said.
Some analysts say the shift away from the speediest delivery options may be prolonged by the inability of supply-chain managers to gain approval from top management for a return to costlier delivery methods, in part because transportation costs are seen as a relatively easy way to trim expenses.
"The trade-downs are real, and they're not likely to go away soon," said David Vernon, who formerly worked at Deutsche Post AG's DHL shipping unit and now covers the logistics sector for Sanford C. Bernstein.
Mr. Schlanger, who added the CEO post to his role as Ceva's chairman last October, acknowledges that convincing CEOs and CFOs to look beyond cost and focus more on service and reliability is a tough nut to crack.
However, he already sees signs of transportation managers taking creative steps to avoid lost sales, such as using last-minute charter services to send small consignments by air using the fastest—and priciest—services offered by UPS and its rivals.
"What we're finding surprising is that our charter business is getting a lot of attention," he said. "When people get pressed, they're going to want to have their goods. Nobody wants to give up the sale."
In cutting its full-year earnings outlook, UPS on Friday cited an "increasing customer preference for lower-yielding shipping solutions," as well a slowing U.S. industrial economy and overcapacity in the global air-cargo market. The Atlanta-based company now expects adjusted earnings of $4.65 to $4.85 a share, down from its previous view of $4.80 to $5.06. The company pegged second-quarter earnings at $1.13 a share; analysts were expecting $1.20.
"We expect the second-quarter market trends to persist and UPS is adapting to meet these conditions," said UPS finance chief Kurt Kuehn.
UPS shares closed down 5.8% at $86.12 on Friday, while FedEx ended 2.1% lower at $102.25. FedEx shares had rallied Wednesday on speculation that an activist investor was preparing to build a position in the company.
Source: http://online.wsj.com
Firefly aims to fly higher
SUBANG: With 20 turboprop aircraft added to its fleet, Firefly Sdn Bhd has set a higher target of flying two million passengers in 2013.
The short-haul airline operator continues to focus on serving demand for domestic flights, catering especially to the corporate community in both the Government and private sectors.
Chief executive officer Ignatius Ong believes the airline plays an important role in supporting local economic activities.
“Our focus point is short-haul and we are looking at domestic movements which are rapidly growing together with Government agencies and the private sector’s demand for domestic flights,” he said at the send-off of Firefly’s newest aircraft on its maiden commercial flight.
Ong added that Firefly was now looking to increase its frequency to destinations such as Penang and Johor and leisure spots like Langkawi.
He reiterated that the airline was working closely with the private sector to grow the aviation industry’s contribution to Malaysia’s gross domestic product.
“We have announced a new route, a direct flight into Pekanbaru from Johor since we expanded our number of aircraft, but we also want higher frequencies to the existing routes,” he said.
Firefly purchased 20 new-generation ATR72-600 aircraft last year, building on its existing 12 ATR72-500 fleet. The first of the new aircraft was delivered to Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport earlier this week and launched its inaugural flight to Senai International Airport, Johor, yesterday.
The airline expects to take five to six years to complete the delivery of all 20 aircraft in stages. It will receive two in 2013 and three more in 2014.
On listing plans, Ong said “It is not out of our scope, but not at the moment. Never say never but to contemplate that, we would need to strengthen our operations and secure our position first, only then can we review the possibility.”
Firefly has established its base in Peninsular Malaysia, with hubs in Penang, Subang in Selangor, Kota Baru in Kelantan and a pseudo-hub in Johor. As a short-haul airline, it does not fly to Sabah or Sarawak but works closely with parent Malaysia Airlines to connect passengers.
Firefly will not be flying from KLIA2.
Story and Photo: http://www.thestar.com.my
The short-haul airline operator continues to focus on serving demand for domestic flights, catering especially to the corporate community in both the Government and private sectors.
Chief executive officer Ignatius Ong believes the airline plays an important role in supporting local economic activities.
“Our focus point is short-haul and we are looking at domestic movements which are rapidly growing together with Government agencies and the private sector’s demand for domestic flights,” he said at the send-off of Firefly’s newest aircraft on its maiden commercial flight.
Ong added that Firefly was now looking to increase its frequency to destinations such as Penang and Johor and leisure spots like Langkawi.
He reiterated that the airline was working closely with the private sector to grow the aviation industry’s contribution to Malaysia’s gross domestic product.
“We have announced a new route, a direct flight into Pekanbaru from Johor since we expanded our number of aircraft, but we also want higher frequencies to the existing routes,” he said.
Firefly purchased 20 new-generation ATR72-600 aircraft last year, building on its existing 12 ATR72-500 fleet. The first of the new aircraft was delivered to Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport earlier this week and launched its inaugural flight to Senai International Airport, Johor, yesterday.
The airline expects to take five to six years to complete the delivery of all 20 aircraft in stages. It will receive two in 2013 and three more in 2014.
On listing plans, Ong said “It is not out of our scope, but not at the moment. Never say never but to contemplate that, we would need to strengthen our operations and secure our position first, only then can we review the possibility.”
Firefly has established its base in Peninsular Malaysia, with hubs in Penang, Subang in Selangor, Kota Baru in Kelantan and a pseudo-hub in Johor. As a short-haul airline, it does not fly to Sabah or Sarawak but works closely with parent Malaysia Airlines to connect passengers.
Firefly will not be flying from KLIA2.
Story and Photo: http://www.thestar.com.my
Fort Rucker soldier whose body was found Thursday now identified
Fort Rucker is releasing the name of a soldier whose body was found Thursday after a massive search. Darrell R. McNealy, 40, was going through the Warrant Officer Candidate School (WOCS), when he was found dead Thursday morning.
McNealy had been missing since a routine land navigation training event Wednesday. Authorities say he was working toward becomign an air traffic control and air space manager.
Fort Rucker officials say they're deeply saddened by the loss of McNealy, whom they called an outstanding soldier. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family," Fort Rucker said. "A casualty assistance team is currently providing assistance to the family."
McNealy served as a platoon sergeant with 4-58th Airfield Operations Battalion at Camp Humphrey, South Korea, and was training here to become an Air Traffic and Air Space Manager. He held the rank of Sgt. 1st Class before entering WOCS.
After entering the Army in 2001, he served in multiple deployments to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. McNealy previously served at Fort Rucker with B Co., 1-13th Aviation Regiment, 1st Aviation Brigade.
Officials say the warrant officer candidate started a three-hour land navigation course around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday. When McNealy failed to report at the checkpoint, a search party was formed to find him.
Fort Rucker says the search continued throughout the day Wednesday and included all available assets, include use of OH-58 and Apache helicopters. While the search by air was grounded due to bad weather, officials say a team of soldiers, first responders and EMS personnel continued the search by ground.
At 7 p.m. Wednesday, the Houston County Sheriff's Office brought in blood hounds that searched until 10 p.m. The search continued through the night.
At 6:30 a.m. Thursday, officials added more than 100 more soldiers to the search team. Within a little over an hour, the team found the missing soldier's body.
Fort Rucker officials are investigating the incident. The cause of death is currently unknown pending an autopsy, but foul play is not expected.
The U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center, a tenant unit at Fort Rucker has deployed a Centralized Accident Investigation team to lead the inquiry into the Soldier's death.
The CAI team is comprised of experts in safety, maintenance, operations and training. Its mission is to examine the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident and make recommendations to prevent future incidents.
The investigation report will be used within the Department of Defense for incident prevention purposes only.
McNealy leaves behind a wife and children.
Source: http://www.wwntradio.com
McNealy had been missing since a routine land navigation training event Wednesday. Authorities say he was working toward becomign an air traffic control and air space manager.
Fort Rucker officials say they're deeply saddened by the loss of McNealy, whom they called an outstanding soldier. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family," Fort Rucker said. "A casualty assistance team is currently providing assistance to the family."
McNealy served as a platoon sergeant with 4-58th Airfield Operations Battalion at Camp Humphrey, South Korea, and was training here to become an Air Traffic and Air Space Manager. He held the rank of Sgt. 1st Class before entering WOCS.
After entering the Army in 2001, he served in multiple deployments to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. McNealy previously served at Fort Rucker with B Co., 1-13th Aviation Regiment, 1st Aviation Brigade.
Officials say the warrant officer candidate started a three-hour land navigation course around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday. When McNealy failed to report at the checkpoint, a search party was formed to find him.
Fort Rucker says the search continued throughout the day Wednesday and included all available assets, include use of OH-58 and Apache helicopters. While the search by air was grounded due to bad weather, officials say a team of soldiers, first responders and EMS personnel continued the search by ground.
At 7 p.m. Wednesday, the Houston County Sheriff's Office brought in blood hounds that searched until 10 p.m. The search continued through the night.
At 6:30 a.m. Thursday, officials added more than 100 more soldiers to the search team. Within a little over an hour, the team found the missing soldier's body.
Fort Rucker officials are investigating the incident. The cause of death is currently unknown pending an autopsy, but foul play is not expected.
The U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center, a tenant unit at Fort Rucker has deployed a Centralized Accident Investigation team to lead the inquiry into the Soldier's death.
The CAI team is comprised of experts in safety, maintenance, operations and training. Its mission is to examine the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident and make recommendations to prevent future incidents.
The investigation report will be used within the Department of Defense for incident prevention purposes only.
McNealy leaves behind a wife and children.
Source: http://www.wwntradio.com
$2.8m seaplane
Pacific Island Air's new Otter seaplane is quieter, bigger and more comfortable. It was purchased for $US1.5m ($F2.8m).
Geraldine Panapasa
Saturday, July 13, 2013
PACIFIC Island Air's new single turbine Otter seaplane was purchased in the United States for $US1.5million ($F2.82m)
The investment and latest addition to the company's fleet was a boost for the economy in terms of service provided to the tourism sector.
General manager John Ambler said the new De Havilland DHC-3T Otter seaplane allowed them to carry up to 10 passengers plus luggage to resorts that were only accessible by water or helicopter.
"Helicopters become expensive for transfers with longer distances and the Otter operates at a lower cost than the helicopters," he said.
"We are in the process of talking with all resorts that are further afield than the Mamanuca Group to expand their options for guests and cargo transfers and also our business.
"We are able to convert the plane to carry both passengers and cargo thus allowing resorts to have urgent supplies delivered with their guests."
Mr Ambler said the Otter could also be used for medivacs and because of its size could carry several patients and medical staff which the helicopters in the country were unable to do.
"At this stage, we are going through the process of refurbishing our seaplanes and should demand dictate that we increase the size of the fleet, we will do so," he said.
"The single turbine Otter was purchased in the US then sent to Canada to be painted and have floats added to it.
"Adjustments were made to it so that we have the flexibility of carrying passengers and cargo together. The plane had been recently completely overhauled from end to end and installed with a new engine.
"We currently have three seaplanes in the fleet — two DHC-2 Beavers and the DHC-3 Otter.
"One of the Beavers is in Canada being completely refurbished and when it returns, we will send the other Beaver to Canada to go through a complete refurbishment as well."
Mr Ambler said the Otter was able to service most resorts in the Mamanucas, Yasawa, Kadavu and Vanua Levu.
Source: http://www.fijitimes.com
Aerial tours of Shoshone National Forest wilderness areas hosted in Dubois, Wyoming
(Dubois, Wyo.) – The Wyoming Wilderness Association and EcoFlight worked in partnership on Tuesday to host two flights out of Dubois Municipal Airport that afforded area residents and media representatives aerial views of three areas under consideration as “Wilderness” areas in the Shoshone National Forest Draft Management Plan.
In attendance on the first flight were Bruce Gordon (Ecoflight pilot and President), Kim Wilbert (owner Sweetwater Garden in Riverton-longtime hunter/backcountry user of Shoshone, particularly the East Fork area), Clay Fulcher (co-owner Wind River Gear, Dubois-longtime backcountry user of Shoshone), Vic Augustine (Dubois Frontier), June Bonasera (County 10) and Sara Domek (Shoshone Wild Lands Director, Wyoming Wilderness Association).
The flight included aerial tours over three wilderness areas in the Shoshone National Forest including the DuNoir Valley, the East Fork country, and Wood River/Franc’s Peak area. The areas viewed are subjects of the current Shoshone National Forest Plan Revision. Information on public comment regarding letters of support for conservation, development, motorized use and access, and oil and gas leasing and development within wilderness areas was distributed to those on the flight.
EcoFlight was founded in 2002 to provide aerial perspective to conservation work. Their mission is to empower citizens to learn more about the issues that affect their lives and to speak out and participate in the decision making surrounding these issues. EcoFlight flies conservation groups, policy makers, media representatives, concerned citizens and young adults over the Western landscape, so they can see for themselves the impact of man on the natural world, and inspire proactive behavior to protect those landscapes.
The Wyoming Wilderness Association works to protect Wyoming’s public wild lands.
For a link to comments from a May 2013 Shoshone National Forest Cooperator’s meeting regarding the topic and areas flown over, please click here.
Story and Photos: http://county10.com
In attendance on the first flight were Bruce Gordon (Ecoflight pilot and President), Kim Wilbert (owner Sweetwater Garden in Riverton-longtime hunter/backcountry user of Shoshone, particularly the East Fork area), Clay Fulcher (co-owner Wind River Gear, Dubois-longtime backcountry user of Shoshone), Vic Augustine (Dubois Frontier), June Bonasera (County 10) and Sara Domek (Shoshone Wild Lands Director, Wyoming Wilderness Association).
The flight included aerial tours over three wilderness areas in the Shoshone National Forest including the DuNoir Valley, the East Fork country, and Wood River/Franc’s Peak area. The areas viewed are subjects of the current Shoshone National Forest Plan Revision. Information on public comment regarding letters of support for conservation, development, motorized use and access, and oil and gas leasing and development within wilderness areas was distributed to those on the flight.
EcoFlight was founded in 2002 to provide aerial perspective to conservation work. Their mission is to empower citizens to learn more about the issues that affect their lives and to speak out and participate in the decision making surrounding these issues. EcoFlight flies conservation groups, policy makers, media representatives, concerned citizens and young adults over the Western landscape, so they can see for themselves the impact of man on the natural world, and inspire proactive behavior to protect those landscapes.
The Wyoming Wilderness Association works to protect Wyoming’s public wild lands.
For a link to comments from a May 2013 Shoshone National Forest Cooperator’s meeting regarding the topic and areas flown over, please click here.
Story and Photos: http://county10.com
It could be a noisy evening near the Renton Municipal Airport (KRNT), Washington
Work resumes tonight, Friday on the construction of a new, temporary bridge between Boeing and the Renton Municipal Airport and neighbors around the airport may notice a bit of noise.
According to the project's Construction Manager Mark Garrido, there will be some "minor pile driving" at the site to sink in the piles for the temporary bridge.
The will be work done tonight, Saturday and possibly Monday, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Work on the project is limited to daylight hours and therefore must be completed by 10 p.m.
The piles are part of a temporary bridge that will is to be located parallel to the current bridge on the south side and stay in place as the current bridge is demolished and rebuilt.
The current plan, which has been submitted to the city for approval, calls for the majority of the pile driving to be done over two weekends this summer. The airport will be shut down during those days to allow for the pile driving during the day instead of at night.
Garrido said the first weekend is tentatively scheduled for July 20, with the second still to be scheduled.
According to Garrido, the underwater work can only be done in a three-month fish window, which means they hope to complete the temporary bridge and begin the main work this season with the goal of finishing during next year's fish window.
"We're working very hard to stay within the city's sound ordinance and appreciate the citizens' good will and tolerance," Garrido said.
Source: http://www.rentonreporter.com
According to the project's Construction Manager Mark Garrido, there will be some "minor pile driving" at the site to sink in the piles for the temporary bridge.
The will be work done tonight, Saturday and possibly Monday, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Work on the project is limited to daylight hours and therefore must be completed by 10 p.m.
The piles are part of a temporary bridge that will is to be located parallel to the current bridge on the south side and stay in place as the current bridge is demolished and rebuilt.
The current plan, which has been submitted to the city for approval, calls for the majority of the pile driving to be done over two weekends this summer. The airport will be shut down during those days to allow for the pile driving during the day instead of at night.
Garrido said the first weekend is tentatively scheduled for July 20, with the second still to be scheduled.
According to Garrido, the underwater work can only be done in a three-month fish window, which means they hope to complete the temporary bridge and begin the main work this season with the goal of finishing during next year's fish window.
"We're working very hard to stay within the city's sound ordinance and appreciate the citizens' good will and tolerance," Garrido said.
Source: http://www.rentonreporter.com
New fueling system upgrades at Arthur N. Neu Airport (KCIN), Carroll, Iowa
Carroll, Iowa -- By the end of the week the fueling system at Arthur N. Neu Municipal Airport in Carroll will receive an upgrade. Refueling aircraft can done be in two different ways and the old system was rather cumbersome. Don Mensen, who oversees the daily operations at the airport, describes the two different means of refueling.
Previously, the 10,000 gallon underground fuel tank only had one fuel cabinet connected to it. That made it necessary for operators to change out fuel nozzles on a heavy 2” diameter hose required for pressurized fueling. So to refuel over-the-wing meant operators had to wrestle the heavy hose into position on the aircraft and change out nozzles. The new fuel system upgrade will alleviate that problem as Mensen explains.
The system upgrades cost about $12,000 and it was estimated to take about 12 hours to complete. The airport is one of the busiest in western Iowa, but Mensen didn’t foresee any delays which would affect air traffic. The Arthur N. Neu Municipal Airport lands approximately 700 planes per month serving over 8,000 every year.
Article and Audio: http://www.1380kcim.com
Previously, the 10,000 gallon underground fuel tank only had one fuel cabinet connected to it. That made it necessary for operators to change out fuel nozzles on a heavy 2” diameter hose required for pressurized fueling. So to refuel over-the-wing meant operators had to wrestle the heavy hose into position on the aircraft and change out nozzles. The new fuel system upgrade will alleviate that problem as Mensen explains.
The system upgrades cost about $12,000 and it was estimated to take about 12 hours to complete. The airport is one of the busiest in western Iowa, but Mensen didn’t foresee any delays which would affect air traffic. The Arthur N. Neu Municipal Airport lands approximately 700 planes per month serving over 8,000 every year.
Article and Audio: http://www.1380kcim.com
Unregistered amateur-built JDT-1600R airplane: Accident occurred July 06, 2013 in Chesaning, Michigan
NTSB Identification: CEN13LA401
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, July 06, 2013 in Chesaning, MI
Aircraft: JDT 1600R, registration: None
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On July 6, 2013, about 1845 eastern daylight time, an unregistered amateur-built JDT-1600R airplane was destroyed by impact and a post-crash fire near Chesaning, Michigan. The pilot was fatally injured. The aircraft was not registered and was operated by the pilot as personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Howard Nixon Memorial Airport, at an unconfirmed time.
The airplane was a single seat monoplane with a fixed conventional (tail-dragger) landing gear configuration. The airplane was constructed predominately of wood with a fabric covering and was powered by a two-cylinder, two-stroke Rotax engine. The exact engine model could not be determined, but it was determined that it was either a Rotax model 447 or Rotax model 503 engine. The engine had a gear reduction unit which reduced engine crankshaft speed to drive the wood two-blade propeller.
A witness reported seeing the airplane heading north when it banked to the east and then began to spin out of control. He stated to authorities that the engine sounded as if it was "cutting out" as the airplane spun to the ground. The witness stated that the airplane struck the ground and immediately caught fire.
Examination of the airplane revealed that almost the entire fuselage of the airplane had been consumed by fire. The inboard sections of both wings and portions of the tail surfaces also exhibited extensive fire damage.The structure of the tail and both wings was evident and in their proper respective positions relative to each other. All of the airplane's flight control surfaces remained at least partially attached to the airframe. The control system could not be fully examined due to the extensive fire damage but no preimpact anomalies were noted. The engine was examined and it was found that the smaller of the two gears for the propeller gear reduction unit had all of the teeth stripped off. There was a sludge like substance consistent with old oil in the gear reduction case but no liquid resembling oil was found. No maintenance records were found for the airplane.
CHESANING, MI — Daniel Malott was a free spirit who did things his own way, but he also made sure to operate within the law, his brother recalls.
Malott, 57, died from injuries he suffered in a plane crash outside of Chesaning Middle School on July 6.
A memorial service will take place at 4 p.m. Monday, July 15, at Rossell Funeral Home, 307 E. Main in Flushing, with the Rev. Penny Swartz officiating, according to Malott's obituary.
Daniel Malott and brother Ron Malott, 51, went out separately in 2005 and each bought an ultralight aircraft "without even telling each other," Ron Malott said Friday, July 12, nearly a week after his brother's death.
Purchased as a pre-assembled kit sport plane, Daniel Malott modified his aircraft, replacing the Rotax 503 engine with a smaller and lighter Kawasaki engine and removing gas tanks from the plane's wings to make it lighter, Ron Malott said.
With the changes, the aircraft qualified as an ultralight, which requires no license or other requirements to fly, Ron Malott said.
"He called me when he weighed it, and he was right at the limit," Ron Malott said.
Ron Malott flew more frequently, logging about 900 hours over six years and progressing to faster planes, eventually becoming certified to fly slightly heavier sport planes.
Daniel Malott was only interested in flying ultralights, according to his brother, and he estimated Daniel Malott flew less than 150 hours over a six-year period. He few less frequently in the past year, his brother said.
Malott said he learned from investigators that the engine in his brother's plane seized, causing the July 6 crash. Malott said he now questions the modifications made to the plane, but noted his brother wanted to be within the weight requirements.
"He wanted to be legal," Malott said. "It's frustrating. It's bittersweet."
It was tough not knowing the reason his brother crashed during the four-day investigation, Malott said, and knowing now has brought some closure to family members.
Malott said he believes his brother liked the wood construction aircraft because it looked more like a plane. Malott said he did not like to fly the plane himself.
"He'll be missed," Malott said while holding back tears, adding that his brother also was skilled bass player and the two played in a band together.
"He was a talented free spirit," Malott said. "I learned a lot from him, and I think I do a lot myself because of him."
Brother Matt Malott, 53, said Daniel Malott recently completed construction on a home in Albee Township made without using power tools.
"It was more to have a project totally hand-built," he said. "That was kind of the way he rolled."
He also had a home in Otter Lake and often helped other family members with construction projects.
"He was very talented and very resourceful," Matt Mallot said.
Daniel Malott was a skilled motorcycle rider and had about 50 podium finishes at "enduro" races beginning in the 1970s through the late 1990s.
"It's 100 to 150 miles through the woods, and the fastest guy wins," Matt Mallot said.
Matt Malott said his brother took up rally car racing from 2000 to 2005 and did well. Both sports went well with his love for the outdoors and northern Michigan.
Daniel Malott was born in Flint on Sept. 17, 1955, the son of Robert James and Barbara Faye (Massey) Malott, his obituary states.
He retired from the Flint Post Office in 2009 after working for 22 years. Lisa McMullin is described as Malott's soul mate in his obituary.
"It was too abrupt. He was too young," Matt Malott said. "It was an unfinished life I think because he had a lot of future plans with his girlfriend, Lisa."
Ron Malott said he plans to return to flying. While some people might try to find someone else to blame for the crash, Malott said, he and his brother knew the dangers of flying and other sports like rally racing.
"Us Malott boys, we've never been like that," he said. "We've known the risks of rally racing and motorcycles. We knew the dangers of goofing around.
"We don't blame anyone but ourselves. We're accountable for our actions."
Story and Photos: http://www.mlive.com
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, July 06, 2013 in Chesaning, MI
Aircraft: JDT 1600R, registration: None
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On July 6, 2013, about 1845 eastern daylight time, an unregistered amateur-built JDT-1600R airplane was destroyed by impact and a post-crash fire near Chesaning, Michigan. The pilot was fatally injured. The aircraft was not registered and was operated by the pilot as personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Howard Nixon Memorial Airport, at an unconfirmed time.
The airplane was a single seat monoplane with a fixed conventional (tail-dragger) landing gear configuration. The airplane was constructed predominately of wood with a fabric covering and was powered by a two-cylinder, two-stroke Rotax engine. The exact engine model could not be determined, but it was determined that it was either a Rotax model 447 or Rotax model 503 engine. The engine had a gear reduction unit which reduced engine crankshaft speed to drive the wood two-blade propeller.
A witness reported seeing the airplane heading north when it banked to the east and then began to spin out of control. He stated to authorities that the engine sounded as if it was "cutting out" as the airplane spun to the ground. The witness stated that the airplane struck the ground and immediately caught fire.
Examination of the airplane revealed that almost the entire fuselage of the airplane had been consumed by fire. The inboard sections of both wings and portions of the tail surfaces also exhibited extensive fire damage.The structure of the tail and both wings was evident and in their proper respective positions relative to each other. All of the airplane's flight control surfaces remained at least partially attached to the airframe. The control system could not be fully examined due to the extensive fire damage but no preimpact anomalies were noted. The engine was examined and it was found that the smaller of the two gears for the propeller gear reduction unit had all of the teeth stripped off. There was a sludge like substance consistent with old oil in the gear reduction case but no liquid resembling oil was found. No maintenance records were found for the airplane.
CHESANING, MI — Daniel Malott was a free spirit who did things his own way, but he also made sure to operate within the law, his brother recalls.
Malott, 57, died from injuries he suffered in a plane crash outside of Chesaning Middle School on July 6.
A memorial service will take place at 4 p.m. Monday, July 15, at Rossell Funeral Home, 307 E. Main in Flushing, with the Rev. Penny Swartz officiating, according to Malott's obituary.
Daniel Malott and brother Ron Malott, 51, went out separately in 2005 and each bought an ultralight aircraft "without even telling each other," Ron Malott said Friday, July 12, nearly a week after his brother's death.
Purchased as a pre-assembled kit sport plane, Daniel Malott modified his aircraft, replacing the Rotax 503 engine with a smaller and lighter Kawasaki engine and removing gas tanks from the plane's wings to make it lighter, Ron Malott said.
With the changes, the aircraft qualified as an ultralight, which requires no license or other requirements to fly, Ron Malott said.
"He called me when he weighed it, and he was right at the limit," Ron Malott said.
Ron Malott flew more frequently, logging about 900 hours over six years and progressing to faster planes, eventually becoming certified to fly slightly heavier sport planes.
Daniel Malott was only interested in flying ultralights, according to his brother, and he estimated Daniel Malott flew less than 150 hours over a six-year period. He few less frequently in the past year, his brother said.
Malott said he learned from investigators that the engine in his brother's plane seized, causing the July 6 crash. Malott said he now questions the modifications made to the plane, but noted his brother wanted to be within the weight requirements.
"He wanted to be legal," Malott said. "It's frustrating. It's bittersweet."
It was tough not knowing the reason his brother crashed during the four-day investigation, Malott said, and knowing now has brought some closure to family members.
Malott said he believes his brother liked the wood construction aircraft because it looked more like a plane. Malott said he did not like to fly the plane himself.
"He'll be missed," Malott said while holding back tears, adding that his brother also was skilled bass player and the two played in a band together.
"He was a talented free spirit," Malott said. "I learned a lot from him, and I think I do a lot myself because of him."
Brother Matt Malott, 53, said Daniel Malott recently completed construction on a home in Albee Township made without using power tools.
"It was more to have a project totally hand-built," he said. "That was kind of the way he rolled."
He also had a home in Otter Lake and often helped other family members with construction projects.
"He was very talented and very resourceful," Matt Mallot said.
Daniel Malott was a skilled motorcycle rider and had about 50 podium finishes at "enduro" races beginning in the 1970s through the late 1990s.
"It's 100 to 150 miles through the woods, and the fastest guy wins," Matt Mallot said.
Matt Malott said his brother took up rally car racing from 2000 to 2005 and did well. Both sports went well with his love for the outdoors and northern Michigan.
Daniel Malott was born in Flint on Sept. 17, 1955, the son of Robert James and Barbara Faye (Massey) Malott, his obituary states.
He retired from the Flint Post Office in 2009 after working for 22 years. Lisa McMullin is described as Malott's soul mate in his obituary.
"It was too abrupt. He was too young," Matt Malott said. "It was an unfinished life I think because he had a lot of future plans with his girlfriend, Lisa."
Ron Malott said he plans to return to flying. While some people might try to find someone else to blame for the crash, Malott said, he and his brother knew the dangers of flying and other sports like rally racing.
"Us Malott boys, we've never been like that," he said. "We've known the risks of rally racing and motorcycles. We knew the dangers of goofing around.
"We don't blame anyone but ourselves. We're accountable for our actions."
Story and Photos: http://www.mlive.com
Brunner Donald G KITFOX, N104DG: Near Smoketown Airport (S37), Pennsylvania
A small plane that was taking off from Smoketown Airport early Friday afternoon made an emergency landing in a nearby cornfield, but both the pilot and a passenger were not injured.
The plane apparently developed engine problems and the pilot brought the plane down just before it began its climb into the sky, airport manager Mel Glick said.
Several fire departments, including Witmer and Bird-in-Hand, and other emergency units responded to the scene.
The incident happened around 1 p.m.
The pilot and a male passenger, who were not identified, climbed out of the plane safely after the emergency landing, officials said.
"He (the pilot) didn't crash, he just landed in a cornfield. There are no injuries at all," Glick said Friday.
Runways for takeoffs are on the western side of the East Lampeter Township airport, which is at 311 Airport Drive, Smoketown, and witnessess said there is a slight incline that planes must clear to go airborne.
Witnesses speculated that the pilot, seeing the rise in the hill, decided to land the plane in the cornfield rather than try to clear the elevation.
Help us improve: suggestions, corrections, clarifications, added information welcome
Story, Photos, Comments/Reaction: http://lancasteronline.com
http://registry.faa.gov/N104DG
Nightmare of the Dreamliners: Two of Boeing's troubled new 787s break down within an HOUR as one catches fire on stand at Heathrow and another returns to Manchester with 'mechanical problem'
- Boeing 787 Dreamliner on fire at London Heathrow Airport
- Airport temporarily closed the runways for departures and arrivals
- Second Dreamliner forced to return to Manchester one hour later
- Thomson Airways passenger jet experienced 'technical difficulties'
- Dreamliner fleet stranded by Boeing for three months following battery fires
- Boeing shares drop six percent after incident Friday afternoon
A second Boeing 787 Dreamliner has been grounded at Manchester Airport one hour after an Ethiopian Airlines passenger jet caught fire at Heathrow, forcing the airport to close its runways.
A Thomson Airways 787 heading for Florida was forced to return to Manchester at 5.40pm today due to technical issues.
Just one hour earlier, Heathrow came to a standstill after a Dreamliner caught fire on the runway, forcing all arrivals and departures to be temporarily suspended.
A fire crew was sent to a parked Ethiopian Airlines passenger jet at approximately 4.30pm Friday afternoon.
There were no passengers on the plane when the fire broke out and there are no reported injuries, a Heathrow Airport spokesman said.
Footage show the jet parked close to what appears to be an airport terminal, surrounded by several fire trucks and there appeared to be damage to the top of the plane's fuselage.
The Thomson Airways plane, which took off at 12.10 today, was heading to Sanford, Florida when it was forced to return to Manchester Airport.
'Thomson Airways can confirm that flight TOM126 travelling from Manchester to Sanford, Florida experienced a technical issue and the aircraft returned to Manchester Airport, as a precautionary measure,' Thomson Airways, owned by TUI Travel, said in a statement.
Federal Aviation Administration reduces hours for airport tower: Aspen-Pitkin County Airport/Sardy Field (KASE), Colorado
July 11, 2013
Pilots flying into Aspen’s airport during the evening hours will notice a change starting tonight.
The Federal Aviation Administration has reduced the operation hours for Sardy Field’s air-traffic-control tower to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Before today, the hours had been from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Jim Elwood, director of the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, said pilots approaching and departing during the non-tower hours will communicate with an air-traffic controller in Denver.
“There won’t be a person looking out of the glass here physically, but communications will still take place with the aircraft,” Elwood said.
FAA officials could not immediately provide an official reason why the hours are being reduced, but one FAA employee said that his understanding was that the airport simply is not busy enough during that time of night to staff the tower.
Likewise, Elwood said the FAA, through the course of analyzing the aircraft traffic from 8 to 10 p.m., explained that the “number of aircraft coming in was below their criteria.”
In March, the FAA said 149 towers would be closed to shore up sequestration funding cuts of more than $600 million. Two months later, however, Congress approved a bill to keep the towers open. Elwood said it was his understanding that the sequester did not play a part in the FAA’s decision to trim hours at the Aspen airport.
Elwood said the county has asked the FAA for periodic reviews of the new hours. The county was apprised of the change a few weeks ago, Elwood said.
The airport’s curfew is 11 p.m. for arrivals and 10:30 p.m. for departures.
American and United airlines serve the Aspen airport, combining to provide direct flights from Chicago, Denver, Houston and Los Angeles. On Wednesday, the last day under the 15-hour operation of the tower, three commercial arrivals were slated between 8 and 10:34 p.m., and no departures were scheduled after 8 p.m.
Source: http://www.aspentimes.com
Pilots flying into Aspen’s airport during the evening hours will notice a change starting tonight.
The Federal Aviation Administration has reduced the operation hours for Sardy Field’s air-traffic-control tower to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Before today, the hours had been from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Jim Elwood, director of the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, said pilots approaching and departing during the non-tower hours will communicate with an air-traffic controller in Denver.
“There won’t be a person looking out of the glass here physically, but communications will still take place with the aircraft,” Elwood said.
FAA officials could not immediately provide an official reason why the hours are being reduced, but one FAA employee said that his understanding was that the airport simply is not busy enough during that time of night to staff the tower.
Likewise, Elwood said the FAA, through the course of analyzing the aircraft traffic from 8 to 10 p.m., explained that the “number of aircraft coming in was below their criteria.”
In March, the FAA said 149 towers would be closed to shore up sequestration funding cuts of more than $600 million. Two months later, however, Congress approved a bill to keep the towers open. Elwood said it was his understanding that the sequester did not play a part in the FAA’s decision to trim hours at the Aspen airport.
Elwood said the county has asked the FAA for periodic reviews of the new hours. The county was apprised of the change a few weeks ago, Elwood said.
The airport’s curfew is 11 p.m. for arrivals and 10:30 p.m. for departures.
American and United airlines serve the Aspen airport, combining to provide direct flights from Chicago, Denver, Houston and Los Angeles. On Wednesday, the last day under the 15-hour operation of the tower, three commercial arrivals were slated between 8 and 10:34 p.m., and no departures were scheduled after 8 p.m.
Source: http://www.aspentimes.com
Alabama Supreme Court bars lawsuit involving Oklahoma airplane crash, says case is time-barred: Cessna 310Q, N1971W, Accident occurred July 24, 2005 in Ada, Oklahoma
OKLAHOMA
CITY — Alabama's highest court says a lawsuit involving a deadly
Oklahoma airplane crash is time-barred and must be dismissed.
Friday's ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court involves the July 24, 2005, crash of a twin-engine airplane in Ada that killed three members of a prominent Oklahoma family.
Killed were Harland Brent Stonecipher, a pilot for a company then known as Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.; his wife, Tina Lynn Stonecipher, and their 11-year-old daughter Nicole Ann Stonecipher. Harland Stonecipher was the son of Pre-Paid's founder, also named Harland Stonecipher. The company is now known as LegalShield.
Litigation involving the crash has been handled in Alabama, and a lawsuit filed in 2007 was settled. But the Supreme Court says another filed in 2011 is barred by that state's two-year statute of limitations.
NTSB Identification: DFW05FA188.
The docket is stored in the Docket Management System (DMS). Please contact Records Management Division
Accident occurred Sunday, July 24, 2005 in Ada, OK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/26/2007
Aircraft: Cessna 310Q, registration: N1971W
Injuries: 3 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 1,500-hour airline transport rated pilot had just departed a 6,305-foot-long runway when, based on a viewing of security camera footage, a puff of white smoke exiting the back of the right engine shortly after the airplane became airborne. The airplane then began a right turn and flew on a westerly heading at a low altitude before it disappeared behind a tree line. A witness saw the airplane as it was in a right turn toward the north. He thought the airplane was going to land on a closed highway, but the nose of the airplane dropped and the airplane cartwheeled on the grass median west of the road. Examination of the right engine revealed that the crankshaft gear had failed due to a fatigue fracture in one of the teeth. The fatigue emanated from the pressure face of the tooth and intersected another crack emanating from the non-pressure face of the tooth, thereby producing separation of the tooth from the rim. Near the origin, post-fracture damage prevented the ability to determine if the crack initiated in fatigue or if a crack propagated in overstress through the case and then continued propagating through the core in fatigue. Upon completion of the materials examination it was evident that the microstructure of the gear was inadequate and more research into the manufacturing process was required. A review of manufacturing records indicated that approximately 2,400 crankshaft gears were made from the same batch of material as the accident gears, and were heat-treated in two groups. A review of the heat treatment records confirmed that furnace temperatures during the hardening step in each heat-treating process were not high enough to fully austenitize the material. Furthermore, the quantity and orientation of gears loaded in the furnace were greater when compared to other jobs completed for TCM. In addition, initial data from a test load similar to that used in the heat-treating process from the accident serial number gear, indicated that under these conditions, the gears might not have been fully equilibrated at temperature during the hardening step. As a result, TCM manufactured several other gears at different hardnesses and conducted failure testing to see if they could reproduce a similar failure. Even though some of the hardness levels were well below TCM standards, they were unable to produce a similar failure. In addition, there was evidence to suggest that the gear teeth may have been exposed to an excessive load at some point during its operation. The cause of the gear tooth failure could not be determined.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The loss of engine power as a result of a fatigue fracture in one of the crankshaft gear teeth for undetermined reasons. Also causal was the pilot's failure to maintain control of the twin-engine airplane after the power loss, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent collision with terrain.
Friday's ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court involves the July 24, 2005, crash of a twin-engine airplane in Ada that killed three members of a prominent Oklahoma family.
Killed were Harland Brent Stonecipher, a pilot for a company then known as Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.; his wife, Tina Lynn Stonecipher, and their 11-year-old daughter Nicole Ann Stonecipher. Harland Stonecipher was the son of Pre-Paid's founder, also named Harland Stonecipher. The company is now known as LegalShield.
Litigation involving the crash has been handled in Alabama, and a lawsuit filed in 2007 was settled. But the Supreme Court says another filed in 2011 is barred by that state's two-year statute of limitations.
NTSB Identification: DFW05FA188.
The docket is stored in the Docket Management System (DMS). Please contact Records Management Division
Accident occurred Sunday, July 24, 2005 in Ada, OK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/26/2007
Aircraft: Cessna 310Q, registration: N1971W
Injuries: 3 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 1,500-hour airline transport rated pilot had just departed a 6,305-foot-long runway when, based on a viewing of security camera footage, a puff of white smoke exiting the back of the right engine shortly after the airplane became airborne. The airplane then began a right turn and flew on a westerly heading at a low altitude before it disappeared behind a tree line. A witness saw the airplane as it was in a right turn toward the north. He thought the airplane was going to land on a closed highway, but the nose of the airplane dropped and the airplane cartwheeled on the grass median west of the road. Examination of the right engine revealed that the crankshaft gear had failed due to a fatigue fracture in one of the teeth. The fatigue emanated from the pressure face of the tooth and intersected another crack emanating from the non-pressure face of the tooth, thereby producing separation of the tooth from the rim. Near the origin, post-fracture damage prevented the ability to determine if the crack initiated in fatigue or if a crack propagated in overstress through the case and then continued propagating through the core in fatigue. Upon completion of the materials examination it was evident that the microstructure of the gear was inadequate and more research into the manufacturing process was required. A review of manufacturing records indicated that approximately 2,400 crankshaft gears were made from the same batch of material as the accident gears, and were heat-treated in two groups. A review of the heat treatment records confirmed that furnace temperatures during the hardening step in each heat-treating process were not high enough to fully austenitize the material. Furthermore, the quantity and orientation of gears loaded in the furnace were greater when compared to other jobs completed for TCM. In addition, initial data from a test load similar to that used in the heat-treating process from the accident serial number gear, indicated that under these conditions, the gears might not have been fully equilibrated at temperature during the hardening step. As a result, TCM manufactured several other gears at different hardnesses and conducted failure testing to see if they could reproduce a similar failure. Even though some of the hardness levels were well below TCM standards, they were unable to produce a similar failure. In addition, there was evidence to suggest that the gear teeth may have been exposed to an excessive load at some point during its operation. The cause of the gear tooth failure could not be determined.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The loss of engine power as a result of a fatigue fracture in one of the crankshaft gear teeth for undetermined reasons. Also causal was the pilot's failure to maintain control of the twin-engine airplane after the power loss, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent collision with terrain.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner Catches Fire in London: WSJ
Emergency crews responded to a fire aboard an Ethiopian Airlines 787 aircraft at Heathrow Airport in London on Friday afternoon, marking a fresh setback for Boeing Co.'s troubled Dreamliner jet.
The incident comes as Boeing's business has been returning to normal following the global grounding earlier this year of the 787 for problems with its lithium-ion batteries.
An emergency crew surrounds a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, operated by Ethiopian Airlines, which caught fire at Britain's Heathrow airport Friday.
A Heathrow spokesman said the incident involved an internal onboard fire on the aircraft, which was at a remote parking stand with no passengers aboard. Emergency services were called shortly after 4:30 p.m. local time. Arrivals and departures were suspended for just over an hour, and flights resumed shortly before 6 p.m.
"We're aware of the 787 event @HeathrowAirport and have Boeing personnel there. We're working to fully understand and address this," the plane maker said in a statement.
News of the incident quickly took a toll on Boeing shares. Before reaching a 52-week high of $108.13 earlier Friday Boeing stock dropped quickly after news of the fire broke, falling more as much as 7%. The stock finished the session at $101.87, down 4.7%, on the New York Stock Exchange.
The National Transportation Safety Board posted on its Twitter account it is "sending accredited representative to London-Heathrow to assist in investigation of fire aboard Ethiopian Airlines B-787." The U.K. Air Accident Investigation Branch "has sent a team to investigate an incident to a Boeing 787 at Heathrow," according to a message on its Twitter account.
In a separate incident, another 787 aircraft suffered problems Friday when a Thomson Airways flight was grounded because of "technical issues," a spokesman for the airline said. The flight, TOM126, had taken off from U.K.'s Manchester airport and was headed to Sanford, Fla., but had to return to Manchester "as a precautionary measure," the spokesman said.
The aircraft, which can carry some 290 passengers, was at near capacity. There were no injuries and passengers disembarked. Engineers were inspecting the plane, the spokesman said.
The 787 has suffered a spate of smaller technical glitches that have forced airline operators to delay and cancel numerous flights. Those types of issues aren't necessarily uncommon for a new jetliner like the Dreamliner, which first began carrying passengers in 2011. However, a fire aboard an aircraft is a considerably more serious event and is likely to be evaluated separately from the jet's teething issues.
Television footage of Heathrow showed damage to the top of the jet's body near the passenger doors at the rear of the 787. That area of the aircraft houses the crew rest compartment, which sits above the passenger cabin. The 787's twin lithium-ion batteries are installed below the floor in electrical bays near the nose and between the wings of the aircraft, far from the damaged area visible in the footage.
About 40 minutes after the airport's management officially closed both runways, there was still no announcement for passengers, though some travelers were following developments on Twitter and airport TVs. Airlines continued to board passengers, although some airport ground staff said delays were likely. The departure lounge at Terminal 3 was busy, as is typical on a Friday afternoon in the summer. At 6 p.m., the departure boards showed flights were boarding and gates closing as usual with no indication of major delays.
A spokesman for Ethiopian Airlines at its headquarters in Addis Ababa said the airline didn't know yet what caused the fire. "We are investigating the cause with all officials involved, including Boeing and Heathrow," the spokesman said.
Ethiopian was the first airline to reintroduce the 787 in late-April after the jet was grounded for 3½ months by global regulators following twin incidents with its lithium-ion batteries. The airline took delivery of its first 787 back in August 2012, and currently operates four of the long-haul aircraft in its fleet.
During the grounding, Boeing developed a system to contain any potential fire risk of the jet's lithium-ion batteries. The plane maker scrambled to satisfy regulators with the new design to return the jet to service, incorporating a containment box for the battery, as well as a new charger and method of dumping smoke and fumes overboard should a fire occur.
In Washington on Friday, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, which previously approved the battery fixes, said "we are aware of the situation and we're in contact with Boeing as they assess the incident."
The incident comes as Boeing's business has been returning to normal following the global grounding earlier this year of the 787 for problems with its lithium-ion batteries.
An emergency crew surrounds a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, operated by Ethiopian Airlines, which caught fire at Britain's Heathrow airport Friday.
A Heathrow spokesman said the incident involved an internal onboard fire on the aircraft, which was at a remote parking stand with no passengers aboard. Emergency services were called shortly after 4:30 p.m. local time. Arrivals and departures were suspended for just over an hour, and flights resumed shortly before 6 p.m.
"We're aware of the 787 event @HeathrowAirport and have Boeing personnel there. We're working to fully understand and address this," the plane maker said in a statement.
News of the incident quickly took a toll on Boeing shares. Before reaching a 52-week high of $108.13 earlier Friday Boeing stock dropped quickly after news of the fire broke, falling more as much as 7%. The stock finished the session at $101.87, down 4.7%, on the New York Stock Exchange.
The National Transportation Safety Board posted on its Twitter account it is "sending accredited representative to London-Heathrow to assist in investigation of fire aboard Ethiopian Airlines B-787." The U.K. Air Accident Investigation Branch "has sent a team to investigate an incident to a Boeing 787 at Heathrow," according to a message on its Twitter account.
In a separate incident, another 787 aircraft suffered problems Friday when a Thomson Airways flight was grounded because of "technical issues," a spokesman for the airline said. The flight, TOM126, had taken off from U.K.'s Manchester airport and was headed to Sanford, Fla., but had to return to Manchester "as a precautionary measure," the spokesman said.
The aircraft, which can carry some 290 passengers, was at near capacity. There were no injuries and passengers disembarked. Engineers were inspecting the plane, the spokesman said.
The 787 has suffered a spate of smaller technical glitches that have forced airline operators to delay and cancel numerous flights. Those types of issues aren't necessarily uncommon for a new jetliner like the Dreamliner, which first began carrying passengers in 2011. However, a fire aboard an aircraft is a considerably more serious event and is likely to be evaluated separately from the jet's teething issues.
Television footage of Heathrow showed damage to the top of the jet's body near the passenger doors at the rear of the 787. That area of the aircraft houses the crew rest compartment, which sits above the passenger cabin. The 787's twin lithium-ion batteries are installed below the floor in electrical bays near the nose and between the wings of the aircraft, far from the damaged area visible in the footage.
About 40 minutes after the airport's management officially closed both runways, there was still no announcement for passengers, though some travelers were following developments on Twitter and airport TVs. Airlines continued to board passengers, although some airport ground staff said delays were likely. The departure lounge at Terminal 3 was busy, as is typical on a Friday afternoon in the summer. At 6 p.m., the departure boards showed flights were boarding and gates closing as usual with no indication of major delays.
A spokesman for Ethiopian Airlines at its headquarters in Addis Ababa said the airline didn't know yet what caused the fire. "We are investigating the cause with all officials involved, including Boeing and Heathrow," the spokesman said.
Ethiopian was the first airline to reintroduce the 787 in late-April after the jet was grounded for 3½ months by global regulators following twin incidents with its lithium-ion batteries. The airline took delivery of its first 787 back in August 2012, and currently operates four of the long-haul aircraft in its fleet.
During the grounding, Boeing developed a system to contain any potential fire risk of the jet's lithium-ion batteries. The plane maker scrambled to satisfy regulators with the new design to return the jet to service, incorporating a containment box for the battery, as well as a new charger and method of dumping smoke and fumes overboard should a fire occur.
In Washington on Friday, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, which previously approved the battery fixes, said "we are aware of the situation and we're in contact with Boeing as they assess the incident."
Mooney M20D Master, N6615U: Bolton Field Airport (KTZR), Columbus, Ohio
COLUMBUS (Maria Durant/Derek Drake) -- A pilot survived landing his Mooney M20D plane without the landing gear. It happened at around 7:00 p.m. at Bolton Field in Southwest Columbus. The airport was shutdown while firefighters and other emergency personnel lined the runway as the pilot made a "belly" landing. Officials say the pilot's landing gear got stuck in the "up" position, and investigators are working to determine why the gear malfunctioned. Jeff Hazlett, a veteran pilot of over 25 years, was sitting on the runway, awaiting his turn to take-off when the plane came in for the landing. "You're nervous, you got a bunch of gas and metal on concrete can yield sparks, but precision he did a fabulous job. Once you get it on the runway it'll skid and stop," he said of the landing. The pilot was not injured, but was shaken up.
http://registry.faa.gov/N6615U
Vandals wreak more havoc at Pangnirtung Airport, Nunavut, Canada: Helicopter trashed, equipment stolen from plane
Police are asking
for the public’s help in returning the stolen items to the owners.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Pangnirtung RCMP
detachment at 867-473-0123, or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Thieves in Pangnirtung celebrated Nunavut Day this past July 9 by breaking into a Piper Super Cub aircraft parked at the airport and stealing an avionic GPS device and six flares, a source told Nunatsiaq News.
It’s the second aircraft security incident there in less than two weeks.
This past June 28, an intoxicated man threw a large rock at a Bell 206L Longranger helicopter operated by Universal Helicopters of Goose Bay, Labrador, destroying the window.
The chopper had been chartered to carry scientists into Auyittuq National Park, but the work was delayed after a replacement window was flown in to Pangnirtung.
In that incident, police charged a man with mischief over $5,000, and several other charges. He’s scheduled to appear in court in Iqaluit July 16.
In the July 9 incident, the Piper Super Cub’s two pilots were forced to return to Iqaluit to replace the stolen equipment, the RCMP said in a news release.
The two men had been taking their aircraft from Iqaluit to Greenland.
Police have reported no arrests in the July 9 aircraft theft incident.
But they urge the public to come forward with information.
People with information may call the Pangnirtung RCMP detachment at (867) 473-0123 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477.)
Online tips can also be placed at http://www.nwtnutips.com or texted to ‘NWTNUTIPS’ plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES.)
Source: http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca
Thieves in Pangnirtung celebrated Nunavut Day this past July 9 by breaking into a Piper Super Cub aircraft parked at the airport and stealing an avionic GPS device and six flares, a source told Nunatsiaq News.
It’s the second aircraft security incident there in less than two weeks.
This past June 28, an intoxicated man threw a large rock at a Bell 206L Longranger helicopter operated by Universal Helicopters of Goose Bay, Labrador, destroying the window.
The chopper had been chartered to carry scientists into Auyittuq National Park, but the work was delayed after a replacement window was flown in to Pangnirtung.
In that incident, police charged a man with mischief over $5,000, and several other charges. He’s scheduled to appear in court in Iqaluit July 16.
In the July 9 incident, the Piper Super Cub’s two pilots were forced to return to Iqaluit to replace the stolen equipment, the RCMP said in a news release.
The two men had been taking their aircraft from Iqaluit to Greenland.
Police have reported no arrests in the July 9 aircraft theft incident.
But they urge the public to come forward with information.
People with information may call the Pangnirtung RCMP detachment at (867) 473-0123 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477.)
Online tips can also be placed at http://www.nwtnutips.com or texted to ‘NWTNUTIPS’ plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES.)
Source: http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca
Diamond DA40-180, N293DS, Aero Advantage Corporation: Accident occurred July 11, 2013 in Ticlio, Peru
http://registry.faa.gov/N293DS
NTSB Identification: ERA13WA319
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, July 11, 2013 in Ticlio, Peru
Aircraft: DIAMOND DA40-180, registration: N293DS
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. The foreign authority was the source of this information.
On July 11, 2013, about 1610 universal coordinated time (UTC), a Diamond DA40-180, N293DS, registered to Aero Advantage Corporation and operated by a private individual, impacted mountainous terrain while en route to Capitán FAP Leonardo Alvariño Herr Airport (SPRM), San Ramon, Peru. Weather conditions are unknown and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the personal flight from Lib Mandy Metropolitano Airport (SPLX) Lima, Peru, to SPRM. The airplane was destroyed by impact and postcrash fire. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight originated from SPLX about 1540 UTC.
During flight, the pilot was not reporting any en route contact points. The wreckage was found burning in the Ticlio region at 14,500 feet mean sea level.
This investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Peru. Any further information can be obtained from:
Comision de Investigacion de Accidentes de Aviacion (CIAA)
Avenida Jiron Zorritos 1203
Lima 1 Peru Central: 6157800
Telephone: 511.315.7800
This report is for informational purposes only, and contains information released by or obtained for the Government of Peru.
Owner of the Braedt corporation along with surfer, Jose ‘Titi’ de Col, were flying in a small plane that fell and was engulfed in flames near the Central Highway.
Well-known businessman, Walter Braedt and athlete and surfer, José “Titi” de Col were traveling in a small plane when it crashed near Chicla, a district in Huarochiri. The Braedt family founded and formally owned the Braedt corporation, an important cured meat company in Peru.
The small plane was brought into the country, according to officials on May 23rd and was imported from the United States.
The plane accident occurred when they were nearing Ticlio at kilometer 130 of the Central highway.
Luis Rivera Perez, manager of the Aero-navigation and Airports of Corpac reported to El Comercio that the single motor craft left from an aerodrome in San Bartolo with a destination of San Ramón in JunÃn.
In terms of the causes of the accident Perez informed Peru 21 that it could have been a mechanical failure. According to eyewitnesses, the plane engulfed in flames before it fell from the air. The accident was first reported by nearby inhabitants who saw the plane flying suspiciously low in the air, heard an explosion and saw smoke.
No matter the speculations, a full investigation is being made into the accident to determine the exact causes of this unexpected tragedy.
NTSB Identification: ERA13WA319
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, July 11, 2013 in Ticlio, Peru
Aircraft: DIAMOND DA40-180, registration: N293DS
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. The foreign authority was the source of this information.
On July 11, 2013, about 1610 universal coordinated time (UTC), a Diamond DA40-180, N293DS, registered to Aero Advantage Corporation and operated by a private individual, impacted mountainous terrain while en route to Capitán FAP Leonardo Alvariño Herr Airport (SPRM), San Ramon, Peru. Weather conditions are unknown and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the personal flight from Lib Mandy Metropolitano Airport (SPLX) Lima, Peru, to SPRM. The airplane was destroyed by impact and postcrash fire. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight originated from SPLX about 1540 UTC.
During flight, the pilot was not reporting any en route contact points. The wreckage was found burning in the Ticlio region at 14,500 feet mean sea level.
This investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Peru. Any further information can be obtained from:
Comision de Investigacion de Accidentes de Aviacion (CIAA)
Avenida Jiron Zorritos 1203
Lima 1 Peru Central: 6157800
Telephone: 511.315.7800
This report is for informational purposes only, and contains information released by or obtained for the Government of Peru.
Owner of the Braedt corporation along with surfer, Jose ‘Titi’ de Col, were flying in a small plane that fell and was engulfed in flames near the Central Highway.
Well-known businessman, Walter Braedt and athlete and surfer, José “Titi” de Col were traveling in a small plane when it crashed near Chicla, a district in Huarochiri. The Braedt family founded and formally owned the Braedt corporation, an important cured meat company in Peru.
The small plane was brought into the country, according to officials on May 23rd and was imported from the United States.
The plane accident occurred when they were nearing Ticlio at kilometer 130 of the Central highway.
Luis Rivera Perez, manager of the Aero-navigation and Airports of Corpac reported to El Comercio that the single motor craft left from an aerodrome in San Bartolo with a destination of San Ramón in JunÃn.
In terms of the causes of the accident Perez informed Peru 21 that it could have been a mechanical failure. According to eyewitnesses, the plane engulfed in flames before it fell from the air. The accident was first reported by nearby inhabitants who saw the plane flying suspiciously low in the air, heard an explosion and saw smoke.
No matter the speculations, a full investigation is being made into the accident to determine the exact causes of this unexpected tragedy.
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://www.bestinflight.net/#
http://www.bestinflight.net/DocLibrary/Scripts%20N176MA%20110512.pdf
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.
Above, flanked by her daughter Margaret MacCallum, left, and son James MacCallum, right, Carol Schlein listens as speakers share their memories of her late husband, Craig MacCallum, during a memorial in the George Inness Annex.
SOUTH BRUNSWICK – A pancake breakfast has raised more than $4,800 in donations to help the family of Craig MacCallum, who died in a May 31 plane crash in Linden.
The money will also be used to offset medical costs incurred by the family of 19-year-old Timothy Monticchio of Monmouth Junction, a student who was seriously injured in the crash.
With help from local Boy Scouts, Members of the Knights of Columbus St. Cecilia’s Council No. 7046 hosted the June 30 fundraiser in Parish Hall of St. Cecilia’s Church in Monmouth Junction.
“The Council collected over $4,800 in donations from the friends, neighbors, local residents, and complete strangers who took part in the event,” Grand Knight Marc C. Kollar and Deputy Grand Knight Ray Wuertz said in a statement on Friday.
Members of Boy Scout Troop 10 served food during the event.
“They were there in recognition of fellow Scout Tim Monticchio, an Eagle Scout, who in 2011 was named the New Jersey American Legion Scout of the Year for 2011,” the council said.
MacCallum, 58, died after the Diamond DA 20-C1 Eclipse he was piloting crash-landed shortly after taking off from Linden Airport.
Monticchio was taken to a hospital in critical condition and is still recovering from his injuries.
The plane took off just after 1 p.m. Moments later, authorities say, the pilot reported that the aircraft was having trouble gaining altitude. In a desperate attempt to avoid homes and businesses along busy Routes 1&9, he attempted to steer back toward the airstrip before the plane nose-dived, then crashed onto train tracks near the former General Motors property, now a large empty lot across the highway from the airport.
“We are very pleased with the outcome of this event,” said Grand Knight Manny Vitone. “Over 350 people took part by having a tasty meal and donating as they were able to help two families who were impacted by a sudden and tragic accident.”
The council is working on a second event to continue helping the families. A golf outing will be held Monday, Aug. 5 at the Peddie Golf club in Hightstown.
Source: http://www.nj.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://www.bestinflight.net/#
http://www.bestinflight.net/DocLibrary/Scripts%20N176MA%20110512.pdf
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 A. MacCallum
Above, flanked by her daughter Margaret MacCallum, left, and son James MacCallum, right, Carol Schlein listens as speakers share their memories of her late husband, Craig MacCallum, during a memorial in the George Inness Annex.
- See more at: http://www.northjersey.com
SOUTH BRUNSWICK – A pancake breakfast has raised more than $4,800 in donations to help the family of Craig MacCallum, who died in a May 31 plane crash in Linden.
The money will also be used to offset medical costs incurred by the family of 19-year-old Timothy Monticchio of Monmouth Junction, a student who was seriously injured in the crash.
With help from local Boy Scouts, Members of the Knights of Columbus St. Cecilia’s Council No. 7046 hosted the June 30 fundraiser in Parish Hall of St. Cecilia’s Church in Monmouth Junction.
“The Council collected over $4,800 in donations from the friends, neighbors, local residents, and complete strangers who took part in the event,” Grand Knight Marc C. Kollar and Deputy Grand Knight Ray Wuertz said in a statement on Friday.
Members of Boy Scout Troop 10 served food during the event.
“They were there in recognition of fellow Scout Tim Monticchio, an Eagle Scout, who in 2011 was named the New Jersey American Legion Scout of the Year for 2011,” the council said.
MacCallum, 58, died after the Diamond DA 20-C1 Eclipse he was piloting crash-landed shortly after taking off from Linden Airport.
Monticchio was taken to a hospital in critical condition and is still recovering from his injuries.
The plane took off just after 1 p.m. Moments later, authorities say, the pilot reported that the aircraft was having trouble gaining altitude. In a desperate attempt to avoid homes and businesses along busy Routes 1&9, he attempted to steer back toward the airstrip before the plane nose-dived, then crashed onto train tracks near the former General Motors property, now a large empty lot across the highway from the airport.
“We are very pleased with the outcome of this event,” said Grand Knight Manny Vitone. “Over 350 people took part by having a tasty meal and donating as they were able to help two families who were impacted by a sudden and tragic accident.”
The council is working on a second event to continue helping the families. A golf outing will be held Monday, Aug. 5 at the Peddie Golf club in Hightstown.
Source: http://www.nj.com
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