Few limitations for worker who lost arm: Pelican Aviation at Acadiana Regional Airport (KARA), New Iberia, Louisiana

 

Lee Ball / The Daily Iberian 

 Brian Hayes pulls out a fuel line to fill an airplane on Thursday at Pelican Aviation at Acadiana Regional Airport.

Brian Hayes said he remembers laying on the ground as a 4-year-old as his father tried to stop the bleeding where a lawn mower had just sliced into his son’s arm. Hayes said he knew then his hand was gone and he accepted it.

Hayes, 26, originally from Broussard, said his dad was mowing the lawn and Hayes decided he was going to play a game and run in big circles around the zero-turn mower. As the young Hayes came up behind his father, the mower turned, Hayes tripped and the blade sliced through his forearm and tore into his ribs.

“I still remember it like it was yesterday,” he said.

Losing his arm hasn’t done much to slow Hayes down. Instead, he finds himself pushing the limits of what others often think would be possible for him.

“If you tell me I can’t, I’ve got to find out if I can,” Hayes said.

About three months ago, Hayes applied for a job at Pelican Aviation and convinced the supervisor to give him a shot.

“I was skeptical,” flight line and fuel manager Al Landry said. “I said, well, let’s give him a chance.”

Landry said Hayes obviously has to work harder than the average person, but he’s kept up.

“Everything I threw at him, he handled it,” Landry said.

Beau Landry said he’s known Hayes since middle school and Hayes has always been a hard worker.

“When he goes out there, it makes me see anything’s possible,” Beau Landry said. “He motivates me to work harder.”

Hayes said he played football, baseball, soccer and was involved in martial arts for several years.

When it came time to pursue a career path, Hayes said he always preferred “hands-on” jobs. He said he’s worked welding, laying asphalt, landscaping and operating heavy construction equipment.

Still, he said every job is a challenge.

“You’re always trying to figure out what you’re going to do,” he said, “how you’re going to do it.”

Hayes said he’s always been a laid back guy, preferring to keep his adventurous side satisfied by hiking across the country and outfitting a sleeve to attach to his kayak paddle. But Hayes also has a 1-year-old son with another child due in November.

Now he’s thinking long-term.

Hayes said he’d like to begin pursuing his pilot license within the next year and move his family to Alaska where he would like to work as a bush pilot, flying to and from areas that are otherwise inaccessible.

He said he recently acquired an old school bus and will be transforming it into an RV to take the trip.

Building the skills he would need to pilot in extreme conditions and living in remote Alaska would keep him on his toes, which is how it likes it.

“I guess I get bored with slow things,” he said. “I need something to keep me interested.”

Story and Photo: http://www.iberianet.com

Cessna 208B, Guyana registration 8R-AMS, operated by Air Services Limited: Accident occurred July 15, 2013 in Mathews Ridge, Guyana

NTSB Identification: ERA13WA322 
 Nonscheduled 14 CFR Non-U.S., Commercial
Accident occurred Monday, July 15, 2013 in Mathews Ridge, Guyana
Aircraft: CESSNA 208B, registration:
Injuries: 12 Serious,2 Minor.

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

On July 15, 2013, about 1157 coordinated universal time, a Cessna 208B, Guyana registration 8R-AMS, operated by Air Services Limited, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during approach at Matthew's Ridge Airport (SYMR), Matthew's Ridge, Guyana. Eleven of the 14 occupants were seriously injured.

This accident investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from:

Guyana Civil Aviation Authority
Fairlie House
96 Duke Street, Kingston
Georgetown, Guyana
Telephone: (592)-227-1219
Fax: (592)-225-6800
http://www.gcaa-gy.org
Email: dasr@gcaa-gy.org

This report is for informational purposes and contains only information released by the government of Guyana.

Air Services Limited (ASL) on Wednesday praised the emergency medical,security and investigative response to Monday’s crash by of one its aircraft in thick vegetation near the Matthew’s Ridge.

“ASL cannot overstate the quality of the responses from all of the agencies who answered the call for immediate assistance.  From the initial response on the ground by the Police at Matthew’s Ridge to the eventual care in the hospitals in Georgetown, and everything in between, we have been given the highest support and service at every stage and are deeply appreciative,” ASL said in a statement.

The domestic carrier recounted that on Monday, July 15, 2013 a flight chartered by “North West Air Services” and flown by Air Services Ltd (ASL), departed Ogle International Airport  at 7:09am for Mathews-Ridge Airstrip. At approximately 8:15am the Cessna Caravan aircraft  registration 8R-AMS was involved in an accident within a mile from the landing strip.

ASL said it immediately dispatched  Emergency Responders to the scene to assist passengers and crew with efforts  focused on getting the best medical care for those involved  and  we are pleased to have been able to achieve this. 

All 13-persons on board were given initial medical treatment at a triage center at the Matthews Ridge Hospital; 12 were later transferred to other medical facilities in Georgetown.

Although injured, Cpt  Feriel Ally, who has over twenty years of experience ensured that all the passengers disembarked and were accounted for.

Within minutes of the incident, the Matthews Ridge Police Force cordoned off the area, and all involved were taken to the triage center of the  Matthews Ridge Hospital where prompt  medical treatment was delivered  by Doctor Roger  Welch and his Nurses.  Soon after ASL Ogle was updated by Dr Welch on the condition of each patient and based on this information, the patients were then categorized and air transported for further treatment  at GPHC, Balwant  Singh,  Woodlands, and  Mercy Hospitals. This approach was essential in ensuring no one hospital would be overwhelmed by the sudden influx of patients thereby averting any delay in response to the medical needs of each person.

Captain Prem Ramdhani of Trans Guyana Airways, who was co-incidentally on the ground  at Matthew’s Ridge, contacted Captain Ally and flew her and some of the passengers out to Ogle.

Two aircraft were then dispatched from ASL with representatives from  the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA)  as well as the ASL Safety, Quality and Operations Managers. One of these aircraft subsequently brought out the remaining passengers.

Chief Medex Michael Goveia, from the Ministry of Health, and the administrator of Woodlands hospital  ensured the prompt arrival of the ambulances at Ogle   forty  minutes before the aircraft touched down. With this arrangement  all were offloaded from the aircraft into the waiting ambulances.

Captain Ally and all the passengers involved received seamless medical attention throughout and to date, with the exception of Captain Ally and three passengers, all have been discharged.

The Civil Aviation Authority’s investigation is proceeding with the full cooperation of Air Services Limited.

An eyewitness has recalled that several persons had been awaiting the flight at the airstrip  when the aircraft's engine suddenly died . Passengers and residents, she said, immediately raced to an area called Rail End , located some 15 minutes from the airstrip where the plane was seen sitting among the trees  while passengers crawled out of the wrecked aircraft.

Story, Photo, Comments/Reaction:  http://www.caribnewsdesk.com

Cessna 208B, Guyana registration 8R-AMS, operated by Air Services Limited: Accident occurred July 15, 2013 in Mathews Ridge, Guyana

NTSB Identification: ERA13WA322
 Nonscheduled 14 CFR Non-U.S., Commercial
Accident occurred Monday, July 15, 2013 in Mathews Ridge, Guyana
Aircraft: CESSNA 208B, registration:
Injuries: 12 Serious,2 Minor.

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

On July 15, 2013, about 1157 coordinated universal time, a Cessna 208B, Guyana registration 8R-AMS, operated by Air Services Limited, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during approach at Matthew's Ridge Airport (SYMR), Matthew's Ridge, Guyana. Eleven of the 14 occupants were seriously injured.

This accident investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from:

Guyana Civil Aviation Authority
Fairlie House
96 Duke Street, Kingston
Georgetown, Guyana
Telephone: (592)-227-1219
Fax: (592)-225-6800
http://www.gcaa-gy.org
Email: dasr@gcaa-gy.org

This report is for informational purposes and contains only information released by the government of Guyana.


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Former APNU MP Richard Allen has raised concerns about the situation of the victims of the Air Services Limited plane crash which occurred last Monday.

Speaking with Stabroek News yesterday, Allen said that the victims are now stranded in town and that the company is not giving them anything firm. “These people are not from Georgetown, they need to get back home to work. They need to be assured that their welfare will be taken care of.”

Efforts to contact ASL last  …..To continue reading, login or subscribe now.

Source:  http://www.stabroeknews.com

Flying farmer spots his stolen truck

Vehicle Theft Victim Spots His Property While Flying Over Grand Coulee


PRESS RELEASE FROM THE GRANT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE:

GRAND COULEE, Wash. (18JULY2013) - A Quincy-area farmer alerted deputies to the location of his stolen vehicles after he spotted them while flying his private plane.

Kevin Weber of Weber Farms reported his 1997 Peterbilt dump truck and Beall pup trailer missing Thursday morning after they were taken from his farm overnight. The Grant County Sheriff's Office on Thursday publicized Weber's offer of a $2500 reward for information on the stolen vehicles and the person responsible for the theft.

This morning, Weber piloted his private plane in search of the vehicles. He spotted them in a rural area in Lincoln County near Grand Coulee and called Lincoln County Sheriff's Deputies.

Lincoln county deputies, assisted by Grant County deputies, found the stolen dump truck and pup trailer, and also found a utility trailer stolen from Weber Farms. Deputies suspect the owner of the property where the vehicles were found was attempting to dismantle and obscure the stolen property from view.

Kevin Heeb, 30 of Grand Coulee, is lodged in the Lincoln County Jail in Davenport on charges associated with the theft of the vehicles.

The investigation continues.

Story and Comments/Reaction:   http://www.khq.com

Plane wreckage reminds us of what it means to serve our country

ELEPHANT MOUNTAIN - The path leading from the logging road into the 50-year-old crash site of the B-52 bomber that went down outside Greenville on Jan. 24, 1963, is well-worn and well-used, especially by snowmobilers in the winter.

Adopted by the Moosehead Riders Snowmobile Club, who have held memorial services here complete with a color guard and bugle players, the crash site is a living museum, a virtual tour teaching about what it means to serve our country.

For forester Matt Miller of Argyle, his first visit to the crash site was moving and meaningful. Miller grew up in western Massachusetts near Westover Air Force Base -- now Westover Air Reserve Base -- where the bomber departed on a routine low-level training mission before the plane's vertical stabilizer came off and the nine crew members crashed into the side of Elephant Mountain, just outside Greenville.

As a child, Miller would watch the big planes taking off and filling up the sky.

"They made a lot of noise. The were monstrous. I was 4 when the crash happened. They were training a lot during the Cold War era," Miller said.

"You could see four engines and they had many wheels. They could get to a high altitude and they could get down low."

The plane was flying low, just 500 feet from the ground, when the malfunction occurred and it crashed into the hillside, according to an account by the Moosehead Region Chamber of Commerce.

Of nine crew members, just two survived -- the pilot, Lt. Col. Dante Bulli, and the navigator, Capt. Gerald Adler, after ejecting from the plane. Bulli broke his ankle landing in a tree while Adler struck the snow, fracturing his skull and three ribs.

The local snowmobile club came into the woods along with first responders to help the two men get out. And for 50 years since, the local snowmobile riders have adopted the site -- it's on paper company property -- and minded it like land stewards.

"It's a spiritual place, it really is," said Bob Meyers, executive of the Maine Snowmobilers Association.

"Some local people got the idea of preserving it. And they never let it go. The first time I went was in 1998 when they put in that granite monument. Gerry Adler was there. He lost a leg in the crash. It was amazing with over 100 snowmobilers who had traveled up there, folks from the military, ministers. They do a memorial ride every year around the crash date."

On the 30th anniversary of the crash, the Moosehead Riders Snowmobile Club held a ceremony and put up a simple monument to honor the crewmen. They held a similar ceremony this Memorial Day.

The club also has Adler's ejection seat and a salvaged engine in their clubhouse museum.

However, it is in the summer that the full breadth of debris can be seen. It impressed and moved Miller a week ago.

It's just a 400-yard hike to the site, where for more than 100 yards large bits of the plane body, parts of engines and 5-foot-high wheels lie scattered through the woods and in the trees -- a lasting memorial in a living place.

"Souvenir hunters have gone up there. Basically after getting the flight recorder, the government decided to just leave it all up here," Meyers said.

"We put the word out about a year ago for people who had taken stuff to return it, no questions asked, to please help us make the place whole. The next week there was a hatch door at our (Augusta) office."

Story and Photos:    http://www.pressherald.com

Rotor blades of falling helicopter kill two Britons on luxury fishing trip in Russia: A third passenger also died in a Eurocopter crash but the pilot is believed to have survived

Two British tourists have been killed in a helicopter crash in northern Russia, officials confirmed on Sunday.

Two British men in their late 60s were killed while on a luxury fishing trip in Russia on Sunday, when a helicopter they had disembarked from tipped on to its side, hitting them with its rotor blades.

The incident occurred on the Rynda River on the Kola Peninsula, about 100 miles south-east of the city of Murmansk, in the north-west of the country. A third man, their Russian tour guide, was also killed, but the pilot of the helicopter is believed to have survived.

The pair, described as “VIP tourists” by one local news website, were reported to be staying in a nearby luxury camping facility for tourists on fishing trips.

Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry confirmed the crash, saying the private five-seat Eurocopter EC-120 suddenly banked on to its side while trying to take off.

“After the helicopter landed on the ground it tilted on its side and hit its passengers with its rotor blades,” a spokesperson for Russia’s Investigative Committee said. “The pilot was also injured.”

Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported that a spokesman for the local investigative body had blamed human error, saying: “It is most likely that the pilot, who also suffered in the accident, is to be blamed for the crash.”

The Rynda River is popular with wealthy tourists on salmon fishing expeditions. A company called Atlantic Salmon Reserve runs a fishing camp called Rynda Lodge, but nobody there was available for comment on Sunday. Its website features images of a Eurocopter helicopter and lists a “24-hour helicopter call up”.

Chris Clemes, director of a London-based fishing equipment firm, said he had referred customers to Atlantic Salmon Reserve, which he said was one of only two companies offering fishing trips in the region, and the only one on the Rynda River.

“They are very reputable,” he said. “Everyone who has come back has always had great reviews about the staff and the fishing. The river is only open for five months over the summer and June and July are prime season. It attracts a lot of Americans and Britons and a few Russia. It’s high-end and it’s quite expensive to go out there

“The reason they have the helicopters is for conservation: they don’t want people to walk on the banks and damage the tundra. It’s a very remote and is a former military base.”

Source:  http://www.independent.co.uk

Trauma for couple as plane steps blown away at Newcastle Airport - UK

A couple have spoken of their trauma after the stairs they were using to get off a flight detached from the plane in heavy winds.

Colin and Arlene Smith said a gap of at least two feet appeared between the Air France plane and the stairs as they were starting to leave the aircraft.

The pair were stranded on the stairs at Newcastle Airport while a stewardess on the ground put her foot out in a bid to prevent further movement.

A spokeswoman for Newcastle Airport said the incident, which happened in May, was an isolated one.

Swissport, the ground handling agents for airline Air France, carried out an investigation and promised to improve safety in windy conditions.

Colin and Arlene, both 76, of Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne and Wear, were returning from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.

Colin said: “We were sitting at the front of the plane near the doors and were one of the first ones on the steps. As I was leaving I noticed the gap was a bit wider than usual and to my horror I realised it was getting wider. I said to Arlene to grab the rail and keep as tight a hold as she could.

"Then I heard a stewardess shout ‘stop’ to prevent anyone else from getting out of the plane.

“I will admit to being frightened. The gap was big enough to fall into, a couple of feet at least, perhaps a yard, and anyone falling to the ground would have been badly hurt.

“In this age of health and safety a mistake like that shouldn’t happen.” The stairs were secured and the couple continued to disembark slowly following their flight fright.

A spokeswoman for the airport referred inquiries to Swissport

Swissport said an investigation into the locking system of the stairs had been carried out by their health and safety manager.

Following the review they said they were looking to add additional safety features to increase traction while the airport was experiencing high winds.

A spokesman for Swissport said: “Swissport received a customer complaint regarding the disembarkation of passengers from the aircraft, the main concern being movement of the aircraft steps, due to high cross winds. Swissport would like to confirm that all steps, used for passenger disembarkation from aircraft, are constructed to exacting standards and specifically so to take account of cross wind.

“Swissport takes the safety of its customers and colleagues extremely seriously and as a consequence of the incident, the steps were immediately removed from service and the matter was reported to the Swissport Health and Safety Manager for a full investigation.

“Swissport would like to reiterate that it takes safety extremely seriously and that all steps used for disembarkation are tested to the highest standards.”

Air France apologized for the lapse in service. The couple were offered vouchers worth 30 Euros each on another Air France or KLM flight but Colin said the offer was too low.

He said: “This is a derisory offer for a frightening experience. My wife and I are both 76 years old and will be extremely concerned about flying with Air France again.”

No one from the airline was available for comment.

Story and Photo:  http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk

Improve General Aviation Safety - by Member Earl F. Weener, National Transportation Safety Board

 

http://youtu.be/-5TlifhXQ7k

Expansion Under Way: Grant Municipal Airport (KGGF), Nebraska

A new hangar is under construction at the Grant Municipal Airport.

But thanks to FAA funding, more space is only the beginning of new things to come in Perkins County.

Expansion is underway at the Grant Municipal Airport. An additional three-bay box hangar is being constructed south of the two existing hangars that will allow for storage of larger planes and give planes currently stored outside the county by local pilots a new home.

"The hangar project was approved by the council last year and it's going through, we're receiving FAA money for that, so we get a 90 percent match on that, so it's really good for the city of Grant. We're hoping it'll be finished early this fall,” said Grant City Administrator and Airport Manager Dana Harris.

She says the rentals from the expansion will create enough compensation to pay the city's portion of the estimated $471,000 project.

"Pilots are really excited about it, the city's excited about it. It's a good project. Anytime we can get local pilots to store their planes here instead of someplace else, we keep the money in Grant and that's a good thing,” said Harris.

In addition new taxiways are being built under FAA guidance adjacent to the hangar and a new fuel farm will expand services for all planes landing at the airport.

"Hill Enterprises is putting that in for us, again we hope it'll be in the next few weeks and we'll be able to sell jet fuel then as well as regular aviation fuel. Currently we don't jet fuel here and we aren't able to provide fuel to the hospital planes the way we would like to and to anybody else just flying through who might need that, so this is a good addition to the airport," said Harris.

With recent concerns over flight safety, adding the Automated Weather Observing System within the next year will be an advantage to pilots, but the community as well.

"AWOS is basically a weather reporting system. It allows the pilots to understand the conditions on the runway, but it also has a bigger advantage. We're able to take that weather information then and distribute it through the media outlets and people in town can get the actual weather conditions then in Grant, Nebraska," said Harris.

And with so much excitement surrounding everything at the airport, Harris is looking forward to the future.

"We're probably even going to have a fly-in, so put that on your calendars and you can come down and visit us at the Grant Airport,” she said.

Story and Photo:   http://www.knopnews2.com

For sale: University of Nebraska Foundation plane — unless the state snatches it first

For sale: 2002 turboprop airplane, Matterhorn white with toreador red stripes. One owner. 2,934 landings. Excellent condition. $2.15 million.

The University of Nebraska Foundation has put its Beechcraft King Air B200, manufactured in 2001, on the open market because the state’s lease ran out June 30 and the state opted not to sign a new one.

You might remember the controversy during the 2013 legislative session, when the Appropriations Committee first said it would not allow for deficit spending to buy the plane from the foundation, then changed its mind.

Then, when the issue got to the full Legislature, senators said they wanted to hold off on buying the plane and asked for a study to determine the best option for carrying the governor and other state agency personnel across the vast open spaces of Nebraska.

While the Legislature is conducting that study, the foundation offered a new $10,000-a-month lease to the state to continue using the plane, but no money has been set aside in the budget for that, so the plane will sit and wait for a buyer, NU Foundation spokeswoman Dorothy Endacott said.

“They debated it and ultimately have not made a decision,” she said. “We did not want to wait indefinitely, and so we’ve listed it with a broker.

The governor will use the state’s 1982 Piper Cheyenne when needed, as he did when he flew to Kearney recently to announce the location for the state’s new Veteran’s Home.

The foundation gave the state an exclusive opportunity to buy the plane last year, because the state was its biggest user.

Omaha Sen. Bob Krist, an Air Force veteran who is also a pilot, said it was unfortunate the plane now was on the market, because the foundation has taken advantage over the years of its partnership with the state.

“There was an investment from state money that went into the airplane, so I hope that if they do sell the airplane, that some of that money is recouped, in terms of what was spent by the state,” he said.

That amount, according to email from state Budget Administrator Gerry Oligmueller to the legislative fiscal office, is approximately $110,000 credited toward the purchase of the King Air.

Aircraft cost evaluator company Conklin and de Decker has analyzed preliminary information on the King Air and its use and told Krist the study needs to include life cycle costs of the plane and other analyses.

Krist said the evaluator indicated the cost of $2.165 million for the King Air seemed high. It was not based on a fair market value analysis, he said.

And there is missing information, he said, such as historical figures on the average flight passenger load. Knowing that would help the state decide what size airplane it would need.

“That’s something that would be critical to making the decision,” Krist said. “We have not been able to establish that load, nor have we been able to establish … (other) users of the airplane.”

If the state would be the only user, its use in the past few years may or may not make the purchase viable, he said.

In the 2011-12 fiscal year, the King Air was flown nearly 34,000 total miles. The University of Nebraska Foundation flew the greatest percentage of those miles — 57 percent. The governor flew 11,905 miles that year, or 35 percent of the miles flown.

The state-owned 1982 Piper Cheyenne airplane was flown 12,112 miles, with the governor flying 1,914 miles and the University of Nebraska Medical Center flying 2,568 miles. The 1977 Piper Navajo was flown 16,185 miles, mostly by the Department of Roads for aerial photos.

Total miles flown by all three planes that year was about 62,000 miles.

Ronnie Mitchell, Department of Aeronautics director, said 2012-13 flight information on the planes had not yet been compiled.

Krist said he would forward the Conklin evaluation to senators on the Executive Board and recommend that the board go forward with a cost benefit analysis, life cycle cost analysis, and fair market benefit analysis of all the options.

Once that report is done, which could take 45 days, the Executive Board could recommend whether any purchase or lease option should be chosen, what plane would be the best choice for the state and how much money to appropriate, he said.

The cost of the study should be less than $10,000, Krist said.

“When you are investing $3 million of taxpayer funds to buy a new airplane, or even the $2.2 million that the governor wanted to spend on the existing airplane, you owe it to the taxpayers to make sure that that’s the best investment for air travel that can be made,” he said. “That’s being a fiscally conservative state government.”

Krist said the Executive Board should decide soon on whether to proceed with the study.

Other states have had similar debates over the ownership of state airplanes, including Florida, Alaska, South Carolina and Kentucky.

Kansas, on the other hand, recently bought two new 2012 Cessna aircraft for $617,639 each and sold two older planes.

Story and Photo:   http://journalstar.com

Give Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (KAVP) opportunity to take flight

Due to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport's history of spotty service and high fares, many local travelers reflexively look elsewhere when planning their itineraries.

Airport managers are on the mark in urging local travelers to consider the entire picture before booking a flight from another airport.

The airport has installed a cost calculator on its website (www.flyavp.com/costcalculator.html) that estimates the total cost for a local resident who takes a flight from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, as opposed to Lehigh Valley, Newark and Philadelphia. Those airports are favored by Northeast Pennsylvania residents who bypass AVP, according to the local airport's management.

The calculator includes not only comparable fares, but travel time to the other airports along with mileage, tolls and long-term parking costs.

Those factors often equalize the differences between fares, all the more so for travelers who often book hotel rooms near distant airports to more easily make early-morning departures.

There are, of course, many other factors that drive booking decisions. Some travelers prefer direct flights rather than changing planes. Some prefer larger aircraft to the regional jets and commuter aircraft that dominate local service.

But, since overall price is a key consideration in almost all travel, AVP officials are wise to emphasize the total costs when a local fare is higher than one at a competing airport.

Ultimately, successful service breeds more service, and that breeds competition that can bring lower fares.

Sometimes, the local airport won't be able to match fares from Lehigh Valley and the big hubs at New York and Philadelphia. But it's worth taking a look, and assigning a price to a short ride home, through minimal congestion, after a long flight.

Article and Comments/Reaction:  http://thetimes-tribune.com/opinion

Cirrus SR22 GTS, Appendix R Solutions Inc., N223SS: Accident occurred July 20, 2013 in Tappahannock, Virginia

NTSB Identification: ERA13LA328
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, July 20, 2013 in Tappahannock, VA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/25/2015
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N223SS
Injuries: 4 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot reported that the airplane was in cruise flight when he heard a “loud noise” come from the engine, followed by a loss of engine power. The pilot established the airplane’s best glide speed and declared an emergency with air traffic control, and an air traffic controller then provided vectors toward the nearest airport. While approaching the airport, the pilot heard another loud noise come from the engine, and oil then covered the windscreen. The pilot chose to deploy the airplane’s parachute system, and the airplane descended under the canopy until it came to rest among trees. 

Examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft top rear trailing forward counterweight retaining plate was fractured; the counterweight pin and portions of the plate were found in the crankcase and oil sump. The No. 2 connecting rod was fractured, and the crankcase exhibited significant damage concentrated at the No. 2 cylinder. A material analysis of the fractured counterweight pin revealed failure signatures consistent with overload. The hardness of the plate met manufacturer specifications, and microstructure analysis of the plate appeared normal.

About 4 years before the accident, the engine manufacturer issued a critical service bulletin (SB) “to inform operators of the possible long term effects of low engine RPM in cruise conditions.” Models affected included the accident engine make and model. The SB described two instances of sudden engine stoppage as a result of a crankshaft counterweight release. These instances were found to have been associated with engine operation at a sustained cruise rpm of less than 2,300 rpm. As a result, the manufacturer recommended that engine cruise rpm settings be no lower than 2,300 rpm. Although the engine operating manual cautioned that the minimum cruise rpm setting was 2,300 rpm, the airplane manufacturer did not include this information in the Pilot’s Operating Handbook. A review of recorded data from the accident airplane revealed that nine flights were flown in the 6 months before the accident and that, during these flights, the accident airplane was operated at or below 2,300 rpm for 20 minutes or longer. However, the investigation could not determine if the top rear trailing forward counterweight retaining plate failed due to these operations.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
A failure of the engine crankshaft top rear trailing forward counterweight retaining plate, which resulted in a total loss of engine power. The reason for the retaining plate’s failure could not be determined during postaccident examination.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On July 20, 2013, at 2003 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SR22, N223SS, was substantially damaged during impact with trees and terrain after the pilot deployed the airplane's airframe parachute following a total loss of engine power near Tappahannock, Virginia. The private pilot and three passengers were not injured. The personal flight departed from Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport (SBY), Salisbury, Maryland, about 1930, and was destined for Hanover County Municipal Airport (OFP), Hanover, Virginia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The pilot reported that the airplane was in cruise flight at 6,000 feet about 4 miles from Tappahannock-Essex County Airport (XSA), when he heard a "loud noise" from the engine, followed by a loss of engine power. The pilot established the airplane's best glide speed and declared an emergency with air traffic control, who provided vectors toward XSA. Approaching the airport, the pilot heard another loud noise from the engine, and the windscreen became covered with oil. The pilot stated that at this time, the airplane's glide capability "seemed to be significantly reduced," and his visibility through the windscreen was worsening. At an altitude of about 1,000 feet, the pilot elected to deploy the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). The CAPS deployed successfully and the airplane descended under canopy until it came to rest among trees. The pilot and passengers egressed the airplane and were subsequently met by first responders.

Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to both wings. The engine cowling was removed, and oil was found throughout the engine compartment. The engine oil dipstick was in place and secure, and when removed, revealed that 3 quarts of oil remained in the crankcase. A visual examination of the engine revealed that the #2 connecting rod had breached the crankcase, and was located on top of the engine along with the piston pin and pieces of the crankcase. The engine was sent to the manufacturer for further examination.

The 2015 recorded weather at XSA, located about 2 miles north of the accident site, included wind from 170 degrees at 5 knots, 10 miles visibility, sky clear, temperature 28 degrees C, dew point 24 degrees C, and a barometric altimeter setting of 29.87 inches of mercury.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third class medical certificate was issued on October 5, 2011. The pilot reported a total of 2,130 total hours of flight experience, of which 1,270 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was manufactured in 2006, and was powered by a Continental Motors Inc., IO-550-N, 310-horsepower reciprocating engine. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on March 4, 2013, at a total airframe and engine time in service of 1,598 hours. At the time of the accident, the airframe and engine had both accumulated 1,664.3 total hours in service. The engine manufacturer's recommended time between overhaul was 2,000 hours.

The airplane was equipped with Avidyne primary flight display (PFD) and multifunction flight display (MFD) units. The MFD unit displayed the aircraft checklist, terrain/map information, approach chart information, and comprehensive engine monitoring and performance data. Data was logged and stored on a compact flash (CF) memory card located in a slot on the side of the unit. The memory card was removed and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for download.

The PFD unit included a solid-state air data and attitude heading reference system (ADAHRS) and displayed aircraft flight data including altitude, airspeed, attitude, vertical speed, and heading. The PFD unit had external pitot and static port inputs for altitude, airspeed, and vertical speed information. Each PFD contained two flash memory devices mounted on a riser card. The flash memory stored information used by the unit to generate the various PFD displays. Additionally, the PFD had a data logging function which is used by the manufacturer for maintenance and diagnostics. The PFD unit was removed from the airplane and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for download.

Electronic Devices

The PFD contained recorded events from June 19, 2013 to July 20, 2013. The accident flight was identified by the recorded date and time stamp from July 20 at 23:15:36 UTC (19:15:36 EDT) to 00:04:06 UTC the next day (20:04:06 EDT) over the span of 480 data points. The MFD memory card contained 69 recorded events from December 5, 2012 to July 20, 2013. The accident event was identified by the recorded date and time stamp from July 20 at 23:15:36 UTC to 00:04:06 UTC of the next day over the span of 480 data points.

The data showed the airplane taking off at 19:28:00 and climbing to an average pressure altitude of 8,000 feet. The airplane continued in cruise flight with a fuel flow of about 13 gallons per hour until 19:59:46, when the engine rpm and exhaust gas temperature (EGT) indications dropped to zero. During this time, oil pressure indications dropped from 40 to 33 psi. The airplane subsequently began experiencing increasingly divergent dynamic oscillation in its lateral axis until the end of the flight. At 20:02:00, the airplane's navigational waypoint was changed to XSA. At 20:03:41 and about 500 feet pressure altitude, the airplane pitched nose-down and rolled right, consistent with a CAPS deployment. At 20:03:49, the airplane's accelerations simultaneously spiked, consistent with impact.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Engine Examination

The engine was examined at the manufacturer's facility on February 20, 2014. Examination of the cylinders revealed normal operating signatures and combustions deposits. The intake and exhaust valve faces and seats exhibited full seat contact signatures, and the intake and exhaust valve guides exhibited normal wear and operating signatures. The intake and exhaust rocker arms and shafts also exhibited normal operating signatures. All piston heads exhibited normal combustion deposits. The #1, 2, 3, and 4 piston skirts exhibited mechanical damage.

The crankshaft and counterweight assembly was mechanically damaged. The connecting rod journals, main journals, and thrust surfaces were mechanically damaged and showed no signs of abnormal wear or inadequate lubrication. The crankshaft counterweight pins, plates, and snap-rings were intact with the exception of the top rear trailing forward side counterweight plate, which was broken, with the pin and portions of the plate located in the oil sump and crankcase. The rear counterweights were mechanically damaged. The front set of counterweights were undamaged and had free and unrestricted movement on the hanger blades. The gear bolts were tight, safetied, and the gear teeth were undamaged.

The #2 connecting rod exhibited significant mechanical damage and was fractured through at the base of the I-beam. Fragments of the connecting rod cap exhibited mechanical damage, and fragments of connecting rod bolts and nuts were fractured through and exhibited mechanical damage and overload signatures.

The crankcase exhibited exterior damage concentrated at the #2 cylinder. Cylinder bays #1, 2, 3, and 4 were mechanically damaged, with portions of the crankcase missing above the #2 cylinder. The main bearing support mating surfaces were intact and exhibited no signs of fretting or bearing tank lock-slot elongation. The main bearing support diameters were intact and exhibited no signs of bearing movement or rotation. The oil galleys and passages in the left and right crankcase halves were intact, clear, and unrestricted.

A material analysis of the fractured counterweight pin revealed failure signatures consistent with overload. The hardness of the plate met manufacturer specifications, and microstructure analysis of the plate appeared normal.

Service Bulletin Information

On September 25, 2009, the engine manufacturer issued critical service bulletin CSB09-11, Minimum Cruise RPM Limits, "to inform operators of the possible long term effects of low engine RPM in cruise conditions." Models affected included the accident engine make and model. The service bulletin described two instances of sudden engine stoppage as a result of a crankshaft counterweight release. These instances were found to have been associated with engine operation at sustained cruise rpm of less than 2,300 rpm. As a result, the manufacturer recommended that engine cruise rpm settings be no lower than 2,300 rpm. The engine manufacturer's installation and operation manual also stated, "CAUTION: Minimum cruise RPM for this engine series is 2300 RPM."

Review of the recorded PFD and MFD data revealed 9 local area maneuvering flights in the 6 months prior to the accident, during which the accident airplane was operated at or below 2,300 rpm for durations of 20 minutes or longer.

http://registry.faa.gov/N223SS

NTSB Identification: ERA13LA328
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, July 20, 2013 in Tappahannock, VA
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N223SS
Injuries: 4 Uninjured.

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 20, 2013, about 2010 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SR22, N223SS, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged after it deployed its Cirrus Airplane Parachute System (CAPS) and impacted trees and terrain near Tappahannock, Virginia. The private pilot and three passengers were not injured. The flight departed from Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport (SBY), Salisbury, Maryland, about 1930 and was destined to Hanover County Municipal Airport (OFP), Hanover, Virginia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the pilot, the airplane was in cruise flight at 6,000 feet mean sea level when he heard a loud bang, followed by vibrations and an immediate loss of engine power. He declared an emergency with air traffic control and turned towards Tappahannock-Essex County Airport (XSA), Tappahannock, Virginia, to attempt an emergency landing. Four miles from XSA, he heard another loud bang and the windscreen became covered with oil. About 2 miles south of XSA, the pilot elected to deploy the CAPS and the airplane subsequently descended via parachute into trees and terrain.

An Avidyne primary flight display unit and a multifunction display memory card were recovered from the cockpit and forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for data download.

Postaccident examination by a NTSB investigator revealed substantial damage to the left wing and right aileron. The wreckage was retained for further examination.




ESSEX COUNTY, Va - Virginia State Police is continuing its investigating following a plane crash in the 500 block of Rollins Lane in Essex County.

At approximately 8:13 p.m. July 20, state police were called to the scene after the pilot experienced an engine failure and was attempting to land at the Tappahannock-Essex County Airport.  The pilot was not able to make it to the airport and deployed an airport parachute before crashing into several trees.

There were four adult males on board who were traveling from Salisbury, Md en-route to the Hanover County Municipal Airport in Virginia at the time of the crash.  There were no injuries reported.

The pilot was operating a 2006 Cirrus SR22 single-engine fixed wing plane.

The FAA and the NTSB were contacted and are assisting with the on-going investigation.

Pilot:  Paul B. Boulden, 54, 9000 block Studley Farms Drive, Mechanicsville, Va.

Passengers:  54 year-old male, Richmond, Va., 54 year-old male, Centerville, Va., 54 year-old male, Glen Allen, Va. 

TAPPAHANNOCK-ESSEX VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

 Crews worked at the site of a small plane crash in Essex County.

TAPPAHANNOCK — A single-engine plane crashed Saturday night in Essex County but four men aboard escaped without injuries after the pilot deployed an emergency parachute, officials said. 

Virginia State Police were called to the scene about 8:13 p.m. after the plane experienced an engine problem and crashed into several trees off Rollins Lane near Tappahannock.

The men had traveled to Salisbury, Md., for the day and were returning to Hanover County Airport when the airplane, a 2006 Cirrus SR22, lost power at about 6,000 feet, state police and local fire officials said.

The pilot was able to contact local emergency personnel and deploy an emergency parachute system on the plane that slowed its descent. All four men were able to exit the aircraft after it crashed, said Corey Beazley, deputy chief of the Tappahannock-Essex Volunteer Fire Department, which responded to the scene along with other authorities.

The Federal Aviation Administration was contacted, and an investigation by the state police was continuing.

Story and Photo:  http://www.timesdispatch.com


ESSEX COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) – The Virginia State Police are investigating a plane crash in Essex County. 

Police were called to the scene just before 8:15 p.m. Saturday after the pilot experienced an engine problem and crashed into several trees off of Rollins Lane.

The Tappahannock-Essex Volunteer Fire Department said the four people that were on board were flying back to Hanover County Airport from Salisbury, Md.  They were diverted to Tappahannock-Essex County Airport after the plane lost power at 6,000 feet, but the plane  did not make it back to the airport.

Instead, we were told they deployed a parachute and the plane crash landed in the woods. No one was injured in this crash.

The names of the four passengers have yet to be released. According to the Federal Aviation Administration website, the plane was last registered to Appendix R Solutions (ARS). Based in Innsbrook, ARS provides fire protection engineering services to nuclear power plants, according to the company’s website.

Story, Photos, Comments/Reaction:   http://wtvr.com

Story and Video:   http://www.nbc12.com

Saudi Arabian Airlines defends no-Israelis rule

Since Israel and Saudi Arabia have no diplomatic relations, national air carrier cannot accept Israeli passport holders, director says


The director of Saudi Arabian Airlines defended the company’s anti-Israeli policy on Friday, after a report surfaced in the US last week that the state-owned carrier refuses to sell tickets to Israelis.

Israel and Saudi Arabia do not have diplomatic relations, Saudi Arabian Airlines general director Khalid al-Melhem told Saudi paper al-Watan, and therefore Israeli citizens are not allowed into Saudi Arabia.

This also applies to passengers in transit, he added. In the case of a delayed plane, an Israeli passenger would have to enter the country, which would be nearly impossible, he said.

Al-Melhem’s comments came after a July 15 New York Post report on New York City Public Advocate and mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio, who had a staff member cold-call Saudi Arabian Airlines and attempt to buy a ticket from New York to India while posing as an Israeli.

According to de Blasio, the airline’s on-line ticket service does not have an option for “Israel” when a customer is asked to choose nationality during the purchase process.

During the phone call, the airline said that it couldn’t sell a ticket to an Israeli passport holder and asked the caller if he had an additional passport from another country, but when the caller said he didn’t, the agent replied that “since you have Israeli nationality, you will not be allowed to go on Saudi Airlines.”

“No city in the world has closer ties to Israel than we do, and yet Israeli citizens are being discriminated against right here at JFK. It’s not only illegal; it’s an affront to who we are,” de Blasio told the Post.

“We won’t stop with just exposing these practices. We’ll pursue this with authorities in Albany and in Washington until Israeli nationals’ rights are respected,” he said.

De Blasio sent a letter to Al-Melhem demanding that the carrier start allowing Israeli passengers, in compliance with international regulations, or he “will act to make sure they’re excluded from United States airports, starting with JFK,” according to an Al-Arabiya report.

According to federal law cited by the New York Post, an “air carrier or foreign air carrier” operating in the US “may not subject a person in air transportation to discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex or ancestry.”

Story and Comments/Reaction:   http://www.timesofisrael.com

Three injured as plane overruns runway in Japan's Hyogo

OSAKA, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Three people were injured after a small plane overran the runway at a local airport in the western Japanese prefecture of Hyogo on Sunday afternoon, according to the country's public broadcaster NHK.

The accident happened at Tajima Airport at around 1 p.m. local time when the aircraft shot out of the end of the runway and fell down a slope adjacent to the airport site, the report said.

The report cited local rescue officials as saying that three people in their 60s and 70s aboard the plane were injured and admitted to hospital.

The airport has been closed after the accident.

Source:  http://www.shanghaidaily.com

Airport owner upset over storm water fees: Earl L. Small Jr. Field/Stockmar (20GA), Villa Rica, Georgia

The manager of Stockmar Airport, a colorful part of the Villa Rica landscape for decades, is fighting Douglas County’s water authority over storm water runoff fees, which are tacked onto water bills for all of the agency’s customers.

Homes in Douglas County are charged a flat fee of $4 a month for storm water, but businesses pay $4 for every 2,543 square feet of surface, the median size of a home in the county. For a property as big as the Stockmar Airport, that means nearly $5,400 a year in storm water fees alone.

Marshall Small, whose family owns the airport, thinks that’s way too much.

“The people at WSA are comparing me to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport,” said Small, who recently took over managing the business. “It’s a different ballpark. ... My whole argument is that none of my stuff drains into their system. I have four retention ponds. I’m being billed based on the fact that it’s a paved surface. If I shut down the whole business and called it a private residence I’d only pay $4 a month instead of what I’m paying.”

The ponds on the property sit next to the runway, and Small said they are hardly ever full.

The Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority (WSA) has collected the storm water fees for about a decade. Some other counties, such as DeKalb and Clayton, also have storm water runoff programs.

Villa Rica has looked at charging a similar fee, but thus far hasn’t done so. That means that Villa Rica homes and businesses, including those in Douglas County, are exempt from the fee.

But the airport lies just outside the city limits and in Douglas County.

Stockmar Airport has about two shopping centers worth of asphalt in the form of a nearly mile-long runway and parking lots, but Small said it generates much less revenue than would come from something like a strip mall.

“I’m just a private individual,” he said.

WSA officials say the fees are needed.

Gil Shearouse will become executive director of WSA next summer after longtime director Pete Frost steps down. He said Small does get around a 30 percent discount for his four retention ponds, but at the end of the day WSA still deals with water from his property.

“The fact that he has ponds isn’t different from any other development in our jurisdiction,” he said. “He contends that all water never leaves those ponds. I’ve not investigated it, but I would doubt that’s the case. I’ve not seen any ponds in our jurisdiction that don’t discharge.”

Small isn’t merely opposed to the fees. He says there is evidence WSA collected them before they had legal permission to do so, and is looking into a legal challenge.

“(WSA) is hoping I’ll shut up and go away,” said Small, who has spoken to the authority’s board about the issue.

One of Small’s recent water bills had a charge of $7.31 for water and $489.76 for storm water. The fees are designed to pay for repairs to bridges and culverts in the county. Shearouse said the airport is being charged the same way any other business would be.

“He’s treated like any other nonresidential entity,” said Shearouse. “He gets charged per square foot of impervious area. ... He’s treated no differently than the school system, Douglas County, city of Douglasville or any other entities. Residents are charged $4 a month, period, because they’re residential.”

Legally, storm water runoff charges are a fee and not a tax. Because of this, churches, schools and government buildings aren’t exempt and must also pay.

Small’s father bought the property in 2000 after the death of Dodgie Stockmar. His son said the airport was closed by the government for two years shortly thereafter.

“They made him install these retention ponds to deal with storm water runoff,” said Small.

Source:  http://www.times-georgian.com