Thursday, January 09, 2014

Cirrus SR-22, Cirrus Design Corporation, N7YT, accident occurred January 25, 2015 in Hilo, Hawaii • Cirrus SR22, N450TX, accident occurred January 04, 2014 in Buckhannon, West Virginia • Cirrus SR22 GTS G3 Turbo, Nylund Imports Inc., N903SR, accident occurred January 09, 2014 in Pocatello, Idaho

National Transportation Safety Board - Aviation Accident Final Report: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf 

Docket And Docket Items  -  National Transportation Safety Board: http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms


Aviation Accident Data Summary  -  National Transportation Safety Board:   http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf


Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

National Transportation Safety Board  -  Docket And Docket Items: http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

Aviation Accident Data Summary -  National Transportation Safety Board: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

NTSB Identification: WPR15LA089 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, January 25, 2015 in Maui, HI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 07/13/2015
Aircraft: CIRRUS SR22 - NO SERIES, registration: N7YT
Injuries: 1 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, during the transpacific flight, he was unable to transfer fuel from the aft auxiliary fuel tank to the main fuel tanks. Despite multiple attempts to troubleshoot the fuel system issue, he was unable to correct the situation. After transferring fuel from the forward auxiliary fuel tank to both main fuel tanks, he estimated that there was only enough fuel in the main tanks to reach within about 200 miles of land, so he decided to divert to a nearby cruise ship. Once the airplane was in the immediate vicinity of the cruise ship, the pilot activated the airplane’s parachute system, the parachute deployed, and the airplane descended under the canopy into the ocean. The pilot immediately exited the airplane and inflated an emergency life raft; he was recovered from the water a short time later. The airplane subsequently became submerged in the water and was not recovered. The reason for the pilot’s inability to transfer fuel from the aft auxiliary fuel tank to the main fuel tanks could not be determined. 

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s inability to transfer fuel from the aft auxiliary fuel tank to the main fuel tanks for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane was ditched and not recovered.

On January 25, 2015, about 1644 Hawaiian standard time, a Cirrus Design Corporation SR22, N7YT, ditched into the waters of the Pacific Ocean about 230 miles east of Maui, Hawaii. The airplane was registered to Cirrus Design Corporation, Duluth, Minnesota, and operated by The Flight Academy, Kirkland, Washington, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the repositioning flight. The cross-country flight originated from Tracy, California, about 0530, with an intended destination of Maui.

In a written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported that the flight was uneventful, and a previous fuel transfer from the front and aft auxiliary fuel tanks was successful as the flight was about 200 miles offshore. However, as the flight passed the BILLO intersection, the pilot opened the valves to transfer fuel from the aft auxiliary fuel tank to the right wing fuel tank and did not observe any fuel flow. Upon verifying that the pressure line was open, he closed the valve to the aft tank and opened the valve for the forward auxiliary fuel tank, and observed that fuel immediately began flowing to the right wing fuel tank.

The pilot further stated that as he was well past the half-way point to Hawaii, he performed various maneuvers in an attempt to get fuel to flow from the aft auxiliary fuel tank to either the left or right main wing fuel tanks with no success. The pilot utilized a satellite phone and obtained further troubleshooting assistance from company personnel. After transferring fuel from the forward auxiliary fuel tank to both left and right wing fuel tanks, he estimated that he had about enough fuel onboard to be about 200 miles short of Hawaii.

The pilot stated that numerous attempts to transfer fuel from the aft auxiliary fuel tank to the main fuel tanks were unsuccessful, and siphoning fuel from the aft auxiliary to the forward auxiliary fuel tank was partially successful, however, eventually fuel would not transfer into either wing fuel tank.

While in contact with the United States Coast Guard, the pilot made the decision that he would eventually have to deploy the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). The pilot was informed of a cruise ship near his location, and subsequently diverted towards that location. He further reported that once he was in the immediate vicinity of the cruise ship, he activated the CAPS and the parachute deployed. The airplane descended under the canopy into the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The pilot stated that he immediately exited the airplane and inflated an emergency life raft; he was extracted from the water a short time later.

The airplane became submerged within the water shortly thereafter. At the time of this report, there is no intention of recovering the wreckage.

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Honolulu FSDO-13

CIRRUS DESIGN CORP:  http://registry.faa.gov/N7YT

NTSB Identification: WPR15LA089
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, January 25, 2015 in Maui, HI
Aircraft: CIRRUS SR22 - NO SERIES, registration: N7YT
Injuries: 1 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 January 25, 2015, about 1644 Hawaiian standard time, a Cirrus Design Corporation SR22, N7YT, ditched into the waters of the Pacific Ocean about 230 miles east of Maui, Hawaii. The airplane was registered to Cirrus Design Corporation, Duluth, Minnesota, and operated by The Flight Academy, Kirkland, Washington, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the repositioning flight. The cross-country flight originated from Tracy, California, about 0530, with an intended destination of Maui. 

During a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported that the flight was uneventful and a previous fuel transfer from the front and aft auxiliary fuel tanks was successful. However, as the airplane was about 900 miles from Hawaii, he was unable to transfer fuel from the aft auxiliary fuel tank. The pilot stated that numerous attempts to transfer fuel to the main fuel tanks were unsuccessful, and while in contact with the United States Coast Guard, he made the decision to deploy the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). The pilot was informed of a cruise ship near his location and diverted towards their location. He further reported that once he was in the immediate vicinity of the cruise ship, he activated the CAPS and the parachute deployed. The airplane descended under canopy into the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The pilot stated that he immediately exited the airplane and inflated an emergency life raft and was extracted from the water about 30 to 40 minutes later. 

The airplane became submerged within the water shortly after the pilot egress. At this time, there is no intention to recover the aircraft.    

MEDIA RELEASE

HONOLULU – The Coast Guard is responding to a distress call from a single engine aircraft running out of fuel approximately 975 miles north of the Big Island Sunday.

At 12:30 p.m. the pilot contacted the Hawaii National Guard and reported his aircraft had approximately three hours of fuel remaining and he would be ditching 230 miles north east of Maui.

The Coast Guard has launched crews aboard an HC-130 Hercules airplane and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Barbers Point.

As of 2:35 p.m. the aircraft was 529 miles north east of the Big Island.

The Hercules is expected to rendezvous with the plane around 3:20 p.m.

Pilots explain what happened when planes went down off Maui, Oahu

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board will be traveling to Hawaii to find out what exactly happened when two planes went down in a span of a few hours Sunday.

Both were reported to have run out of fuel.

The first happened at 4:44 p.m. off Maui. The pilot, who was flying in from Tracy, Calif., ditched the plane and managed to get out on his own. He was picked up by a cruise ship en route to Lahaina.

Then, just after 6 p.m., a distress call was made by the pilot of a Cessna 172 flying from Kauai to Oahu. About 10 minutes later, his plane disappeared from radar and lost communication.

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter located the plane about 11 miles off Oahu. All four people on board, including a one-year-old girl, were rescued and taken to the hospital in stable condition.

Experts KHON2 spoke with are scratching their heads as to why a plane going from Kauai to Oahu would run out of fuel, but they’re also praising the pilot for getting everybody out of the plane safely.

Hugs of relief were evident from passengers who just survived what must have been a terrifying ordeal. Three adults and a toddler had to be hoisted up to a Coast Guard helicopter after their single-engine Cessna was ditched in the ocean.

The aircraft’s owner, Reggie Perry, runs Barbers Point Flight School. He has nothing but high praise for the pilot.

“The fact that he was able to keep it all together, land the airplane and pull it off, where the plane never came apart and no one got hurt, that in itself was a miracle,” he said.

Perry says the pilot rented the plane and had flown from Kalaeloa to Kauai earlier that day. He says the pilot had learned to fly from his school and had only been doing so for about a year.

Pilot Clyde Kawasaki knows how hard it is to land a plane safely in the rough seas. He had to ditch his plane in the ocean over a year ago because of engine trouble, but he can’t understand why a plane ran out of fuel.

“You always try to make the flight as comfortable as possible for them and one of the ways you do that is you plan ahead and make sure that that issue of fuel does not come up. For me, it’s hard to conceive that you run out of gas,” he said.

Kawasaki says he can understand why the pilot flying from California ran out of fuel, because it was a much longer flight. In that case, Lue Morton deployed a parachute to land safely in the water.

A statement from The Flight Academy says Morton had spent several hours during the flight trying to troubleshoot a fuel system malfunction.

A cruise ship from Holland America coordinated with the Coast Guard to rescue him. Back on land in Maui, Morton was relieved and grateful.

“The coordination with Coast Guard and the coordination with Holland America has been more than impressive, so the entire crew has been great at helping me out in the situation,” Morton said.

When asked he felt, Morton said he was “glad to be with these guys to be out here.”

Story, video and comments:  http://khon2.com


http://registry.faa.gov/N903SR

NTSB Identification: WPR14FA091 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, January 09, 2014 in Pocatello, ID
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/18/2015
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N903SR
Injuries: 2 Minor.

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

The pilot reported that, at 17,000 ft mean sea level, the engine suddenly started vibrating severely and partially lost power. He declared an emergency and an air traffic controller provided vectors for an instrument approach into a nearby airport. The pilot stated that the vibrations increased in severity and available engine power was decreasing. The pilot adjusted the mixture and throttle to no effect; he did not cycle the magnetos because he didn’t want to risk losing engine power completely. After descending through the 2,000-ft broken cloud layer on the instrument approach, he determined that the airplane was not going to make it to the runway. At 1,000 ft above ground level, he deployed the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System, which brought the airplane down into an open field. He and his passenger rapidly exited the airplane before it was dragged away by the parachute in a 30-knot wind. Engine data indicated that, 2 hours 56 minutes into the flight, the engine rpm started to fluctuate. Two minutes later, the cylinder head temperature (CHT) of the No. 6 cylinder increased and peaked at 331 degrees F; 7 minutes later, it had decreased to 248 degrees F. At this point, the CHT for the No. 3 cylinder increased to 315 degrees F. About 3 hours 13 minutes into the flight, the engine exhaust gas temperatures (EGT) of cylinder Nos. 2, 4, 5, and 6 dropped off while the EGTs for cylinder Nos. 1 and 3 increased. 

Examination of the left and right magnetos revealed that the right magneto distributor drive gear had 10 teeth fractured off in the same gear sector, and the left magneto had 3 teeth broken in the same sector; all of the fracture surfaces on both gears exhibited crack arrest marks and river patterns consistent with progressive fracture. Based on the right magneto distributor gear damage, it is likely that the failure of the distributor drive gear teeth allowed the magneto distributor to stop rotating in proper firing order and allowed unsequenced repeated firing of the No. 6 cylinder and later the No. 3 cylinder, as reflected by the increase in CHT, which resulted in severe engine vibration and a partial loss of power. The unsequenced firing of the Nos. 6 and 3 cylinders also precipitated erratic power pulses through the engine that affected the left magneto distributor drive gear, which in turn initiated the left magneto distributor gear teeth failure. The pilot operating handbook lists the steps the pilot should take in the event of an engine partial power loss. Step seven of the engine partial power loss emergency procedures calls for the pilot to cycle through the left and right magnetos using the ignition switch. It is likely that, if the pilot had selected the left magneto after the initial indications of partial power loss and vibration, power could have been restored by isolating the right magneto and operating the engine entirely on the left magneto.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The distributor gear teeth failure of the right magneto that resulted in severe engine vibration and partial loss of engine power, which progressively led to the failure of the left magneto distributor drive gear teeth. Contributing to the airplane’s continued operation with the partial loss of engine power was the pilot’s failure to execute all steps in the engine partial power loss procedure.

HISTORY OF THE FLIGHT

On January 9, 2014, at 1515 mountain standard time, a Cirrus Design Corp SR22, N903SR, experienced severe engine vibrations and a partial loss of engine power during cruise flight near Pocatello, Idaho. The pilot executed a forced landing utilizing the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). The private pilot and single passenger received minor injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, Nylund Imports Incorporated, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight originated from Centennial Airport, Denver, Colorado, at 1153, and was destined for Sun Valley, Idaho.

The pilot reported that while passing Pocatello at 17,000 feet mean sea level (msl), the engine suddenly started vibrating severely in conjunction with a partial loss of power. He declared an emergency and Salt Lake Center provided vectors to the final approach course for the Pocatello instrument landing system (ILS) RWY 21 approach. The pilot stated that the vibrations increased in severity and available engine power was decreasing. The pilot adjusted the mixture and throttle to no effect. He did not switch between the two magnetos because he didn't want to risk losing engine power completely. After descending through the 2,000-foot broken cloud layer on the ILS approach, engine instruments indicated that only 20% power was being produced, and he determined that the airplane was not going to make it to the runway. At 1,000 feet above ground level (agl) he shut down the engine and deployed the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), which brought the airplane down into an open field. He and his passenger rapidly egressed before the airplane was dragged away by the parachute in a 30-knot wind.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 58, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane issued December 28, 2003, and a third-class medical certificate issued January 30, 2012, with the limitation that he must have glasses available for near vision. The pilot reported having 2,159 total flight hours, with 2,046 hours in the accident airplane make and model, and 42 hours with in the previous 90 days.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The four-seat, low-wing, fixed-gear airplane, serial number 2465, was manufactured in 2007. It was powered by a Continental Motors IO-550-N46B, 310-hp engine that had been modified with Tornado Alley turbonormalizing system by Cirrus and equipped with Hartzell model PHC-J3YFIN, 3-bladed composite constant speed propeller. Review of the airplane maintenance records show that an annual inspection was performed on December 13, 2013, at a total airframe and engine time of 850.3 hours. On September 2, 2010, at 496.2 engine hours, both magnetos were overhauled, and reinstalled on the engine.

Engine Failure Procedures

The SR22 Pilot Operating Handbook, Section 3, Emergency Procedures, dictate the following for Engine Partial Power Loss.

"The following procedure provides guidance to isolate and correct some of the conditions contributing to a rough running engine of a partial power loss:

1. Air Conditioner – OFF
2. Fuel Pump – BOOST
Selecting BOOST on may clear the problem if vapor in the injection lines is the problem or if the engine-driven fuel pump has partially failed. The electric fuel pump will not provide sufficient fuel pressure to supply the engine if the engine-driven fuel pump completely fails.
3. Fuel Selector – SWITCH TANKS
Selecting the opposite fuel tank may resolve the problem if fuel starvation or contamination in one tank was the problem.
4. Mixture - CHECK appropriate for flight conditions
5. Power Lever – SWEEP. Sweep the Power Lever through the range as required to obtain smooth operation and required power.
6. Alternate Induction Air – ON
7. Ignition Switch – BOTH, L, then R. Cycling the ignition switch momentarily from BOTH to L and then R may help identify the problem. An obvious power loss in single ignition operation indicates magneto or spark plug trouble. If engine does not smooth out in several minutes, try a richer mixture setting. Return ignition to BOTH positions unless extreme roughness dictates the use of a single magneto.
8. Land as soon as practical."

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Primary Flight Display and Multi-Function Display Data

The Primary Flight Display (PFD) unit includes a solid state Air Data and Attitude Heading Reference System (ADAHRS) and displays aircraft flight data including altitude, airspeed, attitude, vertical speed, and heading. The PFD unit has external pitot-static inputs for altitude, airspeed, and vertical speed information. Each PFD contains two flash memory devices mounted on a riser card. The flash memory stores information the PFD unit uses to generate the various PFD displays. Additionally, the PFD has a data logging function which is used by the manufacturer for maintenance and diagnostics.

The Multi-Function Display (MFD) unit is able to display checklists, terrain/map information, approach chart information, and other aircraft/operational information depending on the specific configuration and options that are installed. One of the options available is a display of comprehensive engine monitoring and performance data.

Based on the data downloaded from the PFD & MFD the following event timeline was established.

Time(approx) Elapsed Time Event
11:44:24 0:00 Engine Start
11:53:06 0:08:42 Take Off
14:38:30 2:54:06 Pressure alt starts to decrease (descent starts)
14:41:18 2:56:54 RPM starts to decrease/fluctuate
14:42:00 2:57:36 Increase fuel flow - pilot manipulates the mixture, then manipulates the throttle indicated by RPM changes
14:42:24 2:58:00 CHT* in No. 6 Cyl starts to trend upward
14:44:12 2:59:42 CHT in No. 6 Cyl Peaks 331° F
14:47:00 3:02:36 CHT No. 6 decreases to ~280°F
14:51:00 3:06:36 CHT No. 6 starts to trend upward ~248°F
14:52:18 3:07:54 CHT No. 3 starts to trend upward ~250°F
14:56:30 3:12:06 CHT No. 3 increases above the average peaking at~315°F
14:58:00 3:13:36 EGT** 2,4,5,6, drop off. EGT 1 & 3 increase.

* CHT- cylinder head temperature
**EGT - exhaust gas temperature

The full data download and NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory report are located in the official docket of this investigation.

Engine Examination

On April 15, 2014, the engine was examined at Continental Motors, Inc, under the supervision of the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) with technical representatives from Continental Motors, Cirrus Aircraft, and Tornado Alley.

The engine was removed from the shipping crate and placed on an engine stand for examination. The turbochargers and associated hardware had been removed and placed in the shipping container for shipping. The engine was visually examined and the crankshaft was rotated to verify engine drive train continuity. During the crankshaft rotation both magneto drives were observed through the pressurization port on the magneto housing. Both distributor gears were not moving in either magneto during the crankshaft rotation. The engine driven magneto metal drive gear interfaces with the light weight nylon composite distributor gear during operation. It was noted that the No. 3 ignition leads were producing a spark after the No. 1 ignition leads, indicating an improper firing order. The magnetos were removed for further examination. Examination of the magneto distributor gears revealed that the nylon composite gear teeth, 10 teeth on the right magneto and 3 teeth on the left magneto, had broken off.

The fractured distributor gear teeth were clocked on an exemplary distributor gear in an exemplary magneto. The magneto drive shaft was rotated in a clockwise direction until the area of the separated teeth aligned with the drive gear. Doing so revealed that the separated gear teeth on the right magneto would have correlated to an area that placed the distributor gear electrode between the #6 and #3 cylinders' distributor block electrodes. Doing so on the left magneto revealed that the separated gear teeth would have correlated to an area that placed the distributor gear electrode between the #1 and #6 cylinders' distributor block electrodes.

New magnetos were placed on the engine and the turbocharger system reinstalled. The engine was then successfully test run to full power in a test cell, and no anomalies were noted.

Magneto Distributor Gear Examination

The left and right nylon magneto distributor drive gears and separated teeth were sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for further investigation. The magneto distributor had undergone 860.4 hours at the time of the accident. The last magneto inspection was performed at 496.2 hours on September 2, 2009. The required inspection interval is 500 hours.

Three of the teeth on the left gear had fractured off. The fracture surfaces of all three broken gear teeth exhibited crack arrest marks and radial river patterns that were consistent with progressive failure. All three fracture surfaces exhibited features consistent with crack propagation in the same direction.

Examination of the right gear showed 10 of the teeth had fractured. Similar to the left gear, the fracture surfaces of the right gear exhibited features consistent with progressive cracking. The teeth fractures generally progressed circumferentially away from a central point on the gear, as opposed to all in one direction. In addition, there was a 0.5-inch radial crack present on one of the tooth fracture surfaces. Similar to the left gear, all of the fracture surfaces on the right gear exhibited crack arrest marks and river patterns consistent with a progressive fracture. The fracture surfaces of the right gear were sectioned and gold sputter-coated to facilitate examination in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The initiation region of the fracture was generally flat and smoother than the rest of the fracture surface. There were no material defects noted at the crack initiation site that might have led to premature failure.

The full NTSB Materials Laboratory report is available in the official docket of this investigation.
  
NTSB Identification: WPR14FA091 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, January 09, 2014 in Pocatello, ID
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N903SR
Injuries: 2 Minor.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators 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 January 9, 2014, at 1512 mountain standard time, a Cirrus SR22, N903SR, experienced severe engine vibrations and a partial loss of engine power during cruise flight near Pocatello, Idaho. The pilot executed a force landing utilizing the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). The private pilot and single passenger received minor injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, Nylund Imports Incorporated, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight originated from Centennial Airport, Denver, Colorado, about 1200, and was destined for Sun Valley, Idaho.

The pilot reported that while passing Pocatello at 17,000 feet mean sea level (msl), the engine suddenly started vibrating severely in conjunction with a partial loss of power. He declared an emergency and Salt Lake Center provided vectors to the final approach course for the Pocatello instrument landing system (ILS) RWY 21. The pilot stated that the vibrations increased in severity and available engine power was decreasing. After descending through the 2,000-foot broken cloud layer on the ILS, engine instruments indicated that only 20% power was being produced, and he determined that the airplane was not going to make it to the runway. At 1,000 feet above ground level (agl) he deployed the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), which brought the airplane down into an open field. He and his passenger rapidly egressed before the airplane was dragged away by the parachute in a 30-knot wind.


http://registry.faa.gov/N450TX

NTSB Identification: ERA14LA086
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, January 04, 2014 in Buckhannon, WV
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N450TX
Injuries: 1 Minor.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On January 4, 2014 about 1735 eastern standard time, a Cirrus SR22, N450TX, was substantially damaged after the pilot deployed its Cirrus Airplane Parachute System (CAPS) and impacted a motor vehicle and then terrain in Buckhannon, West Virginia. The private pilot received minor injuries. The flight departed from Donegal Springs Airpark (N71) Marietta, Pennsylvania, about 1405, destined for Upshur County Regional Airport (W22), Buckhannon, West Virginia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the pilot, he departed N71, around 1405. About 10 miles from W22, the pilot called in on the UNICOM frequency, and verified the weather conditions. He was advised that there was no aircraft in the traffic pattern, so he opted for a straight in approach to runway 29.

About 5 miles from touchdown, he was at an approach speed of approximately 100 knots indicated airspeed. He performed his prelanding checklist. Both fuel tanks had approximately 25 gallons of fuel in them and he verified that the fuel selector was on fullest tank. He verified that the fuel boost pump was on, lowered the wing flaps to 50 percent, and set the mixture to about 60 percent. He then made a final approach call around 4 miles from touchdown, and verified the airport conditions on UNICOM once again.

Approximately 3 miles from the threshold of runway 29, at 400 to 500 feet above ground level, he increased throttle to compensate for the normal airspeed loss on final approach. To his surprise, nothing happened. He was expecting to hear a pitch change, feel a subtle change in vibration, and see his airspeed stabilize but, none of those events occurred.

He moved his hand in a manner to manipulate both throttle and mixture at the same time and increased both to maximum. Again, no response in engine noise, vibration, or gain in airspeed occurred.

By now the indicated airspeed had decayed to below 80 knots. Knowing that he was just at, or just below, the published minimums for the CAPS, without hesitation he reached for the red handle with my right hand while maintaining control of the airplane with his left hand as he deployed the CAPS and transmitted a "Mayday" call over the radio. After the CAPS was deployed, all he had time to do was to tighten his restraint prior to impact. After impact he shutdown the airplane's systems, and exited the airplane.

Postaccident examination of the accident site and airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector revealed that during the impact sequence, the airplane first struck a pickup truck, then terrain, and sustained substantial damage prior to coming to rest. The left main landing gear had penetrated the bottom of the left wing and left main fuel tank, the nose landing gear had separated from the airplane, two of the blades on the four-bladed propeller were bent back, the right wing flap was bent back on the outboard portion, and the fuselage was damaged from the CAPS deployment.

The wreckage was retained by the NTSB for further examination.



 Cirrus SR22, N450TX: Accident occurred January 04, 2014 in Buckhannon, West Virginia


 Cirrus SR22, N450TX: Accident occurred January 04, 2014 in Buckhannon, West Virginia




BUCKHANNON -  Authorities were called to the scene of a small plane crash in Upshur County Saturday night.

It happened just after 5:30 p.m. on Brushy Fork Road outside of Buckhannon.

The Upshur County Sheriff's Department said James Meadows, 30, of Hendersonville, Tennessee was flying a Cirrus SR 22 aircraft to Pennsylvania when he heard a bang and his engine failed.

The plane was equipped with a Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) which Meadows deployed, according to deputies.

The plane came down and struck a truck driven by Billy King, 42,  that was passing by on Brushy Fork Road. The plane ended up on Brushy Fork Road between Jenkins Ford and Buckhannon Toyota.

Meadows and King are both uninjured.

"I must have an angel looking over me somehow," said King of the close call. "I've been everywhere, but never had anything like this happen to me."

King moved from Greenbrier County, and lives in Upshur County. King was on his way to work in Jane Lew when the accident happened.

"I didn't see nothing, all I heard was a boom, and I thought it was one of those poles giving away because of the cold, I looked around and seen this plane and said oh my," King said.

"He called me, and I said oh lord what's going on? A plane had landed on my truck," said Delvia King, Billy's wife. "And I said a plane landed your truck? He said, there's a plane that hit my truck seriously."

The Buckhannon Volunteer Fire Department and West Virginia State Police assisted at the scene.

The plane was following a second plane, a Grumman aircraft, which was preparing to land at the Upshur County Regional Airport to refuel.

Deputies said the Cirrus SR22 will be taken to the Upshur County Regional Airport so the FAA can continue to investigate.



   


 
Two people aboard a single-engine airplane that made an emergency landing southwest of the Fort Hall townsite about 3 p.m. Thursday received minor injuries and were reportedly treated in an ambulance at the scene. They were not transported to a hospital.

The plane did snap off a power pole as it came down in a field near Rio Vista and North Philbin Road within 100 yards of a home. Power was out to residents in the area for a couple of hours before being restored by Idaho Power.

 The plane didn’t actually make a crash landing, it deployed an emergency parachute that allowed it descend into the field.

Emergency personnel from the Fort Hall Police and Bannock County Sheriff’s office closed off the area because the downed aircraft continued to move across the field in the high winds and posed the threat of downing more power lines. A resident of the area said he watched a parachute from the airplane come loose and blow in the wind until it went out of sight.

 Fort Hall authorities said the chute became tangled in power lines for a short period of time.

Bannock County Sheriff Lorin Nielsen said the pilot of the airplane radioed the Pocatello Regional Airport tower about 3 p.m. and said as he was preparing an approach to land because his plane began having engine trouble. The Pocatello Fire Department at the airport scrambled in preparation for an emergency landing, but the plane went down in a field within the boundaries of the Fort Hall Indian Reservation several miles from any runways.


The fuselage of the plane seemed to be broken nearly in half behind the cockpit and passenger seats. The wings were severely damaged.

The scene remained off limits while authorities waited for investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration to arrive and investigate the crash site.


Source:   http://www.idahostatejournal.com



Cirrus SR22 G3,  N903SR,   Nylund Imports Inc: Accident occurred January 09, 2014 in Pocatello, Idaho



Cirrus SR22 G3,  N903SR,   Nylund Imports Inc: Accident occurred January 09, 2014 in Pocatello, Idaho 


Emergency responders are on the scene of a plane crash in Bannock County. 

A Journal reporter at the scene says that the fuselage of the plane is in a field about a mile from the intersection of Philbin and Ballard roads. The tail of the aircraft is broken off and the wings are heavily damaged. Power lines are broken in the area and Idaho Power has been notified.

Earlier reports indicate that there were two people on the plane and that neither are seriously injured.

Shoshone-Bannock Tribes news release:

Emergency landing for aircraft on reservation

 FORT HALL —  At 3:20PM, Department of Public Safety sent notification that Fort Hall EMS is responding to a small aircraft that landed in a field off of Rio Vista road in Fort Hall.

 There are no fatalities to report. It is reported that two individuals are outside of the aircraft and are being taken to the hospital. Condition of the individuals was not available at time of report.

 The aircraft is not secure and high winds are moving the aircraft through the field.  There is concern of potential impact to Idaho Power, power lines.  A power line has already been broken in half.  There also appears to be a parachute entangled in the power lines that is being further investigated.

 According to Tribal Transportation, roads in the intersection areas of Ballard and Hawthorn and Ballard and Philbin and surrounding areas are closed down.  No traffic is being allowed in the area.  They encourage all vehicles to stay out of the area and seek alternate routes until further advised.

 Fort Hall Responders are working with Pocatello resources at this time.

 Further update will be provided as it is received by the Tribes Department of Public Safety.



Source:   http://www.idahostatejournal.com

A small aircraft crashed and broke apart in a field on the Shoshone-Bannock reservation on Thursday January 9, prompting warnings from public safety officials as the plane was buffeted about in high winds.

“The aircraft is not secure and high winds are moving the aircraft through the field,” the tribes’ Department of Public Safety said in a statement. “There is concern of potential impact to Idaho Power, power lines.  A power line has already been broken in half. There also appears to be a parachute entangled in the power lines that is being further investigated.”

No one was killed in the accident but “two individuals are outside of the aircraft and are being taken to the hospital,” the statement said. Their condition was not available.

The pilot reported engine problems before the plane went down, according to KPVI News 6. The plane took out a power line on the way down, the television station said. 

The plane landed at 3:20 p.m. in a field off of Rio Vista road in Fort Hall, the public safety department said, adding that EMS personnel were responding. Roads in the intersection areas of Ballard and Hawthorn and Ballard and Philbin and surrounding areas were closed down, the Tribal Transportation department said in the release.

“No traffic is being allowed in the area,” the statement said. “They encourage all vehicles to stay out of the area and seek alternate routes until further advised.”

The Idaho State Journal reported that the airplane’s tail was snapped off and the wings are “heavily damaged” in the plane, whose fuselage lay in a field about a mile from an intersection. Power lines were broken, and Idaho Power had been notified. The Journal also said that the two people aboard did not appear to be seriously injured.

Fort Hall responders and Pocatello resources were working together, and the Tribes Department of Public Safety promised more updates as events unfold. 

Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com 
 


A pilot and passenger walked away from a plane crash after engine problems caused the aircraft to go down in a field on the Fort Hall Reservation.

Law enforcement officers from Bannock County, Pocatello and Fort Hall along with the Chubbuck Fire Department and paramedics rushed to the scene of the crash around 3:00 p.m., Thursday.

The pilot was communicating with the tower before the plane went down.  He reported engine trouble about five miles out from the Pocatello regional airport.  The plane eventually came down along Philbin Road between Reservation and Ballard Roads.

Two people were on board at the time of the crash.  Both were able to get out of the plane safely after landing.  They were treated for minor injuries at the scene but not admitted to the hospital as previously reported.

Law enforcement has blocked roads in the area over concerns that high winds are pushing the unsecure plane through a field.

The plane also made contact and damaged a power pole at the time it went down.  Law enforcement is waiting for Idaho Power to come out and repair the line.

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