Docket And Docket Items - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
NTSB Identification: CEN14LA218
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, April 27, 2014 in Wann, OK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/27/2014
Aircraft: BEECH A36, registration: N3078Y
Injuries: 3 Serious.
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 airplane departed on the accident flight, and after flying 1 hour 18 minutes using fuel from the left tank, the pilot switched fuel tanks, and the engine lost power. (A passenger reported that there was a strong headwind, so the pilot was diverting for fuel.) Attempts to restore power were unsuccessful. During the ensuing forced landing, the airplane's right wing collided with a tree before the airplane impacted terrain.
The pilot said that, before departure on the accident flight, he had 20 gallons of fuel in each wing fuel tank. However, postaccident examination revealed no fuel in the uncompromised left wing fuel tank. The right wing fuel tank had been compromised, but there were no fuel stains on the ground and there was no odor of fuel in the immediate area. Later, the engine was functionally tested and operated satisfactorily at all power settings. Thus, the airplane likely departed with minimal fuel available in the right wing fuel tank; when the pilot selected the right tank during cruise flight, the engine likely lost power due to fuel exhaustion.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and planning and inflight fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and a subsequent forced landing in an area of unsuitable terrain.
On April 27, 2014, at 1338 central daylight time, the pilot of a Beech A36, N3078Y, made a forced landing near Wann, Oklahoma, after a total loss of engine power during cruise flight. The pilot and two passengers were seriously injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by Dakota N8465S, Montgomery, Alabama, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and an instrument flight rules flight (IFR) plan had been filed. The cross-country flight originated from Washington County Memorial Airport (K38), Washington, Kansas, at 1207, and was originally en route to Shawnee Regional Airport (SNL), Shawnee, Oklahoma, but diverted to Claremore Regional Airport (GCM), Claremore, Oklahoma.
According to the pilot, he obtained a weather briefing and filed an IFR flight plan, then departed K38 en route to GCM. He said the airplane departed with 20 gallons of fuel in each wing tank. After flying for 1 hour, 18 minutes, he switched to the right tank and the engine lost power. Several attempts were made to restore power to no avail. During the forced landing, the airplane's right wing collided with a tree before the airplane impacted terrain. The accident location was near the intersection of Highways 5 and 406. The pilot and front seat passenger were airlifted to a hospital with non-life threatening but serious injuries. The second passenger was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries. He told state troopers that they had been diverting to SNL for fuel and because of strong headwinds encountered during the flight.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector and representatives from Continental Motors, Inc., and Textron Aviation examined the airplane. They reported finding no fuel in the uncompromised left wing fuel tank. The right wing fuel tank had been compromised, but they reported finding no fuel stains on the ground or any an odor of fuel in the immediate area. An on-scene examination of the engine revealed no obvious discrepancies. The Hobbs hour meter displayed 717.4 hours at the accident site.
According to FlightAware, a global aviation software and data services company that tracks flights throughout the world, the accident airplane had originally departed Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM), Montgomery, Alabama, at 0958 on April 25. It is not known how much fuel was on board the airplane when it departed MGM. The flight continued to Horseshoe Bend Airport (6M2), Horseshoe Bend, Alabama, arriving there at 1232 the same day. The reported time en route to 6M2 was 2 hours, 37 minutes. According to the fuel receipt, 46.01 gallons of fuel was purchased at 1238 on April 25; however, it is not known whether the airplane was fueled to capacity at that time. The accident airplane then departed 6M2 at 1317, and flew to K38, arriving there at 1519. The reported time en route was 2 hours, 2 minutes. There was no evidence that the airplane was refueled at K38.
Under the auspices of the National Transportation Safety Board, the engine was functionally tested at Teledyne Continental Motor in Mobile, Alabama, on July 16, 2014. Several external engine components were replaced to facilitate the test run, but the engine tested satisfactory at all power settings and no anomalies were noted.
The JPI EDM 700 (JP Instruments Engine Data Management) and a JPI Fuel Scan 450 were removed from the airplane and shipped to the National Transportation Safety Board's Vehicle Recorder Division for download. According to an e-mail from the laboratory, the JPI EDM 700 had no internal EPROM chips and no data was stored on the device. The JPI Fuel Scan 450 displayed also did not store data.
NTSB Identification: CEN14LA218
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, April 27, 2014 in Wann, OK
Aircraft: BEECH A36, registration: N3078Y
Injuries: 3 Serious.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On April 27, 2014, at 1338 central daylight time, the pilot of a Beech A36, 3078Y, made a forced landing near Wann, Oklahoma, after the engine lost power. The pilot and two passengers were seriously injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by Dakota N8465S, Montgomery, Alabama, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The cross-country flight originated from Washington (K38), Kansas, at an undetermined time.
Preliminary information indicates the airplane was seen descending on radar without a clearance. When queried by air traffic control, the pilot said he was having "engine problems." The airplane clipped trees next to an open field near Highways 5 and 406 and impacted the ground. The pilot and front seat passenger were airlifted to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. A second passenger was taken to a local hospital. The second passenger told state troopers that the pilot was diverting from Shawnee to Claremore, Oklahoma, due to strong headwinds.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the airplane and reported finding no fuel in the fuel tanks, no evidence of fuel stains on the airplane or ground, and no odor of fuel. An examination of the engine revealed no anomalies.
AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES IN A FIELD, 10 MILES FROM DEWEY, OK
Beech A36 Bonanza, N3078Y, DAKOTA N8465S LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N3078Y
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - The community continues to rally around three men from the Montgomery area who were injured in a plane crash in Oklahoma.
A prayer service was held Thursday night in Montgomery as new signs of progress and support emerged.
The single-engine plane belonging to a well-known Montgomery contractor went down in Nowata County, OK. Nowata County is located in Northeastern Oklahoma on the Kansas border. Officials say the plane went down northwest of the small city of Nowata around 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
Paul Woolard, 50, of Montgomery, was flying his single engine plane with his longtime friend, Randy Watson, 54, of Montgomery, and Ryan Bozeman, 25, of Wetumpka, as his passengers. Ryan Bozeman is also a family friend and the son of Woolard's business partner at the Woolard Brothers Commercial Contracting company in Montgomery.
Relatives say the men were returning from a turkey hunting trip when the plane suffered engine troubles at 6,000 feet.
"The engine stopped. It totally cut off without warning," said Woolard's brother-in-law Rob Sandlin. "There were no runways in drifting distance so he looked for a place to land. Paul remained calm and managed to set it down without hitting any trees. It's an absolute miracle. It's the grace of God that got them through it, for sure."
Sandlin said Woolard has been flying for years and is an excellent pilot.
Woolard's sister, Teri Sandlin, told WSFA: "They said that he could land on a highway and he looked over and saw that and cars and he knew how that outcome would be and so he chose to land in a field and made the right decision, absolutely."
An outpouring of community support followed in the wake of the crash, from words of support on social media sites to local prayer groups and church congregations from across the River Region coming together to pray for the men.
"It's a miracle that they were able to make it out. The plane, the way it crashed, it was great piloting by Paul. He did a great job getting the airplane down. They were able to get the plane belly-side down and the plane did not catch fire. They went through trees and did not hit any trees," said Hardy Sellers, Administrative Pastor at Vaughn Forest Church, where Randy Watson and Paul Woolard's sister are members. "God certainly had his hand protecting them on this flight."
All three men were treated at St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, OK.
Woolard, according to relatives, suffered a fractured skull and head laceration in the crash. He was released from the hospital and is home in Montgomery as he continues to heal.
Watson, a financial advisor at UBS in Montgomery, underwent surgery Monday night on several fractured vertebrae and a blood clot in his spine. He remains in the hospital and will need long term care in a rehabilitation facility.
"We found out today that dad will be coming to Atlanta on Monday morning to spend the rest of his recovery and rehab time at the Shepard Center! We are so excited to have him closer to home," Kendall Watson Henderson, his daughter, reported on her Facebook page Friday.
Ryan Bozeman suffered fractured vertebrae and is home in Wetumpka recovering.
Family members say the men have a long road to recovery but their loved ones know things could have turned out very differently.
"No matter what happens, we're just joyful that everyone is ok and alive right now and we're just trusting in the Lord to take care of my dad and we'll see what happens," said Randy Watson's daughter, Kendall. "My dad has said many times that Mr. Paul is great at what he does when it comes to flying and he took care of them. But I know that the Lord was definitely there with them, watching over them."
Members of Vaughn Forest Baptist Church welcomed family members, friends and members of the public for a vigil Thursday night. With hands held and heads bowed, those gathered prayed for Woolard, Watson and Bozeman and heard updates on their injuries.
"Montgomery is a big city but it feels like a small city. People are very tight knight here and we look out for our own," said Chad Boak, worship production pastor at Vaughn Forest Church. "We want to make sure that as they continue this road to recovery that we are praying for them, helping take care of them and praying for their families and taking care of them as well because it is going to be a long road to recovery both for the men involved in the accident and for their families."
"We know it's just going to be a day by day and that's where more prayers are going to come in because that's what has gotten them to this point," Teri Sandlin added.
Those close to the crash victims believe their brush with danger has a deeper meaning.
"It's a testament that there's something more for them to do, that God has a plan for them not just for their own lives but for their lives to ripple out and to affect other people," added family friend Meagan Cutler.
A preliminary report into the crash released by the National Transportation Safety Board indicated that the plane had no fuel and that no engine abnormalities were found.
"A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the airplane and reported finding no fuel in the fuel tanks, no evidence of fuel stains on the airplane or ground, and no odor of fuel. An examination of the engine revealed no anomalies," the report stated.
Story, video and photo gallery: http://www.wsfa.com
Paul Woolard
(Source: Woolard Brothers Commercial Contracting Inc.)
Randy Watson with his daughters
(Source: Kendall Watson Henderson)
Ryan Bozeman
(Courtesy: Ryan Bozeman)
Vaughn Forest to hold prayer vigil for plane crash survivors
The members of Vaughn Forest Church bring new fervor to this year's National Day of Prayer as many plan to gather at 6 p.m. Thursday, to hold a vigil for one it's members who was injured during a recent plane crash in Oklahoma.
In all reality, Randy Watson, 54, of Montgomery, and two of his friends who were flying a single-engine aircraft that crashed landed over the Midwest Sunday, should not have survived.
Hardy Sellers, Administrative Pastor at Vaughn Forest Church, said Watson's survival was truly miraculous.
"They are still hurt and we have things to pray about and for God to continue what he's doing, but he has been very faithful," Sellers said. "It could have been a lot worse."
Watson, along with Paul Woolard, 50, of Montgomery, and Ryan Bozeman, 25, of Wetumpka were traveling for their annual hunting trip when the engine cut out of the aircraft and Woolard piloted them to safety.
Friends and family plan to celebrate the quick recoveries of Bozeman and Woolard tonight and pray for Watson who continues to heal after back surgery at a hospital in Tulsa, Okla.
"My biggest concern is Randy, just his mental well being. He's stuck in a hospital room, there's no friends, not a lot of family there and so it must be lonely," Sellers said. "I hope his friends and family can come out tonight so we can send him a video and support him."
Free to the public, anyone who would like can join the congregation tonight in making cards, signing posters and offer comfort to Watson via video.
Police have confirmed a plane crashed in Nowata County Sunday afternoon.
Nowata County officials say the plane went down at Road 406 and County Road 5, northwest of Nowata, around 1:30 p.m.
A Federal Aviation Administration official says a single-engine Beechcraft BE-36 was flying to Claremore Regional Airport when the pilot reported engine trouble.
Officials say the three men on board the plane survived the crash, but sustained injuries.
The three were transported to Coffeyville Regional Hospital, but two of them were flown to St. John's Hospital in Tulsa for further treatment of their serious injuries.
"The pilot had a very bad laceration on his forehead, said Buddy Atkins of the South Coffeyville Police Department. "He had a lot of blood on his leg. The passenger in the front had some bad back injuries and the passenger in the back had maybe broken ribs and injuries to the back also."
The FAA is investigating the crash.
2NEWS is on the scene, and we will keep you updated as more information comes in.
Three
people were injured after the small single-engine airplane they were
flying in crashed in a wooded area in Nowata County on Sunday afternoon.
Officials at the scene said three victims were transported to area hospitals by ambulances.
The crash occurred around 1:30 p.m. in a wooded field about 200 yards from Nowata County roads 406 and 5 near the town of Wann.
Shawna King Keith, who lives about 1/2 mile from the crash, said she heard a “boom” and went to investigate.
“I was the second one on scene. There were three passengers pinned and they were hurt pretty bad,” she said. “(Two officers) showed up and I was asked to help the rescue squad get into the area. The officers helped the victims.”
Another witness at the scene said the victims, who all had injuries, were talking to rescue personnel.
Keith said her neighbor and his brother were standing outside when the crashed occurred.
“They said they heard the plane come over with the motor not running and saw it go down. They then went to help,” Keith said.
Several agencies helped in the rescue, including emergency personnel from Nowata County, South Coffeyville and Coffeyville, Kan.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol is investigating the accident.
Officials at the scene said three victims were transported to area hospitals by ambulances.
The crash occurred around 1:30 p.m. in a wooded field about 200 yards from Nowata County roads 406 and 5 near the town of Wann.
Shawna King Keith, who lives about 1/2 mile from the crash, said she heard a “boom” and went to investigate.
“I was the second one on scene. There were three passengers pinned and they were hurt pretty bad,” she said. “(Two officers) showed up and I was asked to help the rescue squad get into the area. The officers helped the victims.”
Another witness at the scene said the victims, who all had injuries, were talking to rescue personnel.
Keith said her neighbor and his brother were standing outside when the crashed occurred.
“They said they heard the plane come over with the motor not running and saw it go down. They then went to help,” Keith said.
Several agencies helped in the rescue, including emergency personnel from Nowata County, South Coffeyville and Coffeyville, Kan.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol is investigating the accident.
