The Australian Transport Safety Bureau says a plane crash at Agfest highlights the need to consider all factors when assessing a landing area.
The bureau handed down its final report yesterday.
On April 30 a Cessna 172 aircraft crashed while landing at a paddock at Quercus Rural Youth Park, the home of Agfest.
The pilot had come from Launceston.
As the pilot was on a final approach of the landing area he pulled up after deciding the aircraft was too high and going too fast.
On the next approach the planes brakes locked up after touch down.
The plane collided with a fence and hit a ditch flipping the plane upside down.
The plane was significantly damaged however the pilot was uninjured.
The reporter said stopping distances may vary depending on surface conditions.
Story and Photo: http://www.examiner.com.au
Monday, July 14, 2014
Radio, engine failure cause of runway incident
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has finalized its investigation into a runway incident at the Toowoomba Airport.
On March 28 this year, a Skytrans De Havilland Dash-8 entered the runway while a private Cessna 172 was on short final approach.
The bureau found that the crew of the Dash-8 had not heard any of the radio transmissions from the Cessna.
The Cessna pilot had heard the taxi calls from the Dash-8.
The Dash crew reported the right-hand engine had stalled during the engine start, but the crew assessed that the flight could be conducted after a subsequent successful engine start.
"The crew knew however, that they needed to arrive at their allotted slot time in Brisbane."
"Upon nearing the hold short line the captain looked left confirming there was no other traffic, the first officer looked right and reported all clear, the aircraft continued past the hold short line," the bureau's report found.
"The Cessna pilot radioed the Dash crew whether they had not heard his radio calls, the captain spotted the Cessna on the runway and braked, then looked onto the TCAS display and found it on standby, no advisory had been generated."
Source Article: http://www.thechronicle.com.au
On March 28 this year, a Skytrans De Havilland Dash-8 entered the runway while a private Cessna 172 was on short final approach.
The bureau found that the crew of the Dash-8 had not heard any of the radio transmissions from the Cessna.
The Cessna pilot had heard the taxi calls from the Dash-8.
The Dash crew reported the right-hand engine had stalled during the engine start, but the crew assessed that the flight could be conducted after a subsequent successful engine start.
"The crew knew however, that they needed to arrive at their allotted slot time in Brisbane."
"Upon nearing the hold short line the captain looked left confirming there was no other traffic, the first officer looked right and reported all clear, the aircraft continued past the hold short line," the bureau's report found.
"The Cessna pilot radioed the Dash crew whether they had not heard his radio calls, the captain spotted the Cessna on the runway and braked, then looked onto the TCAS display and found it on standby, no advisory had been generated."
Source Article: http://www.thechronicle.com.au
Cessna T210N Turbo Centurion, N210SD: Accident occurred May 17, 2022 and Incident occurred July 14, 2014
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.
The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Denver, Colorado
Location: Denver, Colorado
Accident Number: CEN22LA204
Date and Time: May 17, 2022, 16:07 Local
Registration: N210SD
Aircraft: Cessna T210N
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On May 17, 2022, at 1607 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T210N airplane, N210SD, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Denver, Colorado. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
According to Rocky Mountain Metro Airport operations personnel and airport surveillance video, the airplane touched down on runway 12L uneventfully. During the landing roll, the main landing gear collapsed. The airplane skidded to a stop on a hard surface adjacent to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer and left elevator.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N210SD
Model/Series: T210N
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built:
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KBJC,5595 ft msl
Observation Time: 16:59 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 24°C /1°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 15 knots / 20 knots, 30°
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 8000 ft AGL
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: VFR
Departure Point:
Destination: Denver, CO
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries:
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude: 39.908412,-105.11562 (est)
May 17, 2022: Aircraft landed and gear collapsed at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (KBJC), Jefferson County, Colorado.
Date: 17-MAY-22
Time: 22:07:00Z
Regis#: N210SD
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: T210
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: DENVER
State: COLORADO
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; San Antonio, Texas
July 14, 2014: Aircraft landed gear up at Victoria Regional Airport (KVCT), Texas.
VICTORIA - A man in charge of saving lives was the one who needed saving Monday.
A Victoria doctor, who is also a pilot, was forced to make an emergency crash landing at the Victoria Regional Airport.
While in flight to Corpus Christi, the pilot, Dr. Stan Heckrodt, contacted a tower in Houston and told them he was unable to get his nose gear down.
Air traffic officials tried to assist, but the plane was not responding.
Then around 1:00p.m., the Houston tower asked Victoria airport officials for help. Heckrodt would have to perform an emergency crash landing at the airport.
Fire officials said they pulled out all the stops to prepare as there's no way to make that kind of landing safely.
“The pilot did the best that he could to land the plane. I mean it didn't land safely, it crashed. So at this point, he’s down, he’s safe, he’s not injured, and there’s no fire or other damage to the plane other than what happened in the initial crash, so were thankful for that,” Victoria County Fire Marshal Ron Pray said.
The Cessna 210 suffered damage to the front end of the plane and to the prop. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash.
Officials said this is the first crash landing at Victoria Regional Airport this year. There were two in 2013.
M C Flyers LLC
A plane crash landed Monday afternoon at the Victoria Regional Airport.
Officials knew about 12:55 p.m. that the pilot, Stanly Heckrodt, of Victoria, was struggling to put down the landing gear at the nose of his 1980 Cessna T210N, said Victoria County Fire Marshal Ron Pray.
At 1:14 p.m., the situation was declared an emergency, and city and county firefighters responded to the scene at 609 Foster Field Drive.
Heckrodt initially left Victoria and was bound for Corpus Christi but came back to the Victoria Regional Airport when he realized the problem, Pray said.
There, Heckrodt circled for about 10 or 15 minutes to burn off fuel before crash landing at the 13 right runway, Pray said.
Heckrodt, whose age was not available, was not injured.
There was no one else in the plane.
"He knew he was going to have to crash land," Pray said. "He did a real good job."
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.
Last year, there were two emergency crash landings at the Victoria Regional Airport.
This was the first emergency crash landing this year, Pray said.
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com
Officials knew about 12:55 p.m. that the pilot, Stanly Heckrodt, of Victoria, was struggling to put down the landing gear at the nose of his 1980 Cessna T210N, said Victoria County Fire Marshal Ron Pray.
At 1:14 p.m., the situation was declared an emergency, and city and county firefighters responded to the scene at 609 Foster Field Drive.
Heckrodt initially left Victoria and was bound for Corpus Christi but came back to the Victoria Regional Airport when he realized the problem, Pray said.
There, Heckrodt circled for about 10 or 15 minutes to burn off fuel before crash landing at the 13 right runway, Pray said.
Heckrodt, whose age was not available, was not injured.
There was no one else in the plane.
"He knew he was going to have to crash land," Pray said. "He did a real good job."
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.
Last year, there were two emergency crash landings at the Victoria Regional Airport.
This was the first emergency crash landing this year, Pray said.
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com
VICTORIA - A man in charge of saving lives was the one who needed saving Monday.
A Victoria doctor, who is also a pilot, was forced to make an emergency crash landing at the Victoria Regional Airport.
While in flight to Corpus Christi, the pilot, Dr. Stan Heckrodt, contacted a tower in Houston and told them he was unable to get his nose gear down.
Air traffic officials tried to assist, but the plane was not responding.
Then around 1:00p.m., the Houston tower asked Victoria airport officials for help. Heckrodt would have to perform an emergency crash landing at the airport.
Fire officials said they pulled out all the stops to prepare as there's no way to make that kind of landing safely.
“The pilot did the best that he could to land the plane. I mean it didn't land safely, it crashed. So at this point, he’s down, he’s safe, he’s not injured, and there’s no fire or other damage to the plane other than what happened in the initial crash, so were thankful for that,” Victoria County Fire Marshal Ron Pray said.
The Cessna 210 suffered damage to the front end of the plane and to the prop. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash.
Officials said this is the first crash landing at Victoria Regional Airport this year. There were two in 2013.
Wrongful death suit filed over helicopter crash: Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV, N207MY, Westwind Helicopters, Inc.
The family of a man killed in a helicopter crash is suing the aircraft’s owner for negligence.
Koethe Bourgeois, individually and as personal representative of the estate of Rory J. Bourgeois, and Kolton Bourgeois filed suit June 30 in the Galveston Division of the Southern District of Texas against Westwind Helicopters Inc. of Santa Fe, Texas.
According to the complaint, on June 11 Rory Bourgeois was riding in a helicopter between the Eugene Island 331 and 317A offshore oil platforms when it crashed and sank into the Gulf of Mexico, causing Rory’s death.
The defendant is accused of failing to properly maintain and service the helicopter, failing to perform an adequate pre-flight inspection, failing to reasonably operate the helicopter and failing to ensure the pilot was competent to fly.
The plaintiffs are seeking actual damages in an amount exceeding jurisdictional limits, interest and costs.
They are represented by Houston attorney Francis I. Spagnoletti of Spagnoletti & Co.
Galveston Division of the Southern District of Texas Case No. 3:14-cv-00212
This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed in the Galveston Division of the Southern District of Texas. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt and it represents only one side of the story.
Source: http://setexasrecord.com
http://registry.faa.gov/N207MY
NTSB Identification: CEN14FA286
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Wednesday, June 11, 2014 in South Tim Bailier Platform, GM
Aircraft: BELL 206 L4, registration: N207MY
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On June 11, 2014, about 1430 central daylight time, a Bell 206L4 helicopter, N207MY, impacted the waters in the Gulf of Mexico. The helicopter was registered to Coy Leasing LLC and operated by Westwind Helicopters, Inc., under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. The commercial- rated pilot and passenger were fatally injured and the helicopter was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and company flight following was in effect. The flight departed an oil platform at 1409, and was en route to the South Tim Bailier 317 platform.
A witness who was located on the oil platform reported that he heard the helicopter approach the platform. The helicopter was on a straight in approach to the platform, when the helicopter started to spin in a clockwise direction. The witness added that the helicopter spun 8-10 times, before the helicopter went silent and then dropped to the water.
The helicopter sank and was recovered from about a depth of 380 feet of water. Examination of the helicopter showed extensive damage to the cabin. The tail boom had separated from the main fuselage and was recovered from the surface of the water. One of the main rotor blades, which had separated about four feet from the mast was not recovered. Several sections of the helicopter were not recovered, and included the landing skids, cabin door, and floor.
The wreckage was retrained for further examination.
N207MY BELL 206 ROTORCRAFT CRASHED IN THE WATER WHILE ON APPROACH TO AN OIL RIG PLATFORM, THE 2 PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, 90 MILES FROM HOUMA, LA
Flight Standards District Office: FAA Baton Rouge FSDO-03
Koethe Bourgeois, individually and as personal representative of the estate of Rory J. Bourgeois, and Kolton Bourgeois filed suit June 30 in the Galveston Division of the Southern District of Texas against Westwind Helicopters Inc. of Santa Fe, Texas.
According to the complaint, on June 11 Rory Bourgeois was riding in a helicopter between the Eugene Island 331 and 317A offshore oil platforms when it crashed and sank into the Gulf of Mexico, causing Rory’s death.
The defendant is accused of failing to properly maintain and service the helicopter, failing to perform an adequate pre-flight inspection, failing to reasonably operate the helicopter and failing to ensure the pilot was competent to fly.
The plaintiffs are seeking actual damages in an amount exceeding jurisdictional limits, interest and costs.
They are represented by Houston attorney Francis I. Spagnoletti of Spagnoletti & Co.
Galveston Division of the Southern District of Texas Case No. 3:14-cv-00212
This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed in the Galveston Division of the Southern District of Texas. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt and it represents only one side of the story.
Source: http://setexasrecord.com
Rory James Bourgeois
http://registry.faa.gov/N207MY
NTSB Identification: CEN14FA286
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Wednesday, June 11, 2014 in South Tim Bailier Platform, GM
Aircraft: BELL 206 L4, registration: N207MY
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On June 11, 2014, about 1430 central daylight time, a Bell 206L4 helicopter, N207MY, impacted the waters in the Gulf of Mexico. The helicopter was registered to Coy Leasing LLC and operated by Westwind Helicopters, Inc., under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. The commercial- rated pilot and passenger were fatally injured and the helicopter was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and company flight following was in effect. The flight departed an oil platform at 1409, and was en route to the South Tim Bailier 317 platform.
A witness who was located on the oil platform reported that he heard the helicopter approach the platform. The helicopter was on a straight in approach to the platform, when the helicopter started to spin in a clockwise direction. The witness added that the helicopter spun 8-10 times, before the helicopter went silent and then dropped to the water.
The helicopter sank and was recovered from about a depth of 380 feet of water. Examination of the helicopter showed extensive damage to the cabin. The tail boom had separated from the main fuselage and was recovered from the surface of the water. One of the main rotor blades, which had separated about four feet from the mast was not recovered. Several sections of the helicopter were not recovered, and included the landing skids, cabin door, and floor.
The wreckage was retrained for further examination.
N207MY BELL 206 ROTORCRAFT CRASHED IN THE WATER WHILE ON APPROACH TO AN OIL RIG PLATFORM, THE 2 PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, 90 MILES FROM HOUMA, LA
Flight Standards District Office: FAA Baton Rouge FSDO-03
Fort Wayne Airport Authority to build new facility for private aircraft
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – The Fort Wayne Airport Authority is building a new terminal to be used by private jets. But the company in charge of the current facility has concerns with the plan.
For the average traveler, the Fixed Base Operator (FBO) is a little-known aspect of the Fort Wayne International Airport. Atlantic Aviation is the current FBO. It’s in charge of fuel and maintenance for all aircraft. Atlantic also has its own terminal for private jets, frequently used for business.
“We’re the conduit they go through to access the city of Fort Wayne from their jets or their aircraft,” explained Jonathan Jones, general manager for Atlantic Aviation Fort Wayne.
The FBO is currently located just northwest of the airport’s main terminal. But the Airport Authority is moving it further south and west, planning to spend between $3.5 million to $4.5 million.
“[The Airport Authority] has been setting funds aside to construct the facility. So we have those funds in the bank with anticipation of building this building already,” said Scott Hinderman, executive director of Fort Wayne airports. “18 to 19 percent of our revenue is from taxation. Everything else is from money earned.”
15 Finds Out has discovered the new FBO could be the beginning of major changes toward an expanding airport.
“We are projecting to where at some point, we’re going to have to add at least one, if not two more gates at the end of the building. That would have to go in the direction of where the FBO is,” Hinderman said. “In order to do so, the existing FBO building has to be relocated.”
The Airport Authority’s decision shoots down Atlantic Aviation’s private proposal. Atlantic’s leasing agreement dating back to the mid 1980′s is up in 2016. So it proposed spending between $4 million and $5 million of its own money to build the new FBO, in exchange for what it said would be a new 30-year leasing agreement.
“That to us reduces the burden on public funds, it maximizes return for the airport, it maximizes the service, and it really puts Fort Wayne on a map,” said Clive Lowe, senior vice president for Atlantic Aviation, said to be the largest FBO in the country. “It gives Fort Wayne and Atlantic Fort Wayne a worldwide marketing presence at trade shows, aviation trade shows around the world.”
Hinderman said that lease would be too long.
“The industry changes so quickly and in a 40 year period, things could be substantially different than today in aviation,” he said.
Still, Lowe thinks the move to use public instead of private money goes against the norm for airports.
“In terms of promoting the community and providing the best that is out there, we believe that the established model is the best way to do that,” Lowe said.
The airport’s board of directors selected the Hagerman Group on Monday afternoon to design and build the new FBO facility.
Tune into NewsChannel 15 Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. as 15 Finds Out continues its coverage on the new facility. Hear how the name behind the fuel and private jet services could soon change with a leasing agreement ending.
Story and Video: http://wane.com
For the average traveler, the Fixed Base Operator (FBO) is a little-known aspect of the Fort Wayne International Airport. Atlantic Aviation is the current FBO. It’s in charge of fuel and maintenance for all aircraft. Atlantic also has its own terminal for private jets, frequently used for business.
“We’re the conduit they go through to access the city of Fort Wayne from their jets or their aircraft,” explained Jonathan Jones, general manager for Atlantic Aviation Fort Wayne.
The FBO is currently located just northwest of the airport’s main terminal. But the Airport Authority is moving it further south and west, planning to spend between $3.5 million to $4.5 million.
“[The Airport Authority] has been setting funds aside to construct the facility. So we have those funds in the bank with anticipation of building this building already,” said Scott Hinderman, executive director of Fort Wayne airports. “18 to 19 percent of our revenue is from taxation. Everything else is from money earned.”
15 Finds Out has discovered the new FBO could be the beginning of major changes toward an expanding airport.
“We are projecting to where at some point, we’re going to have to add at least one, if not two more gates at the end of the building. That would have to go in the direction of where the FBO is,” Hinderman said. “In order to do so, the existing FBO building has to be relocated.”
The Airport Authority’s decision shoots down Atlantic Aviation’s private proposal. Atlantic’s leasing agreement dating back to the mid 1980′s is up in 2016. So it proposed spending between $4 million and $5 million of its own money to build the new FBO, in exchange for what it said would be a new 30-year leasing agreement.
“That to us reduces the burden on public funds, it maximizes return for the airport, it maximizes the service, and it really puts Fort Wayne on a map,” said Clive Lowe, senior vice president for Atlantic Aviation, said to be the largest FBO in the country. “It gives Fort Wayne and Atlantic Fort Wayne a worldwide marketing presence at trade shows, aviation trade shows around the world.”
Hinderman said that lease would be too long.
“The industry changes so quickly and in a 40 year period, things could be substantially different than today in aviation,” he said.
Still, Lowe thinks the move to use public instead of private money goes against the norm for airports.
“In terms of promoting the community and providing the best that is out there, we believe that the established model is the best way to do that,” Lowe said.
The airport’s board of directors selected the Hagerman Group on Monday afternoon to design and build the new FBO facility.
Tune into NewsChannel 15 Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. as 15 Finds Out continues its coverage on the new facility. Hear how the name behind the fuel and private jet services could soon change with a leasing agreement ending.
Story and Video: http://wane.com
Mooney M20M TLS, N72FG: Accident occurred July 11, 2014 in Greenwood, Indiana
NTSB Identification: CEN14FA356
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, July 11, 2014 in Greenwood, IN
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/22/2016
Aircraft: MOONEY M20M, registration: N72FG
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious.
NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The private pilot and flight instructor were repositioning the airplane for an annual inspection, and the private pilot planned to receive instrument flight training during the trip. Witnesses reported that the engine sounded good as the airplane taxied to the runway and during the engine run-up. However, several witnesses reported observing blue smoke trailing the airplane at the beginning of the takeoff and hearing the engine "popping" and "misfiring." The airplane was 50 to 100 ft above the ground and about one-quarter of the way down the 5,100-ft-long runway when its nose lowered slightly. Witnesses stated that they thought the pilot was going to land the airplane back on the remaining runway, but the airplane's nose then rose, and the airplane continued climbing. The airplane was described as being slow and "wallowing," with the nose pitching up and down slightly as it continued to climb to a maximum altitude of about 100 to 150 ft above the ground. The right wing dropped, and the airplane descended, contacting a garage and two houses before coming to rest in a residential backyard where a postimpact fire ensued. A postaccident examination of the airplane, engine, and engine components did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Also causal to the accident was the pilots' decision to continue the takeoff despite early indications of engine anomalies.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On July 11, 2014, at 1419 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20M, N72FG, collided with the terrain shortly after takeoff from the Greenwood Municipal Airport (HFY), Greenwood, Indiana. The private pilot/airplane owner was fatally injured and the certified flight instructor (CFI) on board received serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged by impact and a postimpact fire. The airplane was registered to and operated by the private pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal/training flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight. The flight was departing under visual flight rules (VFR). The flight was originating at the time of the accident with an intended destination of the East Texas Regional Airport (GGG), Longview, Texas.
The purpose of the flight was to reposition the airplane to Texas for an annual inspection and for the private pilot to receive instrument flight instruction during the flight. The CFI stated the private pilot was going to return to Indiana and he was going to stay in Texas until the annual inspection was completed at which time he was going to fly the airplane back to Indiana.
The CFI stated that the private pilot filed his flight plan inside the fixed base operator (FBO). They taxied the airplane to the end of the runway where the private pilot received his departure clearance which was different than what he filed. It took a while for the private pilot to figure out the new clearance and as a result, their clearance void time lapsed. The CFI stated they discussed how to handle the voided clearance. He advised the private pilot that since the weather was good they could depart using visual flight rules (VFR) and pick up an IFR clearance en route, or they could get a pop-up clearance. He stated they then got the oxygen system hooked up and performed a normal engine run-up. He does not recall any other events of the flight.
Numerous witnesses reported seeing and hearing the airplane before and during the takeoff. They stated the engine sounded normal while the airplane was taxiing to runway 19 and throughout the engine run-up. Witnesses reported that the airplane sat at the end of the runway for 10 to 15 minutes before it departed.
Witnesses reported seeing the airplane trailing blue smoke near the beginning of the takeoff ground run on runway 19 (5,100 ft by 75 ft). The witness accounts varied regarding what they saw and hear. One witness stated the engine was making a loud "popping" sound as if it was "misfiring." Another witness stated the engine was very loud and sounded as if it was going to self-destruct. The airplane continued down the runway and eventually became airborne. Additional witnesses reported the airplane was between 50 to 100 feet above the ground when it passed-by the fixed base operator which was about ¼ the way down the runway. These witnesses also described the sound of the engine as "popping" and "misfiring". They stated the nose of the airplane lowered slightly and they thought the pilot was going to land the airplane back on the runway, but the nose then rose and the airplane continued climbing. Witnesses stated the airplane was slow and "wallowing" with the nose pitching up and down slightly as it continued to climb to a maximum altitude of about 100 to 150 feet above the ground. One of the witnesses stated that he thought they were going to land the airplane back on the runway, but they continued the takeoff. The landing gear was reported to have been extended the entire time. Witnesses at the north end of the airport stated they did not hear the engine as the airplane turned to the south; however, they were not certain if it was because the engine power had decreased or because of their distance and position from the airplane.
A witness who was in a parking lot just south of the airport, stated he saw the airplane as it was climbing from the airport. He stated the airplane was about treetop level, less than 100 feet above the ground. The witness stated he did not see smoke or hear any popping or backfiring. He did state that the engine sounded like it was at an idle or a low power setting. The nose of the airplane was slightly up, and the wings were level. He looked toward another airplane in the area and when he looked back, the airplane had disappeared behind the trees.
The airplane impacted two houses and a garage about 1/2 mile from the departure end of the runway. Two witnesses who saw the airplane descend behind the trees responded to the accident site and pulled the CFI from the wreckage before the airplane was engulfed in flames. One of these witnesses stated he checked the pilot for a pulse and did not detect one.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
Private Pilot
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating issued on April 2, 1999. He was issued a third class airman medical certificate with no restrictions on June 26, 2013. The pilot's most recent flight review endorsement was dated July 24, 2013. The flight review was conducted in the accident airplane.
The pilot's logbooks contained entries dated from April 25, 1998, thru July 10, 2014. The logbooks showed that the pilot had a total flight time of 434.7 hours. He began flying Mooney M20 airplanes in June 2010, and had accumulated 103 hours of flight time in M20 airplanes. The pilot logged 9.9 hours in the accident airplane during the three days preceding the accident.
The pilot's logbook contained an endorsement for his instrument knowledge test on January 27, 2014, and an instrument rating flight proficiency/practical test signoff dated August 31, 2013. There was no FAA record that the pilot had taken his instrument practical or written tests.
Certified Flight Instructor
The CFI held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land airplane and instrument airplane ratings, and a flight instructor certificate with single-engine land and instrument ratings. His flight instructor certificate had an expiration date of August 31, 2015. The CFI was issued a second class airman medical certificate with a limitation for corrective lenses on November 1, 2013.
The CFI reported that he had a total of 1,610 hours of flight time. The CFI reported having 67 hours of flight time in Mooney M20 airplanes, 57 hours of which were as an instructor.
The pilot's first flight with the accident CFI was an aircraft familiarization flight in June 2012. They flew 13 instrument training flights together with the last flight being the day prior to the accident.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The accident airplane was a Mooney M20M, serial number 27-0118. The Mooney M20M is a single-engine, four-place design, with retractable tricycle landing gear. The airplane was powered by a 310-horsepower, turbocharged Lycoming TIO-540-AF1B six-cylinder, reciprocating engine, serial number RL-5317-61A. The airplane was equipped with a three-blade McCauley model B3B32C417-C propeller assembly.
Maintenance records show the last aircraft, engine, and propeller annual inspections were completed on July 16, 2013, at a total aircraft time of 1,754.8 hours. The engine had 795.1 hours since overhaul when the annual inspection was accomplished. The last logbook entry was dated April 1, 2014, which consisted of an oil change at a hobbs time of 1,797.8 hours. The pilot's logbook indicated he flew the airplane 26.1 hours since the oil change, which would have resulted in an approximate aircraft total time of 1,823.9 hours at the time of the accident.
The airplane was being flown to a Mooney service center for an annual inspection at the time of the accident. A representative at the service station stated that it was to be a routine annual inspection and he was not aware of any specific problems with the airplane.
Fuel records indicate the airplane was fueled twice on the day prior to the accident. The last fueling was at 2126 when 38.33 gallons of fuel were added.
The pilot purchased the airplane on June 15, 2012. After purchasing the airplane it was determined that Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2012-19-01 had not been complied with. The engine was removed and sent to a repair station in March 2013, so the AD could be complied with. The major work consisted of replacing the crankshaft and repairing the crankcase, camshaft, cylinders, and fuel pump. The engine was shipped back to the owner and reinstalled on the airplane in July 2013.
The local mechanic who worked on the airplane stated he had not spoken to the pilot in the month prior to the accident up until the day prior when the pilot contacted him to service the oxygen system. He stated he did so just prior to the accident takeoff. He stated the airplane sounded good when the pilot was taxiing and during the engine run-up before the accident flight.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
Weather conditions recorded by the Indianapolis International Airport (IND) Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS), located about 13 miles northwest of HFY, at 1454 were: wind variable at 4 knots, 10 miles visibility, scattered clouds at 5,500 ft, scattered clouds at 25,000 ft, temperature 26 degrees Celsius, dew point 12 degrees Celsius, and altimeter 30.19 inches of mercury.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The accident site was located 0.46 miles from the departure end of runway 19. The left wing contacted the roof of a residential garage and the wingtip became imbedded in the roof. The garage was on the property next to the final impact site. An outboard section of the left wing was located on the driveway at this same residence. The airplane separated the gutter off the back of the house. The airplane contacted the cement pad between the house and garage. The first main ground impact occurred adjacent to the cement pad. This initial ground scar was approximately 12 ft long. The second ground scar began about 13 ft from the end of the first scar. This ground impact mark was about 10 ft long and 12 inches deep and contained the pitot tube. The airplane then traveled through a chain link fence and into the back yard of the neighboring residence. The airplane contacted a riding lawn mower and separated a metal awning from the back of the house.
Witnesses stated that there initially was a small fire in the area of the engine. They used a garden hose in an attempt to contain the fire; however, the fuselage was subsequently engulfed in flames.
The engine was separated from the firewall. The propeller remained attached to the engine. The fuselage was burned from the firewall to the empennage. The cockpit floor was burned, but the underside of the fuselage was not burned. The fuselage belly panel was separated during the impact sequence.
The left wing was separated from the fuselage. The inboard section of the wing was burned with the outboard section of the wing bent up and rearward. The wing did not contain any fuel. Both the flap and aileron were separated from the wing. Control continuity was established in the wing up to the point where it was separated from the fuselage and from the separation forward into the cockpit.
The right wing remained attached to the fuselage. The outboard half of the wing was bent up and rearward. The aileron and flap remained attached to the wing. Flight control continuity was established from the flight controls to the forward cockpit area. Fuel was visible in the right wing fuel tank.
The main fuel line from the firewall to the fuel pump was severed. The outlet fitting from the firewall was bent from impact. The fitting was straightened and approximately 23 gallons of fuel drained out of the line from the right fuel tank which indicated the fuel selector was positioned on the right fuel tank. The aircraft fuel filter contained clean fuel. The filter contained a minor amount of debris.
The empennage was bent and partially separated from the aft fuselage. The elevator and rudder remained attached to their respective stabilizers. The elevators sustained minor impact damage. The top of the rudder was bent to the left. The rudder control tube was separated just forward of the empennage. Control continuity was established from the rudder and elevator up to the base of the cockpit controls. The pitch trim actuator indicated the trim was set in the takeoff position.
The cockpit instrumentation was destroyed by impact forces and the post impact fire. The throttle and mixture controls were full forward. The propeller control was missing. The control cables remained attached to their respective components on the engine.
Engine and Propeller
The propeller remained attached to the engine. One propeller blade was bent rearward beginning near the butt end of the blade. The outer third of the second blade was twisted. The third blade was twisted mid-span and nicks were visible on the tip of the blade. The propeller hub was smashed and showed minor torsional twisting. The propeller was removed from the engine during the engine examination.
The dip stick did not contain any oil; however, the engine did not exhibit any evidence of oil starvation and a large oil stain was present on the ground where the engine came to rest.
The top spark plugs were removed and the engine crankshaft was rotated at the vacuum pump drive. Valve train and crankshaft continuity were established throughout the engine. Compression and suction were achieved on all cylinders. All of the cylinders were examined with a lighted boroscope and no anomalies were observed.
The number two lower spark plug was obstructed by the impact damaged exhaust pipe and it was not removed. The number six lower spark plug electrode porcelain insulator sustained impact damage and the spark plug was observed to be wet with oil. The remainder of the spark plugs showed normal wear when compared to the Champion Aviation Check-A-Plug Card AV-27.
The fuel flow divider, fuel injector servo, injector nozzles, and engine driven fuel pump were all secured on the engine. The fuel flow divider was disassembled and the diaphragm was intact. The fuel injector nozzles were removed and all were clear of debris with the exception of the number two cylinder nozzle which was partially obstructed with debris. The engine driven fuel pump turned freely by hand. The fuel inlet screen on the fuel injection servo was removed and found to be clear of debris. The engine driven fuel pump and the fuel injector servo were retained for further examination.
The upper deck pressure line nozzles were all connected to the injection nozzle assemblies with the exception of the line to the number 2 cylinder nozzle which was disconnected and bent upward 90 degrees. Soot was observed on the injector nozzle arm and debris was observed inside the nozzle arm. The upper deck lines and injection nozzles were retained for further examination.
The turbocharger, intercooler, waste gate, and air box were secured on their respective mounts. The turbocharger wheel rotated freely and no scoring on the internal walls was noted. The intercooler and the differential controller both sustained impact damage. No other anomalies were noted.
Both magnetos were removed from the engine and retained for further examination.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
An autopsy of the pilot was performed by Indy JM Forensic Consulting, in Indianapolis, Indiana, on July 12, 2014. The private pilot's death was attributed to blunt force injuries sustained as a result of the accident.
The FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) toxicology report noted negative results for all substances tested.
TESTS AND RESEARCH
The J.P. Instrument EDM-700/800 panel mounted gauge that can monitor and record up to 24 parameters related to engine operation was recovered from the accident site and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Division. The unit sustained impact damage and had missing components that were required for a potential recovery of the unit's data. Therefore, no data was recovered from the unit.
On August 5, 2014 the magnetos, engine driven fuel pump, and fuel injection servo were examined under the supervision of the NTSB.
Both magnetos sustained significant heat damage from the post impact fire. The magnetos were opened and examined. The internal components of both magnetos were in place and melted from heat exposure. Both magnetos contained aftermarket points which were intact. A functional test could not be performed due to the thermal damage.
The fuel inlet fitting on the engine driven fuel pump was bent due to impact. The fitting was replaced and the pump was placed on a test bench. The pump operated, but leaked fuel from the housing. The pump was opened and it was determined that the fuel leak was a result of an o-ring and gasket that were melted from the post impact fire.
The fuel injection servo was examined. The mixture control functioned. The servo was placed on a test bench for operational testing. The servo functioned to operational specifications.
The two upper deck pressure lines, the fuel injection nozzles, and 6 deck pressure orifices were sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for examination. The #2 pressure line sustained a 90° bend near one end of the line. There was also evidence that the #2 upper deck line sustained thermal damage including metal discoloration, sooting, and thermal degradation of attached rubber hoses. All of the remaining attached polymeric hosing was damaged to varying degrees. The #1 pressure line did not exhibit similar thermal or mechanical damage.
Debris was removed from the interior of the #2 pressure line, the nozzles and the pressure orifices. All of the material removed was examined and the test results indicated a spectral match indicating that the residue was consistent with the damaged fuel hose material. The connections on the #2 deck line were x-rayed to determine clamp position and then were compared to similar x-rays taken of #1 deck line. It was determined that clamp positions were consistent between the two upper deck pressure lines.
An August 13, 2014, an exemplar engine was test at Lycoming Engines under the supervision of the NTSB. The purpose of the test was to determine how the engine would operate if one of the upper deck pressure lines disconnected from its associated nozzle. The engine was placed in a test stand, was started and ran normally. The #2 cylinder upper deck pressure line was then disconnected, the engine was again started and it continued to run without interruption.
William Michael Gilliland: http://registry.faa.gov/N72FG
NTSB Identification: CEN14FA356
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, July 11, 2014 in Greenwood, IN
Aircraft: MOONEY M20M, registration: N72FG
Injuries: 1 Fatal,1 Serious.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On July 11, 2014, at 1419 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20M, N72FG, collided with the terrain shortly after takeoff from the Greenwood Municipal Airport (HFY), Greenwood, Indiana. The private pilot was fatally injured and his certified flight instructor (CFI) received serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged by impact and a post-impact fire. The airplane was registered to and operated by the private pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal/training flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight. The pilot had filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight was originating at the time with a destination of the East Texas Regional Airport (GGG), Longview, Texas.
The purpose of the flight was to fly the airplane to Texas for an annual inspection and to receive instrument flight instruction during the flight. The pilot had received his IFR clearance to GGG, with a clearance void time of 1420. According to air traffic control, they did not have any further contact with the airplane.
Numerous witnesses reported seeing the airplane before departing and during the takeoff. They stated the engine sounded normal while the airplane was seen taxiing to runway 19 and throughout the engine run-up. Witnesses reported that the airplane sat at the end of the runway for 10 to 15 minutes before it departed.
Two witnesses reported seeing the airplane trailing blue smoke during the takeoff ground run. One of the witnesses was indoors and did not hear the airplane. The other witness stated the engine was making a loud popping sound as if it was misfiring. The airplane continued down the runway and eventually became airborne. Additional witnesses reported the airplane was between 50 to 100 feet above the ground when it passed-by the fixed base operator which was about ¼ the way down the 5,100 foot long runway. These witnesses also described the sound of the engine as "popping", "misfiring", and as if there were ball bearings inside the engine. They stated the nose of the airplane lowered slightly and they thought the pilot was going to land the airplane back on the runway, but the nose then rose and the airplane continued climbing. The witnesses stated the airplane was slow and "wallowing" with the nose pitching up and down slightly as it continued to climb to a maximum altitude of about 100 to 150 feet above the ground. Witnesses at the north end of the airport stated they did not hear the engine as the airplane turned to the south. However, they were not certain if it was because the engine power had decreased or because of their distance and position from the airplane.
A witness who was in a parking lot just south of the airport, stated he saw the airplane as it was climbing from the airport. He stated the airplane was about treetop level, less than 100 feet above the ground. The witness stated he did not see smoke or hear any popping or backfiring. He did state that the engine sounded like it was at an idle or a low power setting. The nose of the airplane was slightly up, and the wings were level. He looked toward another airplane in the area and when he looked back, the airplane had disappeared behind the trees.
GREENWOOD, Ind. (WISH) – The family of the pilot who died after his plane crashed in Greenwood Friday released a statement of thanks and bravery of those who responded the crash.
According to police the plane lost power on take-off from Greenwood.
Witnesses, including Greenwood Municipal Airport employees, noticed when William Michael Gilliland took off that the plane was smoking and wasn’t sounding right.
After impact, it caught on fire, but two men on the ground sprung into action. They pulled the co-pilot from the plane with the help of a first-responder.
Gilliland’s wife Angie said in a release, “the many acts of heroism that surround the rescue of his co-pilot and attempted rescue of Bill were all sacrificial in nature and mere words cannot express the gratitude our family feels for your actions.”
The co-pilot was identified as Michael Joseph Elliot of Tarpon Springs, Florida.
Neighbors in Greenwood where the plane crashed are calling the pilot a hero for saving their lives by avoiding crashing directly into their homes. However Gilliland’s wife said those brave men are the heroes in this situation.
"Those special people know who they are. They are the ones who so fearlessly dropped everything and rushed into the face of danger to try to rescue two men. Our family and our community are blessed by your bravery. Thank you for your heroic deeds and the high value you placed on not one, but two human lives. Our prayers remain with the Elliot family."
Story and Photo: http://wishtv.com
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, July 11, 2014 in Greenwood, IN
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/22/2016
Aircraft: MOONEY M20M, registration: N72FG
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious.
NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The private pilot and flight instructor were repositioning the airplane for an annual inspection, and the private pilot planned to receive instrument flight training during the trip. Witnesses reported that the engine sounded good as the airplane taxied to the runway and during the engine run-up. However, several witnesses reported observing blue smoke trailing the airplane at the beginning of the takeoff and hearing the engine "popping" and "misfiring." The airplane was 50 to 100 ft above the ground and about one-quarter of the way down the 5,100-ft-long runway when its nose lowered slightly. Witnesses stated that they thought the pilot was going to land the airplane back on the remaining runway, but the airplane's nose then rose, and the airplane continued climbing. The airplane was described as being slow and "wallowing," with the nose pitching up and down slightly as it continued to climb to a maximum altitude of about 100 to 150 ft above the ground. The right wing dropped, and the airplane descended, contacting a garage and two houses before coming to rest in a residential backyard where a postimpact fire ensued. A postaccident examination of the airplane, engine, and engine components did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Also causal to the accident was the pilots' decision to continue the takeoff despite early indications of engine anomalies.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On July 11, 2014, at 1419 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20M, N72FG, collided with the terrain shortly after takeoff from the Greenwood Municipal Airport (HFY), Greenwood, Indiana. The private pilot/airplane owner was fatally injured and the certified flight instructor (CFI) on board received serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged by impact and a postimpact fire. The airplane was registered to and operated by the private pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal/training flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight. The flight was departing under visual flight rules (VFR). The flight was originating at the time of the accident with an intended destination of the East Texas Regional Airport (GGG), Longview, Texas.
The purpose of the flight was to reposition the airplane to Texas for an annual inspection and for the private pilot to receive instrument flight instruction during the flight. The CFI stated the private pilot was going to return to Indiana and he was going to stay in Texas until the annual inspection was completed at which time he was going to fly the airplane back to Indiana.
The CFI stated that the private pilot filed his flight plan inside the fixed base operator (FBO). They taxied the airplane to the end of the runway where the private pilot received his departure clearance which was different than what he filed. It took a while for the private pilot to figure out the new clearance and as a result, their clearance void time lapsed. The CFI stated they discussed how to handle the voided clearance. He advised the private pilot that since the weather was good they could depart using visual flight rules (VFR) and pick up an IFR clearance en route, or they could get a pop-up clearance. He stated they then got the oxygen system hooked up and performed a normal engine run-up. He does not recall any other events of the flight.
Numerous witnesses reported seeing and hearing the airplane before and during the takeoff. They stated the engine sounded normal while the airplane was taxiing to runway 19 and throughout the engine run-up. Witnesses reported that the airplane sat at the end of the runway for 10 to 15 minutes before it departed.
Witnesses reported seeing the airplane trailing blue smoke near the beginning of the takeoff ground run on runway 19 (5,100 ft by 75 ft). The witness accounts varied regarding what they saw and hear. One witness stated the engine was making a loud "popping" sound as if it was "misfiring." Another witness stated the engine was very loud and sounded as if it was going to self-destruct. The airplane continued down the runway and eventually became airborne. Additional witnesses reported the airplane was between 50 to 100 feet above the ground when it passed-by the fixed base operator which was about ¼ the way down the runway. These witnesses also described the sound of the engine as "popping" and "misfiring". They stated the nose of the airplane lowered slightly and they thought the pilot was going to land the airplane back on the runway, but the nose then rose and the airplane continued climbing. Witnesses stated the airplane was slow and "wallowing" with the nose pitching up and down slightly as it continued to climb to a maximum altitude of about 100 to 150 feet above the ground. One of the witnesses stated that he thought they were going to land the airplane back on the runway, but they continued the takeoff. The landing gear was reported to have been extended the entire time. Witnesses at the north end of the airport stated they did not hear the engine as the airplane turned to the south; however, they were not certain if it was because the engine power had decreased or because of their distance and position from the airplane.
A witness who was in a parking lot just south of the airport, stated he saw the airplane as it was climbing from the airport. He stated the airplane was about treetop level, less than 100 feet above the ground. The witness stated he did not see smoke or hear any popping or backfiring. He did state that the engine sounded like it was at an idle or a low power setting. The nose of the airplane was slightly up, and the wings were level. He looked toward another airplane in the area and when he looked back, the airplane had disappeared behind the trees.
The airplane impacted two houses and a garage about 1/2 mile from the departure end of the runway. Two witnesses who saw the airplane descend behind the trees responded to the accident site and pulled the CFI from the wreckage before the airplane was engulfed in flames. One of these witnesses stated he checked the pilot for a pulse and did not detect one.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
Private Pilot
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating issued on April 2, 1999. He was issued a third class airman medical certificate with no restrictions on June 26, 2013. The pilot's most recent flight review endorsement was dated July 24, 2013. The flight review was conducted in the accident airplane.
The pilot's logbooks contained entries dated from April 25, 1998, thru July 10, 2014. The logbooks showed that the pilot had a total flight time of 434.7 hours. He began flying Mooney M20 airplanes in June 2010, and had accumulated 103 hours of flight time in M20 airplanes. The pilot logged 9.9 hours in the accident airplane during the three days preceding the accident.
The pilot's logbook contained an endorsement for his instrument knowledge test on January 27, 2014, and an instrument rating flight proficiency/practical test signoff dated August 31, 2013. There was no FAA record that the pilot had taken his instrument practical or written tests.
Certified Flight Instructor
The CFI held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land airplane and instrument airplane ratings, and a flight instructor certificate with single-engine land and instrument ratings. His flight instructor certificate had an expiration date of August 31, 2015. The CFI was issued a second class airman medical certificate with a limitation for corrective lenses on November 1, 2013.
The CFI reported that he had a total of 1,610 hours of flight time. The CFI reported having 67 hours of flight time in Mooney M20 airplanes, 57 hours of which were as an instructor.
The pilot's first flight with the accident CFI was an aircraft familiarization flight in June 2012. They flew 13 instrument training flights together with the last flight being the day prior to the accident.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The accident airplane was a Mooney M20M, serial number 27-0118. The Mooney M20M is a single-engine, four-place design, with retractable tricycle landing gear. The airplane was powered by a 310-horsepower, turbocharged Lycoming TIO-540-AF1B six-cylinder, reciprocating engine, serial number RL-5317-61A. The airplane was equipped with a three-blade McCauley model B3B32C417-C propeller assembly.
Maintenance records show the last aircraft, engine, and propeller annual inspections were completed on July 16, 2013, at a total aircraft time of 1,754.8 hours. The engine had 795.1 hours since overhaul when the annual inspection was accomplished. The last logbook entry was dated April 1, 2014, which consisted of an oil change at a hobbs time of 1,797.8 hours. The pilot's logbook indicated he flew the airplane 26.1 hours since the oil change, which would have resulted in an approximate aircraft total time of 1,823.9 hours at the time of the accident.
The airplane was being flown to a Mooney service center for an annual inspection at the time of the accident. A representative at the service station stated that it was to be a routine annual inspection and he was not aware of any specific problems with the airplane.
Fuel records indicate the airplane was fueled twice on the day prior to the accident. The last fueling was at 2126 when 38.33 gallons of fuel were added.
The pilot purchased the airplane on June 15, 2012. After purchasing the airplane it was determined that Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2012-19-01 had not been complied with. The engine was removed and sent to a repair station in March 2013, so the AD could be complied with. The major work consisted of replacing the crankshaft and repairing the crankcase, camshaft, cylinders, and fuel pump. The engine was shipped back to the owner and reinstalled on the airplane in July 2013.
The local mechanic who worked on the airplane stated he had not spoken to the pilot in the month prior to the accident up until the day prior when the pilot contacted him to service the oxygen system. He stated he did so just prior to the accident takeoff. He stated the airplane sounded good when the pilot was taxiing and during the engine run-up before the accident flight.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
Weather conditions recorded by the Indianapolis International Airport (IND) Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS), located about 13 miles northwest of HFY, at 1454 were: wind variable at 4 knots, 10 miles visibility, scattered clouds at 5,500 ft, scattered clouds at 25,000 ft, temperature 26 degrees Celsius, dew point 12 degrees Celsius, and altimeter 30.19 inches of mercury.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The accident site was located 0.46 miles from the departure end of runway 19. The left wing contacted the roof of a residential garage and the wingtip became imbedded in the roof. The garage was on the property next to the final impact site. An outboard section of the left wing was located on the driveway at this same residence. The airplane separated the gutter off the back of the house. The airplane contacted the cement pad between the house and garage. The first main ground impact occurred adjacent to the cement pad. This initial ground scar was approximately 12 ft long. The second ground scar began about 13 ft from the end of the first scar. This ground impact mark was about 10 ft long and 12 inches deep and contained the pitot tube. The airplane then traveled through a chain link fence and into the back yard of the neighboring residence. The airplane contacted a riding lawn mower and separated a metal awning from the back of the house.
Witnesses stated that there initially was a small fire in the area of the engine. They used a garden hose in an attempt to contain the fire; however, the fuselage was subsequently engulfed in flames.
The engine was separated from the firewall. The propeller remained attached to the engine. The fuselage was burned from the firewall to the empennage. The cockpit floor was burned, but the underside of the fuselage was not burned. The fuselage belly panel was separated during the impact sequence.
The left wing was separated from the fuselage. The inboard section of the wing was burned with the outboard section of the wing bent up and rearward. The wing did not contain any fuel. Both the flap and aileron were separated from the wing. Control continuity was established in the wing up to the point where it was separated from the fuselage and from the separation forward into the cockpit.
The right wing remained attached to the fuselage. The outboard half of the wing was bent up and rearward. The aileron and flap remained attached to the wing. Flight control continuity was established from the flight controls to the forward cockpit area. Fuel was visible in the right wing fuel tank.
The main fuel line from the firewall to the fuel pump was severed. The outlet fitting from the firewall was bent from impact. The fitting was straightened and approximately 23 gallons of fuel drained out of the line from the right fuel tank which indicated the fuel selector was positioned on the right fuel tank. The aircraft fuel filter contained clean fuel. The filter contained a minor amount of debris.
The empennage was bent and partially separated from the aft fuselage. The elevator and rudder remained attached to their respective stabilizers. The elevators sustained minor impact damage. The top of the rudder was bent to the left. The rudder control tube was separated just forward of the empennage. Control continuity was established from the rudder and elevator up to the base of the cockpit controls. The pitch trim actuator indicated the trim was set in the takeoff position.
The cockpit instrumentation was destroyed by impact forces and the post impact fire. The throttle and mixture controls were full forward. The propeller control was missing. The control cables remained attached to their respective components on the engine.
Engine and Propeller
The propeller remained attached to the engine. One propeller blade was bent rearward beginning near the butt end of the blade. The outer third of the second blade was twisted. The third blade was twisted mid-span and nicks were visible on the tip of the blade. The propeller hub was smashed and showed minor torsional twisting. The propeller was removed from the engine during the engine examination.
The dip stick did not contain any oil; however, the engine did not exhibit any evidence of oil starvation and a large oil stain was present on the ground where the engine came to rest.
The top spark plugs were removed and the engine crankshaft was rotated at the vacuum pump drive. Valve train and crankshaft continuity were established throughout the engine. Compression and suction were achieved on all cylinders. All of the cylinders were examined with a lighted boroscope and no anomalies were observed.
The number two lower spark plug was obstructed by the impact damaged exhaust pipe and it was not removed. The number six lower spark plug electrode porcelain insulator sustained impact damage and the spark plug was observed to be wet with oil. The remainder of the spark plugs showed normal wear when compared to the Champion Aviation Check-A-Plug Card AV-27.
The fuel flow divider, fuel injector servo, injector nozzles, and engine driven fuel pump were all secured on the engine. The fuel flow divider was disassembled and the diaphragm was intact. The fuel injector nozzles were removed and all were clear of debris with the exception of the number two cylinder nozzle which was partially obstructed with debris. The engine driven fuel pump turned freely by hand. The fuel inlet screen on the fuel injection servo was removed and found to be clear of debris. The engine driven fuel pump and the fuel injector servo were retained for further examination.
The upper deck pressure line nozzles were all connected to the injection nozzle assemblies with the exception of the line to the number 2 cylinder nozzle which was disconnected and bent upward 90 degrees. Soot was observed on the injector nozzle arm and debris was observed inside the nozzle arm. The upper deck lines and injection nozzles were retained for further examination.
The turbocharger, intercooler, waste gate, and air box were secured on their respective mounts. The turbocharger wheel rotated freely and no scoring on the internal walls was noted. The intercooler and the differential controller both sustained impact damage. No other anomalies were noted.
Both magnetos were removed from the engine and retained for further examination.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
An autopsy of the pilot was performed by Indy JM Forensic Consulting, in Indianapolis, Indiana, on July 12, 2014. The private pilot's death was attributed to blunt force injuries sustained as a result of the accident.
The FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) toxicology report noted negative results for all substances tested.
TESTS AND RESEARCH
The J.P. Instrument EDM-700/800 panel mounted gauge that can monitor and record up to 24 parameters related to engine operation was recovered from the accident site and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Division. The unit sustained impact damage and had missing components that were required for a potential recovery of the unit's data. Therefore, no data was recovered from the unit.
On August 5, 2014 the magnetos, engine driven fuel pump, and fuel injection servo were examined under the supervision of the NTSB.
Both magnetos sustained significant heat damage from the post impact fire. The magnetos were opened and examined. The internal components of both magnetos were in place and melted from heat exposure. Both magnetos contained aftermarket points which were intact. A functional test could not be performed due to the thermal damage.
The fuel inlet fitting on the engine driven fuel pump was bent due to impact. The fitting was replaced and the pump was placed on a test bench. The pump operated, but leaked fuel from the housing. The pump was opened and it was determined that the fuel leak was a result of an o-ring and gasket that were melted from the post impact fire.
The fuel injection servo was examined. The mixture control functioned. The servo was placed on a test bench for operational testing. The servo functioned to operational specifications.
The two upper deck pressure lines, the fuel injection nozzles, and 6 deck pressure orifices were sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for examination. The #2 pressure line sustained a 90° bend near one end of the line. There was also evidence that the #2 upper deck line sustained thermal damage including metal discoloration, sooting, and thermal degradation of attached rubber hoses. All of the remaining attached polymeric hosing was damaged to varying degrees. The #1 pressure line did not exhibit similar thermal or mechanical damage.
Debris was removed from the interior of the #2 pressure line, the nozzles and the pressure orifices. All of the material removed was examined and the test results indicated a spectral match indicating that the residue was consistent with the damaged fuel hose material. The connections on the #2 deck line were x-rayed to determine clamp position and then were compared to similar x-rays taken of #1 deck line. It was determined that clamp positions were consistent between the two upper deck pressure lines.
An August 13, 2014, an exemplar engine was test at Lycoming Engines under the supervision of the NTSB. The purpose of the test was to determine how the engine would operate if one of the upper deck pressure lines disconnected from its associated nozzle. The engine was placed in a test stand, was started and ran normally. The #2 cylinder upper deck pressure line was then disconnected, the engine was again started and it continued to run without interruption.
NTSB Identification: CEN14FA356
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, July 11, 2014 in Greenwood, IN
Aircraft: MOONEY M20M, registration: N72FG
Injuries: 1 Fatal,1 Serious.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On July 11, 2014, at 1419 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20M, N72FG, collided with the terrain shortly after takeoff from the Greenwood Municipal Airport (HFY), Greenwood, Indiana. The private pilot was fatally injured and his certified flight instructor (CFI) received serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged by impact and a post-impact fire. The airplane was registered to and operated by the private pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal/training flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight. The pilot had filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight was originating at the time with a destination of the East Texas Regional Airport (GGG), Longview, Texas.
The purpose of the flight was to fly the airplane to Texas for an annual inspection and to receive instrument flight instruction during the flight. The pilot had received his IFR clearance to GGG, with a clearance void time of 1420. According to air traffic control, they did not have any further contact with the airplane.
Numerous witnesses reported seeing the airplane before departing and during the takeoff. They stated the engine sounded normal while the airplane was seen taxiing to runway 19 and throughout the engine run-up. Witnesses reported that the airplane sat at the end of the runway for 10 to 15 minutes before it departed.
Two witnesses reported seeing the airplane trailing blue smoke during the takeoff ground run. One of the witnesses was indoors and did not hear the airplane. The other witness stated the engine was making a loud popping sound as if it was misfiring. The airplane continued down the runway and eventually became airborne. Additional witnesses reported the airplane was between 50 to 100 feet above the ground when it passed-by the fixed base operator which was about ¼ the way down the 5,100 foot long runway. These witnesses also described the sound of the engine as "popping", "misfiring", and as if there were ball bearings inside the engine. They stated the nose of the airplane lowered slightly and they thought the pilot was going to land the airplane back on the runway, but the nose then rose and the airplane continued climbing. The witnesses stated the airplane was slow and "wallowing" with the nose pitching up and down slightly as it continued to climb to a maximum altitude of about 100 to 150 feet above the ground. Witnesses at the north end of the airport stated they did not hear the engine as the airplane turned to the south. However, they were not certain if it was because the engine power had decreased or because of their distance and position from the airplane.
A witness who was in a parking lot just south of the airport, stated he saw the airplane as it was climbing from the airport. He stated the airplane was about treetop level, less than 100 feet above the ground. The witness stated he did not see smoke or hear any popping or backfiring. He did state that the engine sounded like it was at an idle or a low power setting. The nose of the airplane was slightly up, and the wings were level. He looked toward another airplane in the area and when he looked back, the airplane had disappeared behind the trees.
GREENWOOD, Ind. (WISH) – The family of the pilot who died after his plane crashed in Greenwood Friday released a statement of thanks and bravery of those who responded the crash.
According to police the plane lost power on take-off from Greenwood.
Witnesses, including Greenwood Municipal Airport employees, noticed when William Michael Gilliland took off that the plane was smoking and wasn’t sounding right.
After impact, it caught on fire, but two men on the ground sprung into action. They pulled the co-pilot from the plane with the help of a first-responder.
Gilliland’s wife Angie said in a release, “the many acts of heroism that surround the rescue of his co-pilot and attempted rescue of Bill were all sacrificial in nature and mere words cannot express the gratitude our family feels for your actions.”
The co-pilot was identified as Michael Joseph Elliot of Tarpon Springs, Florida.
Neighbors in Greenwood where the plane crashed are calling the pilot a hero for saving their lives by avoiding crashing directly into their homes. However Gilliland’s wife said those brave men are the heroes in this situation.
"Those special people know who they are. They are the ones who so fearlessly dropped everything and rushed into the face of danger to try to rescue two men. Our family and our community are blessed by your bravery. Thank you for your heroic deeds and the high value you placed on not one, but two human lives. Our prayers remain with the Elliot family."
Story and Photo: http://wishtv.com
Fisher FP-404, N482FD: Incident occurred July 14, 2014 near Wichita Valley Airport (F14), Wichita Falls, Texas
AIRCRAFT EXPERIMENTAL 404 ULTRALIGHT FORCE LANDED IN A FIELD AND STRUCK TREES, WICHITA VALLEY AIRPORT, WICHITA FALLS, TX
Flight Standards District Office: FAA Fort Worth AFW FSDO-19
http://www.asias.faa.gov/N482FD
DANTONIO DAVID R: http://registry.faa.gov/N482FD
Fisher Flying Products Inc: http://www.fisherflying.com
A small plane crashed just east of Wichita Valley Airport near Iowa Park late Monday morning.
Authorities say the pilot, an older male, was practicing touch and go landings when the plane lost power as it was ascending.
The FAA is classifying that plane as an "amateur built experimental aircraft."
The pilot was able to maneuver the plane until it crash landed on the edge of a patch of trees on private property.
The pilot was able to walk away from the crash, but it is not known at this time if there are any small injuries.
Trooper Tony Fulton, DPS Spokesperson explained, "Shortly after he took off from one of these touch and goes he lost power to the aircraft. He was attempting to turn back and land and he didn't make it far enough and set the aircraft down in this field."
Fulton says because the pilot was not hurt and the aircraft suffered minor damage, the FAA will not send a team to the site, but use information collected from DPS for its investigation.
Story, Video and Photo: http://www.texomashomepage.com
Flight Standards District Office: FAA Fort Worth AFW FSDO-19
http://www.asias.faa.gov/N482FD
DANTONIO DAVID R: http://registry.faa.gov/N482FD
Fisher Flying Products Inc: http://www.fisherflying.com
A small plane crashed just east of Wichita Valley Airport near Iowa Park late Monday morning.
Authorities say the pilot, an older male, was practicing touch and go landings when the plane lost power as it was ascending.
The FAA is classifying that plane as an "amateur built experimental aircraft."
The pilot was able to maneuver the plane until it crash landed on the edge of a patch of trees on private property.
The pilot was able to walk away from the crash, but it is not known at this time if there are any small injuries.
Trooper Tony Fulton, DPS Spokesperson explained, "Shortly after he took off from one of these touch and goes he lost power to the aircraft. He was attempting to turn back and land and he didn't make it far enough and set the aircraft down in this field."
Fulton says because the pilot was not hurt and the aircraft suffered minor damage, the FAA will not send a team to the site, but use information collected from DPS for its investigation.
Story, Video and Photo: http://www.texomashomepage.com
Cessna 182Q, N97968: Incident occurred July 11, 2014 in Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
CHELMSFORD -- Howie
Wallach was taking his daily walk Friday afternoon near the high school
athletic fields when he heard an airplane.
But because several people fly model planes over there near the softball field, Wallach didn't think much of it. Next thing he knew, a small plane was making an emergency landing at the Chelmsford High School athletic field and he was dialing 911.
"This is the most action we see around here in Chelmsford," said Wallach, 51, who lives on nearby Pilgrim Road.
Wayland's Frederic Moses was piloting a small plane Friday afternoon when he made an emergency landing at the Chelmsford High School field because of mechanical problems in its engine, according to police.
Moses, the lone person on board, was not injured, he told The Sun. No bystanders were injured, according to police.
"Thank god the guy's OK," Wallach said. "He seemed totally in control while landing it. He did a fine job. The guy was cool as hell."
Chelmsford police responded at 4:12 p.m. for a report of a plane down in the field on Graniteville Road. On arrival, officers found a single engine 1979 Cessna 182Q had landed.
There was no fire, fuel leakage or environmental impact of any kind, police said.
The plane, tail number N97968, took off at Minute Man Air Field in Stow on Friday afternoon and planned to return to Stow but experienced mechanical problems in the engine, which forced the emergency landing, according to the pilot's statements to police.
"This is kind of being made out to be a bigger deal than it really is," said Moses, 66, speaking over the phone a few hours after the emergency landing. "Things happen periodically, and it happened to me this time.
"The plane landed without damage, I wasn't hurt and nobody else was hurt, so everything worked out very well," added Moses, a recreational flyer for 30 years.
Moses, who's been piloting this plane for about 15 years, said there were sudden engine problems, and the large field in Chelmsford made the most sense to land it safely, he said. Moses said the mechanical issue was "nothing obvious."
"I'm not sure what it was, and that's going to be determined," Moses said. "We'll find out."
Representatives at Minute Man Air Field could not be reached Friday evening.
Chelmsford police secured the scene and notified the Massachusetts Port Authority and the Federal Aviation Administration, which will investigate the emergency landing.
Flat-bed tow trucks were on the scene Friday evening waiting to carry the plane away to an unknown location to continue the investigation.
"Thank God he was able to land it safely, and thank God nobody was out here," said Dawn Callahan, who lives around the corner. "This spot is usually full of kids, so it's really lucky."
Story and Photo: http://chelmsfordstories.blogspot.com
AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED IN A FIELD NEAR A HIGH SCHOOL, CHELMSFORD, MA
Flight Standards District Office: FAA Boston FSDO-61
http://www.asias.faa.gov/N97968
MOSES FREDRIC P: http://registry.faa.gov/N97968
But because several people fly model planes over there near the softball field, Wallach didn't think much of it. Next thing he knew, a small plane was making an emergency landing at the Chelmsford High School athletic field and he was dialing 911.
"This is the most action we see around here in Chelmsford," said Wallach, 51, who lives on nearby Pilgrim Road.
Wayland's Frederic Moses was piloting a small plane Friday afternoon when he made an emergency landing at the Chelmsford High School field because of mechanical problems in its engine, according to police.
Moses, the lone person on board, was not injured, he told The Sun. No bystanders were injured, according to police.
"Thank god the guy's OK," Wallach said. "He seemed totally in control while landing it. He did a fine job. The guy was cool as hell."
Chelmsford police responded at 4:12 p.m. for a report of a plane down in the field on Graniteville Road. On arrival, officers found a single engine 1979 Cessna 182Q had landed.
There was no fire, fuel leakage or environmental impact of any kind, police said.
The plane, tail number N97968, took off at Minute Man Air Field in Stow on Friday afternoon and planned to return to Stow but experienced mechanical problems in the engine, which forced the emergency landing, according to the pilot's statements to police.
"This is kind of being made out to be a bigger deal than it really is," said Moses, 66, speaking over the phone a few hours after the emergency landing. "Things happen periodically, and it happened to me this time.
"The plane landed without damage, I wasn't hurt and nobody else was hurt, so everything worked out very well," added Moses, a recreational flyer for 30 years.
Moses, who's been piloting this plane for about 15 years, said there were sudden engine problems, and the large field in Chelmsford made the most sense to land it safely, he said. Moses said the mechanical issue was "nothing obvious."
"I'm not sure what it was, and that's going to be determined," Moses said. "We'll find out."
Representatives at Minute Man Air Field could not be reached Friday evening.
Chelmsford police secured the scene and notified the Massachusetts Port Authority and the Federal Aviation Administration, which will investigate the emergency landing.
Flat-bed tow trucks were on the scene Friday evening waiting to carry the plane away to an unknown location to continue the investigation.
"Thank God he was able to land it safely, and thank God nobody was out here," said Dawn Callahan, who lives around the corner. "This spot is usually full of kids, so it's really lucky."
Story and Photo: http://chelmsfordstories.blogspot.com
AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED IN A FIELD NEAR A HIGH SCHOOL, CHELMSFORD, MA
Flight Standards District Office: FAA Boston FSDO-61
http://www.asias.faa.gov/N97968
MOSES FREDRIC P: http://registry.faa.gov/N97968
WWII Veteran to Visit Naval Air Station Wildwood (NASW) Aviation Museum at Cape May County Airport (KWWD), New Jersey
CAPE MAY - Naval Air Station Wildwood (NASW) Aviation Museum will conduct a ceremony to honor Robert Francis Bergeron, 94, July 20 at 12:00 noon.
Mr. Bergeron received advanced dive-bomber training at Naval Air Station Wildwood in early 1944. He proceeded to have an outstanding career in the Navy, and was awarded three Distinguished Flying Crosses for actions taken during his tour of the South Pacific in late 1944, among other awards. Mr. Bergeron flew the Curtiss Helldiver aircraft.
Mr. Bergeron will travel from his home in New Hampshire to visit the former site of Naval Air Station Wildwood, see the Aviation Museum that is now housed in Hangar #1 and be honored by museum staff.
Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum is located inside Historic Hangar #1 at the Cape May Airport, New Jersey. The site was formerly Naval Air Station Wildwood, which served as a World War II dive-bomber training center. The museum is dedicated to the 42 airmen who perished while training at Naval Air Station Wildwood between 1943 and 1945.
Source Article: http://www.capemaycountyherald.com
Mr. Bergeron received advanced dive-bomber training at Naval Air Station Wildwood in early 1944. He proceeded to have an outstanding career in the Navy, and was awarded three Distinguished Flying Crosses for actions taken during his tour of the South Pacific in late 1944, among other awards. Mr. Bergeron flew the Curtiss Helldiver aircraft.
Mr. Bergeron will travel from his home in New Hampshire to visit the former site of Naval Air Station Wildwood, see the Aviation Museum that is now housed in Hangar #1 and be honored by museum staff.
Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum is located inside Historic Hangar #1 at the Cape May Airport, New Jersey. The site was formerly Naval Air Station Wildwood, which served as a World War II dive-bomber training center. The museum is dedicated to the 42 airmen who perished while training at Naval Air Station Wildwood between 1943 and 1945.
Source Article: http://www.capemaycountyherald.com
Syracuse's state police helicopter operations will move to Rochester
Syracuse, N.Y. --
Syracuse's state police helicopter operations will be moved to the
Rochester International Airport, troopers said.
The move will happen Wednesday.
A state police aviation division in Batavia will also be transferred to Rochester at that time, police said in a statement.
The state police office of public information said the consolidation is intended to make operations more efficient. Troopers are hopeful that the consolidation will mean Central and Western New Yorkers will be provided with more resources for search and rescue, surveillance and specialty units.
No employees will lose their jobs as a result of the move, state police said.
The aviation team based in Rochester will be ready to assist local barracks and other law enforcement agencies, police said.
The consolidation was planned with the law enforcement and emergency aircraft that are available to respond to incidents in Central New York in mind, troopers said.
Private air carriers provide medical services to Central New York, they said.
"Generally, State Police Aviation does not perform Medevac missions in Central New York," state police said in the statement.
Story and Comments: http://www.syracuse.com
The move will happen Wednesday.
A state police aviation division in Batavia will also be transferred to Rochester at that time, police said in a statement.
The state police office of public information said the consolidation is intended to make operations more efficient. Troopers are hopeful that the consolidation will mean Central and Western New Yorkers will be provided with more resources for search and rescue, surveillance and specialty units.
No employees will lose their jobs as a result of the move, state police said.
The aviation team based in Rochester will be ready to assist local barracks and other law enforcement agencies, police said.
The consolidation was planned with the law enforcement and emergency aircraft that are available to respond to incidents in Central New York in mind, troopers said.
Private air carriers provide medical services to Central New York, they said.
"Generally, State Police Aviation does not perform Medevac missions in Central New York," state police said in the statement.
Story and Comments: http://www.syracuse.com
Helicopter pilot reports near miss with drone over Cleveland, Federal Aviation Administration investigating
CLEVELAND, Ohio - A helicopter pilot reported a near miss with a drone over Cleveland. The Federal Aviation Administration is now investigating the incident that happened July 11.
The FAA confirmed the incident to NewsChannel5's Paul Kiska and released this statement.
"On July 11th, the pilot of a Schweizer helicopter reported that an Unmanned Aircraft that looked like a red quadrocopter passed about 50 yards to his left side while he was flying at 1,700 feet. The pilot stated that this occurred about 5 miles northeast of Cleveland. The FAA will investigate the incident."
"That's a concern to pilots and all of us who operate at this low altitudes. It's scary, bird strikes scare us, but this is an unknown. We haven't had any documented hits between an aircraft and a UAV and no one wants to be the first," said helicopter pilot Drew Ferguson with the Northeast Ohio Helicopter and Low Fliers Group.
Ferguson is working closely with drone operators to promote safety.
Story and Video: http://www.newsnet5.com
The FAA confirmed the incident to NewsChannel5's Paul Kiska and released this statement.
"On July 11th, the pilot of a Schweizer helicopter reported that an Unmanned Aircraft that looked like a red quadrocopter passed about 50 yards to his left side while he was flying at 1,700 feet. The pilot stated that this occurred about 5 miles northeast of Cleveland. The FAA will investigate the incident."
"That's a concern to pilots and all of us who operate at this low altitudes. It's scary, bird strikes scare us, but this is an unknown. We haven't had any documented hits between an aircraft and a UAV and no one wants to be the first," said helicopter pilot Drew Ferguson with the Northeast Ohio Helicopter and Low Fliers Group.
Ferguson is working closely with drone operators to promote safety.
Story and Video: http://www.newsnet5.com
Raven, N79ZR: Fatal accident occurred July 06, 2014 in Mattituck, New York
NTSB Identification: ERA14LA330
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 06, 2014 in Mattituck, NY
Aircraft: ZUBAIR S KHAN RAVEN, registration: N79ZR
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On July 6, 2014, about 1905 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Raven, N79ZR, was substantially damaged when it impacted the water in the vicinity of Mattituck, New York. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by an individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The personal flight originated at Brookhaven Airport (HWV), Shirley, New York, about 1855.
The airplane was located floating on top of the water of Long Island Sound, the following morning by a private individual.
According to radar data, the airplane was first observed at 1,200 feet above mean sea level (msl) south of HWV. The airplane turned left towards the north and continued to climb to about 8,500 feet msl as it went over the north shoreline and continued flight over Long Island Sound. The airplane subsequently began to descend. At 1904:18, radar data indicated that the airplane was at 7,400 feet msl and began a left 270° turn towards the east. At 1904:33, radar data indicated that the airplane was traveling in an east direction and was at 5,800 feet msl. The last radar return was recorded at 1905:19, and indicated an altitude of about 1,100 feet msl.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot, age 41, held a private pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land issued June 21, 2005, and a third-class airman medical certificate issued June 11, 2013, with no limitations. The pilot's logbook was not recovered for examination. On the pilot's June 11, 2013, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical application, he reported 220 total flight hours. According to a statement provided by a flight instructor, the pilot had satisfactorily completed a flight review on April 6, 2014; however, at the time of the flight review, the pilot's total flight time was not recorded.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The four-seat, composite canard airplane, with retractable landing gear was manufactured in 2014 and issued an airworthiness certificate on February 7, 2014. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-540-C1A engine driving a Catto Glass Carbon Composite 3-Blade propeller. Review of the aircraft maintenance logbook records showed that a condition inspection was completed on February 7, 2014 at a recorded time of 20.1 hours. The Hobbs meter was not located at the accident site and airframe operating time could not be conclusively determined.
The airplane was equipped with a front-hinged canopy which functioned as the front windshield, side windows, and cabin roof. The canopy was the only access to and from the cockpit. A primary latch lever mounted in the cockpit operated four latch pins.
Weight and balance information, computed on January 30, 2013, indicated that the airplane's maximum gross takeoff weight was 2,200 pounds and the designed center of gravity (CG) range was 95 to 99.5 inches aft of datum. Utilizing the computed information, the airplane's weight at the time of takeoff was about 1,818 pounds and the CG was 102.2 inches aft of datum. The investigation was not able to determine if the pilot had performed a weight and balance or why he elected to operate the airplane out of CG.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
The 1853 recorded weather observation at Westhampton Beach, The Gabreski Airport (KFOK), Westhampton Beach, New York, located about 10 miles to the south of the last recorded radar return, included wind from 220 degrees at 9 knots with gusts of 17 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 22 degrees C, dew point 17 degrees C, and barometric altimeter 29.98 inches of mercury.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The wreckage was located at 41°3'53.7" N and 072°41.418" W, about 4 miles north of the north shore of Long Island and about 20 miles northeast of the departure airport.
Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector and a representative from the engine manufacturer revealed damage to fuselage, left wingtip leading edge, and the right canard trailing edge. The damage was consistent with a left wing low attitude when it impacted the water. The pilot had a personal parachute pack, and when recovered, photographic evidence revealed that the parachute had been deployed, remained attached to the pilot, trailing behind the airplane, and wrapped around the propeller. Examination of the canopy brackets attached to the fuselage and both hinges revealed no tearing or shearing of the bolts; however, neither the bolts nor the canopy were present.
Flight control continuity was confirmed to all flight control surfaces from the cockpit control, except for the rudders. Rudder continuity was confirmed from the cable fracture point in the vicinity of the rudder pedals to the rudder control surfaces; however, the rudder pedals were absent.
The left wing and left canard remained attached to the fuselage. The left wing exhibited leading edge damage which extended from the wingtip inward approximately 4 feet.
The nose section exhibited impact damage and was partially fractured on the right side circumferentially around the bottom of the nose but remained partially attached on the left side. The nose wheel remained attached and was partially extended. Examination of the canopy brackets attached to the forward section of the fuselage and both hinges revealed no tearing or shearing of the bolts; however, no bolts nor the canopy were present.
The canopy was subsequently located July 9, 2014, floating on top of the water, about 39 miles northeast of the last recorded radar return. The canopy remained intact and the windscreen was not damaged. A video camera remained attached to the canopy; however, no recording of the accident flight was able to be extracted from the camera memory. The canopy quick release mechanism remained attached to the canopy and was found in the released position. The four locking pins and associated locking pin holes exhibited no distortion and were unremarkable. The four pins were reinstalled into the locking pin holes and appeared to lock into place. The quick release line was pulled by an FAA inspector and all four pins released and operated normally.
The instrument panel exhibited impact damage but remained attached to the forward portion of the cockpit. The throttle lever handle was impact separated; however, the lower portion of the throttle lever arm remained attached and was in the full forward or "OPEN" position. The mixture lever was in the full forward or full "rich" position. The fuel selector valve was in the "BOTH" position. The landing gear position indicator located aft of the fuel selector valve indicated three "UP" positions. Both ignition switches were found guarded and in the "ON" position. The glareshield included circuit breakers and several switches. The following switches were found in the on position: Master, Radio Master, Landing Light, Strobe Lights, Pitot Heat, Spare Circuit, and Fuel Pump. The left side control stick remained attached to the control column.
The left and right cockpit molded seats remained attached and had various fractures located along the back. Both seatbelts and shoulder harnesses remained attached to the associated attach point; however, the right seat belt and should harness had been cut by first responders to facilitate recovery of the occupant.
The right wing and right canard remained attached to the airplane. The right rudder remained attached to the winglet at all hinge points. The right aileron remained attached at all hinge points.
Both fuel caps remained secured and in place. Each fuel tank indicated a 30 gallon capacity.
The aft pusher engine compartment remained attached to the fuselage and the firewall was not damaged. The lower and upper engine cowlings exhibited impact damage but remained attached to the fuselage. The engine assembly remained attached to all engine mounts. The composite three-blade propeller remained attached to the propeller crankshaft flange. The propeller blades were not damaged, and the personal parachute canopy and associated cords were found wrapped around the blades and hub.
Examination of the engine assembly revealed that the left and right engine exhaust pipes exhibited impact crush damage at the Nos. 1 and 2 cylinders. All induction tubes were attached to their respective attached points.
The throttle cable remained attached to the throttle control arm on the fuel injector servo and was at mid-range. The mixture control remained attached to the mixture control arm and was in the full rich position. The fuel injector servo was removed and contained fuel. The fuel injector servo fuel inlet screen was removed and free of contaminants. The fuel injector servo regulator section was disassembled and no anomalies were noted. The fuel flow divider was removed, disassembled and no anomalies were noted. The fuel injector nozzles were removed from all cylinders and no anomalies were noted.
The engine was subsequently partially disassembled. The engine was rotated by hand using the propeller. Suction and compression was obtained on all cylinders. Valve train continuity was observed through all cylinder rocker arms. The accessory drive gears were observed rotating. Crankshaft and valve train continuity was verified. A detailed "Memorandum of Record - Engine Examination Report" with accompanying pictures is contained in the public docket for this investigation.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOCIAL INFORMATION
An autopsy was performed on the pilot on July 7, 2014, by Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office, Hauppauge, New York. The autopsy reported the cause of death as "multiple blunt impact injuries," and the report listed the specific injuries.
Forensic toxicology was performed on specimens from the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The toxicology report stated no carbon monoxide detected in the blood (Cavity) and no ethanol was detected in the urine. The report listed the following drug being detected:
- Tetrahydrocannabinol (Marihuana) detected in the blood (Heart)
- 0.005 (ug/ml, ug/g) Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid (Marihuana) detected in Urine
- 0.0015 (ug/ml, ug/g) Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid (Marihuana) detected in Blood (Heart)
According to the FAA Aerospace Medical Research website, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the psychoactive compound found in marijuana and has effects at levels as low as 0.001 ug/ml. THC has mood altering effects causing euphoria, relaxed inhibitions, sense of well-being, disorientation, image distortion, and psychosis. The ability to concentrate and maintain attention are decreased during marijuana use. Tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid is the inactive metabolite of tetrahydrocannabinol.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A fuel receipt was located revealing that the airplane had been fueled at HWV, at 1837 on the day of the accident, with 53 gallons of fuel.
The Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3A) Chapter 15, which states in part, "…once the stall has developed and a large amount of lift has been lost, the airplane will begin to sink rapidly and this will be accompanied by a corresponding rapid increase in angle of attack. This is the beginning of what is termed a deep stall. As an airplane enters a deep stall, increasing drag reduces forward speed to well below normal stall speed. The sink rate may increase to many thousands of feet per minute. The airplane eventually stabilizes in a vertical descent…it must be emphasized that this situation can occur without an excessively nose-high pitch attitude…Deep stalls are virtually unrecoverable."
Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25A)
Section 4 "Aerodynamics of Flight" states "The CG range is very important when it comes to stall recovery characteristics. If an aircraft is allowed to be operated outside of the CG, the pilot may have difficulty recovering from a stall. The most critical CG violation would occur when operating with a CG which exceeds the rear limit. In this situation, a pilot may not be able to generate sufficient force with the elevator to counteract the excess weight aft of the CG. With the ability to decrease the AOA [angle of attack], the aircraft continues in a stalled condition until it contacts the ground."
The section further goes on and states the following: "Longitudinal stability is the quality that makes an aircraft stable about its lateral axis. It involves the pitching motion as the aircraft's nose moves up and down in flight. A longitudinally unstable aircraft has a tendency to dive or climb progressively into a very steep dive or climb, or even a stall. Thus, an aircraft with longitudinal instability becomes difficult and sometimes dangerous to fly.
Static longitudinal stability or instability in an aircraft, is dependent upon three factors:
1. Location of the wing with respect to the CG
2. Location of the horizontal tail surfaces with respect to the CG
3. Area or size of the tail surfaces"
The "Glossary" defines CG as "the point at which an airplane would balance if it were possible to suspend it at that point. It is the mass center of the airplane, or the theoretical point at which the entire weight of the airplane is assume to be concentrated. It may expressed in inches from the reference datum, or in percentage of mean aerodynamic chord (MAC). The location depends on the distribution of weight in the airplane."
Deep Stall
According to a book titled "The Light Airplane Pilot's Guide to Stall/Spin Awareness" a deep stall is "…when the horizontal tail of a conventional airplane becomes buried in the main wing's tail wake and loses its power to push the nose down, or with a canard design when the main wing stalls before the canard does. In both cases, the airplane seeks a higher angle of attack, usually above 40 degrees, and stabilizes there. There may not be enough elevator authority to reduce the angle of attack for recovery."
According to Advisory Circular AC90-109 Section 5c(6) "It's also possible, even for a seemingly carefree handling airplane, to achieve what some have called a deep stall, where there is not sufficient nose-down pitch authority to break the stall, possibly creating an unrecoverable situation. Some airplanes can pitch nose-up before the stall, resulting in a rapid stall entry unless the pilot counters with a conscious forward yoke/stick motion."
Zubair S. Khan, N79ZR: http://registry.faa.gov/N79ZR
NTSB Identification: ERA14LA330
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 06, 2014 in Mattituck, NY
Aircraft: ZUBAIR S KHAN RAVEN, registration: N79ZR
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On July 6, 2014, about 1905 eastern daylight time, an experimental-amateur built Raven, N79ZR, impacted the water in the vicinity of Mattituck, New York. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was located the following day floating in the Long Island Sound and sustained substantial damage to fuselage and nose section. The airplane was registered to and operated by an individual under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Brookhaven Airport (HWV), Shirley, New York, about 1855.
According to radar data, the airplane was first observed at 1200 feet above mean sea level (msl) south of HWV. Then, about 1856, the airplane turned north and continued to climb to about 8500 feet msl as it went over the shoreline. About 1904, the airplane was at 7000 feet msl and began a left 270 degree turn to the east and descended during the turn to about 5800 feet msl. The last radar return was recorded about 1905 and indicated an altitude of about 1100 feet msl.
A fuel receipt was located revealing that the airplane had been fueled at HWV, at 1837 on the day of the accident, with 53 gallons of fuel.
Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector and a representative from the engine manufacturer revealed damage to fuselage, left wingtip leading edge, and the right canard trailing edge. The pilot had a personal parachute pack, and when recovered, the parachute had been deployed, remained attached, and was found trailing behind the airplane. Examination of the canopy brackets attached to the fuselage and both hinges revealed no tearing or shearing of the bolts; however, no bolts nor the canopy were present. The canopy was subsequently located July 9, 2014, floating in the water, about 39 miles northeast of the last recorded radar return.
AIRCRAFT EXPERIMENTAL RAVEN CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES INTO THE WATER AT LONG ISLAND SOUND, THE 1 PERSON ON BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED, 4 MILES FROM MATTITUCK, LONG ISLAND, NY
Flight Standards District Office: FAA Farmingdale FSDO-11
An initial federal investigation has revealed the home-built plane that crashed in Long Island Sound last week went down Sunday night, roughly 14 hours before it was first discovered floating off Mattituck.
The cause of the fatal crash that killed 41-year-old pilot Zubair Khan has not yet been determined, investigators said.
The preliminary report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board Tuesday found that Mr. Khan took off in his experimental single-engine aircraft from Brookhaven Callabro Airport about 6:55 p.m. last Sunday.
The plane turned north from the airport and climbed to about 8,500 feet as it flew over the shoreline, according to the report. About 7:04 p.m., radar spotted the plane making a hard left turn and descending to about 5,800 feet.
About a minute later, according to the report, the plane was picked up on radar just 1,100 feet above sea level. That was the last sign of the craft on radar, the report found.
Investigators found that the plane left in good conditions for visual flying and did not file a flight plan.
Mr. Khan’s family said last week that it was concerned the crash was not reported until Monday even though Mr. Khan had departed the airport the day before. His brother-in-law, Umar Niazi, questioned why a search and rescue effort wasn’t conducted Sunday evening.
“This all seems very strange,” Mr. Niazi wrote in an email.
A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration said Brookhaven’s airport is “non-towered,” meaning there is no control tower coordinating flights.
It’s common for smaller planes to take off and land at these airports without notifying authorities, the spokesman said.
“As long as you can fly and see what’s ahead of you … those flights take place all the time,” he said. “There’s really no way of knowing how many of those aircraft are flying at any one time.”
NTSB investigators said Mr. Khan was fatally injured in the crash and was found inside the plane Monday morning, with a personal parachute pack deployed and still attached.
The plane suffered “substantial damage” to its fuselage and nose, the report states. Edges of the plane’s left wingtip and right canard were also damaged. The canopy was missing from the craft, and investigators found no sign of “tearing or shearing” of the bolts; however, the report notes that the bolts were missing from the craft.
NTSB investigator Shawn Etcher said the canopy was found three days after the crash floating about 39 miles northeast near Westerly, R.I.
Mr. Etcher said a mount for a video camera was found on the recovered canopy, but there was no sign of a camera on the recovered hatch.
On Monday, a boater discovered a video camera which may be related to the crash, he said.
“It is currently being prepared to be sent to our laboratory for examination and possible download to determine if it was part of the airplane,” Mr. Etcher said.
The victim’s brother-in-law had said Mr. Khan recorded “every moment of his flying” with a camera installed in the cockpit of his plane. Mr. Khan had posted videos of some of his initial flights on YouTube.
The full investigation into the cause of the accident is expected to take between three and 12 months to complete, Mr. Etcher said.
Story and Photos: http://suffolktimes.timesreview.com
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman says the aircraft hatch that washed up on a Rhode Island beach was a piece of a plane that crashed in Long Island Sound.
Jim Peters said Monday that the agency found that the hatch belonged to a fixed-wing, single-engine craft called a Raven that crashed last week north of the Mattituck Inlet, between Long Island and the coast of Connecticut. The pilot, the only occupant, was killed.
The Westerly Sun reports that a large, white hatch washed up on Dunes Park Beach in Westerly on Thursday. Local police retrieved it and contacted the FAA and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
Information from: The Westerly Sun, http://www.thewesterlysun.com
Aircraft hatch washes ashore in Westerly; officials investigating
Published: July 11, 2014 | Last Modified: July 12, 2014 07:09AM
WESTERLY — Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the origin of a large, white aircraft hatch that washed up on Dunes Park beach Thursday afternoon.
Westerly Police Chief Edward St. Clair said Westerly police officers retrieved the 6-by 4-foot fiberglass hatch, believed to be from a glider, around 5 p.m. on Thursday, and alerted the FAA and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard First District office passed the information on to the FAA, suspecting that the hatch came from the aircraft that crashed in Long Island Sound on Monday morning.
Robert Simpson, a public affairs specialist with the Coast Guard, said that while they could not confirm the correlation, the piece appeared to match up with the single, small-engine aircraft crash. Divers from a nearby fire department found the body of the pilot, who was pronounced dead by a Suffolk County medical examiner, according to a New York Times report on the crash.
The hatch has been picked up from the Westerly Police Station and is being held at the FAA Flight Standards District Office in Framingdale, N.Y., according to FAA public affairs official Jim Peters.
“We have not yet identified that the part came from the plane that crashed in Mattituck waters,” Peters said. “The investigation is ongoing.”
Dunes Park lifeguards James Sleboda and Sam Borecki first spotted the hatch adrift in the water near the park’s stretch of shoreline around 4 p.m.
“At first, I didn’t know what it was,” Sleboda said. “I thought it was a piece of driftwood.”
As the unidentified object drifted closer to shore, Borecki brought it back to land, Sleboda explained.
“Even when we got it out, we thought it was a part of a boat or something,” he said. “Then we saw the ‘do not open during flight’ sign, and that pretty much gave it away.”
Sleboda noted that the lightweight fiberglass hatch appeared to be in good condition, with no visible scratches or demarcations, except for the word “experimental” written on the underside of the piece.
Dunes Park employees also believed the hatch may be a piece from Monday’s crash, according to a post on the park’s Facebook page.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, according to Peters.
Story and Photo Gallery: http://www.thewesterlysun.com
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 06, 2014 in Mattituck, NY
Aircraft: ZUBAIR S KHAN RAVEN, registration: N79ZR
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On July 6, 2014, about 1905 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Raven, N79ZR, was substantially damaged when it impacted the water in the vicinity of Mattituck, New York. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by an individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The personal flight originated at Brookhaven Airport (HWV), Shirley, New York, about 1855.
The airplane was located floating on top of the water of Long Island Sound, the following morning by a private individual.
According to radar data, the airplane was first observed at 1,200 feet above mean sea level (msl) south of HWV. The airplane turned left towards the north and continued to climb to about 8,500 feet msl as it went over the north shoreline and continued flight over Long Island Sound. The airplane subsequently began to descend. At 1904:18, radar data indicated that the airplane was at 7,400 feet msl and began a left 270° turn towards the east. At 1904:33, radar data indicated that the airplane was traveling in an east direction and was at 5,800 feet msl. The last radar return was recorded at 1905:19, and indicated an altitude of about 1,100 feet msl.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot, age 41, held a private pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land issued June 21, 2005, and a third-class airman medical certificate issued June 11, 2013, with no limitations. The pilot's logbook was not recovered for examination. On the pilot's June 11, 2013, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical application, he reported 220 total flight hours. According to a statement provided by a flight instructor, the pilot had satisfactorily completed a flight review on April 6, 2014; however, at the time of the flight review, the pilot's total flight time was not recorded.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The four-seat, composite canard airplane, with retractable landing gear was manufactured in 2014 and issued an airworthiness certificate on February 7, 2014. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-540-C1A engine driving a Catto Glass Carbon Composite 3-Blade propeller. Review of the aircraft maintenance logbook records showed that a condition inspection was completed on February 7, 2014 at a recorded time of 20.1 hours. The Hobbs meter was not located at the accident site and airframe operating time could not be conclusively determined.
The airplane was equipped with a front-hinged canopy which functioned as the front windshield, side windows, and cabin roof. The canopy was the only access to and from the cockpit. A primary latch lever mounted in the cockpit operated four latch pins.
Weight and balance information, computed on January 30, 2013, indicated that the airplane's maximum gross takeoff weight was 2,200 pounds and the designed center of gravity (CG) range was 95 to 99.5 inches aft of datum. Utilizing the computed information, the airplane's weight at the time of takeoff was about 1,818 pounds and the CG was 102.2 inches aft of datum. The investigation was not able to determine if the pilot had performed a weight and balance or why he elected to operate the airplane out of CG.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
The 1853 recorded weather observation at Westhampton Beach, The Gabreski Airport (KFOK), Westhampton Beach, New York, located about 10 miles to the south of the last recorded radar return, included wind from 220 degrees at 9 knots with gusts of 17 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 22 degrees C, dew point 17 degrees C, and barometric altimeter 29.98 inches of mercury.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The wreckage was located at 41°3'53.7" N and 072°41.418" W, about 4 miles north of the north shore of Long Island and about 20 miles northeast of the departure airport.
Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector and a representative from the engine manufacturer revealed damage to fuselage, left wingtip leading edge, and the right canard trailing edge. The damage was consistent with a left wing low attitude when it impacted the water. The pilot had a personal parachute pack, and when recovered, photographic evidence revealed that the parachute had been deployed, remained attached to the pilot, trailing behind the airplane, and wrapped around the propeller. Examination of the canopy brackets attached to the fuselage and both hinges revealed no tearing or shearing of the bolts; however, neither the bolts nor the canopy were present.
Flight control continuity was confirmed to all flight control surfaces from the cockpit control, except for the rudders. Rudder continuity was confirmed from the cable fracture point in the vicinity of the rudder pedals to the rudder control surfaces; however, the rudder pedals were absent.
The left wing and left canard remained attached to the fuselage. The left wing exhibited leading edge damage which extended from the wingtip inward approximately 4 feet.
The nose section exhibited impact damage and was partially fractured on the right side circumferentially around the bottom of the nose but remained partially attached on the left side. The nose wheel remained attached and was partially extended. Examination of the canopy brackets attached to the forward section of the fuselage and both hinges revealed no tearing or shearing of the bolts; however, no bolts nor the canopy were present.
The canopy was subsequently located July 9, 2014, floating on top of the water, about 39 miles northeast of the last recorded radar return. The canopy remained intact and the windscreen was not damaged. A video camera remained attached to the canopy; however, no recording of the accident flight was able to be extracted from the camera memory. The canopy quick release mechanism remained attached to the canopy and was found in the released position. The four locking pins and associated locking pin holes exhibited no distortion and were unremarkable. The four pins were reinstalled into the locking pin holes and appeared to lock into place. The quick release line was pulled by an FAA inspector and all four pins released and operated normally.
The instrument panel exhibited impact damage but remained attached to the forward portion of the cockpit. The throttle lever handle was impact separated; however, the lower portion of the throttle lever arm remained attached and was in the full forward or "OPEN" position. The mixture lever was in the full forward or full "rich" position. The fuel selector valve was in the "BOTH" position. The landing gear position indicator located aft of the fuel selector valve indicated three "UP" positions. Both ignition switches were found guarded and in the "ON" position. The glareshield included circuit breakers and several switches. The following switches were found in the on position: Master, Radio Master, Landing Light, Strobe Lights, Pitot Heat, Spare Circuit, and Fuel Pump. The left side control stick remained attached to the control column.
The left and right cockpit molded seats remained attached and had various fractures located along the back. Both seatbelts and shoulder harnesses remained attached to the associated attach point; however, the right seat belt and should harness had been cut by first responders to facilitate recovery of the occupant.
The right wing and right canard remained attached to the airplane. The right rudder remained attached to the winglet at all hinge points. The right aileron remained attached at all hinge points.
Both fuel caps remained secured and in place. Each fuel tank indicated a 30 gallon capacity.
The aft pusher engine compartment remained attached to the fuselage and the firewall was not damaged. The lower and upper engine cowlings exhibited impact damage but remained attached to the fuselage. The engine assembly remained attached to all engine mounts. The composite three-blade propeller remained attached to the propeller crankshaft flange. The propeller blades were not damaged, and the personal parachute canopy and associated cords were found wrapped around the blades and hub.
Examination of the engine assembly revealed that the left and right engine exhaust pipes exhibited impact crush damage at the Nos. 1 and 2 cylinders. All induction tubes were attached to their respective attached points.
The throttle cable remained attached to the throttle control arm on the fuel injector servo and was at mid-range. The mixture control remained attached to the mixture control arm and was in the full rich position. The fuel injector servo was removed and contained fuel. The fuel injector servo fuel inlet screen was removed and free of contaminants. The fuel injector servo regulator section was disassembled and no anomalies were noted. The fuel flow divider was removed, disassembled and no anomalies were noted. The fuel injector nozzles were removed from all cylinders and no anomalies were noted.
The engine was subsequently partially disassembled. The engine was rotated by hand using the propeller. Suction and compression was obtained on all cylinders. Valve train continuity was observed through all cylinder rocker arms. The accessory drive gears were observed rotating. Crankshaft and valve train continuity was verified. A detailed "Memorandum of Record - Engine Examination Report" with accompanying pictures is contained in the public docket for this investigation.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOCIAL INFORMATION
An autopsy was performed on the pilot on July 7, 2014, by Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office, Hauppauge, New York. The autopsy reported the cause of death as "multiple blunt impact injuries," and the report listed the specific injuries.
Forensic toxicology was performed on specimens from the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The toxicology report stated no carbon monoxide detected in the blood (Cavity) and no ethanol was detected in the urine. The report listed the following drug being detected:
- Tetrahydrocannabinol (Marihuana) detected in the blood (Heart)
- 0.005 (ug/ml, ug/g) Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid (Marihuana) detected in Urine
- 0.0015 (ug/ml, ug/g) Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid (Marihuana) detected in Blood (Heart)
According to the FAA Aerospace Medical Research website, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the psychoactive compound found in marijuana and has effects at levels as low as 0.001 ug/ml. THC has mood altering effects causing euphoria, relaxed inhibitions, sense of well-being, disorientation, image distortion, and psychosis. The ability to concentrate and maintain attention are decreased during marijuana use. Tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid is the inactive metabolite of tetrahydrocannabinol.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A fuel receipt was located revealing that the airplane had been fueled at HWV, at 1837 on the day of the accident, with 53 gallons of fuel.
The Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3A) Chapter 15, which states in part, "…once the stall has developed and a large amount of lift has been lost, the airplane will begin to sink rapidly and this will be accompanied by a corresponding rapid increase in angle of attack. This is the beginning of what is termed a deep stall. As an airplane enters a deep stall, increasing drag reduces forward speed to well below normal stall speed. The sink rate may increase to many thousands of feet per minute. The airplane eventually stabilizes in a vertical descent…it must be emphasized that this situation can occur without an excessively nose-high pitch attitude…Deep stalls are virtually unrecoverable."
Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25A)
Section 4 "Aerodynamics of Flight" states "The CG range is very important when it comes to stall recovery characteristics. If an aircraft is allowed to be operated outside of the CG, the pilot may have difficulty recovering from a stall. The most critical CG violation would occur when operating with a CG which exceeds the rear limit. In this situation, a pilot may not be able to generate sufficient force with the elevator to counteract the excess weight aft of the CG. With the ability to decrease the AOA [angle of attack], the aircraft continues in a stalled condition until it contacts the ground."
The section further goes on and states the following: "Longitudinal stability is the quality that makes an aircraft stable about its lateral axis. It involves the pitching motion as the aircraft's nose moves up and down in flight. A longitudinally unstable aircraft has a tendency to dive or climb progressively into a very steep dive or climb, or even a stall. Thus, an aircraft with longitudinal instability becomes difficult and sometimes dangerous to fly.
Static longitudinal stability or instability in an aircraft, is dependent upon three factors:
1. Location of the wing with respect to the CG
2. Location of the horizontal tail surfaces with respect to the CG
3. Area or size of the tail surfaces"
The "Glossary" defines CG as "the point at which an airplane would balance if it were possible to suspend it at that point. It is the mass center of the airplane, or the theoretical point at which the entire weight of the airplane is assume to be concentrated. It may expressed in inches from the reference datum, or in percentage of mean aerodynamic chord (MAC). The location depends on the distribution of weight in the airplane."
Deep Stall
According to a book titled "The Light Airplane Pilot's Guide to Stall/Spin Awareness" a deep stall is "…when the horizontal tail of a conventional airplane becomes buried in the main wing's tail wake and loses its power to push the nose down, or with a canard design when the main wing stalls before the canard does. In both cases, the airplane seeks a higher angle of attack, usually above 40 degrees, and stabilizes there. There may not be enough elevator authority to reduce the angle of attack for recovery."
According to Advisory Circular AC90-109 Section 5c(6) "It's also possible, even for a seemingly carefree handling airplane, to achieve what some have called a deep stall, where there is not sufficient nose-down pitch authority to break the stall, possibly creating an unrecoverable situation. Some airplanes can pitch nose-up before the stall, resulting in a rapid stall entry unless the pilot counters with a conscious forward yoke/stick motion."
Zubair S. Khan, N79ZR: http://registry.faa.gov/N79ZR
NTSB Identification: ERA14LA330
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 06, 2014 in Mattituck, NY
Aircraft: ZUBAIR S KHAN RAVEN, registration: N79ZR
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On July 6, 2014, about 1905 eastern daylight time, an experimental-amateur built Raven, N79ZR, impacted the water in the vicinity of Mattituck, New York. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was located the following day floating in the Long Island Sound and sustained substantial damage to fuselage and nose section. The airplane was registered to and operated by an individual under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Brookhaven Airport (HWV), Shirley, New York, about 1855.
According to radar data, the airplane was first observed at 1200 feet above mean sea level (msl) south of HWV. Then, about 1856, the airplane turned north and continued to climb to about 8500 feet msl as it went over the shoreline. About 1904, the airplane was at 7000 feet msl and began a left 270 degree turn to the east and descended during the turn to about 5800 feet msl. The last radar return was recorded about 1905 and indicated an altitude of about 1100 feet msl.
A fuel receipt was located revealing that the airplane had been fueled at HWV, at 1837 on the day of the accident, with 53 gallons of fuel.
Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector and a representative from the engine manufacturer revealed damage to fuselage, left wingtip leading edge, and the right canard trailing edge. The pilot had a personal parachute pack, and when recovered, the parachute had been deployed, remained attached, and was found trailing behind the airplane. Examination of the canopy brackets attached to the fuselage and both hinges revealed no tearing or shearing of the bolts; however, no bolts nor the canopy were present. The canopy was subsequently located July 9, 2014, floating in the water, about 39 miles northeast of the last recorded radar return.
AIRCRAFT EXPERIMENTAL RAVEN CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES INTO THE WATER AT LONG ISLAND SOUND, THE 1 PERSON ON BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED, 4 MILES FROM MATTITUCK, LONG ISLAND, NY
Flight Standards District Office: FAA Farmingdale FSDO-11
An initial federal investigation has revealed the home-built plane that crashed in Long Island Sound last week went down Sunday night, roughly 14 hours before it was first discovered floating off Mattituck.
The cause of the fatal crash that killed 41-year-old pilot Zubair Khan has not yet been determined, investigators said.
The preliminary report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board Tuesday found that Mr. Khan took off in his experimental single-engine aircraft from Brookhaven Callabro Airport about 6:55 p.m. last Sunday.
The plane turned north from the airport and climbed to about 8,500 feet as it flew over the shoreline, according to the report. About 7:04 p.m., radar spotted the plane making a hard left turn and descending to about 5,800 feet.
About a minute later, according to the report, the plane was picked up on radar just 1,100 feet above sea level. That was the last sign of the craft on radar, the report found.
Investigators found that the plane left in good conditions for visual flying and did not file a flight plan.
Mr. Khan’s family said last week that it was concerned the crash was not reported until Monday even though Mr. Khan had departed the airport the day before. His brother-in-law, Umar Niazi, questioned why a search and rescue effort wasn’t conducted Sunday evening.
“This all seems very strange,” Mr. Niazi wrote in an email.
A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration said Brookhaven’s airport is “non-towered,” meaning there is no control tower coordinating flights.
It’s common for smaller planes to take off and land at these airports without notifying authorities, the spokesman said.
“As long as you can fly and see what’s ahead of you … those flights take place all the time,” he said. “There’s really no way of knowing how many of those aircraft are flying at any one time.”
NTSB investigators said Mr. Khan was fatally injured in the crash and was found inside the plane Monday morning, with a personal parachute pack deployed and still attached.
The plane suffered “substantial damage” to its fuselage and nose, the report states. Edges of the plane’s left wingtip and right canard were also damaged. The canopy was missing from the craft, and investigators found no sign of “tearing or shearing” of the bolts; however, the report notes that the bolts were missing from the craft.
NTSB investigator Shawn Etcher said the canopy was found three days after the crash floating about 39 miles northeast near Westerly, R.I.
Mr. Etcher said a mount for a video camera was found on the recovered canopy, but there was no sign of a camera on the recovered hatch.
On Monday, a boater discovered a video camera which may be related to the crash, he said.
“It is currently being prepared to be sent to our laboratory for examination and possible download to determine if it was part of the airplane,” Mr. Etcher said.
The victim’s brother-in-law had said Mr. Khan recorded “every moment of his flying” with a camera installed in the cockpit of his plane. Mr. Khan had posted videos of some of his initial flights on YouTube.
The full investigation into the cause of the accident is expected to take between three and 12 months to complete, Mr. Etcher said.
Story and Photos: http://suffolktimes.timesreview.com
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman says the aircraft hatch that washed up on a Rhode Island beach was a piece of a plane that crashed in Long Island Sound.
Jim Peters said Monday that the agency found that the hatch belonged to a fixed-wing, single-engine craft called a Raven that crashed last week north of the Mattituck Inlet, between Long Island and the coast of Connecticut. The pilot, the only occupant, was killed.
The Westerly Sun reports that a large, white hatch washed up on Dunes Park Beach in Westerly on Thursday. Local police retrieved it and contacted the FAA and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
Information from: The Westerly Sun, http://www.thewesterlysun.com
Aircraft hatch washes ashore in Westerly; officials investigating
Published: July 11, 2014 | Last Modified: July 12, 2014 07:09AM
WESTERLY — Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the origin of a large, white aircraft hatch that washed up on Dunes Park beach Thursday afternoon.
Westerly Police Chief Edward St. Clair said Westerly police officers retrieved the 6-by 4-foot fiberglass hatch, believed to be from a glider, around 5 p.m. on Thursday, and alerted the FAA and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard First District office passed the information on to the FAA, suspecting that the hatch came from the aircraft that crashed in Long Island Sound on Monday morning.
Robert Simpson, a public affairs specialist with the Coast Guard, said that while they could not confirm the correlation, the piece appeared to match up with the single, small-engine aircraft crash. Divers from a nearby fire department found the body of the pilot, who was pronounced dead by a Suffolk County medical examiner, according to a New York Times report on the crash.
The hatch has been picked up from the Westerly Police Station and is being held at the FAA Flight Standards District Office in Framingdale, N.Y., according to FAA public affairs official Jim Peters.
“We have not yet identified that the part came from the plane that crashed in Mattituck waters,” Peters said. “The investigation is ongoing.”
Dunes Park lifeguards James Sleboda and Sam Borecki first spotted the hatch adrift in the water near the park’s stretch of shoreline around 4 p.m.
“At first, I didn’t know what it was,” Sleboda said. “I thought it was a piece of driftwood.”
As the unidentified object drifted closer to shore, Borecki brought it back to land, Sleboda explained.
“Even when we got it out, we thought it was a part of a boat or something,” he said. “Then we saw the ‘do not open during flight’ sign, and that pretty much gave it away.”
Sleboda noted that the lightweight fiberglass hatch appeared to be in good condition, with no visible scratches or demarcations, except for the word “experimental” written on the underside of the piece.
Dunes Park employees also believed the hatch may be a piece from Monday’s crash, according to a post on the park’s Facebook page.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, according to Peters.
Story and Photo Gallery: http://www.thewesterlysun.com
Zubair Khan
Photo: LinkedIn
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