Saturday, September 20, 2014

Ocean City Municipal Airport (26N) seeks a way to keep geese away • Bird population already caused one plane crash

Bill Colangelo, Airport Manager
Ocean City Municipal (26N), New Jersey 



OCEAN CITY - The city's airport was planning to attack its growing geese problem even before an airplane struck two birds and crashed in the marsh last month.

Nobody was hurt in the July 4 accident, but the Lancair Columbia plane's propeller and landing gear were severely damaged when they smashed into two Canada geese waddling across the base of the runway.

The impact was so violent that one of the plane's tires sailed into the marshes, where it was never seen again, said Bill Colangelo, the airport manager.

"We looked. We searched the length of the runway but couldn't find it," he said.

The pilot from Lancaster, Pa., was landing at the airport at about 10 a.m. when the plane struck an adult goose and a nearly grown gosling that wandered out of the nearby reeds into the path of the approaching plane.

A collision with a flock of geese caused US Airways Flight 1549 to ditch in the Hudson River in January. Until July, Ocean City had never witnessed a bird strike.

Colangelo said the airport recognized in the spring that the larger resident population of Canada geese posed a potential hazard to air traffic and began making plans to remove them.

Across New Jersey, aircraft collided with wildlife 1,113 times in the past five years, including 33 collisions with Canada geese, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

In its preliminary report, the National Transportation Safety Board faulted Ocean City in the July 4 accident for not having a wildlife fence between its runway and the wetlands bordering Peck Bay. The report also identified 30 resident geese near the airport.

Colangelo said he will add fencing in the airport's capital plan next year, even if it is just the low, plastic kind used to keep diamondback terrapins off causeways in Cape May County. This fencing would be tall enough to keep the goslings off the runways, he said.

The airport has always had a close relationship with waterfowl because of its waterfront location. Its runway is parallel to the adjacent municipal golf course, which was shared by an equal number of duffers and geese Tuesday.

Gulls use the ample runway space to break open clams, and cleaning up broken clamshells is a daily chore at the airport. A resident red fox patrols the marshes behind the airport.

Across the road on Bay Avenue sits the Howard S. Stainton Wildlife Refuge, which likewise attracts innumerable shorebirds and waterfowl year-round. This refuge is especially popular with Atlantic brant, a small goose common to southern New Jersey's barrier islands.

Airport staff ruled out using noisemakers to scatter the birds.

At the Cape May County landfill, employees shoot fireworks and sporadic cannons to keep gulls away from nearby Woodbine Municipal Airport. But Colangelo said the airport's bayfront neighbors would object to the intrusion.

The plywood German shepherd silhouettes the airport posted - which swiveled in the wind like a dog chasing its tail - kept the geese away for a month until the fowl realized the two-dimensional cutouts posed no danger.

Colangelo contacted the wildlife manager at Atlantic City International Airport in Egg Harbor Township, who volunteered to help Ocean City with its geese conundrum.

The airport tried harassing the birds by shooting them with paintball guns, but that barely ruffled their feathers, he said.

The airport also stopped trimming its perimeter fields like a golf course fairway. Instead, the maintenance crews were advised to let the grass grow 10 inches high to discourage the geese, Colangelo said. This measure did not prevent the geese from meandering out of the marsh reeds onto the runway on Independence Day, he said.

Despite their abundance locally, Canada geese are a federally protected species. Finally, in June, the city acquired permits to shoot the birds.

The details of the hunt were planned with precision, Colangelo said. The goal was to target geese nearest the bay where any stray birdshot would fall harmlessly into the water, Colangelo said.

But when the day arrived for the hunt, the geese vanished.

"Wouldn't you know it, there wasn't one goose at the airport or the golf course," Colangelo said. "We couldn't find a one."

Colangelo said he is looking into getting a second hunting permit that would allow city police to shoot the trespassing birds if necessary.

Police spokesman Lt. Steven Ang said that is probably a bad idea.

"I know it was something that was being considered. But there have got to be other ways," Ang said.

"Ocean City is a resort community. There's a soccer field nearby, a golf course, Ocean Reef Condominiums. On three sides you're surrounded by homes. You're in a populated community. I would prefer they explore other options."

One such idea is to catch and relocate goslings before they can fly, Colangelo said.

But the long-term solution might be fake grass.

The airport installed a test section of plastic turf near its runway in 2004. The turf was advertised as a maintenance-free alternative to sod with the added benefit of making geese unwelcome. The birds do not like the tactile sensation of the prickly plastic.

Colangelo said, indeed, he has never seen any geese on the square of turf in the past five years.

The airport will investigate the costs of laying turf on both sides of the runway, particularly on the western marsh side frequented by ducks and geese, Colangelo said.

In the meantime, airport employees regularly patrol the runways in a utility truck to shoo away any geese that wander too close. Colangelo said this is a time-consuming but effective technique for now.

Danger ahead

Aircraft in New Jersey have struck wildlife 1,113 times between March 2004 and March 2009. Here are the top offenders by species:

 
Animal New Jersey nationwide

European starling 88 874

Killdeer 54 1,081

American kestrel 50 1,057

Mourning dove 47 1,648

Mallard 38 222

Other animals struck by planes in New Jersey include:


Bald eagle 1

Domestic cat 1

Coyote 1

Turtles 3

Skunk 1

Deer 5


- Source:   http://m.pressofatlanticcity.com

American Champion 7GCBC Citabria Explorer, N817DH, Aileron Aviation LLC: Accident occurred September 20, 2014 in Rimrock, Washington

 http://registry.faa.gov/N817DH 

NTSB Identification: WPR14CA383
Accident occurred Saturday, September 20, 2014 in Rimrock, WA
Aircraft: AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT 7GCBC, registration: N817DH

NTSB investigators will use data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator, and will not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.


AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. RIM ROCK LAKE, WA
 




YAKIMA COUNTY, Wash. -- Deputies say two people were involved in a plane crash near Rimrock Lake Saturday afternoon. 

The accident happened when the small aircraft tried to takeoff from an airstrip near the east end of the lake. The plane landed on its top.

No further information on the type of plane has been released.

A cause for the crash hasn't been determined yet. No injuries were reported.

Just over five years ago, there was a fatal plane crash in the same area.

http://www.kimatv.com


YAKIMA, Wash. — Two people walked away from a plane crash near Rimrock Lake on Saturday afternoon with no major injuries, officials said. 

 There is a small airstrip near the east end of the lake and the accident occurred as the small plane attempted to take off, said Bob Udell, chief civil deputy for the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office.

“Somehow, it landed on its top,” Udell said. More details were not immediately available about the type of aircraft or exactly what happened.

The crash was reported shortly before 4 p.m. and sheriff’s deputies were headed to the scene, Udell said.


http://www.yakimaherald.com

Weight, balance considerations rest on pilots' shoulders in preventing Alaska plane crashes

Colleen Mondor 
Alaska Dispatch News
September 20, 2014

 

National Transportation Safety Board documents, released on Wednesday, reveal a great deal about weight and balance calculations on the de Havilland DHC-3 Otter that crashed in Soldotna last July. The pilot, Walter “Willie” Rediske and all 9 passengers -- two families from South Carolina -- were killed in the crash.

The aircraft was being flown as an on-demand charter for air taxi operator Rediske Air, and was bound for Bear Mountain Lodge, approximately 90 miles southwest of Soldotna. Rediske was also the company owner and director of operations.

Based on a recent insurance application, Rediske had 7,765 total flight hours with 105 hours in the DHC-3. The same form from the previous year indicated a total time in the DHC-3 of 155 hours; it isn't clear why this discrepancy existed.

The DHC-3 was the only turbine aircraft in the Rediske Air fleet, as well as the only taildragger. It is unknown if the pilot had any other taildragger time beyond that in the Turbine Otter.

According to the load manifest out of Soldotna, the passenger weights were totaled at 1,350 pounds, along with 80 pounds of luggage. Bear Mountain Lodge, who chartered the aircraft, also dropped off a load of groceries and other supplies at the Rediske Air office in Nikiski, where the flight originated. The lodge operator estimated the cargo's weight at 300 pounds and he and Rediske loaded the aircraft. The 300-pound figure was recorded on the manifest as the total weight.

NTSB documents reveal that none of the Bear Mountain freight was weighed in Nikiski prior to loading and departure for Soldotna nor was anything weighed there, when the passengers were picked up. This was in clear violation of the company’s Operations Specifications, which require Rediske Air "...use only actual weights when determining the aircraft weight and balance."

In more general terms, under part 135.399 of the Federal Aviation Regulations, the company could not operate the aircraft without complying with “the takeoff weight limitations in the Approved Flight Manual or equivalent." In order to accomplish this, accurate weight and balance would have to be calculated at time of loading.

Based on painstaking and long established methods of post-crash analysis of the wreckage, as well as a receipt for a portion of the lodge purchases, investigators established a conservative estimated weight likely closest to the actual weight of the combined cargo onboard of 718 pounds of freight for the lodge and 187 pounds of baggage for the passengers. Despite repeated requests from the NTSB, the lodge did not provide receipts for some items, including a quantity of meat, which were found in the wreckage, so a more accurate weight of the freight could not be determined.

The NTSB calculated six different weight and balance scenarios in its investigation, utilizing a variety of factors to accommodate changes in passenger and cargo weights and placements of baggage. Based on the scenario the report says "more closely approximates the actual weight and balance of the airplane during the accident flight," investigators concluded the aircraft was slightly over the certificated maximum gross weight of 8,000 pounds and -- significantly -- 5.58 inches aft of the center-of-gravity limit. Based on photographic evidence, all of the cargo was in the rear, along with a large portion of the baggage. The two heaviest passengers, estimated at 181 and 218 pounds, were also seated in the rearmost two seats.

This scenario also addressed questions concerning the fuel onboard. The aircraft was equipped to carry 251 gallons in three tanks. A witness observed the pilot topping off the front tank and beginning to fuel the second tank; the witness then departed and it was unknown if that tank was filled or what fuel at all was added to the rear tank. The NTSB thus included only the aircraft flight manual's minimum requirement of 20 gallons of fuel in the rear tank which is certified to carry up to 87 gallons. If the pilot filled that tank, the center of gravity would have been even further aft than the NTSB determined.

Loading an aircraft this far aft, which creates a tail-heavy configuration, makes an aerodynamic stall much more likely. Stalls at low altitude, such as one that might occur during takeoff, are almost never possible to recover from.

As an air taxi operating under Part 135 of the FARs, Rediske Air was assigned a principal operations inspector by the FAA. In an interview with the NTSB the inspector noted that that Rediske “wasn’t on his radar” and deemed a "good operator." The inspector visited the company only twice a year; he was also principal operations inspector for 37 other Part 135 operators.  When asked why the Turbine Otter was not listed in the Operations Specifications weight and balance program with the company’s other five aircraft, as required, the inspector said it was an oversight. The NTSB noted in its report that after the accident, the FAA attempted to insert a revised section of the loading schedule list ”that included the accident airplane with a retroactive date.”

Alaska aviation is full of stories of overloaded and improperly loaded aircraft dating back to the early days of territorial flying. This passage from “The Flying North,” originally published in 1945, is a perfect example of such extremes:

“If the ship’ll take her,” the pilots say, “we’ll fly her.” Bunks and poling boats have often been wedged into small single-engine craft. A dredge shaft was once hauled in a Bellanca; the pilot had to take out the front window to fit it in. A small gas tractor was carried in a Stinson. The pilot removed the doors of the plane and flew with the track frame sticking out two feet on either side. “The tail shook a little,” he admits. This was no the worst. “If she’s too big to get in,” they say, “we’ll tie her on outside.” Pilot Jack Peck once lashed a big cookstove onto the fuselage of his Ryan B-1. A Michigan sled weighing 260 pounds was hauled by Oscar Winchell underneath his Stinson.

These are the stories that gave birth to a legend and then created the ever-popular Bush Pilot Myth. However, they are just stories from pilots long dead who passed tales along in the most casual of settings while creating heroic images of themselves for posterity. Here are some more recent truths concerning faulty weight and balance:

• In August of last year a pilot was killed and his passenger seriously injured when their Super Cub crashed on takeoff from Tatina Airport about 51 miles southeast of Nikolai. The NTSB determined that the aircraft was an estimated 642 pounds over gross weight and the CG was 5.07 inches aft. Further, a set of caribou antlers was attached externally to the left wing strut and a rifle was loaded on the right wing.

• In 2010, a Cessna 206 crashed soon after takeoff from Merrill Field Airport in Anchorage, resulting in the death of one passenger and serious injury to the pilot and three others. The NTSB conservatively estimated the weight of the passengers, cargo and fuel at 658.2 pounds over gross weight. The CG was estimated to range between 3.95 and 8.82 inches aft of the rear-most allowable limit. The pilot told the NTSB he estimated the weight of his cargo and did not actually weigh anything.

• In 1997, a Hageland Aviation Cessna Caravan crashed soon after takeoff from Barrow, resulting in the deaths of the pilot and all seven passengers. In that case the pilot was faulted for his disregard of lateral fuel loading limits. The NTSB noted he had instructed a company lineman to fuel the left wing tank only, resulting in a fuel imbalance between 450 and 991 pounds. The published lateral fuel limit for the aircraft, according to the Pilot’s Operating Handbook, is 200 pounds.

• In 1994, a Piper PA-32 operated by Peninsula Airways crashed soon after takeoff from Portage Creek, resulting in the deaths of three passengers and serious injuries to the pilot and one other occupant. The NTSB determined the aircraft was either 411 or 279 pounds overweight -- the discrepancy stemmed from confusion over the actual amount of fuel onboard. In either case, the CG was 3.8 or 3.93 inches aft of the maximum allowable limit. "I have never seen a plane packed so tightly with people and gear -- I remember commenting just before they closed the door they looked packed like cord wood," a witness told investigators in that crash.

There are many aspects of Alaska’s environment that are blamed for the state’s high aircraft accident rate and often used as excuses for pilot error. The weather and lack of adequate weather reporting, the unpredictable conditions of bush runways, confusing radio frequencies and more. But weight and balance is only and always the flight crew’s responsibility. Even if the aircraft is loaded by others, the pilot must supervise and accept that load. As flight students learn early on, there is no assigning of blame when it comes to weight and balance; these are calculations and decisions that belong solely to those in the cockpit.

Although the NTSB's probable cause report on Soldotna will not be issued for at least another three months, the overwhelming focus in the investigative documents on the aircraft's weight and loading is indicative of the agency's interest in it as a significant factor in the crash.  In Tatitna, Portage Creek, Merrill Field and Barrow, inadequate weight and balance calculations and improper loading were determined to be the primary causes for each accident, thus creating situations where actions on the ground led to tragedies in the air. There was nothing those pilots could do once they took off; the aircraft stalls and subsequent crashes were unavoidable once the choices were made to load their planes the way they did. It remains to be seen if the Rediske Air crash will be another tragic example of such poor but avoidable preflight planning.

According to the NTSB the final probable cause report on the Rediske Air accident will be released in the next 3 to 4 months.

- Source:  http://www.adn.com

Cessna 162 Skycatcher, N3037H, Jacksonair Services LLC: Fatal accident occurred September 19, 2014 in Borrego Springs, California






































AIRCRAFT: 2011 Cessna 162, N3037H S/N: 16200115

ENGINE – Continental 0200D S/N: 1003178

PROPELLER – McCauley 1A162/TCD6754, S/N: AFG01003

APPROXIMATE TOTAL HOURS (estimated TT & TSMO from logbooks or other information):

ENGINE:   1030.2

PROPELLER:    1030.2

AIRFRAME:       1030.2
          
DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT:  Aircraft crashed on rocky terrain.

LOCATION OF AIRCRAFT:      Phoenix, AZ       

Read more here:    http://www.avclaims.com/N3037H.htm 

http://registry.faa.gov/N3037H

NTSB Identification: WPR14FA381 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, September 19, 2014 in Borrego Springs, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 04/14/2016
Aircraft: CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO 162, registration: N3037H
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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

The commercial pilot took off for a personal flight and flew uneventfully for about 44 minutes, including a touch-and-go landing at another airport about 10 minutes before the accident, after which the pilot made several turns in the area. According to the recovered flight data from the airplane’s avionics system, during the last minute of the recorded data, the airplane was in a gradual climb with a pitch-up attitude of about 7 degrees and a left bank of about 5 degrees; the airspeed was gradually decreasing. In the next 30 seconds, the airplane’s pitch increased to a maximum of 28 degrees nose up, and the airspeed decreased to a minimum of 38 knots indicated airspeed. The engine maintained about 2,200 rpm during this time. The airplane’s Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH) states that the stall speed for the airplane is 41 knots indicated airspeed with the flaps up and power at idle. The data were consistent with a power-on stall. The POH states that for power-on stall recovery, the pilot is to simultaneously decrease power and lower the nose.

Following the stall, the airplane’s pitch then decreased to a maximum of 69 degrees nose down before it stabilized about 30 degrees nose down for the remainder of the recording with a descent rate of about 4,500 ft per minute. The airplane then banked from 76 degrees left to 75 degrees right in about 1 second; at this point, the engine power began to decrease. The bank stabilized about 10 degrees right for the remainder of the recording. Spins completed about every 2 seconds were recorded during the final 20 seconds. Further, during this final 20 seconds, the airplane’s engine rpm decreased from 2,100 to 1,800 rpm. 

The POH lists recovery procedures to accomplish should an inadvertent spin occur. The first step is to immediately retard the throttle to the idle position. The next steps are to place the ailerons in the neutral position and then apply and hold full rudder opposite to the direction of rotation. The POH has a warning that recommends spin procedures be memorized to ensure prompt and proper recovery techniques are used in the event that an inadvertent spin is encountered. The recorded data revealed that, although the pilot pitched the nose down following the power-on stall, he did not simultaneously reduce the power. Further, the airplane’s engine throttle was not immediately retarded to the idle power position when the spin began, and the pilot did not apply the appropriate controls. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s failure to recover from a stall, which resulted in a subsequent spin from which he did not recover because he did not immediately apply the proper stall and spin recovery techniques.

On September 19, 2014, about 0754 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 162, light sport airplane, N3037H, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain about 6 miles east of the Borrego Valley Airport (L08) Borrego Springs, California. The airplane was registered to Jacksonair Services LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. Visual (VMC) meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local personal flight departed Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport (TRM), Palm Springs, California, about 0709.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an Alert Notification (ALNOT) for the missing airplane after the pilot failed to return the airplane. A search ensued and the following morning a Civil Air Patrol airplane located the airplane wreckage on a hillside near Borrego Springs.

The airplane was equipped with a Garmin G300 Integrated Cockpit System which included flight displays, air data computers, attitude/heading/reference systems, and communications. Each display included a Secure Digital (SD) Memory Card that had a flight data log feature. The pilot's display SD card was recovered and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Vehicle Recorder Laboratory for the download of the data. (A published report on the recorded flight data obtained from the accident airplane is available in the public docket).

According to the SD card, the accident flight on September 19, 2014, was recorded. The data revealed that after takeoff, the airplane made a right turn and flew between 2,000 and 3,000 feet mean sea level (msl) for about 20 minutes. The airplane made another right turn toward Borrego Springs and overflew L08 and then entered its traffic pattern. At 0745, the airplane maneuvering was consistent with accomplishing a touch and go landing. The airplane then departed L08, climbed out, and turned right. The airplane maneuvered for another 10 minutes before the data stopped recording at 0754.
The final minute of the data recording initially showed the airplane at about 2,200 feet msl and at 65 knots indicated airspeed. The data depicted that the airplane then pitched up to 7 degrees nose high attitude with 5 degrees of left bank. The airplane's pitch was continuously increased to a maximum of 28 degrees nose high, while the airplane's airspeed continuously decreased to a minimum of 38 knots indicated airspeed. The engine rpm was continuously steady at about 2,200 rpm during this time.

The airplane's pitch then decreased to a maximum of 69 degrees nose low before it stabilized at about 30 degrees nose low for the remainder of the recording. The altitude was decreasing at a rate of about 4,500 feet per minute. The airplane's bank went from 76 degrees left to 75 degrees right in about a second and then stabilized at about 10 degrees right for the remainder of the recording. A spin of 360 degrees about every 2 seconds was recorded during the final 20 seconds. Further, during this final 20 second period, the airplane's airspeed was between 40-50 knots indicated airspeed and the engine rpm was between 1,800 to 2,100 rpm.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 69, held a commercial pilot certificate with an airplane single engine and helicopter ratings. The pilot was issued a first-class airman medical certificate on May 1, 1978, with no limitations stated. The pilot stated during the examination that he had accumulated a total of 135 flight hours. Not all the pilot's logbooks were located and a current total flight time could not be determined. Though the pilot's total flight time was unknown, a recent logbook indicated that he flew the accident airplane for about 19.4 hours (mostly with an instructor) since May 2, 2014. Three of the instructional logbook entries listed stalls, under the remarks, procedures, and maneuvers section. The light sport airplane category requirements do not require a current FAA medical and the pilot possessed a current driver's license.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The two-seat, high-wing, fixed-gear airplane, serial number (S/N) 1620115, was manufactured in 2011. It was powered by a Continental-O-200 D1 engine, serial number (S/N) 1003178, rated at 100 horsepower. The airplane was also equipped with a McCauley model IL100LSA6754, serial number (S/N) AFG01003, fixed-pitch propeller. A review of the maintenance logbooks revealed that the annual inspection was completed on August 19, 2014, at an airframe total time of 1,344 hours. The airplane's weight and balance during the accident flight, was calculated to be within prescribed weight and center of gravity limitations.

The airplane's Pilots Operating Handbook (POH) states that the stall speed is 41 knots indicated airspeed with the flaps up and power at idle, and 37 knots indicated airspeed with the flaps full. The engine's normal operating range is listed as 2,000 rpm to 2,750 rpm. During stalls and power on stalls, the POH recommends a slow deceleration. The power-on stall recovery should be initiated by simultaneously lowering the nose while reducing power, after which normal power-off stall recovery techniques should be accomplished. A caution is listed on intentional power-on stalls that states the pitch should be limited to 30 degrees nose up attitude, because exceeding 30 degrees requires high power and accelerated stall entry, which may result in pilot disorientation.

The POH has a warning that recommends spin procedures be memorized to ensure prompt and proper recovery techniques are used in the event that an inadvertent spin is encountered. The POH lists recovery procedures to accomplish should an inadvertent spin occur. The first step is to immediately retard the throttle to the idle position. The next step is to place the ailerons in the neutral position. The procedures then state to apply and hold full rudder opposite to the direction of rotation. Subsequently, just after the rudder reaches the stop, move the control briskly forward far enough to break the stall. These control inputs are to be held until the rotation stops, and then a recovery from the dive can be accomplished.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

A review of recorded data from TRM, Palm Springs, California, automated weather observation station, located about 19 miles northeast from the accident site, revealed at 0752 conditions were wind from 320 degrees at 11 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 27 degree Celsius, dew point 16 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.75 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Examination of the accident site by the NTSB, investigator-in-charge, revealed that all the major components of the airplane were contained within the main wreckage site. The airplane impacted into the side of elevated terrain about 596 feet and left no debris trail, with the exception of the nose gear strut and tire that was located about 20 feet below the airplane wreckage.

The airplane came to rest inverted on a heading of about 255 degrees magnetic. Examination of the airframe revealed that both wings were partially attached to the fuselage. The left wing was bent downward about 45 degrees and the right wing sustained compression damage. The fuselage was bent at several locations and the bottom of the cabin was bent inward. The empennage section's vertical stabilizer upper portion was damaged but the horizontal stabilizers were intact. Flight control continuity could not be established on site, due to the precarious position of the airplane on the terrain. All flight control surfaces remained attached at all their respective attachment points, with the exception of the right aileron, which had sustained damage and was attached only by its outer most attachment point. The flaps were observed to be up. The stabilizer trim was observed to be about ½ inch down from the neutral position.

The examination of the airplane at the accident site revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The County of San Diego, Office of the Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy on the pilot on September 21, 2014. The medical examiner determined that the cause of death was "multiple blunt force injuries."

The FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology tests on the pilot. According to CAMI's report, cyanide, volatiles, and drugs were tested, and had negative findings with the exception of Salicylate detected in the urine. Salicylate is a major ingredient in aspirin and other pain-relieving medications and is also found in many fruits and vegetables.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Further examination of the airframe and engine revealed that the left wing was bent downward about 45 degrees from the fuselage and the right wing sustained compression damage. In the empennage section, the top portions of the vertical stabilizer and rudder were damaged. Flight control continuity was established with the cockpit controls.

Examination of the engine revealed that it remained partially attached to the airframe by the engine mounts. The engine accessories remained attached to the engine via their respective mounts. All rocker covers were removed and the cylinder overhead areas were lubricated and unremarkable. The crankshaft was rotated by hand utilizing the propeller and rotational continuity was established throughout the engine and valve train. During crankshaft rotation thumb compression and suction were attained on all cylinders. A borescope inspection of the cylinders revealed evidence of normal operational conditions.

The left magneto and right magneto were removed and a spark was produced at all the respective leads during hand rotation. The sparkplugs were removed and all sparkplug electrodes exhibited normal wear signatures when compared to the Champion Check-A-Plug comparison chart.

The carburetor was removed and disassembled for examination. The inlet filter was free from any obstructions and no anomalies were noted with the internal components.

The two-bladed propeller remained attached to the crankshaft flange. The blades were attached, with one blade fractured and the other blade cracked, both about at mid-span. The spinner remained attached to the propeller. Impact marks and abrasions were observed on the spinner.

The examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Identification: WPR14FA381
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, September 19, 2014 in Borrego Springs, CA
Aircraft: CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO 162, registration: N3037H
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 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 September 19, 2014, about 1130 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 162, light sport airplane, N3037H, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain about 6 miles east of the Borrego Valley Airport (L08) Borrego Springs, California. The airplane was registered to Jacksonair Services LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. Visual (VMC) meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local personal flight departed Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport, Palm Springs, California about 0930.

Examination of the accident site by the National Transportation Safety Board, investigator in charge, revealed that all the major components of the airplane were contained within 15 feet of the main wreckage site.

The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for further examination.


Max J. Mizejewski III




UPDATE: 9/20 @ 4:30 P.M.- After an extensive search a wrecked plane suspect of belonging to Max J. Mizejewski was located in the Anza Borrego State Park, in a desolate area referred to as “Borrego Badlands.”

 Ground crews located the plane lying upside down and a body of a deceased male next to the wreckage.

The FAA. and NTSB will be responding to the crash site to investigate the crash.

(VVNG.com)- The public is asked for assistance in locating a missing male pilot described as being in his early 70’s, that was expected to make a round-trip from Thermal around 7:30 a.m., on Friday. He was reported missing to officials at 11:00 a.m. Family of the missing man reached out through social media for assistance in locating him. The planned trip for this experienced pilot, was only expected to last 2 hours, but several hours later no one had seen or heard from him.

Max j. Mizejewski III, a current resident of Rancho Santa Margarita was a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam war, according to family. Mizejewski was flying his Cessna 162 two-seater plane, with his last known coordinates being Borrego Springs in San Diego County. Although he had almost died in a helicopter crash many years ago, he recently started flying again.

The Federal Aviation Administration, United States Air Force, the Forest Service, County Sheriffs and the Civil Air Patrol are all assisting in the search. The family is asking for the help of the public to report anything that may help lead them to their loved ones’ whereabouts. If you have any information you are urged to contact the Borrego Springs, San Diego County Sheriffs Department at: (760) 767-5656.

Story and Comments:  http://www.vvng.com


SAN DIEGO - A pilot was found dead outside his crashed plane Saturday in the badlands of Anza Borrego State Park, a sheriff's sergeant said.  

 The plane, reported missing Friday, was spotted by a Civil Air Patrol aircraft about 7:10 a.m. Saturday in an area known as the "Borrego Badlands," Sgt. Brian Jenkins said.

The airplane appeared to have crashed and was upside down, according to the sheriff's department. The search plane guided a ground search crew via radio to the downed plane.

"One member of the ground search crew located a deceased adult male near the wreckage," Jenkins said.

Investigators with the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office took charge of the body, Jenkins said.

A woman on Facebook who says she is a member of the pilot's family identified the missing pilot to KABC-TV in Los Angeles as Max J. Mizejewski III.

The Federal Aviation Administration was notified, and the National Transportation Safety Board was expected to start an investigation Sunday.

According to The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, the plane was a Cessna 162 Skycatcher that left Cochran Regional Airport in Thermal Friday morning.




A plane that had been missing since departing Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport at 7:30 a.m. Friday crashed in a remote area of Anza Borrego State Park, San Diego County Sheriff's officials said Saturday. 

 A deceased man was located near the wreckage.

The Civil Air Patrol's California Wing, which had been helping the sheriff's department search for the overdue plane - a Cessna 162 Skycatcher, which contained only the pilot - located the aircraft Saturday morning.

According incident commander Capt. Shane Terpstra, the aircraft did not return from a round-trip flight to the Borrego Springs area in northeast San Diego County, according to a Civil Air Patrol news release.

Late Friday, a Civil Air Patrol search and rescue crew flew a route search between airports in Thermal and Borrego Springs listening for any signals from the Skycatcher's emergency locator beacon.

At first light Saturday, two fixed-wing aircraft and one ground search crew from the Civil Air Patrol began to search the area of the Anza Borrego Desert for the missing airplane, according to a news release issued by the sheriff's department.

One of the Civil Air Patrol aircraft located the missing airplane in a remote, desolate area of Anza Borrego State Park known as the "Borrego Badlands." The airplane appeared to have crashed and was lying upside down.

The Civil Air Patrol aircraft guided the ground search crew into the area of the crash via radio. One member of the ground crew localed a deceased adult male nearby.

Deputies from the Sheriff's Rural Division and the Sheriff's Search and Rescue were able to drive within about a half-mile of the crash site. They hiked into the area to secure the site and later escorted personnel from the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office into the area to conduct their investigation.

The body was taken to the Medical Examiner's Office for examination and determination of the cause of death.

The man's name will not be released until next of kin are notified.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will be at the crash site on Sunday to conduct their investigation.

According incident commander Capt. Shane Terpstra, the aircraft did not return from a round-trip flight to the Borrego Springs area in northeast San Diego County, according to a Civil Air Patrol news release.

Late Friday, a Civil Air Patrol search and rescue crew flew a route search between airports in Thermal and Borrego Springs listening for any signals from the Skycatcher's emergency locator beacon. Joined by an additional Civil Air Patrol aircrew and a search and rescue ground crew, the search resumed early Saturday morning.


- Source:  http://www.desertsun.com

THERMAL, Calif. - California's Civil Air Patrol is looking for a plane that took off from Thermal, officials from the group say.  

 They were ordered out Friday evening to assist San Diego County Sheriff's Department in a search for an overdue aircraft.

According to incident commander, Capt. Shane Terpstra, the aircraft took off from Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport on Friday morning and did not return from a round-trip flight to the Borrego Springs area in northeast San Diego County.

The aircraft involved is a single-engine Cessna 162 Skycatcher. The aircraft is configured with two seats, though only the pilot is believed to be on board.

CAP says the crew is flying a route search between the airports in Thermal and Borrego Springs and will be listening for any signals from the Skycatcher's emergency locator beacon (ELT).

Public information officer Maj. Crystal Housman says this is the second aircraft search that Civil Air Patrol's California Wing has been involved in this week. On Tuesday morning, a CAP aircrew located a crashed Piper PA 28 and is credited with saving the pilot, who was stranded overnight in a southern area of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.


Stay with KESQ and CBS Local 2 as we update this story.


ANZA-BORREGO — A small plane that had been missing overnight was located Saturday in the Anza-Borrego Desert where it crashed, and a man’s body was found near the wreckage, Sheriff’s Department officials said. 

The plane, a single-engine Cessna C162 Skycatcher, was reported missing Friday and was found shortly after 7 a.m. the next morning. 

The aircraft was lying upside down in a remote area of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park commonly referred to as the “Borrego Badlands.”

Sheriff’s deputies drove to within a half-mile of the crash site and then hiked the rest of the way.   A helicopter was used to recover the body so that it could be transported to the county Medical Examiner’s Office.  The man’s identity has not yet been released pending notification of relatives.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Brian Jenkins said deputies were en route to search the area Saturday morning when Civil Air Patrol planes found the missing aircraft. 


A ground search crew was guided to the crash site via radio.  The Cessna left Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport in Imperial County on Friday morning, according to the Civil Air Patrol. 

The two-seat plane was bound on a round-trip flight to the Borrego Springs area.  Only the pilot is believed to have been on board.

- Source:  http://www.utsandiego.com

 A man was killed Saturday morning after a small airplane crashed in a remote area of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park east of San Diego County, officials confirmed.  According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, a two fixed-wing aircraft was reported missing in the area Friday.

At first light on Saturday, a ground search crew and aircraft crew from the Civil Air Patrol began scouring the Anza Borrego Desert for the missing plane.

Officials said the crews discovered the wreckage of the aircraft lying upside down in a desolate area commonly known as the “Borrego Badlands.”   When searchers hiked into the crash site, they found a man dead near the wreckage.  The victim’s body was later recovered by sheriff’s deputies.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office will now determine the cause of death and notify the man’s family. Until then, his name is being withheld by officials.  The sheriff’s department said the crash site has been secured.

Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board are expected to visit the area tomorrow to begin their investigation.  No further details were immediately released.   The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is located approximately 85 miles east of San Diego.


- Source:  http://www.nbcsandiego.com

SAN DIEGO - A small plane that had been reported missing Friday evening has been found. 

According to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, two aircraft and one ground crew with the Civil Air Patrol started searching for the missing plane early Saturday.

One of the Civil Air Patrol aircraft spotted the plane at about 7:15 a.m. Saturday near in a remote area of the Anza Borrego State Park. The airplane appeared to have crashed and was upside down. The area it was located in is commonly referred to as the "Borrego Badlands" and is very desolate.

The aircraft guided the ground search crew to the area of the crash via radio. One search crew member found a man's body near the wreckage.

The body was transported to the Medical Examiner's Office, who will determine the cause of death and notify the next of kin.

The FAA and the NTSB were notified and will be responding to the crash site Sunday to conduct their investigation.

It is unclear where the plane originated. Only one person is believed to be on board. The pilot was supposed to land in San Diego but disappeared from the radar in Borrego on Friday morning.


- Source:  http://www.10news.com

North American T-28 C Trojan, N531KG: Accident occurred September 19, 2014 in Alton, Virginia

NTSB Identification: ERA14FA445
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, September 19, 2014 in Alton, VA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/17/2014
Aircraft: NORTH AMERICAN T 28C, registration: N531KG
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

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

A witness, who was a friend of the pilot, was at an automobile racing facility and received a text message from the pilot that the airplane would fly over in 6 minutes. The accident airplane then performed a low pass over the area, reversed direction, and initiated a barrel roll during the second pass. Although the airplane started to climb before the barrel roll, video evidence indicates that it was only 100 feet above ground level, which was not high enough to complete the maneuver. The airplane subsequently collided with trees and terrain. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. 

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s failure to maintain altitude while performing low-level aerobatic maneuvers, which resulted in collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to attempt aerobatics at such a low altitude. 

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On September 19, 2014, about 1710 eastern daylight time, an experimental North American T-28C, N531KG, operated by a private individual, was destroyed when it impacted a kudzu field, while performing aerobatics near Alton, Virginia. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Easton Airport (ESN), Easton Maryland, about 1600. No flight plan was filed for the planned flight to Danville Regional Airport (DAN), Danville, Virginia. 

A witness, who was a friend of the pilot, was at a racing facility with a motorcycle racing team that the pilot owned. The witness added that he received a text message from the pilot that the pilot would be there in 6 minutes. The accident airplane then performed a low pass over the area, reversed direction, and initiated a barrel roll during the second pass. The witness stated that the airplane started to climb before the barrel roll, but it wasn't enough and he knew the airplane would not have enough altitude to complete the maneuver. The airplane subsequently collided with trees and terrain. A second witness recorded a video of the maneuver, which was forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory, Washington, D.C. The video confirmed the witnesses' statements and revealed that the airplane attempted a barrel roll about 100 feet above ground level and then disappeared behind a treeline. 

PILOT INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and airplane multiengine land. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was issued on October 5, 2011. At that time, he reported a total flight experience of 1,410 hours. The pilot's logbook was not recovered. 

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The two-seat tandem, low-wing, retractable tricycle gear airplane, serial number 140531, was manufactured in 1954. It was equipped with a Wright R-1820, 1,425-horsepower engine and a three-blade constant speed propeller. The airplane maintenance logbooks were not recovered; however, an invoice revealed that an annual inspection was completed on the airplane on December 6, 2013. 

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The accident site was located about 6 miles east of DAN. The recorded weather at DAN, at 1653, was: wind 040 degrees at 8 knots; visibility 10 miles; broken ceiling at 11,000 feet; temperature 21 degrees C; dewpoint 17 degrees C; altimeter 30.22 inches Hg. 

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

A debris path was observed, initiating with the propeller, and extending approximately 300 feet on a magnetic heading about 320 degrees. The three propeller blades remained attached to the hub and the hub had separated from the engine. The blades were twisted and bent aft, with one blade exhibiting leading edge gouges. A flight control cable was located about 200 feet along the debris path and it exhibited damage consistent with overload. The left flap was located about 250 feet along the debris path. An aileron cable was separated consistent with overload and resting on top of the left flap The right elevator was located about 275 feet along the debris path and the right flap was located about 290 feet along the debris path. An aileron cable was separated consistent with overload and resting on top of the right flap. 

The left wing and engine were located at the end of the debris path, to the left of the cockpit. The left wing and cockpit sustained heat damage from a postcrash fire. The left wing also exhibited impact damage and the left aileron remained attached. The landing gear had separated from the left wing. The engine was resting on the propeller flange and several of the cylinders sustained impact damage. The cockpit and empennage were resting on the right wing. The left horizontal stabilizer, left elevator, and rudder remained attached to the empennage. Elevator, elevator trim, and rudder control cable continuity were confirmed from the control surfaces to the mid-cockpit area. Aileron control continuity could not be confirmed due to the fragmentation and disposition of the wreckage. Review of the cockpit revealed that the propeller and mixture control were in the full forward position. The throttle lever was midrange. The pilot's five-point harness remained buckled and the belts were cut by rescue personnel. 

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed on the pilot on September 20, 2014, by the State of Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Richmond, Virginia. The cause of death was noted as "Blunt force injuries of head." 

Toxicological testing was performed on the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Science Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The results were negative for carbon monoxide, alcohol, and drugs.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Review of Federal Aviation Regulation 91.303 revealed: "No person may operate an aircraft in aerobatic flight - …

(b) Over an open air assembly of persons…
(e) Below an altitude of 1,500 feet above the surface…"

Jon Couch:  http://registry.faa.gov/N531KG

NTSB Identification: ERA14FA445
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, September 19, 2014 in Alton, VA
Aircraft: NORTH AMERICAN T 28C, registration: N531KG
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 September 19, 2014, about 1710 eastern daylight time, an experimental North American T-28C, N531KG, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged when it impacted a kudzu field, while performing low-level aerobatics near Alton, Virginia. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Easton Airport (ESN), Easton Maryland, about 1600. No flight plan was filed for the planned flight to Danville Regional Airport (DAN), Danville, Virginia.

A witness, who was a friend of the pilot, was at a racing facility with a motorcycle racing team that the pilot owned. The witness stated that he received a text message from the pilot that the pilot would be there in 6 minutes. The accident airplane then performed a low pass over the area, reversed direction, and initiated a barrel roll during the second low pass. The witness added that the airplane started to climb before the barrel roll, but it wasn't enough and he knew the airplane would not have enough altitude to complete the maneuver. The airplane subsequently collided with trees and terrain and a postcrash fire ensued. A second witness recorded a video of the aerobatic maneuver, which was forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory, Washington, D.C.

A debris path was observed, initiating with the propeller, and extending approximately 300 feet on a magnetic heading about 320 degrees. The cockpit, empennage, left wing, and engine were located at the end of the debris path.

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and airplane multiengine land. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration third-class medical certificate was issued on November October 5, 2011. At that time, he reported a total flight experience of 1,410 hours.

The two-seat tandem, low-wing, retractable tricycle gear airplane, serial number 140531, was manufactured in 1954. It was equipped with a Wright R-1820, 1,425-horsepower engine and a three-blade constant speed propeller.

The accident site was located about 6 miles east of DAN. The recorded weather at DAN, at 1653, was: wind from 040 degrees at 8 knots; visibility 10 miles; broken ceiling at 11,000 feet; temperature 21 degrees C; dewpoint 17 degrees C; altimeter 30.22 inches Hg.

Any witnesses should email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.


Left, Frances Gene Couch and her son Jon Couch at New Jersey Motorsports Park, in September 2014. 
(Via Facebook / HANDOUT / September 26, 2014) 



Jon Couch
 TOBC Racing



 
Jon Couch 
 Rand Construction





Danville, VA - New details are emerging about the victims of a deadly plane crash at Virginia International Raceway. The pilot, 46-year-old Jon Couch and his mother, 72-year-old Frances Couch, were killed in the accident.

 Those who knew Jon Couch say he had a special zest for life that you don't see everyday. The 46-year-old was an AMA superbike racer and the owner of TOBC racing, but by day, he was the President of Rand Construction. In a statement, the company said "Jon was a strong, smart, and bold leader".

"When you look at social media after the accident happened, there were hundreds and hundreds of people expressing their condolences and I think that is a testament to the individual, " said VIR Director of Marketing Mike Rose.

VIR had to postpone Saturday's Champion Cup Series motorcycle race because of the investigation. Couch and his team were in town for the race. TOBC still participated as scheduled.

"Jon would want them to go out there and race the second they could. Jon was a racer through and through, " Rose said.
On cell phone video, witnesses captured the plane doing aerobatics just moments before it crashed. Averett University's head aviation instructor Travis Williams says stunts like those can be tricky for even the most experienced pilots.

"It's definitely dangerous and one thing we teach is you have to know what your abilities are. Training is extremely important, " Williams said.
Those who knew Couch say he had more than 15 years flying experience and participated in a number of airshows. Bystanders who saw the plane flying low just before the crash suspect that something went terribly wrong after his final stunt.

"Accidents do happen unfortunately. It's a small, tight knit community of pilots" Williams said.



HALIFAX CO., Va. - Investigators began day two on Saturday shifting through brush and kudzu in the middle of the Patriot Track at Virginia International Raceway.

Last night around 5:15 witnesses say the plane crashed, inside the plane were TOBC racing team owner and racer, Jon Couch, and his mother, Frances Couch.

State police say it was a World War II single-engine plane.

"The airplane was coming from somewhere in Maryland, possibly Easton and was headed here for the races," said Bob Gretz, National Transportation Safety Board investigator.

About 30 percent of the plane burned in what witnesses call a large fireball.

Investigators from the NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration are looking into what made it go down.

"Unfortunately with this one, due to the impact and fire there is some evidence that is lost," said Gretz.

Racers at the track are mourning.

"A lot of his good friends, a lot of his team members and race teams is sad. I don't know of any other way to put it. They lost a good friend," said Nathan Jennings, Frontline Eurosports.

On the TOBC Facebook page, fans and friends are posting memorials.

"Jon Couch knew how to live. I am lucky to call him my friend," one friend writes.

Witnesses say the plane was flying low when it came across VIR.

This video shared with WDBJ7 from one witness shows the plane doing tricks moments before it crashed.

"A lot of the VIR races you'll see him do his flyover and throw a few stunts in there," said Jennings.

Dozens of people came to the VIR for races that were supposed to start at  8 a.m. Two events started later than scheduled, as requested by the FAA.

Couch's team did not participate in the motorcycle race on Saturday at VIR. Most of his crew left Saturday morning. Two motorcycles remained as a memorial to their owner.

His plane will be removed early next week.

The NTSB is releasing a preliminary report later this month.

==============================

The names of the pilot and passenger killed in a plane crash that happened Friday at Virginia International Raceway in Halifax County have been released.

According the Virginia State Police, Jon Couch, 46, was flying the plane with his mother, Frances G. Couch, age 72. Both were from Annapolis, Maryland.

The investigation is ongoing. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are also conducting investigations.

http://www.wdbj7.com




Jon Couch, president of Rand Construction Corp., was killed about 5 p.m. Friday in a plane crash at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton in southern Virginia, state police confirmed.

Couch, 46, was piloting the American T-28 C Trojan plane, according to media reports. His mother, Frances Gene Couch, 72, was a passenger and was also killed. No one was hurt on the ground.

The crash apparently came as Couch was attempting some acrobatic maneuvers, witnesses said. Couch, known for his love of extreme sports, owned a motorcycle racing team called TOBC Racing that was preparing for a weekend event at the raceway.

Couch, a resident of Annapolis, oversaw day-to-day operations at Rand, a general contractor founded by local business leader Linda Rabbitt. He had been with the company for more than 18 years. Read his bio on the company's website here. The D.C.-based company reports more than $263 million in revenue.

Click here for RoadRacingWorld.com's coverage of the incident and a picture of Couch with his mother.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash.
 
- Source:  http://www.bizjournals.com