Sunday, October 26, 2014

Piper PA-23-250 Aztec, N62791, Great River Aviation LLC: Accident occurred October 26, 2014 in Quincy, Illinois

http://registry.faa.gov/N62791 

NTSB Identification: CEN15CA033 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 26, 2014 in Quincy, IL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 02/11/2015
Aircraft: PIPER PA-23-250, registration: N62791
Injuries: 4 Uninjured.

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

The pilot reported that the airplane departed with 122 gallons of fuel for the cross-country flight from Destin, Florida, to Quincy, Illinois. The airplane's two inboard wing fuel tanks, each having a 36 gallon capacity, were completely full before departure; however, in order to keep the airplane below its maximum gross weight at departure, the two outboard wing fuel tanks were each partially fueled with 25 gallons. The pilot reported that the inboard fuel tanks were used for engine startup, taxi, takeoff, and climb to the initial cruise altitude assigned by air traffic control. After reaching the initial cruise altitude, he switched to the outboard fuel tanks and leaned the mixture setting for optimal fuel consumption. About 2 hours into the flight, the pilot switched back to the inboard fuel tanks after the engines had consumed the useable fuel in the two outboard fuel tanks. The pilot reported that when the flight was about 7 miles from the destination airport, descending through 3,500 feet mean sea level, the right engine lost total power. The pilot feathered the right propeller, secured the right engine, and continued toward the planned destination. Shortly thereafter, the left engine lost total power and the pilot feathered the propeller and secured the engine. The pilot reported that he delayed extending the landing gear until the airplane cleared a row of trees that bordered the harvested soybean field that he selected for the forced landing. After clearing the trees, the pilot attempted to extend the landing gear by moving the landing gear selector handle to the down position; however, because the left engine was inoperative, a normal landing gear extension with the engine driven hydraulic pump was not possible. The pilot immediately attempted to extend the landing gear using the emergency hand-pump, but the airplane impacted terrain before the landing gear was fully extended. Upon contact with the terrain, the nose and left main landing gear collapsed. The left wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage during the forced landing.

A postaccident examination of the airplane established that the inboard and outboard fuel tanks were void of any useable fuel. The pilot reported that the accident flight was about 4 hours 20 minutes in duration and that fuel exhaustion was the reason that both engines had lost total power. Before departing on the accident flight, he estimated that the flight would require about 118 gallons of fuel, and as such, there would be about 4 gallons of fuel remaining at the completion of the flight. However, after the accident, the pilot acknowledged that he failed to account for the 6.8 gallons of unusable fuel within the fuel system. Additionally, the airplane was equipped with an emergency carbon-dioxide blowdown system that the pilot could have used to rapidly extend the landing gear instead of the more laborious and time consuming emergency hand-pump. The pilot did not offer an explanation on why he chose to use the emergency hand-pump instead of the carbon-dioxide blowdown system. Had the landing gear been fully extended before landing, it is likely that the landing gear would not have collapsed.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in the total loss of power to both engines due to fuel exhaustion and the subsequent forced landing in a field. Also causal to the accident was the pilot's decision to use the slower emergency hand-pump to extend the landing gear instead of the available carbon-dioxide blowdown system, which resulted in a landing without the landing gear fully extended.

The pilot reported that the airplane departed with 122 gallons of fuel for the cross-country flight from Destin, Florida, to Quincy, Illinois. The airplane's two inboard wing fuel tanks, each having a 36 gallon capacity, were completely full before departure; however, in order to keep the airplane below its maximum gross weight at departure, the two outboard wing fuel tanks were each partially fueled with 25 gallons. The pilot reported that the inboard fuel tanks were used for engine startup, taxi, takeoff, and climb to the initial cruise altitude assigned by air traffic control. After reaching the initial cruise altitude, he switched to the outboard fuel tanks and leaned the mixture setting for optimal fuel consumption. About 2 hours into the flight, the pilot switched back to the inboard fuel tanks after the engines had consumed the useable fuel in the two outboard fuel tanks. The pilot reported that when the flight was about 7 miles from the destination airport, descending through 3,500 feet mean sea level, the right engine lost total power. The pilot feathered the right propeller, secured the right engine, and continued toward the planned destination. Shortly thereafter, the left engine lost total power and the pilot feathered the propeller and secured the engine. The pilot reported that he delayed extending the landing gear until the airplane cleared a row of trees that bordered the harvested soybean field that he selected for the forced landing. After clearing the trees, the pilot attempted to extend the landing gear by moving the landing gear selector handle to the down position; however, because the left engine was inoperative, a normal landing gear extension with the engine driven hydraulic pump was not possible. The pilot immediately attempted to extend the landing gear using the emergency hand-pump, but the airplane impacted terrain before the landing gear was fully extended. Upon contact with the terrain, the nose and left main landing gear collapsed. The left wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage during the forced landing.

A postaccident examination of the airplane established that the inboard and outboard fuel tanks were void of any useable fuel. The pilot reported that the accident flight was about 4 hours 20 minutes in duration and that fuel exhaustion was the reason that both engines had lost total power. Before departing on the accident flight, he estimated that the flight would require about 118 gallons of fuel, and as such, there would be about 4 gallons of fuel remaining at the completion of the flight. However, after the accident, the pilot acknowledged that he failed to account for the 6.8 gallons of unusable fuel within the fuel system. Additionally, the airplane was equipped with an emergency carbon-dioxide blowdown system that the pilot could have used to rapidly extend the landing gear instead of the more laborious and time consuming emergency hand-pump. The pilot did not offer an explanation on why he chose to use the emergency hand-pump instead of the carbon-dioxide blowdown system.


ADAMS COUNTY, Ill. (WGEM) - Quincy Regional Airport Director Jared Hester confirmed a small plane ran out of fuel Sunday afternoon and had to make an emergency landing in rural Adams County.

 The incident happened around 2:20 p.m. in a cut bean field on E. 1800th Street, just a few miles off of Highway 104.

Hester said the pilot handled the emergency situation correctly, managing to land the plane safely.

"In this situation, the emergency landing dictated that they needed to land," Hester said." Quicker than what time allowed for them to get to the airport, so they chose a flat level field."

Adams County deputies reported the plane was traveling to Quincy from Florida, when the plane ran out of fuel prior to reaching the airport. Adams County EMA Director John Simon said four people were aboard the plane, including the pilot.

Simon said no one was injured.

"Presently, the accident is still under investigation," Simon said. "The Adams County Sheriffs Department has reached out, they've talked to FAA officials, they are starting to gather statements and reports, it has been turned over to the federal aviation administration."

The names of the pilot and passengers have not been released by authorities, but WGEM has confirmed that one of the passengers on board was Quincy businessman Hal Oakley.

QUINCY, ILL. -- Four people are lucky to be alive after a plane crash landed near the Quincy Regional Airport Sunday.  

 Adams County Emergency Management Agency Director John Simon said shortly after 2 p.m. a small private plane crashed landed into a field southeast of East 1800th Street and North 1050th Avenue.

Simon said the plane was on approach to land at the Quincy airport when it crashed.

Simon said the Adams County Sheriff's Office, Adams County Ambulance and the Liberty Fire Department responded to the scene.

The pilot and pilot's passengers were evaluated and released at the scene. No injuries were reported.

"It's a testament to the pilot's ability despite the crash landing that nobody was hurt," Simon said.

Simon says the cause of the crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.









Story Dewayne M LANCAIR 320-FB, N323DS: Incident occurred October 26, 2014 in Ardmore, Oklahoma

Aircraft Make: LANCAIR

Aircraft Model: 320

Event Type: Incident

Highest Injury: None

Damage: Unknown

Description: AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED ON A ROAD, ARDMORE, OK

Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)

Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards District Office: FAA Oklahoma City FSDO-15

LANCAIR 320-FB, N323DS, TOPFLIGHT AVIATION SOLUTIONS LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N323DS

Ardmore police say a plane hit a car then landed in the street next to Hardy Murphy Coliseum this afternoon.  

Captain Keith Ingle says a little after 2 PM the pilot of this single engine plane was attempting to make an emergency landing on Lake Murray drive after his plane lost power.

We're told the plane skidded across the top of a vehicle before landing on the street.

Ingle say the pilot did not see the vehicle directly beneath him.

"There's minor damage to the airplane. It's gonna be taken to the airport here locally for further investigation we've contacted the FAA and the NTSB."

Ingle says the pilot was traveling from Norman into Texas.

Authorities say No one was injured.


- Source:   http://www.kxii.com


ARDMORE, OK -- Authorities responded to the scene of what was initially reported as a plane crash Sunday afternoon.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says it happened a little after 2 PM Sunday afternoon near the Hardy Murphy coliseum on Lake Murray Drive.

Ardmore police are currently investigating the scene with assistance from OHP.

Captain Eric Hamblin says the plane did collide with a vehicle but no serious injuries are being reported.

No word yet on how many people were in the plane or vehicle.

- Source:  http://www.kten.com


Lake Havasu offering $cash$ to find lost wreckage

The mystery of what happened to wreckage from two decades-old airplane crashes over Lake Havasu is one city officials would like solved.

In the hope of bringing closure - not to mention tourists to the lake - the Lake Havasu City Convention & Visitors Bureau is offering $1,000 to anyone who can track down the wreckage from a 1960 plane crash or one that occurred in 1943.

"Why let any more time go by as these planes continue to be subject to the elements at the bottom of our lake? Why not try to find them now and try to salvage these planes," Visitors Bureau President Doug Traub said.

GPS coordinates and photographic proof are needed to claim the reward, Traub said.

Bud Phillips, a longtime Lake Havasu City resident, was 19 when he witnessed the January 1960 crash. Phillips and two friends were about to go out duck hunting when they watched the single-engine, World War II-era fighter plane take off.

"These two guys were in the cockpit and they were warming it up," Phillips said.

Phillips said the aircraft made a sharp right turn. That's when something went wrong and the airplane "just nosedived right into the lake." The men drove down to the lake and took a boat out to the crash site.

"We found bubbles and oil slick. There was nothing we could do. All we could do was just look," Phillips said.

The two men were brothers from California who were also on their way to go duck hunting, according to Lake Havasu city officials. Their bodies were recovered, but the plane never was. The incident has become local lore over the years, adding to the mystery of what lies beneath Lake Havasu.

Joel Silverstein, owner of the Lake Havasu City's only instructional diving facility, plans to go on the hunt Monday. He and a four-member crew will start at a spot where one of the planes was known to have departed. Following a grid pattern, they will go back and forth with a proton magnetometer, a device that picks up magnetic signals from iron or steel materials through water. Wherever they get a blip, that is where they will dive in.

For Silverstein, who said he is spending more than $1,000 on the hunt, it's not about the money.

"In some respects it's folly," Silverstein said. "Whenever you find something lost under the sea or under a lake, it's always fun. ... Really, when it comes down to it, if it exists, it will be a great piece for Lake Havasu's history."

The lake has an average depth of 35 feet with the deepest point about 90 feet. Silverstein believes the wreckage crashed in some trees at the bottom or is buried under silt. Silverstein said if he's lucky, any wreckage could be found in a day. But he's also had experiences shipwreck hunting for days and finding nothing.

"If it doesn't exist, it doesn't," Silverstein said. "We'll just keep the rumor going - not that it doesn't exist (but) we just haven't found it yet."


- Source:   http://www.azfamily.com

Incident occurred October 26, 2014 at St. George Municipal Airport (KSGU), Utah

ST. GEORGE — A man was taken to the hospital Sunday morning after he drove his Jeep through the door of a hangar at St. George Municipal Airport.

At 7:15 a.m., all was normal as routine airport inspections were being conducted, Airport Operations Supervisor Brad Kitchen said. 


During the second inspection, however, the front end of a gray Jeep Patriot was found protruding through the right rear side of the hangar. 

The Jeep had apparently crashed through the metal door of the hangar, kept going and then impaled a wall of the hangar.

Airport Operations Specialist Tim McIntyre was the first to arrive on the scene and found the driver, a man in his 70s, sitting in his seat with an injury to his mouth.

“The man was still breathing but not coherent,” Kitchen said. “It appeared he may have suffered from a stroke.”

The man driving the Jeep owns an airplane that he stores at the airport, Kitchen said. 


The man’s plane was a few hundred yards away from where the accident occurred. 

The man said he was headed to the restroom, Kitchen said, and it was unclear if he had been planning on flying or not.

The St. George Fire Department, St. George Police and Gold Cross Ambulance responded to the west gate of the airport, located at 4550 S. Airport Parkway in St. George.

Gold Cross Ambulance transported the man to Dixie Regional Medical Center.

“There normally is an airplane in there,” Kitchen said. “He is really lucky that there was no aircraft in there. It could have been a lot worse. This has never happened before. We expect aircraft accidents, not vehicle accidents.”


The hangar the man crashed into was brought to the new airport from the old airport and is worth about $15,000, Kitchen said. 


The estimated damage to the hangar is $8,000.

Kitchen said because the hangars are so old, most of the repair parts are no longer available. 

The whole hangar is likely to be totaled, he said, and will be replaced rather than repaired.

The Jeep was towed.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

- Source:   http://www.stgeorgeutah.com


A Jeep is towed after it crashes through a hangar at the St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, Oct. 26, 2014
Photo by Aspen Stoddard, St. George News


The Jeep left a gaping hole after it crashed through the door and then impaled the side of the hangar at the St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, Oct. 26, 2014 
Photo by Aspen Stoddard, St. George News


The damaged hangar door was dragged away by responders after the Jeep crashed through it at the St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, Oct. 26, 2014 
Photo by Aspen Stoddard, St. George News

Albany International Airport (KALB) plane aborts flight to Newark

COLONIE — A United flight carrying 41 passengers had to turn around from its Newark destination and land at the Albany International Airport Sunday afternoon after an engine appeared to be malfunctioning.

Flight 5001, run by Commutair, took off from Albany International around 1:45 p.m., but the pilot radioed that it had to return eight minutes into the flight because the second engine was running out of sync, said airport spokesman Doug Myers. The plane was a smaller, twin engine turbo propeller plane.

Airport rescue and firefighting was ready on the ground, but the plane landed and taxied to Gate A2 without incident, Myers said. Mechanics were inspecting the problem Sunday.


- Source:  http://www.timesunion.com

Piper PA-28-140, N5601U: Accident occurred October 26, 2014 in Valley Point, West Virginia

NTSB Identification: ERA15LA028 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 26, 2014 in Valley Point, WV
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/19/2015
Aircraft: PIPER PA-28-140, registration: N5601U
Injuries: 2 Serious.

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

The pilot purchased the airplane about 2 months before the accident, and the accident flight was his first flight in the airplane. The airplane impacted terrain shortly after takeoff. Neither the pilot nor passenger could recall the sequence of events leading to the accident. The sole witness to the accident did not see the airplane and only heard its engine “rev up” immediately before ground impact. Postaccident examination of the engine and airframe revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies. 

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
Undetermined based on a lack of available information.

On October 26, 2014, about 1330 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N5601U, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain shortly after takeoff from Valley Point Airport (WV29), Valley Point, West Virginia. Both the commercial pilot and pilot-rated passenger received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which was departing at the time of the accident. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

A witness reported that he heard the airplane's engine "rev up," and subsequently heard the sound of impact. The witness responded to the accident site to render assistance, and stated that there was an odor of fuel at the site.

Both occupants were hospitalized for several weeks and could not be interviewed until about 90 days after the accident. During a telephone conversation, the pilot stated that he could not recall any details about the flight, but did state that the accident flight was his first flight in the accident airplane.

Future attempts to contact the pilot after the accident were unsuccessful, and the pilot did not provide a completed NTSB 6120.1, Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, as requested.

The passenger stated that he had previously seen the pilot at the airport, but had not flown with him prior to the accident flight. He arrived at the airport on the day of the accident with the intent of working in his hangar, but changed his mind when the pilot invited him to fly. The passenger also remembered very little about the accident flight, but recalled that he was in the right seat when they departed, and that the last thing he remembered was pulling back on the yoke during departure.

The pilot, age 54, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land and instrument airplane. The pilot reported 2,000 total hours of flight experience, 100 hours of which were in the accident airplane make and model. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on June 25, 2013. The pilot stated that prior to the accident, he had not flown in several months.

The airplane was manufactured in 1969 and was equipped with a Lycoming O-320-E2A 150 horsepower reciprocating engine. According to the pilot, he purchased the airplane about two months prior to the accident, but never registered it in his name. The pilot was not familiar with the airplane's maintenance history and could not provide either airframe or engine maintenance logbooks. The engine oil filter installed on the engine indicated that had been installed in March 2012.

Initial examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the airplane came to rest in a grass area about 700 feet from the approach end of runway 08. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. Control continuity was traced from the cockpit to each of the respective control surfaces. The left wing fuel tank was found ¾ full, and the right wing fuel tank was breached and void of fuel. The fuel tank selector was found in the left tank position. The fuel found in the left tank was consistent in color and odor with automotive fuel. The carburetor was removed from the engine: the accelerator pump functioned normally, the carburetor inlet screen was free of debris, and the float bowl contained fuel. The throttle and mixture control arms were free to rotate through their complete range of travel.

The engine's spark plugs were removed and examined; all exhibited carbon fouling. The crankshaft was rotated at the propeller flange, and thumb compression was confirmed on each of the four cylinders. Borescope inspection of the cylinders further revealed no anomalies. Both left and right magnetos were rotated by hand; the right magneto exhibited spark on all towers and the left magneto produced no spark with the primary lead separated. When the lead was reattached, the left magneto produced spark on three of its four towers.

The left magneto and its primary lead were recovered and sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory. Examination revealed no evidence of long term wear to suggest that the connector had worked its way out in service, and signatures consistent with the lead having been secure in its housing at the time of impact.


WILLIAM D.  YOUNG:  http://registry.faa.gov/N5601U

NTSB Identification: ERA15LA028 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 26, 2014 in Valley Point, WV
Aircraft: PIPER PA-28-140, registration: N5601U
Injuries: 2 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On October 26, 2014, about 1330 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140 airplane, N5601U, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain shortly after takeoff from Valley Point Airport (WV29), Valley Point, West Virginia. Both the commercial pilot and private pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which departed from WV29 about 1330. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

A witness reported that he heard the airplane engine "rev up", which was immediately followed by the impact. In addition the witness stated that he could smell fuel prior to his arrival at the accident site.

Initial examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the airplane came to rest in a grass area about 700 feet from the approach end of runway 08. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. Both propeller blades remained attached to the propeller hub and exhibited no damage. Examination of the engine revealed that the left magneto primary lead had separated from its respective magneto case. The ignition key was also found in the left magneto position.

Postaccident examination of the engine was conducted on-scene by a representative of the engine manufacturer and supervised by the FAA. The spark plugs were removed and examined; all exhibited "normal" wear signatures. The crankshaft was rotated at the propeller flange, and thumb compression was confirmed on each of the four cylinders. Both magnetos were rotated by hand; the right magneto exhibited spark on all towers and the left magneto produced no spark with the primary lead separated. When the lead was reattached the left magneto produced spark on three of its four towers.

The left magneto and its primary lead were recovered from the engine and sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory in Washington, DC, for further examination.


Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards District Office:  FAA Charleston FSDO-09

Around 1:20 PM Sunday, a small aircraft carrying two passengers lost control and crashed in the Valley Point area of Bruceton Mills. 

 Both passengers survived the crash and were transported by HealthNet to Ruby Memorial Hospital. The extent of their injuries or current condition is still unknown at this time.

While the cause of the accident is still undetermined, officials think that the pilot of the aircraft lost control while taking off due to strong wind gusts, and crashed in a field no more than a mile or two away from the airport. That's where a neighbor heard the accident and immediately called 911.

"There were two people trapped inside, and we immediately called 911 and just talked to them while they were trapped in there," said witness Homer Adams.

While the names of the two people involved in the crash are still unknown, officials say they are both West Virginia residents, and that the quick action of the first responders helped save their lives.

"We had two confirmed trapped in there, and that they were heavily trapped. (First responders) were starting the life saving measures that were necessary immediately. Enough can't be said about their quick response and the actions they took," said Bruceton-Brandonville Volunteer Fire Department Chief Randy Spiker.

The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to conduct a formal investigation into the accident in the coming days.


 - Source:   http://www.wdtv.com

A small plane made a forced landing just west of the Valley Point Airport in Preston County Sunday afternoon.

Two medical helicopters have been requested, according to a statement from the county’s Office of Emergency Management. 

The incident happened around 1 p.m.

A spokeswoman from the Federal Aviation Administration said four people were reported to be on board the Piper PA-28 when it landed on a farm near Valley Point, an unincorporated community about 25 miles east of Morgantown. 


The Federal Aviation Administration and the local sheriff’s department are investigating, and local authorities will release the occupants’ names and conditions.

Local fire departments as well as sheriff’s deputies and state police have been dispatched to the scene off of Ringer Road.

The plane that crashed in Kanawha County in April, killing a couple, was a Piper PA-32.

- Source: http://www.wvgazette.com


Authorities were called to the scene of a plane crash in Preston County Sunday afternoon.

An aircraft went down just after 1 p.m. off of Ringer Road, just west of the Valley Point Airport, said Preston County 911 Dispatchers. 

Two medical helicopters were requested for patients at the scene.

The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified, said 911 dispatchers.

Bruceton-Brandonville Vol. Fire Dept, Albright Vol. Fire Dept., Bruceton Ambulance, KAMP Ambulance, West Virginia State Police and the Preston County Sheriff's Dept. were all dispatched. 


Media isn't permitted near the actual crash site at this time. 
 
Stay with 12 News as this story develops.

 UPDATE (10/26/14 @ 3:10 pm):  

According to a reporter on scene, two HealthNet choppers just took off from the scene with a patient in each.

5 News is still working to get information on how exactly this incident happened and if any other people were involved.

The Preston County Sheriff's Department is handling the investigation.

UPDATE (10/26/14 @ 2:45 PM):

According to a reporter on scene, emergency crews are surrounding the cockpit area of the plane in a rescue effort.

Multiple crews are on scene as well as two helicopters. There's no word on how many people are involved in the crash or how it happened. However, according to a reporter on scene, the plane appears to only be able to hold one to four people.

The crash happened off of Ringer Road in a field surrounded by woods.

Stay with 5 News for the latest.

ORIGINAL (10/26/14 @ 1:45 PM):

According to Preston County 911 officials, there has been a plane crash in Bruceton Mills. It happened just before 1:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.

No other information has been released at this time, but a reporter is heading to the scene.

Stay with 5 News for updates.








False alarm: MV Miner signal prompts search in Cape Breton

SYDNEY — An emergency distress signal heard by airplanes flying over J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport on Thursday turned out to be a false alarm from the derelict MV Miner, but volunteers from the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association were only too happy to be called out.

Airline officials called the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax after receiving intermittent signals from an emergency locator transmitter, apparently coming from somewhere near Port Morien, which is on the Cape Breton shoreline a few kilometres from Scatarie Island where the MV Miner is being dismantled.

Capt. Trevor Pellerin of the joint rescue centre said volunteers from the search group in Sydney were dispatched.

Roger Cormier, president of the civil air search group’s Nova Scotia chapter, said two members from Sydney drove out to the area and found the beacon.

“We have a homer that homes in on the beacon, so the guys prosecuted the beacon for several hours and they were finally able to find it,” said Cormier. “They found it in debris that was coming off the MV Miner.

“I’m assuming it’s a temporary dump there for all the work they’re doing on that boat.”

This spring, the province awarded a $12-million tender to R.J. MacIsaac Construction of Antigonish to clean up the derelict 222-metre former Great Lakes freighter after it ran aground on Scatarie Island just over three years ago while being towed to a Turkish scrapyard.

Scatarie Island, a 1,500-hectare protected wilderness area, lies about two kilometres from Main-a-Dieu.

Cormier said the civil air search and rescue group has about 80 members across Nova Scotia, with about 20 located in Sydney.

So far this year, the group has responded to false alarms from four locator beacons, but Cormier said the members respond to all calls so they can be ready for a time when they may really be needed.

Some members of the group jointly own an airplane and can be called out to fly over a possible rescue scene.

Cormier said it’s better to have local volunteer responders investigate first before calling in military search and rescue personnel. The federal government covers the volunteers’ expenses.

“When we do that it saves a lot of money, because we can dispatch two or three of our members who can get in a car and prosecute the beacon, (and) we also have an airplane at our disposal,” he said.

“If they start dispatching the Hercules or the Cormorant helicopter from (CFB) Greenwood, for every hour that they’re working, it’s costing the military like $30,000 per hour, whereas we’re volunteers.”


- Source:   http://thechronicleherald.ca