Sunday, December 14, 2014

Gaithersburg grew and swallowed its semi-rural airpark: In the deadly crash, a plane struck a house in a neighborhood built two decades after the Montgomery County Airpark (KGAI) opened

The Washington Post
By Ashley Halsey III
December 14 at 7:18 PM


The house went up in 1982, the growing family moved in 23 years later, and the airplane crashed into it a week ago. All the while, the airport had been just down the road.

The tragedy of six deaths on Drop Forge Lane in Gaithersburg will be blamed on someone or something — an error or a defect that caused the plane to go astray and plunge down on a quiet cul-de-sac — but its root cause may lie in the unfettered expansion that has put some airport runways cheek to jowl with suburban development.

The four-bedroom house at 19733 Drop Forge Lane, with a fireplace, two-car garage and deck in the back, is a bit more than a half-mile from the end of the runway at the Montgomery County Airpark. The private jet whose crash set that house ablaze last Monday killed all three on board and a woman who huddled in her second-floor bathroom, desperate to protect her infant and toddler son.

“Yes, the airpark was there first, but now we’re here too and this is dangerous,” said Becky Trupp, who moved this year to the Hunters Woods development where the plane crashed. “We have to find a way to co-exist, and if we can’t co-exist, I think that the safety of a community should take precedence over a hobby.”

For 30 years, people who live in the neighborhoods that surround the Montgomery County Airpark have been fearful something might happen to endanger them.

For instance, they worried after a single-seat plane crashed 100 feet from the runway, and when a single-engine plane with four aboard crashed in someone’s back yard two miles north of the airpark, and when two people died when a twin-engine plane hit a cornfield a few hundred yards short of the runway.

All three of those accidents happened three decades ago. A headline in The Washington Post in the aftermath read “Some critics say it’s an accident just waiting to happen.”

The 1984 article quoted one man who lived nearby: “It’s inevitable that a plane will fall out of the sky.”

Until a week ago, however, nothing so nightmarish as what they envisioned had occurred. Since 1983, there have been 29 airplane crashes at or near the airpark, fewer than one a year. Only four resulted in injuries to the pilot or passengers. In three of them — in 1990, 1985 and 1983 — people on board died. Almost a third of the crashes involved novice pilots working with flight instructors, the sort that aviation investigators refer to as “Oh, s---” accidents that are more likely to cause embarrassment than injury.

“There are a couple of flight schools there. You’re getting buzzed by people learning how to fly,” Trupp said. “They fly quite low. They feel like they’re right at the tops of the trees sometimes.”

The number of accidents puts the airpark in Gaithersburg about on par with three other regional airports that handle roughly the same amount of traffic in private airplanes.

The busier airport in Frederick has averaged a fraction more than one accident a year. Both Leesburg and Manassas experience fewer than one per year.

The number of small plane fatalities nationwide last year, 379 deaths, was the lowest in decades.

About 110 times since 2000, a small plane has crashed into a building or house, most often near an airport. Those crashes have resulted in more than 120 fatalities, almost all of them the deaths of pilots and passengers.

The highest number of people killed on the ground came seven years ago when a plane owned by NASCAR destroyed two homes in Sanford, Fla.

That number — three dead — was matched last week when Marie Gemmell, 36, huddled in a second-floor bathroom in a futile effort to save herself and two of her children — 3-year-old Cole and 6-week-old Devin — as a blaze fired by jet fuel raced through their home.

Pilot and business executive Michael Rosenberg, 66, and two colleagues aboard the plane — David Hartman, 52, and Chijioke Ogbuka, 31 — also were killed in the crash.

Suburban growth

There wasn’t all that much around in 1960 when the new airport opened 23 miles north of downtown Washington and three miles northeast of Gaithersburg, then a town of 3,847 people.

The county had zoned 137 acres next to it for industrial development and 135 acres nearby for residential development, but in those days there were acres and acres of undeveloped fields surrounding the new airstrip.

The airport hasn’t grown much, though the runway is 1,000 feet longer now, but the rest of the landscape has changed dramatically. Between 1970 and 1990, Gaithersburg grew almost fivefold, and the population has reached 60,000.

That growth has enveloped the airpark.

There is a map that tells the story. It is an aviation chart of the Washington region, encompassing dozens of airports that range from the mega-big such as Dulles International and Baltimore-Washington International Marshall airports to unpaved landing strips.

Outside of the District, it shades the most densely populated areas in yellow.

Three other airports similar in size to the airpark — in Frederick, Leesburg and Manassas — are just beyond the fringes of the yellow zone. The Montgomery airpark is virtually surrounded by yellow.

“When I came there, I don’t think there were as many houses there as there are now,” recalled Richard C. Bartel, who served as the airport’s manager from 1983 to 1991, and then went on to spend eight years as a crash investigator for the Federal Aviation Administration. “The airport hasn’t really changed a whole lot. It’s the neighborhood that’s changed.”

Life in Hunters Woods

Just to the north of the runway, a brand-new development had been built the year before Bartel arrived, so new that not all of the 448 houses had yet been sold.

It was named for the tract of land that once sat largely vacant: Hunters Woods.

Like so much of suburbia, it was a warren of looping streets and cul-de-sacs. Blue Smoke Drive, Ridge Heights Drive, Alliston Hollow Way, Drop Forge Lane.

Decades before Ken and Marie Gemmell bought 19733 Drop Forge in 2005, or Becky Trupp moved into 9 Alliston Hollow in January, Bartel had a problem on his hands. The people who had moved into pricey new homes near the airport weren’t happy with the noise or the threat of low-flying planes.

“There was always the possibility of a crash,” he said. “It concerned me for many reasons, for noise abatement and safety.”

While the county’s Revenue Authority, which runs the airport, cautioned in 1984 that people should consider proximity to the airport when buying a home, Bartel said he took steps to protect the new development.

“We adjusted the official traffic pattern so that it would channel traffic over Snouffer School Road,” he said.

Much like airplanes coming into Reagan National Airport are supposed to follow the path of the Potomac River, planes taking off to the north from the airpark are supposed to angle to the right and fly over the road.

If you look to the left as you drive north on Snouffer School Road, you will see the back deck of the house bought by Ken and Marie Gemmell.

Planes planning to land at the airpark aren’t bound by the same regulation.

“Arrivals generally came in over the road, but some would come straight in,” Bartel said.

“Straight in” was what pilot Michael Rosenberg was flying when he crashed last Monday morning, and experts speculate that it may explain what went wrong.

Seconds before he crashed, in his next-to-last radio transmission to other pilots flying in the area, Rosenberg said he was headed for the airpark’s runway 14.

“Montgomery traffic, 100 Echo Quebec is 3 [miles] out, straight in [toward] 1-4,” he said, according to a transcript of the air traffic transmissions.

Straight in has a particular meaning to pilots who frequent uncontrolled airports such as the Montgomery airpark. Without the guidance of an air traffic controller, in most cases a plane will fly above the landing strip and then double back for a safe distance before turning again to make a final approach.

In a straight-in approach, the pilot dispenses with that exercise and flies directly toward the runway. It carries a bit more risk, but there is also risk in making a circular loop in the high-performance twin-engine jet that Rosenberg was piloting.

“That doesn’t mean that straight in is a line down the runway, straight in could be any direction, 30 degrees left or right,” Bartel said.

Speculation abounds

The National Transportation Safety Board’s investigative report, expected some time next year, is all but certain to pinpoint what went wrong. But the data from recorders on the plane and the observations of Bartel, another retired FAA investigator and a former air traffic controller suggest a likely answer.

In the last 20 seconds of flight, the NTSB said based on preliminary data from the recorders, the plane slowed to below a safe speed and an automatically triggered recording warned Rosenberg that his plane was on the verge of an aerodynamic stall. That meant its nose was up and tail was down to the point where air flow above the wing was insufficient to keep the plane aloft.

The experts speculate that he had drifted off the centerline path to the runway, banked hard to the left to correct that and didn’t ramp up the plane’s energy enough to compensate for the reduced speed.

“He overshot the centerline of the approach leg, banked too sharply, losing lift, and crashed directly down,” said Glenn Groh, a former Air Force tower controller who is not involved with the investigation but evaluated accounts.

Directly down was Hunters Woods. And it was on the outer fringe of the traffic pattern Bartel created to protect the neighborhood 30 years ago.

Becky Trupp sits on her back deck often enough to recognize which planes stick to the correct traffic pattern and which don’t.

“It’s the exception to the rule that they are doing what they’re supposed to be doing,” she said.

Did she recognize that the airpark might pose a risk before she bought her home?

“I didn’t, and that’s shame on me,” she said. “I knew the airport was there. I just didn’t know that those planes flew over the neighborhood like they do. I had no idea.”

She lives two blocks from where Rosenberg went down.

“If he had stayed airborne for a little bit longer, it could have been my house,” she said.

Ashley Halsey reports on national and local transportation.

Story and photo gallery: http://www.washingtonpost.com


Montgomery County Airpark, Gaithersburg 



 NTSB Identification: DCA15MA029
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, December 08, 2014 in Gaithersburg, MD
Aircraft: EMBRAER EMB-500, registration: N100EQ
Injuries: 6 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 traveled in support of this investigation and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On December 8, 2014, about 1041 Eastern Standard Time (EST), an Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100, N100EQ, impacted terrain and houses about 0.75 miles short of runway 14 while on approach to Montgomery County Airpark (GAI), Gaithersburg, Maryland. The airline transport rated pilot and two passengers were fatally injured as well as three persons on the ground. The airplane was destroyed during the impact and ensuing fire. Marginal visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and the flight was operating on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The airplane was registered to and operated by Sage Aviation LLC., of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The flight originated from Horace Williams Airport (IGX), Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with GAI as its intended destination.

Western Michigan University aviation eyes Florida site for new program

Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation is exploring the possibility of starting a program in Florida.

Officials have eyed a vacant waterfront building in Punta Gorda, Fla., that once housed a private college. It’s less than five miles from the Punta Gorda Airport south of Tampa on Gasparilla Sound, an arm of the Gulf of Mexico, where flying weather is typically better than that in Michigan.

Dave Powell, dean of the College of Aviation, said the site could be used for an international private pilot training program, which ended in Battle Creek about a decade ago, after the 9/11 attacks prompted airlines to scale back their funding for training.

Demand for pilots has increased as the industry forecasts growth over the next 20 years.

“We’re just truly investigating,” Powell said. “All the different entities that we would have to interface with all have an interest in discussing this further.”

He said operations in Battle Creek, where there are some 800 students currently enrolled, would remain here — but any expansion in Florida could bring a financial boost to both locations amid continued funding cuts. Powell said this year was the first in more than a decade that the aviation program didn’t see its budget slashed.

Powell declined to discuss estimated costs for the new campus, but said the program would be “very small” with about 30 students in the first year. Any growth would be based on the market’s demand, he said.

“What I’m hoping to do is go down and generate a really great program,” Powell said, “and dollars that, potentially, we would be able to make and invest back in the program.”

Tom Patton, Charlotte County economic development director, told the Enquirer that the roughly 53,000-square-foot facility is listed at $6.2 million and would need some improvements after being vacant for a few years. WMU also would need a custom hangar at the airport to store planes and provide pre-flight briefing rooms for students.

Still, Patton said, the facility has a 250-seat auditorium, ideal space for flight simulators and plenty of room for growth. He said that leaves the possibility for other programs to expand to the Punta Gorda area, he said, where there are about 1,300 WMU alumni and many Michigan residents who flock to Florida for winter or retirement.

Officials are working to create a strong local aviation industry in the area. Patton said there have been discussions to create an agreement between WMU and nearby Florida SouthWestern State College for a bachelor’s degree program in flight mechanics.

“We’re trying to attract certain markets to our area,” he said. “We’re not trying to be everything to everyone, so honing in on a specific market makes it a great deal of sense from our side of things.”

“It’s a fantastic discussion and we just keep trying to figure out how to plug the pieces together.”

In October, WMU asked the state for $19 million in capital-outlay funding to renovate the College of Aviation’s 20-acre campus at 237 N. Helmer Road. It would fund renovation and expansion of its Aviation Education Center, including classrooms and research laboratories and improvements for energy, safety and accessibility code issues. If approved, planning and design work on the project could start next summer, the college said.

Jim Hettinger, interim president and CEO of Battle Creek Unlimited and chairman of the WMU Board of Trustees, said the possibility of expanding to Florida would be beneficial for both communities. The “top-end stuff,” he said, including curriculum design and aviation science, would remain in Battle Creek.

“We’re on the leading edge of college aviation and I just think it’s a hell of a compliment that somebody in Florida would say, ‘Come down and help us out,’” he said.

Some 530,000 new commercial airline pilots and more than 580,000 new maintenance technicians will be needed over the next 20 years, according to this year’s outlook by Boeing Co. Some 88,000 of those pilots and 109,000 of those technicians will be needed in North America.

Boeing pointed to airlines’ expanding fleets and flight schedules, along with an “increase trend to outsource maintenance, repair and overhaul activities to third-party providers in emerging markets.”

An airline and commercial pilot’s median pay in 2012 was $98,410, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It said the median pay that year for aircraft mechanics and technicians was $55,230.

“We’re not talking just great jobs,” said Powell, himself a retired airline pilot. “We’re talking great professions.”

Source:   http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com

Crash Probe Puts Focus On Pilots: Learjet 35A, N17UF, Diplomat Aviation (Bahamas) Ltd., accident occurred November 09, 2014 in Freeport, Bahamas

Officials have completed their analysis into the cockpit voice recorder and digital electronic engine monitors on board the plane that crashed in Grand Bahama over a month ago, killing prominent pastor Dr.  Myles Munroe and eight others.
The Tribune has learned that their results are in line with the conclusions of the preliminary report into the crash, which was released nearly three weeks ago.

That report revealed that the accident on November 9 took place while the pilots attempted to land the aircraft amid difficult weather conditions.

Department of Civil Aviation officers met officials of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Bombardier – the manufacturer of the aircraft – at the headquarters of the National Transportation Safety Board this week to process the investigation and formally analyze the relevant technology.

Having found results that support their initial conclusions, the team will now switch their focus to gaining insights into the lives of the plane’s pilots, Captain Stanley Thurston and First Officer Frahkan Cooper, during the pilots’ final few weeks.

They could begin interviewing family members of the pilot and co-pilot as early as next week.

According to a source close to the investigation who spoke to The Tribune on the condition of anonymity, while weather reduced visibility on the evening in question, the decisions the pilots made – or did not make – played a role in the crash. 

Facing difficult weather conditions, the pilots could have turned the aircraft around and returned to New Providence, the source said.

Nonetheless, the source added a toxicology analysis of the pilots has been completed, revealing that they had consumed no drug that could have impaired their performance.

While Transport and Aviation Minister Glenys Hanna Martin has said that the investigation into the crash could take several months to complete, The Tribune’s source noted that the circumstances and facts surrounding the crash have now been established, adding that it is unlikely anything will emerge that would cause them to reverse their conclusions.

It is unclear when an official report into the investigation that takes into consideration the analysis of all relevant technology will be released.

The Lear Jet, which crashed into a Grand Bahama Shipyard, claimed the lives of nine people, including Bahamas Faith Ministries International (BFMI) Senior Pastor Dr Myles Munroe, his wife Ruth, vice-president Dr Richard Pinder, newly ordained youth pastors Lavard “Manifest” Parks, his pregnant wife Radel, their five-year-old son Johanan and American citizen Diego DeSantiago.

They died immediately on impact after their plane hit a crane, rolled, inverted and crashed.

The plane had left Nassau shortly after 4pm and crashed around 5:10pm. The group was flying into Grand Bahama from New Providence for an annual leadership conference organised by Dr Munroe.

The weather at the time was reduced visibility, resulting in a missed landing on the aircraft’s second approach to the airport.

A preliminary report into the crash said: “The crew executed a missed approach procedure and continued outbound and entered the published holding pattern at 2,000 feet. Some time after entering the holding pattern, ATC (air traffic control) reported the weather as improving and thus a second ... approach was requested by the crew and granted by ATC.

“During the return for the second instrument approach, ATC reported the weather as again deteriorating due to rain and haze. While attempting to find the runway visually during the second approach, the aircraft descended and subsequently struck a towering crane at the Grand Bahama Shipyard.”

Source:   http://www.tribune242.com

http://registry.faa.gov/N17UF

NTSB Identification: ERA15RA047
14 CFR Non-U.S., Non-Commercial
Accident occurred Sunday, November 09, 2014 in Freeport, Bahamas
Aircraft: GATES LEARJET CORP. 35A, registration: N17UF
Injuries: 9 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. The foreign authority was the source of this information.

On November 9, 2014, about 1652 eastern standard time, a Gates Learjet Corp 35A, N17UF, registered to Diplomat Aviation (Bahamas) Ltd., was destroyed when it impacted a crane and terrain during approach to Grand Bahama International Airport (MYGF), Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas. The airline transport pilot, copilot, and seven passengers were fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from Lynden Pindling International Airport (MYNN), Nassau, Bahamas, about 1600 and was operating under Bahamian flight regulations at the time of the accident.

The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from:

Air Accident Investigation & Prevention Unit
Bahamas Department of Civil Aviation
P.O. Box AP-59244
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
1 (242) 376-1617
1 (242) 377-6060 FAX
Email: aaipu.bcaa@gmail.com
website: www.aaipu-bcaa.com

This report is for informational purposes, and only contains information released by the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.


Captain Stanley Thurston 




 
First Officer Frahkan Cooper



The passengers and pilots preparing to board the ill-fated flight.



Air India plane almost hit UAV in Leh after ATC failure

NEW DELHI: This is possibly the closest a close shave can get. 

 An Air India aircraft operating the ultra difficult Delhi-Leh sector recently was prevented by a disaster twice on the same day — once each time it was approaching to land in Leh on the two flights it operated that day — by the sheer presence of mind shown by its pilots. While communication failure at Leh air traffic control (ATC) tower was the common problem in both the approaches, an unmanned aerrial vehicle added to the problem on the second flight. 

On the first approach, AI's Airbus A-320 flying in as AI 3449 experienced communication failure with the air traffic control (ATC) tower managed by Indian Air Force at this defence air field. "In the case of a communication failure, green flares are fired to ask the aircraft approaching to land or red flares are shot to communicate that landing permission has not been given. That day, the experienced pilots (Leh flight is given only to specially trained pilots) for the first landed after seeing a green flare being fired from the Leh airport," said sources.

The aircraft landed safely and did a quick return flight to Delhi. The same pilots then flew the same aircraft back to Leh. The Leh airport has a short window of flight operations that begins from 22 minutes after sunrise (by when shadows of nearby hills do not linger over the airfield) to just after noon from when winds become so strong that aircraft movement is not possible. 

"On the second approach to Leh, once again there was a communication failure at the ATC. This time no green flares were fired and the aircraft did a go around when it was just seconds away from touchdown. While climbing up after the aborted landing, the pilots were in for another shock. An UAV was in their go-around flight path. The aircraft barely missed this UAV by about 100 feet," said sources.

The aircraft then climbed to 14,500 feet before making a stable approach to land in the second attempt. "On arrival, the AI crew and IAF ATC had an argument following which a violation was filed against the pilots who had done a very good job. The flight out of Leh — that was to be an army charter to fly out soldiers from Leh — was cancelled and grounded," said sources.

After returning to Delhi the next day, the pilots filed a strong complaint of this safety violation. The union of erstwhile Indian Airlines' pilots who operate the A-320s are now raising this issue with the airline and the aviation regulator to ensure that these kinds of serious safety hazards do not recur at high-altitude Leh which is the most difficult airport in India for flight operations.

Source:  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Titan Tornado II, N50402: Fatal accident occurred December 14, 2014 near Walnut Hill Airport (58VA), Calverton, Virginia







Benjamin Hummel, 33, Woodbridge, Va., formerly of Indianola 


Benjamin James Hummel was born on the glorious day of Aug. 25, 1981. His parents, Alan and Pamela Hummel, excitedly introduced him to his big brother, Joshua Hummel. Ben loved life and lived it to the fullest. He was taken away from us to live with the Lord on Dec. 14, 2014.

Ben grew up in small towns in Iowa and Minnesota. At the age of 8 he was diagnosed with primary pulmonary hypertension and lived, briefly, in St. Louis, Mo., awaiting a bilateral lung transplant. A new life was breathed into him at 13 years of age and after that he took full advantage of all life had to offer. He graduated from Kaneland High School in Sugar Grove, Ill., in 2000 and attended Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, Ia. He held many jobs, ranging from car salesman to contract security and from retail to conservator of the peace. Ben loved doing anything outdoor, but especially flying his many aircraft, playing airsoft or paintball, riding his dirt bike and quad through the Arizona desert, relaxing on the beach, all things Cub Scouts and anything involving his wife and son.

Ben met his wife, Bonita Hummel, in Indianola, Ia., in 2000. The two were married in San Angelo, Texas, on April 22, 2004. From there they began living the military lifestyle — living together in Texas, Virginia, Arizona and Washington, D.C. The two welcomed their baby boy, Landon Pilot, on Jan. 26, 2006. At that point, Ben began fulfilling his most prestigious, fulfilling and rewarding job: Dad.

After a few brief health setbacks and a kidney transplant in March 2014, Ben was healthy and happy to be able to do all the things he loved again. He had a magnetic personality and was a funny, kind, caring and loyal individual who could make friends anywhere and keep them for life. Ben, Bonita and Landon weathered many storms together, but always pulled through with faith, hope and happiness for a better future.

He is survived by his wife and son of Woodbridge, Va.; his mother and father, Alan and Pamela Hummel of Indianola, Ia.; his brother, Joshua (Arin), nephew Jonah and baby niece of Des Moines, Ia.; grandparents Arnold and Wilma Hummel of Akron, Ia. and Carol Russell of Le Mars, Ia.; many aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters/brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews, extended family and dear friends. He is preceded in death by his brother Lucas and maternal grandfather Robert Russell.

Ben’s family would like to thank the family of the young man who found hope in tragedy and provided a new set of lungs to Ben in 1995 and to Shelia Swartwood, who selflessly donated one of her kidneys to him in 2014. Without you all, the world would not have known such a great husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend.

A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, Dec. 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Dale City, Va. There will be a second celebration of Ben’s life on Monday, Dec. 22 from 2 to 5 p.m. at Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Indianola, Ia. A time of sharing will begin at 4 p.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to help pay for Landon’s future college education or in Ben’s memory to an organ donation organization of your choice. 

Online condolences may be made at www.overtonfunerals.com.


Event Type: Accident
Highest Injury: Fatal
Damage: Destroyed 
AIRCRAFT IMPACTED FIELD FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. 
Activity: Personal 
Flight Phase: TAKEOFF (TOF) 
Operation: 91 

http://registry.faa.gov/N50402

A single-engine, fixed-wing plane crashed near a field south of Catlett at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, killing its pilot.

State police, Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office and the Catlett’s Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad responded to a call of an airplane crash.

The Titan Tornado II crashed at about 12:30 p.m. near a home in the 10,000 block of Shenandoah Path. 

The pilot, Benjamin J. Hummel, 33, of Woodbridge, Va., died at the scene. He was the plane’s only occupant. No one on the ground was injured in the crash, said Corinne Geller, spokeswoman for the Virginia State Police.

"According to witness accounts, it appeared as if the plane was experiencing engine trouble just before it crashed," Geller said.

Sgt. Franz Mahler of the state police said the pilot may have been trying to conduct an emergency landing in a nearby field, but was not able to reach it.

"Thanks to local residents providing witness accounts and four-wheel drive vehicles, emergency responders were able to successfully locate and access the remote crash site quickly," Geller said.

The Virginia State Police, National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration officials are still investigating the crash.

The last fatal plane crash in Fauquier County happened on Memorial Day of 2012, when two small private aircraft collided in mid-air over Sumerduck.


Beech S35, N635RM: Incident occurred December 14, 2014 near Shreveport Downtown Airport (KDTN), Louisiana

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTBS) - A local pilot is lucky to be alive after an emergency landing in the Red River Sunday afternoon.

He's been identified as 34-year-old Courtney Hancock of Shreveport.

Caddo Sheriff's officials say they've concluded their investigation into the incident, as have the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

It's been ruled an accident due to mechanical error, since there was no impairment on the part of the pilot.

Officials say Hancock was attempting to land a private Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft just after 1 p.m. on December 14th when he reported landing gear issues to air traffic control at the Downtown Shreveport Airport.

He then reported engine trouble as well, and was forced to land in the Red River near the bank.

"Airport authority had a police officer actually on sight and he responded as well. It was an excellent and quick response from Shreveport Fire, Shreveport Police and the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office," said Interim Shreveport Airport Authority Director Bill Cooksey.

Airport officials say a special team from the aircraft owner's insurance company is expected to arrive in Shreveport on Tuesday to begin the process of removing the plane from the water.


  KTBS.com - Shreveport, LA News, Weather and Sports

N635RM INC: http://registry.faa.gov/N635RM

Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Aircraft Missing:  No
Damage: Unknown
Activity: Personal
Flight Phase: APPROACH (APR)
Operation:  91
LOST POWER ON GO-AROUND. LANDED IN RIVER.

SHREVEPORT, La. - A emergency landing in the Red River had first responders rushing to Shreveport Downtown Airport Sunday afternoon.

Caddo Sheriff's Office is saying a 34-year -old Shreveport man was attempting to land a private Beechcraft Bonanza Aircraft. That's when he and air traffic control noticed a problem with the plane's landing gear. We're told the plane experienced engine troubles,as well, resulting in a loss of power.

"The pilot recognized that he was having problems with is plane," Cpl. Bobby Herring, with C.P.S.O., said. "He was in contact with the tower here. He thought his landing gear was down. He tower noticed his landing gear was not down. His instruments were telling him that his gear was down."

Officials say the pilot was able to smoothly land the aircraft in the Red River. He was treated by Shreveport Fire Department responders and then released. A pilot in training managed to fly over and take video, here's what he has to say about the sight.

"You know, as a student pilot, brand new to flying, you want to take it as seriously as you can," Zach Golden, student pilot, said. "It's not something to mess with. You always here the horror stories, but actually seeing it first hand was definitely an experience I won't forget."

Shreveport Downtown Airport is open and only briefly closed. The Federal Aviation Administration will be investigating the crash with local law enforcement. The pilot's name and the plane's owner haven't been released yet.

Source:  http://www.ktbs.com

SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) - Over a dozen emergency personnel responded to the scene of a plane crash. 

Shreveport police tell KSLA News 12 that a small single engine plane reported a mechanical failure just after 1:00 Sunday afternoon. 

Authorities say the plane made an emergency landing into the Red River about a half a mile north of Shreveport's Downtown Airport.

Mark Crawford with the Shreveport Airport Authority says the pilot was having landing gear issues and requested a visual check of the landing gear position by tower personnel. 

Shortly after passing over the runway, the pilot reported engine trouble, lost altitude and landed the small plane in the Red River. 

The pilot was not injured in the landing and authorities say he was standing on one of the wings of the plane waiting to be rescued when they arrived. His name has not been released at this time. 

Shreveport Police Department, Caddo Sheriff's Office Marine Unit and Caddo Fire District 1 responded to the scene to assist the Airport Authority Police Officer who was already on the scene. 

The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified.

Crawford says the Shreveport Downtown Airport has resumed normal operations and is open.

Source:  http://www.ksla.com















Frederick Municipal Airport (KFDK), Maryland: Safety an ongoing dialogue

NTSB Identification: ERA15FA025A
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, October 23, 2014 in Frederick, MD
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/23/2016
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N122ES
Injuries: 3 Fatal, 1 Minor, 1 Uninjured.

NTSB Identification: ERA15FA025B
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, October 23, 2014 in Frederick, MD
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/23/2016
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II, registration: N7518Q

Injuries: 3 Fatal, 1 Minor, 1 Uninjured.


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

The private airplane pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight, and the commercial helicopter pilot and flight instructor were conducting a local instructional flight. A review of radar and voice communications revealed that the accident airplane pilot first contacted the nonradar-equipped tower when the airplane was 10 miles from the airport and that the local controller (LC) then acknowledged the pilot's transmission and instructed him to contact the tower when he was 3 miles from the airport. At this time, the LC was also handling two helicopters in the traffic pattern, one airplane conducting practice instrument approaches to a runway that intersected the runway assigned to the accident airplane, another airplane inbound from the southeast, and a business jet with its instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance on request. About 1 minute after the accident airplane pilot first contacted the LC, the LC began handling the accident helicopter and cleared it for takeoff. One minute later, the controller issued the business jet pilot an IFR clearance. When the accident airplane was 3 miles from the airport, the pilot reported the airplane's position to the controller, but the controller missed the call because she was preoccupied with the clearance read-back from the business jet pilot. About 1 minute later, the controller instructed the accident airplane pilot to enter the left downwind leg of the traffic pattern on a 45-degree angle and issued a landing clearance. She advised that there were three helicopters "below" the airplane in the traffic pattern, and the pilot replied that he had two of the helicopters in sight.

Data downloaded from the airplane and witnesses on the ground and in the air indicated that, as the airplane entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, it flew through the accident helicopter's rotor system at the approximate point where the helicopter would have turned left from the crosswind to the downwind leg. Because of a specific advisory transmitted on the tower radio frequency advising of traffic on the downwind, the pilot of each accident aircraft was or should have been aware of the other. A witness in the helicopter directly behind the accident helicopter had a similar field of view as the accident helicopter, and he reported that he acquired both accident aircraft in his scan before the collision. Given this statement and that the accident helicopter had two commercial pilots in the cockpit, the pilots should have had the situational awareness to understand the conflict potential based on the airplane's position reports. Although the airplane was equipped with a traffic advisory system, its capabilities could have been limited by antenna/airframe obstruction or an inhibition of the audio alert by the airplane's flap position.

The airplane's data indicated that the collision occurred at an altitude of about 1,100 ft mean sea level (msl). The published traffic pattern altitude (TPA) for light airplanes was 1,300 ft msl. Although several different helicopter TPAs were depicted in locally produced pamphlets and posters and reportedly discussed at various airport meetings, there was no published TPA for helicopters in the airport/facility directory or in the tower's standard operating procedures. According to the Federal Aviation Administration's Aeronautical Information Manual, in the absence of a published TPA, the TPA for helicopters was 500 ft above ground level; therefore, the appropriate TPA for helicopters at the accident airport was about 800 ft msl. The lack of an official helicopter TPA, which was published after the accident, significantly reduced the potential for positive traffic conflict resolution.

Review of the airport procedures, tower capabilities, and the controller's actions revealed no specific departure from proper procedures. Because the tower was not equipped with radar equipment, all of the sequencing and obtaining of traffic information had to be done visually. This would have been especially difficult at the accident airport due to the local terrain and tree lines that extend above the pattern altitudes from the tower controllers' view, which can cause aircraft to easily blend in with the background. Further, the controller spent a lengthy amount of time on the task of issuing the IFR clearance to the business jet while handling multiple aircraft in the traffic pattern. It is likely that the lack of radar equipment in the tower and the controller's inadequate task management also significantly reduced the potential for positive traffic conflict resolution.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The failure of the helicopter pilots and the airplane pilot to maintain an adequate visual lookout for known traffic in the traffic pattern, which resulted in a midair collision. Contributing to the accident were the airplane pilot's descent below the published airplane traffic pattern altitude (TPA) and the helicopter pilot's climb above the proper helicopter TPA as prescribed in the Federal Aviation Administration's Aeronautical Information Manual for airports without published helicopter TPAs. Also contributing to the accident were the lack of a published helicopter TPA, the absence of radar equipment in the tower, and the controller's inadequate task prioritization.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 23, 2014, about 1537 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SR22 airplane, N122ES, operated by a private individual, and a Robinson R44 II helicopter, N7518Q, operated by Advanced Helicopter Concepts, collided in midair approximately 1 mile southwest of the Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK), Frederick, Maryland. The airplane departed controlled flight after the collision, the ballistic parachute system was deployed, and the airplane landed nose-down in a thicket of low trees and brush. The helicopter also departed controlled flight, descended vertically, and was destroyed by impact forces at ground contact. The private pilot on board the airplane was not injured, and his passenger sustained a minor injury. The flight instructor, commercial pilot, and a passenger in the helicopter were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the airplane, which departed Cleveland, Tennessee, on a personal flight about 1247. No flight plan was filed for the helicopter, which departed FDK on an instructional flight about 1535. The flights were conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91.

Witnesses on the ground watched the aircraft approach each other at the same altitude and saw the collision. One witness said the helicopter appeared to be in a stationary hover as the airplane closed on it and the two collided. She said neither aircraft changed altitude as they approached each other.

A flight instructor for the helicopter operator in a company Robinson R22 helicopter followed the accident helicopter in the traffic pattern for landing abeam runway 30 in the infield sod at FDK. He said his helicopter had just completed the turn onto the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern when the accident helicopter came into his view to his front at about the point where it would turn to the downwind leg of the pattern. At the same time, the airplane appeared in his field of view as it "flew through the rotor system" of the helicopter.

Radar and voice communication information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as well as interviews conducted with air traffic controllers, revealed the following:

At 1534:10, the accident airplane first contacted the FDK tower and was about 10 miles west of the field at 3,000 feet. The local controller (LC) acknowledged the pilot's transmission and instructed him to report 3 miles west for a left downwind to runway 30. At 1534:31, the pilot of the accident airplane acknowledged and read back the controller's instructions.

At the time the accident airplane contacted the LC, other traffic being handled by the tower included two helicopters ( two company helicopters N2342U and N444PH) in the VFR traffic pattern, one airplane conducting practice instrument approaches to runway 23, another airplane inbound from the southeast, and a business jet (N612JD) with its IFR clearance on request.

At 1535:02, the LC then cleared the accident helicopter for take-off from alpha taxiway as requested and issued the current winds, and the call was acknowledged.

At 1536:02, the LC contacted the pilot of N612JD and advised she was ready to issue the airplane's instrument clearance. From 1536:06 to 1536:49 (43 seconds), the controller issued the clearance.

At 1536:49, the pilot of N612JD read back his clearance as required. Also at 1536:49, during the read back from N612JD, the pilot of the accident airplane reported on local frequency that he was 3 miles out on a 45-degree entry for runway 30, which the LC did not hear because she was listening to the read back from N612JD on ground control frequency.

At 1537:09, the LC transmitted to helicopter N444PH, "…four papa hotel option to the grass at your own risk use caution and on uh next go around stay at a thousand feet. I have traffic in the downwind."

At 1537:22, the LC instructed the accident airplane to report midfield left downwind for runway 30 and said "I have three helicopters below ya in the uh traffic pattern". At 1537:30, the pilot of the accident airplane acknowledged the request to report midfield downwind and stated he had two of the helicopters in sight. Immediately after that transmission, at 1537:34, the LC said "Alright uh two echo sierra, I have ya in sight runway three zero, maintain your altitude to…until turning base, cleared to land."

At 1537:41, cries were heard over the local frequency, and, at 1537:49, the pilot of a helicopter in the traffic pattern reported that an airplane and helicopter were both "down."

The pilot of the accident airplane was interviewed and provided written statements. His recollection of the flight was consistent with voice, radar, and aircraft data. The pilot stated that as he descended and slowed for the traffic pattern entry, he set the flaps to 50 percent.

The pilot stated that, about the time the airplane entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the tower controller issued a landing clearance, and, "out of nowhere…I saw a helicopter below me and to the left…" The pilot initiated an evasive maneuver, but he "heard a thump," and the airplane rolled right and nosed down. The pilot deployed the ballistic recovery system, and the airplane's descent was controlled by the parachute to ground contact.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The airplane pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued April 31, 2014. He reported 959 total hours of flight experience, of which 804 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.

The flight instructor on board the helicopter held commercial pilot and flight instructor certificates with ratings for rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument helicopter. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued April 31, 2014. Examination of his logbook revealed 832 total hours of flight experience, of which 116 hours were in the accident helicopter make and model.

The helicopter pilot held commercial pilot and flight instructor certificates with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument helicopter. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued April 29, 2013, and he reported 2,850 total hours of flight experience on that date. Excerpts of a pilot logbook for his helicopter time revealed 1,538 total hours of helicopter experience. A review of records revealed that he stopped flying as a helicopter tour pilot in 1994. During the years following, he logged five or fewer helicopter flights per year. Between 2004 and 2011, he logged one flight per year, none in 2011, and one in 2012. In 2014, he logged two flights in September, and two in October prior to the accident flight.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 2006. Its most recent annual inspection was completed June 13, 2014, at 1,289.8 total aircraft hours.

The helicopter was manufactured in 2004. Its most recent 100-hour inspection was completed October 2, 2014, at 1,758 total aircraft hours.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The 1553 weather observation at FDK included scattered clouds at 4,800 feet, 10 miles visibility, and wind from 330 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 21 knots.

The was 26 degrees above the horizon, and the sun angle was from 225 degrees.
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

The air traffic control (ATC) group was formed on October 23, 2014. The group consisted of the group chairman from operational factors and a representative from the FAA compliance services group.

The group reviewed radar data provided by the FAA from Potomac TRACON (PCT), ATC voice recordings, controller training and qualification records, facility logs, standard operating procedures (SOP), letters of agreement (LOA), controller work schedules, and other related documentation. Additionally, the group conducted interviews with the LC who provided services at the time of the accident and the off-duty controller who witnessed the accident and assisted with initial notifications and the after-action response. Tenant operators on the airport were interviewed, including the operator of the accident helicopter. The group also held discussions with the air traffic manager (ATM) at FDK.

When asked what the traffic pattern altitudes (TPAs) were at FDK, both controllers, as well as the ATM, stated that the altitudes were 900 feet mean sea level (msl) for helicopters, 1,300 feet msl for small fixed-wing airplanes, and 1,800 feet msl for large fixed-wing airplanes and twins. When asked the origin of these TPAs and where they were published, the LC stated that they were published in the SOP and airport/facility directory (AFD). The witnessing controller thought the helicopter TPA was published in the local noise abatement procedures, but not in the AFD, but that the fixed-wing TPAs were in both. The ATM stated that only the fixed-wing TPAs were published in the AFD and that the helicopter TPA had been inadvertently left out without them realizing. The ATM stated that helicopter TPA was agreed upon during meetings with tower personnel, airport management, and airport tenants prior to the tower's commissioning. The facility was unable to produce any documentation that these meetings were ever held, and they were also unable to produce any documentation of the 900-foot msl helicopter TPA they had mentioned. The only documentation that was found was from old, locally produced noise abatement procedures.

According to FAA Order 7210.3Y, minutes of the meeting were to be taken and distributed to "the appropriate Service Area" office and to each attendee. These minutes were neither recorded nor distributed.

In an interview, the helicopter operator was asked for a copy of his flight school's SOP. He stated there was none. The policies and procedures were made by him, and distributed by word of mouth in periodic meetings. During an initial discussion, the operator stated that the helicopter TPA was between 900 and 1,000 feet msl, and 1,200 feet msl for autorotations. When asked how he decided upon the TPA of 900 feet msl for his pilots and students. He said, "It just kind of morphed into that. The airplanes are at 1,300 feet msl, and we thought we should be below that. They never published that in the AFD, and I wish they would."

According to the chief pilot for the helicopter operator, a 14 CFR Part 141 application would soon be submitted and an SOP would be published concurrent with the application.

AERODROME INFORMATION

FDK was at an elevation of 306 feet and was tower controlled. The tower was an FAA contract tower and was not radar-equipped.

Runway 5/23 was 5,219 feet long and 100 feet wide, and was located along the east side of the field. Runway 12/30 was 3,600 feet long, 75 feet wide, and located on the north side of the field. The two runways intersected at the approach end of runways 23 and 30.

The published TPA in the AFD for single-engine and light-twin airplanes was 1,300 feet msl, and 1,800 feet msl for heavy multiengine and jet airplanes. The traffic pattern was a standard left-hand pattern.

There was no published traffic pattern or TPA for helicopters in the AFD at the time of the accident. According to the FAA's Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), in the absence of a published TPA for helicopters, the helicopter TPA was 500 feet agl, or about 800 feet msl at FDK.

A pamphlet produced by the City of Frederick, Maryland, depicted the airport traffic patterns and identified the helicopter TPA as 1,100 feet msl.

A poster of the pamphlet's depiction was posted around the airport, and it also identified the helicopter TPA as 1,100 feet msl.

The SOP for the contract operator of the tower had no TPAs published. However, when interviewed, the LC on duty at the time of the accident stated the TPA for helicopters was 900 feet per the SOP.

As a result of the investigation, the AFD was updated on January 8, 2015, with a recommended TPA for helicopters of 1,106 ft msl/800 feet agl.

Radar Data

Radar data for the flights was obtained by the FAA from several radar sites in the area surrounding FDK. Radar data recorded the flight track of the accident airplane until seconds before the accident; however, no data were recorded for the accident helicopter.

At the time of the accident, the floor of the Potomac TRACON radar coverage in the area surrounding FDK appeared to be about 1,200 feet msl. The helicopter never climbed into radar coverage, and the collision between the helicopter and the airplane occurred below the area of radar coverage.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

The helicopter wreckage and its associated debris came to rest in a self-storage complex between two buildings, with parts and debris scattered in and around the complex. All major components were accounted for at the scene. The main wreckage came to rest largely upright, and the cockpit, cabin area, fuselage, tailboom, engine, transmission, with main and tail rotors attached. All components were significantly damaged and deformed by impact forces. The "blue" main rotor blade was fractured near its root, and the outboard 11 feet of main rotor spar was located 50 feet from the main wreckage with no honeycomb or blade skin afterbody material attached.

Control continuity could not be established due to numerous fractures in the system, but all fractures exhibited features consistent with overload.

The airplane came to rest nose down, in a dense thicket of brush and low trees, wedged between tree trunks, and held in that position. All major components were accounted for at the scene, except for the right wing flap, aileron, and right landing gear wheel and tire assembly which were located between the helicopter and airplane sites. Examination of the airplane revealed that the trailing edge of the right wing was impact-damaged, and that the flap and aileron hinges were significantly damaged and twisted, and the surrounding sheet metal displayed "saw-tooth" fractures, consistent with overload. The structural cable between the wing strut and the empennage was still attached at each end, but missing a 5-foot section in the middle. The two severed ends displayed features consistent with overload. The empennage displayed a vertical opening and parallel slash marks.

Examination of the cockpit revealed the flap switch handle was in the "50 percent" position; however, the flaps and the flap actuator were positioned consistent with a flaps-up position. Because power was applied to all systems throughout the flight and after ground contact, the flap position could not be determined prior to the collision.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Office the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland performed autopsies on the helicopter flight instructor and helicopter pilot. The autopsy reports listed the cause of death for each as "blunt impact injuries."

The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing of the helicopter flight instructor and helicopter pilot. The tests for each were negative for the presence of carbon monoxide, cyanide, and ethanol.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Avidyne Primary Flight Display (PFD) Description

The PFD unit from the accident airplane included a solid state Air Data and Attitude Heading Reference System (ADAHRS) and displayed aircraft parameter data including altitude, airspeed, attitude, vertical speed, and heading. The PFD unit had external pitot/static inputs for altitude, airspeed, and vertical speed information. Each PFD contained two flash memory devices mounted on a riser card. The flash memory stored information the PFD unit used to generate the various PFD displays. Additionally, the PFD had a data logging function, which was used by the manufacturer for maintenance and diagnostics. Maintenance and diagnostic information recording consisted of system information, event data and flight data.

The PFD sampled and stored several data streams in a sequential fashion; when the recording limit of the PFD was reached, the oldest record was dropped and a new record was added. Data from the Attitude/Heading Reference System (AHRS) was recorded at a rate of 5 Hz. Air data information such as pressure altitude, indicated airspeed, and vertical speed was recorded at 1 Hz. GPS and navigation display and setting data were recorded at a rate of 0.25 Hz, and information about pilot settings of heading, altitude, and vertical speed references were recorded when changes were made.

According to the data, at 15:34:30, about 9 miles from the airport, the airplane initiated a descent out of 3,000 feet msl. The descent rate varied between 500-1000 fpm. The descent stopped at 1,600 feet pressure altitude (1,582 feet indicated) for about 10 seconds, at 15:36:40. The airplane then continued its descent at an approximate rate of 700 fpm.

As the descent continued, the airplane entered a right bank of about 15 degrees about 1.5 miles from the airport. While descending and turning right, pitch, vertical, longitudinal, and lateral acceleration experienced a loading event simultaneously at 15:37:36.

When this occurred, the aircraft was 0.75 miles from the field at 1,045 feet pressure altitude (1,027 feet indicated) and 100 kts indicated airspeed. Following the loading, the aircraft rolled a full 360 degrees to the right, pitch recorded extremes of 21 degrees nose- up to 80 degrees nose-down, and heading spun nearly 720 degrees to the right.

Following the loading, altitude was maintained for about 3 seconds before dropping at a maximum recorded rate of 5,470 fpm. The aircraft came to rest at 15:37:52 at 330 feet pressure altitude in a 75-degrees nose-down attitude with the wings rolled 46 degrees to the left. The recording ended with the aircraft static in these conditions.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Traffic Advisory System

The accident airplane was fitted with an L-3 Avionics SKYWATCH Traffic Advisory System (TAS). As installed, the system included an L-3 Avionics SKY 497 transmitter/receiver unit and an L-3 Communications antenna. The traffic information developed by the SKY 497 system was displayed in the cockpit and provided an audio alert.

According to the manufacturer, the SKYWATCH TAS monitored the airspace around the aircraft for other transponder-installed aircraft by querying Mode C or Mode S transponder information. These data would then be displayed visually to the pilot in the cockpit. The system also provided aural announcements on the flight deck audio system. The audio alert would be inhibited at 50 percent and 100 percent flap settings.

If an intruder aircraft's transponder did not respond to interrogations, the TAS would not establish a track on that aircraft. The system was not equipped with recording capability.

The SKYWATCH system operated on line-of-sight principles. If an intruder aircraft's antenna was shielded from the SKYWATCH system antenna, the ability of the SKY 497 to track the target would be affected. If a SKY 497-equipped aircraft was located directly above an intruder, the airframe of one or both of the aircraft could cause the SKY 497's interrogations to be shielded, depending on antenna location (top-mounted on the accident airplane). The SKY 497 also had the capability to coast (predict) an intruder's track to compensate for a momentary shielding.
In an interview with state police immediately after the accident, the pilot explained the operation of the system to the trooper conducting the interview, and stated he did not receive a traffic alert prior to the collision.

FAA Advisory Circular 90-48c

"Pilots should also be familiar with, and exercise caution, in those operational environments where they may expect to find a high volume of traffic or special types of aircraft operation. These areas include Terminal Radar Service Areas (TRSAs), airport traffic patterns, particularly at airports without a control tower; airport traffic areas (below 3,000 feet above the surface within five statute miles of an airport with an operating control tower…"


Cessna Citation Excel (N806AD) takes off Friday afternoon from Runway 23 at Frederick Municipal Airport.



Recent deadly crashes have raised questions about safety at the region's smaller airports, but Frederick Municipal Airport is always brainstorming ways to maintain safety, according to management.

The airport staff met with pilots, tenants and air traffic control tower employees in September as part of an annual safety review. 

Additionally, airport manager Rick Johnson meets monthly with Landmark Aviation to go over ways to keep pilots safe.

“Safety is our number one priority in any instance,” Johnson said. 

The biggest challenge is factors that can't be controlled, he said.

Data from the National Transportation Safety Board list pilot error as the most common cause of mishaps and accidents at Frederick Municipal Airport.

More than 70 percent of the 37 NTSB investigations at or near the airport since 1982 were reported to be a result of pilot or student pilot error, accord to the agency's online records.

Frederick Municipal Airport and the surrounding airspace has been the site of 89 collision or malfunction investigations since 1978, combining Federal Aviation Administration and NTSB records.

To put that number in context, the airport has been handling over 100,000 takeoffs and landings annually in recent years.

The NTSB generally investigates crashes where there was substantial damage, injury or death, such as October's fatal midair collision between a helicopter and a small plane, while the FAA might investigate situations like hard landings or emergency landings.

Nine fatalities have been reported at or near the airport in the period covered by the records. 

The information contained in the FAA and NTSB reports may not represent all safety issues; before Frederick's air traffic control tower was built 2 1/2 years ago, no one was responsible for reporting minor collisions or mechanical problems.

Airport managers have no formal role in the reporting and investigative process, but they will alert authorities of issues when appropriate and will offer any information they have available. 

When a helicopter tipped over on its side in May, the control tower and airport management notified the NTSB, according to Johnson. 

Critters, the tower and radar

In some of the more unusual FAA reports, wildlife has posed a hazard. A student pilot in May attempted to avoid a herd of deer as he or she approached the runway, but one of the animals ran into the landing gear.

A similar situation occurred in 2010.

The airport has a deer-kill program to help control the deer population in airport space, Johnson said. 

It is unclear from FAA and NTSB records how the opening of the air traffic control tower in May 2012 affected the rate of problems, but some pilots say it has helped maintain safety.

“Most of the people I've talked to like having the tower here,” said Bruce Landsberg, senior safety adviser for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which is based in Frederick.

He compared having a control tower to putting a traffic light at an intersection. When the volume of traffic justifies a tower, it can help keep the sequence of takeoffs and landings organized.

Nine of the 89 investigations since 1978 occurred after the tower was built, according to the records.

One potential safety improvement could be the addition of a radar system, Johnson said. The airport has no plans in the works to install one, but it could make things safer by providing a better picture of where planes are. 

Radar could cost tens of thousands of dollars to install, and not having the system does not necessarily mean that the airport is less safe, assistant manager Nick Sabo said. 

The airport is equipped with ADS-B, or automatic dependent surveillance broadcast, which is essentially a GPS system that helps pilots be more aware of their surroundings. 

The FAA will require pilots to have ADS-B systems in their planes by 2020; few do now because of the expense. 

Landsberg echoed that the ADS-B would help safety and said making sure pilots get proper training, and refreshers would also help. 

“I'd say it is a pretty safe airport,” he said. “The vast majority of pilots take it pretty seriously.”

Source:   http://www.fredericknewspost.com

Lancair LC42-550FG, N2512X: Incident occurred October 26, 2014 at Frederick Municipal Airport (KFDK), Maryland 

Highest Injury: None
Damage: Unknown

Description: AIRCRAFT ON LANDING WENT OFF THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS, FREDERICK, MD

Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards District Office: FAA Baltimore FSDO-07

VECAN CORP: http://registry.faa.gov/N2512X 


NTSB Identification: ERA14CA217

14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, May 01, 2014 in Frederick, MD
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/05/2014
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22 BETA, registration: N802CP
Injuries: 2 Minor.

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.

According to the flight instructor, his student was practicing hover operations over a grassy area of the airport. This was the first flight in a helicopter for the student pilot. The helicopter drifted to the right while descending. The right skid contacted the grass and the helicopter rolled to the right and the main rotor blades contacted the ground. The helicopter continued to roll over and came to rest on its right side. An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration examined the helicopter and confirmed substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, and main rotor blades. The pilots reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the hover, and the flight instructors lack of remedial action, resulting in a dynamic rollover and structural damage to the helicopter.

NTSB Identification: ERA15FA025A
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, October 23, 2014 in Frederick, MD
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N122ES
Injuries: 3 Fatal,1 Minor,1 Uninjured.

NTSB Identification: ERA15FA025B
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, October 23, 2014 in Frederick, MD
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II, registration: N7518Q
Injuries: 3 Fatal,1 Minor,1 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators 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 October 23, 2014, about 1537 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SR22 airplane, N122ES, and a Robinson R44 II helicopter, N7518Q, operated by Advanced Helicopter Concepts, collided in midair approximately 1 mile southwest of the Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK), Frederick, Maryland. The helicopter departed controlled flight after the collision, descended vertically, and was destroyed by impact forces at ground contact. The airplane also departed controlled flight, the ballistic parachute system was deployed, and the airplane landed nose-down in a thicket of low trees and brush. The flight instructor, commercial pilot receiving instruction, and a passenger in the helicopter were fatally injured. The private pilot on board the airplane was not injured, and his passenger sustained a minor injury. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the airplane, which departed Cleveland, Tennessee on a personal flight about 1247. No flight plan was filed for the helicopter, which departed FDK on a pre-rental check-out flight about 1535. Both flights were conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

Preliminary radar and voice communication information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the accident airplane first contacted the FDK local controller at 1534:10 approximately 10 miles west of the field at an altitude of 3,000 feet. The local controller acknowledged the pilot's transmission and instructed him to report three miles west of the airport for a left downwind to runway 30. The pilot acknowledged and read back the controller's instructions.

At the time the accident airplane contacted the local controller, traffic handled by the tower included two helicopters in the traffic pattern, one airplane conducting practice instrument approaches to runway 23, another airplane inbound from the southeast, and also a business jet with its IFR clearance on request.

At 1535:02, the controller cleared the accident helicopter for take-off from taxiway alpha, issued the current winds, and the call was acknowledged.

At 1536:49, the pilot of the accident airplane reported that he was three miles from the airport on a 45-degree entry for the downwind for landing on runway 30.

At 1537:22, the local controller instructed the airplane to report midfield left downwind for runway 30 and said, "I have three helicopters below ya in the uh traffic pattern". At 1537:30, the pilot of the airplane acknowledged the request to report midfield downwind and stated he had two of the helicopters in sight. Immediately after that transmission, at 1537:34, the local controller said, "Alright uh two echo sierra, I have ya in sight runway three zero, maintain your altitude to…until turning base, cleared to land."

At 1537:49, the pilot of another helicopter in the traffic pattern reported that an airplane and helicopter were both "down."

Witnesses on the ground observed the aircraft converge at the same altitude. One witness said the helicopter appeared to be in a stationary hover as the airplane approached it and the two subsequently collided. She said neither aircraft changed altitude as they approached each other.

A flight instructor for the operator in another company helicopter followed the accident helicopter in the traffic pattern for landing abeam runway 30. He said his helicopter had just completed the turn onto the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern, when the accident helicopter came into his view. At the same time, the airplane appeared in his field of view as it "flew through the rotor system" of the helicopter.

The pilot of the accident airplane was not immediately available for interview.

The airplane pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued April 31, 2014. He reported 1,080 total hours of flight experience, of which 1,000 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.

The flight instructor held commercial pilot and flight instructor certificates with ratings for rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument helicopter. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued April 31, 2014. Examination of his logbook revealed 832 total hours of flight experience, of which 116 hours were in the accident helicopter make and model.

The pilot receiving instruction held commercial pilot and flight instructor certificates with ratings for airplane single engine land, multiengine land, rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument helicopter. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued April 29, 2013, and he reported 2,850 total hours of flight experience on that date. Excerpts of a pilot logbook revealed 1,538 total hours of helicopter experience.

The 1553 weather observation at FDK included scattered clouds at 4,800 feet, 10 miles visibility, and winds from 330 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 21 knots.

FDK was located at an elevation of 306 feet and the air traffic control tower was operating at the time of the accident. The published traffic pattern altitude for single-engine and light-twin airplanes was 1,300 feet mean sea level (msl), and 1,800 feet msl for heavy multiengine and jet airplanes. The traffic pattern was a standard left-hand pattern, and there was no published traffic pattern or altitude for helicopters.

The helicopter wreckage and its associated debris came to rest in a self-storage complex between two buildings, with parts and debris scattered in and around the complex. All major components were accounted for at the scene. The main wreckage came to rest largely upright, and included the cockpit, cabin area, fuselage, tailboom, engine, transmission, and main and tail rotors. All components were significantly damaged and deformed by impact forces. The "blue" main rotor blade was fractured near its root, and the outboard 11 feet of main rotor spar was located 50 feet from the main wreckage with no honeycomb or blade skin afterbody material attached.

Control continuity could not be established due to numerous fractures in the system, but all fractures exhibited features consistent with overload.

The airplane came to rest nose down, in a dense thicket of brush and low trees, wedged between tree trunks, and held in that position. All major components were accounted for at the scene, except for the right wing flap, aileron, and right landing gear wheel and tire assembly, which were located between the helicopter and airplane sites. Examination of the airplane revealed that the trailing edge of the right wing was impact-damaged. The flap and aileron hinges were significantly damaged and twisted, and the surrounding sheet metal displayed "saw-tooth" fractures, consistent with overload.