Sunday, January 11, 2015

Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands: Cenita Heywood - On Island Profile

Cenita Heywood
Air Force veteran Cenita Heywood has a passion for helping local students become pilots and fly off into the “wild blue yonder.”

Heywood, a teacher and audio/visual media specialist at St. Croix Career and Technical Educational Center, is getting students involved in aviation classes and clubs.

Heywood says there are a lot of great careers in aviation. With her help the students are earning scholarships, getting college credits and getting into good aeronautical universities.

“My heart is in it to do things for kids,” Heywood said.

Heywood collaborated with the Department of Education in getting the Aviation Academy at CTEC off the ground this school year.

The students enrolled in the academy earn 12 to 21 hours of college credit that can be used toward aviation science and engineering. The students will take the Federal Aviation Administration entry level aviation mechanic technician exam, and they will be able to get their private pilot's license. Heywood said the students will be well prepared for a future in aviation.

To enroll in the program, students must be members of the V.I. Chapter Tuskegee Airmen Inc. Youth Aviation Club, Heywood said.

Heywood said the club enhances the students' learning experience, providing opportunities to attend flying camps in the summer at aviation programs across the country. The organization exposes the students to hundreds of careers in aviation, and they meet people working in aviation. It gives members the chance to attend annual Tuskegee Airmen and Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals conventions.

“We tell the students they are ambassadors of the Virgin Islands,” Heywood said.

There are 60 members, age 8 to 18. And all the members earn community service hours doing required volunteering in the community.

Heywood, a charter member of the V.I. Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen Inc., founded the youth organization to keep the history of the airmen alive.

Local folks may know Heywood as the daughter of Tuskegee Airman Herbert H. Heywood, one of the pioneering black fighter pilots of World War II. When she was a young girl she did not realize how important her father's role in the war was.

“It was in the last 10 to 15 years that people started hearing about the airmen,” Heywood said. “There's a lot to be proud of my father for.”

She said he was a strict man and pushed education.

Her mother is Catalina Cepeda Heywood, a former Pan American Airlines employee.

Heywood was born on St. Croix and moved to Brooklyn, N.Y., when she was six-years-old. She joined the Air Force immediately after graduating from high school.

She said that wasn't her father's influence. Old military movies made the Air Force look fun to her. In the service she worked as an airfield management supervisor and training manager.

She earned her master's degree in public administration at Troy State University and is working on a masters in curriculum assessment and technology.

Heywood has instructed American Red Cross CPR and First Aid for more than 25 years. She said she and a group of people stood helpless and watched a man die, so she decided to learn CPR.

Heywood is an active member of American Legion Post 102 and is often seen marching with the Legion and the youth aviation club in local parades. She is in her third term as second vice president of the St. Croix Federation of Teachers and a VITEMA government liaison.

She has traveled the Pacific, Middle East, Central America, Europe, and the states.

“I'm a poster child for St. Croix,” Heywood said. “ I've lived all over. I just love it here.”

Heywood hopes to start a Young Eagles group with students as young as eight years old receiving their first flight and continuing their flight training towards attaining a pilot's license.

She said the students would not have the opportunities they have had if it wasn't for the generosity of Bohlke International Airways.

People can get more information about the youth aviation programs by sending Heywood email at viyap.stcroix@gmail.com.

Source:  http://stcroixsource.com

Frequent-flyer musicians look for relief in Department of Transportation rule

"A violist, a cellist and a bassist walk into an airport ... "

It feels like the premise to a corny music joke, but for working musicians traveling with their instruments, walking into an airport was no laughing matter.

"It's terrifying," says Minnesota Orchestra violist Sam Bergman. "Even if if you think you know an airline's policy and you arrive at the airport having researched it, everyone's got horror stories about having missed a flight or left off a flight because a gate agent says you can't bring your instrument on the plane because it doesn't fit inside that little box they have."

Recently we published a blog post that summarized a recent rule from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to implement section 304 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 regarding the carriage of musical instruments as carry-on or checked baggage on commercial passenger flights.

In summary, the new DOT ruling states — provided all safety requirements are met — musicians are allowed to bring small instruments, like violins or guitars, on board aircraft to be stowed in an overhead bin or in-cabin storage space; to purchase a seat for larger instruments (e.g. a cello) at no additional cost beyond the typical price; and to check really large instruments (e.g. a bass) in the aircraft's cargo hold.

Following the publication of the DOT rule, the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM), AFL-CIO, issued a statement applauding the efforts of all involved.

To get further insight into musicians' travel experiences and their thoughts on the DOT rule which becomes effective in February, we asked a violist, a cellist and a bassist to share their thoughts. 

Read more here:  http://www.mprnews.org

Drones and Farming? The combination could create jobs for Idaho (with video)

Those who rely on plants to keep afloat could yield more produce thanks to technology from an unlikely source.

Those with the Federal Aviation Administration recently approved a Star company's plan to use unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, in the field of agriculture.

Farmers that choose to incorporate technology that Advanced Aviation Solutions, Blair Farms and Empire Airlines created could allow for higher crop yields and reduced operating costs. Another benefit is that the technology could create less hazards to the environment.

"We're the birth place of unmanned aircraft systems technology in agriculture, because we're the only ones who have access and the ability to do it in the nation," said Steve Edgar, president and CEO of Advanced Aviation Solutions.

With that said, Edgar is aware that competition is soon to follow. But for now, the group's proposal to use unmanned aircraft systems for commercial use in the world of agriculture is the only one the FAA has approved.

Once the drones arrive, and the longtime pilot receives approval to fly in designated areas, farmers can tap into this new resource.

"We can provide a farmer pinpoint accuracy of stress points within his field," Edgar said. "From that, he can then find out what the corrective action is."

Edgar is not the drone manufacturer but rather he represents the data carrier side of the operation. He foresees the future for farmers being bright as advances in technology are just about to sprout.

At the same time, the cost of the technology will come down, which will make this an affordable option for all.

"We are able to do almost this spot application of water, fertilizer, pesticides, or whatever the case may be, and that will allow us to have better, cleaner food and obviously increase yield," Edgar said.

In return, this added dimension to aerospace could mean new jobs for Idahoans.

Edgar is already in talks with university leaders to create new pilot training programs.

"I will work with the department of labor and everybody else to see what kind of set up do to have a flow through of train, to hire, to job, and stay here in Idaho with it," he said.

Pilots begin training in February, and the drones first flight operation is set for March.

Story and Video:  http://www.jrn.com

Low salaries prompt Vietnam Airlines pilots to jump ship

The Ministry of Transport has instructed Vietnam Airlines to review its salary policy, citing the high number of pilots who wish to leave the company for better pay.

Highly trained employees, including pilots, air traffic controllers and aircraft maintenance workers have filed requests to resign.

The turnover threatens to destabilize Vietnam Airlines's ongoing operations, according to Transportation Minister Dinh La Thang.

The national carrier was ordered to increase salaries and allowances for these workers in the first quarter of the year.

Lai Xuan Thanh, director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) said he has declined to accept resignations from many Vietnam Airlines employees prior to implementing the ministry’s directive.

However, he did not confirm the reason for the attempted mass exodus from Vietnam Airlines.

Meanwhile, local media has blamed the salary gap between Vietnam Airlines and its competitors (and foreign and local pilots) as the underlying reason.

Last October, more than ten pilots in the 919 Flight Crew Division attempted to resign, Dan Tri newspaper reported.

So far, none have been allowed to leave

Each Vietnamese pilot at Vietnam Airlines earns around VND80 million (US$3,742) a month, depending on his or her position and aircraft, while a foreign pilots gets $8,000-13,000 a month.

The difference was questioned several years ago and Vietnam Airlines explained that it did not have to pay to train foreign pilots, at a cost of around VND2.5 billion ($117,000).

Vietnam Airlines requires each of its pilots to commit to working for the company for at least 15 years if it covers the cost of their training.

The company has about 600 local pilots, who represent roughly 70 percent of the firm's fleet.

In November 2013, many engineers at the Vietnam Airlines Engineering Company complained that they had been forced to sign 20-year contracts with Vietnam Airlines, after the private budget carrier VietJetAir announced plans to recruit aviation engineers for salaries that were up to three times higher.

Original article can be found at: http://www.thanhniennews.com

Van's RV-9A, N8080S: Fatal accident occurred January 11, 2015 at Prineville Airport (S39), Crook County, Oregon

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

NTSB Identification: WPR15LA084
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, January 11, 2015 in Prineville, OR
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/01/2017
Aircraft: BRUCT J MYERS RV-9A, registration: N8080S
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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

A witness observed the private pilot departing in his experimental, amateur-built airplane. He stated that, after rotation, the airplane climbed in a nose-high attitude and drifted left of the runway centerline. Upon reaching an altitude about 1,000 ft above ground level, the airplane’s right wing dipped, and the airplane descended in a right spin and impacted a parallel taxiway. The airplane was mostly consumed by a postcrash fire. Subsequent examination revealed that the canopy had been ejected clear of the airframe on impact, and the canopy lock appeared in the open position. The elevator trim tab was found in the nose-up trim position; however, due to the severity of the fire and impact damage, the reason for or relevance of these findings could not be determined. Although the pilot was being treated for several medical conditions that he had not reported to the Federal Aviation Administration, it is unlikely that the conditions or their treatment contributed to the circumstances of this accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during the climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin.

Bruce J. Myers 
~


The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Hillsboro, Oregon

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Bruce J. Myers: http://registry.faa.gov/N8080S

NTSB Identification: WPR15LA084
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, January 11, 2015 in Prineville, OR
Aircraft: BRUCT J MYERS RV-9A, registration: N8080S
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On January 11, 2015, about 1427 Pacific standard time, an experimental amateur-built Bruce J Myers (Vans) RV-9A, N8080S, collided with terrain at Prineville Airport, Prineville, Oregon. The owner/pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed during the accident sequence. The cross-country personal flight was departing with a planned destination of Bend, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The Assistant Manager of the Prineville Airport, who held a private pilot certificate, stated that the pilot arrived in the airplane about 0930 on the morning of the accident, after being unable to land at his intended destination of Madras, Oregon, due to bad weather. Upon landing, the pilot noticed that the nosewheel tire was flat. He borrowed the airport's loaner car, and returned to his home base airport in Bend, Oregon, to retrieve tools and a replacement inner tube. He repaired the tire, and prior to departure, he discussed the deteriorating weather conditions with the airport manager. The pilot then loaded his tools into the airplane, and taxied to the run-up area.

The manager reported that he was seated at the window of his office. He had a clear view of the entire length of runway 33 during the accident sequence. He observed the pilot perform an engine run-up, then a standard takeoff roll. He saw no other traffic in the air or on the ground, and after rotation the airplane climbed in a nose-high attitude, and drifted left of the runway centerline. After reaching about 1,000 ft agl, the right wing dipped, and it descended in a right spin, impacting the parallel taxiway to runway 28. He noticed an airplane make one pass over the crash site after approaching the airport from the northwest. That airplane did not make a radio call, and left the area after the pass.

Another pilot on the airport noted that the weather was marginal, with a ceiling of about 1,500 feet above ground level. It was raining, and the winds were calm.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

No personal flight records were located for the 73-year-old pilot. The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC) obtained the aeronautical experience listed in this report from a review of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airmen medical records on file in the Airman and Medical Records Center. The pilot reported on his medical application in June 2013 that he had a total time of 960 hours, with 40 hours logged in the previous 6 months.

AIRPLANE INFORMATION

FAA records indicated that the experimental amateur-built, low-wing, fixed-gear airplane, serial number 90836, was built by the pilot, and issued a special airworthiness certificate in January 2007; the airplane was powered by an Eggenfellner Subaru H-6 converted automobile engine. No maintenance logbooks were recovered.

METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

An aviation routine weather report (METAR) for Prineville, was issued at 1415 PDT, it stated: wind calm; visibility 6 miles; light unknown precipitation; sky 2,900 feet scattered, 3,400 feet scattered, 3,900 feet scattered; temperature 5/41 degrees C/F; dew point 3/37 degrees C/F; and altimeter 30.09 inches of mercury.

Similar conditions including a confirmation of light rain were reported at Roberts Field Airport, Redmond, Oregon, 12 miles west, with further deterioration throughout the day.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane came to rest on the north taxiway parallel to runway 10/28, 4,500 ft north-northwest of where the airplane initiated the takeoff roll. Fire had consumed the entire cabin and fuselage structure forward of the empennage, along with both fuel tanks and the underside of both wings. The upper wing surfaces were heavily charred and remained partially attached to the wing spar. The elevator control push-pull tube remained attached to its control arm on the elevator torque tube, and both rudder cables remained attached to their respective rudder horns. The remaining flight controls had been consumed by fire. The airplane was equipped with an electrically driven electrical elevator trim system. The elevator trim tab was observed in the tab down (nose-up) position. The steel frame of the sliding canopy was located separate from the main wreckage; its rear locking tangs were undamaged, and the forward lower canopy latch handle was found a position 45 degrees relative to the airframe centerline, corresponding to the "open" position. The canopy skirt and associated fuselage canopy track hardware was consumed by fire.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Oregon State Police Medical Examiner Division completed an autopsy. They determined that the cause of death was blunt force head trauma. No significant natural disease was identified.

The FAA Forensic Toxicology Research Team performed toxicological testing of specimens of the pilot.

The report contained the following findings for tested drugs: Desmethylsertraline detected in liver, 2.723 (ug/ml, ug/g) Desmethylsertraline detected in blood (heart), Sertraline detected in liver; and 0.531 (ug/ml, ug/g) Sertraline detected in blood (heart). There were no findings for ethanol.

The NTSB's medical officer reviewed the pilot's certified medical records on file with the FAA, the autopsy report, and personal medical records. The medical officer prepared a factual report, which is part of the public docket for this accident. The review revealed that the pilot had reported no chronic medical conditions and no chronic medication use to the FAA. However, toxicology testing identified sertraline in liver and heart blood. According to personal medical records, the pilot had longstanding asthma, impaired glucose metabolism (prediabetes), gastroesophageal reflux disease, mild hypertension, depression, and generalized anxiety disorder. His doctor had prescribed Fluticasone Propionate and Sertraline for many years, and both a burnt Fluticasone Propionate, and undamaged Albuterol Sulfate, inhaler canisters were located at the accident site. At his last primary care visit, in March 2014, his conditions were stable.







NTSB Identification: WPR15LA084 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, January 11, 2015 in Prineville, OR
Aircraft: MYERS BRUCE J RV 9A, registration: N8080S
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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

On January 11, 2015, about 1427 Pacific standard time, an experimental amateur-built Myers - Vans RV 9A, N8080S, collided with terrain at Prineville, Oregon. The owner/pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence, and all of the airframe except the tail section was consumed by post impact fire. The cross-country personal flight was departing with a planned destination of Bend, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

According to witnesses, the airplane's nose continued to pitch up during the takeoff initial climb. The airplane appeared to be at a slow speed when a wing dropped, and the airplane went vertically into the ground.
Bruce J. Myers 
~


The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Hillsboro, Oregon

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Bruce J. Myers: http://registry.faa.gov/N8080S

NTSB Identification: WPR15LA084
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, January 11, 2015 in Prineville, OR
Aircraft: BRUCT J MYERS RV-9A, registration: N8080S
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On January 11, 2015, about 1427 Pacific standard time, an experimental amateur-built Bruce J Myers (Vans) RV-9A, N8080S, collided with terrain at Prineville Airport, Prineville, Oregon. The owner/pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed during the accident sequence. The cross-country personal flight was departing with a planned destination of Bend, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The Assistant Manager of the Prineville Airport, who held a private pilot certificate, stated that the pilot arrived in the airplane about 0930 on the morning of the accident, after being unable to land at his intended destination of Madras, Oregon, due to bad weather. Upon landing, the pilot noticed that the nosewheel tire was flat. He borrowed the airport's loaner car, and returned to his home base airport in Bend, Oregon, to retrieve tools and a replacement inner tube. He repaired the tire, and prior to departure, he discussed the deteriorating weather conditions with the airport manager. The pilot then loaded his tools into the airplane, and taxied to the run-up area.

The manager reported that he was seated at the window of his office. He had a clear view of the entire length of runway 33 during the accident sequence. He observed the pilot perform an engine run-up, then a standard takeoff roll. He saw no other traffic in the air or on the ground, and after rotation the airplane climbed in a nose-high attitude, and drifted left of the runway centerline. After reaching about 1,000 ft agl, the right wing dipped, and it descended in a right spin, impacting the parallel taxiway to runway 28. He noticed an airplane make one pass over the crash site after approaching the airport from the northwest. That airplane did not make a radio call, and left the area after the pass.

Another pilot on the airport noted that the weather was marginal, with a ceiling of about 1,500 feet above ground level. It was raining, and the winds were calm.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

No personal flight records were located for the 73-year-old pilot. The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC) obtained the aeronautical experience listed in this report from a review of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airmen medical records on file in the Airman and Medical Records Center. The pilot reported on his medical application in June 2013 that he had a total time of 960 hours, with 40 hours logged in the previous 6 months.

AIRPLANE INFORMATION

FAA records indicated that the experimental amateur-built, low-wing, fixed-gear airplane, serial number 90836, was built by the pilot, and issued a special airworthiness certificate in January 2007; the airplane was powered by an Eggenfellner Subaru H-6 converted automobile engine. No maintenance logbooks were recovered.

METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

An aviation routine weather report (METAR) for Prineville, was issued at 1415 PDT, it stated: wind calm; visibility 6 miles; light unknown precipitation; sky 2,900 feet scattered, 3,400 feet scattered, 3,900 feet scattered; temperature 5/41 degrees C/F; dew point 3/37 degrees C/F; and altimeter 30.09 inches of mercury.

Similar conditions including a confirmation of light rain were reported at Roberts Field Airport, Redmond, Oregon, 12 miles west, with further deterioration throughout the day.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane came to rest on the north taxiway parallel to runway 10/28, 4,500 ft north-northwest of where the airplane initiated the takeoff roll. Fire had consumed the entire cabin and fuselage structure forward of the empennage, along with both fuel tanks and the underside of both wings. The upper wing surfaces were heavily charred and remained partially attached to the wing spar. The elevator control push-pull tube remained attached to its control arm on the elevator torque tube, and both rudder cables remained attached to their respective rudder horns. The remaining flight controls had been consumed by fire. The airplane was equipped with an electrically driven electrical elevator trim system. The elevator trim tab was observed in the tab down (nose-up) position. The steel frame of the sliding canopy was located separate from the main wreckage; its rear locking tangs were undamaged, and the forward lower canopy latch handle was found a position 45 degrees relative to the airframe centerline, corresponding to the "open" position. The canopy skirt and associated fuselage canopy track hardware was consumed by fire.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Oregon State Police Medical Examiner Division completed an autopsy. They determined that the cause of death was blunt force head trauma. No significant natural disease was identified.

The FAA Forensic Toxicology Research Team performed toxicological testing of specimens of the pilot.

The report contained the following findings for tested drugs: Desmethylsertraline detected in liver, 2.723 (ug/ml, ug/g) Desmethylsertraline detected in blood (heart), Sertraline detected in liver; and 0.531 (ug/ml, ug/g) Sertraline detected in blood (heart). There were no findings for ethanol.

The NTSB's medical officer reviewed the pilot's certified medical records on file with the FAA, the autopsy report, and personal medical records. The medical officer prepared a factual report, which is part of the public docket for this accident. The review revealed that the pilot had reported no chronic medical conditions and no chronic medication use to the FAA. However, toxicology testing identified sertraline in liver and heart blood. According to personal medical records, the pilot had longstanding asthma, impaired glucose metabolism (prediabetes), gastroesophageal reflux disease, mild hypertension, depression, and generalized anxiety disorder. His doctor had prescribed Fluticasone Propionate and Sertraline for many years, and both a burnt Fluticasone Propionate, and undamaged Albuterol Sulfate, inhaler canisters were located at the accident site. At his last primary care visit, in March 2014, his conditions were stable.




NTSB Identification: WPR15LA084 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, January 11, 2015 in Prineville, OR
Aircraft: MYERS BRUCE J RV 9A, registration: N8080S
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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

On January 11, 2015, about 1427 Pacific standard time, an experimental amateur-built Myers - Vans RV 9A, N8080S, collided with terrain at Prineville, Oregon. The owner/pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence, and all of the airframe except the tail section was consumed by post impact fire. The cross-country personal flight was departing with a planned destination of Bend, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.


According to witnesses, the airplane's nose continued to pitch up during the takeoff initial climb. The airplane appeared to be at a slow speed when a wing dropped, and the airplane went vertically into the ground.



 The 73-year-old Bend man who died in a plane crash at the Prineville Airport on Sunday afternoon was identified as Bruce Myers, Prineville Interim Police Chief Les Stiles said Tuesday.

Myers was the registered owner of a single-engine Vans RV-9A, an experimental plane that was amateur built, Federal Aviation Administration registry records show.

The plane was destroyed in Sunday’s crash. Prineville Police secured the area and the FAA conducted a preliminary investigation, Stiles said Tuesday.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash. According to Howard Plagens, senior air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, the plane has been moved to a secure location awaiting further investigation.

PRINEVILLE, Ore. - A pilot was killed in the crash of a small plane Sunday afternoon as it was taking off from Prineville Airport, sending up a black plume of smoke, officials and witnesses reported.

A single-engine RV-9 plane crashed while leaving Prineville Airport shortly after 2 p.m., Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said, quoting local authorities as reporting that only the pilot was on board.

Prineville Airport Assistant Manager Brian Way confirmed “it was a fatality” and that both runways were closed while an investigation got underway.

Airport Manager Kelly Coffelt said the runways reopened around 5 p.m. but that a taxiway where the plane came to rest, parallel to one runway, remained closed.

Coffelt said FAA and National Transportation Safety Board investigators are expected on scene Monday morning. He said he knew the pilot and that officials' first priority was to contact the family.

The crash was reported near the end of a runway and brought first responders rushing to the airport, located on the hill west of Highway 126 and about three miles southwest of downtown Prineville.

Witnesses told NewsChannel 21 firefighters were putting out a blaze at the end of the runway. Unconfirmed reports indicated a Life Flight helicopter was put on stand-by but canceled.

It was not raining at the airport at the time of the crash but began a short time afterward, Coffelt said, adding, It's my impression it was not weather-related."

An RV9 is a kit (experimental classification, amateur-built) plane from Van's Aircraft, based in Aurora, Oregon.

An RV9 is a kit (experimental classification, amateur-built) plane from Vans Aircraft, based in Aurora, Oregon.

There also was a fatal crash near the Prineville Airport on Sept. 8, 2013, when pilot Murray Crowe, 47, of Terrebonne was killed in the crash of his experimental-category Challenger II light sport aircraft northeast of the airport.

Coffelt said Sunday he believed that was the first such deadly crash in the airport's history. 
 
Story and Video: http://www.ktvz.com

A pilot from Bend died this afternoon in a plane crash at the Prineville Airport, the airport’s manager said this evening. 

The fatal crash occurred about 2 p.m. at the airport off state Highway 126 just west of Prineville, said Kelly Coffelt, manager of the Prineville Airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed there was a crash.

“A single-engine RV9 crashed while departing from Prineville around 2:30 p.m.,” Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the FAA wrote in an email this evening.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, he wrote.

The airport and the FAA did not immediately release the name of the pilot. 

Following the crash the airport was closed, but Coffelt said shortly after 5 p.m. that it was open again. 

Piper PA-28RT-201T Turbo Arrow IV, N82828: Fatal accident occurred January 11, 2015 in Brighton, Colorado

NTSB Identification: CEN15FA101
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, January 11, 2015 in Brighton, CO
Probable Cause Approval Date: 04/06/2015
Aircraft: PIPER PA 28RT-201T, registration: N82828
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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

Witnesses reported observing the pilot taxi the airplane from inside his hangar and depart. For several minutes, the airplane maneuvered at a low altitude and high airspeed. Witnesses then observed the airplane make a steep bank turn, descend, and impact terrain about 5 miles east of the departure airport. The pilot’s wife had reported to local law enforcement that she believed he had committed suicide. The pilot’s wife reported that she had recently informed him that she wanted a divorce and was purchasing another home. She added that, about 5 years earlier, the pilot had told her that, if she ever left him, he would fly his airplane into the ground and kill himself. Although the wreckage was significantly fragmented, no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airframe or engine were noted that would have precluded normal operation. The medical examiner determined that the pilot’s manner of death was “suicide.”

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The pilot’s intentional descent into the terrain.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On January 11, 2015, at 1246 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28RT-201T single-engine airplane, N82828, impacted terrain while maneuvering near Brighton, Colorado. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from Van Aire Airport (CO12), Brighton, Colorado, about 1220.

According to witnesses who spoke with local authorities, the pilot taxied the airplane from inside his hangar and departed CO12. A witness described this as unusual because the pilot would typically tug the airplane out of the hangar and then start the engine for a flight. For several minutes, witnesses observed the airplane at a low altitude and maneuvering at high airspeeds. Witnesses last observed the airplane make a steep bank turn, descend, and impact terrain approximately 5 miles east of the Van Aire Airport.

Local law enforcement, who spoke with the pilot's wife, had been advised that she believed he committed suicide. Recently, the pilot's wife had informed him that she wanted a divorce and was purchasing a home nearby the pilot's residence. She stated that approximately five years ago, the pilot told her that if she ever left him, he would fly his airplane into the ground and kill himself.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 41, held an airline transport pilot certificate, a commercial pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. In addition, the pilot held a flight instructor certificate with airplane single-engine, multi-engine, and instrument ratings. The pilot's most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) first-class medical certificate was issued on November 20, 2014, with no limitations or restrictions.

According to the pilot's most recent airman medical certificate application, the pilot had accumulated 10,600 total flight hours and 200 flight hours in the previous six months. The pilot's logbooks were not located during the investigation.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The four-seat, low-wing, retractable tricycle-gear airplane, serial number 28R-8131015, was manufactured in 1980. The airplane was powered by a Continental Motors TSIO-360-FB1B, 200-horsepower engine, equipped with a Hartzell constant-speed propeller. The airplane was registered to the pilot on September 2, 2008.

A review of the airplane logbooks revealed the most recent annual inspection was completed on September 6, 2014. At that time, the airframe and engine had accumulated 4,105.9 total hours. The engine had accumulated 88.3 hours since major overhaul.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1253, the Denver International Airport, Denver, Colorado, automated surface observing system, located approximately 11 miles southwest of the accident site, reported the wind from 360 degrees at 9 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 5,000 feet, ceiling overcast at 11,000 feet, temperature 4 degrees Celsius, dew point 1 degree Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.00 inches of Mercury. 

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane wreckage came to rest in a dormant wheat field, and airplane debris was distributed for approximately 200 feet along a bearing of 308 degrees. The initial impact point, consistent with the left wing, was a continuous ground scar that extended 24 feet to a ground crater that measured 2.5 feet in depth. The propeller assembly, engine, and a portion of the forward fuselage were located within the ground crater. The wings, fuselage cabin, and empennage were fragmented and located within the debris field. All major components of the airplane were located at the accident site.

The cockpit and cockpit instrumentation were fragmented and destroyed. All four seats and seat assemblies were separated from their attach points. The left wing and fuel tank were fragmented. The left aileron and flap remained partially attached to the wing structure. The right wing and fuel tank were fragmented. The right aileron and flap remained partially attached to the wing structure. Both the left and right main landing gear assemblies were found in the retracted position.

Partial control cable continuity was established due to fragmentation of the wreckage. The aileron cables remained attached to the chain assembly, and the chain was separated in several sections. The fractured aileron cable ends were broomstrawed, consistent with an overload failure. Both the left and right aileron bellcranks were separated and pulled from their attach points in the wings. The aileron cables were attached to their bellcranks and separated at the wing root. The rudder cables were attached to their respective cockpit attach points. The cables were fractured and broomstrawed, consistent with an overload failure. The rudder cable assembly was detached from the rudder pulley. The horizontal stabilator cables were separated from the lower T-bar, and the cables were attached to the aft turnbuckle.

The engine sustained significant impact-related damage. The engine remained partially attached to the firewall. The spark plugs were impact damaged and exhibited normal color and wear signatures. Due to damage, the crankshaft was partially rotated by a hand tool, and mechanical continuity was noted throughout the engine. The engine crankshaft was fractured at the propeller flange; the fracture surface displayed 45 degree shear lips consistent with an overload failure.

The propeller assembly remained attached to the fractured crankshaft propeller flange. One propeller blade was bent aft, tip curled, and contained chordwise blade polishing. One propeller blade displayed s-type bending and contained chordwise blade polishing.

MEDICAL AND PATHEOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed on the pilot by the Office of the Coroner for Adams and Broomfield Counties, Colorado. The listed cause of death was "multiple blunt trauma injuries to the body due to airplane crash." The manner of death was determined to be suicide.

The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing on the pilot. The tests were negative for all screened drugs and alcohol.



  NTSB Identification: CEN15FA101 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, January 11, 2015 in Brighton, CO
Aircraft: PIPER PA 28RT-201T, registration: N82828
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On January 11, 2015, at 1246 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28RT-201T single-engine airplane, N82828, impacted terrain while maneuvering near Brighton, Colorado. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and was operated by a private individual. The personal flight was conducted in day, visual meteorological conditions, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from Van Aire Airport (CO12), Brighton, Colorado, about 1220.

According to witnesses who spoke with local authorities, the pilot taxied the airplane from his hangar and departed CO12. For several minutes, witnesses observed the airplane at a low altitude and maneuvering at high airspeeds. Witnesses last observed the airplane make a steep bank turn, descend, and impact terrain approximately 5 miles east of the Van Aire Airport.

The airplane wreckage came to rest in a dormant wheat field, and airplane debris was distributed for approximately 200 feet along a bearing of 308 degrees. The initial impact point, consistent with the left wing, was a continuous ground scar that extended 24 feet to a ground crater that measured 2.5 feet in depth. The propeller assembly, engine, and a portion of the forward fuselage were located within the ground crater. The wings, fuselage cabin, and empennage were fragmented and located within the debris field. All major components of the airplane were located at the accident site.

At 1253, the Denver International Airport, Denver, Colorado, automated surface observing system, located approximately 11 miles southwest of the accident site, reported the wind from 360 degrees at 9 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 5,000 feet, ceiling overcast at 11,000 feet, temperature 4 degrees Celsius, dew point 1 degree Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.00 inches of Mercury.

WADE H. TEFFT: http://registry.faa.gov/N82828

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


Wade Howard Tefft




ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. — One person was killed Sunday afternoon after a single-engine plane crashed in Adams County. 
 
The crash happened near Watkins Road and 160th Avenue about 12:45 p.m., northeast of Denver International Airport, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office said.


The pilot was identified as Wade Howard Tefft, 41, of Brighton. He was the only person on board the plane and was described as an experienced pilot.

He was a pilot for Mountain Aviation Private Jet Charter, his Facebook page read.


Numerous 911 calls were taken from residents in the area reporting the plane was having engine trouble.



The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Story and Video:  http://kdvr.com

BRIGHTON, Colo.(WIVB) – A Southern Tier native has died in a single engine plane crash just outside of Denver, Colorado.
According to Denver media reports the pilot was Cassadaga native, Wade Howard Tefft, 41, an experienced pilot.

Tefft was a pilot for Mountain Aviation Private Jet Charter.

His single engine plane was spotted by residents as experiencing engine trouble shortly before the crash on Sunday morning. However, the exact cause of the crash is not known.

The Jamestown Post Journal reports that Tefft attended Cassadaga Valley Central School and friends have been sharing their grief on the Class of ’91 Facebook page.


LOCHBUIE, Colo. (CBS4) – One person is dead after a small plane crashed in an Adams County farm field. 

The crash happened early Sunday afternoon near the intersection of East 160th Avenue and Watkins Road. That’s northeast of Denver International Airport and not far from Lochbuie.

The plane was described as a single-engine Piper plane, and so far it’s not clear where it departed from and what its destination was.

When the plane crashed it broke into several pieces. The field it landed in was between two silos.

At least two people who were nearby when the crash happened told police they heard a plane making engine noises that indicated there was a problem.

Officials with the FAA are investigating the crash.

Story and Video:    http://denver.cbslocal.com

ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. - The pilot of a single-engine plane died when it crashed in Adams County Sunday afternoon.

The plane crashed near the intersection of Watkins Road and 160th Avenue, near Horse Creek Reservoir, just before 1 p.m., according to Adams County Sheriff's Sgt. Paul Gregory.

There were reports from witnesses that said the plane appeared to have had engine trouble shortly before it crashed, Gregory said.

It was not immediately clear where the plane had taken off from or where it was headed when it crashed.   The closest general aviation airport is Front Range, about 12 miles away.

Original article can be found at: http://www.thedenverchannel.com

ADAMS COUNTY – One person is dead after a single-engine plane crashed Sunday afternoon near 160th Avenue and Watkins Road, police on the scene tell 9NEWS.

The fire department discovered the plane at around 1 p.m.

The FAA says the aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances in Lochbuie near Horth Airstrip.

Story and Video:  http://www.9news.com




Quad City Challenger II, N335SR: Incident occurred January 11, 2015 in Ipswich, Massachusetts

Regis#: N335SR
Aircraft Make: QUAD CITY
Aircraft Model: CHALLENGER
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Unknown
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)

AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND CRASHED IN A FIELD. IPSWICH, MA

RAYMOND A. BRUNET http://registry.faa.gov/N335SR



IPSWICH, Mass. —A Hamilton firefighter had a scare Sunday when his plane had engine trouble over Plum Island, forcing him to land in an Ipswich field. 

"I was over Plum Island, flying my plane like I normally do and the engine started to sputter a little bit," Brunet said. 

Brunet said he informed Beverly Airport of the engine issue, and began to head directly back there when the engine quit on him.

According to Brunet, he was able to restart the engine, but when he reached Raymond Field in Ipswich the engine quit.

"It quit again at about 2,500 feet, and this was my best option so I put it down right here," Brunet said. 

Brunet said his aviation instructor was to thank for his quick thinking on Sunday. 

"I just want to thank my instructor because he has always harped on that, and that's probably what got me through this," Brunet said. 

Brunet said he built the plane he was flying Sunday. 

Ipswich police confirmed the small plane made an emergency landing at Raymond Field, and that there were no injuries as a result of the landing. 

Aside from the engine trouble that forced Brunet to land, the plane was not damaged in the landing, according to police. 

Brunet's wife told WCVB she heard the incident as it was happening over a police scanner, and immediately knew it was Brunet having engine trouble from the description of the plane.

She said she normally goes flying with Brunet, but decided not to on Sunday as it was too cold. She declined to provide her name. 

Story and Photo:  http://www.wcvb.com

CASSIE MACDUFF: Hard to be optimistic about Ontario International Airport (KONT), California

Losing passengers, flights and market share to LAX, Ontario International needs local control. But how, when past promises have gone unfulfilled? 


Nearly 15 years ago, then-Los Angeles Mayor Jim Hahn called for a “regional aviation program (to) redistribute Southern California’s air traffic demand from Los Angeles International to other regional airports,” as reported in the L.A. Times.

Hahn’s successor, Antonio Villaraigosa, in 2005 touted a regional aviation strategy to send more flights to Ontario International and Palmdale, both owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a city department.


In 2006, Los Angeles agreed in a lawsuit settlement under Villaraigosa to regionalize air traffic across Southern California to take the pressure off LAX and its neighbors.


Fast-forward to 2015.

L.A. officials last week celebrated a record-breaking 71.4 million passengers flowing through the gates of LAX in 2014, and the growth of LAX’s market share to 76.4 percent of the SoCal market – the highest in 25 years, according to the Times.


The numbers don’t lie: Rather than sharing the wealth of Southern California’s air-service market, L.A. is hogging it even more than it did when all those promises to regionalize it were made.


Palmdale closed as a commercial airport in 2009.


Ontario International lost passengers steadily beginning in 2008. A slight rebound last year will nudge its 2014 count to 4.1 million – still nowhere near the 7.2 million in 2005 and 2007.


But does it represent a baby step toward regionalizing Southern California air traffic? I doubt it. Ontario’s share of the market isn’t growing.

The decline in passengers and flights from 2008 to 2014 punched a $3.6 billion hole in the Inland economy, including the loss of 10,700 jobs.


So there is urgency to transfer Ontario International to local control, under which Ontario leaders hope to revive the airport with more flights, new development and restored marketing.


Last week, Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez, R-Lake Elsinore, called for Los Angeles to agree to a fair price, “not a king’s ransom that could jeopardize essential (local) services,” to let the Ontario International Airport Authority take the reins.


If L.A. and Inland Empire officials can’t agree “in the near future,” Melendez wrote, “then we may have to take legislative action at the state level.”


What exactly can the state do to force a transfer? I tried to ask Melendez, but she was in transit from Sacramento on Friday after the governor’s budget announcement.


I’d like to be optimistic. But look at the track record. Legislators and lawmakers have been trying to gain leverage over the proceedings for years.


In 2011, then-state Sen. Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga, introduced a bill to create a seven-member airport authority to manage ONT. After gaining some support, the bill was suspended to give Ontario leaders time to negotiate an agreement with L.A.

No agreement was reached. Ontario created a five-member authority in fall 2012.

In February 2012, Inland Republican Reps. Jerry Lewis and Ken Calvert called on Los Angeles and the federal government to do more to reverse ONT’s decline.

“Both the FAA and LAWA have millions of dollars invested in this airport, but if they don’t do more to make it work, we will soon be faced with millions of people having to drive across Los Angeles to LAX just to catch a flight,” Lewis said at the time.

Neither L.A. nor the FAA did anything to change the situation. Thousands of Inland folks drive to LAX.

In May 2012, then-Rep. Joe Baca, D-San Bernardino, threatened to withhold $75 million in federal funding if the airport weren’t transferred to local control in 60 days. No transfer took place, no funds were withheld.

In September 2012, then-Rep. Gary Miller, R-Rancho Cucamonga, held a House Transportation Committee aviation subcommittee hearing in Ontario about ONT’s dire situation. Afterward? Nothing changed.

While I appreciate Melendez’s strong comments, I still don’t know whether the state can force Los Angeles to give up Ontario airport.

Melendez’s spokesman, Sam Spencer, said the assemblywoman prefers the cities work out a solution. State action is a last resort, he said. Goes without saying.

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti will meet with Ontario leaders early next month. They sought the face-to-face with him because they’ve been getting mixed signals between his support for local control and his negotiators’ stance behind closed doors, Ontario City Manager Al Boling told me.

Meanwhile, the wait goes on for a decision from a Riverside judge in Ontario’s lawsuit against L.A., on motions to void the agreements that gave Los Angeles control of the Inland airport to begin with.

The decision is expected before a Feb. 6 hearing in the case.

Original article can be found at:    http://www.pe.com