Friday, May 15, 2015

1973 airliner crash lures Orléans pilot deep into Quebec bush: Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation, N173W

Vince Charron is a retired airline pilot who is leading an expedition next month to the Quebec bush in search of the long-lost wreck of a crashed Lockheed Super Constellation. Three men died in the 1973 crash near Casey, Que. He is photographed at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.



A light drizzle was falling just after dawn when pilot Jim Carlin pushed forward the throttles of his massive Super Constellation aircraft and began to roll.

Once known as “The Queen of the Sky,” the four-engined, three-tailed “Super Connie” was one of the most elegant aircraft of the golden age of air travel. But on this June day in 1973, American-registered N173W had been given a most unglamorous job: spraying pesticides to control spruce budworm in the middle of the Quebec wilderness.

Loaded with fuel and chemicals, N173W lumbered into the air on the first sortie of the day from the abandoned RCAF runway in Casey, Que., 250 kilometres north of Montreal. Carlin pulled up the wheels and retracted the flaps.

But something was wrong. Barely 200 feet above the ground, its four propellers straining at full power, the giant airliner plowed sluggishly through the air, then began to sink.

“Everything was normal until about a half mile from the runway,” an eyewitness told investigators with Transport Canada. “(Name censored) said, ‘He’s falling.’ I had looked away. When I looked back, I could see the aircraft falling, but still in a climb angle. It kept falling until it was out of sight beyond some trees. … The next thing I saw was a huge ball of flame, and then the bang.”

The three crew members — Carlin, First Officer A. Condey and Flight Engineer Rick Rickatelli — never had a chance. The plane clipped the treetops on the north side of the narrow Rivière Ruban, about three kilometres south of the runway, then rammed into a low ridge on the opposite shore, exploding into a pesticide- and gasoline-fuelled fireball.

“You can just imagine what it was like on board that aircraft,” said Vince Charron, a retired airline pilot and former bush flyer from Orléans, who is mounting an expedition later this month to search for pieces of the Super Connie.

“Air accidents usually occur in seconds,” he said. “But those must have been very long seconds for that crew.”

The N173W crash site is about nine hours northeast of Ottawa by 4X4 over gravel logging roads, near the tiny settlement of Casey. The remote location was once the home of a Royal Canadian Air Force base, built in 1952 in the hottest days of the Cold War. When the air force pulled out in 1964, the enormous 8,200-foot concrete runway was run privately, used by bush flyers and the occasional drug smuggler. It is now abandoned.

Charron has spent more than a year researching the crash, studying aerial photos of the site and digging up the rare scraps of information he could find about it with the help of another enthusiast, Steffan Watkins, of Carp. Transport Canada referred him to the Transportation Safety Board. The TSB said it had no record of the crash. Charron was about to give up hope when an access-to-information request uncovered the original accident report at Library and Archives Canada. The report, now uploaded on his Mission Casey, QC 2015 Facebook group, is a trove of information about the crash, including detailed maps, drawings and photographs of the impact site.

The cause was pilot error: Investigators determined the crew had retracted the flaps too early from their takeoff position. Flaps improve the lift of the wings when flying low and slow at takeoff and landing. Likely realizing their error, the crew tried desperately to extend the flaps again, but it was too late. Even with the engines at maximum power, they could not keep the heavily laden plane in the air.

The crew was also likely fatigued from a number of long missions in the previous few days. Significantly, the investigators noted that effects of the pesticide — Fenitrothion — “could not be ruled out” as a contributing factor. “Repeated exposure to this chemical, even in small quantities, can often manifest itself in deterioration of reasoning and judgment, particularly when combined with physical fatigue,” they wrote.

After the crash investigators were done, a metal recycler reached the site and removed much of what was left, including the four engines, the wings and the larger pieces of aluminum. Since then, Charron believes, the remote site has rarely been visited.

Even the Casey airstrip is a mysterious site. Built for the RCAF as part of the Pinetree early warning line, the base had its massive runway and a network of concrete bomb storage shelters. It never went into operation as advances in radar and jet-powered bombers made the Pinetree Line obsolete. It received some notoriety in 1992 when pilot Raymond Boulanger landed in Casey in a cargo plane loaded with more than $1 billion of cocaine from Colombia. What Boulanger didn’t realize was that he’d been followed by Canadian CF-18s. At the time, it was the largest drug bust in Canadian history. Boulanger served more than 20 years in prison.

Boulanger, whose story is told in the book Le Pilote Mercenaire by Daniel Renaud, flew spray operations in the Super Connie himself before turning to the drug trade.

“It was the ‘Queen of the Sky’ at the time,” Boulanger said. “It was a great airplane, but you had to be very careful. It was a piston-engine airplane so you were always at the limits of your power. … They were dangerously low and slow.”

Boulanger flew up to Casey in the days after the crash to see it for himself. “You couldn’t get anywhere near it. It was all smokey and the forest was full of Fenitrothion. That stuff’s lethal. You don’t want to be anywhere near it.”

Of the hundreds of Constellations and Super Constellations built, only a handful remain, scattered in air museums around the world. Only one is believed to still be airworthy. Charron is fascinated by the old aircraft, with its four giant radial engines. And he has a personal connection as well — his mother was a flight attendant on Super Constellations with Eastern Airlines.

Charron and a handful of other aviation buffs will travel to Casey at the end of May to search for N173W. He’ll bring an inflatable Zodiac boat to reach the crash site, a sophisticated metal detector and even a camera-fitted aerial drone to help in the search. An amateur radio enthusiast, Charron plans to string a temporary radio antenna for emergency use because the area is far beyond the range of anything but a satellite phone.

He also plans to leave a plaque at the site to memorialize the three lost crew members, all Americans, although efforts to find surviving relatives have turned up nothing.

“They died in the line of duty,” Charron said. “Who knows, maybe someone will read about this and say, ‘Hey, that was my father or my grandfather.’ ”

But at the heart of Charron’s mission is a sense of adventure and curiosity. There are no more ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ to answer.

“I’m not trying to do any investigation or to discover anything new,” Charron said. “I’m just hoping to bring back a little bit of history.”

Story, comments and photos:  http://ottawacitizen.com

NTSB Identification: LAX73OL014
14 CFR Part 91 General Aviation
LOCKHEED 1049G, registration: N173W
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6-0019   73/6/9    CASEY,QUEBEC,CAN    LOCKHEED 1049G      CR-  3  0  0  COMMERCIAL                AIRLINE TRANSPORT, AGE
        TIME - 1330                    N173W               PX-  0  0  0  AERIAL APPLICATION        51, 6050 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            UNK/NR IN TYPE,
                                                                                                   INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - CASEY
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          CASEY,QUEBEC,CAN            LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  TAKEOFF: OTHER
         SPECIAL DATA
          KIND OF OPERATION - UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
        REMARKS- INVESTIGATION UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT.

South Peoria residents raise concerns over low-flying planes: Glendale Municipal Airport (KGEU), Arizona

Pine district resident Virginia Muller almost breaks down in tears when she talks about the low-flying planes she sees every day at her home in Country Meadows. Her home is in a subdivision west of 103rd Avenue north of Northern Avenue. Across the way is Glen Harbor Business Park, an industrial area.

Muller’s issue is, “the flight school, the student pilots, or wherever they’re from, are flying in circles in touch and goes; they’re going anywhere they want. They’re doing NASCAR passes up against the development, flying over Northern, over houses, banking over houses. They’re coming straight out, flying over the houses, and using us as a flight path, when they’re supposed to use the river (New River).

The flights Muller is referring to are taking off and landing at Glendale Municipal Airport, which is south of Glendale Avenue along the 103rd Avenue alignment, but named Glen Harbor Boulevard on city maps. The airport originally was situated in the triangle of 75th, Grand and Olive avenues. In 1986, the airport opened at its present location.

Before the airport opened, however, there were news reports in print in 1984, which listed neighborhood concerns.

Muller said takeoffs and landings are supposed to be east of 103rd. She said her neighborhood homes and the condos behind her were in place before the airport was built.

She said, “This is a nice place to live, but I can’t even go in my back yard because of the noise. I just don’t want to see anybody getting hurt.

Twice in the last week, two planes lost altitude taking off; looks like the instructor took over and lifted the plane. That’s what scares me.

“I guarantee they’re foreign pilots. They’re not Americans and they don’t care.”

Muller said she has been dealing with the issue of low-flying planes since February, “every day since they started doing this. I’ve been dealing with Mr. Fix (Airport administrator Walter Fix) at the airport. I’ve got call logs for months.

“It’s in the pattern is all he’s telling me.”

Fix acknowledged he has had several conversations with Muller, sometimes twice a day. He has visited the neighborhood.

Muller said, “He’s been in the neighborhood, and they’re turning in the lane over 104th (Avenue). They’re using these two big palm trees as their guidepost to the airport, the Coca Cola plant as their turn point. They’re coming out of the airport, banking at the Coca Cola plant. So, they either fly over Northern or come further over my house. We’re getting all the noise from them powering up. They come by every two to three minutes.”

According to the FAA, they’re not doing anything illegal, Muller said.

“But it’s every day,” she said. “It starts at 7:30 in the morning and they go until noon or 1, and then in the opposite direction. And they’re doing night landings, come down 105th. This is seven days a week.

“Here comes the next one. This one’s further in the development, so he’s turning halfway over the industrial park. If they’d just keep south of here, it wouldn’t be so bad.”

Muller is not the only resident complaining. Lucy Lopez agreed that the planes are coming too far west of 103rd, and she believes they are flying too low, too close to the rooftops in Country Meadows.

Neighbor James Durr, who has lived in Country Meadows since 1986, joined the list of unhappy residents.

He said, “This neighborhood had many professional people living here at that time - plenty of lawyers, plenty of help working with the airport. This neighborhood has changed considerably. People skilled in those problems are long gone.”

Durr said he talked with Fix May 11 at the airport regarding “very low-flying aircraft not totally in control; lost altitude, immediately recovered. I assume that’s when the instructor took over.”

Durr said he understands the airport’s position; it needs revenues. However, he does not believe airport administration doesn’t have some control over the students or flight schools.

“Mr. Fix said to attend the next meeting with the flight schools and try to get some help,” Durr said. “He’s in a terrible situation. But something has to be done.

“The flight schools, that’s the problem. The airport needs the revenue, needs to maintain its control tower, and they get federal money for that. It depends on those takeoffs and landings. You have to have enough of them to maintain your control tower.”

Still, Durr maintains, “as long as nothing comes down, nothing happens.”

He said it only takes about 60 gallons of gasoline to raise hell if a plane hits a house. His career as an assistant base fire chief at Yuma Marine Corps Air Station in the late 1950s educated him about what it takes to ignite a fire with disastrous results.

By phone last week, Fix said he immediately began talking with the flight academies, both at the Glendale Airport and Deer Valley Airport in particular.

“I also talked to the air traffic control manager, who has been here 16 years, who is very familiar with the cycle of events,” Fix said. “The last two or three months, our number of takeoffs and landings is up 30 percent. There’s a couple reasons, other than good weather, airports Valley-wide have increased traffic numbers. The other thing, a couple of the Valley airports, some two runways, some under construction, so a lot of the flight academies move around the Valley, (it) gets congested.

“Another reason – the economy has picked up. We were just under 9,000 takeoffs and landings last month, and the last time we had that number was when we had a based flight school here that went away to another airport. So, the flight academies are the primary airport users at these general aviation airports. The private pilots that have their hangars or tie downs at Glendale Airport (and)  account for about 10 percent of our takeoffs and landings. All the rest are academies and flight schools, and transients make up the bulk of our takeoffs and landings.

“We get monthly data from the control tower, a breakdown of numbers by day or hour, whether visual or whatever.”

Fix said there is a new tool in the airport kit. On the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport website are “public view” portals.

Fix said, “It is the most amazing thing. You can watch every single aircraft flight in the Valley. Click and drag right over your house. You can see which airline, the plane number, the elevation. Click on a day and time.”

Although it does not bring Muller and her neighbors a solution, it is a tool they can use to document where and when the errant flights are taking place.

Next up: New regulations from the FAA in the works.

Original article can be found here:  http://www.peoriatimes.com

Diamond DA 20-C1 Eclipse, Best In Flight, N176MA: Accident occurred May 31, 2013 in Linden, New Jersey

NTSB Identification: ERA13FA259 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 31, 2013 in Linden, NJ
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/01/2015
Aircraft: DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA 20-C1, registration: N176MA
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious.

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

The flight instructor was conducting an introductory flight for the passenger. Witnesses reported observing the airplane lift off about two-thirds down the 4,140-ft-long, asphalt runway and then struggle to gain altitude. The passenger reported that, after takeoff, the flight instructor told him that the engine was not “making power.” The flight instructor declared an emergency and was returning to the departure airport when the airplane stalled and impacted the ground about 1/2 mile northwest of the airport. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any discrepancies that would have precluded normal operation.

Weight and balance calculations revealed that the airplane was likely at or above its maximum allowable takeoff weight during the accident flight. Further, the temperature about the time of the accident was about 94 degrees F, and the estimated density altitude at the airport was about 2,200 ft mean sea level. Based on these conditions, if the engine had been operating perfectly, its available power production would have been between about 81 and 85 percent. Therefore, it is likely that these conditions, in combination with the airplane being near or slightly above its maximum allowable weight, reduced the airplane’s climb performance and that, while attempting to return to the airport, the pilot failed to maintain adequate airspeed and flew the airplane beyond its critical angle-of-attack, which led to an aerodynamic stall. 

The flight instructor was ejected from the airplane during the impact after the right seatbelt quick release hook separated from its fuselage anchor. Examination of the quick release hook revealed that it was bent out of the plane of the attachment and twisted. In addition, the hook closure latch was also distorted and deformed. The combined deformations of the hook and latch allowed the hook to disengage. Although it is possible that the deformation occurred during the accident impact, it is more likely that preexisting deformation was present. The airplane had been operated for about 38 hours since its most recent 100-hour/annual inspection, which was performed about 3 weeks before the accident. A condition inspection of the restraint system was required to be performed during this inspection; however, no record was found indicating whether the condition inspection was performed.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The flight instructor's inadequate preflight planning and his decision to take off with the airplane at a high gross weight in high temperature conditions that degraded the engine’s available power and his subsequent failure to maintain airspeed while attempting to return to the departure airport, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall.


**This report was modified on May 18, 2015. Please see the public docket for this accident to view the original report.**

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On May 31, 2013, about 1310 eastern daylight time, a Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc., DA20-C1, N176MA, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground, shortly after takeoff from the Linden Airport (LDJ), Linden, New Jersey. The flight instructor was fatally injured and a passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local introductory instructional flight that was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The airplane was owned by a limited liability company, and operated by Best-in-Flight, a flight school based at LDJ.

A witness at LDJ reported that the airplane departed from runway 27, a 4,140-foot-long, asphalt runway. The airplane's takeoff roll was longer than other DA-20s he was use to observing and it "struggled" to break ground and gain altitude. The airplane made a right turn at an estimated altitude of between 125 to 150 feet above the ground, and immediately started to lose altitude. It descended behind a building and he heard the pilot radio "mayday" over the airport's common traffic advisory frequency, stating "plane going down." He was then informed by the pilot of another airplane that the airplane had crashed. He further stated that while he could not hear the airplane's engine noise clearly because of a nearby highway, the engine noise was constant and he did not hear any power interruptions until after the impact.

Another witness, the pilot of a Mooney M20K, was holding on the runway when he observed the accident airplane lift off about two-thirds down the runway. The airplane's attitude was flat and it did not seem to be climbing. He began his takeoff roll shortly thereafter and while on the upwind climb, he noted the accident airplane was below his altitude, heading northwest on a 45-degree angle from the runway about 200 to 300 feet above the ground. He heard the accident pilot transmit "mayday-mayday-mayday" and announce either "engine trouble" or "engine out." He then heard the pilot say "turning back to the airport." He immediately thought to himself that the airplane was too low to try to turn back to the airport and that the pilot should have continued straight and attempted to land in one of the surrounding factory lots. He next observed the airplane heading back toward the airport. The airplane was in a nose high pitch attitude, when it "stalled." The right wing dipped, the airplane descended, spun a quarter-turn and impacted railroad tracks.

During an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the passenger reported that the flight instructor told him that he had his feet on the brakes during the takeoff roll, and to place his feet flat on the floor, which he did. After takeoff, the flight instructor told him that the engine "wasn't making power." The flight instructor called "mayday" and was trying to return to the airport when the airplane suddenly impacted the ground.

Radar data provided by the FAA for the Newark Liberty International Airport, which was located about 5 miles northeast of the accident site revealed the accident airplane departed runway 27, and made a right turn to the north before radar contact was lost about 1 minute after takeoff. The target identified as the accident airplane did not climb above an altitude of 200 feet.

The airplane struck and came to rest on abandoned railroad tracks on the site of a former automotive factory about a 1/2-mile northwest of LDJ. The site contained several deteriorated asphalt parking lots adjacent to the south-southwest side of the railroad tracks.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The flight instructor, age 58, held a commercial pilot and a flight instructor certificate, with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on August 6, 2012.

According to the owner of the flight school, the flight instructor was hired during February 2011 and maintained a fulltime schedule as bookings permitted. The flight instructor's total flight experience at the time of the accident was about 4,400 hours, which included about 640 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The flight school reported that the flight instructor had accumulated about 200 and 45 hours of total flight experience, which included about 160 and 35 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane, during the 90 and 30 days that preceded the accident; respectively.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The two-seat, low-wing, fixed-gear, airplane, serial number C0345, was manufactured in 2005 and primarily constructed of carbon and glass fiber reinforced polymer. It was powered by a Continental Motors Inc. IO-240-B, 125-horsepower engine, equipped with a two-bladed Sensenich wooden propeller. The airplane was certified in the utility category by Transport Canada in accordance with Canadian Airworthiness Manual Chapter 523-VLA.

Review of maintenance records revealed that the airplane had been operated for about 1,985 hours since new, and 38 hours since its most recent "100hr/annual" inspection, which was performed on May 10, 2013. At the time of the accident, the engine had been operated for about 2,180 total hours. It was noted that the engine was disassembled, inspected, and repaired for a sudden stoppage during May 2008.

According to the airplane flight manual, the airplane's total fuel capacity was 24.5 gallons. According to the owner of the airplane and flight school, the airplane was "topped-off" with fuel the night before and was flown without incident for 2.6 hours prior to the accident. The airplane consumed between 4.5 and 6.0 gallons per hour (gph); however, he noted that consumption was generally "closer to 4.5 gallons" during flight school operations.

The owner further reported that performing a weight and balance calculation was part of the preflight checklist and that weight and balance forms for the airplane were available on tables in the flight school; however, flight instructors would normally ask passengers their weight and perform the weight and balance calculation mentally.

A weight and balance calculation for the accident flight was performed utilizing an airplane weight and balance form specific to the accident airplane that was available at the flight school. Based on the passenger's reported weight of 290 pounds and the flight instructor's weight during his most recent FAA medical certificate of 235 pounds, the airplane was estimated to be about 30 pounds above its maximum takeoff weight of 1,764 pounds. The airplane's center of gravity was within limits.

When asked if he would fly with a passenger that weighed about 290 pounds, the owner stated that he would not, and would use the opportunity to convince the passenger to fly in the DA-40, which was equipped with a 180-horsepower engine.

The owner felt that the accident airplane was "overpowered" with its 125 horsepower engine. He also stated that he was aware that it was "very hot" at the time of the accident and if the reported temperature at the airport was 93 degrees Fahrenheit (about 34 degrees C), it was likely over 100 degrees F on most of the airport property.

Both cockpit seats were equipped with a four-point safety belt. Each seat was equipped with two inertia reels that were secured to the aft bulkhead for shoulder restraint. The lap belts were connected via a quick release/spring loaded clip-type fitting which hooked to an attach point that was embedded in the floor of the fuselage on their respective outboard sides, and to a center tunnel attach point on their respective inboard sides. Each quick release was secured with a cotter pin. According to a representative of the aircraft manufacturer, at that time of certification, the airplane's seat and seat belt attachments were designed for a 9g forward, 1.5g sideward load, and a 190 pound occupant.

The aircraft maintenance manual, maintenance practices 100 hour inspection checklist requirements included "…Examine the safety belts for general condition and security of the metal fitting in the surrounding composite…."

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The reported weather at LDJ, which was at an elevation of 22 feet mean sea level, at 1315, was: wind 220 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky clear, temperature 34 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 16 degrees C; altimeter 30.08 inches of mercury.

The estimated density altitude at LDJ at the time of the accident was about 2,200 feet mean sea level.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

All major portions of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The airplane was found upright, with the nose down about 45 degrees. The right wing was displaced aft and folded underneath the fuselage. The empennage was separated about 4 feet forward of the rudder and was resting partially on the ground.

Examination of the ailerons, elevator, and rudder control systems did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions. The flap actuator was found in the takeoff position, and the elevator trim actuator was found in the neutral/takeoff position. An undetermined amount of fuel had leaked on the ground and additional fuel was observed leaking from an area around the engine driven fuel pump, which was separated and impact damaged. Fuel samples obtained from the gascolater and fuel tank sump were absent of contamination. The fuel shutoff valve was in the OPEN position. The mixture control linkage was continuous from the engine to the cockpit. The throttle control linkage was connected at the engine; however, the rod end at the cockpit was impact damaged, bent, and broken.

The engine sustained significant impact damage and remained attached to the airframe primarily by linkages to the throttle quadrant. The lower front portion of the crankcase was fractured consistent with impact with the ground. All of the cylinders remained attached to the crankcase. The right magneto remained attached. The left magneto was separated and remained attached to the engine via ignition leads. The top spark plugs were removed and exhibited normal operating signatures in accordance with a Champion aviation check-a-plug comparison chart. Their electrodes were intact and dark gray in color. The fuel pump drive coupling was intact and the drive shaft rotated freely when turned by hand. All cylinders were inspected using a lighted borescope. The cylinder bores were free of scoring and no evidence of hard particle passage was observed in the cylinder bore ring travel area. Suction and compression were obtained on all cylinders at the top spark plug holes when the crankshaft was rotated by hand at the crankshaft flange.

The propeller hub remained attached to the engine. One propeller blade was fractured at the hub, and the second propeller blade was separated about 2 feet outboard of the hub. Several small propeller blade fragments were observed scattered around the accident site.

Subsequent disassembly of the engine, which included bench testing of both magnetos, the fuel pump, throttle body, manifold valve and fuel nozzles did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation.

The left and right seatpans were attached to the aft cockpit bulkhead wall with seven screws (five along the top of the seatpan, and two screws on the bottom forward edge of the seatpan). The left seatpan contained a fracture on the bottom of the pan under a leather insert, a fracture in the middle of the seatpan, and a crushing damage on the inboard edge of the seatpan. The right seatpan contained a fracture along its outboard edge and a section of separated composite material near the inboard forward corner. The left seat restraint system remained intact. The right seat outboard lap belt was found disconnected from its attach point. The quick release hook was distorted and the cotter pin remained installed. [Additional information can be found in the Survival Factors Factual Report located in the public docket.]

The complete right seat restraint system and portions of the left seat restraint system were subsequently removed and forwarded to the NTSB Materials Laboratory, Washington, DC for further examination.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

First responders reported that the flight instructor, who was seated in the right seat, was ejected from the airplane. He was located next to the wreckage and was unresponsive.

An autopsy was subsequently performed on the flight instructor by the Union County Medical Examiner's Office, Westfield, New Jersey. The autopsy report revealed the cause of death as "blunt impact injuries."

Toxicological testing was performed on the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Science Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with no anomalies noted.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Examination of the occupant restraint system performed by an NTSB metallurgist revealed the left seat quick release hook was intact and not deformed. The right seat quick release hook was bent out of the plane of the attachment and twisted. In addition, the hook closure latch was also distorted and deformed. The combined deformations of the hook and latch were such that the spring closure on the latch did not function and the throat of the hook was open, which would allow the hook to engage or disengage on the anchor with the properly installed cotter pin in-place. [Additional information can be found in the Materials Laboratory Factual Report located in the public docket.]

A representative from Diamond Aircraft calculated the available engine power during the accident flight based on the airport elevation and the outside air temperature, using flight test data to determine target manifold pressures and the average full power engine RPM. At an RPM of 2,500, and manifold pressures of 27 and 28 inches of mercury, chart brake horsepower was 101.4 (approximately 81 percent power being produced) and 105.9 (approximately 84.7 percent power being produced); respectively. The calculations represented a perfect operating engine and did not take into account engine wear, cylinder compression losses, and fuel system setup conditions.


http://registry.faa.gov/N176MA 

http://www.bestinflight.net

http://www.bestinflight.net/#


Craig MacCallum (Flight Instructor)




Timothy Monticchio 



LINDEN — A small plane that crashed on takeoff at Linden Airport two years ago, killing a flight instructor and seriously injuring a 19-year-old student pilot, was too heavy and stalled after the overtaxed engine was unable to keep the plane aloft, federal investigators said.

The National Transportation Safety Board has yet to determine a probable cause for the May 2013 fatal accident, but in a factual report issued Wednesday found that between the student's reported weight of 290 pounds, and the flight instructor's weight during his most recent FAA medical certificate of 235 pounds, the Diamond DA 20-C1 Eclipse — even with its fuel tank about half full—was 30 pounds above its maximum takeoff weight.

The Diamond DA 20-C1 Eclipse is popular with flight training schools.

Killed in the crash was the pilot-instructor, Craig MacCallum, 58, of Montclair, who was ejected from the aircraft and rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Rahway, where he died from injuries hours later. The student, Timothy Monticchio, of the Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick, was taken to University Hospital in Newark and survived the crash.

According to the NTSB report, a witness at Linden Airport saw the airplane depart from runway 27, a 4,140-foot-long, asphalt runway, but said the takeoff roll was longer than other DA20s he had seen at the field during the day, and it "struggled" to break ground and gain altitude. The airplane made a right turn at about 125 to 150 feet above the ground, and immediately started to lose altitude. As it dropped, he said he heard the pilot radio "mayday" over the airport's common traffic advisory frequency, stating "plane going down."

The pilot of a Mooney holding on the runway, who saw the takeoff, said the airplane's attitude was flat and it did not seem to be climbing as it left the ground on a day when temperatures had reached 90 degrees. He told investigators he heard the accident pilot transmit "mayday-mayday-mayday" and announce either "engine trouble" or "engine out." He reported hearing the pilot say "turning back to the airport," but thought the airplane too low, and said he wondered why the flight instructor did not continue straight and attempt to land in one of the surrounding factory lots off nearby Route 1.

The airplane was in a nose-high pitch when it appeared to stall. The right wing dipped, the airplane descended, spun a quarter-turn and hit the ground, crashing about a half mile northwest of the airport on abandoned railroad tracks. The right wing was knocked off and folded under the fuselage, and the tail assembly was broken off and found resting on the ground. The flaps and elevator trim were both in takeoff position.

During an interview with the Federal Aviation Administration, Monticchio reported that the flight instructor told him he had his feet on the brakes during the takeoff roll, and to place his feet flat on the floor, which he did. After takeoff, the flight instructor told him that the engine "wasn't making power." The flight instructor called "mayday" and was trying to return to the airport when the airplane suddenly impacted the ground.

Officials at Best In Flight, the flight school that operated the aircraft at Linden Airport, could not be reached for comment either by phone or email.

Story, photo gallery and comments: http://www.nj.com




















Mooney M20L PFM, N137MP, Accident occurred July 09, 2012 in Scottsdale, Arizona (and) Mooney M20L Porsche PFM 3200, N147MP, accident occurred July 30, 2014 in San Diego, California

https://onedrive.live.com


Photos of conversion in progress Modworks 2004: Attachment of throttle mechanism to firewall.



Second arm of single lever control on prop control unit.


2 arms of single lever control coming from firewall and added mixture control.




Robert Littlefield


NTSB Identification: WPR12FA297
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, July 09, 2012 in Scottsdale, AZ
Probable Cause Approval Date: 02/14/2013
Aircraft: MOONEY M20L, registration: N137MP
Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Minor.

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 flight instructor stated that the pilot receiving instruction was practicing touch-and-go landings. On the fifth landing, the pilot flared too high, and the airplane dropped to the runway, landed hard, and bounced into the air. The flight instructor directed the pilot to “go around,” and the pilot applied power and fully retracted the flaps, which is contrary to the procedure in the pilot’s operating handbook to retract the flaps only to the 10-degree position. Both pilots stated that the engine did not respond. A video recording showed that the airplane’s altitude was about 30 feet above the ground when it rolled left to a bank angle of about 90 degrees. The left wing tip impacted the runway, and the airplane cartwheeled and came to rest upright about 200 feet left of the runway centerline.

Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that two O-ring seals were installed on each of the engine’s six fuel injector nozzles, whereas the engine’s maintenance manual called for the installation of only one O-ring seal on each nozzle. However, flow testing showed that placing two O-rings on the nozzles had no effect on the operation of the fuel system. No other anomalies were found, and the examination and testing indicated that the engine was capable of operating normally and producing its rated horsepower. Further, the damage to the propeller blades was consistent with the engine operating at a mid-range to high power setting at impact. The airplane’s left roll to a steep bank angle is consistent with the engine developing power as the airplane enters an aerodynamic stall, which resulted in a torque roll to the left.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during an aborted landing, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing, and his premature flap retraction while performing a go-around maneuver.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On July 9, 2012, at 0937 mountain standard time, a Mooney M20L, N137MP, was substantially damaged when it experienced a hard landing followed by a loss of control at Scottsdale Airport, Scottsdale, Arizona. The flight instructor was seriously injured, and the pilot receiving instruction received minor injuries. The airplane was being operated by the private pilot/owner under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. A flight plan had not been filed for the local instructional flight, which had originated about 35 minutes before the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

The pilot/owner had purchased the airplane in Florida a few days before the accident. He and the flight instructor flew the airplane back to the Phoenix area together, arriving about 2 to 3 days before the accident. The purpose of the flight was to get more flight experience in his recently acquired airplane. The flight instructor reported that the pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings on runway 21. On the fifth landing, the pilot flared too high, and the airplane dropped to the runway and landed hard. The airplane bounced back into the air, and the flight instructor directed the pilot to “go around.” The pilot pushed the power lever to the full open position and then moved his right hand to the flap handle. The pilot reported that he moved the flaps to the up position. Both the pilot and the flight instructor reported that the engine “did not respond.”

The flight instructor stated that, in order to prevent the airplane from stalling, he pushed the nose of the airplane down and attempted to level the wings. He said that his actions “resulted in the airplane impacting the ground in a fairly level attitude, which minimized the severity of the impact.” He reported that, after it impacted terrain, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway. The flight instructor said that he inspected the wreckage after the accident and found the flaps in the full up position. 

Two video cameras documented the accident. One was located at the control tower, and a second one was located approximately 1,700 feet from the threshold of runway 21 and approximately 575 feet to the left of the runway centerline. A study of the videos was performed by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Vehicle Recorder Division, Washington, D.C., headquarters. The second camera was located much closer to the accident, and its images display the unfolding events more accurately. The video showed that, after the airplane’s hard landing, which was about 500 feet from the runway threshold, it became airborne and reached an altitude of between 24 to 37 feet. The video further showed that the accident airplane entered a left bank with an increasing bank angle that reached approximately 90 degrees. The left wingtip contacted the ground, and the airplane cartwheeled and came to rest upright heading opposite to the direction of landing approximately 1,330 feet from the initial touchdown point.


PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The flight instructor held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land airplane, land airplane, and instrument ratings. He held a flight instructor certificate with single-engine land airplane, land airplane, and instrument ratings. He held a second-class medical certificate, which was issued on January 26, 2011. The flight instructor’s most recent flight review was on November 4, 2011. He reported that he had 6,397 hours of flight experience and had given 5,066 hours of flight instruction. 

The pilot receiving instruction held a private pilot certificate with single-engine land airplane and instrument ratings. He reported that he had approximately 1,400 hours of flight experience with about 400 hours in Mooney aircraft. The accident aircraft records indicate that the pilot had approximately 17 hours of flight experience in it since he purchased it a week before the accident. His most recent third-class medical certificate was issued on May 1, 2012. 


AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a single-engine, propeller-driven, four seat airplane, with dual flight controls, which was manufactured by Mooney Aviation Company in 1988. Its maximum takeoff gross weight was 2,900 pounds. It was powered by a Continental IO-550-N reciprocating, direct drive, air-cooled, fuel injected engine, which had a maximum takeoff rating of 310 horsepower at sea level. It was equipped with a McCauley 3-blade propeller. 

The flight instructor reported on the NTSB’s Pilot/Operator Accident Report form that the airplane received its last annual inspection on July 2, 2012. The airframe had 1,945 flight hours on it at the time of the last inspection. A new engine was installed in the airplane in 2004; at the time of the accident, the engine had accumulated a total of approximately 123 hours. 

The wing flaps on the Mooney M20L are electrically operated and interconnected through push-pull tubes and bellcranks. Nominal travel is 0 to 33 degrees and limit switches prevent travel above or below these limits. The flap position is controlled by a switch located on the lower control console. The electric flap position indicator, which shows full up, takeoff (10 degrees) and full down positions, is located in the center of the instrument panel. The flaps are lowered by holding the spring-loaded switch in the FLAPS DOWN position until the flaps reach the desired angle of deflection. Simply releasing downward pressure on the switch allows it to return to the OFF position stopping the flaps at any desired intermediate position during extension. When the FLAPS UP position is selected, the flaps will retract to the full up position unless the switch is returned to the neutral position for a desired intermediate setting.

The airplane manufacturer’s Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) states: 

CAUTION

Pushing the switch to the UP position retracts the flaps completely.

The POH lists the following procedure for GO AROUND/ABORTED LANDING:

1. Power Lever full power
2. Wing Flaps TAKEOFF POSITION (10 degrees)
3. Trim as desired

CAUTION

To minimize the control wheel forces during maneuvering, timely nose-down trimming is recommended to counteract the nose up pitching moment as power is increased and/or the flaps are retracted. 

4. Airspeed 75 KIAS
5. Landing Gear UP
6. Wing Flaps UP
7. Airspeed 90 KIAS


METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 0935, the reported weather conditions at the Scottsdale Airport(SDL); elevation 1,510 feet), were: wind 160 degrees at 4 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; cloud condition, clear; temperature 100 degrees Fahrenheit; dew point 54 degrees Fahrenheit; altimeter setting 29.92 inches mercury. The density altitude was calculated to be 4,594 feet.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane came to rest about 1,830 feet from the threshold of runway 21 and 200 feet left of the runway centerline. It was located near the junction of taxiways B12 and B. It was longitudinally aligned on a magnetic heading of about 020 degrees. The main landing gear had collapsed and the nose wheel landing gear had separated from the fuselage; the airplane was resting on its belly. Both wings were bent up about 30 degrees from about 2/3 of the distance from the wing root to the tip. The outer 4 feet of the left wing had separated from the airplane and was found about 50 feet away. 

The engine had broken free from its mounts, but was in place and attached by wires, cables, and hoses. The propeller blades were deeply scored, their leading edges were gouged, and the blades were S-bent; two of the blade tips had separated from their blades. 

The airplane was equipped with a Supplemental Type Certificate modification that added additional main landing gear doors. Low Profile Inner Gear Doors, made of fiberglass, were attached to the main landing gear wheels. They covered the brake calipers and were closer to the ground than the outer (factory) main landing gear doors. The lower forward corners of these doors were found to be ground down. Two parallel marks were found by an FAA inspector about 500 feet from the runway threshold. Small flecks of paint, which matched the color of the landing gear doors, were found in the vicinity of the two runway marks. The distance between the two marks matched the distance between the two landing gear doors. 

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Photographs of the propeller blades were reviewed by the propeller manufacturer's representative. The representative stated that the damage to the blades was consistent with the engine operating “in the mid-range to high power” at the time of impact.

On July 12, 2012, a team of investigators convened to examine the engine. The team consisted of an NTSB investigator, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector and an engine manufacturer’s representative. The spark plugs exhibited normal electrode wear, and each magneto produced good spark when the propeller/crankshaft was rotated. All six cylinders were borescoped, and none of the cylinders, pistons, valves, or bottom spark plugs displayed any signs of operational distress. Thumb compression and suction were obtained on all six cylinders through manual rotation of the propeller, confirming crankshaft and camshaft continuity. The inspection of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have prevented normal operation and production of rated horsepower.

On August 16, 2012, the engine was further examined by an NTSB investigator. Five of the six fuel injectors were removed, and it was noted that there were two O-ring seals installed on the nozzle of each fuel injector. On August 17, 2012, the sixth fuel injector was removed by salvage yard personnel, and two O-ring seals were also found installed on the nozzle of this injector. According to the engine manufacturer’s representative, only one O-ring was to be installed on the fuel nozzles of this engine. The NTSB’s investigator-in-charge requested that the engine manufacturer perform a flow test to determine if the installation of two O-rings per nozzle rather than the specified one O-ring per nozzle would have an effect on the operation of the fuel system. The testing indicated that placing two O-rings on the nozzles did not result in a significant difference in fuel flow during bench testing.



SCOTTSDALE, AZ (CBS5) -  A Scottsdale city councilman was one of two people injured after their plane crashed during a landing at Scottsdale Municipal Airport on Monday morning.

Robert Littlefield, who is a flight instructor, was taken to Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn where he is in good condition. The other unnamed person aboard the plane was treated for minor injuries.  

The single-engine plane crashed around 9:35 a.m.

Littlefield told CBS 5 News he was practicing touch and go's when the airplane bounced. He said he instructed the pilot to "go around," which means add power and fly out, but nothing happened. Littlefield said they "had nowhere to go but down." Upon impact, Littlefield twisted out of his shoulder harness and hit the control wheel.

Littlefield said he broke his sternum and is staying overnight in the hospital for observation to make sure he didn't damage his heart.

Airport spokeswoman Sarah Ferrara said the runway was closed for the investigation. It has since reopened.

The Scottsdale crash came on the heels of a reported landing-gear malfunction on a corporate jet at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway about 6:45 a.m. Monday.

An Embraer 135 Regional Jet with 40 people on board landed without incident after the pilot reported a problem with a nose wheel.


http://registry.faa.gov/N147MP 

Flight Standards District Office:  FAA San Diego FSDO-09

http://www.porscheaviation.com

http://airplanesusa.com

NTSB Identification: WPR14FA320 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, July 30, 2014 in San Diego, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/21/2015
Aircraft: MOONEY M20L - NO SERIES, registration: N147MP
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious.

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

The pilot stated that after the airplane bounced on landing, she aborted the landing by adding full power and confirmed that the flaps were in the takeoff position. She further stated that when she realized that the airplane was not climbing normally and that the engine did not seem to be providing full power, she prepared for an emergency landing to a parking lot between two large retail buildings. The airplane impacted a rooftop air conditioning unit on one of the buildings, collided with the roof's perimeter cinderblock barrier, and then fell to the ground.

A witness, who was a pilot, reported that he observed the airplane flying low over the runway in a nose-high attitude, and, when it crossed the departure end of the runway, it was only about 25 ft above the runway approach lighting. The witness stated that he observed the airplane continue to fly low in a nose-high attitude, and he did not think it was going to clear the trees in its flight path. He further stated that just before reaching the trees, the airplane's nose pitched up abruptly into a very nose-high attitude, and the airplane climbed about 100 to 200 ft, cleared the trees, but then stopped climbing. According to the witness, "it looked like it stalled, followed by the left wing dipping." The witness added that the airplane then descended in a nose-high, left-wing-low attitude and went out of sight behind a building. 

Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The landing gear was found extended, which would have resulted in reduced climb performance. The airplane's pilot operating handbook states that the landing gear is to be retracted during a go-around procedure. The airplane's initial nose-high attitude (before the abrupt pitch-up) also likely reduced climb performance. It is likely that the pilot recognized that the airplane was entering an aerodynamic stall during the steep climb over the trees, lowered the nose, gained airspeed, and averted a spin. However, at this point, there was insufficient altitude to fully recover from the stall and stop the airplane's descent before it impacted the building. 

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to achieve climb performance and maintain sufficient airspeed during a go-around, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to retract the landing gear in accordance with the go-around checklist.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On July 30, 2014, about 1735 Pacific daylight time, N147MP, a Mooney M20L, was substantially damaged following an aborted landing at Montgomery Field (MYF), San Diego, California. The private pilot sustained serious injuries, and the sole passenger received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The personal cross-country flight, which was being operated in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, departed the San Bernardino International Airport (SBD) about 1630, with MYF as its destination.

In a statement provided to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot reported that she departed SBD with one passenger en route to MYF, and was using visual flight rules Flight Following. The pilot further reported that about 1735 while landing at MYF, the airplane bounced, at which time she attempted to go around for another landing by adding full power, verifying rotation speed, and noting that the flaps were in the takeoff position. The pilot stated that soon after lifting off she realized that the airplane was not climbing as it normally should, and that the engine didn't seem to be making full power. The pilot reported her situation to the MYF control tower, after which she prepared for an emergency landing by verifying that she had full throttle in, and adequate airspeed. At this time, she turned in the direction of her "bailout" emergency landing site, a shopping complex parking lot. However, the airplane impacted the top of an industrial warehouse building before falling to the ground and coming to rest in a delivery area on the west side of the building.

In a statement provided to the NTSB IIC, a witness, who was also a pilot, reported that he was parked at the intersection of taxiway Golf and taxiway Kilo, when he noticed the accident airplane taking off over the end of Runway 28L. The witness stated the he noticed that it was very low, and that it continued to fly low in a nose-up attitude. The witness further stated that when it crossed over the runway approach lighting, it cleared the lights by a little more than 25 ft, when normally at this point the airplane would have already climbed to at least 500 ft. The witness added that the airplane continued its climb out over Highway 163 in a nose-high attitude, but was not climbing effectively, and that he didn't think it was going to clear the trees in its flight path, which were about 50 to 60 ft high. The witness reported that just prior to reaching the trees, the airplane's nose pitched up abruptly into a very nose-high attitude, increasing the angle of attack from what he would have estimated to have been between 15 to 20 degrees, or something closer to 30 degrees. The airplane quickly climbed up about 100 to 200 feet and cleared the trees, but then stopped climbing, at which point it looked like it had stalled, followed by the left wing dipping. The airplane then began a descent rate of about 200 to 300 ft per minute, while it maintained a nose-high, left-wing-low attitude, and then began to fall towards the southwest. The witness lost sight of the airplane when it went behind a building; a few seconds later he saw smoke rising from behind the building.

Other witnesses observed the airplane take off, make a sharp left turn, and then clip the top of a building before it "flipped down."

A survey of the accident site by the NTSB IIC and representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the day following the accident, revealed that the airplane initially impacted a rooftop air-conditioning unit situated atop a retail building, about 28 feet above ground level with its right wing tip. It then proceeded across the rooftop on a measured magnetic heading of 200 degrees for about 40 ft, and then impacted the cinder block perimeter barrier with the forward undercarriage structure. Blue paint transfer signatures were observed on the top portion of the cinder block structure, which were consistent with the paint scheme on the lower forward section of the airplane. Additionally, the airplane's right main landing gear impacted the roof's perimeter barrier; the gear separated, and came to rest in a fenced in area about 25 feet of where the main wreckage came to rest in the delivery parking area on the southwest side of the building. Subsequent to the right main landing gear being separated, the airplane's right wing impacted a 40-foot tall light standard, also located on the southwest side of the building. The airplane then fell to the pavement, and rotated about 150 degrees to the right prior to coming to rest upright on a heading of about 350 degrees. A subsequent fire ensued. All components necessary for flight were accounted for at the accident site.

The wreckage was recovered to a secured storage facility for further examination.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 52, possessed a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. She reported a total time of 219 hours, with 164 hours in make and model. She also reported that she had completed her most recent flight review on July 24, 2013. Her most recent third-class medical certificate was issued on November 15, 2012, with the limitation, "Must wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision."

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a single-engine, propeller-driven, four seat airplane, with dual flight controls, which was manufactured by Mooney Aviation Company in 1988. Its maximum takeoff gross weight was 2,900 pounds. It was powered by a Continental Motors (CMI) IO-550-N-16 reciprocating, direct drive, air-cooled, fuel injected engine, which had a maximum takeoff rating of 280 horsepower at sea level. It was equipped with a McCauley three-blade propeller.

A review of maintenance records revealed that the airplane's most recent annual inspection was conducted on June 18, 2014, at a total airframe time of 2,555.9 hours, and time on the engine since new was 967.3 hours. Additionally, a top overhaul of the engine was performed on October 9, 2013, at a tachometer time of 2,470.3 hours.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1653, the MYF Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), reported wind 270 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 29 degrees C, dew point 16 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.92 inches of mercury.

At 1753, the MYF ASOS reported wind 280 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 28 degrees C, dew point 15 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.91 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The wreckage was located in the truck delivery parking area between two retail buildings about 2,250 feet from the departure end of Runway 28L at MYF on a magnetic heading of 265 degrees. The airplane came to rest upright on a northerly heading, with significant impact damage to the right wing, as a result of colliding with a light standard. Fire damage and sooting was confined to the right cabin and cockpit area and the right wing.

The cabin and cockpit sections, although impact damaged, were primarily intact; the right side sustained thermal damage and light sooting. The throttle was observed retarded and the mixture was full rich. A survey of the cockpit instrumentation revealed the Horizontal Situation Indicator read 195 degrees, the Vertical Speed Indicator read plus 120 feet, the altimeter read 220 feet, the right and left fuel indicators read 33 gallons and undetermined respectively, the landing gear handle was positioned in the GEAR DOWN position, the flap switch was in the neutral position, the elevator trim was selected ON, High Boost and Boost Pump switches were off, both left and right control columns were remained connected, and all circuit breakers not tied off were in place. The airplane's Vision Microsystems VM1000 Display Assembly, serial number 94600, was removed from the airplane, and shipped to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder division for examination and testing.

The right wing remained attached to the airplane's fuselage at the wing root attach points. The wing was destroyed as a result of severe impact forces with the light standard, as well as thermal activity. The right aileron remained attached to the trailing edge of the wing at each of the three attach points, with fire and impact damage observed. Control continuity from the aileron to the cabin flight control area was confirmed during the postaccident investigation. The right flap, which was observed partially extended, was destroyed by fire and impact damage, with remnants of the component having remained partially attached to the trailing edge of the wing. The right fuel tank was destroyed. The fuel tank's filler cap was observed tightly in place and not compromised.

The airplane's left wing remained attached to the airplane's fuselage at the wing root attach points. The wing had sustained a longitudinal tear from the leading edge of the wing aft to the inboard area of the aileron. Additionally, the upper surface of the wing just forward of the extreme inboard area of the left flap was deformed upward over an area of 18 inches in width and 30 inches in length. The left aileron remained attached to the wing's trailing edge at all attach points, and had sustained only minor damage. Control continuity was confirmed from the aileron to the cockpit control area during the postaccident investigation. The left flap was observed partially extended and attached at all attach points to the trailing edge of its respective wing, and had sustained only minor damage. The left fuel tank was not beached, and the fuel filler cap was found tightly in place and not compromised.

The empennage, with the exception of the outboard one-third of the right horizontal stabilizer and right elevator and the inboard top section of the rudder, was observed to have sustained only minor damage. The referenced horizontal stabilizer was impact damaged, and moderate sooting was observed. Sooting was also observed on both the upper and lower surfaces of the right elevator. The forward top piece of the rudder, which overlays the top of the vertical stabilizer had failed down and aft to the left, and remained partially attached to the top of the rudder. Both horizontal stabilizers and vertical stabilizer remained attached to the fuselage, and were not compromised. The elevator remained attached to the vertical stabilizer at all attach points, and both elevators remained attached to the trailing edge of their respective horizontal stabilizer at all attach points, with the exception of the right outboard elevators attach point.

During the postaccident examination of the airplane, control continuity was observed from the elevator and rudder forward to the cockpit control area.

The airplane's left main landing gear was separated, and came to rest about 8 ft aft of the main wreckage. The right main landing gear had separated from the airplane after impact with the roof top perimeter barrier, and came to rest in an enclosure at ground level, about 25 feet east of the main wreckage. The nose landing gear was observed to have separated due to impact forces, and was located wedged in a fence about 20 ft east of the main wreckage.

The engine remained intact, but had separated from the firewall and upper engine mounts, and came to rest upright and canted downward about 30 degrees relative to the forward fuselage area. The engine sustained minimal impact damage, and no thermal damage was observed. The engine was subsequently sent to CMI for further examination.

The propeller remained attached to the engine crankshaft at the propeller flange. Each of the three propeller blades remained attached to the propeller at their respective hubs. Blades #1 and #2 sustained minimal damage with slight bending, while blade #3 was significantly damaged with forward bending observed. The propeller was shipped to McCauley Propellers for further examination.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Vision Microsystems VM-1000 Engine Monitoring System

The airplane's Vision Microsystems VM-1000 engine monitoring system was recovered from the airplane by the NTSB IIC and shipped to the NTSB's Vehicle Recorder division in Washington, D.C. for examination. The Vehicle Recorder Specialist reported the following:

An exterior examination revealed that the display unit had sustained damage from impact forces, and the data processing unit had sustained minimal damage. An internal inspection revealed that the damage did not compromise the internal memory device. A new display module was obtained, and interfaced with the data processing unit. Data, which was stored within the data processing unit, was read out from the display screen upon power-up. The table that summarizes the observed minimum and maximum values as recorded can be found in the NTSB Vehicle Record Specialist's Factual Report, which is appended to the docket for this report.

Engine Examination/Engine Test Run

The airplane's engine was shipped to the facilities of Continental Motors, Inc., Mobile, Alabama, for examination and an engine test run. On December 2, 2014, under the supervision of the NTSB IIC, the engine examination and test run was performed at CMI's facility, with the following results reported by a CMI Air Safety Investigator:

Prior to the engine run, the propeller governor was removed and disassembled for a visual inspection. The flyweights, spring, pump gears, valve, and associated components displayed normal operating signatures. The engine was not disassembled prior to the engine run.

The crankshaft end-play measured 0.007", the crankshaft flange run-out was 0.003" the deflection was 0.002".

It was noted during the oil sump removal that there was several large pieces of orange material consistent with the alternator drive coupling; it was noted that the installed alternator drive coupling was intact with no missing portions.

The #2 intake push rod was removed, and visually inspected for possible damage resulting from the impact damage to the push rod housing; there was no damage noted. The push rod was installed in a serviceable push rod housing.

The engine was then prepared for operation by installing the appropriate thermocouples, pressure lines, and test pads for monitoring purposes.

The engine was then moved to CMI test cell number 43, and mounted for operation.

The engine was fitted with a test club propeller for the IO-550-N engine model.

The engine experienced a normal start on the first attempt without hesitation or stumbling in observed rpm. The engine rpm was advanced in steps for warm-up in preparation for full power operation, and held at each position for 5 minutes to stabilize. The engine throttle was then advanced to 1,200, 1,600, and 2,450 rpm, and then to the full open position. The engine throttle was then rapidly advanced from idle to full throttle six times, where it performed normally without any hesitation, stumbling, or interruption in power.

It was noted that there was an oil leak in the left rear of the engine; the oil leak was consistent with the impact damage to the oil filter adapter and the oil cooler.

Throughout the test phase, the engine accelerated normally without any hesitation, stumbling, or interruption in power, and demonstrated the ability to produce rated horsepower. (Refer to the CMI Engine Operational Test Report, which is appended to the docket for this report.)

Propeller Examination

The airplane's propeller was shipped to the facilities of McCauley Propeller Systems, Wichita, Kansas, for a teardown inspection. On December 4, 2014, the propeller was inspected by a McCauley engineer, who reported the following:

• The propeller had damage as a result of impact. There were no indications of any type of propeller failure or malfunction prior to impact.

• The propeller had indications of some mid-level amount of rotational energy absorption (above windmilling and below full power) during the impact sequence. Exact engine power level was not determined,

• The propeller had no impact signature markings or component positions indicating angle disagreement between blades at impact. All three propeller blades had indications of operating in the normal angle range at impact (16 to 40 degrees reference angle measured at the 30" blade spanwise station). Exact blade angles at impact were not determined. This approximate blade angle was consistent with a propeller being operated at the concluded power level.

The engineer also reported the following observations:

• The propeller had sudden-failure type damage that is typically associated with impact forces, and gross part deflections. The investigation found no evidence of any type of fatigue failure.

• The propeller blade butts had marks from contact with adjacent pitch change hardware during the accident sequence. The position of these marks indicates that all three blades were in the normal operating angle range at impact.

• All three actuating links were failed. The failure was tension overload type failure related to gross deflection of the blades and the pitch change mechanism during the impact sequence.

• All three actuating pins left similar indentations in the blade butts. The depth and direction of material displacement of the indentations corresponded to impact loading from gross deflection of the pitch change piston during the impact sequence.

• The propeller blade bending, twisting, and overall propeller assembly damage was typical of that associated with some mid-level (above windmilling and less than full power) rotational energy absorption at impact.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

According to the Mooney M20L Pilot's Operating Handbook, Section IV, Normal Procedures, issued 2-88, Rev. A, 8-18-88, page 4-15, the following procedures are outlined for a GO AROUND (BALKED LANDING):

Powerlever.............................................................................2343 RPM
(VERIFY FUEL ENRICH ANNUNCIATOR is ILLUMINATED)

Wing flaps........................................................ TAKEOFF POSITION (10 degrees)
(After POSITIVE climb established)

Trim................................................................................AS DESIRED


CAUTION

To minimize control wheel forces during maneuvering, timely nose-up
trimming is recommended to counteract the nose down pitching moment
as power is reduced and/or the flaps are extended

Airspeed...............................................................................75 KIAS

Landing Gear................................................................................UP

Wing Flaps..................................................................................UP

Airspeed...............................................................................90 KIAS



 Devon Logan 
~




Good Samaritans


SAN DIEGO - The pilot of a plane that crashed into a Costco parking lot last July said she calls the actions of the people who helped save her life "amazing and overwhelming."

Devon Logan sat down with 10News Thursday -- the same day the six men were honored at the Burn Institute's Spirit of Courage Awards.

"I remember thinking I'm going to die. I remember vaguely thinking in disbelief, 'This is it. This is how it ends,' before I thought, 'This doesn't have to be it. I can get this plane down,'" said Logan.

On July 30, 2014, Logan shook off the panic and calmly guided a small plane away from the areas with the most people and toward a Costco driveway.

The plane clipped the top of a Target store before crashing.

Cellphone video captured the moments that followed, with Costco employees and bystanders rushing toward the flames. A Costco truck driver raced to the trucks and got several fire extinguishers.

Logan's mother was dragged out first, and then Logan.

Her 78-year-old mother, Joy Gorian, died at the hospital. Logan suffered two broken legs and the guilt of surviving.

"I'm flying that plane and my mother is no longer alive. I continue to see a therapist," said Logan. "There's always the wondering about what I could have done differently."

The emotion of that day is visible on this day, as the six men who helped her, including four Costco employees, were honored. One of them suffered burns.

10News was there as Logan watched -- for the first time -- footage of the efforts of the men.

She took in a big breath, which was followed by a gasp.

When the footage came to an end, there was silence and then Logan said: "That's amazing. It's overwhelmingly incredible. So brave, so good. I'm just so thankful to them. I owe them my life. They literally risked their lives for two people they didn't know."

The NTSB investigation into the crash is still ongoing.

Story, photo gallery and video:  http://www.10news.com


NTSB Identification: WPR14FA320 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, July 30, 2014 in San Diego, CA
Aircraft: MOONEY M20L - NO SERIES, registration: N147MP
Injuries: 1 Fatal,1 Serious.

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

On July 30, 2014, about 1735 Pacific daylight time, N147MP, a Mooney M20L, was substantially damaged following an aborted landing/go-around and a reported partial loss of engine power at Montgomery Field (MYF), San Diego, California. The certified private pilot sustained serious injuries, and the sole passenger received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The personal cross-country flight, which was being operated in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, departed the San Bernardino International Airport (SBD), San Bernardino, California, about 1630, with MYF as its destination.

In an interview with investigators conducted on the day following the accident, the pilot reported that the airplane bounced on landing and she added full power and commenced a go-around; the retractable landing gear and flaps remained in the extended position. Moments later when she realized that she was not gaining altitude as she normally would, she communicated the situation to the MYF air traffic control tower; the pilot also indicated that the engine was not making full power. She then veered left toward a shopping complex, which she indicated was a contingency landing area if she ever experienced an emergency. The airplane subsequently impacted a roof-mounted air conditioning unit atop a commercial building, proceeded straight ahead for about 40 feet, impacted the cinder block wall barrier on the south side of the building with its forward undercarriage, and then impacted one of the building's perimeter light standards with its right wing. The airplane subsequently came to rest in an open parking area on the west side of the building. A fire ensued on the right-front portion of the airplane, which was quickly extinguished by local workers in the area.

A witness, who is also a pilot and was standing about 450 feet south of the runway with an unobstructed view of the airplane while on its go-around, reported that the aircraft was very low as it approached the west perimeter of the airport. The witness stated that it then pulled up to clear a row of trees in its path, and subsequently pulled up even steeper to clear some higher trees. The witness added that at this point the airplane's left wing dropped, which was immediately followed by the nose dropping, but it did not stall and did not spin. The witness opined that shortly after losing sight of the airplane to the west of his location, he observed a column of smoke in that direction.

A survey of the accident site by the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge and representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration, revealed that the airplane, with the exception of a section of the right wing's leading edge and all three landing gear, was basically observed intact, upright, and oriented on a heading of north.

The airplane was recovered to a secured storage facility for further examination.



Pilot Devon Logan
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 Devon and William Logan
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San Diego, California News Station - KFMB Channel 8 - cbs8.com




Joe Combs and his wife Joy Gorian in happier times. 
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Joe Combs now wears his wife's wedding ring next to his own. 
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Miguel Ramirez (left) helped pull the pilot out of the plane and John Stokowski (right) ran into Costco to get the fire extinguishers to put out a second fire. 


 


 


 Federal Aviation Administration investigator looks inside the cockpit of a Mooney M20L plane after it crashed in a shopping center parking lot Wednesday afternoon, July 30, 2014, in San Diego. One woman was killed and another seriously injured, a fire spokesman said.



An aviation safety inspector, center, examine the wreckage of a small plane in the parking lot of shopping center Wednesday, July 30, 2014, in San Diego. Police said that one woman was killed and one hurt in the crash. 



San Diego police examine the wreckage of a small plane in the parking lot of shopping center Wednesday, July 30, 2014, in San Diego. Police said that one woman was killed and one hurt in the crash. 




The wreckage of a small plane sits in the parking lot of shopping center Wednesday afternoon, July 30, 2014, in San Diego. Police said that one woman was killed and one hurt in the crash.




FAA investigator was on the phone near wreckage of small plane that crashed in parking lot between Target and Costco in Kearny Mesa.




 FAA investigator checks wreckage of Mooney M20L plane crash between Target and Costco.



 FAA investigator checks wreckage of Mooney M20L plane crash between Target and Costco.




 Wreckage of Mooney  M20L plane that crashed in parking lot between Target and Costco in Kearny Mesa.



 Wreckage of Mooney  M20L  plane that crashed in parking lot between Target and Costco in Kearny Mesa.




Fire crews stood near wreckage of Mooney  M20L plane that crashed in parking lot between Target and Costco in Kearny Mesa.



 Rescue crews with wreckage of Mooney M20L plane crash between Target and Costco.


 Wreckage of Mooney M20L plane crash between Target and Costco.


 Wreckage of Mooney M20L plane crash between Target and Costco.



 Police observe wreckage of Mooney 20L plane crash between Target and Costco.