Friday, June 05, 2015

Rebel, N914FM, KJ Enterprises: Fatal accident occurred June 05, 2015 at Eagle County Regional Airport (KEGE), Colorado

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

The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident. 

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

Docket And Docket Items -  National Transportation Safety Board: http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

KJ ENTERPRISES: http://registry.faa.gov/aN914FM  

FRANK L. MORSE REBEL

NTSB Identification: CEN15FA257
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, June 05, 2015 in Eagle, CO, CO
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/15/2016
Aircraft: MORSE FRANK L REBEL, registration: N914FM
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 was landing the experimental, amateur-built airplane in gusty, crosswind conditions. Witnesses observed the airplane enter a sharp left turn away from the runway at a very low altitude, overfly the airport taxiway and ramp area, then impact a hangar on the airport property. A witness stated that “the wind caught [the airplane]” as it was landing. The airplane had a stated crosswind limitation of 15 knots. Based on recorded wind data, the calculated crosswind component was between 13.7 knots and 16.8 knots. Examination of the airplane wreckage did not reveal any anomalies that would have prevented normal operation. The accident sequence is consistent with the pilot losing control of the airplane while landing in gusty, crosswind conditions that likely exceeded the recommended crosswind limitation of the airplane.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane while landing in gusty, crosswind conditions that likely exceeded the recommended limitation of the airplane.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 5, 2015, at 1647 mountain daylight time, a Morse Rebel experimental amateur-built airplane, N914FM, impacted a hangar and parking ramp at the Eagle Regional Airport (EGE), Eagle, Colorado. The commercial pilot was fatally injured and the passenger was seriously injured. There were no ground injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. 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, cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was being operated without a flight plan. 

GPS data recovered from an avionic device found in the wreckage recorded three flights on the day of the accident. The first flight data began at 08:11:12 in south-central Minnesota. Enroute stops were recorded from 09:25-09:50 at Martin Field Airport (7K8), Iowa, and from 12:57-13:40 at Holyoke Airport (HEQ), Colorado. The flightpath tracked from HEQ to the West-Northwest before turning southwest near Walden, Colorado, towards EGE.

The airplane flew a visual approach to land on runway 25 at EGE. During the approach the tower controller provided the pilot the current wind direction and velocity of 220 degrees at 21 knots, gusting to 26 knots. A witness observed the airplane very near to the runway during landing when "the wind caught [the airplane]". The airplane climbed away from the runway and completed an approximately 180 degree, rapid left turn. The airplane's flight path overflew the airport parking ramp on an easterly heading, mostly wings level, and in a slightly nose high attitude until just before it impacted the west face of hanger number four on the airport property. Before impact, the airplane began a left descending roll and hit the hanger in a left bank of about 75 degrees and approximately thirty-five feet above the ground. The airplane subsequently fell to the parking ramp and came to rest inverted. First responders told investigators it was not raining when they first reached the airplane, but it started raining within a few minutes of their arrival. 

Security camera footage captured portions of the accident flight, and the footage confirmed the witness reports. 

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 68, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multi-engine land, airplane single-engine sea, and instrument airplane. The pilot also held a mechanic – airframe and powerplant certificate. The pilot's current pilot log book was not located; however, a pilot log book was located with the last entries dated September 2, 2011. As of that date, the pilot had logged a total of 2,536.5 hours. The pilot's last 3rd class airman's medical certificate was dated February 4, 2013. The pilot claimed 3,000 total flight hours and 50 flight hours in the past 6 months on that application.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The single engine, high wing, two-seat, fixed gear airplane, serial number 0147R, was assembled in 1996. It was powered by a Lycoming D-320 engine, serial number 3556-27, that drove a composite, two-bladed Props, INC. 74x746 propeller. The airplane's last condition inspection was accomplished on February 15, 2015, at a recorded tachometer time of 215.9 hours. The airplane was equipped with a flaperon system.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1650 MDT, KEGE reported a wind from 200° at 18 knots with gusts to 22 knots, visibility ten statute miles or greater, light rain, overcast cloud base at 7,000 feet above ground level (agl), temperature of 20° Celsius (C) and dew point temperature of 16°C, altimeter setting 30.16 inches of mercury.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Eagle Regional Airport (EGE) is a public airport located at measured altitude of 6,547 feet mean sea level. It has one runway; runway 7/25, 9,000 feet by 150 feet, of asphalt construction.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane impacted the west facing front of a metal-sided hangar about thirty-five feet above the ground and subsequently fell to the parking ramp. The airplane came to rest inverted. The wreckage was removed to a secure location and examined. Flight control continuity was verified to all flight controls, and no pre-impact anomalies were noted with any airplane systems or the engine. The position of the airplane's flaperon handle could not be determined due to impact damage.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was authorized and conducted on the pilot by the Rocky Mountain Forensic Services, PLLC, Loma, Colorado. The cause of death was the result of multiple injuries sustained in an airplane accident. 

Forensic toxicology was performed on specimens from the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Results were negative for all substances tested for.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

The following devices containing non-volatile memory (NVM) were recovered from the wreckage and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Vehicle Recorder Division for examination: 

Device Manufacturer/Model: iFly GPS 720

Serial Number: Unknown.

The iFly GPS 720 exhibited damage due to impact forces. No accident related data was recorded on the device's internal memory.

Device Manufacturer/Model: AvMap Ultra 

Serial Number: 4120423 

The AvMap Ultra exhibited major damage due to impact forces. No accident related data was recorded on the device's internal memory. 

Device Manufacturer/Model: SD Memory Card 

Serial Number: BI1401222811D 

The SD memory card exhibited minimal damage due to impact forces, but no accident related data was recorded on the device.

Device Manufacturer/Model: HTC One M8 Phone 

Serial Number: 310003202964795

The HTC One M8 phone exhibited minimal damage due to impact forces. Nine photographs from the accident flight were recovered from the phone. Timing of each of the photos was established using the metadata embedded in the image files, and the timing ranged from 1635 to 1638 MDT. 

Device Manufacturer/Model: Samsung Galaxy Tab (Black) 

Serial Number: R52G10SC1WB 

The Samsung Galaxy Tab (Black) exhibited minimal damage due to impact forces. The internal memory was recovered using laboratory hardware and software. GPS data was recovered that captured each leg of the cross-country flight that occurred on the day of the accident, beginning at 08:11:12 and ending at 16:49:53.

Device Manufacturer/Model: Samsung Galaxy Tab (White) 

Serial Number: R52FB0DLAZH 

The Samsung Galaxy Tab (White) exhibited major damage due to impact forces. Due to the damage, no data could be recovered from the device.

Device Manufacturer/Model: Apple iPad 

Serial Number: DMPJ75EEDNQT 

The Apple iPad exhibited minimal damage due to impact forces. No accident related data was recorded on the device.

Performance Study:

A Performance Study was conducted utilizing GPS data obtained from the Samsung Galaxy Tab (black) and weather data recorded at EGE at 1650 MDT. The GPS data reflected the accident flight, which originated at Holyoke Airport in Holyoke, Colorado at about 13:43 MDT. The flight duration was three hours and five minutes. The weather at EGE at 1650 was reported as 10 statute miles visibility, overcast skies at 7,000 feet, light rain, and winds from 200 degrees at 18 knots, gusting to 22 knots.

The aircraft approached runway 25 at an equivalent airspeed of 75 knots (kts) and slowed to 65 kts as it crossed the runway threshold. The equivalent airspeed calculation relied on the 18 kts wind report; the reported gusting winds up to 22 kts would change the equivalent airspeed. The final 400 ft of descent was done along a glide slope of 4.7 degrees. Runway 25 has a four light precision approach path indicator (PAPI) with a 3.0 degree glide path. The aircraft's rate of climb (descent) during this final portion of the flight was between -600 and -800 ft/min.

About 18 seconds after crossing the threshold, about 1,200 feet down the runway, the aircraft turned sharply to the left. The aircraft departed the runway, crossed over a taxiway, and continued over the ramp before impacting the hanger. During the final 40 seconds of flight the aircraft crossed the threshold at an equivalent airspeed of 64 kts (groundspeed was 54 kts) and slowed to just above 40 kts (30 kts groundspeed) when it began to turn to the left. As the aircraft left the runway, its airspeed increased until it was about 67 kts (64 kts groundspeed) as it crossed over the taxiway.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

The Pilot's Operating Manual stated the maximum recommended crosswind as 15 knots at 90 degrees. Based on recorded wind data, the calculated crosswind component was 13.7 knots, 16.8 knots with gusts.

NTSB Identification: CEN15FA257
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, June 05, 2015 in Eagle, CO, CO
Aircraft: MORSE FRANK L REBEL, registration: N914FM
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 June 5, 2015, at 1647 mountain daylight time, a Morse Rebel experimental amateur-built airplane, N914FM, impacted a hangar and parking ramp at the Eagle Regional Airport (EGE), Eagle, Colorado. The commercial pilot was fatally injured and the passenger was seriously injured. There were no ground injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. 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, cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was being operated without a flight plan. 

The airplane flew a visual approach to land on runway 25 at EGE. During the approach the tower controller provided the pilot wind direction and velocity of 220 degrees at 21 knots, gusting to 26 knots. A witness observed the airplane very near to the runway during landing when "the wind caught [the airplane]". The airplane climbed away from the runway and an approximately 180 degree left turn occurred. The airplane overflew the airport parking ramp on an easterly heading, mostly wings level, and in a slightly nose high attitude until just prior to impacting the west face of hanger number four on the airport property. Prior to impact, the airplane began a left descending roll and hit the hanger in about 75 degrees left bank about thirty-five feet above the ground. The airplane subsequently fell to the parking ramp and came to rest inverted. First responders told investigators it was not raining when they first reached the airplane, but it started raining within a few minutes of their arrival. 

The weather at EGE at 1650 was reported as 10 statute miles visibility, overcast skies at 7,000 feet, light rain, and winds from 200 degrees at 18 knots, gusting to 22 knots.

Karl Hipp, 68, of Crawford, has been identified as the victim in Friday afternoon's single-engine place crash at the Eagle County airport.


This was Karl Hipp's plane. He died in a Friday afternoon crash at the Eagle County airport.



GYPSUM — A Delta County man died Friday afternoon when his single-engine experimental plane crashed into the front of a hangar at the Eagle County Regional Airport.

Karl Hipp, 68, of Crawford, was pronounced dead at the scene, said Kara Bettis, Eagle County coroner.

Another person, a female, was injured and taken by ambulance to the Vail Valley Medical Center.

Hipp and the woman were the only two in the Rebel aircraft.

Hipp owned Balzout Aviation and operated out of an airport in Delta County. On his LinkedIn page, he lists his occupation as “airport bum.”

The FAA lists him as a commercial pilot certified to fly multi-engine aircraft.

He also owned and operated Karl Hipp Designs Rustic Lamps and manufactured rustic wrought iron table lamps, floor lamps, rawhide lamp shades, forged iron lamps, wall sconces and chandeliers.

Hipp is listed as a vice president with Comanche Flyer Foundation Inc. in Indiana.

UNDER INVESTIGATION

Why he was flying to the Eagle County airport and what caused the crash remains under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

The plane touched down on the runway in gusting winds at about 4:50 p.m. Friday.

Witnesses said after the plane touched down, it might have caught a gust of wind. It went into the air again, banked hard to the left and veered about 1,000 feet south of the runway, witnesses said.

It did not clear the Vail Valley Jet Center’s hangar No. 4 and hit just above the front doors, punching a large hole in the outside wall.

There was no one in the hangar at the time of the crash, witnesses said.

Witnesses said they could hear the plane’s engine struggle and stall, then stop completely when it hit.

Airport fire fighters and emergency personnel were on the scene in moments.

The runway at Eagle County Regional Airport has since reopened.

Eagle County Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting, Eagle County Paramedic Services, Eagle County Sheriff and Gypsum Fire District responded.

Source:  http://www.aspentimes.com





GYPSUM — A small experimental plane crashed into the front of a hangar at the Eagle County airport Friday afternoon, killing one person and injuring another, authorities said.

The plane, a Rebel experimental aircraft, was headed east when it touched down on the runway at about 4:50 p.m. Friday, witnesses said.

Witnesses said after the plane touched down, it went into the air again and veered to its right about 1,000 feet south of the runway, where it crashed into the front of the Vail Valley Jet Center’s hangar No. 4, just above the massive front doors.

Witnesses said they could hear the plane’s engine struggle and stall, then stop completely when it hit.

The plane punched a large hole in the front of the hangar and fell straight down in front of the door.

Airport firefighters and emergency personnel were on the scene in moments, pulling the survivor from the wreckage and sending that person by ambulance to the Vail Valley Medical Center.

There were only two people in the plane, authorities said.

Their identities are being withheld pending the notification of the next of kin.

PLANE’S ORIGIN UNKNOWN

The plane’s origin and destination are not yet known, said Kris Friel, Eagle County communications director.

The runway at Eagle County Regional Airport has since reopened.

The National Transportation Safety Board  and Federal Aviation Administration will take over investigation of the crash. Eagle County Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting, Eagle County Paramedic Services, Eagle County Sheriff and Gypsum Fire District responded.

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









de Havilland Dash 8-202Q, N363PH, CommutAir: Incident occurred June 05, 2015 at Bradley International Airport (KBDL), Windsor Locks, Connecticut

NTSB Identification: ENG15IA024
Scheduled 14 CFR Part 121: Air Carrier operation of CHAMPLAIN ENTERPRISES INC (D.B.A. CommutAir - United Express)
Incident occurred Friday, June 05, 2015 in Windsor Locks, CT
Aircraft: BOMBARDIER INC DHC 8, registration: N363PH
Injuries: 37 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators traveled in support of this investigation and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft incident report.

On June 5, 2015, about 1215 Eastern daylight time (EDT), a Bombardier DHC-8-202 airplane, N363PH, had an in-flight cockpit fire during approach into Bradley International Airport (BDL) Windsor Locks, CT. The crew donned masks, declared an emergency, and landed without incident. There were no injuries to the passengers or crew. The airplane sustained minor damage. The aircraft was registered to Wells Fargo Bank Northwest NA Trustee and operated by Champlain Enterprises, Inc. (doing business as CommutAir - United Express, flight 4776) under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a scheduled passenger flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan. the flight originated from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Newark, New Jersey, at 1134 EDT.




WINDSOR LOCKS – A plane made an emergency landing at Bradley International Airport Friday afternoon after a small fire was reported in the cockpit. It happened around 12:15 p.m.

United Airlines said it was a Bombardier Dash-8 Q200, 37-seat Turboprop plane. Passengers were evacuated to the tarmac and no one was hurt.

“I smelled smoke so, I knew something was wrong, but overall everyone made it out alright,” said Adam Loubier, a passenger from Hebron.

Th plane was coming from Newark, New Jersey enroute to Bradley with 36 passengers and 3 crew members on board.

Joe Marinello, a passenger from Seattle, said it was a “About 15 minutes in they said there was smoke in the cockpit and we had to prepare for an emergency landing, and they wanted fire extinguishers to go from the passenger section to the pilot section, which we did. We collected them and brought them up front,” he said of the passengers’ group effort. “I would say the pilots and the one stewardess did a great job,” he continued.

Officials at Bradley airport say the plane had a “mechanical incident.” A tug had to be attached to tow the plane off the airfield.

The rest of the airport is still open and operating.

The FAA released a statement on the incident:

United Express 4776, a DH-8 aircraft, landed safely at Bradley Intl. Airport at around 12:15 p.m. today after the crew declared an emergency and reported smoke in the cockpit.  The aircraft departed from Newark Liberty Intl. Airport.  We will update this statement when new information is available.

United Airlines also issued a statement on Express Flight 4776;

At approximately 12:15 p.m. CommutAir flight 4776, operating as United Express, reported a fire in the cockpit while on approach into Hartford. The crew quickly extinguished the fire and landed safely. Passengers and crew safely evacuated the aircraft and were bused to the terminal. We are very thankful for the quick response of our flight crew to ensure the safety of our passengers – the aircraft has been removed from service and will undergo a thorough maintenance evaluation.

Story and photo gallery:  http://foxct.com

http://registry.faa.gov/N363PH


Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub, N985W: Accident occurred June 04, 2015 in McCarthy, Alaska

HUNTER CREEK LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N985W 

NTSB Identification: ANC15LA035
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, June 04, 2015 in McCarthy, AK
Aircraft: PIPER PA 18-150, registration: N985W
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 June 4, 2015, about 1100 Alaska daylight time, the pilot-in-command of N985W, a Piper PA-18-150 airplane, was struck by the spinning propeller while attempting to load the airplane, 15 miles east of McCarthy, Alaska. The airplane sustained minor damage and the certificated airline transport pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to Hunter Creek, LLC and operated by Alaska Cub Training Specialists, Palmer, Alaska, as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. 

In statements provided to the United States Park Service and National Transportation Safety Board, witnesses stated that four airplanes, flying as a group, had landed at Pevine Bar Airstrip in the Wrangell - St. Elias National Park. To stave off swarms of mosquitos while loading the airplanes, the engines of all four airplanes were started and allowed to operate at idle, with the cockpits unattended. While loading gear on the right side of the airplane, the airplane to the left of the accident airplane, also a Piper, PA-18, began slowly moving forward. The pilot of N985W attempted to go around the front of his airplane towards the left wing to prevent the two airplanes from making contact. Subsequently, the pilot ran into the back of the spinning propeller, and was struck three times. 

The closest weather reporting facility is Gulkana Airport, Gulkana, Alaska, 95 miles from the accident site. At 1053, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) from the Gulkana Airport was reporting in part: wind from 040 degrees at 7 knots; sky condition, clear; visibility, 10 statute miles; temperature 52 degrees F; dew point 36 degrees F; altimeter 29.39inHG.



Jay Baldwin , CFI A&G



ANCHORAGE – A well-known Wasilla flight instructor died Thursday after being struck by the moving propeller of his own aircraft, according to a release from the National Park Service. 

 The pilot, 62-year-old Clark J. (Jay) Baldwin, was instructing a group of fellow pilots in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park/Preserve Thursday when the apparent accident took place.

Five small planes, including Baldwin’s, were idling near each other on the Peavine Bar airstrip 15 miles east of McCarthy when one of them began to roll. Witnesses later told Park Service officials that Baldwin attempted to stop the rolling plane and, in doing so, accidentally walked backwards into the propeller of his own Piper PA-18 Super Cub aircraft, according to Robin Broyles, spokesperson with the NPS.

Officials were notified of the accident via satellite phone at around 11 a.m. Thursday morning.

Baldwin owned and operated Alaska’s Cub Training Specialists – a flight school based in Wasilla with his wife, Sandy. He was a retired lieutenant colonel with the U.S. Air Force and “spent 35 years in aviation,” according to his company’s website.

Story, photo and comments: http://www.ktva.com

ANCHORAGE -   Clark J. Baldwin, 62, of Wasilla, a well-known pilot and flight instructor, was killed Thursday morning when he was struck by the propeller of his plane, National Park Service spokesperson Robyn Broyles told Channel 2 News.

Baldwin, a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the United States Air Force and owner of the Alaska Club Training Specialists flight school, was teaching a class at the Peavine bar strip about 15 miles east of McCarthy Thursday morning, Broyles said.

"Baldwin was the only operator of the plane at the time and was instructing a small group of pilots when he got out of his plane was struck and killed by the propeller of his plane," Broyles told Channel 2 News. 

According to Broyles, Baldwin's students contacted emergency medical services around 11 a.m. with a satellite phone. 

The death is being investigated as an accident. 

ORIGINAL STORY: A pilot is dead Friday after being hit by the propeller of his plane, officials of the National Transportation Safety Board say. 

NTSB officials were notified of the man's death around 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve.

Clint Johnson, Alaska chief of NTSB told Channel 2 News that the plane involved was a Piper PA-18-125 Super Cub.

"Our understanding is that the pilot was getting ready to depart, the plane was idling and he got out of the plane to load some bags when he inadvertently walked around the plane into the propeller and was killed," Johnson said.

According to Johnson there were four other planes at the strip at the time of the fatality, which took place around 11 a.m. Thursday. 

"We will be investigating it, as is our duty, but we won't be sending an investigator out there," Johnson said. The National Parks Service will leading the investigation into the pilot's death. 

The events leading up to the pilot's death are still being investigated and there are few other details at the time. 

Story and comments:  http://www.ktuu.com

Cub Crafters CC18-180, United States Department of Agriculture, : Fatal accident occurred June 05, 2015 near Raton Municipal Airport/Crews Field (KRTN), Raton, New Mexico

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

Investigation Docket -  National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms


Aviation Accident Data Summary - National Transportation Safety Board:  https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Albuquerque, New Mexico
USDA/ APHIS/ Wildlife Services; Cedar City, Utah
Cub Crafters; Yakima, Washington

Lycoming Engines; Milliken, Colorado

USDA-APHIS-WS : http://registry.faa.gov/N162WR

NTSB Identification: CEN15FA255
14 CFR Public Aircraft
Accident occurred Friday, June 05, 2015 in Raton, NM
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/11/2017
Aircraft: CUB CRAFTERS CC18-180, registration: N162WR
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

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

The airplane, which was being operated as a public aircraft, departed with the pilot and a gunner on board for the local flight. The purpose of the flight was to locate and kill coyotes in a geographical area with a history of livestock damage. According to the ground-based spotter, the pilot established radio contact with him after the airplane passed over the mesa that bordered the western edge of the target area. The pilot transmitted that he had observed a coyote behind the spotter's position and that they were going to perform a low-altitude pass for the gunner to kill the coyote. The spotter turned around and located the coyote using his binoculars. He reported that he heard 2 to 3 shotgun blasts as the airplane passed through his field of view on a northeast heading. He remained focused on the coyote as the airplane exited his field of view, and, shortly thereafter, he heard it impact the ground.

A review of recovered GPS data indicated that the airplane descended to about 41 ft above the ground and then entered a climbing left turn. The airplane's calculated groundspeed decreased from 77 mph to 55 mph during the climbing left turn. According to the airplane flight manual, the wings-level aerodynamic stall speed was 52 mph with the flaps retracted; however, the stall speed increased to 56 mph when the airplane was in a coordinated 30° banked turn and 74 mph when the airplane was in a coordinated 60° banked turn. A postaccident examination established that the airplane had crashed in a nose-low, near-vertical attitude. Based on the GPS data and the near-vertical impact angle, the pilot likely did not maintain adequate airspeed during the climbing left turn, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall at a low altitude. The postaccident wreckage examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane during the flight.

Although postaccident toxicological testing of the pilot identified three over-the-counter sedating antihistamines, the lack of available blood for testing prevented a determination as to whether they affected the pilot's psychomotor or cognitive functioning during the accident flight.

 The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: 
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall.

Kelly Wayne Hobbs 


Shannon “Bubba” Tunnell


HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 5, 2015, about 0628 mountain daylight time, a Cub Crafters CC18-180 airplane, N162WR, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain near Raton, New Mexico. The commercial pilot and the gunner were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a public aircraft. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, which departed Raton Municipal Airport (RTN), Raton, New Mexico, about 0615.

The purpose of the flight was to locate and terminate coyotes in a predetermined geographic area with a history of livestock damage. A typical mission profile consisted of locating coyotes with the aid of a ground-based spotter, after which the pilot would fly a low-altitude pass and the rear-seated gunner would shoot the coyote with a shotgun. According to the ground-based spotter, on the day of the accident, the pilot established radio contact with him after the airplane had passed over the mesa that bordered the western edge of the target area. The pilot transmitted that he saw a coyote behind the spotter's position and that they were going to perform a low-altitude pass for the gunner to kill the coyote. The spotter turned around and located the coyote using his binoculars. He reported that he heard 2 to 3 shotgun blasts as the airplane passed through his field of view on a northeast heading. He remained focused on the coyote as the airplane exited his field of view; shortly thereafter, he heard it impact the ground. He looked up from his binoculars and saw that the airplane had crashed about 3/4 mile from his position.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the 54-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land and instrument airplane ratings. The pilot's last aviation medical examination was completed on June 11, 2014, when he was issued a second-class medical certificate with a limitation for corrective lenses. His last flight proficiency review was completed on November 20, 2014.

The pilot's flight history was established using his logbook and a field diary in which he recorded his recent flights. The final logbook entry was dated April 23, 2015, at which time he had accumulated 13,411.3 hours total flight time. According to the field diary, the pilot had accumulated 72.9 hours since the final logbook entry. At the time of the accident, the pilot had a total flight experience of 13,484.2 hours of which 13,033.6 hours were as pilot-in-command. The operator reported that nearly all of the pilot's total flight experience was flown in Piper PA-18 or Cub Crafters CC18-180 airplanes. He had flown 397.9 hours during the year before the accident, 319.5 hours during the 6 months before the accident, 142.4 hours during the 90 days before the accident, and 62.4 hours during the month before the accident. Including the accident flight, the pilot had flown 5.3 hours during the 24-hour period before the accident.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a two-seat, single-engine Cub Crafters CC18-180, serial number CC18-0035. The airplane was a high-wing monoplane with a steel tube fuselage structure and fabric covering for the wings, fuselage, and tail surfaces. The airplane was powered by a 180-horsepower, 4-cylinder Lycoming O-360-C4P engine, serial number L-42046-36E. The engine provided thrust through a fixed-pitch, two-blade, McCauley 1A200/FA8241 propeller, serial number AHA46002. The tandem seat airplane was equipped with a fixed conventional landing gear and wing flaps. The airplane had a maximum allowable takeoff weight of 2,300 pounds. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued the airplane a standard airworthiness certificate on December 29, 2008.

The airplane's recording tachometer indicated 3,125.7 hours at the accident site. The airframe had accumulated 3,125.7 hours since new. The factory-new engine was installed on February 1, 2013, at 1,992.8 tachometer hours. The engine subsequently accumulated 1,132.9 hours total time. The factory-new propeller was installed on February 4, 2013, at 1,996.9 tachometer hours. The propeller subsequently accumulated 1,128.8 hours total time. The last 100 hour/annual inspection of the airplane was completed on May 19, 2015, at 3,092.5 total airframe hours. The airplane had accumulated 33.2 hours since the inspection. A postaccident review of the maintenance records found no history of unresolved airworthiness issues.

The airplane had a total fuel capacity of 50 gallons (44 gallons usable) distributed between two wing fuel tanks. Based on available fueling records, the airplane likely departed with a full fuel load after being refueled the day before the accident with 33 gallons of 100 low-lead aviation fuel.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The nearest aviation weather reporting station was located at Raton Municipal Airport (RTN), Raton, New Mexico, about 21 miles west of the accident site. At 0653, the RTN automated surface observing system reported: wind 050° at 7 knots, a clear sky, 10 miles surface visibility; temperature 12°C; dew point 7°C; and an altimeter setting of 30.19 inches of mercury.

The ground-based spotter reported that, at the time of the accident, the surface wind was calm to 1 mph with high altitude clouds observed to the east of the accident site.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane wreckage was located in an open pasture with no trees or other obstructions in the general vicinity of the accident site. The elevation of the accident site was 6,982 ft mean sea level (msl). The aircraft wreckage was orientated on a 010° magnetic heading. The airplane was found in a near-vertical attitude with the engine pushed back into the cabin. There was no appreciable wreckage propagation from the point-of-impact. The main wreckage consisted of the entire airframe, including all structural components and flight control surfaces. Flight control cable continuity was established from the forward cockpit controls to the individual control surfaces. The rear-seat control stick had been removed for the accident flight. The elevator trim jack screw was found in a neutral position. The cockpit flap handle was displaced aft during impact; however, the wing flaps appeared to be in the fully retracted position. Both wing tanks were damaged during the accident and did not contain any residual fuel; however, first responders reported that there was a substantial fuel odor at the accident site. The cockpit fuel selector was found in the BOTH position. The fuel filter assembly contained a fluid consistent in color and odor to 100 low-lead aviation fuel. The fuel filter assembly fuel sample did not exhibit water or particulate contamination. The magneto switch was observed in the BOTH position before it was turned OFF by first responders. The stall warning horn was extracted from the right wing root and rewired to the wing-mounted lift sensor switch. Although the lift sensor switch had evidence of impact damage, the stall warning horn produced an aural tone when electrical power was applied and the switch contact was closed. The airspeed indicator exhibited a visible outline of the pointer that had been deposited on the gauge face. The observed white outline was pointed toward 69 mph. The propeller had separated from the engine crankshaft flange and was buried about 4 inches into the ground. The propeller blades exhibited S-shape spanwise bending, chordwise scratches and burnishing, and a leading-edge gouge.

The engine remained partially attached to the firewall by its mounts and control cables. Mechanical continuity was confirmed from the engine components to their respective cockpit controls. Internal engine and valve train continuity was confirmed as the engine crankshaft was rotated. Compression and suction were noted on all cylinders in conjunction with crankshaft rotation. The upper spark plugs were removed and exhibited features consistent with normal engine operation. Both magnetos provided spark on all leads when rotated. There were no obstructions between the air filter housing and the carburetor. The carburetor fuel bowl contained a liquid that was consistent with the color and odor of 100 low-lead aviation fuel. The fuel sample obtained from the carburetor bowl did not exhibit any water or particulate contamination.

The postaccident wreckage examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane during the accident flight.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque, New Mexico, performed an autopsy on the pilot. The cause of death was attributed to multiple blunt-force injuries sustained during the accident. Additionally, the autopsy report indicated that no ethanol was detected in vitreous fluid. The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology tests on samples obtained during the autopsy. The test results were limited by the absence of available blood for testing. However, acetaminophen (125 ug/ml) and salicylate were detected in urine; doxylamine (0.028 ug/ml), cetirizine, and chlorpheniramine were identified in kidney tissue; and chlorpheniramine and dextrorphan were found in liver. No ethanol was detected in urine.

Acetaminophen is a pain and fever reliever commonly sold with the name Tylenol. Salicylate is a metabolite of aspirin, an anti-inflammatory analgesic. Cetirizine is an antihistamine available over the counter with a variety of names including Zyrtec. Chlorpheniramine is another antihistamine available over the counter in a variety of combination products many of which also include acetaminophen and dextromethorphan. Doxylamine is another antihistamine available in several combination products such as Nyquil, but it is also the active ingredient in some Unisom products designed to induce sleep. Dextrorphan is a metabolite of dextromethorphan, an over the counter cough medicine. Cetirizine, chlorpheniramine, and doxylamine all carry label warnings, "May impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks (e.g., driving, operating heavy machinery)."

TESTS AND RESEARCH

A Garmin GPSMAP 496 device was recovered from the wreckage, and its non-volatile memory was downloaded onsite with computer software. According to a review of the recovered data, the accident flight departed RTN at 0615:43 and proceeded eastbound toward the target area. At 0627:22, the airplane passed over the mesa that bordered the western edge of the target area about 140 ft agl and subsequently descended into the valley on an easterly track. At 0627:54, the airplane turned to the northeast and continued to descend. At that time, the airplane was about 160 ft agl and had a calculated ground speed of about 120 mph. At 0628:32, the airplane had descended to about 41 ft agl and had a ground speed of about 77 mph. The airplane subsequently entered a climbing left turn, during which the airplane's groundspeed decreased to about 55 mph. At 0628:41, the final GPS data point was recorded about 95° into the airplane's climbing left turn. The airplane was about 100 ft agl and had a groundspeed of about 62 mph. The final GPS data point was located about 221 ft northeast of the accident site.

According to the Cub Crafters CC18-180 airplane flight manual, the wings-level aerodynamic stall speed was 52 mph with the flaps retracted. The stall speed increased to 56 mph when the airplane was in a coordinated 30° banked turn and 74 mph when the airplane was in a coordinated 60° banked turn.

ADDITIONAL DATA/INFORMATION

According to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Safety Alert No. SA-019, Prevent Aerodynamic Stalls at Low Altitude, many aerodynamic stalls occur in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) when a pilot becomes momentarily distracted from the primary task of flying, such as while maneuvering in the airport traffic pattern, during an emergency, or when fixating on ground objects. Additionally, depending on how an airplane is being operated, an aerodynamic stall can occur at any airspeed, at any attitude, and with any engine power setting. The safety alert further indicated that an increase in airplane bank angle will increase the aerodynamic stall speed exponentially.




NTSB Identification: CEN15FA255 
14 CFR Public Use
Accident occurred Friday, June 05, 2015 in Raton, NM
Aircraft: CUB CRAFTERS CC18-180, registration: N162WR
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

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

On June 5, 2015, about 0628 mountain daylight time, a Cub Crafters model CC18-180 airplane, N162WR, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain near Raton, New Mexico. The commercial pilot and his gunner were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a public-use flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, which had departed Raton Municipal Airport (RTN), Raton, New Mexico, about 0615.

The purpose of the flight was to locate and terminate coyotes in a predetermined geographical area with a history of livestock damage. A typical mission profile included locating coyotes with the aid of a ground-based spotter, after which the pilot would fly a low-altitude pass during which the rear-seated gunner would shoot the coyote with a shotgun. According to a GPS device recovered from the wreckage, at 0615:43 (hhmm:ss), the accident flight departed RTN and proceeded eastbound toward the target area. According to the ground-based spotter, the pilot established radio contact after the accident airplane had passed over the mesa that bordered the western edge of the target area. The pilot transmitted that he had located a coyote behind the spotter's position and that they were going to perform a low altitude pass for the gunner to terminate the coyote. The spotter turned around and located the coyote with the use of his binoculars. He reported that he heard 2-3 shotgun blasts as the airplane passed through his field-of-view on a northeast heading. He remained focused on the coyote as the airplane exited his field-of-view. The spotter reported that, shortly after the airplane had exited his field-of-view, he heard the sound of an impact. He looked up from his binoculars and saw that the airplane had crashed about 3/4 mile from his position.

According to a preliminary review of the recovered GPS data, the airplane passed over the mesa that bordered the western edge of the target area about 165 feet above ground level (agl) and entered a descent on an easterly heading. At 0627:54, the airplane turned to a northeast heading and continued to descend. At that time the airplane was about 150 feet agl and had a ground speed of 115 miles per hour (mph). At 0628:32, the airplane had descended to about 42 feet agl and had a ground speed of 74 mph. The airplane then entered a climbing left turn. According to the GPS data, the airplane's ground speed decreased to about 62 mph during the climbing left turn. At 0628:41, the final GPS data point was recorded about 95 degrees into the left turn and the airplane had climbed to about 97 feet agl. The final GPS data point was about 232 feet northeast of the accident site.

The wreckage was located in an open pasture with no trees or other obstructions in the general vicinity of the accident site. The aircraft wreckage was orientated on a 010 degree magnetic heading. The airplane was found in a near vertical attitude with the engine pushed back into the cabin. There was no appreciable wreckage propagation from the point-of-impact. The main wreckage consisted of the entire airframe, including all structural components and flight control surfaces. Flight control cable continuity was established from the forward cockpit controls to the individual control surfaces. The rear-seat control stick had been removed for the accident flight. The elevator trim jack screw was found in a neutral position. The cockpit flap handle was displaced aft during impact; however, the wing flaps appeared to be in the fully retracted position during the postaccident examination. Both wing tanks were damaged during the accident and did not contain any residual fuel during the postaccident examination; however, first responders reported that there was a substantial fuel odor at the accident site. The cockpit fuel selector was found in the BOTH position. The gascolator bowl contained a fluid consistent in color and odor to 100 low-lead aviation fuel. The gascolator fuel sample did not exhibit water or particulate contamination. The magneto switch was observed in the BOTH position before it was turned OFF by first responders. The stall warning horn was extracted from the right wing root and rewired to the wing-mounted lift sensor switch. Although the lift sensor switch had evidence of impact damage, the stall warning horn produced an aural tone when electrical power was applied and the switch contact was closed. The airspeed indicator exhibited a visible outline of the pointer that had been deposited on the gauge face. The observed white outline was pointed toward 69 mph. The propeller had separated from the engine crankshaft flange and was buried about 4 inches into the terrain. The propeller blades exhibited S-shape spanwise bending, chordwise scratches and polishing, and a leading edge gouge.

The engine remained partially attached to the firewall by its mounts and control cables. Mechanical continuity was confirmed from the engine components to their respective cockpit controls. Internal engine and valve train continuity was confirmed as the engine crankshaft was rotated. Compression and suction were noted on all cylinders in conjunction with crankshaft rotation. The upper spark plugs were removed and exhibited features consistent with normal engine operation. Both magnetos provided spark on all leads when rotated. There were no obstructions between the air filter housing and the carburetor. The carburetor fuel bowl contained a liquid that was consistent with the color and odor of 100 low-lead aviation fuel. The fuel sample obtained from the carburetor bowl did not exhibit any water or particulate contamination. The postaccident examination revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal engine operation.

The nearest aviation weather reporting station was located at Raton Municipal Airport (RTN), Raton, New Mexico, about 21 miles west of the accident site. At 0653, the RTN automated surface observing system reported: wind 050 degrees at 7 knots, a clear sky, 10 mile surface visibility; temperature 12 degrees Celsius; dew point 7 degrees Celsius; and an altimeter setting of 30.19 inches of mercury.

The ground-based spotter reported that, at the time of the accident, the surface wind was calm to 1 mph with high altitude clouds observed to the east of the accident site.



RATON, N.M. (AP) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture says a pilot with the Wildlife Services program and a state wildlife specialist died when their plane crashed in northeastern New Mexico.

The agency says pilot Kelly Hobbs and Shannon "Bubba" Tunnell of the New Mexico Department of Agriculture were the only two aboard the single-engine plane when it went down early Friday near Raton.

Officials confirmed Monday that Hobbs and Tunnell were on a mission to curb damage caused by wildlife in Colfax County.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.

Hobbs had been a pilot with the federal program since 1992. He had more than 13,500 hours of flight experience and had worked in New Mexico, Colorado and Utah.

Tunnell had been a specialist with the state since 2009 and had extensive training in aerial predator management.

Two people died in a single-engine airplane crash in northeastern New Mexico about 4.5 miles east of Raton early Friday morning, a Federal Aviation Administration official said.

The identities of the victims were not immediately released, and the cause of the crash remained unclear as of Friday evening.

FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford said the Piper PA-18 aircraft was being operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture when it crashed, killing both the pilot and a passenger.

Sgt. Chad Pierce, a New Mexico State Police spokesman, said his agency dispatched officers to the scene Friday morning, but he couldn’t provide any other details about the incident.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident, but a spokesman couldn’t provide any details about the crash.

According to the National Weather Service, the weather near Raton on Friday morning was slightly overcast with scattered showers and thunderstorms in the area.

Progressive Aerodyne Searey, N332TC: Incident occurred June 05, 2015 at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (KDWH), Houston, Texas



TOMBALL, TX (KTRK) -- A small plane has gone off the end of the runway at Hooks Airport.

We've learned the incident happened just after 1pm. 

The pilot has walked away from the plane, and no injuries are reported.

Crews pulled the aircraft out of the grass and back to the runway and to a hangar with a golf cart.

Sources:

http://abc13.com

http://www.click2houston.com

JGM AVIATION LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N332TC