Saturday, July 25, 2015

Friends of the Animal Shelter brings back golf tourney, helicopter drop

A helicopter ball drop contest worth $1,000 was held in conjunction with the FOTAS golf tourney last year at Houndslake. The group is bringing the event back this year.




Due to the overwhelming support from last year’s golf tournament, Friends of the Animal Shelter is coming back with another golf tourney featuring a helicopter golf ball drop worth $1,000.

The group, of FOTAS, has scheduled its second golf tournament for 9 a.m. on Sept. 14 at Houndslake Country Club, 901 Houndslake Drive. If weather becomes an issue, FOTAS has scheduled a rainout date for Sept. 28. The last day to register for the tournament is Sept. 11.

The tournament will be a four-person captain’s choice team event. The entry fee is $75 per person or $300 per team.

The entry fee will include a light breakfast sponsored by Ridgecrest Coffee Bar, lunch provided by LongHorn Steakhouse and appetizers on the Par 3 provided by Travinia Italian Kitchen and Ruby Tuesday.

Also covered by the fee are greens and cart fees and a chance to win a new car by getting a hole-in-one on the Par 3. The car sponsor for the tournament is Milton Ruben Toyota.

FOTAS is also bringing back the highly-anticipated helicopter drop. Each golf ball will have a number on it that represents the purchaser. The purchaser whose ball lands in the hole first, or closest to the hole, will win $1,000.

FOTAS is selling golf balls at $10 apiece for the first 1,000 buyers. A buyer does not have to play in the tournament or be present at the time of the ball drop to win the cash prize.

A new part of the festivities will be the exploding golf ball challenge, an event sponsored by Custom Prescription Compounders of TLC Medical Centre in Aiken. As the players approach the tee box, they will randomly pick a ball – an exploding ball or a streamer ball – out of a bucket on the sponsors table.

On the tee box on the course, the players hit their normal shot for tournament play and then hit the “challenge” ball. All but one of the balls will explode with colored dust when hit. One ball will have the exploding streamer and that golfer is the winner and will receive a certificate for a $200 Pebble Beach Apparel shopping spree.

The tournament will include various other prizes as well as goody bags sponsored by Hibbitt’s Drug Co. and Southern Bank and Trust, and a chance to win various other prizes.

“I’ve had an overwhelming response about golfers wanting to play again so don’t hesitate to sign up,” Staiger said. “It’s going to be bigger and better.”

Golf balls for the helicopter drop can be purchased at: Family Pharmacy, 110 Price Ave.; Hibbitt’s Drug Co., 135 North Main St. in the downtown area of New Ellenton; Houndslake Country Club; and Herbal Solutions, 722 Silver Bluff Road.

All proceeds from the events will go to benefit the Aiken County Animal Shelter.

For more information, call co-chairpersons Ross and Sandy Staiger at 803-226-9672 or email golf@fotasaiken.org.

Source: http://www.aikenstandard.com

Piper PA-46-350P Malibu Mirage, JA4060: Accident occurred July 26, 2015 in Fujimi-cho, Chofu city, Tokyo, Japan

Authorities: Possible overweight


TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Authorities are probing a possible overweight of a light plane that crashed into a residential area only tens of seconds after taking off from Chofu airport in a Tokyo suburb on Sunday, investigation sources have said.

The airplane was scheduled to make a round-trip training flight to the island of Izu Oshima, south of Tokyo, which would take an hour each way. But a flight plan submitted in advance said that the plane would carry fuel for a five-hour flight.

According to sources including the transport ministry, the crashed plane had a capacity of six people, and its limit weight at the time of takeoff was about 1,950 kilograms. This suggests that the weight other than that of the plane itself must be less than 760 kilograms. Fuel for a five-hour flight weighs about 270 kilograms, while the plane was boarded by five people, all men.

The accident led to the deaths of three people, presumed to be Taishi Kawamura, 36, who piloted the plane, Mitsuru Hayakawa, 36, a passenger on the plane, and Nozomi Suzuki, 34, a resident of the house into which the aircraft crashed. Five other people were injured.

Meanwhile, it was learned that Kawamura had decided to use the six-seater plane, instead of an initially planned smaller aircraft, for the training flight.

Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department is set to question people concerned about why he made the change. The MPD is also examining personal computers, aircraft maintenance manuals and other items seized during its raids Tuesday on pilot training school SIP Aviation, for which Kawamura served as president, and two other places.

http://the-japan-news.com
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Fuel weight, heat may have led to Chofu plane crash 

The small plane that crashed into a residential area of Chofu, western Tokyo, last weekend was likely close to its weight limit as it was carrying five times as much fuel as needed, transport ministry officials said Tuesday.

In addition, the hot temperature of around 34 degrees at the time of the aircraft’s takeoff could have reduced the power of the plane’s engine and prevented it from gaining altitude, aviation sources said.

The Piper PA-46 crashed at around 11 a.m. Sunday, less than a minute after taking off from Chofu Airport.

The crash killed the pilot, Taishi Kawamura, and two others. They are believed to be Nozomi Suzuki, who lived in the house the plane crashed into, and All Nippon Airways Co. employee Mitsuru Hayakawa, a passenger in the pane, though police would not verify this.

Five other people were injured.

Police and the Japan Transport Safety Board are investigating whether the hot weather or the load weight was behind the cause of the accident while also looking into the possibility of engine trouble.

The aircraft, which was scheduled to make a one-hour flight to Izu Oshima Island about 100 km south, was carrying about 280 kg of fuel, enough for a five-hour flight, according to the flight plan submitted by the pilot.

The theoretical weight limit for the 1,200-kg aircraft was 1,950 kg. The fuel, along with the five men on board and their luggage, is likely to have brought the total weight of the plane to more than 1,850 kg.

A ministry official said it is possible the aircraft was fueled for a round trip and given extra fuel.

Single-engine propeller aircraft like the Piper PA-46 tend to drastically lose power when the outside temperature rises to around 35 degrees, the aviation sources said.

Little wind and the 800-meter-long runway at Chofu Airfield may have also made it difficult for the plane to gain altitude considering its heavy load, they said.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp












Did small plane that crashed Sunday have any problems with maintenance?

A house enveloped in flames and the body of a plane lying upside down at the site show the impact of the crash. What happened to the small aircraft?

A light propeller plane on Sunday crashed into a nearby residential area shortly after takeoff from Chofu Airport in western Tokyo. In the accident, a private house was burned down, killing a resident of the house, and the pilot of the plane and a passenger were also killed.

The Metropolitan Police Department began investigating the crash on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in deaths and injuries.

The government’s Transport Safety Board also sent investigators to the site. We hope investigators will thoroughly elucidate the cause of the crash.

“I felt something was strange as the plane was flying low,” said one witness. Another witness said, “It sounded as if the whir of the propeller stopped.”

We can guess from eyewitness accounts the unusual movements of the small plane shortly before the crash. A number of experts have pointed out the possibility of a mechanical failure.

As small aircraft are not equipped with flight recorders, it is hoped accounts of the witnesses and surviving passengers aboard the plane will provide telling clues to the crash investigators.

Were there any problems with the maintenance of the aircraft? It was owned by a real estate-related firm and managed by a company specializing in aircraft maintenance. It was only in May that the aircraft passed an annual state airworthiness test, which is mandatory.

In Sunday’s flight, the aircraft was rented out by the hour by the maintenance company to a pilot training company managed by the pilot. In a recent test flight conducted by the pilot prior to the fatal flight, there was said to be nothing wrong with the plane.

Residents express concern

The pilot also carried out a preflight safety check of the plane on Sunday. Examining the maintenance records with regards to the contents of inspections of the engine and other parts is important.

The pilot was certified as a commercial pilot and also held a national certificate that qualified him to train pilots.

Yet he had logged somewhere between 600 and 700 hours flight hours domestically, meaning he was not considered a veteran pilot. He reported to the airport that the purpose of Sunday’s flight was “to master the operation of an aircraft” to maintain his flying skills.

Another question for investigators is why the plane went off its scheduled flight path and turned to the left before crashing. One expert said, “The pilot was probably trying to return to the airport after a problem occurred in the aircraft and the engine suddenly lost power.”

The airport has more than 16,000 landings and takeoffs a year. As there is no air traffic controller at the airport, pilots take off or land at their own discretion.

Nearby residents had expressed concerns about possible accidents at the airport, which is used as a base for regular commercial flights to the Izu Islands and as a base for private aircraft.

The metropolitan government plans to ask pilots of private aircraft to refrain from taking off or landing at the airport until the cause of the accident becomes clear. This is appropriate when taking the residents’ concerns into account.

The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry must conduct a complete inspection of the safety measures taken by airports where small planes land or take off and of the maintenance system for aircraft.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 28, 2015)

Pilot in fatal Chofu crash licensed to instruct but plane not authorized for commercial flights

The pilot of a light plane that crashed into homes in Chofu, western Tokyo, on Sunday, killing him and two others ran a flight training company even though he lacked the necessary permission from the government, transport ministry officials said Monday.

Taishi Kawamura, 36, was among the three killed in the crash, which also claimed the lives of passenger Mitsuru Hayakawa, who was in his 30s, and Nozomi Suzuki, 34, who lived in one of the houses the plane slammed into, causing a massive fire.

The plane also carried three others, who were injured but survived. They were identified as Yasuyuki Tamura, 51, of Sango, Saitama Prefecture, Noriaki Moriguchi, 36, of Minato Ward, Tokyo, and Tsuyoshi Hanafusa, 35, of Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward, NHK reported, citing hospital sources and Nippon Aerotech Co.

The police were working to identify the two others who lived in the affected homes in Chofu and were injured.

According to the police and Nippon Aerotech, which serviced the single-engine Piper PA-46 propeller aircraft, the plane had taken off from Chofu airport at 10:58 a.m. bound for Izu Oshima island, roughly 100 km to the south, and was scheduled to return to Chofu at around 4:30 p.m. the same day. The plane crashed at around 11 a.m., only two minutes after takeoff.

Kawamura, a resident of Kawasaki, ran the aviation training company SIP Aviation, which was based in Chofu. According to the transport ministry, Kawamura was a licensed flight instructor but had not been authorized by the ministry to use aircraft for an aviation business, as is necessary for any pilot training operations. Kawamura had acknowledged this, explaining on his website that, despite repeated negotiations with authorities, he had not been able to obtain the state permission.

“The aviation training our company provides is done through ‘club membership,’ not through a ‘plane-using operation,'” Kawamura wrote on his website, adding that his firm, from the outset, had tried on numerous occasions to obtain the required permission from municipal governments and ministries, but to no avail. Kawamura had offered a range of training courses, including a five-month program to become a private pilot for ¥3.24 million.

According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the transport ministry, Kawamura had logged 1,500 hours of flight time. He had stated Sunday that he was embarking on an “orientation flight” to maintain pilot profficiency. Metro government officials said such flights are permitted for licensed pilots and the planes can carry passengers who are undergoing training to become pilots.

The flight was originally scheduled to take off at 10:45 a.m. and arrive at the island one hour later, transport ministry officials said. The departure was delayed by 13 minutes. The plane had fuel enough for several hours of flight.

The plane was not equipped with a voice recorder or a flight recorder.

At the time of the departure, the plane was operating under visual flight rules, which is common when weather and visibility are favorable, allowing the pilot to operate the aircraft based on his or her own judgment without having to depend on radioed instructions from air traffic controllers.

The Metropolitan Police Department opened an investigation into the crash on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in death and injuriy. The Japan Transport Safety Board sent three air accident investigators to the crash scene.

The plane previously sustained engine and other damage during a failed landing attempt at an airport in Sapporo in October 2004. It received an airworthiness certificate after repairs were carried out, transport ministry officials said.

The crash site is near Ajinomoto Stadium, which has a capacity of about 50,000 spectators, and an interchange of the Chuo Expressway.

Chofu airport was opened in 1941. It was later seized by the U.S. military and was returned to Japan in 1973, according to the metropolitan government, which took over the facility’s management in 2001.

The airport has only one runway, which is 800 meters long, and is used for regular flights to and from the islands of Izu Oshima and Miyakejima, both part of the Izu chain of islands under the administration of the metro government. It is also used by private and business aircraft.

According to the transport ministry, a propeller plane crashed into the playground of a Chofu junior high school, which is about 300 meters from the site of Sunday’s accident, just after taking off from Chofu airport on Aug. 10, 1980. All aboard the plane were killed in the crash.

Source: http://www.japantimes.co.jp

TOKYO—A small plane crashed into a quiet neighborhood in Tokyo on Sunday, killing the pilot, a passenger and a woman on the ground, while three people were pulled alive from the wreckage, firefighters and TV reported.

The single-engine propeller plowed into and set ablaze a row of houses shortly after takeoff from an airport used by small aircraft about 500 meters away in Tokyo’s western suburb of Chofu.

Television footage showed a mangled plane, broken up with its tail upside down, resting on a residential lot where dozens of firefighters were battling the blaze and treating the casualties.

Tokyo Fire Department officials said the three dead suffered heart and lung failures. Five others, including three passengers and two on the ground, were taken to hospitals but their conditions weren't immediately known.

The plane was flying to Izu Oshima Island, about 100 kilometers south of Tokyo in the Pacific Ocean, according to NHK public broadcaster.

Source:  http://www.wsj.com

Accident occurred July 25, 2015 at Edgefield County Airport (6J6), Trenton, South Carolina




Coverage you can count on begins with a motorized parachute plane accident at the Trenton Airport in Trenton, South Carolina.

The pilot and one passenger were taking off when the a gust of wind blew them into some trees nearby.

Edgefield County EMA has confirmed the pilot was taken to the Aiken Regional Medical Center with minor injuries. 

The passenger only suffered minor injuries.

EARLIER:   We are hearing reports of a paraplane crash at the Trenton Airport in Edgefield County, SC. We are working on getting more information from dispatch and EMA. We have a reporter headed to the scene.

Story and video:  http://wjbf.com

Cessna 182 Skylane, V3-HHT, Tropic Air: Accident occurred June 02, 2015 in the Caribbean Sea near Lighthouse Reef Atoll

Investigation continues on Tropic Air’s Cessna 182 accident

Saturday, July 25th, 2015
  

On Monday, July 13th, Tropic Air’s Cessna 182 was removed from its crash landing site within the Lighthouse Reef Atoll. 

The vessel, which was en route to Roatan, Honduras experienced malfunctions which caused it to crash approximately one mile south of Half Moon Caye on Tuesday, June 2nd. Since then, the aircraft had been sitting in the shallow area awaiting proper weather conditions for its extraction to be carried out.

According to Chief Operations Officer at the Belize Department of Civil Aviation (BDCA), Nigel Carter, several inspections were made at the crash site prior to removing the vessel.

Due to inclement weather in the past month, the extraction mission was at a standstill. 

It was not until Monday, July 13th that Tropic Air hired Island Construction Limited to retrieve the vessel from the water and transport it to the Philip Goldson International Airport.

“Now that the airplane has been taken out of the water, we are going to conduct a thorough inspection. We are bringing in the manufacturers of the Cessna 182 to check every single aspect of the aircraft and identify what went wrong and caused malfunction. Once we have that report, we will be able to come up with a conclusion to our investigation,” said Carter. BDCA are not disclosing the angle of investigation but have indicated that all aspects of the crash will be scrutinized. “We carry out these investigation to assure all airway travelers safety and dependability,” said Carter.

In addition, the Department of Environment will also be inspecting the crash site to determine damages cause by the aircraft.

Tropic Air was contacted for a statement on the next step of investigation, but had not responded as of press time.

Source:  http://www.sanpedrosun.com



Lindsay Garbutt, Director of Civil Aviation
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The Department of Civil Aviation is proceeding with an official probe into a plane crash on June 2nd involving a Tropic Air flight en route to the Bay Islands of Honduras. 

The investigation is set to continue as soon as the submerged aircraft is removed from the crash site. 

To do so requires a joint effort with the Department of the Environment, as well as a salvage company. 

On Tuesday evening, a Cessna 182 Skylane aircraft, piloted by Denfield Borland, flew out of the Phillip Goldson International Airport en route to Roatan when it began experiencing mechanical problems mid-flight.  

While Borland was able to relay that information to air traffic control at the P.G.I.A., he was unable to avoid an emergency landing.  

The aircraft, along with its pilot and two passengers, Honduran national Eddie Bodden and American national Arthur Rogers, dove into the Caribbean Sea near Lighthouse Reef.  

All three survivors escaped unharmed and were later rescued by a search party comprised of coast guard assets and Audubon Society park rangers sitting atop the aircraft. 

This afternoon, News Five sat down with Director of Civil Aviation, Lindsay Garbutt, who gave us more information on the inquiry.

Lindsay Garbutt, Director of Civil Aviation:   “We are going through an extremely thorough investigation.  This accident took place, as you know, at Lighthouse Reef, Half Moon Caye, several, many, many miles from Belize.  The airplane is in the water so there is a process that we are looking at now how we salvage this airplane so we can begin that part of our investigation.”

Isani Cayetano:  “What does that entail in terms of either deploying your resources into the area to retrieve the aircraft from the water?  What all does that take logistically or in terms of manpower or what have you?”

Lindsay Garbutt:  “Well first of all we’re working with the Department of the Environment to make sure and with a salvage company to make sure that the removal causes as little or no damage as possible to the environment.  Once that is done the plane is brought to Belize City and the department then goes through a careful investigation.  We are in contact with the manufacturers and whatever it is that we need to do in terms of the engine so we can get a thorough knowledge of exactly what occurred.”

Isani Cayetano:  “Would this be one of those cases where black box data is required to fully understand what transpired with the actual mechanical failure or what have you?”

Lindsay Garbutt:   “One of the reasons I said we are working with the manufacturers is that we are going to go through a very thorough process, whatever it is that they advise that is necessary that we can get an understanding of what the causes were we are going to do.”

Story and photos:  http://edition.channel5belize.com

Mercy Flight films PSA to air this fall (with video)



BOWMANSVILLE, N.Y. -- You may know Mercy Flight as the fleet of helicopters above Western New York that help get people with medical emergencies to hospitals.

What you may not know is that they're a non-profit group hoping to replace some of their older models in the coming years.

To get the word out, they're filming a PSA that will soon air on your TV.

"When I went to nursing school, i said someday I will be a flight nurse, so I made it there. I'm very happy about that," said Jennifer Crotty, who is Mercy Flight's Chief Flight Nurse. "I come from the emergency room, I love emergency care, I love ER nursing, and I love critical care."

It takes people like Jennifer with a passion for helping others to keep Mercy Flight going.

The nonprofit helps fly people to hospitals from South Canada to Northern PA, and from Rochester to Ohio.

"Eighty percent of the money we get comes from the insurance companies, and then it is up to us to try and recoup that other 20 percent," explained Steve Monaco, who speaks for Mercy Flight.

That's why the team is making this PSA to help get the word out about what they do and remind people that part of their operating costs come from donations.

DGI Video, a production company, donated its time to film the PSA for free.

Donations allow Mercy Flight to keep helping patients with the financial burden.

"We do not have the board of directors and the corporate structure that you would see with a lot of the other services around the country," said Monaco. "So that being said, we are able to keep our costs low, and we're all part of the same community here in Buffalo."

The PSA debuts September 19, so look for it on TV this fall.

"Next year will be our 35th anniversary. Mercy flight was formed in 1981 as a not-for-profit, and we are one of the only true not-for-profit still left in the country operating," said Donald Trzepacz Jr., Director of Air Medical Operations.

They've flown almost 24,000 emergency care patients to date.

"We get a lot of written thank-yous, and I'm sure we get a lot of patients visiting," said Crotty. "We get a lot of families that visit us, and we are able to meet them afterwards, so it's really great and positive."

Story, video and photos:  http://www.wgrz.com


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'Super Scooper' fire bomber stationed at Lake Tahoe Airport (KTVL), California

The Bombardier CL415 stationed at Lake Tahoe Airport will provide fire suppression support for the U.S. Forest Service in the Lake Tahoe Basin this summer.




SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Nicknamed the “Super Scooper” for its capacity to scoop and drop large quantities of water on a fire, a Bombardier CL415 aircraft will be stationed at Lake Tahoe Airport for the summer.

The South Lake Tahoe-based aircraft provides the U.S. Forest Service with increased initial attack capability in the Lake Tahoe Basin and surrounding forests, officials said.

“Water scooper tactics support ground-based wildfire suppression by dropping water directly on burning fuel, often with short turnaround times due to proximity of water sources,” USFS officials said in a news release.

The CL415 is turbine-powered, has a normal cruise speed of 180 knots, and can carry up to 1,621 gallons of water.

In an average mission of six nautical miles distance from water to fire, it can complete nine drops within an hour and deliver 14,589 gallons of water.

According to USFS, although water scoopers are fixed-wing aircraft, they are used in much the same way as heavy or medium helicopters.

Typically, they assist during the early stages of burning to drop water directly on the active flanks and head of a fire, knock down slopovers and spot fires and cool down hot spots and fireline.

It takes about 12 seconds to fill the CL415, which then drop water on a fire from a height of about 100-150 feet.

“Stationing the CL415 Super Scooper in the Lake Tahoe Basin recognizes the drought conditions in the Sierra and the high consequences of a severe wildfire in the Lake Tahoe Basin,” Forest Service Fire Management Officer Kit Bailey said in a statement. “We’re pleased to have this aircraft available to further increase our effectiveness in fighting wildland fires in the Lake Tahoe Basin and surrounding forests.”

While its primary use is initial attack of wildland fires, the aircraft can also be used for large wildfire support, according to USFS.

Story and photo:  http://www.sierrasun.com

Stinson 108-3 Voyager, N6152M: Accident occurred July 25, 2015 near North Las Vegas Airport (KVGT), Nevada

Date: 25-JUL-15
Time: 23:40:00Z
Regis#: N6152M
Aircraft Make: STINSON
Aircraft Model: 108
Event Type: Accident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Substantial
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
FAA Flight Standards District Office:  FAA Las Vegas FSDO-19
City: NORTH LAS VEGAS
State: Nevada

AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED ON THE RAMP, STRUCK A FENCE AND FLIPPED OVER, NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV

ARIZONA LAND HOLDING LLC:   http://registry.faa.gov/N6152M



 

  NORTH LAS VEGAS (KSNV News3LV) -- An aircraft has crashed on West Evans and Simmons, immediately on the east side of the North Las Vegas airport. 

Reports say the plane, Stinson 108-3 Voyager, came down just short of the airport runway. One person was on board, and initial reports say there were no injuries.

The North Las Vegas Fire Department responded to the scene and extinguished the flames from the crash.

Story and video: http://www.news3lv.com

NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV (FOX5) -   A small plane crashed near the North Las Vegas airport Saturday evening.

The crash was reported at 4:38 p.m. near the intersection of Evans Avenue and Simmons Street.

According to Ian Gregor, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, the Stinson 108-3 Voyager plane was departing the airport when it crashed on a street just east of the facility.

Gregor said one person was aboard the plane when it landed upside down on the street.

The condition of the pilot was not immediately released.

Source: http://www.fox5vegas.com

Students coming to the Suncoast for extensive pilot training




VENICE, Fla. -- The Boeing Corporation announced a new forecast that shows 38,000 new aircraft will enter service over the next twenty years. Some of those pilots may come from the Suncoast, at the Venice Flight Training Center.

Flight instructor Jeffrey Budney says becoming a pilot is a lengthy process.

"You have to go through three stages,” says Budney, 21.  “You have our private pilot certificate, you have an instrument rating then you go for your commercial pilot’s license or certificate."

Budney enrolled in the training academy straight out of high school. He has dreams of becoming a commercial airline pilot himself. He needs 1500 flight hours to become a commercial pilot.

Students come from around the world to follow their dream of navigating an aircraft. Europe’s strict flying regulations prompted German-native Omur Celek to come to the US and work on his commercial pilot’s license.

"In the USA you have much more freedom than in Germany and you can fly around. You have much better weather than in Germany."

Learning to fly a commercial plane is not as simple as getting into an aircraft and taking off. Venice Flight Training Center requires students to study 14 difficult subjects. Knowledge of these subjects makes for a successful pilot.

Outside of the classroom, there are many skills that cannot be learned from a textbook.

"You have to be able to feel responsible for passengers and your crew,” says Budney.

For some, aircraft navigation is not only a career, but a passion.

"For me it's something special. When I'm up in the air I forget about everything and I can just enjoy the flight and enjoy my life," says Celek. "At the end of the day I am now one step closer to my dream so it's good."

Source:   http://www.mysuncoast.com

Aerodynamic Stall / Spin: Piper PA-46-310P Malibu, N4BP; accident occurred July 22, 2015 at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin

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

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama
Piper Aircraft; Vero Beach, Florida

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

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N4BP

Location: Oshkosh, WI
Accident Number: CEN15FA311
Date & Time: 07/22/2015, 0744 CDT
Registration:N4BP 
Aircraft: PIPER PA-46-310P
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Aerodynamic stall/spin
Injuries: 3 Serious, 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

Analysis

The pilot was landing at a large fly-in/airshow and following the airshow arrival procedures that were in use. While descending on the downwind leg for runway 27, the pilot was cleared by a controller to turn right onto the base leg abeam the runway numbers and to land on the green dot (located about 2,500 ft from the runway's displaced threshold). About the time the pilot turned onto the base leg, he observed an airplane taxi onto the runway and start its takeoff roll. The controller instructed the pilot to continue the approach and land on the orange dot (located about 1,000 ft from the runway's displaced threshold) instead of the green dot. The pilot reported that he considered performing a go-around but decided to continue the approach. As the pilot reduced power, the airplane entered a stall and impacted the runway in a right-wing-low, nose-down attitude. Witnesses estimated that the bank angle before impact was greater than 60 degrees. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Analysis of a video recording of the accident showed that the airplane was about 180 ft above ground level (agl) when the turn onto the base leg began, and it descended to about 140 ft agl during the turn. The airplane's total inertial speed (the calculated vector sums of the airplane's ground speeds and vertical speeds) decreased from 98 knots (kts) to 80 kts during the turn.  During the last 8 seconds of flight, the speed decreased below 70 kts, and the airplane descended from about 130 ft agl to ground impact. The wings-level stall speed of the airplane at maximum gross weight with landing gear and flaps down was 59 kts. In the same configuration at 60 degrees of bank, the stall speed was 86 kts and would have been higher at a bank angle greater than 60 degrees.

Reduced runway separation standards for airplanes were in effect due to the airshow. When the accident airplane reached the runway threshold, the minimum distance required by the standards between the arriving accident airplane and the departing airplane was 1,500 ft. The video analysis indicated that it was likely that a minimum of 1,500 ft of separation was maintained during the accident sequence.

Although the pilot was familiar with the procedures for flying into the airshow, the departing airplane and the modified landing clearance during a period of typically high workload likely interfered with the pilot's ability to adequately monitor his airspeed and altitude. As a result, the airplane entered an accelerated stall when the pilot turned the airplane at a steep bank angle and a low airspeed in an attempt to make the landing spot, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack. At such a low altitude, recovery from the stall was not possible. Although the airshow arrival procedures stated that pilots have the option to go around if necessary, and the pilot considered going around, he instead continued the unstable landing approach and lost control of the airplane. 

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to perform a go-around after receiving a modified landing clearance and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering to land, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack in a steep bank and entering an accelerated stall at a low altitude.

Findings

Aircraft
Airspeed - Not attained/maintained (Cause)
Lateral/bank control - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Aircraft control - Pilot (Cause)
Lack of action - Pilot (Cause)

Environmental issues
Traffic pattern procedure - Effect on operation

Factual Information

HISTORY OF FLIGHT


On July 22, 2015, about 0744 central daylight time, a Piper Malibu PA-46-310P single-engine airplane, N4BP, sustained substantial damage when it impacted runway 27 (6,179 ft by 150 ft, concrete) while landing at the Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The pilot and two passengers sustained serious injuries and two passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to DLM Holding Group LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport (BEH), Benton Harbor, Michigan, about 0730 eastern daylight time. 

The pilot reported that he departed BEH and overflew Kenosha, Burlington, Hartford, Ripon, and Fisk, Wisconsin. He then proceeded to fly the Fisk arrival procedures for runway 27 which were in use per the notice to airmen (NOTAM) for the EAA AirVenture 2015 air show at OSH. The pilot reported that he entered the right downwind leg for runway 27 at 1,800 ft and started to descend while maintaining 90 kts airspeed. He reported that he was instructed by air traffic control (ATC) to turn onto the base leg abeam the runway numbers and to land on the green dot (located about 2,500 ft from the runway 27 displaced threshold). After he started the base turn, he observed a twin-engine airplane taxi onto runway 27 and start its takeoff roll. (A passenger in the Malibu identified the airplane on the runway as a Cessna "high-wing 4-seater") The pilot was concerned about the airplane on the runway and was worried about a collision. The pilot reported that ATC instructed him to continue the approach and land on the orange dot (located about 1,000 ft from the runway 27 displaced threshold) instead of the green dot. The pilot considered doing a go-around, but decided to continue the approach. He reported that about 250 to 300 ft above ground level, he pulled back on the power which resulted in the airplane entering a stall. He attempted to recover by adding full power, but the airplane impacted the runway in a right wing low, nose down attitude. The right wing hit the runway which resulted in an explosion with fire and black smoke rising above the accident site. The right wing separated from the airplane and landed in the grass on the south side of the runway. The airplane skidded on its belly and came to rest on the left side of the runway about 278 ft from the initial impact point. The left wing was partially separated from the fuselage and there was a fire under the left wing.

The two passengers who were sitting in the middle, rear-facing seats, and the passenger sitting in the rear seat exited the airplane with assistance from the pilot and people who arrived at the site soon after the accident. The Crash Fire Rescue (CFR) personnel arrived at the scene and used foam to put out the fire. The passenger sitting in the copilot's seat was extracted from the wreckage by the CFR. All five survivors were taken to local hospitals for treatment. 

Numerous witnesses reported that they saw the airplane on the base leg as it entered a steep right bank and impact the terrain in a steep nose down, right wing low attitude. One witness reported that he was located on the terminal ramp to the north of the approach end of runway 27. He heard an aircraft approaching from over the terminal building and observed that the airplane was very low – less than 200 ft above ground level (agl). The witness said that there was no indication that the airplane was in distress, such as a sputtering engine. He further reported that the airplane entered a steep right turn, with an estimated angle of bank of over 60 degrees and then impacted on its side with the right wing contacting the ground first. 

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL COMMUNICATIONS

Special procedures and staffing for ATC were in effect during the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture event. The North Local Control (NLC) team was located in the control tower. The team consisted of five controllers: two spotters, one communicator, a team leader, and a front-line manager (FLM) overseeing the operation. At the time of the accident, the NLC team was responsible for issuing landing clearances on runway 27. The Itinerant Mobile (IM) team, who had overall responsibility for ATC departure operations on runway 27, was working from a Mobile Operations Communications Workstation (MOOCOW) located at the intersection of runway 27 and taxiway A. The IM team was responsible for clearing aircraft for takeoff on runway 27 and consisted of four controllers: an aircraft communicator (AC), one spotter/coordinator, and two "crossers" who work directly with aircraft holding for departure on the taxiway. Communication between the IM and NLC teams was conducted via portable FM (frequency modulation) radios used by the MOOCOW AC and the NLC FLM, although coordination was kept to a minimum. The IM team was responsible for ensuring separation between arrivals and departures by monitoring the inbound pattern traffic and releasing departures when there was sufficient time to do so before the next aircraft landed.

Instructions for the Fisk arrival contained in the AirVenture NOTAM direct pilots to minimize radio transmissions and not respond to ATC communications. Review of recorded transmissions from the NLC team and the IM team showed that at 0742:24, the NLC communicator instructed a Malibu on downwind for runway 27 to begin descent. At 0742:44, the Malibu pilot was told to, "…turn abeam the numbers, runway 27 green dot cleared to land."

Before and during the period the Malibu was operating in the traffic pattern, the IM team was clearing departures for takeoff from runway 27. Between 0730 and 0743 there were about 22 departures. The last departure before the accident was "Cessna 44Q", cleared for takeoff at 0743:03. The IM communicator then continued, "44Q roll it around the corner – scoot!"

At 0743:11, the NLC communicator transmitted, "Malibu I've got somebody on the runway – keep it coming around keep it coming around cleared to land runway 27 orange dot, land as soon as you can."

At 0743:23, the IM communicator transmitted, "Don't turn your back – don't turn your back!"

There were no further transmissions on the IM frequency.

The tower controllers notified airport firefighters to respond, extinguish the post-crash fire, and assist the aircraft's occupants.

The IM communicator reported that the Malibu looked "normal" on downwind over the gravel pit, but the next time he saw it, the aircraft looked unusually low for a runway 27 arrival. The Malibu was west of the terminal building and had not yet started to turn right base. The next departure was holding short between 125 and 250 feet from the runway. Traffic was very light, and there were no other aircraft waiting to depart. The communicator cleared the Cessna for takeoff. The communicator then observed that the Malibu was lower and "tighter" on base than he expected, so he went on frequency and told the Cessna pilot to hurry up. The Cessna pilot never stopped, and made a rolling takeoff as requested. The Malibu was over the terminal building and then turning toward the runway. The communicator reported that by then, the departing Cessna was rolling and approaching or beyond the green dot on the runway. 

The communicator reported that the Malibu was on downwind west of the terminal building, and had not turned base yet when the Cessna was cleared for takeoff. He stated that controllers try to use minimum spacing during AirVenture, and to expedite traffic to avoid go-arounds. Because arriving aircraft were on the NLC frequency, the IM communicator could not directly instruct a pilot to go around. Should a go-around appear necessary, the IM team would contact the tower FLM via FM radio and the FLM would either override the tower frequency and send the aircraft around or ask the tower communicator to do so. The communicator stated that he had no reluctance to call for a go-around if he perceived an unsafe situation.

The communicator reported that while the Malibu was turning from downwind to base, it looked like it was making a continuous turn to final. Partway down the curving "base" leg, it briefly rolled wings level and was heading straight southbound. The Malibu was "very low" at that point. The communicator reported that the airplane overshot the final approach course and rolled into a very steep bank to try to line up with the runway. The wings looked almost perpendicular to the ground. He made the "don't turn your back" radio transmission, which was directed at one of the spotters, because the Malibu was in an unusual maneuver and the spotter needed to watch out for it. 

Runway Separation

Under normal circumstances, controllers would be required to maintain at least 3,000 ft of separation between a departing Cessna and an arriving Malibu using the same runway. According to the reduced runway separation standards authorized during AirVenture, the minimum required distance between the arriving Malibu and the departing Cessna was 1,500 ft when the Malibu reached the runway threshold. 

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The 46-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating and an airplane instrument rating. He reported that he had 934 total hours of flight time with 130 hours in make and model. He held a third class medical certificate that was issued on December 3, 2014, with no limitations.

The pilot reported that he had flown to OSH during the EAA AirVenture Airshow numerous times and was familiar with the procedures for flying to OSH during the week of the airshow. He reported that on the morning of the accident, the airplane traffic was light and there was no other airplane on downwind when he was landing. He reported that he was surprised that the controllers cleared the "twin-engine" to taxi onto the runway and depart when he had already turned onto the base leg of the approach. He reported that he initially thought about doing a go-around, but decided to land when he was instructed to land on the orange dot. 

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a single-engine Piper Malibu PA-46-310P, serial number 46-8408065, manufactured in 1984. It had a maximum gross weight of 4,100 lbs and it seated six. It was equipped with a Continental 300-horsepower TSIO 550-C (1) engine, serial number 802599. The last annual maintenance inspection was conducted on November 12, 2014, with a total airframe time of 5,792 hours. The engine had 1,439 hours since the last overhaul. 

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 0740, the surface weather observation at OSH was: wind 250 degrees at 3 kts; visibility 10 miles; sky clear; temperature 19 degrees C; dew point 14 degrees C; altimeter 29.97 inches of mercury. 

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane's initial impact point was just right of centerline in the threshold area of runway, 55 ft from the start of runway 27. The scraping on the runway and the burn path that was on a 238-degree heading led to the right wing which was190 ft from the initial contact point. Five parallel slash marks were found in the runway's concrete surface, which were consistent with propeller strikes. Three composite propeller blades were found in the debris field. All three blades were separated at the blade root and all exhibited extensive impact damage. 

The right wing was separated from the fuselage at the wing root. The wing was intact but it exhibited fire and impact damage, and the outboard span of the wing was bent upward and twisted. The right landing gear was found in the down position. The flap bellcrank was broken at the outboard rod end. The flap actuator was inspected and it indicated that the flaps were in the down position. The aileron remained attached to the wing. Both aileron cables were separated at the wing root.

The fuselage was located 278 ft from the initial impact point on a 242-degree heading. The left wing was still attached to the fuselage, but it was partially separated at the wing root. The flap and aileron remained attached to the left wing. The flap bellcrank was broken at the outboard rod end. Both aileron cables were separated at the wing root. The empennage remained attached to the fuselage and exhibited little impact damage. The elevator, rudder, and trim cables were connected to their control surfaces to the flight controls and control surface movement was confirmed. The hour meter indicated 1,452 hours. The JPI EDM-930 engine monitor was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) Vehicle Recorder Laboratory for examination. 

The engine examination revealed that all the cylinders remained in place and attached to the crankcase. Cylinders Nos. 3 and 5 were impact damaged. The engine was manually rotated and there was thumb compression on all six cylinders, although the compression on Nos. 3 and 5 was weak due to the impact damage. Drive train continuity was confirmed when the engine was rotated and the accessory gears on the rear of the engine turned respectively. The top spark plugs were inspected and exhibited normal wear and color. The left and right magnetos produced spark and the impulse couplings were heard to operate when rotated. The fuel system remained intact. The fuel throttle body and metering unit were intact and undamaged. The fuel manifold diaphragm was intact and the fuel screen was uncontaminated. Aviation fuel was found in the fuel lines leading from the fuel manifold to the individual fuel injectors. The propeller hub remained attached to the crankshaft propeller flange. 

TESTS AND RESEARCH

JPI EDM-930 Engine Monitor

The NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory examined the JPI EDM-930 engine monitor's non-volatile memory (NVM) and it was determined that the accident flight was recorded. The recorded time was correlated to central daylight time. 

The recording began around 06:20. Values for exhaust gas temperature and cylinder head temperature began to rise. Around 06:30, manifold pressure and engine RPM rapidly increased consistent with the aircraft beginning a takeoff roll. Most recorded parameters remained stable from approximately 06:35 until approximately 07:25. 

At 07:25, manifold pressure was reduced. Fuel flow, oil pressure, oil temperature, EGT and CHT all began slightly negative trends. Near the end of the recording, around 07:43, manifold pressure sharply decreased in value along with engine RPM. In the last recorded values, engine RPM, manifold pressure, fuel flow and values for CHT and EGT began to sharply rise. The recording ended abruptly at 07:44.The engine parameters were generally increasing in value just prior to the recording abruptly ending at 07:44. The NTSB Engine Data Monitor (EDM) report has been entered in the docket. 

NTSB Video Study

The NTSB Office of Research and Engineering produced a video study based on a video recording of the accident flight. The Malibu was captured in a video for approximately eighteen seconds before it impacted the ground on runway 27. The video was recorded by a Kodak SP360 camera mounted inside the cockpit of a parked airplane that was not involved in the accident. The camera had a 360-degree panoramic field of view. The location of the parked airplane was on the north ramp near the airport terminal. 

The video study estimated that the altitude of the Malibu as it initiated its turn to base leg was about 180 ft agl, and it descended to about 150 to 130 feet agl on the base leg. During the last 8 seconds of flight, the Malibu descended from about 130 ft agl to ground impact. The total inertial speed (the vector sums of the ground speeds and vertical speeds) was calculated and it showed that the Malibu was traveling at 98 kts decreasing to 80 kts during the turn to the base leg. The speed continued to decrease and during the last 8 seconds of flight, the speed was below 70 kts. 

The video study also analyzed the location of the second airplane (Cessna) that taxied onto runway 27 and departed as the Malibu turned onto the base leg. The video was analyzed to determine how much distance was between the two airplanes during the accident sequence. At time 5:06 in the video, an object is seen moving east to west and is assumed to be the departing Cessna on runway 27. It is only seen for a fraction of a second because the camera view was obstructed. Because the Cessna was on the ground and far from the camera, its image in the video is only a barely visible moving dot. The straight line distance between the Cessna, when it was seen on the video, and the Malibu, which was on its base leg, was about 1,570 ft. The analysis indicated that to keep a 1,500 ft distance between the two airplanes, if the Malibu had completed its turn to final which would take 9.4 seconds, the Cessna would have to move to the west at an average speed of 45.7 kts. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Angle of Bank vs Airspeed

The Piper Malibu PA-46-310P Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) figure 5-3 lists stall speeds corrected for aircraft bank angle. The stall speed for a Piper PA-46-310P at 4,100 lbs with gear and flaps down at 0 degrees angle of bank is 59 kts. With the same configuration, it shows the stall speed is 86 kts at 60 degrees of bank, and would have been higher at an angle of bank greater than 60 degrees. 

The "Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3A" provided the following information about accelerated stalls: 

"Though the stalls just discussed normally occur at a specific airspeed, the pilot must thoroughly understand that all stalls result solely from attempts to fly at excessively high angles of attack. During flight, the angle of attack of an airplane wing is determined by a number of factors, the most important of which are airspeed, the gross weight of the airplane, and the load factors imposed by maneuvering." 

"At the same gross weight, airplane configuration, and power setting, a given airplane will consistently stall at the same indicated airspeed if no acceleration is involved. The airplane will, however, stall at a higher indicated airspeed when excessive maneuvering loads are imposed by steep turns, pull-ups, or other abrupt changes in the flight path. Stalls entered from such flight situations are called 'accelerated maneuver stalls,' a term, which has no reference to the airspeeds involved." 

EAA AirVenture 2015 NOTAM

The EAA AirVenture 2015 NOTAM stated the following concerning landing approach at Oshkosh:

"A waiver has been issued reducing arrival and departure separation standards for category 1 and 2 aircraft (primarily single-engine and light twin-engine aircraft). 

Pilots should be prepared for a combination of maneuvers that may include a short approach with descending turns, followed by a touchdown at a point specified by ATC which may be almost halfway down the runway. Use extra caution to maintain a safe airspeed throughout the approach to landing." 

The NOTAM stated: "If a go-around is needed, notify ATC immediately for resequencing instructions." It also stated, "Maintain a safe airspeed and avoid low turns on landing approach." 





NTSB Identification: CEN15FA311
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, July 22, 2015 in Oshkosh, WI
Aircraft: PIPER PA-46-310P, registration: N4BP
Injuries: 3 Serious, 2 Minor.

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 22, 2015, about 0744 central daylight time, a Piper PA-46-310P single-engine airplane, N4BP, sustained substantial damage when it impacted runway 27 (6,179 ft by 150 ft, concrete) while landing at the Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The pilot and two passengers sustained serious injuries and two passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to DLM Holding Group LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport (BEH), Benton Harbor, Michigan, about 0730 eastern daylight time. 

The pilot reported that he departed BEH and overflew Kenosha, Burlington, Hartford, Ripon, and Fisk, Wisconsin. He then proceeded to fly the Fisk arrival procedures for runway 27 which were in use per the notice to airmen (NOTAM) for the EAA AirVenture 2015 air show at OSH. The pilot reported that he entered the right downwind leg for runway 27 at 1,800 ft and started to descend while maintaining 90 kts airspeed. He reported that he was instructed by air traffic control (ATC) to turn onto the base leg abeam the runway numbers and to land on the green dot (located about 2,500 ft from the runway 27 displaced threshold). After he started the base turn, he observed a twin-engine airplane taxi onto runway 27 and start its takeoff roll. The pilot reported that ATC instructed him to continue the approach and land on the orange dot (located about 1,000 ft from the runway 27 displaced threshold) instead of the green dot. The pilot continued the approach and about 250 to 300 ft above ground level, he pulled back on the power which resulted in the airplane entering a stall. The pilot attempted to recover by adding full power, but the airplane impacted the runway in a right wing, nose down attitude. 

Witnesses reported seeing the airplane during the downwind to base turn and enter a steep angle of bank with the right wing down. The right wing hit the runway which resulted in an explosion and fire with black smoke rising above the accident site. The right wing separated from the airplane and landed in the grass on the south side of the runway. The airplane skidded on its belly and came to rest on the left side of the runway about 250 ft from the initial impact point. The left wing was partially separated from the fuselage. A postimpact fire ensued on the separated right wing and under the partially separated left wing.

The pilot, the two passengers who were sitting in the middle seats, and the passenger sitting in the rear seat exited the airplane with some assistance from people who were near the accident site. The Crash Fire Rescue (CFR) personnel arrived at the scene and used foam to put out the fire. The passenger sitting in the copilot's seat was extracted from the wreckage by the CFR. All five survivors were taken to local hospitals for treatment. 

At 0740, the surface weather observation at OSH was: wind 250 degrees at 3 kts; visibility 10 miles; sky clear; temperature 19 degrees C; dew point 14 degrees C; altimeter 29.97 inches of mercury. Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf 

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

NTSB Identification: CEN15FA311 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, July 22, 2015 in Oshkosh, WI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/09/2016
Aircraft: PIPER PA-46-310P, registration: N4BP
Injuries: 3 Serious, 2 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 pilot was landing at a large fly-in/airshow and following the airshow arrival procedures that were in use. While descending on the downwind leg for runway 27, the pilot was cleared by a controller to turn right onto the base leg abeam the runway numbers and to land on the green dot (located about 2,500 ft from the runway's displaced threshold). About the time the pilot turned onto the base leg, he observed an airplane taxi onto the runway and start its takeoff roll. The controller instructed the pilot to continue the approach and land on the orange dot (located about 1,000 ft from the runway's displaced threshold) instead of the green dot. The pilot reported that he considered performing a go-around but decided to continue the approach. As the pilot reduced power, the airplane entered a stall and impacted the runway in a right-wing-low, nose-down attitude. Witnesses estimated that the bank angle before impact was greater than 60 degrees. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Analysis of a video recording of the accident showed that the airplane was about 180 ft above ground level (agl) when the turn onto the base leg began, and it descended to about 140 ft agl during the turn. The airplane's total inertial speed (the calculated vector sums of the airplane's ground speeds and vertical speeds) decreased from 98 knots (kts) to 80 kts during the turn. During the last 8 seconds of flight, the speed decreased below 70 kts, and the airplane descended from about 130 ft agl to ground impact. The wings-level stall speed of the airplane at maximum gross weight with landing gear and flaps down was 59 kts. In the same configuration at 60 degrees of bank, the stall speed was 86 kts and would have been higher at a bank angle greater than 60 degrees. 

Reduced runway separation standards for airplanes were in effect due to the airshow. When the accident airplane reached the runway threshold, the minimum distance required by the standards between the arriving accident airplane and the departing airplane was 1,500 ft. The video analysis indicated that it was likely that a minimum of 1,500 ft of separation was maintained during the accident sequence.

Although the pilot was familiar with the procedures for flying into the airshow, the departing airplane and the modified landing clearance during a period of typically high workload likely interfered with the pilot's ability to adequately monitor his airspeed and altitude. As a result, the airplane entered an accelerated stall when the pilot turned the airplane at a steep bank angle and a low airspeed in an attempt to make the landing spot, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack. At such a low altitude, recovery from the stall was not possible. Although the airshow arrival procedures stated that pilots have the option to go around if necessary, and the pilot considered going around, he instead continued the unstable landing approach and lost control of the airplane.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to perform a go-around after receiving a modified landing clearance and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering to land, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack in a steep bank and entering an accelerated stall at a low altitude. 

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On July 22, 2015, about 0744 central daylight time, a Piper Malibu PA-46-310P single-engine airplane, N4BP, sustained substantial damage when it impacted runway 27 (6,179 ft by 150 ft, concrete) while landing at the Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The pilot and two passengers sustained serious injuries and two passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to DLM Holding Group LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport (BEH), Benton Harbor, Michigan, about 0730 eastern daylight time. 

The pilot reported that he departed BEH and overflew Kenosha, Burlington, Hartford, Ripon, and Fisk, Wisconsin. He then proceeded to fly the Fisk arrival procedures for runway 27 which were in use per the notice to airmen (NOTAM) for the EAA AirVenture 2015 air show at OSH. The pilot reported that he entered the right downwind leg for runway 27 at 1,800 ft and started to descend while maintaining 90 kts airspeed. He reported that he was instructed by air traffic control (ATC) to turn onto the base leg abeam the runway numbers and to land on the green dot (located about 2,500 ft from the runway 27 displaced threshold). After he started the base turn, he observed a twin-engine airplane taxi onto runway 27 and start its takeoff roll. (A passenger in the Malibu identified the airplane on the runway as a Cessna "high-wing 4-seater") The pilot was concerned about the airplane on the runway and was worried about a collision. The pilot reported that ATC instructed him to continue the approach and land on the orange dot (located about 1,000 ft from the runway 27 displaced threshold) instead of the green dot. The pilot considered doing a go-around, but decided to continue the approach. He reported that about 250 to 300 ft above ground level, he pulled back on the power which resulted in the airplane entering a stall. He attempted to recover by adding full power, but the airplane impacted the runway in a right wing low, nose down attitude. The right wing hit the runway which resulted in an explosion with fire and black smoke rising above the accident site. The right wing separated from the airplane and landed in the grass on the south side of the runway. The airplane skidded on its belly and came to rest on the left side of the runway about 278 ft from the initial impact point. The left wing was partially separated from the fuselage and there was a fire under the left wing.

The two passengers who were sitting in the middle, rear-facing seats, and the passenger sitting in the rear seat exited the airplane with assistance from the pilot and people who arrived at the site soon after the accident. The Crash Fire Rescue (CFR) personnel arrived at the scene and used foam to put out the fire. The passenger sitting in the copilot's seat was extracted from the wreckage by the CFR. All five survivors were taken to local hospitals for treatment. 

Numerous witnesses reported that they saw the airplane on the base leg as it entered a steep right bank and impact the terrain in a steep nose down, right wing low attitude. One witness reported that he was located on the terminal ramp to the north of the approach end of runway 27. He heard an aircraft approaching from over the terminal building and observed that the airplane was very low – less than 200 ft above ground level (agl). The witness said that there was no indication that the airplane was in distress, such as a sputtering engine. He further reported that the airplane entered a steep right turn, with an estimated angle of bank of over 60 degrees and then impacted on its side with the right wing contacting the ground first. 

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL COMMUNICATIONS

Special procedures and staffing for ATC were in effect during the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture event. The North Local Control (NLC) team was located in the control tower. The team consisted of five controllers: two spotters, one communicator, a team leader, and a front-line manager (FLM) overseeing the operation. At the time of the accident, the NLC team was responsible for issuing landing clearances on runway 27. The Itinerant Mobile (IM) team, who had overall responsibility for ATC departure operations on runway 27, was working from a Mobile Operations Communications Workstation (MOOCOW) located at the intersection of runway 27 and taxiway A. The IM team was responsible for clearing aircraft for takeoff on runway 27 and consisted of four controllers: an aircraft communicator (AC), one spotter/coordinator, and two "crossers" who work directly with aircraft holding for departure on the taxiway. Communication between the IM and NLC teams was conducted via portable FM (frequency modulation) radios used by the MOOCOW AC and the NLC FLM, although coordination was kept to a minimum. The IM team was responsible for ensuring separation between arrivals and departures by monitoring the inbound pattern traffic and releasing departures when there was sufficient time to do so before the next aircraft landed.

Instructions for the Fisk arrival contained in the AirVenture NOTAM direct pilots to minimize radio transmissions and not respond to ATC communications. Review of recorded transmissions from the NLC team and the IM team showed that at 0742:24, the NLC communicator instructed a Malibu on downwind for runway 27 to begin descent. At 0742:44, the Malibu pilot was told to, "…turn abeam the numbers, runway 27 green dot cleared to land."

Before and during the period the Malibu was operating in the traffic pattern, the IM team was clearing departures for takeoff from runway 27. Between 0730 and 0743 there were about 22 departures. The last departure before the accident was "Cessna 44Q", cleared for takeoff at 0743:03. The IM communicator then continued, "44Q roll it around the corner – scoot!"

At 0743:11, the NLC communicator transmitted, "Malibu I've got somebody on the runway – keep it coming around keep it coming around cleared to land runway 27 orange dot, land as soon as you can."

At 0743:23, the IM communicator transmitted, "Don't turn your back – don't turn your back!"

There were no further transmissions on the IM frequency.

The tower controllers notified airport firefighters to respond, extinguish the post-crash fire, and assist the aircraft's occupants.

The IM communicator reported that the Malibu looked "normal" on downwind over the gravel pit, but the next time he saw it, the aircraft looked unusually low for a runway 27 arrival. The Malibu was west of the terminal building and had not yet started to turn right base. The next departure was holding short between 125 and 250 feet from the runway. Traffic was very light, and there were no other aircraft waiting to depart. The communicator cleared the Cessna for takeoff. The communicator then observed that the Malibu was lower and "tighter" on base than he expected, so he went on frequency and told the Cessna pilot to hurry up. The Cessna pilot never stopped, and made a rolling takeoff as requested. The Malibu was over the terminal building and then turning toward the runway. The communicator reported that by then, the departing Cessna was rolling and approaching or beyond the green dot on the runway. 

The communicator reported that the Malibu was on downwind west of the terminal building, and had not turned base yet when the Cessna was cleared for takeoff. He stated that controllers try to use minimum spacing during AirVenture, and to expedite traffic to avoid go-arounds. Because arriving aircraft were on the NLC frequency, the IM communicator could not directly instruct a pilot to go around. Should a go-around appear necessary, the IM team would contact the tower FLM via FM radio and the FLM would either override the tower frequency and send the aircraft around or ask the tower communicator to do so. The communicator stated that he had no reluctance to call for a go-around if he perceived an unsafe situation.

The communicator reported that while the Malibu was turning from downwind to base, it looked like it was making a continuous turn to final. Partway down the curving "base" leg, it briefly rolled wings level and was heading straight southbound. The Malibu was "very low" at that point. The communicator reported that the airplane overshot the final approach course and rolled into a very steep bank to try to line up with the runway. The wings looked almost perpendicular to the ground. He made the "don't turn your back" radio transmission, which was directed at one of the spotters, because the Malibu was in an unusual maneuver and the spotter needed to watch out for it. 

Runway Separation

Under normal circumstances, controllers would be required to maintain at least 3,000 ft of separation between a departing Cessna and an arriving Malibu using the same runway. According to the reduced runway separation standards authorized during AirVenture, the minimum required distance between the arriving Malibu and the departing Cessna was 1,500 ft when the Malibu reached the runway threshold. 

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The 46-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating and an airplane instrument rating. He reported that he had 934 total hours of flight time with 130 hours in make and model. He held a third class medical certificate that was issued on December 3, 2014, with no limitations.

The pilot reported that he had flown to OSH during the EAA AirVenture Airshow numerous times and was familiar with the procedures for flying to OSH during the week of the airshow. He reported that on the morning of the accident, the airplane traffic was light and there was no other airplane on downwind when he was landing. He reported that he was surprised that the controllers cleared the "twin-engine" to taxi onto the runway and depart when he had already turned onto the base leg of the approach. He reported that he initially thought about doing a go-around, but decided to land when he was instructed to land on the orange dot. 

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a single-engine Piper Malibu PA-46-310P, serial number 46-8408065, manufactured in 1984. It had a maximum gross weight of 4,100 lbs and it seated six. It was equipped with a Continental 300-horsepower TSIO 550-C (1) engine, serial number 802599. The last annual maintenance inspection was conducted on November 12, 2014, with a total airframe time of 5,792 hours. The engine had 1,439 hours since the last overhaul. 

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 0740, the surface weather observation at OSH was: wind 250 degrees at 3 kts; visibility 10 miles; sky clear; temperature 19 degrees C; dew point 14 degrees C; altimeter 29.97 inches of mercury. 

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane's initial impact point was just right of centerline in the threshold area of runway, 55 ft from the start of runway 27. The scraping on the runway and the burn path that was on a 238-degree heading led to the right wing which was190 ft from the initial contact point. Five parallel slash marks were found in the runway's concrete surface, which were consistent with propeller strikes. Three composite propeller blades were found in the debris field. All three blades were separated at the blade root and all exhibited extensive impact damage. 

The right wing was separated from the fuselage at the wing root. The wing was intact but it exhibited fire and impact damage, and the outboard span of the wing was bent upward and twisted. The right landing gear was found in the down position. The flap bellcrank was broken at the outboard rod end. The flap actuator was inspected and it indicated that the flaps were in the down position. The aileron remained attached to the wing. Both aileron cables were separated at the wing root.

The fuselage was located 278 ft from the initial impact point on a 242-degree heading. The left wing was still attached to the fuselage, but it was partially separated at the wing root. The flap and aileron remained attached to the left wing. The flap bellcrank was broken at the outboard rod end. Both aileron cables were separated at the wing root. The empennage remained attached to the fuselage and exhibited little impact damage. The elevator, rudder, and trim cables were connected to their control surfaces to the flight controls and control surface movement was confirmed. The hour meter indicated 1,452 hours. The JPI EDM-930 engine monitor was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) Vehicle Recorder Laboratory for examination. 

The engine examination revealed that all the cylinders remained in place and attached to the crankcase. Cylinders Nos. 3 and 5 were impact damaged. The engine was manually rotated and there was thumb compression on all six cylinders, although the compression on Nos. 3 and 5 was weak due to the impact damage. Drive train continuity was confirmed when the engine was rotated and the accessory gears on the rear of the engine turned respectively. The top spark plugs were inspected and exhibited normal wear and color. The left and right magnetos produced spark and the impulse couplings were heard to operate when rotated. The fuel system remained intact. The fuel throttle body and metering unit were intact and undamaged. The fuel manifold diaphragm was intact and the fuel screen was uncontaminated. Aviation fuel was found in the fuel lines leading from the fuel manifold to the individual fuel injectors. The propeller hub remained attached to the crankshaft propeller flange. 

TESTS AND RESEARCH

JPI EDM-930 Engine Monitor

The NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory examined the JPI EDM-930 engine monitor's non-volatile memory (NVM) and it was determined that the accident flight was recorded. The recorded time was correlated to central daylight time. 

The recording began around 06:20. Values for exhaust gas temperature and cylinder head temperature began to rise. Around 06:30, manifold pressure and engine RPM rapidly increased consistent with the aircraft beginning a takeoff roll. Most recorded parameters remained stable from approximately 06:35 until approximately 07:25. 

At 07:25, manifold pressure was reduced. Fuel flow, oil pressure, oil temperature, EGT and CHT all began slightly negative trends. Near the end of the recording, around 07:43, manifold pressure sharply decreased in value along with engine RPM. In the last recorded values, engine RPM, manifold pressure, fuel flow and values for CHT and EGT began to sharply rise. The recording ended abruptly at 07:44.The engine parameters were generally increasing in value just prior to the recording abruptly ending at 07:44. The NTSB Engine Data Monitor (EDM) report has been entered in the docket. 

NTSB Video Study

The NTSB Office of Research and Engineering produced a video study based on a video recording of the accident flight. The Malibu was captured in a video for approximately eighteen seconds before it impacted the ground on runway 27. The video was recorded by a Kodak SP360 camera mounted inside the cockpit of a parked airplane that was not involved in the accident. The camera had a 360-degree panoramic field of view. The location of the parked airplane was on the north ramp near the airport terminal. 

The video study estimated that the altitude of the Malibu as it initiated its turn to base leg was about 180 ft agl, and it descended to about 150 to 130 feet agl on the base leg. During the last 8 seconds of flight, the Malibu descended from about 130 ft agl to ground impact. The total inertial speed (the vector sums of the ground speeds and vertical speeds) was calculated and it showed that the Malibu was traveling at 98 kts decreasing to 80 kts during the turn to the base leg. The speed continued to decrease and during the last 8 seconds of flight, the speed was below 70 kts. 

The video study also analyzed the location of the second airplane (Cessna) that taxied onto runway 27 and departed as the Malibu turned onto the base leg. The video was analyzed to determine how much distance was between the two airplanes during the accident sequence. At time 5:06 in the video, an object is seen moving east to west and is assumed to be the departing Cessna on runway 27. It is only seen for a fraction of a second because the camera view was obstructed. Because the Cessna was on the ground and far from the camera, its image in the video is only a barely visible moving dot. The straight line distance between the Cessna, when it was seen on the video, and the Malibu, which was on its base leg, was about 1,570 ft. The analysis indicated that to keep a 1,500 ft distance between the two airplanes, if the Malibu had completed its turn to final which would take 9.4 seconds, the Cessna would have to move to the west at an average speed of 45.7 kts. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Angle of Bank vs Airspeed

The Piper Malibu PA-46-310P Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) figure 5-3 lists stall speeds corrected for aircraft bank angle. The stall speed for a Piper PA-46-310P at 4,100 lbs with gear and flaps down at 0 degrees angle of bank is 59 kts. With the same configuration, it shows the stall speed is 86 kts at 60 degrees of bank, and would have been higher at an angle of bank greater than 60 degrees. 

The "Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3A" provided the following information about accelerated stalls: 

"Though the stalls just discussed normally occur at a specific airspeed, the pilot must thoroughly understand that all stalls result solely from attempts to fly at excessively high angles of attack. During flight, the angle of attack of an airplane wing is determined by a number of factors, the most important of which are airspeed, the gross weight of the airplane, and the load factors imposed by maneuvering." 

"At the same gross weight, airplane configuration, and power setting, a given airplane will consistently stall at the same indicated airspeed if no acceleration is involved. The airplane will, however, stall at a higher indicated airspeed when excessive maneuvering loads are imposed by steep turns, pull-ups, or other abrupt changes in the flight path. Stalls entered from such flight situations are called 'accelerated maneuver stalls,' a term, which has no reference to the airspeeds involved." 

EAA AirVenture 2015 NOTAM

The EAA AirVenture 2015 NOTAM stated the following concerning landing approach at Oshkosh:

"A waiver has been issued reducing arrival and departure separation standards for category 1 and 2 aircraft (primarily single-engine and light twin-engine aircraft). 

Pilots should be prepared for a combination of maneuvers that may include a short approach with descending turns, followed by a touchdown at a point specified by ATC which may be almost halfway down the runway. Use extra caution to maintain a safe airspeed throughout the approach to landing." 

The NOTAM stated: "If a go-around is needed, notify ATC immediately for resequencing instructions." It also stated, "Maintain a safe airspeed and avoid low turns on landing approach." 

NTSB Identification: CEN15FA311
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, July 22, 2015 in Oshkosh, WI
Aircraft: PIPER PA-46-310P, registration: N4BP
Injuries: 3 Serious, 2 Minor.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report ha
s 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 22, 2015, about 0744 central daylight time, a Piper PA-46-310P single-engine airplane, N4BP, sustained substantial damage when it impacted runway 27 (6,179 ft by 150 ft, concrete) while landing at the Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The pilot and two passengers sustained serious injuries and two passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to DLM Holding Group LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport (BEH), Benton Harbor, Michigan, about 0730 eastern daylight time. 

The pilot reported that he departed BEH and overflew Kenosha, Burlington, Hartford, Ripon, and Fisk, Wisconsin. He then proceeded to fly the Fisk arrival procedures for runway 27 which were in use per the notice to airmen (NOTAM) for the EAA AirVenture 2015 air show at OSH. The pilot reported that he entered the right downwind leg for runway 27 at 1,800 ft and started to descend while maintaining 90 kts airspeed. He reported that he was instructed by air traffic control (ATC) to turn onto the base leg abeam the runway numbers and to land on the green dot (located about 2,500 ft from the runway 27 displaced threshold). After he started the base turn, he observed a twin-engine airplane taxi onto runway 27 and start its takeoff roll. The pilot reported that ATC instructed him to continue the approach and land on the orange dot (located about 1,000 ft from the runway 27 displaced threshold) instead of the green dot. The pilot continued the approach and about 250 to 300 ft above ground level, he pulled back on the power which resulted in the airplane entering a stall. The pilot attempted to recover by adding full power, but the airplane impacted the runway in a right wing, nose down attitude. 

Witnesses reported seeing the airplane during the downwind to base turn and enter a steep angle of bank with the right wing down. The right wing hit the runway which resulted in an explosion and fire with black smoke rising above the accident site. The right wing separated from the airplane and landed in the grass on the south side of the runway. The airplane skidded on its belly and came to rest on the left side of the runway about 250 ft from the initial impact point. The left wing was partially separated from the fuselage. A postimpact fire ensued on the separated right wing and under the partially separated left wing.

The pilot, the two passengers who were sitting in the middle seats, and the passenger sitting in the rear seat exited the airplane with some assistance from people who were near the accident site. The Crash Fire Rescue (CFR) personnel arrived at the scene and used foam to put out the fire. The passenger sitting in the copilot's seat was extracted from the wreckage by the CFR. All five survivors were taken to local hospitals for treatment. 

At 0740, the surface weather observation at OSH was: wind 250 degrees at 3 kts; visibility 10 miles; sky clear; temperature 19 degrees C; dew point 14 degrees C; altimeter 29.97 inches of mercury.





Five people aboard the plane and a bystander were hospitalized.

Neil F. Dill, 56, was upgraded to serious condition Saturday, July 25 at Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah, hospital spokesman JP Heim said.


Two other occupants of the plane, Kenneth Kaminski, 46, of Benton Harbor, Michigan, and his father, Gerald T. Kaminski, 71, were listed in good condition as of Friday morning.


The other two passengers, Margaret C. Laing, 30, and Nathan P. Gargano, 26, along with an unnamed bystander on the ground when the plane crashed, were treated and released Wednesday from Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh, hospital spokesman Geoffrey Huys said previously.



NTSB Identification: LAX02FA004B
Accident occurred Friday, October 12, 2001 in Van Nuys, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/13/2003
Aircraft: Piper PA-46-310P, registration: N4BP
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

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

A Piper Malibu, piloted by a private pilot, and a Piper Cherokee airplane, piloted by a student pilot on his third solo flight, collided on runway 16R at Van Nuys Airport, which is served by an air traffic control tower. The Cherokee was preparing for takeoff, and had been cleared to taxi into position and hold on the runway. The Malibu was on a visual approach and had been cleared to land on runway 16R. According to the Malibu pilot, during the landing roll he encountered the Cherokee on the runway despite his clearance to land. The accident occured shortly after sunset. During an interview with the air traffic controller (LC1) who was handling the aircraft, he indicated that he had instructed the Malibu to make a left base for runway 16R after the pilot made initial contact with the control tower. He then cleared a Hawker jet on final to land. The Cherokee pilot radioed that he was ready for departure when the Hawker jet on short final, and he instructed the pilot to hold short. According to LC!, as the Hawker jet rolled past intersection 13, the Cherokee was cleared into position and he advised the pilot of the position of the Malibu. He then observed the Cherokee. He did not clear the Cherokee for takeoff, but instructed the Cessna to follow the Malibu. LC1 was checking for extended landing gear o the Cessna on final, when someone shouted "You got a guy at 13. He said no one had mentioned the Cherokee prior to the accident. According to LC1, he believes this accident is the result of the human error, a lapse of memory and scanning. He acknowledged that he did not remember the Cherokee (holding) in position and hold on the runway. The investigation revealed an obstructed view of from the LC1 workstation. FAA Order 7110.65, para. 2-9-4(f) states: Do not authorize an aircraft to taxi into position and hold at an intersection between and sunrise or anytime when the intersection is not visible.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The failure of the air traffic controller to provide effective separation on the runway surface as specified in FAA Order 7110.65, Paragraph 3-9-6.

On October 12, 2001, at 1828 hours Pacific daylight time, a Piper "Cherokee" PA-28-140 , N15831, was involved in an on-ground collision with a Piper "Malibu" PA-46-301P, N4BP, on runway 16R at the Van Nuys Airport (VNY), Van Nuys, California. Neither one of the pilots were injured. Both aircraft were substantially damaged. Both airplanes were operated under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and neither aircraft was operating on a flight plan.

The Cherokee student pilot was preparing to depart on a local flight. He had been cleared to taxi into position and hold on runway 16R. The certificated private pilot of the Malibu had departed Whiteman Airport (WHP), Los Angeles, 6 miles northeast of VNY and was landing on runway 16R. According to the Malibu pilot, during the landing roll he encountered a small plane that was on the runway, despite his clearance to land.

According to the FAA partial transcript of radio communications (copy attached), at 1824:11 Van Nuys Air Traffic Control local tower controller (VNY ATC LCI) stated on tower frequency, "maibu four brovo papa roger number two follow a hawker jet short final additional traffic will depart prior to your arrivial wind calm runway one six right cleared to land. N4BP replied "six right cleared to land four bravo papa." LC1 then stated at 0124:47, "Cherokee eight three one traffic a Malibu three and a half mile base to final runway one six right taxi into position and hold thirteen." N15831 replied at 0124:54 "position a taxi into position and hold one five eight three one." At 0126:01 N4BP stated, four bravo papa on final." LCI stated at 0126:06, "Malibu four bravo papa runway one six right cleared to land wind calm." N4BP replied at 0126:10, "four bravo papa." AT 0127:58, LC1 stated, "(unitelligible) eight three (one)." At 0128:26 N18531 stated, "Cherokee one five eight three one." LC1 stated at 0128:28, "a Cherokee eight three one the crash equipments on the way you oh kay."

During the interview conducted with LC1, he classified the traffic at the time as light to moderate. He recalls that the ground controller verbally coordinated the intersection departure from taxiway 13F for the Cherokee aircraft. He heard the pilot of the Malibu call in "off Whiteman Field" and he instructed him to make a left base for runway 16R. He then cleared a Hawker jet on final to land. The Cherokee pilot radioed that he was ready for departure when the Hawker jet on short final, and he instructed the pilot to hold short. According to LOC, as the Hawker jet rolled past intersection 13, the Cherokee was cleared into position and advised the pilot of the position o the Malibu. He then observed the Cherokee. He did not clear the Cherokee for takeoff, but instructed the Cessna to follow the Malibu. LC1 was checking for extended landing gear o the Cessna on final, when someone shouted "You got a guy at 13. He said no one had mentioned the Cherokee prior to the accident. According to LC1, he believes this accident is the result of the human error, a lapse of memory and scanning. He acknowledged that he did not remember the Cherokee (holding) in position and hold on the runway.


PILOT INFORMATION

The pilot of the Cherokee was a student pilot on his third solo flight. According to his logbook he had 50 hours of total time.

The pilot of the Malibu held a private pilot certificate with an airplane multi-engine land rating. His Medical Certificate was Class 3, and the date of his most recent examination was March 27, 2001. He held the limitation of "Must wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision." And his certificate contained no waivers. His most recent bi-annual flight review took place June 13, 2002, in accident airplane N4BP. His total flight time in all aircraft was 989.7 hours, of which 739 were in single engine airplanes and 251 multiengine airplanes, all as pilot in command. He accrued 109.4 hours in the PA-46. He recorded a total of 140 hours of nighttime, and 72 and 70 flight hours in actual and simulated instrument conditions, respectively.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The Piper Malibu accumulated a total airframe of 4,300 flight hours and 200 hours since its last inspection, which was an Annual, taking place April 20, 2000. the airplane was powered by a Continental 550 reciprocating engine, rated at 300 hoursepower. Engine times and inspection history are not known.

The aircraft history of the Piper Cherokee was not determined.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

Following the accident a special weather observation was made by VNY, at 0138 UTC (universal coordinated time) or 1738 PST (pacific standard time; 1838 PDT/local time, 10 minutes after the accident): Winds from 110 degrees at 06 knots, visibility 4 statute miles, haze and smoke, cloud scattered at 20,000 feet temperature 26 degrees centigrade (79 Fahrenheit), dew point 08 degrees centigrade (46 Fahrenheit); remarks, "ACFT MISHAP." The accident occurred 4 minutes after official sunset.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Van Nuys Airport is served by two parallel runways: Runway 16R and 16L, Runway 16R is 8,001 feet long 150 feet wide, and has a displaced threshold with 6,571 feet available for landing beyond the threshold. Intersection 13F is located on the east side of runway 16R, where taxiway 13F meet the runway; it is an approximately 90 degree taxiway to runway intersection , located approximately (copy of the Airport Diagram Attached).

According to information obtained from the website for VNY, it is ranked as the world's busiest general aviation airport. VNY averages approximately one-half million takeoffs and landings annually, with 463,665 total operations in 2002 [and] The FAA Control Tower Operates between 6:00 a.m. and 10:45 p.m. daily."

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The collision aircraft collided on runway 16R at intersection of taxiway 13F. The Malibu came to a stop following the collision and both airplanes remained upright on their landing gear. The pilots of each exited and there was no fire. The Cherokee sustained damage to the fuselage, including dents in the aluminum skin from aft of the cabin to the vertical stabilizer. The vertical stabilizer was fractured away. Approximately 2 feet of the right wing, aft of the spar, was also fractured away. 

The Malibu sustained crushing and related fracture damage outboard of the left main landing gear, concentrated along leading edge of the wing.

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT

The LC1 workstation is located at the north corner of the cab affording the controller an unobstructed view of the final approach area and the norther portion of runway 16R. When standing at the LC1 position, a support post partially obscures the view of taxiway 13F, and the cab console obstructs the runway surface between 11G and 14G. Persons seated at the Local Control 2 or Ground Control positions, or standing behind the LC2 position also obscure the view. Controllers reproted that it is often necessary to walk across the cab when working LC1 in order to fully scan the runway. Visibility of both runways and final approach areas are unobstructed from the east side of the cab. Taxiway G between 10 and 14 is not visible from the seated position ot LC2 and GC.

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL PROCEDURE

FAA Order 7110.65, paragraph 3-9-4(f) Taxi into Position and Hold (TIPH) states:
Do not authorize an aircraft to taxi into position and hold at an intersection between sunset and sunrises or anytime when the intersection is not visible from the tower.