Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Piper PA-28-180 Archer, N57312, Flyers Inc: Fatal accident occurred October 13, 2015 near Palm Beach County Park Airport (KLNA), Florida

Dan Shalloway and Banny Galicia
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The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Miramar, Florida
Piper; Vero Beach, Florida
Lycoming Engines; Atlanta, Georgia 

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

Flyers Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N57312

NTSB Identification: ERA16FA012 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, October 13, 2015 in Lake Worth, FL
Aircraft: PIPER PA 28-180, registration: N57312
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

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

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 13, 2015, about 1733 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N57312, impacted a residential area in Lake Worth, Florida, during approach to Palm Beach County Park-Lantana Airport (LNA), Lantana, Florida. The private pilot and one person on the ground were fatally injured. The airplane was consumed by postimpact fire and destroyed. The airplane was owned by Flyers Inc., and was being operated by a private individual as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight had departed Kissimmee Gateway Airport (ISM), Kissimmee, Florida, with an intended destination of LNA.

Fueling records indicated that the airplane was then topped off with 20 gallons of 100-low-lead aviation gasoline before departing ISM for a flight to LNA, during which the pilot received flight-following services from air traffic control. Review of recordings of the airport's common traffic advisory frequency revealed that the pilot was 3 miles east of the airport and was going to enter the midfield left downwind leg for runway 15. The pilot then radioed that he was turning a left base leg for runway 15. No other communications were received from the pilot. Radar data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration showed a target correlated to be the accident airplane flying past the runway extended centerline and then making an S-turn before radar coverage was lost.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating, which was issued on May 4, 2012. He also held an FAA third-class medical certificate, issued September 23, 2015. At that time, he was 66 inches tall and weighed 180 pounds. He reported treatment for a kidney stone, a laceration repair, and hernia surgery as well as various minor ailments to the FAA. He reported the use of testosterone to treat a low testosterone level. His medical certificate was limited by a requirement to wear corrective lenses for distant vision and have glasses available for near vision.

At the time of the medical examination, the pilot reported 250 hours of total flight time.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The four-seat, low-wing, fixed-tricycle-gear airplane, serial number 28-7405042, was manufactured in 1973. It was powered by a Lycoming O-360, 180-horsepower engine and equipped with a two-bladed, fixed-pitch Sensenich propeller.

A review of maintenance records revealed that the airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on May 25, 2015. At that time, the airframe had accumulated 6,199 total flight hours and the engine had accumulated 1,320 flight hours since major overhaul.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The 1753 recorded weather observation at West Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), West Palm Beach, Florida, located about 4.5 miles north of the accident site, included wind from 140° at 13 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 5,000 ft, scattered clouds at 25,000 ft, temperature 28° C, dew point 21° C, and altimeter 29.91 inches of Mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The wreckage was examined at the accident site and again at a recovery facility. No readable cockpit instruments were recovered. Aileron control continuity was established from the control chain in the cockpit via aileron cables to their respective aileron bellcranks. The aileron cables had separated and exhibited broomstraw ends, and the bellcranks had separated from the wings. Rudder control continuity was confirmed from the rudder horn to the rudder bar. Stabilator control continuity was confirmed from the "T" bar to the balance weight. The stabilator trim system was not recovered and presumed destroyed by postimpact fire.

The two-bladed propeller remained attached to the engine. One blade was bent aft, was partially melted, and contained leading edge nicks, and the outboard half of the other propeller blade was consumed by fire.

The top spark plugs were removed from the engine, and the propeller was rotated by hand. Camshaft and crankshaft continuity to the rear accessory section was confirmed, and valve train continuity was confirmed to the Nos. 1 and 3 cylinders through rotation of the crankshaft. Due to impact and thermal damage, valve train continuity to the Nos. 2 and 4 cylinders was confirmed by visual inspection.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Office of the Medical Examiner, West Palm Beach, Florida, performed an autopsy on the pilot. The autopsy findings included multiple blunt force trauma and thermal injuries. The autopsy also identified heart enlargement and wall thickening and diffuse coronary artery disease with 75 percent stenosis in the left anterior descending and right coronary arteries and 25 percent stenosis of the left main and left circumflex coronary arteries. In addition, there was mild calcification of the mitral valve leaflets.

The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology testing on specimens from the pilot. The toxicology tests detected greater than 10% carbon monoxide in blood (heart) and greater than 2.51 (ug/ml) cyanide in blood (heart).




Dan Shalloway
~


Banny Galicia
~

NTSB Identification: ERA16FA012 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, October 13, 2015 in Lake Worth, FL
Aircraft: PIPER PA 28-180, registration: N57312
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

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


On October 13, 2015, about 1733 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N57312, impacted a residential area in Lake Worth, Florida, during approach to Palm Beach County Park-Lantana Airport (LNA), Lantana, Florida. The private pilot and one person on the ground were fatally injured. The airplane was consumed by postimpact fire and destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Kissimmee Gateway Airport, (ISM), Kissimmee, Florida, with an intended destination of LNA. The airplane was owned by Flyers Inc. and operated by a private individual as a personal flight in accordance with the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.


Preliminary information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the flight originated at LNA earlier during the day of the accident, and flew to ISM, where fueling records indicated that the airplane was fueled with 20 gallons of 100-low-lead aviation gasoline (top off). The flight departed ISM approximately 7 hours later for an intended landing back at LNA. The pilot received flight following from air traffic control to LNA and radioed on the common traffic advisory frequency that he was 3 miles east of the airport and going to enter a mid-field left downwind leg for runway 15. The pilot then radioed that he was turning a left base leg for runway 15 and no other communications were received from the pilot. A radar plot showed the airplane flying through the runway center line and then making an "S"-turn before radar coverage was lost. 

A witness observed the airplane flying overhead and watched as it made the "S"-turn, followed by a steep right 180-degree turn and descend into a mobile home park. He then saw smoke and fire where the airplane went down.

The wreckage was examined at the accident site and again at a recovery facility. No readable cockpit instruments were recovered. Aileron control continuity was established from the control chain in the cockpit, via aileron cables that were separated and exhibited broomstraw ends, to their respective aileron bellcranks, which had also separated from the wings. Rudder control continuity was confirmed from the rudder horn to the rudder bar. Stabilator control continuity was confirmed from the "T" bar to the balance weight. The stabilator trim system was not recovered and presumed destroyed by post impact fire.

The two-blade propeller remained attached to the engine. One blade was bent aft, partially melted and contained leading edge nicks, while the outboard half of the other propeller blade was consumed by fire. The top spark plugs were removed from the engine and the propeller was rotated by hand. Camshaft and crankshaft continuity were confirmed to the rear accessory section and valve train continuity was confirmed to the No. 1 and No. 3 cylinders. Due to impact and thermal damage, valve train continuity to the No. 2 and No. 4 cylinders were confirmed by visual inspection. 

According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land, which was issued on May 4, 2012. He also held an FAA third-class medical certificate, issued September 23, 2015. At the time of the medical examination the pilot reported 250 total hours of flight experience. 

The four-seat, low-wing, fixed tricycle gear airplane, serial number 28-7405042, was manufactured in 1973. It was powered by a Lycoming O-360, 180-horsepower engine, equipped with a two-blade fixed-pitch Sensenich propeller. Review of maintenance records revealed that the airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on May 25, 2015. At that time, the airframe had accumulated about 6,199 total hours of operation and the engine had accumulated 1,320 hours since major overhaul.

The 1753 recorded weather observation at West Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), West Palm Beach, Florida, located approximately 4.5 miles north of the accident location, included wind from 140 degrees, at 13 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 5000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet, temperature 28 degrees C, dew point 21 degrees C; barometric altimeter 29.91 inches of mercury.


Plane remnants 








Daniel Shalloway appears to have done all the right things Tuesday until, in a span of 14 seconds, his small plane sharply veered off course, turned on its side and dropped into Banny Galicia’s mobile home west of Lake Worth, killing both himself and the 21-year-old Palm Beach State College student.

What event — either mechanical or human — led to that critical moment when Shalloway’s Piper PA-28-180 Archer made its fatal turn?

Investigators might never find out. Whatever clues there are likely burned up with the plane.

Animated flight tracking software operated by the Boca Raton Municipal Airport — manufacturers warn it can’t be presumed 100 percent accurate, but airport officials say it’s very reliable — appears to show the plane’s final minutes.

The plane first appears in the animation at 5:28 p.m. and 49 seconds near Congress Avenue, just north of Forest Hill Boulevard. It travels south toward downtown Lake Worth, then turns northwest toward Palm Beach State College. Patterns of other flights doing the same thing suggest it’s preparing to swing around and land at the Lantana airport from the northwest.

But at 5:32:53, it turns sharply to the right; just 14 seconds later the little black airplane icon comes to a stop in the animation, right at the spot where the plane went down into the mobile park.

Surveillance video suggests the plane actually struck the mobile home from the west, suggesting it made some last-second turn that’s not seen in the flight tracking.

“Fourteen seconds to hit the ground; something happened,” said Steven Daiagi, president of the Aero Club, a “fly-in” community in Wellington.

A pilot who’s lined up on the Lantana runway, with the strip likely in sight, as Shalloway appears to have been, could glide to a landing if he ran out of gas, Daiagi said.

“It doesn’t make sense,” he said.

Daiagi said neighbors were friendly with Shalloway and described him as a seasoned pilot.

“Either something went terribly wrong with the plane and it lost power, or he (Shalloway) had a personal incident,” said Dave Freudenberg, a former Boca Raton City Council member and a small plane pilot since 1992.

“It’s possible that there was just what they call a ‘loss of control.’ The plane suddenly did something the pilot wasn’t expecting,” said Donna Wilt, an associate professor in the College of Aeronautics at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne. The college specializes in aviation.

She also said the pilot could have intentionally veered off to avoid another plane or because “he suddenly had an issue and was intentionally trying to turn right and break off the landing.” And she said a bird strike can’t be ruled out.

“Something happened right at that critical time,” Wilt said.

Daniel Boggs, the NTSB investigator, still was at the crash site Thursday, but wouldn’t be made available, agency spokesman Terry Williams said from Washington, D.C.

Asked about the disastrous final 14-second stretch, Williams said, “that’s one of the things we’re going to be looking at.”

He also said the agency was interviewing witnesses and pulling the plane’s maintenance records.

Williams stressed what the NTSB always does in such investigations: they could take months.

Boggs did tell reporters Wednesday at a briefing at the scene that investigators were trying to determine if Shalloway radioed air traffic controllers.

Unlike Palm Beach International Airport and the Boca Raton airport, both of which have staffed control towers, the Lantana Airport — official name: Palm Beach County Park Airport — “is all visual,” Freudenberg said. “You’re on your own. Find that little triangle yourself.”

But Daiagi said he’s certain that neither the Lantana airport, nor the volume of aircraft in Palm Beach County’s air space, had anything to do with Tuesday’s disaster.

“If planes crash into each other,” Daiagi said, “that would have something to do with busy air space. If planes fall out of the sky…”

The NTSB says zero people died in 2014 in commercial flight accidents, while nearly 500 died in small planes, and in those, loss of control was the most frequent cause.

“The general aviation industry has not seen the same improvements” as commercial airline operators, NTSB member Earl Weener said in a statement before a safety forum Wednesday in Washington D.C. about “loss of control” smalll plane crashes.

In the statement, George Perry, head of the Air Safety Institute for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which represents owners and pilots of small planes, said standards by which the Federal Aviation Administration tests pilots are “stuck in the 1970s.”

Data analyst Mike Stucka contributed to this story.

Source:  http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com







The co-founder of a Kissimmee tourist attraction died Tuesday in a South Florida plane crash, according to officials.

Dan Shalloway, 64, who helped open Machine Gun America last year, died when the plane he was flying crashed into a mobile home in Palm Beach County.

"Everyone at Machine Gun America is deeply saddened by the tragic events of [Tuesday] that took the life of our co-founder Dan Shalloway," a statement said. "Dan loved to fly, was an engineer by trade, actively involved in politics and passionate about his community."

Banny Galicia, a 21-year-old woman in the mobile home, was also killed, officials said.

Spokesman Alan Byrd said Shalloway was in town for a corporate event at Machine Gun America earlier this week and was flying back to his home in Palm Beach County.

The "very experienced pilot" took off from Kissimmee Gateway Airport and was heading to the Palm Beach County Park Airport, Byrd said.
Photos: Plane crashes in mobile home park

The plane was a single-engine Piper PA-28-180 owned by Flyers Inc. in Boynton Beach, according to Federal Aviation Administration records.

Shalloway had a private pilot's license issued in 2012, records show.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the plane crash. A cause for the crash was not immediately known.

According to the statement, Shalloway leaves behind a wife, Lisa; daughter, Gina; and son, Erik.

"All of us at Machine Gun America will deeply miss Dan," the statement read.

Loved boats, planes

Mike Erickson, owner of Canvas Designers in Riviera Beach, said he and Shalloway were friends since the 1990s.

He described Shalloway as a community-oriented man who loved restoring old boats and flying planes.

He found out about his friend's death Wednesday and said the news hasn't quite sunk in.

Shalloway adopted his daughter from Russia, said Erickson.

"When he first went to Russia and they met Gina, he just had a glow on his face," Erickson said. "He couldn't wait to bring her home. It was like he was reborn. He was just completely over himself about it, and he couldn't wait to get her back to the States."

According to his online biography, he was an associate adviser at Sperry Van Ness Florida Commercial Real Estate Advisors in Boynton Beach.

Shalloway was formerly a private-sector engineer who worked with Palm Beach County on water-management issues for many years. He was a founding member of Shalloway, Foy, Raman & Newell.

That agency broke up after a corruption scandal in 2006 involving his former partner, ex-county Commissioner Warren Newell.

New business venture

Machine Gun America, on U.S. Highway 192 in Kissimmee, opened in December.

Shalloway was instrumental in some of the engineering aspects of the business, according to Byrd.

It has 8-inch concrete walls with reinforced steel plates for safety.

"I think his impact at Machine Gun America will be felt for a long time," Byrd said.

The attraction allows guests to partake in shooting exercises such as "Zombie Apocalypse" and "Automatic Divas." People as young as 13 can shoot guns, but everyone, no matter what age, must be accompanied by a gun-safety instructor.

A man who answered the phone at Machine Gun America referred comment to Byrd. The attraction's co-founder, Robert Rubin, was not available for comment, Byrd said.

Source:  http://www.orlandosentinel.com












































































Free Bird Classic, N176FB: Fatal accident occurred October 12, 2015 in Kylertown, Cooper Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania

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

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

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

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

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Allegany, Pennsylvania 

Blair L. Murray: http://registry.faa.gov/N176FB

NTSB Identification: ERA16LA010
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, October 12, 2015 in Kylertown, PA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/01/2017
Aircraft: MURRAY BLAIR L FREE BIRD CLASSIC, registration: N176FB
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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

The private pilot/owner had recently completed the experimental, amateur-built airplane and was conducting the first test flight. The pilot had completed two circuits around his private airstrip before witnesses saw the airplane approaching to land. While on final approach about 50-100 ft above the ground, the airplane suddenly descended and impacted terrain. Of the three witnesses who saw the accident, two stated that the airplane nosed over to ground contact, and one stated that the left wing dropped before the airplane nosed over. Two other individuals heard the engine “rev up” before impact but did not observe the accident. The airplane impacted terrain short of the runway in a nearly vertical, nose-down attitude and sustained extensive damage to the engine, fuselage, wings, and empennage. The tail of the airplane was twisted and bent forward over the fuselage, and there did not appear to be any forward momentum of the airplane at impact, consistent with an aerodynamic stall/spin. The witness accounts of the airplane’s nose or wing dropping were also consistent with entry into a stall/spin. Given that the accident flight was the pilot’s first flight in the airplane, he was likely unfamiliar with its flight characteristics, and, during the approach for landing, the pilot allowed the airspeed to decay. The airplane subsequently exceeded its critical angle of attack and entered an aerodynamic stall/spin.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during approach for landing, which resulted in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall/spin. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of flight experience in the accident airplane make and model.




On October 12, 2015, at 1835 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Free Bird Classic airplane, N176FB, was destroyed while maneuvering to land at the pilot's private airstrip near Kylertown, Pennsylvania. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions existed near the accident site at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the private airstrip about 1815.

The pilot's son stated that his father had recently built the airplane and this was his first flight. Several witnesses heard the airplane flying circuits around the private airstrip. One witness said the airplane was preparing to land and was about 50 ft above the ground in a level flight attitude when it suddenly nosed over. The witness did not see the impact but heard the crash and immediately responded to the site. Another witness said the airplane made two circuits around the airstrip and was coming into land. While on final approach in a level attitude, at an altitude of about 100 ft above the ground, the right wing suddenly "flipped up" about 90 degrees and the airplane descended toward the ground. The witness did not see the impact, but heard the engine rev up just before the airplane hit the ground. Other witnesses also heard the engine rev up before impact.

The airplane came to rest on a road in a steep, nose-down attitude about 500 yds short of the runway. There was no post-impact fire. A review of photos taken by law enforcement shortly after the accident revealed the cockpit and fuselage were crushed, and both wings and the empennage were damaged. The empennage, including the tail control surfaces, were twisted and bent forward over the fuselage.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed a postaccident examination of the wreckage. He stated that the left wing, engine, and the right wing fuel-tank had separated from the airframe and the right wing was "torn apart" which prohibited a complete examination of the flight control system. There were no flight-data recording avionics installed in the airplane. A review of the maintenance logbooks revealed that the FAA issued the airplane a special airworthiness certificate on August 27, 2015. At that time, the airplane had "0" hours.

The 83-year old pilot held a private pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land and was a certified repairman, experimental-aircraft builder. A review of his logbook revealed he had a total of 682 flight hours and had completed a flight review with a flight instructor on September 16, 2015. The pilot's last FAA third-class medical certificate was issued in 2005.

An autopsy was conducted by the J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital Laboratory. The cause of death was reported as blunt force trauma. The FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute performed forensic toxicology testing on specimens from the pilot, and the results were negative for all items tested.

Weather reported at Clearfield-Lawrence Airport (FIG), Clearfield, Pennsylvania, about 17 miles west of the accident site at 1855, was wind variable at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, and clear skies.

NTSB Identification: ERA16LA010 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, October 12, 2015 in Kylertown, PA
Aircraft: MURRAY BLAIR L FREE BIRD CLASSIC, registration: N176FB
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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

On October 12, 2015, at 1835 eastern daylight time, an amateur-built Free Bird Classic airplane, N176FB, sustained substantial damage while maneuvering over the pilot's private airstrip near Kylertown, Pennsylvania. The private pilot was fatally injured. The light-sport airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions existed near the accident site at the time of the accident, and no visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the private airstrip at an unknown time.

In a statement to the Pennsylvania State Police, the pilot's son stated that his father had recently built the airplane and this was his first flight. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had certified the airplane about three weeks before the accident.

Several witnesses heard the airplane flying in the vicinity of the private airstrip. One witness stated that he saw the airplane on its second pass over the airstrip. He said that when the airplane disappeared from view, he heard the engine rev up and then the sound of a bang. A second witness saw the airplane dip to one side before it disappeared from his view, followed by the sound of the engine revving up and then a bang. A third witness said the airplane seemed to be flying at an angle, as if there was a lot of wind pushing the tail away from the runway.

The airplane impacted a road in a nose-down attitude about 500 yards short of the runway. There was no post-impact fire. 

The airplane was retained for further examination. BLAIR L. MURRAY: http://registry.faa.gov/N176FB

NTSB Identification: ERA16LA010 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, October 12, 2015 in Kylertown, PA
Aircraft: MURRAY BLAIR L FREE BIRD CLASSIC, registration: N176FB
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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

On October 12, 2015, at 1835 eastern daylight time, an amateur-built Free Bird Classic airplane, N176FB, sustained substantial damage while maneuvering over the pilot's private airstrip near Kylertown, Pennsylvania. The private pilot was fatally injured. The light-sport airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions existed near the accident site at the time of the accident, and no visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the private airstrip at an unknown time.

In a statement to the Pennsylvania State Police, the pilot's son stated that his father had recently built the airplane and this was his first flight. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had certified the airplane about three weeks before the accident.

Several witnesses heard the airplane flying in the vicinity of the private airstrip. One witness stated that he saw the airplane on its second pass over the airstrip. He said that when the airplane disappeared from view, he heard the engine rev up and then the sound of a bang. A second witness saw the airplane dip to one side before it disappeared from his view, followed by the sound of the engine revving up and then a bang. A third witness said the airplane seemed to be flying at an angle, as if there was a lot of wind pushing the tail away from the runway.

The airplane impacted a road in a nose-down attitude about 500 yards short of the runway. There was no post-impact fire. 

The airplane was retained for further examination.

FAA Flight Standards District Office:  FAA Allegheny PFSDO-03

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

Police say one man is dead after he crashed in his ultralight plane on Rolling Stone Road near Kylertown.

The coroner says this plane had actually been certified just three weeks ago, but tonight, it crashed just down the street from the pilot's home, killing him.

"It looked like he was going to land and then he just nose-dived and I heard the smack on the road," says neighbor Triston Kelly.

Police say Blair Murray, 83, Kylertown, took his last flight around 6:30 p.m. on Monday, crashing on Rolling Stone Road not far from his private runway.

"I jumped on my four-wheeler and I went down to the scene," says Kelly. "We only moved part of the wing out of the way and another gentleman checked his pulse."

Kelly says he was one of a few neighbors who rushed to help, but Murray, who was seat-belted into the ultralight plane, was unconscious.

"I heard a bang but I thought it was a backfire," says neighbor Richard Jones. "His landing strip was right over there going that direction, going toward the west, and he always takes off out through the pasture."

Neighbors near Kylertown say Murray and his planes were a familiar sight for years. Jones says he seemed to get more into his hobby after retiring from Penelec.

"He would get permission and he would give kids rides," says Jones. "Chances are it's one he built. I don't think he ever really bought a plane. ...He would get a kit, send away, from my understanding."

"He was always flying. He loved to fly. Everyone knew that it was Blair when we saw a small airplane flying over," says Kelly.

Now, they can't believe he's gone.

"Very generous, good Christian man who would do anything for anyone," says Kelly.

"Good neighbor, good Christian man, good family man," says Jones.

State police cleared the scene late tonight and we're told the "Freebird Classic" plane has been taken to a secure location to be looked over by the FAA.

Coroner Mike Morris says an autopsy is set for 2 p.m. on Tuesday at J.C. Blair in Huntingdon.  He says Murray was pronounced dead around 7 p.m. and that Murray as a pilot had also recently been certified.

Source:  http://www.wearecentralpa.com




KYLERTOWN, Pa. -- State Police are investigating after a deadly plane crash in Clearfield County.

State Police say 83-year-old Blair Murray of Kylertown died Monday night when his ultralight plane crashed on Rolling Stone Road in Cooper Township. 

A friend of Murray's says while he will miss him, he finds comfort in knowing he died doing what he loved. 

"That was him. Anybody that knew Blair Murray knew this is exactly what he wanted to do. He wanted to fly airplanes," says friend, Thomas Shirey. 

Police say the crash happened at 6:40 p.m. Monday. Shirey heard the crash happen.

 "I just got home from work. I looked up and heard him flying. It was a bit of a crosswind and I don't know if that had anything to do with it but when I looked up, he was flying on an angle," says Shirey. "He flew around twice on an angle and I'm like something ain't right." 

Right now it's unclear why Murray crashed but police say the plane came down right on the road. 

It's a very rural area but several houses are nearby. 

Shirey says Murray's loss will be felt throughout the community. "There's not anybody in this town that would have anything bad to say about him. He's a great loss to the community but if I was him, I'd be happy going that way. He died doing what he loved to do."

Police are investigating. We're told the FAA has been called as well. 

Clearfield County Coroner Mike Morris says Murray was an experienced pilot and there's no reason to believe the cause of the crash was pilot or aircraft error.

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday at 2 p.m.

Source: http://www.wjactv.com