Thursday, November 05, 2015

Bell 206B JetRanger, N22743, registered to and operated by Applebee Aviation: Accident occurred November 02, 2015 in Dallas, Polk County, Oregon

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

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Hillsboro, Oregon
Rolls Royce; Indianapolis, Indiana
Bell Helicopter; Euless, Texas

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/N22743

Location: Dallas, OR
Accident Number: WPR16LA020
Date & Time: 11/02/2015, 1424 PST
Registration: N22743
Aircraft: BELL 206B
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (partial)
Injuries: 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Analysis

The commercial pilot of the helicopter reported that, after he released the external load of trees in the loading zone and about 50 ft above ground level, it seemed like the engine experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot stated that he heard an abnormal noise as the helicopter began to spin to the right, and the low rotor rpm warning light illuminated. The pilot jettisoned the external load line and rolled the throttle toward a closed position in order to counteract the yawing motion, with no response noted. The pilot then initiated an autorotation; during the landing sequence, the helicopter impacted a tree and came to rest upright in a nose-high position. The pilot further stated that, after the helicopter came to rest, he noted that the engine was at a "very slow idle" and he had to shut down the engine. Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The engine was removed and installed in an engine test cell and ran throughout various power settings.

The airframe fuel filter was removed. The filter element was almost black. The fuel removed was dark, and debris was observed within the fuel filter bowl. The fuel sample from the filter housing was tested and found to be within Jet A specifications. The debris noted within the sample contained various metals, the source of which could not be determined. Given that fuel was found throughout the fuel system, it is unlikely that the debris in the filter resulted in a blockage and restriction of fuel flow; however, the reason for the partial loss of engine power could not be determined. 

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information. 

Findings

Not determined
Not determined - Unknown/Not determined (Cause)

Factual Information 

On November 2, 2015, about 1424 Pacific standard time, a Bell 206B, N22743, was substantially damaged during an autorotation landing following a partial loss of engine power near Dallas, Oregon. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Applebee Aviation under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 133. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the helicopter, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the external load flight. The local flight originated from a staging area about 15 minutes prior to the accident.

The pilot reported that prior to the accident flight; the helicopter was refueled with 30 gallons of Jet-A fuel. The pilot departed from a staging area and began lifting Christmas trees from a field to a nearby loading zone. The pilot stated that after about 5 or 10 loads, he released a load of trees in the loading zone and shortly after, it seemed like the engine went to a reduced power setting at an altitude of about 50 feet above ground level. He further stated that he heard an abnormal noise originate from the helicopter as the helicopter began to spin to the right along with an illumination of a low rotor RPM light. The pilot jettisoned the external load line and rolled the throttle towards a closed position in order to counteract the yawing motion, with no response noted. The pilot initiated an autorotation and during the landing sequence, the helicopter impacted a tree. Subsequently, the helicopter came to rest upright in a nose high position. The pilot further stated that after the helicopter came to rest, he noted that the engine was at a "very slow idle" and he had to shut off the engine.

Postaccident examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the tailboom forward of the tailrotor gearbox was twisted about 90o. The helicopter was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

On December 2, 2015, the recovered helicopter was examined at the facilities of AvTech Inc., Auburn, Washington, by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge and representatives from Rolls Royce and Bell Helicopters. The examination revealed that the skids were removed to facilitate wreckage transport. Flight control continuity was established throughout the airframe to the main rotor head and aft to the tailrotor. An area of impact damage was observed just forward of the tailrotor gearbox. Continuity of the engine controls was established from the cockpit controls to the engine. The airframe fuel filter was removed. The filter element was dark, almost black in color. The fuel removed was dark in color (charcoal looking). Debris was observed within the fuel filter bowl. Samples of the debris and fuel were retained. Power was applied to the helicopter, and the fuel boost pumps were turned on. Fuel expelled out of the engine supply fuel lines. A sample was taken, and the fuel appeared to be fairly clear in color with no debris noted. Visual inspection of the fuel tanks revealed that about 10 to 20 gallons of fuel was present.

The engine was visually intact and all fuel and air lines appeared to be secure. N1 and N2 rotated freely and continuity was established throughout the engine to the gearbox. The engine fuel filter was removed from its housing, and a fuel sample was collected. The fuel was dark in color and contained an unknown sediment inside. The filter was dark in color. The fuel from the fuel nozzle supply line was captured and was found clear in color.

The engine was removed and subsequently shipped to Rolls Royce for further inspection. Fuel samples were retained and sent for subsequent testing.

On April 6, 2016, the engine was further examined at the facilities of Rolls Royce, Indianapolis, Indiana. The engine was placed on an engine stand, and visually examined. Compressed air was applied to the port where the PC Line connects to the compressor scroll. Air was found leaking from the PC line that connects to the fuel control unit. The engine was subsequently installed in an engine test cell and run for about 90 minutes throughout various power settings. During a governor droop test, when the load was removed from the engine to test the governor's ability to maintain RPM, N2 RPM increased to the limit for the test cell. Throughout the engine run, the engine produced rated power at cruise flight and takeoff power settings.

The power turbine governor and fuel control unit were removed and subsequently examined at the facilities of Honeywell, Inc., South Bend, Indiana, under the supervision of an NTSB investigator. The investigator reported that the bench tests of the power turbine governor revealed the unit was "sluggish" however, would not result in a loss of engine power. The fuel control unit was placed on a test bench and functioned normally.

The fuel sample from the fuel filter housing from the accident helicopter was submitted to a third-party laboratory for analysis. There was a small amount of unknown debris visible in the sample. Three tests, including Freezing Point; Flashpoint and Distillation were performed on the fuel sample. All tests were found to be within specification for Jet A fuel. The debris was retained and sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for further examination. The testing results for the debris found higher elemental levels of calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), nickel (Ni), potassium (K), silver (Ag) and zinc (Zn). The source of the debris could not be determined.

History of Flight

Maneuvering-low-alt flying
Loss of engine power (partial) (Defining event)

Autorotation
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 26, Male
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 10/29/2015
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 08/29/2015
Flight Time:  800 hours (Total, all aircraft), 600 hours (Total, this make and model), 750 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 78 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 6 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 3 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: BELL
Registration: N22743
Model/Series: 206B B
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate:  Normal
Serial Number: 3624
Landing Gear Type: Skid;
Seats:
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 09/25/2015, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3201 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 55 Hours
Engines: 1 Turbo Shaft
Airframe Total Time: 18443.3 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Rolls Royce
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: 250-C20B
Registered Owner: APPLEBEE AVIATION INC
Rated Power: hp
Operator: APPLEBEE AVIATION INC
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Rotorcraft External Load (133) 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KMMV, 159 ft msl
Observation Time: 2228 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 16 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 45°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Temperature/Dew Point: 14°C / 8°C
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 6500 ft agl
Visibility:  4 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 5 knots, 230°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 29.93 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration:  Light - Rain; No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Dallas, OR
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Dallas, OR
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1411 PST
Type of Airspace: Class G 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Minor

Latitude, Longitude: 45.006944, -123.401944 (est)



NTSB Identification: WPR16LA020
14 CFR Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Accident occurred Monday, November 02, 2015 in Dallas, OR
Aircraft: BELL 206B, registration: N22743
Injuries: 1 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 may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On November 2, 2015, about 1424 Pacific standard time, a Bell 206B, N22743, was substantially damaged during an autorotation landing following a partial loss of engine power near Dallas, Oregon. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Applebee Aviation, Banks, Oregon, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 133. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the helicopter, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the external load operations flight. The local flight originated from a staging area nearby the accident site about 15 minutes prior to the accident.

The pilot reported that prior to the accident flight the helicopter was refueled with 30 gallons of Jet-A fuel. The pilot departed from a staging area and began lifting Christmas trees from a field to a nearby loading zone. The pilot stated that after about 5 or 10 loads, he released a load of trees in the loading zone and shortly after, it seemed like the engine went to a reduced power setting at an altitude of about 50 feet above ground level. He further stated that he heard an abnormal noise originate from the helicopter as the helicopter began to spin to the right along with an illumination of a low rotor RPM light. The pilot jettisoned the external load line and rolled the throttle towards a closed position in order to counteract the yawing motion, with no response noted. The pilot initiated an autorotation and during the landing sequence, the helicopter impacted a tree. Subsequently, the helicopter came to rest upright in a nose high position. 

Postaccident examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the tailboom forward of the tailrotor gearbox was twisted about 90-degrees. The helicopter was recovered to a secure location for further examination. The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Hillsboro, Oregon
Rolls Royce; Indianapolis, Indiana
Bell Helicopter; Euless, Texas 

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

Registered Owner: Applebee Aviation


Operator:  Applebee Aviation

http://registry.faa.gov/N22743

NTSB Identification: WPR16LA020 
14 CFR Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Accident occurred Monday, November 02, 2015 in Dallas, OR
Aircraft: BELL 206B, registration: N22743
Injuries: 1 Minor.

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 November 2, 2015, about 1424 Pacific standard time, a Bell 206B, N22743, was substantially damaged during an autorotation landing following a partial loss of engine power near Dallas, Oregon. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Applebee Aviation under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 133. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the helicopter, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the external load flight. The local flight originated from a staging area about 15 minutes prior to the accident.

The pilot reported that prior to the accident flight; the helicopter was refueled with 30 gallons of Jet-A fuel. The pilot departed from a staging area and began lifting Christmas trees from a field to a nearby loading zone. The pilot stated that after about 5 or 10 loads, he released a load of trees in the loading zone and shortly after, it seemed like the engine went to a reduced power setting at an altitude of about 50 feet above ground level. He further stated that he heard an abnormal noise originate from the helicopter as the helicopter began to spin to the right along with an illumination of a low rotor RPM light. The pilot jettisoned the external load line and rolled the throttle towards a closed position in order to counteract the yawing motion, with no response noted. The pilot initiated an autorotation and during the landing sequence, the helicopter impacted a tree. Subsequently, the helicopter came to rest upright in a nose high position. The pilot further stated that after the helicopter came to rest, he noted that the engine was at a "very slow idle" and he had to shut off the engine.

Postaccident examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the tailboom forward of the tailrotor gearbox was twisted about 90o. The helicopter was recovered to a secure location for further examination. 

On December 2, 2015, the recovered helicopter was examined at the facilities of AvTech Inc., Auburn, Washington, by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge and representatives from Rolls Royce and Bell Helicopters. The examination revealed that the skids were removed to facilitate wreckage transport. Flight control continuity was established throughout the airframe to the main rotor head and aft to the tailrotor. An area of impact damage was observed just forward of the tailrotor gearbox. Continuity of the engine controls was established from the cockpit controls to the engine. The airframe fuel filter was removed. The filter element was dark, almost black in color. The fuel removed was dark in color (charcoal looking). Debris was observed within the fuel filter bowl. Samples of the debris and fuel were retained. Power was applied to the helicopter, and the fuel boost pumps were turned on. Fuel expelled out of the engine supply fuel lines. A sample was taken, and the fuel appeared to be fairly clear in color with no debris noted. Visual inspection of the fuel tanks revealed that about 10 to 20 gallons of fuel was present.

The engine was visually intact and all fuel and air lines appeared to be secure. N1 and N2 rotated freely and continuity was established throughout the engine to the gearbox. The engine fuel filter was removed from its housing, and a fuel sample was collected. The fuel was dark in color and contained an unknown sediment inside. The filter was dark in color. The fuel from the fuel nozzle supply line was captured and was found clear in color. 

The engine was removed and subsequently shipped to Rolls Royce for further inspection. Fuel samples were retained and sent for subsequent testing.

On April 6, 2016, the engine was further examined at the facilities of Rolls Royce, Indianapolis, Indiana. The engine was placed on an engine stand, and visually examined. Compressed air was applied to the port where the PC Line connects to the compressor scroll. Air was found leaking from the PC line that connects to the fuel control unit. The engine was subsequently installed in an engine test cell and run for about 90 minutes throughout various power settings. During a governor droop test, when the load was removed from the engine to test the governor's ability to maintain RPM, N2 RPM increased to the limit for the test cell. Throughout the engine run, the engine produced rated power at cruise flight and takeoff power settings. 

The power turbine governor and fuel control unit were removed and subsequently examined at the facilities of Honeywell, Inc., South Bend, Indiana, under the supervision of an NTSB investigator. The investigator reported that the bench tests of the power turbine governor revealed the unit was "sluggish" however, would not result in a loss of engine power. The fuel control unit was placed on a test bench and functioned normally.


The fuel sample from the fuel filter housing from the accident helicopter was submitted to a third-party laboratory for analysis. There was a small amount of unknown debris visible in the sample. Three tests, including Freezing Point; Flashpoint and Distillation were performed on the fuel sample. All tests were found to be within specification for Jet A fuel. The debris was retained and sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for further examination. The testing results for the debris found higher elemental levels of calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), nickel (Ni), potassium (K), silver (Ag) and zinc (Zn). The source of the debris could not be determined.

NTSB Identification: WPR16LA020
14 CFR Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Accident occurred Monday, November 02, 2015 in Dallas, OR
Aircraft: BELL 206B, registration: N22743
Injuries: 1 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 may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On November 2, 2015, about 1424 Pacific standard time, a Bell 206B, N22743, was substantially damaged during an autorotation landing following a partial loss of engine power near Dallas, Oregon. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Applebee Aviation, Banks, Oregon, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 133. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the helicopter, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the external load operations flight. The local flight originated from a staging area nearby the accident site about 15 minutes prior to the accident.

The pilot reported that prior to the accident flight the helicopter was refueled with 30 gallons of Jet-A fuel. The pilot departed from a staging area and began lifting Christmas trees from a field to a nearby loading zone. The pilot stated that after about 5 or 10 loads, he released a load of trees in the loading zone and shortly after, it seemed like the engine went to a reduced power setting at an altitude of about 50 feet above ground level. He further stated that he heard an abnormal noise originate from the helicopter as the helicopter began to spin to the right along with an illumination of a low rotor RPM light. The pilot jettisoned the external load line and rolled the throttle towards a closed position in order to counteract the yawing motion, with no response noted. The pilot initiated an autorotation and during the landing sequence, the helicopter impacted a tree. Subsequently, the helicopter came to rest upright in a nose high position. 

Postaccident examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the tailboom forward of the tailrotor gearbox was twisted about 90-degrees. The helicopter was recovered to a secure location for further examination.



This photograph of a helicopter spraying herbicides is among hundreds whistleblower Darryl Ivy released after a month working for Applebee Aviation driving trucks and handling pesticides on Seneca Jones Timber Company sites. 

Buxton-based Applebee Aviation got more bad news Tuesday, Nov. 3, when the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) revoked its commercial pesticide operator license and fined the company $160,000 after an investigation revealed it had continued aerial pesticide applications even after the license was suspended by ODA Sept. 25.

“Mr. Applebee has demonstrated that he will ignore or fail to comply with any or all pesticide application requirements if compliance would cost him money,” stated an official notice from ODA to Applebee.

The new civil penalty of $160,000 against the company is in addition to a civil penalty of $20,000 issued to company owner Michael Applebee, who is a licensed pesticide applicator. ODA is suspending both the company’s operator license and Michael Applebee’s applicator license for five years.

ODA initially suspended Applebee’s license Sept. 25, 2015, for performing aerial herbicide application activities in a faulty, careless or negligent manner. It also gave the company a $1,100 civil penalty at the same time.

But Applebee continued to conduct application activities after Sept. 25, despite the suspended license, prompting ODA to get a temporary restraining order from Washington County Circuit Court on Oct. 11, and to issue a $40,000 civil penalty and a one-year license suspension.

The latest ODA investigation revealed the company performed 16 separate pesticide applications on private, state and federal forest lands between Sept. 26 and Oct. 2, in violation of its suspended license.

Applications took place on private forest land in Douglas and Lane counties, on state forest land in Clatsop County and on Bureau of Land Management land in Lake County, according to the ODA’s notice to Applebee.

The applications on BLM land on Oct. 1 and 2 took place after Mike Applebee and Applebee Aviation’s operation manager Warren Howe asked for and were denied permission from the ODA to perform the operation.

“Mr. Applebee stated that the contract [with BLM] was worth three million dollars and that he felt pressure to complete the job despite the fact that the Applebee Aviation’s CPO [Commercial Pesticide Operator] license was suspended,” the ODA’s notice said.

Although company owner Michael Applebee did not conduct any of the applications, ODA has moved to suspend his applicator’s license and issue a $20,000 civil penalty because of his lead role in making the decision to conduct application with a suspended license.

“Issuing $180,000 in civil penalties and five-year license revocations against Applebee Aviation underscores how serious the Oregon Department of Agriculture considers the violations that have taken place,” says ODA Director Katy Coba.

“We take all violations of the state’s pesticide law seriously. The fact that this operator knowingly and willfully continued to conduct pesticide applications 16 times after receiving a suspended license shows contempt for state regulations and our department. We cannot and will not tolerate such disregard for the law by which all pesticide operators are expected to live by.”

ODA’s regulatory action is being appealed by Applebee Aviation, which has the right to contest it through an administrative hearing.

Applebee Aviation’s week began poorly with a with a helicopter crash in Polk County Monday, Nov. 2, during a tree harvesting operation. According to witnesses, the helicopter suffered engine failure. The pilot, identified as Blaine Hayes, was uninjured. He refused medical care and left the scene, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

“The employees from Applebee Aviation who were at the scene then loaded into two vehicles and left prior to deputies from Polk County Sheriff’s Office arriving on scene,” the release said.

“At this point it is unknown why employees of the aviation company left the scene of the accident so quickly after refusing medical assistance.”

The crash — the fifth in as many years involving Applebee Aviation aircraft — is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

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

LAX's air traffic controllers are exhausted; overtime's up 2,000% in last decade



A record 70.6 million passengers a year now pass through Los Angeles International Airport as it undergoes a multibillion-dollar "world class" modernization.

Passenger terminals, like Tom Bradley International, are being remodeled with upscale shopping and dining. Runways are being refurbished, and public transit is finally on the way.

But high up in the control tower of the nation's second-busiest airport, the outlook is not so good. Air traffic controllers are working longer and harder than ever to safely handle the enormous volume of aircraft that arrives and departs at this prominent West Coast gateway.

Overtime is soaring and serious staff shortages loom despite warnings issued in 2009 by the inspector general for the U.S. Transportation Department.

The dropout rate for trainees has been as high as 60%, and many controllers routinely work more than five days a week, raising concerns about fatigue. The situation has become so bad even seasoned professionals seek reassignment to less stressful airports.
  
"It's gotten worse," said Mike Foote, an LAX air traffic controller and local representative of the National Air Traffic Controllers Assn. "We are not saying the sky is falling or an accident is imminent. But fatigue is a real thing. We are tired, and we have been grinding this out for years. It is in the best interest of everyone, especially the flying public, that the staffing and overtime issues get resolved."

Federal Aviation Administration officials said they share the controllers' concerns and that steps are being taken at LAX and facilities across the country to attract and train additional personnel. Several rounds of hiring have occurred during the last two years, they added, and more recruitment drives are planned.

The controllers association said some of the most acute staff shortages are at five air traffic control centers that guide aircraft into several dozen major airports. They include Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson, Chicago O'Hare, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Houston Intercontinental as well as La Guardia and John F. Kennedy in New York.

But LAX is "in worse shape than a lot of the facilities we have concerns about because of the complexity of the traffic," said Patricia Gilbert, executive vice president of the controllers association. "You just can't take an academy graduate and expect him or her to qualify in a complicated tower like LAX's."

The FAA and union leaders attribute most of the problem at LAX to three major things: deep congressional budget cuts, an unexpectedly heavy rate of retirements and the complexities of maneuvering hundreds of commercial planes a day — from regional carriers to international jumbo jets — around a relatively small, 3,500-acre airfield surrounded by urban development.

Though staffing numbers can be fluid, LAX now has 39 fully certified controllers and 11 trainees who were credentialed at other airports but need to learn local procedures. Foote says 19 controllers are eligible to retire or are awaiting retirement dates. Three others could become supervisors.

According to the association and the inspector general's 2009 audit, the number of fully certified air traffic controllers at LAX has dropped from 45 in 2004. Meanwhile, overtime has continued to climb, from 5,866 hours in fiscal year 2008 to 13,396 hours in fiscal 2015. There were 606 hours of overtime in 2006.

The vast majority of extra hours, Foote said, are absorbed by fully certified controllers, many of whom have been putting in at least 40 six-day workweeks a year.

The annual salary of a typical controller is about $122,500, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, with overtime paid at time and a half.

Reports by the federal Government Accountability Office and the National Transportation Safety Board show that high levels of overtime and understaffing at air traffic control facilities have potential implications for aviation safety and the efficient handling of the multimillion-dollar aircraft they guide.

The NTSB has found that errors by tired controllers have contributed to serious runway incursions, where planes stray too close to where others might be moving. If staffing levels decline enough, it could at least lead to slowdowns in airport operations and trigger delays for travelers.

Foote believes that 52 certified controllers, plus 10 trainees, would be adequate to staff LAX around the clock. He said they are necessary given a dramatic surge in air traffic, modernization projects on the airfield that require more ground control and the wider use of very large passenger jets that need special procedures to move safely around the airport.

LAX, which has experienced a 5% to 6% annual growth rate due to a resurgent economy, now handles about 9 million more passengers a year than in 2005.

During the summer, daily arrivals and departures on the airport's four runways regularly exceed 2,000. This fall, flights have been reaching 1,800 to 1,900 a day, at least 28% more than in 2009.

Controllers oversee it all from a centralized 22-story tower, which has a 360-degree view of the airport. They work eight-hour shifts — morning, swing and graveyard.

During the busiest times of day, controllers must handle about 120 to 130 aircraft an hour, or one about every 30 seconds. The busiest times are 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. The slowest are 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.

In addition to the rising workload, Foote said there are other disincentives for controllers to remain at LAX or to transfer there, including better pay and lower costs of living in other parts of the country.

"I am sending out all the paperwork I can, trying to leave," said one 20-year controller, who would speak only on condition that his name not be used for fear of upsetting his supervisors. "Let's say the atmosphere at LAX offers a lesser quality of life and I'm tired of the work schedule."

The controller said he has been placed on mandatory overtime, which means he must work extra hours when needed. He estimated that he has put in 35 to 38 six-day workweeks so far this year. During the busy summer months, he said, all controllers were on mandatory overtime.

"I've never seen it like this," he said.

To attract more controllers to openings at LAX, FAA officials say they have streamlined training and installed an air traffic control simulator in the tower. Applicants must be certified as controllers at other airports before they can enter LAX's training program — a policy designed to avoid the high failure rate encountered with inexperienced trainees.

There are also cash incentives, and controllers who move from other local airports to LAX are now allowed to transfer back if they can't complete the training.

"All are successful and helpful things, but they are limited in scope," Foote said. "LAX is a difficult facility to staff due to the complexity of airport operations and personnel shortages. With the constant grind day in and day out, air traffic controllers are not willing to do it after a while and we lose trained professionals. This is spreading throughout the entire air traffic control system."

Nationally, the ranks of certified controllers are at a 27-year low. Since September 2012, the number of fully certified staff has declined from 11,735 to 10,859, of which 3,257 are eligible to retire this year.

However, the FAA was 34% below its hiring goal for 2015 — the fifth straight year it has missed its numbers.

"People are generally retiring sooner rather than later and in higher numbers than the FAA expected. They are saying they just can't work like this anymore," said Gilbert.

Contributing to the problem were automatic spending cuts triggered by Congress' Budget Control Act of 2011 that later become known as the 2013 sequestration. That austerity move forced the agency to shut down its air traffic control academy for nine months.

Association officials say adequate funding is still uncertain and there has been a lack of incentives to attract and keep people at the more demanding facilities.

Gilbert said the association also is concerned about chronic fatigue at the more complex airports and an inability to pull controllers off the line to work on training or to test new procedures and technology.

Last month, association officials went to Congress and asked the House aviation subcommittee to hold hearings into the matter. Committee members have yet to decide to do so.

"About 15,000 certified controllers would be a more comfortable level," Gilbert said. "We'd like to get to the point where we can meet the FAA's hiring goals."

- Source:  http://www.latimes.com

Philadelphia attorney sues Delta, alleging rough treatment when he tried to board plane

A Philadelphia attorney is suing Delta Air Lines Inc., alleging negligence, breach of warranty and additional counts in an airplane boarding procedure fracas. 

Robert Land of Philadelphia filed a lawsuit Sept. 21 in U.S. District Court Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas against Delta Air Lines, alleging false imprisonment in 2013 when he says he was banned from entering an aircraft for which he had purchased a ticket.

The lawsuit states on April 19, 2013, Land boarded a flight from Philadelphia International Airport, bound for Atlanta with a second leg scheduled to depart Atlanta for San Diego.

According to the complaint, no agent was present when Land arrived at the gate for his flight in Atlanta. The plaintiff states when he entered the jetway, he was confronted by an agent named Hicks who told him the flight was closed and pushed him.

The suit states when Land boarded the plane and refused to deplane, he was arrested by an Atlanta police officer named Turner, handcuffed, detained in the officer’s vehicle and in an Atlanta holding cell, then transported to a city prison, where he was booked, photographed, fingerprinted and charged with disorderly conduct.

Land alleges after he posted bail, criminal charges against him were dropped. The plaintiff charges the defendant with false imprisonment, assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence in screening, training and supervising its employees, and breach of warranty.

The suit says the plaintiff suffered orthopedic and neurological injuries to his neck, shoulders and arms, nervous shock, and post-traumatic stress resulting in mental anguish and impaired daily activities.

Land seeks compensatory damages of more than $50,000, interest and court costs. The plaintiff is self-represented.

U.S. District Court Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas 2:15-cv-05240-MAK.

- Source:  http://pennrecord.com

Gaithersburg residents push for safety changes at Montgomery County Airpark (KGAI), Maryland

WASHINGTON – Pilot errors caused a Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100 to crash into a Gaithersburg home more than a year ago, killing the mother and her two young children inside, a report from the National Transportation Safety Board found Tuesday.

In December 2014, a plane stalled during an approach to Montgomery County Airpark and crashed into the home of the Gemmell family. Marie Gemmell, 36, died as she tried to protect her children Cole, 3, and 1-month-old Devin from the smoke and fire when the plane struck their home. The two children also died.

The family’s father Ken Gemmell and an older daughter, Arabelle, were not home during the crash.

The pilot, Dr. Michael Rosenberg, 66, and two others on the plane, David Hartman, 52, and Chijioke Ogbuka, 31, also were killed in the crash. Rosenberg was founder and CEO of Health Decisions, a clinical research organization in Durham, North Carolina.

The plane had flown from Horace Williams Airport in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and was supposed to land at Montgomery County Airpark.

According to the NTSB report, Rosenberg failed to turn on crucial deicing equipment and skipped pre-flight checks, which led to the deadly jet crash.

The NTSB issued three recommendations Tuesday: Two focused on developing automated alerts for pilots of small jets to remind them that deicing equipment should be activated, and a third focused on training.

“Lives depend on pilots’ actions,” NTSB Chairman Christopher Hart said. “Our own lives, the lives of our passengers, and the lives of people on the ground.”

There were signs the Rosenberg was rushing before takeoff and that he did not take enough time to do full pre-flight checks.

According to NTSB investigators, pilot miscalculations, the wrong flap settings, and the failure to activate deicing systems caused the plane travel more than 30 knots slower than it should have been.

By the time automated stall warnings sounded, it was too late.

Robert Sumwalt, a member of the NTSB, said that Rosenberg had been involved in a prior  incident in March 2010 and said that in 2011 the pilot had violated temporary flight restrictions in restricted airspace. Sumwalt did not provide further details about the incidents during a hearing Tuesday.

Rosenberg had piloted a plane that crashed in Gaithersburg on March 1, 2010, WTOP has reported.

Investigators said the airpark was not to blame for the crash but said air traffic controllers should have communicated two reports of icing in the area to pilots prior to the crash.

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


NTSB Docket And Docket Items: http://dms.ntsb.gov

 
MONTGOMERY CO., Md. (ABC7) — Wednesday night dozens of Montgomery County residents met to express concerns that not enough has been done since a deadly jet crash last December.

On December 8, 2014, the jet crashed short of the runway at the Montgomery County Airpark in Gaithersburg. It landed in the Hunters Woods neighborhood.

Three people on board the aircraft died, as well as three people on the ground.

The jet damaged three homes. A wing flew into a house where Marie Gemmell was inside with her two sons, 3-year-old Cole and 1-month-old Devin. All three died of smoke inhalation.

"I'm deeply saddened and disappointed that since the crash the county has done absolutely nothing to address the issue of safety," Brian Benhaim of Montgomery Village told the crowd that gathered at Wednesday night's meeting.

The meeting was organized by Montgomery County. A handout the county gave out says both the NTSB and FAA reviewed how the Airpark was run after the crash. The county is still waiting on a final NTSB report about what went wrong; it was initially expected to take around a year to complete.

In the meantime there have been no major changes at the Airpark.

Many residents say they've been concerned about both safety and noise related to the Montgomery County Airpark for years. They say pilots often fly too low.

"It's conerning to us, especially at night," said Gaithersburg resident Jennifer Etzel. "I'm sometimes in [my child's] room rocking her to sleep and those airplanes are so loud and so low over my child's bedroom."

Montgomery County says the airpark, which was opened in 1960, cannot be closed because it is part of something called the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems.

However, many concerned residents say they're not calling for it to close. Instead they say they just want to see changes made to decrease noise -- and especially to decrease the chances tragedy will ever strike again.

At Wednesday night's meeting several pilots came out saying they wanted to remind the community about the good the airpark does, saying pilots often do charity and public safety work.

"As a pilot, I feel offended when we're being told we're not being safe," said Sandy Poe, who said her father and grandfather helped launch the airpark. "Because not all pilots are unsafe. We do our best to follow the rules and we want to make everybody a friendly community."

Source:  http://wjla.com




It was a scene straight from a suburban nightmare: A plane encounters trouble while trying to land at a small airport, stutters, stalls and crashes into a house at the end of a quiet street.

Marie Gemmell, 36, her infant son, Devon, and 3-year-old son, Cole, huddled in a windowless second-floor bathroom last year in a futile attempt to escape the flames after the crash on Drop Forge Lane. Pilot Michael Rosenberg, 66, and passengers David Hartman, 52, and Chijioke Ogbuka, 31, also were killed.

Those who live near the Montgomery County Airpark in Gaithersburg are pondering the future of the airport, which was built more than half a century ago when this stretch of the county was largely undeveloped.

Even as the accident remains under investigation, the crash has caused soul-searching in this corner of Gaithersburg, which is largely defined by its proximity to the airport. On Wednesday night, about 100 residents gathered at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission for a public forum on the airport to voice their fear, vent their frustration and express their hope for safety changes at the airport.

County officials have said that they are waiting for federal officials to complete their investigation before offering any recommendations for the airport.

“We have to let them lead,” County Council member Craig Rice (D-Upcounty), who represents Montgomery Village, said of federal investigators.

Many speakers were like Jennifer Etzel, 28, who has lived in the Hadley Farms development not far from the airport for about three years. At first, she said, she wasn’t aware that the airport was so close to her and her neighbors’ homes. Eventually the airport was a source of pride for her family and so much a part of the fabric of the community, she said, that one of her daughter’s first words was “airplane.”

But the accident, she said, “rattled us to the core.”

The Dec. 8 plane crash that killed six people was not the first at Montgomery County Airpark, but it stoked the fears of the surrounding community like no other because three of the dead were killed in their home.

The airpark opened in 1959, intended to relieve aviation congestion at Washington National Airport. At the time, the county’s population was 340,928. Since then, the county census count has grown to 1,030,447, and developments have sprung up to envelope the airport.

Between 1970 and 1990, nearby Gaithersburg grew almost fivefold, and the city’s population has reached 65,690.

A 1984 article in The Washington Post was headlined “Some critics say it’s an accident just waiting to happen,” in reference to the airpark. It quoted one man who lived nearby: “It’s inevitable that a plane will fall out of the sky.”

Since 1983, there have been 29 airplane crashes at or near the airpark, fewer than one a year. Only four resulted in injuries to the pilot or passengers. In three of them — in 1990, 1985 and 1983 — people on board died.

At the meeting, resident Scott Dyer, 36, said he was concerned for his family. He noted that some people ask why residents chose to move to an area near the airport, which had been there for many years before their arrival.

“While it was here first, it’s a very different airport than when it first opened,” he said. “The county has the responsibility for the safety and quiet enjoyment of those houses and families. It’s taken years to have a community meeting to acknowledge there are concerns only because there was finally a loss of life.”

Dyer, who lives in the area with his wife, Joy, and their 5-year-old son, said residents have prepared 16 recommendations for the airport — including noise abatement and new safety guidelines for runway departures and “touch-and-go landings,” when planes touch the runway momentarily before quickly lifting off again.

Lucy Seifert has lived near the airport for 30 years.

“I don’t mind small airplanes,” she said. “The jets are too large, and they’re getting bigger and bigger. It’s unbelievable.”

Dorothy Doyle-Wandell said she drives past the site of the accident daily on her way to work.

“There isn’t a single day that I have not thought of the Gammell family and said a prayer for them driving by that home,” she said. “My two young children , who are old enough now to be aware of the accident, they don’t know about it. Because I chose, up to this point, to shield them from it.

“I want to be able to look my children in the eyes and tell them about not only the tragedy but what the county has done in response to grow from it, to correct the situation, to make this a safer place,” she said. “We’re not there yet.”

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com


Marie, Cole, and Devin Gemmell


Michael Rosenberg, MD, MPH:  Doctor, pilot,  entrepreneur, innovator.

 
David Hartman

Chiji Ogbuka


(The audio was posted by news helicopter pilot Brad Freitas)

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Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100, N100EQ, Sage Aviation: Accident occurred December 08, 2014 near Montgomery County Airpark (KGAI), Gaithersburg, Maryland

http://registry.faa.gov/N100EQ


NTSB Identification: DCA15MA029
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, December 08, 2014 in Gaithersburg, MD
Aircraft: EMBRAER EMB-500, registration: N100EQ
Injuries: 6 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 traveled in support of this investigation and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On December 8, 2014, about 1041 Eastern Standard Time (EST), an Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100, N100EQ, impacted terrain and houses about 0.75 miles short of runway 14 while on approach to Montgomery County Airpark (GAI), Gaithersburg, Maryland. The airline transport rated pilot and two passengers were fatally injured as well as three persons on the ground. The airplane was destroyed during the impact and ensuing fire. Marginal visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and the flight was operating on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The airplane was registered to and operated by Sage Aviation LLC., of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The flight originated from Horace Williams Airport (IGX), Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with GAI as its intended destination.

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Baltimore FSDO-07






 


Anderson points to highlighted sections on the map, identifying neighborhoods that have been built since the study

GAITHERSBURG, Md. -- Years before the deadly plane crash that a fire chief called "a tragedy for the county," a neighborhood group around Montgomery County Airpark warned that approaching aircraft threatened homes below.

On Monday, a small jet crashed into three homes less than a mile from the runway.

The crash killed all three people on board and three more on the ground, as one of the homes exploded in fire.

"We have a couple pilots in our group, and all of us have said it's not a question of 'if,' it's a question of 'when,'" says Bob Anderson, co-founder of the Airpark Concerned Citizens Association.

"It's been no secret," he says. "It was going to happen."

The group, which has about 50 members, has regularly raised its concerns with the Montgomery County Council.

Chief among them: Too many flights are passing over congested areas at altitudes that are below regulation.

"You have planes under full throttle on crosswinds flying over communities," says Anderson, a former pilot himself. "One stall-out, and you're going into a house."

"We've tried to get them to declare these neighborhoods congested residential communities," he says.

Also, the community group claims pilots regularly fail to follow approved flight patterns.

Anderson raises doubts about the flight patterns themselves, which were established after noise and pattern studies done in 1990 and 1993.

But 30 percent of the East Village's homes had not been built in 1990s, the group estimates. As a result, aircraft takeoffs and landings take them over neighborhoods that were undeveloped when the flight paths were approved.

Some have said, "If you don't like it, move," according to Anderson.

The group has no intention of doing that, and after Monday's crash, leaders quickly called a meeting on Tuesday.

Story, comments and photos:   http://www.wtop.com