Friday, November 06, 2015

Base Flying Club seeks new members with open house

Members of the Naval Air Station Lemoore Flying Club stand in front of the T-34, one of two planes they use to train up-and-coming pilots.



The Flying Club, located in Building 184 on ops side, recently hosted their biannual open house in an effort to increase recruitment. The club has been around since before one member flew a plane currently sitting on the tarmac in 1959.

New members’ eligibility is based on their affiliation with Department of Defense. Anybody who is active duty, a dependent, retired, reserves, or a DOD civilian is eligible for entrance.

The club serves two purposes, said Jesse Wahallon, club vice president. The first is to provide recreational flying opportunities for those with pilot’s licenses. The other is to train those who do not have pilot’s licenses.

The flying club uses two planes. The first is a Piper Warrior, which every student learns on. Once the student logs enough flight hours, they will be permitted to fly the second plane, a T-34.

“Our goal is to demystify what it takes to fly; costs and requirements. We’re up front about the costs,” said Wahallon, who says the two biggest things that get in people’s way are health and finances.

Even though health issues are rare, he recommends that those interested in flying get checked out by medical first.

Finances are usually the biggest dissuader for those looking to take part in this niche hobby. A pilot’s license can cost anywhere between $8,000 and $13,000, said Wahallon.

Time may also be a limiting factor for some. Depending on the trainee’s tenacity, logging the required flight hours could take as little as three months, or as long as a year.

However, for those already thinking about getting their pilot’s license, Naval Air Station Lemoore’s prices are cheaper than many off-base private options, said Wayne Anderson, current member of Lemoore’s Flying Club.

Anderson, who is a former commander with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, listed some of the club’s other features: such as the safety consciousness of the team, the well-maintained, cheaper rates and, again, the valuable safety saying.

“Our primary concern is safety,” he said. 

-Source: http://hanfordsentinel.com

Vans RV-6A, N259MK: Accident occurred November 06, 2015 in Lebanon, Linn County, Oregon

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

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N259MK

Flight Standards District Office: FAA Portland FSDO-09

NTSB Identification: WPR16CA022
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, November 06, 2015 in Lebanon, OR
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/14/2016
Aircraft: KNOX MARION L RV-6A, registration: N259MK
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot was landing the airplane on his 1,500-foot grass airstrip. During the landing, the airplane bounced and the pilot aborted the landing. As power was applied, the airplane moved to the left side of the runway into trees and the airplane came down on a workshop roof south of the runway substantially damaging the fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. 

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control following an aborted landing which resulted in a collision with trees.

NTSB Identification: WPR16CA022 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, November 06, 2015 in Lebanon, OR
Aircraft: KNOX MARION L RV-6A, registration: N259MK
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot was landing the airplane on his 1,500-foot grass airstrip. During the landing, the airplane bounced and the pilot aborted the landing. As power was applied, the airplane moved to the left side of the runway into trees and the airplane came down on a workshop roof south of the runway substantially damaging the fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.


An Albany firefighter helps pilot Marion Knox after emergency personnel from Lebanon and Albany free him from the weckage of his Vans RV-6A experimental aircraft, which crashed onto the roof of a shop outside of Lebanon.


A Linn County pilot and his passenger were injured Friday when their experimental plane crashed into the roof of a workshop near the airstrip where they were trying to land.


Pilot Marion Knox, 78, of Lebanon was able to walk away from his downed plane along Bohlken Drive near Lebanon. His passenger, Steve Edmiston, 57, of Albany, while not critically injured, was lowered on a stretcher from the wreckage by emergency personnel. Both men were transported to Good Samaritan Medical center in Corvallis, where they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.


Witnesses said Knox, who maintains a private airstrip on his property, was attempting a third go-around to land at about 12:30 p.m. His RV6A experimental plane went down after failing to clear a stand of trees across the road from the airstrip, coming to a hard rest on the roof of a workshop next to the home of Jim Harper, who was not home at the time.


“He was trying like the dickens. Just for 200 feet or so, he was trying to pull out of it,” said resident Jeff Walters. “If he’d had 10 more feet he probably would have made it.”


Walters said Knox had been flying for maybe 45 minutes when he made two attempts to land, both times pulling up and circling around for another try.


“It looked like he tried to clear the trees for a third try,” said Walters.


The trees stand about 60 to 70 feet high, and Walters said the plane was traveling south with its nose up, almost perpendicular to the ground when it clipped one of the fir trees.


“And that spun him around and put him on the roof,” he said. “I think the only reason they’re alive is because he’s such a good pilot.”


Knox’s wife, Doris Knox, said her husband is a very careful pilot and doesn’t take chances.


“He doesn’t do the acrobatic stuff,” she said. “He was just trying to land, and I don’t know what happened, but something didn’t go right.”


The RV-6A is a kit plane, introduced in 1988 and manufactured in Aurora, Oregon, by Van's Aircraft. Knox built his plane in 2008.


Another RV6 was involved in a fatal crash outside of Scio in 2012, and a fatal crash involving an RV10 aircraft in Newport in May 2014 led to a $35 million lawsuit against Van’s. The suit claims that experimental aircraft such as the RV models are not held to the same Federal Aviation Administration testing standards as are professionally built aircraft.


The Federal Aviation Administration and the Linn County Sheriff’s Department are investigating the cause of the crash.


Original article can be found here:  http://democratherald.com





LEBANON, Ore. (KOIN 6) — An aircraft, carrying two people, crashed onto the top of a building in Linn County.


A spokesperson with the Lebanon Fire Dist. tells KOIN 6 News that crews were dispatched to the 36100 block of Bohlken Drive on reports of an aircraft crash.

When firefighters arrived, they found a 2-seat light aircraft that had crashed on top of a shop building. The aircraft has been identified as a Van’s RV-6A.

Firefighters found both occupants of the plane inside the aircraft. The pilot and passenger were both conscious and talking with rescuers. Neither suffered life-threatening injuries.

“The position of the airplane on the roof was somewhat precarious, requiring firefighters to secure the aircraft prior to extricating the victims,” the fire department said in a prepared statement.

The pilot and passenger, both men, were removed from the aircraft and transported to separate hospitals.

The cause of the crash is being investigated by the Linn County sheriff’s office and the FAA.

Source:  http://koin.com




















Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee, N57WV: Fatal accident occurred November 04, 2015 near Habersham County Airport (KAJR), Cornelia, Georgia

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

Additional Participating Entities: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Atlanta, Georgia
Lycoming; Williamsport, Pennsylvania 
Piper; 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

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N57WV 

NTSB Identification: ERA16FA032 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, November 04, 2015 in Cornelia, GA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 07/20/2017
Aircraft: PIPER PA 28-180, registration: N57WV
Injuries: 3 Fatal.

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

The private pilot was conducting a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross-country flight at night with two passengers on board. The pilot landed the airplane along his route to refuel. The airport manager reported that the airport's automated weather observation system was reporting 300 to 400 ft overcast ceilings. Further, one of the passengers sent a text message to someone waiting at their destination airport stating that they had to circle around the intermediary airport a couple of times to find a runway because it was "awful cloudy" and there was a "low ceiling." After refueling, the pilot departed despite the instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) that prevailed at both the intermediary airport and the destination airport. Although the pilot was instrument-rated, there was no evidence that he maintained his currency. Further, the pilot did not file and instrument flight rules flight plan. Radar data revealed that, as the airplane crossed over the destination airport, it began a left turn before disappearing from radar. Residents who lived near the airport reported hearing a "whirling" noise, followed by a loud crash. They stated that, when they went outside to see what happened, there was heavy fog and mist. At no time during the flight was the pilot communicating with air traffic control or receiving radar services.

The wreckage was located about 0.25 mile from the destination airport. Forward-to-aft crushing signatures to the wreckage, damage to adjacent trees, and the lack of a linear wreckage debris path was consistent with a near-vertical, nose-low attitude at impact. An examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any evidence of a preimpact anomaly or malfunction that would have precluded normal operation.

The conditions that existed during the flight, including dark night lighting conditions, low ceilings, and restricted visibility, were conducive to the development of spatial disorientation. Further, the airplane's near-vertical descent was consistent with the pilot's loss of control due to spatial disorientation. The pilot's decision to initiate the VFR flight into known IMC directly led to the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's decision to initiate the flight into known adverse weather conditions, which resulted in his spatial disorientation and loss of airplane control.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 4, 2015, about 2355, eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-180 airplane, N57WV, impacted wooded terrain following a loss of control during approach to Habersham County Airport (AJR), Cornelia, Georgia. The private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot, and was being conducted as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Night instrument meteorological conditions existed at the airport at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Hazlehurst Airport (AZE), Hazlehurst, Georgia, about 2300 and was destined for AJR.

According to a witness who was waiting for the airplane to arrive at AJR, the flight originated from Treasure Coast International Airport (FPR), Fort Pierce, Florida, earlier that evening. The witness received a text message from one of the passengers, which stated that the flight had just landed at AZE to refuel and that they had to circle around the airport a couple of times to find the runway because it was "awful cloudy" and there was a "low ceiling." According to the AZE airport manager, he heard the airplane depart about 2300 and noted that the AWOS was reporting 300 to 400 ft overcast. Another witness, who was waiting for the airplane to arrive at AJR, reported that he 

According to information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot was not receiving radar services nor was he communicating with air traffic control at any time during the accident flight. Radar data obtained from the FAA, and correlated to the accident flight, revealed that as the airplane crossed over AJR, it began a left turn before disappearing from radar. Witnesses who lived near the airport reported hearing an airplane flying overhead and shortly afterward hearing a "whirling" noise, followed by a loud crash. They went outside to see if they could determine where the noise had come from but were not able to due to the heavy fog and mist in the area. They searched the area that night, located the airplane in a ravine, and notified the local authorities.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument ratings and an FAA third-class medical certificate issued October 12, 2015, with the limitation that he must possess glasses for near vision. At the time of his medical examination, the pilot reported 800 total hours of flight experience, 0 hours of which were in the previous 6 months. 

A review of the pilot's logbook revealed that the last entry was dated April 28, 2012. The total time entered was 732.3 flight hours. He had a total actual instrument time of 6.4 hours and a total simulated instrument flight time of 78.9 hours. On March 27, 2012, the pilot completed an instrument proficiency check. No other pilot records were found during the investigation.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was manufactured in 1968. It was powered by a Lycoming O-360-A4A-series engine and equipped with a Sensenich propeller. Review of a maintenance work order excerpt revealed that the airplane was last inspected in accordance with an annual inspection on August 18, 2015, at a tachometer time of 1,328 hours. The tachometer was destroyed; therefore, the time at the time of the accident could not be determined. The airplane's maintenance logbooks were not located during the wreckage examination. A review of the fueling records revealed that the pilot refueled the airplane with 23.8 gallons of 100 low lead fuel before departing from AZE. 

The airplane was equipped with a J.P. Instruments engine data monitor, which was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's recorder laboratory for data readout. The data revealed no anomalies with the engine's operation.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The 2355 AJR recorded weather included winds from 080° at 3 knots, 3 statute miles visibility, light rain, overcast clouds at 300 ft, temperature and dew point 16°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.30 inches of mercury (inHg).

The 2355 recorded weather at Toccoa Airport, Toccoa, Georgia, located 14 nautical miles southwest from AJR, included calm wind, 2 statute miles visibility, overcast ceiling at 200 ft, temperature and dew point 17°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.29 inHg.

The 2255 AZE recorded weather included winds from 110° at 4 knots, 7 statute miles visibility, an overcast ceiling at 600 ft, temperature and dew point 23°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.21 inHg.

Lockheed Martin Flight Services reported that the pilot had not contacted it for weather information. There was also no record that the pilot used the Direct User Access Terminal Service for weather information and flight plan processing.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The wreckage site was in a wooded area about 0.25 mile from AJR on a magnetic heading of 330°. Freshly broken tree branches were observed above the wreckage. The airplane was observed in a nose-down position the nose and cockpit were buried about 4 ft below the ground's surface. All flight control surfaces were located at the accident site and were still attached to the fuselage. Both wings were accordion crushed toward the ground, and the airplane's tail section remained above ground and was crushed downward. The airplane was removed and repositioned for examination. Control continuity was confirmed from the control yoke to the elevators and ailerons and from the rudder to the rudder pedals.

Forward-to-aft crushing signatures were observed on the fuselage and both wings. Scraping damage, in a vertically down direction, was observed on adjacent trees. The wreckage debris path was not linear, and there was no evidence of fire. All the structural components of the airframe and engine were accounted for at the scene.

The cockpit instrument panel was destroyed, and the flight and performance instruments were separated. The attitude indicator and directional gyro were disassembled, and the internal gyros were found intact with no rotational scaring. 

The stabilator and aileron control cables remained attached to the "T" bar assembly. The flap lever assembly was impact damaged, and the flap lever was found separated from its mounting point. The rudder pedal assembly was found separated from its mounts and was impact damaged. The rudder cables were found attached to their mounting points; however, the rudder bar assembly was destroyed by impact and separated from its mounts. The fuselage was found crushed aft and destroyed by impact. 

Eight ft of the inboard left wing remained attached to the fuselage and was found crushed aft from impact. The remainder of the wing was separated outboard of the left fuel tank and was impact damaged. The left aileron was separated from its mounts, and the left aileron balance weight was found separated from the aileron and was not located in the wreckage. The aileron drive cable was attached from the bellcrank to the "T" bar chain, and control continuity was established from the "T" bar chain to the aileron bellcrank. The balance cable was attached to the bellcrank and to the roll servo and the center board pulley. Control continuity was established on the balance cable from the bellcrank to the centerboard of the fuselage. The left wing bellcrank stops were found in place. The left fuel tank was breeched by impact, the fuel cap was found in place, and the fuel tank pickup screen was found clear of debris. The left main landing gear (MLG) was found attached to the wing, and the left flap was attached to the inboard and outboard hinge attachment points; however, the center hinge attachment point was separated. Impact damage was noted in this area of the wing.

The right wing was found separated at the wing root from the fuselage, and the wing skin was crushed aft. The aileron cables were found separated at the wing root and had been cut during recovery. The aileron stops were found in place; however, the aileron bellcrank was found separated from its mount and protruding out from the bottom of the wing just outboard of the fuel tank. The outboard 5 ft of the wing was found separated from the remainder of the wing.

The right MLG remained attached to the wing. The right aileron was found attached to the wing, and the aileron balance weight was found attached to the aileron. The right flap was impact damaged and remained attached to its hinge attachment points. The right fuel tank was breeched from impact, and the fuel cap was found in place. The fuel tank pickup screen was found to be clear of debris. Aileron control continuity was established from the wing root to the bellcrank.

The right side of the stabilator was separated for recovery, and the stabilator trim tab remained attached. The left side of the stabilator and stabilator trim tab remained attached to its mounting points. The leading edge of the vertical stabilizer was found crushed aft. The rudder was impact damaged but remained attached to its mounts. Flight control continuity was established to the rudder, stabilator, and stabilator trim except where impact separated or cut for recovery, and no preimpact anomalies were noted. 

The engine was found buried about 4 ft below the ground's surface. Engine internal continuity was confirmed from the propeller flange to the rear accessory drives; full rotation of the crankshaft was not possible due to impact damage. The four top spark plugs were removed for examination, and the plug electrodes were brown colored and exhibited normal wear patterns. The bottom spark plug electrodes revealed the same wear patterns. The carburetor was fractured across the throttle bore and separated from the engine. The carburetor bowl was removed from the upper assembly, and about 1 ounce of red liquid was observed in the bowl. The liquid tested positive for water using water-finding paste. The brass carburetor floats were deformed, consistent with hydraulic crushing.

The propeller remained attached to the crankshaft flange. The propeller spinner was separated. The spinner back plate and starter ring gear support were fragmented. Both propeller blades exhibited chord-wise scratches, leading edge gouges, and paint abrasion. Both blades were bent aft and twisted. 

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Division of Forensics Sciences, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia, performed an autopsy of the pilot. The autopsy report noted the cause of death as "multiple injuries."

Toxicology specimens were not collected at the time of the autopsy; therefore, postaccident toxicological testing was not performed. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 60-4A, "Pilot's Spatial Disorientation," states, in part, the following:

The attitude of an aircraft is generally determined by reference to the natural horizon or other visual references with the surface. If neither horizon nor surface references exist, the attitude of an aircraft must be determined by artificial means from the flight instruments. Sight, supported by other senses, allows the pilot to maintain orientation. However, during periods of low visibility, the supporting senses sometimes conflict with what is seen. When this happens, a pilot is particularly vulnerable to disorientation. The degree of disorientation may vary considerably with individual pilots. Spatial disorientation to a pilot means simply the inability to tell which way is 'up.'


The AC notes that a disoriented pilot may place an aircraft in a dangerous attitude and recommends that pilots "not attempt visual flight rules flight when there is a possibility of getting trapped in deteriorating weather."

NTSB Identification: ERA16FA032

14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, November 04, 2015 in Baldwin, GA
Aircraft: PIPER PA 28-180, registration: N57WV
Injuries: 3 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 November 4, 2015, about 2355, eastern standard daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N57WV, was destroyed when it impacted wooded terrain, following a loss of control during an approach to the Habersham County Airport (AJR), Cornelia, Georgia. The private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual as a personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the planned flight to AJR. The flight originated from the St. Lucie County International Airport (FPR), Ft. Pierce, Florida, about 1830.


According to preliminary information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot was not receiving radar services, nor was he in communication with air traffic control (ATC) at the time of the accident. Local residents near the airport reported that they heard an airplane flying overhead and shortly afterwards heard a "whirling" noise followed by a loud crash. They came outside to see if they could locate where the noise came from, but was unsuccessful due to the heavy fog and mist in the area. As they searched the area they located the airplane in a ravine and notified the local authorities.


The wreckage site was located in a wooded area 0.25 miles on a 330 magnetic course from AJR. Freshly broken tree branches were observed above the wreckage. The airplane was observed in a nose down position and buried about four feet below the surface of the ground. All flight control surfaces were located at the accident site and still attached to the fuselage. Both wings were accordion crushed towards the ground and the tail section of the airplane remained above ground and crushed downward. The airplane was removed and repositioned for examination; control continuity was confirmed from the control yoke to the elevators and ailerons. Control continuity was also confirmed from the rudder to the rudder pedals.


The cockpit, cabin section and empennage were crushed. The instrument panel and instruments were crushed. The throttle, mixture, and carburetor heat control levers were crushed in the forward position. The engine remained partially attached to the firewall. The two-blade propeller remained attached to the engine hub. Both propeller blades exhibited chordwise scratching. One propeller blade was s-bent while the other was bent aft.


The 2355 recorded weather at Toccoa Airport (TOC), Toccoa, Georgia, located 14 nautical miles southwest from AJR, included wind calm, 2 statute miles visibility, and an overcast ceiling at 200 feet. The temperature was 17 degrees C, the dew point was 17 degrees C, and the altimeter setting was 30.29 inches of mercury.


The airplane was recovered for further examination.






James Lycettt's plane in the background, with Lycett's granddaughter, Nicole Salmons.


  


 James Thomas Lysett, Edward Leslie Black, Steven Matthew Wisor



James Lycett

Steven Matthew Wisor



Edward Black 


Rugers, one of two dogs killed in Georgia plane crash being held by James Lycett's granddaughter Nicole Salmons.

Lisa, one of two dogs killed in Georgia plane crash. 



Obituary for James Thomas Lycett 

James Thomas Lycett, 57, known to many as Tom, passed away unexpectedly and tragically beside his close friends, Ed Black and Steve Wisor, along with his beloved dogs Cadisa and Ruger on Thursday, November 5, 2015.

Tom was born in West Virginia to Rebecca and James Lycett. Tom has been a long time resident of Port Saint Lucie, Florida, moving from Pennsylvania. He was the owner of Treasure Coast RV Center and Easy Livin’ RV Campground in Fort Pierce, Florida.

Tom enjoyed flying his Piper Cherokee, gun smithing, playing golf with his friends, travelling to his cabin in Clarkesville, Georgia, taking cruises, and hosting Wednesday night cookouts with his close friends. He was a member of Loyal Order of Moose Lodge 513 of Port Saint Lucie, Florida and American Legion Post 358 of Fort Pierce, Florida. He was a Veteran of the United States Navy, serving his country from 1976 to 1979.

Tom is the cherished son of Rebecca and James Lycett of Connellsville, Pennsylvania. He leaves to mourn his passing his loving fiancé Lisa Parziale, daughter Melissa Salmons and her husband Haines of Maitland, Florida, and son Justin Lycett of Palm Beach County, Florida. He is the adored “Pappy Tom” to granddaughter Nicole Salmons, devoted brother of Cindy Schultz, Nancy Spiker, and Donald Lycett all of Connellsville, Pennsylvania. Tom was predeceased by his brother Michael Lycett. He also leaves his beloved stepsons Anthony Parziale and Kevin Parziale, both of Port St. Lucie, Florida, along with several nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, November 14, 2015 starting at 1:00pm at American Legion Post 318, 1000 Savannah Club Blvd, Port St. Lucie, FL 34952

A donation to the charity of your choice may be made in honor of their passing.

Obituary for Ed Black and Steve Wisor 


Edward L. Black, 45, of Port St. Lucie, FL. passed away unexpectedly and tragically, alongside his cousin Steven Matthew Wisor, and longtime friend, James Thomas Lysett, on November 5, 2015.

Ed was born and raised in New Castle, PA until moving to Port St. Lucie in 1988. He was the Superintendent of Field Operations, Water PM/Meter Reading Division for the City of Port St. Lucie Utilities Department. He was a longtime member of the Sons of the American Legion Post 318 and Moose Lodge 513. Ed enjoyed singing karaoke and performing shows with his brother Dallas as "The Black Brothers". He was a diehard Pittsburgh fan, an avid golfer, played softball at Sandhill Crane Park, loved the sun, swimming, and camping. Ed also enjoyed food, especially his daughter Christiana's lasagna and blueberry pie, as well as seafood and scallops. 

 Ed was the beloved fiancé of Jennifer Mack of Port St. Lucie; devoted father of Christiana Marie Black and Noah Anthony Myrick of Port St. Lucie; adored "Pop" (grandfather) of Jonah Douglas Damaceno; cherished son of Gloria Jean (Dysard) and Thomas Tucker of PA; loving brother of Daniel Wayne Black and wife Denise, Mary Lorena Barber and husband Eugene, DeRel LaRue Black and companion Debbie, Tammie Lynn Mostyn and husband Phillip, Terri Lee McLaren and companion Jeff, Cynthia LeAnn Stockman and husband Gary, all of PA, and Dallas LeRoy Black Sr. And wife Laura of Port St. Lucie; he was also a loving cousin, uncle, nephew, and friend to many. 

 He was preceded in death by a brother James William Black, father Darrell LaRue Black, paternal grandparents James Earl and Harvetta Romaine (Gerlach) Black, and maternal grandparents Samuel Ora and Hazel Edna (Metz) Dysard.

Steven Matthew Wisor, 47, was born in New Castle, PA and raised in Slippery Rock, PA. He moved to Port Saint Lucie in 1988 along with Ed. He was the owner and operator of Steve's Cleaning Service as well as a Service Manager for Treasure Coast RV. He was a longtime member of the Sons of the American Legion Post 318. He was a Pittsburgh fan just like the rest of his family, but he also had a huge soft spot for the Redskins. One of Steve's favorite things was listening to Ed and Dallas sing. He also enjoyed NASCAR, golfing, playing softball at Sandhill Crane Park, building model cars, and hanging out with family and friends; who he would do anything for. He was also the biggest prankster around.

Steve was the beloved son of Melda Ruth (Dysard) English of PA; brother of Linda Lee (Dysard) Keller and husband Robert and Larry Earl Wisor of PA.

He was preceded in death by his father Jennings Plummer "JP" English, maternal grandparents Samuel Ora and Hazel Edna (Metz) Dysard, and paternal grandparents William George and Dema Fay (Cooper) English.

Ed and Steve both touched the hearts of all they have met and made them glow brighter than ever. They will be forever loved and cherished.

A celebration of Ed and Steve's lives is planned for Saturday November 14th at 1pm at American Legion Post 318.

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — James Thomas Lycett and two other men were flying to Georgia where Lycett had a home. They were meeting others to celebrate Lycett's birthday Saturday.

Lycett, who piloted the single engine plane, was joined by friend and employee Steven Wisor and Wisor's cousin, Edward Black. They planned to golf and shoot targets with others for Lycett's 58th birthday.

"Just a boys weekend out," said Chuck Kepford, a longtime Lycett friend and employee on Friday. "There was eight or 10 of them all meeting up there."

Lycett, Wisor and Black died as the plane crashed about midnight Wednesday near an airport about 80 miles northeast of Atlanta. All three were of St. Lucie County, according to information from Kasey McEntire, coroner of Habersham County.

The trip to Lycett's home in Clarkesville, Georgia, was typically an annual event, Kepford said.

Kepford said Lycett owned Treasure Coast RV Center on South U.S. 1 just north of Midway Road and was part owner of the neighboring Easy Livin' R.V. Park.

"He loved to fly," said Lycett's daughter, 31-year-old Melissa Salmons. "He got his pilot's license on his own as a hobby and that was his passion."

The Piper Cherokee, which flew out of Fort Pierce, crashed near Habersham County Airport.

Salmons said her father was well liked in the community.

"He just drew everyone in, and he was very charismatic, and funny and he told jokes and he loved my daughter," Salmons said. "He was there when she was born."

Salmons' daughter, Nicole, is 11, and she noted a photo of Nicole standing in front of Lycett's plane.

Black, 45, began working with the city of Port St. Lucie's Utility Systems Department in 1991, according to emails from Jenny Newell, city public information officer.

Black "worked his way up through the field crew to ultimately serve as superintendent of the Water Distribution Division, one of the largest divisions of field crews," Newell said. "This is a tremendous loss not only to the utility family, but to the city of Port St. Lucie as a whole.

"Ed was well-known and well-liked both as an employee and a friend."

Kepford said Wisor wasn't married and had no children. He said Wisor lived in the Easy Livin' RV Park.Two dogs — a Pomeranian named Lisa and a miniature Yorkshire terrier named Ruger — belonging to Lycett and his longtime girlfriend, Lisa Parziale, also died.

In addition to flying and golf, Lycett, known as Tom, enjoyed guns.


"That's why the dog's name is Ruger," Salmons said.

Salmons, of Orlando, last saw her father about 6 months ago. She said his siblings and parents live in Pennsylvania.

Salmons, Parziale and Lycett's ex-wife, Kathy Lycett, spoke of James Lycett Friday at Treasure Coast RV Center.

Kathy Lycett said James Lycett was a Navy veteran and recalled moving to Florida in an RV.

Salmons said her father enjoyed the Florida Keys, where she used to live, and flew the plane there.

"I think that's where I want to spread his ashes, in the ocean," Salmons said. "He just loved it down there."

Zenith CH701, N56553: Fatal accident occurred November 06, 2015 near River Acres Airport (FD70), Okeechobee County, Florida

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

Analysis

The private pilot was repositioning the experimental light-sport airplane that had neither been flown nor received a condition inspection in about 4 years. Witnesses near the accident site reported that the airplane was rocking back and forth when one or both wings folded up and back. The airplane entered an uncontrolled descent, impacted the ground in a residential area, and was destroyed by a postcrash fire. Two windscreen fragments, including one that was about 18 inches by 11.5 inches, were found on the ground about 150 ft northeast of the initial ground scar, opposite the airplane's direction of travel.

Examination of the engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions; however, impact and fire damage precluded a functional check of the engine and its fuel and ignition systems.

Metallurgical examination of the wings' front and rear struts revealed severe internal corrosion in all the struts and multiple separations. Lack of bending deformation suggested that the initial failure of the wing struts occurred in the left wing forward strut, likely as a result of normal operational loads applied to a severely corroded strut with a severely reduced cross-sectional area.

The airplane was manufactured about 8 years before the accident and purchased by the current owner about 7 years before the accident. The pilot was operating the airplane without a current condition inspection or ferry permit authorization. Witness statements, the discovery of the windscreen fragments about 150 ft before the airplane's first contact with ground, and metallurgical examination of the wing struts suggest that the airplane experienced an in-flight structural failure due to corrosion of the wing struts, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
An in-flight structural failure due to a severely corroded wing strut, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.


At the controls is John Bubel. 

 John Bubel


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

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando, Florida

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N56553



NTSB Identification: ERA16FA033
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, November 06, 2015 in Okeechobee, FL
Aircraft: ZENITH CH701, registration: N56553
Injuries: 1 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 November 6, 2015, about 1135 eastern standard time, an experimental light-sport Zenith CH701 amphibious airplane, N56553, impacted the ground in Okeechobee, Florida. The private pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was privately owned and operated, and the personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed Homestead General Aviation Airport (X51), Homestead, Florida, destined for River Acres Airport (FD70), Okeechobee, Florida.

According to the owner, the airplane was based at X51 and had not been flown since early 2012; the airplane's last condition inspection was performed during November 2011. The pilot was flying the airplane to FD70 to facilitate a condition inspection and some cosmetic repairs to the airplane before listing it for sale for the owner.

A private pilot, who witnessed the accident from about 1/4 mile south of the accident site, stated that he saw the airplane flying about 100 ft above the ground. It was "flying erratically," and "rocking back and forth." He then heard a loud "snap" sound, which was immediately followed by one or both wings folding up and back about 45°. The airplane entered a steep, "60-degree nosedive" and descended below his field of view. The witness added that he heard the engine during the entire accident sequence and did not note any power interruptions.

A second witness, who saw the accident from about 1/4 mile east of the accident site, stated that the airplane was "tilting its wings," as if the pilot was acknowledging people on the ground below, when the right wing "folded up 90 degrees, like when you park airplanes on an aircraft carrier."

A third witness, who was working on a rooftop about 1/4 mile north-northwest of the accident site, stated that he saw the airplane descending in an approximate 30° nose-down angle and rolling right "wing over wing." The airplane completed four or five revolutions before he lost sight of it, and he then heard the sound of an impact.

A fourth witness, who was located about 3/4 mile east of the accident site, reported that the airplane was flying west and passed overhead at an altitude about 600 to 700 ft. The engine sounded like it was "cutting in and out of power." He saw the airplane circle then slow, and the wings rocked back and forth before the airplane descended from view.

The airplane impacted the ground in a residential area and was destroyed by a postcrash fire.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 62, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. The pilot's logbook was not recovered from the accident site. According to the pilot's family representative, the pilot's logbooks were likely destroyed during the accident and no documentation regarding his flight experience was available.

The pilot reported 2,000 hours of total flight experience on his most recent application for a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate, which was issued on June 2, 2006.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The single-engine, two-seat, kit-built, high-wing, amphibious airplane was issued a special airworthiness certificate in the experimental light-sport aircraft category on December 13, 2007. It was powered by a Rotax 912ULS, 100-horsepower engine, equipped with a three-blade Warp Drive composite propeller assembly.

According to information obtained from FAA airworthiness records and maintenance logbooks, the airplane was purchased by the owner during February 2008. Its most recent condition inspection was completed on November 24, 2011. At that time, the airplane's Hobbs meter indicated 62.1 hours, and the engine, which was installed in November 2010, had been operated for 100.5 total hours since new.

The owner and his family reported that, during May 2010, while on a flight to Key Largo, Florida, the airplane's engine overheated and lost power, and the owner performed an off-shore forced landing in saltwater. The airplane was subsequently disassembled and washed with freshwater. The engine was replaced and the airplane was transported to the accident pilot's hangar at FD70 where it was reassembled by the accident pilot. It then underwent the November 2011 condition inspection, which was performed by an airframe and powerplant mechanic at the Indiantown Airport (X58), Indiantown, Florida.

In early 2012, the owner flew the airplane from X58 to X51 where it remained and was not flown until the day of the accident.

According to the owner, on the day of the accident, the airplane departed with about 15 gallons of fuel in each left and right wing fuel tank.

According to an FAA inspector, there was no record of a special flight (ferry) permit requested or issued for the accident flight.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1135, the weather conditions reported at Okeechobee County Airport (OBE), which was located about 4 nautical miles north of the accident site, included wind from 90° at 9 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, scattered clouds at 4,000 ft, a temperature of 28°C, a dew point of 21°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.16 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

All major portions of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. Two windscreen fragments, including one that was about 18 inches by 11.5 inches, were found on the ground about 150 ft northeast of the initial ground scar, opposite the airplane's direction of travel.

The airplane came to rest inverted. The cockpit and cabin were consumed by a postcrash fire. Both wings and the landing gear were severely fire damaged. Ground scars and debris were located on a heading about 260°. The fuselage and right wing came to rest about 39 ft from an initial ground scar, just east of a concrete driveway. There were impact and scraping marks across the driveway.

The left wing was separated; however, it was located next to the fuselage and extended to about 61 ft from the initial ground scar. The upper surface of the left wing was generally intact and minimally distorted from impact. The inboard section of the left wing was consumed by fire. The two bolts that attached the left wing to the fuselage contained melted material from the spar; however, both were still bolted to the fuselage. The upper surface of the right wing was generally intact and minimally distorted from impact; however, the wing tip leading edge was deformed consistent with ground contact. The deformation was angled about 30° from the leading edge aft and outboard. The two bolts that attached the right wing to the fuselage contained melted material from the spar; however, both were still bolted to the fuselage.

Due to the condition of the wreckage, flight control system continuity was not established. The steel tubes, including the "Y" portions of the yoke for the flaperons and elevator control, were located but severely fire damaged. All aluminum components were absent. The two flaperon pushrods from the main control to the aileron bellcranks were attached. All bolts and nuts attached to the steel portions of the control system were present. The steel portions of the elevator control were present, with all bolts and nuts attached. The aluminum portions were not present. The rudder hinge bolts were present. The rudder cables were attached to the rudder pedals. The left rudder cable was attached to the left rudder control horn. The attaching hardware at the right rudder control horn had melted and the cable was separated.

All portions of the airplane's wing struts were located. One or more portions of the struts contained bends, impact damage, fire damage, corrosion, and/or separations; however, all their respective attachment bolts and nuts were in place and secure. The wing struts were removed and forwarded to the NTSB Materials Laboratory, Washington, DC, for further examination.

The engine was severely impact- and fire-damaged. Most accessories, including the carburetors, were impact-separated and fire-damaged. The No. 3 cylinder was fractured in several locations and fragmented during removal from the crankcase. The engine was partially disassembled at the accident site. The crankshaft could not be rotated and the engine was subsequently further disassembled and inspected at a maintenance facility under the supervision of an FAA inspector. The main bearings, crankshaft, and connecting rods were intact and displayed no evidence of oil starvation. The camshaft lobes were in good condition and did not exhibit any gouges, grooves, or wear. Examination of the respective cylinder heads, valves, and pistons did not reveal any preimpact mechanical anomalies.

The propeller hub remained attached to the engine. One of the composite propeller blades was broken at the root. The blade was located in the debris path and exhibited impact damage at the tip and chordwise scratches along most of its leading edge. The remaining two propeller blades were fire-damaged.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, District 19, Fort Pierce, Florida, performed an autopsy on the pilot. According to the autopsy report, the cause of death was "multiple blunt trauma injuries." Toxicological testing performed on specimens from the pilot by a local laboratory were negative for alcohol and drugs.

Toxicological testing performed on specimens from the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was negative for alcohol. Amlodipine, a non-impairing prescription medication normally used to treat high blood pressure, was found in urine and blood specimens.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Wing Struts Examination

Examination of the wings' front and rear struts was performed by an NTSB senior metallurgist. The strut pieces had been exposed to fire and the exterior paint was charred and missing in several locations. When handled, copious quantities of corrosion deposits would exit the open areas of all the struts. Each strut was manufactured from two pieces of tubing welded together within a surrounding sleeve. The tube end construction differed from sample engineering drawings available from the kit manufacturer; the tube ends on the accident airplane were shaped and welded to form closed tube ends instead of the round, open tube ends depicted on the manufacturer's drawings.

The left wing struts were separated at multiple locations. Visual and magnified optical examination found that the wall thickness of the forward tube of the left wing had been reduced to knife edges by internal corrosion which extended for significant lengths beyond the location of both separations.

The right wing struts were separated at the inboard ends and bent and deformed in several locations. Magnified optical examination found the separations to be consistent with overstress fractures after significant bending/buckling deformation. Longitudinal sectioning of the aft strut tube at the separation revealed significant internal corrosion and localized wall loss at portions of the separation.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Handheld GPS

A Garmin GPSMAP 276C was recovered at the accident site; it was examined and downloaded at the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory. The data extracted included 81 track logs; however, there was no data recorded on the date of the accident.

Zenith Service Letter / Notification

After the accident, ZenAir, the kit manufacturer for Zenith Aircraft, issued a Service Letter (SL)/Notification, which included an inspection of wing strut assemblies for internal corrosion. The SL specifically recommended that the wing struts be removed from the airplane and inspected for rust within the next 50 hours, and then annually on a continuing basis.




NTSB Identification: ERA16FA033 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, November 06, 2015 in Okeechobee, FL
Aircraft: ZENITH CH701, registration: N56553
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 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 November 6, 2015, about 1135 eastern standard time, an experimental, amateur-built, light-sport Zenith CH701 amphibian airplane, N56553, operated by a private individual, was destroyed when it impacted the ground in Okeechobee, Florida. The private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed Homestead General Aviation Airport (X51), Homestead, Florida, destined for River Acres Airport (FD70), Okeechobee Florida. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the airplane was issued a special airworthiness certificate in the experimental light-sport aircraft category on December 13, 2007. It was powered by a Rotax 912ULS, 100-horsepower engine, equipped with a three-blade Warp Drive composite propeller assembly.

According to the owner, the airplane was based at X51 and had not been flown since about the time of its last annual condition inspection, which was performed during November 2011. The pilot was flying the airplane to FD70 to facilitate a condition inspection. He was also going to perform some cosmetic repairs to the airplane and then list it for sale.

A private pilot, who witnessed the accident from about 1/4 mile south of the accident site, stated that he observed the airplane flying about 100 feet above the ground. It was "flying erratically, and "rocking back and forth." He then heard a loud "snap" sound, which was immediately followed by one or both wings folding up and back about 45 degrees. The airplane entered a steep, "60-degeee nose dive" and descended below his field of view. The witness added that he heard the engine during the entire accident sequence and did not note any power interruptions.

A second witness, who observed the accident from about 1/4 mile east of the accident site, stated that airplane was "tilting its wings," as if the pilot was acknowledging people on the ground below, when the right wing "folded up 90 degrees, like when you park airplanes on an aircraft carrier."

A third witness, who was working on a rooftop about 1/4 mile from the accident site, stated that he observed the airplane descending in about a 30-degree nose down angle and rolling right "wing over wing." The airplane completed four or five revolutions before he lost sight of it, and he then heard the sound of an impact.

The airplane impacted the ground in a residential area. All major portions of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The cockpit and cabin were consumed by a postcrash fire. The engine, both wings, and landing gear were severely fire damaged. Ground scars and debris were located on a heading of about 260 degrees. The airplane came to rest inverted. The fuselage and right wing came to rest about 39 feet from an initial ground scar. The left wing was separated; however, it was located next to the fuselage and extended to about 61 feet from the initial ground scar. It was noted that a windshield fragment that was about 18 inches by 11.5 inches was found on the ground, about 150 feet northeast of the initial ground scar.

The front center section wing attach bolt for both wings was present. The structure surrounding each respective bolt was absent. All portions of the airplane's wing struts were located. One or more portions of the struts contained bends, impact damage, fire damage, corrosion, and/or separations; however, all their respective attachment bolts and nuts were in place and secure. Initial examination of the engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The airplane was retained for further examination. The wing struts were removed and forwarded to the NTSB Materials Laboratory, Washington, DC, for further examination.

A handheld global positioning system receiver was recovered from the accident site and forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory, Washington, DC, for download.

The pilot reported 2,000 hours of total flight experience on his most recent application for an FAA third-class medical certificate, which was issued on June 2, 2006. The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident. 

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando, Florida 

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N56553

NTSB Identification: ERA16FA033
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, November 06, 2015 in Okeechobee, FL
Aircraft: ZENITH CH701, registration: N56553
Injuries: 1 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 November 6, 2015, about 1135 eastern standard time, an experimental light-sport Zenith CH701 amphibious airplane, N56553, impacted the ground in Okeechobee, Florida. The private pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was privately owned and operated, and the personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed Homestead General Aviation Airport (X51), Homestead, Florida, destined for River Acres Airport (FD70), Okeechobee, Florida.

According to the owner, the airplane was based at X51 and had not been flown since early 2012; the airplane's last condition inspection was performed during November 2011. The pilot was flying the airplane to FD70 to facilitate a condition inspection and some cosmetic repairs to the airplane before listing it for sale for the owner.

A private pilot, who witnessed the accident from about 1/4 mile south of the accident site, stated that he saw the airplane flying about 100 ft above the ground. It was "flying erratically," and "rocking back and forth." He then heard a loud "snap" sound, which was immediately followed by one or both wings folding up and back about 45°. The airplane entered a steep, "60-degree nosedive" and descended below his field of view. The witness added that he heard the engine during the entire accident sequence and did not note any power interruptions.

A second witness, who saw the accident from about 1/4 mile east of the accident site, stated that the airplane was "tilting its wings," as if the pilot was acknowledging people on the ground below, when the right wing "folded up 90 degrees, like when you park airplanes on an aircraft carrier."

A third witness, who was working on a rooftop about 1/4 mile north-northwest of the accident site, stated that he saw the airplane descending in an approximate 30° nose-down angle and rolling right "wing over wing." The airplane completed four or five revolutions before he lost sight of it, and he then heard the sound of an impact.

A fourth witness, who was located about 3/4 mile east of the accident site, reported that the airplane was flying west and passed overhead at an altitude about 600 to 700 ft. The engine sounded like it was "cutting in and out of power." He saw the airplane circle then slow, and the wings rocked back and forth before the airplane descended from view.

The airplane impacted the ground in a residential area and was destroyed by a postcrash fire.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 62, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. The pilot's logbook was not recovered from the accident site. According to the pilot's family representative, the pilot's logbooks were likely destroyed during the accident and no documentation regarding his flight experience was available.

The pilot reported 2,000 hours of total flight experience on his most recent application for a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate, which was issued on June 2, 2006.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The single-engine, two-seat, kit-built, high-wing, amphibious airplane was issued a special airworthiness certificate in the experimental light-sport aircraft category on December 13, 2007. It was powered by a Rotax 912ULS, 100-horsepower engine, equipped with a three-blade Warp Drive composite propeller assembly.

According to information obtained from FAA airworthiness records and maintenance logbooks, the airplane was purchased by the owner during February 2008. Its most recent condition inspection was completed on November 24, 2011. At that time, the airplane's Hobbs meter indicated 62.1 hours, and the engine, which was installed in November 2010, had been operated for 100.5 total hours since new.

The owner and his family reported that, during May 2010, while on a flight to Key Largo, Florida, the airplane's engine overheated and lost power, and the owner performed an off-shore forced landing in saltwater. The airplane was subsequently disassembled and washed with freshwater. The engine was replaced and the airplane was transported to the accident pilot's hangar at FD70 where it was reassembled by the accident pilot. It then underwent the November 2011 condition inspection, which was performed by an airframe and powerplant mechanic at the Indiantown Airport (X58), Indiantown, Florida.

In early 2012, the owner flew the airplane from X58 to X51 where it remained and was not flown until the day of the accident.

According to the owner, on the day of the accident, the airplane departed with about 15 gallons of fuel in each left and right wing fuel tank.

According to an FAA inspector, there was no record of a special flight (ferry) permit requested or issued for the accident flight.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1135, the weather conditions reported at Okeechobee County Airport (OBE), which was located about 4 nautical miles north of the accident site, included wind from 90° at 9 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, scattered clouds at 4,000 ft, a temperature of 28°C, a dew point of 21°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.16 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

All major portions of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. Two windscreen fragments, including one that was about 18 inches by 11.5 inches, were found on the ground about 150 ft northeast of the initial ground scar, opposite the airplane's direction of travel.

The airplane came to rest inverted. The cockpit and cabin were consumed by a postcrash fire. Both wings and the landing gear were severely fire damaged. Ground scars and debris were located on a heading about 260°. The fuselage and right wing came to rest about 39 ft from an initial ground scar, just east of a concrete driveway. There were impact and scraping marks across the driveway.

The left wing was separated; however, it was located next to the fuselage and extended to about 61 ft from the initial ground scar. The upper surface of the left wing was generally intact and minimally distorted from impact. The inboard section of the left wing was consumed by fire. The two bolts that attached the left wing to the fuselage contained melted material from the spar; however, both were still bolted to the fuselage. The upper surface of the right wing was generally intact and minimally distorted from impact; however, the wing tip leading edge was deformed consistent with ground contact. The deformation was angled about 30° from the leading edge aft and outboard. The two bolts that attached the right wing to the fuselage contained melted material from the spar; however, both were still bolted to the fuselage.

Due to the condition of the wreckage, flight control system continuity was not established. The steel tubes, including the "Y" portions of the yoke for the flaperons and elevator control, were located but severely fire damaged. All aluminum components were absent. The two flaperon pushrods from the main control to the aileron bellcranks were attached. All bolts and nuts attached to the steel portions of the control system were present. The steel portions of the elevator control were present, with all bolts and nuts attached. The aluminum portions were not present. The rudder hinge bolts were present. The rudder cables were attached to the rudder pedals. The left rudder cable was attached to the left rudder control horn. The attaching hardware at the right rudder control horn had melted and the cable was separated.

All portions of the airplane's wing struts were located. One or more portions of the struts contained bends, impact damage, fire damage, corrosion, and/or separations; however, all their respective attachment bolts and nuts were in place and secure. The wing struts were removed and forwarded to the NTSB Materials Laboratory, Washington, DC, for further examination.

The engine was severely impact- and fire-damaged. Most accessories, including the carburetors, were impact-separated and fire-damaged. The No. 3 cylinder was fractured in several locations and fragmented during removal from the crankcase. The engine was partially disassembled at the accident site. The crankshaft could not be rotated and the engine was subsequently further disassembled and inspected at a maintenance facility under the supervision of an FAA inspector. The main bearings, crankshaft, and connecting rods were intact and displayed no evidence of oil starvation. The camshaft lobes were in good condition and did not exhibit any gouges, grooves, or wear. Examination of the respective cylinder heads, valves, and pistons did not reveal any preimpact mechanical anomalies.

The propeller hub remained attached to the engine. One of the composite propeller blades was broken at the root. The blade was located in the debris path and exhibited impact damage at the tip and chordwise scratches along most of its leading edge. The remaining two propeller blades were fire-damaged.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, District 19, Fort Pierce, Florida, performed an autopsy on the pilot. According to the autopsy report, the cause of death was "multiple blunt trauma injuries." Toxicological testing performed on specimens from the pilot by a local laboratory were negative for alcohol and drugs.

Toxicological testing performed on specimens from the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was negative for alcohol. Amlodipine, a non-impairing prescription medication normally used to treat high blood pressure, was found in urine and blood specimens.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Wing Struts Examination

Examination of the wings' front and rear struts was performed by an NTSB senior metallurgist. The strut pieces had been exposed to fire and the exterior paint was charred and missing in several locations. When handled, copious quantities of corrosion deposits would exit the open areas of all the struts. Each strut was manufactured from two pieces of tubing welded together within a surrounding sleeve. The tube end construction differed from sample engineering drawings available from the kit manufacturer; the tube ends on the accident airplane were shaped and welded to form closed tube ends instead of the round, open tube ends depicted on the manufacturer's drawings.

The left wing struts were separated at multiple locations. Visual and magnified optical examination found that the wall thickness of the forward tube of the left wing had been reduced to knife edges by internal corrosion which extended for significant lengths beyond the location of both separations.

The right wing struts were separated at the inboard ends and bent and deformed in several locations. Magnified optical examination found the separations to be consistent with overstress fractures after significant bending/buckling deformation. Longitudinal sectioning of the aft strut tube at the separation revealed significant internal corrosion and localized wall loss at portions of the separation.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Handheld GPS

A Garmin GPSMAP 276C was recovered at the accident site; it was examined and downloaded at the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory. The data extracted included 81 track logs; however, there was no data recorded on the date of the accident.

Zenith Service Letter / Notification

After the accident, ZenAir, the kit manufacturer for Zenith Aircraft, issued a Service Letter (SL)/Notification, which included an inspection of wing strut assemblies for internal corrosion. The SL specifically recommended that the wing struts be removed from the airplane and inspected for rust within the next 50 hours, and then annually on a continuing basis.


NTSB Identification: ERA16FA033 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, November 06, 2015 in Okeechobee, FL
Aircraft: ZENITH CH701, registration: N56553
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 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 November 6, 2015, about 1135 eastern standard time, an experimental, amateur-built, light-sport Zenith CH701 amphibian airplane, N56553, operated by a private individual, was destroyed when it impacted the ground in Okeechobee, Florida. The private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed Homestead General Aviation Airport (X51), Homestead, Florida, destined for River Acres Airport (FD70), Okeechobee Florida. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the airplane was issued a special airworthiness certificate in the experimental light-sport aircraft category on December 13, 2007. It was powered by a Rotax 912ULS, 100-horsepower engine, equipped with a three-blade Warp Drive composite propeller assembly.

According to the owner, the airplane was based at X51 and had not been flown since about the time of its last annual condition inspection, which was performed during November 2011. The pilot was flying the airplane to FD70 to facilitate a condition inspection. He was also going to perform some cosmetic repairs to the airplane and then list it for sale.

A private pilot, who witnessed the accident from about 1/4 mile south of the accident site, stated that he observed the airplane flying about 100 feet above the ground. It was "flying erratically, and "rocking back and forth." He then heard a loud "snap" sound, which was immediately followed by one or both wings folding up and back about 45 degrees. The airplane entered a steep, "60-degeee nose dive" and descended below his field of view. The witness added that he heard the engine during the entire accident sequence and did not note any power interruptions.

A second witness, who observed the accident from about 1/4 mile east of the accident site, stated that airplane was "tilting its wings," as if the pilot was acknowledging people on the ground below, when the right wing "folded up 90 degrees, like when you park airplanes on an aircraft carrier."

A third witness, who was working on a rooftop about 1/4 mile from the accident site, stated that he observed the airplane descending in about a 30-degree nose down angle and rolling right "wing over wing." The airplane completed four or five revolutions before he lost sight of it, and he then heard the sound of an impact.

The airplane impacted the ground in a residential area. All major portions of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The cockpit and cabin were consumed by a postcrash fire. The engine, both wings, and landing gear were severely fire damaged. Ground scars and debris were located on a heading of about 260 degrees. The airplane came to rest inverted. The fuselage and right wing came to rest about 39 feet from an initial ground scar. The left wing was separated; however, it was located next to the fuselage and extended to about 61 feet from the initial ground scar. It was noted that a windshield fragment that was about 18 inches by 11.5 inches was found on the ground, about 150 feet northeast of the initial ground scar.

The front center section wing attach bolt for both wings was present. The structure surrounding each respective bolt was absent. All portions of the airplane's wing struts were located. One or more portions of the struts contained bends, impact damage, fire damage, corrosion, and/or separations; however, all their respective attachment bolts and nuts were in place and secure. Initial examination of the engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The airplane was retained for further examination. The wing struts were removed and forwarded to the NTSB Materials Laboratory, Washington, DC, for further examination.

A handheld global positioning system receiver was recovered from the accident site and forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory, Washington, DC, for download.

The pilot reported 2,000 hours of total flight experience on his most recent application for an FAA third-class medical certificate, which was issued on June 2, 2006.

 John Bubel









OKEECHOBEE COUNTY, Fla. -- Investigators with the FAA and NTSB are continuing to investigate what caused a plane to crash in Okeechobee Friday morning.

The pilot, 62-year-old John Bubel, was killed in the crash. No other passengers were on board.

Investigators say Bubel picked up the Zenith CH701 plane in Homestead Friday and was flying it back to his home in Okeechobee.

His neighbor, Bryant Culpepper, says Bubel has decades of experience flying planes, teaching flight and working on planes.

"He was very, very careful. If a pilot was concerned about crashing they would never fly," Culpepper said.

Culpepper said Bubel mentioned to him that he was picking up the plane to fix up, and give back to the owner to sell.

Bubel has years of experience in painting planes and owns a dent repair business, according to Culpepper.

"He loved aircraft of all types. Being on here was his heaven before heaven."

The plane crashed in the Ousley Estates neighborhood. Witnesses say Bubel was able to avoid hitting homes and power lines, and likely trying to land in a pond about a hundred feet away from the crash site.

"When we looked up, it was maybe 30-feet off the ground. It hit the ground and caught on fire," said witness Joellen Rhoden.

Rhoden was among several people who rushed to the crash site and tried to help Bubel. Rhoden says he was several feet away from the plane and his clothing was on fire.

She and another woman tried to save him. "She pulled him across the street while I was hollering for my husband to come own there. She started doing CPR and we switched off doing CPR," Rhoden said.

One of his former students also rushed in to help.  "His clothes were on fire, we got him out of the plane and I gave him CPR," said Dan Boggs.

Boggs says Bubel was a meticulous teacher, an expert in the industry and well respected by many.

He was also a mason and spent many hours giving back and volunteering in the community.

But above all, Culpepper says Bubel was a family man. He leaves behind three children, grandchildren and his wife.

"John has the most incredible family… They're the kind of family that will pull together to get through this," Culpepper said.

Culpepper, also an Okeechobee County Commissioner, says there are plans in the works to create a memorial for Bubel at the county boat ramps.

- Source:  http://www.wptv.com