Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Piper Aircraft, Inc.; Vero Beach, Florida
Transportation Safety Board of Canada; Gatineau, Quebec
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
Location: Austin, PA
Accident Number: ERA17FA017
Date & Time: 10/16/2016, 1957 EDT
Registration: C-GYSN
Aircraft: PIPER PA28
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Abrupt maneuver
Injuries: 3 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On October 16, 2016, about 1957 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-161, Canadian registration C-GYSN, collided with trees and terrain near Austin, Pennsylvania. The commercial pilot and two passengers were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was owned and operated by St. Catharines Flying Club under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which originated from Richmond International Airport (RIC), Richmond, Virginia, about 1654, and was destined for St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport (CYSN), St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
The accident pilot and the pilots of four other airplanes operated by the flying club flew into the United States (US) on October 12. While in the US, they visited several states, including New York, Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia. One airplane returned to CYSN on October 15.
Earlier on the day of the accident, the accident pilot and the pilots of two of the other airplanes departed Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and flew to RIC. Before departing from RIC, the pilot of one of the other airplanes spoke with the accident pilot. During that conversation, the accident pilot did not express any concern for the weather. The pilots decided that the accident pilot would depart after the other pilot, and the two pilots would remain in communication about the weather via radio. If the other airplane encountered adverse conditions, the pilot would attempt to vector the accident pilot around the weather. The pilot of the other airplane reported that, during the beginning of the flight, the radio communications that he heard from the accident airplane were made by the front seat passenger, who held a student pilot certificate.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control radar and voice communication information revealed that, about 1933, the accident airplane established contact with Cleveland Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZOB) at its cruise altitude of 6,000 ft; the controller provided the current altimeter setting. About 1944, while in visual meteorological conditions near the southern edge of a frontal system, the controller informed the pilot of moderate precipitation along the route of flight. The controller stated that it appeared the airplane would go "right through the middle" of two areas of precipitation; the pilot did not respond. The controller repeated the precipitation advisory and asked if the airplane would like to deviate; one of the airplane occupants responded that they would deviate 20° left of course; there were no further radio communications from the accident airplane. Radar data depicted the accident airplane conducted a left turn to a westerly heading. About this time, the pilot of the other airplane was in visual meteorological conditions and about 21 nautical miles west-southwest of the accident airplane.
About 1946, while flying about 6,000 ft mean sea level (msl) in clouds at the southern edge of a frontal system, the rear seat passenger sent a text message to a friend that the airplane was "…stuck in freezing rain…." The flight continued west, and at 1951:02, the controller advised the accident pilot that the other flying club airplane, located about 20 miles ahead of his location at 6,000 ft msl, reported light rain and smooth ride conditions (see figure 1). About 1952, the accident airplane conducted a right standard rate turn (about 3° per second) onto a north-northwesterly heading while maintaining about 6,000 ft msl, and remained on that heading until about 1956:15.
Figure 1: Locations and Flight Path of the Accident Airplane and other Flying Club Airplane (C-GNOP)
About 1956:15, the accident airplane conducted a right turn to a northeasterly direction at its cruise altitude and remained on that general heading until 1956:51, when it began another right turn. The last radar targets with recorded altitude indicated a heading change from 074° to 142°, and descent from 6,000 to 5,500 ft msl, which correlated to an average descent rate of 2,500 ft per minute, and a 5.6°-per-second rate of turn (see figure 2). The controller attempted to contact the airplane at 1957:11; there was no reply. Following the loss of radar and radio contact, air traffic control personnel alerted local authorities who initiated a search for the airplane. The wreckage was located by a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter during an aerial search the following day.
Figure 2: Radar Track Depicting the End of the Flight.
According to the pilot of the other airplane, the outside air temperature at 6,000 ft msl was between 9° and 10°C. He proceeded to the destination and landed uneventfully about 2100, about 1 hour later than planned. He stated that at no point during the flight did he communicate directly with the accident pilot, although they were on the same air traffic control frequency.
Individuals who lived in the area of the accident site reported it was raining hard about the time of the accident. One witness reported hearing an airplane descending.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot, age 25, seated in the right seat, held a Canadian commercial pilot license with airplane single engine land, airplane multiengine land, and instrument rating group 1 (which was issued because the flight test was conducted in an other-than-center-thrust multi-engine airplane). He also held a Class 4 airplane instructor certificate with a flight test date of June 17, 2016, and an expiration date of July 1, 2017. He held a Canadian first-class medical certificate with no limitations, which was issued February 25, 2016.
He held a US FAA commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single- and multiengine land, and instrument airplane, issued November 4, 2015. He held an FAA first-class medical certificate with no limitations, which was issued on October 19, 2015.
His pilot logbook contained entries between January 9, 2010 (first logged flight), and September 27, 2016, and revealed about 494 total hours of flight experience, with 301 hours as pilot-in-command (PIC). Of the 494 hours, about 77 were logged as simulated instrument time, with 3 hours simulated instrument time in the previous 90 days. His logbook did not contain any record of flight in actual instrument flight conditions. He logged about 36 hours of night flight experience, of which 27 were as PIC. His last logged night flight as PIC of a single-engine airplane was October 26, 2015, and his last logged night flight receiving dual instruction in a single-engine airplane was December 10, 2015.
According to the most senior flight instructor of the flying club, in April and May 2016, during the accident pilot's flight instructor training, the accident pilot had undergone 5 hours of instrument training. During these flights, they conducted holding procedures and instrument approaches. He reported that they practiced departure and arrival procedures during simulator sessions, and reviewed IFR knowledge during undocumented ground sessions. The accident pilot reportedly, "flew well during departure, en-route, and during approaches."
The pilot's training records indicated that he received instrument training during the month before the accident in preparation for an instrument proficiency check (IPC). The senior flight instructor reported that while the extra training wasn't a requirement, the pilot had expressed interest in obtaining additional training to "help bring him back up to standard." The pilot subsequently completed his IPC on October 11, 2016 in the accident airplane(The IPC did not require demonstration of recovery from unusual attitudes).
The left seat passenger, age 19, held a Canadian student pilot airplane permit issued May 18, 2016. According to the operator, he had accrued a total time of 56 hours in all aircraft, of which 55 were in the accident make and model airplane.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The four-place, low-wing, Piper PA-28-161 airplane, serial number 28-7816311, was manufactured in 1978. It was powered by a 160-horsepower, Lycoming O-320-D3G engine and equipped with a Sensenich 74DM6-0-60, two-bladed, fixed-pitch, aluminum propeller. The airplane was exported to Canada in May 2012 and was issued a Canadian certificate of airworthiness on August 30, 2012.
The airplane was not equipped with onboard weather radar but was equipped with an electrically-operated turn coordinator. The most recent pitot/static check was performed on August 31, 2016, at an airplane total time about 11,466 hours. Review of the Aircraft Technical Log revealed that the airplane was last inspected in accordance with a 100-hour inspection on September 23, 2016 at an airplane total time about 11,519 hours. Supplemental type certificate (STC) SA00397NY installed June 13, 2013, increased the gross weight from 2,325 to 2,440 pounds.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
The day before the accident, the accident pilot and another pilot from the group obtained weather information from a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website for the accident flight, which included significant weather prognostic charts. They noted the location of a cold front and expected rain during the last portion of the flight. The freezing level was forecast to be 14,000 ft.
Earlier on the accident date while at MYR, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the accident pilot and the pilot of C-GNOP discussed the weather which included the locations of cold and warm fronts, making note they might need to deviate to the west to avoid the cold front.
According to personnel from Lockheed Martin, there was no record of a weather briefing associated with the airplane's call sign; further, there was no record with the Direct User Access Terminal (DUAT) vendor for flight plan or weather briefing. Additionally, there was no record of any of the airplane occupants having a subscription with ForeFlight.
According to an NTSB Weather Study, the 1953 automated surface observation at Bradford Regional Airport (BFD), Bradford, Pennsylvania, located about 21 nautical miles west-northwest of the accident site, reported wind from 310° at 4 knots, 5 miles visibility, light rain, mist, few clouds at 4,000 ft agl, a broken ceiling at 4,800 ft agl, overcast skies at 8,000 ft agl, temperature and dewpoint both 16°C, and altimeter setting 30.05 inches of mercury.
The observations from BFD about the accident time indicated marginal visual flight rules (MVFR) to IFR conditions due to low visibility, with light-to-moderate rain. These surface conditions matched the weather radar imagery and the rain shower line that the accident flight likely encountered.
A High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model sounding was created for the accident site for 2000 EDT. The sounding depicted the freezing level at 11,963 ft. The possibility of low-level wind shear was indicated by Rawinsonde Observation program between the surface and 3,000 ft, and several layers of possible light to moderate clear-air turbulence were identified between the surface and 14,000 ft.
Visible and infrared data from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite number 13 (GOES-13) from 1945 and 2015 indicated cooler brightness temperatures and cloud tops (green and blue colors) located to the east of the accident site and northeastward into central New York. The clouds were moving from west to east, with most of the higher clouds east of the accident site around the accident time. Based on the brightness temperatures above the accident site and the vertical temperature profile provided by the sounding, the approximate cloud top heights over the accident site were 28,000 ft at 1945.
Interpolation of the flight path onto a weather radar summary image indicated that the accident flight entered clouds or light precipitation around 1946, and subsequently entered an area of light-to-heavy rain with severe turbulence, updrafts and downdrafts, and small hail by 1954. There were no lightning strikes near the accident site at the accident time; however, the accident flight still likely encountered instrument meteorological conditions.
There were no SIGMET advisories valid for the accident site at the accident time.
The Center Weather Service Unit (CWSU) in Cleveland (ZOB) issued a Meteorological Impact Statement (MIS) that was valid for the accident site at the accident time. No CWSU Center Weather Advisories were valid for the accident site at the accident time. The MIS issued by ZOB at 1324 was valid through 2130 and discussed, in part, MVFR conditions with isolated IFR conditions in rain showers and mist. The area of precipitation would move northwest to southeast, with ceilings below 5,000 ft msl spreading southeastward.
AIRMET advisories Tango, Zulu, and Sierra were issued at 1645 and valid at the accident time for the accident site. The AIRMETs valid at the accident flight's altitude were AIRMETs Tango and Sierra, forecasting moderate turbulence below 10,000 ft and mountain obscuration conditions due to clouds, precipitation, and mist. AIRMET Tango for moderate turbulence below 10,000 ft was in effect before the accident flight departed.
The Area Forecast, issued at 1345 and valid at the accident time, forecast scattered to broken clouds at 10,000 ft with tops at 25,000 ft. Between 1600 and 1800, the ceiling was forecast to decrease to 6,000 ft msl with scattered light rain showers and isolated light rain and thunderstorms with cumulonimbus tops to 35,000 ft.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The airplane impacted a heavily wooded area; the first identified point of impact was a tree located about 104° and 1,400 ft from the last radar target.
The first identified airplane component was the outboard 42 inches of the right wing with a 55-inch long and full chord section of aileron that remained connected at the outboard hinge and was continuous to the skin splice. The part was located in a tree about 65-70 ft above ground level (agl); the tree was located at 41° 42.004' north latitude and 078° 10.884' west longitude, at 2,325 ft GPS elevation.
Further examination of the accident site revealed pieces of the fragmented airplane and personal effects scattered on the ground and in the trees. The wreckage path was oriented on a magnetic heading about 140°, with damage to tree heights at decreasing heights along the path. None of the observed components exhibited evidence of fire, and all of the structural fracture surfaces exhibited evidence of overload failure. The distance between the first observed tree contact and the resting position of the cockpit section was about 368 ft. The engine, which was the farthest observed piece along the wreckage path, was located about 509 ft downslope of the cockpit, about 880 ft past the first observed tree contact location.
All major components of the airplane, with the exception of the rudder balance weight, remained attached or were found along the wreckage path. Examination of the aileron, rudder, and elevator flight controls revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The stabilator trim tab actuator was in the full nose-down position, and the right lower stabilator stop was bent and broke during slight hand contact. No evidence of repeated contact was noted to the stabilator, rudder, or left aileron primary control surface stops. The right aileron bellcrank was not located.
Both grips of the right seat control yoke and the left grip of the left seat control yoke were fractured, respectively. The flap selector was in the fully extended (40°) position. Examination of the slots of the flap selector revealed no evidence of impact marks. The left flap torque tube fitting assembly arm was nearly vertical, consistent with 25° extension. The flaps could not be operated because of damage to the flap torque tube and surrounding area. The carburetor heat control was in the off position, and the throttle and mixture controls were in an unknown position, but sections of fractured control cables remained attached. The airspeed indicator was separated from the instrument panel; its needle was missing, and no needle slap mark was noted. The electrically-operated turn coordinator, which was found separated from the instrument panel, did not contain the rotor, gimbal, gyro frame, or bezel.
Both wings were fragmented. Examination of the left wing revealed that the pitot mast was free of obstructions. The stall warning vane operated when tested with a volt/ohm meter. The stall warning horn was checked using a volt/ohm meter and found to be shorted due to impact damage to the horn housing. The pitot mast and associated sections of wiring were retained for further examination.
The 406-MHz emergency locator transmitter (ELT) was separated from its attach bracket and was found on the wreckage path. Examination of the ELT revealed that the switch was in the off position; the antenna connector remained attached, but the antenna cable was pulled from the connector. The FAA inspector reported that after being notified of the accident, he informed first responders to turn off the ELT. The ELT operated normally when tested.
Examination of the engine following recovery revealed that the magnetos, carburetor, engine-driven vacuum pump, ignition harness, muffler, starter, alternator, and housing portion of the engine-driven fuel pump were impact separated; the vacuum pump was recovered and retained for further examination. The accessory case, oil sump, and all cylinders remained attached to the engine. The engine mount remained attached to the separated engine at 3 places; the mount was fractured.
Further examination of the engine revealed that the crankcase was cracked from the Nos. 2 and 4 cylinders to the case half center section. The oil sump, which was impact damaged and missing the quick drain valve, did not contain any oil. The oil suction screen was examined and contained carbon and organic material. The accessory case was cracked midspan near the oil pump area. Examination of the oil pump revealed that the oil pump drive shaft could not be rotated with hand pressure; two non-ferrous slivers were noted on the oil pump gears. No evidence of hard particle passage was noted in the internal portion of the oil pump housing.
Impact damage was noted to all cylinders. Although the crankshaft could not be rotated through 360°, crankshaft continuity was noted to the accessory case. Valve train continuity was noted to the No. 2 cylinder exhaust and the No. 3 cylinder intake and exhaust valves. Impact damage to the No. 4 cylinder intake and exhaust pushrods, absence of pushrods at the No. 1 cylinder, and absence of the No. 2 cylinder intake pushrod precluded movement of the associated valve train at those cylinders. The camshaft lobes exhibited no anomalies. The No. 1 cylinder was removed; there were no broken rings and the ring gaps were not aligned. The piston dome exhibited normal carbon deposits and color, and the heads of both valves appeared satisfactory. The cam follower for the exhaust was stuck.
Examination of one magneto revealed that the housing was fractured and the cap, rotor, coil, points, and distributor block were missing. The impulse coupling and gear remained attached. The flange was fractured by the hold down locations. Impact damage precluded rotation of the gear and rotor. Only the data plate for the other magneto was located.
Examination of the carburetor revealed that the airbox remained attached and the inlet line was separated. The airbox alternate air door was selected to primary (filtered) air, and the cable was separated from the alternate air arm.
Both propeller blades were fractured. The total length of one blade measured 21 inches from the end to the center of the hub and exhibited smooth radius aft bending and heavy, deep gouging of the leading edge. The other blade measured 31.5 inches from the end to the center of the hub, and exhibited a smooth radius forward bend, chordwise scratches, and a trailing edge gouge.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
The Erie County Coroner's Office, Erie, Pennsylvania, performed a postmortem examination of the pilot. The cause of death was reported as "catastrophic blunt force trauma." Postmortem examinations were not requested nor performed for the passengers.
The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed forensic toxicology testing on specimens from the pilot. According to the toxicology report, no ethanol was detected in the submitted muscle specimen, while 10 mg/dL ethanol was detected in the submitted heart specimen. No drugs of abuse were detected in the submitted muscle specimen.
Toxicological testing was not performed for either of the passengers.
TESTS AND RESEARCH
The vacuum-driven attitude indicator remained partially attached to the separated instrument panel. The housing was impact damaged and the front portion of the instrument and silhouette were missing and not located. The frame was fractured in several pieces and the rotor and rotor housing were free to move within the housing. Examination of the rotor and interior portion of the rotor housing revealed slight scratches.
The engine-driven vacuum pump was examined by the NTSB Materials Laboratory, Washington, DC. According to the factual report, the inlet tube for the vacuum pump was fractured where it intersected the housing; the fracture features were rough and irregular, consistent with ductile overstress fracture. The outlet tube was intact and rotated when manipulated by hand forces; white material was observed on the threads and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed that it was consistent with Teflon tape. The pump was disassembled, revealing that the rotor was fractured into 6 relatively large pieces and many smaller pieces. The vanes were largely intact, but vanes 1 and 4 each had a small piece fractured from the outward face of the vane at the outlet end. A piece of debris was noted on the interior of the housing near one of the air outlet holes. FTIR examination revealed a spectrum that was consistent with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. No evidence of debris consistent with Teflon thread seal was observed inside the unit. The engine-driven vacuum pump was reassembled and the vane wear was at an acceptable level.
Examination of the wires for both pitot head heating elements (power and ground) was also performed by the NTSB Materials Laboratory. Each power wire remained connected to each heating element, but each ground wire for each heating element was separated. Although there was evidence of improper terminal crimping of the ground wires, there was no electrical arcing noted on the wires or connector.
An impact-damaged rotor housing without a rotor located among the debris was consistent with that from the vacuum-driven directional gyro. Examination of the separated rotor housing revealed rotational scoring at the air hole entrance.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Operator Information
St. Catharines Flying Club, located at CYSN, was a Transport Canada certified Flight Training Unit (FTU) and offered Ab-Initio Flight Training, in which the 2 passengers were enrolled. At the time of the accident, the flying club operated six airplanes, including the accident airplane. They also operated a Cirrus II Precision Flight Controls Simulator.
In September 2013, the flying club developed a Flight Training Operations Manual (FTOM) for operation of their single engine airplanes in day or night conditions and VFR or IFR weather conditions. It indicated that the pilot-in-command was responsible for ensuring that the airplane was loaded within its weight and balance specifications. The FTOM did not specify how to maintain operational control for airplanes when away from the home base, nor did it require that a pilot have experience in actual IMC before dispatching a flight in IMC or forecast IMC conditions.
NTSB Results of Component Examinations
The SD card retained from an onboard damaged digital camera did not contain any images or video, and the recovered cellular phone, which belonged to the pilot, could not be unlocked using the family-provided passcodes. It could not be determined whether the phone contained any recent usage or images/video of the accident flight.
Spatial Disorientation
According to FAA Safety Team literature, pilots flying under both instrument and visual flight rules are subject to spatial disorientation and optical illusions that may cause a loss of aircraft control. Sight, supported by other senses, allows a pilot to maintain orientation while flying. However, when visibility is restricted (i.e., no visual reference to the horizon or surface detected) the body's supporting senses can conflict with what is seen. When this spatial disorientation occurs, sensory conflicts and optical illusions often make it difficult for a pilot to tell which way is up.
Contributing to these phenomena are the various types of sensory stimuli: visual, vestibular (organs of equilibrium located in the inner ear), and proprioceptive (receptors located in the skin, muscles, tendons and joints). Changes in linear acceleration, angular acceleration, and gravity are detected by the vestibular system and the proprioceptive receptors, and then compared in the brain with visual information.
In a flight environment, these stimuli can vary in magnitude, direction, and frequency, resulting in a sensory mismatch that can produce illusions and lead to spatial disorientation.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 25, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 1 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 02/23/2016
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 10/11/2016
Flight Time: 494 hours (Total, all aircraft), 188 hours (Total, this make and model), 301 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 134 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 22 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)
Student Pilot Information
Certificate: Student
Age: 19, Male
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 56 hours (Total, all aircraft), 55 hours (Total, this make and model), 8 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 12 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 5 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Manufacturer: PIPER
Registration: C-GYSN
Model/Series: PA28 161
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1977
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal; Utility
Serial Number: 28-7816311
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 09/23/2016, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2440 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 37 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 11519 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: C126 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-320-D3G
Registered Owner: St. Catharines Flying Club
Rated Power: 160 hp
Operator: St. Catharines Flying Club
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Instrument Conditions
Condition of Light: Night/Dark
Observation Facility, Elevation: BFD, 2143 ft msl
Observation Time: 1953 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 21 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 287°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 4000 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 16°C / 16°C
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 4800 ft agl
Visibility: 5 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 4 knots, 310°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 30.05 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: Light - Rain; Moderate - Mist
Departure Point: Richmond, VA (RIC)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: St. Catharines, ON (CYSN)
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 1654 EDT
Type of Airspace:
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 2 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 41.700000, -78.181389
NTSB Identification: ERA17FA017
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 16, 2016 in Austin, PA
Aircraft: PIPER PA28, registration: C-GYSN
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 October 16, 2016, about 1958 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-161, Canadian registration C-GYSN, collided with trees near Austin, Pennsylvania. The commercial pilot, and two occupants were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by St. Catharines Flying Club, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Richmond International Airport (RIC), Richmond, Virginia, about 1654, and was destined for St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport (CYSN), St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
According to preliminary air traffic control information, after takeoff the flight proceeded towards the destination while remaining in contact with several air traffic facilities, as appropriate. About 1933, an occupant contacted the Cleveland Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZOB) and advised the controller the flight was at 6,000 feet mean sea level. The pilot was provided an altimeter setting of 30.04 inches of Mercury which was correctly read back. The flight continued and at 1944, the pilot was advised of moderate precipitation to the left and right of the airplane's current flight track, and in 20 miles, another area of moderate to heavy precipitation. He was also advised there were no "ride reports;" there was no reply from the pilot. At 1945, the ZOB controller advised the pilot of moderate precipitation in the vicinity of the airplane's position and if deviation was necessary, to please advise. An occupant responded that they would deviate by turning left about 20 degrees. About 1957, the ZOB controller attempted to establish contact with the accident pilot. She observed the flight turning to the south and asked if there was any issue; there was no reply. The airplane was lost from radar about 1958.
Federal Aviation Administration personnel alerted local authorities who initiated a search. The wreckage was subsequently located by a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter during an aerial search on October 17, 2016. Initial examination of the wreckage revealed that it came to rest in a heavily wooded area and was highly fragmented.
Dr. Yousif Tawfig, left, and son Rifat Tawfig, right, are pictured in this undated photo.
Rifat Tawfig spent his life giving back to others.
In his death, the family and friends of the 25-year-old Niagara Falls man have come together to honour him by continuing that legacy.
Tawfig, an instructor with St. Catharines Flying Club, was one of three young men from Niagara who died in an Oct. 16 plane crash in mountainous northern Pennsylvania.
Also killed were students Ben Jeffries, 19, of Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Corey Mijac, 18, of St. Catharines.
The trio was returning from a trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C., with the St. Catharines Flying Club when the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration lost radio contact with the plane.
Wreckage of the aircraft, a small Piper PA-28 Cherokee, was discovered by search-and-rescue crews the following day.
After news of the tragedy broke, a GoFundMe campaign was created by one of Tawfig’s close friends to see a well built in his name in Sudan, where his family is originally from.
In only two days, the online fundraiser received enough support to surpass its $10,000 goal.
The target has since been increased to $15,000, which as of Wednesday afternoon was only $150 shy of being achieved.
Ahmed Daoud, a longtime friend of Tawfig, said their families have been close since both moved to Canada from Sudan in the early 1990s.
He was always moved by Tawfig’s willingness to help others and to do what he could to contribute to the close-knit Sudanese community.
“He was just a great guy. If anybody needed a ride, even if he was going the opposite way, he would take them,” Daoud said. “He would never say no.
“He always put people ahead of himself.”
As a child, Tawfig had an unabashed love for planes.
“When he was younger, he always wanted to be a pilot,” Daoud recalled.
It was through Daoud’s father, a former pilot, that he got his first introduction to the world of flight.
He would often come asking for advice about potential paths to take that would lead to him becoming a commercial pilot for a large airline.
It was as a result of those discussions with Daoud’s father that Tawfig pursued a position as a flight instructor with the St. Catharines Flying Club.
With about 400 flying hours under his belt, he hoped to accumulate enough time in the sky to achieve his dream of working for Saudi Arabian Airlines.
His parents, while originally from Sudan, are currently living in the Middle Eastern nation.
It was Tawfig’s sense of adventure that Daoud believes drew him to aviation.
That dream didn’t come without hesitancy from his parents, who had hoped he’d take a path similar to his father and pursue a career in medicine.
But those concerns were cast aside when they realized Tawfig was not only happy, but also quite skilled at being behind an aircraft’s controls.
Tawfig and his mother were extremely close, Daoud said.
“Every time he flies, he calls her.”
The day of the crash was no exception.
When the aircraft made a routine fuel stop in Richmond, Va., Tawfig made sure to pick up the phone and dial his mother.
“He said, “Mom, just pray for me. There’s some bad weather in the area. Pray for me that everything will be OK,” Daoud said.
When his mother learned sometime later that Tawfig’s plane had disappeared from radar, she immediately booked a flight to the U.S.
The crash is being investigated by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.
Daoud said the family, including Tawfig’s parents and three sisters, has been “trying to hold up,” but is understandably having a hard time coping with the loss.
“He was so close to his family. Everybody, they were proud of him. His dad was really proud of him.”
The Sudanese community, members of the local mosque in St. Catharines and members of the flying club have been a strong source of support, he said.
Condolences, as well as donations, have poured into the GoFundMe page in Tawfig’s name, created by close friend Mawia Janoudy.
On the website, Janoudy, who did not immediately respond to requests for comment, describes Tawfig as “one of the most patient and considerate people I have ever known.”
He reminisced about experiences the pair had shared over the years, and about how they said their future children would someday play together.
“You died doing the job that you love,” Janoudy wrote. “I’m proud to have grown alongside such a gentle and patient soul.”
“Let us strive to be better people in Rifat’s memory.”
The money will be used to build a 45-metre deep well capable of supporting 1,000 families with water daily for the next 15 years. It will be built by Muslim Aid, a U.K.-based charity.
Funds exceeding the initial goal will be used to support other well projects in Ghana, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
To donate to the GoFundMe page, visit www.gofundme.com/rifattawfigsadaqa.
A funeral service was held for Tawfig at the St. Catharines mosque on Geneva Street Wednesday, followed by a burial at the Islamic Cemetery on Yokom Road in Niagara Falls.
Services were also held Wednesday for Jeffries and Mijac at George Darte Funeral Home in St. Catharines.
In a statement provided by Daoud, Tawfig’s family extended gratitude to Niagara Regional Police, the Sudanese-Canadian community in Niagara, Sudanese Community Association of Ontario, Islamic Society of St. Catharines and the St. Catharines Flying Club for their concern and support.
The family also “send out their deep condolences to the families of the other two young men,” he said.
Source: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca
The victims of a St. Catharines Flying Club which crashed Sunday while en route to Niagara have been identified as (left to right) Corey Mijac, 18, of St. Catharines; Benjamin Jeffries, 19, of Niagara-on-the-Lake; and Rifat Tawig, 25, of Niagara Falls.
AUSTIN, Pa. — Pennsylvania state police say three men from the Niagara Region died in the crash of a small plane that lost contact with flight controllers as it was flying from Virginia to Ontario.
The Federal Aviation Administration says the Piper PA-28 took off Sunday from Richmond International Airport and was headed to St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport.
Potter County coroner Kevin J. Dusenbury Sr. says the wreckage was found late Monday in Keating Township.
The victims have been identified as Rifat Tawig, 25, of Niagara Falls, Benjamin Jeffries, 19, of Niagara-on-the-Lake, and 18-year-old Corey Mijac of St. Catharines.
Tawig was a Class 4 flight instructor with the St. Catharines Flying Club, a certified flight training unit and one of the oldest flying clubs in Canada.
Mijac and Jeffries, meanwhile, are graduates of Governor Simcoe Secondary School. Mijac graduated just this past June, while Jeffries graduated the year before.
District School Board of Niagara communications officer Brett Sweeney said students at the school were aware of the crash, and that rumours were swirling throughout the day about the identity of the victims. Staff were asked to keep an eye out for any students who knew them.
"We want to make sure those students are OK and offer support where we can," he said. "It's such a tragic loss. It's always a tragedy when young people have their lives cut short."
Conrad Hatcher, an instructor with the flying club who worked daily with Tawig since he joined earlier this year, described the young man with a 6-foot 5 inch-frame as a "gentle giant" and someone who was pursuing a career in aviation.
"He looked forward to someday flying for an airline," he said. "He was a very nice guy, easy to work with."
Hatcher described the mood around the small, tight-knit group as sombre, explaining that some of their younger members have never lost anyone before.
The FAA said it lost contact with the flight over Potter County at about 7 p.m. Sunday.
Emergency dispatchers in nearby McKean County say they were contacted by the FAA after the aircraft changed course to avoid a thunderstorm. They lost radio contact with the plane when it was near the mountainous, remote area of Keating Summit.
The Civil Air Patrol released information Monday afternoon concerning the aircraft, prompting a search near Route 155 in Keating Township. McKean and Potter county emergency officials were joined by volunteer fire departments, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania State Police.
Police described the site where the single-engine plane crashed as "extremely rugged, steep and wooded" and extended several hundred metres through the woods.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating, police said.
==========
The Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II that crashed in the woods of northern Pennsylvania Sunday night, killing three people, was carrying a flight instructor and two students on their way back to their Canadian flying school after a stopover in Richmond to refuel.
Conrad Hatcher, a flight instructor and spokesman for the St. Catharines Flying Club in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, said the instructor, Rifat Tawfig, 25, of Niagara Falls, and his two students, Corey Mijac, 18, of St. Catharines, and Ben Jeffries, 19, of Niagara-on-the-Lake, were on their way back from a trip to Myrtle Beach, SC.
"The purpose was to give them some experience flying out of their home airport," Hatcher said, adding that the small school of six airplanes and about as many instructors was stunned by the deaths. "This is not anything that anyone here now has ever dealt with. Of course, a lot of sadness. When you're small tight-knit group it cuts both ways. When it's good it's good. When something like this happens it's really difficult."
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash scene near Liberty, Pa., about 115 miles north of Harrisburg, documenting the wreckage and interviewing witnesses.
"We're still in the very early stages of this investigation," said NTSB spokesman Terry Williams.
The Federal Aviation Administration lost contact with the plane, which was trailing another identical aircraft from the school, at about 7 p.m. Sunday night. It was found Monday after a search by local authorities that was hampered by the darkness and bad weather, the flying school said in a news release. The other plane landed safely at Niagara District Airport.
"There's a lot more that we don't know," Hatcher said. "We don't have any solid reason why this would have happened."
Hatcher described Tawfig, who was born in Toronto, as affable and a "gentle soul."
"When we say somebody's a nice guy, it's often overused. But he really was," Hatcher said. "People liked him and his students liked him. I used to call him the gentle giant because he was about 6 foot 5."
Mijac had done the Canadian equivalent of a work-study program or internship, called a co-op, at the flying school, and was "passionate about aviation," artistic and athletic, Hatcher said.
"One of those kids who was more likely to smile than frown," he added.
Jeffries worked in his family's restaurant business and got introduced to the flying school through his father, who also learned to fly there, Hatcher said, and was getting serious about flying, including a potential career in aviation.
"We're in shock here," Hatcher said. "We don't have a lot of answers but we will get through it."
Source: http://www.richmond.com
Rifat Tawig, 25; Cory Mijac, 18; and Benjamin Jeffries, 19; all of Ontario, Canada, were pronounced dead by Potter County Coroner Kevin Dusenbury. The plane wreckage was found by state police helicopter around 3:30 p.m. Monday.
The PSP report says of the location of the wreckage in Keating Township, "The terrain at the crash site is extremely rugged, steep and wooded. The crash site extends for several hundred yards through the woods."
The report also says PSP has no further information or involvement in the investigation other than maintaining the scene security.
UPDATE: Oct. 18, 10:14 a.m.
Potter County Coroner Kevin Dusenbury has confirmed three deaths in the plane crash in Keating Summit.
Authorities from several agencies worked searching for the plane from Sunday evening when contact was lost, to Monday evening, when it was found within the search area in Keating Summit. Three occupants were reported on board the single-engine aircraft, which was traveling from Richmond, Va., to Ontario, Canada.
Dusenbury said he was called to the scene Monday evening, where he pronounced all three occupants of the plane dead. He said they were young people from Canada.
"I'm not releasing any names, as I'm still working on notifying the families," he told the Potter Leader-Enterprise. "This is very, very tragic. It's a very sad situation."
Dusenbury said many agencies were still on scene, and the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.
UPDATE: Oct.17, 9:53 p.m.
According to Andrew Johnson, Public Information officer for the Civil Air Patrol, the downed plane has been located within the search area near Keating Summit. Johnson did not have an exact location of the plane, or the condition of its three passengers.
Johnson said because the plane has been located, State Police out of Coudersport have taken over command. When called, a representative from the state police barracks had no comment on the incident.
For more info on the incident, see the press release below, and check back for more updates as they become available.
UPDATE: Oct. 17, 2:49 p.m.
The Civil Air Patrol distributed the following press release to the Potter Leader-Enterprise at the scene of command for a possible downed plane in the area:
"Numerous local and state agencies are working today to locate an aircraft which was reported overdue last evening after failing to arrive at its destination in Saint Catharines, Ontario, Canada
According to initial reports, the Federal Aviation Administration in Cleveland Center contacted the McKean County 911 Center last evening after they lost radar and radio contact with a small aircraft near Keating Summit, Pa. The single engine Piper Cherokee airplane was flying from Richmond (VA) International Airport in Virginia to St. Catharines Airport with three people on board when it changed course to avoid a thunderstorm. After the aircraft changed course, all contact with the aircraft was lost. Area fire departments and search and rescue teams combed the woods in the area for hours last night into early morning before regrouping to begin gain after daylight.
The Civil Air Patrol has now taken command of the operation and they are joined by numerous local resources from Potter, McKean, Cameron and Elk counties.
Regular briefing will occur throughout the operations as more information becomes available."
Original post: Oct. 17, 12:23 p.m.
Emergency responders from Potter and McKean counties are currently searching for a possible downed aircraft. Scanner reports first came in just before 10 p.m. Sunday for a land rescue due to a possible downed aircraft, reportedly with three people on board.
According to Potter County Emergency Services, as of 12:30 p.m. today, the search is focused in the Keating Township area of Route 155. Dean Predmore, Training & Operations Manager for Potter County Emergency Services, is stationed at Austin Fire Department. Several Potter and McKean fire departments and emergency personal have responded for the search, as well as DCNR and the Civil Air Patrol.
A representative with the Potter Emergency Services office said a press release will be sent to media later today. When asked if reports of a downed aircraft are valid, a representative from the office said, "I can't say yes or no. Those are the reports."
Source: http://www.tiogapublishing.com
BUFFALO (WKBW) - Authorities in Pennsylvania say they have found a small plane that had been missing since Sunday night . The McKean County Sheriff's Office confirms that search teams found the aircraft in Potter County on Monday night.
No further details were released including the status of the plane or the three passengers who were onboard.
Search crews had been looking for the Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II since aviation officials lost contact with the plane on Sunday night. The aircraft was flying from Richmond, Virginia to St. Catharines, Ontario when it changed course to avoid a thunderstorm. The last signal officials had from the plane came near Keating Summit, Pennsylvania.
Source: http://www.wkbw.com
RICHMOND, Va. – A missing single-engine plane that departed from Richmond International Airport on Sunday afternoon en route to Ontario, Canada has been found in Potter County, Pennsylvania Monday night, according to CNN affiliate WKBW in Buffalo.
No further details were released including the status of the plane or the three passengers who were on-board.
The plane owned by St. Catharines Flying Club reportedly changed course to avoid a thunderstorm. After the change of course, the FAA lost contact with the plane near Potter County, Pennsylvania at 6:58 pm.
The Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II airplane reportedly had three people on board, according to Buffalo station WKBW.
The search for the missing plane focused in the areas of Potter, McKean, Cameron and Elk Counties just south of the New York state line in northwestern Pennsylvania.
The FAA released a statement concerning the missing plane that read:
“The FAA lost radar contact near Potter County, PA with a Piper PA28 that was enroute from Richmond International Airport to St Catherine/Niagara District Airport, Canada October 16 at 6:58 pm. The FAA issued a notice to air traffic facilities, pilots and airports to report to the FAA if they locate the aircraft. Local authorities are also conducting a search for the aircraft. This statement will be updated when more information becomes available.”
No comments:
Post a Comment