Monday, January 04, 2016

Beechcraft C33 Debonair, N20XY: Accident occurred January 04, 2016 near Henderson Executive Airport (KHND), Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada

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

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

Additional Participating Entities: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office;  Las Vegas, Nevada
Continental Motors Inc.; Mobile, Alabama 


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

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

14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, January 04, 2016 in Henderson, NV
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/01/2017
Aircraft: BEECH 35 C33, registration: N20XY
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

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

The private pilot and flight instructor were performing an instructional cross-country flight to familiarize the pilot with the newly-purchased airplane and return the airplane to the pilot’s home airport. The pilot reported that, during final approach for landing at an intermediate airport, the engine experienced a partial loss of power. He tried to troubleshoot; however, there was insufficient altitude to restart the engine, and the airplane impacted the terrain short of the runway. The nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest nose-down. The left wing fuel tank contained about 12 gallons of fuel, and the right wing tank was full. 

A postaccident examination of the recovered airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The engine was run on the airframe through various power settings to include idle and full power; however, the engine could only be run smoothly at idle after leaning the mixture control. Application of throttle required a richening of the mixture control to obtain full power.

The engine-driven fuel pump, throttle body/fuel metering unit, and the fuel manifold valve were removed and subsequently tested individually. The testing revealed no anomalies that would have prevented these components from operating normally on the engine; therefore, the reason for the partial loss of engine power could not be determined. 

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

On January 4, 2016, about 1715 Pacific standard time, a Beech 35-C33, N20XY, landed short of a runway after experiencing a partial loss of engine power on final approach to the Henderson Executive Airport (HND), Henderson, Nevada. The private pilot and certified flight instructor (CFI) were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The airplane is registered to, and operated by, the private pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Placerville Airport, Placerville, California, at 1405.

The flight instructor reported that the owner, who is a private pilot, just purchased the airplane, and they were flying it to Kentucky. It was a cross-country instructional flight to familiarize the owner with the make and the model of the airplane. The flight instructor filed the flight plan to Santa Fe, New Mexico; however, they diverted to HND as the owner was not comfortable flying in the airplane at night. 

The flight instructor entered the downwind for runway 17L and performed the GUMPS (gas, undercarriage, mixture, propeller, seat belt and switches) checklist to ensure nothing critical was forgotten before landing. He rotated the fuel selector switch to the right tank as it contained more fuel. As the flight instructor entered the final, he "felt something was wrong". He could not articulate what was wrong, but he recognized that the engine was not developing power. The propeller did not stop spinning, and the engine did not backfire. There was no difference in noise that the airplane was producing. He checked propeller and mixture settings, manipulated the fuel selector, and adjusted the throttle in order to regain power; however, he did not have enough altitude to restart the engine. The airplane impacted the terrain short of the runway; subsequently, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest nose down. The flight instructor reported that prior to take off, he topped off both fuel tanks. The airplane was also equipped with an auxiliary fuel system giving it an extended range up to 6 hours. During an examination, a Federal Aviation Administration inspector stated that about 12 gallons of fuel were drained from the left tank, and that the right tank was full.

The six-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear airplane, serial number (S/N) CD-1083, was powered by a Continental Motors IO-470-K11B engine, 092964-R, rated at 225 horsepower. It was equipped with a McCauley 2A37C223-BC two-bladed, variable pitch propeller.

Review of the airframe and engine maintenance logbooks revealed that the most recent annual inspection was conducted on March 15, 2015, at the engine time of 581 hours, and the airframe and tachometer time of 2,913.28 hours. 

The airplane engine was examined at Air Transport facility, Phoenix, Arizona, on January 25, 2016, by representatives from Continental Motors and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The engine remained attached to the airframe, and the engine mounts were intact. The two-bladed propeller remained attached to the crankshaft's propeller flange. One blade tip was bent aft, twisted slightly to lower pitch, and displayed leading edge gouges. The other blade displayed span-wise gouges toward its tip, and paint burnishing at a 45-degree angle on the cambered side of the blade. The throttle and mixture controls remained attached to their respective cockpit controls and their control levers, and they moved in a corresponding movement of the control levers and shafts. The magnetos remained secured to the topside of the engine, and the ignition harness was in place. The ignition terminals remained secured to the sparkplugs. The tops sparkplugs were removed from their respective cylinders, and all displayed dark black soot. The sparkplugs displayed a new-to-normal wear condition. The propeller was manually rotated, and a spark was observed on each of the sparkplugs in firing order with no anomalies noted.

With the sparkplugs removed, the cylinders were borescope inspected with no anomalies noted with the pistons, cylinders, valves, or valve seats. A thumb compression test was conducted, and suction of pressure was obtained by all six cylinders. Camshaft continuity was confirmed through rocker and valve movement.

With no pre-accident anomalies noted with the engine, the engine was test ran on the airframe using the airframe fuel system. The engine was run through various power settings to include idle and full power. However, the engine could only be run smoothly at idle after leaning the mixture control. Application of throttle required a richening of the mixture control to obtain full power. No anomalies were noted with the engine core components or the ignition system though the sparkplugs were covered with dark soot prior to the engine test run. The complete engine examination report is appended to this accident in the public docket.

The engine-driven fuel pump, the throttle body/fuel metering unit, and the fuel manifold valve were removed and sent for a further examination. The components were examined and tested at Continental Motors facility, Mobile, Alabama, on March 15, 2016, by representatives from Continental Motors and the NTSB. The fuel pump drive coupling remained intact, and the fuel pump drive coupling gear was undamaged. The fuel pump was placed on a test bench, and put through a production test cycle. The fuel pump operated normally, and no anomalies were noted. The fuel metering assembly remained intact, and displayed impact damage to the heat shielding. The metering assembly was placed on a production test bench, and no adjustments were made to the fuel metering assembly. The metering assembly was capable of flowing fluid at all throttle angles. The fuel manifold valve remained intact and undamaged. The manifold valve was installed on a production test bench with all of the fuel nozzles installed. The fuel manifold valve operated normally on the test bench, and was capable of flowing fluid normally. The nozzles were used during the fuel manifold valve production test cycle, and all of the nozzles operated normally. Observed values of the fuel system components flow/pressure test were recorded without adjustment. Specification values correspond to the engineering specifications of the original calibration of the component to ensure desired performance within the full range of operation. It was noted that certain observed values had fallen outside the range of the specification values. No anomalies were noted that would have prevented these components from operating normally on the engine. The complete fuel components examination report, which includes tables of both values for each component, are appended to this accident in the public docket. 

NTSB Identification: WPR16LA048
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, January 04, 2016 in Henderson, NV
Aircraft: BEECH 35 C33, registration: N20XY
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

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

On January 4, 2016, about 1715 Pacific standard time, a Beech 35-C33, N20XY, landed short of a runway after experiencing a partial loss of engine power on final approach to the Henderson Executive Airport (HND), Henderson, Nevada. The private pilot and certified flight instructor (CFI) were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The airplane is registered to, and operated by, the private pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Placerville Airport, Placerville, California, at 1405.

The flight instructor reported that the owner, who is a private pilot, just purchased the airplane, and they were flying it to Kentucky. It was a cross-country instructional flight to familiarize the owner with the make and the model of the airplane. The flight instructor filed the flight plan to Santa Fe, New Mexico; however, they diverted to HND as the owner was not comfortable flying in the airplane at night. 

The flight instructor entered the downwind for runway 17L and performed the GUMPS (gas, undercarriage, mixture, propeller, seat belt and switches) checklist to ensure nothing critical was forgotten before landing. He rotated the fuel selector switch to the right tank as it contained more fuel. As the flight instructor entered the final, he "felt something was wrong". He could not articulate what was wrong, but he recognized that the engine was not developing power. The propeller did not stop spinning, and the engine did not backfire. There was no difference in noise that the airplane was producing. He checked propeller and mixture settings, manipulated the fuel selector, and adjusted the throttle in order to regain power; however, he did not have enough altitude to restart the engine. The airplane impacted the terrain short of the runway; subsequently, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest nose down. The flight instructor reported that prior to take off, he topped off both fuel tanks. The airplane was also equipped with an auxiliary fuel system giving it an extended range up to 6 hours. During an examination, a Federal Aviation Administration inspector stated that about 12 gallons of fuel were drained from the left tank, and that the right tank was full.

The six-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear airplane, serial number (S/N) CD-1083, was powered by a Continental Motors IO-470-K11B engine, 092964-R, rated at 225 horsepower. It was equipped with a McCauley 2A37C223-BC two-bladed, variable pitch propeller.

Review of the airframe and engine maintenance logbooks revealed that the most recent annual inspection was conducted on March 15, 2015, at the engine time of 581 hours, and the airframe and tachometer time of 2,913.28 hours. 

The airplane engine was examined at Air Transport facility, Phoenix, Arizona, on January 25, 2016, by representatives from Continental Motors and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The engine remained attached to the airframe, and the engine mounts were intact. The two-bladed propeller remained attached to the crankshaft's propeller flange. One blade tip was bent aft, twisted slightly to lower pitch, and displayed leading edge gouges. The other blade displayed span-wise gouges toward its tip, and paint burnishing at a 45-degree angle on the cambered side of the blade. The throttle and mixture controls remained attached to their respective cockpit controls and their control levers, and they moved in a corresponding movement of the control levers and shafts. The magnetos remained secured to the topside of the engine, and the ignition harness was in place. The ignition terminals remained secured to the sparkplugs. The tops sparkplugs were removed from their respective cylinders, and all displayed dark black soot. The sparkplugs displayed a new-to-normal wear condition. The propeller was manually rotated, and a spark was observed on each of the sparkplugs in firing order with no anomalies noted.

With the sparkplugs removed, the cylinders were borescope inspected with no anomalies noted with the pistons, cylinders, valves, or valve seats. A thumb compression test was conducted, and suction of pressure was obtained by all six cylinders. Camshaft continuity was confirmed through rocker and valve movement.

With no pre-accident anomalies noted with the engine, the engine was test ran on the airframe using the airframe fuel system. The engine was run through various power settings to include idle and full power. However, the engine could only be run smoothly at idle after leaning the mixture control. Application of throttle required a richening of the mixture control to obtain full power. No anomalies were noted with the engine core components or the ignition system though the sparkplugs were covered with dark soot prior to the engine test run. The complete engine examination report is appended to this accident in the public docket.

The engine-driven fuel pump, the throttle body/fuel metering unit, and the fuel manifold valve were removed and sent for a further examination. The components were examined and tested at Continental Motors facility, Mobile, Alabama, on March 15, 2016, by representatives from Continental Motors and the NTSB. The fuel pump drive coupling remained intact, and the fuel pump drive coupling gear was undamaged. The fuel pump was placed on a test bench, and put through a production test cycle. The fuel pump operated normally, and no anomalies were noted. The fuel metering assembly remained intact, and displayed impact damage to the heat shielding. The metering assembly was placed on a production test bench, and no adjustments were made to the fuel metering assembly. The metering assembly was capable of flowing fluid at all throttle angles. The fuel manifold valve remained intact and undamaged. The manifold valve was installed on a production test bench with all of the fuel nozzles installed. The fuel manifold valve operated normally on the test bench, and was capable of flowing fluid normally. The nozzles were used during the fuel manifold valve production test cycle, and all of the nozzles operated normally. Observed values of the fuel system components flow/pressure test were recorded without adjustment. Specification values correspond to the engineering specifications of the original calibration of the component to ensure desired performance within the full range of operation. It was noted that certain observed values had fallen outside the range of the specification values. No anomalies were noted that would have prevented these components from operating normally on the engine. The complete fuel components examination report, which includes tables of both values for each component, are appended to this accident in the public docket. 

http://registry.faa.gov/N20XY

NTSB Identification: WPR16LA048
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, January 04, 2016 in Henderson, NV
Aircraft: BEECH 35 C33, registration: N20XY
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

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

On January 4, 2016, about 1715 Pacific standard time, a Beech 35-C33, N20XY, landed short of the runway after experiencing a partial loss of engine power on final approach to the Henderson Executive Airport (HND), Henderson, Nevada. The private pilot and the certified flight instructor (CFI) sustained no injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The airplane is registered to, and operated by, the private pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument rules flight plan. The flight originated from Placerville Airport, Placerville, California, at 1405.

The CFI reported that the owner, who is a private pilot, just purchased the airplane and they were flying it to Kentucky. It was a cross-country instructional flight to familiarize the owner with the make and the model of the airplane. The CFI filed the flight plan to Santa Fe, New Mexico; however, they diverted to HND as the owner was not comfortable flying at night. As the CFI entered the final approach to the runway, he realized the engine stopped producing power. He checked the instrument gauges, manipulated the fuel selector and adjusted the throttle in order to regain power; however, he did not have enough altitude to restart the engine. The airplane landed hard short of the runway: subsequently, the nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest nose down. 

The airplane has been recovered to a secure location for further examination. 

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Las Vegas FSDO-19

An unidentified man who was on board the Beechcraft Bonanza single engine plane photographs the plane he was in after it landed hard in the desert short of the Henderson Executive Airport Monday, Jan. 4, 2016, in Henderson. The plane which was headed to Nashville, Tenn. when it was to divert to Henderson Airport due to inclement weather. Two people were on-board but were not injured.



A small plane bound for Nashville, Tennessee landed just short of the Henderson Executive Airport on Monday afternoon.

Neither of the two people on board was injured, said Chris Jones, McCarran International Airport spokesman. The plane was on its way from Porterville, California, a small city just west of Sequoia National Forest, when Jones said it diverted to Henderson "because of the bad weather."

Jones said investigators on the scene "believe the aircraft lost power on its way down to the runway."

Henderson Fire responded and located the plane, which was on a desert patch near St. Rose Parkway and Alper Center Drive — near Seven Hills Drive — around 5:20 p.m. Because there were no injuries and no fire, aviation officials weren't quick to call it a crash, but Jones said it was "obviously not a normal landing."

Information was not immediately available on who owns the six-seater, single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza plane or who was on board.

Source:  http://www.reviewjournal.com



Authorities are investigating a Monday evening plane crash.

Investigators say a small aircraft from Porterville, California was on it's way to Nashville, Tennessee.

The plane made a diversion to Henderson Executive Airport due to bad weather.

As they were coming in to land, there was a loss of power and the plane came up short to the runway.

The plane landed in a desert area just south of St. Rose Parkway.

Two people were onboard. There were no reported injuries.

Story and video:  http://www.ktnv.com

Beech 200 King Air, N275X, Skyway Aircraft Inc: Accident occurred January 04, 2016 at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (KPIE), Pinellas County, Florida

Skyway Aircraft Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N275X

FAA Flight Standards District Office:  FAA Miami FSDO-19

NTSB Identification: ERA16CA080 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, January 04, 2016 in Clearwater, FL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/14/2016
Aircraft: BEECH 200, registration: N275X
Injuries: 1 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 of the multiengine turbine-powered airplane departed on a positioning flight to a nearby airport to have the flaps examined. The pilot performed the landing checklist, which included extending the landing gear when the airplane was about 7 miles from the destination airport. Upon contacting the control tower, he was informed that the airplane was number two to land and was provided a vector for sequencing. After about 4 minutes, the pilot was instructed to turn toward the airport and cleared to land. The pilot stated that during his preparation for a no flap landing, he forgot that he had retracted and not subsequently lowered the landing gear. During the landing flare, the control tower stated "gear" and he attempted to abort the landing; however, the airplane contacted the runway and slid to a stop, about 2,500 feet beyond the beginning of the runway. A fuel bladder leak resulted in a fire in the area of the left engine nacelle and substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot stated that he did not hear a landing gear warning horn prior to the accident. According to the airplane flight manual, the landing gear warning would activate intermittently with the gear not down below a certain power setting. Postaccident damage precluded a functional check of the landing gear warning system; however, the pilot stated that he utilized additional power during the no flap landing and that he did not recall the specific power setting used. He further reported about 12,600 hours of total flight experience, which included about 955 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to properly configure the airplane's landing gear prior to landing, which resulted in a gear-up landing.






CLEARWATER (FOX 13) - No one was hurt when a small plane skidded to a stop along a runway at St. Pete Clearwater Airport late this morning.

The plane's landing gear collapsed and one of the two engines caught fire during the emergency landing.  Fire crews quickly extinguished the blaze.

The view from SkyFOX showed several emergency vehicles surrounding the plane, which was still doused in firefighting foam.  Airport officials say the pilot was not hurt.

Swearingen SW Metroliner, Carson Air: Incident occurred January 04, 2016 at Regina International Airport (CYQR), Saskatchewan, Canada



No one was injured when a cargo plane left a runway at Regina International Airport on Monday night.

Two people were on board the plane — a Metroliner cargo aircraft operated by Kelowna-based Carson Air — when its takeoff was aborted at approximately 5:30 p.m., said Regina Airport Authority president and CEO Dick Graham. 

Graham said he was unsure why the pilot chose to abort the takeoff. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada will conduct an investigation.

Carson Air did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

The plane ended up sitting about 70 feet off the airport’s shorter runway, Graham said, adding that the process of moving the plane from the grass to the runway can take some time because the plane could be caught in ruts.

“Under normal circumstances, this time of year, we’d have a lot more snow than we do. It’s probably a little easier this year than years previous,” Graham said, adding that there was no indication runway conditions had anything to do with the plane leaving the runway.

The airport’s main runway was unaffected.

Graham said the plane looked to have sustained “some small damage, but not significant.”

Source:  http://leaderpost.com

Yakovlev - Aerostar Yak-52, N912EB, registered to and operated by Wyoming Wings LLC: Fatal accident occurred January 04, 2016 near Alpine Airport (46U), Lincoln County, Wyoming

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

NTSB Identification: WPR16FA046
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, January 04, 2016 in Alpine, WY
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/18/2017
Aircraft: AEROSTAR S A YAK 52, registration: N912EB
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

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

The pilot was conducting a local aerobatic flight with a pilot-rated passenger occupying the rear seat (which was equipped with flight controls). The pilot's son was flying another airplane, returning to the home airport after a local sightseeing flight. The airport was at the southeast corner of a reservoir, which surrounded the airport on three sides (all but the east side). The accident site was located on flat, featureless, snow-covered terrain northwest of the airport. The son reported that, as he was flying north away from the airport over the west side of the reservoir, it was frozen over, and covered with snow. He stated that the surface was flat with no cracks, and the lighting was flat as well so that he had difficulty judging his height above the ground. As he continued north, the surface showed some cracks, which helped him with height visualization. About 7 miles north of the airport, he transitioned to the east side of the reservoir, and headed south toward the airport. The son's airplane was about 200 ft above ground level and several miles from the runway on final approach, when an exchange of radio transmissions led the son to believe that his father was going to pass by him. He never saw his father's airplane. An airplane witness had just taken off from the airport in another airplane; he saw the son's airplane on a 2-mile final approach and then saw a debris field forming as the accident airplane impacted the ground behind the son's airplane.

Examination of the accident site and the wreckage indicated that the airplane impacted the ground at high speed in a near level attitude, consistent with controlled flight into terrain. No evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies was found. It is likely that, as a result of the flat light conditions described by the pilot's son, the pilot did not realize he was descending over the featureless, snow-covered terrain.

The pilot had undiagnosed heart disease, which placed him at significant risk for sudden severe impairment/incapacitation from an acute cardiovascular event such as a heart attack, arrhythmia, or stroke. However, the operational evidence indicated that this crash was controlled flight into terrain with a pilot rated passenger in the rear seat who could have taken over in the event the pilot became severely impaired or incapacitated. As a result, it is unlikely the pilot's heart disease contributed to the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from snow-covered terrain in flat light conditions.

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

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Salt Lake City, Utah

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

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

Registered to and operated by Wyoming Wings LLC
http://registry.faa.gov/N912EB

NTSB Identification: WPR16FA046
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, January 04, 2016 in Alpine, WY
Aircraft: AEROSTAR S A YAK 52, registration: N912EB
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

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

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On January 4, 2016, about 1615 mountain standard time, an experimental Aerostar SA YAK-52, N912EB, collided with terrain while maneuvering near Alpine Airport, Alpine, Wyoming. The private pilot and the pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by Wyoming Wings LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The local personal flight departed Alpine Airport about 1530. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

Family members reported that the accident airplane departed, and went to an area northwest of the airport where the pilot planned to perform aerobatic maneuvers. Two other airplanes, one flown by the accident passenger's father, and the other by the accident pilot's son, then departed on local sightseeing flights. The passenger's father returned to the airport, landed on runway 13, and turned the airplane toward the southwest on a taxiway as he prepared to depart on runway 31, which was standard practice at the airport when winds permitted. He saw the YAK performing aerobatics west of the airport and heard the accident pilot's son report on a 3-mile final straight in for runway 13. He departed runway 31, and immediately turned 90° to the west to clear the area for the landing traffic. As he reached pattern altitude, he saw the debris field forming on the snow-covered ground behind the accident pilot's son's airplane, which was on a 2-mile final approach. He flew over the site, and broadcast that the YAK was down. He made a couple of passes over the site before landing. He noted that the sky was slightly cloudy, and low light conditions were present.

The accident pilot's son stated that he departed after his father, and flew along the east side of a reservoir before turning south to overfly the family's home. He returned to the north and maneuvered to the west side of the reservoir. As he proceeded north, he descended over the reservoir, which was frozen over and covered with snow. He stated that the surface had no cracks, and the lighting was flat so that he had difficulty judging his height above the ground. As he continued north, the surface showed some cracks, which helped him with height visualization. About 7 miles north of the airport, he transitioned to the east side of the reservoir, and headed south toward the airport. He was about 5 miles from the airport, and made a radio call that he was going to land on runway 13. He saw the accident passenger's father's airplane take off and turn to the west. He was about 100 to 200 ft above the ground and over the reservoir about 3 miles from the airport when he heard his father in the YAK make a radio call indicating that the YAK was either going to join up or do a flyby. Because of that transmission, he decided to do a go-around and fly over the airport rather than land. He reported that he and his father had done formation flying, join ups, and flybys previously, and typically his father would break the maneuver off after the join up and low approach. He looked over his shoulder for the join up at his 4- and 7-o'clock positions, and listened for a radio call from his father. The call did not come, and he never saw the YAK. He then heard the accident passenger's father radio him, and realized that something was wrong. He proceeded to the area where the other airplane was circling, and saw a disturbance in the snow. He flew above the other airplane until it departed to land.

An airport resident, who had heard the radio transmissions, went to his window, and was looking for the YAK to fly over. After hearing the conversations, he contacted the pilots in the air and notified the local emergency authorities.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION


AIRCRAFT INFORMATION


METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS


WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airport was at the southeast corner of the reservoir, which surrounded the airport on three sides (all but the east side). The accident site was located on flat, featureless, snow-covered terrain about 2 miles northwest of the airport, and near the extended centerline for the final approach to runway 13. The debris field was 578 ft long on a magnetic heading of 122°. The first identified point of contact was a crater, which measured about 15 ft long, 6 ft wide, and 2 ft deep. On the left side of the beginning of the crater was a piece of the left wing-tip and the pitot tube with about 1 ft buried in the soft dirt; a few feet farther into the crater was a piece of the left aileron. At the end of the crater was a separated propeller blade. The left wing fragmented into several pieces, and most of them were in the first half of the debris field. The inverted right wing was about 400 ft into the debris field along the debris path centerline. The main wreckage consisting of the fuselage and empennage was 500 ft into the debris field. The last major component was the separated engine, which was at the end of the debris field.

The airplane was highly fragmented. All control surfaces and major components of the airplane were identified in the debris field. The airplane had flight controls for both the front and rear seat pilots. All identified disconnects in flight control push-pull tubes were angular and jagged; all identified disconnects in flight control cables were splayed.

The propeller was separated from the engine crankshaft along with the crankshaft propeller flange. The spinner was crushed and exhibited thermal damage. Two of the three blades were separated from the propeller hub. The remaining propeller blade was melted outboard of the mid span point. The remaining portion of crankshaft exposed from the front of the engine case exhibited extensive spiral cracking throughout half of its respective circumference.


MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Booneville County Coroner's Office, Idaho Falls, Idaho, completed an autopsy of the pilot, and the cause of death was reported as the effect of blunt force injuries. Examination of the body for natural disease during the autopsy was limited by the severity of the pilot's injuries but identified evidence of severe coronary artery disease with areas of up to 80% stenosis and microscopic evidence of damage to the heart muscle from previous ischemia.

The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing of specimens from the pilot, which were negative for performance enhancing drugs or alcohol. The laboratory did not perform tests for carbon monoxide or cyanide.

The drug valsartan was detected in liver and kidney.

A review of medical records indicated that the 61-year-old male pilot, who was seated in the front seat, had reported to the FAA that he had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and a recent diagnosis of diabetes. At time of his last medical exam, on May 24, 2014, he reported using valsartan for blood pressure, ezetimibe and simvastatin in combination as well as fenofibrate for high cholesterol, and metformin for diabetes. None of these medications carry warnings about performance impairment. His treating physician reported excellent control of his diabetes on his treatment regimen with a hemoglobin A1C of 6.6%.

The 17-year-old female passenger, who was seated in the rear seat, had reported no medical conditions and no medications to the FAA during her only medical exam, dated May 21, 2014. No autopsy was performed and no specimens for toxicology analysis were obtained.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The FAA pamphlet "Flying in Flat Light and White Out Conditions" states in part:

Flat light is an optical illusion, also known as "sector or partial white out." It is not as severe as "white out" but the condition causes pilots to lose their depth-of-field and contrast in vision. Flat light conditions are usually accompanied by overcast skies inhibiting any good visual clues. Such conditions can occur anywhere in the world, primarily in snow covered areas but can occur in dust, sand, mud flats, or on glassy water. Flat light can completely obscure features of the terrain, creating an inability to distinguish distances and closure rates. As a result of this reflected light, it can give pilots the illusion of ascending or descending when actually flying level.


Chapter 17 page 10 of the FAA's Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge discusses featureless terrain illusions. It states that an absence of surrounding ground features, as in an overwater approach, over darkened areas, or terrain made featureless by snow, can create an illusion that an aircraft is at a higher altitude than it actually is during a landing approach. This illusion, sometimes referred to as the "black hole approach," causes pilots to fly a lower approach than is desired.

NTSB Identification: WPR16FA046
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, January 04, 2016 in Alpine, WY
Aircraft: AEROSTAR S A YAK 52, registration: N912EB
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

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

On January 4, 2016, about 1615 mountain standard time, an experimental Aerostar S A YAK 52, N912EB, collided with terrain while maneuvering near Alpine, Wyoming. Wyoming Wings LLC was operating the airplane under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot and a private pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed during the accident sequence. The local personal flight departed Alpine about 1530. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

Family members reported that the pilot departed, and went northwest of the airport to perform aerobatic maneuvers. The passenger's father departed on a local sightseeing flight, as did the pilot's son. The passenger's father returned to the airport, landed on runway 13, and was facing southwest on a taxiway as he prepared to depart on runway 31 (standard practice at the airport with winds permitting). He heard the pilot's son report on a 3-mile final straight in for runway 13, and observed the YAK performing aerobatics west of the airport. He departed runway 31, and immediately turned 90 degrees to the west to clear for the landing traffic. As he reached pattern altitude, he observed the accident pilot's son's airplane on a 2-mile final, and then he observed the debris field forming. He flew over the site, and broadcast that the YAK was down. He made a couple of passes over the site before landing.

The pilot's son stated that he departed after his father, and flew along the east side of the reservoir before deciding to turn south to overfly the family's home. He returned to the north and at the bird sanctuary on the south side of the reservoir near the start of the Salt River, he maneuvered to the west side of the reservoir to proceed north. As he proceeded towards McCoy Creek, he dropped over the reservoir, which at that point was frozen over, and covered with snow. He stated that the surface was flat with no cracks, and the lighting was flat as well so that he had difficulty judging his height above the ground. Proceeding north, the surface started to crack, which helped height visualization. Over an open area boat ramp about 7 miles north of the airport, he transitioned to the east side of the lake, and headed south toward the airport. He observed on his GPS that he was about 5 miles from the airport, and made a radio call that he was going to land on runway 13. He observed the passenger's father's airplane take off, and turn to the west. He was about 100 to 200 feet agl over the reservoir about 3 miles out when he heard his father in the YAK make a radio call indicating that the YAK was either going to join up or do a flyby. Because of that transmission, he decided to do a go-around and fly over the airport rather than land. He reported that he and his father had done formation flying, join ups, and flybys previously, and typically his father would break the maneuver off after the join up and low approach. He looked over his shoulder for the join up at his 4- and 7-o'clock positions, and was expecting a call as to which side that would occur. The call did not come, and he never saw the YAK. He then heard the passenger's father contacting him, and after several stressed calls realized that something had not gone right. He proceeded to the area where the other airplane was, and saw a disturbance in the snow. He flew above the other airplane until it departed to land.

An airport resident who had heard the radio transmissions went to his window, and was looking for the YAK to fly over. After hearing the conversations, he contacted the pilots in the air, and notified the local emergency authorities.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) examined the wreckage on site. The debris field was 550 feet long along a magnetic heading of 122 degrees. The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was the principle impact crater (PIC). On the left side of the beginning of the PIC was a piece of the left wing tip, and the pitot tube with about 1 foot of it buried in the soft dirt; a few feet further was a piece of the left aileron. At the end of the PIC was a separated propeller blade. The left wing fragmented into several pieces, and most of them were in the first half of the debris field. The inverted right wing was about 400 feet into the debris field along the debris path centerline. The main wreckage consisting of the fuselage and empennage was 500 feet into the debris field. The last major component was the separated engine at the end of the debris field.

A postaccident wreckage examination identified all control surfaces and major components of the airplane. All identified disconnects in flight control push-pull tubes were angular and jagged; all identified disconnects in flight control cables were splayed. 



CHAPEL HILL -- Support is pouring in for the East Chapel Hill high senior killed in a plane crash, last week.

At last check a GoFundMe page set up to honor Mackenzie Ruston's legacy surpassed more than $46,000.  

Ruston recently earned her private pilot's license.

She was killed in a crash near the Wyoming border, along with the plane's owner, 61-year-old Reade Genzlinger.

The money raised through the GoFundMe campaign will support the Bouncing Bulldogs, a program that was near and dear to Ruston’s heart for the last 13 years. 

To donate to the GoFundMe, click here.












Mackenzie Ruston



Mackenzie Ruston




From left, Kenzie Ruston, 15, of East Chapel Hill High, and Anna Reeb, 14, of Carrboro High, perform with the Bouncing Bulldogs in 2013.


CHAPEL HILL (WTVD) -- News of Mackenzie Ruston's death hit her teammates on the Durham Chapel Hill Bouncing Bulldogs competitive jump rope team hard. They knew her as just Kenzie, their team captain and someone who pushed them to be their best.

"If she needed to pat you on the back she would do that if she needed to step on your toes she would do that," said Kenzie's long-time coach Ray Fredrick.

And he said she had no problem voicing suggestions to the coaches if she thought the team would benefit.

"She taught me that coaches can learn from the athlete," Fredrick said.

Mackenzie, 17, a senior at East Chapel Hill High School, died in a plane crash Monday in Wyoming. It happened one day before her 18th birthday.

KIDK reported that Mackenzie and 61-year-old Reade Genzlinger of Bryn Athyn, Penn., were both killed after their plane crashed about 2 miles north of the runway at the Alpine Wyoming airport.

The two were in a Yak 52 Russian trainer aircraft on a recreational flight, KIDK reported. The cause of the crash is unknown.

School officials said no one else from Ruston's family was involved in the accident.

Tom Forcella, Superintendent of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools expressed his condolences.

"Today we grieve as a community. This is the hardest day any of us will ever face," Forcella said. "We will rely on the comfort of one another, and we will do everything in our power to support Mackenzie's family, friends and loved ones."

Kenzie traveled the world with the team and helped win five world championships, most recently in late 2015. She was a fierce competitor and loved to try new things. Her friends say she had her pilot's license, but investigators say she was not at the controls when the recreation flight she was on crashed.

"She was always there, always ready to give a helping hand," said Isabel Osborne, Kenzie's jump-rope co-captain.

Her coach said Kenzie started on the competitive jump rope team when she was just 4 years old. He said right from the beginning, her dedication to the sport was evident. Through the years, the team's typical practice schedule spanned six days a week. Fredrick said she was the first to show up and the last to leave.

"She was a dedicated person to the program and to the sport of jump rope and well loved all over the world and probably one of the most humble individuals I ever met," Fredrick said.

Photographs of happy memories line the wall outside the gym where the Bulldogs practice in Chapel Hill. These images now serve as reminders to the teammates she leaves behind of her smile, her friendship and her drive for the sport.

"Stay in your lane and follow your passion, don't try to live someone else's life and that's who she was," Fredrick said.

East Chapel Hill High School principal Eileen Tully said counseling would be available for students.

"Our condolences certainly go out to Mackenzie's family, friends and her loved ones. Counseling support has been added to our school today from the district to assist students and staff with grieving," Tully said. "If you would like any sort of advice or assistance on how to best engage your child in this difficult conversation, please don't hesitate to call on us. This is a very difficult time for everyone, and your continued support is greatly appreciated."

Story and video:  http://abc11.com


A Chapel Hill teenager whose coach says was one of the best competitive jump ropers in the world was one of two people killed in a plane crash Monday near the Idaho-Wyoming border.

Bonneville County authorities responded to a reported crash Monday afternoon at the edge of Palisades Reservoir, about two miles north of the Alpine Airport. Rescue crews used snowmobiles and rescue sleds to reach the area, which had 2 to 3 feet of snow.

Mackenzie Ruston, 17, of Chapel Hill, and pilot Reade Genzlinger, 61, of Bryn Athens, Pa., were killed at the scene, Bonneville County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Bryan Lovell said. Both are part-time residents of Alpine, Wyo.

The victims’ family members were flying nearby in two other aircraft when Genzlinger’s small plane – a Yak 52 Russian trainer aircraft – went down less than a mile from the Idaho state line, Lovell said. The other planes landed safely, he said.

“The plane (carrying Ruston) had been flying low and went in to the ground,” he said. “They were going up and down around the area ... and crashed just off the end of the runway.”

The mountainous area is a popular spot for recreational flights, Lovell said, and the small town of Alpine has many part-time residents living in cabins along the runway. While crashes are not common, he said, another pilot was killed in an October crash in the same area.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating Monday’s crash, Lovell said.

Ruston was a senior at East Chapel High School and a member of the Bouncing Bulldogs jump-rope team for 13 years, beginning when she was 4 years old.

East Chapel Hill Principal Eileen Tully told students and parents in a recorded statement Tuesday that “this is the worst kind of phone call a principal will ever make.”

“Yesterday, we lost a beloved member of our school family,” Tulley said.

“Our condolences certainly go out to Mackenzie’s family, friends and her loved ones,” she continued. “Counseling support has been added to our school today from the district to assist students and staff with grieving. If you would like any sort of advice or assistance on how to best engage your child in this difficult conversation, please don’t hesitate to call on us.”

Coach Ray Frederick, who founded the competitive jump rope team in 1985, said Ruston was one of two members he has coached from age 4 through their senior year of high school.

“I felt deep down in my heart this young lady is going to have a major impact on the world,” he said.

Ruston, one of the two co-captains of the 140-member team this year, was part of a four-person group that finished first in the World Jump Rope Competition single rope speed relay event last year in Paris. She was known for a front tuck with a rope in which she would do a front flip with the rope passing beneath her feet before she landed.

Ruston posted a video montage about jumping rope to YouTube in October, saying “what we do cannot always be explained with words.”

“I’ve traveled around the world, making new friends everywhere I go,” she said in the video. “I’ve learned discipline, hard work, communication, leadership, community service, respect creativity and teamwork. Each day I work to be a mentor and a positive influence for the next generation of jumpers.”

Ruston was humble and “would always give the credit to some one else,” Frederick added. “She was always the last to leave the gym. She expected the most out of herself. She was one of he few jumpers who could challenge me.”

At 6 a.m. Tuesday, when many of the Bouncing Bulldogs jumpers gathered for practice at Timberlyne shopping center in Chapel Hill, Frederick said co-captain Isabel Osborne took a headcount.

“When Isabel counted 72, I said, ‘Add one more,’” he said. “That’s the impact she had. Her spirit was in that room.”

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



BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho (WTVD) -- School officials said Mackenzie Ruston, a senior at East Chapel Hill High School, died in a plane crash Monday in Wyoming.

KIDK reports that 61-year-old Reade Genzlinger of Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania and Ruston, 17, were both killed after their plane crashed about 2 miles north of the runway at the Alpine Wyoming airport.

The two were in a   Yakovlev (Aerostar) Yak-52 aircraft on a recreational flight, KIDK reports. The cause of the crash is unknown.

School officials say no else from Ruston's family was involved in the accident.

Tom Forcella, Superintendent of Chapel Hill - Carrboro City Schools expressed his condolences.

"Today we grieve as a community. This is the hardest day any of us will ever face," said Forcella. "We will rely on the comfort of one another, and we will do everything in our power to support Mackenzie's family, friends and loved ones."

East Chapel Hill High School principal Eileen Tully said counseling would be available for students.

"Our condolences certainly go out to Mackenzie's family, friends and her loved ones. Counseling support has been added to our school today from the district to assist students and staff with grieving," said Tully. "If you would like any sort of advice or assistance on how to best engage your child in this difficult conversation, please don't hesitate to call on us. This is a very difficult time for everyone, and your continued support is greatly appreciated."

Source:  http://abc11.com 




BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho -

Bonneville County Sheriff's Office has released the names of the two people killed in plane crash near Palisades Reservoir Monday evening.

The victims of the crash were 61 year old Reade Genzlinger of Bryn Athens, Pennsylvania and 17 year old Mackenzie Ruston from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The name of the teen was confirmed by administrators at the East Chapel Hill High School where Ruston was a student. Both victims are part-time residents of Alpine, Wyoming.

The two victims were flying in a vintage Yak 52 Russian trainer aircraft. They were on recreational flight that left from the Alpine area and were flying with two other planes at the time.

The cause of the crash is still unknown at this time. The FAA has been contacted for help in investigating the crash. 

The crash scene was located approximately two miles north of the runway at the Alpine Wyoming airport in Palisades Reservoir. The plane did not crash in the water, but the area was covered with 2 to 3 feet of snow. Rescue crews used snowmobiles and rescue sleds to recover the victims.