Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Taunton Municipal Airport (KTAN) commission meetings moved to City Hall amid discord

Meetings of the city’s Airport Commission will now be televised and held at the interim City Hall at 141 Oak Street.


In this file photo, Airport Commissioner William Maganiello, left, talks with members of the Taunton Pilots Association, with President Melinda Paine-Dupont at right.



TAUNTON — Meetings of the city’s Airport Commission will now be televised and held at the interim City Hall at 141 Oak St.

The commission’s next meeting is set for 7 p.m., Jan. 27, continuing its regular meeting schedule on the last Wednesday of the month.

The board typically met inside the Leonard F. Rose SRE building at the East Taunton-based airport on Westcoat Drive. The building is a large structure that doubles as an airport property maintenance garage and a meeting room whose walls and ceilings display airport memorabilia.

City Councilor Estele C. Borges, chairman of the Committee on the Needs of the Airport, announced the change of location at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.

Moving the airport commission’s location to a site where meetings can be televised brings greater transparency to the monthly board meeting — and a more comfortable location for commission members and the public, including area pilots. The working relationship between some members of the seven-person airport commission, airport management and area pilots has become fractious.

A Jan. 25 meeting is set for the entire City Council to hear the concerns of the pilots, who last month submitted a petition of no confidence in how the airport is being run. Eighty people signed the petition.

Meanwhile, the state Department of Transportation’s Aeronautics division has selected the Taunton Municipal Airport as one local airport slated for a new building. The project is in its earliest stages, with state officials recently notifying the airport commission and airport management of the award.

Money for the new building comes via a statewide Airport Administration Building program. Construction of the new building at the airport may begin in fiscal year 2017, according to airport commission minutes posted on the city’s website. That’s because although the project is planned, groundbreaking is subject to approval of the annual MassDOT capital budget.

Source:  http://www.tauntongazette.com

Enstrom F-28F, N756H, BRD Equipment LLC: Accident occurred January 13, 2016 in Ritter Butte, Grant County, Oregon

NTSB Identification: GAA16LA100 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, January 13, 2016 in Ritter Butte, OR
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/16/2016
Aircraft: ENSTROM F-28, registration: N756H
Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 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.

According to the commercial pilot, the purpose of the flight was predator animal control in an area of adjoining ranches. The pilot stated that, during the flight, the fuel indicator began bouncing back and forth and reading erratically. Subsequently, the pilot used his watch to time the fuel burn to determine when he had to return to the fuel point. As the pilot was about to return to the fuel point, the fuel indicator stabilized, indicating that the fuel tank was about one-quarter full, and the pilot then flew toward the fuel truck. When the helicopter was about 100 ft above the terrain, the low fuel indicator illuminated, followed by the loss of engine power. The pilot estimated that about a 20-mph tailwind existed, so he performed a 180-degree turn to point the helicopter’s nose into the wind while entering an autorotation. After completing the 180-degree turn, the pilot did not see any flat or open terrain and chose to land on a rocky outcropping. While the pilot was trying to avoid landing in trees, the helicopter impacted terrain, which resulted in the helicopter sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage and main rotor gear box. 

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and subsequent impact with terrain.

On January 13, 2016, about 1000 Pacific standard time, an Enstrom F-28F helicopter, N756H, impacted terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude, about 5 miles southeast of Ritter, Oregon. The pilot sustained serious injuries and the passenger had no injuries. The helicopter was registered to BRD Equipment LLC of Adams, Oregon, and operated by Southern Helicopter Company of Pendleton, Oregon, as a personal local flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site about the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from and was destined to returned to a private residence near Ritter, OR. 

According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was for predator animal control in an area of adjoining ranches. The pilot stated that, during the flight, the fuel indicator began "bouncing back and forth and read erratically". The pilot reported that consequently, he used his watch to time his fuel burn to know when he had to return to the fuel point. As the pilot was about to return to the fuel point, the fuel indicator stabilized with about one quarter of a tank of fuel and the pilot flew in the direction of the fuel truck. The pilot stated he was about 100 feet above the terrain when the low fuel indicator illuminated and subsequently the engine lost power. The pilot estimated he had a 20 mile per hour tailwind and performed a 180 turn to point the nose of the helicopter into the wind while auto rotating. After completing the 180 turn, the pilot did not see any flat or open terrain and chose to land on a rocky outcropping trying to avoid landing in trees and impacted terrain.

During impact the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and main rotor gear box.

NTSB Identification: GAA16LA100
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, January 13, 2016 in Ritter Butte, OR
Aircraft: ENSTROM F-28F, registration: N756H
Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 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 suppor
t of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On January 13, 2016, about 0940 Pacific standard time, an Enstrom F-28F helicopter, N756H, impacted terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude, about 5 miles southeast of Ritter, Oregon. The pilot sustained serious injuries and the passenger had no injuries. The helicopter was registered to BRD Equipment LLC of Adams, Oregon, and operated by Southern Helicopter Company of Pendleton, Oregon, as a personal local flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site about the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from and was destined to returned to a private residence near Ritter. 

According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was predator control in an area of adjoining ranches. The pilot stated that, during the flight, the fuel indicator began bouncing back and forth and read erroneously. The pilot stated that consequently, he used his watch to time his fuel burn to know when he had to return to the fuel point. As the pilot was about to return to the fuel point, the fuel indicator stopped bouncing and he flew in the direction of the fuel truck. The pilot stated he was about 95 feet above the terrain when the low fuel indicator illuminated and subsequently the engine lost power. The pilot estimated he had a 15 knot tailwind and performed a 180 degree turn to point the nose of the helicopter into the wind while autorotating. After completing the 180 degree turn, the pilot estimated he was 15 to 20 feet above the ground and tried to flare, but "came down fast and hard" and impacted terrain.

During impact the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and main rotor blades.



The wreckage of a Enstrom F-28F helicopter was found near Ritter Butte Lookout in northern Grant County.

The wreckage of a Enstrom F-28F was found near Ritter Butte Lookout in northern Grant County

The wreckage of a Enstrom F-28F helicopter was found near Ritter Butte Lookout in northern Grant County.


Two ambulances responded to a helicopter crash in Grant County Wednesday, transporting two men to Blue Mountain Hospital in John Day.

The wreckage of a 1988 Enstrom helicopter was found near Ritter Butte Lookout in northern Grant County. The crash was reported at 10:06 a.m. Wednesday, January 13. The pilot of the helicopter, Cliff A. Hoeft, 60, Pilot Rock, and a passenger, Cody Cole, 34, Monument, were transported by ambulance to Blue Mountain Hospital in John Day. Hoeft was later transferred by aircraft to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend.


RITTER — A helicopter pilot and his passenger were injured in a crash near Ritter Butte Wednesday morning.

Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer said a helicopter being used to hunt coyotes ran out of fuel and crashed into several juniper trees on a rock outcropping on property owned by Paul Walton, Ritter, about a half-mile southwest of the Ritter Butte Lookout and one-and-a-half miles west of Highway 395 in northern Grant County.


The crash was reported at about 10:06 a.m. Jan. 13, and the sheriff’s office, along with ambulances from Long Creek and John Day, were dispatched to the scene.


Palmer said, when he arrived on the scen
e, members of the Long Creek Fire Department were packing the helicopter pilot, Cliff A. Hoeft, 60, Pilot Rock, several hundred yards to an awaiting ambulance.

The single passenger, Cody J. Cole, 34, Monument, walked away from the crash, Palmer said, but both men were transported to Blue Mountain Hospital in John Day. Hoeft was later transferred by aircraft to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend.


Palmer, who conducted the initial investigation, said the men were “lucky to be alive.” He said the 1988 Enstrom helicopter, registered to BRD Equipment in Adams, was heavily damaged and is considered a total loss.


Palmer said the helicopter and pilot were hired by a number of people who were hunting coyotes on adjoining properties in the area. He said different passengers were taking turns shooting from the helicopter, and the crash occurred within about 1,000 yards of where the aircraft had been landing near the group of hunters.


Story and photo gallery: http://www.bluemountaineagle.com

Beechcraft Baron 95-B55, G-RICK: Fatal accident occurred May 03, 2015 in Dundee, United Kingdom

Dundee Airport to introduce safety measures after last year’s fatal plane crash


John McKinnon (left) and Andrew Thompson (right) 





New safety measures are to be introduced at Dundee Airport after two people died in a small plane crash.

Andrew Thompson, 37, and John MacKinnon, 53, died in May 2015 when the Beechcraft Baron 95-B55 aircraft crashed near the village of Abernyte in Perthshire.

There was low cloud and heavy rain in the area at the time - described as instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) - meaning the pilot had to fly primarily by reference to instruments.

An Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB ) report concluded a mix-up of distances between the onboard GPS system and distance measuring equipment (DME) from the runway caused the pilot to start his descent too early.

Investigators said: "The aircraft collided with high ground 6.7 nm (nautical miles) to the west of Dundee Airport whilst conducting an instrument approach to runway 09 in IMC.

"Evidence indicates that the pilot probably mistook the distances on his GPS, which were from the NDB (non directional radio beacon), as DME distances from the threshold of runway 09 and therefore commenced his descent too early.

"Anecdotal evidence suggests that mistaking GPS distance from the 'DND' NDB with DME distance is a common error made by pilots. The operator of Dundee Airport is taking safety actions, intended to prevent a recurrence."

The AAIB report added: "Dundee Airport has high ground on the approach, an offset NBD and no radar surveillance.

"This combination can result in a pilot inadvertently letting down to the NDB instead of the runway in IMC conditions, with no effective 'safety net'.

"Aviation should, however, in so far as possible, be an 'error tolerant' environment."

The airport operator, Highlands and Islands Airports (HIAL), has commissioned a safety survey to consider relocating the remote NDB and other measures.

All incoming aircraft now also hear the broadcast: "Pilots are reminded that the NDB and DME are not co-located".

The aircraft was travelling from Inverness to Dundee for scheduled maintenance checks when it lost contact with air traffic controllers just a few miles west of the hub.

The wreckage of the small plane was found near the village of Abernyte about four hours after it went missing.

Mr. Thompson was from Chester in Cheshire, and MacKinnon from Ross-shire.

Source: http://www.thecourier.co.uk





NTSB Identification: CEN15WA221
Accident occurred Sunday, May 03, 2015 in Dundee, United Kingdom
Aircraft: BEECH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION BEECH 95-B55, registration:
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

The foreign authority was the source of this information.


On May 3, 2015, at 1113 coordinated universal time, a Beech 95-B55 airplane, G-RICK, impacted terrain while on approach to the Dundee Airport (EGPN), Dundee, Scotland. The pilot and one passenger were fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight.


At 1120, an automated weather reporting facility at EGPN reported, wind from 90 degrees at 22 knots, visibility 5,000 meters with moderate rain, ceiling broken at 900 feet, broken at 1,600 feet, temperature 7° Celsius (C), dew point 6° C, and 996 millibar.


The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the government of the United Kingdom. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained from the government of the United Kingdom. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from:


Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB)

Farnborough House
Berkshire Copse Road
Aldershot, Hampshire
GU11 2HH, United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)1252 510300

Fax: +44 (0)1252 376999
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/air-accidents-investigation-branch

Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee, G-BHXK: Fatal accident occurred April 04, 2015 in Loch Etive, United Kingdom

Couple killed in Easter plane crash after pilot "lost control"

Newlyweds Dr. Margaret-Ann and David Rous



Question marks remain over the cause of a fatal Easter plane crash which claimed the lives of a Dundee couple, as investigators said it appears the pilot became disorientated and “lost control”.

Dr. Margaret Ann Rous, a 37-year-old GP, and her 28-year-old husband David Rous, an engineer, were killed when a light aircraft struck the hillside at Glen Etive in Argyll on April 4 last year.

They had been en route from Dundee to Tiree to spend the Easter weekend with Dr. Rous’ family.

Today, an Air Accidents Investigation Branch report into crash said investigators had uncovered “no specific cause” for the tragedy.

However, it added that it appeared Mr Rous, who was piloting the Piper Cherokee, had suffered “some form of spatial disorientation” and that the accident “followed a loss of control, possibly in cloud”.

Despite obtaining his private pilot's license less than a year earlier, in June 2014, Mr Rous was considered to have "above average" skills and had accumulated more than 130 flying hours by the time of the crash.

Visibility was deteriorating as the plane flew over Argyll and investigators believe that Mr Rous had realised it would not be possible to continue to Tiree and had decided to return to Dundee instead, although he did not communicate this to air traffic control.

Mr. Rous commenced a "controlled, and initially level, right turn" over Glen Etive but this quickly "developed into a spiral dive, consistent with some sort of spatial disorientation".

Around 40 seconds later the aircraft struck the slopes of Beinn nan Lus in a 45-degree nosedive, at high speed. Both Mr and Dr Rous were killed instantly

The report states: "It is likely that the aircraft, prior to or during the right turn, had entered cloud or that the pilot had experienced some loss of, or false, visual horizon. The gentle right turn is likely to have been the commencement of a deliberate turn back to the east or from carrying out some cockpit activity...this in turn may have led to him becoming disorientated."

Investigators added that the poor weather may also have caused airframe icing, which could also be a factor in the crash.

Meanwhile, new safety measures are to be introduced at Dundee Airport after two people died in a small plane crash.

Andrew Thompson, 37, who had previously lived in Bearsden, near Glasgow, and John MacKinnon, 53, from Ross-shire, died in May 2015 when the G-Rick Beech Baron aircraft crashed near the village of Abernyte in Perthshire.
     
There was low cloud and heavy rain in the area at the time, meaning the pilot had to fly primarily by reference to instruments. An AAIB report concluded a mix-up of distances between the onboard GPS system - calculated based on the airport's non directional radio beacon (NDB) and distance measuring equipment from the runway caused the pilot to start his descent too early.

The airport operator, Highlands and Islands Airports (HIAL), has commissioned a safety survey in light of the findings.

Source: http://www.heraldscotland.com

NTSB Identification: CEN15WA191
14 CFR Non-U.S., Non-Commercial
Accident occurred Saturday, April 04, 2015 in Loch Etive, United Kingdom
Aircraft: PIPER AIRCRAFT CORPORATION PIPER PA-28-140, registration:
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

The foreign authority was the source of this information.

On April 4, 2015, at an unknown time, a United Kingdom registered Piper PA-28-140 airplane, G-BHXK,impacted mountainous terrain near Lock Etive, Oban, Argyll, and Bute, United Kingdom.The two occupants were fatally injured.

The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the government of the United Kingdom. Further information may be obtained from:

Air Accidents Investigation Branch
Farnborough House
Aldershot, Hampshire
GU11 2HH, United Kingdom

Beech B36TC Bonanza, N4BA: Fatal accident occurred April 1, 2010 at Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport (MGY), Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio

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

Docket And Docket Items -  National Transportation Safety Board:   http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

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

NTSB Identification: CEN10FA180
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, April 01, 2010 in Dayton, OH
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/20/2011
Aircraft: BEECH B36TC, registration: N4BA
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.

Approximately 1 minute after takeoff, as the airplane was about 1 mile southwest of the airport, the pilot reported an engine failure to air traffic controllers and initiated a return to the airport. One witness, located about 1 mile west of the airport, reported that the sound of the engine changed abruptly; noting that the engine seemed to lose power completely. Another witness, located near the airport, observed the airplane approach from the west and turn to align with the downwind runway. During the turn, the left wingtip struck the ground and the airplane impacted short of the runway. A postimpact fire ensued. Although the pilot initiated a return to the airport, an interstate highway and an open grass area short of the runway were both potentially available for an emergency landing. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 1 (aft) main crankshaft bearing failed due to unknown circumstances. The progressive failure of the bearing likely precipitated secondary failures of the crankcase through-bolt and the fuel pump coupling, which resulted in a complete loss of engine power.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The complete loss of engine power due to failure of the No. 1 main bearing, and the secondary failure of a crankcase through-bolt and the fuel pump drive coupling. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to attempt a return to the airport for a downwind forced landing, despite having an interstate highway and an open grass area short of the runway as available emergency landing sites.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On April 1, 2010, at 1253 eastern daylight time, a Beech B36TC Bonanza, N4BA, impacted terrain short of the runway during a forced landing following a loss of engine power at the Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport (MGY), Dayton, Ohio. A post-impact fire ensued and the airplane was destroyed. The pilot and sole passenger on-board sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to Poelking LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight departed from MGY about 1250. The intended destination was DuPage Airport (DPA), West Chicago, Illinois.

The pilot initially contacted Dayton Approach Control while he was on the ground at MGY and requested an IFR clearance to DPA. However, before a clearance was issued, the pilot informed the controller that he needed to return to the ramp due to a magneto problem. Thirty minutes later, the pilot again contacted Dayton Approach while on the ground at MGY and requested a clearance to DPA. A clearance was issued at 1248 and the flight was released for takeoff at 1249.

At 1251:11 (hhmm:ss), the pilot contacted Dayton Approach Control. He informed the controller that they were airborne and climbing through 1,300 feet mean sea level (msl). At 1251:32, the controller replied that radar contact was established 1 mile south of MGY. However, 14 seconds later, the pilot stated that he was “going to circle around for a landing” at MGY because a “compartment [had] come open.” The controller acknowledged and cleared the flight to return to MGY. At 1252:16, the pilot stated that he was declaring an emergency due to an engine failure.

Radar data depicted the airplane tracking the Runway 20 extended centerline after takeoff. The initial radar data point was recorded at 1251:05 and indicated that the airplane was near the departure end of Runway 20 at 1,300 feet msl. About 1251:42, the airplane entered a right turn and remained in that turn until the final data point, which was recorded at 1252:46. At that time, the airplane was approximately 1/2 mile southwest of the Runway 2 threshold at 1,200 feet msl, and on an approximate magnetic course of 094 degrees. The radar track data indicated that the airplane was within 1/4 mile of an interstate highway during the right turn.

A witness reported that she was working in her yard, about 1 mile southwest of the airport, when the accident airplane flew over. Initially, the sound of the engine was completely normal. However, the routine engine sound changed abruptly, noting that the engine seemed to completely cut out. She added that the engine did not sputter, or increase and decrease pitch, during that time. The change in engine sound caused her to look up. She reportedly observed the airplane in a right turn with an estimated bank angle of 45 degrees. The airplane was heading northwest when she first saw it. It remained in that right turn until she lost sight of it, at which time it was on an easterly heading. She added that nothing about the airplane seemed unusual except for the abrupt change in the engine sound and a lower than normal flight profile.

Additional witnesses reported observing the airplane approach the airport from the west with the landing gear in the retracted position. They stated that the airplane banked to the left in an apparent attempt to line-up with runway 2. The left wingtip struck the ground and the airplane impacted an open grass area south of the runway. A post impact fire ensued.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 50, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single engine land and instrument airplane ratings. He was issued a third-class airman medical certificate on March 26, 2009, with a restriction for corrective lenses. FAA records indicated that the pilot added an instrument rating to his private pilot certificate on August 31, 2009.

The pilot’s flight time logbook was not available to the NTSB. On his instrument rating application, the pilot noted a total flight time of 182.5 hours, with 102.7 hours of instruction received. He reported a total of 93.1 hours in B36TC airplanes at the time of that exam.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The accident airplane was a 1983 Beech B36TC (Bonanza), serial number EA-356. It was a six-place, single-engine airplane, with a retractable tricycle landing gear configuration. The airplane was powered by a 300-horsepower Continental TSIO-520-UB turbo-charged engine, serial number 515941. It was equipped with a 3-bladed, constant speed (adjustable pitch) McCauley model 3A32C406 propeller assembly, serial number 983648.

Maintenance records indicated that an annual inspection was completed on March 11, 2010, at a total airframe time of 2,283.9 hours. The records noted that the engine had accumulated 997.8 hours since overhaul at the time of the annual inspection. There was no record of maintenance issues subsequent to the annual inspection.

Maintenance records also indicated that aluminum fragments were found in the filter during an oil change conducted in July 2009. The engine was disassembled as a result and several piston pins were found to be frozen. The connecting rods were repaired and new cylinders were installed. The airplane was subsequently returned to service with no further issues noted.

METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

Weather conditions recorded by the MGY Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) at 1253 were: Clear skies; 10 miles visibility; winds from 210 degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 22 knots; temperature 22 degrees Celsius; dew point 9 degrees Celsius, altimeter 29.98 inches of mercury.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Dayton-Wright Brothers (MGY) was a non-towered airport; served by a single runway. Runway 2-20 was 5,000 feet long by 100 feet wide and constructed of asphalt. The approach area to Runway 2 consisted of an open grass area extending approximately 1,000 feet from the threshold. A localizer antenna was located in this area on the runway centerline about 900 feet from the threshold. 

The east side of Runway 2 was bordered by an open grass area about 500 feet wide. Commercial/business areas bordered the airport to the south. Residential areas bordered the airport to the east. A residential area was located about 1,200 feet east of the Runway 2 threshold, with an open grass area between the threshold and the nearest residences.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Initial ground impact was on the airport property about 860 feet south-southwest of the Runway 2 threshold. The debris path was oriented on an approximate 024-degree magnetic bearing. The main airplane wreckage, which consisted of the fuselage, engine, empennage, and wings, came to rest about 179 feet from the initial impact point. Grass scorched by the post impact fire extended to approximately 120 feet north-northeast of the main wreckage.

The nose section of the airplane was fragmented. The upper portion of the fuselage and aft fuselage structure remained. The lower fuselage was consumed by the postimpact fire. The engine had separated from the airframe. It came to rest inverted with the main wreckage. The propeller assembly was separated from the engine crankshaft flange. The propeller blades remained attached at the hub. The left wing tip separated from the airframe and came to rest about 75 feet south of the main wreckage. The empennage was partially separated from the aft fuselage. The vertical stabilizer, with the rudder attached, had separated from the empennage. The flight controls and flaps sustained damage consistent impact forces and the postimpact fire.

No anomalies consistent with a pre-impact failure or malfunction of the airframe were observed. A teardown examination of the engine was conducted subsequent to the accident. (A summary of those findings is included later in this report.) 

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy of the pilot was performed by the coroner’s office of Montgomery County, Ohio, on April 5, 2010. The FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute forensic toxicology report was negative for all substances in the screening profile.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Teardown examination of the engine revealed that the #1 (aft) main bearing had failed. Specifically, the right half of the #1 main bearing was fractured into 5 pieces. A portion of the right bearing was located under the left bearing. In addition, the lower, aft crankcase through-bolt was fractured near mid-length. Finally, the fuel pump drive coupling and the standby alternator drive shaft were fractured.

Metallurgical examination of the #1 main bearing revealed damage consistent with contact of the fracture faces between other bearing sections. No fracture features were visible.

The crankcase through-bolt was fractured at one of the o-ring grooves at the case split line. The adjacent o-ring was hardened and partially charred. The cadmium surface plating was bubbled and solidified into surface beads on either side of the split line. The fracture surface exhibited features and deformation patterns consistent with bending over-stress. The overstress region appeared to emanate from a crescent-shape area that exhibited intergranular separation. Cadmium was identified on portions of the crescent-shaped area.

The fuel pump coupling was fractured at the reduced diameter shear section. The fracture surface exhibited crack arrest lines and surface topography consistent with high-stress reverse bending fatigue. The standby alternator driveshaft was also fractured at a reduced diameter section. Otherwise, the driveshaft appeared straight and undamaged. The fracture surface exhibited features consistent with rotational bending fatigue fracture.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Director of Maintenance at the fixed base operator (FBO) met the accident pilot when he returned to the ramp with a rough magneto. The pilot informed the maintenance director that the drop in engine speed exceeded limitations on one of the magnetos, and that he did not observe any drop on the second magneto.

The maintenance director got in the airplane and conducted a run-up. He stated the engine started without hesitation, and went to 1,200 or 1,300 rpm. He conducted at least two magneto checks and the drop in engine speed was about 100 rpm. Engine operation was smooth the entire time.

The pilot reportedly commented to the mechanic that he had been idling for a long time and had not leaned the mixture. He noted that he did not observe any issues with the operation of the engine or the magnetos during the time he was in the airplane.

The airplane flight manual specifies a maximum drop in engine speed of 150 rpm during a magneto check.

Airport records indicate that the accident airplane was fueled with 61.6 gallons of 100 low lead aviation fuel about 1815 on March 31, 2010; the evening prior to the accident flight.


Tom Hausfeld and his daughter Kacie were killed April 1, 2010, when the plane he was piloting crashed at Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport just after takeoff.
~

DAYTON —

Dayton Flyers volleyball coach Tim Horsmon remembers Kacie Hausfeld as one of the most well-liked players on the team when he coached her as a freshman in 2007. Her teammates respected her. She competed. She was smart.

“She was an unbelievable kid,” Horsmon said.

Hausfeld, 21, died with her dad Tom, 50, in a plane crash on April 1, 2010, at Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport. The single-engine plane Tom was piloting crashed after takeoff on the way to Chicago.

In the years since, Kacie’s memory has lived on at UD. The team presents the Kacie Hausfeld Teammate Award every season. Now, a $1.2 million gift to the volleyball program by her mom Lori Hausfeld and the family will help preserve her legacy even longer.

The Dayton volleyball program held a special place in the family’s heart then and still does today.

“I’ve thought about doing something for the last few years,” Hausfeld said. “The university has been so important to me. It was very important to Kacie and Tom. They loved the school. Even after the accident, (UD was) just so supportive. I wanted something to give back to UD because they gave so much back to me and my daughter.”

The money will allow the program to do a number of things at the Frericks Center, such as upgrading the seating and the sound system. UD also plans to build a team lounge. It will be named after Kacie, an Alter High School graduate.

“She was such a social kid,” Horsmon said. “That’s going to be a great spot to remember her.”

Hausfeld, of Springboro, said when she first approached UD about making a donation, the university figured she was talking in the $100,000 to $200,000 range. She shocked UD when she told them she was thinking bigger — much bigger.

“They’re like, ‘That’s fantastic,’” Hausfeld said.

Tom Hausfeld was a successful businessman. He retired in 2006 after selling his business, Auto Disposal Systems Inc., of Dayton. He was well known for his charitable giving before his death.

Horsmon’s return to Dayton helped spur Hausfeld’s donation. He left for the head coaching job at the University of Maryland in the spring of 2008. Kacie played her final two seasons for Kelly Sheffield. Horsmon came back to the Flyers in December 2013, and at his first home match in 2014 against Nebraska, he saw Hausfeld in the stands.

“I turned around at the beginning of the match,” Horsmon said. “I don’t now why. I never really look behind the bench. I saw Lori. she caught my eye. We waved. I got a hold of her after the match and said, ‘Let’s go grab some lunch.’

“I hadn’t really had a chance to sit down with her after what happened with Kacie and Tom and share how I was feeling, that I wished I were here during that time. I think that turned into her wanting to do something for the program and her doing something in Kacie’s memory.”

Dayton already has a successful volleyball program. The Flyers have won the Atlantic 10 regular-season title 12 times since 1998 and have won the conference tournament a league-record 10 times. They made their 11th NCAA tournament appearance in 2015.

The gift, Horsmon said, “allows us to show a commitment to our volleyball program and our players that not too many other programs get to do. When we’re recruiting against Big Ten programs and SEC and ACC And Big 12, it puts us in that arena with what they’re doing. It’s a special donation. It’s a special opportunity.”

Source: http://www.mydaytondailynews.com


Tom & Kacie Hausfeld


Tom Hausfeld and his daughter Kacie.

Lori, Kacie, Ali and Tom Hausfeld (left to right) are pictured. Tom Hausfeld, 50, and his daughter Kacie, 21, were killed April 1, 2010 when the plane he was piloting crashed at Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport just after takeoff.


No. 14 Kacie Hausfeld, of Dayton, sets the ball against St. Louis in 2009. Kacie died in a plane crash April 1, 2010.
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Cessna 172N Skyhawk, N737EZ: Fatal accident occurred January 12,2016 near Fox Stephens Field - Gilmer Municipal Airport ( KJXI) Gilmer, Upshur County, Texas

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

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Irving, Texas
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas
Lycoming Engines; Williamsport, Pennsylvania

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

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


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

http://registry.faa.gov/N737EZ

NTSB Identification: CEN16FA083
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, January 12, 2016 in Gilmer, TX
Probable Cause Approval Date: 07/20/2017
Aircraft: CESSNA 172N, registration: N737EZ
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Uninjured.

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

The private pilot and one passenger departed on the approximate 35-minute personal flight with an unknown quantity of fuel onboard. Later that evening, they departed to return to their home airport in night visual meteorological conditions without adding additional fuel during their stop. While on final approach to their home airport, the engine lost total power and the airplane impacted trees and terrain. The passenger stated that the engine did not sound any different during the accident flight than on any of the previous flights and that there was no indication of a problem with the airplane when the engine lost power. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no usable fuel within the airplane's fuel system, and no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation; therefore, it is likely that the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power as a result of fuel exhaustion. While it is unknown what preflight fuel planning the pilot performed and the extent of his preflight inspection, it is apparent that both were inadequate; had he performed both properly, he likely would not have run out of fuel.

Recorded GPS data showed that the pilot flew the traffic pattern 400-600 ft lower than the recommended 1,000-ft above airport elevation and turned to the base leg of the traffic pattern farther from the runway than recommended. Had the pilot flown the traffic pattern at the recommended altitude and distance from the runway, it may have been possible for the airplane to glide to the runway following the loss of engine power.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate traffic pattern altitude and distance from the runway, which may have allowed the airplane to glide to the runway following the loss of engine power.


Samuel Oliver Lucky 




HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On January 12, 2016, about 1954 central standard time, a Cessna 172N, N737EZ, was substantially damaged when it impacted wooded terrain following a loss of engine power about 0.5 nautical mile south/southwest of Fox Stephens Field-Gilmer Municipal Airport (JXI), Gilmer, Texas. The private pilot was fatally injured and the passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was privately owned and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. No flight plan was filed and the flight was not receiving any air traffic control services. Night visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed for the flight that departed from Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport (SLR), Sulphur Springs, Texas, about 1916 and was returning to JXI.

The passenger, who was the pilot's wife, stated that the pilot filled both of the airplane's wing fuel tanks a couple of days before the flight to SLR. The tanks were fueled from three gas cans that had a capacity of 5 gallons each and one that had a capacity of 6 gallons. However, the investigation could not determine how much total fuel was onboard the airplane following the refueling. The passenger said that she obtained the fuel from the airport in Gladewater, Texas, 1 or 1 1/2 weeks before the accident because the fuel there was cheaper than at JXI. The gas cans had been used solely for fueling the airplane. She said that the flight departed from JXI to SLR, was 33-34 minutes long, and there were no stops. 

The pilot's brother, who had dinner with the pilot and his wife near SLR, stated that he did not see the airplane depart from SLR. He said that when he left, the pilot was still getting the airplane warmed up, it was kind of cold outside, and the pilot's wife was already sitting in the airplane. The pilot's brother said that the airplane was tied down, and the pilot untied the tie downs and checked the airplane wings. The pilot then got into the airplane, turned the lights on, had the instrument lights on, and was "looking at things." He said that "he doesn't know how much looking around" at the airplane the pilot was doing and he said that he did not see the pilot reach up and shake the wings because he, the pilot's brother, was not paying attention. 

The passenger stated that the return flight was 29-32 minutes long with no stops. The cruise altitude for both legs of the flight was 3,500-3,700 ft. She said that the engine did not sound any different during the accident flight than from previous flights. There was no indication of a problem with the airplane when the engine lost power. She said that there were no alarms, and the pilot did not say anything was wrong before the engine quit. 

The airplane was located by law enforcement on January 13, 2016, about 0105, after it was reported overdue by a family member.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 73, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. The pilot was issued a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate on July 7, 2014, with no limitations. 

Review of the pilot's logbook showed that the pilot had accumulated 259.15 total hours of flight experience, of which 202.55 hours were in the accident airplane. The pilot's total flight experience at night was 13.5 hours. The two most recent entries for flight at night were 1.6 hours in February 2014 and 0.8 hours in December 2015. 

The pilot's most recent flight review was completed on September 22, 2015, in the accident airplane. 

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane, S/N 17269373, was registered to the pilot in July 2008. It was equipped with a Lycoming O-320-H2AD reciprocating engine, S/N L-3869-76. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on December 9, 2015, about 3 flight hours before the accident. 

The airplane was equipped with standard capacity tanks, which held 21.5 gallons each and provided a total capacity of 43 gallons and 40 gallons of usable fuel.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The 1955 automated weather observation at JXI included calm wind, clear skies, 10 statute miles visibility, temperature 6°C, dew point 2°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.24 inches of mercury.

According to data from the US Naval Observatory, sunset occurred at 1734 on the evening of the accident, and the end of civil twilight was at 1800. Moonset occurred at 2039. The phase of the moon was a waxing crescent, with 9% of the moon's visible disk illuminated. 




WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane came to rest on a heading of about 040° about 0.5 nautical mile south/southwest of runway 36 in a wooded area. A wreckage path measured about 197 ft in length and was oriented on an approximate 050° heading. The airplane was resting on its left side and on top of the left wing, which was folded over and oriented along the length of the fuselage. The wings, flight control surfaces, and stabilizers were attached to the airframe. The wing flap cockpit control and the flap actuator were in the 20° positions. Flight control continuity from the control surfaces to the cockpit controls was confirmed. 

There was no fuel smell or leakage at the accident site. Both wing fuel tank caps and the auxiliary fuel tank cap were intact and secure. There was no usable fuel in the wing fuel tanks. About 8 oz of blue-colored liquid consistent in color with 100 low-lead aviation fuel was drained from the auxiliary fuel tank, and about 1 oz was drained from the airframe fuel strainer assembly. The fuel strainer did not contain debris. Removal and disassembly of the carburetor showed that the carburetor bowl contained about 2 oz of a liquid consistent in color with a mixture of oil and fuel. The remaining fuel from the auxiliary fuel tank, airframe fuel strainer, and carburetor bowl was tested for water using water sensing paste; the test showed no indication for the presence of water.

The propeller was attached to the propeller hub and engine. Neither propeller blade exhibited S-shaped bending or chordwise scratching. 

The cockpit master/alternator switch was in the off positon, and the magneto key switch was in the both positon.

Throttle and mixture control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit controls to the carburetor. Examination of the engine confirmed the suction and expulsion of air through the top spark plug holes after removal of the spark plugs and when the engine was rotated through by hand using the propeller. Continuity of engine to the accessory section and of the valve train to the accessory section was confirmed during engine rotation. Rotation of both magnetos produced electrical spark through each magneto lead.

An Adventure Pilot iFly multifunction display was recovered from the wreckage and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Division for download.




MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy of the pilot on January 14, 2016. The autopsy report stated that the pilot died as a result of blunt force injuries. The manner of death was accident.

The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma performed toxicology testing. Testing was negative for carbon monoxide and ethanol. Losartan, an antihypertensive medication, was detected in the liver, and pravastatin, a high cholesterol medication, was detected in the blood and liver. Neither medication is noted to adversely affect pilot performance.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

An Adventure Pilot iFly was recovered from the wreckage. The iFly unit is an externally-powered, multi-function display and GPS receiver with a high resolution, LCD touchscreen display. The unit included a built-in navigational database and was optionally capable of receiving inflight ADS-B information, including weather radar, airport weather reports, weather forecasts, and traffic advisories. The navigational and information features included terrain warnings, airspace alerts, and display of en route visual flight rule and instrument flight rule (IFR) navigational information and IFR approach charts.

Download of the recovered iFly unit showed two log files that corresponded to the date of the accident flight. The most recent log, the accident flight, spanned from 19:16:21 to 19:53:53, which captured the accident flight from JXI to SLR. The second log file spanned from 16:42:46 to 17:26:59 and captured the previous flight from SLR to JXI. 

During the last minute of flight, the airplane's speed steadily decreased from 79 knots to the last recorded speed of 29 knots. The GPS altitude also steadily decreased from 832 ft to 425 ft. At 19:53:16 the airplane was at 649 ft GPS altitude, 74 kts, and about 35 degrees past and .43 miles from the approach end of runway 36 at JXL. At 19:53:27 the airplane was at 583 ft GPS altitude, 70 kts, and about 55 degrees past and .62 miles from the approach end of runway 36. 

Figure 1 shows the flight track the airplane followed, which is consistent with a left downwind and a left base leg for runway 36 at JXI, which had an airport elevation of 415 feet. The GPS track indicated the airplane began a turn for the left base when the airplane reached about 55 degrees past abeam the approach end of runway 36, as depicted in Figure 1.

Plot of recorded data points for the accident flight showing the accident location near JXI. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations 61.57 Recent flight experience: Pilot in command, states in part:

(b)Night takeoff and landing experience. 

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, no person may act as pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, unless within the preceding 90 days that person has made at least three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, and – 

(i) The person acted as the sole manipulator of the flight controls; and 

(ii) The required takeoffs and landings were performed in an aircraft of the same category, class, and type (if a type rating is required), and, if the aircraft to be flown is an airplane with a tailwheel, the takeoffs and landings must have been made to a full stop in an airplane with a tailwheel.

Advisory Circular 90-66A - Recommended Standards Traffic Patterns for Aeronautical Operations at Airports without Operating Control Towers, stated in part:

c. It is recommended that airplanes observe a 1,000-foot above ground level (AGL) traffic pattern altitude. Large and turbine-powered airplanes should enter the traffic pattern at an altitude of 1,500 feet AGL or 500 feet above the established pattern altitude. A pilot may vary the size of the traffic pattern depending on the aircraft's performance characteristics.

d. The traffic pattern altitude should be maintained until the aircraft is at least abeam the approach end of the landing runway on the downwind leg.

e. The base leg turn should commence when the aircraft is at a point approximately 45 degrees relative bearing from the runway threshold.

The Cessna 172N airplane flight manual, Section 3, Amplified Emergency Procedures, Engine Failure, contained a chart of maximum glide distance, which is shown in Figure 2. 


The Cessna 172N flight manual chart for maximum glide distance shows an approximate glide distance of 1 nautical mile at an altitude of 500 ft above ground level with a speed of 65 knots indicated airspeed, propeller windmilling, flaps up, and zero wind.










NTSB Identification: CEN16FA083 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, January 13, 2016 in Gilmer, TX
Aircraft: CESSNA 172N, registration: N737EZ
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 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 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 13, 2016, about 0105 central standard time, a Cessna 172N, N737EZ, was located in a wooded area about 0.5 nautical miles south/southwest of runway 36 at Fox Stephens Field - Gilmer Municipal Airport (JXI), Gilmer, Texas. The airplane was found by a Texas Department of Public Safety Officer during a search with the Gilmer Police Department for an airplane that was reported by a family member to be overdue. The private non-instrument rated pilot was fatally injured and a passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane received substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight that was not operating on a flight plan nor receiving any air traffic control services. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed from Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport, Sulphur Springs, Texas on January 12, 2016 about 1915 and was returning to JXI. The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Irving, Texas
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas
Lycoming Engines; Williamsport, Pennsylvania

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N737EZ

NTSB Identification: CEN16FA083
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, January 12, 2016 in Gilmer, TX
Aircraft: CESSNA 172N, registration: N737EZ
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Uninjured.

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 12, 2016, about 1954 central standard time, a Cessna 172N, N737EZ, was substantially damaged when it impacted wooded terrain following a loss of engine power about 0.5 nautical mile south/southwest of Fox Stephens Field-Gilmer Municipal Airport (JXI), Gilmer, Texas. The private pilot was fatally injured and the passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was privately owned and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. No flight plan was filed and the flight was not receiving any air traffic control services. Night visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed for the flight that departed from Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport (SLR), Sulphur Springs, Texas, about 1916 and was returning to JXI.

The passenger, who was the pilot's wife, stated that the pilot filled both of the airplane's wing fuel tanks a couple of days before the flight to SLR. The tanks were fueled from three gas cans that had a capacity of 5 gallons each and one that had a capacity of 6 gallons. However, the investigation could not determine how much total fuel was onboard the airplane following the refueling. The passenger said that she obtained the fuel from the airport in Gladewater, Texas, 1 or 1 1/2 weeks before the accident because the fuel there was cheaper than at JXI. The gas cans had been used solely for fueling the airplane. She said that the flight departed from JXI to SLR, was 33-34 minutes long, and there were no stops. 

The pilot's brother, who had dinner with the pilot and his wife near SLR, stated that he did not see the airplane depart from SLR. He said that when he left, the pilot was still getting the airplane warmed up, it was kind of cold outside, and the pilot's wife was already sitting in the airplane. The pilot's brother said that the airplane was tied down, and the pilot untied the tie downs and checked the airplane wings. The pilot then got into the airplane, turned the lights on, had the instrument lights on, and was "looking at things." He said that "he doesn't know how much looking around" at the airplane the pilot was doing and he said that he did not see the pilot reach up and shake the wings because he, the pilot's brother, was not paying attention. 

The passenger stated that the return flight was 29-32 minutes long with no stops. The cruise altitude for both legs of the flight was 3,500-3,700 ft. She said that the engine did not sound any different during the accident flight than from previous flights. There was no indication of a problem with the airplane when the engine lost power. She said that there were no alarms, and the pilot did not say anything was wrong before the engine quit. 

The airplane was located by law enforcement on January 13, 2016, about 0105, after it was reported overdue by a family member.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 73, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. The pilot was issued a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate on July 7, 2014, with no limitations. 

Review of the pilot's logbook showed that the pilot had accumulated 259.15 total hours of flight experience, of which 202.55 hours were in the accident airplane. The pilot's total flight experience at night was 13.5 hours. The two most recent entries for flight at night were 1.6 hours in February 2014 and 0.8 hours in December 2015. 

The pilot's most recent flight review was completed on September 22, 2015, in the accident airplane. 

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane, S/N 17269373, was registered to the pilot in July 2008. It was equipped with a Lycoming O-320-H2AD reciprocating engine, S/N L-3869-76. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on December 9, 2015, about 3 flight hours before the accident. 

The airplane was equipped with standard capacity tanks, which held 21.5 gallons each and provided a total capacity of 43 gallons and 40 gallons of usable fuel.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The 1955 automated weather observation at JXI included calm wind, clear skies, 10 statute miles visibility, temperature 6°C, dew point 2°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.24 inches of mercury.

According to data from the US Naval Observatory, sunset occurred at 1734 on the evening of the accident, and the end of civil twilight was at 1800. Moonset occurred at 2039. The phase of the moon was a waxing crescent, with 9% of the moon's visible disk illuminated. 

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane came to rest on a heading of about 040° about 0.5 nautical mile south/southwest of runway 36 in a wooded area. A wreckage path measured about 197 ft in length and was oriented on an approximate 050° heading. The airplane was resting on its left side and on top of the left wing, which was folded over and oriented along the length of the fuselage. The wings, flight control surfaces, and stabilizers were attached to the airframe. The wing flap cockpit control and the flap actuator were in the 20° positions. Flight control continuity from the control surfaces to the cockpit controls was confirmed. 

There was no fuel smell or leakage at the accident site. Both wing fuel tank caps and the auxiliary fuel tank cap were intact and secure. There was no usable fuel in the wing fuel tanks. About 8 oz of blue-colored liquid consistent in color with 100 low-lead aviation fuel was drained from the auxiliary fuel tank, and about 1 oz was drained from the airframe fuel strainer assembly. The fuel strainer did not contain debris. Removal and disassembly of the carburetor showed that the carburetor bowl contained about 2 oz of a liquid consistent in color with a mixture of oil and fuel. The remaining fuel from the auxiliary fuel tank, airframe fuel strainer, and carburetor bowl was tested for water using water sensing paste; the test showed no indication for the presence of water.

The propeller was attached to the propeller hub and engine. Neither propeller blade exhibited S-shaped bending or chordwise scratching. 

The cockpit master/alternator switch was in the off positon, and the magneto key switch was in the both positon.

Throttle and mixture control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit controls to the carburetor. Examination of the engine confirmed the suction and expulsion of air through the top spark plug holes after removal of the spark plugs and when the engine was rotated through by hand using the propeller. Continuity of engine to the accessory section and of the valve train to the accessory section was confirmed during engine rotation. Rotation of both magnetos produced electrical spark through each magneto lead.

An Adventure Pilot iFly multifunction display was recovered from the wreckage and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Division for download.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy of the pilot on January 14, 2016. The autopsy report stated that the pilot died as a result of blunt force injuries. The manner of death was accident.

The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma performed toxicology testing. Testing was negative for carbon monoxide and ethanol. Losartan, an antihypertensive medication, was detected in the liver, and pravastatin, a high cholesterol medication, was detected in the blood and liver. Neither medication is noted to adversely affect pilot performance.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

An Adventure Pilot iFly was recovered from the wreckage. The iFly unit is an externally-powered, multi-function display and GPS receiver with a high resolution, LCD touchscreen display. The unit included a built-in navigational database and was optionally capable of receiving inflight ADS-B information, including weather radar, airport weather reports, weather forecasts, and traffic advisories. The navigational and information features included terrain warnings, airspace alerts, and display of en route visual flight rule and instrument flight rule (IFR) navigational information and IFR approach charts.

Download of the recovered iFly unit showed two log files that corresponded to the date of the accident flight. The most recent log, the accident flight, spanned from 19:16:21 to 19:53:53, which captured the accident flight from JXI to SLR. The second log file spanned from 16:42:46 to 17:26:59 and captured the previous flight from SLR to JXI. 

During the last minute of flight, the airplane's speed steadily decreased from 79 knots to the last recorded speed of 29 knots. The GPS altitude also steadily decreased from 832 ft to 425 ft. At 19:53:16 the airplane was at 649 ft GPS altitude, 74 kts, and about 35 degrees past and .43 miles from the approach end of runway 36 at JXL. At 19:53:27 the airplane was at 583 ft GPS altitude, 70 kts, and about 55 degrees past and .62 miles from the approach end of runway 36. 

Figure 1 shows the flight track the airplane followed, which is consistent with a left downwind and a left base leg for runway 36 at JXI, which had an airport elevation of 415 feet. The GPS track indicated the airplane began a turn for the left base when the airplane reached about 55 degrees past abeam the approach end of runway 36, as depicted in Figure 1.

Plot of recorded data points for the accident flight showing the accident location near JXI. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations 61.57 Recent flight experience: Pilot in command, states in part:

(b)Night takeoff and landing experience. 

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, no person may act as pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, unless within the preceding 90 days that person has made at least three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, and – 

(i) The person acted as the sole manipulator of the flight controls; and 

(ii) The required takeoffs and landings were performed in an aircraft of the same category, class, and type (if a type rating is required), and, if the aircraft to be flown is an airplane with a tailwheel, the takeoffs and landings must have been made to a full stop in an airplane with a tailwheel.

Advisory Circular 90-66A - Recommended Standards Traffic Patterns for Aeronautical Operations at Airports without Operating Control Towers, stated in part:

c. It is recommended that airplanes observe a 1,000-foot above ground level (AGL) traffic pattern altitude. Large and turbine-powered airplanes should enter the traffic pattern at an altitude of 1,500 feet AGL or 500 feet above the established pattern altitude. A pilot may vary the size of the traffic pattern depending on the aircraft's performance characteristics.

d. The traffic pattern altitude should be maintained until the aircraft is at least abeam the approach end of the landing runway on the downwind leg.

e. The base leg turn should commence when the aircraft is at a point approximately 45 degrees relative bearing from the runway threshold.

The Cessna 172N airplane flight manual, Section 3, Amplified Emergency Procedures, Engine Failure, contained a chart of maximum glide distance, which is shown in Figure 2. 


The Cessna 172N flight manual chart for maximum glide distance shows an approximate glide distance of 1 nautical mile at an altitude of 500 ft above ground level with a speed of 65 knots indicated airspeed, propeller windmilling, flaps up, and zero wind.

NTSB Identification: CEN16FA083 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, January 13, 2016 in Gilmer, TX
Aircraft: CESSNA 172N, registration: N737EZ
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 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 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 13, 2016, about 0105 central standard time, a Cessna 172N, N737EZ, was located in a wooded area about 0.5 nautical miles south/southwest of runway 36 at Fox Stephens Field - Gilmer Municipal Airport (JXI), Gilmer, Texas. The airplane was found by a Texas Department of Public Safety Officer during a search with the Gilmer Police Department for an airplane that was reported by a family member to be overdue. The private non-instrument rated pilot was fatally injured and a passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane received substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight that was not operating on a flight plan nor receiving any air traffic control services. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed from Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport, Sulphur Springs, Texas on January 12, 2016 about 1915 and was returning to JXI.





TYLER, TX (KLTV) -

An East Texas woman is sharing her story of survival.

Pamela Lucky survived a plane crash Tuesday in Upshur County that killed her husband and stranded her for hours. 

She invited our cameras into her hospital room to tell us about her husband and the reason she knew she had to survive. 

“I held his hand until they found us. Five hours it took them to find us and I never left his side. I held his hand. I talked to him the whole time because that was my baby. My baby," Lucky said.

Lucky said she still struggles to remember all of the details of the plane crash. But some moments she said she'll never forget.

"Every time I close my eyes I see a picture of him. Because this man loved me with everything he had," she said.

Lucky said she and her husband Samuel spent the day in Sulphur Springs with family. 

She said at least once a month they would take a trip in his Cessna 172 Skyhawk. 

They were just a quarter mile away from the Gilmer Municipal Airport runway before the crash. 

"We were making a loop around the airport and it happened so fast neither one of us had time to say anything. He didn't know what happened I didn't know what happened," Lucky said.

Lucky said she was able to get out her seatbelt, hopeful that she could call for help. 

"Is it going to kill me because I'm falling real far? But I didn't care I wanted to call 911 so I could find the phone and get help for him," Lucky said.

Lucky said  they would have been married for two years this Valentine’s Day.

"I was his sweetheart. And he wanted everybody to know that I was his sweetheart that's why we got married on Feb. 14," Lucky said.

While she's grateful to be among friends and family, she said that "If I could change places with him I would, because he was just that kind of man."

She believes her love for him and their family gave her the strength she needed to survive the unthinkable. 

"I really thought I was going to die out there, I really did. But I knew he didn't want me out there," Lucky said.

The cause of the plane crash has not been determined.

A preliminary report from the NTSB could be available as early as next week.


Story, video and photo gallery: http://www.kltv.com





UPSHUR COUNTY (KYTX) - One person is dead and another person was hospitalized after the plane they were on went down in Upshur County. 

DPS identified the pilot as 73-year-old Samuel Oliver Lucky of Gladewater. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His passenger, 57-year-old Pamela Rickman Lucky also of Gladewater was sent to ETMC in Tyler in ICU where her condition has been upgraded to fair.

According to DPS Troopers on the scene, Gilmer Police heard a woman screaming when they drove by the area. Pamela’s screams led them to the crash site around 1:30 a.m. It’s been determined Pamela had been sitting stuck in the plane for hours in the cold before she was found.

Troopers determined the plane went down around 7:45 p.m. Tuesday after it was overdue at Fox Stephens Airport Gilmer Airport.

The single-engine Cessna 172 went down in a field off of Hwy 271 near Eagle Road, just south of Gilmer, according to DPS officials. The plane is registered out of Gregg County, according to FAA records.

The FAA had notified Upshur County of a missing plane earlier Tuesday evening that had left the airport in Sulphur Springs en route to Gilmer that had not shown up.

The National Transportation Safety Board has also been notified of the crash and will lead the investigation.
 
In September 2013, Pilot Samuel Oliver received top honors when he was recognized by the FAA for exceeding safety standards.


Source:  http://www.cbs19.tv