Wednesday, February 03, 2016

Incident occurred February 03, 2016 at Nashville International Airport (KBNA), Davidson County, Tennessee



NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) -- Donald Trump's plane made an emergency landing at the Nashville International Airport.

According to a Nashville International Airport spokesperson, Trump's plane landed Wednesday afternoon for an unknown reason.

A statement from the FAA stated, the Boeing B757, diverted from its planned route and landed safely at the Nashville International Airport tonight shortly before 5 p.m. after reporting engine problems.

According to KATV, Arkansas Governor's office confirmed that Governor Asa Hutchinson was supposed to meet with Trump on the tarmac at Little Rock National at 4:15 p.m., but that was cancelled because of mechanical issues with Trump's plane.

The FAA is investigating.

Story and photo:  http://news3lv.com

No sign of plane crash - Jamaica Defence Force

The Jamaica Defence Force,(JDF) says there is no sign of a plane believed to have crashed off the coast of St Elizabeth Wednesday afternoon.

JDF's Civil Military Corporation and Media Affairs Officer, Major Basil Jarrett, says the Coast Guard resumed the search early Thursday.The search commenced following eyewitness reports of  a plane crashing into the sea near Lover's Leap about 3 o'clock.

The JDF dispatched a helicopter and two coast guard vessels to look for the aircraft.

Fishermen in the area also aided the search.



ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica – The St Elizabeth police have said they received a telephone call regarding the sighting of a supposed aircraft crashing off the coastline in south St Elizabeth.

A police source said the Jamaica Defence Force is investigating the matter.

“We can’t say if it’s a fact, but we got a call that a plane was seen on fire and then was seen to plunge into the sea,” the source said.

Radio Jamaica (RJR) reported a earlier that people claiming to be eyewitnesses in the Lovers Leap area of south-east St Elizabeth had reported seeing the plane go down.

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

Republican House Measure Seeks Independent Air-Traffic Control Board: Measure would ratchet up federal oversight of pilot training, cybersecurity, passenger rights

An air traffic controller in the tower at Newark Liberty International Airport.


The Wall Street Journal
By Andy Pasztor
Updated Feb. 3, 2016 7:48 p.m. ET


House Republican leaders want to end government control of the U.S. air-traffic control system, while ratcheting up federal oversight of issues ranging from pilot training to cybersecurity to passenger rights.

The long-awaited measure—which calls for an independent, 11-member board to run and modernize traffic control—comes after a series of studies and reports by congressional investigators and other groups advocating major structural changes in the network that handles some 77,000 flights daily.

Hoping to blunt opposition from private pilots and business jet operators, the bill exempts both categories from proposed user fees intended to fund air-traffic control following a three-year transition period. Cargo airlines also are slated to get the same extension.

Under the concept developed by Pennsylvania Rep. Bill Shuster, the GOP chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, all three of those groups would continue to pay fuel taxes, but airlines would switch to user fees.

The measure was introduced Wednesday. Rep. Shuster, who has been laying the groundwork for the measure for two years, acknowledged in an interview that House Democrats have a markedly different approach to the topic and prospects in the Senate are uncertain.

The House may be voting on the disparate elements of the sweeping Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill by February, according to the head of the House panel, but action in the Senate is moving more slowly. GOP leaders on that side of Capitol Hill have opted to wait for House action before even introducing a companion measure. Leaders of both House and Senate appropriations panels recently came out strongly against the air-traffic control provisions in the FAA bill.

Nonetheless, Rep. Shuster, said at least a faction of House Democrats agree “something significant has to be done to change the way the FAA operates," adding that“ I feel relatively optimistic” the Senate wills move later in the year.

Referring to the current traffic control setup, subject to annual budget fights and bureaucratic delays affecting multibillion-dollar modernization projects, Rep. Shuster concluded: “Every report that has been written in the past 20 or 30 years has said this doesn’t work.”

The move prompted sharp opposition from Democratic leaders and some pilot union representatives Wednesday, with opponents predicting it likely would be mired in legislative quicksand.

Rep. Peter Defazio, the transportation panel’s ranking Democrat, threw down the gauntlet by telling reporters the proposal was overly complex snf failed to adequately protect taxpayers. Instead of helping speed up modernization efforts as intended, Rep. DeFazio argued, such massive changes would create huge distractions to ongoing equipment upgrades. Why “roll the dice with a private corporation?” he asked.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx was more guarded, putting out a brief statement urging a “spirit of bipartisanship” and promising to say more after determining if the bill “enhances safety, improves efficiency and advances aviation in general.”

In something of a surprise, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, long ambivalent about the concept, supported Rep. Shuster’s proposal after deciding anticipated benefits included stable funding, free from crippling congressional budget fights.

The country’s largest pilots union, the Air Line Pilots Association, on the other hand, weighed in with a host of concerns. On the potential spin-off of the air-traffic system, ALPA concluded the financing mechanism is inconsistent with the principle that all users pay “a fair share.” The union also said the measure failed to crack down on safety risks posed by lithium batteries carried as cargo in the bellies of passenger jets. The country’s leading business aviation group also came out swinging, even after conceding some members would be exempt from user fees.

The House bill also calls for enhanced voluntary reporting of safety incidents and mandates stepped-up airline efforts to ensure pilots maintain manual flying skills to cope with emergencies in the event automation fails or provides confusing guidance.

In addition, the bill gives the FAA greater leeway in allowing flights of small unmanned aircraft, particularly in rural areas. And it urges the agency to study possible ways to create a dedicated air-traffic management system for low-altitude drone operations.

In the area of passenger rights, the House GOP bill requires airlines to refund baggage fees to travelers if checked-in bags are delayed for more than 24 hours on domestic flights. A separate provision would ban travelers from talking on their cellphones during trips on U.S. airlines, and the measure also requires larger airports to provide private rooms in every terminal for nursing mothers.

Working with European air-safety regulators, the FAA and U.S. industry groups already are moving to find ways to safeguard flight-control computers and other digital systems on board aircraft from hackers. The bill pushes the agency to do more, including drafting a comprehensive plan addressing vulnerabilities.

With regard to passenger airlines transporting lithium batteries as cargo, the legislation stops short of what many safety experts and pilot union leaders have advocated. By calling for federal rules that are “consistent with international technical instructions,” the language appears to support the current ban against imposing regulations that are more stringent than global standards.

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

Police concerned over snap-happy bystanders at crash scenes

People snapping photos and taking videos at accident scenes and publishing them on social media is prompting concern among police.

A yet-to-be identified drone was spotted flying over the scene of a serious car crash just south of Timaru on Wednesday night.

The drone operator may have been breaching Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) rules, but that type of behavior was part of an overall worrying trend, police say.

They have noticed an increase in the number of people taking photos and videos at crime scenes, leading to concerns about privacy and re-victimization.

Senior Sergeant Mark Offen, of Timaru, said the trend was concerning, as members of the public were not constrained by the same rules as media outlets.

"Someone who isn't media trained could, by being naive, breach someone's privacy. They could also cause more distress if it is graphic or inappropriate."

Once images were uploaded to social media, the photographer lost all control over how it was used, he said.

"The advent of mobile phones has changed the way things can be recorded."

The increasing use of drones was also a concern for police, Offen said.

As well as the possibility of capturing footage that was graphic or could breach privacy, there was also the risk of contaminating a scene, he said.

"What would happen if something happened to the drone and it crashed into the middle of our scene?"

Posting photos from crime or crash scenes also ran the risk of informing family members of friends of the death of a loved one before police could.

"The last thing we want is for them to find out on Facebook," Offen said.

There was no good way to break that kind of news to someone, but police could at least offer appropriate support, he said.

A CAA spokesman said civil aviation rules did not allow drone operators to fly at night, unless they were certified to do so by the CAA.

It was unclear if the drone operator at the crash scene near Timaru had that certification.

Civil aviation rules also required unmanned aircraft operators to gain permission from any people they want to fly over, the spokesman said.

"It is unlikely that emergency services would allow this in most instances."

A police spokesman said police were aware of drones being used above crash sites and in other serious incidents.

Police had no issue with people using drones legally, but would be concerned at any activity that could interfere with any response or investigation by emergency services, or would create additional distress for crash victims who may be filmed, as well as their families.

"In cases where people have lost their lives, police would be extremely disappointed if there were to be any footage made public that could identify victims and cause their families further hurt before they have been visited and notified by police."

Source:  http://www.stuff.co.nz

Piper Seneca PA-34-200T, N111SM: Incidents occurred February 02, 2016 and January 26, 2012 at Suffolk Executive Airport (KSFQ) Suffolk, Virginia

Date: 02-FEB-16
Time: 16:00:00Z
Regis#: N111SM
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA34
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Unknown
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Richmond FSDO-21
City: SUFFOLK
State: Virginia

AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR UP, SUFFOLK, VA

http://registry.faa.govN111SM

Piper Seneca PA-34-200T, N111SM: Incident occurred January 26, 2012 at Suffolk Executive Airport (KSFQ) Suffolk, Virginia




SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - A plane made an emergency landing in the grass at Suffolk Executive Airport on Thursday afternoon.

The twin engine 6-seater airplane reported that it was experiencing issues with its landing gear around 11:35 a.m., a news release from the City of Suffolk said.

After circling the airport several times to burn off fuel, the pilot brought the plane down around 12:20 p.m.

Two people were on board and no injuries were reported.

The plane left the Suffolk Executive Airport around 9:45 a.m. on a business trip to Cambridge Maryland, a trip which normally takes an hour.

Pilot George McClellan of McClellan Aviation Services reported that he was experiencing problems with his nose landing gear and aborted his initial attempt to land in Cambridge, returning his plane to Suffolk.

The plane had about 60 gallons of fuel on board, but there was no post-crash fire. The crash is under investigation by the Virginia State Police, who handle all downed aircraft incidents.

Source: http://www.fox43tv.com

Cessna 210-5 Centurion, N8340Z: Accident occurred February 02, 2016 in Park Valley, Utah

NTSB Identification: GAA16CA120
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, February 02, 2016 in Park Valley, UT
Probable Cause Approval Date: 04/05/2016
Aircraft: CESSNA 210, registration: N8340Z
Injuries: 1 Minor, 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 reported that he was flying over a snow covered dry lake bed and decided to "drag" the left main landing gear to "better assess the surface condition." When the tire touched down, the pilot reported, "Drag rapidly increased and sucked the aircraft down." The pilot attempted to abort the landing by adding full power, but the airplane sunk further into the snow, turned to the right, and nosed over. The fuselage and vertical stabilizer sustained substantial damage.

The pilot reported there were no other mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's decision to drag the left main landing gear on a snow covered dry lake bed, which resulted in a loss of directional control and a nose over during an aborted landing.

http://registry.faa.gov/N8340Z

FAA Flight Standards District Office:  FAA Salt Lake City FSDO-07

Cessna 320E, N320CC: Incident occurred February 01, 2016 in DeRidder, Louisiana

Date: 01-FEB-16
Time: 18:30:00Z
Regis#: N320CC
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 320
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Unknown
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Baton Rouge FSDO-03
City: DERIDDER
State: Louisiana

AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR UP, DERIDDER, LA

http://registry.faa.gov/N320CC

Cessna 337 Super Skymaster, N22DG: Incident occurred February 02, 2016 in Honolulu, Hawaii



A small plane that landed unexpectedly in the ocean Tuesday afternoon was back on land Thursday.

Crews fished the twin-engine Cessna 337 out of Keehi Lagoon with little difficulty. Its owner, Mark Jones of Moore Air, isn’t sure whether the aircraft can be saved.

“I’m told that salt water is deadly to airplanes, so that’s where we stand right now,” he said.

Officials say the pilot, a 68-year-old man from Australia, took off from Honolulu International Airport, and was unable to get the landing gear down.

Jones says he was in contact with the man throughout the incident.

“The tower had him on a special frequency and I was relaying messages to him,” he said. “We were talking about the pros and cons of landing on the ground and then the water, then we were running the checklist multiple times to see if we could accomplish anything else out of the extra safety systems to bring the gear down.”

The plane was held over the airport for two hours to burn fuel, before the pilot executed a water landing on a seaplane runway. He was not hurt.

The plane’s former owner, David Gray, told KHON2 the pilot is already back in the air.

“He has the attitude if you fall of the horse, you get right back on again, so he’s been out taking a flight with an instructor since about 8 o’clock this morning,” Gray said.

Story and photos:  http://khon2.com




Date: 02-FEB-16
Time: 22:27:00Z
Regis#: N22DG
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 337
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Unknown
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Honolulu FSDO-13
City: HONOLULU
State: Hawaii

AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED IN THE WATERWAY AND SANK, THE 1 PERSON ON BOARD WAS RESCUED BY USCG, HONOLULU, HAWAII


http://registry.faa.gov/N22DG 





HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -  An aircraft ran into trouble mid-flight Tuesday afternoon about five miles south of Oahu and was forced to land in the water.

The call for help came in around 12:15 p.m. from the Lagoon Drive area. Initial reports indicated that the pilot of a twin-engine Cessna 337 was experiencing mechanical problems and planned to ditch the aircraft in nearby Keehi Lagoon. 

Hawaii News Now’s camera crews were there as the pilot prepared to land after circling around the lagoon for about two hours burning off fuel.

Authorities said the pilot, who was the only person on board, was unable to get the plane's landing gear down.

A team of emergency crews from the Coast Guard, EMS, and Honolulu Fire Department rushed to assist the pilot, who is uninjured.

Fellow pilots and aviation experts are calling it a textbook landing.

"It was back and forth about whether he should put it down in the water or on the ground in Honolulu. Both options are available here, so pick one and go with it and he made the right decision," said Sean Rita, a pilot who witnessed the water landing.

The 68-year-old pilot from Australia has been flying for more than half of his life. His friends said he has been in emergency landings before, both having to land in the water and on land, and it was because of those experiences they said he chose to land on water.

"They got him out of the airplane probably in less than a minute. And he's perfectly fine, no medical issues, so I can't say it was a bad decision," said friend and owner of the aircraft Mark Jones.

"He's a seasoned pilot and I know the instructor was working with him, and I'm sure they probably discussed some water landing, and that's why this event worked out perfectly and he survived the landing," George Hanzawa, aviation expert and owner of George’s Aviation.

The Cessna sank within seconds. But emergency crews were already in the area waiting for him.

"We have some new jet skis that we're working on training with. We were in the area doing training, having personnel getting proficient with those watercraft, and it just so happen to be in the vicinity when the dispatch came out," said Capt. David Jenkins, spokesman for the Honolulu Fire Department.

The Australian pilot said he was OK and just wanted to go home and be with his wife.

Jones said he is working with the Coast Guard to get the aircraft out of the water as quickly as possible.

It is not known whether the National Transportation Safety Board will launch an investigation.

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








Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II, N8466G: Accident occurred February 02, 2016 near Opa-Locka Executive Airport (KOPF), Miami-Dade County, Florida

GROWL INC: http://registry.faa.gov/N8466G

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Miami FSDO-19

NTSB Identification: ERA16LA103
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, February 02, 2016 in Miami, FL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/01/2016
Aircraft: PIPER PA 28-161, registration: N8466G
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 was flying over the ocean and just off the coast when an air traffic controller asked him to descend to 500 ft. The pilot reduced engine power and applied carburetor heat until he reached the assigned altitude, and he then attempted to increase engine power and level off; however, even with the throttle full forward, the engine power remained at its previous setting. The pilot attempted to resolve the situation, but he was unable to maintain altitude and ditched the airplane in the ocean Although weather conditions were conducive to serious icing at glide power, the pilot had applied carburetor heat during the descent which should have melted any carburetor ice during the descent. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The cause 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 for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have contributed to the power loss.

On February 2, 2016, at 1134 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-161, N8466G, ditched in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Miami, Florida, after a partial loss of engine power. The private pilot and the pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and the fuselage. The airplane was registered to a private company and operated by Airborne Career Academy, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions were reported at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed the Florida Keys Marathon Airport (MTH), Marathon, Florida, about 1100, and was destined for the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The flight originated at FXE earlier that day. The pilot stated that when he performed the engine run-up before departure, he noted that the right magneto had a higher drop in rpm than normal. He leaned the mixture and let the engine run for about a minute before he tested the magneto again. This time the magneto had the normal drop and the pilot subsequently departed for MTH. The flight was uneventful. The pilot said that on the flight back to FXE, air traffic control instructed him to descend 500 ft, so he reduced power and turned the carburetor heat on. When he reached 500 ft, the pilot tried to increase engine RPM, but there was no response even when full throttle was applied. He switched fuel tanks and "jockeyed" the throttle a few times, but to no avail. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and made a forced landing in the ocean about 100 ft offshore in about 15 ft of saltwater.

The airplane was towed to a boat ramp and recovered. Examination of the airplane revealed it had sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The ignition key was found in the "both" position, the fuel selector was set to the "right" tank, the throttle and mixture were full forward, and the carburetor-heat control was in the full "on" position. The left and right wing fuel tanks were contaminated with salt water and a fuel total for each tank could not be determined. The pilot reported there was about 17 gallons of fuel in each tank when they departed MTH.

The engine remained attached to the airframe. The two-bladed propeller appeared undamaged and the engine was free to rotate. When the propeller was rotated, compression and valve train continuity were established to each cylinder. Engine timing was established on the left magneto, but not on the right magneto due to damage. Both magnetos were removed and disassembled. Each was filled with sand and had some salt water corrosion. Once the corrosion was removed from the right magneto's points, they opened and closed normally. No pre-accident mechanical anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation of the engine.

Weather at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport (OPF), Opa Locka, Florida, about 20 miles west of the accident site, at 1125, was reported as wind from 120 degrees at 15 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 2,100 ft, overcast 3,100 ft, temperature 81 degrees F, dewpoint 66 degrees F, and a barometric pressure setting of 30.11 inches Hg. A Federal Aviation Administration-published Carburetor Icing Chart revealed a potential for serious icing at glide engine power settings, given the reported temperature and dew point conditions.

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His last FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on July 31, 2015, with no limitations. The pilot reported a total of 86 flight hours, of which all 86 hours were in the same make/model as the accident airplane.

NTSB Identification: ERA16LA103 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, February 02, 2016 in Miami, FL
Aircraft: PIPER PA 28-161, registration: N8466G
Injuries: 1 Minor, 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 support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to pr
epare this aircraft accident report.

On February 2, 2016, at 1135 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-24-161, N8466G, ditched in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Miami, Florida, after a partial loss of engine power. The private pilot was not injured and the pilot-rated passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and the fuselage. The airplane was registered to a private company and operated by Airborne Career Academy, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions were reported at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed the Florida Keys Marathon Airport (MTH), Marathon, Florida, about 1100, and was destined for the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The flight originated at FXE earlier that day. The pilot stated that when he performed the engine run-up before departure, he noted that the right magneto had a higher drop in RPM than normal. He leaned the mixture and let the engine run for about a minute before he tested the magneto again. This time the magneto had the normal drop in RPM and he continued with the flight to MTH. The pilot said that when they were returning back to FXE at an assigned altitude of 500 feet, the engine RPM dropped even with full throttle applied. He was unable to maintain altitude and made a forced landing in the ocean close to the shoreline.

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His last Federal Aviation Administration second-class medical certificate was issued on July 31, 2015 with no limitations.

The airplane and engine were recovered and retained for further examination.







AIRCRAFT: 1981 Piper PA-28-161, N8466G, s/n 28-8216064 

ENGINE:   Lycoming 0-320-D3G , s/n: L11319-39A       

PROPELLER:  Sensenich  74DM 6-0-60, s/n: 59537

APPROXIMATE TOTAL HOURS (estimated TT 19,483 & TSMO from logbooks or other information):

ENGINE(S):   TSMOH 589, TTSN:  N/A

PROPELLER(S): TSMO 2205, TTSN Unknown

AIRFRAME:  19,483 hours

OTHER EQUIPMENT:    All equipment was submerged in salt water for over 7 hours.

DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT:  Engine reportedly lost power and aircraft ditched in the ocean.

DESCRIPTION OF DAMAGES:  The aircraft was extensively damaged from impact and remained in salt water for over seven hours.  It was then towed for almost two miles in salt water. 
One wing and the tail are completely separated from the fuselage.  The other wing was removed for retrieval.  Main gear and nose gear separated from the aircraft.  Right main gear missing.                                                                  
LOCATION OF AIRCRAFT: Florida Air Recovery & Storage, 3109 Airmans Way, Fort Pierce, Florida 34946, St Lucie County International Airport  (FPR)

REMARKS: 
1.  The aircraft was completely submerged in salvage water for over seven hours.
2.  The engine was pickled after the retrieval.
3.  The right main gear was stolen prior to retrieval and is not included with the salvage.

Read more here:   http://www.avclaims.com

Juan Jose Ortiz

Fabian Bobadilla-Ruiz



HAULOVER BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) -- The pilot and passenger of a small plane that plunged into the water off Haulover Beach nearly two weeks ago said they feel lucky to be alive.


Juan Jose Ortiz and Fabian Bobadilla-Ruiz managed to get out of their Piper PA-28 after it went down, Feb. 2. "A lot of people get into car accidents and they're scared to drive again for a few days. It's kind of like the same," said Ortiz, the pilot, "but right now it's good. We feel good."


The men were immediately rescued by Ocean Rescue swimmers. "It took me about two to three days to figure out what happened that moment, but now we are OK," said Bobadilla-Ruiz.


The plane was later removed from the water. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the cause of the crash.







Beachgoers in Miami witnessed a spectacular scene Tuesday when a Piper plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, lifeguards brought passengers safely to shore and salvage crews lifted the aircraft from the sea bottom and towed it toward land.

The two men in the plane, which belongs to a Fort Lauderdale flight school, survived with minor injuries, officials said.

Colombe Pelletier, 70, visiting North Miami Beach from Quebec, was sunbathing at Haulover Beach with her husband and friends and saw the plane approach the inlet.

"I said to my husband, 'That plane is very low,'" Pelletier said about the water landing she described as being very smooth and flat. "Immediately, the doors of the plane opened and two men were on the wing and pulled out two bags."

Miami-Dade Fire's Ocean Rescue Lifeguard Marcel Lopez, 40, was keeping watch from Tower 1 and noticed the Piper approaching from the south.

"I knew it was going to crash," Lopez said of the aircraft, which ditched in the water at 11:47 a.m. The plane's propeller was going very slowly; Lopez said it seemed to have lost power.

Lopez ran down the tower stairs, grabbed a surfboard and rescue buoy and swam toward the men as they stood on the wings.

The water was about 20 feet deep. Tidal currents can move at 8 mph or more through the inlet and near the jetties, Lopez said.

At about the same time, a boater used a VHF radio to report the crash to the U.S. Coast Guard, gave the plane's position and said it was already sinking.

The pilot  and passenger were identified Tuesday night as Juan Jose Ortiz Carrera, 20, from Ecuador, and Fabian Ignacia Bobadilla-Ruiz, 24, from Chile.

With one man on the surfboard and the second man holding onto the rescue buoy, Lopez got them to the water's edge.

Lifeguard Daniel Gunder, also with Miami-Dade Fire's Ocean Rescue, helped get the second man to shore before the two were turned over to paramedics, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokeswoman Erika Benitez said.

"We've had plenty of boats capsize and made many rescues, on both the surfboard and Jet Skis," said Lopez.

A lifeguard since 2000, this was his first plane crash.

"I'm glad we have the training to respond and save people," Lopez said.

He was unconcerned about possible dangers involved with a plane crash, such as fire or a sinking wreck.

"By the time the whole thing is over, you don't think about it," Lopez said of the rescue, which he estimated took about eight minutes.

Pelletier said she was surprised to see the plane fall from the sky, "but I didn't think anybody was going to die because it came in so smooth and the men got out so quickly."

The single-engine propeller plane can carry up to four passengers and is owned and operated by Airborne Systems, a flight school based at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, according to Chaz Adams, a spokesman for the air field and the city of Fort Lauderdale.

A receptionist at Airborne Systems' Fort Lauderdale office said Tuesday the company was not making any comment.

Airborne Systems' website says the business was founded in 1994 and is one of the largest independent flight trainers in the United States for pilots of private and commercial aircraft.

It also has a location at Merritt Island Airport in Brevard County. The plane, built in 1981, is registered there with the Federal Aviation Administration under the name Growl Inc.

The FAA said it will investigate the crash and that the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the probable cause for the ocean landing.

The aircraft went down in crystal-clear turquoise waters on a beautiful morning.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Aaron Marks told reporters that the two people aboard the Piper had "very minor injuries" and were not taken to a hospital.

He said the men told rescuers "they had some trouble and had to put the plane down."

TowBoat U.S. Miami and Biscayne Towing & Salvage used four large air bags to float the wreck to the surface and towed it a mile through the inlet to a boatyard on the Intracoastal Waterway, where a crane was to lift it onto a truck, owner Cory Offut said.

Before the sun set, the plane, with at least one wing separated from the fuselage, could be seen traveling beneath the A1A bridge toward a marina.

The plane was released to the pilot on Tuesday night.

Multiple agencies responded to the emergency. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue sent a fire boat, air rescue crews and trucks. The Coast Guard sent a pontoon boat; police marine patrols from Bal Harbour, Indian Creek, Miami-Dade and North Bay Village also circled the crash site.

Story, video and photo gallery:  http://www.sun-sentinel.com



MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. - A small plane crashed into the water Tuesday off Haulover Beach.

The crash was reported about 11:45 a.m. in the area of 108th Street and Collins Avenue.

Sky 10 was above the Haulover Beach Inlet shortly after the crash as a U.S. Coast Guard boat and several Miami-Dade Fire Rescue boats and vehicles were in the area.

A man who witnessed the crash, Hardy Sides, told Local 10 News that the plane nose-dived into the water.

Two men were on the Piper PA 28, but no one was injured in the crash. They were checked out by paramedics at the scene and were not taken to a hospital.

Authorities said the plane took off from Marathon. The pilot and passengers were flight students from South America.

They were identified as pilot Juan Jose Ortiz Carrera, 20, of Ecuador, and passenger Fabian Ignacio Bobadilla-Ruiz, 24, of Chile.

The Federal Aviation Administration released a statement shortly after the crash that said that the plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean 8 miles east of Opa-locka at 11:47 a.m.

"The FAA will investigate and the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the probable cause," the statement said.

A woman at the beach told Local 10 News reporter Ben Kennedy that the pilot told her grandmother that he pressed a wrong button and the plane plummeted toward the ocean.

"I've never seen something like this in my life. The thing just crashed down from the sky. It was scary," Stephanie Grasp said. "They said they just pushed the wrong button, the plane fell in and then they jumped out and the lifeguard saw them."

According to Grasp, the pilot and passenger swam to shore as lifeguards jumped in the water to help them.

"They got out of the plane, they started swimming and we saw them on shore, like catching their breath," Grasp said.

"I jumped into the water with the board, and actually I saw the guys coming out of the plane and jumping in the water," lifeguard Marcel Lopez said. "The first guy said, 'help my partner because he doesn't swim very well,' so I gave the board to one guy, secured the guy and get the other guy, and they started coming in together."

Grasp said the pilot and passenger seemed scared, but they were otherwise OK.

Sky 10 was back above the water at 5 p.m. as boat crews worked to pull the sunken plane to shore.

The single-engine plane is registered to Growl Inc. in Merritt Island. 

Story, video and photo gallery: http://www.local10.com









Piper PA-31T Cheyenne II, Cal-Ore Life Flight LLC, N28CA: Incident occurred February 02, 2016 at Jack McNamara Field Airport (KCEC), Crescent City, Del Norte County, California

CAL ORE LIFE FLIGHT LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N28CA

FAA Flight Standards District Office:  FAA Oakland FSDO-27

AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR UP, DEL NORTE COUNTY AIRPORT, CRESCENT CITY, CA

Date:  02-FEB-16
Time:  00:50:00Z
Regis#:  N28CA
Aircraft Make:  PIPER
Aircraft Model:  PA31T
Event Type:  Incident
Highest Injury:  None
Damage:  Unknown
Flight Phase:  LANDING (LDG)
City:  CRESCENT CITY
State:  California




A single failed bolt nearly spelled disaster Tuesday for three people on a Cal-Ore plane, which managed a successful emergency landing at Jack McNamara Field in spite of malfunctioning gear. Lead pilot Dan Brattain as well as a business partner and a co-pilot in training were returning to the Crescent City airport from a meeting in Roseburg, Oregon around 3 p.m. when landing gear on the nose of the 7-passenger Piper Cheyenne failed to deploy.

“That was my first time doing a landing like that,” said Brattain, who founded Cal-Ore Life Flight more than 20 years ago. “That was the first and hopefully the last.”

Brattain said he contacted airport personnel as soon as his control panel light indicated a problem. Responders from Crescent City Fire, California Highway Patrol, and the Del Norte Sheriff’s Office were on scene within minutes, ready to give on-the-ground assistance.

The scene was crowded and slightly chaotic while staff and emergency crews communicated with Brattain and his co-pilot, trying to determine the best course of action.

“I had a lot of help,” said Brattain. “I had a good young co-pilot who was great and gave good assistance. I also had a lot of people on the ground offering lots of good, free advice. They had some good advice.”

There was talk of attempting a landing on the faulty equipment at a different airport, but they soon decided Crescent City was the best place — weather was clear, the runway was long, and the pilots still had sufficient control to land with minimal damage to the vessel.

Before that, Brattain and his company flew around for about an hour, burning off some fuel and minimizing additional hazard of carrying excess flammable material in case something went wrong.

They also “made several attempts at maneuvers in the air,” added Brattain, hoping to pop the landing gear down into its correct position. No luck there.

Shortly before 4 p.m., with responders back in position on the ground, Brattain executed a technique he knew from training, on-the-spot counsel, and almost 13,000 flying hours of experience — turn off electrical equipment, shut the engine down, and glide with the nose in the air as long as you can.

Eventually, approaching the ground, you slow down and prepare to change formation, he said.

“As the airspeed dissipates and you can’t hold the nose off anymore, it just falls forward,” said Brattain. Then you put the gears in place and brace for impact. It happens quickly.

Ambulance, fire, police and airport vehicles were posted around the runway and gawkers peered through the fence after following the speeding response vehicles to the scene. The plane seemed to crunch and scrape for no more than a hundred yards. Bystanders cooed.

Airport Director Matthew Leitner said the plane’s nose sustained minimal damage to its fiberglass surface during the rudder-steered landing, and none of the three passengers were injured.

“It turned out great,” said Brattain. “I just hope we don’t have to do it again.” Since the landing, mechanics have examined the plane and believe it was an obscure sheared bolt, affecting a part called the actuator, that in turn kept the nose gear from lowering properly.

All seven of Cal-Ore’s aircraft in Crescent City are checked every Monday in accordance with FAA regulations, said Brattain, and inspected again before every flight.

The faulty bolt was likely in a discrete, easily overlooked corner of the plane’s frontal apparatus. Brattain said he’s spoken to many people since yesterday afternoon and hasn’t heard from anybody else experiencing a similar problem.

“Of all the things that could have happened, this would be on the lower scale, I believe,” added Brattain. Cal-Ore’s full fleet is undergoing a thorough inspection post-incident. In more than two decades that Cal-Ore has provided med-vac flights throughout the region, Brattain has only known of one other gear malfunction event, in 2002, and nobody was injured then either.

“Again, aircraft are pieces of equipment. Things happen out there, but these are not things that happen every day,” he said. “The main thing, for a pilot in that kind of situation, is just to relax and take things as they come. We weren’t in a hurry.”

http://www.triplicate.com



A pilot made a textbook emergency landing this afternoon at the Del Norte County Airport, easing the Piper Cheyenne aircraft to a stop without benefit of the nose gear, which had failed during the flight.

The pilot, who has not yet been identified, radioed the airport after 3 p.m. to report the malfunction on the plane, which belongs to Cal-Ore Life Flight, Airport Director Matthew Leitner tells the Outpost. Airport personnel responded along with the Crescent City Fire Department, the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office and the California Highway Patrol. All were standing by when the plane touched down.

The pilot and two passengers were unharmed in the landing. “Everything turned out really well,” Leitner said.

Story,  video, comments and photo: http://lostcoastoutpost.com