Saturday, February 06, 2016

Incident occurred February 06, 2016 at Orlando International Airport (KMCO), Orange County, Florida

Southwest Airlines flight No. 5252 headed for Chicago's Midway Airport Saturday afternoon will be delayed two-and-a-half hours after the pilot returned to the Orlando airport due to a mechanical issue, an airline spokeswoman said.

The pilot "initiated an air turn back in response to an engine indication light illuminating in the cockpit," according to Southwest Airlines. The pilot followed protocol by declaring an emergency, and the plane safely landed in Orlando.

About 140 passengers on the flight are slated to fly to Chicago on a different aircraft.

The original aircraft has been taken out of service for a maintenance check, the airline official said.

Source:  http://abc7chicago.com

Alva Regional Airport (KAVK) commission to discuss hangar bids, hangar repairs and leases

Hangars dominate the agenda for the February meeting of the Alva Regional Airport Commission. The meeting is set for 7 p.m. on Monday in the terminal building at the airport.

After hearing a city council report and a report by the airport manager, commission members will discuss and vote on leasing airport land to Terry Cline for construction of a box hangar.

Discussion and action will follow on T-hangar bid specs and authorizing staff to proceed with the advertisement and receiving of bids.

There will also be discussion and voting on a plan of action to repair the South Share Hangar.

The commission members will discuss and vote on forming a committee for the purpose of updating the the Alva Airport lease documents.

Source: http://www.alvareviewcourier.com

Beech V35B Bonanza, N6036G: Incident occurred February 05, 2016 at Monterey Regional Airport (KMRY), Monterey County, California

Date: 05-FEB-16
Time: 20:54:00Z
Regis#: N6036G
Aircraft Make: BEECH
Aircraft Model: 35
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: None
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA San Jose FSDO-15
City: MONTEREY
State: California

AIRCRAFT ON LANDING, NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, MONTEREY, CA

http://registry.faa.gov/N6036G




Monterey >> A plane’s landing gear failed upon touching down at Monterey Regional Airport about 1 p.m. Friday, prompting emergency crews to take action.

“We were dispatched to a single-engine Bonanza that had landing gear failure,” said Monterey Fire Capt. David Cruz. “No one was hurt, but there was damage to the aircraft.”

The V-tail Beechcraft Bonanza’s nose gear collapsed on Runway 28 Left as the pilot, from Oxnard, was making his landing on a journey to visit friends here. There were no other passengers on the six-seater plane and the pilot was not harmed.

According to Cruz, airport staff, police and fire personnel worked together to respond to the accident and moved the aircraft off the runway using an airport tug.

Story and photo:  http://www.montereyherald.com

Drone rules could be less restrictive if legislation advances

Avsight drone pilot Kevin Fallico says that once the FAA approves drone rules, the industry could produce more than 100,000 jobs within a decade. His company and others are urging the Federal Aviation Administration to get drone regulations completed. 



LAS VEGAS (KSNV News3LV) — The Federal Aviation Administration is working to create final rules and guidelines to safely integrate Unmanned Aircraft Systems, known as drones, into the national airspace.

Some in the commercial drone industry say it's taking too long and they need direction on the do's and don'ts. One lawmaker has proposed a bill to nudge the FAA forward, and that could mean some big changes in the interim.

"I think this bill is going to let the FAA know that everybody is serious. There's hundreds of thousands of these drones, both hobbyists or commercial," said Avisight drone pilot Kevin Fallico. "I think the legislation is going to let the FAA know they are serious. We need some guidelines because they aren't making fewer of these things. They're only making more."

It's a waiting game for pilots like Fallico whose company wants to abide by the regulations, but have been left in limbo as they wait to hear what they are.

The FAA's initial proposed rules from last year brought on unanswered questions. Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer says the delay stifles innovation instead of encouraging it. He introduced a bill this week to create an interim framework of guidelines, which requires operators to pass written and flight tests, and requires aircraft registration and insurance during the period the FAA finalizes rules covering commercial drones.

A big change that local commercial pilots appear to favor is reducing how far a commercial drone pilot can fly from a tower controlled airport. If air traffic approves it, instead of 5 miles, a drone can fly as close as 2 miles away.

"Between Henderson, North Las Vegas, McCarran and Nellis, our 5-mile ring covers about 90 percent of the population and activity centers all up and down the strip, Fremont Street, so we are really limited. You have to be in this area in Henderson or out in Summerlin to be 5 miles away so being able to get in, that's going to be great for us or anybody doing commercial operations," said Fallico.

The UAS industry expects to produce more than 100,000 jobs within a decade after the FAA regulations are complete. Fallico hopes this bill will speed up that process.

"The biggest thing right now is there are people like Avisight trying to do this right by following the guidelines that are established," he said.

Story and photo:  http://news3lv.com

Cirrus SR22T, N1703, Weaver Aircraft: Fatal accident occurred January 26, 2016 near Greene County - Lewis A. Jackson Regional Airport (I19) , Xenia, Ohio

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

NTSB Identification: CEN16FA095
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, January 26, 2016 in Xenia, OH
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22T, registration: N1703
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On January 26, 2016, about 1754 eastern standard time, a Cirrus Design Corporation SR22T single engine airplane, N1703, impacted terrain during the turn to final approach to runway 25 at the Greene County - Lewis A. Jackson Regional Airport (I19), Xenia, Ohio. The pilot, who was the sole occupant and operator of the airplane, sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to Weaver Aircraft LLC of Carmel, Indiana, and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a positioning flight. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed in the area during the approach and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1700 from the Indianapolis Executive Airport (TYQ), Indianapolis, Indiana, and I19 was its planned destination.

The purpose of the flight was to reposition the airplane to its home base of Xenia, Ohio, after having completed maintenance at a repair station. Information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) showed that the pilot filed an IFR flight plan from TYQ, flying at 9,000 ft enroute to I19. After a normal IFR flight from TYQ, the pilot contacted Middletown [Ohio] Radar Approach Control and reported having received the weather for I19. He then requested and was given clearance to fly the RNAV 7 instrument approach into I19.

The pilot was cleared from 9,000 ft to 3,000 ft. The Middletown Approach controller issued pilot reports for icing.

The pilot flew the RNAV approach to runway 7 tracking inbound to the airport on the published approach course of 068 degrees. About 5.8 miles from the airport, the pilot cancelled his IFR clearance and continued inbound under visual flight rules (VFR). His recorded altitude at that time was 2,700 ft. The pilot was then instructed to change to advisory frequency.

An airport employee, who witnessed the airplane flying on a downwind beneath the cloud base, stated that the airplane appeared to be setting up for a circling visual approach to runway 25. The airport employee was in proximity to the I19 Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) weather information screen. He reported that the screen showed a 1,700 ft cloud ceiling with wind from 240 degrees at 9 kts; gusting to 14 kts. Wind gusts were variable from 240 to 330 degrees.

Several other witnesses, who were in vehicles on roadways near the airport, reported that they saw the airplane flying low. It then entered a steep left bank and then nose-dived toward the ground into the trees.

There were no reported distress calls from the pilot during the flight and the pilot had normal communications with Air Traffic Control and ground personnel throughout the flight.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a Cirrus SR-22T. The five-place, low wing, single-engine airplane, serial number 0806, was manufactured in 2014, and had a standard airworthiness certificate classifying its operation in the normal category, dated June 23, 2014.

The airplane was powered by one Continental Motors, Incorporated TSIO-550-K1B fuel-injected and turbocharged 6-cylinder horizontally opposed reciprocating engine, serial number 1010320, rated at 315 horsepower at 2,600 rpm.

The airplane was equipped with a 3-blade Hartzell model PHC-J3Y1F-1RF constant-speed propeller, serial number NJ932B. The propeller was installed on June 2, 2014 at zero time.

According to the airplane's airframe logbook, the airplane underwent an annual inspection on September 18, 2015. The recorded tachometer and Hobbs times at the annual were 874.0 hours. A 50-hour inspection was performed on December 14, 2015. The airframe time at the 50-hour inspection was 1,198.1 hours. No other logbook entries followed. According to the engine logbook, a 50-hour inspection was performed on the engine in accordance with the Cirrus service manual and inspection checklist. The oil and filter were changed and engine operational and leak tests were performed satisfactorily. On January 19, 2016, an overhauled fuel pump was installed on the engine and the engine was ground run and checked satisfactory. No other logbook entries followed.

PILOT INFORMATION

The pilot, age 33, held an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine and multi-engine land, instrument airplane rating, and rotorcraft helicopter and instrument helicopter rating. Additionally, the pilot held a flight instructor certificate with ratings in single and multi-engine land, instrument airplanes and helicopters. According to the pilot's logbook, the pilot had recorded 2,075 total flying hours and 100 flying hours in the 90 days preceding the accident. Additionally, he recorded having 200 hours in the accident airplane and 80 hours in the accident airplane within the preceding 90 days. The pilot had successfully completed an instrument proficiency check flight on October 1, 2015.

The pilot held a valid first-class medical certificate dated May 9, 2015. The certificate showed no restrictions or limitations.

METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

At 1732, the routine aviation weather report for I19 was wind 300 at 6 kts, ceiling 1,800 ft overcast, 10 statute miles visibility, temperature 0 degrees Celsius (C), dew point -02 degrees C, and altimeter 30.13 inches Hg.

At 1658, the routine aviation weather report for Wright Paterson Air Force Base (FFO), Dayton, Ohio, 343-degrees at 9 nm from I19, was wind 240 degrees at 9 kts, ceiling 200 ft overcast, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 01 degree Celsius (C), dew point -03 degrees C, altimeter 30.10 inches Hg, and remarks variable ceiling height 170 ft. to 220 ft.

At 1753, the routine aviation weather report for FFO was wind 250 at 11 kts, gusting to 17 kts, ceiling 190 ft overcast, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 0 degrees Celsius (C), dew point -04 degrees C, altimeter 30.12 inches Hg, and remarks sea level pressure 207 hPa.

The upper air balloon sounding from Wilmington, Ohio, 165 degrees at 18 miles from I19, taken at 1900 showed high icing potential within the cloud layers above the surface. The upper air balloon was released into air that was drier above 5,000 ft mean seal level (msl). However, the infrared satellite imagery from 1730 to 1815 showed cloud top temperatures of -12 C, which corresponded to cloud tops around 12,000 ft indicating the likelihood of moderate or greater icing along the airplane's route of flight until 1752 when the airplane descended below the cloud ceiling. However, with the surface temperature at freezing and no warm layer above that, any ice built up on the airplane would not have melted before reaching the ground.

The weather radar imagery showed no precipitation falling from aloft to the surface so cloud droplets remained in the air and in the clouds

The area forecast issued at 1345 and valid for the accident time called for broken ceilings at 3,000 ft msl with cloud tops as 12,000 ft msl and visibilities of 3 to 5 miles in freezing mist.

There were Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMETs) issued at 1545 for instrument conditions, ceiling below 1,000 ft and/or visibilities below 3 miles in precipitation and/or mist, and for moderate icing conditions below 12,000 ft. The Center Weather Service Unit in Indianapolis Center issued a meteorological impact statement warning of occasional moderate rime and mixed icing between 2,000 and 5,000 ft msl.

Pilot reports received two hours prior to the accident and 1 hour after the accident showed for the area around I19, light and moderate rime to moderate mixed icing in the clouds below flight level 200.

A query of Lockheed Martin Flight Service and DUATS indicated the pilot did not contact either for weather or Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs).

AIRPORT INFORMATION

The Greene County - Lewis A. Jackson Regional Airport, FAA identifier I19, was located 10 miles east of Dayton, Ohio. The published field elevation was 949 ft msl. Its runway was 7-25, which was 4,500 ft. long and 75 ft. wide, and had an asphalt surface. The airport was publically owned by the Green County Regional Airport Authority and operated on a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) of 122.7 MHz. Both runways featured PAPI visual slope indicators and runway end identifier lights. The airport had RNAV (GPS) and VOR approaches to both runways.

The RNAV (GPS) approach to Runway 7 began at the UYOKO waypoint, which was the published initial fix. A 5 nm holding pattern at or above 2,700 ft was collocated with the waypoint. The final approach course was 068-degrees. On crossing UYOKO, pilots established themselves on the 068-degree course and remained at or above 2,700 ft until reaching the final approach fix, the WANKU waypoint, which after crossing; pilots could descend to at or above 1,820 ft until crossing the NINRE waypoint, located 2.7 nm from the end of the runway. On crossing NINRE, pilots could continue their descent to the published minimum descent altitude of 1,320 ft, if the airplane is I-NAV equipped, which is 384 ft above the runway elevation. The weather minimums to fly the straight-in approach were 400 ft ceiling and 1 mile visibility.

To fly the circling approach to land on Runway 25, on crossing NINRE, pilots could descend to 1,460 ft, which was 514 ft above the runway elevation. The weather minimums to fly the circling approach were a 600 ft ceiling and 1 mile visibility.

The published missed approach procedure required that pilots initiated a climb to 2,700 ft, fly the runway heading of 069 degrees, and proceed to the TUNNU waypoint.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane wreckage was found in a lightly wooded ravine about 300 ft short of the runway 25 threshold, approximately on bearing with the runway. The airplane impacted in a nose down vertical attitude. Trees and brush immediately adjacent to the wreckage showed little damage.

The airplane was oriented on a 284-degree magnetic heading and was located at 39.693888 degrees North longitude, and -83.983611 West latitude, at an elevation of 932 ft msl. The entire airplane was confirmed to be in the in the vicinity of the initial ground impact.

The ground underneath the airplane's engine was pushed outward and up, consistent with it being the initial point of impact. The engine was twisted to the left and resting on its left side. The propeller hub was separated from the crankshaft aft of the propeller mounting flange and lay uphill from the airplane. The crankshaft at the fracture showed a torsional, shear separation consistent with the crankshaft turning at high speed at the time of the fracture. Two of the composite propeller blades were found on the ground between the airplane and the propeller hub. Both of the blades showed leading edge gouges and dents. The blade that remained with the propeller hub showed minimal damage. The airplane's cowling was broken out and found resting forward of the airplane wreckage. The nose landing gear strut was fractured in multiple locations and was located on the ground immediately adjacent to the bottom of the engine.

The airplane was equipped with the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), a Ballistic Recovery System (BRS). Evidence at the accident site showed that the CAPS system was not activated in flight. The charge cartridge for the parachute deployment mechanism was found expended, due to impact forces.

The fuselage remained predominantly intact. The cabin floor structure and bottom of the fuselage showed upward crushing from the firewall aft to the fuselage station 306 bulkhead. The wing and spar cover were separated. The cabin roof was intact, however first responders had cut the A and B-pillars and laid the cabin roof to the side of the airplane to facilitate the recovery of the pilot. It remained attached to the fuselage by the CAPS activation cable and other wires. The left cabin door broken out from the fuselage and was crushed and fractured. The right cabin door remained attached to the detached cabin roof section by its upper hinge and showed crush damage. The baggage door was separated from the fuselage and showed crush damage.

The firewall was crushed aft displacing the rudder pedal wells and twisted the cockpit center console. The windscreen and all of the cabin windows were broken out. Pieces of Plexiglas were located around the airplane in all directions.

The instrument panel was broken downward and aft. However, most of the components, instruments and switched remained intact. The BAT 1&2, ALT 1&2, avionics, and pitot heat switches were found in the ON position. All other bolster switches were in the OFF position. The panel dimmer knob was at the 7 o'clock position, the windshield dimmer knob was broken off. The flap switch was in the UP position. The fuel selector was set to the right tank. The oxygen switch was in the OFF position and all of the oxygen cannulas were stored in their storage bag, which was found on the ground near the airplane. The fan selector was set to zero and the hot/cold selector knob was set to full hot. The standby altimeter was set to 30.09 and displayed an altitude of 1,040 ft.

All four seats showed upward crushing due to impact. The pilot seat was positioned forward of the seat stop. The energy absorption module in the pilot seat was crushed approximately 2-3 inches in the center while the four corners remained higher. Both airbag seatbelts had deployed. The pilot airbag vent holes were both squared and the airbag showed a 2-inch cut.

A ground scar was present immediately forward of the right wing that spanned the entire length of the right wing. Dirt was found pushed upward on the underside of the right wing just aft of the leading edge consistent with the wing impacting the terrain at that location.

The wing right remained attached to the fuselage and exhibited impact damage. Dirt adhered to the upper wing surfaces in such a manner that it was evident that the wing skin had been coated with TKS (ice protection) fluid during flight. The outboard section of the right side of the wing was broken at a 90-degree angle to the inboard portion of the wing and was resting on its wingtip. The fractured end was supported by the right main landing gear attached to the inboard wing section. The right aileron remained attached to the wing and exhibited upward crushing and buckling. The right flap remained attached to the wing by its inboard hinge point and showed upward crushing and buckling.

The left wing was lying flat on the ground and exhibited upward crushing and bucking. The left main landing gear was broken aft, but remained attached to the underside of the wing. The left aileron remained attached to the wing at its hinges and showed upward crushing and buckling. The left flap remained attached to the wing and showed upward crushing. An examination of the roll trim motor at the left flap showed the roll trim to be in a position between neutral and full left trim, but favoring neutral.

A visual inspection of the aileron cables showed no anomalies with routing through the fairleads in the wing or aileron actuation pulleys in the wing. Cable routing at the forward pulley also showed no anomalies. Both flaps visually were shown to be retracted.

Both wing fuel tanks were breached but contained undetermined amounts of fuel. Both fuel caps were present and secure in their receptacles.

The empennage remained attached to the fuselage and showed upward crushing from impact. The horizontal stabilizer was partially debonded from the empennage and showed upward crushing. Both elevators remained attached to the horizontal stabilizer. The pitch trim motor examined and the pitch trim was determined to be approximately neutral.

The vertical stabilizer remained attached to the empennage and showed bending and crushing from impact. The rudder remained attached to the vertical stabilizer by the lower hinge point and push-pull tube. The rudder exhibited bending and crushing from impact. Control continuity to the elevator and rudder were confirmed.

The airplane's engine was retained for further examination at Continental Motors, Mobile, Alabama. The airplane's Remote Data Module (RDM) was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, DC, for download and readout.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The results of an autopsy performed on the pilot on January 27, 2016, by the Montgomery County, Ohio, Coroner, Dayton, Ohio, showed the cause of death to be from acute ventricular dysrhythmia and multiple blunt force trauma sustained in an airplane crash.

The FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute performed forensic toxicology on specimens from the pilot. The results were negative for all tests conducted.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

The airplane's Remote Data Module (RDM) was sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder's laboratory, Washington, DC, for download and readout. Tabular data and graphic depictions of the airplane's systems and performance indicated the airplane's engine and systems performed normally up to the time of the accident. Some highlights drawn from the data included:

The CAPS system showed ARMED throughout the flight.

The RDM data showed the position of the anti-ice tank switch. From the graphic depiction, the system was turned on about 7 minutes and 30 seconds prior to the accident for 1 minute and 50 seconds. It was then turned off and remained off for the remaining 5 minutes and 40 seconds to the accident.

The airplane's flaps were positioned to HALF, 2 minutes and 50 seconds before the accident.

Just before the data and graphs end, the airplane's pitch and bank increased and the stall warning activated. In the last three seconds of the data, the airplane's bank angle was 48 to 50 degrees. Indicated airspeed showed between 87 and 90 kts, and vertical speed increased from a 240 ft per minute descent to 1,056 ft per minute.

The airplane's engine was disassembled and examined at Continental Motors, Incorporated, Mobile, Alabama, on June 24, 2016. The examination showed no anomalies that would have resulted in the engine not producing full power when needed.


A review of the Pilot's Operating Handbook showed that at 60 degrees of bank with half flaps, the airplane's stall speed is 95 kts.

Weaver Aircraft LLC:http://registry.faa.gov/N1703 

NTSB Identification: CEN16FA095 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, January 26, 2016 in Xenia, OH
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22T, registration: N1703
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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

On January 26, 2016, about 1800 eastern standard time, a Cirrus Design Corp SR22 single engine airplane, N1703, registered to Weaver LLC of Indianapolis, Indiana, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during final approach to runway 25 at the Greene County - Lewis A Jackson Regional Airport (I19), Xenia, Ohio. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed in the area during the approach. The positioning flight was being conducted under the provisions of Federal Code of Regulations Part 91 and an IFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1700 from the Indianapolis Executive Airport (TYQ), Indianapolis, Indiana, and I19 was its planned destination.

The purpose of the flight was to reposition the airplane to its home base of Xenia, Ohio, after completed maintenance at a repair station. Information provided by the FQAA showed that the pilot filed an IFR flight plan from TYQ, flying at 9,000 feet enroute to I19. After a normal IFR flight from TYQ, the pilot requested and was given clearance to fly the RNAV 7 instrument approach to I19. The airplane broke out of the cloud base, and the pilot canceled his IFR clearance. An airport employee, who witnessed the airplane flying on a downwind beneath the cloud base, stated that the airplane appeared to be setting up for a circling VMC approach to runway 25. The airport employee was in proximity to the I19 Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) weather information screen. He reported that the screen showed a 1,700 cloud ceiling, with wind from 240 degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 14 knots (gusts variable from 240 to 330 degrees). Several other witnesses who were in vehicles on roadways near the airport reported that they saw the airplane appear to start a left base turn to final and then nose down prior to the runway 25 threshold. 

There were no reported distress calls from the pilot during the flight and the pilot had normal communications with ATC and ground personnel throughout the flight.

The airplane wreckage was found in a lightly wooded ravine about 300 feet short of the runway 25 threshold, approximately on bearing with the runway. Evidence at the accident site were consistent with a nose down impact. The airplane was equipped with a Ballistic Recovery System (BRS). Evidence at the accident site showed that the BRS system was not activated in flight. The charge cartridge for the parachute deployment mechanism was found expended, due to impact forces.

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Cincinnati FSDO-05


Joel Lansford’s wedding ring features a message in Hebrew as well as scratches and markings from the Jan. 26 plane crash. 



FAIRBORN — The wife of Joel Lansford, who was killed in a plane crash near the Greene County Airport last month, has misplaced his wedding ring and hopes someone will find it and return it to her.

Julia Ann Lansford, 24, believes she lost the ring Feb. 4 while flying back from Texas where her husband’s body was laid to rest in a family plot.

Lansford’s friend tells us Julia was on a Delta Airlines flight from Houston to Cincinnati, and from there she drove back to Fairborn.

The ring features a message in Hebrew and bears scratches and markings from the Jan. 26 plane crash.

Joel Lansford, 33, was killed while piloting a Cirrus SR22T that crashed into a hillside in the early evening near the Greene County Airport.

Lansford is survived by his wife, Julia Ann, and their 17-month-old identical twins Adam and Seth.

The Cedarville University graduate was an Ohio National Guard veteran and corporate pilot. At the time of his death, he was working to become a missionary helicopter pilot in Papua New Guinea.

If you know the whereabouts of the ring, call the NewsCenter 7 newsroom at (937) 225-2329.

- Story, comments and photo: http://www.whio.com


Joel and Julia Ann and their twin boys.



GREENE COUNTY — Friends of a Fairborn pilot who died in a plane crash last week are organizing community to help care for his wife and two children. 

Joel Lansford, 33, of Fairborn, served in the Ohio Army National Guard. Chris Collins, who severed with him in Afghanistan, said Collins enjoyed helping others. Lansford would play piano in their chapel services. Collins said he was in disbelief when he learned his friend was in a plane crash.

“I remember waking up at six o’clock in the morning and sharing the report on Facebook,” Collins said. “I knew it was his part of town but I didn’t want to believe it.”

Lansford was the only occupant in the Cirrus SR22T when it crashed into a hillside at Greene County-Lewis A. Jackson Regional Airport on Jan. 26. Collins said he was devastated when he learned his friend died, but he is happy he was able to do what he loved.

“He was always studying how to either fly them or fix them,” Collins said. “When he came home he was doing both of those things.”

Caleb Weller, who worked on service projects with Lansford focused on agriculture in Israel, created a fundraiser online to help support Lansford’s wife and two children.

“I don’t want to see his family have any concerns this year,” Weller said. “So I wanted people to rally around her as a community and help her out.”

Donations are being accepted until the end of February. To donate visit www.youcaring.com/julia-ann-lansford-512353.

National Transportation Safety Board officials said Wednesday that a preliminary report on the crash could be released this week.

Source:  http://www.daytondailynews.com

This is an undated photo of Joel Lansford sitting in the cockpit of the same plane he was flying when he crashed January 26, 2016. 
 
 Joel Lansford

 Joel Lansford






Bell 206B JetRanger, Helidon Inc., N206R: Accident occurred February 06, 2016 at Linden Airport (KLDJ), Union County, New Jersey

HELIDON INC: http://registry.faa.gov/N206R

NTSB Identification: ERA16LA104 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, February 06, 2016 in Linden, NJ
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/16/2016
Aircraft: BELL 206, registration: N206R
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.

The flight instructor reported that the purpose of the flight was to provide the private pilot, who was also the owner of the helicopter and was helicopter-rated, transition training in the helicopter. He stated that they performed a preflight inspection, flight control check, and hydraulic check with no anomalies noted. The pilot receiving instruction was at the controls of the helicopter during the initial takeoff from a dolly to a hover.

The flight instructor stated that, when the helicopter became "light on the skids," it started to roll left. The helicopter continued to roll left, impacted the ground on the left side of the dolly, bounced, and then came to rest on the right side of the dolly. The flight instructor reported that he was looking to the left during the initial takeoff to verify that the area was clear and that he had never had anything happen that quickly while instructing. 

Examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. A postaccident examination of the dolly revealed that there were no scrapes or score marks on the diamond steel platform on the dolly; therefore, it is unlikely that the helicopter got caught on the dolly. It is likely that, during the takeoff, the pilot unintentionally applied excessive left cyclic, which resulted in the helicopter experiencing a dynamic rollover. In addition, because the flight instructor was distracted by looking outside the helicopter to ensure that the area was clear, he did not provide any corrective actions to prevent the rollover.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot receiving instruction's failure to maintain helicopter control during the initial takeoff, which resulted in a dynamic rollover. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's inadequate remedial action due to his distraction by looking outside the helicopter to ensure that the area was clear.

On February 6, 2016, at 1239 eastern standard time, a Bell 206B, N206R, was substantially damaged after it rolled over during takeoff from a parking dolly at Linden Airport (LDJ), Linden, New Jersey. The private pilot was seriously injured and the flight instructor was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which was originating at the time of the accident. The helicopter was owned and operated by the private pilot. The instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the flight instructor, the purpose of the flight was to give the private pilot transition training in the helicopter. They performed a preflight inspection, flight control check, and hydraulic check prior to lift off with no anomalies noted. The pilot receiving instruction was at the controls of the helicopter during the initial takeoff to a hover, then, when the helicopter became "light on the skids," it started to roll to the left. The helicopter continued to roll to the left, impacted the ground, and came to rest on the right side. During the initial takeoff, since the helicopter was about to move to the left, the flight instructor was looking to the left in order to verify the area was clear of obstructions. In addition, he stated that he'd "never felt anything that quick."

A security video recording was obtained from the airport that captured the accident sequence. In the video, the helicopter was started up on the dolly, then the helicopter began to rotate to the right on the dolly, and then it immediately rolled to the left. The helicopter impacted the ground on the left side, bounced, and then came to rest on the right side.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration records, the helicopter was purchased by the pilot receiving instruction on January 5, 2016. According to the helicopter's maintenance records, the most recent annual inspection was performed on July 1, 2015. In addition, a 3,000-hour maintenance inspection was performed on the helicopter on December 21, 2015.

According to the pilot/owner, he held a private pilot certificate with a rating for helicopters. In addition, his most recent third-class medial was issued on January 4, 2016. Furthermore, he reported 625 hours of total helicopter flight time, of which, 5 hours were in the same make and model as the accident helicopter.

According to the flight instructor, he held an airline transport pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multiengine land, and rotorcraft-helicopter. He held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine sea and a private pilot certificate with a rating for gliders. In addition, he held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single and multiengine, rotorcraft-helicopter, and instrument airplane and helicopter. His most recent second-class medical certificate was issued on July 22, 2015. In addition, he reported 25,000 hours of total flight time, of which, 2,760 hours were in the same make and model as the accident helicopter, and 1,020 hours were as an instructor in the same make and model as the accident helicopter.


A postaccident examination of the dolly revealed that there were no scrapes or score marks on the diamond steel platform on the dolly. An examination of the helicopter revealed that the fuselage, main rotor blades, tail rotor blades, and tailboom were substantially damaged during the accident sequence. Furthermore, there were no anomalies with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident. In addition, the pilot/owner had a mechanic examine the helicopter and there were no preexisting malfunctions or anomalies noted with the helicopter.

NTSB Identification: ERA16LA104
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, February 06, 2016 in Linden, NJ
Aircraft: BELL 206B, registration: N206R
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 support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On February 6, 2016, at 1239 eastern standard time, a Bell 206B, N206R, was substantially damaged after it rolled over during takeoff from a parking dolly at Linden Airport (LDJ), Linden, New Jersey. The private pilot was seriously injured and the flight instructor was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which was originating at the time of the accident. The helicopter was owned and operated by the pilot receiving instruction. The instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the flight instructor, the purpose of the flight was to give the pilot receiving instruction transition training in the helicopter. They performed a preflight inspection, flight control check, and hydraulic check prior to lift off with no anomalies noted. The pilot receiving instruction was at the controls of the helicopter during the initial takeoff to a hover, then, when the helicopter became "light on the skids," it started to roll to the left. The helicopter impacted the ground and came to rest on the right side. 

A security video recording was obtained from the airport that captured the accident sequence. In the video, the helicopter was started up on the dolly, then the helicopter began to rotate to the right on the dolly, and then it immediately rolled to the left. The helicopter impacted the ground on the left side, bounced, and then came to rest on the right side. 

A postaccident examination of the dolly revealed that there were no scrapes or score marks on the diamond steel platform on the dolly. An examination of the helicopter revealed that the fuselage, main rotor blades, tail rotor blades, and tailboom were substantially damaged during the accident sequence.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration records, the helicopter was purchased by the pilot receiving instruction on January 5, 2016. According to the helicopter's maintenance records, the most recent annual inspection was performed on July 1, 2015. In addition, a 3,000 hour maintenance inspection was performed on the helicopter on December 21, 2015. 




LINDEN — A helicopter crashed during a landing at the Linden Airport, injuring at least one person, police said.

Jim Peters, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said a Bell B206 helicopter with two people on board tipped over while conducting practice landings at Linden Airport at about 1 p.m. on Saturday. He said the FAA is investigating.

According to Linden Police Capt. James Sarnicki, at least one person sustained a leg injury in the crash, but he was unsure if it was the pilot or the passenger.

"We were told the helicopter at some point tipped on its side and fell," Sarnicki said.

He said he was unsure how high the helicopter was off the ground before it crashed.

Police are still on the scene, Sarnicki said.

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




LINDEN, N.J. (AP) — Authorities say a helicopter crash in northern New Jersey has left one person injured.

The crash occurred shortly before 1 p.m. Saturday at the Linden Airport. Officials say the pilot of the Bell B206 helicopter was making practice landings when it tipped over on its side.

The pilot and another person were on board the helicopter when the crash occurred. Authorities say one person suffered a leg injury, but it wasn't immediately known if the injured person was the pilot or the passenger.

Further details on the victim's injuries were not released. The names of the pilot and the passenger have not been disclosed.

The cause of the crash is under investigation by city police and the Federal Aviation Administration.


Story and photo:  http://www.northjersey.com


LINDEN, New Jersey (WABC) -- A helicopter that was landing Saturday afternoon crashed onto its side, injuring one person.

At 12:40 p.m., the Linden (N.J.) Police Department responded to the crash at Linden Airport.

"A Bell B206 helicopter tipped over while doing practice landings at Linden Airport at about 1 p.m. today," said a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration, which also is investigating.

There were two people on board. One sustained a leg injury.

Flight instruction is offered at the airport, and Linden Police Captain Sarnicki said practice landings at the airport are common.

Source:  http://abc7ny.com

















Enrique Zapata heard the frightening sounds of a Bell B206 helicopter crash landing at Linden Airport, Saturday afternoon. The pilot and a passenger "were trapped upside down. I broke the glass of the window to pull one out, he came through relatively easy the other one was trapped," Zapata exclusively told PIX11.

"I lifted the helicopter enough to pull the leg out.”  The FAA confirmed the plane tipped over during landing and is investigating the cause. One victim's leg was broken in the incident, the other victim was treated for scrapes and bruises, aviation sources said.  Linden Police and Union County haz-mat inspected the helicopter on the runway. 

Its tail and rotors were completely totaled. "Everything broke in a million pieces, it was just amazing. I don’t think he was that high for that kind of damage to happen," Zapata said.

Ottawa wary of aiding Bombardier without corporate structure changes

The federal government is expressing reservations about providing financial aid to struggling plane maker Bombardier Inc. without changes to the company’s corporate governance and leadership.

Federal officials are privately telling reporters the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is concerned about how Bombardier is run, particularly the company’s ownership structure that gives its founding family control of the company through a special category of multiple-voting shares.

There is a feeling that Bombardier should loosen the family’s control or make other changes beyond what it has already done to prove it is willing to assume its fair share of the risk in exchange for the government aid it is seeking, one source said. The source suggested that unlike Bombardier’s $1-billion (U.S.) investment from Quebec for its C Series jet program, federal aid would not come without further compromises or sacrifices from the company.

Bombardier last year brought in a new chief executive officer, Alain Bellemare, to lead a turnaround effort as the maker of planes and trains struggles to get the C Series to market and win new aircraft orders under $9-billion of debt. Former CEO Pierre Beaudoin, grandson of Bombardier’s founder, stepped into the role of executive chairman. Mr. Bellemare has assembled a completely new management team.

The company has also made tweaks to governance. As a concession to the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, which is making a $1.5-billion investment in Bombardier's train business, Bombardier agreed to maintain a $1.25-billion minimum cash reserve at all times and give the pension fund a say in the nomination of new directors.

While the government is concerned about governance at the plane maker, sources said it has made no demands on the company for any governance changes. Bombardier is pressing the Canadian government for $1-billion in aid, a well-placed source has said, as a match for Quebec and a way to send a signal to the market that Canada will stand behind the company.

“There has been no request made one way or the other to Bombardier” on governance, a senior federal official said. “What we have on the table now is the deal they put forward and we haven’t gotten back to them. … We haven’t asked them anything at this point. We are still looking at their proposal.”

Mr. Bellemare met with federal Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains on Nov. 18 about the assistance. The company is looking for a response as soon as possible, saying a positive answer from Ottawa would give it almost immediate traction in C Series sales campaigns.

Bombardier officials declined to comment Friday.

A perception remains in the industry that while Bombardier has made an effort to clean house and improve its management, it hasn’t gone far enough to ensure its long-term survival.

“The general perception is that the Beaudoins, for all their success in the past, made just one series of bad decisions when it came to the C Series approach and strategy,” Scott Hamilton of aviation consultancy Leeham & Co. said. “And that fell under Pierre’s watch as CEO. If you have a company that is essentially bankrupt, and that is how the market is treating the company, you have to have some radical changes to move beyond that.”

Investors and industry experts have for years called on the company to scrap its dual-class share structure, arguing that the company would command much more interest from capital markets if the family loosened its grip. Bombardier has consistently rejected that view, saying the structure provides stability to a business that is highly cyclical.

And there is no evidence that the family is willing to give up control.

Some industry observers point out that the dual-class shares are in fact protecting the company from a foreign takeover, which would be made easier as the company’s stock price has fallen below $1 (Canadian). They note that a buyer would likely break the company up, creating a political and economic crisis for Canada’s aerospace sector as the effects ripple to suppliers and other companies.

With the C Series, Bombardier is making its biggest bet ever. The airliner is going up against the smallest jets made by industry giants Airbus and Boeing, which have pushed back hard against the newcomer with discounts supported by higher assembly line volumes. Both rivals benefit from significant support from their home governments in Europe and the United States.

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

McVille Airport (6P7) authority continues to grow: Members tasked with monitoring options in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania

Armstrong County’s airport authority is growing, even though county officials do not have plans to build an airport or to expand the McVille Airport in South Buffalo.

The Armstrong County Commissioners appointed former County Commissioner Bob Bower, of West Kittanning, and Anthony Ferrante, the Chairman of the Latrobe Airport and a Vandergrift resident, to serve on the authority, just in case there are opportunities to secure funding for an airport.

“An airport authority is tasked to monitor and look into ways to promote an airport in Armstrong County, if those opportunities arise,” Bower said. “Armstrong County is one of three counties in Pennsylvania without a county airport.”

Bower, who is a licensed pilot, said reactivating the authority was a preemptive strike in the event the county decides to build an airport. The authority meets twice a year to discuss aviation-based issues.

There are currently 124 public airports in Pennsylvania, which are owned by county or municipal governments, or are privately owned with public access. The airports are overseen by PennDOT and the Federal Aviation Administration.

In 1964, the county appointed an authority to explore opening an airport, but it wasn’t until the late 1980s that Gilpin, West Franklin and South Buffalo were identified as possible locations to build one. The plan was scrapped because the public did not support the project. Shortly after that, the authority became inactive.

The McVille Airport is privately owned, but allows public use for small aircrafts. It is not large enough to accept jet traffic, Bower said.

The airport was closed for seven years to allow strip mining beneath its runway. It reopened in 2014, and the county appointed six people to the long dormant Airport Authority.

Since reopening, officials used grants from PennDOT to replace its grass landing strip with a paved runway, purchase snow removal equipment and build a hangar that can hold up to a dozen aircrafts.

Each day, the airport handles several small, privately-owned planes and chartered flights, but its 2,800-foot runway is not long enough to accommodate larger planes or jets.

“It can now accommodate small business planes, just not large jets,” Bower said. “We probably need more than 700 feet of additional runway to accommodate a jet.”

Last year, the county commissioners have committed $3,500 in Marcellus Shale Legacy funding to study the 125-acre airport. The study by GAI Consultants of Homestead has not been completed, but will determine costs of adding a landing system, runway lighting and helicopter pad, and how those improvements could benefit the county. With results in hand, the county would then seek grants to fund the improvements.

The money for the study of the only airport in the county is coming from the Marcellus Shale Legacy Fund. The airport would be eligible for PennDOT grants because it permits public planes to use the facilities.

Bower said the authority plans to help McVille Airport continue seeking out state and federal grants to expand their operations.

“We’re looking for any way to help them secure grants since some of our money, which Armstrong County residents pay for through their taxes, goes to all the other counties because we don’t have an airport,” Bower said. “We’re being cheated out of our own money.”

Source: http://www.leadertimes.com