Sunday, February 28, 2016

Chopper World Pushes Specific Safety Steps: Industry embraces techniques that major airlines have relied on since the 1990s

Helicopter makers are striving to improve their spotty safety record. A tour helicopter crashed in Hawaii in mid-February.



The Wall Street Journal
By ANDY PASZTOR
Feb. 28, 2016 4:28 p.m. ET


The global helicopter industry is striving to improve its spotty safety record, largely by embracing equipment and techniques major airlines have relied on since the 1990s to achieve today’s record-low accident rates.

From voluntary incident reporting to greater reliance on advanced simulators, to an increased focus on pinpointing potential hazards by downloading information from flight-data recorders, the chopper world is turning to tried-and-true safety enhancements.

But widespread adoption of such methods is proving elusive, partly due to the complications of an array of large and small operators engaged in vastly different types of flying.

“We’ve taken a broad approach to reducing accident rates, rather than a very targeted approach at specific industry segments,” said to Lindsay Cunningham, head of flight safety for the U.S. helicopter unit of Airbus Group SE. But now, that is one of the strategies in the process of changing.

For starters, rotorcraft accident-prevention experts are determined to collect more accurate data on the total number of hours flown by nonmilitary choppers in various countries. Without such up-to-date statistics, industry leaders have been frustrated in accurately tracking annual changes in global, or even regional, accident rates.

In addition to gains in the U.S., the latest numbers show some improvements in Canada, Brazil and other countries, according to industry officials. “But the focus is now on the regulatory agencies” to provide accurate data everywhere, said Matthew Zuccaro, chief executive of the industry’s largest international trade association.

Another emerging trend is proactive use of flight-data recorders to dissect dangerous incidents and identify safety hazards. While many new choppers are equipped with the necessary equipment—and easily can obtain software to analyze downloaded information—only a minority of operators are aggressively using those tools.

“Most customers simply don’t do that,” Ms. Cunningham said in an interview last week. At this point, she added, even the majority of law-enforcement agencies use such systems “in a very reactive manner, if at all.”

Mechanical malfunctions are the primary culprit in only about 5% of serious helicopter accidents, according to safety experts. At the same time, the industry continues to rank accidents during training flights as one of the top two categories of all crashes.

Moreover, there is still considerable ambivalence among operators about increasing the use of the most expensive ground-based simulators.

Above all, however, experts agree the human element is the most important variable in boosting safety.

For years, training programs, videos and industrywide slogans have highlighted the mistaken decisions of some chopper pilots to push ahead even in low visibility and other questionable conditions.

A central training principle is encouraging aviators to be more disciplined and cautious when weather or other factors suddenly change, instead of automatically continuing the trip and “making so many decisions on the fly,” according to Bruce Webb, the Airbus helicopter unit’s chief pilot. The aim is to ensure aviators “get over the bravado and machismo” that frequently leads to crashes, he said in an interview.

Compared with helicopter fleets, airlines have a much longer and more successful track record emphasizing the importance of strict adherence to rules and standard operating procedures.

When it comes to instilling professionalism, chopper pilots have to understand more clearly the dangers of intentional violations, according to David Bjellos, a helicopter pilot who runs a corporate-flight department and is active in industry safety groups. But too often, he said, “we don’t know how to fix that.”

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

Florence Regional Airport (KFLO) fixed-base operator to pay $77,000 a year to Pee Dee Regional Airport Authority

Several aircraft await repairs on Friday in a maintenance hangar at Florence Regional Airport. This particular aspect of airport operations will be taken over by Precision Air on March 1.



FLORENCE, S.C. – Under the terms of a contract that will take effect Tuesday, the Pee Dee Regional Airport Authority will be paid $77,000 annually for 15 years for use of the general aviation component at Florence Regional Airport.

Leasing the fixed-base operations is Precision Air Inc., which has its principal office in Manning and acts as the fixed-base operator at the Santee Regional Airport under a long-term contract with Clarendon County. Precision Air is also a subsidiary of Tumeq LLC, an Alaskan native company.

Sam Boyle, the chief executive officer of Tumeq LLC, said the general aviation component of the airport is underused.

“And there’s opportunity to grow,” he said. “We want to grow the services and service larger aircraft. It’s a very nice airport with long runways.”

Last fall the authority put out requests for proposals for contracting with a third party to handle fixed-base operations – ground handling, maintenance and fueling – with the idea that an independent entity could be more efficient and better equipped to turn a profit.


The general aviation component of Florence Regional Airport will be controlled by Precision Air on March 1 under a 15-year lease.


One of the stipulations of the contract has Precision Air being responsible for the costs associated with building a new fuel farm within two years, as fuel sales will likely be the primary revenue driver. The airport authority will be responsible for removing the current 40,000-gallon fuel farm and any associated remediation costs.

Boyle said he thinks construction for the new fuel farm will get done “relatively quickly” and he doesn’t foresee that project taking “very long.”

For each gallon of fuel sold, Precision Air will pay .06 cents under the fuel flowage fee; after a five-year period, that fee can be renegotiated based on market conditions, the contract shows. Precision Air will also pay 3 percent of all gross revenues, fees and charges derived from the provision of aircraft airframe and engine maintenance and repair as well as line (ground) services, whether provided by Precision Air or subcontracted.

Leased premises include six aircraft shade hangars, 22 small T-hangars and eight large T-hangars. For aircraft storage, maintenance, servicing and fueling facilities, Precision Air will be in charge of a 12,000-square-foot maintenance hangar; a 2,500-square-foot terminal area; the 40,000-gallon fuel farm; a 60,000-square-foot transient aircraft parking apron; an 8,000-square-foot aircraft hangar and a 7,200-square-foot hangar with adjoining office building. An additional 8,000-square-foot storage/maintenance hangar and use of the adjacent parking apron are included.

Basic services Precision Air is expected to provide for 16 hours a day and seven days a week include aircraft marshaling, ramp parking, baggage handling, tie-down services and equipment, nitrogen services for tires, catering services, mobile ground power assistance, aircraft lavatory and cabin cleaning services, aviation grade in-flight oxygen refills, passenger and crew customer service assistance and support to include rental car and ground transportation service and aircraft storage.

Under the contract Precision Air has the option to provide, via a third party, flight training and ground school, aircraft rental and chartering, and the sale of aircraft and avionics parts and accessories.

“It’s all up in the air” as to what services may be provided or facilitated, Boyle said. “We’re still trying to figure out the best way to implement those things and we kind of want to take it one step at a time.”


The general aviation component of Florence Regional Airport will be controlled by Precision Air at the beginning of next month under a 15-year lease with Precision Air.


After five years, the rent will increase by 3 percent; another 3 percent increase will take effect in 2026.

Glen Greene, chairman of the airport authority, said Friday that the 15-year term was at least partly driven by the authority but was the best one available for potential lessees as seen during the request-for-proposals period. There’s no timetable or discussion as of yet about how much or how long it will take to remove the fuel farm, but he’s open to pursuing grants to offset costs.

“We’ll have to put it out for bid,” he said. “I don’t anticipate any problems there.”

While the fixed-base operator will operate independently, it’s still part of the airport, he said.

“We need to be good business partners and they need to be good business partners,” he said. “We anticipate it being a beneficial relationship.”

Boyle, for his part, is optimistic about the potential of the fixed-base operations at Florence Regional Airport.

“We certainly want to see economic growth across the board,” he said.

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

Cessna 182K Skylane, N2861R: Accident occurred February 28, 2016 near Gainesville Regional Airport (KGNV), Alachua County, Florida

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

Additional Participating Entities: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando, Florida
Continental Motors, Inc.; Mobile, Alabama
Cessna Aircraft; Wichita, Kansas 

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

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N2861R

National Transportation Safety Board - Aviation Accident Factual Report

Location: Gainesville, FL
Accident Number: ERA16LA114
Date & Time: 02/28/2016, 1200 EST
Registration: N2861R
Aircraft: CESSNA 182
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Collision during takeoff/land
Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On February 28, 2016, about 1200 eastern standard time, a Cessna 182K, N2816R, experienced a total loss of engine power and performed a forced landing to a road near Gainesville, Florida. The commercial pilot and passenger incurred minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Fort Lauderdale, Florida, around 1000. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot. The personal cross-country flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 and had an intended destination of Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV), Gainesville, Florida.

According to the pilot, he performed a preflight inspection, added 1 quart of oil to the engine, which totaled 8 quarts of oil, and then performed an engine run up with no anomalies noted. The takeoff, climb, and beginning of the descent phase of flight were "uneventful." The pilot was cleared to land on runway 7 when the engine began to run "rough." He unsuccessfully attempted to alleviate the rough engine noise by enriching the mixture and then reducing the power. The engine began shaking, oil sprayed onto the windscreen of the airplane, and then the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot declared an emergency, and elected to land on a road. After touching down on the paved surface, the left wing of the airplane impacted a palm tree and the airplane stopped on the road.

A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. In addition, the engine cowling was removed to facilitate an engine examination, and a hole was noted in the top of the crankcase in the vicinity of the No. 4 cylinder. In addition, the No. 4 cylinder connecting rod was located on the top of the engine. The engine was retained for further examination.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the airplane was manufactured in 1967, and registered to the pilot/owner in 2014. It was equipped with a Continental Motors IO-550 D series, 300-hp engine, which was installed in February 2000 in accordance with a supplemental type certificate. According to the pilot, the engine had accumulated 2,135 total hours of time in service since the time of rebuild in 1999, and had approximately 130 flight hours since the most recent annual inspection, which was completed on November 3, 2015. The most recent oil change occurred approximately 32 flight hours prior to the accident. Engine manufacturer guidance recommended that the time-based overhaul of the engine occur at 1,700 flight hours or every 12 years.

The engine was examined at the manufacturer's facility under NTSB oversight. Examination of the cylinders revealed normal operating signatures and combustion deposits. The intake and exhaust valve faces and seats exhibited full seat contact signatures, and the intake and exhaust valve guides exhibited normal wear and operating signatures. The intake and exhaust rocker arms and shafts also exhibited normal operating signatures. All piston heads exhibited normal combustion deposits. The Nos. 4 and 5 pistons exhibited impact damage and the No. 4 piston was fractured.

Disassembly of the engine revealed the Nos. 4 and 5 connecting rods had separated from the crankshaft at their respective journals. The Nos. 4 and 5 journals exhibited discoloration and heat damage, consistent with oil starvation. The oil galleys and passages in the crankshaft were clear and unrestricted.

The engine oil sump was removed from the engine and the forward section exhibited impact damage. In addition, an unmeasured amount of oil and metal particles were noted inside the oil sump. The oil filter remained attached to the engine and was removed. It was disassembled and metal particles were noted in the filter.

The crankcase exhibited exterior damage concentrated at the No. 4 cylinder. Cylinder bays Nos. 4 and 5 were mechanically damaged, with portions of the crankcase missing above the No. 4 cylinder. The main bearing support mating surfaces were intact, exhibited no signs of fretting, and exhibited no signs of bearing movement or rotation. The oil galleys and passages in the left and right crankcase halves were intact, clear, and unrestricted.

The airplane was equipped with a JPI engine data monitor that was capable of recording engine performance data. The engine data monitor was removed and successfully downloaded at the NTSB's Vehicle Recorder Division in Washington, D.C. The data parameters that were recorded for the accident flight included, fuel flow, exhaust gas temperature, cylinder head temperature, oil temperature, fuel used, battery voltage, and outside air temperature.

According to the data, the flight was uneventful until about 1156, when the oil temperature began a steady increase. In the 4 minutes that followed, oil temperature continued to rise and peaked at 202 degrees F prior to the end of the data. According to the engine instruments in the cockpit, the DO NOT EXCEED oil temperature was 225 degrees F. Below 225 degrees F was the normal oil temperature operating range. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial; Foreign; Private
Age: 61, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 10/01/2013
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 10/06/2015
Flight Time: 1900 hours (Total, all aircraft), 800 hours (Total, this make and model), 1500 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 130 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 40 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 4 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: CESSNA
Registration: N2861R
Model/Series: 182 K
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1967
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 18258461
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 11/03/2015, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2348 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 130 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 2139 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: CONT MOTOR
ELT:  Installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: IO-550 Series
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 300 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KGNV, 123 ft msl
Observation Time: 1153 EST
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 148°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 18°C / -2°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: Calm
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 30.29 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (FXE)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: Gainesville, FL (GNV)
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 1000 EST
Type of Airspace:

Airport Information

Airport: GAINESVILLE RGNL (GNV)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 151 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: N/A
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Minor
Latitude, Longitude:  29.698056, -82.280278 (est)

NTSB Identification: ERA16LA114 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, February 28, 2016 in Gainesville, FL
Aircraft: CESSNA 182, registration: N2861R
Injuries: 2 Minor.

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 28, 2016, about 1200 eastern standard time, a Cessna 182K, N2816R, experienced a total loss of engine power and performed a forced landing to a road near Gainesville, Florida. The commercial pilot and passenger incurred minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Fort Lauderdale, Florida, around 1000. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot. The cross country flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 and had an intended destination of Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV), Gainesville, Florida.

According to the pilot, he performed a preflight inspection and engine run up with no anomalies noted. The takeoff, climb, and beginning of the descent phase of flight were "uneventful." The pilot was cleared to land on runway 7 when the engine began to run "rough." He unsuccessfully attempted to alleviate the rough engine noise by enriching the mixture and then reducing the power. The engine began shaking, oil sprayed onto the windshield of the airplane, and then the engine lost total power. The pilot declared an emergency, and elected to land on a road. After touching down on the paved surface, the left wing of the airplane impacted a palm tree and the airplane came to rest on the road.

A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. In addition, the engine cowling was removed to facilitate an engine examination, and a hole was noted in the top of the crankcase in the vicinity of the No. 4 cylinder. In addition, the No. 4 cylinder connecting rod was located on the top of the engine. The engine was retained for further examination.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the airplane was manufactured in 1967, and registered to the pilot/owner in 2014. In addition, the airplane was equipped with a Continental Motors IO-550 D series, 300 hp engine. According to the pilot, the engine had accumulated 2,135 total hours of time, and had approximately 130 hours since the most recent annual inspection, which was signed off on November 3, 2015.




A pilot and passenger were injured when their private single-engine plane crashed while attempting an emergency landing on a Gainesville road Sunday afternoon.

The victims were taken in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries to the hospital after the small Cessna crashed about noon in the 1900 block of Northeast Waldo Road. The pilot, who’d reported a fire in the cockpit, was able to avoid hitting any people or cars on the ground. However, the plane struck a tree in the road’s median, according to Gainesville Fire Rescue.

Firefighters quickly put out the fire. But the road remained closed from 16th Avenue through 23rd Avenue for several hours as investigators examined the scene before the plane could be removed, Gainesville police said.

Authorities didn’t release the victims’ names.

However, the four-seat aircraft – built in 1967 – is owned by a Scottsdale, Az. private pilot, according to the Federal Aviation Administration Registry. That pilot couldn’t be reached for comment Sunday evening.

The aircraft had taken off from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport at 10:15 a.m. Sunday en route to Gainesville Regional Airport. The crash site is just south of the Gainesville airport. On Saturday, the plane was flown Stella Maris, Bahamas to the Fort Lauderdale Airport, according to FlightAware.com, an online flight tracking website.

Source:  http://jacksonville.com



GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Shortly after noon Sunday a small plane crash landed on Waldo Road according to the Gainesville Police Department.

Police tell News4Jax the pilot reported a fire in the cockpit. The pilot and a passenger were transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The plane, a single-engine Cessna that federal records show is owned by a man in Scottsdale, Ariz., went down just south of Gainesville Regional Airport. 

According to FlightAware.com, the plane left Fort Lauderdale Executive airport at 10:15 a.m. Sunday. 

Records show the plane left  Stella Maris, Bahamas on Saturday.  NE Waldo Road is closed between 16th Avenue and 23rd.

Story and video:  http://www.news4jax.com      


GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A small plane crashed in Gainesville after reporting a fire in the cockpit Sunday afternoon, authorities said. 

Two people were injured in the crash and transported to a local hospital, according to the Gainesville Police Department.

The crash occurred shortly after noon on the 1900 block of NE Waldo Road.

Authorities said they believed Waldo would be closed down from 16th Avenue to 23rd Street for some time.

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






















Aboard the gilded ‘Trump Force One,’ every seat is first-class

A member of the uniformed Secret Service stands in front of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s plane as he prepares to depart after speaking at a rally at Millington Regional Airport in Millington, Tennessee, on Saturday, February 27, 2016.



BY JENNA JOHNSON 
Washington Post

BENTONVILLE, ARK. --   As a few thousand people waited for Donald Trump to arrive for a campaign rally in an airplane hangar in northwest Arkansas on Saturday afternoon, the theme song from the 1997 movie “Air Force One” began to play.

In the cloudless blue sky, the billionaire businessman’s jet appeared. It swooped past the hangar and disappeared as hundreds of phones recorded the spectacle.

“Oh my God, there it is – wow!” a middle-aged woman said, as she recorded a video she would later post on Facebook. A 66-year-old retiree wearing a camouflage-style campaign hat burst into tears at the sight and declared the plane “more impressive than Air Force One.” Two women wondered what Trump was saying onboard and if he even knew which state he was in on his whirlwind tour. “Here we go,” a dad said to his young son, who was sitting atop his shoulders. A young couple debated whether the lettering spelling “TRUMP” was gold leaf or just paint.

Given that personal wealth has dogged so many presidential candidates eager to connect with voters, a personal Boeing 757 jet is the sort of thing many politicians would hide as soon as they launched a White House bid - or would never own in the first place.

What does Trump do? He flaunts his immense wealth and rolls up in “Trump Force One” at campaign rallies at small airports in eastern Iowa, the Phoenix suburbs and remote Arkansas. In a campaign so dominated by the businessman’s personality and featuring few supporting characters, Trump’s jet has quietly taken an outsize role.

The plane is Trump’s gold-plated flying office and home, allowing him to commute from New York to early-voting states while his rivals have to travel in recreational vehicles, on commercial flights or, if they can afford it, chartered planes. It’s his traveling reception hall, a luxurious place where he invites reporters for impromptu news conferences, potential endorsers he’s trying to woo and, on a whim, Iowa children who wanted to explore.

The plane is opulent and over-the-top - and very, well, very Trump. It symbolizes his campaign promise to make the country rich again.

Early in life, the plane was far less richly appointed, joining the fleet of a low-cost Danish airline company in 1991. Three years later, it briefly moved to a company based in Mexico City, but soon after it was purchased by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. The two spent more than 15 years together - until 2011, when Trump took possession and spent heavily on lavish renovations that are documented in a 3 1/2-minute video posted on You Tube.

“Hi, I’m Amanda Miller, and I’m standing inside Mr. Trump’s luxurious, new 757,” said Trump’s receptionist, who was made famous by his reality game show, “The Apprentice.” “I’m here to give you an inside look at traveling Trump style.”



The plane can accommodate 43 passengers, fly for 16 hours and can go more than 500 miles per hour, thanks to Rolls-Royce engines. Onboard: a wood-paneled galley, “first-class sleeper area” with oversize light-colored leather seats, dining area, main lounge with a 57-inch television screen and “sound system of a top Hollywood screening room,” VIP area, guest bedroom with a full-size bed and “Mr. Trump’s bedroom,” which is decorated with “yards and yards of gold silk.”

“You’ll notice the seat belts, as well as everything else, are 24-carat gold plated,” Miller says, as the camera zooms in for a look. The Trump family crest is also featured throughout the plane.

As Trump Force One landed Saturday in Arkansas and rolled up to the hangar, Brenda Cowden shook her head and said: “Look at that. Look at it.”

Cowden first saw the plane in the sky a couple of months ago in Dallas. She was visiting, and he was in town for a rally.

“I was on the freeway, so I pulled over and shot a photo of the plane as it went over,” said Cowden, a retiree who lives in Greenwood, Ark., and plans to vote for Trump on Super Tuesday because she said he will improve the quality of life for veterans like her husband. “I trust him.”

The door of the plane opened. Trump appeared, along with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who endorsed Trump on Friday and, therefore, was allowed to travel with the Republican front-runner for a day - the same honor bestowed upon former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. last month ahead of the Iowa caucuses. (Falwell marveled that Trump served Wendy’s burgers on board.)

The two men waved, descended a staircase and spoke to the crowd for more than an hour. Few could see either man on the stage, but most could see the plane - black and white with a bold red stripe and a windswept “T” on the tail.

“It’s the only thing I could see,” said Jordan Baker, 27, of Rogers, Ark., who posed for a photo with the jet after the rally rather than trying to elbow her way through the crowd for the chance to shake Trump’s hand.

Trump will often speak at length about his beloved jet, especially when it’s standing behind him, like a silently supportive life partner. He says it’s one of his only campaign expenses - unlike his rivals who have spent tens of millions of dollars on television ads, internal polling, fundraising and consultants. Trump’s campaign reimburses his airline company, TAG Air, for use of the plane. Reports filed with the Federal Election Commission in 2015 show that the campaign paid TAG Air $2 million last year and another $537,436 in January.




“Do you like the plane?” Trump said to cheers. “Made in the United States. Boeing. Made in the United States.”

The plane lingered on the runway for more than four hours. Long after the rally ended, Trump reboarded and invited a few local reporters onboard - warning them to not scratch his expensive woodwork. Late in the afternoon, the plane rolled away, headed to a rally at a hangar in Tennessee.

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

Aircraft accidents add to woes

Passengers board a Twin Otter plane operated by state-run Nepal Airlines on an unpaved airstrip at Suketar in Taplejung district in northeastern Nepal.


KATHMANDU -- Just as the bodies of those killed in an air crash in Nepal two days earlier were being recovered, another plane crashed last week in a mountain village.

The two crashes left 25 people dead, raised safety concerns and have dealt a new blow to Nepal's tourism sector just recovering from several powerful earthquakes last year.  

On Feb. 24, a Tara Air Twin Otter carrying 20 passengers and three crew members crashed into a hill in central Nepal, killing all on board.

On Feb. 26, a single engine 9N-AJB plane operated by Kashthmandap Air, one of Nepal's dozen private airlines, crash landed in a field of a remote village in the northwest, killing the pilot and co-pilot. The nine passengers of the chartered flight survived with minor injuries. Initial reports suggest the pilots made an emergency landing after the crew discovered a technical fault.

In largely mountainous Nepal, private airlines serve as lifelines to isolated, rural communities. They also cater to tourists attracted by the country's snow-capped mountains and rugged terrain.

But following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake last April, the number of tourists has dropped. Around 800,000 tourists arrived by air in 2014, but last year the number fell to 300,000. The government estimated that earthquake damage to tourism infrastructure, including hotels, trekking trails and heritage sites, amounted to 43 billion Nepali rupees ($391 million).

"Most places that tourists visit are in the remote areas of our country, so small planes cater to those places. But with one after another crash, it is going to hit us hard," said Raj Gyawali, a tour operator in Kathmandu.  

"While the impact of the earthquake was huge and devastating, the air crashes have different sort of implications. We often blame our topography for plane accidents, but if you want to operate airlines here, you have to do so within the parameters," Gyawali added.


A newly built unpaved road in the mountainous district of Taplejung in northeastern Nepal. Although the country has expanded its road network in recent years, small planes serve as lifelines to the remote and isolated communities.


Poor safety record

Nepal has a poor record on aviation safety. On average, one accident has occurred every year since the arrival of air services in 1960.

A series of fatal accidents occurred in the country's earthquake-ravaged northeast regions last year. In May, 13 people, including six U.S. marines, were killed when a U.S. Army Huey helicopter delivering aid crashed into a mountain in Dolakha district. Two weeks later, a helicopter returning from another aid mission crashed in central Nepal, killing all four people on board.

In December 2013, the European Union blacklisted Nepal's airlines, citing lack of safety standards. The EU's decision came a year after 19 people, including seven Britons and four Chinese, were killed in a crash minutes after the plane took off from the airport in Kathmandu.

Despite official assurances that the country's airlines have raised safety standards, the EU is yet to lift the ban, which prohibits Nepal's airlines flying into EU member countries, although none of the Nepali carriers fly into the region.

Meanwhile, Nepal has imposed a moratorium on flights by airlines of single engine planes after the latest air crash.

Dorji Tsering Sherpa, a tourism entrepreneur and former executive director of Kashthamandap Air, defended the use of the New Zealand-made aircraft involved in the crash.  

"This is the best aircraft for our terrain because it can land even in rough places and is cheaper than Twin Otter. We must be grateful to the two pilots who saved passenger lives by sacrificing their own," Sherpa told the Nikkei Asian Review. He added the crew members had taken the right decision to make a forced landing.

"It's unfortunate that our government is restricting operators from flying this plane. Will the government also ban all Twin Otter planes since one of them crashed [recently]?" he asked.


Trekking is one of the major attractions in Nepal, where tourism is among the few foreign currency earners.


Major setback

Sherpa said the latest crashes were "the final nail in the coffin" of the tourism industry, and added that the sector would suffer further losses.

"These multiple crashes mean the insurance premium for Nepal's airlines will skyrocket. I am not sure how our operators will be able to run airlines in such a tough market."  

Gyawali worried that the rise in accidents would not only discourage tourists from visiting Nepal, but also reduce access to regions they want to visit.

"This will lead to a decrease in flights to places which are beautiful, but remote. How am I going to book my clients if there are no flights? There's a lack of understanding on the close link between domestic airlines and the tourism business," he said.

The tourism sector contributes 7% to the country's gross domestic product, but the industry has suffered from several crises in recent years.

For three consecutive years, climbing expeditions on Mount Everest have been cancelled. In 2013, a brawl between Sherpa climbers and three European alpinists led to the cancellation of the season. In 2014, an avalanche above the mountain's base camp, which killed 16 Nepali climbing guides, prompted calls for reform and led to the suspension of operations. Last year, an earthquake-triggered avalanche left 17 climbers dead on Everest, one of the worst disasters in its history.

The tens of thousands who go trekking in the country's two most popular routes -- the Everest trek and Annapurna Circuit -- begin their journey after flying to the nearest airport.

Sherpa said there is little chance of reform in the aviation sector, which is mired in corruption and lacks skilled personnel. "Civil aviation is one of the most corrupt industries in Nepal. When I was running the airlines, I had to bribe government officials to operate it. The officials of regulatory body are hand in gloves with private operators. They don't have sufficient human resources. The industry is in a mess. It's a daunting task to reform it so that it can perform well," he said.

Original article can be found here:  http://asia.nikkei.com

Cirrus SR-20, N477TC: Fatal accident occurred February 28, 2016 near Navasota Municipal Airport (60R), Grimes County, Texas

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

Analysis

The flight instructor and the airplane owner, who did not hold a pilot certificate, were practicing takeoffs and landings in the airplane at an uncontrolled airport. Based on logbook records, this was most likely an instructional flight and the owner was most likely flying the airplane. Air traffic control radar and primary flight display data showed that they had performed two touch-and-go landings followed by two full stop landings before the accident. Shortly after taking off following the second full stop landing, while climbing through 550 ft mean sea level (msl) at an indicated airspeed of about 92 knots, the airplane entered a left bank and began to decelerate. The airplane began to descend, and the airspeed subsequently decreased below 75 knots before it began to increase. The airplane reached a 61° left-wing-down attitude at an airspeed of about 79 knots before entering a rapid roll to the right, through an inverted position. At about the same time, the airplane began a rapid pitch down, reaching a 69° nose-down attitude. The airplane briefly recovered to nearly wings level but again began to pitch down until the final recorded data point, which showed the airplane in a 65° nose-down and 45° right-wing-down attitude, at 268 ft msl, and 89 knots indicated airspeed. The airplane impacted terrain about 0.43 miles from the departure end of the runway.

Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have prevented normal operation. Calculations based on the airplane's weight at the time of the accident indicated that, at 1g with flaps up, the aerodynamic stall speed would have been 75 to 78 knots calibrated airspeed. The stall speed in a 60° turn (2 g) would have been 105 to 109 knots. Therefore, it is likely that the combination of a steep left bank and low airspeed resulted in an accelerated aerodynamic stall. 

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be: 
The flight instructor's delayed remedial action to prevent a stall at an altitude that was too low to recover. Contributing to the accident was the owner/non-certificated pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane, which resulted in an accelerated aerodynamic stall. 

Findings

Aircraft
Airspeed - Not attained/maintained (Factor)
Lateral/bank control - Not attained/maintained (Factor)

Personnel issues
Delayed action - Instructor/check pilot (Cause)
Aircraft control - Student pilot (Factor)

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

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Houston, Texas
Cirrus; Duluth, Minnesota
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama

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

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

Air Akhtar Heating and Air Conditioning LLC

http://registry.faa.gov/N477TC 

Location: Navasota, TX
Accident Number: CEN16FA111
Date & Time: 02/28/2016, 0859 CST
Registration: N477TC
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR20
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 4 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

On February 28, 2016, about 0859 central standard time, a Cirrus SR-20, N477TC, collided with terrain following a loss of control near the Navasota Municipal Airport (60R), Navasota, Texas. The flight instructor, the non-certificated pilot/owner who was receiving instruction, and the two passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to Air Akhtar Heating & Air Conditioning LLC and was operated by the pilot/owner under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The instructional flight originated from the David Wayne Hook Airport (DWH), Spring, Texas, at 0818.

Radar data indicated that after departing DWH, the airplane turned northwest toward 60R. The last DWH air traffic control communication with the airplane was at 0821. Radar data indicated that the airplane subsequently entered a left downwind to runway 17 at 60R about 0836. The airplane turned onto base leg, turned onto final approach, and descended below radar coverage; at 0837:51, the airplane was on final approach to runway 17.

At 0839:37, radar data indicated a target about 0.75 nautical mile (nm) south of runway 17 at an altitude of 800 ft mean sea level (msl) that was consistent with the airplane having executed a touch-and-go landing on runway 17. The radar data indicated that the airplane then conducted a second touch-and-go landing before conducting a full stop landing about 0844:46. A still photo from a security camera at 60R, an uncontrolled airport, showed the airplane taxiing north on the taxiway at 0847:26.

At 0850:58 the airplane departed 60R, entered a left downwind for runway 17, and executed a second full stop landing. By 0858:51, the airplane had departed runway 17 and was climbing on a south heading.

Data recovered from the airplane's primary flight display (PFD) showed the same flight path as the radar data. In addition to GPS position and altitude, the PFD also recorded other parameters including airspeed, pitch, and roll attitudes. The PFD data indicated that, at 0859:02, while the airplane was climbing through 550 ft msl and about 92 knots indicated airspeed, it began to roll to the left and decelerate. Starting at 0859:06, the airplane started to pitch down and descend. At 0859:10, the airspeed decreased below 75 knots. At 0859:13, the airspeed had increased to about 79 knots, and the airplane had reached 61° left-wing-down before starting a rapid roll to the right, through an inverted position. At about the same time, the airplane began a rapid pitch down, reaching a 69° nose-down attitude.

Radar contact was lost at 0859:15 when the airplane was about .43 nm southeast of the departure end of runway 17 and about 0.16 nm from the accident site. The PFD data continued, and it showed that the airplane briefly recovered to nearly wings level at 0859:18, but then it began to pitch down again. The final data point recorded by the PFD was at 0859:19, and it showed the airplane in a 65° nose-down and 45° right-wing-down attitude at 268 ft msl and 89 knots indicated airspeed. There were no known witnesses to the accident.

At 0904:14, radar data indicated that another airplane departed runway 17 at 60R and completed one complete circle around the accident location descending from 1,300 ft msl to 600 ft msl before climbing and resuming a downwind entry to runway 17. The pilot of this airplane reported that he was practicing touch-and-go landings when he spotted the wreckage southeast of the airport. He subsequently reported the accident to local authorities. The pilot stated that he did not hear or see the accident airplane in the area before seeing the wreckage.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline Transport; Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 67, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 01/15/2016
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 
Flight Time: 6550 hours (Total, all aircraft)

Student Pilot Information

Certificate: None
Age: 53, Male
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: 
Last FAA Medical Exam: 
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 
Flight Time:  106 hours (Total, all aircraft), 57.1 hours (Total, this make and model), 0 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 32.2 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 32.2 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft) 

The flight instructor's logbook(s) were not located during the investigation. On the application for his last Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical dated January 15, 2016, he reported having a total of 6,550 hours of flight time; 120 of those hours were flown within the previous 6 months. It is unknown how much experience he had in SR-20 airplanes before flying with the airplane owner.

The airplane owner, who was receiving flight instruction, did not hold a student pilot or medical certificate. He had taken a FAA medical examination on October 20, 2015. Due to the pilot's history of arrests, the aviation medical examiner deferred issuing a medical certificate. The FAA requested additional information, which the owner did not supply. On January 20, 2016, the FAA sent a letter to the owner notifying him that they could not determine his eligibility for a medical certificate.

According to the owner's pilot logbook, he had a total of 106 hours of flight time of which 57.1 hours were in SR-20 airplanes. The owner had previously flown with the flight instructor on 11 dual instructional flights, which totaled 25.7 hours. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP
Registration: N477TC
Model/Series: SR20
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2003
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 1378
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 01/12/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 
Time Since Last Inspection: 56 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 487.2 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: CONT MOTOR
ELT: Installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: IO-360-ES6B
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 210 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

The airplane, serial number 1378, was a four-place, low-wing, single-engine airplane with fixed landing gear. The airplane was manufactured in 2003 and equipped with a Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). The owner purchased the airplane on January 12, 2016.

Maintenance records indicated that the last annual inspection on the airframe was completed on January 12, 2016, at a total airplane and Hobbs meter time of 431.5 hours. The Hobbs meter at the time of the accident indicated 487.2 hours.

The airplane was equipped with a 210-horsepower, Continental Motors IO-360-ES6B engine, serial number 357628. The last annual inspection of the engine was completed on January 12, 2016, at an airframe total time of 431.5 hours. The last maintenance entry in the engine logbook was an oil and oil filter change on February 26, 2016, at an airframe total time of 481.6 hours.

There were no entries in the engine logbook showing that the engine had been overhauled or torn down; however, during the postaccident engine examination it was discovered that the crankshaft and bearings were not the original parts installed when the engine was manufactured in 2003. The owner of the maintenance facility that performed the most recent annual inspections stated that the engine had been removed for a teardown inspection for metal contamination in April 2015. Records of the teardown inspection provided by the maintenance facility and the engine overhaul facility that performed the teardown inspection indicated that the engine overhaul facility completed the teardown inspection on August 17, 2015. A copy of the logbook entry prepared by the engine overhaul facility stated, in part, that the engine was "disassembled for metal contamination due to #6 piston burnt, replace cracked crankshaft with customer supplied New VAR crankshaft, repair 6ea.cylinders as necessary." The owner of the maintenance facility stated that the facility provided the previous airplane owner with the information and records for the engine logbook.

The airplane was fueled twice the day before the accident. The time on the fuel receipt indicated that the last fueling took place at 1655 when the airplane was fueled with 22.6 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel. According to the operator who fueled the airplane, the fuel added had topped-off the fuel tanks. It is not known if the airplane was flown between the last fueling and the accident flight.

Cirrus Aircraft performed stall speed calculations for the airplane. The calculations showed that, at gross weights of 2,904 pounds (full fuel) and 2,688 pounds (20 gallons of fuel), the flaps up stall speeds at 1g would have been 78 knots calibrated airspeed (KCAS) and 75 KCAS, respectively. 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: CLL, 320 ft msl
Observation Time: 1453 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 29 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 305°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 3000 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 14°C / 12°C
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 6000 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 9 knots, 180°
Visibility (RVR): 
Altimeter Setting: 30.1 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV): 
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Navasota, TX (60R)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: 
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0850 CST
Type of Airspace: Class E

Airport Information

Airport: Navasota Municipal Airport (60R)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 229 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 17
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5003 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 3 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 4 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 30.356389, -96.106667 

The accident site was located about 0.43 mile southeast of the departure end of runway 17 at 60R in a lightly wooded area that was surrounded by open pasture. The airplane came to rest in the middle of a field that was bordered by three large trees spaced about 60 ft apart forming a triangular shape around the wreckage. The terrain at the accident site was wet and muddy. The main wreckage consisted of the entire airplane with a minor amount of airplane debris scattered in the immediate surrounding area. The airplane came to rest upright on a magnetic heading of 60°.

Although it sustained impact damage, the empennage was relatively intact. The elevator remained attached to the horizontal stabilizer, which remained attached to the empennage. The rudder remained attached to the vertical stabilizer, which remained attached to the empennage. A 6 to 8-inch-deep ground scar was located under the tail tie down and rudder. The bottom of the rudder was crushed upward. Both elevator and rudder control continuity were verified. The elevator trim motor was positioned to slightly nose down trim.

The spar cover, wing spar, and wings were angled downward, and the floor under the cabin seats exhibited impact damage. There was a ground impact scar correlating to the leading edge of both wings.

The entire leading edge of the left wing was crushed rearward. A 45° tear was present midspan in the top skin of the wing. The left aileron sustained impact damage, and it remained attached to the wing by its inboard hinge. The position of the roll trim motor was between neutral and full left trim. The left flap remained attached to the wing and was fully retracted.

The leading edge of the right wing was crushed aft. The outboard section of the upper wing skin was mostly separated from the torque box structure, and spar damage was observed. The right aileron and flap both exhibited impact damage; however, they remained attached to the wing. The right flap was fully retracted.

The right aileron cable was separated about 2 ft away from the cross-over turnbuckle. The separated ends of the cable showed signatures consistent with an overload separation. Aileron control continuity for the rest of the cable circuit was verified. The flap actuator was extended about 4 inches, which correlated to a fully retracted flap position.

Both wing fuel tanks were compromised, and there was no fuel present in the tanks. However, first responders reported there was a strong odor of fuel near the wreckage.

The four seats remained attached to their respective seat tracks and floor mounts. Both the left rear seat and the right front seat showed deformation to the left. All seat belt inertial reels functioned except for the left front seat. The left front seatbelt could be pulled out, but did not retract due to damage.

The CAPS activation handle was observed in its handle holder. The activation handle holder mounting bracket was bent downward and aft with an S-shaped bend. The rocket motor was expended and found on the ground near the airplane. The partially packed parachute bag was on the ground near the wreckage. The harnesses, risers, and a portion of the suspension lines had deployed. The three-ring release mechanism remained loosely interlocked. The break-away cover for the parachute enclosure was located on the ground near the rudder, indicating that the system had deployed during the ground impact.

An external examination of the engine was conducted at the accident site. The engine remained attached to the engine mounts, which remained attached to the firewall. The forward portion of the engine was buried at an angle of about 25° with only the top of the propeller spinner remaining above ground level. The firewall had impacted the rear of the engine with some of the engine accessories making an imprint on the firewall.

All engine cylinders displayed varying degrees of impact damage and remained attached to the crankcase. The crankcase sustained impact damage but was intact. The oil cooler remained attached to the engine. The oil filter and filter adapter had separated from the engine.

Both magnetos had separated from the engine. Both magneto impulse coupling engaged when the magneto drives were turned by hand. The ignition harness sustained impact damage. The top spark plugs were in place and undamaged. The bottom spark plugs were not removed during the on scene examination.

The fuel pump sustained impact damage. The fuel line going to the pump inlet remained secured at both the pump and the fuel bowl. The fuel line was removed from the fuel bowl, and no fuel was present in the line; however, there was fuel present in the fuel bowl. The throttle and fuel metering assembly remained attached to the engine. The throttle control arm remained secured to the shaft, and the throttle cable rod end remained secured to the throttle arm. The throttle position was observed at idle. The fuel manifold valve was intact, and it remained attached to the engine. All of the fuel nozzles were intact.

The exhaust system sustained impact damage with bent exhaust risers and flattened exhaust outflow pipes. The induction system sustained impact damage.

The propeller remained attached to the propeller flange. Both propeller blades remained intact within the propeller hub. One blade displayed forward bending, and the other propeller blade was bent aft.

During the on scene examination, there were no anomalies identified with the airframe, engine, or propeller that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. 

Medical And Pathological Information

The Central Texas Autopsy LLC, Lockhart, Texas, completed autopsy examinations for both the flight instructor and the airplane owner. The autopsy report for both listed the cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries.

The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, conducted toxicological testing for both the flight instructor and the airplane owner. The tests conducted on the instructor were negative for alcohol and tested drugs.

Toxicology testing for the airplane owner detected diphenhydramine in cavity blood at 69 ng/ml and in urine. Naproxen was detected only in urine. Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine used to treat allergy symptoms and as a sleep aid. It is available over the counter under the trade names Benadryl and Unisom and carries the following FDA warning: "may impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks (e.g., driving, operating heavy machinery)." Naproxen is an anti-inflammatory analgesic available over the counter and by prescription with the names Aleve and Naprosyn, respectively.

Tests And Research

Primary Flight Display (PFD)


The PFD was removed from the instrument panel and sent to the NTSB Recorder Laboratory for download. Impact damage to the PFD disabled the ability to read the data directly from the unit, so an extraction of the interior memory module was performed. See the History of Flight section of this report for a discussion of the data recovered from the unit.

Multifunction Display (MFD)

The compact flash card from the MFD was removed and sent to the NTSB Recorder Laboratory. The laboratory verified that there was no recorded data on the card, which was expected since the airplane was not equipped with the exhaust gas temperature and cylinder head temperature probes required for engine monitoring.

Engine Teardown Examination

The engine was shipped to the Continental Motors, Inc., factory in Mobile, Alabama, for a teardown examination. The engine was disassembled, and the internal engine components including the crankshaft, camshaft, cylinders, pistons, bearings, and connecting rods appeared to be capable of normal operation. The crankshaft main journals, connecting rod journals, and main bearings displayed normal operating and lubrication signatures. The crankshaft to camshaft timing was verified to be correct. The piston pins for all cylinders were able to be pushed out by hand. There was no carbon build-up observed on the piston pins.

Both magnetos were bench tested with a slave ignition harness. Both magnetos produced a spark on all posts when bench tested. All spark plugs were removed and appeared to be in good condition with normal operation signatures.

The fuel pump, fuel manifold assembly, and throttle/fuel metering assembly were tested to manufacturer's production standards. The fuel pump was placed on a production test bench, and it was noted that there was a significant leak at the fuel pump relief valve diaphragm, which was consistent with impact damage to the fuel pump. The throttle body and fuel pump tested slightly out of tolerance at some of the test points; however, the fuel flows noted would not have prevented normal operation of the engine. The fuel manifold assembly tested within specifications.

The oil pump was removed from the engine and disassembled. The pump gears were intact. The oil screen and oil filter were free of debris.

As previously discussed in the Aircraft Information section of this report, the postaccident teardown revealed indications that the engine had been disassembled at some point since it was manufactured. There were no anomalies noted during the postaccident teardown that would have prevented normal operation of the engine or production of rated horsepower.

NTSB Identification: CEN16FA111
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, February 28, 2016 in Navasota, TX
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR20, registration: N477TC
Injuries: 4 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 February 28, 2016, about 0850 central standard time, a Cirrus SR-20, N477TC, collided with the terrain following a loss of control in Navasota, Texas. The airline transport rated pilot/certificated flight instructor and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to Air Akhtar Heating & Air Conditioning LLC and was operated by an individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the David Wayne Hook Airport (DWH), Spring, Texas, at 0817.

The last air traffic control contact with the airplane was at 0821, shortly after its departure from DWH. A still photo from a security camera at the Navasota Municipal Airport (60R), an uncontrolled airport, showed the airplane heading north on the taxiway at 0847. A pilot, who was practicing touch and go landings at 60R, reported seeing the wreckage southeast of the airport around 0900. He subsequently reported the accident to local authorities. This pilot stated he did not hear or see the accident airplane in the area prior to seeing the wreckage, but that he had been in the area only long enough to have performed two touch and go landings. Runway 17 was being used for takeoffs and landings at 60R at the time of the accident.

Jessicka, 11, and seven-year-old Erika Argueta

Amjad Sultan, Student Pilot and Aircraft Owner

Russell Francis Reina 

Russell graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1967 and began his career in Criminal Justice as a San Antonio Police Officer.   During his time with the SAPD he was assigned as a liaison to work with the San Antonio Drug Enforcement Administration Office.  During this assignment he received various commendations for his work, which led him to his career with the Drug Enforcement Administration.  In 1977, he graduated from basic training in Washington D.C. and joined the United States Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration as a Special Agent.   During his twenty-five year career with DEA he served in US Embassies abroad in South and Central America.   His passion for flying began in 1985 while on assignment as a Diplomat with the United States Embassy in Guatemala City, Central America. Russell retired in 2001, as the Regional Special Agent in Charge of the Houston DEA Airwing Division. 







Addressing the media 
Jimmy Morgan, left, who serves as public information officer for the Texas Dept. of Public Safety, and Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell address the media late Sunday afternoon after a Cirrus SR-20 crashed 1 ½ miles southeast of Navasota Municipal Airport Sunday morning killing all four passengers.

Discussing the facts 
Jimmy Morgan, front, who serves as public information officer for the Texas Dept. of Public Safety, and Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell address the media Sunday afternoon.



Cirrus SR-20 crash scene 
A Federal Aviation Administration investigator, left, looks over the crash scene located 1 ½ miles southeast of Navasota Municipal Airport Sunday afternoon. A Sunday morning crash of a Cirrus SR-20 claimed the lives of four individuals.



NAVASOTA, Texas 11:20 p.m. UPDATE: The Grimes County Sheriff's Office released the names of the four people killed, ranging from 7 to 67 years old:

Russell Reina, 67, Montgomery
Amjad Sultan, 53, Houston
Jessicka Argueta, 11
Erika Ayala Argueta, 7

4:25 p.m. UPDATE: The FAA has confirmed it was a single-engine Cirrus SR-20 plane which was discovered about 9:20 a.m. a half-mile southeast of Navasota Municipal Airport Sunday morning.

The wreckage was originally spotted by another plane flying in the traffic pattern at the Navasota airport.

The plane originally departed from David Wayne Hooks Airport in Houston at 8:17 a.m. local time.

The tail number of the plane is N477TC and it was registered to Air Akhtar Heating & Air Conditioning LLC in Houston.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Four people are dead after a plane crash near the Navasota Municipal Airport, according to law enforcement.

Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell told News 3 the four-seater aircraft is about a mile south of the airport in a wooded area. Two adults and two children are the victims.

In clarifying a timeframe for the crash, Sowell says the crashed plane was spotted shortly before 10:00 a.m. Sunday, but it is unclear when it went down, and that it's possible it crashed late Saturday night or early Sunday morning.

ATVs are being used to get to the crash site. Sowell says a CHI helicopter assisted in locating the aircraft. Numerous agencies are working together at the scene, including the Grimes County Sheriff's Office and DPS. The FAA arrived on scene Sunday afternoon as well.

As of 11:30 a.m., crews were working to remove the bodies from the aircraft.

Navasota's airport is located off Highway 105 on the west side of the city.

No other information on the crash has been made available at this time.

According to KBTX's Pinpoint Forecast Team, in the late night and early morning hours, winds were sustained around 15 miles per hour, gusting to 20-25 from the south.

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





Data shows the Cirrus-modeled planes have a long history of crashes, dating back to 2001, with more than 280 recorded crashes. Since then, more than 200 people have died in accidents involving a single engine Cirrus model plane worldwide, including 158 in the US. The map shows the location of each accident, based of Federal Aviation Administration data.


Four people, including two children, were killed in a plane crash near the Navasota Municipal Airport on Sunday morning, Grimes County Sheriff Donald Sowell confirmed. 


The crash involved a  Cirrus SR-20, a small aircraft seating four people, said Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson Lynn Lunsford. The plane was discovered at around 9:20 a.m. by a pilot flying near the Navasota airport, who spotted the wreckage in a partly wooded area about a half-mile southeast of the airport's runway, Lunsford said.


All four passengers were confirmed dead, Sowell said, and their identities have not been released. 


According to the FAA's registry, the plane is registered to Air Akhtar, a Houston heating and air conditioning company. Navasota is about a half-hour southeast of College Station.


The cause of the accident is still undetermined pending an investigation, but data obtained from the FAA shows the Cirrus-model planes have a long history of fatal crashes, dating back to 2001, with more than 280 recorded crashes.


Since then, more than 200 people have died in accidents involving a single engine Cirrus-model plane worldwide, including 158 deaths in the US. According to the data, Cirrus-modeled planes has the sixth most accidents among single engine planes within the last 10 years. 


 The plane departed from David Wayne Hooks Airport in Houston at 8:17 a.m before crashing nearly an hour later in a wooded field just off a winding asphalt road that leads to a quiet open field.

The stillness is only interrupted by gusts of wind and zooming single-engine planes soaring from a barely visible runway over the open pastures and above a gate that leads to marshy golf course.

Past the gate and off what starts as a gravel path far off from the runway are the remains of the destroyed plane, hidden behind the trees and barricaded by yellow tape. 

Not much can be seen except the tip of the tail, and depending on the angle, a little of the plane's fuselage.

Read more here:  http://www.chron.com





Two adult males and two female children died in a Sunday morning plane crash nearly 1 ½ miles southeast of Navasota Municipal Airport in a partially wooded area in a pasture on ranch land, according to Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell.

The single-engine Cirrus SR-20 plane is registered to Air Akhtar Heating & Air Conditioning LLC in Houston. The crash scene was discovered by a plane attempting to land at Navasota Municipal Airport, according to Jimmy Morgan, who serves as public information officer for the Texas Dept. of Public Safety.


“At approximately 9:19 a.m. (Sunday) morning, we had a pilot flying over the airport at the municipal airport here in Navasota who spotted an airplane down in a pasture,” Morgan said. “They reported the airplane to Easterwood Airport somewhere around 9:53 a.m. The sheriff’s department did locate an aircraft downed and found the four deceased occupants of the airplane.”


The names of the four who died in the crash are being held until the next-of-kin are notified. The bodies of the deceased were removed Sunday morning by Grant Holt and taken to Nobles Funeral Chapel, according to Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell. He also said Justice of the Peace John LeFlore was on the scene.


According to Morgan, the last contact the plane had with air traffic controllers was shortly after takeoff from David Wayne Hooks Airport.


“We understand they left Hooks Airport out of Spring, Texas somewhere around 8:17 a.m. (Sunday) morning,” Morgan said. “The last contact they had with the plane was somewhere around 8:21 a.m. (Sunday) morning.”


Sheriff Sowell said his department was notified of the downed plane “a little after 9 o’clock.”

According to Sheriff Sowell, Federal Aviation Administration investigators are working to determine the plane’s flight path and its where it was traveling to at the time of the crash.


FAA investigators arrived on scene around 2:30 p.m. Sunday and investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are scheduled to arrive in Navasota on Monday, according to Sowell.


“(Monday) morning, the NTSB investigators will be here,” Sheriff Sowell said. “They are flying here from Chicago. We will be sitting on the scene all night. When (the NTSB investigators) arrive they will be conducting their investigation.”


Sheriff Sowell said “nobody saw the plane crash” and “nobody had any reports” of the crash until it was discovered by the plane attempting to land at the airport.


According to Sheriff Sowell, the crashed plane had a 30-minute flight to Navasota.


“We don’t know what their flight plan was,” Sheriff Sowell said. “That is being investigated by the FAA. No citizens saw it that we know of. It is in a rural area, and that is the good thing that it was not in an inhabited area.”


Sheriff Sowell described the crash as a “hard crash-landing” and “there is lot of debris.” The veteran law enforcement official said the cause “could be one thing or 20.”


“The only eyewitnesses we have would be after-the-fact being a pilot and he had a student pilot with him,” Sheriff Sowell said. “They were fixing to land at the Navasota airport. I assume they were doing recon and were trying to land and saw the wreckage. They reported it to the airport in College Station and we tracked it down from there.”


Morgan said “there were no reports of any plane having problems” and his department was not “aware of” if the plane made any call for help.


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




NAVASOTA, Texas - Two adults and two children were killed in a plane crash near Navasota Municipal Airport, according to the Grimes County Sheriff's Office. The children's ages are from 5 years old to 12 years old.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the single-engine Cirrus SR-20 aircraft was spotted in the trees around 9:20 a.m. Sunday by the pilot of another aircraft. The pilot called authorities.

Investigators say it appears it was a hard landing in a wooded area about half a mile from the airport's landing strip.

Family members said one of the victims was Amad Sultan, 40.

“He started screaming and yelling that, 'Before I die, I want to buy a plane and I want to fly the plane before I die,'” said Sultan's brother Jeff Akhtar. “Last month, he bought it. This month he died.”

Akhtar said Sultan was learning to fly when his Cirrus SR-20 crashed. Sultan, his girlfriend's two daughters and a flying instructor died.

“It's just an accident. I hope nobody else is held responsible but him,” said Akhtar.

Another pilot spotted the wreckage in a wooded area about a half a mile from the runway and called for help.

“The only eye witnesses we have would be after the fact. He had a student pilot with him and they were to land at the Navasota airport,” said Grimes County Sheriff Donald Sowell.

A father of four, Sultan was born in Pakistan, but lived in the United States for 30 years. His brother said he worked hard, owning several businesses and helped others.

“He was the American dream,” said Akhtar. “We lost him, but we also lost somebody who probably had children, as well. Tragedy for our country. Tragedy for people in the community. It's so sad. I wish we could've done something about it.”

The FAA said the aircraft originally departed from David Wayne Hooks Airport in Houston at 8:17 a.m., but are not sure when the airplane crashed.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

Story and video:  http://www.click2houston.com


















GRIMES COUNTY, TX (KTRK) -- A Houston mother and father are grieving over the loss of their children who died yesterday in a plane crash in Grimes County.

Jessicka, 11, and seven-year-old Erika Argueta were among the four killed when the plane went down near the Navasota Municipal Airport. They were flying with their mother's boyfriend, 40-year-old Amjad Sultan. He was taking flying lessons and hoping to become a pilot, according to his family. Also killed in the crash was the instructor, 67-year-old Russell Reina.

Investigators say the wreckage was only located by another pilot who spotted it and called it in to authorities.

Christina Argueta, who speaks only Spanish, told Eyewitness News in an exclusive interview that she had just been flying with Sultan on Saturday. During that flight she took her two youngest girls, age three and four. There wasn't enough room to fit the older children during that trip. They flew Sunday. Argueta says her girls loved Sultan like a second father.

Morris Ayala is the biological father of the girls and says he never would have let them fly with an inexperienced pilot. He and Argueta are separated. He didn't find out about the death of his children till he came to Argueta's apartment to pick them up Sunday afternoon.

The NTSB is still investigating. So far authorities can't say what caused the crash.



Story and video:  http://abc13.com

NAVASOTA, TX (KTRK) -- FAA and NTSB officials continue to investigate a plane crash near Navasota Municipal Airport that killed four people.

There were difficult steps for Jeff Akhtar to take just before sunset Sunday. He was about to take his first look at the plane wreckage where his younger brother, Amjad Sultan, lost his life.

"He was the American dream," Akhtar said of his brother.

Sultan, 40, was a successful businessman who lived the American dream after moving from Pakistan 30 years ago. Yet there was still a goal the father of four longed to accomplish like his brother had, learning to fly.

"I want to fly the plane before I die so last month he bought it and this month he died," Akhtar said his brother told him.

He says his brother was learning to fly his own plane and was with his flight instructor Sunday morning. He'd been training about two months. His girlfriend's two young daughters were along for the ride when the plane crashed. Investigators say there was no call for help to give them any clues as to what might have happened.

Another pilot and student team spotted the wreckage near the Navasota Municipal Airport a couple of hours after they took off from Hooks airport near Spring.

"No citizens saw it that we know of," Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell said. "Thank goodness there's no homes in the area, it's a rural area, not a habituated area."

Akhtar says his brother was always helping others from people who couldn't afford air conditioning to those who didn't have money to fly back to Pakistan to visit family. But whatever went wrong happened so quickly, there was no time for him to call for help.

"It's an accident, nobody's fault. I hold nobody responsible for that, not even him. That's why we pray," Akhtar said.

Investigators will be at the Grimes County scene this week to try and find the cause of the crash.

Story and video:  http://abc13.com

Two men and two young siblings from the Houston area were killed when their single-engine plane crashed Sunday near the Navasota Muncipal Airport, prompting a federal investigation by the NTSB and FAA.

The pilot was teaching the plane’s owner how to fly, but it wasn’t known who had control of the Cirrus SR-20 when it went down in a partially-wooded area roughly half of a mile south of the landing strip.

Russell Reina, a 67-year-old Montgomery resident, was instructing 53-year-old Houston businessman Amjad Sultan, who was working on  his pilot’s license. He brought with him his girlfriend’s daughters — Erika Ayala Argueta, 7, and her older sister, Jessika Delmira, 11.

Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell said the plane, which had four seats, took off from David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport in Spring at about 8:20 a.m.The wreckage was spotted by another pilot and his student, based out of Easterwood Airport in College Station, as the pair prepared to practice landing at the Navasota strip at about 9 a.m., Sowell said, adding that it wasn’t known exactly when the plane crashed not far from Texas 105.

“There was no mayday or anything like that,” Sowell said, adding that there’s not a traffic control tower at the Navasota airport. “It’s unknown right now if they were trying to land or there was a mechanical issue. It was a fairly new plane and there was an open field right near the airport. No homes, no businesses.”

The National Transportation Safety Board investigators are expected to arrive from Chicago on Monday, while officials with the Federal Aviation Administration were at the site Sunday afternoon. Emergency crews with the sheriff’s department and the Department of Public Safety used ATV’s to reach the scene, which was pinpointed by a pilot with an air ambulance helicopter from CHI St. Joseph. All four were pronounced dead at the site, Sowell said.  Roughly 20 to 30 members of Sultan’s family came to the Navasota airport to be near where their loved ones died.

“It’s a very sad, sad situation,” Sowell said. “It’s horrible enough that four people were killed, but those two young children ... that’s not supposed to happen.”