Friday, May 20, 2016

Gefa-Flug AS 105 GD, G-MRME, Airship Over Atlanta: Incident occurred May 20, 2016 in Fishtown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Date: 20-MAY-16
Time: 22:40:00Z
Regis#: GMRME
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Minor
Flight Phase: UNKNOWN (UNK)
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Philadelphia FSDO-17
City: PHILADELPHIA
State: Pennsylvania

GMRME, THERMAL AIRSHIP, CRASHED ONTO A ROAD, NO INJURIES, DAMAGE UNKNOWN, NEAR PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.




PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A blimp has made an emergency landing and deflated at a construction site next to a Philadelphia highway.

No injuries have been reported on the two-passenger blimp or on the ground where it landed, near the SugarHouse Casino.

The blimp floated over the Delaware River on Friday night before going down in the Fishtown neighborhood along Interstate 95. A section of the highway was closed briefly while crews secured the area and inspected the blimp.

It’s unclear what caused the blimp to go down. Police say the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified.

The blimp displayed advertising for adhesives company Bostik Inc., based in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. The company’s nighttime phone number has rung unanswered.

Original article can be found here: http://wtop.com





FISHTOWN (WPVI) -- A blimp made an emergency landing Friday night in Fishtown.

It happened just before 6:47 p.m. on the 1900 block of Richmond Street.

Police say a two-passenger blimp had to make an emergency landing, and deflated in a construction zone near SugarHouse Casino.

No injuries were reported.

Interstate 95 northbound at Girard will be closed temporarily as the Federal Aviation Administration investigates.

Original article can be found here:  http://6abc.com





PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Philadelphia Fire crews are responding to a blimp that was forced to make an emergency landing this afternoon near Sugarhouse Casino.

The blimp landed in the city’s Fishtown section near Beach and Richmond Streets.

Officials say that no injuries have been reported. There are also no outages or issues reported in the area.

Authorities say they received the call about the two-passenger blimp at 6:47 p.m.

Original article can be found here: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com

Pilots learn about safety equipment requirement during seminar: Hastings Municipal Airport (KHSI), Adams County, Nebraska

Area pilots listen to Federal Aviation Administration Safety Team program manager Daniel Petersen Thursday at the Hastings Regional Airport terminal. Petersen led a safety seminar about ADB-S equipment requirements.



About 20 pilots from throughout south central Nebraska and north central Kansas learned the ins and outs on Thursday of an impending aircraft equipment requirement.

Daniel Petersen of Lincoln, program manager for the Federal Aviation Administration safety team, was on hand at the Hastings Regional Airport terminal to discuss the FAA’s requirement that aircraft be equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast out equipment by Jan. 1, 2020.    

ADS-B Out equipment transmits the aircraft’s position, velocity and altitude to air traffic control, as well as to ADS-B In equipped aircraft.

“If you want to see where other aircraft are in your airplane you have to be equipped with the in but the in is not required,” Petersen said in an interview after his seminar.

The ADS-B Out requirement won’t be required for aircraft flying below 10,000 feet or outside of restricted airspace around larger airports.

The Jan. 1 2020, deadline was implemented May 27, 2010, but Thursday marked just the second time Petersen had given his ADS-B Out requirement seminar.

“The year 2020 will be here before we know it,” he said. “That’s only four years away.”

He estimated the cost for ADS-B Out equipment for smaller planes is between $2,500 and $6,000.

Petersen’s visit to the Hastings airport was courtesy of the Hastings Aviation Association, which invited Petersen to educate local pilots about the regulation.

“Part of our mandate is to facilitate a safety environment within the local pilot community but also to bring pilots together,” said HAA member Aaron Schardt, who coordinated the seminar. “We had guys from Smith Center, Kansas, up here who have never been here before. We have pilots coming into our airport and having a good experience. So they come away with a good feeling of the Hastings Airport. I think it will be a good impression.”

Paul Dunning, another HAA member in attendance, said he was aware of the ADS-B Out requirement and came to the seminar to see if any updates have been made to the ruling.

He said he is holding off for now purchasing ADS-B Out equipment.

“With technology nowadays there’s always another change that’s going to come up,” he said. “I think that’s why a lot of us are waiting so long to be compliant with our airplanes. We’re hoping something, maybe a little less expensive, maybe they’ll change the ruling, because when you first make a rule things are bound to come up that people didn’t foresee.”

Dunning said he was within one phone call of adding the needed equipment but changed his mind at the last second.

“I thought I’d wait it out,” he said. “There’s got to be something cheaper coming. You know how technology is. Right off the bat it’s super expensive. Five years down the road that same thing is cut in half or better.”

Schardt said he also hasn’t purchased ADS-B Out equipment.

“A lot of guys are going to wait until 2018, 2019 to do it to see if prices come down at all,” he said. “I don’t know if they will.”

Petersen told the pilots ADS-B Out equipment is readily available now and most likely would be cheaper to purchase sooner rather than later because of increased demand as the requirement deadline nears.

He said currently only about 20,000 of several hundred thousand planes across the country are outfitted with the required equipment.

“More people will be trying to cram into the avionics shops at the same time and get equipped to meet that deadline,” he said. “They won’t meet the deadline because the shops can only equip so many aircraft at a time.”

Schardt called ADS-B equipment the biggest aviation safety innovation in the last 25 years.  

“It’ll be really good from a weather standpoint and from an aircraft avoidance standpoint,” he said. “It’s a big deal.”

Petersen shared his own experience with a near mid-air collision that could’ve been avoided if his plane was outfitted with ASD-B equipment.

“If I would’ve had ADS-B available then I would’ve been able to see that other traffic way out,” he said.      

Petersen also gave a presentation Thursday on FAA compliance enforcement philosophy.

“The FAA’s kind of going to a kinder and gentler approach to enforcement actions,” he said. “The typical pilot doesn’t go out there and say ‘I want to violate the FAA regulations.’ Usually it’s just a simple mistake.

“We can get compliance action I think much better by educating the pilots or giving them a little remedial training or counseling than going full enforcement and taking their pilot’s license away from them. I think we get a safer pilot by doing that than to give them a violation.”

Attendance at Thursday’s seminar earned participants credit in the FAA’s WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program, which encourages pilots to continue aviation educational pursuits and requires training, review and flight proficiency in the areas of operation that correspond with the leading accident causal factors.

Pilots can sign up for WINGS at www.faasafety.gov.

The WINGS program has basic, advanced and master phases.

Each phase requires three ground credits and three flight credits.

More information about ADS-B equipment can be found at www.faa.gov/nextgen/equipadsb/research and at www.faa.gov/go/equipadsb.

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

Don Kiel nets Master Pilot Award



Retired Northwest Airline Senior Captain Don Kiel was awarded the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award this week at an Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Safety Seminar at the Manitowoc County Airport.

The award is given by the Federal Aviation Administration to pilots who have practiced safe flight operations continuously for 50 or more years during their aviation career. Kiel started flying at age 19 and flew for a living until the mandatory retirement at age 60.

During his aviation career, Kiel developed the skills of flight instruction, charter, crop dusting, airmail nights, corporate, air taxi, commuter airline, regional airline and ended his career with Northwest Airline flying senior captain on the Airbus A330 carrying 300 passengers to London, Paris, Frankfort, Amsterdam and Rome.

Kiel, now 71, continues, to fly his private aircraft, a four-passenger Cessna 170B, a two-passenger Amphibious aircraft and his Warbird, a 1954 C45H Beech 18, which was used during World War II in the Army Air Force.

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

Miscommunication results in near miss: Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (KBRD), Brainerd, Crow Wing County, Minnesota

A near miss at the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport at the end of April could have ended much worse than it did.

During new Airport Director Steve Wright's report to the Airport Commission Thursday, he informed the commission of a runway incursion that took place on April 29. He said the pilot's reports from the incident were on his desk when he took over on May 2.

A helicopter was performing an autorotation training exercise at the same time a North Point Aviation student pilot was flying a fixed-wing plane into the airport, Wright said. The helicopter had started a descent from about 2,000 feet and the plane came within 10 feet of the helicopter as it came in to land, he said.

Both pilots were announcing their positions over the radio, Wright said, however the plane was on a different frequency than the helicopter, so they couldn't hear each other. After the incursion, there was a "verbal altercation" on the taxiway, he said.

"That means they landed, they got out and had a nice, pleasant discussion," Wright said, slightly tongue-in-cheek.

After reviewing the reports, Wright said he talked with one of the passengers in the helicopter. He said he tries to put himself in the pilot's shoes in an incident, as incursions do happen. The Federal Aviation Administration has a procedure for filing safety reports with NASA if an incursion happens, which is what happened in this situation. He said he believes the incursion was an isolated incident.

Because there was no damage to property and no injury, there won't be an investigation into the incursion, Wright said.

"But it could have," commission member Rachel Reabe Nystrom said. "So are there policies and procedures that we need to review?"

Part of Wright's task as the new director is to evaluate the traffic patterns and routes pilots are taking in and out of the airport, he said. Reviewing those patterns will ensure they're safe and make sure another incursion doesn't happen, he said.

It's up to the FAA to determine if the incident requires further investigation or disciplinary action for the pilots involved, Wright said.

"There's no doubt if the FAA doesn't like it, they'll get involved and make life miserable for everyone," Johnson said. "But the bottom line with flying is it's your responsibility."

Frequency fliers

Being on a different radio frequency is an easy mistake for a pilot to make, commission member Trudi Amundson said. The frequency at the airport is 122.7, she said, while the next common traffic frequency in the area is 122.8. The common traffic frequency is for everyone flying around in the area, she said.

"When I'm flying around here, I can hear people on 122.8 in Glencoe," Amundson said. "So it's really paramount that they key in the right frequency."

"Well that's really scary," commission member Gary Scheeler responded. "If it's that close, something's gotta be changed because you don't want a disaster then change things."

Amundson noted in her 25 year flying career, she's had one near-miss. Coincidentally, the other pilot was on a different frequency than she was.

An incursion is a pilot's responsibility, Wright said. It's up to the pilot to be aware of their surroundings and to communicate their position. Communication is imperative at airports without an FAA control tower like Brainerd's he said.

According to information from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, there are nearly 12,000 non-towered airports in the U.S., compared to approximately 400 with FAA towers.

Wright, a licensed pilot, said throughout a pilot's training, instructors hammer home the importance of performing the correct scans and procedures a pilot should perform when flying into an airport without an FAA control tower. Brainerd has one of the largest outstate helicopter bases, he said, so pilots need to be mindful of helicopter traffic.

"I will put that burden on the pilots themselves," Wright said.

Bringing up the close proximity of the plane and helicopter, Scheeler said "the old saying, close only counts in horseshoes, you know. It's crazy." The lack of corrective action because of the incursion didn't seem to sit well with him.

Mike Petersen, AOPA airport support network volunteer at the airport, told Scheeler he had given him an extensive report about six months ago on non-towered airport procedures.

"It is a very succinct and definite procedure that you use when you come in and out of an airport," Petersen said. "We hear the term uncontrolled and that elicits the feeling that it's chaos out there. It's anything but chaos, it's very procedure-based."

Most pilots are extremely careful about those procedures, Petersen said. The closeness of the miss was uncommon, he said, but it wasn't careless.

"Yes it was a serious infraction, there's no doubt about it," Petersen said. "But it's not the end of the world."

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

Public gets first look at East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office’s helicopter, mobile command center and armored vehicle on Friday



The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff showed off a few new pieces of equipment Friday that were acquired to help deputies better track down suspects, find missing children and handle volatile public safety events.

The department bought its first helicopter — a refurbished military bird — and two brand-new vehicles for a total of $863,754, a savings of millions when considering the machinery would retail for some $4.7 million, said organization spokeswoman Casey Rayborn Hicks.

“It helps us better serve the community,” Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said before about a hundred people, mostly local law enforcement agents, who were gathered in a state-owned hangar next to the sheriff’s headquarters in Scotlandville.



The helicopter, a 1970 Bell OH-58 A-Model, was acquired through a federal surplus initiative known as the “1033 program” that allows local law enforcement agencies to obtain used military equipment. Though the program grants the gear free of charge, the sheriff’s office had to pay $10,000 to acquire the chopper through the Louisiana Federal Property Assistance Agency, Hicks said. About $460,000 was spent on repainting it, updating its technology and bringing it up to federal aviation standards. A new helicopter with the same features would cost an estimated $3.7 million, Hicks said.

The two other vehicles include an armored car — called a Lenco BearCat — and a custom-designed 2016 Peterbilt mobile command trailer that includes a private conference room, a fully-equipped office, a basic kitchen, a bathroom and an external television screen to quickly convey information, such as a map, to deputies at a scene. The command unit also has various wireless connection features like internet and satellite service.



The armored car, the second one owned by the department, can be used in SWAT operations and to transport victims from dangerous settings, Gautreaux said. Cpl. Cline Breland, of the sheriff’s office, showed a pointed rod included as part of the vehicle that allows deputies to pierce the door of a building and spray tear gas inside to coax out a suspect who refuses to exit, such as in a hostage situation. The vehicle also includes run-flat tires, a thermal imaging camera and a military-style roof hatch.

“We’re not there to be a military organization although it looks and appears that way sometimes. We’re there to be prepared,” said State Police Col. Mike Edmonson. Gautreaux thanked Edmonson at the event, saying to him “we wouldn’t be here without you” in acquiring the equipment.

Edmonson allowed storage of the helicopter at the hangar, owned by the state and supervised by the State Police, as well as shared use of state-funded mechanics and fuel.

The BearCat cost $299,915, Hicks said. The mobile command post cost $757,373, but about 88 percent of the fee was paid by the Irene W. and C.B. Pennington Foundation, a private Baton Rouge-based philanthropic organization.

The sheriff’s office expenditures came out of the department’s general fund, Hicks said.

The Baton Rouge Police Department owns one helicopter, although it’s smaller than the one unveiled by the sheriff, said agency representative Lt. Jonny Dunnam. The State Police owns seven helicopters based in different cities across the state, said Maj. Doug Cain, a spokesman for that organization.

“The public just wants to know we’re coming. And it’s sad that we’re in a day and time when we’ve gotta have these assets. When you look at them, they can be alarming sometimes,” Edmonson told the crowd. “But I can tell you that person that needs them, they’re a breath of fresh air.”

Story and photo gallery:  http://theadvocate.com

Keystone board receives helicopter complaint



The Keystone Board of Trustees received petitions complaining of helicopter noise this week but took no action.

As previewed by the Journal, Keystone resident Kathy Hackett presented the petitions to the board Wednesday night. She lives near the Black Hills Aerial Adventures heliport in the city and said she is fed up with the dozens of noisy overflights she endures throughout the summer. Her petition seeks a termination of the company's city business license.

Trustee Trygve Nelson said in response to Journal questions Friday that the board received the petitions and listened to people on both sides of the issue, but took no action.

"We’ll just take everybody’s considerations in, and I don’t know what will end up happening," Nelson said.

Original article can be found here: http://rapidcityjournal.com

Costs mount for ‘temporary’ fix to sewer line crushed by Yeager Airport (KCRW) slide



Residents of Keystone and Barlow drives are not the only folks anxious to see the final 140 feet of debris from Yeager Airport’s collapsed runway safety zone removed. There’s also Larry Roller, general manager of the Charleston Sanitary Board.

Keystone Drive has remained blocked since the March 12, 2015, landslide swept across the roadway, eliminating its connection with Barlow Drive, which once provided a secondary access route to downtown Charleston for Keystone residents, and access to Greenbrier Street/W.Va. 114 for those living on Barlow. But under Keystone’s pavement, another transportation system also remains blocked: a large Charleston Sanitary Board sewer line.

Following the safety-overrun area collapse, “We knew raw sewage was going in one end of the line and not coming out the other” in the vicinity of the landslide, Roller said. “We came up with a work-around solution using a generator and two pumps to bypass the section of line that we assume was crushed by the slide.”

What Roller hoped would be a short-term fix remains in place more than a year later, requiring the 24/7 operation of a leased generator and pumps, the purchase of thousands of gallons of diesel fuel, and paying Sanitary Board workers extra to refuel and maintain the generator and pumps on weekends and holidays.

Building the work-around fix with a section of temporary pipe, the pumps and the generator wasn’t all that expensive, compared to the cost of maintaining the system for more than a year, according to Roller.

“I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but I suspect we’ve spent in excess of six figures by now to keep this system going since April,” Roller said.

The Sanitary Board did receive some reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Administration for installing the bypass system.

“It helped a little,” Roller said.

The Sanitary Board hopes to eventually receive reimbursement for operating the bypass system from Yeager Airport, once Yeager gets reimbursed through expected insurance payments and hoped-for lawsuit settlements.

“This situation highlights the need to have a cash reserve, which the Public Service Commission is reluctant to let cities handle,” citing ratepayer concerns, Roller said. “You can’t budget for something like this happening.”

The Sanitary Board manager said the airport and its staff “have been very cooperative with us and helped us get the FEMA money, but we want to see this thing resolved” so that money will be available to permanently repair the damaged sewer line once debris has been removed from Keystone Drive.

That work is expected to begin by June 20, Yeager Airport Director Terry Sayre said Monday, during a meeting of the airport’s construction committee.

Sayre said an agreement has been reached between Yeager’s legal counsel, its insurance carrier and attorneys for the five defendants involved in lawsuits filed by the Charleston airport over the safety-zone collapse to collect core-drilling samples near the base of the landslide to be analyzed for use in litigation. Twenty-three bore holes will be drilled starting May 31 and be completed within two weeks, allowing debris removal to resume by June 20. That work is expected to take 10 to 12 weeks to complete.

“We need to get Keystone back open,” Sayre said. “We owe it to the people who live there and on Barlow Drive, and to the city of Charleston, to make it possible to fix the sewer line.”

Sayre said an amendment to the transportation appropriation bill recently passed by the Senate added by Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., would make it possible for Yeager and other airports to seek funding in excess of regular annual allocations from the Federal Aviation Administration for airports in immediate need of critical infrastructure repairs.

If signed into law, the new legislation “will give us the opportunity to rebuild our EMAS area” and the fill area that supports it, Sayre said.

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

Boeing B75, N61445: Accidents occurred July 05, 2020 and May 20, 2016

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Riverside, California

July 05, 2020: Aircraft landed and veered off runway at Chino Airport (KCNO), San Bernardino County, California


Planes of Fame Air Museum


https://registry.faa.gov/N61445


Date: 05-JUL-20

Time: 18:24:00Z
Regis#: N61445
Aircraft Make: BOEING
Aircraft Model: B75
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: SUBSTANTIAL
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: CHINO
State: CALIFORNIA


May 20, 2016

May 20, 2016


Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; San Diego, California

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



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


Location: El Cajon, CA
Accident Number: GAA16CA249
Date & Time: 05/20/2016, 1310 PDT
Registration: N61445
Aircraft: BOEING B75
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control on ground
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

Analysis

The pilot of a tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during landing touchdown, with gusty crosswind conditions, the left wing lifted and the right wing dragged on the runway. Subsequently, the airplane veered off the runway to the right into a ditch and nosed over.

The vertical stabilizer and both wings sustained substantial damage.

The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusty crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and nose over.

Findings

Aircraft
Directional control - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Aircraft control - Pilot (Cause)

Environmental issues
Crosswind - Ability to respond/compensate
Gusts - Ability to respond/compensate

Factual Information

History of Flight

Landing-flare/touchdown
Other weather encounter

Landing-landing roll
Loss of control on ground (Defining event)
Abnormal runway contact
Runway excursion
Nose over/nose down
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 42, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Rear
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s):None 
Toxicology Performed:No 
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 08/27/2014
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 08/27/2014
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 858 hours (Total, all aircraft), 301 hours (Total, this make and model), 30 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: BOEING
Registration: N61445
Model/Series: B75 UNDESIGNATED
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Aerobatic
Serial Number: 75-1335
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 02/01/2016, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3200 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: Pratt & Whitney
ELT: C91 installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: R-985
Registered Owner: AIR MUSEUM
Rated Power: 450 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: KSEE, 387 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 2010 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 0°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 3100 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 8 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: / None
Wind Direction: 230°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 29.9 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 21°C / 8°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: El Cajon, CA (SEE)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: SAN DIEGO/EL CAJON, CA (SEE)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 1158 PDT
Type of Airspace: Class D 

Airport Information

Airport: GILLESPIE FIELD (SEE)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 387 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 27L
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 2738 ft / 60 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full Stop; Traffic Pattern

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 32.827222, -116.972778 (est)

EL CAJON -- A pilot escaped injury Friday when a light plane flipped over during a rough landing at Gillespie Field.

The crash at the general-aviation airport in western El Cajon happened shortly after 1 p.m., according to Heartland Fire & Rescue.

The aircraft came to rest upside down, a dispatcher said. It was not immediately clear why the pilot lost control of the plane.

Story and video:  http://www.10news.com



EL CAJON, Calif. — A pilot escaped injury after the plane he was flying flipped over during a hard landing at Gillespie Field in El Cajon Friday.

The crash at the general-aviation airport in western El Cajon happened just after 1 p.m. The pilot, the only person on board, was able to walk away from the plane.

The aircraft came to rest upside down, a dispatcher said. It was not immediately clear why the pilot lost control of the plane.



A plane has flipped over while landing at Gillespie Field in El Cajon, officials said.

Heartland firefighters responded to the airfield at 1:10 p.m.


Officials said the pilot was out of the aircraft. There were no other occupants.


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


SAN DIEGO (KUSI) — A small aircraft was forced to make a hard landing at Gillespie Field. The plane flipped upside down on its descent.

A distress call was received by Heartland Fire Communications Dispatch center at 1:10 p.m. Friday. Nine units responded and were cancelled after a short time due to the pilot not having any injuries.

EL CAJON (CNS) - A pilot escaped injury Friday when a light plane flipped over during a rough landing at Gillespie Field.

The crash at the general-aviation airport in western El Cajon happened shortly after 1 p.m., according to Heartland Fire & Rescue.

The aircraft came to rest upside down, a dispatcher said. It was not immediately clear why the pilot lost control of the plane.

Story and video: http://www.cbs8.com

AutoGyro Calidus, N50NE, Airgyro Aviation LLC: Accident occurred January 06, 2015 in Grand Junction, Colorado and accident occurred May 20, 2016 in Fruitland, Utah

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

NTSB Identification: WPR16LA114 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 20, 2016 in Fruitland, UT
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/01/2017
Aircraft: MICHAEL BURTON Calidus, registration: N50NE
Injuries: 2 Serious.

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

After fueling the gyroplane, the private pilot and passenger embarked on a cross-country flight over rugged and mountainous terrain. The pilot reported that, as the gyroplane approached a ridge, about 200 ft above its peak, it encountered strong downdrafts and then descended into a box canyon. Unable to climb the gyroplane to clear terrain, the pilot guided it over a river at the base of the canyon until he could see a landing spot on the shore. As he approached the site and initiated the landing flare, the right wheel struck a boulder, and the gyroplane rolled over and then came to rest in the river. The canyon in which the gyroplane came to rest was at an elevation of about 7,300 ft mean sea level (msl), and the canyon walls rose about 1,000 ft above the accident site to the north and south. The gyroplane’s demonstrated maximum operating altitude was 10,000 ft, and the pilot’s intended flight route would have required clearing mountain peaks that were at an elevation of 8,200 ft msl.

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the gyroplane. Local wind conditions, along with the rugged terrain, likely resulted in mechanical turbulence and strong downdrafts along the flight route, and it is likely that the weather conditions affected the gyroplane’s ability to achieve a positive climb rate. Given the weather conditions and the gyroplane’s maximum operating altitude of 10,000 ft, the pilot demonstrated improper judgment by attempting such a flight. The pilot stated that he could have avoided the accident if he had approached the mountain ridge at a higher altitude.

The accident site was inaccessible to first responders, which resulted in the pilot’s blood being drawn about 5 hours following the accident. Toxicological testing revealed strong evidence that he had used marijuana at some point before the accident. Although he had no significant active drug (tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]) in his blood at the time it was drawn, it could not be determined how much THC was in this blood at the time of the accident. Therefore, it could not be determined if impairment due to marijuana use contributed to the pilot’s poor decision-making.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's improper judgment in conducting a flight in a gyroplane over mountainous terrain near its demonstrated maximum operating altitude and his subsequent failure to maintain adequate clearance with terrain during cruise flight in turbulent weather conditions.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On May 20, 2016, about 1100 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Michael Burton (AutoGyro GmbH) Calidus, N50NE, collided with mountainous terrain near Fruitland, Utah. The gyroplane was registered to the builder and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot and passenger were seriously injured, and the gyroplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country personal flight departed Duchesne Municipal Airport, Duchesne, Utah, about 1015, with a planned destination of Spanish Fork Airport-Springville-Woodhouse Field, Spanish Fork, Utah. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The pilot reported that they departed from Glenwood Springs Municipal Airport, Glenwood Springs, Colorado, earlier that morning and stopped at Duchesne for fuel. They then departed west towards Spanish Fork on a route over the Wasatch Mountain Range. As they approached the last ridge, about 200 ft above its peak, they encountered strong downdrafts and the gyroplane descended 500 ft and into a box canyon. Unable to out-climb the terrain, the pilot guided the gyroplane over a river at the base of the canyon until he could see a landing spot on the shore. As he approached the site and initiated the landing flare, the right wheel struck a boulder and the gyroplane rolled over, coming to rest in the river.

A witness, who was fishing in the river, called 911 after climbing to a peak where he was able to acquire cell phone reception. Due to the remoteness of the site, the pilot and passenger were not recovered until later in the afternoon.

The gyroplane came to rest within a canyon, at an elevation of about 7,300 ft mean sea level. The canyon walls rose about 1,000 ft above the accident site to the north and south. The projected route of flight would have required clearance over rugged 8,200 ft peaks, about 5 miles north of the 9,420 ft summit of Baldy Mountain.

About the time of the accident, a weather observation station located at Carbon County Regional Airport/Buck Davis Field, 37 miles south-southeast of the accident site and at an elevation of 5,957 ft, reported wind from 170 degrees at 20 knots gusting 25 knots. About the same time, at Provo Municipal Airport, 38 miles west at an elevation of 4,497 ft, wind was reported from 130 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 22 knots.

The gyroplanes Pilot Operating Handbook specified a maximum demonstrated operating altitude of 10,000 ft. The pilot reported that the gyroplanes maximum gross weight was 1,256 pounds, and the that the weight at the time of the accident was 1,100 pounds.

The pilot stated that the gyroplane did not experience any mechanical malfunctions or failures, and that the accident could have been avoided if he had approached the mountain ridge at a higher altitude.

The Federal Aviation Administration Bioaeronautical Research Laboratory performed toxicology tests on a sample of blood that was collected from the pilot at 1546 on the day of the accident. Results identified 0.0111 ug/ml of tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (THC-COOH) in his blood. Tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (THC-COOH) is the primary metabolite of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound in marijuana. The report did not document the presence of THC. The reporting cutoff for THC was 0.001 ug/ml.


AIRGYRO AVIATION LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N50NE 

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

NTSB Identification: WPR16LA114 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 20, 2016 in Fruitland, UT
Aircraft: MICHAEL BURTON Calidus, registration: N50NE
Injuries: 2 Serious.

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 May 20, 2016, about 1100 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Michael Burton (AutoGyro GmbH) Calidus, N50NE, collided with mountainous terrain near Fruitland, Utah. The gyrocopter was registered to the builder and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot and passenger were seriously injured, and the gyrocopter sustained substantial damage. The cross-country personal flight departed Duchesne Municipal Airport, Duchesne, Utah, about 30 minutes prior, with a planned destination of Spanish Fork Airport-Springville-Woodhouse Field, Spanish Fork, Utah. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The pilot reported that they departed from Glenwood Springs Municipal Airport, Glenwood Springs, Colorado, earlier that morning and stopped at Duchesne for fuel. They then departed west towards Spanish Fork on a route over the Wasatch Mountain Range. As they approached the last ridge, about 200 ft above its peak, they encountered a strong downdraft and the gyrocopter descended 500 ft and into a box canyon. Unable to out climb the terrain, the pilot guided the gyrocopter over a river at the base of the canyon until he could see a landing spot on the shore. As he approached the site and initiated the landing flair, the right wheel struck a bolder and the gyrocopter rolled over, coming to rest in the river.

A witness, who was fishing in the river, called 911 after climbing to a peak where he was able to receive cell phone reception. Due to the remoteness of the site, the pilot and passenger were not recovered until later in the evening.



WASATCH COUNTY, Utah (ABC4 Utah) - A man and woman have been rescued after a Autogyro GMBH Calidus went down in the Uinta National Forest. 

The Wasatch County Sheriff's Office said the crash happened sometime around 11 a.m. 

The office received a call from a fisherman at 11:30 a.m. alerting them of the crash.

Chief Deputy Jared Rigby with WCSO said, "He saw this gyrocopter go down. That it clipped the trees and that it went into the Strawberry River."

The fisherman would rush to the area to help get the pilot and his passenger to safety. 

He told deputies he was able to get the man out from the pilot seat but had a harder time with the woman on the passenger side. 

"He said that they had to move the aircraft around a little bit in order to help get the female passenger out because she was, she was pinned in," said Chief Deputy Rigby. 

The fisherman got the two to the shore of Strawberry River. Then he had to hike out two miles to get to cell service along U.S. 40. Once he did he called for search and rescue. 

"This is a really rugged area from what I’m being told. They are not able to get any vehicles in there," the Chief Deputy added.

Search and Rescue teams called in two medical helicopters to hoist the man and woman out of the area.

"The injuries I’m being told are minor to moderate and so I think that these folks thus far have been very fortunate," said Chief Deputy Rigby.

The two were taken to the Utah Regional Valley Medical Center to be treated for their injuries. 

Search and rescue teams said the woman may be suffering from a possible broken leg and injured back. 

The man suffered from hypothermia. 

"It really sounds like these people are truly fortunate to have that fisherman there and if infact he did see this aircraft go down, to be right there to help them, especially if they were stuck in that aircraft in the water," he added. 

The FAA and NTSB have been notified of the crash. It's still unclear why the gyrocopter went down. 

The Wasatch Health Department was called in because the crash happened on the Strawberry River and fuel could have been leaked into the water.

Story and video:  http://www.good4utah.com


WASATCH COUNTY, Utah -- A Autogyro GMBH Calidus crash about two miles south of the Soldier Creek dam in Wasatch County has left a pilot and a passenger injured.

Search and Rescue crews were called to the downed aircraft just before noon in the Strawberry River.

Jared Riby with the Wasatch County Sheriff's Office said the man and woman have a few broken bones but no life-threatening injuries.

Deputies said a fisherman in the area heard the Autogyro GMBH Calidus having difficulties and saw it go down.

Officials said he went to check on the victims and then had to hike out to get cell service to call emergency crews.

Riby said the crash site is in a difficult area to reach and the only way crews could get to the victims was by air or on foot.

Rescue crews treated the pair and worked to get them out in a medical helicopter.

Authorities have not said what led to the crash.

The names of those involved have not been released.

Story and video:  http://fox13now.com



WASATCH COUNTY — Two people were injured when a Autogyro GMBH Calidus crashed in Wasatch County Friday.

The two people, who sustained “minor to moderate injuries,” were in the Strawberry River for about five minutes, according to the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office. The cause of the crash, which occurred in a remote location in the Soldier Creek area, is not yet known.


A fisherman saw the Autogyro GMBH Calidus crash into the water, according to the sheriff's office. He reportedly called emergency services after finding a spot with cell service and helped guide the search crew to the crash site.


The male pilot and female passenger were in the water for about five minutes after crashing into the river around 11:30 a.m., according to the sheriff's office.


"Life Flight sent two medical helicopters, hoisted the two patients out of the area, and are transporting them to Utah Valley (Hospital)," the department reported.


The Wasatch County Search and Rescue team and medical services responded to the crash. The two people were transported to the hospital by a medical helicopter.


Their injuries are not expected to be life threatening, although both people are being treated for hypothermia, according to the sheriff's office. One person had a possible broken leg and injured back, while the other only sustained minor injuries.


The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety board will be involved in investigating the cause of the crash, according to the sheriff's office.


Story and video:   https://ksl.com



NTSB Identification: CEN15CA128 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, January 06, 2015 in Grand Junction, CO
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/10/2015
Aircraft: BURTON CALIDUS, registration: N50NE
Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Minor.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.


The pilot stated that during a flight to the destination airport, the gyrocopter was in a slow climb at about 60 knots due to higher terrain that he knew was approaching along the route. As the gyrocopter approached a ridge, the pilot noticed that more altitude was needed, so he turned left of course along the ridge while continuing the climb, expecting to turn right at an area that he saw had lower terrain. The pilot said that things were still going well, but the climb rate had decreased somewhat. As the gyrocopter approached the area of lower terrain, the gyrocopter started to descend quickly with a best rate of climb speed of 52 knots. The gyrocopter descended lower than the surrounding trees and "brushed" the tree tops, tipping the gyrocopter forward and to the right. The pilot saw a small clearing and applied corrective control input to maintain an upright attitude of the gyrocopter and to reach the clearing. Just before entering the clearing, the gyrocopter contacted oak brush with its rotor blades, which sustained substantial damage. The gyrocopter landed in the clearing and slid with minimal forward speed to a stop. The aircraft fuselage had a fractured nose and collapsed nose gear. The pilot sustained serious injuries and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The pilot stated that if he had turned right at the approach of the ridge where the terrain was lower, he could have gone around the south end of the ridge. He said he should have expected a down draft on the lee side of the ridge and could also have executed an escape route earlier by turning away from the ridge before the area of down flowing air.


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

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with terrain that was along the planned route of flight.

AIRGYRO AVIATION LLC:  http://registry.faa.gov/N50NE



MESA COUNTY,Colo. Gyroplanes while considered experimental aircraft must still go through heavy regulation and inspection before ever being able to get off the ground, and the pilots that fly them must go through training before they can fly one.

On Tuesday night a Gyroplane carrying 2 passengers crashed leaving both men injured. But many are questioning the safety behind these unique aircrafts that are a mix between a helicopter and an airplane.


The two men in the crash were 53 year old Mike Burton of Pleasant Grove Utah, and 30 year old Josh Humphries from Payson Utah. The men were on their way back to Utah from Montrose when the crash happened.


Records on file with the FAA said the plane was registered to Mike Burton through Air-Gyro Aviation in Utah. Records show Burton built this Calidus 2 seater aircraft himself.


Troy Atwood is a Gyroplane pilot who said he is close friends with Mike Burton the pilot involved in the gyroplane crash Tuesday night.


Atwood was in another gyro-plane last night, flying ahead them, when the crash happened.


“The aircraft was performing properly, the motor wasn't putting out enough energy and he started to climb over that mountain and the mountain came up faster than he could climb and it was like a box canyon so there was nowhere for him to turn around," said Atwood.


The group was on their way back from a plane demonstration trip to Telluride and Montrose.


They'd started back to Utah, taking off from the Montrose airport around 3:30pm for what was expected to be a 3 hour flight.


The plane ran into trouble about an hour later, but Atwood had to keep flying even after the crash.


"It was pretty difficult but I've been in this business for a long time and I knew Mike and Josh would be okay because, it's Mike," said Atwood.


Gyroplanes are regulated a lot like any fixed wing aircraft, and these planes just like any other have to be licensed and registered.


Dick Knapinski with the Experimental Aircraft Association says that a lot of inspection and training goes into planes like Gyroplanes, before they can ever leave the ground.


"Anything with an air number or an N number that is registered with the FAA is under the same specifications for inspection, recurrent training and so forth, pilot training the same as a fixed wing aircraft," said Knapinski.


The requirements for a kit Gyroplane or one that you build yourself are a little bit more in-depth, once the plane is build it has to go through a federal inspection with the FAA.


"the FAA designated inspector will come and not only inspects the aircraft as it is but they also look at what's called a builders log how the aircraft went together, what timeline was used, what techniques were used," said Knapinski.


These aircraft's are required to go through inspection every year or every 100 hours of flight whichever comes first and pilots of these Gyroplanes must still complete training to fly one similar to that of another pilot.


The FAA and many pilots that fly these aircraft do consider them to be safe.


Story and Video:  http://www.nbc11news.com 


PAYSON — "Crashed." 

That was the text Norky Humphreys received Tuesday afternoon at her home in Payson from her husband, Josh Humphreys.

"You are kidding right?" Norky Humphreys replied.

But he wasn't.

Josh Humphreys was flying back to Utah from Telluride, Colorado, with veteran pilot Mike Burton in their gyroplane — a kind of helicopter, airplane combination — when it crashed in a remote area near Glade Park shortly before 5:30 p.m., according to the Mesa County Sheriff's Office.

Both Humphreys and Burton survived. Rescuers took them to a hospital in Grand Junction where they were treated for back and neck injuries not considered to be life threatening. The two were being picked up by co-workers and driven back to Utah Wednesday.

Burton, of Pleasant Grove, is a pilot with Airgyro Aviation. On Monday, he was in one of two gyroplanes that flew to Telluride to show off the new aircraft to clients. Humphreys was there to film the event for the company.

On their way home, the two aircraft stopped in Montrose, Colorado, to fuel up. Shortly after takeoff again, the Burton and Humphreys gyroplane got caught in a downdraft and didn't have the turbo chargers needed to get over the mountain, according to Troy Atwood, who was in the gyroplane ahead of them.

Rescue teams reached the crash site on snowmobiles shortly after 8:20 p.m.

Humphreys reportedly had to hike a quarter-mile away from the crash site to get cellphone reception while Burton stayed with the aircraft. Humphreys tried calling his wife before texting her.

"He told me, 'I'm OK. We're fine. But we crashed,'" she said.

But reception was lost shortly after. After Humphreys texted that he had crashed, he again lost reception.

"Baby, answer the phone please, I am freaking out," Norky Humphreys texted back.

Finally, Josh Humphreys got reception again and Norky got the word she was waiting for.

"We're fine," the text said.

"I'm feeling fine now, but it was scary," Norky Humphreys said Wednesday.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident.

Humphreys said the crash will not deter either man from flying a gyroplane again.


MESA COUNTY, Colo. UPDATE: 53-year-old Mike Burton, of Pleasant Grove, Utah, was piloting the gyroplane that crashed Tuesday night on Glade Park. Burton was transported to an area hospital via CareFlight helicopter.

The passenger of the plane was 30-year-old Josh Humphries, of Payson, Utah. Humphries initially refused medical services, but he was eventually transported via snowmobile to a waiting ambulance, which then took them to the hospital.

Inquiries have been made of the hospital Burton and Humphries were taken to, however they have not released any information regarding their conditions.
________________________________________

As darkness descended upon the Grand Valley, authorities rushed to the scene of a gyroplane crash Tuesday night.

According to the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, two Utah men were traveling back to Spanish Fork, Utah when the gyroplane crashed on Glade Park.

The initial call came in around 5:30 p.m. and was made from a person inside the aircraft. Delta County Dispatch was able to determine that there were two men on board the gyrocopter-type aircraft, and the caller was able to provide an approximate GPS location of the crash.

After staging in the area, officials with the Glade Park Fire Department determined they would need help finding the crash victims.

They called in the CareFlight helicopter to perform a search using night vision equipment.

CareFlight was able to locate the crash site – a remote, canyon-laden area approximately 12 miles southeast of the Glade Park Fire Station – however they were unable to land.

Heavy snow on the ground in the area meant a snowmobile rescue effort was required to reach the scene. A ground rescue team used the snowmobiles to reach the crash sight and begin treatment and removal of both victims.

At approximately 10:15 p.m. the ground team found a place for the CareFlight helicopter to land and requested transport of one man to an area hospital.

The second man initially refused medical services, but he was eventually transported via snowmobile to a waiting ambulance, which then took them to the hospital.

Authorities with the Glade Park Fire Department, Grand Junction Fire Department, Mesa County Sheriff’s Department, and Mesa County Search and Rescue all respond to the incident. MESA COUNTY,Colo. Gyroplanes while considered experimental aircraft must still go through heavy regulation and inspection before ever being able to get off the ground, and the pilots that fly them must go through training before they can fly one.

On Tuesday night a Gyroplane carrying 2 passengers crashed leaving both men injured. But many are questioning the safety behind these unique aircrafts that are a mix between a helicopter and an airplane.


The two men in the crash were 53 year old Mike Burton of Pleasant Grove Utah, and 30 year old Josh Humphries from Payson Utah. The men were on their way back to Utah from Montrose when the crash happened.


Records on file with the FAA said the plane was registered to Mike Burton through Air-Gyro Aviation in Utah. Records show Burton built this Calidus 2 seater aircraft himself.


Troy Atwood is a Gyroplane pilot who said he is close friends with Mike Burton the pilot involved in the gyroplane crash Tuesday night.


Atwood was in another gyro-plane last night, flying ahead them, when the crash happened.


“The aircraft was performing properly, the motor wasn't putting out enough energy and he started to climb over that mountain and the mountain came up faster than he could climb and it was like a box canyon so there was nowhere for him to turn around," said Atwood.


The group was on their way back from a plane demonstration trip to Telluride and Montrose.


They'd started back to Utah, taking off from the Montrose airport around 3:30pm for what was expected to be a 3 hour flight.


The plane ran into trouble about an hour later, but Atwood had to keep flying even after the crash.


"It was pretty difficult but I've been in this business for a long time and I knew Mike and Josh would be okay because, it's Mike," said Atwood.


Gyroplanes are regulated a lot like any fixed wing aircraft, and these planes just like any other have to be licensed and registered.


Dick Knapinski with the Experimental Aircraft Association says that a lot of inspection and training goes into planes like Gyroplanes, before they can ever leave the ground.


"Anything with an air number or an N number that is registered with the FAA is under the same specifications for inspection, recurrent training and so forth, pilot training the same as a fixed wing aircraft," said Knapinski.


The requirements for a kit Gyroplane or one that you build yourself are a little bit more in-depth, once the plane is build it has to go through a federal inspection with the FAA.


"the FAA designated inspector will come and not only inspects the aircraft as it is but they also look at what's called a builders log how the aircraft went together, what timeline was used, what techniques were used," said Knapinski.


These aircraft's are required to go through inspection every year or every 100 hours of flight whichever comes first and pilots of these Gyroplanes must still complete training to fly one similar to that of another pilot.


The FAA and many pilots that fly these aircraft do consider them to be safe.


Story and Video:  http://www.nbc11news.com 


AutoGyro Calidus, N50NE, Airgyro Aviation LLC: Accident occurred January 06, 2015 in Johnson Creek area south of Glade Park, Colorado

Regis#: N50NE 
Event Type: Accident
Highest Injury: Serious
Damage: Unknown
Flight Phase: UNKNOWN (UNK)

AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. EXPERIMENTAL AUTOGYRO. GRAND JUNCTION, CO

AIRGYRO AVIATION LLC:  http://registry.faa.gov/N50NE



Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration FSDO; Salt Lake City, Utah 

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

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

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

Airgyro Aviation: http://registry.faa.gov/N50NE 

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


NTSB Identification: WPR16LA114
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 20, 2016 in Fruitland, UT
Aircraft: MICHAEL BURTON Calidus, registration: N50NE
Injuries: 2 Serious.

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

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On May 20, 2016, about 1100 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Michael Burton (AutoGyro GmbH) Calidus, N50NE, collided with mountainous terrain near Fruitland, Utah. The gyroplane was registered to the builder and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot and passenger were seriously injured, and the gyroplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country personal flight departed Duchesne Municipal Airport, Duchesne, Utah, about 1015, with a planned destination of Spanish Fork Airport-Springville-Woodhouse Field, Spanish Fork, Utah. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The pilot reported that they departed from Glenwood Springs Municipal Airport, Glenwood Springs, Colorado, earlier that morning and stopped at Duchesne for fuel. They then departed west towards Spanish Fork on a route over the Wasatch Mountain Range. As they approached the last ridge, about 200 ft above its peak, they encountered strong downdrafts and the gyroplane descended 500 ft and into a box canyon. Unable to out-climb the terrain, the pilot guided the gyroplane over a river at the base of the canyon until he could see a landing spot on the shore. As he approached the site and initiated the landing flare, the right wheel struck a bolder and the gyroplane rolled over, coming to rest in the river.

A witness, who was fishing in the river, called 911 after climbing to a peak where he was able to acquire cell phone reception. Due to the remoteness of the site, the pilot and passenger were not recovered until later in the afternoon.

The gyroplane came to rest within a canyon, at an elevation of about 7,300 ft mean sea level. The canyon walls rose about 1,000 ft above the accident site to the north and south. The projected route of flight would have required clearance over rugged 8,200 ft peaks, about 5 miles north of the 9,420 ft summit of Baldy Mountain.

About the time of the accident, a weather observation station located at Carbon County Regional Airport/Buck Davis Field, 37 miles south-southeast of the accident site and at an elevation of 5,957 ft, reported wind from 170 degrees at 20 knots gusting 25 knots. About the same time, at Provo Municipal Airport, 38 miles west at an elevation of 4,497 ft, wind was reported from 130 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 22 knots.

The gyroplanes Pilot Operating Handbook specified a maximum demonstrated operating altitude of 10,000 ft. The pilot reported that the gyroplanes maximum gross weight was 1,256 pounds, and the that the weight at the time of the accident was 1,100 pounds.

The pilot stated that the gyroplane did not experience any mechanical malfunctions or failures, and that the accident could have been avoided if he had approached the mountain ridge at a higher altitude.

The Federal Aviation Administration Bioaeronautical Research Laboratory performed toxicology tests on a sample of blood that was collected from the pilot at 1546 on the day of the accident. Results identified 0.0111 ug/ml of tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (THC-COOH) in his blood. Tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (THC-COOH) is the primary metabolite of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound in marijuana. The report did not document the presence of THC. The reporting cutoff for THC was 0.001 ug/ml.

NTSB Identification: WPR16LA114 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 20, 2016 in Fruitland, UT
Aircraft: MICHAEL BURTON Calidus, registration: N50NE
Injuries: 2 Serious.

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 May 20, 2016, about 1100 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Michael Burton (AutoGyro GmbH) Calidus, N50NE, collided with mountainous terrain near Fruitland, Utah. The gyrocopter was registered to the builder and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot and passenger were seriously injured, and the gyrocopter sustained substantial damage. The cross-country personal flight departed Duchesne Municipal Airport, Duchesne, Utah, about 30 minutes prior, with a planned destination of Spanish Fork Airport-Springville-Woodhouse Field, Spanish Fork, Utah. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The pilot reported that they departed from Glenwood Springs Municipal Airport, Glenwood Springs, Colorado, earlier that morning and stopped at Duchesne for fuel. They then departed west towards Spanish Fork on a route over the Wasatch Mountain Range. As they approached the last ridge, about 200 ft above its peak, they encountered a strong downdraft and the gyrocopter descended 500 ft and into a box canyon. Unable to out climb the terrain, the pilot guided the gyrocopter over a river at the base of the canyon until he could see a landing spot on the shore. As he approached the site and initiated the landing flair, the right wheel struck a bolder and the gyrocopter rolled over, coming to rest in the river.

A witness, who was fishing in the river, called 911 after climbing to a peak where he was able to receive cell phone reception. Due to the remoteness of the site, the pilot and passenger were not recovered until later in the evening.

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

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


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

NTSB Identification: CEN15CA128 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, January 06, 2015 in Grand Junction, CO
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/10/2015
Aircraft: BURTON CALIDUS, registration: N50NE
Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Minor.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.


The pilot stated that during a flight to the destination airport, the gyrocopter was in a slow climb at about 60 knots due to higher terrain that he knew was approaching along the route. As the gyrocopter approached a ridge, the pilot noticed that more altitude was needed, so he turned left of course along the ridge while continuing the climb, expecting to turn right at an area that he saw had lower terrain. The pilot said that things were still going well, but the climb rate had decreased somewhat. As the gyrocopter approached the area of lower terrain, the gyrocopter started to descend quickly with a best rate of climb speed of 52 knots. The gyrocopter descended lower than the surrounding trees and "brushed" the tree tops, tipping the gyrocopter forward and to the right. The pilot saw a small clearing and applied corrective control input to maintain an upright attitude of the gyrocopter and to reach the clearing. Just before entering the clearing, the gyrocopter contacted oak brush with its rotor blades, which sustained substantial damage. The gyrocopter landed in the clearing and slid with minimal forward speed to a stop. The aircraft fuselage had a fractured nose and collapsed nose gear. The pilot sustained serious injuries and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The pilot stated that if he had turned right at the approach of the ridge where the terrain was lower, he could have gone around the south end of the ridge. He said he should have expected a down draft on the lee side of the ridge and could also have executed an escape route earlier by turning away from the ridge before the area of down flowing air.


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


The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with terrain that was along the planned route of flight.




WASATCH COUNTY, Utah (ABC4 Utah) - A man and woman have been rescued after a Autogyro GMBH Calidus went down in the Uinta National Forest. 

The Wasatch County Sheriff's Office said the crash happened sometime around 11 a.m. 

The office received a call from a fisherman at 11:30 a.m. alerting them of the crash.

Chief Deputy Jared Rigby with WCSO said, "He saw this gyrocopter go down. That it clipped the trees and that it went into the Strawberry River."

The fisherman would rush to the area to help get the pilot and his passenger to safety. 

He told deputies he was able to get the man out from the pilot seat but had a harder time with the woman on the passenger side. 

"He said that they had to move the aircraft around a little bit in order to help get the female passenger out because she was, she was pinned in," said Chief Deputy Rigby. 

The fisherman got the two to the shore of Strawberry River. Then he had to hike out two miles to get to cell service along U.S. 40. Once he did he called for search and rescue. 

"This is a really rugged area from what I’m being told. They are not able to get any vehicles in there," the Chief Deputy added.

Search and Rescue teams called in two medical helicopters to hoist the man and woman out of the area.

"The injuries I’m being told are minor to moderate and so I think that these folks thus far have been very fortunate," said Chief Deputy Rigby.

The two were taken to the Utah Regional Valley Medical Center to be treated for their injuries. 

Search and rescue teams said the woman may be suffering from a possible broken leg and injured back. 

The man suffered from hypothermia. 

"It really sounds like these people are truly fortunate to have that fisherman there and if infact he did see this aircraft go down, to be right there to help them, especially if they were stuck in that aircraft in the water," he added. 

The FAA and NTSB have been notified of the crash. It's still unclear why the gyrocopter went down. 

The Wasatch Health Department was called in because the crash happened on the Strawberry River and fuel could have been leaked into the water.

Story and video:  http://www.good4utah.com


WASATCH COUNTY, Utah -- A Autogyro GMBH Calidus crash about two miles south of the Soldier Creek dam in Wasatch County has left a pilot and a passenger injured.

Search and Rescue crews were called to the downed aircraft just before noon in the Strawberry River.

Jared Riby with the Wasatch County Sheriff's Office said the man and woman have a few broken bones but no life-threatening injuries.

Deputies said a fisherman in the area heard the Autogyro GMBH Calidus having difficulties and saw it go down.

Officials said he went to check on the victims and then had to hike out to get cell service to call emergency crews.

Riby said the crash site is in a difficult area to reach and the only way crews could get to the victims was by air or on foot.

Rescue crews treated the pair and worked to get them out in a medical helicopter.

Authorities have not said what led to the crash.

The names of those involved have not been released.

Story and video:  http://fox13now.com



WASATCH COUNTY — Two people were injured when a Autogyro GMBH Calidus crashed in Wasatch County Friday.

The two people, who sustained “minor to moderate injuries,” were in the Strawberry River for about five minutes, according to the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office. The cause of the crash, which occurred in a remote location in the Soldier Creek area, is not yet known.


A fisherman saw the Autogyro GMBH Calidus crash into the water, according to the sheriff's office. He reportedly called emergency services after finding a spot with cell service and helped guide the search crew to the crash site.


The male pilot and female passenger were in the water for about five minutes after crashing into the river around 11:30 a.m., according to the sheriff's office.


"Life Flight sent two medical helicopters, hoisted the two patients out of the area, and are transporting them to Utah Valley (Hospital)," the department reported.


The Wasatch County Search and Rescue team and medical services responded to the crash. The two people were transported to the hospital by a medical helicopter.


Their injuries are not expected to be life threatening, although both people are being treated for hypothermia, according to the sheriff's office. One person had a possible broken leg and injured back, while the other only sustained minor injuries.


The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety board will be involved in investigating the cause of the crash, according to the sheriff's office.


Story and video:   https://ksl.com




MESA COUNTY,Colo. Gyroplanes while considered experimental aircraft must still go through heavy regulation and inspection before ever being able to get off the ground, and the pilots that fly them must go through training before they can fly one.

On Tuesday night a Gyroplane carrying 2 passengers crashed leaving both men injured. But many are questioning the safety behind these unique aircrafts that are a mix between a helicopter and an airplane.


The two men in the crash were 53 year old Mike Burton of Pleasant Grove Utah, and 30 year old Josh Humphries from Payson Utah. The men were on their way back to Utah from Montrose when the crash happened.


Records on file with the FAA said the plane was registered to Mike Burton through Air-Gyro Aviation in Utah. Records show Burton built this Calidus 2 seater aircraft himself.


Troy Atwood is a Gyroplane pilot who said he is close friends with Mike Burton the pilot involved in the gyroplane crash Tuesday night.


Atwood was in another gyro-plane last night, flying ahead them, when the crash happened.


“The aircraft was performing properly, the motor wasn't putting out enough energy and he started to climb over that mountain and the mountain came up faster than he could climb and it was like a box canyon so there was nowhere for him to turn around," said Atwood.


The group was on their way back from a plane demonstration trip to Telluride and Montrose.


They'd started back to Utah, taking off from the Montrose airport around 3:30pm for what was expected to be a 3 hour flight.


The plane ran into trouble about an hour later, but Atwood had to keep flying even after the crash.


"It was pretty difficult but I've been in this business for a long time and I knew Mike and Josh would be okay because, it's Mike," said Atwood.


Gyroplanes are regulated a lot like any fixed wing aircraft, and these planes just like any other have to be licensed and registered.


Dick Knapinski with the Experimental Aircraft Association says that a lot of inspection and training goes into planes like Gyroplanes, before they can ever leave the ground.


"Anything with an air number or an N number that is registered with the FAA is under the same specifications for inspection, recurrent training and so forth, pilot training the same as a fixed wing aircraft," said Knapinski.


The requirements for a kit Gyroplane or one that you build yourself are a little bit more in-depth, once the plane is build it has to go through a federal inspection with the FAA.


"the FAA designated inspector will come and not only inspects the aircraft as it is but they also look at what's called a builders log how the aircraft went together, what timeline was used, what techniques were used," said Knapinski.


These aircraft's are required to go through inspection every year or every 100 hours of flight whichever comes first and pilots of these Gyroplanes must still complete training to fly one similar to that of another pilot.


The FAA and many pilots that fly these aircraft do consider them to be safe.


Story and Video:  http://www.nbc11news.com 


PAYSON — "Crashed." 

That was the text Norky Humphreys received Tuesday afternoon at her home in Payson from her husband, Josh Humphreys.

"You are kidding right?" Norky Humphreys replied.

But he wasn't.

Josh Humphreys was flying back to Utah from Telluride, Colorado, with veteran pilot Mike Burton in their gyroplane — a kind of helicopter, airplane combination — when it crashed in a remote area near Glade Park shortly before 5:30 p.m., according to the Mesa County Sheriff's Office.

Both Humphreys and Burton survived. Rescuers took them to a hospital in Grand Junction where they were treated for back and neck injuries not considered to be life threatening. The two were being picked up by co-workers and driven back to Utah Wednesday.

Burton, of Pleasant Grove, is a pilot with Airgyro Aviation. On Monday, he was in one of two gyroplanes that flew to Telluride to show off the new aircraft to clients. Humphreys was there to film the event for the company.

On their way home, the two aircraft stopped in Montrose, Colorado, to fuel up. Shortly after takeoff again, the Burton and Humphreys gyroplane got caught in a downdraft and didn't have the turbo chargers needed to get over the mountain, according to Troy Atwood, who was in the gyroplane ahead of them.

Rescue teams reached the crash site on snowmobiles shortly after 8:20 p.m.

Humphreys reportedly had to hike a quarter-mile away from the crash site to get cellphone reception while Burton stayed with the aircraft. Humphreys tried calling his wife before texting her.

"He told me, 'I'm OK. We're fine. But we crashed,'" she said.

But reception was lost shortly after. After Humphreys texted that he had crashed, he again lost reception.

"Baby, answer the phone please, I am freaking out," Norky Humphreys texted back.

Finally, Josh Humphreys got reception again and Norky got the word she was waiting for.

"We're fine," the text said.

"I'm feeling fine now, but it was scary," Norky Humphreys said Wednesday.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident.

Humphreys said the crash will not deter either man from flying a gyroplane again.


MESA COUNTY, Colo. UPDATE: 53-year-old Mike Burton, of Pleasant Grove, Utah, was piloting the gyroplane that crashed Tuesday night on Glade Park. Burton was transported to an area hospital via CareFlight helicopter.

The passenger of the plane was 30-year-old Josh Humphries, of Payson, Utah. Humphries initially refused medical services, but he was eventually transported via snowmobile to a waiting ambulance, which then took them to the hospital.

Inquiries have been made of the hospital Burton and Humphries were taken to, however they have not released any information regarding their conditions.
________________________________________

As darkness descended upon the Grand Valley, authorities rushed to the scene of a gyroplane crash Tuesday night.

According to the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, two Utah men were traveling back to Spanish Fork, Utah when the gyroplane crashed on Glade Park.

The initial call came in around 5:30 p.m. and was made from a person inside the aircraft. Delta County Dispatch was able to determine that there were two men on board the gyrocopter-type aircraft, and the caller was able to provide an approximate GPS location of the crash.

After staging in the area, officials with the Glade Park Fire Department determined they would need help finding the crash victims.

They called in the CareFlight helicopter to perform a search using night vision equipment.

CareFlight was able to locate the crash site – a remote, canyon-laden area approximately 12 miles southeast of the Glade Park Fire Station – however they were unable to land.

Heavy snow on the ground in the area meant a snowmobile rescue effort was required to reach the scene. A ground rescue team used the snowmobiles to reach the crash sight and begin treatment and removal of both victims.

At approximately 10:15 p.m. the ground team found a place for the CareFlight helicopter to land and requested transport of one man to an area hospital.

The second man initially refused medical services, but he was eventually transported via snowmobile to a waiting ambulance, which then took them to the hospital.

Authorities with the Glade Park Fire Department, Grand Junction Fire Department, Mesa County Sheriff’s Department, and Mesa County Search and Rescue all respond to the incident.