Tuesday, June 07, 2016

Airline cutting 161 jobs in Columbus amid bankruptcy reorganization

Kathryn's Report: http://www.kathrynsreport.com

An airline that flies regional routes for larger carriers is eliminating 161 jobs in Columbus as it works through a bankruptcy reorganization.

Republic Airways Holdings Inc. will permanently close its C-Check maintenance hangar at Port Columbus International Airport, the Indianapolis-based company said in a required disclosure to the state.

The closure and cuts will begin June 20, or within the two weeks following, Republic noted in the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act letter. All affected employees will be paid through August 2.

Republic said some employees have bumping rights within the Port Columbus International Airport hangar facility, and that all have been offered transfer opportunities.

The company’s director of employee relations did not respond to a request for comment.

Republic, which operates smaller jets on behalf of American Airlines Group Inc., Delta Air Lines Inc. and United Continental Holdings Inc., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February, due in part to a lack of pilots.

Republic reportedly handles nearly one-third of all flights at Port Columbus. It's unclear whether closure of the maintenance facility at 4330 E. Fifth Ave. will impact flight operations.

Representatives of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, which operates Port Columbus, were not available for comment.

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

Council may ground observation deck for Cape Girardeau Regional Airport (KCGI)

Kathryn's Report: http://www.kathrynsreport.com

Several Cape Girardeau City Council members appear ready to ground plans for a proposed, $30,000 public observation deck at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport.

Council members questioned the need for an observation deck during Monday night's council meeting during discussion of the proposed city budget for the coming fiscal year.

Ward 6 Councilman Wayne Bowen argued the airport has more important needs than an observation deck. Bowen said upgrading bathrooms or putting money toward new T-hangars would be a better use of city revenue. But airport manager Bruce Loy said the airport advisory board has long wanted an observation deck. Loy said it amounts to "customer service" to provide an area where people can watch planes take off and land.

Money from increased landing fees would pay for the project, Loy said.

Federal grants would pay for a number of improvements such as bathroom renovations, but not for an observation deck, he said.

Plans call for a fenced-in, observation deck to be built on the south end of the airport terminal, adjacent to the building's restaurant.

Justin Albright, vice chairman of the airport advisory board, told the council, "It wasn't just pie in the sky. We found an explicit funding source for it."

Albright said the project has been on the board's list of improvement priorities for the past five years.

But Ward 1 Councilman Joseph Uzoaru said, "I would be concerned that the observation deck would be used very little."

He argued "there is more we could be doing" at the airport than building an observation deck.

The airport has hangars that need repairs, he said

But Loy said he believes an observation deck would be well-used by the public. He said he sees parents and children stand outside the metal fencing to watch aviation activities.

Ward 4 Councilman Robbie Guard suggested the city might look to involve outside groups in developing an observation deck, avoiding the need to pay a prevailing wage which would add to the cost of the project.

Bowen suggested the city find an organization to sponsor the project.

Mayor Harry Rediger briefly voiced support for the project at Monday's meeting. On Tuesday, he explained his position more clearly. Rediger said he typically supports the recommendations of the city's advisory boards. He expressed confidence in the airport board.

"They are great volunteers," he said.

Rediger said he would be supportive of finding a different way to fund the project.

He pointed out the planned expense is a small part of a $90.3 million budget.

But Ward 3 Councilman Victor Gunn said he doesn't see a need to spend $30,000 on an observation deck. He pointed out user fees don't cover the cost of operating the airport.

The proposed 2016-2017 city budget calls for spending $2.3 million on airport operations and capital projects. Airport revenue is projected to total $1.65 million, including $932,000 in federal grants. The city would have to use $674,000 from the general fund to cover remaining costs, according to financial documents.

But $85,000 of general fund revenue is budgeted as the local match for federal grants for the airport, according to finance director John Richbourg. If the match money is taken out, the city expects to subsidize the airport by nearly $590,000 this year.

The project remains in the city budget for now. The council gave initial approval Monday to the city's overall spending plan. The council, however, could scrap the observation deck project later this month when the budget comes up for final approval.

Loy said Tuesday increased landing fees, worked out in an agreement with commuter airline Cape Air last November, will generate an added $100,000 in revenue for the airport over a two-year period.

In addition to the observation deck, another $30,000 of that revenue is earmarked to extend the terminal roof to protect the baggage handlers and baggage from inclement weather during the loading and unloading of passenger planes, Loy said.

The remaining $40,000 in added revenue would be put into the airport fund, lessening the amount of general-fund revenue needed to subsidize the airport, Loy said.

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

Beech A36, N6678D: Incident occurred June 15, 2016 - Aborted takeoff from private airstrip, aircraft unable to stop and went off end of runway, across a street and struck several objects












AIRCRAFT:   1980 Beech A36 SN# E-1596  N6678D     

ENGINE:       Continental IO-520-BB  SN# 285616-R   

PROPELLER: Hartzell PHC-C3YRF  EE3284A

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

ENGINE:       41.4 SMOH by G&N on 9/20/2014    (TTSN unknown)   

PROPELLER: 30.7 SMOH by east Coast Propeller on 4/24/2015 (TTSN unknown)                 

AIRFRAME:  3,028.4 TTSN                        

OTHER EQUIPMENT: Collins AMR-350, VHF-251, VIR-351, TDR-950, ADF-650A, Garmin GNS430, Argus 3000, Stormscope, KFC-300, KCS-55.             

DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT: Aborted takeoff from private airstrip on 6/15/2016, aircraft unable to stop and went off end of runway, across a street and struck several objects.     

DESCRIPTION OF DAMAGES: Nose gear snapped off, nose gear doors bent, propeller damaged, right wing struck large object with severe damage including spar, left main gear collapsed, left wing buckled, tip tanks punctured, center carry through buckled with skins separated in belly, fuselage buckled at forward wing attachments, ailerons and flaps damaged, elevators damaged, horizontal damaged. 

LOCATION OF AIRCRAFT:   Air Salvage of Dallas           

REMARKS: Aircraft dismantled and transported to storage.  Adjuster has logs.

Read more and additional photos here:    http://www.avclaims.com/N6678D.htm

Denney Kitfox IV, N921RP: Fatal accident occurred June 07, 2016 in De Smet, Kingsbury County, South Dakota

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

NTSB Identification: CEN16FA209
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, June 07, 2016 in De Smet, SD
Probable Cause Approval Date: 04/25/2017
Aircraft: PRUSS RICHARD S KITFOX IV, registration: N921RP
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious.

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.

During a personal local flight, the private pilot and passenger, who held a student pilot certificate, were searching a lake for a submerged boat. The passenger stated that while maneuvering at a low altitude, the pilot banked the airplane about 45 to 60 degrees at an airspeed of about 50 miles per hour. During the turn, the airplane stalled, entered a spin, and impacted the water. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. Data from a GPS unit recovered from the airplane indicated that the airplane was about 250 ft above ground level at a ground speed of about 34 knots when it stalled. Based on the passenger's statements and the GPS data, it is likely that the pilot failed to maintain adequate airspeed and exceeded the airplane's critical angle-of-attack while maneuvering, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin from which he had insufficient altitude to recover.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle-of-attack during a steep turn at a low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin at too low of an altitude to recover.



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

Additional Participating Entity:  
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Rapid City, South Dakota

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

Randy R. Telkamp: http://registry.faa.gov/N921RP

NTSB Identification: CEN16FA209
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, June 07, 2016 in De Smet, SD
Aircraft: PRUSS RICHARD S KITFOX IV, registration: N921RP
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious.

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

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 7, 2016, about 1020 central daylight time, an amateur-built Kitfox IV single-engine airplane, N921RP, impacted a lake following a loss of control while maneuvering at a low altitude near De Smet, South Dakota. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries, the passenger sustained serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight departed from Lake Preston Municipal Airport (Y34), Lake Preston, South Dakota, about 0929.

According to the passenger, who held a student pilot certificate and was interviewed by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot picked him up at Y34 to assist in a search for a boat that sank in Lake Thompson on June 3, 2016. The pilot and passenger spotted the boat and then flew a right "racetrack" pattern about 150 ft above ground level. While maneuvering, the airplane was banked about 45 to 60 degrees at an airspeed of about 50 miles per hour. During one of the turns, the airplane "snapped over" and the pilot told the passenger that the airplane stalled. The airplane spun about 1.5 to 2 rotations, impacted the lake, and sank. The passenger stated the engine operated normally until the impact with the water. 

According to local authorities, the passenger was rescued by persons assisting in the boat recovery. Efforts to rescue the pilot were unsuccessful.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. The pilot's most recent third class medical certificate was issued on January 26, 2015, with a limitation for corrective lenses.

A review of the pilot's logbook, noted as "Logbook Number 5", revealed that the first logbook entry was dated February 14, 2015, and the last logbook entry was dated June 5, 2016. According to the information contained in the logbook, at the time of the last logbook entry, the pilot had accumulated 1,179.2 total flight hours, of which 28.7 hours were in the accident airplane. 

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The two-seat, high-wing, tail-wheel configured airplane, serial number 1589, was manufactured in 1991. The airplane was powered by a Rotax 582 LC 65-horsepower engine, and was equipped with a composite 3-blade ground-adjustable propeller. The airplane was purchased by the pilot on May 10, 2010. 

The most recent condition inspection was completed on July 11, 2015, at a total airframe and engine time of 432.6 hours. The hour meter reading observed at the accident site was 442.5 hours.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 0956, the automated weather observing system at the Brookings Regional Airport (BKX), Brookings, South Dakota, located about 30 miles east of the accident site, recorded the following weather conditions: wind calm, sky clear, temperature 17 degrees Celsius, dew point 7 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.04 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane was recovered from the lake and examined at a facility near Lake Thompson. Examination of the airplane showed that the fuselage was buckled near the aft cabin bulkhead. The forward fuselage was crushed up and aft. The left wing displayed compression bending aft near the wing root, and the forward wing attachment was fractured. The left flaperon remained attached and its control fitting was fractured. The fracture was consistent with impact damage. The right wing remained attached to the fuselage and sustained minor damage. The right flaperon remained attached.

The empennage was intact with the rudder and elevator attached and minor damage was noted to the bottom of the rudder. The tailwheel remained attached and both main landing gears were separated from the fuselage.

Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit controls to the respective flight control surfaces.

The seat restraints were attached to the fuselage and were found unbuckled. The flap handle was observed in the up or retracted position. The throttle was pulled out about 1.5 inches, and the fuel selector was on.

The engine remained attached to the engine mount and fuselage. The propeller remained attached to the engine, and the propeller was manually rotated. Manual rotation of the propeller revealed compression and mechanical continuity throughout the engine. Two propeller blades were fractured aft near the blade root.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The autopsy of the pilot was performed at the Sanford Health Pathology Clinic, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The cause of death was asphyxia due to drowning during an airplane accident. Toxicology testing by the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute was negative for all substances tested.

TEST AND RESEARCH

The SD card from an iFly 700 Adventure Pilot GPS that was recovered from the airplane was submitted to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Division for data recovery. The card was undamaged and data was recovered normally. The data extracted included 164 track logs from February 14, 2009, through June 7, 2016. The accident flight was recorded starting at 0929:12 and ending at 1019:51.

The GPS data parameters recorded were the following: date, time, latitude, longitude, GPS speed, true course, and GPS altitude.

According to the data, the flight departed Y34 at 0929, turned southwest, and climbed to about 2,300 feet GPS altitude. As the airplane approached Lake Thompson, it descended to between 2,000 and 2,100 feet mean sea level (msl); Lake Thompson is at 1,700 feet msl. The airplane began flying a north/south pattern with 3.5 to 4 nautical mile legs. At 1007, the airplane began circling a point towards the western side of the lake. The last recorded data point was at 1019:51 at a GPS altitude of 1,955 feet and a ground speed of 34 knots. Due to data buffering on the GPS unit, the data recording may have ended before the airplane impacted the lake.



NTSB Identification: CEN16FA209
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, June 07, 2016 in De Smet, SD
Aircraft: PRUSS RICHARD S KITFOX IV, registration: N921RP
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 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 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 June 7, 2016, at 1000 central daylight time, a Pruss Kitfox IV single-engine airplane, N921RP, impacted a lake following a loss of control while maneuvering at a low altitude near De Smet, South Dakota. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries, the passenger sustained serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight departed a private airstrip about 0930.

According to the passenger, who was interviewed by the Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot picked up the passenger at a private airstrip to assist in a search for a boat that sank in Lake Thompson on June 3rd. The pilot and passenger spotted the boat and then flew a right turn "racetrack" pattern about 150 feet above ground level. While maneuvering, the airplane was banked about 45 to 60 degrees at an airspeed about 50 miles per hour. During a turn, the airplane "snapped over" and the pilot stated the airplane stalled. The airplane spun about 1.5 to 2 rotations, impacted the lake, and sank. The passenger stated the engine operated normally until the impact with the water. 

According to local authorities, the passenger was rescued by persons assisting in the boat recovery. Efforts to rescue the pilot were unsuccessful.

The airplane was recovered from the lake and examined at a facility near Lake Thompson. Examination of the airplane showed the fuselage was buckled near the aft cabin bulkhead. The forward fuselage was crushed up and aft. The left wing displayed compression bending aft near the wing root, and the forward wing attachment was fractured. 

At 0956, the Brookings Regional Airport (BKX), Brookings, South Dakota, automated weather observing system, located approximately 30 miles east of the accident site, reported the wind calm, sky clear, temperature 17 degrees Celsius, dew point 7 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.04 inches of mercury.







DE SMET — The passenger in a fatal June 2016 plane crash near De Smet said the engine "operated normally" until impact with Lake Thompson, but the pilot told him it stalled mid air.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) final accident report released this week, passenger and Aurora resident Bruce Bortnem told authorities the Kitfox IV airplane's engine had normal functionality when it crashed, with the cause of the crash defined as a loss of control in flight. The crash killed 59-year-old pilot Randall Telkamp, of Brookings, who died from "asphyxia due to drowning" in the submerged plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration says loss of control is the top cause of fatal aviation crashes, and occur when a "flight regime that is outside its normal flight envelope and may quickly develop into a stall or spin." Common causes include poor judgement, failure to recognize a stall and execute corrective action, failure to maintain airspeed or use of prescription or illegal drugs. Telkamp tested negative for drug use, according to the final report.

The crash occurred while Telkamp and Bortnem were assisting Douglas Kahler and Jeff Hallin, joined by his 12-year-old step-son, search for a wrecked boat in the 12,455-acre lake. And according to Hallin's statement released this week, the three men narrowly avoided being struck by the crashing aircraft.

"Suddenly I heard the planes (sic) RPM go up and looked over my shoulder in time to see the plane nosedive into the water about 150 yards away from us," Hallin wrote.

Kahler concurred, stating the aircraft nosed into the water and flipped on its top, submerging instantly.

Shortly after the crash, Kahler pulled Bortnem out of the water.

"I just started the boat and gunned it towards the wreck was (sic) at the wreck site in under one minute," Kahler wrote. "By the time I was three quarters the way there Bruce popped out of the wreckage and I put Bruce from water immediately."

Hallin dove underwater using dive gear to search for the wreckage multiple times, ultimately finding Telkamp "either still strapped in or entangled in debri(s)." Hallin attempted to remove Telkamp, but was unable.

The incident drew several law enforcement agencies and first responders to the lake, but the lake remained open to boaters throughout the day. Shortly after the crash, Bortnem was said to be in "fair condition."

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


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

Additional Participating Entity:  
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Rapid City, South Dakota

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

Randy R. Telkamp: http://registry.faa.gov/N921RP

NTSB Identification: CEN16FA209
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, June 07, 2016 in De Smet, SD
Aircraft: PRUSS RICHARD S KITFOX IV, registration: N921RP
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious.

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

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 7, 2016, about 1020 central daylight time, an amateur-built Kitfox IV single-engine airplane, N921RP, impacted a lake following a loss of control while maneuvering at a low altitude near De Smet, South Dakota. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries, the passenger sustained serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight departed from Lake Preston Municipal Airport (Y34), Lake Preston, South Dakota, about 0929.

According to the passenger, who held a student pilot certificate and was interviewed by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot picked him up at Y34 to assist in a search for a boat that sank in Lake Thompson on June 3, 2016. The pilot and passenger spotted the boat and then flew a right "racetrack" pattern about 150 ft above ground level. While maneuvering, the airplane was banked about 45 to 60 degrees at an airspeed of about 50 miles per hour. During one of the turns, the airplane "snapped over" and the pilot told the passenger that the airplane stalled. The airplane spun about 1.5 to 2 rotations, impacted the lake, and sank. The passenger stated the engine operated normally until the impact with the water. 

According to local authorities, the passenger was rescued by persons assisting in the boat recovery. Efforts to rescue the pilot were unsuccessful.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. The pilot's most recent third class medical certificate was issued on January 26, 2015, with a limitation for corrective lenses.

A review of the pilot's logbook, noted as "Logbook Number 5", revealed that the first logbook entry was dated February 14, 2015, and the last logbook entry was dated June 5, 2016. According to the information contained in the logbook, at the time of the last logbook entry, the pilot had accumulated 1,179.2 total flight hours, of which 28.7 hours were in the accident airplane. 

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The two-seat, high-wing, tail-wheel configured airplane, serial number 1589, was manufactured in 1991. The airplane was powered by a Rotax 582 LC 65-horsepower engine, and was equipped with a composite 3-blade ground-adjustable propeller. The airplane was purchased by the pilot on May 10, 2010. 

The most recent condition inspection was completed on July 11, 2015, at a total airframe and engine time of 432.6 hours. The hour meter reading observed at the accident site was 442.5 hours.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 0956, the automated weather observing system at the Brookings Regional Airport (BKX), Brookings, South Dakota, located about 30 miles east of the accident site, recorded the following weather conditions: wind calm, sky clear, temperature 17 degrees Celsius, dew point 7 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.04 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane was recovered from the lake and examined at a facility near Lake Thompson. Examination of the airplane showed that the fuselage was buckled near the aft cabin bulkhead. The forward fuselage was crushed up and aft. The left wing displayed compression bending aft near the wing root, and the forward wing attachment was fractured. The left flaperon remained attached and its control fitting was fractured. The fracture was consistent with impact damage. The right wing remained attached to the fuselage and sustained minor damage. The right flaperon remained attached.

The empennage was intact with the rudder and elevator attached and minor damage was noted to the bottom of the rudder. The tailwheel remained attached and both main landing gears were separated from the fuselage.

Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit controls to the respective flight control surfaces.

The seat restraints were attached to the fuselage and were found unbuckled. The flap handle was observed in the up or retracted position. The throttle was pulled out about 1.5 inches, and the fuel selector was on.

The engine remained attached to the engine mount and fuselage. The propeller remained attached to the engine, and the propeller was manually rotated. Manual rotation of the propeller revealed compression and mechanical continuity throughout the engine. Two propeller blades were fractured aft near the blade root.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The autopsy of the pilot was performed at the Sanford Health Pathology Clinic, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The cause of death was asphyxia due to drowning during an airplane accident. Toxicology testing by the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute was negative for all substances tested.

TEST AND RESEARCH

The SD card from an iFly 700 Adventure Pilot GPS that was recovered from the airplane was submitted to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Division for data recovery. The card was undamaged and data was recovered normally. The data extracted included 164 track logs from February 14, 2009, through June 7, 2016. The accident flight was recorded starting at 0929:12 and ending at 1019:51.

The GPS data parameters recorded were the following: date, time, latitude, longitude, GPS speed, true course, and GPS altitude.


According to the data, the flight departed Y34 at 0929, turned southwest, and climbed to about 2,300 feet GPS altitude. As the airplane approached Lake Thompson, it descended to between 2,000 and 2,100 feet mean sea level (msl); Lake Thompson is at 1,700 feet msl. The airplane began flying a north/south pattern with 3.5 to 4 nautical mile legs. At 1007, the airplane began circling a point towards the western side of the lake. The last recorded data point was at 1019:51 at a GPS altitude of 1,955 feet and a ground speed of 34 knots. Due to data buffering on the GPS unit, the data recording may have ended before the airplane impacted the lake.



NTSB Identification: CEN16FA209
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, June 07, 2016 in De Smet, SD
Aircraft: PRUSS RICHARD S KITFOX IV, registration: N921RP
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 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 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 June 7, 2016, at 1000 central daylight time, a Pruss Kitfox IV single-engine airplane, N921RP, impacted a lake following a loss of control while maneuvering at a low altitude near De Smet, South Dakota. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries, the passenger sustained serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight departed a private airstrip about 0930.

According to the passenger, who was interviewed by the Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot picked up the passenger at a private airstrip to assist in a search for a boat that sank in Lake Thompson on June 3rd. The pilot and passenger spotted the boat and then flew a right turn "racetrack" pattern about 150 feet above ground level. While maneuvering, the airplane was banked about 45 to 60 degrees at an airspeed about 50 miles per hour. During a turn, the airplane "snapped over" and the pilot stated the airplane stalled. The airplane spun about 1.5 to 2 rotations, impacted the lake, and sank. The passenger stated the engine operated normally until the impact with the water. 

According to local authorities, the passenger was rescued by persons assisting in the boat recovery. Efforts to rescue the pilot were unsuccessful.

The airplane was recovered from the lake and examined at a facility near Lake Thompson. Examination of the airplane showed the fuselage was buckled near the aft cabin bulkhead. The forward fuselage was crushed up and aft. The left wing displayed compression bending aft near the wing root, and the forward wing attachment was fractured. 


At 0956, the Brookings Regional Airport (BKX), Brookings, South Dakota, automated weather observing system, located approximately 30 miles east of the accident site, reported the wind calm, sky clear, temperature 17 degrees Celsius, dew point 7 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.04 inches of mercury.




DE SMET — The passenger in a fatal June 2016 plane crash near De Smet said the engine "operated normally" until impact with Lake Thompson, but the pilot told him it stalled mid air.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) final accident report released this week, passenger and Aurora resident Bruce Bortnem told authorities the Kitfox IV airplane's engine had normal functionality when it crashed, with the cause of the crash defined as a loss of control in flight. The crash killed 59-year-old pilot Randall Telkamp, of Brookings, who died from "asphyxia due to drowning" in the submerged plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration says loss of control is the top cause of fatal aviation crashes, and occur when a "flight regime that is outside its normal flight envelope and may quickly develop into a stall or spin." Common causes include poor judgement, failure to recognize a stall and execute corrective action, failure to maintain airspeed or use of prescription or illegal drugs. Telkamp tested negative for drug use, according to the final report.

The crash occurred while Telkamp and Bortnem were assisting Douglas Kahler and Jeff Hallin, joined by his 12-year-old step-son, search for a wrecked boat in the 12,455-acre lake. And according to Hallin's statement released this week, the three men narrowly avoided being struck by the crashing aircraft.

"Suddenly I heard the planes (sic) RPM go up and looked over my shoulder in time to see the plane nosedive into the water about 150 yards away from us," Hallin wrote.

Kahler concurred, stating the aircraft nosed into the water and flipped on its top, submerging instantly.

Shortly after the crash, Kahler pulled Bortnem out of the water.

"I just started the boat and gunned it towards the wreck was (sic) at the wreck site in under one minute," Kahler wrote. "By the time I was three quarters the way there Bruce popped out of the wreckage and I put Bruce from water immediately."

Hallin dove underwater using dive gear to search for the wreckage multiple times, ultimately finding Telkamp "either still strapped in or entangled in debri(s)." Hallin attempted to remove Telkamp, but was unable.

The incident drew several law enforcement agencies and first responders to the lake, but the lake remained open to boaters throughout the day. Shortly after the crash, Bortnem was said to be in "fair condition."


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







Lake Thompson, S.D. - A pilot died Tuesday after crash landing into Lake Thompson.

The passenger on board survived and is being treated at the De Smet hospital.

Crews investigated the crash all day Tuesday, but in order to know exactly what made the plane go down they had to dredge it from the lake, a process that took several hours.

Volunteers from area came out to help Kingsbury sheriff’s deputies pull the lane from the water.

A boat spent several hours slowly towing it to shore so the craft wasn’t damaged any further.

Once it was at the shoreline, crews worked to carefully move it out of the water.

The plane’s passenger survived the crash.

He told the sheriff the engine stalled before the crash, but crews want to know why.

“There’s a lot of factors you could look into but of course trying to decide what caused the crash or what caused the engine failure,” Sheriff Kevin Scotting said.

The passenger was rescued by a boater and taken to the De Smet hospital.

Sheriff Kevin Scotting says he is in good condition.

“I guess he’s in fair condition, walking and talking he’s a lucky man,” Scotting explained.

Because it isn’t often a person survives something like this.

“With a plane crash your chances of walking away are, I don’t think are really very good, especially with a small plane. They don’t have to hit the ground very hard to do a lot of damage,” Scotting said.

The Kingsbury Sheriff has not released the names of either the pilot or the passenger.

The Codington County Search and Rescue was called into assist and was able to locate the pilot’s body Tuesday.

The crash victim was removed from the aircraft before the plane was moved to shore.

The FAA is working with the Kingsbury Sheriff's Office to investigate the cause of the crash.

Story and video:  http://www.ksfy.com






















DE SMET — A pilot is dead and a passenger survived after a plane crashed Tuesday into Lake Thompson near De Smet, authorities said.

The Kingsbury County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash of “a small plane” at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. Two men were in the plane, but the cause of the plane’s crash is not immediately available.

Officials with the Kingsbury County Sheriff’s Office said the pilot died on scene and his body was recovered by Codington County Search and Rescue. The passenger, Bruce Bortnem, of Aurora, was rescued by a boat that was on the lake. Bortnem was taken to an Avera hospital in De Smet.

Hospital employees listed Bortnem’s as in “fair condition,” which means vital signs are stable and within normal limits, and the patient is conscious, but may be uncomfortable.

Authorities will be at the lake Tuesday afternoon and evening to pull out the plane’s wreckage. Officials declined to provide the name of the pilot pending notification of their families.

Lake Thompson is about 10 miles southeast of De Smet and about 40 miles west of Brookings.

As of 3:30 p.m., the small plane was still at the bottom of the lake, but Bunker Auto brought equipment to the scene to recover the crashed vessel.

Other boat ramps remained open and boaters continued using the lake, but Kingsbury County Sheriff Kevin Scotting said the west-side boat ramp would likely remain closed for the rest of the day.

Other departments that responded included the Kingsbury County Emergency Management Office, Lake Preston Fire Department, Lake Preston Ambulance, De Smet Fire Department, De Smet Ambulance, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.

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

Robinson R22 Beta, Midwest Helicopter, N931SH: Accident occurred June 07, 2016 at St. Louis Downtown Airport (KCPS), Cahokia, St. Clair County, Illinois

MYSKY LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N931SH

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Springfield FSDO-19


NTSB Identification: GAA16CA296
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, June 07, 2016 in Cahokia/St. Louis, IL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/27/2016
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22, registration: N931SH
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

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

According to the flight instructor, he was instructing his student in hovering flight operations. He reported that he instructed the student to execute a right pedal turn at a three foot hover. The instructor recalled that the student complied and during the turn, as the tail came into the wind, the helicopter started to weathervane, and the turn rate increased rapidly and did not subside until the helicopter impacted the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both rotor systems.

The instructor reported that there were no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions with any portion of the helicopter that would prevent normal flight operations. 

The instructor reported that the wind velocity at the time of the accident was 11 knots gusting to 16 knots.

Weathercock stability is defined as a region of loss of tail rotor effectiveness (120 degree - 240 degree tailwind) that will weathervane the helicopter, and if not prevented will result in a loss of helicopter control about the horizontal axis.

According to the Helicopter Flying Handbook (FAA 8083-21A):

Pilots who put themselves in situations where the combinations above occur should know that they are likely to encounter LTE. The key is to not put the helicopter in a compromising condition but if it does happen being educated enough to recognize the onset of LTE and be prepared to quickly react to it before the helicopter cannot be controlled.

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

The flight instructor's delayed remedial action and his failure to remain vigilant as the helicopter entered the weathercock stability region, in gusting wind conditions, resulting in loss of tail rotor effectiveness and ground impact.



CAHOKIA • Two people suffered minor injuries Tuesday when a helicopter on a training flight crashed at St. Louis Downtown Airport, authorities confirmed.

Patti Beck, spokeswoman for the airport, said the flight instructor was transported to St. Louis University Hospital, but his injuries were not considered life threatening. The student declined to go to a hospital.


Cahokia police said it received a call at 1:28 pm. from the airport office about the crash. Beck said the helicopter is a Robinson R22, a two-seat aircraft, occupied by an instructor and a trainee.


Midwest Helicopter, based at the airport, confirmed one of its helicopters was involved, but a spokeswoman said, "The accident is under investigation and we have no comment." 


A reporter on the scene said the helicopter was resting on its side in a grassy area near the terminal, with numerous emergency vehicles nearby.


Beck works for Bi-State Development, which owns and operates the airport across the Mississippi River at Cahokia.


Stan Dawid, videographer for KTVI Channel 2, witnessed the crash from the Helicopters Inc. office nearby. Dawid said the helicopter was maneuvering a few feet off the ground when it leaned to the right and its skid hit the ground.


He said the aircraft landed hard, and the blade went spinning away. Dawid said one of the pilots got out and helped the other out of the helicopter. Beck said the student was the one who helped the instructor out of the helicopter.


"You know, it was just a small, low-level maneuver that's pretty common," Dawid said.

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








CAHOKIA, IL (KTVI) - At least one person was injured in a helicopter crash Tuesday at St. Louis Downtown Airport.

According to Patti Beck, an airport spokeswoman, a Robinson 22 helicopter crashed in a grassy area during a training session just before 1:30 p.m.

The flight instructor and a student were on board the helicopter at the time of the crash. Both men could be seen exiting the downed helicopter, but the student had to help lead his instructor away from the crash site.

The student was not injured, but the flight instructor was taken by ambulance to SLU Hospital.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.


Story and video:  http://fox2now.com







CAHOKIA -- A flight instructor suffered minor injuries when a student crashed a helicopter during a flight training Tuesday at St. Louis Downtown Airport in Cahokia.

The crash, which occurred about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, resulted in minor injuries, according to Herb Simmons, St. Clair County’s Emergency Management Agency director.

Patti Beck, spokeswoman for Bi-State Development, which oversees the airport, said two people were aboard: an instructor and a student.

Beck said the flight instructor suffered minor injuries.

“The student assisted him in getting out of the helicopter after the crash,” Beck said.

The instructor was taken to Saint Louis University Hospital, Beck said.

Beck said a Robinson 22 helicopter, owned by Midwest Helicopter, crashed on a grassy area during a flight training.

Interim Cahokia Police Chief Dave Landmann said the crash happened at 1:28 p.m..

“Two people were aboard the helicopter, a 30-year-old pilot from Ramsey, Ill., and a 29-year-old male from St. Louis, Mo.,” Landmann said. “They said they were hovering not far from the ground when a gust of wind came and they lost control.”

An FAA spokeswoman confirmed that the FAA is investigating the crash. She said it could take several weeks to complete.

The spokeswoman, Elizabeth Cory, said, “We are just beginning our investigation. It could take several weeks, possibly a month or more.”

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