Sunday, June 12, 2016

Consolidated Lake LA-4-200 Buccaneer, N1244L: Accident occurred June 12, 2016 in Greers Ferry, Cleburne County, Arkansas

http://registry.faa.gov/N1244L

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Little Rock FSDO-11


NTSB Identification: GAA16CA310
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, June 12, 2016 in Greers Ferry, AR
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/31/2016
Aircraft: CONSOLIDATED AERONAUTICS INC. LAKE LA 4, registration: N1244L
Injuries: 2 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 of the amphibious airplane reported that during the 4th water landing of the flight, during touchdown, "the nose pitched down aggressively" and the airplane nosed over. The pilot further reported that he and the passenger were able to perform an emergency evacuation before the airplane sank. The fuselage sustained substantial damage.

During a postaccident interview with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported that boat wake developed in the landing area and the nose of the airplane "may have been a little low" during the landing. 

According to a police report, the passenger reported that "we misjudged the wave and the plane flipped onto its back." 

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

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The amphibious airplane pilot's incorrect pitch attitude during landing on choppy water, which resulted in a nose over, and substantial damage to the fuselage.

According to emergency crews, the plane went down near Greers Ferry Lake.

The two people on board were sent to the hospital with minor injuries.

The exact cause of the crash has not been released.

Original article can be found here:  http://www.fox16.com

Gen. Daniel "Chappie" James Flight Academy: Weeklong lessons end with students flying and co-piloting

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


Past Chappie James Flight Academy student Catalina Rios takes off with flight instructor Eric Landgraf at Ferguson Airport. The week-long program returns this week.


The teens will learn math. They'll learn science. They'll learn a bit of mechanical engineering. All week, they'll be learning about subjects that most students have put out of their minds during the hot months. Fun summer for them, right?

Actually, it's going to be an awesome summer. Because on Saturday, 30 young boys and girls will take to the skies — many taking their first airplane ride ever at the end of the week-long Gen. Daniel "Chappie" James Flight Academy, now in its 20th year. If they're lucky, they won't just be in the co-pilot seat. They'll actually put their classroom work to use and pilot the plane — with the help of a certified pilot, of course.

"I remember I got to help take off,'' said 30-year-old Adrianette Williams, a recent law school graduate who attended the Flight Academy her sophomore year in high school and volunteered at the Academy the next summer. "I learned about physics, lift, drag. I still remember a lot  of it. It gave me a great basis in science. It's a really great program."

The 20th Gen. Daniel "Chappie" James Flight  Academy begins Monday and the schedule includes classroom work, field trips to Pensacola International Airport, an Airbus and Coast Guard tour in Mobile, Pensacola Naval Air Station, and the childhood home of Pensacola hero, Air Force Gen. Daniel "Chappie" James, the country's first black four-star general or admiral. James died in 1978 at the age of 58.

The Academy is led by former military aviators who trained and instructed at Pensacola Naval Air Station, but now live across the country flying for commercial airlines.

Next year, the Flight Academy is expected to move its operations to the James childhood home. The organization has partnered with the city of Pensacola and various historical and redevelopment groups to use part of the home on Martin Luther King Boulevard for its program. Currently, classes are held at churches and other locations.

"Our goal is to inspire youth to seek careers in the aerospace industry, which is on the upswing in our country,'' said Academy director Cliff Curtis, a former Naval aviator who now flies commercially for United Airlines. "Our new flight academy will be the building block to facilitate and provide aerospace engineers, workers and pilots. We have several alumni who are either working in the aerospace industry."

The program is free to children ages 13 to 18 whose parents cannot afford quality summer programs for their children, Curtis said. The program is funded through community donations and sponsors.

"The community pretty much funds us,'' Curtis said. "We've had a lot of groups and companies that have really invested in this Academy."

About 800 children have gone through the program during the past two decades. There are 30 children enrolled this year. Enrollment is usually done in the spring on a first-come, first-served basis, Curtis said.

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

Tom Hodgson: Pilot for over 50 years hopes to inspire a younger generation to fly

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


Lew Owens and George Ballard from the Federal Aviation Administration present Kokomo pilot Tom Hodgson with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for 50 years of flying incident and accident free on June 10, 2016.



One of the many highlights in Tom Hodgson’s flight career was being a civilian test pilot for the Air Force Geophysics Lab.

As a young, accomplished pilot between 1977 and 1981, he was tasked with doing research on the re-entry of vehicles for the development of ceramic for intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBM.

In more basic terms, he collected important data on the materials used to build missiles.

“When missiles would re-enter the atmosphere, I would be there in the Learjet at 45,000 feet collecting ice crystals and data to know what the re-entry missile went through,” said Hodgson, a licensed pilot since 1966 who holds a degree in aviation maintenance.

During his over 50-year career, he’s flown private planes for the rich and famous. Most recently he flew former New York Jets football player Joe Namath somewhere. Hodgson, who lives in Kokomo, declined to disclose exactly where.

He’s also flown both large and small corporate planes, a commercial plane for a major airline, and has even gone to the Mediterranean to train on a Russian Water Bomber Jet for the purposes of evaluating aircraft for firefighting in the U.S. through the U.S. Forest Service, a “prestigious opportunity” as he recalls.

But in all of Hodgson’s many memorable flight moments, his most recent achievement gives recognition to all of those in his past.

On Friday, June 10, Hodgson was honored with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, given to him through the Federal Aviation Administration.

“He’s a very deserving pilot,” said Lew Owens, program manager for FAAST (Federal Aviation Administration Safety Team.)

Owens presented Hodgson with the award in front of family and friends at the Glenndale Airport in Kokomo. The honor celebrates Hodgson’s more than 50 years of flying accident and incident free.

The recognition made 69-year-old Hodgson feel a bit old, he said jokingly. But he hopes it brings more interest to aviation, he said.

“Half the reason I’m doing this is to help educate other people,” Hodgson said. “Get some people off the couch to come out and learn to fly.”

Interest in aviation has decreased over the years, said Owens. Since the FAA Wright Brothers award was first given out, roughly 30 people in the Indianapolis district have received the honor. And it seems that fewer young people have developed an interest in flying in comparison to years past.

The connection to planes isn’t like it was for older generations, Hodgson said. There was a time when as a child he can remember going to the airport and just sitting and watching the planes take off. That developed his interest. But now, with so much security at flight terminals, that isn’t always possible.

“The aviation community is really a small community of men and women who are in aviation as a career or for personal use,” Owens said. “And so when you have one of your colleagues in aviation who has been involved for 50 years or more and who has flown safely, you respect that person.”

Not very many pilots in Hodgson’s age range get the opportunity to receive an accolade of this sort. They’ve either passed away or their peers – fellow pilots – have passed away, which is unfortunate because to receive the honor you must provide a recommendation from other certified pilots, Hodgson said.

The thought of his work as a pilot being appreciated made Hodgson emotional at the ceremony, which is why he hopes his story inspires a younger generation to explore one of his deepest passions so they may find the same joy he’s found in flying.

For more information on the FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award visit: https://www.faasafety.gov/content/MasterPilot/.

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

Contour continues to live up to promise

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




When Contour Airlines said it would do whatever it takes to provide air service in Tupelo, it would be fair to say they were met with some fair bit of skepticism, a roll of the eyes.

“Here we go again,” many thought.

For good reason, though. After all, we had heard the same before from other airlines who promised good service and reliability.

And we painfully remember what we got: the two previous airlines over-promised and under-delivered. This would be our third airline in four years. Our expectations were low.

The results: People opted to drive elsewhere to fly to where they wanted to go. Columbus, Memphis, Birmingham, Nashville.

But with some 5,000 tickets sold so far this year after beginning service April 5, Contour seems to be doing just fine.

Yes, the $19 one-way promotional ticket kicked things off nicely. But there’s also currently a $29 promotion for certain flights to entice more travelers.

And let’s be honest – most of the seats are being taken by people who are using Contour as an air taxi to get to Nashville. These are people flying to Nashville, spending a day or two, then flying back. But there also are some business travelers making connections in Nashville to get to their next stop.

It would be great if more business travelers got on board, pardon the pun. I know many people wanted a connection to Atlanta, but that’s just not an option for now. We could have picked an airline that offered a single-engine Cessna to fly to Atlanta, but the consensus was that people preferred the twin-engine Jetstream Contour offered instead.

And by Contour’s reckoning – and the Tupelo Regional Airport – Nashville isn’t exactly a small hub.

With nearly 400 flights a day and more than 11 million passengers a year, somebody is flying out of Nashville International, it seems. They’re going to New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, and yes, Atlanta. They’re using American, Delta, Frontier, Jetblue, Southwest and United.

Contour just wants us to give them a shot, and they’re Doing their part so far to get us aboard. They’ve kept a spare plane in Tupelo, they’re buying fuel in Tupelo and most importantly, they’re getting people between Tupleo and Nashville on time.

And there’s even better news to report. In May, not a single Contour flight was canceled. None at all. Thirty flights a week, more than 120 flights total, and no cancellations. When’s the last time you heard that happen?

Granted, it’s only a small sampling, and to be fair, this short period of time doesn’t necessarily set a trend – but it does mean things appear to be on track.

In April, 604 people got on board Contour in Tupelo. Last month, there were 753, for a total of 1,357.

By comparison, for all of 2015, when SeaPort was running the show, a total of 1,517 flew. So in less than two months, Contour has flown almost as many passengers as SeaPort did for an entire year.

One more plus about flying Contour’s Jetstream planes: They were originally configured to seat 19 people, but they now have only nine seats. So there’s plenty of legroom in the plane.

This may be Tupelo’s last shot at keeping an airline, which is why we need to fly with Contour early and often. Forget what happened with the previous airlines. Contour is shaping a far different future it seems.

Original article can be found here: https://djournal.com

Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport (KITH) receives funds for flight academy

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




Big changes could be coming to the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport thanks to a large share of a recent flux in funding coming from New York State.

East Hill Flying Club will be the recipient of a $620,000 share of $10 million in state funding intended for upgrades in airport infrastructure beyond the resources available through local and Federal Aviation Administration funds to expand its operations to become a full-fledged, flight academy.

The funding will allow a new, purpose-built facility to be built for the club and allow it to vacate its current home beside the airport, which could potentially be rented out to a new tenant.

“We felt it was appropriate the busiest flight school in upstate New York — the East Hill Flying Club — should expand and become East Hill Flight Academy and that they have appropriate professional space to do instruction in,” airport manager Mike Hall said.

Hall said air service for airports like Ithaca-Tompkins is significantly limited these days by two factors; one is lack of appropriate equipment for commuter service and the pilots available to fly that equipment—whom the FAA ruled had to net 1,500 hours of flight time as an essentially itinerant worker—as limitations. With a bigger teaching space purpose-built for flight instruction, Hall said East Hill Flying Academy could produce qualified pilots for this very purpose.

Once they vacate their facility on Brown Road, which has frontage on the runway, the empty space could be leased for high-tech industrial development that eventually could generate more revenue for the airport. Airports are developing as sites for high-tech business, a trend documented as early as a decade ago at airports like Dallas-Fort Worth.

“It’s essentially a ‘two birds with one stone’ arrangement,” Hall said.

According to the governor’s office, the new round of funding ties in with a new $200 million Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization competition to be included in the 2016-17 budget agreement, which will solicit proposals to “promote, revitalize and accelerate investments in Upstate commercial passenger and cargo service airports,” according to a news release.

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

US regulators complain of 'undue pressure' from Boeing: Federal Aviation Administration engineers say they faced "verbal abuse" after raising technical issues about the Boeing 787

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




By  Al Jazeera Investigative Unit

Dozens of engineers responsible for regulation of the long-delayed 787 "Dreamliner" aircraft told US authorities that senior Boeing managers pressured them to approve designs and parts before they felt ready.

They said when they tried to enforce official standards on the 787 programme they came under "undue pressure" and were either "talking to a brick wall" or subjected to "verbal abuse and verbal ridicule".

Documents show that in 2009, Boeing handled 21 "issues" - as the company classified them - where engineers with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authority felt they had come under "undue pressure". The papers were obtained by Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit, as part of follow-up research for its documentary Broken Dreams: The Boeing 787.

A chart from Boeing's records shows it was dealing with two issues every month, except in October 2009 when it dealt with three cases. There were no issues reported in the final two months of the year.

Boeing employed the engineers, but they were also authorised to represent the FAA, which says that since 2008 it has received three formal reports of "undue pressure". The regulator investigated all three reports, but did not substantiate any of them.

In 2010, with the much-hyped 787 "Dreamliner" already years delayed and several billion dollars over budget, a group of four senior regulating engineers reported that they worked in "an atmosphere of undue pressure" at Boeing "driven from second-level management and above".

In a phone conference in April that year, they complained that "workload, performance and expectations relative to schedule" were too high and that they were facing "unprofessional negativity" from their colleagues in "a punitive environment".

The group, who regulated the plane's fuel systems, told the FAA that other Boeing engineers portrayed them as "impediments and bottlenecks" to production, who were slowing down production by "nit-picking" in a "contentious and arbitrary" way.

One engineer even said that a Boeing manager introduced him to colleagues as "The Bottleneck". Another reported that a manager had threatened to remove him from the fuel systems team if he continued to make regulatory demands.

'Brick Wall'

One senior engineer complained he was "talking to a brick wall" when insisting to Boeing engineers and managers that regulatory standards should be enforced.

"I ... was being asked to do something that I absolutely could not do as an [Authorised Representative of the FAA]," wrote the engineer, who had responsibility for regulating flammability standards on the 787. "I could not continue the meeting without going beyond unacceptable stress levels, so I walked out."

The FAA hands over responsibility for regulation of aircraft such as the 787 to Boeing engineers, saying they lack the expertise and resources to do it themselves, and that modern airplane programmes are too complicated to regulate independently.

If the FAA-authorised engineers at Boeing then feel they are coming under undue pressure from company managers, they complain to the FAA, which then investigates, consulting Boeing management.

"I always believe that where there is smoke, there is fire," said former Boeing Engineers Union President Cynthia Cole, after seeing the documents. "I would have expected Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) to bring in a Tiger Team from Boeing Defense to conduct an impartial investigation."

That did not happen. The FAA investigated complaints of undue pressure on the Boeing 787 programme in 2009, 2010 and 2011, but in each case rejected them and took no further action. It has released details of the cases in response to a freedom of information request made by Al Jazeera more than two-and-a-half years ago, as part of the award-winning investigative documentary, Broken Dreams: The Boeing 787. Al Jazeera is releasing all the documents online here.

The papers show that in 2011, FAA officials visited Boeing and found managers were "applying pressure to identify changes and minor instead of major" in order to avoid regulatory scrutiny. They also found some suppliers were not delivering parts that complied with drawings.

After its investigations, the FAA wrote to Boeing on June 29 demanding action on six issues and requesting a response within 30 days. Boeing replied on September 8, several weeks past its deadline, stating that no corrective action was needed on any of the six issues. The FAA told Al Jazeera it was "satisfied with Boeing’s investigation and the associated outcomes".

"This seems to fall in line with the new Boeing culture," said Cole, who also said the relationship between Boeing and the FAA "may have become a bit too cozy."

"A bit of an adversarial nature between the FAA and Boeing engineering keeps everyone on their toes," she said.

"If the FAA was acting truly independently, I would have expected the Investigation and Cause Summary to have netted some recommendations for required further actions. 'Good enough' does not work for commercial aircraft safety."

The FAA says it works jointly with Boeing toward similar safety objectives. "As a regulatory authority, the FAA also conducts oversight of BCA in accordance with federal law and FAA policy."

After its investigation, the FAA made no recommendations or demands for action, but simply identified and recorded a number of problems at Boeing:

- Managers perceived as "applying pressure" on regulating engineers 
- Managers transferring regulating engineers when they were not happy with their demands 
- Regulating engineers not being consulted on appeals against compliance rulings 
- Management performing tasks meant for regulating engineers 
- Concern that "pressure is now being applied" to workers who provide data to the regulating engineers

Boeing says all allegations of "undue pressure" were taken seriously, thoroughly investigated, and found to be "without merit". The company added that it works "appropriately and professionally with all oversight authorities worldwide to ensure our products conform to the highest regulatory and safety standards".

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

Federal Aviation Administration tries 'driving a stake' through reporter's heart: Long battle for information from U.S. aviation regulator

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




by Will Jordan


It took the FAA more than two-and-a-half years to reply to one of our freedom of information requests, filed while we worked on our investigation Broken Dreams: the Boeing 787. We're still waiting on another, which we're told will come in July. That will be a three-year wait. It's pretty clear the agency is no friends of reporters.

"Sigh. I thought we'd driven a stake [or maybe even a steak] through Mother Sheila's heart … but no," writes Les Dorr, one of the FAA's media guys.

"Mother Sheila" is Sheila Kaplan, formerly of Mother Jones magazine, now with StatNews.com. She was producing an investigative TV piece with Dan Rather on the 787 in 2007 and was asking numerous questions. "I told her, enough already!" wrote Dorr to his colleagues.

I showed Kaplan the comments and she was unsurprised. "The FAA's reluctance to answer questions about its oversight problems with Boeing is well-known."

"As a reporter, I don't care what PR people say about me. But, as a frequent flier, I truly hate to travel on airlines overseen by people who are dumb enough to put these kinds of comments in writing."

The FAA had no comment, but pointed out that Mr Dorr is not responsible for overseeing airline safety.

Twelve viewers, 8 fish

Kaplan and Rather's show generated lots of email chatter at the FAA. 

"I am getting more and more concerned about the report that Sheila Kaplan is preparing on the 787 certification," wrote Ali Bahrami, the regulator who finally signed off the "Dreamliner".

"I am not sure where all this will end up taking me."

After the programme aired, Special Assistant Julie Kitelinger concluded "it wasn't very well done", but it generated national attention and "a lot of reporters started submitting FOIA requests" straight afterwards.

Dorr also snipes that the programme, "probably has about 12 viewers in Seattle, and 8 of those are fish".

In the face of such negative publicity, Bahrami rallied the troops. "Hang in there," he wrote. "We are going to come out looking even more credible… This is a great learning opportunity for us all."

"It is hard to believe that a single person could cause this much chaos in an organisation," he wrote, presumably with reference to the whistleblower featured in the show, Vince Weldon.

The papers prove that the questions Kaplan was asking questions were hard for the FAA engineers to answer.

"We do not know what rules will ultimately be applied to lightning protection on the 787," Mike Dostert conceded privately to his FAA colleagues after a question from Kaplan back in October 2007.

Whistleblower Weldon had been calling into question the FAA and Boeing's safety to solutions to the carbon composite conundrum.

It all supports the theory, put to me by more than one Boeing engineer, that the company raced into building an all-composite fuselage for the 787, and only thought through all the engineering implications later.

The Boeing old-school ties grumble that in the New Boeing, marketing and sales people have a lot more influence than in the past.

Conflicts of interest

The rest of the documents the FAA has released are interesting too. The regulator delegates its responsibility for hands-on regulation to Boeing engineers. The papers show some of those guys were complaining about too much pressure coming from their Boeing bosses, who wanted them to hurry up and sign things off.

Many Boeing engineers we spoke to complained of this pressure. The old refrain was, "quality is king, but schedule is god!" That's the problem - a regulator-engineer is stuck in the middle between the FAA, where the stated priorities are safety and quality, and the Boeing business, where quality, safety, schedule and profit are all jostling for priority.

The relationship between the FAA and the businesses it regulates is even more problematic when you see how FAA officials, like the Director of the Aircraft Certification Service Dorenda Baker, refer to such companies as "customers". Is the FAA regulating aviation companies or selling them a service?

The regulator says it may have referred to companies we regulate as customers, "but more frequently we identify them as applicants or stakeholders. However, the specific term used does not alter the regulatory relationship. The FAA conducts its oversight of industry in accordance with federal law and FAA policy".

In 2007, when the FAA was working to delegate greater authority to Boeing, Philip Forde in the Seattle certification office reported to headquarters that Boeing was "frustrated by some of the strict procedures" that hamper their production.

Regulator-engineers who are on the shop floor, known in the jargon as Authorised Representatives (ARs), are supposed to be wearing their regulator hats, but they're also Boeing employees. So what do they do when, as is recorded in these papers, their managers complain that they are slowing things down?

The Bottleneck

One of these guys claims he was ridiculed and nicknamed "The Bottleneck" because he was such an obstacle to getting things done to Boeing’s schedule.

Another complained he was "talking to a brick wall" when he raised his concerns. We also read how the same engineer stormed out of a meeting because his Boeing managers wouldn't listen to his concerns.

It all makes sense when you put it into a bit of context. This was 2010, when the much-hyped 787 "Dreamliner" was already years delayed and several billion dollars over budget and becoming a costly embarrassment for Boeing. The company was under huge pressure to get it out of the hangar doors, off to the airlines and into the air. After all, they'd promised to have it ready to go by the Beijing Olympics, two years earlier.

The papers also show how, despite all the complaints from the ARs, the FAA remains deeply committed to the delegation system.

"It's really good to be back working with the FAA again... I'm really anxious to dig in and move us forward on the path to increased delegation," writes a Boeing employee [name redacted] to Ali Bahrami in October 2007.

Bahrami replies that "you are going to have a very important role within the company. We are going to be relying on you to ensure that the needed cultural change does occur and will continue to be the operating norm. You can rely on my support".

The FAA told Al Jazeera that delegation "leverages limited FAA resources and can respond to changes in workload and industry needs", and that the system is "a critical component of our safety system; therefore we impose the highest technical and ethical standards on our designees in order to ensure public, congressional, industry, and FAA confidence".

The FAA commitment to delegation came through in the NTSB hearings after the 787 grounding in 2013. Bahrami and Baker fiercely defended the system, saying it works well and they're simply not equipped to regulate by themselves. That is an odd sort of reassurance.

More broadly, when you think of the recent and ever-widening emissions scandal that began at Volkswagen, and of the horsemeat scandal in British food regulation and of the countless other failures of government regulation, you have to wonder whether the light touch really is the right touch.

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

Airport officials: Stricter standards creating commercial pilot shortage

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




Lucas Busch recently fulfilled all the requirements to graduate from the University of Dubuque’s aviation program.

But despite his accomplishments in the classroom, it could still be more than a year before Busch can fly for a commercial airline, he said.

“It’s disappointing,” Busch said. “I’m not sure I see the reason in it.”

In 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration more than quadrupled the amount of flight time pilots must accumulate before earning Airline Pilot Certification.

Pilots previously needed to amass 250 hours to earn their commercial wings. Now, 1,500 hours of cockpit time are needed before certification.

“The rule gives first officers a stronger foundation of aeronautical knowledge and experience before they fly for an air carrier,” FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said in a 2013 press release. “With this rule and our efforts to address pilot fatigue — both initiatives championed by the families of Colgan flight 3407 — we’re making a safe system even safer.”

Prospective airline pilots like Busch are exempt from 500 of those hours due to his four-year degree. Former military pilots also can achieve certification after 1,000 hours.

But Busch said he expects to wait up to two years before he can be certified.

“I’m looking to get it done as a flight instructor,” Busch said. “That’s usually the best way.”

Robert Grierson, manager of the Dubuque Regional Airport, said the rule has dissuaded many aviation students from pursuing careers as pilots. The move also has created a pilot shortage, putting a strain on the aviation industry, he said.

“It’s not appealing to go into flight school anymore,” Grierson said. “The airlines are now desperate to get any pilots.”

Grierson said the rule change came after a series of recent crashes and accidents. The tipping point was when Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashed in Clarence Center, N.Y.

A report by the National Transportation Safety Board later cited the pilots’ inappropriate response to a stalling turboprop as the cause of the crash. Both pilots had more than 2,000 hours of recorded flight time.

Grierson said many have questioned whether the rule will be effective in preventing crashes.

“I don’t understand where the 1,500 number even comes from,” Grierson said. “To me, it’s an arbitrary number, and it doesn’t address that flight time is not the reason that accident happened.”

Chaminda Prelis, assistant aviation department head at the University of Dubuque, said the time it takes students to complete required flight hours can range from one to two years.

Prelis said the requirement has encouraged students to pursue careers in aviation management, rather than as certified pilots. As a result, the number of pilots has decreased while airline demand has increased.

“It used to be that the students had to do some legwork to get hired by an airline, but now, we have the airlines coming to us,” Prelis said. “They’re desperate to get pilots to fill their planes.”

Grierson said the pilot shortage has forced major airlines to limit where they send flights. That’s particularly problematic for regional airports, which tend to see fewer fliers.

“These pilots are needed for the flights that are being filled with passengers,” Grierson said. “If these smaller airports aren’t filling up their planes, then they have the chance of getting the flight canceled.”

Grierson said the Dubuque Regional Airport has been lucky enough to report consistently filled flights, so it’s unlikely the community will lose flights. However, there’s not much opportunity for expansion, he said.

“The strategy is to pick the most profitable routes when they have a limited crew,” Grierson said. “I have talked with several carriers, and they are all telling me that they are hesitant of any expansion.”

Corporations also have been affected by the rule, according to Prelis. With commercial airlines snatching up all the new pilots, the number of graduating students opting to fly for corporations has decreased dramatically, he said.

“It used to be that the graduating students that either did commercial or corporate was split half and half,” Prelis said. “It’s almost completely commercial now, though.”

Grierson said organizations like the Regional Airline Association are lobbying against the rule. But any change is unlikely, he said.

“The people behind this are very passionate about it,” Grierson said. “They are thinking emotionally, and that’s creating this problem.”

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

Council to vote on master plan for Majors Field (KGVT)

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




The Greenville City Council may vote Tuesday on a proposal which is expected to result in the relocation of several buildings at Majors Field, the City of Greenville Municipal Airport.

The council is scheduled to consider the approval of a master plan for redeveloping the airport, with the vote included under Tuesday’s regular session agenda, which starts at 6 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 2821 Washington Street. A work session is also set at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

The plan was the focus of public meetings in February and May.

The redevelopment is being prompted in part by the expected expansion of L-3 Mission Integration, the airport’s largest tenant, although there is no proposed timetable for the  expansion currently.

Upon the council’s vote to adopt the plan, it would be forwarded to the TxDOT Aviation Division and the FAA for final approval, with the final designs for the project expected to take another six or nine months to complete.

An engineering phase as well as the construction phase will follow after TxDOT Aviation and FAA approve the plan.

The proposal would be accomplished in phases, to accommodate the intention by L-3 Mission Integration to expand into 114 more acres on the airport grounds, including 55 acres where the seven buildings which include the T-hangars and the home of the Air-Evac Lifeteam air ambulance service are currently situated.

The number of hangars would also increase from the current two dozen to an expected 54 hangars.

Those needing additional information can view the proposal at www.ci.greenville.tx.us/984/Proposed-Airport-Master-Plan .

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

Big Muddy Air Race canvasses southern Illinois

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



MURPHYSBORO -- The fourth Big Muddy Air Race was at the Southern Illinois Airport in Murphysboro on Saturday.

It took place over 132 miles of southern Illinois with turns near Pinckneyville, Chester, Grand Tower, Jonesboro and more.

The 24 pilots came from near and far, some, as close as Carbondale, others from Canada and New Mexico. But what's more, most of the planes were homemade.

"There are six certified planes or factory built planes and the other 18 are all home built aircraft," said Mark Bybee, a pilot from Carterville.

He said it usually takes four to five years to make the planes. The race also included different classes of planes, with varying speeds.

Bybee said "We have four different classes and they range from 300-200 miles per hours in the first class, from 200 to 150, 150-110 and 110 and below."

One of the pilots who traveled quite a ways was Linda Street-ely. She flew in from Liberty, Texas near Houston, and says she's done a lot of tweaking to her certified plane. "We've done a lot of special things to our plane, ...the engine, the propeller, the exhaust and the airframe," Street-ely said.

And she was the only female pilot, something she noticed right away, adding "I love to fly fast. I would really like to see more women get involved in aviation. It's a great opportunity and there just aren't enough of us here." And on she did go fast. Just before take-off she was expecting to go about 160 miles per hour.

Saturday evening Race Organizer Sam Hoskins said the fastest plane was flown by Steve Hammer of Georgia at a swift 221 miles per hour.

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

Bruce Thompson: Our new region needs a new airport

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

GUEST COLUMNIST:  Bruce Thompson

Bruce Thompson, who lives in Virginia Beach, is chief executive of Gold Key/PHR, which builds and operates hotels, including The Main conference center in Norfolk.


I HAVE LONG lamented air service to our region and its constraining impact on our economy and quality of life. Now, with talk of a mega-airport serving a newly defined mega-region spanning Richmond to the Oceanfront, along with the Go Virginia’s plan to promote regional cooperation, this discussion has been energized.

When we think of “regionalism” we ordinarily think of shared services, where all metropolitan and micropolitan areas gain benefits through expense reductions, economies of scale and efficiencies. Typical examples include trash collection, transit, safety and regional jails.

However, when this topic moves to regional economic development and building regional revenues, the discussions become parochial and defensive. That mindset has dominated past discussions about a regional airport.

Leaders in government and business, at both the state and local levels, agree that diversification is key to our future. With new economic opportunities comes the chance to relocate corporate headquarters to a region where the workforce is exceptional and the quality of life superior.

But companies operate globally. They can’t afford to conduct business where air travel routinely involves delays, cancellations and lost luggage because of multiple connections.

In short, we won’t be able to attract new industries to a region where domestic travel, much less international travel, is inconvenient, limited and historically unreliable.

I am often asked about the opportunities for the state and region to grow and expand our tourism base.

Our natural and historic setting makes us an extremely desirable vacation destination for six months out of the year.

The shoulder season and off-season tourism industry will continue to expand as convention and conference facilities and year-round attractions come on line.

However, the growth of tourism will remain limited to geographical regions within an easy drive so long as air travel remains so unreliable.

Meetings and conventions from around the globe typically plan their meetings and conventions in our “off-season” and would find Hampton Roads and the broader mega-region a most desirable destination. These larger groups, with their substantial disposable income, would fill our hotels and restaurants, providing the high-value, low-impact tourism tax dollar every locality seeks.

But in deciding where to go, planners look for ease of access, where the majority of attendees can fly directly, limiting inconvenience and cost while increasing participation.

The limited number of direct flights serving our local airports severely hampers our attractiveness.

Naysayers argue that existing local airports provide financial benefits to their cities. That repurposing existing airports, possibly to cargo terminals, would be costly.

They argue that citizens of this region would not be receptive to travelling a greater distance to a better airport, as people in almost every other metropolitan region routinely do.

An airport located in the U.S. 460 corridor, for example, could serve the region from Richmond to the Oceanfront.

It would be a major undertaking and a costly proposition. But critical infrastructure decisions are always costly.

Aside from economic arguments, quality of life must be part of the discussion.

The residents of cities with underused airports enjoy easy access. For everyone, however, any advantage ends at the terminal gate.

Local flights are often on small regional jets that require at least one connection. These smaller planes have limited luggage space and the fares are pricey. Delays, poor connections and flight cancellations are more than a nuisance.

When planning vacations, I routinely look for airports that offer a direct flight to my destination, even if that means driving to Richmond or D.C. Time, especially family vacation time, is just too precious.

Changes are required to reposition our region to meet the needs and demands of a diverse and robust economy, to enhance our quality of life, and to make the region more attractive. Significant strides have been made in addressing intrastate and regional highway needs both for now and the future. While laudable, it is also time to address connectivity beyond the region and state.

Part of transportation planning, prioritizing and assessment must include the long-term air travel needs of the mega-region. Failure to plan for this would irretrievably relegate our region and the future generations of citizens who live and work here to permanent status as a secondary market. Our region deserves better.

Original article can be found here: http://pilotonline.com/opinion/columnist

Loss of Control in Flight: Mooney M20E Super 21, N7830Y; fatal accident occurred June 11, 2016 at Collegedale Municipal Airport (KFGU), Hamilton County, Tennessee


Todd Silver


Todd Sterling Silver, 57, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, succumbed to his injuries on June 12, 2016, in Collegedale, Tennessee. He was the owner and founder of the international company Todd's Canopies and had a deep passion for flying. He was a devoted husband to his wife, Tetiana Silver, whom he adored, and a caring father to his four children. Todd was loved not only by family and friends, but by members of the aviation community all over the world. He was a very gifted pilot and engineer. 


Suzanne Joyce Silver

Suzanne Joyce Silver lost her life in a tragic airplane crash in Collegedale, Tennessee on June 11, 2016 along with her son, Todd Silver, and grandson, Gerhard Silver. Her granddaughter, Gabriella, survived the crash.

Gerhard Stefan Silver
June 14, 2002 - June 11, 2016

Gerhard Stefan Silver, son of Todd Silver and Jennifer Moritz, was born June 14, 2002 and called up to Jesus June 11, 2016. We rejoice that he is in God’s glory and presence.  Gerhard lived his young life as a servant of our Lord and is painfully missed. 


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

Additional Participating Entities: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Nashville, Tennessee 
Lycoming Engines; Arlington, Texas

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

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N7830V

Location: Collegedale, TN
Accident Number: ERA16FA208
Date & Time: 06/11/2016, 1246 EDT
Registration: N7830V
Aircraft: MOONEY M20E
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 3 Fatal, 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

Analysis 

At the end of the second leg of a cross-country flight, the private pilot made an approach to runway 3 at the destination airport and subsequently performed a go-around. A flight instructor, who was about 3 miles from the airport and preparing to land on runway 21 did not hear any radio communications from the accident pilot. He observed the airplane in a climbing left turn near the departure end of runway 3, about 80 to 100 ft above the ground. The airplane then made a steep 45° to 60° bank to the right, with a nose-high attitude. As it progressed through the turn, the airplane's nose dropped, and it began a slow 270° rotation at a high descent rate. The airplane impacted the ground and came to rest upright on a grass area adjacent to the east side of runway 3.

Data from an onboard GPS confirmed the flight path described by the flight instructor and showed that the airplane's groundspeed was about 74 mph during the right turn. The airplane owner's manual indicated that the airplane's stall speed in a 60° bank varied from 90 to 96 mph indicated airspeed depending on flap setting.

Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Based on witness information and recorded GPS data, it is likely that the pilot failed to maintain airspeed while maneuvering after the go-around, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, an aerodynamic stall, and subsequent loss of control.

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 adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering after a go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

Findings

Aircraft
Airspeed - Not attained/maintained (Cause)
Angle of attack - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Aircraft control - Pilot (Cause)

Factual Information

History of Flight

Approach-VFR go-around
Loss of control in flight (Defining event)

Uncontrolled descent
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

On June 11, 2016, about 1246 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20E, N7830V, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain while maneuvering after a go-around at the Collegedale Municipal Airport (FGU), Collegedale, Tennessee. The private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured, and one passenger was seriously injured. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight.

According to information obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the flight originated from the North Perry Airport (HWO), Hollywood, Florida, and landed at the Harris County Airport, Pine Mountain (PIM), Georgia, before continuing to FGU. Flight track data recovered from an onboard GPS device showed that the airplane departed PIM at 1128:14 and proceeded toward FGU.

A flight instructor reported that he was conducting a flight with a student pilot and was about 3 miles east of FGU setting up to land on runway 21, when he saw the accident airplane on short final approach to land on runway 3. The flight instructor contacted airport personnel via the common traffic advisory frequency and confirmed that the wind was favoring runway 21. The flight instructor did not hear any radio communications from the accident airplane. Shortly thereafter, he observed the accident airplane in a climbing left turn near the departure end of runway 3, about 80 to 100 ft above the ground. The airplane then made a steep 45° to 60° bank to the right, with a nose-high attitude. As it progressed through the turn, the airplane's nose dropped, and it began a slow 270° rotation at a high descent rate.

Figure 1 shows the airplane's GPS track during the approach and go-around at FGU. The go-around began at 1245:20; the airplane made a left climbing turn at groundspeeds that varied between 79 and 67 mph and, about 1245:50, reached a maximum GPS altitude of about 1,080 ft. The left turn continued for another 10 seconds as the airplane descended to 990 ft with an average groundspeed of about 75 mph. The airplane's last GPS target recorded at 1246:01 indicated a right turn, at a GPS altitude of 971 ft and a groundspeed of about 74 mph.


Figure 1. Plotted GPS Data for Approach and Go-Around


The airplane impacted the ground and came to rest upright on a grass area adjacent to the east side of runway 3, about 1,000 ft from the approach end of runway 21.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 57, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 01/26/2015
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 01/28/2015
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 550 hours (Total, all aircraft), 70 hours (Total, this make and model) 

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on January 26, 2015, with no limitations. At that time, he reported a total flight experience of 550 hours.

A pilot logbook obtained by an FAA inspector indicated that the pilot had logged about 16 hours in the airplane between February and April 2015 and that he had satisfactorily completed a flight review in accordance with 14 CFR Part 61.56 on January 28, 2015. The last entry in the logbook was dated April 11, 2015. The investigation could not determine the pilot's flight experience during the 14-months preceding the accident.



Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: MOONEY
Registration: N7830V
Model/Series: M20E
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1964
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 452
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 02/01/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2575 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 25 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3015 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: C91A installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-360-A1A
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 200 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

The four-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear, all-metal airplane was manufactured in 1964. It was powered by a 200-horsepower Lycoming IO-360-A1A engine, equipped with a three-blade constant-speed Hartzell propeller assembly.

According to FAA records, the pilot purchased the airplane on February 13, 2015. Review of the airplane's logbooks revealed that its most recent annual inspection was performed on February 1, 2016, at an airframe total time of about 2,990 hours. At the time of the inspection, the engine had accumulated about 93 hours of operation since major overhaul. At the time of the accident, the airplane had been operated about 25 hours since the annual inspection and about 70 hours since it was purchased by the pilot.

Stall speed information for the airplane was contained in a stall speed vs bank angle chart located in the owner's manual (see figure 2).


Figure 2. – Stall Speed vs Bank Angle Chart


METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The 1253 weather observation at Lovel Field Airport, Chattanooga, Tennessee, located about 9 nautical miles west of the accident site, reported calm wind, 10 statute miles visibility, few clouds at 5,000 ft above ground level, temperature 33°C, dew point 16°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.14 inches of mercury.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

FGU was owned by the City of Collegedale and classified by the FAA as a public airport. The airport elevation was 860 ft above mean sea level, and the asphalt runway was configured in a 3/21 orientation. The runway was 4,986 ft-long by 75 ft-wide. The runway 3 threshold was displaced 400 ft due to trees before the approach end of the runway.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

A 70-ft-long ground scar, oriented on a magnetic heading of about 200° led to the main wreckage, which was resting on a magnetic heading of about 050°.

All major portions of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The airplane was not equipped with shoulder harnesses. The landing gear was in the retracted position, and the fuel selector was positioned to the left fuel tank. The right wing separated near its wing root. The right flap remained attached to the wing, which was compressed aft, bent upward, and twisted at the outboard end. The right fuel tank was compromised, and no fuel was observed in the right fuel tank. The left wing remained attached to the fuselage. The left flap was separated and located under the wing. The underside of the left wing was compressed upward along the entire leading edge. An undetermined amount of fuel was observed leaking from the left fuel tank, and about 15 gallons of fuel were recovered from the tank. The aft 5 ft of the fuselage before the empennage was deformed.

The airplane's flight controls were actuated by push-pull tubes. All primary flight controls remained connected at their respective attach points. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the elevator and rudder control surfaces to the forward cockpit area. Due to impact damage, flight control continuity could not be confirmed from the forward cockpit area to the control yokes or from the left and right ailerons to the forward cockpit area. In addition, the preimpact position of the hydraulically-controlled flaps could not be determined due to impact damage.

The front portion of the airplane, which included the engine, was displaced downward and to the right. The engine crankshaft was rotated by hand via the three-blade propeller assembly, which remained attached and displayed evidence consistent with rotation on two of the three blades. Valve train continuity was observed, and thumb compression was obtained on each cylinder. In addition, all cylinders were examined using a borescope, and no anomalies were observed. The oil suction and fuel servo inlet screens were absent of contamination. Both magnetos were impact damaged; however, they produced spark from their respective towers when rotated by hand.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Office of the Hamilton County Medical Examiner, Chattanooga, Tennessee, performed an autopsy on the pilot. According to the autopsy report, the cause of death was "multiple blunt forces injuries." No significant natural disease was identified. Toxicological testing performed on specimens from the pilot as part of the autopsy was negative for any tested substances.

Toxicological testing performed by the FAA Bioaeronautical Science Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on specimens obtained from the pilot's initial hospital admission identified midazolam in blood and serum. Midazolam is a sedative hypnotic benzodiazepine medication commonly used during resuscitative efforts. Hospital records indicated that paramedics administered midazolam to the pilot as part of the his on-scene care. 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: CHA, 682 ft msl
Observation Time: 1253 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 9 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 270°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 5000 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 33°C / 16°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: Calm
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 30.14 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: PINE MOUNTAIN, GA (PIM)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Collegedale, TN (FGU)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1128 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G 

Airport Information

Airport: COLLEGEDALE MUNI (FGU)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 860 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 03
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 4986 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Go Around

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 2 Fatal, 1 Serious
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 Fatal, 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 35.047500, -85.018056

NTSB Identification: ERA16FA208 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, June 11, 2016 in Collegedale, TN
Aircraft: MOONEY M20E, registration: N7830V
Injuries: 3 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 11, 2016, about 1245 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20E, N7830V, owned and operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain while maneuvering after a go-around at the Collegedale Municipal Airport (FGU), Collegedale, Tennessee. The private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. One passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to initial information obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the flight originated from the North Perry Airport (HWO), Hollywood, Florida, and landed at the Harris County Airport, Pine Mountain (PIM), Georgia, before continuing to FGU.

A flight instructor reported that he was conducting a flight with a student pilot and was on approach runway 21 at FGU, when he witnessed the accident airplane on short final approach to runway 3. The flight instructor contacted the airport via Unicom and confirmed that the landing runway was runway 21. In addition, he did not hear any communications from the accident airplane. Shortly thereafter, he observed the accident airplane in a climbing left turn, near the departure end of runway 3, approximately 80 to 100 feet above the ground. The airplane then made a steep 45 to 60 degree bank to the right, with a nose high attitude. As it progressed through the turn, the airplane's nose dropped and it began a slow 270 degree rotation at a high decent rate.

The airplane impacted ground and came to rest upright on a grass area adjacent to the east side of runway 3, about 1,000 feet prior to the approach end of runway 21. A 70 foot-long ground scar, oriented about a magnetic heading of about 200 degrees preceded the main wreckage, which was resting on a magnetic heading of about 50 degrees.

All major portions of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The landing gear was in the retracted position and the fuel selector was positioned to the left wing fuel tank. The right wing separated near its wing root. It was also compressed aft, bent upward, and twisted at the outboard end. The right fuel tank was compromised and no fuel was observed in the right fuel tank. The left wing remained attached to the fuselage. The underside of the left wing was compressed upward along the entire leading edge. An undermined amount of fuel was observed leaking from the left wing fuel tank, and approximately 15 gallons of fuel was recovered from the tank. The aft 5 feet of the fuselage prior to the empennage was deformed. The airplane's flight controls were actuated by push-pull tubes. All primary flight controls remained connected at their respective attached points. Initial examination of the engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The engine crankshaft was rotated by hand via the three-bladed propeller assembly; which remained attached and displayed evidence consistent with rotation on two of the three blades. Valve train continuity was observed and thumb compressions were obtained on all cylinders. The oil suction and fuel servo inlet screens were absent of contamination.

A portable global positioning system receiver was recovered from the accident site and forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, DC, for download.

According to FAA records, the pilot purchased the airplane on February 13, 2015. In addition, he reported 550 hours of total flight experience on his most recent application for an FAA third-class medical certificate, which was issued on January 26, 2015.

The recorded weather at an airport located approximately 9 miles west of the accident site, at 1253, included calm wind, visibility 10 statute miles, and temperature 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit).
  



HAMILTON COUNTY, TN (WRCB) -

Dan Barks was getting ready to land at Collegedale Airport Saturday afternoon when he was told to divert to Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport.

“When you hear something like that in this business you know it's because of a crash. your first thought is I hope no one was injured, your second thought is I hope no one was killed,” said Barks, Aviation Attorney.

Airport officials say shortly before 1 PM this single engine airplane carrying four people attempted to land when it crashed.

Two people died at the airport. The other two were flown to Erlanger.

“We were able to land in Chattanooga and we were given a car to come back here and tidy some things up and pick up some gear, and that's when we saw what had happened,” said Barks.

Barks who works as an aviation attorney says unfortunately he's investigated hundreds of plane crashes throughout his career.

“Immediately you are thinking of the families who are waiting for loved one's to come home and may not see them come home. That’s unfortunate the price of these crashes,” said Barks.

Barks says whenever there is a plane crash the FAA steps in to investigate. He says they will take statements, pictures, and pick up the wreckage.

“So the FAA is going to come, they are going to look at how it impacted, they are going to look at what the propeller blades looked like,” said barks.

Barks says looking at the debris he can only speculate about what happened.

“It looked like it was a very flat impact, meaning not an impact where one might think of an airplane where it crashes nose down. This appeared to be very flat,” said Barks.

According to the FAA registry, the plane was registered to a pilot out of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Officials have not confirmed the names of the four people who were on board when the plane crashed, but Barks says he will be keeping them in his thoughts.

“I cannot imagine. This is all I’ve done, dealing with families who lost everything and they lose it in an instant,” said Barks.

The NTSB will be at the Collegedale Airport Sunday doing their investigation.

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

The pilot of a small plane that crashed at the Collegedale Airport on Saturday has died from his injuries.

Family members said Todd Silver passed away on Sunday.

His mother, Suzanne Silver, died in the crash along with the pilot's young son, Gerhard Silver.

His daughter was also airlifted after the crash.

The family, from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was in Collegedale for a family gathering.


The funeral for Suzanne Silver, Todd Silver and Gerhard Silver will be Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Collegedale Church at 4829 College Dr. 


COLLEGEDALE, TN (WRCB) -

Aviation officials spent the early part of Sunday surveying what's left of the single-engine plane that crashed Saturday at the Collegedale Airport. They hope the wreckage will help determine what caused the Mooney M20E Super 21 to go down.

“They are going to look at how it impacted, they are going to look at what the propeller blades looked like. Was there an indication of the power on these blades when they hit,” said Dan Barks.

Collegedale police now say two of the four people on board were killed. The pilot, Todd Silver from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, survived and is in critical condition at a local hospital. 

“It is very, very sad, my family sends out condolences and prayers to all the families involved in this crash,” said Bob Etheridge, a witness to the crash.

FAA records shows Silver purchased the aircraft last spring. Not only does he enjoy flying planes, he also enjoys working on them. He's the owner of Todd’s Canopies. It is a business that designs and fits different kinds of aircrafts with canopies.

On his public Facebook page, he recently posted pictures of a trip to Key West in the same plane that crashed in Collegedale.

”Unfortunate, you're thinking of the families that are waiting for loved ones to come home and may not see them tonight. That’s the price of these crashes,” said Barks.

Eyewitnesses say they saw Silver struggling to reach altitude and could quickly tell something was wrong. Bob Etheridge believes the plane may have been returning to the airport immediately following take off due to some kind of issue.

“Circling rather quickly maybe the pilot was trying to come back. Unfortunate he didn't make it,” said the Etheridge.

As officials comb through the wreckage for answers, news of this deadly accident is still sinking in.

“Tragic, it's sad, it's tragic. You can feel it. It's terrible.. it's terrible,” said one neighbor.

Silver was flying with his mother, Suzanne Silver, and his two children, a boy and girl when the crash happened.

Silver's mother and son were pronounced dead on the scene.

Silver and his daughter were flown to a local hospital where they were listed in critical condition as of Saturday. 


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




On Saturday, around 12:50 p.m., Collegedale Police along with Tri-Community Fire Department, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Hamilton County Emergency Management, Hamilton County Rescue, and Hamilton County EMS, responded to a plane crash at the Collegedale Airport.

The plane was a Mooney M20E Super 21, bearing the tail number N7830V. The aircraft was registered to the pilot, Todd Silver, of Ft. Lauderdale. The pilot was traveling with his mother, Suzanne Silver, and his two children. Ms. Silver and a male child were pronounced deceased on the scene. Mr. Silver and his daughter were air-lifted by Life Force and UT Lifestar 5 to Erlanger Hospital.

The crash is being investigated by the Collegedale Police Department, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board.

A nearby resident said the plane took off and then took a hard right as if trying to get back to the runway. 

The plane crashed just off the end of the runway.  

Residents of nearby Apison told of seeing a plane flying unusually low just before the crash.

Flights at the Collegedale Airport were canceled for the rest of the day.

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



A Fort Lauderdale man was flying the Mooney M20E Super 21 aircraft that crashed Saturday at the Collegedale Municipal Airport killing his mother and his son.

Todd Silver, the pilot, and his daughter survived the crash and were airlifted to Erlanger hospital, according to Tonya Sadler with the Collegedale Police Department. 

Their conditions were not immediately available this afternoon.

Responders at the scene Saturday said Silver apparently was trying to land the craft when it crashed beside the tarmac at 12:50 p.m. 

The accident is under investigation by the Collegedale Police Department, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board.

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



COLLEGEDALE, Tenn. (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a pilot and his mother involved in a small plane crash in Tennessee.

Collegedale police spokeswoman Tonya Sadler says the single-engine plane crashed Saturday as it was coming in to the Collegedale airport. Collegedale is about 20 miles east of Chattanooga.

Sadler said Sunday in a news release that the plane was registered to the pilot, Todd Silver, out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The release says Silver was traveling with his mother, Suzanne Silver, and his two children.

Sadler says Suzanne Silver and a male child were pronounced dead at the scene. Todd Silver and his daughter were taken to a Chattanooga hospital. Their conditions Sunday weren’t immediately known. The children’s names weren’t released.



Hamilton County officials say a plane crashed in Collegedale on Saturday afternoon.

It happened shortly before 1:00 p.m. at the Collegedale Airport.

According to the Graysville Fire Department, two people were killed and two more are in critical condition in Erlanger Hospital.

Collegedale police say the single-engine plane was landing when it crashed just off the runway. 

With few answers, neighbors near the airport are turning to prayer.

"It's sad, it's tragic. And you can feel it. It's terrible," said Vounett Sanders, who lives just near the runway. "We hear planes take off all the time. Didn't really pay any attention. Heard a plane take off and it just.. immediately, you hear a loud crash, like maybe something ran into a tree, or a loud car back fired."

Sanders said she then saw two helicopters taking off from Erlanger Hospital.

"This thing went into a left bank and was probably 300 feet off the ground," he said. "It did probably 270 degrees and was still just barely above the trees when it started coming back toward my property. It looked like the guy tried to straighten it up and then he lost power, stalled and went into the ground nose first."

"It's like it just fell out of the sky," said the eyewitness, who stayed on scene until first responders arrived.

The airport remains closed, following the crash. It is expected to stay closed until a full investigation into what caused the crash can be completed. 

Story and video:  http://www.wbir.com




Collegedale, TN — The pilot in the deadly plane crash in Collegedale Saturday has died.

According to a statement from family members, Todd Silver passed away June 12th.

Three other people were in the plane at the time of the crash. 

Todd's mother, Suzanne Silver and a male child were pronounced dead at the scene.

His daughter was airlifted to Erlanger hospital.

The crash is being investigated by the Collegedale Police Department, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Silver's were in Collegedale because they were in for a family gathering.

Suzanne Silver, Todd Silver and Gerhard Silver funeral will be held on Thursday, June 16, at the Collegedale Church, at 4829 College Drive, in Collegedale. 

Memorial service for the victims of the Collegedale plane crash June 11, 2016 will be held June 16, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. at the Collegedale Church Sanctuary.



HAMILTON COUNTY, TN (WRCB) -

Dan Barks was getting ready to land at Collegedale Airport Saturday afternoon when he was told to divert to Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport.

“When you hear something like that in this business you know it's because of a crash. your first thought is I hope no one was injured, your second thought is I hope no one was killed,” said Barks, Aviation Attorney.

Airport officials say shortly before 1 PM this single engine airplane carrying four people attempted to land when it crashed.

Two people died at the airport. The other two were flown to Erlanger.

“We were able to land in Chattanooga and we were given a car to come back here and tidy some things up and pick up some gear, and that's when we saw what had happened,” said Barks.

Barks who works as an aviation attorney says unfortunately he's investigated hundreds of plane crashes throughout his career.

“Immediately you are thinking of the families who are waiting for loved one's to come home and may not see them come home. That’s unfortunate the price of these crashes,” said Barks.

Barks says whenever there is a plane crash the FAA steps in to investigate. He says they will take statements, pictures, and pick up the wreckage.

“So the FAA is going to come, they are going to look at how it impacted, they are going to look at what the propeller blades looked like,” said barks.

Barks says looking at the debris he can only speculate about what happened.

“It looked like it was a very flat impact, meaning not an impact where one might think of an airplane where it crashes nose down. This appeared to be very flat,” said Barks.

According to the FAA registry, the plane was registered to a pilot out of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Officials have not confirmed the names of the four people who were on board when the plane crashed, but Barks says he will be keeping them in his thoughts.

“I cannot imagine. This is all I’ve done, dealing with families who lost everything and they lose it in an instant,” said Barks.

The NTSB will be at the Collegedale Airport Sunday doing their investigation.

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



COLLEGEDALE, TN (WRCB) -

UPDATE: Airport officials say the single engine plane was landing in the airport when it crashed. They're hoping the FAA can answer many of their unanswered questions.

“Circling rather quickly maybe the pilot was trying to come back. Unfortunate he didn't make it,” said Bob Etheridge. It is a sight he will never forgot, a plane crashing right in front of his eyes. “It didn't gain a lot of altitude, like about 300 feet. Then it started into a hard left bank which was unusual.”

He lives right behind the Collegedale Municipal Airport. He was near the tarmac when the plane took off. He knew something wasn't right. “Bank to the left, bank to the right. And then unfortunately the plane went right into the ground.”

He immediately sprang into action hoping to help the four people on board. “I jumped out of the car and grabbed my phone and went to see if anyone got out of the plane and dialed 911.”

As we wait to learn the cause of the crash, Etheridge says the victims and their families are his number one concern. “It is very very sad, my family sends out condolences and prayers to all the families involved in this crash.”

The airport will remain closed until the FAA completes their investigation.


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



Two people are dead and two others injured after a single-engine plane crashed near the Collegedale Municipal Airport early Saturday afternoon.

Responders worked quickly to remove two severely injured people and two bodies from the crumpled husk of a single-engine plane that crashed while trying to land. The front half of the plane was obliterated by the impact, and as responders treated the occupants, they stepped over the twisted remnants of the cockpit and wings.

Investigators held up white sheets to shield the grisly scene from spectators.

The two survivors, one critically injured, were airlifted by UT Lifestar 5 and Life Force to the Erlanger trauma unit. Nothing was released about the identities of the people in the plane or the extent of the survivors' injuries.

Tonya Sadler, a public information officer for the Collegedale Police Department, described the plane as "transient" and said the crash occurred at approximately 12:50 p.m.

The Collegedale airport does not record radio traffic between the tower and pilots, but archived recordings with the Chattanooga tower just after the crash shed some light on the immediate aftermath.

Minutes after the crash, an unidentified pilot radioed the tower and said calmly, "We have something to tell you. There was an accident in Collegedale, just letting you know. It's closed."

The controller radioed back, "Is the aircraft on the runway?"

"It's just off the runway, but it's a bad accident."

"Did it look like there was emergency response en route or at the airport?"

"There were a lot of emergency vehicles on the runway, yes."

On the ground, squad cars, ambulances and firetrucks littered the runway, lights flashing. Collegedale police officers helped airport staff shut down the entire runway for several hours in anticipation of a required investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Employees at the airport declined to comment on the crash, which isn't the first fatal accident near there.

In the most recent crash, in September 2014, Don Edens was killed after his plane crashed in a nearby field as a result of equipment failure.

Alone in the craft and just moments before impact, Edens radioed air traffic control in Chattanooga and said, "I've got oil all over my windshield and am going to need some help for line-up."

After being redirected from the Chattanooga runway to Collegedale, he said,"Looks like we're not going to make it."

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



The pilot of an aircraft that crashed at the Collegedale airport has succumbed to his injuries, according to a statement released by his company.

"Tragically, Todd passed away suddenly on June 12, 2016 following a plane crash. His funeral will be held on Thursday, June 16, 2016, at the Collegedale Church, located at 4829 College Drive E, Collegedale, TN, 37315. This will be live streamed online and the link will be available closer to the time."

Investigators are looking into the crash of the 1964 Mooney M20E on Saturday that has now claimed the lives of three passengers, including Suzanne Silver and her juvenile grandson, according to Collegedale police.

After the crash, Todd Silver and his daughter were airlifted to Erlanger hospital for treatment.

The exact cause of the crash is still unknown, but a preliminary report will be released by the National Transportation Safety Board within the next week.


COLLEGEDALE, TN (WRCB) - A plane crashed in Collegedale on Saturday shortly before 1 p.m. and claimed two lives. 

It happened at the Collegedale Municipal Airport after a Mooney M20E took off from the runway, according to the FAA.

Graysville Fire Department asking for prayers after Collegedale plane crash with 2 reported fatalities.

Channel 3 spoke to an eyewitness who told Channel 3 he called 911 when he saw the plane go down shortly after taking off.

"This thing went into a left bank and was probably 300 feet off the ground," he told Channel 3.

"It did probably 270 degrees and was still just barely above the trees when it started coming back toward my property. It looked like the guy tried to straighten it up and then he lost power, stalled and went into the ground nose first," he described.

"It's like it just fell out of the sky," said the eyewitness, who stayed on scene until first responders arrived. 

Officials confirm two people were killed in the crash that also left two others injured.

A spokesperson for Erlanger Medical Center tells Channel 3 the two injured passengers were airlifted to their Chattanooga facility.

According to the FAA registry, the plane is registered to a pilot out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; however, authorities have not confirmed who was on the plane at the time of the crash.

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



COLLEGEDALE, Tenn. — Two people have died and two others suffered injuries after a plane crash at the Collegedale Airport Saturday afternoon. 

Collegedale Police tell NewsChannel 9 the plane crashed while trying to land at the airport. Investigators with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are on the way to the scene.

A helicopter rushed the two survivors to the hospital shortly after the crash. Collegedale Police say at least one of them was critically injured, and underwent surgery. NewsChannel 9 is working to get an update on the conditions of both survivors.

Later in the afternoon, the airport closed, cancelling all remaining arrivals & departures for the day.

Investigators describe the plane that went down as single engine transient plane.

The accident happened at 12:50 p.m., under a partly cloudy sky, near the Collegedale Municipal Airport. The exact address given by dispatchers was 5100 Bess More Road (the airport's main address).

NewsChannel 9 reporter Alana Laflore describes the crash site as about two miles northeast of the airport's main entrance.

As the drama unfolded other local EMS departments helped spread the word of what was happening.


Original article can be found here: http://newschannel9.com








Two people were killed and two others taken to a hospital after the crash of a small, single engine plane at Collegedale Saturday afternoon. 

Two people were air-transported by UT Lifestar 5 and Life Force to the Erlanger Trauma Unit.

A nearby resident said the plane took off and then took a hard right as if trying to get back to the runway. 

The plane crashed just off the end of the runway.  


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








Two people were killed and two others airlifted to a hospital after a single engine plane crashed Saturday afternoon. 


A plane crashed near the Collegedale airport early Saturday afternoon, a dispatcher with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office confirmed to the Times Free Press. 

Multiple agencies responded to the 4600 block of McDonald Road, east of the airport, shortly before 1 p.m. 

No further information was available on the condition of those involved. 

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