Tuesday, June 14, 2016

St Thomas-St Croix Seaplane Flights Expanding

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



Puerto Rico-based Seaborne Airlines is expanding its St Thomas-St Croix seaplane flights, the company announced.

The expanded service will mean that customers will be able to fly as early as 6:40 AM from St Croix to St Thomas and as late as 6PM from St Thomas to St Croix.

These flights had operated in the past with extreme popularity, particularly for business travelers, the carrier said, although they have also been quite popular with island hoppers looking for multi-island trips that include both St Thomas and St Croix.

The new seaplane flights will operate five days a week from Monday to Friday, launching Tuesday, June 21.

Seaborne Airlines will then be operating 26 daily seaplane flights, or 13 daily roundtrips as the unofficial “air bridge” between St Thomas and St Croix.

The flights are all operated on 14-seat DHC-6-300 Twin Otter seaplanes with two pilots and two engines.

“Seaborne’s new flights will lengthen the day for our many commuters and business travelers, aiding commerce and economic development in The Territory” said Mora Scotland, who is the regional manager for the four United States Virgin Islands Airports that are served by Seaborne.  We are proud of the role we play in the The Territory and will continue to work hard to remain “The Way the Virgin Islands Gets to Work”.

Seaborne Airlines is the only United States Federal Aviation Administration Part 121 Seaplane operator, the highest standard under Federal Air Regulations for pilot training and maintenance, the company said in a statement.

Seaborne Airlines has invested more than $300,000 in seaplane facility improvements in the past year and a half, along with adding new aircraft.

The company is one of the largest employers in the United States Virgin Islands.

Seaborne Airlines operates a network across the wider Caribbean, though its hub is in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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

Loss of Engine Power (Total): Aero Commander 100 180, N3718X; accident occurred June 14, 2016 in Port Lavaca, Calhoun County, Texas








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

Additional Participating Entity:


Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; San Antonio, Texas

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


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


http://registry.faa.gov/N3718X

Location: Port Lavaca, TX
Accident Number: CEN16LA249
Date & Time: 06/14/2016, 0945 CDT
Registration: N3718X
Aircraft: AERO COMMANDER 100 180
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On June 14, 2016, about 0945 central daylight time, an Aero Commander model 100-180 airplane, N3718X, was substantially damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Port Lavaca, Texas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.

The pilot reported that he felt a vibration and heard a "bang" about 15 minutes after takeoff when the airplane was at 1,100 ft above ground level. The engine subsequently began to lose power. The oil pressure dropped to zero as the pilot heard another "bang" and then the propeller stopped turning. He executed a forced landing to a pasture, and the nose landing gear collapsed due to the soft ground.

A postaccident airplane examination revealed that the engine mount was damaged. An engine examination determined that the No. 4 connecting rod had separated from the crankshaft. The connecting rod mating flanges common to the rod cap were fractured. A fragment of the bearing was partially extruded around the connecting rod. The rod cap was deformed. A mating portion of one connecting rod flange remained secured to the rod cap by the attachment bolt and nut. The opposite connecting rod flange was fragmented and deformed. The attachment bolt was fractured. The bolt shank exhibited necking adjacent to the fracture surface; the mating portion of the bolt and the nut were not recovered. Three bearing fragments were recovered; each fragment was deformed and appeared worn. All fracture surfaces sustained secondary mechanical damage which precluded further examination.

A review of the airplane maintenance records by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the most recent engine overhaul was accomplished about 25 years before the accident flight. The engine manufacturer recommended that all engine models be overhauled within 12 years of the "date they first entered service or of last overhaul" in order to "mitigate engine deterioration that occurs with age." However, an aircraft owner is not required comply with the engine manufacturer's recommended overhaul interval when operating under Part 91 unless the engine does not meet the requirements of an annual inspection. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 76, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s):None 
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present:No 
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam:09/17/2012 
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 07/16/2014
Flight Time:   4000 hours (Total, all aircraft), 475 hours (Total, this make and model), 4000 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: AERO COMMANDER
Registration: N3718X
Model/Series: 100 180 180
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1968
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 5022
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 02/19/2016, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2450 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 13 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 2374 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-360-A2F
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 180 hp
Operator:On file 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: PKV, 32 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 13 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 0935 CDT
Direction from Accident Site: 268°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 2000 ft agl
Visibility:  7 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 8 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 180°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 29.91 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 29°C / 26°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Port Lavaca, TX (PKV)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Port Lavaca, TX (PKV)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0930 CDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: Calhoun County (PKV)
Runway Surface Type: Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 32 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Soft; Vegetation
Runway Used: N/A
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries:1 None 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 28.659722, -96.435278 (est)

NTSB Identification: CEN16LA249
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, June 14, 2016 in Port Lavaca, TX
Aircraft: AERO COMMANDER 100 180, registration: N3718X
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On June 14, 2016 about 0930 central daylight time, an Aero Commander model 100-180 airplane, N3718X, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Port Lavaca, Texas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from Calhoun County Airport (PKV), Port Lavaca, Texas, about 0830.





A Port Lavaca man sustained no injuries after making an emergency landing in a field near the Olivia area. The incident happened around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.

According to Calhoun County Sheriff George Aleman, Clyde Nunn, of Port Lavaca, was flying his Aero Commander Lark over the Olivia area when he experienced engine trouble. The plane began to vibrate and lose oil pressure, Aleman said.

Nunn made an emergency landing in a field near County Road 305, and while he was making his landing, he hit a ditch, causing the nose of the plane to strike the ground, the sheriff said.

The impact caused a small fuel leak from the plane, the sheriff said, and officials from the Texas General Land Office and Texas Department of Public Safety’s Emergency Management division responded to the scene.

Nunn sustained no serious injuries from the impact, and he was the only person in the plane, according to Aleman.

The sheriff did not know Nunn’s planned route or how long Nunn has been a pilot, but knew he was “experienced.”

Several other agencies responded to the incident, including deputies with the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, DPS’ Highway Patrol, the Port Alto/Olivia Fire Department and Emergency Management Services and Calhoun County Emergency Management Services.

http://www.portlavacawave.com

Incident occurred June 14, 2016 in Homestead, Miami-Dade County, Florida

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





A single-person glider plane made a crash landing Tuesday morning inside a nursery in deep Southwest Miami-Dade.

The pilot was checked and released, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

The plane broke through the tarps at United Nursery, near Southwest 217th Avenue and 312th Street in Homestead at about 11 a.m.

It was not clear what caused the glider to go down.

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



HOMESTEAD, FLA. (WSVN) - No one was seriously hurt after an unregistered ultralight aircraft that took off from Miami-Homestead General Aviation Airport crashed, Tuesday, according to the Miami-Dade Aviation Department.

Miami-Dade Police responded to the scene at Unity Nursery, located at Southwest 304th Street and 217th Avenue, at around 11 a.m., Tuesday.

Pedro Guzman said he heard it coming, turned around and all of a sudden, the plane went down. “All of a sudden, he just turned around

Federal Aviation Administration Investigator Gus De Valle told 7News the crash is being investigated.

“We are investigating an experimental aircraft that landed here in Homestead,” De Valle said. “It’s a home-built aircraft, basically done per requirements of the Federal Aviation regulations.”

The owner of the aircraft told 7News that the man flying the glider was a “test pilot.”

According to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, the pilot was the only one on board. The pilot was checked out and did not need to be transported to the hospital.

It remains unknown what caused the ultralight to go down. The aircraft has since been removed.

Story and video:  http://wsvn.com

Bell 206-L4, City of Tulsa, N202TP: Incident occurred June 14, 2016 in Tulsa, Oklahoma

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

Date: 14-JUN-16
Time: 01:20:00Z
Regis#: N202TP
Aircraft Make: BELL
Aircraft Model: 206
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Unknown
Activity: Instruction
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Oklahoma City FSDO-15
City: TULSA
State: Oklahoma

N202TP BELL 206 ROTORCRAFT DURING AUTOROTATION LANDING, SUSTAINED UNKNOWN DAMAGE, TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

CITY OF TULSA: http://registry.faa.gov/N202TP

Piper PA-34-200T, La Pura Vida LLC, N2246Z: Incident occurred June 13, 2016 Sandy Valley, Clark County, Nevada

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

Date: 13-JUN-16
Time: 23:00:00Z
Regis#: N2246Z
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA34
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Minor
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Las Vegas FSDO-19
City: SANDY VALLEY
State: Nevada

AIRCRAFT LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, SANDY VALLEY, NEVADA. 

LA PURA VIDA LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N2246Z

Cessna 210L , Southern Seaplane Inc., N1574P: Incident occurred June 13, 2016 in Belle Chasse, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana

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

Date: 13-JUN-16
Time: 14:00:00Z
Regis#: N1574P
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 210
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Minor
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Baton Rouge FSDO-03
City: BELLE CHASSE
State: Louisiana

AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR UP, BELLE CHASSE, LOUISIANA

SOUTHERN SEAPLANE INC: http://registry.faa.gov/N1574P

American AA-1, KH Aircraft LLC, N5720L: Accident occurred June 12, 2016 in Denton, Fergus County, Montana

KH AIRCRAFT LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N5720L

FAA Flight Standards District Office:  FAA Helena FSDO-05


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

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

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

NTSB Identification: GAA16CA319
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, June 12, 2016 in Denton, MT
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/05/2016
Aircraft: AMERICAN AA 1, registration: N5720L
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.

The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll from a soft field turf runway, "I was not as aggressive as he should have been." He reported that the airspeed increased, the airplane began to rotate, but without enough airspeed to sustain climbing flight. He reported that he "pushed the nose over", the airplane settled to the runway and bounced. The airplane overran the end of the runway, struck a fence and sustained substantial damage to both wings. 

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with airframe, flight controls or the engine that would have prevented normal flight operations.

According to the manufacturer pilot operating handbook, for Soft-Field Take-off: 

Hold full back pressure as you taxi and as the takeoff roll is begun. If the surface is marginal or too narrow for gradual turn on to the runway, align the airplane with the runway, apply full brakes, and build up takeoff RPM before starting the takeoff roll. As you apply full power, move the control wheel to neutral and allow the airplane to accelerate to 65-70 MPH. Lift off with a light back pressure. After lift-off release enough of this back pressure to permit the airplane to accelerate to its best angle- or rate of climb speed as required by obstructions.

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

The pilot's premature rotation and failure to attain sufficient airspeed required for a sustained climb, resulting in a runway overrun and collision with a fence.

Maule M-5-235C Lunar Rocket, N6VD: Accident occurred June 11, 2016 in Ontario, Malheur County, Oregon

http://registry.faa.gov/N6VD

FAA Flight Standards District Office:  FAA Boise FSDO-11

NTSB Identification: GAA16CA309
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, June 11, 2016 in Ontario, OR
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/12/2016
Aircraft: MAULE MX 7, registration: N6VD
Injuries: 1 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.

The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll in crosswind conditions, the wind lifted the left wing, and the right wing impacted the ground. The pilot further reported that he attempted to regain control of the airplane, but it continued forward, and the propeller impacted the ground. 

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. 

According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. 

A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport, revealed that, about 7 minutes before the accident the wind was 260 degrees true at 10 knots. The airplane landed on runway 32.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted the right wing impacting the ground, and nose down.

Cessna 182P Skylane, Vision Air Inc., N401SS: Incident occurred June 13, 2016 in Tuba City, Coconino County, Arizona

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

Date: 13-JUN-16
Time: 20:32:00Z
Regis#: N401SS
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 182
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: None
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Scottsdale FSDO-07
City: TUBA CITY
State: Arizona

AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED ON A HIGHWAY, NEAR TUBA CITY, ARIZONA.

VISION AIR INC: http://registry.faa.gov/N401SS

R-80 Tiger Moth, N8CX: Accident occurred June 06, 2016 in Decatur, Wise County, Texas

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

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Dallas, 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

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N8CX

NTSB Identification: CEN16LA219
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, June 06, 2016 in Decatur, TX
Aircraft: FLOHR DAVID J R 80 TIGER MOTH, registration: N8CX
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

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

The airline transport pilot reported that he was flying his experimental, amateur-built airplane about 500 ft above ground level over his ranch when he smelled something burning. About 15 seconds later, the engine experienced a total loss of power, and the propeller stopped spinning. The airplane impacted a ditch and nosed over during the subsequent forced landing. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the inline electric boost pump had overheated and burned, which resulted in a loss of fuel supply to the engine.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
A failure of the electric fuel boost pump, which resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent total loss of engine power.

On June 6, 2016, about 1730 central daylight time, an amateur built Flohr David J R-80 Tiger Moth airplane, N8CX, nosed down during an off airport forced landing in Decatur, Texas, following a loss of engine power. The airline transport rated pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to a private individual and was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from the Lazy G Bar Ranch Airport (90T), Decatur, Texas.

The pilot reported he was flying at an altitude of about 500 ft above the ground over his ranch when the accident occurred. He stated he smelled something burning and about 15 seconds later, the engine lost all power and the propeller stopped spinning. The airplane hit a ditch and nosed over during the forced landing resulting in substantial damage to both lower wings.

The pilot reported the previous owner of the airplane had installed a Facet 150 electric boost pump to increase the fuel flow. The pilot examined the engine after the accident and stated the inline electric boost pump overheated, burned, and shut down the fuel supply to the engine.

NTSB Identification: CEN16LA219
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, June 06, 2016 in Decatur, TX
Aircraft: FLOHR DAVID J R 80 TIGER MOTH, registration: N8CX
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On June 6, 2016, about 1730 central daylight time, a Flohr David J R-80 Tiger Moth, N8CX, nosed down during an off airport forced landing in Decatur, Texas, following a loss of engine power. The airline transport rated pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The aircraft was registered to a private individual and was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from a private airstrip.

Maule M-6-235, Waypoint LLC, N5650J: Accident occurred June 11, 2016 in Fairbanks, Alaska

WAYPOINT LLC:   http://registry.faa.gov/N5650J

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Fairbanks FSDO-01


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


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


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


NTSB Identification: ANC16CA031
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, June 11, 2016 in Fairbanks, AK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/05/2016
Aircraft: MAULE M 6-235, registration: N5650J
Injuries: 3 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.

The pilot stated that while attempting to assess the suitability of a gravel-covered ridge top for future landings in his tail-wheel equipped airplane, he attempted a full flap landing on the main wheels. After bouncing twice, he aborted the landing and adjusted the flaps to 40 degrees and applied full power. During the subsequent takeoff, he felt something hit the airplane, but elected to continue the takeoff and proceed to his final destination. During a postflight inspection, the pilot discovered substantial damage to the lower cross member structure of the fuselage.

The pilot stated there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

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

The pilot's decision to land on terrain unsuitable for a wheel equipped airplane.

American Airlines Airbus A320-200, N654AW: Incident occurred June 13, 2016 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (KPHX), Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona

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

Date: 13-JUN-16

Time: 15:28:00Z
Regis#: AAL403
Aircraft Make: AIRBUS
Aircraft Model: A320
Event Type: Incident
Damage: Minor
Activity: Commercial
Flight Phase: TAKEOFF (TOF)
Aircraft Operator: AAL-American Airlines
Flight Number: AAL403
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Scottsdale FSDO-07
City: PHOENIX
State: Arizona

AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT AAL403 AIRBUS A320, ON DEPARTURE AN ENGINE COWLING SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE, AIRCRAFT RETURNED AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT, NO INJURIES, DAMAGE MINOR, PHOENIX, ARIZONA. 


http://registry.faa.gov/N654AW

Take a train? Part of jet falls off, forces plane's return to Phoenix

PHOENIX (AP) — Authorities say an American Airlines plane bound for San Francisco had to return to Phoenix's airport after losing part of an engine cover.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor says the incident occurred about 8:30 a.m. MST Monday and the plane landed safely about 20 minutes later at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

American Airlines spokeswoman Polly Tracey says the carrier is working to determine what caused the part — a removable engine cover known as a cowling — to come loose during takeoff.

Gregor says the FAA also is investigating.

Tracey says the part was recovered on Sky Harbor property, and no one was injured.

Flight 403, with 136 passengers aboard, was delayed almost three hours before it departed Phoenix for San Francisco International Airport.

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

PHOENIX (AP) — Authorities say an American Airlines plane bound for San Francisco had to return to Phoenix's airport after losing part of an engine cover.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor says the incident occurred about 8:30 a.m. MST Monday and the plane landed safely about 20 minutes later at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

American Airlines spokeswoman Polly Tracey says the carrier is working to determine what caused the part — a removable engine cover known as a cowling — to come loose during takeoff.

Gregor says the FAA also is investigating.

Tracey says the part was recovered on Sky Harbor property, and no one was injured.

Flight 403, with 136 passengers aboard, was delayed almost three hours before it departed Phoenix for San Francisco International Airport.

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

Cessna 177B Cardinal, N1351C: Incident occurred June 13, 2016 in Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa

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

Date: 13-JUN-16
Time: 03:40:00Z
Regis#: N1351C
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 177
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Minor
Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)
FAA Flight Standards District Office:  FAA Des Moines FSDO-61
City: IOWA CITY
State: Iowa

AIRCRAFT ON TAXI ONTO A RUNWAY, WENT OFF THE SURFACE AND SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE, IOWA CITY, IOWA.

SAPPHIRE VISTAS LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N1351C

Pueblo Air Blitz returns to airport museum

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




The Pueblo Air Blitz will return to the grounds of the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum and the Pueblo Memorial Airport from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

This event is designed to raise the public’s awareness of the World War II Blitz hangar at the Pueblo Memorial Airport and the many educational and historical offerings at the museum.

Visitors can take advantage of open cockpits
and view privately owned as well as vintage and active military aircraft.

Military re-enactors will be on hand to deliver living history lessons and vendors will be selling food and merchandise.

While the Experimental Aircraft Association will offer introductory rides to youth ages 8 to 17, excursions on the Commemorative Air Force Mile High Wing’s vintage World War II aircraft also will be available.

Admission for the show is $9 for ages 7 and older, slightly less for students, seniors and retired veterans.

This year’s event will feature, for the first time, a Colorado State Fair Fiesta Committee-sponsored car show.

“We saw it as a good chance to get people to the air show as well as see our cars,” said John Martinez, one of the organizers of the show. “It’s our first one and we just want to have something positive for Pueblo and show people that we’re doing good things.”

Martinez expects as many as 100 cars to be on display both Saturday and June 19.


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

Flawed Federal Aviation Administration redactions expose Boeing 787 whistleblower: Engineer complained about Boeing's lightning-strike protection on the Dreamliner warning it could be "lethal"

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




The US Federal Aviation Administration has outed a whistleblower who raised the alarm about what he felt were flaws in the lightning protection system on the Boeing 787 "Dreamliner" passenger jet.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released documents following a freedom of information request, but failed to fully redact the name of the whistleblower in the papers. As a result, Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit was able to track him down.

We are releasing the files, correctly redacted, and are protecting the whistleblower's identity at his request. He declined to be interviewed for this article. The FAA also declined to comment.

The former Boeing engineer sent documents to the FAA to support his allegations just two days after the 787 made its first ever commercial flight for Japanese airline ANA. He later wrote to Senator Patty Murray, who represents Washington state, in April 2012, alerting her to what he claimed were "lightning strike safety violations on the 787 Dreamliners".

He warned that Boeing was "making lethal 787 flying passenger airplanes with scant regard to passengers' safety", and had failed to recognise a safety flaw, failed to implement a solution to it, and had used "fraudulent documents" and "illegal data representations" in testing.

"Experts, managers and engineers who sign off the fraudulent documents simply lost their ingenuity, credibility, and integrity in its entirety. They did so to support the ill-devised dictum of [Boeing] management," he said.

"As an engineer, I cannot allow this deliberate aversion to passenger safety."

Both Boeing and the FAA investigated the allegations and concluded there was no problem. The whistleblower lost his job at Boeing. After receiving the letter, Senator Murray wrote to the FAA, who told her "no unsafe condition exists and the Boeing 787 design is in compliance" with regulations.

Design challenge

With a fuselage made from a composite material known as carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP), the 787 presented a particular challenge to engineers seeking to protect the "Dreamliner" from lightning strikes.

Older passenger planes are built with metals that can conduct the electricity from a lightning strike around the fuselage, protecting the fuel tanks from any sparks or flames. Carbon fibre does not conduct electricity as easily and so presents a complicated engineering challenge.

From the moment it was first announced in 2003, there was concern about protecting the Boeing 787 from a lighting strike. By 2006, the Seattle Times was reporting that a "top safety-engineering team" had expressed "serious concern" about the issue. Senior engineers wrote in an internal review that, "it cannot be shown that the current wing-lightning-protection approach will preclude ignition sources in the fuel tank".

A year later, another Boeing whistleblower appeared in a television special presented by Dan Rather, expressing a number of safety concerns, including lightning protection. Boeing rejected his allegations.

Al Jazeera has now found another engineer who voiced his concerns as late as 2012, after the FAA had approved the Boeing 787 and after it had begun making regular commercial flights.

Special condition

Lightning protection on the 787 also presented a challenge for FAA specialists, who decided in 2009 to loosen their traditional regulations and replace them with a one-off rule - what they call a "special condition". FAA documents from two years earlier, released to Al Jazeera, reveal officials were struggling to come up with a solution.

FAA engineer Mike Dostert, who works on fuel tank regulations, wrote in October 2007 that, "we do not know what rules will ultimately be applied to lightning protection on the 787".

The FAA's special condition ultimately required Boeing to prove that the chance of a Dreamliner crash from a lightning strike was "extremely improbable", defined as one catastrophic failure in every one billion flight hours, a one-in-a-billion chance.

The same standard was applied to the lithium-ion battery designed for use in the "Dreamliner". That failed twice in two weeks, leading to a grounding in January 2013. The Boeing 787 fleet had flown just 52,000 hours, leading observers to note that was a one-in-52,000 chance and far short of the stated probability.

However, Boeing had greater success with its lightning protection design than the lithium-ion battery. The FAA approved the 787 for flight in 2011 and since then 787s have survived a number of lightning strikes.

The solution was to embed a wire mesh within the composite fuselage, which conducts any electrical charge away from the fuel tanks, which it supplemented with a number of other safety features.

Boeing told Al Jazeera the 787 was designed with special lightning protections and meets all FAA requirements.

"The 787 during flight test and since beginning commercial operations has been involved in a number of lightning strikes [as would any airplane], and those protections have worked as designed."

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

Presidential plane undergoing tests at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (KAUS)

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

AUSTIN - One of the planes designated to fly the President of the United States was flying over Austin and conducting landings and takeoffs at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Monday.

Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Wallace, 89th Airlift Wing Public Affairs chief, said in a release that the plane is “completing a maintenance cycle and is currently undergoing an operational testing regimen prior to being certified for return to Presidential service.”

"The testing program includes the requirement to conduct multiple takeoffs, approaches and landings under a variety of conditions," Wallace said. Wallace added there were no passengers aboard the aircraft seen at ABIA.

The plane, which is only referred to as “Air Force One” if the president is on board, is one of two customized 747-200B aircraft. The tail numbers of the planes are 28000 and 29000. According to the White House, any Air Force aircraft carrying the president is referred to as “Air Force One.” Go here to learn more about the planes.

Story, video and photo:  http://www.kvue.com

Airbus to Assemble Helicopters in China: Aircraft maker’s commitment clinches deal to sell 100 choppers to Chinese consortium

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




The Wall Street Journal
By Robert Wall
June 13, 2016 3:09 a.m. ET


LONDON— Airbus Group SE will set up helicopter final assembly in China as part of a deal to sell 100 light twin-engine choppers in the country.

The deal completes a letter of intent signed last year for an order valued at €700 million ($788 million), Airbus said in a statement Monday.

The deal is a boost for Airbus’s helicopter business which has been hit by a downturn in the oil and gas market, one of the most lucrative segments for commercial helicopter sales.

The April crash of a Super Puma helicopter, in which all 13 people on board died, has also cast a shadow over the aircraft-maker’s chopper unit. European regulators this month have idled the fleet amid uncertainty why the helicopter operated by CHC Group Ltd. crashed.

The Chinese deal was signed during a visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to China.

“China is gearing up to be the biggest market for helicopters in years to come, ” with strong growth in government services and civil applications of such machines, said Norbert Ducrot, Airbus Helicopters’s boss in China and for the North Asia region. Airbus said it expected expansion of offshore wind farms in China’s power industry to inflate demand for helicopters.

Airbus said a consortium of China Aviation Supplies Holding Co., Qingdao United General Aviation Industrial Development Co. and CITIC Offshore Helicopter Co. have made the order for 100 H135 helicopters.

Delivery of the ordered helicopters are due to stretch over a decade.

The new assembly facility is due to begin operations in Qingdao in China’s Shandong province in 2018. It will be Airbus Helicopters fourth final-assembly line outside of France and Germany. Helicopters are assembled in the U.S., Brazil and, from next year, in Romania.

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

American Champion 8KCAB Decathlon, N244SF: Accident occurred June 04, 2016 in Black Diamond, King County, Washington

http://registry.faa.gov/N244SF

NTSB Identification: GAA16CA281
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, June 04, 2016 in Black Diamond, WA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/31/2016
Aircraft: AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT 8KCAB, registration: N244SF
Injuries: 1 Minor.

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

The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during touchdown the airplane porpoised and drifted off the runway to the right. The pilot further reported that he initiated an aborted landing procedure, but the airplane aerodynamically stalled, impacted the ground, and nosed over. 

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage.

According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. 

The Federal Aviation Administration has published the Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3A (2004). This handbook discusses aerodynamic stalls and states in part:

The key to stall awareness is the pilot's ability to visualize the wing's angle of attack in any particular circumstance, and thereby be able to estimate his/her margin of safety above stall. This is a learned skill that must be acquired early in flight training and carried through the pilot's entire flying career. The pilot must understand and appreciate factors such as airspeed, pitch attitude, load factor, relative wind, power setting, and aircraft configuration in order to develop a reasonably accurate mental picture of the wing's angle of attack at any particular time. It is essential to flight safety that a pilot takes into consideration this visualization of the wing's angle of attack prior to entering any flight maneuver.

Stall accidents usually result from an inadvertent stall at a low altitude in which a recovery was not accomplished prior to contact with the surface.

The Federal Aviation Administration has published the Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3A (2004). This handbook discusses porpoising and states in part:

In a bounced landing that is improperly recovered, the airplane comes in nose first setting off a series of motions that imitate the jumps and dives of a porpoise—hence the name. The problem is improper airplane attitude at touchdown, sometimes caused by inattention, not knowing where the ground is, mistrimming or forcing the airplane onto the runway.

Ground effect decreases elevator control effectiveness and increases the effort required to raise the nose. Not enough elevator or stabilator trim can result in a nose low contact with the runway and a porpoise develops.

Porpoising can also be caused by improper airspeed control. Usually, if an approach is too fast, the airplane floats and the pilot tries to force it on the runway when the airplane still wants to fly. A gust of wind, a bump in the runway, or even a slight tug on the control wheel will send the air plane aloft again. 

The corrective action for a porpoise is the same as for a bounce and similarly depends on its severity. When it is very slight and there is no extreme change in the airplane's pitch attitude, a follow-up landing may be executed by applying sufficient power to cushion the subsequent touchdown, and smoothly adjusting the pitch to the proper touchdown attitude.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's abnormal runway contact during the landing flare, which resulted in a porpoise, aerodynamic stall, impact with terrain, and nose over.