Saturday, August 20, 2016

Stinson V77 Reliant, N715FB: Accident occurred September 14, 2016 in Jordan, Scott County, Minnesota

http://registry.faa.gov/N715FB

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Minneapolis FSDO-15

AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED IN A FIELD AND FLIPPED OVER, NEAR JORDAN, MINNESOTA.  

Date: 14-SEP-16
Time: 13:45:00Z
Regis#: N715FB
Aircraft Make: STINSON
Aircraft Model: V77
Event Type: Accident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Substantial
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: JORDAN
State: Minnesota

Grand Junction Regional Airport (KGJT) makes decision on unfinished building





GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) -- For nearly two years the building next to the Grand Junction Airport terminal went unfinished. Initial plans were to make it an administration building. After years of planning and offers from the city, the airport board has decided to halt further construction on the building, as it is no longer in the budget.

“The airport knows already that it's going to have a runway project that takes the forefront of that plan. A total runway replacement that's going to be a 100 million dollar plus project,” said GJT executive director Kip Turner.

Aside from the runway, there will also be a taxiway project.

"So basically all of the federal money, the federal assistance, and the state assistance money we would get for the next 10 years are already tied to the runway and taxiway projects," said Turner.

Since money has already been spent the airport is going to utilize what they can from the building.

“We're going to salvage the materials that were in the top two floors, and either re-sell those or re-use those and re-cap those investments there," said Turner.

The airport also plans to keep the foundation of the building and use it in the future. Right now the other projects take priority due to safety precautions.

Turner said they are not sure when demolitions will take place, or how long they will be. He doesn’t anticipate it will be a long process.

Source:  http://www.kjct8.com

Modesto in talks to restart airport flights, with focus on Los Angeles

Modesto may have landed its best prospect in its effort to restart commercial passenger service at its airport since those flights ended more than two years ago.

City officials confirmed they have been talking with Great Lakes Airlines – a small regional carrier based in Cheyenne, Wyo. – about offering flights, with service to Los Angeles the city’s top choice.

A recent airport commercial service market study conducted for Modesto showed Los Angeles as the top destination for Stanislaus County air travelers, with Phoenix coming in second. Great Lakes flies to both cities.

The airport has not had passenger flights since June 2014, when SkyWest Airlines ended its daily flights between Modesto and San Francisco, citing “poor performance in the market.” The flights were subject to delays and cancellations because of fog and other problems at the San Francisco airport, causing passengers to miss their connecting flights.

City Manager Jim Holgersson stressed that this effort is in its early stages and a lot of work needs to be done. But he speculated flights could start in six months to a year if all the pieces fall into place.

But there are a lot of pieces, and Modesto faces competition from Stockton. The airline industry is dealing with a pilot shortage caused by retirements and recent federal rules that increased training for new pilots and require shorter work hours and more rest time for current pilots. These changes have hit smaller, regional carriers hard.

“Carriers like Great Lakes are on the bottom rung of the airline industry,” said Brent Bowen, dean of the college of aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Ariz. “The shortage is so dire.”

Great Lakes has been plagued by canceled flights in the communities it serves and financial challenges, according to news accounts. For instance, Great Lakes reported to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in November that it lost $7.4 million during the first nine months of last year on revenues of $32.8 million. Great Lakes has attributed its problems to the pilot shortage.

Great Lakes CEO Chuck Howell did not return phone calls Thursday and Friday seeking comment.

Modesto Airport Manager Mark Germanowski said the city will do its due diligence. “Before any deal is reached, we would want a solid business plan,” he said. Great Lakes officials have met city and other officials in Modesto to discuss the flights.

The airline flew out of Merced Regional Airport for about seven years. Airport Manager Janet Young said canceled flights were not an issue until the last two or three years, and blamed them on the pilot shortage. Merced replaced Great Lakes with another carrier last year. “The city was very satisfied with their service prior to the issues related to the pilot shortage,” she said.

One bonus for Modesto is that Great Lakes is not asking for a revenue guarantee. Airlines typically ask airports to make up any financial losses they sustain through the guarantee. Those guarantees can be for more than $1 million.

But Great Lakes is asking the city to help it find pilots for the Modesto flights. The city has enlisted the help of Opportunity Stanislaus, formerly called the Stanislaus Business Alliance. Opportunity Stanislaus CEO Dave White said the goal is to find pilots who have retired or are close to retirement and would like a work schedule that allows them to be home for dinner.

White said Great Lakes has used this model of recruiting local pilots elsewhere.

The Stockton Metropolitan Airport also is trying to land Los Angeles flights. And it is touting the 1.2 million residents of San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties as potential customers who could fly out of Stockton rather than the Bay Area or Sacramento. The (Stockton) Record newspaper reported last month that the airport would receive a $650,000 federal grant to help it establish service between Stockton and Los Angeles.

The newspaper reported that the airport would bundle the grant with $350,000 in local funding to have $1 million to offer an airline as a revenue guarantee. The newspaper also reported the grant announcement named SkyWest as the “primary candidate for the new Stockton service.”

Modesto officials said there are enough people in the region to support both airports.

“Modesto has an excellent airport and is in a great position to attract air service,” city spokeswoman Amy Vickery wrote in an email. “And we will continue the effort to re-establish air service because we know the market here would support it.

Modesto residents and those in outlying areas – greater Stanislaus County, foothills residents, etc. – would use the service, connecting to L.A. as well as Phoenix, she said in the email. “The demand is high,” she wrote. “As a matter of fact, one airline we spoke to asserted that if Stockton had their own service, it would not impact us in Modesto. The demand and population between the two counties is enough that service in both cities would be sustainable.”

Source: http://www.modbee.com

Piper PA-28-181 Archer II, N47480: Accident occurred December 05, 2015 near Oakland County International Airport (KPTK), Pontiac, Michigan


http://registry.faa.gov/N32SA

NTSB Identification: CEN16LA055
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, December 05, 2015 in Pontiac, MI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/16/2016
Aircraft: PIPER PA 28-181, registration: N47480
Injuries: 2 Minor.

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 private certificated pilot and pilot-rated passenger planned on conducting some practice instrument approaches. After conducting a practice approach and landing at a different airport, they departed for the flight back to the departure airport. Night instrument meteorological conditions existed, and the pilot expected to conduct an instrument approach. The tower controller cleared the airplane for the instrument approach to the runway. The pilot reported that the airplane was set up and configured for the approach and that, initially, the airplane was established on the localizer and glideslope; however, it then drifted off course. The pilot-rated passenger reported that he was looking outside the airplane as they passed the final approach fix. When he looked back inside at the instruments, he told the pilot that he was low and left of course. Subsequently, the airplane impacted trees and terrain and then came to rest in an open field. The accident is consistent with controlled flight into terrain due to the pilot flying the airplane below the glideslope and off course during an instrument approach.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s operation of the airplane below the glideslope and off course during a night, instrument approach, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain.

On December 5, 2015, about 1930 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-181 airplane, N47480, impacted terrain during an approach to runway 9R at the Oakland County International Airport (KPTK), Pontiac, Michigan. The private rated pilot and pilot rated passenger received minor injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by IXI LLC, West Bloomfield, Michigan, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. 

The pilot and pilot rated passenger planned on each taking a turn at practicing instrument approaches. The pilot had an instrument rating, while the pilot rated passenger, was working on obtaining the instrument rating. With the pilot rated passenger at the controls, they departed KPTK and performed a practice instrument approach at an en route airport. They continued the flight to the Abrams Municipal airport (4D0), where they conducted another practice approach and then landed. Once on the ground at 4D0, they swapped seating locations, with the pilot rated passenger sitting in the right seat, and the accident pilot in the left seat. They then departed 4D0 and returned to PTK. As they approached PTK, they pickup up an instrument flight plan and due to low visibility and ceiling, expected to perform an approach in actual instrument conditions into PTK. 

The pilot reported that the PTK tower controller cleared them for the instrument approach for runway 9R. He added that the airplane was properly setup and configured for the approach. Initially, the airplane was established on the localizer and glideslope, but then drifted off course. The pilot rated passenger reported that during the approach, he was concerned with ice on the wings and was looking outside as they passed the final approach fix. When he looked back at the instruments, he told the pilot that he was low and left of course. A moment later, the airplane impacted terrain.

A review of radar data revealed the airplane initially intercepted the extended centerline of 9R. The flight reached the final approach fix at 3,000 ft, continued inbound and descended in altitude; the track wondered slightly right of course a couple times before deviating left of course.

The responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that the airplane's right wing had impacted trees short of the airport. The wreckage path continued for about 580 feet, before the airplane came to rest on its right side in an open field. The airplane's left and right wings had separated from the fuselage. The fuselage and engine had heavy impact damage as a result of the collision with the trees and terrain.

Waco YMF, N54SH: Incident occurred August 18, 2016 in Ocean City, Worcester County, Maryland

CLOUD DANCER INC: http://registry.faa.gov/N54SH

FAA Flight Standards District Office:   FAA Baltimore FSDO-07

Date: 18-AUG-16
Time: 15:30:00Z
Regis#: N54SH
Aircraft Make: WACO
Aircraft Model: YMF
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Minor
Activity: Other
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: OCEAN CITY
State: Maryland

AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED ON A BEACH NEAR OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND   




ASSATEAGUE ISLAND, Md. (AP) - Officials say a banner plane had to make an emergency landing on Assateague Island because of a mechanical issue.

The Assateague National Park Service says the pilot of an Ocean Aerial Ads biplane landed the aircraft on the beach on the north end of the island Thursday morning.

No injuries were reported, as both the pilot and the passenger landed safely.

It is unclear what type of mechanical failure caused the emergency landing.

Ocean Aerial Ads is known for their signature banner planes that have flown above Ocean City for nearly 30 years.

Source:   http://www.abc2news.com


ASSATEAGUE — Assateague got a rare visitor Thursday morning when a biplane experienced mechanical trouble and the pilot performed an emergency landing on the largely vacant north end of the barrier island.

Around 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, a pilot and passenger in a biplane flying over the region experienced mechanical trouble and realized they could not make it to the Ocean City Airport. Instead, the pilot safely landed the biplane on the north end of Assateague on the beach.

No injuries were reported. The plane will be moved out of the surf zone and towed down the beach at some point. Preparations will then be undertaken to move the plane off the island.

Source:   http://www.mdcoastdispatch.com

Air medical personnel who died in 2015 honored in Saturday memorial: Family, friends and colleagues honor loved ones



LITTLETON, Colo. – Those in Colorado’s Air Medical field can’t forget July 3, 2015. It was on that day that Flight for Life Helicopter Pilot Patrick Mahany died in a fiery crash 70 miles west of Denver in the town of Frisco.

Family, friends and colleagues came together on Saturday morning to honor Mahany and 15 other Air Medical personnel who died in the line of duty last year.

The Air Medical Memorial Ceremony in Littleton has been held annually since 2010. This year’s ceremony was especially important to Flight for Life Flight Nurse David Kearns.

“The people that are speaking are telling stories that you know. They’re talking about somebody that you know intimately,” said Kearns.

He worked with Pilot Patrick Mahany and Flight Nurse Kristin McLain.

McLain previously worked in Colorado, but died when she fell during an evening rescue operation on April 27th, 2015 in Texas.

Mahany and McLain are just two of 16 Air Medical personnel who died last year.

The Air Medical Memorial Ceremony is the only national memorial that honors the more than 400 air medical crew members lost since the 1970s.

Memorial founder Steven Sweeney said he felt there was a need to recognize the fallen because of the risks they have taken and the benefits they have provided to the communities they have served.

Sweeney said crowds have grown each year -- proving there is a need for this type of support. “It says, 'yes! We’re not alone in believing this is a valuable project,'” Sweeney told Denver7.

Sweeney wants to bring a permanent memorial to Littleton to continue to honor all who have died in the line of Air Medical duty.

Groundbreaking started back in 2011 and Sweeney said he expects it to be completed in the next two years.

He said the project has a $1,000,000 budget, but he’s only raised a little more than $100,000 so far. Sweeney said he’s focusing on fundraising efforts.

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


Patrick Mahany


NTSB Identification: CEN15FA290
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Friday, July 03, 2015 in Frisco, CO
Aircraft: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS INC AS350B3E, registration: N390LG
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators 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 July 3, 2015, at 1339 mountain daylight time, an Airbus Helicopter Inc. (formerly American Eurocopter) AS350B3e helicopter, N390LG, impacted the upper west parking lot 360 feet southwest of the Summit Medical Center helipad (91CO), Frisco, Colorado. A post-impact fire ensued. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Air Methods Corp and the flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on a company flight plan. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured and two flight nurses were seriously injured. The public relations flight was en route to Gypsum, Colorado.

According to Air Methods the helicopter was flying to the American Spirit of Adventure Boy Scout Camp near Gypsum, Colorado, for a public relations mission. Multiple witnesses observed the helicopter lift off from the ground-based helipad, rotate counterclockwise, and climb simultaneously. One witness estimated that the helicopter reached an altitude of 100 feet before it started to descend. The helicopter continued to spin counterclockwise several times before it impacted a parking lot and an RV to the southwest of the Flight for Life hangar and helipad. The helicopter came to rest on its right side, was damaged by impact forces, and was charred, melted, and partially consumed by fire.

Kristin McLain


NTSB Identification: CEN15FA210
14 CFR Public Use
Accident occurred Monday, April 27, 2015 in Austin, TX
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/14/2016
Aircraft: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH MBB BK 117 C-2, registration: N392TC
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Uninjured.

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.

A helicopter with a pilot, a hoist operator, and a helicopter rescue specialist (rescuer) on board was dispatched to transport an injured person out of an area of rough terrain. Based on the patient's location and the time of the call, a night hoist operation was planned. The helicopter arrived on scene, and the hoist operator lowered the rescuer and equipment from the helicopter. While the rescuer and ground personnel prepared the patient for transport, the pilot and hoist operator looked for a nearby landing zone. Upon hearing radio calls from the rescuer that the patient was ready, the helicopter returned to the patient's location, and the hoist operator lowered the hoist hook. The patient, who was in a Bauman bag, and the rescuer were then lifted from the ground by the hoist. The hoist operator continued to reel in the patient and the rescuer as the helicopter transitioned from a hover to forward flight. When the patient and rescuer were about 10 ft below the helicopter's skids, the rescuer fell about 100 ft to the ground. 

The ground personnel who helped the rescuer prepare the patient for transport did not report seeing anything unusual. They said that, during the initial part of the lift, the rescuer and patient went into some tree branches, the helicopter maneuvered away from the tree, and then the rescuer and patient were lifted up towards the helicopter. 

Examination of the rescuer's equipment did not reveal any failures or malfunctions that would explain the fall. Additionally, examination of the hoist hook and helicopter equipment did not reveal any abnormities. Also, review of video from a camera located on the hoist did not identify any failures in the equipment nor did it show how the rescuer was initially hooked into the hoist. In the absence of any equipment failure, it is likely that the rescuer was not properly fastened to the hoist.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The helicopter rescue specialist was not properly attached to the hoist system, which resulted in a fall during a night hoist operation.

Student pilots: Flying is ‘coolest thing ever’


Dalton Earles and Nikki Hughes flew down to Gulf Shores for lunch.

Seafood! Why else would you fly to Gulf Shores for lunch?

Dalton was at the controls of the Diamond DA40 on the flight from Troy to the coast and Nikki took the controls on the way home.

But flying the private plane was nothing new for the high school seniors. They have solo flights to their credit and cross-country flights.

By the end of the month they both should be certified private airplane pilots. Dalton is scheduled to have his final FAA cross-country check on Thursday and Nikki’s will be the following Saturday.



Then, the sky is the limit for Pike County School’s First in Flight and Leadership Academy students.

The academy is the runway to high-fly careers for Dalton, who is a senior at Pike County High School, and Nikki, a senior at Goshen High School.

For them, flying is “the coolest thing ever” and they always want their blue highways to be blue skyways.

“The first time I flew, I was five years old,” Dalton said. “I flew on a commercial plane with my family to Texas. That was the beginning for me.”

Several years ago, Dalton had a chance to ride in a Cessna and got to put his hands on the controls. He was hooked.

“Later, I got to see the Blue Angels and, after that, I was around airplanes every chance I got,” he said. “I knew I wanted to fly.”

Dalton applied to the Pike County School’s aviation academy and was accepted. But, the first two years were spent in grounds school and it was “tough.” But he never lost sight of his dream to pilot planes.



For Nikki, her inspiration to fly came at a math and science camp. She stood near the runway on “space day” and watched as the pilot taxied the small plane, pulled onto the runway and accelerated to takeoff. When the plane soared so did Nikki’s spirits.

“I knew right then what I wanted to do,” she said. “I was bored with high school. I was not challenged. I wanted to fly.”

Nikki applied for acceptance into the First in Flight and Leadership Academy. She wanted to fulfill her dream of flying and also that of her dad’s.

“My dad wanted to fly but he didn’t have the money that it takes,” she said. “The academy was my chance to do what we both wanted to do.”

Both young pilots said the academy was very demanding and more was asked than they sometimes want to give but their eyes were always on the sky.

Both remember the day that their flight trainer said the words they had long wanted to hear, “you’re ready to solo.”

“Your first solo flights are traffic patterns, “ Dalton said. “It’s take-offs and landings. You fly in a triangle. You take off and land. Take off and land.”

When the day came for the Dalton and Nikki to make their first “real” solo flights. They were more than ready, “nervous but ready,” they said.

Dalton’s first solo flight was to Selma and Nikki flew solo to Auburn. Both have now logged scores of solo flights and cross country flights.

“I’m real comfortable in the plane by myself,” Nikki said. “It’s like I belong.”

Dalton said, too, that he’s as comfortable behind the “wheel” of a Diamond as he is behind the wheel of a car.

Nikki has accepted the good-natured teasing that she gets about having to have a booster seat to pilot the plane.

“I have to have the booster seat to be able to see out,” she said, laughing. “I have to take a lot of kidding about that.”

The young pilots said flying an airplane is serous business and it’s something they take very seriously. Both have had their “scary” moments in the air. For Nikki, it was a sudden wind change and then a situation where she was having to dodge clouds that were popping up. She handled both situations by the book and learned from the “hands-on”experience.

For Dalton, it was “porpoise” landing.

“When you porpoise you bounce and the nose of the plane goes down and, if you don’t recover, it can be bad,” Dalton said. “When it happened, I thought I was going to crash a half-million dollar airplane … and with my parents watching. I recovered but I was real nervous.”

Dalton and Nikki are conscientious pilots. They know their limits and they don’t push them.

Both said the First in Flight and Leadership Academy has laid the foundation for their futures. Dalton’s future plan is an either/or plan.

He would like to attend the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. If that doesn’t work out, he will enlist in the Air Force and hopefully get one of his preferred jobs.

Nikki’s plan is to attend Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and pursue a career in the fields of math or aerospace engineering.

They expressed appreciation to the Pike County School System for providing them with the opportunities “for” their lifetimes.

When Dalton Earles and Nikki Hughes were 15 years old, they were walking around on the Troy University campus as students. Today, they are high school seniors who pilot planes. For them, the sky is the limit.

Source:   http://www.troymessenger.com

American Champion Citabria: Incident occurred September 16, 2016 in Ravenswood Open Space Preserve, East Palo Alto, San Mateo County, California



EAST PALO ALTO, Calif. (BCN) - Police are trying to determine why a small plane landed in a marshy area along the San Francisco Bay near East Palo Alto earlier this afternoon.

The plane, which came down at about 2:45 p.m., is sitting upright on a spit of land in a marshy area south of the Ravenswood Open Space Preserve, according to East Palo Alto police Sgt. Angel Sanchez.

A California Highway Patrol helicopter has landed next to the plan, which Sanchez said appears to hold two people who seem to have escaped injury.

Emergency vehicles are attempting to reach the plane, but the wild nature of the coastline in that area is hindering efforts.

Source:   http://www.ktvu.com



EAST PALO ALTO (KRON) — A small plane made a mysterious landing in a marshy area of the East Palo Alto shoreline on Friday afternoon, police Sgt. Angel Sanchez said.

The plane came down at around 2:45 p.m. It is currently sitting upright just south of the Ravenwood Open Space Preserve, Sanchez said.

A California Highway Patrol helicopter has landed next to the plan, which Sanchez said appears to hold two people who seem to have escaped injury.

Emergency vehicles are attempting to reach the plane, but the wild nature of the coastline in that area is hindering efforts.

Story and video:   http://kron4.com

On the market: Oregon homes with airstrips for private planes


Here's a different way to commute between home and work: Fly off in a plane parked in your yard. It's possible for pilots who live on properties with hangars and a shared or private airstrip.

Like the 10-acre property in Yamhill County that is rumored to have been used by D.B. Cooper, who hijacked a plane and parachuted into the Northwest woods with $200,000 on Nov. 24, 1971, after boarding at Portland International Airport.

The property, at 21821 SW Rock Creek Road in Sheridan, has a hangar and private landing strip. There is also a two-story house, built in 1922, with three bedrooms, one bath and 976 square feet. Listed at $279,900, that breaks down to $307 a square foot.











Another pilot-ready property: 4300 NW Charlton Road in Portland has eight acres on Sauvie Island that includes a private landing strip and an airplane. Listed at $1.499 million, there's a two-story daylight ranch house, built in 1955, with three bedrooms, three baths and 4,478 square feet ($335 a square foot).

In this week's real estate gallery, we look at Oregon and Washington homes on the market or recently sold that are perfect for a pilot.

There are approximately 150 pilot-ready homes within 50 miles of Portland Metro area and more than 300 private airport properties in the state, according to Connie Knittel of M Realty, who has specialized in airport homes for more than 10 years.

"Private use, public use ... creates places to fly," she says.


 

One of Knittel's first listings in Oregon was a public use, privately owned 35-acre airport and house in Sandy.

"It was a great experience," she recalls. "I found my appreciation and intrigue of pilots and flight during that time of attempting to sell a property that seemed like no one wanted it. I did a lot of research and investigating on what general aviation really was. I learned how to find the pilots. I learned what challenges these rural airport properties faced. I learned that banks and buyers were kind of leery of a commitment to a home like this."

Ten years later, she's still looking skyward.

"The visual beauty from the sky views from your small aircraft makes Oregon a great place to fly in," she says. "We have places to land."

It is time for you to land, jump out of a small aircraft and walk across the yard to fix dinner? Call air traffic control.

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

Piper PA-34-200 Seneca I, registered to and operated by American Flight Training LLC, N16499: Accident occurred August 19, 2016 in Hollywood, Broward County, Florida

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

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office;  Miramar, Florida
Hartzell Propeller Inc; Piqua, Ohio

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


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


http://registry.faa.gov/N16499

Location: Hollywood, FL
Accident Number: ERA16LA295
Date & Time: 08/19/2016, 1130 EDT
Registration: N16499
Aircraft: PIPER PA34
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Part(s) separation from AC
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under:  Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

On August 19, 2016, at 1130 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200, N16499, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Hollywood, Florida. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction were uninjured. The airplane was registered to and operated by American Flight Training LLC. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight, which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight departed from North Perry Airport (HWO), Hollywood Florida, about 1100.

The purpose of the flight was to perform practice maneuvers in preparation for a multiengine instructor practical examination. According to the flight instructor, the pilot receiving instruction was at the controls and had just completed a right turn at an altitude of 3,300 feet mean sea level, when he heard a loud noise and observed something separate from the right engine. He took the controls and headed east toward the airport, when he noticed the airplane would not maintain altitude. According to the pilot receiving instruction, the right engine had partially separated from its mounts, and was angled downward. The instructor performed a forced landing to an area of tall sawgrass and shallow water.

Examination of the wreckage at the scene by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the right engine had separated from its mounts and was found about 75 feet in front of the airplane. One propeller blade was missing and the propeller hub was fractured. The left wing trailing edge and aileron were substantially damaged. The empennage was buckled on both sides near the mid-section attachment point.

Metallurgical examination of the right engine propeller hub revealed a features consistent with a fatigue fracture along a grease-fitting hole (for more information, see Materials Laboratory Factual Report for this accident in the NTSB public docket).

An FAA airworthiness directive (AD 2008-13-28) had been issued on July 2, 2008 (and was superseded by AD 2009-22-03 on November 12, 2009). The 2009 AD required initial (within 50 hours time in service) and repetitive (every 100 hours) eddy current inspection of the area around the lubrication holes of the propeller hub blade sockets. The AD resulted from four reports of propeller hub cracks and was applicable to the make and model accident propeller hub.

Maintenance records revealed that the airplane's most recent 100-hour inspection (which included inspection of both propellers) occurred on May 27, 2016, at which time the propeller installed on the right engine had accrued a total of 7,100 hours, with 380 hours since overhaul on June 2, 2015. The airplane flew about 60 hours since that inspection. Review of the maintenance records did not reveal any documentation that AD 2008-13-28 (or 2009-22-03) had been complied with on the overhauled accident propeller. 

Flight Instructor Information

Certificate: Airline Transport
Age: 51, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 04/18/2016
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 02/02/2015
Flight Time:  10995 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1150 hours (Total, this make and model), 9300 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 135 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 89 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 6 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Pilot-Rated Passenger Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 22, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 08/12/2014
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 06/22/2016
Flight Time:  429 hours (Total, all aircraft), 40 hours (Total, this make and model), 335 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 86 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 50 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information


Aircraft Make: PIPER
Registration: N16499
Model/Series: PA34 200
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1973
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 34-7350132
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 6
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 05/27/2016, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3999 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 61 Hours
Engines: 2 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 7160 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-360-C1E6
Registered Owner: AMERICAN FLIGHT TRAINING LLC
Rated Power: 200 hp
Operator: AMERICAN FLIGHT TRAINING LLC
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Pilot School (141)

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan


Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KHWO, 9 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 19 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1155 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 95°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 4000 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 3 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 120°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.06 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 32°C / 23°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: HOLLYWOOD, FL (HWO)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: HOLLYWOOD, FL (HWO)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1100 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Wreckage and Impact Information


Crew Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude:  26.026667, -80.592778

NTSB Identification: ERA16LA295
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, August 19, 2016 in Hollywood, FL
Aircraft: PIPER PA34, registration: N16499
Injuries: 2 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 August 19, 2016, at 1130 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200, N16499, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in the everglades near Hollywood, Florida. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction were uninjured. The airplane was registered to and operated by American Flight Training LLC. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight, which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight departed from North Perry Airport (HWO), Hollywood Florida, about 1100.

The purpose of the flight was to perform practice maneuvers in preparation for a multi-engine instructor practical examination. According to the flight instructor, the pilot under instruction was at the controls and had just completed a right turn at an altitude of 3,300 feet mean sea level, when he heard a loud noise and observed something separate from the right engine. He took the controls and headed east toward the airport, when he noticed the airplane would not maintain altitude. According to the pilot under instruction, the right engine had partially separated from its mounts, and was angled downward. The instructor performed a forced landing to an area of tall sawgrass and shallow water in the everglades.

Examination of the wreckage at the scene by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the right engine had separated from its mounts, as was found about 75 feet in front of the airplane. One propeller blade was missing and the propeller hub was fractured. The left wing trailing edge and aileron were substantially damaged. The empennage was buckled on both sides near the mid-section attachment point.

Maintenance records revealed that the airplane's most recent 100-hour inspection (which included inspection of both propellers) occurred on May 27, 2016, at which time the propeller installed on the right engine had accrued a total of 7,100 hours, with 380 hours since overhaul. The airplane flew about 60 hours since that inspection.

The right engine and propeller assembly were retained for later examination.



OPA-LOCKA, FLA. (WSVN) - A small, twin-engine aircraft made an emergency landing, Friday, after reportedly having engine failure.

7 Skyforce HD flew over the scene of a Piper PA-34 that made an emergency landing in the Everglades, 18 miles west of US Highway 27, just before noon Friday. Tower officials were in communication with the pilot who reportedly said they would be putting the aircraft down.

The pilot and co-pilot were later seen standing on top of the crashed aircraft, which landed about 18 miles west of North Perry Airport. “We heard a Mayday call on guard frequency,” said U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Joseph Messina. “We heard the pilot say, ‘Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, I’m going down.'”

The plane took off from Opa-locka Executive Airport early Friday morning and quickly had engine problems. Both engines were destroyed and a fuel leak also occurred. “The nose cone was broken off. There was a little bit of wreckage everywhere,” Messina said. “The landing gear had been broken apart, and one of the engines had separated itself from the left wing.”

The U.S. Coast Guard, unsure of the plane’s condition, went through with the rescue, sending over a helicopter. “We dropped down from a 30-foot hover and lowered our rescue basket down to the top of the plane,” Messina said.

Skyforce HD caught the moments when one of the people on board was lifted in the rescue basket to safety. Both men were flown back to their home airport in Opa-locka.

Messina confirmed that both men were uninjured. “In great condition. They looked like they were happy to get off the plane,” he said. “There were no injuries.”

Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue spokesperson Mike Jachles also spoke of the possible condition of both passengers. “When BSO Air Rescue located the wreckage, they saw the two people onboard were giving the thumbs up, indicating they appeared OK,” said Jachles.

The plane is owned by American Flight Training, who told 7News that both men on board were both veterans and knew how to handle themselves in flight.

Story and video:   http://wsvn.com






A pilot and a student survived a hard landing in a small plane in far western Broward County Friday morning.

The plane, owned by the Wayman Flight School at North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines, took off with only the flight instructor, Alejandro Alvarez, 51, and one student, Pedro Krisciunas, 22, on board.

"They did a forced landing because of engine trouble," said Eddie Luy, a manager and part owner of the school. "In the end it was the best result we could have hoped for given a bad situation."

A helicopter crew from the U.S. Coast Guard and a Broward Sheriff's Office air rescue unit were first on the scene, finding the fixed-wing, two-engine Piper Seneca on its belly in heavy marshland shortly before noon about seven miles west of U.S. 27, according to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue spokesman Mike Jachles.

Learn more about the “valley” which is the word locals use to describe Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton area. If you live here, you will know these are true.

"When BSO Air Rescue located the wreckage, they saw that the two people that were on board were giving the thumbs-up, indicating they appeared OK," Jachles said.

A sheriff's office airboat unit later examined the plane and determined there were no fuel leaks or anything else that would harm the environment or create an additional safety hazard, Jachles said. He did not know when the plane would be removed from the site.

Story and video:   http://www.sun-sentinel.com

Cessna 150M, registered to and operated by Aptis Aviation LLC, N9230U: Accident occurred August 19, 2016 in Littleton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts

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

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

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

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N9230U

Location: Littleton, MA
Accident Number: ERA16LA300
Date & Time: 08/19/2016, 1349 EDT
Registration: N9230U
Aircraft: CESSNA 150
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

On August 19, 2016, at 1349 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N9230U, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing near Littleton, Massachusetts. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the solo instructional flight that was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight departed from Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport (SFM), Sanford, Maine, with the intended destination of Minute Man Air Field (6B6), Stow, Massachusetts.

According to the student pilot, he was on a solo cross-country flight and topped-off the fuel tanks with 100 low lead aviation fuel prior to departing on the first leg of the flight. He departed 6B6, landed at Laconia Municipal Airport (LCI), Laconia, New Hampshire, and then continued to SFM. After departing SFM, while in a cruise descent from 4,500 feet mean sea level (msl) on a 4 mile straight-in approach to runway 21 to 6B6, the engine lost partial power when the rpm decreased from 2,500 to 1,300 rpm around 2,500 feet msl. The student thought he could make it to the runway, but then began searching for a field to perform a forced landing. He located a field, turned toward it, and then began troubleshooting the engine. The student pilot advanced the mixture to full rich and applied carburetor heat; however, there was no change in the engine performance. As he was about to turn onto the final leg of the traffic pattern to the field, about 800 feet msl, the engine lost total power. The pilot landed the airplane in the selected field, which was about 300 feet msl, it impacted a stone wall and trees, and then came to rest in the upright position.

According to the flight instructor, the student pilot received his student pilot certificate in September 2014. His most recent third-class medical certificate was issued on September 18, 2014. At the time of the accident, he had accumulated 73 hours of total flight time, of which 51 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane and 11 hours were as pilot-in-command.

According to Federal Aviation Administration records, the airplane was manufactured in 1976, issued an airworthiness certificate in May 2015, and was registered a flight school. In addition, it was equipped with a Lycoming O-200 series, 100-horsepower engine. According to the flight instructor, a 100-hour inspection was performed on the airplane August 4, 2016, at a total time of 8,216.4 hours, and a tach time of 969 hours. At the time of the accident, the tachometer indicated 986.8 hours.

Examination of the airplane revealed that both wings were partially separated from the fuselage and the leading edges were impact damaged. The engine was examined and fuel was noted in the carburetor bowl. The fuel was free of water and debris. The rocker arm covers were removed and no anomalies were noted. Crankshaft and valve train continuity was confirmed from the propeller to the accessory section of the engine by rotating the propeller. In addition, evidence of compression was observed on all cylinders. The magnetos produced spark on all towers, the spark plugs exhibited normal wear, and were in "new condition." During the recovery, about 10 gallons of fuel were drained from the airplane.

The reported weather around the time of the accident at Laurence G Hanscom Field (BED), Bedford, Massachusetts, which was located 10 miles east of the accident location, indicated wind from 330° at 4 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 6,000 feet above ground level (agl), temperature 31° C, dew point 13° C, and an altimeter setting of 29.90 inches of mercury.

The carburetor icing probability chart from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB): CE-09-35 Carburetor Icing Prevention, June 30, 2009, shows a probability of icing at glide and cruise power at the temperature and dew point reported at the time of the accident.

According to the NTSB Pilot/Operator Report that was filed by the flight instructor, under the mechanical malfunction/failure section of the report it stated that the "engine fail[ed] due to carb[uretor] ice."

Pilot Information

Certificate: Student
Age: 18, Male
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 09/18/2014
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  73.6 hours (Total, all aircraft), 50.9 hours (Total, this make and model), 11.4 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 5.6 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 5.6 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Registration: N9230U
Model/Series: 150 M
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1976
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal; Utility
Serial Number: 15078180
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 08/04/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1601 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 18 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 8216.4 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: CONT MOTOR
ELT: Installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: O-200-A-48
Registered Owner: Aptis Aviation
Rated Power: 100 hp
Operator: Aptis Aviation
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: BED, 133 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 10 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1356 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 110°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 6000 ft agl
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 4 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 330°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 29.9 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 31°C / 13°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Sanford, ME (SFM)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: VFR
Destination: Stow, MA (6B6)
Type of Clearance: VFR Flight Following
Departure Time:  EDT
Type of Airspace: 

Airport Information

Airport: MINUTE MAN AIR FIELD (6B6)
Runway Surface Type: Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 268 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry; Vegetation
Runway Used: N/A
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing; Straight-in

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:  42.523889, -71.491667 (est)

NTSB Identification: ERA16LA300
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, August 19, 2016 in Littleton, MA
Aircraft: CESSNA 150M, registration: N9230U
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 August 19, 2016, at 1349 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150, N9230U, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing near Littleton, Massachusetts. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the solo instructional flight that was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight departed from Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport (SFM), Sanford, Maine, with the intended destination of Minute Man Air Field (6B6), Stow, Massachusetts.

According to the student pilot, he was on a solo cross country flight and topped off the fuel tanks with 100 LL aviation fuel prior to departing on the first leg of the flight. He departed 6B6, landed at Laconia Municipal Airport (LCI), Laconia, New Hampshire, and then continued on to SFM. After departing SFM, while en route to 6B6, the engine lost partial power and decreased from 2500 rpm to 1300 rpm. The pilot advanced the mixture to full rich, applied carburetor heat; however, there was no change in the engine performance. He located a nearby field to perform a forced landing, and about 900 feet above ground level, the engine lost total power. The pilot landed the airplane in the selected field, it impacted a stone wall and trees, and then came to rest in the upright position.

An examination of the airplane revealed that both wings were partially separated from the fuselage and the leading edges were impact damaged. The engine was examined and fuel was noted in the carburetor bowl. The fuel was free of water and debris. The rocker arm covers were removed and no anomalies were noted. Crankshaft and valve train continuity was confirmed from the propeller to the accessory section of the engine by rotating the propeller. The spark plugs exhibited normal wear and were in "new condition."


During the recovery, about 10 gallons of fuel was drained from the airplane.


Firefighters responded off of Harwood Avenue for a reported plane crash around 14:00 on Friday, August 19th. The aircraft was occupied by pilot only and emergency landed in a field, striking some trees and a stone wall; and missing two near-by houses. The pilot was evaluated on scene for minor injuries.



LITTLETON -- A student pilot walked away unharmed after the single-engine plane he was flying lost power and crash-landed in a field off Harwood Avenue Friday afternoon.

The Cessna plane had power issues at about 2,000 feet before it made a rough landing into a field and woods off Harwood Avenue shortly after 2 p.m., according to Police Chief Matthew King.

"The pilot stated he lost power and then took some evasive action to try to bleed off some speed, landed in the field and unfortunately went out of the field and into the trees," King said.

The pilot, who was the only person on the plane, was shaken by the incident, he said. The man was evaluated by the Littleton Fire Department for minor injuries.

According to officials, the pilot is a flight-school student at Aptis Aviation fthrough Minute Man Air Field in Stow.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, student pilots who have a student-pilot certificate may fly alone. A call and email to the school were not immediately returned.

The FAA cleared the plane to be returned to the air field after reviewing pictures of the crash.

"He did a great job in an emergency situation," King said. "He's up, he's walking and he's fine."

He said he believed the man to be a local resident who was familiar with the area. It's unclear where the plane, which was heavily damaged in the crash, was headed. Littleton police and firefighters responded to the scene.

Chris D'Orazio owns the private, residential property where the plane landed. It has a long, winding driveway into the woods with a large gate. Signs along the driveway warn against trespassing and note that surveillance cameras are in use.

"That doesn't typically happen every day," said D'Orazio, who wasn't home at the time of the crash. "I'm just glad the pilot was OK, our horses were OK, and that there was no damage to the house."

Source:   http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com



LITTLETON, Mass. —A student pilot pulled off an emergency landing in Littleton Friday after his aircraft lost power.

Police said the pilot was flying around 2,000 feet when the Cessna 150 lost power shortly after 2 p.m.

Facing a potentially deadly situation, he remained calm and glided the single-engine plane to the ground at the edge of a wooded area near Harwood Avenue.

The plane was damaged during the crash landing, but the pilot walked away with no serious injuries.

It's unknown what caused the aircraft to lose power.

Story and video:  http://www.wcvb.com



LITTLETON, Mass. (WHDH) — A student pilot was uninjured after his plane crashed in Littleton Friday.

The crash happened in a wooded area on Harwood Avenue. Firefighters said the pilot, a flight school student, lost all power while he was in the air. The pilot knew the area and guided the plane to a field, then went downhill and hit some trees before stopping.

The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified of the crash.

Source:  http://whdh.com