Tuesday, September 06, 2016

Van's RV-7, N599V: Incident occurred September 04, 2016 in Nassau, Bahamas

http://registry.faa.gov/N599V

AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. NASSAU, BAHAMAS

Date: 04-SEP-16
Time: 12:00:00Z
Regis#: N599V
Aircraft Make: VANS
Aircraft Model: RV7
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: Unknown
Damage: Unknown
Flight Phase: UNKNOWN (UNK)
City: NASSAU
Country: Bahamas, The

Air Tractor AT-400, Rustys Flying Service, N31627: Accident occurred September 05, 2016 in Hondo, Medina County, Texas

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

NTSB Identification: GAA16CA462 
14 CFR Part 137: Agricultural
Accident occurred Monday, September 05, 2016 in Hondo, TX
Probable Cause Approval Date: 04/04/2017
Aircraft: AIR TRACTOR INC AT, registration: N31627
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 reported that, while maneuvering at low altitude over a field during an agricultural application flight, the airplane struck an antenna atop a tower adjacent to the field, and the antenna wrapped around the right wing and landing gear. The pilot added that he attempted an off-airport landing, but the airplane impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings.

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

In an e-mail, the tower owner’s lawyer reported that the tower was used for internet and two-way communications. He added that the tower was under 200 ft above ground level and “with the antenna attached, the tower was in the mid to upper 100 [foot] range.” The lawyer reported that the tower was marked and lit appropriately and was not registered due its height.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from an antenna atop a tower while maneuvering at a low altitude and the airplane’s subsequent impact with terrain during an attempted off-airport landing.

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

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

Rustys Flying Service: http://registry.faa.gov/N31627

NTSB Identification: GAA16CA462
14 CFR Part 137: Agricultural
Accident occurred Monday, September 05, 2016 in Hondo, TX
Aircraft: AIR TRACTOR INC AT, registration: N31627
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 reported that while maneuvering at low altitude over a field during an aerial application flight, the airplane struck an antenna atop a tower adjacent to the field, and the antenna wrapped around the right wing and landing gear. The pilot further reported that he attempted an off-airport landing, but the airplane impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings.

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

In an email with the tower owner's lawyer, he reported that the tower was used for internet and two way communications. He further reported that the tower was under 200 feet above ground level and "with the antenna attached, the tower was in the mid to upper 100 [foot] range." The lawyer reported that the tower was marked and lit appropriately and was not registered, due to the tower height.

Boeing A75N1(PT17), N52236: Accident occurred September 05, 2016 in Atlanta, Cass County, Texas

http://registry.faa.gov/N52236

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

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

NTSB Identification: GAA16CA467
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, September 05, 2016 in Atlanta, TX
Probable Cause Approval Date: 01/18/2017
Aircraft: BOEING A75N1(PT17), registration: N52236
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 of the tailwheel equipped biplane reported that during the landing on a grass airstrip, he landed long and was unable to stop before the landing gear contacted the edge of an intersecting asphalt runway and the biplane became airborne. The pilot further stated that after becoming airborne he aborted the landing, but the airplane impacted the top of a tree(s), descended, and touched down on an adjacent golf course. The biplane sustained substantial damage to both left wing struts.

The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point on a grass airstrip and the airplane's subsequent collision with trees during an attempted aborted landing.

ATLANTA, TX.  --  At approximately 1:50 p.m. Texas Highway Patrol Troopers responded to a report of a plane crash north of US-59 in Atlanta.

The pilot, Michael Leslie Johnson, a 53 year old male from Jefferson, Texas, stated that the plane had come down too hard when he attempted to land at the landing strip south of US-59, causing the plane to bounce back up in the air.

As Mr. Johnson turned the plane around for a second landing attempt, the plane’s tires struck a tree and immediately started to descending, causing it to strike the roof of a building. The plane came to rest on a golf course north of US-59.

No injuries were reported.

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

North Little Rock Municipal Airport (KORK) LED lighting brightens sky: New bulbs efficient, lasting

The North Little Rock Airport's installation of LED lighting has made it a real bright spot for pilots flying at night.

The general aviation airport, at 8202 Remount Road on the city's northern edge, has retrofitted all of its airfield lights from incandescent to the brighter LED -- light emitting diode -- lights. That includes its runway, taxiway and rotating beacon lights.

"When our new lights first got turned on, we actually had pilots of a couple of smaller planes who said they were thinking we were the Little Rock airport because they weren't used to seeing this airport being this bright," said Clay Rogers, the airport's director.

"These are a lot more energy-efficient lights," Rogers added. "They're a lot brighter and can be seen easier from the air at night."

The retrofitting cost $2.425 million, Rogers said, with about 90 percent coming from five Federal Aviation Administration grants and the balance from the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics.

Installing LED lighting has become common among the state's 92 publicly owned airports, said Jerry Chism, director of the state Aeronautics Department.

"It is a trend around the state," Chism said.

"LED lights are more visible, are cheaper to operate and have a longer life span than incandescent lights," he said. "Pilots get better visibility, and airports get lower maintenance and operating costs."

More than $13 million in LED lighting upgrades have been made or are underway at Little Rock's Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field, said Shane Carter, spokesman for the airport. The switch started in 2007.

As part of the upgrades, Little Rock's airport began a $2 million project Aug. 29 on its east commercial runway that is scheduled to take 75 days to complete, Carter said. The work involves installing 164 LED lights on the runway's centerline, he said.

"Next year we're looking at installing shoulder pavement and edge lights on this runway," Carter said.

In 2014, Carter said, the airport installed LED lighting on its west, or primary, runway, which is the airport's main commercial runway. The cost was $4.7 million, Carter said. The work included converting shoulder and edge lighting to LED as well as on centerline and touchdown lighting.

Changing out the lighting at the North Little Rock Airport, Rogers said, has eliminated problems it had with its older incandescent lights burning out on runways and taxiways and will mean cost-savings for the airport.

"We had a lot of lights that were installed a long time ago," Rogers said. "We had a lot of electrical problems. The time to fix those when they would break and to troubleshoot them, and the time and the energy and the money it took to fix them, got to be more and more.

"This will save us money on our electric bills, save us money on our maintenance time and will allow us to be running more efficiently," he said. "Also, these lights are generally better for the environment."

Source:   http://www.nwaonline.com