Monday, September 26, 2016

Hummingbird 300LS, SP-YLN: Accident occurred September 06, 2016 in Rzeszow, Poland

NTSB Identification: CEN16WA367
Accident occurred Tuesday, September 06, 2016 in Rzeszow, Poland
Aircraft: UNknown Hummingbird 300LS, registration:
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

The foreign authority was the source of this information.

On September 6, 2016, at 1125 UTC, an amateur built Hummingbird 300LS helicopter, Polish registration SP-YLN, caught fire during the on-ground cool down period following the first hovering flight of the helicopter after being built. The accident occurred at the Rzeszow Jasionka Airport (EPRZ) , Rzeszow, Poland. The pilot was not injured. The helicopter was substantially damaged.

This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained for the Government of Poland.

The State Commission of Aircraft Accident Investigation

(SCAAI)

Ministry of Transport and Maritime Economy

ul. Chalubinskiego 4/6

00-928 Warszawa 67

Poland

One Man's Tribute to his Dad

AUBURN, Indiana (21 Alive)--Phil Allison's one of the most capable guys we know.  Corporate pilot,  former business owner, and licensed aircraft mechanic who like projects. 

He rebuilt a World War II-era Boeing Stearman biplane ... did a beautiful job. 

His latest effort, though, is hardly as exciting,  but for Phil... far more emotional.

Story and video:  http://www.21alive.com

Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee, N7487W: Incident occurred September 26, 2016 at Tangier Island Airport (KTGI), Accomack County, Virginia

http://registry.faa.gov/N7487W

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Richmond FSDO-21

AIRCRAFT ON LANDING, NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, TANGIER ISLAND, VIRGINIA. 

Date: 26-SEP-16
Time: 13:05:00Z
Regis#: N7487W
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA28
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Minor
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: TANGIER
State: Virginia



An investigation revealed that damage to the front landing gear caused a small plane to crash on the runway at the Tangier Airport at approximately 1:05 p.m. on Sept. 26.

According to 1st Sgt. B. E. Jeff Jones, Virginia State Police Area Commander, the nose of the plane bounced during the landing and caused the front landing gear to break. 

The pilot and co-pilot, Jamison Simpson, 49, of Waldorf, Maryland and Leonard Baker, 64, of Washington, D.C., have over 10 years of aviation experience and were not injured in the crash.

Jones and Trooper Cameron Richardson of the Virginia State Police along with Tangier Fire and Rescue responded to the scene of the crash.

The runway was cleared and reopened to air traffic at approximately 3 p.m.

According to Jones, the assistance provided by the Accomack Sheriff's Office and the addition of the sheriff's office boat were invaluable in reducing the response time. The state police office received the call and were able to arrive on the scene within 50 minutes.

"I would like to share my sincere appreciation to Sheriff Todd Godwin, Sergeant David Smullin, Deputy Tom Willet of the Accomack Sheriff’s Office for transporting Trooper Richardson and I to the scene in the Sheriff’s Office boat," said Jones.

Source:   http://www.13newsnow.com





TANGIER ISLAND, Va. -  Police say a single-engine plane crashed on Tangier Island on Monday afternoon.

According to Virginia State Police, a rented Piper single-engine airplane ran off the runway at 1PM, Monday afternoon.

Police say two people were on the plane at the time, and that there were no injuries sustained, but there was property damage. The plane broke, and its nose and landing gear was damaged.

Police also say no charges will be filed and the units have been cleared.

Virginia State Police is handling the investigation.

Source:  http://www.wmdt.com

United Airlines, Boeing 737-800, N77535: Incident occurred September 25, 2016 at Denver International Airport (KDEN), Colorado

UNITED AIRLINES INC: http://registry.faa.gov/N77535

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Denver FSDO-03

N77535 UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT UAL739 BOEING 737 AIRCRAFT ON DEPARTURE ROLL SUSTAINED A BIRDSTRIKE TO THE NUMBER 1 ENGINE, NO INJURIES, RETURNED TO GATE, DENVER, COLORADO.  

Date: 25-SEP-16
Time: 17:40:00Z
Regis#: N77535
Aircraft Make: BOEING
Aircraft Model: 737
Event Type: Incident
Damage: Unknown
Activity: Commercial
Flight Phase: TAKEOFF (TOF)
Aircraft Operator: UAL-United Airlines
Flight Number: UAL739
City: DENVER
State: Colorado

Cessna 182P Skylane, AppleBlossom Energy Inc., N6496F: Incident occurred September 25, 2016 in Monroe, Walton County, Georgia

APPLEBLOSSOM ENERGY INC: http://registry.faa.gov/N6496F

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Atlanta FSDO-11

AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED IN A FIELD, MONROE, GEORGIA.  

Date: 25-SEP-16
Time: 16:10:00Z
Regis#: N6496F
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 182
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Unknown
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: MONROE
State: Georgia

Cessna 172N Skyhawk, N733ZK: Incident occurred September 24, 2016 in Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California

http://registry.faa.gov/N733ZK

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA San Jose FSDO-15

AIRCRAFT ON TAXI, GEAR COLLAPSED AND STRUCK A TAXIWAY LIGHT, PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA.  

Date: 24-SEP-16
Time: 16:15:00Z
Regis#: N733ZK
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 172
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Minor
Activity: Instruction
Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)
City: PALO ALTO
State: California

Unregistered ultralight: Incident occurred September 25, 2016 in Tylertown, Walthall County, Mississippi

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Jackson FSDO-31

UNREGISTERED ULTRALIGHT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, NEAR TYLERTOWN, MISSISSIPPI.

Date: 25-SEP-16
Time: 23:50:00Z
Regis#: UNREGISTERED
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: Unknown
Damage: Unknown
Flight Phase: UNKNOWN (UNK)
City: TYLERTOWN
State: Mississippi

Cessna T210L, C&C Flying Service, N13KS: Incident occurred September 23, 2016 in Walnut Ridge, Lawrence County, Arkansas

C&C FLYING SERVICE:   http://registry.faa.gov/N13KS

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

AIRCRAFT ON LANDING, GEAR COLLAPSED, WALNUT RIDGE, ARKANSAS 

Date: 23-SEP-16
Time: 19:00:00Z
Regis#: N13KS
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 210
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Unknown
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: WALNUT RIDGE
State: Arkansas

North American T-28C, N526D: Accident occurred September 23, 2016 in Greenwood, Leflore County, Mississippi

http://registry.faa.gov/N526D

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Jackson FSDO-31


NTSB Identification: ERA16LA328
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, September 23, 2016 in Greenwood, MS
Aircraft: NORTH AMERICAN T28, registration: N526D
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 September 23, 2016, about 1704 central daylight time, a North American T-28C, N526D, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Greenwood, Mississippi. The commercial pilot was not injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated from Winona-Montgomery County Airport (5A6), Winona, Mississippi.

According to the pilot, while on a local flight he contacted air traffic control and advised them that he was experiencing "engine problems." He went on to say that the engine began to "sputter" and then "quit." The pilot made an emergency landing in a bean field.

An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. The airplane came to rest upright and structural damage to the engine firewall and forward fuselage was evident. The airplane was retained for further examination.

Globe GC-1B, N1117R: Incident occurred September 24, 2016 in Lonoke County, Arkansas

http://registry.faa.gov/N1117R

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

AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR UP, LONOKE, ARKANSAS

Date: 24-SEP-16
Time: 14:30:00Z
Regis#: N1117R
Aircraft Make: GLOBE
Aircraft Model: GC1B
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Unknown
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: LONOKE
State: Arkansas

Boeing 737-823, American Airlines, N971NN: Incident occurred September 24, 2016 at Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR), New Jersey

AMERICAN AIRLINES INC:   http://registry.faa.gov/N971NN

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Teterboro FSDO-25

N971NN AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT AAL952 BOEING 737 AIRCRAFT ON FINAL, SUSTAINED A BIRDSTRIKE TO THE RUDDER AND VERTICAL STABILIZER, NO INJURIES, LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT, NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY  

Date: 24-SEP-16
Time: 15:30:00Z
Regis#: N971NN
Aircraft Make: BOEING
Aircraft Model: 737
Event Type: Incident
Damage: Unknown
Activity: Commercial
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Aircraft Operator: AAL-American Airlines
City: NEWARK
State: New Jersey

Piper PA18-150, N743R: Accident occurred September 24, 2016 in Willow, Alaska (and) Incident occurred May 24, 2016 in Talkeetna, Alaska

http://registry.faa.gov/N743R

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Anchorage FSDO-03

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: ANC16CA069
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 24, 2016 in Willow, AK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 01/18/2017
Aircraft: PIPER PA18, registration: N743R
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 reported he was conducting stop-and-go-landings in a tailwheel-equipped airplane to a dry, gravel runway. During the third landing, he reported all three wheels from the landing gear were in contact with the runway and he slowed with normal braking application. He reported that he abruptly felt the tail of the airplane lift, the propeller impacted terrain, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, the right wing struts, and the rudder. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, the pilot stated that he was unsure if a tail wind or his braking application caused the airplane to nose over.

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

The pilot wore a surplus U.S. Navy Flight Deck Crewman's helmet for the flight in addition to utilizing a four-point restraint system. He reported that if he was not wearing a helmet, the injuries sustained to his face, head, and brain would have been serious or fatal.

The closest weather reporting facility was the Wasilla Airport, Wasilla, Alaska, about 20 miles southeast of the accident site. At 1556, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) was reporting in part: wind, calm. In the weather section of the National Transportation Safety Board Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot reported the wind direction was variable and the wind speed was light and variable at the accident site.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has published the Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3A (2004). This handbook discusses braking application procedures for tailwheel-equipped airplanes and states in part:

Some models of tailwheel airplanes are equipped with heel brakes rather than toe brakes. In either configuration the brakes are used primarily to stop the airplane at a desired point, to slow the airplane, or as an aid in making a sharp controlled turn. Whenever used, they must be applied smoothly, evenly, and cautiously at all times.

The FAA and the Medallion Foundation has published the Alaska Flight Review Guide (2014). This guide discusses aviation life support equipment and states in part:

Considering the type of aircraft and mission, a helmet may help survive an accident. The U.S. military and European community has established standards for flying helmets. Emphasize the importance of choosing a helmet which meets an appropriate standard for the type of operation, and which is kept in good repair. Fatal and serious injury data suggests that helmets are most useful in tandem seat aircraft.

A three-point harness is the minimum installation recommended for both front and back seats. The four and five point harnesses are a great improvement to the security of the user due to the geometry of the belts installation. Any properly installed and worn shoulder harness is an improvement over no shoulder harness at all.

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

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose-over.


FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Anchorage FSDO-03

AIRCRAFT ON LANDING NOSED OVER, TALKEETNA, ALASKA


Date: 24-MAY-16
Time: 19:30:00Z
Regis#: N743R
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA18
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Minor
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: TALKEETNA
State: Alaska

Cessna 150F, Pressley Aviation LLC, N8568G: Incident occurred August 20, 2016 in Albemarle, Stanly County, North Carolina

PRESSLEY AVIATION LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N8568G

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Charlotte FSDO-68

AIRCRAFT WHILE PARKING, WINGTIP STRUCK THE FENCE, ALBEMARLE, NORTH CAROLINA.   DELAYED NOTIFICATION.

Date: 20-AUG-16
Time: 16:00:00Z
Regis#: N8568G
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 150
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Unknown
Flight Phase: MANEUVERING (MNV)
City: ALBEMARLE
State: North Carolina

Piper PA-18-150, N2880P: Accident occurred September 25, 2016 in Kotzebue, Alaska

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 

http://registry.faa.govN2880P

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Fairbanks FSDO-01


NTSB Identification: GAA16CA516
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, September 25, 2016 in Kotzebue, AK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 02/06/2017
Aircraft: PIPER PA 18, registration: N2880P
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 the tundra tire-equipped, tailwheel airplane reported that he made an off-airport precautionary landing due to icing conditions; the airplane encountered soft terrain during the landing roll and nosed over.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. 

The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

A review of recorded data from the intended destination’s automated weather observation station about 19 miles to the south west, revealed that, about 37 minutes before the accident the wind was 120 degrees true at 14 knots, visibility 1 statue mile, light snow, mist, temperature 34 degrees Fahrenheit, dewpoint 30 degrees Fahrenheit. And, about 23 minutes after the accident the wind was 110 degrees true at 13 knots, overcast 1,700 feet, visibility 1 ¼ statue mile, light snow, mist, temperature 34 degrees Fahrenheit, dewpoint 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s selection of unsuitable terrain for an off-airport precautionary landing, which resulted in a nose-over.

Aeronca 7AC Champion, N83581: Accident occurred May 06, 2018 and Incident occurred September 24, 2016 at Warrenton–Fauquier Airport (KHWY), Midland, Fauquier County, Virginia

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

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/N83581

Location: Warrenton, VA
Accident Number: GAA18CA257
Date & Time: 05/06/2018, 1030 EDT
Registration: N83581
Aircraft: AERONCA 7AC
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Aerodynamic stall/spin
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under:  Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

According to the flight instructor in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, the purpose of flight was to provide a "proficiency check" for the pilot in the front seat.

The pilot was on the controls and had landed the airplane after accomplishing one pattern. During the takeoff, about 5ft AGL, the airplane's right-wing "went down" and the pilot applied left stick, but the airplane struck the ground.

During an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board Investigator-in-charge, the instructor reported that he believed that the airspeed was too slow during the takeoff climb and that the airplane stalled.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing lift struts.

The METAR at the airport reported that about the time of the accident, the wind was reported as being from 02° at 4 knots. The pilots used runway 15.

The pilot and instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. 

Flight Instructor Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 76, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Rear
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Glider
Restraint Used: Lap Only
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 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 09/19/2017
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 09/23/2016
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 3450 hours (Total, all aircraft), 63 hours (Total, this make and model), 3355 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 163 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 30 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 2 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft) 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 54, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Front
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/08/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 10/03/2017
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 339 hours (Total, all aircraft), 17 hours (Total, this make and model), 247 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: AERONCA
Registration: N83581
Model/Series: 7AC NO SERIES
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1946
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 7AC-2257
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 07/05/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1320 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 5083.61 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: C91  installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: A-65-8
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 65 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: KHWY, 338 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1415 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 222°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 1100 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 5000 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 4 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: / None
Wind Direction: 20°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 29.92 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 16°C / 11°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Warrenton, VA (HWY)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Warrenton, VA (HWY)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1030 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G 

Airport Information

Airport: WARRENTON-FAUQUIER (HWY)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 336 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 15
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5000 ft / 100 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Stop and Go; Traffic Pattern 

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: 38.586389, -77.710556 (est)

September 24, 2016: Aircraft on landing went off the runway and struck propeller and gear.

Date: 24-SEP-16

Time: 16:20:00Z
Regis#: N83581
Aircraft Make: CHAMPION
Aircraft Model: 7ACA
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Unknown
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: WARRENTON
State: Virginia

Spirit Airlines, Airbus A320-200, N602NK, Flight NK-943, incident occurred February 11, 2018 at Southwest Florida International Airport (KRSW), Lee County, Florida -and- Spirit Airlines, Airbus A320-200N, N902NK, Flight NK-517, incident occurred January 28, 2018 at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (KFLL), Broward County, Florida -and- Spirit Airlines, Airbus A320-200, N602NK, Incident occurred September 26, 2016 at Buffalo Niagara International Airport (KBUF), New York

Spirit Airlines, Airbus A320-200N, N902NK

http://registry.faa.gov/N902NK


East Bay resident Josh Puga was returning from spending Super Bowl weekend in Las Vegas when his Spirit Airlines flight suddenly started rattling and shaking violently, with a smell of burnt rubber, sending passengers and crew into a panic.

The plane, headed to Oakland International Airport, made a quick U-turn back to McCarran International Airport, Puga said, before it landed safely. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident, saying the pilot shut down Engine No. 2 after experiencing a vibration.

The event left many on board upset, Puga said, but what really angered him was when he learned the next day that the same Spirit Airlines Airbus A321 had had another serious mechanical malfunction only a week earlier, when crew members got sick from what the FAA is calling a “fume incident.”

“There were some people really scared and ruined by this,” Puga said. “It just pissed me off that they seem to be blowing it off.”

The FAA says both incidents, while close in timing, were unrelated and “involve two completely separate systems.”

Stephen Schuler, Spirit Airlines spokesman, said the two events were “separate and unrelated.”

“The safety of our Guests and crew is our top priority at Spirit Airlines,” Schuler said.

On Jan. 28, the Spirit aircraft traveled from Akron to Fort Lauderdale when an “over-serviced” auxiliary power unit generated the fumes and led the crew to declare an emergency, FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer said. The auxiliary power unit is a gas turbine engine located in the rear of the plane that provides power for electricity, air conditioning and other functions while a plane is on the ground and main engines are off. The exhaust port for the unit is in the tail cone of the plane.

Kenitzer said the oil tank has a specific capacity and if exceeded, the surplus oil “needs a place to go.”

“A small amount may pass through the seals and into the exhaust system thus creating a fume event,” he said.

What type of fumes and where the fumes traveled is part of the agency’s ongoing investigation, he said.

The National Transportation Safety Board must be notified if the crew cannot complete their official duties during a flight, but a spokesman said that did not happen in this incident.

“Several flight attendants were transported to the hospital but none were admitted,” NTSB spokesman Keith Holloway said. “The pilots did not go to the hospital. No further investigation is planned.”

The Spirit Airlines spokesman said no passengers reported any issues during the fume incident, however some crew members were evaluated by a doctor.

According to the plane’s flight history, it landed at 1:28 p.m., and flew again shortly after 10 p.m. that night. It flew again the next day shortly after 6 p.m. and completed 32 flights between the the Jan. 28 incident and the Las Vegas engine trouble.

On Feb. 4, the aircraft experienced a vibration in the No. 2 engine and the pilot shut it down, Kenitzer said. What caused the incident is still under review.

Schuler, with Spirit Airlines, said the aircraft has been out of service since then, and the engine has been replaced.

“Some members of the crew were evaluated by a private doctor, but were not hospitalized,” he said.

B. Wilson, of San Ramon, was also on the Las Vegas flight with his fiance.

“People were crying. Someone said they thought the plane was going to crash. People got hysterical,” Wilson said. “I was assuming the worst and awaiting a free fall where the plane just started nose-diving.”

After returning to Las Vegas, Wilson and his fiance refused to get on another Spirit plane and spent the night with friends in the city before renting a car the next day and driving home.

“Nothing I experienced has been quite as scary as that,” he said.

After learning about the earlier engine malfunction on the same plane, Wilson said he planned to speak to an attorney.

“It makes me angry,” Wilson said. “What do they do to fix the problems? Do they have to have the plane crash?”

Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.mercurynews.com



BUFFALO, NY - 145 passengers on Spirit Airlines flight 647 are safe after the plane made an emergency landing at Buffalo Niagara International Airport just after 2:30 Monday morning.

The Airbus A320 aircraft departed from Niagara Falls bound for Fort Lauderdale around 2 A.M. when it incurred a flame out on the number two engine. NFTA officials say after the flame out, which is similar to a car backfiring, the pilot shut down the engine and navigated the aircraft to BNIA. 

Passengers told 2 On Your Side that they heard a large boom, then saw sparks and fire from the right side engine. According to one passenger, the plane struggled to gain altitude after take-off and the right wing dipped slightly without power to the engine.

"We were actually the ones who told the flight attendants. They didn't know what was going on. We started panicking and freaking out, screaming and crying," a group of college students told us. 

"I thought we were going to die," a mother holding a newborn told us. She was traveling back to Florida after visiting Niagara Falls.

The plane was met by airport emergency responders on the runway but the plane was able to taxi to the terminal without assistance.

NFTA officials say no one was injured and Spirit Airlines will coordinate vouchers and flights for passengers.

According to passengers we spoke to, Spirit Airlines wouldn't be able to make up the flight until 1 A.M Tuesday morning.

Spirit Airlines sent WGRZ the following statement on Monday morning: 

Spirit Airlines flight 647 from Niagara Falls International Airport (IAG) to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) landed safely this morning at Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) following a reported mechanical issue. Passengers were deplaned and our customer service agents are working to get them to their final destinations as quickly as possible. They are being placed in local hotels ahead of a replacement flight later today. There were 136 passengers and 6 crew on board and no injuries were reported. Mechanics conducted a full investigation of the plane, determining a compressor stall as the likely cause, but there was no damage or fire as indicated in some early media reports. We apologize for any inconvenience and we’ll be issuing future flight credits to all impacted customers. 

Story and video:  http://www.wgrz.com