Sunday, February 26, 2017

Ryan Navion F, N4529K: Fatal accident occurred February 26, 2017 at Francis S. Gabreski Airport (KFOK), Westhampton Beach, Suffolk County, New York

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

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office: Farmingdale, New York
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama 

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/N4529K


Location: Westhampton Beach, NY
Accident Number: ERA17FA115
Date & Time: 02/26/2017, 1140 EST
Registration: N4529K
Aircraft: RYAN NAVION
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Aerodynamic stall/spin
Injuries: 2 Fatal, 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

On February 26, 2017, about 1140 eastern standard time, a Ryan Navion F airplane, N4529K, impacted trees and terrain during takeoff from Francis S. Gabreski Airport (FOK), Westhampton Beach, New York. The flight instructor and passenger were fatally injured. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was consumed by fire and destroyed. The airplane was owned and operated by the commercial pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight, which originated from Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York.

According to the commercial pilot, he contacted the flight instructor with whom he typically flew to schedule a flight review. The instructor was unavailable and arranged for another instructor to conduct the review. The pilot stated that the flight instructor asked if he wanted to use a Cessna 172 for the flight review and that the instructor did not have any experience in Navion airplanes. The pilot declined, as he felt more comfortable flying his own airplane. They did not discuss any differences in the airplanes before the flight review. The pilot stated that he informed the instructor that he was not qualified to act as pilot-in-command, as he was not current, and that the instructor would be pilot-in-command for the flight.

The flight departed FRG for FOK to perform touch-and-go landings. During the flight, the pilots performed positive exchanges of the flight controls, using the phrases, "my aircraft," and "your aircraft" when accepting or relinquishing the controls, respectively. The pilot was flying the airplane during the approach for landing to runway 33 at FOK. He stated that the wind was "gusty" so he "carried some extra power" and performed a slip maneuver during the approach. The pilot said that, about 100 ft above the runway, the instructor stated, "my airplane," grabbed the control yoke, and abruptly pulled back on the yoke. The pilot relinquished control and the airplane landed hard on the runway, then bounced back into the air. The pilot subsequently applied full engine power to avoid a stall, and the instructor yelled, "hands off the yoke." The pilot could not recall whether his hands were on the yoke at the time but did relinquish the controls to the instructor. The pilot stated that the airplane then entered a spin and collided with the trees and terrain.

Control tower personnel stated that, during the airplane's initial climb after the landing, they saw it bank to the right to such a degree that they could see the bottom of the airplane. One of the controllers stated that the airplane seemed to "correct itself" briefly, then banked hard to the right again, colliding with treetops and coming to rest in the trees about 700 ft right of the runway. The controller estimated that the airplane was between 100 and 200 ft above ground level before it descended into trees.

In a postaccident interview, the pilot stated that the design of the accident airplane provided a "sight picture" during an approach for landing that typically appeared "very steep." He stated that the sight picture of landing the accident airplane was "totally different" from the Piper Dakota (a PA-28 variant) airplane that he also flew. He also stated that, although many airplanes prohibit slips when the wing flaps are fully extended, such a maneuver is not prohibited in the accident airplane. The pilot opined that the sight picture observed during the landing approach and his slipping of the airplane with the flaps extended may have caused the instructor to "[feel] the need to take control of the aircraft at such a critical point in flight."

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. He held an FAA second-class medical certificate, issued October 27, 2015. At the time of the medical examination, the commercial pilot reported 857 total hours of flight experience. According to the pilot, he had 962 total hours of flight experience and 500 hours of flight experience in the make and model of the accident airplane at the time of the accident.

According to FAA records, the flight instructor held a commercial pilot certificate and a flight instructor certificate. He held an FAA third-class medical certificate, issued March 29, 2016. At the time of the medical examination, the flight instructor reported 1,000 total hours of flight experience. Review of the flight instructor's logbook revealed that he had 1,061.5 total hours of flight experience and 159.1 total hours of experience as a flight instructor at the time of the accident. Most of his instruction was given in Piper PA-28 and Cessna 172 airplanes.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The four-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear airplane was manufactured in 1951. It was powered by a Continental TSIO-520, 285-horsepower engine, equipped with a three-blade McCauley propeller. Review of maintenance records revealed that the airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on August 18, 2016. At that time, the airframe had accumulated about 4,550 total hours of operation and the engine had accumulated 1,257 hours since major overhaul.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The 1153 recorded weather at FOK included wind from 310° at 21 knots gusting to 27 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 5,000 ft, temperature 5°C, dew point temperature -9°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.97 inches of mercury. Remarks included peak wind from 290° at 28 knots, at 1109.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane came to rest on a heading of 157° magnetic at 66 ft mean sea level. A debris path extended about 75 ft from the initial tree impact to the wreckage site on a heading about 030° magnetic. The outboard 6 ft of the right wing was fractured and located 75 ft from the main wreckage, toward the initial impact point. Its leading edge exhibited a 2-ft deep concave impression consistent with tree contact. The wing flaps were retracted, and the landing gear was extended. The left main landing gear was folded under the left wing, the right main landing gear was down and locked, and the nose gear was folded under the fuselage. The fuel selector was found in the main fuel tank position. The instrument panel and cabin area were all destroyed by fire.

The three-blade McCauley propeller separated from the engine and was located about 30 ft from the main wreckage. The propeller blades exhibited rotational scoring, leading edge gouges, and "S" bending. Valve train continuity was observed through the engine by rotating the crankshaft. Thumb compression was attained on cylinder Nos. 2, 4, and 6. Limited thumb compression was noted on cylinder No. 5. The No. 5 cylinder head was impact-fractured on the rocker arm side. The intake valve springs were separated and the intake valve was inside the cylinder. Piston movement was confirmed on all six cylinders. The spark plugs were light gray in color and their electrodes were intact. The magnetos were intact and no slipping was noted. The ignition harnesses were intact; however, they were fire-damaged on the left side. The magnetos were removed and rotated. Both magnetos generated sparks to the ignition leads. All fuel lines were connected except for the vapor return line, which was fractured at the pump. The throttle valve was in the full open position. The throttle lever was fractured. The mixture lever was in the full rich position. The throttle-mixture-propeller cables were all intact and attached to the levers. The cockpit controls were melted. The manifold valve was clean and clear of debris. The fuel metering unit had some small debris on the screen. The outlet and return fittings were fractured. The fuel pump drive fitting was intact and rotated smoothly. The oil pan had a small puncture hole in the bottom of the pan. There was no oil in the engine; however, there was oil on the ground under the engine.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Office of the Medical Examiner, Suffolk County, New York, performed an autopsy on the flight instructor. The report listed the cause of death as unspecified blunt force trauma.

The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology testing on specimens from the flight instructor. The results were negative for drugs and alcohol.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FAA Advisory Circular 61-98D provides information for certificated pilots and flight instructors to use in complying with the flight review required by 14 CFR 61. Paragraph 4.2.5 states:

Instructors should also consider their own experience and qualifications in a given M/M [make and model] aircraft prior to giving a review in that model.… For aircraft in which the flight instructor is not current or with which he or she is not familiar, he or she should obtain recent flight experience or sufficient knowledge of aircraft limitations, characteristics, and performance before conducting the review. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 61, Male
Airplane Rating(s): 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): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 10/27/2015
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 06/30/2014
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 962 hours (Total, all aircraft), 500 hours (Total, this make and model), 737 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 30 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 9 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 0 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Flight Instructor Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 64, Male
Airplane Rating(s): 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 Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/29/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 1000 hours (Total, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: RYAN
Registration: N4529K
Model/Series: NAVION F
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1951
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: NAV-4-2338-B
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 08/18/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2850 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 4547 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: C126 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: TSIO-520-UB4A
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 300 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: FOK, 67 ft msl
Observation Time: 1153 EST
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 327°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 5000 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 5°C / -9°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 21 knots/ 27 knots, 310°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 29.97 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Westhampton Beach, NY (FOK)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Westhampton Beach, NY (FOK)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1030 EST
Type of Airspace: Class D 

Airport Information

Airport: FRANCIS S GABRESKI (FOK)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 66 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 33
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5003 ft / 150 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Go Around 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal, 1 Serious

Latitude, Longitude:  40.843611, -72.631667 (est)

NTSB Identification: ERA17FA115
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, February 26, 2017 in Westhampton Beach, NY
Aircraft: RYAN NAVION, registration: N4529K
Injuries: 2 Fatal, 1 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On February 26, 2017 about 1140 eastern standard time, a Ryan Navion F, N4529K, impacted trees and terrain during the initial climb from the Francis S. Gabreski airport (FOK), Westhampton Beach, New York. The flight instructor and one passenger were fatally injured. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was consumed by fire and destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane was owned and operated by the commercial pilot as an instructional flight in accordance with the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The airplane was based at Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York, and departed for a flight to FOK. The commercial pilot was seated in the left seat, receiving a flight review. The flight instructor was seated in the right seat. A friend of the commercial pilot, who was a private pilot, was seated in the rear, right seat.

The pilot contacted the air traffic control tower at FOK and advised that they wanted to perform some practice touch-and-go landings. The tower cleared the airplane to perform touch-and-go landings on runway 33. After the first landing, the airplane took off and according to tower personnel, they saw the airplane bank to the right so much that they saw the bottom of the airplane. They further stated that the airplane seemed to correct itself for a short while and then banked hard to the right again, hitting the tree tops and coming to rest in the trees, approximately 700 feet to the right of the midfield of the runway.

The wreckage was examined at the accident site and a debris path extended approximately 75 ft from the initial tree impact to the wreckage site, on a ground track of 030°. The wreckage site elevation was 66 ft. The airplane came to rest on a track of 157°. The outboard 6 ft of the right wing was fractured and located 75 ft from the main wreckage. Its leading edge had a tree impression approximately 2 ft in depth into the wing. The flaps were retracted and the landing gear was extended. The left main landing gear was folded under the left wing, the right main landing gear was down and locked and the nose gear was folded under the fuselage. The fuel selector was found in the main fuel tank position.

The three-blade McCauley propeller separated from the engine and was located about 30 ft from the main wreckage. The propeller blades exhibited rotational scoring, gouges, and "S" bending. Valve train continuity was observed through the engine by rotating the crankshaft. Thumb compression was attained on cylinder Nos. 2, 4, and 6. Limited thumb compression was noted on cylinder No. 5. The No. 5 cylinder head was impact fractured on the rocker arm side. The intake valve springs were separated and the intake valve was inside the cylinder. Piston movement was confirmed on all six cylinders. The spark plugs were light gray in color and their electrodes were intact. The magnetos were intact and no slipping was noted. The ignition harnesses were intact; however, they were fire damaged on the left side. The magnetos were removed and rotated. Both magnetos generated sparks to the ignition leads. All fuel lines were connected except for the vapor return line, which was fractured off at the pump. The throttle valve was in the full open position. The throttle lever was fractured. The mixture lever was in the full rich position. The throttle-mixture-propeller cables were all intact and attached to the levers. The cockpit controls were melted. The manifold valve was clean and clear of debris. The fuel metering unit had some small debris on the screen. The outlet and return fittings were fractured. The fuel pump drive fitting was intact and rotated smoothly. The oil pan had a small puncture hole in the bottom of the pan. There was no oil in the engine; however, there was oil on the ground under the engine.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. He held an FAA second-class medical certificate, issued October 27, 2015. At the time of the medical examination, the pilot reported 857 total hours of flight experience.

According to FAA records, the flight instructor held a commercial pilot certificate and a flight instructor certificate. He held an FAA third-class medical certificate, issued March 29, 2016. At the time of the medical examination, the flight instructor reported 1,000 total hours of flight experience.

The four-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear airplane,, was manufactured in 1951. It was powered by a Continental TSIO-520, 300-horsepower engine, equipped with a three-blade McCauley propeller. Review of maintenance records revealed that the airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on August 18, 2016. At that time, the airframe had accumulated about 4,450 total hours of operation and the engine had accumulated 1,257 hours since major overhaul.

The recorded weather at FOK, at 1153 was, wind from 310° at 21 knots, gusting to 27 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 5,000 feet, temperature 5° Celsius (C), dew point temperature -9° C, altimeter 29.97 inches of mercury. Remarks included, peak wind 290° at 28 knots at 1109.



Robert A. Wilkie
Slipping the surly bonds.






Federal investigators say they don’t believe mechanical failure or medical issues are to blame in Sunday morning’s crash of a vintage airplane in the woods just to the south of Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton, which killed two men and critically injured the pilot.

Though he stressed that their examination has just begun, Dan Boggs, a chief investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said on Monday that preliminary reports suggest that there were no obvious issues with the Navion-F aircraft that is owned and registered to the pilot, Richard Rosenthal, 61, of Huntington Station.

Mr. Boggs also noted at a press conference held at the airport that Mr. Rosenthal, who was pulled from the burning wreckage by members of a Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew completing routine training exercises near the Westhampton airport, did not issue a “mayday” call to report any medical problems while he was practicing takeoffs and landings on Runway 33 at Gabreski.

Mr. Rosenthal, a licensed pilot, was airlifted by Suffolk County medevac helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he remained in critical condition as of Wednesday.

His two passengers, identified by authorities as Arieh Narkunski, 64, of Brooklyn and Robert A. Wilkie, 65, of Hempstead, were both pronounced dead at the scene. Both men were licensed pilots as well, authorities said.

The crash was reported at 11:43 a.m. on Sunday. Officials said Mr. Rosenthal, who took off earlier that morning from Republic Airport in East Farmingdale, was practicing takeoffs and landings. The plane crashed on airport property but in the woods to the south and east of the airport, near South Country Road.

When asked if “foul play” could have been responsible for the crash, Mr. Boggs said he does not think it was a factor in the crash that destroyed the 66-year-old aircraft, which was finally removed from the scene on Tuesday and trucked away after its wings were cut off. He also said his fellow investigators had only just begun reviewing the Navion model plane’s maintenance and flying records a few hours earlier.

Mr. Boggs later noted that his department should have a preliminary report on the fatal crash within the next 12 to 20 days, though a final report could take between 12 and 18 months to complete.

“I want to take a second here to give on behalf of the National Transportation Safety Board our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the victims of this tragic event,” Mr. Boggs said.

At the same press conference, Mr. Boggs commended the efforts of the Army National Guard unit from Ronkonkoma that happened to be training in the area and immediately came to the aid of the crash victims, saving the pilot’s life. Mr. Rosenthal was pulled from the burning plane by the seven-member crew and stabilized before additional help could arrive.

According to Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 2 Meghan Polis, who was co-piloting the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter on Sunday morning, her team was completing training in Westhampton airspace when they were contacted by the tower at Gabreski and asked to get a visual of the downed aircraft. She said that they immediately flew in the direction of a plume of black smoke and spotted the plane crashed in the woods and on fire.

After landing the helicopter, four Army National Guard members worked together to remove the canopy from the burning aircraft and pull Mr. Rosenthal out. They also used fire extinguishers to try to control the flames in what turned out to be a failed attempt to reach the two passengers.

“I cannot stress enough how great those guys did on the ground,” Officer Polis said on Monday. “They did absolutely everything that they could, and I cannot say enough how proud of them I am, of them as a team.”

Captain Salvatore Garcia, company commander for the Ronkonkoma-based unit, also commended his unit members for their quick actions in saving the pilot’s life. “We train every day for these things, but they never happen,” he said on Monday. “They were able to navigate the scene and coordinate with rescue and first responders. I could not be prouder of my soldiers, and I also want to extend my condolences to the families of the victims.”

According to authorities, the three men took off from Republic Airport on Sunday morning and flew to Gabreski to practice landing and takeoff techniques, known among pilots as a “touch-and-go,” in the vintage 1951 plane. The aircraft crashed in the woods shortly after touching the Westhampton airport’s secondary runway.

Members of the Air National Guard’s fire crews, who are based at Gabreski, also responded to the scene to help put out the fire and they were also joined by members of the Westhampton War Memorial Ambulance. One firefighter suffered a minor head injury wand had to be transported to the Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead, according to Eric Kehl, the chief of the ambulance company. The extent of the firefighter’s injuries were not clear.

As part of their investigation, Mr. Boggs said his team will look into the airplane’s takeoff angle and also examine the trees where the plane crash-landed.

“I want to thank the State Police and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department for the help they have given in this investigation,” Mr. Boggs said. “Without the help they have given, and the personnel and resources, I wouldn’t be as far along with this investigation as I am today.”

Built by North American Aviation and the Ryan Aeronautical Company starting in the 1940s, Navion-F aircrafts were commonly used as a military training aircraft in the 1950s and 1960s.


Source:   http://www.27east.com

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board said Monday afternoon that they have just started their examination of a plane crash that killed two men—passengers Arieh Narkunski, 64, of Brooklyn and Robert A. Wilkie, 65, of Hempstead—and injured their pilot, Richard Rosenthal, after their Ryan Navion F plane crashed while practicing take-offs and landings at Gabreski Airport late Sunday morning.

Dan Boggs, a chief investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board who is handling the case, explained at a press conference at the Westhampton airport that his department only received a detailed history of the Ryan Navion F aircraft maintenance and flying records a few hours earlier.

He explained that he will spend the next few weeks sifting through those records before issuing a preliminary report sometime within the next 12 to 20 days—though he does not believe foul play was a factor in the crash of the 66-year-old aircraft.

At the same press conference, Mr. Boggs commended the efforts of the Army National Guard unit from Ronkonkoma that happened to be flying in the area and immediately came to the aid of the crash victims, saving the pilot’s life. 

Mr. Rosenthal, 61, of Huntington Station, was pulled from the burning plane by the seven-member crew and stabilized before additional help could arrive. The crew also used fire extinguishers to try and control the flames so they could reach the two passengers—though their efforts were unsuccessful. Mr. Rosenthal was flown via Suffolk County medevac helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he was still listed in critical condition as of Monday afternoon.

As part of their investigation, Mr. Boggs said his team will look into the airplane’s take-off angle and also examine the trees where the plane crash-landed. He noted that all three men aboard the plane were licensed pilots, adding that a distress call was never issued from the cockpit.

“I want to take a second here to give on behalf of the National Transportation Safety Board our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the victims of this tragic event,” Mr. Boggs said. 

While a preliminary report is expected in the next few weeks, a final investigation report could take up to a year to finalize, he added.

UPDATE: Monday, 12:20 p.m.

New York State Police have identified the two men killed in the crash as flight instructor Arieh Narkunski, 64, of Brooklyn and passenger Robert A. Wilkie, 65, of Hempstead. 

According to a press release issued Monday, the three men crashed in a wooded area at 11:43 a.m. on Sunday. The pilot, Richard Rosenthal, 61, of Huntington Station, was rescued from the burning wreckage and taken to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment. His condition was not immediately known. 

An investigation into the crash is being conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board. 

UPDATE: Monday, 11:25 a.m.

An Air National Guard firefighter had to be treated for a head injury on Sunday suffered while working to extinguish a fire at the site of the plane crash.

According to Eric Kehl, the chief of the Westhampton War Memorial Ambulance, the firefighter was transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead for treatment. His condition was unknown Monday morning. 

UPDATE: Sunday 7 p.m.

County officials have said that the owner of the small plane that crashed at Gabreski Airport on Sunday morning was also the sole survivor of the crash, according to Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman. 

Mr. Schneiderman said emergency managers at the scene said the man’s name is Richard Rosenthal and that the plane was based in Farmingdale and had taken off from Republic airport Sunday morning. 

The plane crashed about 11:40 a.m., shortly after performing a practice landing and take-off known as a touch-and-go. It crashed into trees just of the airport’s secondary runway, at the southeastern corner of the Gabreski property, near South Country Road. 

The cause of the crash is under investigation by federal aviation officials who arrived in Westhampton on Sunday night. 

Captain Michael O’Hagen of the 106th Rescue Wing said that the Air National Guard’s fire crews responded from the base to the scene of the crash and helped rescue the lone survivor, who was taken by Westhampton War Memorial Ambulance crews to a Suffolk County Police medevac helicopter to Stony Brook University. 

UPDATE: Sunday, 3:15 p.m.

Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said that he has been told by Suffolk County officials that the plane that crashed at Gabreski Airport on Sunday morning was based out of Farmingdale, and may have taken off from Republic Airport with an flying instructor and at least one student pilot aboard. 

The plane was doing “touch-and-go” landings and take-offs, a common practice drill for pilots in training in which a plane comes in for a landing but does not come to a complete stop before throttling up again to take off. 

The plane crashed into trees on the airport property near one of runways. 

Two of the three people aboard were killed according to officials at the scene. 

“There was a small aircraft crash late this morning, at approximately 11:40, off runway 33 at Gabreski Airport,” Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department Chief Michael Sharkey during a brief press conference at the airport on Sunday. “There were three people that were on board. There were two fatalities.” 

A third person was taken by medevac helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital.

The FAA has said the plane was practicing take-offs and landings when it crashed and was privately owned, not a military plane. 

UPDATE: Sunday, 2:45 p.m.

Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board investigators are en-route to the scene of the small plane crash at Gabreski airport in Westhampton. A spokesperson for the FAA said the NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will give updates about the cause. 

Aerial photos show military markings on the plane but the FAA has said the plane is registered to a private individual, not the military. Gabreski airport is home to the 106th Air National Guard Rescue Wing. 

The  Ryan Navion F was built by North American Aviation and Ryan Aeronautical Company starting in the 1940s and was commonly used as a military training aircraft in the 1950s and 1960s. 

ORIGINAL STORY, 2:15 p.m. Sunday

Two people are believed to have been killed and a third injured when a small plane crashed at Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton shortly before noon today.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson there were three people aboard the single-engine Navion-F model plane when it crashed into trees near one of the runways. 

The plane’s pilot was practicing take-offs and landings at the airport when the crash occurred, the FAA spokesperson said.

Source:  http://www.27east.com







The survivor of a plane crash was recovering Monday, a day after the vintage propeller plane he was in went down at a Hamptons airport and he was rescued by a group of Air National Guardsmen passing by in a helicopter. 

The FAA said the National Transportation Safety Board will be in charge of the investigation and determine probable cause of Sunday's crash, which killed two people aboard the plane. They have not been identified. 

The small plane crashed just before noon at Frances S. Grabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach, officials said. The propeller plane had been practicing takeoffs and landings when it crashed, according to the FAA.  

A helicopter with four guardsmen aboard was flying to the Guard's base at the airport for a training exercise with the airport tower told them a small plane had gone down, Newsday first reported. 

The guardsman who was piloting the helicopter, CW3 Joseph McCarthy, told NBC 4 New York that he saw the survivor trying to escape the flaming wreckage. He said he landed the chopper a few hundred feet from the plane and fellow guardsman ran out to help the survivor. 

"He was stuck between what I think was the canopy of the aircraft. They were able to get that canopy open enough for him to get out," McCarthy said. 

The survivor, Richard Rosenthal, was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital, officials said.

Chopper 4 video showed the charred wreckage of the plane, a Ryan Navion F, in the woods off runway 33. 

The airport is used by corporations and private plane owners, as well as the 106th Rescue Wing of the Air National Guard. It was built by the federal government in 1943.

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