Sunday, April 23, 2017

Piper PA-28-140, Marianas Air Transfer, N4437X: Incident occurred April 22, 2017 in Saipan, Guam

MARIANAS AIR TRANSFER INC:  http://registry.faa.gov/N4437X

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Honolulu

Aircraft force landed on a golf course.  Laolao Golf Course, near Saipan International Airport, Guam Micronesia 

Date: 22-APR-17
Time: 03:31:00Z
Regis#: N4437X
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA28
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: SAIPAN
State: GUAM





A Marianas Air Transfer Piper Cherokee made an emergency landing at Laolao Bay Golf & Resort in Kagman on Saturday just after 1 p.m. The pilot and two female Chinese tourists were unhurt.


The incident occurred shortly after the conclusion of the Hyatt Regency Saipan 21st Annual Charity Golf Classic which was held at the golf resort. The four-passenger plane landed on the fairway leading to Hole No. 5 and stopped near the bushes next to the blue tee box, a spot for professional golfers.


Dong Young “Edward” Lee, one of the tournament participants, said he had just finished his game when the incident happened. “That was my last hole,” he added. “I was eating [lunch] when I heard a plane had crashed there,” he said in an interview.


The 25-year-old pilot, Josh Emmanuel Dominise, remained at the scene to talk to first responders while his two passengers were transported to the Commonwealth Health Center even though they were not injured, Variety learned.


A 4-seat Piper PA28-140 Cherokee Cruiser was on an island sight-seeing flight when it had to make an emergency landing at Laolao Bay Golf Course, Saturday afternoon. Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano


A 4-seat Piper PA28-140 Cherokee Cruiser was on an island sight-seeing flight when it had to make an emergency landing at Laolao Bay Golf Course, Saturday afternoon. Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano


Dominise told the first responders that he took off from the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport at 1:06 p.m., but six minutes into the flight, he heard an explosion in the engine so he cut off the plane’s electricity and reported it to the control tower which advised him to return to the airport right away. He said he didn’t think he could make it to the airport and decided to land in Kagman, adding that he believed that the golf course was the safest spot for a landing.


Variety was told that the flight was part of an “Island Discover Tour,” a 22-minute sight-seeing flight over Saipan.


At 11:57 a.m., Sunday, Star Marianas Air Inc. president Shaun R. Christian issued the following press release:


“At 1:11 p.m. on Saturday, April 22, a 4-seat Piper PA28-140 Cherokee Cruiser declared an emergency and landed at Laolao Bay Golf Course. The plane which is owned by Marianas Air Transfer Inc. was flying an island sight-seeing flight and was being piloted by Captain Josh Dominise who is employed by Star Marianas Air.


“The aircraft, which is not used by Star Marianas Air for airline operations, was north of the Laolao Golf Course with two passengers on board when the pilot heard the engine make a loud noise followed by a loss of power. Captain Dominise declared an emergency with the Saipan Air Traffic Control Tower and informed the controller that he would be making an emergency landing at the golf course.


“There were no injuries as a result of the landing and an inspection conducted in coordination with the National Transportation Safety Board revealed no substantial damage to the aircraft’s structure. An initial inspection of the engine did reveal a significant crack on the engine’s block which is consistent with the pilot’s reported experience. Since the engine was purchased new from the manufacturer seven months ago, and had more than 70 percent of its useful life remaining, the NTSB has offered to assist in determining what may have caused what is preliminarily being considered a critical manufactures defect.


“Late Saturday afternoon, the National Transportation Safety Board released the aircraft to Marianas Air Transfer, the aircraft’s owner. Star Marianas Air is assisting in getting the airplane transported to Tinian where its maintenance department will work with the Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, and the engine manufacturer, to determine what needs to be done to ensure other engines of this type do not encounter a similar defect.


“A representative of the National Transportation Safety Board’s incident-response team commended Captain Dominse for his quick decision making and his successfully executed emergency landing.”


The Department of Public Safety said that on Saturday, April 22, 2017, at 1:34 p.m., police and Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services first responders were alerted to a possible plane crash at Laolao Bay Golf Course in Kagman.


“Upon arrival, police learned the pilot and two passengers were safe. Preliminary information shows the pilot was required to execute an emergency landing on the golf course. This investigation is being handled by the Federal Aviation Administration.”


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





About six minutes into a sight-seeing tour of the island, a Piper PA28-140 Cherokee Cruiser plane of the Marianas Air Transfer Inc. experienced an engine problem, but its pilot successfully landed the aircraft on the fairway of the Laolao Bay Golf & Resort in Kagman last Saturday afternoon where a charity golf tournament was wrapping up. Fortunately, no one was injured.


The Filipino pilot, Capt. Josh Dominise, and his two Chinese female passengers were not injured, witnesses and police said.


The last group of golfers had just finished that particular hole so nobody was on that fairway, Saipan Tribune learned.


Police and Commonwealth Ports Authority officers secured the site until National Transportation Board and Federal Aviation Administration investigators fly in, according to Department of Public Safety Commissioner Robert Guerrero on Saturday.


DPS acting spokesman Sgt. Jason Tarkong said that on Saturday at 1:34pm, police and Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services first responders proceeded to a reported plane incident at the golf course.


Tarkong said upon arrival, police learned that the pilot and two passengers were safe.


Tarkong said preliminary information showed that the pilot was required to execute an emergency landing on the golf course.


He said FAA is handling the investigation.


DFEMS spokesman Derek Gersonde said at 1:40pm their medics and rescue units from the Kagman and Susupe fire stations were dispatched to the crash site.


Gersonde said upon arrival, medics came upon the four-seater “Cessna aircraft” with three individuals, including the pilot.


The pilot refused to be treated by medics, while the 21-year-old passenger complained of head pain. The 20-year-old passenger complained of neck pain.


Gersonde said the two passengers were transported to the Commonwealth Health Center emergency room.


Gersonde said the plane took off from the Saipan commuter airport and was touring around Saipan when it performed an emergency landing.


Star Marianas Air Inc. president Shaun R. Christian, in a press release, said pilot Dominise is employed by Star Marianas Air, but the aircraft is owned by Marianas Air Transfer.


Christian said the plane was flying an island sight-seeing flight and the pilot declared an emergency at 1:11pm and landed at the golf course.


Christian said the aircraft was north of the Laolao Bay Golf & Resort when the pilot heard the engine make a loud noise followed by a loss of power.


Dominise declared an emergency with the Saipan Air Traffic Control Tower and informed the controller that he would be making an emergency landing at the golf course.


Christian said there were no injuries as a result of the landing and an inspection conducted in coordination with the NTSB revealed no substantial damage to the plane’s structure.


Christian said an initial inspection of the engine did reveal a significant crack on the aircraft’s engine block, which is consistent with the pilot’s reported experience.


“Since the engine was purchased new from the manufacturer seven months ago, and had more than 70 percent of its useful life remaining, the NTSB has offered to assist in determining what may have caused what is preliminarily being considered a critical manufactures defect.


Christian said late Saturday afternoon, NTSB released the aircraft to Marianas Air Transfer.


Christian said Star Marianas Air is assisting in getting the plane transported to Tinian, where its maintenance department will work with FAA, NTSB, and the engine manufacturer, to determine what needs to be done to ensure other engines of this type do not encounter a similar defect.


Christian said an NTSB incident response team representative commended Dominise for his quick decision making and his successfully executed emergency landing.


Christian said although Star Marianas Air does participate in the operation of the flight seeing island tours by providing pilots and operational support, the aircraft involved is not owned by Star Marianas Air.


He said the aircraft is also not used by the airline to conduct passenger carrying flights between the islands.


A witness told Saipan Tribune that the plane landed on the fairway in hole No. 5 green west course, ran about 200 yards before it stopped just next to the bushes.


The Hyatt Regency Saipan 21st Annual Charity Golf Classic was about to be finished when the incident happened.


A tournament participant said he was about to eat lunch at the hotel’s restaurant when he heard some people talking that a plane had just crashed at the golf course.


The golf player, who requested anonymity, said he proceeded to the direction of hole No. 5.


“I was looking for a smoke. But there was none,” he said, adding that he then saw the pilot and the two passengers talking to some golf players.


The emergency landing left marks on the fairway.


A retired law enforcer, who happened to be at the golf course, said he was impressed with the smart decision and the skills of the 24-year-old pilot in making a successful crash land at the golf course.


On Nov. 19, 2012, a passenger was killed and six others, including the pilot, were injured when a seven-passenger Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six operated by Star Marianas Air lost power while taking off Saipan airport on its way to Tinian and nosedived into the trees adjoining the north side of the runway where a fire then ensued. All six passengers were Chinese nationals.


On Oct. 6, 2013, a Piper Aircraft of Star Marianas crashed three miles north of the Tinian International Airport, killing the pilot and two of the six passengers. The four other passengers were injured. The plane was completely destroyed. All passengers were Chinese nationals.


On Aug. 1, 2006, the pilot and six passengers were injured when a Piper Cherokee of Taga Air Charter Services crashed on a farm in upper Dandan en route to Tinian. Except one who is an American, all passengers were Japanese nationals. 


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



SAIPAN – The National Transportation Safety Board on Saturday afternoon released the four-passenger Piper Cherokee aircraft that made an emergency landing on a fairway at LaoLao Bay Golf and Resort in Saipan.

The plane was released after no substantial damage was found.

The aircraft was moved from its landing site to the resort's maintenance area for safe-keeping.

After the initial investigation by Department of Public Safety and NTSB, the aircraft was released at 4:58 p.m. to its owner, Marianas Air Transfer Inc.

DPS Public Information Officer Jason Tarkong in a statement said the Federal Aviation Administration is now handling the investigation.

In a statement Sunday, Star Marianas Air Inc. said the plane is owned by Marianas Air Transfer Inc. It was flying an island sight-seeing flight piloted by Capt. Josh Emmanuel Dominise, who is employed by Star Marianas Air.

Star Marianas Air said it does not use the plane for airline operations.

Pilot, passengers unhurt

The 25-year-old pilot and two female Chinese tourists, identified as Wen Xuan Ding and Tong Tong Dai, survived unhurt when the aircraft made an emergency landing at the fairway of Hole No. 5 on Saturday around 1 p.m.

The incident occurred just after the conclusion of the Hyatt Regency Saipan's 21st annual Charity Golf Classic, which was held at the golf resort.

Dong Young "Edward" Lee, one of the tournament participants, said he had just finished his game when the incident happened. "That was my last hole," he added. "I was eating [lunch] already when I heard there was a plane that crashed there."

Dominise remained at the scene to talk to first responders, while his two passengers were transported to the Commonwealth Health Center.

Dominise said he took off from the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport at 1:06 p.m., but six minutes into the flight, he heard an explosion in the engine, so he cut off the plane's electricity and reported it to the control tower, which advised him to return to the airport immediately. He said he didn't think he could make it to the airport so he decided to land on the golf course, which he believed was safe for a landing.

The flight was part of an "Island Discovery Tour," a 22-minute sightseeing flight in Saipan.

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

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