Fuel Contamination: Tecnam P-2004 Bravo, N319TA, fatal accident occurred August 18, 2017 near New Kent County Airport (W96), Quinton, Virginia

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

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Richmond, 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/N319TA

Location: Quinton, VA
Accident Number: ERA17LA280
Date & Time: 08/18/2017, 1100 EDT
Registration: N319TA
Aircraft: COSTRUZIONI AERONAUTICHE TECNA P2004 BRAVO
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Fuel contamination
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On August 18, 2017, about 1100 eastern daylight time, a Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam P-2004 Bravo, N319TA, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain and a fence during a forced landing near Quinton, Virginia. The flight instructor was fatally injured and the commercial pilot receiving instruction received minor injuries. The airplane was registered to Mid Atlantic Air Adventures, Inc. and was operated by New Kent Flight Center as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which departed New Kent County Airport (W96), Quinton, Virginia, about 1030.

The commercial pilot reported that the accident flight was his first instructional flight in the airplane make and model. The pilots checked the weather and performed a preflight inspection using the checklists, which revealed no anomalies. Both fuel tanks were checked and were indicating 1/2 full on the left and slightly more than 1/2 full on the right. The instructor informed the pilot that they would stay in the airport traffic pattern until the weather improved. After completing a runup and pretakeoff checklist, they departed runway 29. The commercial pilot reported he "was pretty sure we did three takeoffs and touch and goes" on runway 29. Following the last takeoff, all indications appeared normal, but as the commercial pilot started a left climbing turn to the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern about 600 ft mean sea level (msl), the "power just quit."

The flight instructor took control of the airplane and attempted to restart the engine, however, the propeller was "frozen in place" and the engine did not restart. The airport was over 1 mile away and there was no possibility of return, so they attempted a forced landing on a horse pasture. The flight instructor performed the landing to an area that was bordered by two 5 foot fences; the airplane collided with the first fence before landing in the field, then collided with an additional fence before coming to a rest on a gravel road.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman records, the flight instructor held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane multiengine land, airplane single-engine land, and instrument airplane; a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single engine and instrument airplane; and a mechanic certificate with powerplant rating. His most recent first-class FAA medical certificate was issued on December 6, 2016, with a limitation for corrective lenses. On the application for that certificate, the pilot reported 4,800 total hours of flight experience with 350 hours in the previous 6 months.

The pilot receiving instruction held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane multiengine land, airplane single-engine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent second-class FAA medical certificate was issued on August 2, 2017, with a limitation for corrective lenses. On the application for that certificate, he reported 256 total hours civilian flight experience. He also reported over 6,050 hours of military flight experience.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a special light sport airplane and received its airworthiness certificate on April 24, 2008. It was a two-place, internally braced, high-wing airplane, with a two-blade fixed pitch propeller that was driven by a Rotax 912 100 horsepower, four-cylinder, four-stroke liquid/air cooled engine.

Review of maintenance records indicated that, at the time of the most recent 100-hour inspection on July 10, 2017, the airplane had accumulated 1,164.5 hours total time; the engine had 599.3 hours total time and the tachometer registered 240.4 hours. During the inspection, all cylinder compressions were normal, the oil was changed, and the oil filter was inspected. In addition, the spark plugs were removed, inspected, and reinstalled; there were no discrepancies noted.

The previous 100-hour inspection was accomplished on June 15, 2016; the tachometer time and engine total time was 176.5 hours and 535.5 hours, respectively. During the inspection, the spark plugs were replaced and the carburetors were rebuilt.

The powertrain section of the airplane maintenance manual detailed interval operating hours. It stated that spark plug inspection was required every 100 hours with replacement every 200 hours unless leaded fuel was used more than 30% of the airplane's operational time, which reduced the replacement interval to 100 hours. It also stated that the engine oil must be drained and replaced every 50 hours, and the oil filter replaced every 50 hours and cut open to examine the filter for contaminants. Airplane records indicated that these maintenance actions were completed as required by the reduced intervals set forth in the maintenance manual

The owner of the airplane could not confirm if the operator was using 100LL aviation fuel on a regular basis. He did report that, in May 2017, the operator purchased 25 gallons of 100LL on two separate occasions. In addition, 100LL (blue) fuel was recovered from the airplane after the accident. Between the most recent inspection and the flight log for the day of the accident flight, 38.3 hours had elapsed; the 50-hour inspection and oil change was due in 12.3 hours.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The 1055 observation at W96, 1 mile east-northeast of the accident site, included wind from 180° at 5 knots, 10 miles visibility, overcast ceiling at 1,400 ft above ground level, temperature 28°C, dewpoint 26°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.90 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane impacted a wooden fence just before touchdown, which sheared off one of the landing gear. The airplane slid for about 200 ft after touchdown before striking another wooden fence, which resulted in impact damage to the fuselage, empennage, engine, and wings. The left wing fuel tank was compromised during the impact. The airplane continued another 50 ft, where it came to rest on a gravel road on a magnetic heading of 315°. A section of fence board entered the engine compartment, punctured the firewall and instrument panel, then entered the cockpit .

One of the propeller blades was separated and shattered about 14 inches from the hub. The opposing propeller blade was cracked in several locations, but remained intact.

The engine was examined at a salvage facility following recovery from the accident site. The engine remained attached to its mounts, which were deformed. Several components, including the number 2 (No. 2 and No. 4 cylinder) carburetor, were found displaced; several wires and hoses, including the fuel return line, were found separated. The exhaust pipes were separated at the muffler.

The engine could not be rotated by hand and could not be operated by the starter. The ignition system was examined and was in good physical condition.

The spark plugs were removed and examined. The No. 1 cylinder top and bottom spark plugs displayed rust colored material between the insulator nose and inner bore of the thread. The bottom Nos. 1 and 2 spark plugs were filled with a rust-colored liquid. The No. 3 cylinder top and bottom spark plugs exhibited rust between the insulator nose and inner bore of the thread. The bottom No. 3 spark plug was filled with a soapy liquid. The No. 4 top and bottom spark plugs appeared normal in color and in good condition. When compared to the Champion-Aviation Check-a-Plug chart, the spark plugs exhibited signs of significant lead fouling on the Nos. 1, 2, and 3 cylinders.

The fuel pump was removed and tested by hand, and produced a liquid consistent with water when the plunger was activated. The fuel return line was found disconnected at its attachment point. No anomalies were found with the fuel lines.

The carburetor for cylinder Nos. 1 and 3 and its float bowl were removed and examined. The float bowl contained a liquid consistent with water. The top of the carburetor was disassembled and examined. The rubber diaphragm was found incorrectly installed, as the tab was protruding from the side. The diaphragm was removed and was found to be 180° from its proper location.

The carburetor for cylinder Nos. 2 and 4 and its float bowl were removed and examined. The float bowl contained a liquid consistent with water. The main jet was removed and examined for obstruction and proper size. No additional anomalies were found with the carburetor or its components.

The airframe fuel lines located forward of the firewall exhibited no anomalies. The gascolator was disassembled and inspected. The internal filter and bowl contained an unknown contaminant that lined the interior surface of the bowl, consistent with corrosion.

A clear plastic container was placed under the electric fuel pump to capture any contents. A liquid consistent with water poured out of the fuel pump upon removal. The liquid was tested with water-finding paste, which indicated the presence of water. The fuel filter was removed and found to be partially blocked (30%) with unknown sediment contamination on the filter.

The fuel from the right wing tank was drained and placed in a clear plastic container to facilitate examination. A liquid consistent with water was found sitting at the bottom of the container as seen in figure 1.

Figure 1. Drained fuel showing water.

Removal and examination of the reduction gearbox revealed no anomalies, and the internal gears easily rotated within the gearbox. Rotation of the engine was attempted following removal of the gearbox; however, the engine would not rotate.

The No. 2 cylinder head was removed, and examination of the combustion chamber revealed significant combustion residue adhering to the top of the No. 2 piston and the bottom of the No. 2 cylinder, which prevented rotation of the crankshaft. With the No. 2 cylinder head removed, the engine crankshaft could be rotated by hand.

Analysis of the spark plug and piston contamination samples revealed that the material was composed of 95% lead, 3% zinc, and 2% bismuth.

The airplane was equipped with an Advanced Flight Systems AF-3000 Electronic Flight Information System (EFIS). The memory card was sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Division and read out using laboratory hardware. No accident-related data was found on the memory card.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy of the instructor was performed by Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of The Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia. The cause of death listed injuries that were consistent with being struck by the portion of fence board that entered the cockpit.

Toxicology testing performed by the FAA's Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified ketamine and its metabolite, norketamine; etomidate; and midazolam. The identified substances were consistent with postaccident medical treatment. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 38, 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
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 1 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 12/06/2016
Occupational Pilot:Yes 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 4800 hours (Total, all aircraft) 

Pilot-Rated Passenger Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 67, 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): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 08/07/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 10/18/2015
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 6300 hours (Total, all aircraft), 4500 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 2 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: COSTRUZIONI AERONAUTICHE TECNA
Registration: N319TA
Model/Series: P2004 BRAVO NO SERIES
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Special Light-Sport; Normal
Serial Number: 125
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 07/10/2017, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1320 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 38 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 1164 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Rotax
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: 912
Registered Owner: MID-ATLANTIC AIR VENTURES INC
Rated Power: 100 hp
Operator: New Kent Flight Center LLC
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: W96, 121 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1055 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 245°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 1400 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts:5 knots / 
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 180°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 29.9 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 28°C / 26°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Quinton, VA (W96)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Quinton, VA (W96)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1030 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: NEW KENT COUNTY (W96)
Runway Surface Type: Grass/turf; Gravel
Airport Elevation: 120 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Rough; Soft; Vegetation
Runway Used: N/A
IFR Approach:None 
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire:None 
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 37.497222, -77.149167

NTSB Identification: ERA17LA280
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, August 18, 2017 in Quinton, VA
Aircraft: COSTRUZIONI AERONAUTICHE TECNA P2004 BRAVO, registration: N319TA
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Minor.

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 18, 2017, about 1100 eastern daylight time, a Tecnam P-2004 Bravo, N319TA, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain and a fence during a forced landing near Quinton, Virginia. The flight instructor was fatally injured and the commercial pilot receiving instruction received minor injuries. The airplane was registered to Mid Atlantic Air Adventures Inc and was operated by New Kent Flight Center as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight that departed New Kent County Airport (W96) Quinton, Virginia and was conducted under the provisions of Title14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The commercial pilot reported that this was his first Tecnam instructional flight for getting checked out in the airplane type. The pilot and instructor had flown together before for a different airplane checkout. They arrived at W96 and checked the weather and performed preflight preflight inspection of the airplane. No discrepancies were found. The instructor told the pilot that they would stay in the pattern until the weather improved, then head out to the practice area. The ceilings were at 1,200 ft overcast with 7 miles visibility, but it was improving quickly as the day grew hotter. 

After departure around 1030, they performed several touch-and-go landings on runway 29, and the airplane performed normally. The final takeoff and climb out was normal and the pilot reported he did not hear or see anything to indicate there was a problem. As he started the left turn to the 90°crosswind leg in the pattern, about 600 ft mean sea level (msl) with a field elevation of 121 ft, the engine suddenly stopped producing power. The propeller was ceased rotating and did not windmill or move at all. 

The flight instructor immediately said "I have the aircraft." At which point the pilot relinquished controls and looked for a place to land. They attempted to restart the engine, but nothing happened and the propeller remained stationary. They set up for the best glide speed of 60 knots and elected to land in the only area without trees or houses. Upon landing, the instructor said, "brace for impact." Just before the airplane touched down on the field it collided with a fence that sheared off the landing gear. The airplane continued to slide 150 ft through the field before striking another fence and coming to a stop on a gravel road. 

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors examined the wreckage and stated that a large fence board had entered the underside of the engine, pierced the firewall and went through the right side of the instrument panel. The landing gear was sheared off, the engine and mounts were partially detached and the tail was crumpled and twisted at the fuselage. Fuel was observed in the tanks and several gallons were sampled for testing and appeared absent of debris and water.

According to FAA and aircraft records, the airplane was a special light sport airplane and received its airworthiness certificate on April 24, 2008. It was a 2 place, internally braced high wing airplane, with a two-blade fixed wood propeller and a Rotax 912, 100 hp engine. At the time of the last 100-hour inspection on July 10, 2017, the airplane had 1,164.5 hours total time and the engine had 599.3 hours total time. 

The weather at W96, 1-mile east northeast from the accident site, at 1055, was reported as wind from 180° at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, overcast at 1,400 ft, temperature 28° C, dewpoint 26° C, and an altimeter setting of 29.90 inches of mercury.

The airplane was transported to a secured facility for additional examination.

Andrew Jones Memorial Fund
 https://www.gofundme.com/official-andrew-jones-memorial-fund

Tribute posted on Facebook

This is the story of a hero. Like many such tales, there is tragedy, hope, sadness, and inspiration. Our goal is to share the story, tell the tale of ultimate sacrifice, and to help the legacy of a great man live on.

Andrew Jones loved to fly. From the age of six, he had the singular focus of being in the cockpit. He flew corporate, freight, and charter flights - "if it has a propeller I can fly it", he once said. Andrew could have easily joined the masses going to airlines jobs, but what he loved most was teaching. He touched the life's of dozens of student pilots, imparting his extensive knowledge of flying to people of all ages. He thoroughly enjoyed the unique satisfaction that occurs when the light of understanding finally comes on.

Andrew founded New Kent Flight Center with a single plane and a dream in July 2016. He quickly added students, staff, and partners with a mutual love for aviation. His fleet grew to six aircraft, and the student load was booming. While difficult, he maintained a semblance of balance between his work, his family, and other flying duties. He was making it, by all accounts.

On August 18th, 2017, while conducting an aircraft familiarization flight for another pilot, Andrew lost his life. In aviation, there is no such thing as a routine flight, as any number of variables can change on a whim. In this particular case, after three landings, and while climbing, Andrew's experienced an engine failure.

Perfection is sometimes just not good enough.

Andrew took control of the aircraft, by eyewitness accounts cool, calm, and in control. For those in the flying field, he maintained best glide, which was, as luck would have it, pretty close to climb speed. He quickly identified a "most suitable" landing field, aimed the plane, and immediately attempted to start the engine.

Anyone who has flown with Andrew knows he is the model of professionalism. While he was good-natured, and boasted a great sense of humor, his number one mission on each and every flight was to return the student safely to their earth-bound lives. Until the very end, Andrew completed his mission, and delivered his passenger to the ground, relatively unscathed. With more than 7,000 hours of flying, Andrew kept 100% of his students and passengers safe.

Accidents and other tragedies are often riddled with countless "what ifs" and "if onlys". What if the they took a different plane? If only they had 50 more feet of altitude". In this case, the aircraft clipping a wooden fence, spun into the field, and debris entered the cockpit and caused fatal injuries to Andrew. He died,and was taken from our lives, but he succeeded in his last mission: the other pilot walked away.

Andrew was an honorable, ethical, and selfless man. He loved his family, prized his wife Seon Min, son Jacob, and daughter Rebecca more than the blue sky or Earth below. He was a hero in every sense of the word, a teacher raising the bar for his students, a role model for his son, and a provider for his wife and family. He handled an impossible situation and, though tragic, saved at least one life that balmy morning.


The memorial fund will be used to help offset the lost income caused by Andrew's death, and to provide monetary resources for Jacob and Rebecca to thrive in a world without their beloved father. Your support will help provide peace of mind for Seon Min, who is relentlessly devoted to the continued growth of her children and the continuation of Andrew's legacy.

Andrew M. Jones 

Todd Kallenbach

RICHMOND, Va. -- The business partner of the flight instructor killed when a small plane crashed into a field and then struck a fence in New Kent County Friday is at a loss about the crash.

Todd Kallenbach, a close friend and fellow flight instructor, said 38-year-old Andrew Jones was at home navigating the skies.

"He loved aviation about as much as he loved his family,” Kallenbach said.

Virginia State Police said the plane went down in a field off Route 665, near Crosses Grove Road, in the Quinton area of the county at 11:05 a.m.

"A small, fixed-wing, private aircraft crash landed into a field and then struck a fence," a Virginia State Police spokeswoman said. "There was a pilot and one passenger onboard at the time of the crash."

The instructor and student pilot were doing touch and go training, according to Virginia State Police Sgt. Ricky Williams.

On the fourth touch and go, the pilot and student experienced engine trouble while looking for a safe place to land.

"It’s surreal because I went to the crash site," Kallenbach said. "I saw the plane and the debris and that’s when it kind of sunk in."

Investigators said Jones landed in an open field before the single engine aircraft clipped a wooden fence.

"I don’t know how or why, but that piece of wood went through the metal fire wall into the cockpit and entered Andrew’s chest,” Kallenbach said.

Jones was rushed to VCU Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. He later died of his injuries.

The student pilot who was on board walked away with minor injuries.

Kallenback described Jones as an experienced, competent and safe flight instructor.

The two started the New Kent Flight School at the county airport in July of 2016.

"Andrew and I, we called ourselves the 'A' team," Kallenbach said. "That was our because we flew so much together. And you bond with a person when you're in the cockpit, so we were the 'A' team and we always wanted to start a flight business. Either charter or flight school.”

For Kallenbach, the tragedy is a lesson to help future pilots fuel their love of flight.

"I’m going to re-emphasize engine out procedures," he said. "Always have a place to land, know what you’re going to do and always be prepared. Don’t think it can’t happen to you because it can happen to you."

Kallenbach said he will continue to operate the New Kent Flight Center because that is what Jones would have wanted.

Pilot remembered as 'very conscientious' 

Ed Augustine, the owner of Paramount Builders, said Jones worked for his company for four years.

"Andrew did all of the maintenance and all of the flying and handled all of our company's transportation needs," Augustine said.

The businessman remembered the 38-year-old as a very careful and conscientious pilot.

"I flew with him a hundred times. My friends and family were amazed at how careful he was."

Augustine praised Jones' work ethic and  may have been his best employee.

"I tried to offer him other positions in the company after we sold the plane, but flying was in his blood," Augustine said.

As a result, Augustine said Jones left the company when he and Kallenbach opened the flight school in New Kent County in July of 2016.

The Tidewater Review profiled Jones last year after he launched the New Kent Flight Center at the New Kent County Airport on July 11, 2016.

"I love it," Jones said in an interview. "If I'm not flying, I get a little antsy. This is why I put in a long day."

The newspaper reported that Jones also worked as a cargo pilot for ACF Environmental.

Jones is survived by his wife and two children.

A memorial service for the 38-year-old is being planned for sometime next week.

Read more here:  http://wtvr.com

A flight instructor involved in Friday's plane crash in New Kent County has died.

Virginia State Police identified the victim as Andrew M. Jones, 38, of Richmond. Police said Jones was taken to VCU Medical Center following the crash and succumbed to his injures later Friday.

The incident happened at approximately 11:05 a.m. when a two-seater, single-engine Tecnam fixed-wing aircraft was conducting instructional "touch-and-go" maneuvers at the New Kent County Airport. Police said the plane crashed in a field off Liberty Hall Road after experiencing engine trouble.

The student pilot, a 67-year-old New Kent man, was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries. 

New Kent resident Chris Harris was leaving is home Friday morning when he found his driveway blocked by the crash. Harris described the effort by first-responders as they tried to save Jones, who Harris said appeared to have been impaled by part of a fence that was destroyed in the crash. 

“The first words we heard was, ‘Back up, the plane might blow up,’ ” Harris said in a telephone interview. “I heard one of the first responders tell the pilot, ‘We’re not going to let you burn.’ ”

Authorities sprayed a foam fire suppressant over the plane and fuel that had leaked onto the ground.

Harris said it appeared the plane attempted to avoid hitting some power lines while trying to land when its front tire clipped the fence, making the plane spin into the back of the fence.

State police are still investigating the crash, along with the NTSB and FAA.

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

NEW KENT COUNTY, Va. -- The pilot and flight instructor of a small plane that crashed in rural New Kent County Friday morning has died of his injuries, Virginia State Police officials confirmed Saturday.

A student pilot was also injured when the plane went down in a field off Route 665, near Crosses Grove Road, in the Quinton area of the county at 11:05 a.m.

"A small, fixed-wing, private aircraft crash landed into a field and then struck a fence," a Virginia State Police spokeswoman said. "There was a pilot and one passenger onboard at the time of the crash."

The instructor and student pilot were doing touch and go training, according to Virginia State Police Sgt. Ricky Williams.

On the fourth touch and go, the pilot and student experienced engine trouble while looking for a safe place to land.

The pilot and flight instructor, 38-year-old Andrew M. Jones, of Richmond, Virginia, was flown to VCU Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. He succumbed to his injuries later Friday, officials said.

The student-pilot, a 67-year-old New Kent County man, was transported to a nearby hospital with minor injuries.

The NTSB and FAA, who are investigating the cause of the crash, spent hours Friday afternoon assessing the scene.

Pilot remembered as 'very conscientious' 

Ed Augustine said Jones lived in Virginia Beach and was a pilot for Paramount Builders before moving to Richmond.

"There are a lot of sad people in Tidewater today," Augustine said. "He flew a lot of people out of Norfolk."

Augustine, who said Jones opened a flight school in New Kent County in July of 2016, remembered the 38-year-old as a very careful and conscientious pilot.

"I flew with him a hundred times," Augustine said. "My friends and family were amazed at how careful he was."

The Tidewater Review profiled Jones last year after he launched the New Kent Flight Center at the New Kent County Airport on July 11, 2016.

"I love it," Jones said in an interview. "If I'm not flying, I get a little antsy. This is why I put in a long day."

The newspaper reported that Jones also worked as a cargo pilot for ACF Environmental.

Jones is survived by his wife and two children.

Neighbor heard big bang 

Robert Stroube, who lives on Liberty Hill Road, said he heard what he thought was a truck hitting potholes.

"And then I heard a bigger bang," Stroube said.

Stroube's daughter, who was working outside, ran into the house to tell him a plane had crashed.

“We ran out there and we saw the plane at the corner of our horse field down there in the middle of the road,” Stroube said.

Strobe spotted the aircraft across the dirt road.

“One of the people in the plane was walking around,” he said. “The other had been hurt in the plane. He was pinned in.”

The pilot struck Stroube's wooden fence before it hit the ground.

“My driveway goes between those two fences there and it took out both of those," he said. "And then, you could see it crossed my horse field where the wheels hit… and took out about 125 feet.”

He said the plane came was just 300 feet from crashing into his home.

Original article can be found here ➤ http://wtvr.com

NEW KENT — Pilot Andrew Jones feels at home several thousand feet above the ground.

Under clear blue skies Monday morning, Jones prepared for a flight to the Middle Peninsula Regional Airport, dutifully checking off items on a safety checklist and explaining each item as he went.

"I love it," he said. "If I'm not flying, I get a little antsy. This is why I put in a long day."

Once airborne, Jones uses gauges in his plane and major landmarks — including Richmond, the York River, Interstate 64 and water towers — to navigate through the sky, reporting his location over the air traffic frequency on the radio.

Jones has recently opened his own school to help prospective pilots fuel their love of flight.

The New Kent Flight Center opened July 11 at the New Kent County Airport; it already has 12 students enrolled and is growing fast, Jones said.

The flight center is in a convenient location between three major airports, and is ideal for Jones, who lives in Richmond but commutes around eastern Virginia.

"New Kent is perfect for a flight school," Airport Manager Dwayne Goss said. "We're happy to have Andrew here."

Jones owned a single-engine airplane before opening his flight school, but purchased a second one for about $20,000 when he opened in New Kent. One plane has two seats, the other has four.

Within the next three years, Jones hopes to have five planes for students to fly. He will also rent planes to pilots he trusts.

Jones also plans to hire a second flight instructor to accommodate more students and flying hours. He's still waiting for the instructor get certified.

Rough start

It was a school field trip to an airport that made 6-year-old Andrew Jones want to be a pilot.

"It was my childhood dream to fly, to be an airline pilot," Jones said. "The shine never wore off, flying just got more and more cool. I haven't wanted to do anything else"

Now, 31 years later, Jones has logged more than 6,000 hours flying freight for private companies in Virginia. He has also taught others how to fly for 15 years.

Jones graduated from Jacksonville University, in Florida, in 2005 with aspirations to become a commercial airline pilot, but he quickly realized the job was not within reach.

"2005 wasn't a good year for aviation," he said. "Fuel prices were high and the economy wasn't very good."

Jones ended up finally landing a job in Hanover County flying cargo.

Two years ago, he started working at Curtis Eads Flight School, in Norfolk. About a year into the job, the 37-year-old realized just working at a flight school wasn't enough, and started planning what would become the New Kent Flight Center.

A natural teacher

Teaching comes naturally to Jones, who said he enjoys taking a novice and teaching them the ropes.

"I loved teaching when I worked at other flight schools, so I decided I wanted to do it myself," Jones said.

New Kent Flight Center Administrator Mary Kay Gennings said Jones is "a conscientious person and pilot who goes above and beyond what he has to do to make sure his students are satisfied."

To be a certified pilot, flight students must log at least 40 hours of flying with an instructor, a mark that Jones aims for when training students.

"I've been doing this a long time and I try to get them prepared within 40 to 45 hours, because they're paying for the hours," he said. "Customer service is a big part of it, too. I'm there for the students."

Jones' flight school curriculum is tailored to his school at the New Kent airport. Chris Slater, a coast guard ground school instructor, writes the curriculum and missions, Jones said.

Unlike some flight schools that buy generic class materials from Aviation Supplies & Academics, New Kent Flight Center's curriculum gives students specific missions, such as flying to the Chesterfield County Airport and eating lunch with the instructor at the airport buffet.

"I want students to be able to connect the dots," Jones said. "They are focused on accomplishing the mission, not just flying."

Gennings now works four days a week at the flight center, but hopes to start taking flying lessons with Jones in the spring. Gennings has some prior flight experience, but would like to become a pilot.

"Andrew is willing to help me achieve my goals. I'd like to say that I am a pilot," Gennings said. "When he speaks, you listen to him. He has a good way having you pay attention to what he's saying, and he's patient with students and everyone."

Finding a home

While looking for a home base for his business, New Kent came to Jones' mind. The airport is small and comfortable, but still close to Richmond, Newport News and Norfolk.

Jones lives in Richmond with his wife and two children and works full-time at ACF Environmental as a cargo pilot. ACF makes geosynthetic materials and erosion control products.

Although Jones once aspired to be a commercial airline pilot, he said that life no longer fits with his goals.

The pilot commits at least 80 hours per month to the flight school, which is basically a second job, he said.

The New Kent airport used to have another flight school, called New Kent Aviation. The business was owned by a United Airlines pilot and had a steady clientele, but had a high flight instructor turnover rate, Goss said.

New Kent Aviation closed in August 2015, but Goss feels optimistic about Jones' business plans.

"Having a flight school here brings attention to the airport, and generates revenue for the county from fuel sales and rental space," Goss said. "(Jones') school is very competitive with surrounding flight schools — some of the other clients are even vacating and coming here."

The county is budgeted to receive $156,700 from all operations at the airport during the 2017 fiscal year, according to New Kent budget documents.

Gennings, who worked for the airport part-time before the flight school opened up, said Jones is "laid back, personality-wise," but is "a go-getter."

"He has goals in place for the flight center; and I admire that in him," she said. "I want to do everything I can to support him and the flight center to make sure its successful."

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