Wednesday, September 06, 2017

Cirrus SR20, N135CD, SGLJ Inc: Fatal accident occurred September 05, 2017 in Jacksonburg, Wetzel County, West Virginia

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

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Charleston
Cirrus Aircraft; Duluth, Minnesota
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama

Aviation Accident Preliminary Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
  
SGLJ Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N135CD


NTSB Identification: ERA17FA313
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, September 05, 2017 in Jacksonburg, WV
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR20, registration: N135CD
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

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 September 5, 2017, about 1148 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SR20, N135CD, was destroyed when it collided with terrain in Jacksonburg, West Virginia. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Delaware Coastal Airport (GED), Georgetown, Delaware and was destined for Fleming-Mason Airport (FGX), Flemingsburg, Kentucky. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to information obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the flight was receiving radar services, and was in communication with air traffic control (ATC). The pilot reported entering an area of moderate to heavy precipitation. He deviated course, reported clear of the precipitation, and then requested to return on course via the Parkersburg (JPU) VOR. The controller issued a clearance for the pilot to fly direct to JPU. Shortly thereafter, the airplane entered a rapid descent from 8,000 ft mean sea level (msl) until radar contact was lost at 3,000 ft msl. There were no further radio communications with the airplane and the Cleveland ATC sector controller subsequently issued an alert notice (ALNOT).

The airplane was located on September 8, in a densely wooded area about 1,500 ft from its last known radar position.

Examination of the wreckage site revealed that the airplane was completely fragmented. The debris path was approximately 50 ft in length, and contained freshly cut tree branches. All flight controls and flight control instruments were destroyed. The Cirrus Airplane Parachute System (CAPS) parachute was not deployed; however, the rocket motor was expended, consistent with impact damage. The propeller was separated from the engine crankshaft and found along the debris path; all engine and propeller controls were destroyed. All three propeller blades remained attached to the hub and contained S-bending and chordwise scratches.

The single-engine airplane was manufactured in 2000, and was powered by a Continental IO-360ES engine, which showed signs of heavy external impact damage. All accessory components were separated from the engine, and the ignition system wires were damaged. The magnetos and vacuum pumps were separated and impact damaged. The crankshaft could not be rotated due to impact damage. The fuel system was separated from the engine and examination of the flow divider noted trace amounts of fuel within the divider.

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on February 24, 2016. In addition, he reported a total of 952 flight hours at that time. A review of the pilot's logbooks revealed that the pilot accumulated 1,077 total flight hours, which included 92 hours in the SR20, as of July 29, 2017. In addition, the pilot accumulated a 37.6 total hours of actual instrument time, of which 24.9 hours were logged in the SR20.

The closest surface weather observation to the accident site was North Central West Virginia Airport (CKB), Clarksburg, West Virginia, around 20 miles southeast of the accident site. The weather reported CKB at 1153 was, wind from 210° at 12 knots, 10 miles visibility, thunderstorms in the vicinity, broken ceiling at 1,800 ft, broken skies at 2,300 ft, broken skies at 9,500 ft, temperature 22° C, dew point 18° C, and altimeter 29.82 inches of mercury.

Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board investigation may contact them by email eyewitnessreport@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov 



CARTERVILLE — As family and friends prepare to say their final goodbyes this week to Pat and Bill Searcy — the Carterville couple who died in last week’s plane crash in West Virginia — Sister Phyllis Schenk, OP, said all are coming together to support one another.

“I think we surround one another and we are supportive of one another knowing we are all grieving,” said Schenk, adding that “We walk forward together.”

She has been assigned to the Searcy’s church, Carterville’s Catholic Church of the Holy Spirit, for just two weeks, but Schenk said she knows the community is very close and has taken the loss hard.

“This is a very close-knit community and it has been very difficult,” she said.

In her experience, she said mourning has no set time for everyone. “I know it takes as long as it takes. There is no limit,” Schenk said.

In their grieving, Schenk said community members have reached out to one another and shared their memories of the Searcys, remembering the inspiring details of the couple’s lives.

On Sept. 5, the small, single-engine Cirrus SR20 went off of radar in West Virginia — Gary Schaefer, manager of Southern Illinois Airport in Carbondale, said the plane originated from his airport but had actually taken off from Delaware.

Local authorities were notified that a plane had gone missing around the Wetzel and Harrison county line — a dense wooded area. Harrison County Sheriff Robert Matheny said the area was searched both on the ground as well as from the air.

Deputy Chief Jim Copenhaver with the Harrison County Sheriff's Department said that at about 4:30 p.m. Sept. 7, he was notified that the plane was located in Wetzel County by a search and rescue team. He said he had no information about the occupants of the aircraft.

Locally, word had already circulated that the pilot and passenger were Bill and and Pat Searcy as early as the evening of Sept. 6.

“Special prayer request...please raise your voice in prayer to our Lord, Jesus for Bill and Pat Searcy. There is a on-going search in three counties of West Virginia for their plane,” read a Facebook post made by Catholic Church of the Holy Spirit.

Brian Flath, a Church of the Holy Spirit member, said he had heard the rumors circulating Tuesday and by Friday had been told officially the Searcys were, indeed, the missing couple.

On Sept. 7, the church announced a prayer service for Bill and Pat.

“The Catholic Church of the Holy Spirit in Carterville will host a prayer vigil for Bill and Pat Searcy tomorrow morning (Friday) at 7 am. Please join us if you can and keep praying,” a post to the Church’s Facebook page read.

Metro News in West Virginia confirmed Sept. 7 there were no survivors of the crash.

The Southern tried to verify with local officials details pertaining to the incident but were given no comment from the chief medical examiner’s office as well as the local sheriff’s office — all questions were deferred to the National Transportation Safety Board.

Terry Williams, a public affairs officer with the NTSB, could only confirm the NTSB investigation. He said investigators arrived Friday the document the scene.

Williams said weather is one thing the NTSB team will consider while trying to get to the bottom of what happened to the Searcys. However he said it was too early to tell.

“No we do not have any preliminary idea of what brought the aircraft down,” Williams said. He said the investigation should take about one year to complete.

Visitation for the Searcys will be 4 p.m. Friday at Riggin-Pillatsch & Burke Funeral Home in Carterville and a funeral mass will be held 10 a.m. Saturday at  the Catholic Church of the Holy Spirit in Carterville.

Memorial contributions may be made to Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Anne West Lindsey Library, Carterville Rotary/Honor Wreaths, or to P.A.W.S. in Anna. 


http://thesouthern.com

CLARKSBURG — The National Transportation Safety Board has moved the plane that crashed in Wetzel County to a secure location for the ongoing investigation, authorities said Sunday.

NTSB Media Relations Officer Terry Williams said the plane crash is still considered an active investigation, which will last about a year before a probable cause is determined.

“We have done an examination of the aircraft and the aircraft site and identified all parts of the aircraft that are at the site. The aircraft is being moved to a more secure location for a more thorough examination,” he said.

The aircraft parts are being examined for any clues that may assist in the investigation, Williams said.

A preliminary report will be issued In 7-10 days.

“That will be just the information we’ve gathered thus far regarding this investigation. We will not have a determination of cause,” Williams said. “We will also be looking at the pilot’s record, and the maintenance record of the aircraft. Those are pretty standard parts of our investigation.”

Williams said the preliminary report is basically a record for the public of the information gathered during the early stages of the investigation.

Also during the probe, the NTSB may issue a factual report, which contains additional information gathered during the ongoing investigation, he said. A docket is opened once the majority of the facts have been gathered.

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

CARTERVILLE, Ill. — The death of a well-known, community-oriented couple is felt deeply in the small town of Carterville, Illinois. 

The couple, Bill and Pat Searcy, were flying a Cirrus SR20 from Georgetown, Delaware to Flemingsburg, Kentucky, when the aircraft crashed in Wetzel County Tuesday afternoon.

Search crews found the aircraft around 2 p.m. Thursday, but there were no survivors from the crash.

Pastor Bob Morwell of the Carterville First United Methodist Church said the town was devastated to hear the news.

“There was a prayer service over at Holy Spirit early (Friday) morning for them, and a lot of people were sharing fond remembrances of them both,” Morwell said. “We’re just very shocked and disappointed that the result of the search was such a sad one.”

Morwell knew the couple for about three years, although they were not members of his church.

“There’s a cross tie because Mr. Searcy’s sister is very active here, and Mrs. Searcy worked as a volunteer at our after-school program,” he said. “They were members of Holy Spirit Catholic Church, which is right across the street from us.”

While Pat Searcy worked with the after-school program, Morwell said he had the opportunity to get to know her fairly well.

“She was a very stalwart, faithful volunteer and did good work and was ever-helpful,” he said. “In fact, we got word here at the church while we were having a planning meeting for the after-school program, and we were all, of course, quite shocked.”

Carterville, Illinois — of less than 6,000 people — is a small town where “everybody knows everybody,” Morwell said.

“I’ve heard nothing but compliments and kind words about them, and the community has definitely rallied around the whole family,” he said. “We’re kind of holding onto each other and helping each other as much as we can.”

Bill Searcy was a retired business man, and his wife, Pat, was a retired school teacher who taught in the neighboring community of Carbondale.

“He had a number of businesses,” Morwell said. “He was in a mall in a neighboring town for a number of years. He had a Swiss Colony Shop that he called ‘the cheese shack.'”

Morwell said they were both friendly, helpful and generous folks, who were good neighbors to all in Carterville.

“I was listening to some of the testimonies (Friday) morning,” he said. “She was a member of the choir. She helped with the financial committee of the church. She led the confirmation class. She was just ever-ready to help anytime they called on her.”

While any loss in a small community is heart-wrenching, Morwell said the mystery that surrounds the Searcys’ death makes it even more tragic.

“You know, we’re of course wondering what happened, how it went so badly,” Morwell said. “They were flying in a fairly sophisticated new plane that had an emergency parachute system, but apparently it did not deploy, so we’re not sure what happened.

“People are wondering about that, but we realize we may never know exactly what transpired,” he added. “We’ll have to live with the painful mystery of it and care for the loved ones as survivors.”

Morwell said judging by the turnout for Friday morning’s prayer service, he expects the funeral service to be quite large.

Though they don’t yet know when that will be, it will be held at the Carterville First United Methodist Church.

“They will be sorely missed,” Morwell said. “We hope to do anything and everything we can to be here as support to the family.”

http://wvmetronews.com




JACKSON COUNTY -- There is new information about a Williamson County couple whose plane went missing Tuesday. 

Flight plan data shows Bill and Pat Searcy left from Southern Illinois Airport on August 30th, for a multi-day trip making stops in Pennsylvania and Delaware before their plane fell off radar Tuesday over West Virginia.

Fellow aviators at southern Illinois airport describe Searcy as an "aviation nut" who not only loved flying, but being around airplanes.

They say the single prop 4-seater plane he was flying Tuesday was a fairly recent purchase, loaded with GPS technology and safety equipment.

Zac Fager has been working on Searcy's plane at Southern Illinois Airport for seven years and says Searcy has more than a thousand hours of flight time along with an instrument rating.

Fager says the Cirrus SR20 airplane Searcy recently bought was new to him, but doesn't believe it had anything to do with him and his wife disappearing from radar Tuesday.

"There's never a prediction, there's so many different factors and so many things that could go wrong at any given time. I mean, you can only hope that whatever you get into you can recover from," explained Fager.

Steve Kunce, who's flown with Searcy, before described him as a great pilot who loved to be at the airport joking around with fellow aviators.

Right now Kunce says he's hoping Bill and Pat return home safely.

"If the parachute opened on that plane hopefully they got down on the ground without a major problem or a major breakup, so I'm hoping for the best until told different," added Kunce.

Fager tells News 3 Searcy called him last week before he left asking about getting an oil change on his plane when he returned.

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







HARRISON COUNTY, W.Va (WDTV) - UPDATE: 9/7/2017, 7:10 PM

The Civil Air Patrol confirms there are no survivors in the crashed plane found around 2:00 P.M. Thursday in Wetzel County, WV.

The plane had been missing from radar since Tuesday night.

Investigators believe the people on board the plane were Bill Searcy, his wife Pat and their dog, all from Carterville Illinois.

The crash site of the aircraft is being guarded by local authorities as the investigation continues to find the cause of the crash.

UPDATE: 9/7/2017, 5:06 PM

The FAA has confirmed that the missing plane was found at approximately 2:00 p.m. Thursday near Jacksonburg, WV.

According to an FAA statement, the plane crashed in a mountainous area.

No further information has been released at this time.

UPDATE: 9/7/2017, 4:06 PM

At approximately 3:30 PM, Bridgeport Police officials told WDTV 5 News that the plane had been located, and officials were attempting to get to the scene. They were unable to give further information.

According to officials at the search location, the plane has not been located at this time.

UPDATE: 9/7/2017, 3:30PM

Authorities have confirmed that the plane has been located.

Officials say they are trying to get to the scene.

However, no further information is being released at this time.

UPDATE: 9/7/2017, 12:30 PM

The Harrison County Sheriff’s department believes they have found a credible location outside of Smithfield. The location is based off of a cellphone ping.

The plane was likely operated by Bill Searcy, along with his wife Pat and their dog from Carterville Illinois. The plane also had a parachute type of device that could have been used in an emergency type of event.

The sheriff’s department is positive that the aircraft is indeed missing, and have still not found any parts from the plane.

Units are set up on Longview and Falling Timber Road to assist in the search.

Stick with 5 News for the latest details.

EDIT The name of the man on the plane has been corrected.

UPDATE: 9/7/2017, 10:02 AM

Investigators will begin their search for a missing plane in the area of Fallen Timber Road in Wetzel County. According to officials at the command center in Wallace, this area was selected based on the last confirmed cell phone ping picked up from the aircraft.

The Cirrus SR20 aircraft was equipped with a parachute. Authorities say the plane could have drifted up to 100 miles.

Interviews with family members of the Searcy's reveal that the couple could have been traveling with their dog.

Investigators are concerned that rough terrain could pose a problem throughout the search today.

The Marion County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Mobile Operation Center has been sent to Wallace. This will be where all commands come from in the investigation.

Multiple crews are assisting in the search efforts. They include: Wallace Fire Department, Harrison/ Taylor 911 Center, West Milford Fire, Nutter Fort Fire, Wetzel Fire, Mount Clare Fire, Spelter Fire, Bridgeport Fire, Bridgeport Police, Folsom Fire, Lumberport Fire, Stonewood Fire, and the Harrison County Sheriffs Department.

ORIGINAL STORY: 9/7/2017, 9:30 AM

The search has resumed for a Illinois couple whose plane went missing Tuesday near Harrison and Wetzel Counties.

Media outlets are reporting that Bill and Pat Searcy, of southern Illinois, were the aboard the missing plane. The plane was last scene on radar around 3:30 pm.

The Wallace Volunteer Fire Dept. is being used as the command post during the investigation.

Story and video ➤  http://www.thenewscenter.tv









WALLACE — The Cirrus SR20 that went missing Tuesday was located in a mountainous area near Jacksonburg in Wetzel County about 2 p.m. Thursday, according to the FAA.

"The FAA will investigate and the NTSB will determine the cause of the accident," FAA spokeswoman Arlene Salac said.

Bridgeport Police Chief John Walker said they are certain the plane is at that location but they hadn't gotten to it by 5:30 p.m.

"It sounds like it is pretty tough terrain. They’ve got a visual on it with a plane in the air above it. They have not reached the site," he said. "They should be there in the near future. It was difficult to be seen and we believe it was actually searchers on the ground who first located it."

An Illinois couple have been identified as the pilot and wife aboard the plane. Bill and Pat Searcy of Southern Illinois have been named by several social media outlets.

Harrison-Taylor 911 Assistant Chief Connie Thomaschek said those are the names that she heard, but could not officially confirm it. 

The incident command center was reopened Thursday morning at Wallace Volunteer Fire Department where a couple dozen officials and volunteers gathered to help with the search.

"The Civil Air Patrol, Wallace VFD Chief Jay Jenkins, Marion County, Wetzel County and Marion County 911 centers all had representatives here," Thomaschek said. "The Civil Air Patrol held a meeting at (North Central West Virginia Airport). They sent a representative to the fire department."

The West Virginia Wing Civil Air Patrol has approximately six aircraft and 17 ground members signed as part of the operations. A base of operations is set up at the North Central West Virginia Regional Airport in Bridgeport.

"The Civil Air Patrol uses a single engine Cessna 182 and we have on board equipment that we can hear what is known as an emergency location transmitter, devices that send a signal out after an aircraft has had a sudden impact on the ground," Lt. Col. Jeffery Schrock of Civil Air Patrol said. "Also, we have equipment on the ground that can have the aircraft direct the ground team to the location to investigate."

The Civil Air Patrol is the volunteer organization that's an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force.

"We provide about 95 percent of search and rescue operations that are assigned to us by Air Force Rescue Coordination Center," Schrock said. "We're just one of many assets available in addition to local authorities, fire departments and search and rescue teams providing help in the search for this missing aircraft."

The command post shares all information via internet with the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security.

Law enforcement is on scene, according to Harrison Sheriff Robert Matheny. Multiple volunteer fire departments from Harrison and Wetzel counties also collaborated in the search of the rough terrain and dense woods.

Delaware Coastal Airport Manager Jim Hickin said the FAA shows the plane departed at 9:07 a.m. Tuesday.

"It was expected to arrive at the destination (at Fleming-Mason Airport, Flemingsburg, Kentucky) at 12:15 p.m., according to the FlightAware website," Hickin said. "The aircraft is registered to SGLJ Inc., Carbondale, Illinois. They were here over the weekend, arrived on Sunday and left on Tuesday." 

The Federal Aviation Administration refused to comment on the identification of the people on board the plane.

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








HARRISON COUNTY, W.Va. (WDTV) -- UPDATE 7:50 PM

Officials suspended the search for the missing aircraft, around 7:15 p.m., Wednesday. They will be back out searching at 8 a.m., Thursday.

"After dark, you might as well, it's really hard. It's such a rural area. The canopy, the growth is crazy thick. It's just way hard. It's such a broad area to search and to search at night, is pretty much impossible," said Connie Thomaschek, the Assistant Chief of Harrison County 911.

Nothing has been found.

UPDATE 7:05 PM

5 News remains on the scene. Authorities have not shared anything new with us. We will update you again later tonight. 

 UPDATE 3:05 PM

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft is a Cirrus SR20 aircraft. They say authorities are searching for the plane in Wetzel County. It is presumed that the plane has crashed. Two passengers were on board.

They say its last known position is 23 miles northwest of Clarksburg. The aircraft had departed from Delaware Coastal Airport in Georgetown, Delaware. It was headed to the Fleming-Mason Airport in Flemingsburg. Kentucky.


According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft is a Cirrus SR20 aircraft. They say authorities are searching for the plane in Wetzel County. It is presumed that the plane has crashed. Two passengers were on board.


They say its last known position is 23 miles northwest of Clarksburg. The aircraft had departed from Delaware Coastal Airport in Georgetown, Delaware. It was headed to the Fleming-Mason Airport in Flemingsburg. Kentucky.


According to Robert Metheny of the Harrison County Sheriff's Office, a ground search and a drone search in Harrison, Wetzel and Marion County.


UPDATE 2:45 PM


According to Robert Metheny of the Harrison County Sheriff's Department, officials are searching the Harrison, Wetzel and Marion county areas for a single engine, 4-passenger plane.


The plane (reported to be a Cirrus SR20 aircraft) went missing off of the radar yesterday afternoon. Local authorities were reported to have been notified Wednesday morning. The plane's last known location was reportedly near the Harrison/Wetzel County line.


Officials are unsure how many passengers were on the plane. No evidence of what occurred has been discovered at this time.


Ac command center for the search has been set up at the Wallace Fire Department.


UPDATE 12: 30 PM Harrison County 911 has confirmed county officials are involved in the search.


They say no evidence of the crash has been found at this time.


Officials are searching multiple counties.


UPDATE 12:20 PM Reports indicate the search has possibly spread to Harrison County.


We have not received confirmation of any further information at this time.


5 News did go to the airport in Marion County.


Correction In a previous update, it was stated that officials had confirmed the move to Harrison County. We have since learned that confirmation was not available at this time.


Original Story


FIRST ON 5:


Authorities are investigating what appears to be a missing plane in Marion County.


A plane accident was initially reported on the Marion County 911 police logs just before 9:30 AM, Wednesday. 911 dispatchers were unable to give any information on the incident.


5 News contacted the Marion County Sheriff's Office. Officials said they were still investigating which county the accident occurred in.


We reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration, who said they were made aware of a missing plane. The administration is working now to determine if the plane crashed, and where the accident occurred.


We have a reporter headed to the scene. Stay with 5 News as we work to gather more information.


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





UPDATE 5:03 p.m.

Authorities at the command center in Wallace said the plane went off the North Central Regional Airport's radar Tuesday between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

According to Harrison County Sheriff Robert Matheny, the missing plane is a single-engine four-seater. Officials believe they have identified the plane's owner and know the plane's tail number.

Authorities are going to perform a welfare check at the believed pilot's home.

The search is focused on the Five Point area near Wallace and the Harrison-Wetzel border, Sheriff Matheny said.

State Police are using a helicopter, and the Wallace Volunteer Fire Department is using a drone to aid in the search, Sheriff Matheny said.

Authorities would like to stress that if you see or hear anything out of the ordinary to call 911.

ORIGINAL:

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, authorities are searching for a Cirrus SR20 aircraft in Wetzel County.

Authorities presume that the aircraft has crashed with two people on board.

Officials with the FAA say that the aircraft’s last known position is approximately 23 miles northwest of Clarksburg.

The aircraft departed from Delaware Coastal Airport in Georgetown, DE on Tuesday. It was heading to Fleming-Mason Airport in Flemingsburg, Kentucky.

Story and video: http://www.yourohiovalley.com





WALLACE, W.Va. — First responders are gathered at the Wallace Volunteer Fire Department as they continue to search for a plane carrying two passengers that went missing from radar Tuesday afternoon.

“Sometime after 3:30 (Tuesday) afternoon, a plane flying at 6,800 feet was on radar from Bridgeport at the Harrison/Wetzel county line,” Harrison County Sheriff Robert Matheny said.

Matheny said Harrison/Taylor and Marion County 911 Centers were notified of the missing plane about 9 a.m. Wednesday by the Office of Emergency Service in Charleston.

Emergency crews then set up a command center at the Wallace Volunteer Fire Department.

“We have crews searching on the ground, and we also have a drone flying the area,” Matheny said. “There’s an active search going on over in Wetzel County. The State Police have a helicopter searching that area.

“Right now we’re just trying to find that aircraft.”

The Federal Aviation Administration reports the aircraft is a Cirrus SR20 that departed from Delaware Coastal Airport in Georgetown, Delaware Tuesday. It was heading for Fleming-Mason Airport in Flemingsburg, Kentucky.

“Our detectives are doing an investigation now to the origin of the aircraft, how many people might be on it, who might be piloting that. They’re working on that right now,” Matheny said.

Matheny said he is optimistic that the search may be one for rescue, rather than recovery.

“If it would’ve exploded or if there had been a major crash, we might have got a call,” he said. “Nothing’s confirmed. We’re not 100 percent on anything, but what our hopes are is if the plane is down, to find it and be able to rescue anybody that might have been on it.”

The plane’s last known location was 23 miles northwest of Clarksburg.

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




6:48 P.M., Sept. 6 UPDATE:

According to Harrison County Sheriff Robert Matheny, there are very few concrete facts, at this time, in regards to the status of an aircraft that was last known to be located near the Wetzel/Harrison county line.

According to a Wednesday morning statement from the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft is a Cirrus SR20. It is presumed that the aircraft has crashed, and that there are two people on board.

The aircraft's last known position is approximately 23 miles northwest of Clarksburg. The aircraft departed from Delaware Coastal Airport in Georgetown, DE yesterday. It was heading to Fleming-Mason Airport in Flemingsburg, Kentucky.

According to Wetzel County Sheriff's Office Sheriff Mike Koontz, the sheriff's department is aware of the situation and is offering assistance as needed.

Harrison County Sheriff Matheny said Harrison County's 911 Office of Emergency Services received information at approximately 9:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, regarding the aircraft.

Matheny said, based on the call, volunteer fire departments and the county's 911 center joined forces and set up a command post at the Wallace Volunteer Fire Department.

"We did some ground searches. We had a drone and did some searches in the area and around the county line, to try to locate the aircraft."

Matheny said the sheriff department's detective unit has conducted a search regarding who the owner of the aircraft is, the tail number on the craft, and the craft's last known position on the radar.

Matheny said that efforts to locate the plane have been unsuccessful.

Authorities have also requested Civil Air Patrol assistance, which arrived on scene Wednesday evening.

"They have an aircraft in the air now," Matheny said Wednesday evening. The sheriff said the patrol was attempting to locate the craft, which "could be anywhere."

"The aircraft was headed north from Harrison County, toward Wetzel County."

Matheny said the West Virginia State Police had used a helicopter to search Wetzel County. Meanwhile, Harrison County has also coordinated efforts with Marion County to search the "Five Points" area that that encompasses Doddridge, Harrison, Marion, Wetzel, and Tyler counties.

"We are going to suspend the ground search at dark," Sheriff Matheny said.

Matheny said the search would resume, and responders would regroup.

ORIGINAL STORY: According to the Federal Aviation Administration, authorities are conducting a search for a Cirrus SR20 aircraft in Wetzel County, West Virginia.

Authorities presume that the aircraft has crashed, according to the FAA. There are two people on board.

The aircraft's last known position is approximately 23 miles northwest of Clarksburg. The aircraft departed from Delaware Coastal Airport in Georgetown, DE yesterday. It was heading to Fleming-Mason Airport in Flemingsburg, Kentucky.

According to Wetzel County Sheriff's Office Sheriff Mike Koontz, the sheriff's department is aware of the situation and is offering assistance as needed.

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



WALLACE, W.Va. — First responders are gathered at the Wallace Volunteer Fire Department as they continue to search for a plane carrying two passengers that went missing from radar Tuesday afternoon.

“Sometime after 3:30 (Tuesday) afternoon, a plane flying at 6,800 feet was on radar from Bridgeport at the Harrison/Wetzel county line,” Harrison County Sheriff Robert Matheny said.

Matheny said Harrison/Taylor and Marion County 911 Centers were notified of the missing plane about 9 a.m. Wednesday by the Office of Emergency Service in Charleston.

Emergency crews then set up a command center at the Wallace Volunteer Fire Department.

“We have crews searching on the ground, and we also have a drone flying the area,” Matheny said. “There’s an active search going on over in Wetzel County. The State Police have a helicopter searching that area.

“Right now we’re just trying to find that aircraft.”

The Federal Aviation Administration reports the aircraft is a Cirrus SR20 that departed from Delaware Coastal Airport in Georgetown, Delaware Tuesday. It was heading for Fleming-Mason Airport in Flemingsburg, Kentucky.

“Our detectives are doing an investigation now to the origin of the aircraft, how many people might be on it, who might be piloting that. They’re working on that right now,” Matheny said.

Matheny said he is optimistic that the search may be one for rescue, rather than recovery.

“If it would’ve exploded or if there had been a major crash, we might have got a call,” he said. “Nothing’s confirmed. We’re not 100 percent on anything, but what our hopes are is if the plane is down, to find it and be able to rescue anybody that might have been on it.”

The plane’s last known location was 23 miles northwest of Clarksburg.

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






CLARKSBURG — Authorities from various departments found no evidence of a Cirrus SR20 aircraft presumed to have crashed with two people on board in the Wetzel County area during a search on Wednesday, according to officials.


Officials will get in touch with the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security Office of Emergency Management to determine the next step.


Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jim Peters said the last known position is approximately 23 miles northwest of Clarksburg. It departed from Delaware Coastal Airport in Georgetown, Delaware, and was heading to Fleming-Mason Airport in Flemingsburg, Kentucky.


The last ping from the pilot's cell phone was at 3:37 p.m. Tuesday, according to Harrison-Taylor 911 officials.


"The State Police has a helicopter in the air. ... We are showing a path toward the Harrison-Wetzel County line from the last ping on the cell phone. The plane was last recorded at 6,817 feet by radar," said Connie Thomaschek, Harrison-Taylor 911 assistant chief.


Thomaschek said it will be very difficult to locate a four-seater airplane in these conditions.


"We set up an incident command post with accountability. We had to find out information and research it. We were able to get a lot of information quickly and get people out and moving. We will be here until something is found or until darkness keeps us from searching. We have to try," she said.


Thomaschek also activated the Civil Air Patrol to search the area.


Harrison-Taylor 911 officials were notified of the missing plane by Marion County Homeland Security.


"When we arrived we had very limited information. Communication here is tough. The interoperable radio system makes communication with everyone possible," he said.


Greg Skidmore, Harrison-Taylor 911 addressing and mapping coordinator, is tracking the units responding to keep accountability of the men out in the field.


"We want to keep everyone safe," he said.


Skidmore estimated about 20 personnel are in the field at this time.


Bryan Lowther, Harrison-Taylor 911 captain, is responsible for the command post as the radio frequency coordinator and staging of resources with the utilization of the state interoperable radio system.


"This allows Harrison, Marion and Wetzel responders to speak directly to each other," he said.


The Harrison County Sheriff's Department has six personnel on scene, Sheriff Robert Matheny said.


"We’ve set up the command post and are assisting Wallace VFD Chief Jay Jenkins in this operation, which still could be a rescue. We are coordinating a ground search. The detective unit is conducting background searches on the plane. Bridgeport tower had the plane on radar between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. (Tuesday) at the Harrison-Wetzel line."


At this time, technology is the biggest part of this operation, Matheny said.


"If the plane did go down, our detectives would go where it went down, which could be miles away from last detected. Assisting now are Lumberport, Spelter, Nutter Fort and Stonewood fire departments. We are concentrating our efforts on the ground and hope to come up with something."


Matheny said anyone who heard anything suspicious on Tuesday between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. is asked to call the Harrison-Taylor 911 Center at (304) 626-4900.


Marion County officials and fire departments are also working toward these efforts. Wetzel County is doing a separate operation with the State Police.


Jenkins said his department also has a drone in the air that has a 1-mile radius. The search teams were on an hourly check-in schedule to ensure field safety, he said.


“This county has always been good if we need help. We are coordinating to put people in different areas. it is a joint effort with 911 and this was the best location for the command center due to phone, internet, maps and large computer screen," he said. "We will pull everyone in one hour before dark."


Also assisting in the search are West Virginia Natural Resources police.


North Central West Virginia Airport Director Rick Rock said earlier in the day that the plane was never in contact with the Bridgeport airport.


The Cirrus SR20 has a wingspan of 38 feet, 4 inches; is 26 feet long; and is 8 feet, 11 inches in height, according to Cirrus Aircraft's website.


The plane needs 1,685 feet for takeoff, has a climb rate of 781 feet per minute and a maximum operating altitude of 17,500 feet, according to Cirrus Aircraft's website. The plane is equipped with a Lycoming 215-horsepower engine.


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

1 comment:

  1. There was a heavy line of severe thunderstorms passing through that area about that time.

    We ended up leaving Lynchburg (LYH) about 1600 in a hurry to the east to avoid a level 5 storm overruning the airport. All of that bad stuff was well forecast aheaad of time.



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