Sunday, January 22, 2017

Cessna 182A Skylane, N3828D: Accident occurred January 22, 2017 at Tri-City Airport (3G6), Beloit, Mahoning County, Ohio

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

NTSB Identification: GAA17CA133 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, January 22, 2017 in Sebring, OH
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/07/2017
Aircraft: CESSNA 182, registration: N3828D
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot in the tricycle-gear-equipped airplane reported that he landed about 4 ft short of the asphalt runway. The nose landing gear struck the 6-inch-high asphalt perimeter and separated from the airplane. The pilot aborted the landing, the airplane bounced, and the pilot established a climb. He completed one traffic pattern and an approach. During the second landing, the pilot chose to land on the turf safety area parallel to the runway. When the airplane’s main landing gear touched down on the turf surface, the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall, fuselage, left wing, and empennage. 

Per the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented by being more diligent in observing the touchdown point on the runway.

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

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s failure to maintain the proper glidepath during landing, which resulted in the airplane landing short of the runway, the nose landing gear separating, and the airplane nosing over during a second landing. 

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Cleveland, Ohio

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/N3828D

NTSB Identification: GAA17CA133
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, January 22, 2017 in Sebring, OH
Aircraft: CESSNA 182, registration: N3828D
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot in the tri-cycle gear equipped airplane reported that he landed about 4 ft short of the asphalt runway. The nose landing gear struck the 6-inch high asphalt perimeter and separated from the airplane. The pilot aborted the landing and the airplane bounced and the pilot was able to establish a climb. He completed one traffic pattern and an approach. During the second landing, the pilot elected to land on the turf safety area parallel to the runway. When the airplane's main landing gear touched down on the turf surface, the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall, fuselage, left wing and the empennage.

Per the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented by being more diligent in observing the touchdown point on the runway.

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


Location where the Cessna 182A Skylane flipped over.



BELOIT, Ohio -  The Ohio State Highway Patrol Canfield Post is investigating a plane incident at the Tri-City Airport in Beloit.

Troopers say Thomas Wagner was piloting the Cessna 182A Skylane during a landing attempt at around 3:30 p.m. Sunday. 

The plane struck the ground before reaching the landing strip causing damage to the nose gear tire. 

The plane took off after contact with the ground. 

Wagner, 62, of Alliance, made another landing attempt on a grass stretch of land west of the landing strip. 

The plane struck the ground and flipped over.

Wagner was not injured in the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were contacted and will be conducting an investigation.

Source:   http://www.wfmj.com

Bellanca 17-30A Viking, N39819: Accident occurred January 21, 2017 near Stoltzfus Airfield (OH22), Wayne County, Ohio

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

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Cleveland, Ohio

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board:https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf


Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms


Aviation Accident Data Summary - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

http://registry.faa.gov/N39819



National Transportation Safety Board - Aviation Accident Final Report 

Location: Kidron, OH
Accident Number: CEN17LA081
Date & Time: 01/21/2017, 1445 EST
Registration: N39819
Aircraft: BELLANCA 17 30
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

Analysis 

The airline transport pilot was conducting a local flight and had been airborne for about 40 minutes when he heard a "bang;" the engine then began to shake and experienced a total loss of power. The pilot conducted a forced landing, and the airplane impacted a stand of pine trees before coming to rest. An onsite examination of the airplane found oil on the underside of the airframe and the back of the engine, with no oil showing on the dipstick. Additionally, the nuts securing the engine vacuum pump appeared loose.

Disassembly of the engine found only a small amount of oil in the engine sump as well as numerous metal pieces. The crankshaft No. 5 rod journal exhibited heat damage, and the connecting rod had separated from the journal, consistent with the lack of oil lubrication. A review of the engine's maintenance records revealed that the engine had accumulated about 263 hours since overhaul. The records also indicated the vacuum pump was replaced and had accumulated 1.19 hours at the time of the accident. The accident is consistent with the loss of engine oil from the vacuum pump drive, likely as a result of maintenance personnel improperly securing the vacuum pump following replacement. 

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
Maintenance personnel's failure to properly secure the vacuum pump, which resulted in a loss of engine oil and the subsequent total loss of engine power due to oil starvation.

Findings

Aircraft
Recip eng rear section - Incorrect service/maintenance (Cause)
Oil - Fluid level (Cause)

Environmental issues
Tree(s) - Contributed to outcome

Factual Information 

On January 21, 2017, about 1445 eastern standard time, a Bellanca 17-30A airplane, N39819, conducted a forced landing near Kidron, Ohio. The pilot was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged during the accident. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.

The pilot reported that he was on a personal flight, and had been airborne for about 40 minutes. He added that he was in cruise at about 2,600 ft above mean sea level (MSL) when he heard a "bang", and the engine started to shake and lose power. He turned towards an airport, but believed that the airplane was not going to make the airport, so he selected a field for the forced landing. During the forced landing, the left wing collided with a brush pile and the airplane impacted a stand of pine trees before coming to a stop.

Examination of the airplane on site, by the responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, found substantial damage to the airplane's fuselage and wings. The inspector also noted that the underside of the airplane and engine compartment had a coating of oil. Additionally, oil quantity was not present on the dipstick. An area was noted on the engine sump, that appeared to be an internal impact mark. Nuts holding the vacuum pump on the engine appeared loose.

The engine was separated from the airframe and shipped to the manufacturer's facility in Mobile, Alabama. The engine was examined by the National Transportation Safety Board and technical representatives from Continental Motors. After a visual inspection of the engine, an attempt to rotate the crankshaft was made; the engine rotated but with great difficulty.

Disassembly of the engine found only a small amount of oil in the engine sump, along with numerous metal pieces. Inspection of the oil filter element found small amounts of metal. The crankshaft's number five rod journal had heat damage and the connecting rod had separated from the journal. The number one and two rod journals were dry and heat damaged, but the connecting rods remained attached and showed signs of heat distress.

A review of the engine's maintenance records revealed the engine was overhauled in December 2008. The engine had accumulated about 263 hours since the overhaul. The records also indicated the engine's vacuum pump was replaced on December 23, 2016, and had accumulated 1.19 hours, at the time of the accident. 

History of Flight

Enroute-cruise
Loss of engine power (total) (Defining event)

Emergency descent
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline Transport
Age: 75
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 10/01/2015
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 12286 hours (Total, all aircraft), 513 hours (Total, this make and model), 9286 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 5 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 2 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: BELLANCA
Registration: N39819
Model/Series: 17 30 A
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1972
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 73-30491
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats:
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 10/26/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines:  1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3109.5 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: CONT MOTOR
ELT: C91  installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO 520 SERIES
Registered Owner:  On file
Rated Power: 285 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: KBJJ
Observation Time: 1556 EST
Distance from Accident Site: 8 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition:  Few / 12000 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 14°C / 11°C
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility: 10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction:
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 29.67 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration:
Departure Point: Medina, OH (1G5)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Medina, OH (1G5)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time:
Type of Airspace: 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude:  40.744722, -81.764722 (est)

NTSB Identification: CEN17LA081
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, January 21, 2017 in Kidron, OH
Aircraft: BELLANCA 17 30, registration: N39819
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On January 21, 2017, about 1400 eastern standard time, a Bellanca 17-30A airplane, N39819, conducted a forced landing near Kidron, Ohio. The airline transport rated pilot received was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged during the accident. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. 

The pilot reported that he was on a personal flight, and had been airborne for about 40 minutes. He added that he was in cruise flight at about 2,600 ft MSL, when he heard a "bang", and the engine started to shake and lose power. He turned back towards the airport, but believed that the airplane was not going to make the airport, so he selected a field for the forced landing. During the forced landing, the left wing collided with a brush pile; the airplane then impacted a stand of pine trees, before coming to a stop. 

Substantial damage was noted to the airplane's fuselage and wings. Fuel was present on site. 


The airplane was retained for further examination.
======

WAYNE, COUNTY, OHIO  - The pilot of a Bellanca 17-30A Viking plane force landed Saturday afternoon, January 21st. 

The incident occurred in East Union Township just south of Kansas Rd.

Sometime before 3:00 in the afternoon the pilot was forced to look for a place to land his plane experienced mechanical failures that caused his engine to quit. 

The pilot directed the plane towards Stoltzfus Airfield, but soon realized he would not make the distance. He then attempted to land the plane in a nearby field. 

The plane came to its final resting place on the edge of the wooded area next to the field.

Miraculously, he was able to walk away from his aircraft. He has no reported injuries, and was able to explain what happened to a crowd that gathered.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol responded to the incident, and the FAA and local fire station were contacted.

The family says they are "just glad he's ok and no one was hurt." They also commend his quick thinking and navigation, saying "he did an outstanding job."

Story and video:  https://wmfd.com

Boucher Duo Deuce, N808DD: Accident occurred June 06, 2016 near Stafford Regional Airport (KRMN), Stafford County, Virginia



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

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Herndon, Virginia
Lycoming Engines; Williamsport, Pennsylvania

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/N808DD 


The Duo Deuce is pictured before the accident, while it was still under construction.


Location: Stafford, VA
Accident Number: ERA16LA204
Date & Time: 06/06/2016, 1759 EDT
Registration: N808DD
Aircraft: BOBBI BOUCHER DUO DEUCE
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Aerodynamic stall/spin
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under:  Part 91: General Aviation - Flight Test 

On June 6, 2016, at 1759 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Duo Deuce, N808DD, was substantially damaged during a collision with terrain after takeoff from Stafford Regional Airport (RMN), Stafford, Virginia. The commercial pilot, who was also the owner/builder was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the initial test flight, which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

In an interview with a police officer just after the accident, the pilot reported that during the initial climb after takeoff, both engines experienced a "sudden" loss of power. She identified an open area for a forced landing, and upon touchdown, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted.

In an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector, the pilot stated that the engine run-up was "normal and everything was fine." During the takeoff roll, the airplane reached "flying speed," the nose lifted from the runway, and she advanced the throttles to 2,700 rpm. As the airplane became airborne, the "left wing came up but the right wing was down." The pilot stated she added left rudder and left aileron, but realized the airplane was "eating up a lot of runway" and there was insufficient runway remaining on which to land. She turned the airplane right to avoid the interstate highway that ran perpendicular to the runway beyond the departure end. According to the pilot, "I stalled I guess, I hit the ground pretty hard."

In a subsequent telephone interview with an NTSB investigator, the pilot stated she did not recall the conversation with the police officer, and stated that the right engine stopped producing power. In a media interview several months later, the pilot reported she remembered "every detail" of the accident flight, and said that when she taxied the airplane onto the runway at RMN, the purpose was to perform a "high speed taxi" and that the subsequent takeoff was "inadvertent." After takeoff, the airplane experienced "engine failure" followed by an aerodynamic stall.

Several witnesses provided written statements. One witness was well-acquainted with the pilot and said that he was there to assist her with the flight. In his statement, he referred to the flight as both a "test flight" as well as the "first flight" for the airplane. The witnesses described the takeoff and climb as "slow," stating that the airplane was "wobbling" and the wings were "rocking." One witness estimated that the airplane climbed to about 300 feet above the runway before it slowly descended.

A review of videos recorded from two airport security cameras, as well as an on-board video recorded with the pilot's cellphone revealed a shallow takeoff and initial climb. Almost immediately after takeoff, the airplane's track diverged from the runway centerline off the right side of the runway and over the grass apron. The climb stopped at what appeared to be treetop height, the wings rocked, and the airplane continued to pitch up as it descended until ground contact. The instrument panel could not be viewed, but the propeller speeds appeared constant and both propellers appeared to be turning at the same speed during the takeoff roll and the entire flight until ground contact.

Examination of photographs revealed the airplane remained largely intact, with the left engine separated. Both wings and the tail section were substantially damaged.

According to FAA records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multiengine land and sea, and a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single and multiengine. She was issued an FAA second-class medical certificate on October 29, 2015, and reported 6,420 total hours of flight experience on that date.

The two-seat, twin-engine, low-wing airplane, equipped with two Lycoming IO-320-B1A engines was initially registered in 2013, and issued an airworthiness certificate on March 19, 2016. The pilot modified a Van's Aircraft, Inc., RV-8 single engine airplane kit. Instead of the nose-mounted, single-engine configuration for which the kit was designed, the airplane was configured with two wing-mounted engines.

Examination of maintenance records revealed the engines were previously owned, and installed on an airplane that was involved in an accident on February 19, 2008. Each engine experienced a propeller strike event during that accident sequence. The records did not indicate that a mandatory sudden-stoppage inspection had been performed on either engine after the event and prior to their installation on N808DD.

The airplane's instrument panel was equipped with an iPad mount, and a telephone was mounted above and behind the pilot. Both the iPad and the telephone were requested so that the original media could be examined. The pilot refused to provide either device; however, she provided a 33-second-long video file, which was consistent with the vantage point of the cockpit mounted cell phone.

Throughout the takeoff roll, flight, and subsequent impact with terrain, the effect of the video camera's rolling shutter effects on the representation of each propeller did not substantially change. Because the distortion of each propeller due to rolling shutter was consistent, the recording suggested each propeller's rpm remained at an unquantified but mostly steady state.

The airplane was subsequently recovered to Shannon Regional Airport, Fredericksburg, Virginia, where it was examined by representatives of the NTSB and Lycoming Engines. In addition, a test run of the right engine, which remained mounted in its nacelle and attached to the airframe was performed.

The constant-speed propeller was damaged during the accident sequence. It was removed, an expansion plug was seated in the front of the crankshaft, and a fixed-pitch propeller was mounted. The airplane was pushed out to the taxiway apron, jumper cables were attached to an airport service vehicle and the airplane's battery, and an engine start was attempted utilizing the airplane's own fuel system.

The engine was started, and it ran smoothly and continuously until engine oil sprayed in the propeller wash. The engine was stopped, the propeller was removed, the crankshaft expansion plug was reseated, the engine was serviced with oil, and another engine start was initiated.

The engine started and idled smoothly, and ran continuously without interruption. The throttle was increased and decreased, and the engine ran smoothly through the power changes. Engine oil pressure and fuel flow indications were consistent with the throttle position as it was changed.

With full throttle application, approximately 2,200 rpm was observed on the aircraft tachometer. The engine ran roughly, consistent with a lean fuel/air mixture setting. Fuel flow as noted on the digital flow meter was approximately 19 gallons per hour (gph). Typical fuel flow requirements for the subject engine operating at this power setting would be 8.5 gph based on a lean limit mixture setting and approximately 10 gph based on a best power mixture setting. The abnormality noted with the digital flow indication system was consistent with air entering the fuel system, resulting in acceleration of the flow scan vein and high fuel flow indications. The fuel flow abnormality as noted was consistent with air entering upstream of the engine on the airframe side of the fuel system. 



Pilot Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 62, Female
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Multi-engine Sea; Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Glider
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 10/29/2015
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 
Flight Time:  6420 hours (Total, all aircraft), 0.5 hours (Total, this make and model) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: BOBBI BOUCHER
Registration: N808DD
Model/Series: DUO DEUCE NO SERIES
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2016
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental
Serial Number: 007
Landing Gear Type:Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 03/10/2016, Condition
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 
Time Since Last Inspection: 0 Hours
Engines:  Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 0.5 Hours
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: 
Engine Model/Series: IO-320-B!A
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 160 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: KRMN, 211 ft msl
Observation Time: 1753 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 330°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 26°C / 16°C
Lowest Ceiling: Obscured
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 4 knots, 190°
Visibility (RVR): 
Altimeter Setting: 29.74 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV): 
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Stafford, VA (RMN)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Stafford, VA (RMN)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time:  EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: STAFFORD RGNL (RMN)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 211 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 15
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5000 ft / 100 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude:  38.392222, -77.316667 (est)

NTSB Identification: ERA16LA204
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, June 06, 2016 in Stafford, VA
Aircraft: BOBBI BOUCHER DUO DEUCE, registration: N808DD
Injuries: 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 may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On June 6, 2016, at 1759 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Duo Deuce, N808DD, was substantially damaged during a collision with terrain after takeoff from Stafford Regional Airport (RMN), Stafford, Virginia. The commercial pilot/owner/builder was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the initial test flight, which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. 

In an interview with a police officer just after the accident, the pilot reported that during the initial climb after takeoff, both engines experienced a "sudden" loss of power. She identified an open area for the forced landing, and upon touchdown, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. 

In a subsequent telephone interview, the pilot stated that she did not recall the conversation with the officer, and stated the right engine stopped producing power. 

Several witnesses provided statements, and they described the takeoff and climb as "slow," stating that the airplane was "wobbling" and the wings were "rocking." One witness estimated that the airplane climbed to about 300 feet above the runway, before it slowly descended. 

A review of videos recorded from two airport security cameras, as well as an on-board video recorded with the pilot's cellphone revealed a shallow takeoff and initial climb. Almost immediately after takeoff, the airplane's track diverged from the runway centerline off the right side of the runway and over the grass apron. The climb stopped at what appeared to be treetop height, the wings rocked, and the airplane continued to pitch up as it descended until ground contact. The instrument panel could not be viewed, but the propeller speeds appeared constant and both propellers appeared to be turning at the same speed during the takeoff roll and the entire flight until ground contact. 

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multiengine land and sea, and instructor ratings for airplane single and multiengine. She was issued an FAA second-class medical certificate on October 29, 2015, and reported 6,420 total hours of flight experience on that date. 

The two-seat, twin-engine, low-wing airplane was manufactured in 2013, and was equipped with two Lycoming IO-320-B1A engines. The pilot/owner/builder modified a Van's Aircraft, Inc., RV-8 single engine airplane kit. Instead of the nose-mounted, single-engine configuration for which the kit was designed, the airplane was equipped with two wing-mounted engines. 

Examination of photographs revealed the airplane remained largely intact, with the left engine separated. Both wings and the tail section were substantially damaged. The airplane was retained for a detailed examination at a later date.
============

“Oh my God, I’m alive—but please don’t let me burn,” Roberta “Bobbi” Boucher implored as she hung upside down from the wreckage of her plane, which crashed June 6 in Stafford County.

Boucher, 63, of Fredericksburg, said she remembers every single moment of the day of the crash.

She recalled being giddy with excitement as she climbed into the single-seat aircraft she had designed in her shop, The Plane Doctor, at Shannon Airport in Spotsylvania County.

And she felt comfortable behind the controls of the Duo Deuce. In addition to decades of experience as a certified airframes and power-plants mechanic, she is also a certified aircraft inspector and flight instructor. For Boucher, flying never gets old.

The experimental aircraft had been approved by an engineer and Boucher had done all her usual checks prior to boarding, so she felt confident as she steered it onto the runway of Stafford Regional Airport to perform a high-speed taxi.

But things quickly started going downhill. She inadvertently lifted off and experienced engine failure. As she approached Interstate 95, her stomach felt like it was in knots.

She feared that she would hit the cars and trucks she could see beneath her, driving along the highway.

All of a sudden, the plane stalled and began to plummet.

“I just closed my eyes,” she said. “I didn’t want to see it coming. I think maybe subconsciously I knew that if I could see what was coming, I would tense up.”

The plane ended up nose-diving into a field of mulch between Centreport Parkway and Interstate 95. She remembers hitting the ground hard, and the plane sliding before coming to an abrupt stop.

Then, in what seemed like slow motion, the tail came up until the plane stood straight on its nose.

Boucher remembers praying the plane would not tip over, but, within moments, it started to fall. The glass canopy surrounding the cockpit smashed, upside down, into deep mulch. It covered her.

“My adrenaline was going so fast that time just kind of stopped, and seconds turned into hours,” she said.

COMPASSION, HEROISM

Shortly after the crash, a man jumped over the fence from I–95 and ran toward her yelling “Are you OK?” over and over again. She managed to call out “Yes,” as she watched fuel gush from the plane and soak the ground around her.

Once the man reached the plane, he began trying to dig Boucher out of the mulch. He managed to grab her hand, and give it a squeeze. He kept trying to reassure her by saying, “I’m here, I’m here.”

Boucher still chokes up when she thinks about the moment when the man—whose identity is still a mystery to her—took her hand in his.

She knew, as she dangled upside down, drenched in fuel with coarse mulch matted against her face, that death was imminent if the plane exploded. She needed the touch of another human being to remind her she was not alone.

“At that point, human contact was a wonderful thing,” she said. “I wish I knew his name.”

When fire and rescue personnel arrived, they saw the man, joined by someone from Stafford Airport, furiously pulling at the dirt to free Boucher. The rescue crew told them to stop because the plane was leaking fuel, but the men kept digging.

Boucher heard one respond, “I’m already drenched, it doesn’t matter.”

She describes the moment as the greatest display of human compassion and heroism she has ever witnessed.

As emergency personnel worked to free her, they began cutting the plane’s canopy. Her arm was trapped in the wreckage of it, and she screeched as they inadvertently began sawing into her arm. The noise from the generators made it difficult for them to hear her pleas at first.

As fire and rescue workers stood ready with hoses to spray the plane if it caught fire, the rescuers managed to pull Boucher out of the wreckage. She remembers squeezing her eyes against the glare of the sun. She recalls hugging one of the fire and rescue workers and thanking him for saving her.

On the way to Mary Washington Hospital in the ambulance, the emergency personnel asked Boucher for the names of her doctors. When she arrived at the hospital, her doctors and friends were gathered just outside the Emergency Room.

The surgeon discovered that Boucher’s third thoracic vertebrae had been crushed in the accident. After determining that the spinal injury was beyond his expertise, he sent Boucher to a hospital in Richmond.

Boucher cannot remember how long she was at MWH, but she does remember being transported to the helicopter that would fly her to Richmond. The crew asked who the patient was and the hospital staff said “Bobbi Boucher.”

“Bobbi Boucher of Shannon Airport?” they asked. “We know Bobbi—we will take good care of her.”

LONG, SLOW RECOVERY

Boucher spent 10 days in the intensive care unit. She had multiple IVs, a feeding tube and several broken bones. Nurses would come in to flip her over every 45 minutes, making it difficult to rest. She also had to undergo many X–rays, which she recalled being ice cold and painful due to her back injury.

Despite her age and the severity of her symptoms, Boucher began to heal quickly. At first, she could barely move her left arm and she had severe pain between her shoulder blades when pulling or pushing. She also couldn’t walk because of muscle atrophy.

“I had a feeling my doctors were surprised I was healing so quickly,” Boucher said. “My body knew what it had to do. But, recovery has been long and slow—too slow.”

Full recovery will take a year—and she will probably never completely return to normal, but Boucher can now walk, although she often uses a wheelchair or walker. She can also drive, although it can be difficult.

Pushing and pulling continues to be strenuous, which makes her responsibilities at her aircraft repair shop challenging.

She gets by with the help of her friend, Linda Knowles, who she met several years ago in Florida at the Air Race Classic, an annual cross-county air race for female pilots.

Her injuries have not kept her away from planes. Boucher continues to spend her days in the hangar at the airport where her shop is located. Knowles serves as her hands, and Boucher instructs her on what to do.

She has also flown again—an experience she described as both unnerving and exhilarating. She went out briefly in a low-wing plane with a copilot.

While it was difficult to board the plane, she said it was easier to fly than drive, since air controls don’t require the pushing and pulling motions that aggravate her back injury.

EAGER TO SOLO AGAIN

Boucher has always been independent, so it has been difficult learning to rely on others for help. While she feels grateful she is not paralyzed, she said everything feels different and she is worried about her business.

“I feel like I’m going to lose my shop because of this accident,” she said. “I have always wanted to go on my terms. But, I wouldn’t have this shop without Linda right now, and I still have so many business expenses to pay. I’m worried keeping this shop has just become a pipe dream.”

She says she is grateful to everyone who has supported her. She recalls being blown away by the number of people who came to visit her at the hospital in Richmond. She even heard the hospital had to turn away visitors.

Her friend, Andrew Ellison, started a GoFundMe page to assist with her medical expenses. She appreciates the generosity of friends, acquaintances and total strangers who contributed.

“I spend my days in this little shop working on planes,” she said. “I didn’t realize I had an effect on so many people.”

But if anyone knows planes, it is Boucher, and her impact on the world of aviation has been far-reaching.

Her love of planes began during the early days of her service in the Navy as a jet engine mechanic. She spent several years working on the jet engines of the P2V Neptune, an aircraft designed to hunt submarines, and later, on P-3s. She was able to get her A&P certificate and flight engineer rating while in the Navy.

After her military service ended, she worked for Shannon Airport for five years before opening The Plane Doctor in 1983.

Her career highlights include a trip to Africa in 1998, at the request of the World Wildlife Foundation to build and fly a Beaver RX 550 ultralight aircraft for the foundation. She arrived in Central Africa just days after a coup, so her host carried a machine gun on the 13-hour journey by truck to the remote destination.

She spent 15 days putting together and testing an airplane that would be used to detect elephant hunters who were killing the animals for ivory.

The trip had an unfortunate ending. Shortly before Boucher was scheduled to return home, the patched-roof building where the airplane was being stored collapsed, and crushed the airplane. Without new parts, which could take months to get there, the plane was irreparable.

“After working on something so long, it was hard to lose it,” Boucher said.

Boucher has also participated in five Air Race Classics, something she hopes to repeat. However, the race is expensive and money is tight, so keeping her shop going will continue to be her main priority.

“I’m looking forward to getting back into an airplane by myself again,” she said.

Source:  http://www.dailyprogress.com

Greenbrier Valley Airport (KLWB) attracts Pocahontas tourism partners

MAXWELTON — Despite Greenbrier Valley Airport’s recent struggle to maintain regularly scheduled commercial flights, manager Stephen Snyder is finding great success in drumming up support from the region’s tourist attractions.

Serving an area that includes such high-volume visitor magnets as The Greenbrier, The Omni Homestead and Snowshoe Mountain, the airport’s viability is crucial to the continued success of its tourism partners, according to Snyder.

“Airports are an economic driver for the community,” he said this week.

In order to cement those bonds, Snyder has begun working with consultant Molly Wong to invite potential tourism partners from Pocahontas County to describe their enterprises to the Greenbrier County Airport Authority.

Representatives of three nonprofit partners — groups associated with Watoga State Park, the Greenbrier River Trail and Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad — delivered brief presentations to the authority during a meeting at the airport Tuesday.

David Elliott, chairman of the Watoga State Park Foundation Inc., told of Watoga’s four major annual tourism events, putting special emphasis on the largest of these — the Mountain Trail Challenge, a race event that comprises a half marathon in addition to 5K trail races.

Last year’s Challenge attracted 118 contestants, Elliott said. Slated for Aug. 12, this year’s race will be advertised throughout the Eastern Seaboard, he said, inquiring if the airport could help publicize the event.

Snyder said that the airport now has an interactive online calendar which provides not only listings of local events but also links to the sponsoring entities’ web pages.

“We can be a clearinghouse for this information,” Snyder said.

Other major tourist-friendly events planned for Watoga this year are the Wild Edible Festival/Earth Day celebration April 21-22, the Mushroom Foray July 21-22 and Art in the Park, slated for Labor Day weekend. Watoga will also celebrate its 80th birthday as a state park July 1.

For more information about Watoga, visit www.watogafoundation.org or www.watoga.com.

• • •

“We’re a tourist county,” said Lawrence “Laurie” Cameron of the Pocahontas-based Greenbrier River Trail Association.

The trail itself is quite popular with tourists, although the most-visited portion — located in Greenbrier County — is currently closed due to damage sustained in last summer’s devastating flood.

Cameron said that it took the trail four years to recover from the flood of 1985, but he hopes for a quicker turnaround this time, given the number of people who are raising funds for its restoration.

“It’s going to cost quite a bit — hundreds of thousands,” he predicted.

Cameron’s recommendation for his organization is that it not wait “until we have every dollar in hand” before proceeding with the necessary work. He said the GRTA should instead contact “willing contractors” who have time and inclination to work on the trail’s restoration for a few days in between other projects and “pay as we go.”

“Let us know how we can help,” Snyder said.

The airport manager suggested that the association contact the Army Corps of Engineers or the Seabees, members of the U.S. Naval Construction Forces, for assistance. Snyder said Seabees take on domestic projects to hone their skills for more challenging work in combat situations.

Also, pending confirmation of legality, Snyder said the airport might be able to lend a bulldozer to the association or make use of the “fill dirt” that needs to be carted away from the site of a 400-foot-long, 150-foot-tall mudslide that still covers a section of the trail.

When the 80-mile trail is fully open, it provides a $3.5 million annual economic boost to the local region, according to figures provided this summer by the state chief of parks.

For more information on the trail and the work of the GRTA, visit wordpress.greenbrierrivertrail.com.

• • •

The Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad is building on its success as a tourist attraction, with plans to eventually operate excursion trains along a 90-mile loop extending from Pocahontas County through Elkins in Randolph County.

Frank Hammons told airport authority members that the more rail lines that open in the network, the more tourists will be drawn to the region.

“We get a lot of passengers,” he said. “More is better when it comes to routes. People come for one and then stay to try another one.”

He predicted it will take around 10 years to bring the entire plan to fruition, mainly because the process involves so many regulatory hurdles.

The nonprofit organization operates the popular Cass Scenic Railroad and also works out of the Elkins Railyard, which is a hub for commercial hauling of materials like gravel, Hammons said. The Elkins site is “being built back up,” he said, noting there are plans to once again begin hauling logs across the mountain after Elkins and Cass are reconnected.

For more information, visit mountainrailwv.com.

To access Greenbrier Valley Airport’s online calendar, go to www.gvair.com and click on “Calendar.”  
Read more here:   http://www.register-herald.com

Police find drone pilot

HANGZHOU police said that they have found the man who flew a drone close to the flight path of planes departing from or landing at Xiaoshan International Airport on January 15.

An eight-second video of aerial footage allegedly recorded by the man was posted on the Weibo ac­count Hangkongwuyu. The video attracted more than 2,800 comments and was shared 5,900 times.

Police were able to track the man down through a website dedicated to DJI-brand drones. The suspect, a 23-year-old surnamed Yuan, is said to have admitted to making the video.

To record the video, Yuan said he flew his quadcopter drone around 5pm on January 15 in Xinjie Town, about 8.5 kilometers from the airport. The drone hovered about 450 meters above the ground and recorded videos and pictures for about 10 minutes.

Yuan handed in his drone and im­ages over to police for investigation and said he regretted his actions.

China has rules that forbid raising pigeons, launching fireworks, using signal detonators, flying kites and balloons and objects like drones in the vicinity of airports. Violators can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined up to 100,000 yuan.

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

Robinson R44 II, XA-CSJ: Fatal accident occurred January 21, 2017 in Salinas Victoria, Mexico

NTSB Identification: CEN17WA083
Accident occurred Saturday, January 21, 2017 in Salinas Victoria, Mexico
Aircraft: ROBINSON R44, registration:
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
The foreign authority was the source of this information.

On January 21, 2017, about 1800 universal coordinated time, a Robinson R44 helicopter, XA-CSJ, impacted terrain near Salinas Victoria, Mexico. 

The pilot and one passenger were fatally injured and the helicopter was destroyed by impact and fire damage. 

The aircraft originated from Municipio Bustamante. 

The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (DGAC). 

This report is for informational purposes only and contains information released by or obtained from the government of the Mexico.

Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from:

Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil
Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes
Providencia No. 807 - 6o piso
Colonia del Valle
Codigo Postal 03100
México, D.F.
Mexico

Searcy Municipal Airport (KSRC) requests grounds equipment

Searcy Municipal Airport Manager Roger Pearson has requested that funds be included in this year's budget to purchase a lawnmower and other grounds-related equipment for the airport.

Pearson made his requests to the Searcy City Council on Thursday as part of the city department budget meetings being held this month. The final budgets are due to be approved by Feb. 1.

Pearson asked that the council consider letting the airport purchase a used 72-inch radius lawnmower for $4,795.

Currently, Searcy Parks and Recreation leases the mower and the term is nearing its end. The airport is interested in buying the mower instead of purchasing the same model new for $12,500. The airport's old radius mower is out of service and needs to be replaced, Pearson said.

Aldermen asked Pearson why the mower is needed since the airport has a bush hog.

"This is the mower that we use for around the runway lights and taxiway lights, as well as up against the fences and hangars," Pearson said.

Those areas are too tight for the batwing bush hog airport workers use for the rest of the field, he said.

In that line item, there was additional dollars listed and questioned by the council. Pearson said two more equipment purchases were being requested. The "tremendous" weight of the batwing bush hog causes the tractor to get stuck when the ground is too wet; therefore the airport would like to purchase a lighter bush hog attachment that could extend to the wet areas, he said.

Certain areas at the airport are required to be mowed despite how wet the grass gets during heavy rain, Pearson explained after the meeting. If the grass in those areas exceeds 18 inches in height, it could interfere with the instruments used during bad weather to help aircraft arrive safely.

"It is not optional to let [the grass] grow, as it is part of our agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration to maintain the ground to allow for proper functioning of the instruments," Pearson said. As far as the rest of the funds requested, the airport intends to buy a snowblower, if the budget line item is approved.

Pearson reminded the council that he had a snow blade attachment built for the tractor that is used to clear snow off the surface operations area; however it pushes the snow up against the sides of those areas and interferes with visibility of the lights.

"We can't allow for the buildup because it can cover runway and taxiway lighting, and cause wingtip strikes," Pearson said. "The solution would be to purchase a walk-behind snowblower and blow the snow out beyond the lighting after it is pushed to the side."

Source:   http://www.thedailycitizen.com