Friday, January 27, 2017

Pilots Union At Horizon Air Complains About $10,000 Bonus For New Hires



A dispute between regional airline Horizon Air and its pilots union is headed to court. It stems from how the sister carrier of Alaska Airlines grapples with an industrywide shortage of pilots.

The Teamsters union represents Horizon Air pilots. It went to federal court in Seattle on Friday to ask a judge to rescind $10,000 signing bonuses that Horizon Air has started offering new hires.

So why does the union want to cancel hefty bonuses?

"As a union, we represent all pilots,” said Captain Jeff Cox, who leads the Horizon pilots group. “If you give a chunk of money to a very small, select group, then you are depriving the other pilots of compensation and equal treatment."

The Teamsters union asserted in its legal complaint that the bonuses for new hires cannot be introduced unilaterally. The court filing went on to claim that Horizon management was "circumventing" the collective bargaining agreement in "an effort to fundamentally undermine the Union."

Cox said the union proposed what he called a "comprehensive" solution with higher pay and retention incentives for all pilots, but management turned that down.

"After months of negotiations with the pilot union, Horizon Air will continue to work toward a solution that’s attractive to new pilots, while respecting the contributions of existing pilots and the competitive regional airline marketplace," an Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air spokesman wrote in an emailed response.

Cox said the pilots are prepared to call a strike down the road if they perceive that the airline's management continues to "violate" the union contract. Pilots ratified a new contract in January 2016, which can be amended by mutual agreement.

"We do not anticipate any disruption in service," said the statement emailed by Seattle-based Horizon.

The increasingly stiff competition to recruit new pilots is a consequence of a commercial pilot shortage that affects the regional airline sector most strongly. Numerous forces are colliding to create the problem, including growth within the airline industry, low starting pay for pilots, tough work schedules and an anticipated wave of retirements from the major airlines. The majors then backfill by plucking pilots from regional carriers. The Federal Aviation Administration requires commercial airline pilots to retire at age 65.

Then add to that, a big increase in the training requirements needed to get an air transport pilot license. That came from the FAA in 2013 in the wake of a commuter airline crash in upstate New York.

A lot of commercial airline pilots used to come over from the Air Force too, but Horizon Air Director of Pilot Development and Recruiting LaMar Haugaard said the military does not train as many pilots as it used to.

"Marry that up with fewer and fewer people getting into the industry -- mainly due to becoming cost-prohibitive on the training side -- you have a shortage that will come from that,” Haugaard said in an interview with public radio in October. “And we are certainly seeing that now."

Both Horizon Air and its pilots union mention crew shortages as one factor in a spate of flight cancellations in December and early January.

Horizon Air also raised the hackles of its pilots union by including recruiting incentives in partnerships it has signed with flight schools to expand the training pipeline. Last October the airline inked a pilot development agreement with Central Washington University's aviation department and in December it offered similar terms to aspiring pilots at Hillsboro Aero Academy in suburban Portland.

Eligible aviation students on track to earn their commercial pilot certificates can receive a $7,500 stipend and a conditional job offer from Horizon Air in exchange for a commitment to fly for the regional airline for at least two years.

Horizon Air currently employs about 675 pilots.

Read more here:   http://kuow.org

Bill Hemme to be recognized as master pilot

Tuesday, local pilot and businessman Bill Hemme will be recognized by the FAA for his expertise in aviation. Hemme has maintained his status as a pilot for 50 years and is generally known to be expertly knowledgeable on the subject of aviation. In 2015, Hemme (pictured with his trophy) received first place in a spot landing competition at Spencer Municipal Airport. 



Local pilot and businessman Bill Hemme will be awarded the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award by Federal Aviation Administration Team Program Manager Chris Manthe. The award is given to pilots who have shown professionalism, skill and aviation expertise for at least 50 years. The presentation will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Spencer Municipal Airport, during the FAA Safety Seminar.

Hemme will be presented with a plaque, certificate and lapel pin, in recognition of his piloting. In addition, Hemme's name will appear on the Roll of Honor, which is listed on the FAA website at https://www.faasafety.gov

Hemme, who founded Spencer Avionics, which is located at the Spencer Municipal Airport, serves on the airport board and works alongside fellow aviators as well as representatives of Leading Edge Aviation.

"Bill is an interesting guy. He has built the businesses of Spencer Avionics into quite a business over the years and, now that he's retired, it's still growing. So, he has a lot to take credit for," Gayle Brandt, with Leading Edge Aviation, said.

The Spencer Municipal Airport hosted its first spot landing competition in 2015. Several pilots entered the competition. However, Bill Hemme (back row, second from the right) took first prize. Hemme will be recognized as a master pilot by the FAA on Tuesday. 


Hemme explained that after he graduated from Iowa State University in 1963 with a degree in electrical engineering, he began work at a company called Collins Radio in Cedar Rapids. During this time, his work contributed to the Apollo Space Program. Approximately two years after starting work, Hemme received his private pilot's license in 1965. After the Apollo program wound down, Hemme said he transferred to the commercial avionics division of the company.

In 1971, Hemme took a job in Armstrong, at a company called Weightronix before starting Spencer Avionics in 1977 and eventually retired in 1999.

"I ran the business for 22 years and then sold it to one of my 12-year employees and he continues to run the business," Hemme said, noting that he still works for the employee part time.

Hemme went on to indicate that Spencer Avionics is one of only four such businesses in the state of Iowa that operate out of an airport.

"Usually they're in large airports like Des Moines, Sioux City, the Quad Cities or Omaha, (Nebraska). As far as the state of Iowa, there's only four," Hemme said.

Throughout his years, Hemme has continually maintained his pilot's license.

"Keeping his pilot's license for 50 years says a lot. Beyond that, he makes sure he keeps himself current," Brandt said.

Hemme explained that, in order to be eligible for the award, a pilot must have maintained his or her license for 50 years with no lapses, violations or accidents.

"Your pilots license doesn't really expire. You retain it, unless you have a violation and the FAA pulls it on you," Hemme said.

He went on to explain that a specialized doctor, called an airman's medical examiner, must conduct medical tests to be sure pilots are able to continue operating aircraft. He explained that the frequency of the examinations depends on the age of the pilot.

"At my age, at 75, it's every year," Hemme said.

Regarding Tuesday's presentation, Hemme seemed ready to accept his award with humility.

"It's kind of a nice award," he said. "To tell the truth, not a whole lot of pilots make it to the 50-year threshold."

He clarified that some pilots loose interest and others are no longer medically able to pilot a craft.

Hemme, on the other hand, has been able to continue to develop his skill as a pilot. In fact, Hemme won the 2015 Spot Landing Contest at the Spencer Municipal Airport.

"That was the first year we'd done that contest. He was the oldest guy there with the highest performing aircraft and he was the guy that had the most precision," Brandt recalled.

Brandt went on to describe Hemme as a contentious pilot, who carries effective equipment in his plane and knows how to use it to its full potential.

"He's very deserving of the award," Brandt concluded.

Source:   http://www.spencerdailyreporter.com

State cuts funding to Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (KPHF) after reports it paid off failed airline's $4.5 million loan




The state has cut off funding to Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport while it conducts an audit of the airport after commissioners used $4.5 million to pay off a failed airline’s bank loan, Virginia Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne said.

The Daily Press first reported the Peninsula Airport Commission’s early 2015 loan payment on Thursday. The commission agreed in June 2014 to be on the hook for a $5 million TowneBank loan to the now-defunct airline People Express, or PeoplExpress.

Layne said the newspaper’s story led him to check if the airport used state funds dedicated for capital improvements to pay off the loan.

It did – about $3.5 million, according to a report the airport submitted to the state in October 2016, noting it was for “air service development,” essentially attracting new airlines or routes.

Layne called that a significant amount of money and “significant breach” of state policy. He said the state typically gives the airport up to $2 million annually dedicated specifically for capital improvement projects.

The airport’s executive director, though, said Friday that using the funds to pay off the loan was within the airport’s right, pointing to language in a three-page Airport Program Manual from Virginia’s Department of Aviation.

In it, the manual states that if entitlement funds are used for projects “outside of normal expenditures,” including air service development, the state will deduct that amount from any future requests for state discretionary funds.

Airport Executive Director Ken Spirito said he was confident that once the state finished its audit looking at the last three years of the airport’s financials, it would find, “we’ve done everything according to their policies.”

Spirito said the remaining $1 million the airport used to pay off the loan came from a U.S. Department of Transportation grant and the Regional Air Service Enhancement Committee.

The airport commission discussed the loan in closed session at its June 9, 2014, meeting and, in open session, voted to approve a resolution authorizing the commission’s chair “to do and commit any act ” to provide for the “adequate, economical, and efficient provisions of air service and general business” at the airport.

Nowhere in the minutes does it note the commission agreed to guarantee a $5 million loan to PeoplExpress.

No vote or discussion was held when the loan was paid off in February 2015.

PeoplExpress, which flew to New York, Boston and a few other locations from the airport for a short time starting in mid-2014, stopped flying and was evicted by early 2015.

An airport spokeswoman said 418,889 passengers used Newport News/Williamsburg in 2015. That same year, about 3 million people traveled through Norfolk International Airport and 3.5 million used Richmond International Airport.

Spirito said airport operations won’t be affected by the state’s decision to stop funding while it investigates. As for state entitlement funds that might be in limbo, the airport had expected to receive about $600,000 by late spring, around the same time Spirito said he expects the audit to be resolved in the airport’s favor.

“We will be found we were using these funds properly,” he said.

He said the airport took a risk in guaranteeing the loan, thinking it would help the airport recover after losing AirTran: “We did it because this community wants low-cost air service,” he said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t work out.”

Elite Airways had recently announced it would launch non-stop service between the Newport News/Williamsburg airport and New Jersey and Long Island starting in March. Elite spokeswoman Rebecca Ayers said the airline’s officials had just learned about the situation Friday and were talking with airport leaders.

“The airline is not yet in a position to comment on what impact, if any, this will have on the planned service,” she said in an email.

Source:  http://pilotonline.com

Beech F33A Bonanza, N711JA: Fatal accident occurred May 12, 2020 near Tampa North Aero Park (X39), Wesley Chapel, Pasco County, Florida -and- Incident occurred January 27, 2017 at Clearwater Airpark (KCLW), Pinellas County, Florida

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

Additional Participating Entities: 

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Tampa, Florida
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama 
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas 

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


https://registry.faa.gov/N711JA

Location: Land O Lakes, FL
Accident Number: ERA20LA179
Date & Time: 05/12/2020, 1125 EDT
Registration: N711JA
Aircraft: Beech F33
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On May 12, 2020, about 1125 eastern daylight time, a Beech F33A, N711JA, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Land O Lakes, Florida. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The airplane was based at Clearwater Air Park (CLW), Clearwater, Florida. Earlier during the day of the accident, the pilot flew the airplane uneventfully from CLW to Tampa North Aero Park (X39), Tampa, Florida and was returning to CLW at the time of the accident. Runway 32 at X39 was 3,541 feet long, 50 feet wide, and consisted of asphalt.

According to witnesses at X39, the pilot performed an engine run-up near the beginning of runway 32 and the engine sounded normal. The pilot then taxied onto the runway for departure, but as soon as the engine reached full power, it began to sound abnormal, rough, and/or lean. The pilot then reduced engine power and taxied to runway 14, performed another engine run-up and the engine sounded normal. However, the engine again began to run rough when it reached full power for takeoff. The pilot reduced the engine power and taxied to the beginning of runway 32. He performed a third engine run-up and the engine sounded normal. As the engine reached full power, it began to run rough again, but the pilot continued the takeoff roll. The airplane travelled more than half the distance of the runway before it lifted off, "barely" cleared trees at the end of the runway and made a left turn. One of the witnesses radioed the pilot and advised that he had a rough running engine, the pilot replied "ya, returning," followed by "going down."

Examination of the accident site by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane came to rest upright in the backyard of a vacant residence about 1/2 mile west of the departure end of runway 32. All major components of the airplane were accounted for and a postcrash fire consumed most of the cockpit, cabin, and right wing. The left wing had separated during the impact and was also located in the backyard of the residence, north of the main wreckage.

The wreckage was retained for further examination.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Beech
Registration: N711JA
Model/Series: F33 A
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: Logical Choice Aviation N711JA Inc
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: ZPH, 89 ft msl
Observation Time: 1135 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 12 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 27°C / 17°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 9 knots / , 50°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.19 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Land O Lakes, FL (X39)
Destination: Clearwater, FL (CLW)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 28.223611, -82.386944

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.


Thomas Saxon

May 12, 2020









May 12, 2020

Thomas Saxon and Robert Schupbach both loved flying planes. They also loved jumping out of them. So what if everyone else thought they were crazy, as Schupbach assumed — it’s what made he and Saxon good friends.

“He made an excellent partner — even though he was much bigger than me, we were able to maintain our fall rate together, just because so many times we jumped together,” said Schupbach, who met Saxon through a skydiving club about five years ago. "He made me feel safe, and I made him feel safe.”

Soon after the two became friends, Schupbach remembered, he asked his skydiving buddy to become a co-owner of his Beech F33A Bonanza. The plane required expensive maintenance, Schupbach said, but they could handle it between the two of them.

Saxon, 61, died Tuesday morning when the Beech F33A Bonanza crashed into a backyard in Wesley Chapel. Though the plane came down in the well-populated Grand Oaks subdivision, it missed houses and residents. No one else was injured.

Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration went to the scene. The National Transportation Safety Board, which publishes the results of investigations into plane crashes, has yet to release a preliminary report. Neither agency has publicly determined the cause of the accident. The Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiner’s Office on Wednesday identified Saxon as the pilot.

Flight data, tracked by the website FlightAware, show that the plane safely completed a 14-minute flight from Clearwater — where Schupbach said the plane was based — to Tampa North Flight and Rental Center, just west of Interstate 75 in the Wesley Chapel area. It landed at 9:53 a.m. Tuesday. The plane took off again at 10:40 a.m., first heading north and then east before circling back toward the airfield.

It crashed 12 minutes later, just a few thousand feet from the airfield.

The FAA classified the damage as “substantial.” Images and footage broadcast by WFTS-Ch. 28 showed flames and smoke rising from the debris. The Beech F33A Bonanza wings appeared to be shorn off.

Robert Katz, a flight instructor and veteran pilot in Texas who closely tracks plane crashes across the country, said what he could see of the crash’s aftermath made him suspect corrosion had damaged the plane, causing the wings to come off. It’s an issue Katz said he’s seen before in older airplanes in coastal communities, where the nearby saltwater encourages corrosion.

“It makes it easy for the wings to snap off — in what was a perfect flying weather day," he said. “Everyone in that neighborhood is lucky to be alive.”

Schupbach said he had no idea why the plane crashed.

“The maintenance was excellent,” he said. "The plane was kept up — this is why I took Tom in as a partner in the first place.”

Ongoing maintenance had actually caused the plane to stay on the ground for much of the past year, Schupbach said. That included the installment of new navigation equipment, he said, as well as an annual inspection.

Schupbach didn’t know much about his friend’s personal life, he said — they mostly talked about flying and skydiving. He said Saxon was retired and owned some rental properties in Madeira Beach, where he also lived. He was a proud Marine veteran, Schupbach said, and had the branch’s insignia on his parachute container.

Saxon’s wife, Cindy, declined to comment on Wednesday. Thomas Saxon served as a Madeira Beach city commissioner in the late 1990s, according to stories in the then-St. Petersburg Times. He made a living running more than two dozen veterans centers across the southeast, according to one of those stories.

Schupbach said Saxon just felt comfortable in the sky.

“We are a different breed," Schupbach said. "We had that in common.”

https://www.tampabay.com

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Tampa, Florida 

January 27, 2017:  Aircraft gear collapsed on landing. 

Date: 27-JAN-17
Time: 14:45:00Z
Regis#: N711JA
Aircraft Make: BEECH
Aircraft Model: BE33
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: CLEARWATER
State: FLORIDA

January 27, 2017

January 27, 2017


January 27, 2017

CLEARWATER, FL — A Friday morning emergency landing at Clearwater Airpark turned out about as well as can be expected under the circumstances, according to firefighters.

Clearwater Fire & Rescue crews were called to the airport around 10:45 a.m. Jan. 27 "after the landing gear on a small plane collapsed upon landing," an email from the agency said. The pilot was the only one on board the Beech F33A Bonanza when the malfunction occurred, the agency noted.

"There were no injuries to the pilot," the email said. No fuel leakage occurred either.

Clearwater Airpark is a city-owned public facility located at 1000 N. Hercules Ave.

Further details about the emergency landing, including the pilot's name, are not yet available.

Source:  http://patch.com

A pilot escaped injury Friday morning when his landing gear collapsed at Clearwater Airpark.

According to Clearwater rescue officials, the landing gear on the Beech F33A Bonanza plane collapsed upon landing at 10:45 a.m. at the airpark, at 1000 N Hercules Ave.


The pilot, who was the only person on board, was not injured, officials said.


Source: http://www.tampabay.com

Beechcraft B200T Super King Air, N60RA, registered to a private corporation and operated by Eastern Air Express: Accident occurred January 27, 2017 at Palm Beach International Airport (KPBI), West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida

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

Additional Participating Entity: Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Miramar, Florida 


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/N60RA

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board

Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Accident Number: ERA17LA096
Date & Time: 01/27/2017, 1750 EST
Registration: N60RA
Aircraft: BEECH 200
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Landing gear not configured
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Positioning 

On January 27, 2017, at 1750 eastern standard time, a Beech 200T, N60RA, was substantially damaged during landing at Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), West Palm Beach, Florida. The airline transport pilot and a commercial-rated copilot were not injured. The airplane was registered to a private corporation and operated by Eastern Air Express under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a positioning flight. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Treasure Cay, Bahamas (MYAT) at 1652.

The pilot reported that the preflight and enroute portions of the flight were uneventful. The flight was established on the localizer for the approach to runway 28R, which was dry. Flaps were set to the approach position and the landing gear were extended and showed "3 green." After touchdown, he heard noises, and the airplane started to sink. After the airplane came to a stop on the right side of the runway, the pilots noticed that the gear handle was up. The pilot stated, "How did the gear handle get up?" He then placed the handle to the down position. The pilots secured the airplane and were met by first responders.

An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the airplane. Structural damage to the fuselage was confirmed. All three landing gear were found in a partially extended position. Skid marks from all three tires were observed on the runway, leading up the main wreckage. Both propeller assemblies were damaged due to contact with the runway. The pressure vessel was compromised from contact with a propeller blade. The nose landing gear actuator was forced up, into the nose gear well and penetrated the upper nose skin. Examination of the landing gear components did not reveal evidence of a preexisting mechanical malfunction or malfunction.

A 28-volt split-field motor, located on the forward side of the center-section main spar, extended and retracted the landing gear. The landing gear motor was controlled by a switch placarded "LDG GEAR CONT – UP – DN" on the pilot's right subpanel. The switch handle had to be pulled out of a detent before it could be moved from either the up or the down position.

The pilot reported in a written statement that he went to bed around 2245 local on the evening prior to the accident and woke up around 0500 local. He also reported that he "was up several times" during the night to go to the bathroom. On the day of the accident, he flew 7 legs for a total of 5.2 hours. The only food he consumed that day was a banana for breakfast. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline Transport; Flight Instructor
Age: 47, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-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): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 01/04/2017
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 11/09/2016
Flight Time:  14414 hours (Total, all aircraft), 631 hours (Total, this make and model), 11454 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 166 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 53 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 5 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Co-Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; 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): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification:
Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 1560 hours (Total, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: BEECH
Registration: N60RA
Model/Series: 200 T
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1979
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: BT-7
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 9
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 12/10/2016, Continuous Airworthiness
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 12500 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 44 Hours
Engines: 2 Turbo Prop
Airframe Total Time: 15782 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Pratt and Whitney Canada
ELT: C126 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: PT6A-41
Registered Owner: RIDGEAIRE INC
Rated Power: 850 hp
Operator: Eastern Air Express
Operating Certificate(s) Held: On-demand Air Taxi (135)
Operator Does Business As:
Operator Designator Code: 1EAA

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: PBI, 19 ft msl
Observation Time: 1753 EST
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 3600 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 21°C / 13°C
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 25000 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 5 knots, 350°
Visibility (RVR):  
Altimeter Setting: 30.03 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Treasure Cay, FN (MYAT)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: West Palm Beach, FL (PBI)
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 1652 EST
Type of Airspace: Class C

Airport Information

Airport: Palm Beach Int. (PBI)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 19 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 28R
IFR Approach: Localizer Only
Runway Length/Width: 10001 ft / 150 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full Stop 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None

Latitude, Longitude: 26.683056, -80.095556 (est) 

NTSB Identification: ERA17LA096 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, January 27, 2017 in West Palm Beach, FL
Aircraft: BEECH 200, registration: N60RA
Injuries: 2 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 27, 2017, at 1750 eastern standard time, a Beech 200T, N60RA, was substantially damaged during landing at Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), West Palm Beach, Florida. The airline transport pilot and a commercial-rated copilot were not injured. The airplane was registered to a private corporation and operated by Eastern Air Express under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a positioning flight. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Treasure Cay, Bahamas (MYAT) at 1652.

The pilots reported that the preflight and en route portions of the flight were uneventful. The flight was established on the localizer for the approach to runway 28R, which was dry. Flaps were set to the approach position and the landing gear were extended and showed "3 green." After touchdown, they heard noises, and the airplane started to sink. After the airplane came to a stop on the right side of the runway, the pilots noticed that the gear handle was up. The pilot stated, "How did the gear handle get up?" He then placed the handle to the down position. The pilots secured the airplane and were met by first responders.

An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the airplane. Structural damage to the fuselage was confirmed. Both propeller assemblies were damaged due to contact with the runway.

The airplane was retained for further examination.




WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - A Beechcraft B200T Super King Air landed veered off runway at Palm Beach International Friday evening. 

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue is on scene investigating. 

No commercial airplane runways are impacted. 


There are no reports of injuries. 


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





A small plane has skidded off the runway at Palm Beach International Airport.

The Beechcraft B200T Super King Air went off the runway and is now surrounded by emergency vehicles.

The pilot was forced to land without landing gear.

There are no reports of any injures.

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

Keystone Drive cleared of debris from March 2015 Yeager Airport (KCRW) safety overrun collapse

Workers use heavy equipment to clear landslide debris from Keystone Drive in this file photo from late 2016.


Blocked to through traffic for 22 months after it was buried under some of the 540,000 cubic yards of earth and rock that sheared free from a 270-foot-high engineered fill structure supporting Yeager Airport’s safety overrun area, Keystone Drive is now cleared and awaiting action by the state Division of Highways to reopen.

Terry Sayre, executive director of the Charleston airport, told members of its governing board on Wednesday that the DOH has surveyed the recently cleared roadway, a unit of the state highway system, and has installed new drainage culverts under its surface as well as beneath a nearby parking lot that served Keystone Apostolic Church, demolished by the March 9, 2015 landslide.

Yeager Airport has spent about $4.1 million to clear debris from the slide, and about $500,000 more will be spent to remove the haul road on airport property used to dispose of most of the material involved in the collapse. About 9,000 cubic yards of material will be removed to take up the haul road, which connected the base of the landslide with a disposal site on airport property.

“With two or three days of freezing temperatures or no rain, those 9,000 cubic yards should be gone,” Sayre said. Funding to pay for repairing and reopening the roadway is in hand, he said, since “the DOH has a FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) grant to gravel and pave Keystone Drive,” he said.

In other business, the airport board voted to spend $10,000 to sponsor and promote the final event in the 2017 Spartan Race Series to the Summit Bechtel Reserve in Fayette County on Aug. 26-27. About 25,000 people are expected to take part in the nationally televised event, which includes races, obstacle courses and other timed athletic challenges.

Yeager Airport is partnering with the Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau, the state Division of Tourism and National Travel to sponsor and promote the event. Buses will be provided to take contestants to and from the Charleston airport to the Boy Scouts’ 10,000-acre high adventure camp and National Jamboree site.

Board members voted to increase Sayre’s salary from $131,000 a year to $150,000 annually, which matches the sum former Yeager director Rick Atkinson was paid when he resigned in 2015.

After assuming his role as director a short time after the safety overrun collapse, “Terry has more than risen to the occasion,” said Ed Hill, chairman of Yeager’s governing board. “This vote is a strong vote of confidence for [Sayre].”

- Source: http://www.wvgazettemail.com

Keene residents attempt to stop cutting more than 2,000 trees at Dillant-Hopkins Airport (KEEN)

KEENE — A group of Edgewood neighborhood residents filed a lawsuit against the city Thursday in an attempt to stop a Dillant-Hopkins Airport tree-cutting project.

“Essentially it’s our position that the original restrictions which prevent cutting trees in the 12-acre parcel runs for the benefit of every property owner in the Edgewood neighborhood,” said Manchester attorney Roy W. Tilsley Jr., who is representing the group of 10 residents.

A request for an injunction to halt the city’s plans to cut more than 2,000 trees was filed in Cheshire Superior Court.

The tree cutting is part of a safety plan that is aimed at improving the sight lines for pilots landing at the airport.

Some residents of the neighborhood, which abuts the airport, have long expressed concerns that the removal of the trees would lead to a significant increase in noise.

The injunction asks that an approximately 12.3-acre woodland parcel abutting the airport be left alone.

The parcel was deeded to the city from the Edgewood Civic Association in 1969 with a restriction prohibiting tree-cutting on the parcel.

Tilsley said Thursday that while the Edgewood Civic Association lifted that restriction, the residents of the neighborhood never did, so the restriction should remain in place.

“A controversy also exists regarding the validity of the Amendment, which was signed and recorded in 1983, given that the Association was administratively dissolved in 1977,” the request for an injunction said. “In seeking to cut trees on the Buffer Parcel, the City will violate the Deed’s restriction that such land be maintained in a natural and wooded state substantially in the same condition in which it was as of 1969.

“The Plaintiffs are entitled to Declaratory Judgement that the City’s proposed tree cutting on the Buffer Parcel would violate the restrictions contained within the Deed.”

According to the court document, the airport’s manager Jack Wozmak has said tree cutting is to begin on Tuesday. 

- Source: http://www.unionleader.com

New manager takes over Floyd W. Jones Airport (KLBO)

Sandra Shore, the new manager for the Floyd W. Jones Airport, stands in front of the airport sign.



Fifty years after the Floyd W. Jones Airport was christened, it is starting the next phase of its existence under a new manager this month.

Camdenton native Sandra Shore began work as Lebanon’s airport manager in early January, and she said that she plans to focus on airport projects and community outreach.

“There’s definitely a lot of room for improvements — pursuing different grants to get some construction on the airfield side and really kind of developing a good relationship with the community through different events, different opportunities,” Shore said.

After graduating from Camdenton High School, Shore attended a community college in Alton, Ill., then transferred to Southern Illinois University to finish her undergraduate degree in aviation management.

Like many people in the aviation field, Shore originally wanted to be a pilot. 

Source: http://www.lebanondailyrecord.com

Piper PA-32R-300, B&B Investment, N6885F: Accident occurred January 26, 2017 at Sun Valley Airport (A20), Fort Mohave, Arizona

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

NTSB Identification: GAA17CA126 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, January 26, 2017 in Fort Mohave, AZ
Probable Cause Approval Date: 04/04/2017
Aircraft: PIPER PA32R, registration: N6885F
Injuries: 2 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 reported that, during the initial climb, he retracted the landing gear normally and then “a few minutes later the radios went blank.” He believed he had a radio problem, so he decided to return to the airport. During the return, the pilot moved the landing gear selector to the down position, but the three gear down indicator lights did not illuminate. Subsequently, the pilot circled a few miles east of the airport to troubleshoot the issue. 

The pilot reported that, during the circling, he “cycled the master switch and the radio master a couple times with no results.” The pilot added that the airplane was equipped with an “automatic gear extension system,” so he verified that the override switch was not engaged, fully extended the flaps, and slowed the airplane to 85 knots. Subsequently, the pilot believed the landing gear was down, so he returned to the airport for landing. During touchdown, the left main landing gear and nose gear collapsed (or were not extended), and the airplane veered off the runway into dirt, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. During a postaccident interview, the pilot reported that he believed he had “a total electrical failure.”

According to a witness who owns a house on the airport property, he observed the airplane depart and about 5 minutes later, saw that the airplane had returned for landing. The witness reported that the airplane’s landing gear were retracted until the point at which the pilot began the landing flare over the runway. When the airplane was about 5 ft above the runway, each landing gear began to extend, but the airplane touched down before the nose gear and left main landing gear could extend fully. 

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector (ASI) who arrived at the accident site about 2 to 3 hours after the event, when he “switched the master switch on,” he observed electrical equipment turn on and heard the landing gear extension motor running. During a subsequent postaccident examination, the FAA ASI reported that he found no abnormalities with the electrical system. He also extended the landing gear to the down-and-locked position with the electric/hydraulic system and observed three green indicator lights illuminate. 

According to the Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH) for the accident airplane, a “pressure sensing device” in the landing gear system will lower the gear “regardless of the gear selection position,” pending that the override switch is not engaged. The POH further stated, in part, “The gear is designed to extend at airspeeds below approximately 103 KIAS [knots indicated airspeed] with power off even if the selector is in the up position. The extension speeds will vary from approximately 81 KTS [knots] to approximately 103 KIAS depending on power settings and altitude.” 

It is likely that the pilot failed to extend the landing gear for landing and that, as the airspeed slowed during the landing flare, the pressure sensing device automatically deployed the landing gear. However, due to the insufficient altitude and time, the landing gear were unable to fully extend and lock. 

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear for landing.

The pilot reported that during the initial climb he retracted the landing gear normally and then "a few minutes later the radios went blank." The pilot further reported that he believed he had a radio problem, so he decided to return to the airport. During the return, the pilot reported that he moved the landing gear selector to the down position, but the three gear down indicator lights did not illuminate. Subsequently, the pilot reported that he circled a few miles east of the airport to troubleshoot the issue. 

During the circling, the pilot reported that he "cycled the master switch and the radio master a couple times with no results." The pilot further reported that the airplane was equipped with an "automatic gear extension system," so he verified that the override switch was not engaged, fully extended the flaps, and slowed the airplane to 85 knots. Subsequently, the pilot believed the landing gear was down, so he returned to the airport for landing. During touchdown, the left main landing gear and nose gear collapsed (or were not extended) and the airplane veered off the runway into dirt, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. During a postaccident interview, the pilot reported that he believed he had "a total electrical failure."

According to a witness who owns a house on the airport property, he observed the airplane depart and about 5 minutes later saw that the airplane had returned for landing. The witness reported that the airplane's landing gear were retracted until the point at which the pilot began the landing flare over the runway. The witness further reported, when the airplane was about 5 feet above the runway, each landing gear began to extend, but the airplane touched down before the nose gear and left main landing gear could extend fully. 

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI) who arrived at the accident site about two to three hours after the event, when he "switched the master switch on," he observed electrical equipment turn on and heard the landing gear extension motor running. During a subsequent postaccident examination, the FAA ASI reported that he found no abnormalities with the electrical system. He also extended the landing gear to the down and locked position with the electric/ hydraulic system and observed three green indicator lights illuminated. 

According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) for the accident airplane, a "pressure sensing device" in the landing gear system will lower the gear "regardless of the gear selection position," pending that the override switch is not engaged. The POH further stated in part: "The gear is designed to extend at airspeeds below approximately 103 KIAS [Knots Indicated Airspeed] with power off even if the selector is in the up position. The extension speeds will vary from approximately 81 KTS [Knots] to approximately 103 KIAS depending on power settings and altitude."

Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration - Flight Standards District Office; Las Vegas, Nevada

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

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

B&B Investment: http://registry.faa.gov/N6885F

NTSB Identification: GAA17CA126
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, January 26, 2017 in Fort Mohave, AZ
Aircraft: PIPER PA32R, registration: N6885F
Injuries: 2 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 reported that during the initial climb he retracted the landing gear normally and then "a few minutes later the radios went blank." The pilot further reported that he believed he had a radio problem, so he decided to return to the airport. During the return, the pilot reported that he moved the landing gear selector to the down position, but the three gear down indicator lights did not illuminate. Subsequently, the pilot reported that he circled a few miles east of the airport to troubleshoot the issue.

During the circling, the pilot reported that he "cycled the master switch and the radio master a couple times with no results." The pilot further reported that the airplane was equipped with an "automatic gear extension system," so he verified that the override switch was not engaged, fully extended the flaps, and slowed the airplane to 85 knots. Subsequently, the pilot believed the landing gear was down, so he returned to the airport for landing. During touchdown, the left main landing gear and nose gear collapsed (or were not extended) and the airplane veered off the runway into dirt, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. During a postaccident interview, the pilot reported that he believed he had "a total electrical failure."

According to a witness who owns a house on the airport property, he observed the airplane depart and about 5 minutes later saw that the airplane had returned for landing. The witness reported that the airplane's landing gear were retracted until the point at which the pilot began the landing flare over the runway. The witness further reported, when the airplane was about 5 feet above the runway, each landing gear began to extend, but the airplane touched down before the nose gear and left main landing gear could extend fully. 

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI) who arrived at the accident site about two to three hours after the event, when he "switched the master switch on," he observed electrical equipment turn on and heard the landing gear extension motor running. During a subsequent postaccident examination, the FAA ASI reported that he found no abnormalities with the electrical system. He also extended the landing gear to the down and locked position with the electric/ hydraulic system and observed three green indicator lights illuminated. 


According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) for the accident airplane, a "pressure sensing device" in the landing gear system will lower the gear "regardless of the gear selection position," pending that the override switch is not engaged. The POH further stated in part: "The gear is designed to extend at airspeeds below approximately 103 KIAS [Knots Indicated Airspeed] with power off even if the selector is in the up position. The extension speeds will vary from approximately 81 KTS [Knots] to approximately 103 KIAS depending on power settings and altitude."