Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Piper PA-31-310 Navajo, C-GNAV: Ohio University Airport (KUNI), Athens County, Ohio

The pilot of a Canadian plane loaded with 290 pounds of cocaine that was forced to land at Ohio University’s airport was sentenced Friday to eight years in prison.

Sylvain Desjardins, 48, could have faced a mandatory minimum of 12 years in prison had he not pleaded guilty.

U.S. District Judge Algenon A. Marbley considered Desjardins’ acceptance of responsibility when imposing sentence, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Hunter said.

Desjardin must serve three years on supervised release after prison, during which he could be deported to Canada.

His co-defendant and passenger in the airplane, David Ayotte, 46, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison earlier this month.

Their plane was headed to Canada March 29 when it developed engine trouble and made an emergency landing at Ohio University’s Gordon K. Bush Airport. Authorities said the 132 bundles of cocaine had been stowed on one side of the aircraft, causing an engine to work harder and overheat while trying to keep the plane level.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection had been tracking the plane after it left the Bahamas and became suspicious when it diverted to the OU airport. The plane was destined for Ontario, Canada, officials said. The plane was met at the airport by Athens County deputies, university police officers and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Both men, who are from Mirabel, a suburb of Montreal, pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Desjardins also agreed to forfeit the plane, a 1969 twin-engine Piper Navajo, to the U.S. government.

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


Here's where the cocaine had been hidden.
 From the Athens County Sheriff.



David Ayotte (left) & Sylvain Desjardins (right)














Federal court documents show United States Customs and Border Protection investigators found 132 bundles, each weighing about 1 kilogram, of suspected cocaine “secreted in the tail of the aircraft.”

Investigators opened three packages to find a “white powdery substance.”

“A review of various database revealed that both Desjardins and Ayotte have prior convictions for drug offenses in Canada,” a complaint filed Thursday in the United States District Court for the Southern District, Eastern Division of Ohio.

The investigation began when Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations Center in Riverside, California, detected an aircraft north of Grand Bahama International Airport. Investigators identified the plain on a flight plan from Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

“The aircraft was observed diverting to Ohio University, Ohio, Gordon K. Bush Airport, which is not a Port of Entry,” court documents stated.

The pilot told investigators he was having mechanical issues, causing his landing in Albany.

Two men have been arrested on federal drug charges after landing a plane full of suspected drugs at Ohio University’s airport on Wednesday.

Sylvain Desjardins and David Ayotte, both Canadian nationals, are in the custody of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after being found carrying nearly 300 lbs. of suspected cocaine on a Piper Navajo twin-engine aircraft, according to a release by ICE.

Both men have appeared in federal court in Columbus on charges of possession with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.

The arrests were made after the plane landed at the Gordon K. Bush Airport on Wednesday afternoon.  The Athens County Sheriff and OU Police Department were called by U.S. Customs and Border Protection “to assist with an aircraft about to land illegally in the United States,” the ICE release stated.

Athens County Sheriff Rodney Smith said deputies detained the pilot and passenger until Homeland Security investigators could arrive, according to previous WOUB reporting.

As Customs and Border Protection Air Interdiction and Homeland Security Interdiction agents were interviewing the plane occupants, a canine unit “alerted to the aircraft which resulted in the discovery of nearly 300 lbs. of a powdery substance which was field-tested positive as cocaine,” the release stated.

Homeland Security is continuing to investigate the “drug-smuggling scheme,” ICE stated in the release.

“The agency is working the case jointly with (Customs and Border Protection), the Ohio University Police Department and the Athens County Sheriff’s Office,” according to the release.

Canadian authorities have also been contacted to assist.

Source:  http://woub.org

Sylvain Desjardins, of Mirabel, 47, and David Ayotte, also of Mirabel were arrested in Ohio and face charges of possession of 300 pounds of cocaine with intent to distribute.


The two Canadians who made an emergency landing at Ohio University's airport Wednesday face up to life in prison if convicted of intent to distribute the more than 290 pounds of cocaine concealed in the aircraft's tail section.

The amount likely is the largest cocaine seizure in southern Ohio, said U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman said.

The charges were read to Sylvain Desjardins, 47, and David Ayotte, 45, both of Mirabel, a suburb of Montreal, by U.S. District Court Magistrate Norah McCann King during a hearing in Columbus on Thursday.

A background search showed that both men had prior convictions for drug offenses, according to an affidavit filed by a Homeland Security Investigations agent.

The only records that could be found Thursday in Canadian courts was for Desjardins, who has a criminal record in Quebec that includes convictions for drug trafficking. In 1998, he was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to trafficking heroin.

In 2002, he was charged in connection with a marijuana-growing operation. Two years later, he pleaded guilty to producing marijuana and to a possession charge. He was sentenced in 2005 to 14 months in prison.

Both men are being held in the Franklin County jail pending a detention hearing on Monday. A preliminary hearing to determine whether there's enough evidence to proceed with the prosecution is scheduled for April 13.

The discussion on Thursday was translated into French for Ayotte. Dejardins understands English. Both are Canadian citizens.

Desjardins is the owner of the Piper PA-31 Navajo and was flying the plane from the Bahamas to Windsor, Canada, when it was detected north of the islands by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations Center, based in Riverside, California.

The center noticed the plane diverted to Gordon K. Bush Ohio University Airport because of mechanical issues. Because the airport is not a port of entry with a customs station, the center notified the Athens County sheriff's office. It also contacted Desjardins of its intent to search his plane.

Desjardins consented and agents discovered 132 bundles, each weighing 1 kilogram. The contents tested positive for cocaine.

Glassman applauded the quick cooperation of the federal agencies with local authorities that led to the seizure and the arrest.

In court Thursday, Desjardin and Ayotte answered yes and no questions, including wanting the court to notify Canadian authorities of their arrests.

Source:   http://www.dispatch.com



Two men from Mirabel were charged Thursday in a U.S. federal court after authorities in Ohio discovered more than 90 kilograms of cocaine inside their small airplane when it was forced to make an emergency landing in the United States.

The plane landed at Ohio University Airport, in Albany, Ohio, Wednesday afternoon. According to Canadian aviation records, the plane is based in Lachute and is registered to Sylvain Desjardins, of Mirabel. 

Desjardins, 47, and the other man who was on board, David Ayotte, also of Mirabel, were arrested and face charges of possession of more than five kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute. According to the criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in southern Ohio on Thursday, the aircraft, a Piper PA-31, was detected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Wednesday 18 miles north of an airport in the Bahamas. It had a flight plan to land in Windsor, Ont., but diverted to the airport in Ohio during the flight, and Desjardins was the pilot. Both men will be detained for a bail hearing on Monday. 

The cocaine was seized after the plane made the unplanned landing. Found were “132 bundles (each weighing approximately 1 kilogram (each),” according to the criminal complaint. 

“Once on the ground, the pilot of the aircraft advised he was travelling through U.S. airspace when a mechanical problem forced him to land unexpectedly,” Lt. Tim Ryan of the Ohio University Police Department wrote in a statement released about the incident. “Since the Ohio University airport is a port of entry, Customs and Border Protection requested the occupants of the aircraft be detained until federal agents could respond.”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security took over after the plane landed.

The Columbus Dispatch reported that aviation records, based on the tail number of the aircraft, indicate it “has recently made flights over U.S. airspace while travelling between Canada and the Bahamas.”

Desjardins has a criminal record in Quebec that includes convictions for drug trafficking. In 1998, he was sentenced to a two-year prison term after having pleaded guilty, at the Montreal courthouse, to two counts related to possession with the intent to traffic in heroin. In 2002, he was arrested, following an investigation by the RCMP detachment based in St-Jérôme, and was charged in connection with a marijuana grow-operation. Two years later, on Nov. 30, 2004, he pleaded guilty to producing marijuana and to a related possession charge. He was sentenced in 2005 to a 14-month prison term.

According to the complaint: “A review of various database revealed that both Desjardins and Ayotte have prior convictions for drug offences in Canada.”
Source:  http://montrealgazette.com




ALBANY, Ohio - UPDATE: Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) says investigators recovered about 132 kilos, nearly 300 pounds, of cocaine from an unauthorized plane that landed at the Ohio University airport Wednesday.

Court documents show the suspects, identified as Sylvain Desjardins and David Ayotte, were traveling from the Bahamas to Canada when a mechanical issued forced them to land at Ohio University Airport.

Original story:

Ohio University Police said drugs have been seized from an unauthorized aircraft that landed at the Ohio University airport Wednesday afternoon.

According to Ohio University Police, they were notified by Homeland Security that an international aircraft was landing at the airport without proper authorization around 2:30 p.m.

Police said the pilot of the aircraft told officials he was traveling through United States airspace when a mechanical problem forced him to land.

Because Ohio University airport is not a port of entry, Customs and Border Protection requested those on the plane to be detained until federal agents could respond.

Through a joint investigation, authorities located a ‘significant quantity’ of suspected cocaine concealed in the aircraft, according to Ohio University Police.

The two suspects and the contraband were taken into custody by Homeland Security.

Story and video:  http://www.10tv.com







ALBANY, Ohio – Authorities found illegal drugs on board a plane that landed at Ohio University's airport on Wednesday.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security notified Ohio University police and the Athens County Sheriff's Office that an international plane was landing at Gordon K. Bush Ohio University Airport without authorization Wednesday afternoon.

OU police said the pilot reported a mechanical problem, which forced him to land unexpectedly. Officers detained the two people on board until U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents arrived since the airport is not a place of entry into the United States.

Homeland Security said investigators recovered 132 kilos, or 291 pounds, of cocaine from the plane, according to WBNS in Columbus.

Agents took the two suspects into custody.

Homeland Security is now in charge of the investigation.

Source:    http://www.foxnews.com



ATHENS, OH (WCMH) – The Department of Homeland Security, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Ohio University Airport after an ‘unauthorized plane’ landed.

It happened Wednesday afternoon at Gordon K. Bush Airport in Albany, Ohio.

Athens County Sheriff Rodney Smith said his office detained the plane after it landed until Homeland Security and the Highway Patrol could respond.

Ohio University police issued the following statement regarding the incident.

At about 2:30 p.m. today (March 29, 2017) the Ohio University police department was notified by the Department of Homeland Security that an international aircraft was landing at the Ohio University airport without proper authorization. Once on the ground, the pilot of the aircraft advised he was traveling through U.S. airspace when a mechanical problem forced him to land unexpectedly. Since the Ohio University airport is not a port of entry, Customs and Border Protection requested the occupants of the aircraft be detained until federal agents could respond.

As of 4:30 p.m. today, officers from the Ohio University police department remain at the airport where they are assisting federal agents as they investigate the matter.

Story and video:  http://nbc4i.com

Cessna 140A, N7838B: Accident occurred March 28, 2017 in St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida

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

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

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

N7838BRAVO LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N7838B


NTSB Identification: GAA17CA209
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, March 28, 2017 in St. Petersburg, FL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/07/2017
Aircraft: CESSNA 140, registration: N7838B
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 was receiving instruction in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. He reported that, during the landing roll, the airplane turned left and that he “over corrected with too much right rudder.” He added that the airplane ground looped, exited the runway to the right, and came to rest in a nose-down attitude. 

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall.

The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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 receiving instruction’s overcorrection with rudder during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop and runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.

The pilot receiving instruction in a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll the airplane turned left and he "over corrected with too much right rudder". He added that the airplane ground looped, exited the runway to the right, and came to rest in a nose down attitude. 

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall.

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

Mooney M20J 201, NM Liquors Inc, N1157N: Accident occurred March 28, 2017 at George T. Lewis Airport (KCDK), Cedar Key, Levy County, Florida

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

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

NTSB Identification: GAA17CA211
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, April 28, 2017 in Cedar Key, FL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/31/2017
Aircraft: MOONEY M20J, registration: N1157N
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 private pilot reported that, during the landing roll, he had traveled about halfway down the 2,355 ft-long runway when he realized that a go-around was going to be required. He could not recall the airplane’s airspeed when the airplane touched down on the runway that was located steps from the ocean. However, he did recall that he initiated the go-around by applying full throttle, retracting the flaps to 0, and rotating at 62 knots. The airplane “lifted off but did not gain altitude.” The pilot lowered the nose to accelerate, but the airplane stalled and impacted the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar and aileron.  

According to the manufacturer’s Pilot’s Operating Handbook, the go-around procedure is:

CAUTION
To minimize control wheel forces during go-around, timely nose-down trimming is recommended to counteract nose up pitching moment as power is increased and/or flap retraction. 
Power…..Full Throttle/2700 RPM
Mixture…..Full Rich
Airspeed…..65 KIAS
Wing Flaps…..Takeoff position after climb established
Trim…..Nose Down (to reduce control forces)
Airspeed…..Accelerate to 76 KIAS
Landing Gear…..-Retract
Wing Flaps…..Retract
Cowl Flaps…..Open
Airspeed…..Accelerate to 86 KIAS

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 follow the manufacturer’s go-around procedure, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. 

Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards District Office; Tampa, Florida

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

NM Liquors Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N1157N

NTSB Identification: GAA17CA211
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, April 28, 2017 in Cedar Key, FL
Aircraft: MOONEY M20J, registration: N1157N
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 private pilot reported that during the landing roll, he had traveled about half of the distance down the 2,355 ft. runway and he realized that a go-around was going to be required. He could not recall the airplane's airspeed when the airplane touched down on the runway that was located steps from the ocean. However, he did recall that he initiated the go-around by applying full throttle, retracting the flaps to zero and rotating at 62 kts. The airplane "lifted off but did not gain altitude." The pilot lowered the nose to accelerate, but the airplane stalled and impacted the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar and aileron.

According to the manufacturer's pilot operating handbook, the go-around procedure is:

CAUTION

To minimize control wheel forces during go-around, timely nose-down trimming is recommended to counteract nose up pitching moment as power is increased and/ or flap retraction. 

Power….. Full Throttle/2700 RPM

Mixture….. Full Rich

Airspeed….. 65 KIAS

Wing Flaps….. Takeoff position after climb established

Trim….. Nose Down (to reduce control forces)

Airspeed….. Accelerate to 76 KIAS

Landing Gear….. Retract

Wing Flaps….. Retract

Cowl Flaps….. Open

Airspeed….. Accelerate to 86 KIAS

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












































AIRCRAFT:  1982 Mooney M20J, N1157N, s/n 24-1288

ENGINE:  Lycoming IO- 360- A3136D, s/n 126-929-51E

PROPELLER:  McCauley B2D34C2/4-B

APPROXIMATE TOTAL HOURS (estimated TT & TSMO from logbooks or other information):

ENGINE:  The engine log records an Annual Inspection on 12/08/16 at TSMOH 439.8. (The engine was submerged in salt water for a total of four tides.  The engine was rinsed off and oil was drained with diesel fuel put back into it.  The engine was also sprayed down with lubricant.)

PROPELLER:    The prop log records an Annual Inspection on 12/08/16 at TSMOH 439.8.

AIRFRAME:  The airframe log records an Annual Inspection on 12/08/16 at total time 2,274.4, Tach Time 2,254.4.  (The airframe was submerged in salt water for a total of four tides.  It received a fresh water rinse after retrieval.)

OTHER EQUIPMENT:      SUBMERGED IN SALT WATER FOR EXTENDED TIME 
Full Garmin ADS B In/Out Package (GTX 330 ES Transponder, GDL 88)
Avidyne /FD 540 GPS (Recent Upgrade)
Garmin GMA 340 Audio Panel
JPI EDM 900 (Engine Analyzer) (Recent Upgrade)
King KAP 150 Two -Axis Autopilot w/electric trim and CWS
Icarus SAM GPSS (Third Axis)
King KX 165 Nav/Com, King Kl 208 VOR/LOC Indicator with GS
King KCS 55A HSI~ Slaved
King KG 258 Attitude Indicator

 DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT:  On 03/28/17, N1157N landed in the salt water off the departure end of the runway at Cedar Key Airport, Florida. 

DESCRIPTION OF DAMAGES:  The aircraft was almost completely submerged in salt water through a total of four high tides, where the waterline was two inches below the cabin headliner. Damage also includes but may not be limited to the propeller, nose gear doors, both main gear doors, and to the right wing.

LOCATION OF AIRCRAFT:  Florida Aircraft Recovery, LLC, 455 Tresca Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32225

REMARKS:   SUBMERGED IN SALT WATER THROUGH A TOTAL OF FOUR HIGH TIDES, WHERE THE WATERLINE WAS TWO INCHES BELOW THE CABIN HEADLINER

Read more here:  http://www.avclaims.com/N1157N.htm

Whittman W-10, N13XZ: Accident occurred March 28, 2017 at Stevensville Airport (32S), Ravalli County, Montana

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

Analysis 

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, after landing at an airport along his route, he observed a leak from the left master brake cylinder. He added that he "wiped up [a] considerable [amount of] brake fluid from the floorboard," conducted a "thorough inspection" of the left brake, and then departed for another airport.

He further reported that, during the landing roll, the airplane weathervaned into the crosswind, and he applied "full rudder and [the] application of brake found no brake available." He added that, after pumping the brakes, they began to function. The airplane veered off the runway to the right, and the left main landing gear collapsed.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. 

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's decision to take off with a known master brake cylinder leak and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control during landing. 

Findings

Aircraft
Directional control - Not attained/maintained (Cause)
Master cylinder/brake valve - Malfunction (Cause)

Personnel issues
Aircraft control - Pilot (Cause)
Decision making/judgment - Pilot (Cause)

Factual Information

History of Flight

Prior to flight

Preflight or dispatch event

Landing
Loss of control on ground (Defining event)

Runway excursion

Landing gear collapse

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards District Office; Helena, Montana

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/N13XZ


NTSB Identification: GAA17CA212

14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, March 28, 2017 in Stevensville, MT
Aircraft: THOMAS CRAIG E WITTMAN W-10, registration: N13XZ
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane re
ported that, after landing at an airport along his route, he observed a leak from the left master brake cylinder. He added that he "wiped up [a] considerable [amount of] brake fluid from the floorboard", did a "thorough inspection" of the left brake, and then departed for another airport.

He further reported that, during the landing roll at the accident airport, the airplane weathervaned into the crosswind, and he applied "full rudder and [the] application of brake found no brake available". After pumping the brake, he added that, they began to function. The airplane veered off the runway to the right and the left main landing gear collapsed. 

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.

Mooney M20J 201, operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight, N643RJ: Fatal accident occurred March 28, 2017 near Monroe County Airport (M40), Aberdeen, Mississippi

 
John K. Nuesch

 
Richard Arlin Justice

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


Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards District Office; Jackson, Mississippi
Lycoming; 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/N643RJ




Location: Aberdeen, MS
Accident Number: ERA17FA139
Date & Time: 03/28/2017, 0615 CDT
Registration: N643RJ
Aircraft: MOONEY M20J
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of visual reference
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On March 28, 2017, at 0615 central daylight time, a Mooney M20J, N643RJ, collided with trees and terrain shortly after takeoff from Monroe County Airport (M40), Aberdeen, Mississippi. The airline transport pilot and one passenger were fatally injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was owned by the pilot who was operating it as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed near the accident site at the time of the accident, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight, which was destined to Bruce Campbell Field Airport (MBO), Madison, Mississippi.

The pilot and his passenger departed M40 about 0614 for the 1-hour flight to MBO, which was located about 130 miles to the southwest. GPS data indicated that, after departing runway 18, the airplane climbed and performed a slight left turn to a heading of about 178° magnetic at 417 ft mean sea level (msl) while still over airport property. The airplane then made a climbing right turn to a heading of 233° (approximately consistent with a direct heading toward MBO) and reached a maximum altitude of about 600 ft msl before entering a right turning descent. The airplane continued its descending turn until it impacted trees and terrain on a heading of about 318° about 2,500 ft west of the departure end of the runway.

Video and audio from the airport security system showed dark night conditions at the time of the accident. It did not capture the airplane during takeoff due to the light and weather conditions; however, audio recorded the sound of the engine on the takeoff roll, during the initial climb, and throughout the accident sequence. The sound of the engine remained constant throughout the takeoff until the sound of impact.

Review of radar data from Columbus Air Force Base (CBM), Columbus, Mississippi, located 15 miles south of M40, revealed four targets correlated with the accident airplane. The first target indicated that the airplane was flying south at 400 ft msl at a groundspeed of 70 knots. The next two targets indicated that the airplane climbed to 600 ft msl at 70 knots, and the last target corresponded with a descending right turn at 500 ft msl.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman records, the pilot, age 73, held an airline transport pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single- and multi-engine land, airplane single-engine sea, and glider. In addition, he held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single- and multi-engine and instrument airplane. In addition, he held type ratings in the CE-500, LR-60, and LR-Jet. The pilot reported civil flight experience that included 24,800 hours total time and 120 hours in the previous 6 months as of his most recent FAA medical examination on March 9, 2017. His most recent flight review was completed on July 5, 2016.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was manufactured in 1980 and had a normal category airworthiness certificate. It was a single-engine, low-wing, four-place airplane powered by a 200-horsepower, fuel injected, four-cylinder Lycoming engine equipped with a two-blade constant-speed propeller. The airframe and engine had accumulated 2,873 hours total time and 908 hours since major overhaul. The most recent annual inspection was completed on March 23, 2017. The accident flight was the airplane's first flight since the inspection; according to the logbook, the engine was test run following the inspection and no discrepancies were noted.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The closest reporting station to the accident site was CBM. The special weather observation at CBM at 0603 included wind from 150° at 4 knots, 8 miles visibility, a broken cloud ceiling at 1,800 ft above ground level (agl), overcast clouds at 2,400 ft agl, temperature 18°C, dew point 18°C, and altimeter setting of 29.93 inches of mercury. The light conditions at the time of the accident were dark; the beginning of civil twilight was at 0622 and sunrise was at 0647, about 7 minutes and 30 minutes, respectively, after takeoff.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

M40 was classified by the FAA as a public airport. It was located 4 miles northeast of Aberdeen, Mississippi. The airport elevation was 225.8 ft msl, and the asphalt runway was configured in a 18/36 orientation. The runway was 4,999 ft long by 75 ft wide. The airport was surrounded by sparsely populated and heavily wooded terrain south and west of the airport.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The wreckage was located 2,500 ft west-southwest of the departure end of runway 18 in heavily wooded terrain. The wreckage path was oriented on a heading of about 318° and was about 400 ft long (Figure 1).


Figure 1 shows wreckage path direction and thumbnail view of airport in relation to accident site.

All major components of the airplane were located at the accident site. There was no evidence of pre- or postimpact fire. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the airplane impacted the tops of trees in a right-wing-low attitude. The right wing was separated and was the first large piece of wreckage located at the initial point of impact. Trees near the impact site were cut progressively lower as the airplane continued forward. Both wings and the entire empennage were separated from the airframe. The fuselage and cockpit area came to rest inverted against several trees in a left 45°-nose-down attitude with the engine partially buried in the ground. The engine remained attached to the engine mount and firewall. The propeller spinner was crushed and torn. The propeller hub and one propeller blade remained attached to the engine crankshaft flange. The opposing blade separated from the hub and was located about 50 ft beyond the main wreckage. The separated blade exhibited twisting, s-bending, and chordwise abrasion and the propeller tip was bent aft about 30°. The propeller blade that remained attached to the hub was free to rotate in the hub and was bent aft about 30° about 18 inches outboard of the hub. The propeller tip was curled, and the blade exhibited chordwise abrasion.

Multiple branches along the wreckage path between 3 and 5 inches in diameter displayed cuts consistent with propeller contact.

The engine was removed from the airframe, suspended from a lift, and partially disassembled to facilitate examination. The engine crankshaft was turned manually; internal continuity was confirmed. Compression and suction were observed on all cylinders and valve action was correct. The interiors of the cylinders were examined using a lighted borescope and no anomalies were noted. Oil was observed in the engine and the engine appeared well lubricated. The oil suction screen and filter were undamaged and contained no foreign material.

The propeller governor remained attached to the engine and no damage was noted. It was removed and rotated freely by hand. The governor control arm was observed in the maximum rpm position. The cockpit propeller control was observed in a full-forward position.

The fuel injector servo remained attached to the engine. The mixture control arm shaft was separated. The arm remained attached to the mixture control cable. The servo regulator section was partially disassembled and no damage was noted to the rubber diaphragms. The regulator cover brass plug was secure. The fuel inlet screen was absent of debris. The flow divider remained attached to the engine and no damage was noted on the unit. It was partially disassembled, and no damage noted to the rubber diaphragm. The flow divider body passages were unobstructed. The engine was equipped with GAMI injector fuel injector nozzles; they were unobstructed.

The engine-driven fuel pump remained attached to the engine and no damage was noted externally or internally. Aviation fuel was observed in the fuel hoses from the engine-driven fuel pump to the flow divider and in the engine-driven fuel pump, the fuel injector servo, and the flow divider.

The dual magnetos remained attached to the engine and showed no signs of damage. The magnetos were rotated and produced sparks from all ignition towers. The spark plugs were removed; the electrodes exhibited normal wear and color when compared to a Champion inspection chart. The sparkplug electrodes were undamaged. The electrodes of the Nos. 2 and 4 cylinder top and bottom sparkplugs were oil-soaked, consistent with the orientation of the engine at the accident site. The alternator remained attached to the engine and no damage was noted.

The vacuum pump remained attached to the engine and no damage was noted. The pump was removed and produced air at the outlet port when rotated by hand. It was partially disassembled and no damage was noted to the drive assembly. The carbon rotor and vanes were removed and were intact.

Flight control continuity was confirmed by tracing the control tubes and push-pull rods from the fuselage to their respective locations to the left wing, right wing, and empennage. The control rods exhibited bending and breakage consistent with overload. The right wing was severely fragmented. The left wing separated and exhibited compression and buckling, but the left aileron remained attached and moved freely through control tube pushrod input and the bell crank was functional. The empennage was severely deformed and fragmented and was wrapped around a tree. The elevators and rudder remained partially attached and the elevator trim jackscrew showed 7 threads, consistent with a takeoff trim setting.

The instrument panel exhibited impact damage. The magneto switch was located in the "both" position. The standby vacuum pump was in the off position. The master switch was in the on position. The pilot's primary flight instruments appeared undamaged. The attitude indicator was removed and examined and showed no anomalies. The throttle and propeller controls were both in the full-forward position and the mixture control was about 1/2 inch from full-forward. The landing gear switch was in the up position.

Data obtained from a JPI engine monitor indicated that the engine was operating throughout the flight without anomaly.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office, Pearl, Mississippi, performed an autopsy of the pilot. The cause of death was blunt force injuries and the manner of death was accident. The autopsy noted an enlarged heart, weighing 480 grams (average for a 234-pound man is 403 grams with a range of 305 to 531 gm), and moderate coronary atherosclerosis with 50% stenosis in the left anterior descending coronary artery. There were no other signs of natural disease.

The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology testing on specimens of the pilot. Testing identified amlodipine, metoprolol, and yohimbine in liver and subclavian blood. Amlodipine and metoprolol are both blood pressure medications and are not considered impairing. Yohimbine is extracted from tree bark and is available in the US in a variety of supplements. Testing was negative for carbon monoxide and ethanol.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Weight and Balance

Review of the pilot's operating manual for the accident airplane make and model revealed that the airplane's maximum gross takeoff weight was 2,740 lbs. The left front seat pilot weighed about 240 lbs. The passenger weighed 235 lbs and was occupying the right rear seat. About 50 gallons (300 lbs) of fuel was on board, and about 20 lbs of personal effects were gathered from the scene. The calculated weight and balance revealed that the accident takeoff weight was about 2,620 lbs, which was 120 lbs below the maximum takeoff weight; the center of gravity was within limits.

Spatial Disorientation

The FAA Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3) described some hazards associated with flying when visual references, such as the ground or horizon, are obscured:

The vestibular sense (motion sensing by the inner ear) in particular tends to confuse the pilot. Because of inertia, the sensory areas of the inner ear cannot detect slight changes in the attitude of the airplane, nor can they accurately sense attitude changes that occur at a uniform rate over a period of time. On the other hand, false sensations are often generated; leading the pilot to believe the attitude of the airplane has changed when in fact, it has not. These false sensations result in the pilot experiencing spatial disorientation.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline Transport; Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 73, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Glider
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/09/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 07/05/2016
Flight Time: (Estimated) 24800 hours (Total, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: MOONEY
Registration: N643RJ
Model/Series: M20J
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 24-1003
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 03/23/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2740 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 0 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 2873 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: C91  installed, activated, aided in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: IO-360-A3B6D
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 200 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Night/Dark
Observation Facility, Elevation: CBM, 225 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 15 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1103 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 180°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility:  8 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 1800 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 4 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 150°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 29.93 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 18°C / 18°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: ABERDEEN, MS (M40)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: MADISON, MS (MBO)
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 0614 CDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: MONROE COUNTY (M40)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 225 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 18
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 4999 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 33.865278, -88.498889

NTSB Identification: ERA17FA139
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, March 28, 2017 in Aberdeen, MS
Aircraft: MOONEY M20J, registration: N643RJ
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On March 28, 2017, at 0615 central daylight time, a Mooney M20J, N643RJ, was substantially damaged when it collided with trees and terrain shortly after takeoff from Monroe County Airport (M40), Aberdeen, Mississippi. The airline transport pilot, who was also the owner of the airplane, and one passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed near the accident site at the time of the accident, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight destined to Bruce Campbell Field Airport (MBO), Madison, Mississippi.

The pilot and passenger departed M40 at 0614 for the approximate 1-hour flight to MBO. Weather conditions at the time of the takeoff included a broken ceiling at 1,800 feet above ground level (agl) and an overcast ceiling at 2,400 feet agl. The temperature was 18° C and the dew point was 18° C.

Video recorded by the M40 airport security system showed dark light conditions at the time of the accident, but it did not show the airplane takeoff; however, audio captured the airplane on the takeoff roll, during initial climb and through the accident sequence. The sound of the engine remained constant through the 1-minute flight, until sound consistent with the airplane impacting with trees was heard.

Review of radar data from Columbus Air Force Base (CBM), Columbus, Mississippi, located 15 miles south of M40, revealed four targets associated with the accident airplane. The first target indicated that the airplane was 400 feet mean sea level (msl) at a ground speed of 70 knots. The next two targets indicated that the airplane climbed to 600 feet msl at 70 knots, before the last target corresponded with a descending right turn at 500 feet msl.

The wreckage was located 2,500 feet west-southwest of the departure end of runway 18, in heavily wooded terrain. The wreckage path was oriented in a southeast to northwest direction and was approximately 400 feet long. Initial examination of the wreckage revealed that the airplane struck the tops of the trees in a right wing low attitude. The right wing was separated and discovered at the initial point of impact. Trees near the impact site were progressively cut lower as the airplane continued forward. Several trees and branches near the final ground impact point displayed cuts consistent with contact with propeller blades. One propeller blade was was found 50 feet north of the wreckage. The wings and tail were separated and the top one-third of the cockpit area was removed. The fuselage came to rest inverted against a tree in a 45° angle. The engine remained attached to the firewall and the propeller flange and one propeller blade remained attached to the engine.

The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating for airplane multiengine land. He also held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane single-engine sea and glider. Additionally, he held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine, airplane multiengine and instrument airplane. His most recent second-class medical certificate was issued on March 9, 2017. At that time, the pilot reported a total flight experience of 20,000 hours.

The airplane was a single-engine, low-wing, four-place airplane with a 200-horsepower fuel injected four-cylinder engine and two blade constant-speed propeller. The airframe and engine had accumulated a total time of 2,873 hours and 908 hours since major overhaul, respectively. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was performed on March 23, 2017.

The airplane was retained for further examination.

Richard Justice
When Dee Dee Larson was a little girl, her stepfather, Richard Justice, used to take her flying. 

They didn't drive to the beach or to visit family in Birmingham, Alabama -- they flew on Justice's planes. The 72-year-old lifelong Hatley resident had flown his entire adult life -- first as a crop duster, then as a commercial pilot for various companies in and around Mississippi. Even after his "retirement" a few years ago, Larson, who now lives in Starkville, said her stepfather kept flying one-off trips for nearby companies, as well as his own planes. He had two, which he proudly kept in a hangar near his home, she said. 

"Flying was his passion," Larson said. 

Justice passed away Tuesday morning when his single-engine plane crashed a mile from the Monroe County Airport on Votech Road between Amory and Aberdeen. The crash killed both Justice and his Lowndes County passenger, a Columbus business owner that authorities have not yet identified due to the family's wishes. 

Justice and his passenger took off from the Monroe County Airport at 6:14 a.m. on their way to Madison. The plane crashed at about 6:20 a.m., while Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell said it appeared Justice was attempting to return the plane to Monroe County Airport. 

Cantrell and one of his deputies found the crash site a little after 11 a.m. The scene was roped off and authorities from the Federal Aviation Administration are on their way to investigate, he said. 

Authorities don't yet know the reason for the crash.  

Justice's body was sent to the State Medical Examiner's Office in Pearl. Preliminary findings from Justice's autopsy in Jackson indicate he died from trauma from the crash and not from any medical condition, according to Monroe County Coroner Alan Gurley. 
  
A meticulous person 

It's not something that either Larson or her stepsister Kim Hays ever expected would happen. 

"He was just such a meticulous person," said Hays, who lives in Birmingham.  

Still, both Larson and Hays said it was the way he would have wanted to go. 

Larson's father had died when she was just a baby, and Justice married her mother when Larson was 4. Ever since, Justice was her dad, Larson said. 

"He's never treated me any differently than his two other children," Larson said. 

Both she and Hays remember him taking them on joyrides in his planes growing up. 

Once when Hays was 12 or 13, she had a friend over while Justice was watching football, and the two of them began badgering Justice to take them for a ride.  

"We just kept on, 'Daddy, take us flying, take us flying,'" Hays remembered. 

Justice was outgoing, cheerful and funny, they said. He loved telling stories, making people laugh and -- according to Larson -- embarrassing his children.  

"He was a really great storyteller," Hays said. "He had a repertoire of stories. ... He was just really a people person. He loved people." 

Larson emphasized her stepfather was one of the best pilots in the area. He worked for years as a commercial pilot first for Amory Garment, then for North American Classics out of Jackson and last from Stanley Smith Drywell in Alabama. He also was a flight instructor. Even after his retirement as a commercial pilot from Stanley Smith Drywall about four or five years ago, he would fly at least once a week. 

"We would say, 'Daddy, you're 73, you need to retire'," Hays said. "He would say, 'No, I don't want to. This is what I love to do.'" 

Larson said her family is keeping the family of the deceased passenger in their thoughts and prayers.


Source:  http://www.cdispatch.com

The passenger of a Tuesday plane crash at the Monroe County Airport will be laid to rest Friday.

John K. Nuesch, 64, of Columbus, was a passenger in the small plane that crashed shortly after takeoff from the Monroe County Airport.

His graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. at Friendship Cemetery, according to Memorial Funeral Home in Columbus. Visitation will be from 12 until 1:45 p.m. at the funeral home.

Nuesch was the president of American Glass Company and served on the executive board and finance committee of the Mississippi Associated Building Contractors.

Arrangements for the pilot of the plane, 73-year-old Richard Justice of Hatley, are incomplete at this time. Cleveland-Moffett Funeral Home in Amory is in charge of arrangements.

Investigators are still uncertain about what caused the plane crash.

National Transportation Safety Board Air Safety Investigator Aaron McCarter took questions in a short press conference at the Monroe County Airport on Wednesday afternoon. McCarter, who is serving as investigator in charge, and his team arrived Tuesday night and have been working the scene.

“We have no idea what happened at this time,” McCarter said.

Monroe County Coroner Alan Gurley said on Wednesday the preliminary autopsy of Justice shows he died from his injuries in the crash, not any type of medical problem.  The final autopsy report could take eight months, Gurley said.