The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Columbia, South Carolina
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama
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/N20835
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
Accident Number: ERA17LA175
Date & Time: 05/09/2017, 1630 EDT
Registration: N20835
Aircraft: MOONEY M20R
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On May 9, 2017, about 1630 eastern daylight time, a privately owned and operated Mooney M20R, N20835, was ditched in the Atlantic Ocean shortly after takeoff from Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was not recovered and presumed substantially damaged. The flight was destined for Charleston International Airport (CHS), Charleston, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to the pilot, he departed runway 18 and began climbing on a 180° heading. About 300 feet above ground level, he "felt a strong jolt, as if something had hit [the airplane]" and a few seconds later he realized the engine had stopped. He advised the tower controller that he had a problem and performed a ditched landing straight ahead. The airplane initially remained afloat, he egressed through the cabin door, and stood on the wing until the airplane began to sink. A tour helicopter operating in the area responded and dropped a life preserver to the pilot. He was rescued by an individual on a personal watercraft.
Attempts by a salvage company to locate the submerged airplane were unsuccessful.
According Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued July 28, 2015. The pilot reported that he had accrued 2,727 total hours of flight experience, of which 1,500 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
Review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the most recent annual inspection was completed on October 1, 2016, about 154 flight hours prior to the accident. The engine was overhauled in November 2016 and had accrued 138 hours since overhaul. The engine oil was changed and the oil filter element was inspected three times (January 3, February 2, and March 20, 2017) since overhaul with "no abnormalities found". The engine accrued 46 hours since the last oil change.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 65, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/28/2015
Occupational Pilot:No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 12/20/2016
Flight Time: 2727 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1500 hours (Total, this make and model), 2625 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 108 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: MOONEY
Registration: N20835
Model/Series: M20R NO SERIES
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 29-0214
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats:4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 10/01/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3369 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 154 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3694 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Continental Motors
ELT: C91A installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: IO-550-G6B
Registered Owner: PREMIER METALS RECOVERY LLC
Rated Power: 300 hp
Operator: PREMIER METALS RECOVERY LLC
Operating Certificate(s) Held:None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KMYR, 25 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 3 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1650 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 344°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 10 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 150°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 29.98 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 24°C / 16°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Myrtle Beach, SC (MYR)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: CHARLESTON, SC (CHS)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1630 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class C
Airport Information
Airport: MYRTLE BEACH INTL (MYR)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 24 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Water--calm
Runway Used: 18
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 9503 ft / 150 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries:N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 33.642222, -78.918611 (est)
NTSB Identification: ERA17LA175
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, May 09, 2017 in Myrtle Beach, SC
Aircraft: MOONEY M20R, registration: N20835
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On May 9, 2017, about 1630 eastern daylight time, a privately owned and operated Mooney M20R, N20835, was ditched in the Atlantic Ocean shortly after takeoff from Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was not recovered and presumed substantially damaged. The flight was destined for Charleston International Airport (CHS), Charleston, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to the pilot, he departed runway 18 and began climbing on a 180° heading. About 300 feet above ground level, he "felt a strong jolt, as if something had hit [the airplane]" and a few seconds later he realized the engine had stopped. He advised the tower controller that he had a problem, and performed a ditched landing straight ahead. The airplane initially remained afloat, he egressed through the cabin door, and stood on the wing until the airplane began to sink. A tour helicopter operating in the area responded and dropped a life preserver to the pilot. He was rescued by an individual on a personal watercraft.
Attempts by a salvage company to locate the submerged airplane were unsuccessful.
According Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued July 28, 2015. The pilot reported that he had accrued 2,727 total hours of flight experience, of which 1,500 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
Review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the most recent annual inspection was completed on October 1, 2016, about 154 flight hours prior to the accident. The engine was overhauled in November 2016, and had accrued 138 hours since overhaul. The engine oil was changed and the oil filter element was inspected three times (January 3, February 2, and March 20, 2017) since overhaul with "no abnormalities found". The engine accrued 46 hours since the last oil change.
MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) – The National Transportation Safety Board will not be investigating the events that led to a small plane crashing into the ocean near Myrtle Beach State Park on Tuesday, according to a spokesman.
According to Terry Williams, NTSB spokesman, the agency is gathering information on the crash, but won’t start an investigation. He added that is more in-depth due to the launching of a team to determine the probable cause of an airplane crash.
Right now, the NTSB is simply trying to gather preliminary information, but nothing on what led to the plane going down, Williams said.
The crash happened shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday. The pilot reportedly took off from Myrtle Beach International Airport and then reported engine trouble, Myrtle Beach Fire Deputy Chief Tom Gwyer previously said.
At that point, the pilot ditched the plane in the water. He got out and was thrown a life jacket from a helicopter circling above.
The pilot did not suffer severe injuries in the crash.
James Wasserman is accustomed to picking people up who have fallen into the ocean after working for eight years with Downwind Sails Watersports, but he said Tuesday was the first time he rescued someone who had crashed a plane.
“I just had the mindset that I was going out there to help somebody that I knew needed some help,” Wasserman said.
He said he didn’t witness the plane land on the water off Myrtle Beach State Park.
“We saw Oceanfront Helicopters fly over. They were just hovering over the water and we were trying to figure out what in the world was going on,” he said.
However, Wasserman heard from a woman on the beach that a plane had gone down, so he decided to launch a jet ski and, within minutes, ended up on the crash scene.
“When I pulled up to the pilot in the water, you could no longer see the plane,” he said. “He was in the water by himself. Oceanfront Helicopters had dropped him a Jim Buoy float and he was holding onto that float for dear life.”
Wasserman got the man out of the water.
“I reached down, extended my hand to him,” he said. “His words to me were, ‘Man I’m really glad you’re here.’”
He then brought the pilot to shore.
“I told him we had him,” Wasserman said. “I said, ‘Buddy, you’re safe now man.’”
He said the man was relieved when he got him onto the jet ski, but was distraught about what had just happened.
“The man had just crashed his airplane. He was dazed and confused, had no idea what was going on,” he said.
Wasserman said he was happy to be part of a community effort to rescue the pilot.
“I’m glad that we could all be out there to make a tragedy just an accident,” he said. “Loss of life anytime is not a good thing. I’m glad we could pull him out of the water and get him to the beach safe and sound.”
Story and video: http://www.wmbfnews.com
 David Pace
~ |
MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Emergency crews say one person was rescued Tuesday evening after they responded to reports of a plane that crashed in the water near Myrtle Beach State Park.
Tuesday evening, the FAA issued a statement confirming a Mooney M20R Ovation2 crashed into the water one-half mile off the coast of Myrtle Beach around 5 p.m.
“Something hit the airplane, or it felt like something hit the airplane, and the engine stopped so that’s when I knew something was a problem,” said David Pace, who said he was flying the airplane from Myrtle Beach to Charleston.
Lt. Jonathan Evans, spokesperson for Myrtle Beach Fire, says the small plane went down between Springmaid Pier and the state park.
Pace said he couldn’t turn back to Myrtle Beach International Airport because he was flying too low and too slow.
“Really the only option was to go straight ahead into the ocean because the beach was full of people,” he added. “Then you just try to land it like you land it on the ground and it worked out this time.”
Pace said he prepared for the landing on the water like he would prepare for a normal landing and the plane floated in the water for a few minutes.
“I was able to get out and get out on the wing but I was a lot further out than I anticipated being so when the airplane sunk I had to start swimming,” said Pace.
A few helicopters were able to drop him a life preserver while rescue crews were arriving on the beach.
“He was swimming hard, fighting against the current a good half mile out from the beach itself,” said Jeremy Bass from Oceanfront Helicopters. Three of his pilots arrived on the scene in minutes.”The pilot, I gotta say, he did an excellent job. I could tell he did an excellent job by the aircraft position and the fact it didn’t come apart.”
Pace has been flying for forty years and was on a trip for his business, Premier Metals Recovery LLC, when the plane when down.
“I didn’t consider it a crash,” he said. “I consider it a forced landing because the plane didn’t crash. I’m not injured I’m in good shape.”
Pace plans to take about a week off and then get back in the sky.
“Every time something happens with an airplane, even though it’s very rare, it’s news all over the place and then people talk about how unsafe airplanes are but I’ve been flying for 40 years and I’m still here and never hurt anybody,” he added.
A tweet from Horry County Fire Rescue sent at 5:15 p.m. states Horry County Fire Rescue, Myrtle Beach Fire Department and Surfside Beach Fire Department responded to the scene.
The FAA says they will investigate and the NTSB says they are also gathering information.
Story and video: http://wspa.com
Myrtle Beach, S.C. (WPDE) — A small plane crashed in the ocean near Myrtle Beach State Park and the sole occupant has been rescued, according to Horry County police officials.
Kirk Lovell, with the Myrtle Beach Airport, says the plane was a private aircraft, called a Mooney, with one person on board.
Jeremy Bass with Oceanfront Helicopters said he sent three of his helicopters to help with the rescue and they threw the man a life vest.
Horry County police say the man was treading water next to the plane when crews got to him. The plane submerged a short time later.
Emergency crews on scene say the man was helped out of the water via jet ski.
No information has been released about his current condition, but police say he was conscious when he was taken from the scene for treatment.
The plane left Myrtle Beach Airport and crashed a short time later after possible engine issues, police said.
Crews from Horry County Fire Rescue, Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue and Surfide Beach Fire all responded to the scene.
ABC15 New's Eddie Kadhim spoke with the owner of Beachfront Helicopters about his company's assistance in the rescue.
Bass said the effort truly was a team effort.
"The plane had nosedived and ascended down into the ocean where it's not longer visible from the air even," he said.
While the pilot of the small plane was fighting for his life in the water, people took to the water and the air to help.
When one of the Oceanfront Helicopters crews dropped a life vest to the pilot, Bass said it appeared as though the water and current was giving the pilot a hard time.
"He appeared very worn out at that point. We were able to get one of the offshore helicopters over to him take one of our inflatable life vests, prep it for him, ball it up into a ball, and throw it right in front of him so he could grab it. He was able to don the life vest, pull the life cord, lay back and inflate it, and he was able to just lay back and wait," Bass said.
Just then, Bass said more help arrived. A jet ski rushed in and pulled the exhausted pilot from the ocean.
"The tide was running really hard. He was in a current that was pulling him out further out into the ocean so, as hard as he was swimming, he was not making any progress at all. Thankfully got there just in the knick of time. I'm proud of the team doing what they've been trained to do," he said.
Story, video and photo gallery: http://wpde.com
HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) – Crews responded to a plane crash in the water near Myrtle Beach State Park Tuesday evening.
According to a tweet from Horry County Fire Rescue, crews from Horry County, Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue and Surfside Beach Fire are responding.
Kirk Lovell, spokesperson for the Myrtle Beach International Airport, said it was a private aircraft with one person on board.
Myrtle Beach Fire Deputy Chief Tom Gwyer said the pilot took off from MYR, reported engine trouble and then laid the aircraft down in the ocean.
The pilot got out of the Mooney M20R Ovation2 the occupant of a helicopter from a private company dropped him a float, according to Gwyer.
A jet ski was launched to get the pilot and bring him on shore. Gwyer said he was treated on the beach and then driven to an ambulance.
According to Gwyer, the pilot was shaken up but didn’t seem to have any medical issues.
“The lord was with them today,” said Charles Smith, who was at the state park when the plane went in the water.
Story and video: http://www.wmbfnews.com
Horry County Fire Rescue and Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue responded to a plane crash between Springmaid Pier and Myrtle Beach State Park Tuesday afternoon.
According to Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue deputy fire chief Tom Gwyer, the pilot took off from Myrtle Beach International Airport and had engine trouble over the ocean.
The pilot was able to “ditch the plane into the ocean,” meaning that the pilot completed a water landing, according to Kirk Lovell with Myrtle Beach International Airport.
A local helicopter company, Oceanfront Helicopters, was informed by Air Traffic Control that a plane had gone down, and it sent three helicopters to assist in the rescue.
“One soul was on board the aircraft,” said Lovell. “The pilot has been rescued and is on shore being treated by EMTs.”
According to Gwyer, the man was treading water when rescuers arrived, fully dressed in jeans and shoes.
Lovell said the plane was a Mooney M20R Ovation2.
“It was a lot of excitement, but it ended with a good outcome,” said Gwyer.
Several people witnessed the crash live.
“I saw the airplane take off, it lost its height and started going real low, skimmed the water, stopped; it was floating for about five minutes, then you saw the tail go up and under,” said witness Russ Magee.
Gwyer said the FAA will take over the investigation because the incident involved an aircraft.
“The plane is at the bottom of the ocean,” said Gwyer.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) - A lot of Spirit Airlines' passengers don't like the airline. Neither do its pilots.
The low-cost airline, which regularly scores at the bottom of customer satisfaction among passengers, has been locked in bitter contract negotiations with the Air Line Pilots Association for two years.
The issue is salary, and the two sides are wide apart.
Spirit accuses the union of staging a slowdown that has forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights and stranded 20,000 passengers. Things got so bad this week at the Fort Lauderdale airport that police had to be called to arrest angry passengers.
The airline won a federal court order on Tuesday ordering the union to have its members again start flying their normal allotment of flights.
Airline customers have long been vulnerable to bad labor relations at airlines.
Pilots may refuse to take the extra flights an airline needs to operate smoothly. That's what Spirit says its pilots are doing, although the union denies it is urging members not to accept assignments.
A low-cost carrier like Spirit is even more vulnerable to that kind of pressure tactic because of its more limited schedule, said Mike Boyd, an airline consultant.
"If United cancels, they have eight more flights to get passengers on. If Spirit cancels, they've got a flight next Tuesday and it's full," said Boyd.
The history of labor relations between Spirit and the union is bad.
The pilots went on strike for five days in 2010, the most recent strike at a U.S. airline. And they have been holding pickets to protests recently the lack of progress on a contract.
"While pilots at comparable airlines have seen substantial improvements in compensation, our pilots continue to work under a seven-year old agreement that puts us well below the industry-standard," said Stuart Morrison, a Spirit captain and union officer. He said Spirit has made more than $642 million in net profits since the two sides started negotiations in 2015.
Spirit pays about $39,000 a year to starting co-pilots and up to $189,000 for an experienced captain, according to Kit Darby, an pilot compensation expert.
The $39,000 salary is about half of what large carriers such as United, American and Delta pay. And an experienced Spirit pilot would make 50% more at a large carrier.
The company says it can't afford what the pilots want.
Spirit estimates the union's most recent demand would raise its labor costs by $1.9 billion over the course of five years. The company says its offer would increase pilot pay by 30% immediately, but it would increase costs by only $440 million over the same five years.
And the company says it can only afford that 30% wage offer if it gets changes in work rules to use pilots more efficiently.
"We expect the pilots to get a substantial increase and we expect to get an improvement in work rules that are necessary and are typical across the industry," said CEO Robert Fornaro when speaking to investors in February. The airline did not respond to a request for comment on negotiations.
Spirit has been growing fast. Its revenue was up 8% last year, while the number of passengers was up 20%. But profits were down about 17%.
To sustain that growth, it needs to keep hiring pilots -- it added 430 in the last two years, an increase of more 40%. So there is an incentive for the airline to reach a deal with pilots that makes the union, and new hires, happy.
Story and video: http://money.cnn.com
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Atlanta
Swink Aircraft Services LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N35JG
Aircraft force landed in a field.
Date: 09-MAY-17
Time: 18:37:00Z
Regis#: N35JG
Aircraft Make: BEECH
Aircraft Model: BE35
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: ATHENS
State: GEORGIA
An engine failure reportedly forced a single-engine four-seat airplane to make an emergency landing in the field across from UGA’s Livestock Instructional Arena off South Milledge Avenue on Tuesday afternoon.
No injuries were reported after the 1963 Beechcraft Bonanza, with pilot Bobby Swink of Bishop and a friend, Mark Sulimirski, made the emergency landing at around 3 p.m. Tuesday.
“God is good,” Swink said at the scene. “Nobody was hurt and the airplane is OK.”
Swink, a veteran pilot with more than 50 years of experience, was ascending after taking off from the nearby Athens-Ben Epps Airport when his engine lost power.
The 70-year-old pilot glided for more than a minute before touching down in the field at the end of South Milledge Avenue near Whitehall Road.
The airplane will remain in the field for the time being, until representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration have a chance to survey the scene. A meeting with the FAA at the landing site is expected Wednesday morning, according to Swink.
University of Georgia police were on the scene in the aftermath of the emergency landing. One lane of South Milledge Avenue was partially blocked as emergency personnel responded to the scene.
Original article can be found here: http://onlineathens.com
A week after Israel's Independence Day flyover, during which two Samson planes had come into close contact—the army decided to send the two captains to the slammer; the rest of the ten crew members were grounded.
The two pilots who flew the heavy transport planes were sent to several days of incarceration, while the rest of the ten crew members in the building were grounded for various periods.
After the incident, it was decided to ground the transport aircraft for one day, as part of the investigation, during which it became apparent that the pilots did not observe the rules of caution and keep a minimum of distance from each other, as is customary in such non-operational flights, in a way that would endanger their safety and lead to a more serious injury, and possibly even a crash.
Despite the IAF investigation, they still don't know where the dangerous contact occurred.
Videos posted online of amateur photographers revealed that the two planes were indeed very close to each other over Tel Aviv, but the investigation revealed that only after landing at Nevatim base in the south, the ground crews noticed the suspicious scuff marks on the end of the wings, which indicated contact between the two planes.
The IDF Spokesperson's Office said in response, "Last week, the Independence Day flyover investigation ended. Following the investigation, immediate steps were taken regarding the flight procedures in the building. The aircraft crews were grounded for various times. The pilots of the planes were also sentenced to prison. The Air Force views such incidents seriously and investigates them in depth to prevent their recurrence."
Read more here: http://www.ynetnews.com
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Dallas
http://registry.faa.gov/N925AN
American Airlines, flight AAL2549, Boeing 737
Aircraft executed a rapid descent due to loss of pressurization. Sixteen (16) persons on board sustained unknown injuries. Landed without incident. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (KDFW), Texas
Date: 08-MAY-17
Time: 12:04:00Z
Regis#: AAL2549
Aircraft Make: BOEING
Aircraft Model: B737
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: UNKNOWN
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: NONE
Activity: COMMERCIAL
Flight Phase: EMERGENCY DESCENT (EMG)
Operation: 121
Aircraft Operator: AMERICAN AIRLINES
Flight Number: AAL2549
City: LOCKESBURG
State: ARKANSAS
The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Little Rock, Arkansas
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/N171BW
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board
Location: Beech Grove, AR
Accident Number: CEN17LA177
Date & Time: 05/08/2017, 1130 CDT
Registration: N171BW
Aircraft: GRUMMAN G-164C
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Miscellaneous/other
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 137: Agricultural
On May 8, 2017, about 1130 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164C airplane, was destroyed by ground fire after it veered off a private airstrip during takeoff near Beech Grove, Arkansas. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was owned by HDS, Inc., and operated by the pilot under the provisions of the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of flight, which was not on a flight plan. The airplane was departing the private airstrip for a local flight when the accident occurred.
The pilot reported that while on takeoff roll about halfway down the runway, the right main tire "went flat and possibly blew." The airplane suddenly veered right, and it went off the side of the runway. It hit a field ditch, bounced, turned sideways, and slid to a stop. The pilot saw fuel running out of the engine compartment and it caught fire. The pilot exited the airplane without injury. The airplane continued to burn, and the engine compartment, cockpit, fuselage, empennage, and left wing were largely consumed by fire.
The photographs taken of the wreckage at the accident site revealed that the airplane, including the main landing gear wheels, brakes, and tires, were largely consumed by fire. The wheels, brakes, and tires were not tested due to fire damage.
At 1000, the surface weather observation at the Walnut Ridge Regional Airport (ARG) located 10 miles east of the accident site was: wind 220° at 6 knots; 10 miles visibility; sky clear; temperature 24° C; dew point 14° C; altimeter 30.10 inches of mercury.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Commercial
Age: 51, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Single
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 01/19/2017
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 3668 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1258 hours (Total, this make and model), 3560 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 85 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 85 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 4 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Manufacturer: GRUMMAN
Registration: N171BW
Model/Series: G-164C
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2009
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Restricted
Serial Number: 21C
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats:
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 02/20/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 8505 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Turbo Prop
Airframe Total Time: 7192 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Honeywell
ELT: Not installed
Engine Model/Series: TPE-10-511M
Registered Owner: HDS INC
Rated Power: 665 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Agricultural Aircraft (137)
Operator Does Business As: Kinco Ag
Operator Designator Code:
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: ARG
Observation Time: 1000 CDT
Distance from Accident Site: 10 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 90°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 24°C / 14°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 6 knots, 220°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 30.1 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Precipitation
Departure Point: Beech Grove, AR
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Beech Grove, AR
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1130 CDT
Type of Airspace:
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 36.084167, -90.748056
NTSB Identification: CEN17LA177
14 CFR Part 137: Agricultural
Accident occurred Monday, May 08, 2017 in Beech Grove, AR
Aircraft: GRUMMAN G-164C, registration: N171BW
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On May 8, 2017, about 0945 central daylight time, a Gruman G-164C airplane, was destroyed by ground fire after it veered off a private airstrip during takeoff near Beech Grove, Arkansas. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was owned by HDS, Inc., and operated by the pilot under the provisions of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of flight, which was not on a flight plan. The airplane was departing the private airstrip on a local flight.
The pilot reported that while on takeoff roll about halfway down the runway, the right main tire "went flat and possibly blew." The airplane suddenly veered right and it went off the side of the runway. It hit a field ditch, bounced, turned sideways, and slid to a stop. The pilot saw fuel running out of the engine compartment and it caught fire. The pilot exited the airplane without injury. The airplane continued to burn and the engine compartment, cockpit, fuselage, empennage, and left wing were largely consumed by fire.
At 0935, the surface weather observation at the Walnut Ridge Regional Airport (ARG) located 10 miles east of the accident site was: wind 220 degrees at 6 knots; 10 miles visibility; sky clear; temperature 22 degrees C; dew point 13 degrees C; altimeter 30.10 inches of mercury.
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando
Badawi Aviation LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N6002L
Aircraft on taxi, struck a taxiway light.
Date: 08-MAY-17
Time: 14:30:00Z
Regis#: N6002L
Aircraft Make: BEECH
Aircraft Model: BE76
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: INSTRUCTION
Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)
City: ORLANDO
State: FLORIDA
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Grand Rapids
47 Yankee LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N125MS
Aircraft, floatplane, landed on the water and flipped over.
Date: 08-MAY-17
Time: 13:34:00Z
Regis#: N125MS
Aircraft Make: AVIAT
Aircraft Model: A-1B
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: TRAVERSE CITY
State: MICHIGAN
LEELANAU COUNTY, Mich. (WPBN/WGTU) -- A man was rescued after a plane crash in Cedar Lake.
It happened just after 9:30 a.m. in Cedar Lake off of Cherry Bend Road.
According to the Leelanau County Sheriff's Office, the pilot, 59-year-old Kevin Malone, made an uncontrolled landing causing the water plane to overturn.
Malone said he thinks the crash may have had something to do with the plane's wheels.
"The wheels were down when we landed," Malone said. "We'll have to figure out why that happened later. When that happens in a sea plane, it goes end over end and it winds up upside down."
We are told there was only one person in the plane. Malone was rescued and able to walk away from the scene.
Before emergency crews arrived, Father Christopher Jarvis and his dad paddled out in a rowboat to get Malone safely to shore. They found him on top of the floating plane.
"You know it's kind of like Divine Providence because to be honest with you, I was going to be heading downstate today and I shouldn't even have been here," said Father Jarvis. "We started to talk for a little while and it delayed us enough time but Providence of God that that happened and we were still here."
A witness at the scene says he has seen the plane land in Cedar Lake several times before. The witness says he saw the plane coming in pretty quick.
Crews did get the plane out of the lake Monday afternoon around the two, with the help of a dive team from the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office and Team Elmer's.
Team Elmer's brought a crane in to hoist the airplane out of the water and onto the ground.
The Federal Aviation Administration will be investigating to determine an exact cause of the crash.
Story and video: http://upnorthlive.com
TRAVERSE CITY — A failed water landing triggered an early morning rescue on Cedar Lake.
Leelanau County Sheriff Michael Borkovich said a man flipped his floatplane after attempting a morning water landing on Cedar Lake on Monday at about 9:30 a.m. The man — who was rescued by a local pastor and his father — was “very cold” but likely will walk away from the failed landing without injury, he added.
Noel Flohe, who lives on Cherry Bend Road along the shores of the lake, said he noticed an airplane heading toward the water and pulled over at the public boat launch to watch the landing. The plane was tipped vertically by the time he arrived.
“I thought, that’s the (plane) that usually comes down on Cedar Lake,” Flohe said. “As I turned to get on Cherry Bend Road, he was coming down pretty steep. … When I got around the corner, he was already in the water with his pontoons up on its nose. I hit 911 because I know that water is cold.”
Monday’s temperature was 45 degrees; Borkovich said Cedar Lake's water temperature was about 52 degrees and noted the frigid temperatures could quickly cause some potential health issues. But “divine providence” might have prevented the situation was growing worse.
The Rev. Christopher Jarvis, associate pastor at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, and his father, Donald Jarvis, were visiting with family when the plane came down. The two launched a 14-foot rowboat and a kayak to retrieve the stranded pilot after he climbed aboard his overturned plane.
The duo gave credit to God for the timing. They were previously scheduled to travel downstate but a prolonged conversation delayed their departure. Donald Jarvis said the man looked cold and wet — but otherwise safe — sitting atop his plane with a life preserver before they rowed out.
The pilot recovered in the back of an ambulance as the plane was retrieved from the water. The Jarvis’ — who later came to check on the pilot — said he looked a lot better than when they found him. Borkovich said the man is expected to make a full recovery.
Authorities at the Leelanau County Sheriff’s Department were assisted by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Elmwood Township Fire and Rescue. And this wasn’t Donald Jarvis’ first time helping out in a dicey situation.
Christopher Jarvis said his dad went out to help after a boat overturned on the lake about a decade ago.
“He’s making a habit out of it,” Christopher Jarvis said.
Original article can be found here: http://www.record-eagle.com
David Pace
