Saturday, May 20, 2017

Maule M-7-235C Orion, registered to and operated by the private pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight, N126MC: Accident occurred May 20, 2017 in Colton, St. Lawrence County, New York

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

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Albany, New York

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/N126MC


Location: Colton, NY
Accident Number: ERA17LA188
Date & Time: 05/20/2017, 1615 EDT
Registration: N126MC
Aircraft: MAULE M7
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Fuel starvation
Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On May 20, 2017, at 1615 eastern daylight time, N126MC, an amphibious Maule M-7-235C airplane, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a field after a total loss of engine power near Colton, New York. The private pilot and the commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the private pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that originated from Tupper Lake, New York, about 1530, and was destined for Potsdam Municipal Airport (PTD), Potsdam, New York.

The private pilot, who had recently purchased the airplane from the commercial pilot, stated that he was at the controls and the airplane was in a right bank at an altitude of 2,500 ft mean sea level (msl), when the engine "coughed and quit." The commercial pilot, who was seated in the right seat and had more experience flying the airplane, advanced the throttle and turned on the boost pump, while the private pilot leveled the airplane and looked for a place to land. The commercial pilot told the private pilot to switch the fuel selector from the right main tank to both tanks. The private pilot stated they were unable to re-start the engine and the commercial pilot, who took control of the airplane, made a gear-up, forced landing to a field, resulting in substantial damage to both floats, the wing struts, both wings, the fuselage, and the firewall.

The commercial pilot said there was about 5-7 gallons of fuel in the right main tank when they entered a 30° bank turn to the right. When they were about 6-7 seconds into the turn, the engine sputtered, lost full power, and they were unable to re-start the engine. Initially, he thought the private pilot may have inadvertently placed the fuel selector valve to the "off" position, which inhibited them from re-starting the engine. However, postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel selector valve was in the "both" position.

According to the manufacturer, if a pilot makes an uncoordinated turn, it is possible to unport fuel away from the lines that carry fuel to the engine. The chances of this occurring would increase with less fuel in the tank. The commercial pilot said that this had happened to him before when first he owned the airplane, but he was able to re-start the engine. He said the engine "definitely died due to fuel starvation" from fuel unporting in the wing during the turn.

A postaccident examination revealed the fuel selector moved freely to each detent. The fuel line at the outlet of the engine driven fuel pump was removed and no fuel was found in the line. The fuel lines were also removed at the throttle body and the flow divider and no fuel was observed. The electric fuel boost pump was turned on and it was observed trying to pump the small amount of fuel left in the outlet line going to the engine driven fuel pump. No mechanical deficiencies were noted with the fuel system that would have precluded normal operation at the time of the power loss.

The aircraft was equipped with a JPI 700 engine analyzer, which recorded exhaust gas temperature (EGT), cylinder head temperature (CHT), and battery voltage. The unit recorded data at an interval of once every 6 seconds. A review of the taxi and takeoff portion of the flight, before the engine lost all power, did not indicate any anomalies with the engine or electrical system.

The private pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, single-engine sea, and instrument airplane. His last third-class Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical was issued on February 16, 2016. The private pilot reported 1,000 total flight hours, of which, 51 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane.

The commercial pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, single-engine sea, multiengine airplane with an instrument airplane. He was also a certified flight instructor for single and multiengine airplane. The commercial pilot's last FAA third-class medical was issued on June 4, 2015. He reported 3,375 total flight hours, of which, 1,785 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane.

The private pilot reported the weather as clear skies with light and variable wind. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 59, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Left
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: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 02/16/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 07/12/2015
Flight Time:  1000 hours (Total, all aircraft), 51 hours (Total, this make and model), 900 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 18 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 18 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Pilot-Rated Passenger Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Private
Age: 60, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Right
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
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 06/04/2015
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  3375 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1785 hours (Total, this make and model), 45 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 16 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 6 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: MAULE
Registration: N126MC
Model/Series: M7 235C
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1999
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 25027C
Landing Gear Type: Amphibian; Tailwheel
Seats: 5
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 04/09/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2750 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 1501.8 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-540 SER
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 235 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation:
Distance from Accident Site:
Observation Time:
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: Light and Variable /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: Variable
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting:
Temperature/Dew Point:
Precipitation and Obscuration:
Departure Point: Tupper Lake, NY (None)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Potsdam, NY (PTD)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1530 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class E

Wreckage and Impact Information

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

Latitude, Longitude: 44.540833, -74.925000 (est)

NTSB Identification: ERA17LA188
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, May 20, 2017 in Colton, NY
Aircraft: MAULE M7, registration: N126MC
Injuries: 2 Minor.

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 20, 2017, at 1615 eastern daylight time, N126MC, an amphibious Maule M-7-235C airplane, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a field after a total loss of engine power near Colton, New York. The private pilot and the commercial pilot sustained minor injuries . The airplane was registered to and operated by the private pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that originated from Tupper Lake, Tupper Lake, New York, about 1530, and was destined for Potsdam Municipal Airport (PTD), Potsdam, New York.

The private pilot stated that he was at the controls and the airplane was in a right bank at an altitude of 2,500 ft mean sea level (msl), when the engine "coughed and quit." The commercial pilot, who was seated in the right seat and had more experience flying the airplane, advanced the throttle and turned on the boost pump, while the private pilot leveled the airplane and looked for a place to land. The commercial pilot told the private pilot to switch the fuel selector to both tanks. The private pilot stated they were unable to re-start the engine and the commercial pilot, who took control of the airplane, made a gear-up, forced landing to a field. The landing resulted in substantial damage to both floats, the wing struts, both wings, the fuselage and the firewall. The airplane wreckage was retained for further examination.

The private pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, single-engine sea, and instrument airplane. His last third-class Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical was issued on February 16, 2016. The private pilot reported a 1,000 total flight hours, of which, 51 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane.

The commercial pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, single-engine sea, multiengine airplane with an instrument airplane. He was also a certified flight instructor for single and multiengine airplane. The commercial pilot's last FAA third-class medical was issued on June 4, 2015. He reported 3,375 total flight hours, of which, 1,785 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane.

The private pilot reported the weather as clear skies with light and variable wind.




COLTON — St. Lawrence County Sheriffs have identified Daniel Palmateer, 59, of Tupper Lake, and Matthew Clemente, 60, of Troy, as the two co-pilots in the plane crash Saturday afternoon.

Police, fire and rescue squads responded to reports of a plane crash near 4604 Route 56 shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday.

Sheriffs said the two co-pilots in the aircraft, which was described as a small fixed-wing plane with a propeller, escaped the plane crash without injuries except for “some bumps and bruises.”

According to police, the plane was flying from Tupper Lake to Potsdam Municipal Airport when it lost engine power. The two pilots were unable to restart the engine and had to make an emergency landing.

The plane will be dismantled and transported to the Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards District Office in Albany for further investigation.

This is the second plane crash in the Colton area this month.

On the night of May 3, Eric Carrier, 35, of St.-Gedeon-de-Beauce, Quebec, was the sole victim of a plane crash in the vicinity of 327 Windmill Road in South Colton.

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




A second airplane in less than a month crashed in Colton on Saturday.

St. Lawrence County sheriff deputies say central dispatch received a 911 call around 4:16 p.m. that the aircraft was down about a half mile from the Colton hamlet.

The Maule M-7-235C Orion left Tupper Lake around 3:30 p.m. and the engine failed about a half hour later.

The pilot, Daniel Palmateer, and co-pilot, Matthew Clemente, made an emergency landing in a meadow. Neither were injured, deputies said.

State troopers and first responders from Colton, South Colton and Pierrepont were also on scene.

There is an ongoing investigation into the incident, deputies said.

This is the second plane crash in Colton in a month. A May 3 crash in the same area claimed the life of a pilot.

Original article can be found here:   http://northcountrynow.com

 


Two people walked away from a plane accident Saturday in town of Colton injury free, according to a release from the St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Office.

The release says a plane traveling from Tupper Lake had to make an emergency landing around 4:00pm after the plane experienced engine failure. 

The two people in the plane found a spot near State Highway 56 in a small meadow, south of the hamlet.

The plane had left Tupper Lake around 3:30pm.

The pilot Daniel Palmateer and co-pilot Matthew Clemente were the only two in the plane. Neither reported any injuries.

Sheriff's deputies said they received the 911 call at 4:16pm.

The office was assisted by New York State Police, Colton and South Colton Fire and Rescue and Pierrepont First Responders.

The sheriff's office is continuing its investigation.

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

Qantas, Airbus A380-842, VH OQG: Incident occurred May 20, 2017 at Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX), California

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) – A Qantas Airways flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne was forced to turn around and return to Los Angeles International Airport for an emergency landing early Saturday morning following an engine mishap, according to a report.

Qantas Flight 94 departed LAX at 10:21 p.m. Friday and returned to Los Angeles at 2:56 a.m. Saturday, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.

Qantas spokesman Thomas Woodward told CBS2 in a statement Saturday that the Airbus A380 experienced a loss in power in one of its four engines and turned around.

“Friday night’s QF94 A380 service from Los Angeles to Melbourne turned back to LA because of an issue with one of the aircraft’s four engines,” Woodward wrote. “The pilots followed standard procedure, shut down the engine, and the flight landed normally in LA at around 3am local time on Saturday. Engineers are inspecting the aircraft.”

The replacement flight was scheduled to leave Los Angeles at 1:45 p.m. Saturday, Woodward said.

Woodward told CBS2 that unconfirmed reports that the engine had caught fire were “not correct.” He said the cause of the issue is still under investigation.

Original article can be found here: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com

Aeromexico, Boeing 737-852, XA-AML: Incident occurred May 20, 2017 at Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX), California

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Los Angeles, California

XAAML Aeromexico, flight AMX642, Boeing 737. Aircraft on taxi to gate. Struck a box truck flipping it over. Injuries unknown to the truck occupants. No injuries to aircraft passengers. Damage to aircraft unknown.

Date: 20-MAY-17
Time: 21:27:00Z
Regis#: XAAML
Aircraft Make: BOEING
Aircraft Model: B737
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: UNKNOWN
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: COMMERCIAL
Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)
Aircraft Operator: AEROMEXICO
Flight Number: AMX642
City: LOS ANGELES
State: CALIFORNIA




LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A Boeing 737 Aeromexico jet collided with a supply truck that overturned Saturday afternoon on a service road at Los Angeles Airport, authorities said.

Eight people were onboard the utility truck when it was hit shortly before 2:30 p.m. on the taxiway. The right wing of the aircraft was damaged in the crash, but none of the 149 passengers and crew on board were hurt, LAX police said.

Eight people, six men and two women, suffered non-life threatening injuries, although authorities previously said one person was critically injured.

One of the employees was trapped inside and firefighters had to pull them out. The two women had more serious injuries, but none were critical.

According to a flight radar, the plane arrived at LAX from Mexico City.

Passenger Kole Chadwick said he was able to see what was going on outside his window after the collision.

"We just came to an abrupt stop and there was a really loud thud. We were actually seated right next to the emergency exit and we had a pretty good view of it and there was a truck tipped over on its side," he said.

Other passengers said the airline did not say what happened for at least 45 minutes.

"It wasn't a major hit to the extent of being uncomfortable. But we were all wondering, what did we hit?" Carlos Correal said.

An airport officer said it is a highly unusual incident and the airport is still trying to figure out the cause of the crash.

Story and video:  http://abc7.com



LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) – A commercial passenger jet and a utility truck collided on a taxiway at Los Angeles International Airport Saturday afternoon, leaving eight people hurt.

The Los Angeles Fire Department reports that the collision between the single-aisle Aeromexico jet and airport supply truck occurred before 2:30 p.m. on a taxiway shortly after the plane had landed. The crash caused the truck to overturn.

Eight people —  six men and two women — were hurt, All were on the truck. One of the patients was in critical condition. As of late Saturday, officials said all the patients were transported to hospitals and all were in stable condition.

There was no report of any injuries to passengers or crew aboard the plane. While deplaning, officials said one passenger complained about pain.

On Saturday evening, LAX made the following statement:

“At 2:27 p.m., Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Operations received notification of a collision between Aeromexico Flight 642 and a provisioning truck carrying 8 passengers as the aircraft taxied to its gate. LAX Airport Operations, LAX Airport Police (APD), and Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) officials immediately responded to the collision and rendered aid.”

The Aeromexico plane — with 149 passengers — sustained some minor damage.

Ray Klosterman spoke to CBS 2/KCAL 9 over video chat while he waited to get off the plane.

“It was an abrupt stop, very abrupt, it was a big thump and then about two or three seconds later the plane just came to a stop,” Klosterman said.

Story and video:  http://losangeles.cbslocal.com







Eight people suffered non-life-threatening injuries Saturday when a Boeing 737 passenger jet collided with an airport utility truck on a taxiway at Los Angeles International Airport, authorities said.

The collision happened just before 2:30 p.m. on the taxiway near Runway 25 Right shortly after Aeromexico Flight 642 from Mexico City landed, according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The collision caused the utility/supply truck to overturn and all eight people on the truck, six men and two women, were injured, Humphrey said.  "The two females are more seriously injured while the males have lesser injuries,'' he said.

The nature of the injuries was not specified.

There were no injuries on the Aeromexico jetliner that had approximately 146 passengers and crew on board, Humphrey said. 

There was damage to the right wing of the aircraft but there was no fuel spill or fire.

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

Cape Girardeau Regional Airport (KCGI), Missouri




A fire in the control tower Saturday afternoon caused a brief evacuation the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport.

Two airport employees were in the tower when a fire started in a panel box on the tower's third floor, said Mark Starnes, battalion chief with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department.

Starnes said after containing the fire with a dry chemical extinguisher, the two employees in the tower evacuated.

No one was injured.

Because of a lighting strike the night before, the airport was running on backup power from generators at the time of the fire, Starnes said.

Starnes said the fire was mostly extinguished when firefighters arrived. 

After containing the fire, the tower's electricity was temporarily shut off for inspections.

The control tower was reopened later that day.

Calls to the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport on Saturday afternoon for comment went unanswered.

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




CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) -  After lightning struck at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport last night, workers say a tower was operating on about third of the power needed.

According to Battalion Chief Mark Starnes, as of 4 p.m. the tower was running on generator power.

When the tower opened up this morning on Saturday, May 20 it overheated an electrical boxes causing a small fire on the fourth floor.

Employees attempted to put fire out using a fire extinguisher and called the local fire department.

The fire was already out when crews arrived but firefighters helped with ventilation to get smoke out of tower and searched to make sure the area was cleared of flames.

They shut down the power to the tower and the terminal running on generator power.

Ameren is in route to check the area.

Air traffic is safe to land at the airport but a center in Memphis is handling air traffic for the time being.

Original article can be found here: http://www.kfvs12.com

North American AT-6D, N150U, Ozark Management Inc: Accident occurred June 19, 2016 in Henley, Cole County, Missouri

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

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Kansas City, Missouri

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

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


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

Ozark Management Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N150U

NTSB Identification: CEN16LA222
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, June 19, 2016 in Henley, MO
Aircraft: NORTH AMERICAN AT-6D, registration: N150U
Injuries: 2 Serious.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The airline transport pilot reported that, about 30 minutes into the local flight, the engine experienced a total loss of power, and he conducted a forced landing to a powerline cut. He stated that the airplane was at low altitude at the time of the loss of engine power because he had been taking photos of a friend’s farm.

Two witnesses observed the airplane conducting aerobatic maneuvers during the flight. One of the witnesses stated that the airplane was flying so low that it startled her horses as it passed overhead. She then observed the airplane roll inverted; shortly thereafter, the engine became silent. The airplane lost altitude while still inverted and impacted trees. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane’s operating instructions stated that, “Inverted flying must be limited to 10 seconds because of engine difficulties resulting from prolonged inverted flight.” 

Because no anomalies were found during the examination, it is likely that the loss of engine power was a result of fuel disruption to the engine during the extended inverted flight. 

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The pilot’s decision to conduct extended inverted flight, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel flow disruption. Contributing to the accident was his decision to conduct aerobatic maneuvers at low altitude, which precluded him from selecting a suitable landing site following the total loss of engine power. 

On June 19, 2016, about 1440 central daylight time, a North American AT-6D, N150U, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees while maneuvering at a low altitude near Henley, Missouri. The pilot and passenger received serious injuries. The airplane was registered to Ozark Management Inc. and operated by the pilot under the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed from the Jefferson City Memorial Airport (JEF), Jefferson City, Missouri, at an unknown time on a local flight.

A deputy of the Cole County Sheriff's Department reported that about 1410 he observed an aircraft flying about 1,500 ft above ground level (agl). He stated that he observed the airplane perform an aerobatic maneuver – a loop. The airplane then departed from his view to the north behind his car. He rolled down his car window and said that the engine sounded like an "old P-51 Mustang."

The deputy was later notified by dispatch about 1445 that an airplane accident had occurred. He arrived at the scene about 1453. He noted that the accident aircraft was same type of WWII airplane and had the same markings as the one he had observed at 1410. 

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector interviewed a witness who observed the airplane before it crashed. The witness stated that she observed the airplane flying at a low level over the farm fields near her property. She stated that the airplane was so low that it startled her horses as it flew overhead. She stated that the engine was operating as it flew overhead. Then she observed the airplane fly inverted, but she was not sure how long it was inverted. The airplane's engine became silent shortly after it went inverted. The airplane lost altitude while still inverted and she heard a crashing sound as it impacted the trees. 



FAA inspectors examined the airplane wreckage at the accident site. The inspectors reported that the airplane crashed into a wooded area. The initial point of impact was a tree about 325 ft south of the main wreckage. The debris field extended about 300 feet south of the aircraft's final resting place. There was a strong odor of fuel and oil in the immediate area of the aircraft fuselage which was found inverted in a clearing. The left wing was separated from the fuselage and was lying adjacent to the fuselage. The right wing had separated from the fuselage and was lying approximately 50 feet south of the aircraft. The main landing gear were still mounted to the underwing structures and were in the retracted position. The forward cockpit had sustained significant impact damage. The pilot seat was intact, but broken from its mount with the seatbelts intact. The instrument panel was broken and most the instrument gauge glass was broken; the switches were crushed; and all the circuit breakers were pushed in (not popped). The fuel selector was set to the 20-gallon reserve setting. The flap handle was found in the up position; the throttle was full open; the mixture was full rich; and the RPM setting was in the mid position between increase and decrease. The rear cockpit had minor damage to the structure surrounding the occupant. The seat was intact on its mount and the seatbelts were also intact. The cockpit glass on the entire cockpit was broken. The aircraft engine cowling was severely damaged. The propeller blades were bent aft and had minimal chordwise scratching or leading edge nicks or gouges. The engine fuel filter assembly was examined. The filter had minor debris present. The electric fuel pump was examined and the shaft was manually rotated. The fuel pump operated properly and moved the residual fuel it contained from one side of the pump to the other.

The North American AT-6D Flight Operating Instructions listed prohibited maneuvers. The prohibited maneuvers included: 1) outside loops, 2) inverted flight in excess of 10 seconds, 3) snap rolls in excess of 130 mph, 4) slow rolls in excess of 190 mph are prohibited, and 5) spins and stalls when normal gross weight is exceeded. The operating instructions also included this statement: "Inverted flying must be limited to 10 seconds because of engine difficulties resulting from prolonged inverted flight."

FAA inspectors interviewed the pilot and passenger. Neither remembered what occurred during the accident, but they stated that no aerobatic maneuvers were flown during the accident flight. 

In a written statement, the pilot made the following statement, "Sightseeing trip, about 30 minutes into the flight the engine made a pop and the prop stopped. I was low from taking pictures of a friend's farm. We forced landed into a powerline cut. That's the last I remember." The pilot also stated that the cause of the engine's loss of power could be attributed to the corrosion of the supercharger bearings, which when they fail, it causes the supercharger to wobble. The supercharger then starts to contact the engine case causing fine metal filings to build in the oil which results in the engine failing from oil starvation. 

At 1353, the surface weather observation at JEF was: wind 200 degrees at 10 kts; 10 miles visibility; few clouds at 5,500 ft; scattered clouds at 7,000 ft; temperature 32 degrees C; dew point 19 degrees C; altimeter 30.17 inches of mercury.



NTSB Identification: CEN16LA222

14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, June 19, 2016 in Henley, MO
Aircraft: NORTH AMERICAN AT-6D, registration: N150U
Injuries: 2 Serious.

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


On June 19, 2016, about 1445 central daylight time, a North American AT-6D, N150U, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees while maneuvering at a low altitude near Henley, Missouri. The pilot and passenger received serious injuries. The airplane was registered to Ozark Management Inc. and operated by the pilot under the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed from the Jefferson City Memorial Airport (JEF), Jefferson City, Missouri, at an unknown time on a local flight. 


At 1353, the surface weather observation at JEF was: wind 200 degrees at 10 kts; 10 miles visibility; few clouds at 5,500 ft; scattered clouds at 7,000 ft; temperature 32 degrees C; dew point 19 degrees C; altimeter 30.17 inches of mercury. 


A single-engine airplane crashed onto a farm in southern Cole County Sunday afternoon, and the two passengers were flown by helicopter to University Hospital with potential life-threatening injuries.

Aventura amphibian: Incident occurred May 20, 2017 in Lake Thomas, Land O' Lakes, Pasco County, Florida





LAND O'LAKES — No one was injured after an ultralight aircraft crashed into a lake on Saturday afternoon, Pasco County Fire Rescue said.

The plane was almost fully submerged in Lake Thomas, just west of U.S. 41, when firefighters arrived around 2:30 p.m. Private boaters rescued the pilot, who was not identified, from the plane's wreckage.

The pilot told Pasco County sheriff's deputies he was testing the engine with the aircraft floating on the water, said sheriff's office spokeswoman Amy Marinec. A gust of wind took the plane airborne before it took a nosedive back into the water.

Neither the Federal Aviation Administration nor the National Transportation Safety Board elected to investigate the incident, Marinec said.

"They said it's very common with these ultralight crafts where the pilot is testing the engine," she said.

There is no criminal investigation into the incident. Because the plane is not evidence, removing the plane from the lake will be the pilot's responsibility, Marinec said.

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




PASCO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – Rescue officials are on the scene of a plane crash in Land O’ Lakes.

Pasco Fire Rescue units responded to reports of a downed plane on Lake Thomas on Saturday afternoon and found an ultra light aircraft almost fully submerged in the middle of the water.

Witnesses on private boats were able to rescue the pilot from the wreckage, according to fire rescue officials.

No injuries were reported. There is no hazard contamination at the scene.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office was investigating the incident. No further details have been released.



A pilot is okay after crashing his aircraft into the middle of a lake, Pasco County Fire Rescue officials say.

Crews were sent to Lake Thomas in Land O' Lakes on Saturday afternoon after a call about an ultralight aircraft that had crashed. 

Bystanders used boats to rescue the pilot from the plane, which was almost submerged by the time rescue crews had arrived. 

The pilot was not injured.

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

Cessna U206F Stationair, N50159, Sunrise Aviation: Fatal accident occurred April 08, 2016 in Angoon, Alaska

Pilot David Robert Galla
~
Gregory Gene Scheff

Thomas Siekawitch



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

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office;  Juneau, Alaska
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama 
Hartzell Propellers; Piqua, Ohio

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

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

Sunrise Aviation Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N50159 



NTSB Identification: ANC16FA017
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Friday, April 08, 2016 in Angoon, AK
Aircraft: CESSNA 206, registration: N50159
Injuries: 3 Fatal, 1 Serious.

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.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On April 8, 2016, about 0914 Alaska daylight time, an amphibious float-equipped Cessna 206 airplane, N50159, sustained substantial damage after impacting snow-covered, rising terrain about 17 miles southeast of Angoon Airport, Angoon, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Sunrise Aviation, Inc., Wrangell, Alaska, as a visual flight rules 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 commercial on-demand flight. The commercial pilot and two passengers sustained fatal injuries, and one passenger sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the airport at the time of departure, and company flight-following procedures were in effect. The flight departed from Wrangell Airport, Wrangell, Alaska, about 0810, destined for Angoon. The area between Wrangell and Angoon consists of remote inland fjords, coastal waterways, and steep mountainous terrain. 

During an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) 4 days after the accident, Sunrise Aviation's Director of Operations stated that, while flying another company airplane, he spoke with the accident pilot over the company radio frequency. The accident pilot commented to the director of operations that, while en route to Angoon, he was unable to make it through Pybus Bay due to low clouds and reduced visibility and that he was going to try an alternate route over lower terrain. The director of operations added that, about 15 to 20 minutes after speaking with the accident pilot, he landed in Wrangell and noticed that the Spidertracks signal for the accident airplane was stationary in an area of mountainous terrain. (As part of their company flight-following procedures, Sunrise Aviation incorporated Spidertracks, which provided company management personnel with a real-time, moving map display of an airplane's progress.) He then called personnel at the Angoon Airport and was told that the flight had not arrived. Shortly after attempting to reach the pilot on his cell phone and over the company radio frequency, he received a phone call from the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center notifying him that the 406-Mhz emergency locator transmitter (ELT) assigned to the accident airplane was transmitting a signal.

The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center notified the US Coast Guard (USCG) Air Station Sitka about the overdue airplane and the ELT signal transmitting along the accident pilot's anticipated flight route. About 1025, the USCG launched an MH-60 helicopter to search for the airplane. About 1054, the airplane's wreckage was located by a helicopter operated by Temsco Helicopters who then relayed the location to the USCG.

About 1117, the USCG crew located the airplane's wreckage in an area of steep mountainous, snow-covered terrain. However, due to hazardous weather and terrain conditions, the helicopter crew was unable to lower a rescue swimmer to the site, and the crew returned to Sitka to pick up rescue personnel from Sitka Mountain Rescue. 

About 1355, the USCG helicopter crew returned to the accident site and landed the helicopter on an adjacent ridgeline. Members of Sitka Mountain Rescue and the USCG hiked to the accident site. Once on scene, they discovered that three of the airplane's occupants had died at the scene and that one occupant had survived the crash. The sole survivor was hoisted aboard the USCG helicopter and then transported to Juneau. 



PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 60, held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and sea and instrument ratings. His most recent second-class medical certificate was issued on October 21, 2015, and contained the limitation that he must "possess glasses for near/intermediate vision." 

No personal logbooks were located for the pilot. A review of company records revealed that the pilot had reported on his annual résumé, dated April 3, 2015, that his total flight experience was about 19,981 hours, 556 hours of which were in the previous 12 months. 

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a Cessna 206 manufactured in 1972, and it was equipped with a Continental Motors IO-550 series engine. At the time of its last annual inspection, completed on February 17, 2016, the airplane had 14,028 hours in service.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 0410, the National Weather Service Alaska Aviation Weather Unit issued an area forecast for central Southeast Alaska, including the accident site, which forecast scattered clouds at 800 ft mean sea level (msl) with a broken-to-overcast ceiling at 2,000 ft msl. Layered clouds were forecast from 2,000 ft msl through flight level 250. Occasional broken ceiling to 2,000 ft msl and light rain were forecast with isolated ceilings below 1,000 ft msl and visibility to 4 miles in light rain and mist. An AIRMET for mountain obscuration due to clouds and precipitation had also been issued and was valid at the accident site at the accident time.

The closest weather reporting facility was Angoon Airport, about 17 miles northwest of the accident site. At 0856, Angoon Airport issued a METAR that reported, in part, calm wind; sky condition, broken clouds at 500 ft, overcast at 1,800 ft; visibility 7 statute miles; temperature 45° F, dew point 45° F; and altimeter setting 29.71 inches of Mercury.

(Refer to the Meteorology Group Chairman's Factual Report in the public docket for further weather information and weather camera images).



WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The wreckage was located in an open area of snow-covered rising terrain at an elevation of about 2,240 ft msl. The impact area was sloped about 27°. The airplane impacted terrain in a near-vertical, nose down attitude and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings.

The right wing remained attached to the fuselage, and the leading edge exhibited extensive spanwise leading edge aft crushing. The right wing was displaced about 20° aft of the airplane's lateral axis.

The left wing remained attached to the fuselage at the forward attachment point and exhibited minor impact damage. The left wing was displaced about 40° forward of the airplane's lateral axis.

The horizontal stabilizer, elevators, vertical stabilizer, and rudder remained relatively free of impact damage. The elevator trim actuator was measured to be about 1.5 inches, consistent with a neutral setting.

The rudder and elevator primary flight control cables were continuous from the cockpit controls to their respective flight control surfaces. The aileron primary flight control cable continuities were confirmed from the cockpit controls to their respective flight control surfaces with cable separations at the wing root area. All cable separations exhibited signatures consistent with tensile overload and recovery cuts.

The fuselage exhibited crushing damage under the rudder pedals from the floor upward. The top of the fuselage was severed laterally the width of the cabin at the wing forward spar attachment points. The aft fuselage exhibited signatures consistent with stretching on the left side with the location corresponding to compression damage on the right side.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Alaska State Medical Examiner, Anchorage, Alaska, conducted an autopsy of the pilot. The cause of death for the pilot was attributed to "multiple blunt force injuries." 

The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory performed toxicology testing of the pilot's specimens on July 06, 2016, which was negative for ethanol, drugs, and carbon monoxide. 

TESTS AND RESEARCH

On October 18, 2016, an engine examination was performed by Continental Motors, Mobile, Alabama, under the supervision of the NTSB. Due to limited damage, an engine test run was conducted following the replacement of impact-damaged components. The engine was fitted with a test club propeller for the IO-550 series engine.

The engine started normally on the first attempt without hesitation or stumbling in the observed rpm. The engine rpm was advanced in steps for warm-up in preparation for full-power operation. The warm-up sequence was completed over 15 minutes before the engine throttle was advanced to the full-open position and then held for 5 minutes to stabilize. Throughout the test phase, the engine accelerated normally without any hesitation, stumbling, or interruption in power, and it demonstrated the ability to produce rated horsepower. During the engine test, the magnetos were checked, and a drop of 44 rpm was noted for the left magneto, and a drop of 32 rpm was noted for the right magneto.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

GPS Information

A Garmin 396 handheld GPS was found mounted on the instrument panel, and all cables were still attached. The unit was removed and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, DC, for examination. Extracted GPS data for the accident flight included, in part, time, latitude, longitude, and GPS altitude. Groundspeed and course information were derived from the extracted parameters.

The GPS data indicated that the airplane departed Wrangell Airport at 1208:33 heading toward the southeast before turning to the northwest. The airplane continued on the northwesterly heading until crossing Beacon Point on Kupreanof Island and then turning west-northwest. The airplane continued on this heading until it entered Pybus Bay at 1,861 ft msl. The airplane then made four 360° turns, exited Pybus Bay while descending, and then leveled off about 215 ft msl. After exiting Pybus Bay, the airplane flew between Grave Island and Admiralty Island at 261 ft msl before entering Little Pybus Bay on a west-northwest heading at 940 ft msl. The airplane then turned 360° and continued heading west-northwest. The last recorded GPS data plot was at 1314:05 when the airplane was at 2,405 ft msl, heading 299°, and at 74 miles per hour.

A flight track map overlay and tabular data corresponding to the accident flight are available in the public docket for this accident.



NTSB Identification: ANC16FA017 
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Friday, April 08, 2016 in Angoon, AK
Aircraft: CESSNA 206, registration: N50159
Injuries: 3 Fatal, 1 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators 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 April 8, 2016, about 0912 Alaska daylight time, an amphibious float-equipped Cessna 206 airplane, N50159, sustained substantial damage after impacting snow-covered, rising terrain about 17 miles southeast of the Angoon Airport, Angoon, Alaska. The airplane was operated by Sunrise Aviation, Inc., Wrangell, Alaska, as a visual flight rules (VFR) commercial on-demand flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135. Of the four people on board, the commercial pilot and two passengers sustained fatal injuries, and one passenger sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of departure, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight departed from the Wrangell Airport, Wrangell, about 0810, destined for Angoon. 

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), along with another NTSB aircraft accident investigator and members of Juneau Mountain Rescue, reached the accident site on the morning of April 9. The wreckage was in an open area of snow-covered rising terrain, at an elevation of about 2,240 feet mean sea level (msl). The impact area was sloped about 27 degrees. The airplane impacted the snow in a near vertical attitude and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings.

The area between Wrangell and Angoon consists of remote inland fjords, coastal waterways, and steep mountainous terrain. 

As part of their company flight following procedures, Sunrise Aviation incorporates Spidertracks, which provides company management personnel with a real-time, moving map display of the airplane's progress. In addition, the accident airplane was equipped with a digital, 406 MHz ELT that instantly transmits a distress signal to search and rescue satellites, thereby alerting rescue personnel within minutes of the location of the crash. 

During an interview with the NTSB IIC on April 12, the operator's director of operations stated that while flying another company airplane, he spoke with the accident pilot on a company radio frequency. The accident pilot commented to the director of operations that while en route to Angoon, he was unable to make it through Pybus Bay due to low clouds and reduced visibility, and that he was going to try an alternate route that had a lower terrain elevation. The director of operations added that about 15-20 minutes after speaking with the accident pilot, he landed in Wrangell and noticed the Spidertracks signal was stationary, in an area of mountainous terrain. He then called personnel at the Angoon airport and was told the flight had not arrived, and attempts to contact the accident pilot on his cell phone and aircraft radio were unsuccessful. Shortly thereafter, he received a phone call from the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center notifying him of a broadcasting 406 Mhz emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal assigned to the accident airplane.

About 1025, after being notified of an overdue airplane, and after learning about reports of an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal along the accident pilot's anticipated flight route, search and rescue personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Sitka launched an HH-60 helicopter to search for the airplane.

About 1054, the airplane's wreckage was located by a helicopter operated by Temsco Helicopters.

About 1117, the crew of a U.S. Coast Guard HH-60 helicopter located the airplane's wreckage in an area of steep mountainous, snow-covered terrain. However, due to hazardous weather and terrain conditions, the helicopter crew was unable to lower a rescue swimmer to the site, and the crew retuned to Sitka to pick up rescue personnel from Sitka Mountain Rescue. 

About 1355, the HH-60 helicopter returned to the accident site and landed on an adjacent ridgeline, and members of Sitka Mountain Rescue and the Coast Guard hiked to the accident site. Once on scene, they discovered that three of the airplane's occupants died at the scene, and one had survived the crash. The sole survivor was hoisted aboard the Coast Guard HH-60 helicopter, and then transported to Juneau. 

The airplane was equipped with a Continental Motors IO-550 series engine. A detailed examination is pending. 

The closest weather reporting facility is Angoon Airport, about 17 miles northwest of the accident site. At 0956, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) from the Angoon Airport was reporting in part: Wind calm; sky condition, few clouds at 2,300 feet, broken clouds at 4,200 feet; visibility 10 statute miles; temperature 45 degrees F, dew point 43 degrees F; altimeter, 29.75 inHg.