Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Alberni Valley Regional Airport (YPB) reopens with expanded runway: First air traffic includes Cessna four-seaters, 727 jet

A 727 jet from Tucson, Arizona kicks up vortices of dust as it lands at the Alberni Valley Regional Airport, Sunday afternoon. The jet was the third aircraft to land on the newly expanded runway and the largest of the day.


The Alberni Valley Regional Airport reopened to limited air traffic on Sunday, May 21, and already aviation traffic has picked up.

Construction to the runway is two months behind schedule after closing last July for an expansion.

The first aircraft to land on the newly expanded runway was a Cessna 172 piloted by Pat Floyd and owned by the Alberni Flying Club, which had been temporarily relocated to the Qualicum Beach Airport so club members could still use their plane. The second aircraft to land was another Cessna, this one owned by Ray Bowerman of Nanaimo.

“We had insider information” that the airport was going to open on Sunday, said Ray’s co-pilot and wife Marilyn. Their family business, Bowerman Excavating, has the contract for the runway expansion, so they knew the initial paving was completed.

The third aircraft to land, and the most exciting for the small crowd gathered at the airport, was a 727 jet coming in from Tucson, Arizona, for maintenance at the Coulson Aviation hangar.

Pilot Pat Floyd of the Alberni Flying Club lands the club’s Cessna 172 on the new end of the runway at the Alberni Valley Flying Club, Sunday, May 21. The plane is the first to land on the expanded runway since it closed last July for construction.


The expansion is not quite finished, so pilots expecting to land in Port Alberni need prior permission from airport superintendent Mark Fortune. Construction and painting of the runway markings was to continue this week, and the contractor will work around planes needing to land at the airport.

“We probably have another month and a half before we’ll have an official opening,” Fortune said. “We’ll have a soft opening with approximately 2,200 feet sometime in early June; that will allow us to have the lights finished and the painting finished.

“At the east end of the field we still have to put civil works in the ground. It’s finally dried out; that’s been the major setback. We’re almost two months behind schedule with the weather we’ve had this spring.”

Airport lighting should be completed and fully operational by mid-July, he said.




The 727 won’t be the only jet the airport will see: Coulson Aviation has purchased six 737-300s for conversion to air tankers, according to fireaviation.com.

“This aircraft will be converted to an airtanker and is why the airport expansion was so important to us,” Wayne Coulson said, adding that he expects the first B 737-300 to arrive sometime this week.

Coulson Aviation has already been converting C-130 aircraft with new tank systems. In 2016 it was announced that Coulson Aviation won a United States Air Force contract to design, manufacture, and install up to seven 3500 US Gallon Aerial Retardant Delivery Systems in C-130H model aircraft.

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

Incident occurred May 22, 2017 at Sioux Gateway Airport (KSUX), Sioux City, Iowa



Some scary moments for passengers, and crew, aboard a Sioux City-bound plane, late Monday night, at the Sioux Gateway Airport.

American Eagle flight #3322 experienced an unknown mechanical error as the plane was landing. Emergency personnel was already in action.

"The 185th Air Refueling Wing Fire department was already en route to the aircraft, fire department cleared the aircraft to proceed to the gate and got the aircraft up to the terminal and unloaded the passengers," said John Backer, Operations Manager, Sioux Gateway Airport.

Backer says the call from the pilot was necessary but also done as a precaution.  
"There is a protocol as to who is notified first based on what kind of alert it is, they follow what that protocol is as far as who is contacted and what that protocol is," said Mike Collett, Airport Manager, Sioux Gateway Airport

"The flight was en route, they called Minneapolis Center, that was the controlling agent, they called Woodbury County Emergency Dispatch, Dispatch rang out to the fire department for them to get out on the field," continued Backer.

As flight #3322 landed safely, inspections began.

"They went out to the airplane I started my sweep of the runway they landed on just to make sure there was nothing, no oil leakage, I followed protocol making sure the runway was safe for the next arrival," continued Backer.

The aircraft can hold up to 50 passengers, around 46 were on the plane at that time of the on-board emergency.

American Airlines has put the plane out of service until the mechanical issue is found and resolved. Another plane has been put into rotation so that no customers are impacted.

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

Planes, hangars damaged at Denton Enterprise Airport (KDTO), Texas




City crews and business owners at Denton Enterprise Airport are continuing to assess damage after overnight storms damaged up to 20 planes and 15 buildings. 

Storms hit the airport after 1 a.m. Tuesday, with winds reaching 75 mph, according to the National Weather Service.  No injuries were reported. 

Some planes from US Aviation Academy were twisted together, others were upside down. Hangar doors for the flight school and other businesses at the airport were crumpled or dislodged. 

Mark Taylor, co-owner and executive vice president of US Aviation said that in the grand scheme of things, the damage was not that bad. The company's maintenance crews are working on the flight school's building that had missing ceiling tiles with exposed insulation. Also, insurance adjusters were on site to try to appraise the damages, he said. 





"This airport is a great community and everyone was pulling together from all sides of the airport to help people clean up debris and do damage control," Taylor said. 

While some of the most tangled planes have been cleared off, several flipped planes were still on tarmacs across the airport during the day Tuesday. Some trash and debris remained in parking lots. 

Similar debris was removed from the runway before 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, said Mark Nelson, the city's transportation director. Even with damage and cleanup, no planes had to be diverted, he said.

Taylor said that when he got to the airport at about 5 a.m., he worked with other pilots and business owners at the airport to get things looking normal. 

"It was inspiring to see how everyone was working to get everyone back on track," he said. 

Outside of the airport, which is located west of Interstate 35 and south of U.S. Highway 380, there were no other major reports of damage in Denton County, Jody Gonzalez, Denton County's emergency manager, said. 

Pea- to penny-size hail was reported in South Denton, Highland Village and Lewisville, but there were no reports of major damage, he said, adding there were reports of some downed tree limbs.

"It was surprising," Gonzalez said. "We just didn't get a lot of calls for service in the county related to the weather."

After the storm passed through Denton, it seemed to slow down and weaken as it moved through the Dallas area, said Matt Bishop, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. 

"It was the real strong thunderstorm wind," Bishop said. "Unfortunately, it just happened at a place that caused a lot of damage." 

As for the rest of the week, temperatures will begin to rise into the weekend. Wednesday's high will be in the upper 70s and hit the 90s by Friday, said Bishop, who added that the next chance for rain is Sunday. 

Story and photo gallery:  http://www.dentonrc.com

Elko County, Nevada: Medical transport services explained



At a recent meeting of the Medicare in Elko Workgroup, a discussion was held concerning the three air medical services available to Elko County residents. The medical transport industry is in a constant state of flux, with some pending changes in parent companies. This discussion covered the state of the industry at this moment.

Steve Burrows is Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital’s director of marketing. He told the group Elko AirOne is owned by parent company Medx AirOne, which is partnering with NNRH. AirOne keeps a helicopter at the hospital helicopter pad. When transport is needed, the patient’s insurance is billed for the cost of transport, but there is always part of the bill not covered by insurance. With AirOne, any permanent resident of Elko County will not pay any out of pocket costs. This is due to generous donations to Northern Nevada EMS Consortium, a nonprofit organization. People can purchase membership in AirOne for $40 per family per year, if they are not permanent residents in Elko County, or if they often travel to areas covered by Medx.

The restriction is AirOne will only fly a patient from NNRH’s helicopter pad to another hospital’s helicopter pad, such as University of Utah or Renown Health in Reno. If AirOne’s helicopter is already in use, a patient will need to use one of the other local air medical services. Patients can also request another air medical service and the AirOne helicopter can quickly move out of the way for the other service’s helicopter to land.

John Burruel is the program director for AMRG/American Medflight. American Medflight Air Ambulance operates a fixed-wing aircraft out of the Elko Airport, transporting patients between airports. They participate in the same program as AirOne, so any permanent resident of Elko County will not pay any out of pocket costs. They also offer a membership for $45 per family per year. A membership gives people air transport in other areas where AMRG operates.

Chris Baird is program manager for Reach Air Medical Service (formerly Summit Air). They operate a helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft out of the Elko Airport and can bring in other aircraft to Elko when needed. They are part of the AirMedCare Network with 240 bases in 32 states. Their helicopter is the only service that picks up patients anywhere in the area for transport to a hospital. The fixed-wing transports patients between airports.

Membership is $65 per year per person and covers a person anywhere AirMedCare operates. Membership means the patient’s insurance is billed but no out of pocket costs are incurred. Non-members would pay what their insurance does not cover, perhaps 20 percent of the bill. Transportation costs are per call and per mile, depending on type of aircraft and pickup spot. As an example of cost, a flight by fixed-wing to Salt Lake City might be in the range of $8,000, so a non-member might pay $1,600 to cover what their insurance does not pay.

Ground service

Ground ambulance transport is generally not covered in these air medical transports. Lee Cabaniss is director of the Elko County Ambulance Service. He said the ambulance service does not receive tax dollars and does not offer a membership. Their patients pay for whatever is not covered by their insurance. The cost is per call, based on the type of service needed, plus a price per mile. Most of their patient runs are fairly short. An emergency call carrying a patient 60 miles might cost about $3,000, so patients might pay $600, depending on their insurance plan. The cost goes up with the type of service required during the run.

What is billed is based solely on what level of service is provided and the mileage fees. The patient’s out of pocket costs depends on what the patient’s insurance (including Medicare or Medicaid) pays for medically necessary transports and the rules attached to those payments. The ambulance service will set up a payment plan and has a program to assist with a financial hardship. Ambulance units are stationed in Elko, Wells and Jackpot. They also do non-emergency transfers of patients at a lower cost.

Medicaid users will always be transported as needed. They cannot be charged out-of-pocket costs or a membership fee, and the AirOne and Medflight programs would be no problem for Medicaid users.

Everyone faces the possibility of someday needing air medical transport, so they need to keep up on the different programs. To ensure they will always have a lower cost transport, Elko County residents could purchase a membership in Reach, to supplement the services available from AirOne and American Medflight. The service a person wants to use may not be available when they need transport. Even then, Northern Nevada’s variable weather can keep aircraft on the ground.

Burrows said, “In Elko County we are fortunate to have three excellent companies that provide emergency air transport. Since we live in a remote location, this is a vital service. Thanks to Elko AirOne, REACH, and American Medflight, our community is well covered. I can’t foresee there ever being a situation where a patient needed an aircraft and none was available.”

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

Emergency response team takes flight: Watsonville Municipal Airport (KWVI), Santa Cruz County, California



WATSONVILLE — Disaster was on the minds of dozens of volunteers at Watsonville Municipal Airport on Saturday.

While it was a calm, clear spring day, the pilots and ground crew were practicing how they will handle the next big earthquake, flood or other calamity to befall the county.

The group – the Watsonville Emergency Airlift Command Team (WEACT) – is a team of 60 or so volunteers that was formed in 2011. 

The organization is tasked with serving as what could be the only way in or out of the county, should the roads be closed after a disaster.

The group meets monthly to discuss protocol and once a year for a realistic drill.

The 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake effectively brought Santa Cruz County to its knees, destroying homes, toppling buildings and blocking access in and out via the major roads.

In the wake of the temblor, Watsonville Municipal Airport took on a new importance as hundreds of volunteer pilots flew people and supplies in and out of the county.

What would have been an ideal focal point for the county’s disaster response efforts, however, was somewhat muddled because it lacked a dedicated coordinator.

That was the catalyst for the creation of WEACT, a group of volunteers that can mobilize at a moment’s notice during a disaster to direct air traffic, coordinate pilots and keep track of where they are needed.

The group is Watsonville’s version of a Disaster Airlift Response Team, which most airports have.

“We were trying to provide some organization,” said WEACT coordinator Marjorie Bachman. “We’re the only airport in the county. When the roads are closed, when there is a flood or earthquake, WEACT is going to be able to serve the community.”

This can include sending a pilot up to get a bird’s eye view of roads or levee damage, take a surgeon to a trauma center, pick up a rescue dog or retrieve emergency supplies.

Pilot Nick Shmel flew from Half Moon Bay to participate in the drill.

“I feel like it’s a good thing to do,” he said. “If [a big earthquake] ever happens again, I can come here and do some good.”

Pilot Ryan Ramirez, who was coordinating ground operations for the drill, said pilots are always looking for ways to utilize their hard-won skills.

“What better way to serve the community,” he said.

While WEACT was the brainchild of Watsonville Airport Manager Rayvon Williams, he was quick to give credit to the volunteers.

“It was an idea that started in 2011, and they are making it real,” he said.

Original article can be found here:   https://register-pajaronian.com

Iowa State review suggests savings in keeping flight services: Report comes after Steven Leath's use questioned




If Iowa State University uses its twin-engine aircraft at the rate it expects to — based on history and projected changes to its flight services program — keeping the plane and its support services makes financial and operational sense, according to a review of ISU Flight Services.

A draft of the review, initiated after former ISU President Steven Leath came under fire for questionable use of university aircraft, involved a cost comparison of maintaining Iowa State’s Beechcraft King Air 350 versus using alternative charter services. The university’s total estimated cost of maintaining and using the King Air in the upcoming budget year is $565,405 compared with a charter cost average estimate of $598,304, according to the review. That amounts to projected savings of $32,899, “while maintaining flexible access to ISU users.”

Lawmakers, regents, members of the public and Leath himself called for changes to and a review of Iowa State Flight Services in light of the public nature of the university and questions about how Leath was using the institution’s taxpayer-supported resources. The review, made public Tuesday, couched its assertion that keeping ISU Flight Services operational makes sense with the phrase “at least for the time being.”

“Assuming adequate demand for flight service operations is maintained,” according to the report’s author Miles Lackey, chief financial officer and chief of staff at Iowa State.

Lackey, in the review, noted the university could achieve “significant savings and even access advantages” with a new fixed-based operator taking over this spring at the Ames Municipal Airport, which houses ISU Flight Services. And he suggested shifting oversight and financial responsibilities associated with ISU Flight Services to the ISU Athletic Department as athletics demand “appears to be growing and constitutes the majority of its use.”

The report further supports such a shift in oversight by noting the plane was purchased in 2014 with $2.9 million in unrestricted athletics department funds being held and managed by the ISU Foundation. After the purchase, the university upgraded the plane using $595,568 from the same pool.




The athletic department also is a self-supporting enterprise, helping “reduce public confusion as to the source of funds being used to operate the plane.” And athletics administration will be best positioned to evaluate the prudence of certain flight service uses, according to the report.

The Board of Regents in October ordered an audit of ISU Flight Services and Leath’s use of both the King Air and an ISU-owned single-engine Cirrus SR22 after news reports raised questions about when and how Leath was using the aircraft.

Leath, who since has left for the presidency at Auburn University, is a certified pilot and was the primary user of the Cirrus, which he admitted to flying on several occasions for trips that blended both professional and personal business. On one occasion in July 2015, Leath while flying the Cirrus experienced a hard landing, costing the university more than $17,000 in damage and related expenses.

Leath reimbursed the university for those expenses and also paid back tens of thousands more for additional trips in question.

The requested audit found Leath was involved in 95 percent of the Cirrus’ 76 trips since its purchase in 2014 — 52 of which listed a “business purpose” as “proficiency/training or certification in the Cirrus.”

Of the 302 trips involving the King Air since its purchase in 2014, the audit found nearly as many were billed to the president’s office as to the athletic department — 79 compared with 84, respectively.




Since Leath was hired in 2012, ISU Flight Services expenses more than doubled — swelling from $393,783 in the 2012 budget year to $880,584 in 2016, according to the audit. Fuel costs increased from $86,537 to $148,949.

In addition to paying back the university, Leath vowed not to fly the Cirrus again and committed to sell it — calling into question the value of keeping ISU Flight Services.

The Cirrus, which the university purchased for $470,000 using discretionary foundation funds, has gone out for bid, but the university has not completed any transaction.

According to the review of ISU Flight Services made public Tuesday, changes to Iowa State’s plane use going forward will reduce overall costs.

Between July 2016 and February 2017, the flight service reported total use of its King Air at about 213 hours — 69 percent of which involved the athletics department. Use from other departments and affiliates accounted for about 67 hours.

Through the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends June 30, athletics projected using at least another 62 hours, according to the report. Other departments’ expectations were “significantly lower than the 66.7 hours experienced in the first half of the year.”

Accordingly, Lackey projected 275 flight hours — or 72,875 nautical miles traveled — for the full 2017 budget year and 208 flight hours — amounting to 55,120 nautical miles — for the upcoming 2018 budget year.

A preliminary analysis of flight services fixed costs indicates potential savings of $150,729 from 2017 to 2018, “due largely to the retirement of one employee and other reductions to non-essential cost categories.”

Variable costs, like fuel and maintenance, also are projected to fall by $78,131 “due largely to a decrease in total flight hours flown,” according to the report.

When weighing the pros and cons of keeping ISU Flight Services, Lackey in the report suggests the more general aviation flight hours ISU requires, “the more financial sense it makes for the institution to operate flight services.”

If, for example, Iowa State only amassed 160 flight hours next year, it would project spending $84,000 more than if it used separate charter services. If ISU held to its 275 flight hours, it would save $150,000, according to the report.

“The break-even point (in terms of flight-hour utilization), is approximately 190 hours,” according to the report. “Anything below 190 hours, ISU loses money by self-operating; any utilization above that amount would appear to save the institution money. Historically, (ISU Flight Services) has been above this 190-hour break-even threshold.”

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

Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing from Marine Helicopter Squadron One



ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Stafford man pleaded guilty today to stealing nearly $100,000 worth of military equipment from the helicopter squadron responsible for the transportation of the President of the United States.

According to the statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, from approximately September 2013 to April 2015, Branden Roy Baker, 34, stole at least 51 image intensifiers tubes and other night vision parts worth approximately $94,392 from Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1). Baker typically negotiated the sales of the stolen equipment via email after identifying potential buyers on eBay.com.

Baker pleaded guilty to theft of government property, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on August 11. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Jeremy Gauthier, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Andres E. Vasquez and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Rich are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:15-cr-91.

Original article can be found here:  https://www.justice.gov

Cessna R182 Skylane RG, N855SP: Accident occurred October 29, 2016 at Llano Municipal Airport (KAQO), and Incident occurred July 27, 2014 at Georgetown Municipal Airport (KGTU), Texas

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Austin, Texas

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 

Registered Owner: Hurd Aviation LLC
Operator Does Business As: Genesis Flight Academy

http://registry.faa.gov/N855SP

NTSB Identification: GAA17CA289
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, October 29, 2016 in Llano, TX
Probable Cause Approval Date: 07/20/2017
Aircraft: CESSNA R182, registration: N855SP
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 reported that, during the landing, “the nose dropped suddenly,” and the airplane “bounced” on the runway. Subsequently, the propeller struck the ground.
A postaccident examination revealed that the airplane had sustained substantial damage to the firewall.

The pilot 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’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing.

Incident occurred July 27, 2014 at Georgetown Municipal Airport (KGTU), Texas

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; San Antonio, Texas 

Aircraft landed gear up.

Brand transition, runway work underway at Watertown Regional Airport (KATY), Codington County, South Dakota




As Aerodynamics Inc. commercial air service continues to find an enthusiastic audience in the Watertown area, passengers can expect a gradual transition in airline name branding over the next year.

Evidence already exists of the brand transition. As Watertown Regional Airport Manager Todd Syhre pointed out to the airport board at its quarterly meeting Monday afternoon, an airplane bearing the Sky Value name was present in Watertown. The plane temporarily replaced a plane bearing the ADI namesake as the latter was sent off for repairs.

According to Syhre, the Sky Value brand is becoming prominent in other ADI markets. The Sky Value name is a reflection of ADI’s preference to distance itself from what was a tough year in 2016, despite the successful launches in the Watertown and Pierre markets.

Last year included ADI’s former parent company, SeaPort Airlines, declaring bankruptcy.

“(Sky Value) is a new brand that ADI is going with,” Syhre said. “What they’re thinking is that they’re going to try to get away from the (ADI) brand, although Watertown is doing excellent with that brand. With ADI, Watertown has had no complaints. But nationwide, there have been a lot of complaints and baggage going with that name.”

While other markets will see the Sky Value name becoming prominent, Syhre made a successful request to keep the ADI brand in place in Watertown.

“We have had all the logos, all of our marketing and everything revolving around the ADI name in Watertown,” Syhre said. “I asked them if we can keep (ADI) specific to Watertown. They said they had no problem with that.”

Assuming the relationship between the city and airline continues beyond the current contract expiration date in September 2018, the ADI brand in Watertown would be phased out completely in favor of Sky Value.

“Once in awhile we will see a Sky Value plane,” Syhre said.

As it currently stands, Syhre expects the Sky Value planes to primarily be used as charters while filling in for commercial needs in the event a main plane needs to be serviced.

Outside of the brand change, Syhre said the relationship between ADI and its Watertown area passengers continues to bloom.

With 10,000 passengers projected to board by Oct. 1, Syhre said the Essential Air Service subsidy is down to $126 per passenger through the end of March. That subsidy marks a significant decrease from the $180 per passenger subsidy the airport had after a month and a half of ADI service through September 2016, which itself was healthily under a $200 EAS subsidy cap.

“We’ve considerably dropped every month,” Syhre said. “$126 per passenger is phenomenal.”

With many people around the area — and some coming from as far as Sioux Falls — utilizing the current Watertown-Pierre-Denver route, Syhre said that while there is always some discussion to possibly add a route to Minneapolis, there is even more discussion about a possible route to Chicago.

“Minneapolis is just too short of a run. Too expensive. Nobody goes to Minneapolis to stay in Minneapolis… It’s a fly through hub,” Syhre said. “We’ve been seeing some statistics on how it looks to go to Chicago as a fly through hub or a destination. Kind of like what we’re doing with Denver.”

To date, Syhre said that Watertown flights have had an over 90 percent completion rate.

“To put it blatantly, from 2010 to 2015, we never did see 90 percent completion factor with any of the airlines,” he said.

New runway ahead of schedule

While the airline continues to enjoy strong passenger numbers, airport and city officials are also pleased at the construction progress of the $8 million runway.

With the project currently in its first phase, construction crews are tearing out and rebuilding sub grade material in preparation to apply a 12-inch concrete overlay.

With an official completion date of Sept. 30, Syhre estimates that crews are about one week ahead of schedule.

“They’re doing a phenomenal job,” Syhre said. “We’ve had a lot of bluebird days. Very few rain showers have stopped them or held them up. The main runway is pretty much laid back in for the sub base.”

Engineer Bob Babcock from Helms and Associates in Aberdeen added that crews are anticipating to begin pouring concrete around the middle of June.

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

Unregistered Aerolite: Accident occurred May 19, 2017 at Benson Municipal Airport (E95), Cochise County, Arizona

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Scottsdale, Arizona

Unregistered ultralight, Aerolite, went off the end of the runway into a ravine.

Date: 19-MAY-17
Time: 13:52:00Z
Regis#: UNREG
Aircraft Make: ULTRALIGHT AEROLITE
Aircraft Model: AEROLIGHT
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: UNKNOWN
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: SUBSTANTIAL
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: UNKNOWN (UNK)
City: BENSON
State: ARIZONA

Backcountry Super Cub, N484WT: Accident occurred May 21, 2017 in Talkeetna Alaska

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

NTSB Identification: GAA17CA299
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, May 21, 2017 in Talkeetna, AK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/03/2017
Aircraft: THOMAS E HUDZINSKI BACKCOUNTRY SUPER CR, registration: N484WT
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 reported that, while participating in a slow flight competition, he was over the target area for the radar speed check about 30 ft above the ground, at 17 mph ground speed, when the left wing stalled. He added that he did not have sufficient altitude to recover. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings.

The pilot 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’s failure to maintain a proper airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Anchorage, Alaska

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/N484WT

NTSB Identification: GAA17CA299
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, May 21, 2017 in Talkeetna, AK
Aircraft: THOMAS E HUDZINSKI BACKCOUNTRY SUPER CR, registration: N484WT
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 reported that, while participating in a slow flight competition, he was over the target area for the radar speed check about 30ft. above the ground, at 17 mph ground speed, when the left wing stalled. He added, that he did not have sufficient altitude to recover. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings.


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

Cessna 182P Skylane, N7352S, 52 Sierra Corp: Accident occurred May 19, 2017 in Redding, Shasta County, California

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

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Sacramento, California
Continental Motors Inc.; Mobile, Alabama 

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

52 Sierra Corp: http://registry.faa.gov/N7352S

NTSB Identification: WPR17LA106
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 19, 2017 in Anderson, CA
Aircraft: CESSNA 182P, registration: N7352S
Injuries: 1 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 19, 2017, about 1230 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182P, N7352S, collided with terrain during a forced landing near Anderson, California. The private pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed from Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK), Stockton, California, about 1130. No flight plan had been filed. The flight was destined for Redding Municipal Airport (RDD), Redding, California. 

The pilot reported that he had fueled the airplane before departing from SCK, and had about 35 gallons of fuel on board. About 29 miles from RDD, he obtained weather information and started a slow descent just past Red Bluff, California. About 2,000 feet mean sea level (msl), the engine sputtered and lost power. The pilot checked that the fuel selector was selected to both fuel tanks, and checked the magnetos, before looking for a suitable place to land. The airplane touched down next to a road, collided with a gully, and nosed over coming to rest inverted.

The airplane was recovered for further examination.

North American P-51D Mustang, N44727, BCT Management Co LLC: Incident occurred May 19, 2017 at Camarillo Airport (KCMA), Ventura County, California

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Van Nuys, California  

BCT Management Co., LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N44727

Aircraft on landing, struck the propeller.

Date: 19-MAY-17
Time: 22:04:00Z
Regis#: N44727
Aircraft Make: NORTH AMERICAN
Aircraft Model: P51D
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: CAMARILLO
State: CALIFORNIA

Piper PA-24-260, N9069P: Incident occurred May 21, 2017 at Long Beach Airport (KLGB), Los Angeles County, California

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Long Beach, California

http://registry.faa.gov/N9069P

Aircraft on landing, gear collapsed.

Date: 21-MAY-17
Time: 15:52:00Z
Regis#: N9069P
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA24
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: LONG BEACH
State: CALIFORNIA

Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee, N7974W: Incident occurred May 20, 2017 at Ramona Airport (KRNM), San Diego County, California and Incident occurred July 25, 2016 in Yermo, San Bernardino County, California

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; San Francisco, California

http://registry.faa.gov/N7974W

Aircraft on landing, ground looped.

Date: 20-MAY-17
Time: 20:20:00Z
Regis#: N7974W
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA28
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: INSTRUCTION
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: RAMONA
State: CALIFORNIA

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Riverside, California


Aircraft force landed on a road.

Date: 25-JUL-16
Time: 17:53:00Z
Regis#: N7974W
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA28
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: None
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: YERMO
State: California

Robinson R66, N778TL, registered to Hynes Aviation Industries Inc and operated by Colorado Vertical: Accident occurred May 20, 2017 in Canon City, Fremont County, Colorado

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

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Denver, Colorado
Robinson Helicopter; Torrance, California 

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/N778TL

Location: Canon City, CO
Accident Number: CEN17LA192
Date & Time: 05/20/2017, 1340 MDT
Registration: N778TL
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO R66
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Settling with power/vortex ring state
Injuries: 5 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Business - Sightseeing 

On May 20, 2017, about 1340 mountain daylight time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R66 helicopter, N778TL, impacted terrain following a loss of control on approach to landing near Canon City, Colorado. The commercial pilot and four passengers were not injured, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The helicopter was registered to Hynes Aviation Industries, Inc, and operated by Colorado Vertical under provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a local air tour flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight originated from a private helipad near Canon City about 1335.

The pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge that after completing the local air tour flight, the helicopter approached the private helipad location from the south near highway route 50. After crossing over route 50 on approach about 50-60 kts, the pilot began to arrest the descent to view the wind sock and determine the proper approach to the helipad. The pilot reported the winds were from the south, so he decided to make the final approach from the north. About 200 ft above ground level and west of the helipad, the pilot initiated a left turn, and the helicopter started an uncommanded descent. The pilot applied power to stop the descent, but the helicopter continued sinking towards the terrain. Due to the low altitude, the pilot then committed to land and leveled the helicopter. During the landing, the back of the landing gear skids struck the terrain, which resulted in the main rotor blades contacting and severing in the tail boom. The helicopter came to rest upright and the occupants exited the helicopter.

Postaccident examination of the helicopter airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

The pilot reported that the helicopter weight was 2,580 lbs at the time of the accident, and the pilot's calculated center of gravity was 92.92 inches.

A GoPro HERO3 Silver Edition camera was mounted on the helicopter windshield facing inward into the cabin. The camera was installed on the helicopter to provide passengers a video of their air tour flight. A copy of the accident flight video was recovered by the operator and provided to the NTSB. The video was reviewed by the NTSB's Office of Research and Engineering and a video study was completed. The study goal was to estimate the forward and vertical speeds of the helicopter before the hard landing.

The analysis of the video was based on a mathematical model of the camera. Four parameters, yaw, pitch, roll, and horizontal field of view angle, were estimated from video frames recorded before takeoff, when the helicopter was on the departure helipad. Parameter estimation was based on several reference points, which were visible through the helicopter windows and aerial images of the accident area.

According to the study calculations, the forward speed was estimated at 34+3 knots, and the highest estimated vertical descent speed was 570+60 ft/min. In addition, the helicopter experienced an elevated level of vibrations during a time interval of approximately seven seconds that ended just before ground impact. 

Pilot Information


Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 44, Male
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): Helicopter
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Helicopter
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 04/21/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 10/31/2015
Flight Time:  520 hours (Total, all aircraft), 95 hours (Total, this make and model), 412 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 31 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 7 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 2 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO
Registration: N778TL
Model/Series: R66 NO SERIES
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Year of Manufacture: 2013
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 0469
Landing Gear Type: Skid
Seats: 5
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 03/15/2017, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2700 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Turbo Shaft
Airframe Total Time: 197 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Rolls-Royce
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: 250-C300/A1
Registered Owner: Hynes Aviation Industries, Inc
Rated Power: 300 hp
Operator:  Colorado Vertical
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: 1V6
Observation Time: 1300 MDT
Distance from Accident Site: 10 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 101°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 16500 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 16°C / 5°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 10 knots, 180°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 30.1 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Precipitation
Departure Point: Canon City, CO
Type of Flight Plan Filed: Company VFR
Destination: Canon City, CO
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1335 MDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Wreckage and Impact Information


Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 4 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 5 None
Latitude, Longitude:  38.290000, -105.190000 (est)

NTSB Identification: CEN17LA192
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, May 20, 2017 in Canon City, CO
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO R66, registration: N778TL 
Injuries: 5 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 20, 2017, about 1345 mountain daylight time, a Robinson R66 helicopter, N778TL, impacted terrain following a loss of control on approach to landing near Canon City, Colorado. The commercial pilot and four passengers were not injured, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The helicopter was registered to Hynes Aviation Industries, Inc, and operated by Colorado Vertical under provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a local air tour flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight originated a private helipad near Canon City at an unknown time.

The pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, that after completing the local air tour flight, the helicopter approached the private helipad. On approach about 50-60 kts, the pilot began to arrest the descent to view the windsock and determine the proper approach to the helipad. About 200 ft above ground level, the pilot initiated a left turn and the helicopter started an uncommanded descent. The pilot applied power to stop the descent, but the helicopter continued sinking towards the terrain. Due to the low altitude, the pilot then committed to land and leveled the helicopter. During the landing, the back of the landing gear skids struck the terrain, which resulted in the main rotor blades contacting and severing in the tail boom. The helicopter came to rest upright and the occupants exited the helicopter.


Crews are responding to Eight Mile Hill in Fremont County after a heli-tour helicopter crashed in a field near the landing pad, according to Fremont County Sheriff's Office.

No one was injured in the crash. 

Eight Mile Hill is located near mile marker 271 on Highway 50.