Monday, June 19, 2017

Life Flight team delivers emergency service by air

Life Flight pilot George Kuba
 
 Life Flight paramedic John Jankowski
 
 Life Flight Nurse and Program Director Jerry Splitt
 
 
 Life Flight Medical Director Dr. David Schoenwetter



DANVILLE — Lisa Haas barely remembers being on a helicopter.

She came to briefly after she had been loaded onto the chopper following a horrific Christmas Day crash just outside of Kulpmont in 1988. The then-14-year-old had been riding in a car with three other friends, and the 16-year-old boy who was driving took the curve too fast, she said.

Haas suffered broken ribs, a broken collarbone, head trauma, she was bleeding internally and her spleen was removed in surgery. She barely remembers events from that day. The brief times she was awake she felt cold — and afraid.

But the 43-year-old Coal Township woman is forever grateful a Life Flight helicopter was there to get her to the hospital.

“Not until I was older and I thought about it, (I realized) I was alive because of a helicopter and someone was there to man it on Christmas Day,” she said. “I’ve often said if it wasn’t for that Life Flight, I wouldn’t have made it.”

Whether it’s flying trauma patients from a highway crash or transporting an ill infant from one hospital to another, Life Flight and its crew — a pilot, paramedic and a flight nurse — tend to the patient in life-critical situations and guide the aircraft to the waiting facility in a fraction of the time it would take on the ground.

“I’m humbled every day, month after month after month since I’ve been doing this, there are people who are alive because of Life Flight,” said Dr. David Schoenwetter, medical director of Geisinger Health System’s emergency medical services, of which Life Flight is a part. “It’s almost routine. Their ability to get people to the right care — that’s what Life Flight is all about.”

That is especially beneficial in rural areas, where the nearest trauma center can be counties away.

“In February of this year, we hit a milestone,” said Jerry Splitt, Life Flight’s program director.

The service transported its 60,000th patient.

Seven helicopters, five bases

Geisinger’s medical helicopter program has come a long way since it started out at the Danville hospital with one helicopter in July 1981. It now operates seven helicopters out of five bases in the health system (two of the helicopters are backups), employing a staff of more than 100 on a $15 million budget. Geisinger’s Life Flight helicopters travel roughly half of the state, responding to emergencies or transporting patients from one hospital to another.

Despite its name, Life Flight also provides critical care ground transport in vehicles staffed by a paramedic and flight nurse who can provide advanced life support, for incidents in which the helicopter cannot fly due to inclement conditions.

“A lot can happen in the back of an ambulance,” said Splitt, a registered nurse and paramedic who also covers shifts on the helicopter as a flight nurse.

The program started with a single-engine Alouette III helicopter, but later moved on to a twin-engine aircraft. Life Flight now has five twin-engine EC145 helicopters, one at each of the bases, and two slightly less roomier BK 117 helicopters as backups.




Based at Geisinger

Geisinger’s Life Flight helicopters are based at Geisinger Medical Center, State College, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, Williamsport Regional Airport and outside Minersville in Schuylkill County. While they are closer to patients in the Geisinger coverage area, Life Flight services the entire Valley.

At the medical center, helicopters that are bringing in patients land on the roof, and the patient is taken down the nearby elevator to the emergency room or the operating room, Splitt explained.

“There is a huge focus on clinical staff,” he said. “We have some of the most certified staff.”

Splitt started with Life Flight as a part-time dispatcher in 1985, when he was in college. In 1988, he became a paramedic and left for a few years. He returned to the program in 1993 as a flight nurse and has been in a leadership role since 1998 and program director the past few years.

The program used to contract out for helicopters, pilots and maintenance. Geisinger had less control over the personnel and the aircraft. In 2012, the program was brought all in-house, and Life Flight obtained an air carrier certificate.

Now the Federal Aviation Administration office in Harrisburg oversees the program, and Geisinger owns the helicopters and employs the pilots and mechanics.

The program now essentially is its own airline as defined by the FAA. “We used to rely much more heavily on outside agencies,” said Tom Weir, associate chief administrative officer whose responsibilities include Life Flight.

“As we got larger, it became more imperative that we do things on site and do them more rapidly.”

The helicopters themselves cost millions of dollars — the last one purchased cost $7.9 million — and they have a useful life of about 20 years, Splitt said.

Weir said the program is a major investment in very advanced technology and people. The 24/7 program invests a lot, too, in training and education.

“All our crew require licensing and education throughout the year,” he said. “They all need to function together.” 



Kids remembered most

Most of the flights — 65 percent — are transports from one hospital to another, while the other 35 percent of the calls are to accident scenes.

“Unfortunately, the kids are the ones you remember the most,” said Life Flight paramedic John Jankowski. “It’s like that with all medicine. The very critical inter-facility transfers are the most challenging.”

He said that could be a heart patient with an open chest hooked up to a machine to keep him breathing.

“They don’t like to move patients like that, so you know he’s on the brink (when they do),” said Jankowski, who had to obtain additional certification to work on Life Flight.

Pilot George Kuba, who usually flies out of the Minersville site but was filling in at the medical center site on Thursday, said the flight crew nurses and paramedics are versatile.

“They work in the ER, ICU, then (at an accident scene), they’re crawling into a vehicle,” Kuba said. “When they’re not with a patient, they’re helping me look out for obstacles.”

Jankowski said the pilots, many of them former military pilots, as Kuba is, are very detailed.

Kuba never flew in combat, even when he served with the Army National Guard in Bosnia in 2002-2003, when he was in an administrative role.

But he served with the Guard for 22 years as a pilot and has been a pilot since 1987.

Does anything scare him?

“Birds scare me,” he said then amended his comment. “I don’t get scared. I call it alert.”

GPS, ‘night sun’

 
The helicopter has GPS to guide the pilot around mountainous terrain or around obstacles such as flocks of birds and to find the landing zone, and the crew has night vision goggles for night flying and landing. A “night sun” 40 million candlepower spotlight also illuminates the landing zone at night, if needed. It allows the crew to see details on the ground from 800 feet up in the air, Life Flight Safety Director Pete Carros said.

Schoenwetter said that as medical director, a big part of his role is to oversee staff education and credentialing.

“We want crews to be safe and patients to be safe,” Splitt said.

He said that in the program’s nearly 36 years of operation, there has never been an injury to a patient.

“We’ve had some damage from some hard landings,” he said.

Because of the risk involved in transporting patients by helicopter, safety is a primary focus. That’s why there is emphasis on continuing training.

Carros said there is certain gear Life Flight is required to have, such as for terrain awareness that will warn pilots of obstacles.

“Next year, we are going to be required to have a black box, a flight data monitor, that records voice, video, equipment,” said Carros, a U.S. Navy trained pilot who covers some shifts and takes the helicopters on maintenance flights.

He said the Life Flight program includes a lot of structure and protocol. Part of his job is to ensure the crew does not drift away from standard protocol.

More Information:

How many aircraft in the program?


Today, the program operates seven helicopters. Five bases operate 24/7 and the remaining two are backup helicopters.

How many vehicles (ground support)?

One primary vehicle and one backup. Children’s Miracle Network is a major contributor to the ground vehicles.

What is the number of staff?

Rough numbers:

30 Flight Nurses
30 Flight Medics
10 communications specialists
10 mechanics
20 Line pilots
1 full time director of safety
2 administrative assistants
10 employees who are the leadership team, and also contribute in covering front line duties (covering shifts)
2 Emergency Medicine Physician medical directors.

And cost of the program?

The annual operating budget for the entire program is about $15 million.

SOURCE: GEISINGER HEALTH SYSTEM

Story, video and photo gallery:  http://www.dailyitem.com

de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver, N930TG, registered to, and operated by, RDM Pilot/Guide Ltd., dba Alaska Seaplane Tours: Accident occurred June 18, 2017 on Big Goat Lake, Ketchikan, Alaska

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

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

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

Registered to, and operated by, RDM Pilot/Guide Ltd., dba Alaska Seaplane Tours
 
http://registry.faa.gov/N930TG


NTSB Identification: ANC17LA032
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Sunday, June 18, 2017 in Ketchikan, AK
Aircraft: DEHAVILLAND DHC-2, registration: N930TG
Injuries: 5 Minor, 2 Uninjured.

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

On June 18, 2017, about 1330 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped de Havilland DHC-2 (Beaver) airplane N930TG, impacted water and subsequently sank during takeoff from Big Goat Lake, about 45 miles northeast of Ketchikan, Alaska. Of the seven occupants on board, the commercial pilot and four passengers sustained minor injuries, and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, RDM Pilot/Guide Ltd., dba Alaska Seaplane Tours, Ketchikan, as a day, visual flight rules (VFR) flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 as an on-demand sightseeing tour flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated from the Ketchikan Harbor Seaplane Base, Ketchikan, at 1220.

During an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on June 19, the pilot reported the route of flight included a stop at Big Goat Lake for scenery viewing, a stop at Walker Cove for bear viewing, and then returning to the Ketchikan Harbor Seaplane Base. The sightseeing tour flight, which the cruise ship passengers had purchased from the cruise line as a shore excursion, overflew remote mountainous terrain in the Misty Fjords National Monument. 

The airplane landed at Big Goat Lake around 1300 and the shore-based scenery viewing was completed around 1320. The pilot reported that for the takeoff, he conducted a downwind departure to the west, with the wind condition less than 5 knots originating from the east and a temperate of 65°. He then executed a right step turn to the east. Once established into the wind, he applied full power, and by the time the airplane reached the pilot's go/no-go decision point, the airplane was off the water, and climbing between 100 to 200 feet per minute. He adjusted the flaps and power setting for a climb configuration, the airplane traveled about ¾ over the lake length, and he reported the airplane "wasn't climbing efficiently." The pilot realized the airplane wasn't going to be able to successfully clear a heavily wooded area in the intended direction of departure. He decided to lower the nose and he made a turn to the left, and about 130° into the 180° turn, the airplane impacted the water. 

During the water impact, the two floats separated, and the airplane began to sink. The pilot and six passengers successfully egressed from the sinking airplane and swam to the shore. The airplane subsequently sank to the bottom of the lake. A fellow tour company from Ketchikan operating a de Havilland DHC-2 with one pilot and six passengers onboard conducted a welfare check on the accident pilot and passengers after the water impact. The pilot reported he landed on the lake around 1400 and noticed the water was not glassy, the wind condition was about 5 knots from the east, along with a temperature of 65° with sunshine. After conducting the welfare check, he reported no issues with taking off from the lake. A second fellow tour company from Ketchikan extracted the accident pilot and passengers around 1430 from the shore and brought them to Ketchikan.

The recovery of the airplane from the lake is pending at this time.
========
Preliminary information obtained by the National Transportation Safety Board indicates that Alaska Seaplane Tours floatplane involved in an incident at Big Goat Lake on Sunday afternoon crashed moments after takeoff.

“The little that we know, subject to change, is that one of the wings struck the water just after takeoff and the airplane ended up in the water and unfortunately sank,” Clint Johnson, head of the NTSB office in Alaska, told The Associated Press on Monday.

None of the six passengers or pilot was reported as seriously injured in the crash of the de Havilland Beaver aircraft into the lake in Misty Fiords National Monument about 45 miles northeast of downtown Ketchikan. Everyone aboard the plane was able to exit the plane and reach the shore.

The Alaska State Troopers on Monday morning released the names of the pilot and passengers.

The pilot was Matthew Perron, 30, of Ketchikan, according to troopers. Two passengers, Tim Friedrich, 40, and Catrin Fredrich, 36, are from Germany. The other four passengers were from California: Robert Grover, 63, Debra Grover, 60, Nicole Grover, 30, and Jonathan James, 36.

The incident occurred at about 2:22 p.m. Sunday, according to troopers.

http://www.ketchikandailynews.com

Cessna 172K Skyhawk, N79874: Incident occurred June 18, 2017 in Cube Cove, Alaska

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Juneau

http://registry.faa.gov/N79874

Aircraft on takeoff, wing struck a tree, and went into a ditch.


Date:    18-JUN-17
Time:    22:50:00Z
Regis#:    N79874
Aircraft Make:    CESSNA
Aircraft Model:    C172
Event Type:    INCIDENT
Highest Injury:    NONE
Aircraft Missing:    No
Damage:    UNKNOWN
Activity:    UNKNOWN
Flight Phase:    TAKEOFF (TOF)
City:    CUBE COVE
State:    ALASKA

Bell UH-1H, N113FD, Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District - Air Operations: Incident occurred June 16, 2017 in Auburn, Placer County, California

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Sacramento

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District - Air Operations: http://registry.faa.gov/N113FD


Rotorcraft, force landed and sustained minor damage. 


Date:    16-JUN-17
Time:    19:00:00Z
Regis#:    N113FD
Aircraft Make:    BELL
Aircraft Model:    UH1H
Event Type:    INCIDENT
Highest Injury:    NONE
Aircraft Missing:    No
Damage:    MINOR
Activity:    UNKNOWN
Flight Phase:    LANDING (LDG)
City:    AUBURN
State:    CALIFORNIA

Aero Commander 200D, N111JR: Incident occurred June 18, 2017 at San Jose International Airport (KSJC), Santa Clara County, California

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; San Jose

http://registry.faa.gov/N111JR

Aircraft on landing, gear collapsed. 


Date:    18-JUN-17
Time:    17:42:00Z
Regis#:    N111JR
Aircraft Make:    AEROCOMMANDER
Aircraft Model:    200D
Event Type:    INCIDENT
Highest Injury:    NONE
Aircraft Missing:    No
Damage:    MINOR
Activity:    UNKNOWN
Flight Phase:    LANDING (LDG)
City:    SAN JOSE
State:    CALIFORNIA

Cirrus SR20, N872WT: Incidents occurred February 12, 2022 and June 18, 2017

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

February 12, 2022:  Aircraft wingtip clipped a gate during taxi at Santa Monica Airport (KSMO), California.  

Endeavor Aviation LLC


Date: 13-FEB-22
Time: 01:05:00Z
Regis#: N872WT
Aircraft Make: CIRRUS
Aircraft Model: SR20
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)
Operation: 91
City: SANTA MONICA
State: CALIFORNIA

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

June 18, 2017: Aircraft on landing, nose gear collapsed and the propeller struck the runway at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY), Los Angeles County, California.

Endeavor Aviation LLC


Date:    18-JUN-17
Time:    01:22:00Z
Regis#:    N872WT
Aircraft Make:    CIRRUS
Aircraft Model:    SR20
Event Type:    INCIDENT
Highest Injury:    NONE
Aircraft Missing:    No
Damage:    MINOR
Activity:    UNKNOWN
Flight Phase:    LANDING (LDG)
City:    VAN NUYS
State:    CALIFORNIA

Air Tractor AT-402B, N6139V, Russel Armstrong & Danny Hawk dba Onstott Dusters: Incident occurred June 17, 2017 in Yuba City, Sutter County, California

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Sacramento

Russel Armstrong & Danny Hawk
dba Onstott Dusters

http://registry.faa.gov/N6139V


Aircraft, during aerial application, sustained damage on landing.


Date:    17-JUN-17
Time:    13:15:00Z
Regis#:    N6139V
Aircraft Make:    AIR TRACTOR
Aircraft Model:    AT402
Event Type:    INCIDENT
Highest Injury:    NONE
Aircraft Missing:    No
Damage:    MINOR
Activity:    AERIAL APPLICATION
Flight Phase:    LANDING (LDG)
City:    YUBA CITY
State:    CALIFORNIA

Maule MT7-260 Super Rocket, N5501Y: Incident occurred June 16, 2017 at Centennial Airport (KAPA), Denver, Colorado

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Denver

J K Enterprises LLC:  http://registry.faa.gov/N5501Y

Aircraft on touch and go, nose gear collapsed.


Date:    16-JUN-17
Time:    12:25:00Z
Regis#:    N5501Y
Aircraft Make:    MAULE
Aircraft Model:    MT7
Event Type:    INCIDENT
Highest Injury:    NONE
Aircraft Missing:    No
Damage:    MINOR
Activity:    UNKNOWN
Flight Phase:    UNKNOWN (UNK)
City:    DENVER
State:    COLORADO

Mooney M10, N73PM: Incident occurred June 18, 2017 in Greeley, Weld County, Colorado

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Denver

http://registry.faa.gov/N73PM


Aircraft force landed in a field.


Date:    18-JUN-17
Time:    14:00:00Z
Regis#:    N73PM
Aircraft Make:    MOONEY
Aircraft Model:    M10
Event Type:    INCIDENT
Highest Injury:    NONE
Aircraft Missing:    No
Damage:    MINOR
Activity:    UNKNOWN
Flight Phase:    UNKNOWN (UNK)
City:    GREELEY
State:    COLORADO

Piper PA-23-160 Apache, N4317Y: Accident occurred June 16, 2017 at George T. Lewis Airport (KCDK), Cedar Key, Levy County, Florida

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

NTSB Identification: ERA17CA208 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, June 16, 2017 in Cedar Key, FL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/17/2017
Aircraft: PIPER PA23, registration: N4317Y
Injuries: 3 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 the takeoff, climb, and en route portions of the cross-country flight were uneventful. He checked the wind sock before landing, and it was “flaccid,” indicating calm wind. He slowed the airplane to 80 mph on final approach and landed near the approach end of the runway, which was 2,355 ft long. He estimated that the airplane should have rolled to a stop; however, it continued down the runway despite heavy braking. The airplane departed the end of the runway, traveled across a small road and down an embankment, and came to rest in water at the edge of the airport boundary.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage and reported that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage and submersion in salt water. There were tire skid marks on the runway leading to the wreckage. A weather buoy, located about 1 mile east of the airport, recorded wind from the west about the time of the accident, which would have resulted in a tailwind of up to 8 knots. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies 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 stop the airplane within the available runway after conducting the approach and landing with a tailwind.

The pilot reported that the takeoff, climb, and en route portions of the cross-country flight were uneventful. He checked the wind sock prior to landing and it was "flaccid," indicating calm wind. He slowed the airplane to 80 mph on final approach and landed near the approach end of runway 5, which was 2,355 feet-long. He estimated that the airplane should have rolled to a stop; however, it continued down the runway despite heavy braking. The airplane departed the end of the runway, traveled across a small road, and down an embankment, coming to rest in the water at the edge of the airport boundary.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage and reported that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage and submersion in salt water. There were tire skid marks on the runway leading to the wreckage. A weather buoy, located about 1 mile east of the airport, recorded wind out of the west about the time of the accident, which would have resulted in a tail wind of up to 8 knots. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

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

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

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N4317Y


NTSB Identification: ERA17CA208
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, June 16, 2017 in Cedar Key, FL
Aircraft: PIPER PA23, registration: N4317Y
Injuries: 3 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 the takeoff, climb, and en route portions of the cross-country flight were uneventful. He checked the wind sock prior to landing and it was "flaccid," indicating calm wind. He slowed the airplane to 80 mph on final approach and landed near the approach end of runway 5, which was 2,355 feet-long. He estimated that the airplane should have rolled to a stop; however, it continued down the runway despite heavy braking. The airplane departed the end of the runway, traveled across a small road, and down an embankment, coming to rest in the water at the edge of the airport boundary.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage and reported that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage and submersion in salt water. There were tire skid marks on the runway leading to the wreckage. A weather buoy, located about 1 mile east of the airport, recorded wind out of the west about the time of the accident, which would have resulted in a tail wind of up to 8 knots. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.



CEDAR KEY, Fla. --     Another small plane overshot the runway at Cedar Key's airport this afternoon.

Witnesses tell TV20 the plane looked like it was coming in too fast and was landing, with the wind, instead of against it.

Norman Merritt says he saw the plane coming in to land, and when he lost sight of it, he rushed over to help.

“I was waiting for him to turn around and come back down there, park it… And he never did and I said, I bet he crashed. I come down here and sure enough, he did,” he said.

Florida Highway Patrol Troopers say there were three people on the plane, and no one was injured.

This crash marks the fifth small aircraft crash in Cedar Key in 2017.

Story and video:  http://www.wcjb.com

Revolution RAI6, N251CW: Accident occurred June 18, 2017 at Williston Municipal Airport (X60), Levy County, Florida

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

Analysis 

The pilot, who was on the controls in the high-performance, experimental, amateur-built airplane, reported that he and a check pilot, who was familiar with the airplane and required by the insurance company, were taking off from a grass airstrip for a planned cross-country flight.

According to the check pilot, before takeoff, he advised the pilot to "begin his rotation to takeoff attitude a few knots before the normal takeoff speed of approximately 65 knots and then let the airplane lift off smoothly when it was ready to fly."

During the takeoff roll, the pilot initiated the "rotation" as instructed, but the nose pitched up too high, and the airplane drifted to the left side of the runway. The airplane exited the left side of the runway, struck the ground, and came to rest upright facing the opposite direction of the takeoff. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing spar and the lower part of the composite fuselage.

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

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain the airplane's pitch control during rotation and his subsequent loss of directional control. 

Findings

Aircraft
Pitch control - Not attained/maintained (Cause)
Directional control - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Aircraft control - Pilot (Cause)

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

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

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N251CW


NTSB Identification: GAA17CA350
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, June 18, 2017 in Williston, FL
Aircraft: WARD CHRISTOPHER BARRY RAI 6, registration: N251CW
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot, who was on the controls in the high-performance, experimental amateur built airplane, reported that he and a check pilot that was familiar with the airplane and required by the insurance company, were taking off from a grass airstrip for a planned cross-country flight.

According to the check pilot, before takeoff he advised the pilot "begin his rotation to takeoff attitude a few knots before the normal takeoff speed of approximately 65 knots and then let the airplane lift off smoothly when it was ready to fly." 

During the takeoff roll, the pilot initiated the "rotation" as instructed, but the nose pitched up too high and the airplane drifted to the left side of the runway. The airplane exited the left side of the runway, struck the ground and came to rest upright and facing the opposite direction of the takeoff. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing spar and the lower part of the composite fuselage.

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

AirCam 912S, N31RN: Incident occurred June 17, 2017 on Carters Lake, Chatsworth, Murray County, Georgia

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Atlanta

http://registry.faa.gov/N31RN

Aircraft wing struck a wave on the lake. 


Date:    17-JUN-17
Time:    18:29:00Z
Regis#:    N31RN
Aircraft Make:    LEZA
Aircraft Model:    AIRCAM 912
Event Type:    INCIDENT
Highest Injury:    NONE
Aircraft Missing:    No
Damage:    MINOR
Activity:    UNKNOWN
Flight Phase:    UNKNOWN (UNK)
City:    CHADSWORTH
State:    GEORGIA

Cessna 305C, N305CM, Legacy Flight Museum: Accident occurred June 12, 2017 at Rexburg–Madison County Airport (KRXE), Rexburg, Idaho

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

NTSB Identification: GAA17CA346 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, June 12, 2017 in Rexberg, ID
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/14/2017
Aircraft: CESSNA 305C (0 1E), registration: N305CM
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 in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he attempted a crosswind landing to the asphalt surface of runway 35. He had about 300 hours of total tailwheel flight time, and he had 5 hours of flight time in the accident airplane. This was the pilot’s first flight as the pilot-in-command. He recalled that the Automated Surface Observing System reported that the wind was from 050° at 5 knots, gusting to 21 knots. During the landing roll, the airplane encountered a wind gust from the right, and the tail lifted. The pilot lost directional control of the airplane, and the airplane faced southeast when another wind gust lifted the left wing, and the right wing struck the ground. The wind gust subsided, and the airplane came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, the right aileron, and the elevator.

Per the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented if he had received more instruction from a Federal Aviation Administration certificated flight instructor in the accident airplane that was specific to crosswind landings. “But more important, I should have flown the airplane to an airport with a runway that was more in line with the wind.”

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

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting wind conditions.

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Salt Lake, Utah

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

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

Registered Owner: Legacy Flight Museum

Operator: Legacy Flight Museum


NTSB Identification: GAA17CA346
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, June 12, 2017 in Rexberg, ID
Aircraft: CESSNA 305C (0 1E), registration: N305CM
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 in the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that he attempted a crosswind landing to the asphalt surface of runway 35. He had about 300 hours of total tailwheel flight time and he had 5 hours of flight time in the accident airplane. This was the pilot's first flight as the pilot in command. He recalled that the Automated Surface Observing System reported that the wind was from 050° at 5 kts. gusting to 21 kts. During the landing roll, the airplane encountered a gust of wind from the right and the tail ascended. The pilot lost directional control of the airplane and airplane faced southeast when another gust of wind lifted the left wing and the right wing struck the ground. The wind gust subsided and the airplane came to rest upright but it sustained substantial damage to the right wing, the right aileron and the elevator.

Per the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented, if he had received more instruction from a Federal Aviation Administration Certificated Flight Instructor in the accident airplane that was specific to crosswind landings. "But more important, I should have flown the airplane to an airport with a runway that was more in line with the wind."

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

Beech D-45 Mentor, N617KG: Incident occurred June 18, 2017 at Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport (KBWG), Warren County, Kentucky

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Louisville

http://registry.faa.gov/N617KG

Aircraft on landing gear collapsed and the propeller struck the runway.


Date:    18-JUN-17
Time:    01:29:00Z
Regis#:    N617KG
Aircraft Make:    BEECH
Aircraft Model:    BE45
Event Type:    INCIDENT
Highest Injury:    NONE
Aircraft Missing:    No
Damage:    UNKNOWN
Activity:    UNKNOWN
Flight Phase:    LANDING (LDG)
City:    BOWLING GREEN
State:    KENTUCKY

Cessna 402C, N67909: Incidents occurred June 24, 2020 and June 16, 2017

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Boston, Massachusetts

June 24, 2020: Aircraft landed and smoke was coming from left engine. 

Hyannis Air Service Inc doing business as Cape Air

https://registry.faa.gov/N67909

Date: 24-JUN-20
Time: 14:01:00Z
Regis#: N67909
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 402
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: CARGO
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Aircraft Operator: CAPE AIR
Flight Number: KAP929
City: HYANNIS
State: MASSACHUSETTS  

BARNSTABLE — Firefighters were called to Barnstable Municipal Airport on Wednesday morning when smoke began coming out of a plane, a Hyannis Fire Department official said.

Firefighters were called to 125 Mary Dunn Way at 10:08 a.m. for an inflight emergency when a pilot saw smoke coming out of the Cessna 402C aircraft, Capt. Gregory Dardia said.

The pilot was the only person in the aircraft, and it was already on the ground when the incident started, Dardia said.

The Cessna 402 “blew its turbo,” causing oil to spill from the engine, landing on hot components and causing smoke, Dardia said.

There were no reported injuries. The aircraft was taken to the maintenance department at the airport to be fixed.


https://www.capecodtimes.com

June 16, 2017:  Aircraft struck a fence with its wing.


Date:    16-JUN-17
Time:    12:15:00Z
Regis#:    N67909
Aircraft Make:    CESSNA
Aircraft Model:    C402
Event Type:    INCIDENT
Highest Injury:    NONE
Aircraft Missing:    No
Damage:    MINOR
Activity:    OTHER
Flight Phase:    UNKNOWN (UNK)
City:    NANTUCKET
State:    MASSACHUSETTS

Cessna 150, N9851J, LCFS LLC: Incident occurred June 16, 2017 at Tecumseh Municipal Airport (0G3), Johnson County, Nebraska and Incident occurred January 18, 2016 near Council Bluffs Municipal Airport (KCBF), Pottawattamie County, Iowa

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Lincoln 

LCFS LLC:  http://registry.faa.gov/N9851J


Aircraft on final, landed short of the runway.  


Date: 16-JUN-17
Time: 15:00:00Z
Regis#: N9851J
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: C150
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: INSTRUCTION
Flight Phase: APPROACH (APR)
City: TECUMSEH
State: NEBRASKA

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office;  Des Moines

Aircraft force landed in a field. 

Date: 18-JAN-16
Time: 16:55:00Z
Regis#: N9851J
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 150
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: None
Activity: Instruction
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: COUNCIL BLUFFS
State: Iowa



(Council Bluffs) -- Council Bluffs Police say two occupants of a small plane walked away from an emergency landing late Monday morning.

Police say the small Cessna aircraft landed in a bean field north of a housing subdivision near East Manawa Drive and Red Tail Road in Council Bluffs shortly before 11 a.m. 

An investigation determined the plane experienced engine trouble after taking off from the Council Bluffs Airport.

The pilot, identified as Travis Yohn, safely landed the plane in the empty field.

The pilot and his passenger, Connor Galvan, were not injured, and the plane suffered no visible damage.

Officers are working with the Federal Aviation Administration and Council Bluffs Airport personnel in removing the airplane from the field.

Source:  http://www.kmaland.com


COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa —A small airplane made an emergency landing in a bean field Monday morning, the Council Bluffs Police Department said in a release.

Emergency personnel were called at 10:59 a.m. to an area of East Manawa Drive and Red Tail Road.

An investigation revealed that the single-engine Cessna took off from the Council Bluffs Airport and began experiencing engine troubles, the release said. 

Pilot Travis Yohn safely landed the plane in the empty field. He and the other occupant, Connor Galvin, were both unhurt.

The airplane sustained no visible damage.

The Council Bluffs Police Department is working with the Federal Aviation Administration and Council Bluffs Airport personnel in removing the plane from the field.

Source:  http://www.ketv.com

Piper PA-31-310 Navajo, N911SD, N Ware Aviation Inc: Incident occurred June 16, 2017 at Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (KPSM), Rockingham County, New Hampshire

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Portland, Maine

N Ware Aviation Inc:  http://registry.faa.gov/N911SD

Aircraft on landing, struck the propeller.


Date:    16-JUN-17
Time:    22:45:00Z
Regis#:    N911SD
Aircraft Make:    PIPER
Aircraft Model:    PA31
Event Type:    INCIDENT
Highest Injury:    NONE
Aircraft Missing:    No
Damage:    UNKNOWN
Activity:    UNKNOWN
Flight Phase:    LANDING (LDG)
City:    PORTSMOUTH
State:    NEW HAMPSHIRE

Cessna 182A Skylane, N6196B, registered to and operated by a private individual: Accident occurred June 17, 2017 at Mike's Place Airport (96OK), Buffalo, Harper County, Oklahoma

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

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Oklahoma City

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/N6196B

Location: Buffalo, OK
Accident Number: CEN17LA235
Date & Time: 06/17/2017, 0945 CDT
Registration: N6196B
Aircraft: CESSNA 182A
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Part(s) separation from AC
Injuries: 3 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On June 17, 2017, about 0945 central daylight time, a Cessna 182A, N6196B, nosed over after landing on turf runway 17 at Mike's Place Airport (96OK), Buffalo, Oklahoma. The two pilots and one passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Alva Regional Airport (AVK), Alva, Oklahoma, about 0915 and was destined for 96OK.

The pilot reported that the airplane touched down about midfield and the landing was normal until the nose wheel touched down. He heard a loud noise from the nose landing gear area. The airplane nosed over on the runway and came to rest inverted (figure 1).


Figure 1 – Accident site 


The landing path consisted of three parallel tire marks on the grass runway. A grease seal ring from the nose wheel assembly was found next to the center tire mark. The center tire mark transitioned into two parallel tracks in the grass; the tracks were about 1 ft wide and extended for about 8 ft in a straight line. About 20 ft later, there was a single track in the runway with about 6 perpendicular slash marks through the track. The nose wheel axle tube was found near the end of the slash marks. The single track continued to the main wreckage.

The responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector stated that the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the vertical stabilizer. The nose wheel was separated from the nose gear fork and the fork separated from the strut. A grease seal ring from the nose wheel assembly and a portion of the nose wheel axle tube were found in the debris path. The nose wheel axle bolt (figure 2) had separated and was not found. There were no preaccident anomalies noted with the recovered components.


Figure 2 – Nose landing gear depiction 


A review of the maintenance logbooks revealed that during the most recent annual inspection on April 8, 2017, the wheel bearings were packed. No other recent maintenance had been completed on the landing gear system. 

Co-Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 62, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification:  Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam:  09/14/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 03/19/2016
Flight Time:  642 hours (Total, all aircraft), 170 hours (Total, this make and model), 620 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 13 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 5 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 0 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft) 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 62, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 01/08/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 02/06/2016
Flight Time: 319 hours (Total, all aircraft), 12 hours (Total, this make and model), 167 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 25 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 18 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 0 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: CESSNA
Registration: N6196B
Model/Series: 182A
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1957
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 34196
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 04/08/2017, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2348 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 17.7 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 6827.3 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Continental Motors
ELT: C91A installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-470-L
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 230 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: KWWR, 2188 ft msl
Observation Time: 0935 CDT
Distance from Accident Site: 25 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 187°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 28°C / 18°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 9 knots, 210°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 29.71 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point:  ALVA, OK (AVK)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Buffalo, OK (96OK)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0915 CDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: MIKE'S PLACE (96OK)
Runway Surface Type: Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 1787 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 17
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 4000 ft / 35 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full Stop; Traffic Pattern 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 None
Latitude, Longitude:  36.847500, -99.457500 (est)

NTSB Identification: CEN17LA235
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, June 17, 2017 in Buffalo, OK
Aircraft: CESSNA 182A, registration: N6196B
Injuries: 3 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 June 17, 2017, about 0945 central daylight time, a Cessna 182A airplane, N6196B, flipped inverted after landing on a grass runway at Mike's Place Airport (96OK), Buffalo, Oklahoma. The pilot, co-pilot, and a passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Alva Regional Airport (AVK), Alva, Oklahoma, about 0915 and was destined for 96OK. 

The pilot stated that the approach and landing were normal until the nose wheel touched down and a loud noise was heard from the nose landing gear. The airplane nosed over on the runway and came to rest inverted. 

The responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector stated that the nose wheel was found separated from the fork and the fork separated from the strut. The debris path and witness marks on the runway suggested that the nose wheel was initially tracking through the grass. The single track became two parallel tracks consistent with the width of the nose gear fork. Then the nose gear strut collapsed and made a single track in the grass, along with propeller strike marks. 

The airplane has been retained for further examination.