Skydive Spaceland Houston: Fatal accident occurred July 08, 2017

HOUSTON - One person was killed and another injured in a skydiving accident at Skydive Spaceland Houston on Saturday. 

The company confirmed two skydivers collided mid-air during a group skydive at the facility.

The skydiver who was killed has been identified as world-renowned voice actor Randy Schell. The second jumper has not yet been identified but was treated for a leg injury.

Both skydivers were licensed, experienced jumpers and had each made at least one successful skydive earlier in the day on Saturday.

The company said in a statement the jumpers collided after deploying their parachutes normally but the collision caused Shell's parachute to collapse.

World-renowned voice actor Randy Schell.

Many may not recognize Schell’s face, but his voice has been heard my millions of people around the world.

He was the voice of commercials for AMC’s hit TV show The Walking Dead and had also done work for major brands including 20th Century Fox, McDonalds, Geico, Coco Cola, Nike, and several others.

Houston talent agent and Schell’s long time representative Jenny Josby, told KHOU 11 News, Schell was loved by everyone he worked with. 

She added Schell had a remarkable voice and was an all-around great person.

"He had a golden voice, he knew what to do with it. He was a constant professional. Everyone loved working with him. He was also a brilliant producer and engineer. He was a great friend, a great man and a great client." said Josby.

http://www.khou.com

Robinson R44 Raven I, N7224U, registered to and operated by JR Aviation Inc: Accident occurred July 08, 2017 in Ireland, Madison Township, Dubois County, Indiana

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

Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Indianapolis, Indiana

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/N7224U


Location: Ireland, IN
Accident Number: CEN17LA267
Date & Time: 07/08/2017, 1040 EDT
Registration: N7224U
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 137: Agricultural 

On July 8, 2017, about 1040 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R44 helicopter, N7224U, impacted the ground following a loss of control while conducting an aerial application flight near Ireland, Indiana. Following the impact with the ground, a fire erupted and the helicopter was destroyed. The pilot received serious injuries. The aircraft was registered to and operated by JR Aviation , Inc., under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from an unknown location at an unknown time.

The pilot reported that he was spraying a field and when making a spray turn he felt a vibration or shuddering of the whole helicopter accompanied by an uncommanded right yaw. He applied full left pedal and the helicopter centered briefly, but then the right yaw started again and continued to impact. The pilot extricated himself and crawled about 20 ft from the wreckage when a fire erupted and consumed the helicopter. When asked if he felt the event was related to a mechanical or an aerodynamic event, he replied that he thought it was an aerodynamic event. He commented that he was a flight instructor and that he had never felt the kind of vibration that occurred during the accident flight.

Examination of the helicopter was limited due to the extensive fire damage, but no anomalies could be found with components that were able to be examined.

Federal Aviation Administration's Helicopter Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-21A, contains a section titled "Loss of Tail Rotor Effectiveness (LTE)" which states:

Loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE) or an unanticipated yaw is defined as an uncommanded, rapid yaw towards the advancing blade which does not subside of its own accord. It can result in the loss of the aircraft if left unchecked. It is very important for pilots to understand that LTE is caused by an aerodynamic interaction between the main rotor and tail rotor and not caused from a mechanical failure. Some helicopter types are more likely to encounter LTE due to the normal certification thrust produced by having a tail rotor that, although meeting certification standards, is not always able to produce the additional thrust demanded by the pilot.

FAA-H-8083-21A further stated that early detection followed by application of forward cyclic, right pedal, not left, and reducing collective to reduce the high power demand is the key to recovery.

The weather conditions reported at a nearby airport included variable wind at 4 kts.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 42, Male
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied:Right 
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): Helicopter
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Helicopter; Instrument Helicopter
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 01/24/2017
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 1470 hours (Total, all aircraft), 932 hours (Total, this make and model)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: ROBINSON HELICOPTER
Registration: N7224U
Model/Series: R44 UNDESIGNATED
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Year of Manufacture: 2004
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 1442
Landing Gear Type: Skid;
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/28/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 2217 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: Not installed
Engine Model/Series: O-540-F1B5
Registered Owner: J R AVIATION INC
Rated Power: 225 hp
Operator: J R AVIATION INC
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Agricultural Aircraft (137)
Operator Does Business As:
Operator Designator Code: JR9A

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: HNB, 529 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 10 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1456 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 167°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: Light and Variable 
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: Variable
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 30.02 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 26°C / 21°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Ireland, IN
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Ireland, IN
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: Unknown
Total Injuries: 1 Serious

Latitude, Longitude: 38.414722, -86.999444

NTSB Identification: CEN17LA267 
14 CFR Part 137: Agricultural
Accident occurred Saturday, July 08, 2017 in Ireland, IN
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44, registration: N7224U
Injuries: 1 Serious.

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

On July 8, 2017, about 1040 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R44 helicopter, N7224U, impacted the ground following a loss of control while conducting an aerial application flight near Ireland, Indiana. Following the impact with the ground, a fire erupted and the helicopter was destroyed. The pilot received serious injuries. The aircraft was registered to and operated by JR Aviation , Inc., under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from an unconfirmed location at an unconfirmed time.

The pilot in the helicopter crash out of Dubois County has been identified.

We are told that at 10:44 a.m. Saturday, Keith Windsor, 42, of Charlestown was crop dusting in a single-occupant helicopter over fields near County Road 450 North.

Authorities say for some unknown reason, Windsor experienced mechanical issues and crashed into a bean field that was approximately one quarter of a mile south of 6720 West County Road 450 North.

We are told Windsor was able to exit the helicopter prior to it catching on fire.

Authorities say the helicopter was a total loss and destroyed as a result of the crash and fire. Windsor was flown by Air Methods medical helicopter to Saint Vincent Hospital in Evansville where he was treated for a broken leg and chest pains.

 Around 10:45 Saturday, a man piloting a small helicopter crashed in a bean field near 450 North in Jasper. 

The man escaped with injuries. 

Neighbors say they didn't hear the crash, but when they saw the smoke, they knew something went terribly wrong. 

"Well, the wife's in the house. She looked out the back window, she seen the [helicopter] on the ground,” Tony Hoffman said. 

“From here you can't really see what's all back there and if he's ok, or if he was still inside the helicopter or anything,” Tony’s daughter Emily Hoffman said.

It's not everyday someone sees a helicopter crash just beyond your backyard, but when the Hoffmans did, their first reaction was to help. Luckily for 42-year-old Keith Windsor, he made it out before the fire started. 

"We actually blocked the flames from the helicopter to the victim, because he couldn't move anymore, he had lower back pain. We wasn't gonna touch him,” Hoffman said. “We just told him to lay still, you know. He wanted to keep moving, keep moving; we don't know what the extent of his injuries are.” 

Indiana State Police have a better idea. 

"The pilot was airlifted to a hospital in Evansville. He suffered a broken femur, and had a complaint of chest pain. So given the circumstances of the crash, he came away pretty well,” Sergeant Phil Hensley said. “Had this been a deal where he had been trapped inside, this would've been a grave situation." 

ISP said Windsor was crop dusting the bean field near the Hoffman home. As to what happened, authorities are unsure. 

"Why exactly, we don't know. The FAA is currently en route to the scene from Indianapolis. They're gonna be the lead on this investigation,” Sergeant Hensley said. 

"You know it wasn't like he was doing anything crazy, so he didn't, and when we talked to him, he didn't know what happened to the plane,” Hoffman said. 

Windsor was airlifted to St. Vincent, but the hospital has not yet confirmed his condition.

http://www.tristatehomepage.com

Piper PA-28-181 Archer III, N793MA: Fatal accident occurred July 08, 2017 in Waterford, Ohio

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

Additional Participating Entities: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Columbus, Ohio
Piper Aircraft; Vero Beach, Florida 
Lycoming Engines; Williamsport, Pennsylvania

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N793MA

Location: Waterford, OH
Accident Number: CEN17FA258
Date & Time: 07/08/2017, 0942 EDT
Registration: N793MA
Aircraft: PIPER PA 28-181
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On July 8, 2017, at 0942 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181 airplane, N793MA, impacted the Muskingum River Fly Ash Reservoir near Waterford, Ohio. The private pilot and the passenger were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and the cross-country flight was operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The airplane departed Logansport/Cass County Airport (GGP), Logansport, Indiana, at 0758 and was en route to Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport (PKB), Parkersburg, West Virginia.

According to air traffic control and radar information, the airplane was in cruise flight about 7,000 ft mean sea level (msl) until the initial descent to PKB began at 0933. The airplane began a steady descent and proceeded toward OWAVE, the initial approach fix for the RNAV (GPS) RWY 21 approach to PKB. The final 2.5 minutes of the radar data revealed several sharp turns left and right (figure 1). The last radar point recorded the airplane at 0942 at 2,950 ft msl, about 2,100 ft above ground level (agl), which was 0.5 miles northeast of the accident site. The accident site is marked with the yellow pin in figure 1.

Figure 1 – Flight Path

A witness, who was 0.78 nautical mile southwest of the accident site (as shown in figure 1), reported that low overcast clouds were present as he heard the airplane fly overhead. The airplane then exited the clouds in a steep angle of descent with the engine operating at "full rpm, full power." The airplane disappeared behind a tree line; he heard a thud sound, and the engine noise stopped. Only a few seconds elapsed between the airplane descending out of the clouds and the thud sound.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age:63, Male 
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:  Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/28/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 11/01/2015
Flight Time: (Estimated) 1100 hours (Total, all aircraft) 

Remnants of a pilot logbook were recovered from the reservoir but were not legible. According to the application for his most recent medical certificate on March 28, 2016, the pilot's total flight experience was 1,100 hours. His instrument flight experience is unknown. The pilot's flight instructor provided copies of his logbook, which showed that the pilot and flight instructor flew 7 flights in the accident airplane from April 2015 to March 2017. The flights totaled 7.95 hours and included 17 instrument approaches: 12 instrument landing system (ILS), 4 very-high omnidirectional range (VOR), and 1 GPS approach. The pilot's most recent logged instrument flight was on March 11, 2017, during which he completed 2 ILS and 1 VOR approach. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: PIPER
Registration: N793MA
Model/Series: PA 28-181 181
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1998
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal; Utility
Serial Number: 2843193
Landing Gear Type:  Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 07/15/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: C91  installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-360-A4M
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 180 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

The pilot's flight instructor reported that he flew the airplane on July 26, 2016, from Indianapolis to GGP. He stated that the autopilot worked in the wings-level roll mode but would not hold a heading. The instructor did not report if the autopilot was placarded inoperative or if any subsequent maintenance had been performed to fix the issue.

The airplane maintenance logbooks did not contain any entries regarding the autopilot. 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Instrument Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation:PKB, 615 ft msl 
Distance from Accident Site:19 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 0953 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 163°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 1200 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 5 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 280°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 29.98 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 20°C / 17°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: LOGANSPORT, IN (GGP)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: PARKERSBURG, WV (PKB)
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 0758 EDT
Type of Airspace: Air Traffic Control; Class E 

The weather conditions near the accident location included overcast ceilings between 1,200 and 1,500 ft agl (2,000 to 2,300 ft msl). The cloud tops across the region were 6,200 ft to 6,900 ft msl.

An area forecast for southwestern Ohio forecasted overcast clouds at 2,000 ft msl and overcast clouds at 5,000 ft msl with cloud tops to 10,000 ft msl. An AIRMET for IFR conditions was active for the accident location at the accident time.

Airport Information

Airport: MID-OHIO VALLEY RGNL (PKB)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 858 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Unknown
Runway Used: 21
IFR Approach: Global Positioning System
Runway Length/Width: 7240 ft / 150 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 39.575556, -81.690278 (est) 

The accident site was in the Muskingum River Fly Ash Reservoir, and the wreckage was submerged in about 5 ft of water. The wreckage debris field was generally oriented west to east. A fuel sheen was observed on top of the water near the wreckage. The wreckage was recovered by divers and pulled to the shore.

A postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the airplane had separated into three main sections. The largest section, shown in figure 2, consisted of the engine, fuselage, and empennage. The next section consisted of most of the right wing, and the last section consisted of a small section of the left wing.

Figure 2 – Airplane wreckage with the reservoir in the background

Several small pieces of airplane debris were also recovered from other areas of the reservoir. No electronic devices were found with the wreckage.

A distinct needle impact mark on the face of the airspeed indicator was observed near 153 kts indication, which was just below the redline. The altimeter barometric pressure was set to 29.98 inches of mercury. The other instruments were significantly damage during the accident sequence, and their final positions were unreliable.

The vacuum pump remained attached to the engine, and no external damage was noted. The pump was partially disassembled, and the composite drive assembly, carbon rotor, and carbon vanes were intact. The electric auxiliary vacuum pump was not found with the recovered wreckage.

The propeller remained attached to the engine crankshaft flange. The propeller spinner was crushed. One propeller blade remained intact, was curled aft about 100°, and exhibited longitudinal twisting. The other blade was twisted, curled aft about 90°, and was fractured about 1 ft from the tip; the separated tip was not found.

The postaccident examination of the engine and airframe did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Medical And Pathological Information

The Montgomery County Coroner's Office, Dayton, Ohio, completed an autopsy on the pilot, and the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. Significant coronary artery disease was identified with 95% atherosclerotic stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery and 10% atherosclerotic stenosis of the left circumflex and right coronary arteries. The remainder of the examination of the heart was unremarkable; there was no evidence of previous ischemia.

Toxicology testing performed by the Montgomery County Coroner's Office identified but did not quantify ethanol in the pilot's liver. Toxicology testing performed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, identified irbesartan and metoprolol in muscle and metoprolol and pravastatin in liver, none of which are considered impairing. No ethanol was found in liver or brain tissue.

Irbesartan is a prescription medication used alone or in combination with other medications to treat high blood pressure. It is also used to treat kidney disease caused by diabetes in patients with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

Pravastatin is a prescription medication used together with diet, weight-loss, and exercise to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood and to increase the amount of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the blood.

Metoprolol is a prescription medication used alone or in combination with other medications to treat high blood pressure. It also is used to prevent angina (chest pain) and to improve survival after a heart attack. Metoprolol also is used in combination with other medications to treat heart failure.

WIND AND FLYING
SKY IS THE LIMIT.....
May 26, 2017
Umamaheswara Rao Kalapatapu

I came to know more about the power of wind since I started learning to fly in Late 1990s. On the ground all the locomotion happens with touching / kissing the ground, which also helps to resist the movement by wind currents.

However in the air, it is totally different. Same applies when the object is on / or in the water.

Taking off and landing with wind coming towards the plane - headwind or we call it flying into the wind - is much more efficient. Tail wind on the other hand helps the plane to get to the destination faster and saves fuel. My plane at its maximum speed in no wind situation can go 120 nautical miles per hour ( knots) but with a 30 knot headwind it can drop to 90 knots: if it is the same strength tail wind, I will be going at 150 knots.

Winds are predominantly westerly for USA. So if some one goes to Europe or Asia their trip will be an hour or two longer when they come back to USA.

South and west winds in northern hemisphere of earth are considered usually favorable. south winds bring warmth.

North and east winds in northern hemisphere are a sign of possible bad weather. North arctic winds are strong in winter and bring all the snow.

Although pilots wish always to fly with tail wind, some times " it is always the head wind " . It is not the pilot's or even plane's greatness, but when you arrive sooner than the Estimated Time of Arrival ( ETA) the credit should go to the tail wind.

Pilots always fly at the maximum speed unlike cars (my Mercedes Benz can go 160 MPH but the rules won't let me go beyond 70 MPH). this is one place you can confidently tell your spouse that you are flying at the maximum speed and if you want more speed " time to get me a faster plane ! "

I live on a lake and the ducks always take off and land into the wind. They must be watching the water waves also to determine the head wind direction???

Runways are build after monitoring and recording the winds for about a year or so to determine the predominant winds for that area. If place is a small town or the budget is tight, only one runway will be built.

But in bigger cities more than one runway particularly to have at least 4 different directions: if not 6, of possible take offs and landings are built.

Water landing is actually convenient but the gear you needed to land has to be carried with the water plane all the time which causes less favorable aerodynamic situation to be flying efficiently in the air.

But what if in one runway airport if strong wind is coming at right angle to the runway? These winds are " crosswinds " , which make it difficult for the air crafts to land or take off. The strength of wind that can cause problems is usually directly proportional to the size of the plane. If my plane can handle only 21 knots of crosswind, a jumbo jet would be able to handle even 50 knots. Early in my flying days, my instructor Sam wanted me to land in nearby Peru airport which has North/ south runway than Logansport which has East / West runway due to strong north winds that day. Recently when I am flying from Fort Wayne In to Logansport, Radar services advised of severe turbulence in the pathway and they diverted me around the bad weather.

Some times depending on the direction of the cross wind it may also act as head wind or tail wind.. so pilots choose the closest heading to the direction of the cross wind.

To get the plane land in cross wind the aileron of the the wing has to be turned in the direction of cross wind and with the foot opposite rudder has to be pushed to the floor.

Some times also use a " crab angle " until the near end of the runway before the final adjustment to align with runway...

In Sweazy, IN there is a half mile concrete circular runway, used by military operations at one time. A plane can land in any direction depending on the wind direction.
On warships the runways are not numbered for obvious reasons, the runway direction depends on the orientation of the ship.

There are two types of winds: Surface winds and Winds aloft. The later is the wind in atmosphere. Usually pilots are briefed 3 levels : 3, 6 and 9,000 ft. Above 8,000 ft usually the winds get thin.

So the jets go 20 to 30,00 ft so travelers will have little discomfort. The pilot can chose the altitude where winds become more favorable.

Pilots on the ground watch the flags, and wind socks to know wind direction, little above smoking stacks of factories and up above, their instruments tell the power of wind..when I was looking at smoke one day Sam said " I know you are thinking like a pilot " during training...

During day time sun heats the surface of the earth and consequently hot air goes to the higher altitude and cold air comes below and gets heated and thus churn like boiling water and create turbulence. So big planes choose red eye or flights close to midnight to avoid panic in passengers. . Sam used to tell me when he saw uncomfortable feeling in "choppy " weather during day time training, " you must be used to this.. roughness .. by now "

However every plane big or small has a yielding point to the force of wind. No plane is immune to the wind force. So the stormy weather makes cancel the flights, go around the weather etc.

But still I get amazed to see weather people going in to the eye of the hurricane where wind is calm... they have mighty machines which are super pricey..
When a big jet leaves the runway , it creates quite a bit of disturbance in the airmass behind which willcause the next plane behind, especially if it is a small plane to crease what is called " wake turbulence " So small plan has to wait a few minutes to let the winds die down before taking of.

What is mind boggling to me is to see a small sparrow in a storm with 70 knot wind landing on a branch of a violently moving tree...

One time I was flying with my wife near Morgan Town West Virginia after a storm cleared. it was a bright sunny day. Suddenly the plane started climbing on its own and I gained 2,000 ft altitude. Soon I started losing altitude fast with our doing anything.. lost like 3,000 ft this time. Radar staff announced that I should either maintain the altitude or land somewhere. Soon I got the control of the plane. These are dangerous " updrafts " and " downdrafts "

commercial pilots dread about. Imagine a 747 is in landing configuration and 3000 ft above the ground. a strong down draft can cause a plane crash....

When flying over mountains such as Appalachians, or Rockies, one may experience serious sudden weather changes.

One time I was landing at Meig's airport in Chicago ( when it was still in operation - I miss it terribly.. you can land your plane, walk to famous Chicago Michigan Avenue for shopping and walk back to airport... the closure was due to real estate people who felt it is waste of gold mine to use as a airstrip in the heart of Chicago ). On final approach the tower announced change of runway... I was almost landing, needed to go round and land on the opposite side of the run way. Sudden change - " wind shear " makes the wind velocity and direction different with in a matter of minutes,.... It is also common near a large body of water .. in this case the mighty Lake Michigan..

I watch the weather now to fly my kite too....

I get amused seeing the parent eagles training their little ones in the mid air. The parent carries on the back the little one for just a short while and suddenly dive down so the young one will fly and let them land on their back by going straight up: toss them into air and repeat this feat for quite some time to learn them fly....

Equally amazing and unimaginable is mid-air refueling of planes especially in the military operations.

Man learns constantly from the birds about flying... designs the wings of the plane similar to the wings of the birds... always keeps raising the bar.......

SKY IS THE LIMIT.....
May 26, 2017
Umamaheswara Rao Kalapatapu

BEVERLY, Ohio— Authorities have identified an Indian American couple from Indiana as having died when a small plane crash crashed into a retention pond in southeastern Ohio.

The State Highway Patrol said July 10 that the 63-year-old pilot, Umamahesware Kalapatapu, and his 61-year-old wife, Sitha-Gita Kalapatapu, were the only ones on the Piper Archer PA-28. The plane carrying the Logansport, Indiana, couple crashed July 8 near the Washington County village of Beverly, about 75 miles southeast of Columbus.

Umamaheswara Kalapatapu was a contract psychiatrist at the Bowen Center in Warsaw, Indiana. He has worked there since 1993, according to The Bowen Center’s website.

The Bowen Center replied to a NewsChannel 15 tweet to offer condolences to the Kalapatapu family: “It is with great sadness we have been informed about the loss of Dr. Kalapatapu and his wife. We offer our condolences to friends & family.”

Authorities said the last contact with the plane headed to an airport near Parkersburg, West Virginia, from Cass County, Indiana, was around 10:30 a.m. July 8 morning. It was reported missing about noon.

Searchers found the wreckage in the afternoon of the same day.

There was no word on what caused the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

WATERFORD, Ohio (WTAP) - UPDATE: 7/9/2017 5:42 P.M.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the accident, which involved a Piper PA-28-181 aircraft.

Divers spent Sunday recovering parts of the plane.

The number of people on board and their identities have not been released.

ORIGINAL STORY: 7/8/17

The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center has requested assistance from the West Virginia Wing Civil Air Patrol for its search of an aircraft reported missing Saturday morning.

The aircraft was in route from Logansport, Indiana to Parkersburg.

Radar lost contact with the aircraft at 9:43 a.m.

A Civil Air Patrol aircrew has been searching in a pond near the AEP Waterford Facility since approximately noon.

The Marietta Fire Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Beverly Volunteer Department, Little Hocking Fire and Rescue Dive Team, and Washington County Sheriff's Office are on scene.


http://www.thenewscenter.tv

A small plane crashed into a retention pond Saturday, killing two people near Beverly in northern Washington County.

The remains of an unidentified man and woman have been recovered.

A dive team from Little Hocking was still combing the underwater crash site Sunday, which is located near a defunct American Electric Power plant, according to Sgt. Garick Warner of the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Marietta Post.

The crash occurred sometime Saturday morning.

The private plane is believed to be a missing plane carrying two people that was headed to Parkersburg, West Virginia, from an airport north of Indianapolis. It never arrived at its scheduled time of 10:30 a.m., Warner said.

Highway Patrol was notified and a search began at about 12:45 p.m., he said. The wreckage was discovered at about 2 p.m. with help from Beverly-Waterford Rescue Squad. The West Virginia Wing Civil Air Patrol said the plane lost radar contact at about 9:45 a.m. Saturday.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.

http://www.dispatch.com

BEVERLY — Crews have found occupants of a plane that crashed at a retention pond Saturday at a former power plant in Beverly, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol.

The number of people recovered was unavailable late Saturday night. The type of plane also was unavailable.

A county coroner was dispatched to the power plant located along the Muskingum River, said Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks, who earlier said at least a pilot and a passenger were on board the plane.

The plane was flying from the Indianapolis area to Florida and was going to stop at the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport in Wood County, Mincks said.

An Ohio Highway Patrol airplane found debris at the retention pond, a wing, and a visual sighting from a boat launched by the Beverly-Waterford emergency squad found a plane was in the water, Mincks said.

Divers from Little Hocking were at the scene Saturday night searching the water, Mincks said. Representatives of the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the plane crash, he said.

The West Virginia Wing of the Civil Air Patrol reported the airplane was flying from Logansport-Cass County Airport in Indiana, north of Indianapolis, when radar contact was lost at 9:43 a.m.

Assistance from the West Virginia Wing was requested by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, a release from Lt. Col. Jeffery Schrock, public affairs officer for the West Virginia Wing.

A nearby Civil Air Patrol crew was getting ready for a training sortie and alerted to perform a search of the route from the last known radar position, the release said.

“We were the closest,” Schrock said.

At 2:33 p.m. the Civil Air Patrol crew made a find at the pond of the former plant. The coal-fired power plant was shut down by American Electric Power about two years ago and the property sold to Commercial Liability Partners LLC, redevelopment company from Missouri, which is demolishing the facilities,

Also on scene are units from the Marietta Ohio Fire Department and the Ohio Highway Patrol.


http://www.mariettatimes.com

BEVERLY, Ohio - Multiple people are dead after a plane crashed near Beverly, Ohio in Washington County on Saturday according to the Marietta post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

OSHP said they received a call around 12 p.m. that a plane headed from Indiana to Parkersburg, West Virginia had not landed yet.

The West Virginia Wing Civil Air Patrol said they assisted the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center in helping to find the plane after radar contact was lost around 9:45 a.m.

The wreckage was found around 1:30 p.m. in a retention pond near Beverly, according to OSHP.

The Civil Air Patrol said the plane was coming from Logansport/Cass County airport, about 70 miles north of Indianapolis.

OSHP said there were no survivors.

The names of the victims have not been released.

http://www.10tv.com

Ohio State Highway Patrol has confirmed multiple fatalities after a plane crash in Washington County, OH near Beverly.

According to OSHP the plane crashed just after noon today in a property near Clark Hill Road and Hayesville Road.

The FAA is on scene investigating. 

The number of passengers on the plane has not been released. 

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

http://wtov9.com

UPDATE 11:10 p.m. 

The Ohio State Highway patrol tells 7News there are reports of multiple fatalities in connection to the plane crash in Washington County, OH. They also tell us the FAA is on scene working the investigation.

We'll continue to update you as we learn more.

A plane crash north of Beverly in Washington County, Ohio has been confirmed by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

According to the Cambridge post, a call came in around 12:03 p.m. Saturday that a plane had gone missing mid-flight. They then located the 4-seater plane about an hour later in Washington County.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol tell us they're unsure how many people were aboard the aircraft when it went down, and that it's still under investigation.

http://www.yourohiovalley.com


WASHINGTON CO., OH (WCMH) — The Cambridge post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol says multiple people are dead after a plane crash in Washington County, WTRF reports.

Officials got a call that a plane went missing mid-flight around 12pm.

The four-seater plane was found around 1pm north of Beverly, in Washington County.

The State Patrol reports they’re unsure how many were on board when the plane crashed.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol and FAA are investigating.

http://nbc4i.com

BEVERLY – A plane carrying a pilot and a passenger Saturday crashed into a retention pond at the former power plant in Beverly, officials said.

The plane was enroute between Indianapolis to Florida and was going to stop at the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport in Wood County, Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks said.

An Ohio Highway Patrol plane found debris at the retention pond, a wing, and a visual sighting from a boat launched by the Beverly-Waterford emergency squad found a plane was in the water, Mincks said.

“We believe there is a pilot and another (passenger) on board,” Mincks said Saturday night.

Divers from the Little Hocking were at the scene Saturday night searching the water, Mincks said.

The West Virginia Wing of the Civil Air Patrol reported the airplane was flying from Logansport-Cass County Airport in Indiana, north of Indianapolis, when radar contact was lost at 9:43 a.m. Assistance from the West Virginia Wing was requested by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, a release from Lt. Col. Jeffery Schrock, public affairs officer for the West Virginia Wing.

A Civil Air Patrol crew was getting ready for a training sortie and alerted to perform a search of the route from the last known radar position, the release said.

“We were the closest,” Shrock said.

At 2:33 p.m. the Civil Air Patrol crew made a find at the pond of the former plant. The coal-fired power plant was shut down by American Electric Power about two years ago and the property sold to Commercial Liability Partners LLC, redevelopment company from Missouri, which is demolishing the facilities,

Also on scene are units from the Marietta Ohio Fire Department and the Ohio Highway Patrol.

http://www.newsandsentinel.com

Cessna 210L Centurion, N2246S: Fatal accident occurred December 20, 2020 in Liberty County, Georgia and Incident occurred July 08, 2017 on Ossabaw Island, Chatham County, Georgia

Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board investigation may contact them by email eyewitnessreport@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.  

Coastal Flight Surgeons Inc

http://registry.faa.gov/N2246S

LIBERTY COUNTY, Georgia (WTOC) - First responders have recovered the body of a pilot from plane wreckage in Liberty County.

According to Liberty County Sheriff Steve Sikes, the pilot is a resident of McIntosh County.

County and federal officials were at the scene of the downed aircraft in the area of Carrs Neck Creek, on the eastern end of the county on Monday.

According to Liberty County Emergency Management Director Larry Logan, the tail of the aircraft as well as a wing was spotted by Liberty County Fires Services Chief Brian Darby.

Several members of the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and Liberty County Fire Services waded through a thick, marshy area to recover the body of the pilot who was initially reported missing by family members shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday.

The director of the Liberty County 911 Center says they believe it’s a small, single-engine plane. They also think the pilot was the only person on board.

https://www.wtoc.com

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Atlanta, Georgia

July 08, 2017:  Aircraft force landed on a beach.

Date: 08-JUL-17
Time: 13:36:00Z
Regis#: N2246S
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: C210
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: NONE
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: OSSABAW ISLAND
State: GEORGIA

July 08, 2017

OSSABAW ISLAND (WTOC) -  The Coast Guard rescued three people after their aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing on Ossabaw Island in Georgia.

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Charleston Command Center were notified of a mayday call from the aircrew of a Cessna 210 that came in at 9:35 a.m. from Air Traffic Control. 

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and accompanying crew were dispatched from the Coast Guard Air Station in Savannah at 9:52 a.m. to help the three crewmembers. 

The helicopter arrived on the beach at 10:09, loaded all three passengers and safely transported them back to the air station. 

No injuries were reported. 

The aircraft is registered to Coastal Flight Surgeons Inc, who are based in Townsend, Georgia. They are a small organization made up of doctors.

http://www.wtoc.com

Incident occurred July 08, 2017 at McCarran International Airport (KLAS), Las Vegas, Nevada

A Delta Air Lines flight this afternoon landed safely at McCarran International Airport after it was diverted to Las Vegas due to a possible mechanical issue, according to airport spokesman Michael Oram.

Flight 1728, a McDonnell Douglas MD-90 carrying 158 passengers, landed about 4:15 p.m. and taxied to the gate with its own power, airport spokesman Michael Oram said. There was a possible issue with a generator of one of the airliner’s two engines.

The flight was heading to Minneapolis from San Diego when crew elected to divert after “receiving an indication in the flight deck of a possible issue with one of the aircraft’s onboard systems,” a Delta spokesman said.

The airplane had to burn fuel before it landed, Oram said.

Delta released the following statement about the incident: 

"The flight crew of Delta flight 1728 from SAN Diego to Minneapolis elected to divert to Las Vegas after receiving an indication in the flight deck of a possible issue with one of the aircraft's onboard systems. The McDonnell Douglas MD-90 is expected to land in Las Vegas shortly where maintenance technicians will evaluate the aircraft. The safety of Delta's customers and crew is always our top priority."

https://lasvegassun.com