Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Accident occurred July 12, 2017 near Lake St. John Regional Airport, Orillia, Ontario, Canada

A Ramara firefighter is among two men taken to hospital with serious injuries after a plane crash in Lake St. John.

The plane crashed Wednesday at around 3:30 p.m., near the Orillia Lake St. John Airport. According to the initial investigation by the OPP, the small float-type plane was attempting to land at the airport when for some unknown reason it flipped over.

Fire officials say the pair was thrown from the plane and were rescued from the water. They were wearing life-jackets at the time.

The two men suffered what Rama paramedics are calling serious injuries. The pair was transferred to Orillia’s Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Ornge Air Ambulance was contacted, but stormy weather prevented them from responding.

The men were rescued by Dylan McKee. He jumped in his boat when he saw the plane going down and rushed to the crash site.

“When I got on scene there, the two occupants of the plane were sitting on the wings of it upside down and just holding on to it. Very frantic. Things happened so fast didn’t know what was going on,” he said.

Emergency crews attempted to pull the plane out of the water, but it started to take on water and sunk. Divers will need to be brought in to remove it.

The Transportation Safety Board has been notified and the investigation into the crash is ongoing.

http://barrie.ctvnews.ca

On July 12 at approximately 3:30 p.m., officers from the Orillia Detachment of the OPP, Rama Police Service, Rama Fire Rescue Service and the Ramara Fire and Rescue Service, along with the County of Simcoe Paramedic Services responded to a report of a downed aircraft on Lake St. John.

From the initial investigation that followed, police have determined that the aircraft was attempting to land on the water near the Lake St. John Regional Airport when from reasons unknown at this time, it flipped over. 

Nearby homeowners who witnessed the crash immediately responded in their own boats and rescued two males who were on board the aircraft and took them to shore where emergency services personnel had gathered. 

The males have since been transported to a local hospital and are being treated for injuries which are described as serious, but non-life threatening.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has been notified and will also be assisting with the ongoing investigation, however the plane has since sunk and arrangements are now underway to have the plane raised to the surface.

Further details including the exact make and model of plane that was involved will be provided as the investigation continues and once the water recovery is made.

Emergency Services personnel who attended this incident wish to recognize the quick thinking and speedy response of nearby property owners and cottagers who rushed to the scene and no doubt prevented this from potentially ending in a tragedy. 

http://www.orilliapacket.com

Progressive Aerodyne Searey, N108SR, Blue Skies & Calm Waters LLC: Accident occurred July 12, 2017 in Lago Vista, Texas

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

NTSB Identification: GAA17CA409
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, July 12, 2017 in Spicewood, TX
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/17/2017
Aircraft: PROGRESSIVE AERODYNE INC SEAREY LSA, registration: N108SR
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 of the amphibious, float-equipped airplane reported that he failed to retract the landing gear before landing on water. The fuselage sustained substantial damage.

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 retract the landing gear before landing on water.

The pilot of an amphibious float-equipped airplane reported that he had failed to retract the landing gear before landing on water. The fuselage sustained substantial damage.

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

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

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

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

Blue Skies & Calm Waters LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N108SR

NTSB Identification: GAA17CA409
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, July 12, 2017 in Spicewood, TX
Aircraft: PROGRESSIVE AERODYNE INC SEAREY LSA, registration: N108SR
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 of an amphibious float-equipped airplane reported that he had failed to retract the landing gear before landing on water. The fuselage sustained substantial damage.

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





AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the Federal Aviation Administration continues to investigate what went wrong when a small sea plane crashed into Lake Travis Wednesday night, the man who towed the plane to shore says he may have found a clue.

Removing the plane from the water and disassembling it so it could be towed away was a long tedious process. It took Chris Riley and his team more than 10 hours.

Riley, the owner of Flagship Towing, said, “We have to make sure we don’t get in the cockpit, around the cockpit, damage any of the glass in the cockpit, or any of the crucial components of the plane.”

Riley mainly works with boats, but he does tow planes like this one from time to time. It’s an amphibious plane, meaning it can land on either ground or water.

“Only problem with this particular landing was the running gear was left down,” he said, referring to the plane wheels.

Riley says when this kind of plane hits a runway, they should be down for the landing, but when it hits the water the wheels shouldn’t be out.

“So pretty much it was a sudden stop to the plane just because the drag of the wheels caused the tip of the plane just to dip down in the water,” he continued.

It’s important to note that’s not an official answer as to why the plane flipped into the water. The FAA will have the final word once its investigation is finished.

The agency is also investigating after two people were killed in a plane crash in in Tyler, Texas Thursday morning. Investigators say the private twin-engine plane crashed in a field. It had just taken off from Tyler’s Pounds Regional Airport. Both people on board were killed in the crash.

http://kxan.com




8:35 p.m. update: The plane crash at Lake Travis near Pace Bend appears to have involved a single-engine aircraft with one male occupant, first responders said Wednesday evening. 

A Pedernales Fire Department boat has rescued the pilot, a man in his 40s who was the only occupant in the aircraft and reported no medical complaints, EMS said.

The plane, a small amphibious aircraft, appeared to be three-fourths of the way underwater when first responders arrived, EMS said. It seems to have flipped over while landing on the lake, said Lynn Lunsford, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration.

The aircraft is being towed to shore for investigation, Lunsford said.

This is the second plane crash in Lake Travis this year.

Earlier: Austin-Travis County EMS are responding to Lake Travis near Pace Bend for a plane that reportedly crashed into the lake, EMS tweeted Wednesday.

Emergency responders received a call of an aircraft down at 8:06 p.m. from the 2000 block of North Pace Bend Road, near mile marker 32, officials said.

First responders have spotted the aircraft but have not made contact with any patients yet. A boat is approaching the plane, EMS said.

A STAR Flight helicopter is on the way to assist. Civilians in the area are also assisting, EMS said. 

http://www.statesman.com

LAKE TRAVIS, Texas (KXAN) — A single-engine plane has crashed into Lake Travis Wednesday evening, according to Austin-Travis County EMS.

A pilot, described as a man in his 40s by EMS, is not reporting any injuries. He was the only person on board the plane.

Firefighters were called to 2011 N. Pace Bend Rd. at around 8 p.m. Lynn Lunsford, an FAA spokesperson, says the small amphibious plane flipped over while landing in the lake.

The pilot got out safely and the aircraft is being towed to shore.

On May 28, a small plane crashed in Lakeway. Like Wednesday’s crash, the pilot was the only one on board and he was not injured.

A little more than a year ago, a biplane crashing into Lake Travis was caught on camera. One passenger suffered minor injuries, but did not need to be taken to the hospital.

http://kxan.com

Aeronca 11AC Chief, N85893: Fatal accident occurred July 18, 2016 - private airstrip in Ishpeming, Marquette County, Michigan

Ishpeming residents Dean Honkala, 49 and William Brewer, 48, were killed in the crash.



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

Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Grand Rapids, Michigan

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N85893



NTSB Identification: CEN16FA269 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, July 18, 2016 in Ishpeming, MI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 01/18/2017
Aircraft: AERONCA 11AC, registration: N85893
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

During a personal local flight, the private pilot made a low pass in the airplane over the runway and turned left to enter the traffic pattern for landing. A witness stated that the airplane "looked mushy" when it made its left crosswind turn. Another witness reported that the airplane appeared to enter a "close-in" traffic pattern at an estimated altitude of 100 to 150 ft above ground level. He further stated that the airplane's airspeed seemed slower than normal. He stopped watching the airplane until he heard a change in its engine noise. When he looked back, the airplane was in a left bank turning from the base leg to final approach, and the engine stopped producing power. The airplane immediately went into a left spiral and turned about 360° before impacting the ground. The accident site was located about 1,200 ft from the approach end of the runway near the runway centerline. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. 

Although the airplane's calculated weight at the time of the accident was about 6 pounds over its maximum gross weight, this likely was not a factor in the accident as it would not have significantly increased the airplane's stall speed. A carburetor icing probability chart indicated a probability of serious icing at glide power at the temperature and dew point reported at the time of the accident. Given that no mechanical reason for the loss of engine power was identified, it is likely that the loss of engine power was due to carburetor icing. Following the loss of engine power, the pilot likely failed to maintain adequate airspeed, resulting in the airplane's wing exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed following a loss of engine power due to carburetor icing while turning from base to final at a low altitude, which resulted in the airplane's wing exceeding its critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall. 




HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On July 18, 2016, about 2007 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca 11AC, N85893, sustained substantial damage during impact with terrain after a loss of engine power while in the traffic pattern of a private grass airstrip near Ishpeming, Michigan. The pilot and the pilot rated passenger received fatal injuries. The airplane was owned and operated by private individuals under the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the flight, which was not on a flight plan. The local flight departed the Edward F. Johnson Airport (M61), Ishpeming, Michigan, located 4 nm south of the accident site, about 1945. 

A witness reported that he observed the airplane make a low pass over the grass airstrip. He stated that when the airplane made its left crosswind turn, it "looked mushy." He said that the airplane looked like it was "plowing through the turn." He did not see the accident occur, but he heard the impact. When he arrived at the accident site, the airplane's tail was in the air. The tail lowered when they tried to gain access to the cabin. 

A witness located about 800 ft west of the approach end of the grass runway reported that he saw the airplane approaching the airstrip from the southeast. The airplane's flight path and engine sound were normal as the airplane made a low pass over the northeast runway. The airplane turned a left crosswind and appeared to enter a "close-in" traffic pattern on a left downwind at an estimated altitude of 100 to 150 ft above ground level. He stated that the airplane's airspeed seemed slower than normal and he stopped watching the airplane until he heard a change in the engine noise. He stated that the airplane was in a left bank when the engine quit. The airplane immediately went into a left spiral and turned about 360 degrees before impacting the ground.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The 49-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating, and he was a certified flight instructor with a sport endorsement for single-engine land airplanes. He held a third class airman medical certificate dated April 4, 2016, with the limitation that he shall possess glasses for near and intermediate vision. During his medical examination, the pilot reported that his total flight time was 750 hours. 

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a single-engine Aeronca 11AC, serial number 11C-277, manufactured in 1946, and equipped with a 65-horsepower Continental Motors A-65-8F engine, serial number 5767568. It seated two and had a maximum gross weight of 1,250 lbs. The empty weight was 782 lbs with a useful load of 468 lbs. The combined weight of the pilot and passenger was 462 lbs. There was 2 gallons (12 lbs) of fuel found in the auxiliary fuel tank and the main fuel tank was breached. The calculated weight and balance indicated that the aircraft was at least 6 lbs over gross weight at the time of the accident.

The carburetor icing probability chart from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB): CE-09-35 Carburetor Icing Prevention, June 30, 2009, indicated a probability of serious icing at glide power at the temperature and dew point reported at the time of the accident.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1955, the surface weather observation at the Sawyer International Airport (SAW), Marquette, Michigan, located 13 miles to the northeast of the accident site, was: wind 050 degrees at 8 kts, 10 miles visibility, sky clear, temperature 17 degrees C, dew point 10 degrees C, altimeter 30.17 inches of mercury.



WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION 

The accident site was located about 1,200 feet from the approach end of the runway aligned with an extended runway centerline. The accident site area was uneven terrain covered by tall grass, shrubs, and trees. The airplane was initially found by rescue personnel nose down with the tail in a nearly vertical position. Pieces of the broken wooden propeller were found at the initial point of impact, which was about 21 ft to the northwest of the main wreckage. The nose and engine compartment of the airplane exhibited crushing and buckling which was consistent with about a 45-degree nose down impact. One of the Sensenich wooden propeller blades was broken off near the hub and the other blade was splintered along its entire span. The propeller exhibited damage consistent with aft crushing with few rotational signatures. The entire span of the left wing's leading edge was crushed aft. The outboard section of the left wing was broken outboard of the wing strut, crushed, and buckled aft. The right wing was broken at the front spar attach point to the fuselage and was almost twisted off and facing aft. The leading edge of the outboard section of the right wing was crushed and buckled aft. The rear fuselage and empennage remained largely intact. The flight control cables had continuity from the flight control surfaces to the cockpit flight controls. Breaks in the cockpit flight controls were consistent with overload fractures. 

The instrument panel and cockpit exhibited extensive impact damage. The throttle was found full forward. The carburetor heat was full forward. The ignition switch was on BOTH. The engine fuel primer was in the closed and locked position. The mixture control knob was broken off. The throttle, mixture and carburetor heat cables were found attached to the carburetor and carburetor air box. The carburetor was a Stromberg Model MAS3B. Fuel was found in the carburetor. The throttle lever was found full forward. The airbox was crushed by impact forces. The carburetor heat cable was still attached but did not move due to impact damage. 

The 8-gallon auxiliary fuel tank aft of the cabin had about 2 gallons of fuel. The fuel selector was on the main tank. The main 8-gallon fuel tank was forward of the instrument panel. It was completely broken open and no fuel was found in the tank. The cork float was moist. The inside walls of the fuel tank had a film of dirt contamination sticking to it. The vegetation between the point of impact and the main wreckage exhibited fuel blight. 

The examination of the engine revealed that the cylinder Nos.1 and 3 upper spark plugs were finger tight. The engine crankshaft was rotated by hand. Suction and compression was produced on cylinders Nos. 1, 2, and 3. Cylinder No. 4 did not exhibit "thumb" compression due to impact damage, but the piston and valves continuity was established. Oil was found in the No.4 cylinder. Drive train continuity was established. The upper spark plugs were in good condition with normal color and round electrodes. The examination of the bottom spark plugs revealed that the No.1 plug was normal. The No. 2 bottom spark plug lead cable was connected, but loose. The No. 3 spark plug gap was measured at 0.009 of inch gap, which typically has a 0.018 – 0.022 inch gap.

The left Slick 4333 magneto was still attached to the engine. The impulse coupling operated and spark was observed on all 4 towers. The right Slick 4333 magneto was separated from the engine. The magneto was rotated, and the impulse coupling operated and spark was observed on all 4 towers.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The autopsy of the pilot was performed at the Duke LifePoint Hospital, Marquette, Michigan, on July 19, 2016. The cause of death was from multiple traumatic injuries sustained during an airplane crash. A Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report was prepared by the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. The results were negative for all substances tested.



NTSB Identification: CEN16FA269
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, July 18, 2016 in Ishpeming, MI
Aircraft: AERONCA 11AC, registration: N85893
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On July 18, 2016, about 2007 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca 11AC, N85893, sustained substantial damage during impact with terrain after it had a loss of power in the traffic pattern of a private grass airstrip near Ishpeming, Michigan. The pilot and the pilot rated passenger received fatal injuries. The airplane was owned and operated by private individuals under the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the flight, which was not on a flight plan. The local flight departed the Edward F. Johnson Airport (M61), Ishpeming, Michigan, located 4 nm south of the accident site, about 1945. 

A witness located about 800 ft west of the approach end of the grass runway reported that he saw the airplane approaching the airstrip from the southeast. The airplane's flight path and engine sound were normal as the airplane made a low pass over the northeast runway. The airplane turned a left crosswind and appeared to enter a "close-in" traffic pattern on a left downwind at an estimated altitude of 100 to 150 ft above ground level. He stated that the airplane's airspeed seemed slower than normal and he stopped watching the airplane until he heard a change in the engine noise. He stated that the airplane was in a left bank when the engine quit. The airplane immediately went into a left spiral and turned about 360 degrees before impacting the ground. 

The accident site was located about 1,200 ft from the approach end of the runway and near the runway centerline. The accident site area was uneven terrain covered by tall grass, shrubs, and trees. The airplane was initially found by rescue personnel nose down with the tail in a nearly vertical position. Pieces of the broken wooden propeller were found at the initial point of impact, which was about 21 ft to the northwest of the main wreckage. The vegetation near the initial impact point to the main wreckage exhibited fuel blight. The nose and engine compartment of the airplane exhibited crushing and buckling which was consistent with about a 45-degree nose down impact. One of the wooden propeller blades was broken off near the hub and the other blade was splintered along its entire span. The propeller exhibited damage consistent with aft crushing with few rotational signatures. The entire span of the left wing's leading edge was crushed aft. The outboard section of the left wing was broken outboard of the wing strut, crushed, and buckled aft. The right wing was broken at the front spar attach point to the fuselage and was almost twisted off and facing aft. The leading edge of the outboard section of the right wing was crushed and buckled aft. The instrument panel and cockpit exhibited extensive impact damage. The rear fuselage and empennage remained largely intact. 

At 1955, the surface weather observation at the Sawyer International Airport (SAW), Marquette, Michigan, located 13 miles to the northeast of the accident site, was wind 050 degrees at 8 kts, 10 miles visibility, sky clear, temperature 17 degrees C, dew point 10 degrees C, altimeter 30.17 inches of mercury.

Walter J. Koladza Airport (KGBR) storm draws attention to lead in aviation fuel

Joseph Solan, son of Walter J. Koladza Airport owner Richard Solan, fuels up a plane for a guest. Leaded aviation gas is now the center of a controversy at the airport as its owners seek permits for three new hangars and possible future expansion.



GREAT BARRINGTON — If you didn't know what was going on here, it's a happy, romantic scene under a bright summer sky. A couple has pulled their airplane up to the self-serve fuel tank at Walter J. Koladza Airport, and loading it with bags from their car.

"We're going to Nantucket then to Newport," the husband is saying, as the airport owner's bright-eyed 18-year-old son comes over and fuels up the couple's Piper Cherokee.

But just then, the airport manager starts talking about water samples and environmental testing, and what Koladza's neighbors are saying might be lead contamination after water tests in two nearby homes revealed high concentrations of lead.

So as the airport continues on a new approach to a stormy town permitting process that will allow it to build three hangars, lead in aviation fuel is still a target for stopping the project.

While it is a real problem everywhere, it's one on its way to being solved in the next few years. Lead is not used in cars anymore, or in most commercial airplanes. The last place you will find lead in transportation fuel is in small private aircraft, and the Federal Aviation Administration is trying to get it out by 2018.

"Avgas [aviation gas] emissions have become the largest contributor to the relatively low levels of lead emissions produced in this country," says the FAA's website.

And the FAA's program to find a high octane unleaded avgas suitable for piston-engine powered aircraft is on track, according to FAA spokeswoman Allison Duquette. And one fuel producer in the program says a new product should be available by 2020.

FAA spokesman Les Dorr said whenever it does happen, it will coincide with a ban on leaded avgas, something the FAA and US Environmental Protection Agency are coordinating. This will involve the EPA making an official "endangerment finding" about the health effects of leaded fuels, he added.

About one-third of all piston-engine aircraft - around $65,000 airplanes - need the high octane leaded fuel to prevent damage that can cause sudden engine failure.

But the EPA says for humans, there is no safe level lead - it can stick to soil particles after traveling long distances from an airplane, or other source of emission. And depending on the type of lead and soil, it can leach into groundwater.

This is something neighbors of Walter J. Koladza Airport are worried has already happened over the years, harming the aquifer the town relies on for drinking water. The state has acknowledged that the airport - along with other nearby threats - is a risk to the aquifer. Two neighbors found lead concentrations well above the level the EPA says requires remediation. But water and soil test results from the airport show low concentrations. And so does the town's water as of 2015.

Right now the airport sells 100LL, a high octane avgas that contains lead. While the self-serve fueling station has an underground tank, it has a computerized monitoring system to check for leaks. And that tank will be replaced with an above-ground tank this summer because state environmental regulations require it.

But now some neighbors are saying the airport, as a condition of being allowed to expand, should also carry an unleaded avgas that's already on the market until FAA program unveils the new, unleaded fuel that all piston-engine planes can handle.

Swift to the market

The FAA is working with the EPA, industry, and avgas producers, Shell and Swift Fuels to come up with the unleaded replacement.

Since the agency's Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative isn't expected to bear fruit for several more years, Swift - a small, Indiana-based company - came up with an unleaded alternative for use in those 123,000 private airplanes in the country that can use it, according to Swift CEO Christopher D'Acosta.

The company is now selling UL94 at 18 airports around the country - including Falmouth Airpark - as well as at 23 private airfields and one university.

And not only because lead can be toxic.

"Pilots are asking for it," D'Acosta said. "They don't like lead-fouling, which forces the pilot to operate on certain maintenance schedules because lead messes up the engine. Certain types of airplanes are susceptible."

But there are still about 65,000 small aircraft for which there is still no other alternative but high octane leaded avgas, said D'Acosta, noting that airports that sell UL94 will also have to keep selling leaded avgas until the FAA program unveils the replacement fuel.

"We're three years into a 5-year schedule to make that happen," D'Acosta said of the FAA initiative.

PRICING

D'Acosta said pricing for UL94 is "commercially competitive" with leaded fuel, but that the ultimate price would depend on the supply chain and the economic considerations of the airport like property taxes.

"The airport is free to charge whatever they want," he said.

But so far, UL94, is "pretty cheap," as Koladza manager Kenneth Krentsa put it, after having looked into it.

But he also noted that only about two to three percent of airplanes at Koladza will be able to use it.

At Koladza, the leaded 100LL is selling for $4.68, according to AirNav.com, a price that competes with UL94 pricing.

At Falmouth Airpark UL94 is selling at $4.55 per gallon, and around the country, it's a similar story. At San Carlos Airport in California, Dan Demeo of Rabbit Aviation Services said UL94 is $4.60 per gallon, and about 55 percent of planes at the airport can use it.

Demeo said the push to get UL94 was environmentally-minded.

"Our county board of supervisors really supported it - we're in the Bay area, so I think people are a little more sensitive," he said. "We worked with the airport manager and the San Mateo public works and we all got on board."

Other costs

Krentsa said there is a catch, should Koladza carry UL94. It's called a Supplemental Type Certificate, something a pilot needs from the FAA to use a different product or part.

Krentsa said the cost of such a certificate is about $3,000.

"You can't just put something in your airplane and say, `hey this is going to work,'" he said. "It could be a light bulb, the use of auto fuel - someone has done all the research, and you have to pay them ... it's like having a patent, and royalties for them to do the legwork."

"Who's going to pay the $3,000 just to be able to use that fuel?" he wondered.

The FAA is trying to tackle this, too, given what will be a complicated transition to unleaded avgas at the end of its testing program.

The FAA's Dorr said while some aircraft require the certificate to use UL94, the agency is trying to find a way to get an aircraft or engine type certified by the manufacturer, or by giving a certificate to a third-party like the fuel producer.

The FAA is also working with Congress on adding new language to a bill that would let the agency automatically allow the use of new unleaded fuels without a certificate, he said.

But light sport aircraft don't need the certificate to use the fuel, said Randy Simon, Falmouth Airpark's manager. He said the airport started selling UL94 for those models, which need less maintenance with UL94. He also said airplanes built in the 1940s were designed to run on unleaded fuel.

"People aren't educated yet," Simon said, noting that Swift gave the airport a lot of brochures and signs to put near the fueling area to help spread the word. Roughly 20 percent of planes at the Airpark are using UL94, he added.

While Krentsa understands all this, he said there is another cost to Koladza if it were to also sell UL94 - a second tank, or a split tank, which can be more expensive.

Krentsa, who is now shopping for the new tank, said the cost can run anywhere from $40,000 to $100,000.

Krentsa has previously said he would be happy to sell UL94, but that right now, it appears to be too challenging and expensive.

D'Acosta, who said he is eager to sell UL94, also said it isn't just about making money. He talked about how the phase-out of lead in auto fuel that began in 1973, and how what's left are mostly these small private aircraft.

"That's exactly why we're doing all this," he said. "Everybody in the country knows that lead is a bad thing. There have been efforts to [get lead out] for decades and this is just the tail end of those efforts."

http://www.berkshireeagle.com

Stinson 108-2 Voyager, N343C, Eagles Nest Motel and Car Rental: Accident occurred July 18, 2016 at Haines Airport (PAHN), 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 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/N343C

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board

Location: Haines, AK
Accident Number: ANC16LA048
Date & Time: 07/18/2016, 1230 AKD
Registration: N343C
Aircraft: STINSON 108
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control on ground
Injuries: 4 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On July 18, 2016, about 1230 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel-equipped Stinson 108 airplane, N343C, sustained substantial damage following a loss of control during the landing rollout at Haines Airport, Haines, Alaska. The certificated private pilot, and three passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot, as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed the Skagway Airport (SGY), Alaska, at about 1200, destined for the Haines Airport (HNS).

The pilot stated in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Form 6120.1, that he listened to the automated weather at HNS prior to arrival. He elected to land runway 26 with a quartering tailwind because the winds were light and variable. He performed a normal wheel landing, and during the roll out, when the airplane was about 20 mph, he started a right turn towards taxiway B, a high-speed exit taxiway. As he initiated the turn, the airplane abruptly turned right, which resulted in a 180° right ground loop. The pilot stated that he applied full left rudder and left brake during the turn, however the right turn continued. The left main landing gear collapsed and the fuselage and left wing impacted the runway surface. Substantial damage was sustained by the left wing, aileron, lift strut and lower fuselage. The pilot also stated that the winds were stronger and gusting from various directions after the accident.

In an interview, a passenger who was in the front right seat stated that during the approach he heard the automated weather at HNS report wind at 4 knots, but he could not remember the reported direction. He said that the landing felt normal to him, however near the end of the landing roll, the airplane made an unexpected abrupt right turn, and then collapsed onto the left side during the ground loop. He stated that after the accident he noticed that the winds were gusting at times.

Photographs revealed metal scrapes on the runway surface that were collocated with rubber wheel skid marks from the left main landing gear wheel. The ground scars began about 50 feet prior to the tight ground loop signatures. The left main landing gear wheel assembly separated from the left main landing gear leg at the axle weld, and came to rest about 15 feet behind the wreckage. The left main landing gear leg separated from the fuselage near the upper shock strut attachment points. There were no tailwheel abnormalities observed at the accident scene. The airplane was towed to a hangar on the right main landing gear wheel and tailwheel.

During a post-accident examination of the airplane after recovery, the pilot discovered that the airframe tailwheel assembly attachment mount was fractured through the entire width. The bracket is one of two airframe attachments points for the tailwheel assembly. The tailwheel attachment mount and left main landing gear wheel hub and axle were sent to the NTSB Material Laboratory for detailed examinations.

An NTSB materials engineer conducted a detailed examination of the fractured tailwheel assembly. Features consistent with corrosion intermixed with overstress failure were present at the bracket weld. The fractured surface of the left wheel axle was also examined. The features on this fracture surface were generally consistent with tensile overstress, such as microscopic dimple ruptures. The wheel axle also exhibited some areas with intergranular fracture and irregular weld material. A Materials Laboratory Factual Report is included in the public docket.

The airplane had total time of 3,305 hours, and an annual inspection had been completed on August 14, 2015. According to the pilot's statement, the landing weight was estimated at 2200 lbs., which was 30 lbs. under the maximum gross weight limit for this airplane. The pilot originally stated the landing weight at 2240 lbs. on the NTSB form 6120.1, but then changed it via email.

The pilot had logged about 1001 total flight hours and 900 hours of pilot in command time in the accident airplane. His last biennial flight review was conducted in the accident airplane on March 29, 2016.

The closest weather reporting facility was HNS. At 1154, a HNS METAR reported in part: wind from 150° at 3 knots; sky condition, clear; visibility 10 statute miles; temperature 70° F; dew point 57° F; barometric pressure 29.90 inches of mercury.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 61, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/01/2015
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 03/31/2015
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 1001 hours (Total, all aircraft), 900 hours (Total, this make and model), 1000 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: STINSON
Registration: N343C
Model/Series: 108
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1947
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 108-3343
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 08/14/2015, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2230 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 96 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3305.2 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: C91  installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-435
Registered Owner: EAGLES NEST MOTEL AND CAR RENTAL
Rated Power: 175 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: PAHN, 16 ft msl
Observation Time: 1954 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 97°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 21°C / 14°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 3 knots, 150°
Visibility (RVR): 
Altimeter Setting:  29.9 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Skagway, AK (SKG)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Haines, AK (HNS)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1200 AKD
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: HAINES (HNS)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 15 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 26
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 4000 ft / 100 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full Stop; Traffic Pattern 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 3 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 4 None
Latitude, Longitude:  59.243889, -135.523611 (est)

NTSB Identification: ANC16LA048
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, July 18, 2016 in Haines, AK
Aircraft: STINSON 108 2, registration: N343C
Injuries: 4 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 July 18, 2016, about 1230 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel-equipped Stinson 108 airplane, N343C, sustained substantial damage following a structural failure of the left main landing gear during the landing rollout at Haines Airport, Haines, Alaska. The certificated private pilot, and three passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot, as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The flight had departed Skagway, Alaska about 1200, destined for Haines.


During an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on July 18, 2016, the pilot stated that he was flying three of his family members home to Haines from Skagway. Wind at the Haines Airport was reported to be a left quartering tailwind of less than 4 knots. The pilot performed a normal landing on runway 26 with the intent of exiting the runway via a right turn onto taxiway "B". About 100 feet prior to the taxiway, while at an estimated speed of 20 mph, the airplane turned unexpectedly to the right and made a rapid 180 degree turn. The pilot applied left brake pressure but the right turn continued. About halfway through the turn, the pilot felt two lurching events in succession and then felt the left main landing gear fold up under the aircraft. The left wing and propeller struck the runway surface and the airplane collapsed onto the left side of fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no environmental or performance issues that should have precipitated a ground loop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, left lift strut and lower fuselage. 


A postaccident examination by the pilot revealed that the left landing gear leg separated in two places with the first near the axle and the second near the upper shock strut attachment points. The left wheel separated from the assembly and both the wheel assembly and axle were located about 10 feet in front of the propeller. Photographic evidence revealed extensive corrosion on the inner sleeve of the fractured axle. 


A subsequent inspection of runway 26 revealed 2 lines of black tire marks that were consistent with a right turn during braking action. An estimated 25-foot-long ground scar was consistent with bare metal scraping that trailed from about 110 degrees magnetic, prior to the final airplane resting location.


The axle and hub assembly have been retained and a detailed examination is pending. 



The closest weather reporting facility is Haines Airport, Haines, Alaska. At 1154, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) from the Haines Airport was reporting in part: wind from 150 degrees at 3 knots; sky condition, clear; visibility, 10 statute miles; temperature 70 degrees F; dew point 57 degrees F; barometric pressure 29.90inHG.
======

HAINES, Alaska (KTUU) A non-injury plane crash caused the Haines Airfield to close for about an hour and a half Monday, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Troopers observed the small, apparently damaged plane 12:25 p.m. and contacted the pilot and passengers, according to a dispatch posted online. While no one was hurt, pilot Shane Horton told troopers that the landing gear had buckled during landing. The wing and prop struck the ground.


The FAA, National Transportation Safety Board and state Transportation Department were notified, and the plane was photographed before removal from the runway, troopers wrote. The plane is a Stinson 108-2, according to FAA records.
The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

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

Eagles Nest Motel and Car Rental: http://registry.faa.gov/N343C

NTSB Identification: ANC16LA048
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, July 18, 2016 in Haines, AK
Aircraft: STINSON 108 2, registration: N343C
Injuries: 4 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 July 18, 2016, about 1230 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel-equipped Stinson 108 airplane, N343C, sustained substantial damage following a structural failure of the left main landing gear during the landing rollout at Haines Airport, Haines, Alaska. The certificated private pilot, and three passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot, as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The flight had departed Skagway, Alaska about 1200, destined for Haines.

During an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on July 18, 2016, the pilot stated that he was flying three of his family members home to Haines from Skagway. Wind at the Haines Airport was reported to be a left quartering tailwind of less than 4 knots. The pilot performed a normal landing on runway 26 with the intent of exiting the runway via a right turn onto taxiway "B". About 100 feet prior to the taxiway, while at an estimated speed of 20 mph, the airplane turned unexpectedly to the right and made a rapid 180 degree turn. The pilot applied left brake pressure but the right turn continued. About halfway through the turn, the pilot felt two lurching events in succession and then felt the left main landing gear fold up under the aircraft. The left wing and propeller struck the runway surface and the airplane collapsed onto the left side of fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no environmental or performance issues that should have precipitated a ground loop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, left lift strut and lower fuselage. 

A postaccident examination by the pilot revealed that the left landing gear leg separated in two places with the first near the axle and the second near the upper shock strut attachment points. The left wheel separated from the assembly and both the wheel assembly and axle were located about 10 feet in front of the propeller. Photographic evidence revealed extensive corrosion on the inner sleeve of the fractured axle. 

A subsequent inspection of runway 26 revealed 2 lines of black tire marks that were consistent with a right turn during braking action. An estimated 25-foot-long ground scar was consistent with bare metal scraping that trailed from about 110 degrees magnetic, prior to the final airplane resting location.

The axle and hub assembly have been retained and a detailed examination is pending. 

The closest weather reporting facility is Haines Airport, Haines, Alaska. At 1154, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) from the Haines Airport was reporting in part: wind from 150 degrees at 3 knots; sky condition, clear; visibility, 10 statute miles; temperature 70 degrees F; dew point 57 degrees F; barometric pressure 29.90inHG.
======

HAINES, Alaska (KTUU) A non-injury plane crash caused the Haines Airfield to close for about an hour and a half Monday, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Troopers observed the small, apparently damaged plane 12:25 p.m. and contacted the pilot and passengers, according to a dispatch posted online. While no one was hurt, pilot Shane Horton told troopers that the landing gear had buckled during landing. The wing and prop struck the ground.


The FAA, National Transportation Safety Board and state Transportation Department were notified, and the plane was photographed before removal from the runway, troopers wrote. The plane is a Stinson 108-2, according to FAA records.


http://www.ktuu.com

Feds in San Antonio work to seize Learjet in Mexico corruption probe

The federal government is trying to seize a private jet owned by a Mexican businessman with San Antonio ties who is caught up in a cross-border bribery and money laundering probe.

In a lawsuit filed last month in San Antonio federal court, prosecutors asked a judge to forfeit a 2000 Learjet registered in Mexico, alleging it was involved in a money laundering scheme. Information about the airplane’s owner and the alleged money laundering was kept sealed. In a court filing Wednesday, prosecutors said they notified Luis Rayet, a businessman from the Mexican state of Coahuila, that they’re trying to take the plane.

The plane is owned by Rayet’s company, Rajet Aero Servicios S.A. de C.V., which provides air charter services between Mexico and the U.S. It was seized in San Antonio.

Prosecutors included boilerplate language in the initial suit claiming the plane is “property involved in a transaction or an attempted transaction” using money gained through “foreign offenses involving ‘extortion,’ foreign offenses involving ‘the misappropriation, theft, or embezzlement of public funds by or for the benefit of a public official,’ foreign offenses involving bribery of a public official; (and) wire fraud.”

Rayet’s name has shown up before in court proceedings related to an investigation into the laundering in Texas of tens of millions of dollars stolen from the Coahuila government, but he has not been charged with a crime. This is the first time U.S. prosecutors have tried to seize his property.

“Mr. Rayet denies that his company’s 2000 Learjet was derived from or involved in a money laundering scheme or any other illegal activity,” Houston lawyer Andy Parker said Wednesday. “He looks forward to refuting the government’s claims in open court.”

A massive public works program in Coahuila left the state billions of dollars in debt, and since 2013 federal prosecutors in San Antonio and Corpus Christ have leveled allegations that former officials stole millions of dollars from the state and laundered a portion of it in Texas. They’ve charged the state’s former interim governor, its former treasurer and several businessmen. Former Gov. Humberto Moreira, once the leader of Mexico’s ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, is under investigation but has not been charged and has denied wrongdoing.

Rayet’s name most recently came up during the plea hearing of Luis Carlos Castillo Cervantes, a Rio Grande Valley businessman who admitted to laundering money in Texas that he received from state contracts secured by bribing government officials.

Castillo said he got state paving contracts in exchange for paying bribes to former interim Gov. Jorge Juan Torres Lopez, now a fugitive from criminal charges in Corpus Christi, and former state treasurer Hector Javier Villarreal, who has admitted to financial crimes in San Antonio and is free on bond pending his sentencing.

Castillo also admitted to paying nearly $600,000 in 2009 to a title company that was used to purchase a house in the Greystone Country Estates subdivision for Moreira’s mother-in-law. During his plea hearing, Castillo said he owed the money to one of Rayet’s companies and was told to wire money to the title company to settle that debt.

Castillo also admitted to paying nearly $600,000 in 2009 to a title company that was used to purchase a house in the Greystone Country Estates subdivision for Moreira’s mother-in-law. During his plea hearing, Castillo said he owed the money to one of Rayet’s companies and was told to wire money to the title company to settle that debt.

Rayet in the past invested in Texas properties, including a home near Houston that had been owned by Torres, the former interim governor, and three pieces of property in San Antonio that one of his companies purchased in 2011 and sold in 2014.

http://www.expressnews.com