Experienced skydiver Capotorto Vitantonio jumped from a plane Tuesday morning about 10 a.m., just seconds before the crew received an urgent message from dispatchers on the ground, urging them to stop him.
But it was too late.
DeLand Police said Vitantonio jumped and did not pull the cord to open his parachute, according to a revised police report released Friday.
On Tuesday, Costansa Litellini, 25, ran into the Skydive Deland building on Flightline Boulevard, begging employee Tara Richards to stop her husband from sky diving.
Litellini had just received a video from him, saying he was “not going to pull the cord and that he was going somewhere wonderful,” police said.
Richards immediately radioed the plane, according to a police report, but Vitantonio, 27, had already jumped.
Richards told police she had seen Vitantonio before the flight and “he had seemed normal.”
She could not be reached for comment Friday.
Police were called to Skydive Deland on Tuesday in reference to an injured skydiver.
Officials began to search for Vitantonio from the sky and the ground.
They eventually found him face down in an open field near the runway.
A chaplain was called to the scene to let Litellini know that Vitantonio had died.
The United States Parachute Association, of which Skydive Deland is a member, reported 21 fatalities related to skydiving in 2016 out of 3.2 million estimated jumps by its members.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com
Friday, July 14, 2017
Loss of Control in Flight: Piper PA-44-180 Seminole, N2173S; fatal accident occurred July 13, 2017 in Marineland, Florida
The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando, Florida
Piper Aircraft Inc; Vero Beach, Florida
Lycoming Engines; Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Hartzell Propeller; Piqua, Ohio
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/N2173S
Location: Marineland, FL
Accident Number: WPR17FA151
Date & Time: 07/13/2017, 2258 EDT
Registration: N2173S
Aircraft: PIPER PA 44-180
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional
On July 13, 2017, about 2258 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-44-180, N2173S, was destroyed during an inflight breakup near Marineland, Florida. The flight instructor and private pilot receiving instruction were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Sunrise Aviation, Inc., Ormond Beach, Florida, as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight, which originated from Brunswick, Georgia, at an undetermined time with an intended destination of Ormond Beach Municipal Airport (OMN), Ormond Beach, Florida.
A representative from the operator reported that the accident flight was a roundtrip night cross-country instructional flight from OMN to Brunswick. Following one landing at Brunswick, the flight was to return to OMN as part of the pilot's initial commercial multi-engine rating training course. According to the company's flight training syllabus, the flight should have consisted of dead reckoning, pilotage, performance planning, GPS or VOR navigation, cross-country planning, normal takeoff and landings, intercepting and tracking navigational systems, and instrument procedures.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control (ATC) audio communications and ground tracking radar information, which also included Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data were reviewed. The airplane was on a southerly course along the coastline at altitudes between 5,500 ft and 5,700 ft mean sea level (msl). At 2250, the flight contacted ATC and advised that they were at 5,500 ft, which the controller acknowledged. At 2257:36, the data showed the airplane began to descend. The pilot radioed the controller 26 seconds later and stated that they were starting down and had the OMN lights in sight. At 2258:27, the airplane climbed from 5,200 ft to 5,600 ft msl over the course of 4 seconds. The airplane remained at 5,600 ft msl for about 3 seconds then initiated a descending right turn, which continued for about 11 seconds. At 2258:45, the airplane had descended to 3,000 ft msl. The last ADS-B data point, recorded at 2258:46, showed the flight at 3,600 ft msl, about 0.3 mile northwest of the main wreckage. See Figure 1.
Between 2259:29 and 2259:48, the controller unsuccessfully attempted to establish radio communication with the accident airplane. The FAA issued an alert notice (ALNOT) shortly thereafter. The main wreckage was located by law enforcement air units about 1141 the following day.
Figure 1: Radar data showing final airplane flightpath
Flight Instructor Information
Certificate: Airline Transport; Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 70, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Glider
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 06/04/2016
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 34830 hours (Total, all aircraft)
Student Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 27, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 08/17/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 131.2 hours (Total, all aircraft), 7 hours (Total, this make and model)
Flight Instructor
The flight instructor, age 70, held an airline transport pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and airplane single-engine sea ratings, along with commercial pilot privileges for airplane multi-engine land and glider. He also held a flight instructor certificate with airplane single- and multi-engine and instrument ratings. A third-class FAA airman medical certificate was issued to the instructor on June 4, 2016, with the limitation, "must have available glasses for near vision." On the application for that medical certificate, the instructor reported 34,830 total hours of flight experience, of which 400 hours were in the previous 6 months. The flight instructor's logbook was not located.
Pilot Receiving Instruction
The pilot receiving instruction, age 27, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane ratings. He was issued a second-class FAA medical certificate on August 17, 2016 with no limitations. A review of flight school records revealed that, as of July 12, 2017, he had accumulated 131.2 hours of flight experience, of which 7 hours were in multi-engine airplanes.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Registration: N2173S
Model/Series: PA 44-180 180
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1979
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 44-7995245
Landing Gear Type:Tricycle
Seats:
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/12/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3801 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 2 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 9460.5 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: C91A installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-360-E1A6D
Registered Owner: SUNRISE AVIATION INC
Rated Power: 180 hp
Operator: SUNRISE AVIATION INC
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Pilot School (141)
The four-seat, low-wing, retractable gear, twin-engine airplane, serial number 44-7995245, was manufactured in 1979. The airplane was powered by 180-horsepower O-360-E1A6D and LO-360-F1A6D engines. Both engines were equipped with Hartzell constant-speed, 2-bladed propellers. The airplane was equipped with two 55-gallon fuel tanks.
Review of the airframe and engine maintenance logbooks revealed that the most recent annual inspection was completed on June 12, 2017, at an airframe total time of 9,460.5 hours and right engine tachometer hour reading of 9,460.5 hours. At the time of the inspection, the left engine had accumulated 2,174.0 hours since major overhaul and had an engine total time of 6,724.5 hours; the right engine had accumulated 3,122.4 hours since major overhaul and had an engine total time of 9,958.7 hours.
Using reported weights of both occupants (223 lbs and 185 lbs), an airplane empty weight of 2,460 lbs, and an estimated fuel load of 72 gallons (full fuel minus about 2 hours of flight time), the airplane was estimated to weigh about 3,285 lbs at the time of the accident. Maximum gross weight is 3,801 pounds.
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Night
Observation Facility, Elevation: KDAB, 41 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 30 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 0253 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 163°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 25000 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 3 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 90°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 30.15 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 28°C / 26°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Brunswick, GA
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Ormond Beach, FL (OMN)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time:
Type of Airspace: Class G
Recorded weather observation data from Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB), Daytona Beach, Florida, located about 30 miles south of the accident site, at 2253 included wind from 090° at 3 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, a broken cloud layer at 25,000 ft, temperature 28°C, dew point 26°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.15 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 2 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 29.661944, -81.215833
The airplane impacted terrain about 25 miles north of OMN. The main wreckage came to rest inverted within a heavily wooded area. Trees directly above the wreckage were broken, consistent with little to no forward movement of the airplane at impact. The outboard portions of the left and right wings, baggage door, and a portion of the right side of the stabilator were located throughout a 0.5-mile-long and 0.2-mile-wide debris path in water and marshland northwest of the main wreckage. The fuselage came to rest inverted on a heading about 022° magnetic. Various debris, including fragments of the left stabilator, were located within about 50 ft of the fuselage. The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
Fuselage
Examination of the recovered wreckage revealed that the roof structure was compressed into the cabin seating area. The fuselage was partially separated at fuselage station (FS) 156. The instrument panel was crushed aft into the front seat area. The cabin door and baggage area door were separated. Both the left and right inboard portion of the wings remained attached to the fuselage structure.
Both left and right seat control wheel horns were fragmented. The T-bar remained attached to the fuselage hinge point. The horizontal section was fragmented. The aileron control cables remained attached to the T-bar chain. The stabilator cables remained attached to the T-bar assembly. The rudder pedals were impact damaged. The rudder cables remained attached to the rudder cable assembly.
The left engine fuel selector valve lever was in the "on" position, and the right engine fuel selector valve lever was in the "off" position. The fuel selector valve positions could not be verified due to impact damage and mount separation at the fuselage. Air was applied to the fuel selector valves and continuity was established throughout each valve.
Left Wing
The outboard left wing was recovered about 0.48 mile west-northwest of the main wreckage. The main spar was fractured about wing station (WS) 105. The fiberglass wingtip was separated from the outboard wing at WS 206.7 and recovered mostly intact and undamaged. The left aileron was separated from the left outboard wing at the hinge points. Three sections of the left aileron were recovered, spanning from the inboard end about WS 106 to about WS 181. The outboard portion (25 inches) of the left aileron, including the aileron balance weight, was not recovered.
The main spar, leading edge, and upper and lower skins between about WS 105 and WS 130 were damaged and deformed up and aft indicative of an upward (positive) separation of the left outboard wing. There were several fractures and twisting deformation of the main spar structure in this area. The main spar inboard of the fracture point, between about WS 93 and WS 105, was deformed aft and down. A semicircular impact impression and tree debris were embedded in the wing structure in this area.
The aileron cables remained attached to the bellcrank and there was tearing of the WS 93 rib in an aft direction at the normal cable pass-through locations. The fractured ends of the aileron control and balance cables had a splayed appearance consistent with tension overload. The main spar fracture surfaces all had a dull, grainy appearance consistent with overstress separation. There was no evidence of any pre-existing corrosion or cracking on any of the fracture surfaces.
Right Wing
A large portion of the right outboard wing was recovered about 0.39 mile west-northwest of the main wreckage. The main spar upper cap was fractured about WS 126 and the lower cap was fractured about WS 148. The leading edge nose skin and ribs and lower leading edge skin were separated as a unit from the right outboard wing and recovered about 0.6 mile west-northwest of the main wreckage. A smaller piece of the leading edge lower skin about 3 ft long was also separated outboard of WS 170. The fiberglass wingtip was separated from the outboard wing at WS 206.7 and only the upper half was recovered. The right aileron was separated from the wing at the hinge points. The entire aileron was recovered; however, it was separated into two pieces at the center hinge point. The main spar inboard of the fracture point was deformed up and aft outboard of WS 105, indicative of an upward (positive) separation of the right outboard wing.
The aileron cables remained attached to the bellcrank and there were two cable tears through the upper wing skin inboard of the fracture point. The fractured ends of the aileron control and balance cables had a splayed, broomstraw appearance consistent with tension overload. The main spar fracture surfaces all exhibited a dull, grainy appearance consistent with overstress separation. There was no evidence of any pre-existing corrosion or cracking on any of the fracture surfaces.
Empennage
The vertical stabilizer was separated from the fuselage but remained connected to the fuselage by the electrical wiring. The two vertical stabilizer forward spar bolts remained installed in the stabilizer; however, they were pulled through the fuselage fitting in an upward direction. The vertical stabilizer rear attach fitting remained attached to the fuselage and was deformed aft and to the left. All the rivets that attached the fitting to the vertical stabilizer rear spar were sheared. The rudder was separated from the vertical stabilizer at the hinge points and was recovered at the main wreckage site. The rudder trim tab remained attached. The upper 12 to 18 inches of the vertical stabilizer and rudder were damaged and deformed to the left.
The horizontal stabilator hinge and counterweight was torn from the upper end of the vertical stabilizer and recovered at the main wreckage site. The left stabilator was torn into several pieces and was found wrapped around a tree at the main wreckage site. The left 28 inches and the center 29 inches of the trim tab were separated from the stabilator and recovered at the main wreckage site. The right side of the stabilator was separated from the empennage and recovered mostly intact about 0.6 mile west-northwest of the main wreckage. About 47 inches of the trim tab remained attached to the right stabilator. The right stabilator skins were buckled and there were impact impressions in the leading edge. The stabilator spar was fractured about right buttock line 7. The upper spar cap and upper stabilator skin were deformed and curled upward at the fracture point and the lower spar cap and lower stabilator skin had no obvious deformation. Matching of the fracture surfaces was indicative of upward direction separation to the left. The stabilator spar fracture surfaces all displayed a dull, grainy appearance consistent with overstress separation.
Flight Control Continuity
Flight control continuity was established throughout the airframe from the cockpit controls to all primary flight control surfaces. Numerous separations of the control system were observed. All areas of separation exhibited signatures consistent with overload separation.
Engine Examination
Left Engine
The left engine remained attached to the engine mount. The propeller assembly was partially separated from the engine just forward of the nose case and the crankshaft was fractured through about two-thirds of its circumference. The upper portion of the engine exhibited impact damage, mostly to the pushrod tubes. The upper spark plugs, vacuum pump, propeller governor, propeller, and fuel pump were removed from the engine. The crankshaft was rotated using the propeller flange. Rotational continuity was established throughout the engine and valve train. The No. 2 cylinder pushrods were damaged and would not allow for movement of the intake and exhaust rocker arm and valve when the crankshaft was rotated. After the No. 2 cylinder rocker arms were removed, thumb compression and suction was obtained on all four cylinders. All four cylinders were examined internally using a lighted borescope and were found unremarkable. Residual oil was present within the engine. The oil suction screen and oil filter were free of metallic debris.
The carburetor was impact separated and fractured across the throttle bore. The throttle and mixture control cables were separated; however, the cables remained attached to the respective control arms. The carburetor fuel inlet screen was missing, and the housing exhibited impact damage. The internal plastic float was intact and contained a blue liquid within 2 of the 3 bays. One bay was almost full of the liquid and the other bay was about one-third full. No fuel or debris was observed within the carburetor float bowl.
The engine-driven fuel pump base remained attached to the engine. The pump section of the governor was impact separated. The pump was partially disassembled and all internal components examined were unremarkable. Residual liquid consistent with fuel was observed within the fuel pump.
The top and bottom spark plugs were removed and examined. All four upper plugs were fractured and impact damaged. All eight spark plug electrodes exhibited worn normal signatures. All of the spark plugs exhibited dark gray deposits within the electrode area except for the No. 4 top spark plug; the electrode was separated consistent with impact damage.
The magneto remained attached to the engine and exhibited impact damage which precluded functional testing. All internal components were present and unremarkable.
The propeller governor base remained attached to the engine. The upper portion of the governor was fractured. The cable was separated however remained attached to the actuator arm. The propeller governor screen was free of debris.
The vacuum pump remained attached to the engine with external damage noted. The drive shaft was intact. The vacuum pump was disassembled. The carbon rotor was fractured, and the vanes remained intact.
Right Engine
The right engine remained attached to the engine mount. The propeller assembly was separated from the engine just forward of the nose case. The magneto and carburetor were separated from their respective mounts. The upper portion of the engine exhibited impact damage, mostly to the pushrod tubes. The upper spark plugs, vacuum pump, propeller governor, and fuel pump were removed from the engine. The crankshaft was rotated using a hand tool attached to an accessory drive mount pad. Rotational continuity was established throughout the engine and valve train. The No. 4 intake valve, No. 1 exhaust valve, and No. 3 intake and exhaust valve pushrods exhibited impact damage and would not allow for movement of the rocker arm and valve when the crankshaft was rotated. The rocker arms were removed and thumb compression and suction was obtained on all four cylinders. All four cylinders were examined internally using a lighted borescope and were found unremarkable. Residual oil was present within the engine. The oil suction screen and oil filter were free of metallic debris. The oil cooler hoses were secure to both the engine and oil cooler.
The carburetor was impact separated and fractured across the throttle bore. The throttle and mixture control cables were separated but remained attached to the respective control arms. The carburetor fuel inlet screen was partially crushed and exposed to elements, but was found free of debris. The internal plastic float was intact. No fuel or debris was observed within the carburetor float bowl.
The top and bottom spark plugs were removed and examined. All four upper plugs were fractured and impact damaged. All eight spark plug electrodes exhibited worn normal signatures. The number 1 upper and lower spark plugs exhibited darker deposits within the electrode area than the remainder of the spark plugs which exhibited light gray deposits.
The magneto was separated from the engine and exhibited impact damage which precluded functional testing. All internal components were present and unremarkable.
The engine-driven fuel pump base remained attached to the engine. The pump section of the governor was impact separated. The pump was partially disassembled, and all internal components examined were unremarkable. A liquid consistent with 100LL aviation fuel was observed within the fuel line from the engine-driven fuel pump to the carburetor.
The propeller governor base remained attached to the engine. The upper portion of the governor was fractured. The cable was separated but remained attached to the actuator arm. The propeller governor screen was free of debris.
The vacuum pump remained attached to the engine with no external damage noted. The drive shaft was intact. The vacuum pump was disassembled. The carbon rotor was fractured, and the vanes remained intact.
Propellers
Left
Examination of the left propeller revealed that all six mounting studs were present with no apparent damage to the propeller mounting flange. Both blades were bent aft and twisted leading edge down in varying degrees. The propeller pitch change mechanism appeared to be on the start lock. Blade one was rotated beyond the low pitch stop angle and the counterweight punctured the cylinder. The left propeller had chordwise/rotational abrasion on the camber side of the blades and witness marks indicating blade angle in the low range of normal operation.
Right
The right propeller was fractured from the engine aft of the crankshaft propeller mounting flange. The starter ring gear and crankshaft flange were still attached. All six mounting studs were present with no apparent damage to the propeller mounting flange. Blade one was bent aft and twisted. Blade two was unremarkable. The propeller pitch change mechanism appeared to be on the start lock. Blade one was rotated beyond the low pitch stop angle and the counterweight punctured the cylinder. The cylinder base appeared partially separated from the hub mounting area adjacent to blade one. The right propeller had chordwise/rotational abrasion on the camber side of the blades and witness marks indicating blade angle in the low range of normal operation.
Medical And Pathological Information
An autopsy of the flight instructor was performed by the Flagler County Medical Examiner, St. Augustine, Florida. The autopsy report indicated that the pilot's cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. The National Medical Services (NMS) Laboratory performed testing as part of the autopsy. Testing of a liver specimen detected ethanol at 0.087 gm/dl.
Toxicology testing on specimens recovered from the flight instructor performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified the following: anhydroecgonine methyl ester in liver, a product formed when cocaine is smoked; benzoylecgonine, the primary inactive metabolite of cocaine, at 22 ng/mg in liver and 25 ng/mg in muscle; ecgonine methyl ester, an inactive metabolite of cocaine, in liver; levamisole, a veterinary medicine and common cutting agent used to dilute the purity of street cocaine, in liver; delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana, was detected in muscle at 108 ng/mg but was inconclusive in liver; and 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH), the primary inactive metabolite of THC, was detected in in muscle at 4.5 ng/mg, in liver at 63.7 ng/mg, and in urine at 184.3 ng/ml. No ethanol was detected in the flight instructor's urine.
Cocaine is a strong central nervous system stimulant. Initial effects include euphoria, excitation, general arousal, dizziness, increased focus and alertness. At higher doses, effects may include psychosis, confusion, delusions, hallucinations, fear, antisocial behavior, and aggressiveness. Late effects, beginning within 1 to 2 hours after use, include dysphoria, depression, agitation, nervousness, drug craving, general central nervous system depression, fatigue, and insomnia. Additionally, more negative performance effects are expected after higher doses, with chronic ingestion, and during drug withdrawal, including agitation, anxiety, distress, inability to focus on divided attention tasks, inability to follow directions, confusion, hostility, time distortion, and poor balance and coordination.
Marijuana is a psychoactive central nervous system depressant. Concentrations of THC and THC-COOH are very dependent on pattern of use as well as dose. Concentrations vary depending on the potency of marijuana and the way the drug is used; however, peak plasma concentrations of 100-200 ng/mL are routinely encountered shortly after smoking. Plasma concentrations of THC decline rapidly and are often less than 5 ng/ml after 3 hours. Determination of accurate blood levels from known tissue levels is not possible at this time due to limited research and the drug's complex distribution and metabolism. Following smoking marijuana, most behavioral and physiological effects return to baseline levels within 3-5 hours after drug use, although some studies have demonstrated residual effects in specific behaviors up to 24 hours, such as complex divided attention tasks. In long-term users, even after periods of abstinence, selective attention (ability to filter out irrelevant information) has been shown to be adversely affected with increasing duration of use, and speed of information processing has been shown to be impaired with increasing frequency of use.
During an interview with the instructor's son, he reported that his family, including his father, were casual users of marijuana. He said that he knew of previous instances that his father used cocaine; however, he did not know when his father had last used either substance.
The use of cocaine and marijuana is prohibited under 14 CFR 91.17, which prohibits a person to act or attempt to act as a crew member of a civil aircraft while using any drug that affects the person's faculties in any ways contrary to safety.
Ethanol is primarily a social drug with a powerful central nervous system depressant. After absorption, ethanol is quickly distributed throughout the body's tissues and fluids fairly uniformly. Ethanol may also be produced in the body after death by microbial activity, however, vitreous humor and urine do not suffer from such production to any significant extent in relation to other tissues.
Pilot Receiving Instruction
An external-only examination autopsy of the pilot receiving instruction was performed by the Flagler County Medical Examiner, St. Augustine, Florida. The autopsy report indicated that the pilot's cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries.
Toxicology testing by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory was not performed.
Tests And Research
The airplane's design maneuvering speeds (VA) was 133 kts for a heavy airplane (3,800 lbs) and 112 kts for a lighter configuration (2,700 lbs; given the airplane's estimated weight at the time of the accident, (about 3,250 to 3,350 lbs), the design maneuvering speed was between 112 and 133 kts. The maximum structural cruising speed (Vno) was 165 kts.
An NTSB performance study calculated the airplane's indicated airspeed based on radar and ADS-B data. The study found that the airplane was flying at an altitude about 5,500 ft and an airspeed just above 130 kts with some variation. At 2257:36, the airplane began to descend and its airspeed increased to a maximum of 144 kts at 2257:59. At 2258:27, the airplane began to rapidly climb at a rate of 6,000 ft per minute (fpm) over the next 4 seconds from 5,200 ft to 5,600 ft before beginning its final descent. From 2258:32 to 2258:45, the rate of descent was in excess of 10,000 fpm. During this descent, the airplane exceeded Vno at 2258:39. The end of the radar and ADS-B data showed different flight paths; when combined, they show a right descending turn at the end of the flight. For more information, see the Performance Study within the public docket for this accident.
NTSB Identification: WPR17FA151
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, July 13, 2017 in Marineland, FL
Aircraft: PIPER PA 44-180, registration: N2173S
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 13, 2017, about 2300 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-44-180, N2173S, was destroyed during a descent and subsequent inflight breakup near Marineland, Florida. The flight instructor and private pilot receiving instruction were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Sunrise Aviation Inc., Ormond Beach, Florida, as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight which originated from Brunswick, Georgia, at an undetermined time with an intended destination of the Ormond Beach Municipal Airport (OMN), Ormond, Florida.
Information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the flight reported to Air Traffic Control that they had OMN in sight while at an altitude of about 5,400 feet mean sea level (MSL). Shortly after, radar and radio communication was lost with the accident airplane. The FAA issued an alert notice (ALNOT) shortly after. The main wreckage was located by air units about 1141 on July 14, 2017.
The main wreckage came to rest inverted within a heavily wooded area. The outboard portions of the left and right wings, baggage door, and a portion of the right stabilator were located throughout a 0.5-mile-long and 0.2-mile-wide debris path that spanned across water and marshland northwest of the main wreckage.
The located wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
Jeffrey Matthew Salan
Muhammad Al-Anzi
Jeff Salan's Final Expenses
On the evening of July 13, 2017, our father and husband, Jeff Salan, was tragically killed in a plane crash. Jeff had been a pilot and instructor for more than half of his 70 years of life, and he loved every minute of it. He loved his career and his students, and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of pilots, both active and retired, who will tell you that they are alive today because of the skills and knowledge that they learned at Jeff Salan's side.
Jeff could have focused his career on making money, flying big jets and seeing the world, however, he chose to be home each day and do the one job he took even more pride in than teaching: being a father and husband.
Jeff has been married to his loving wife, Jane, for 40 years, and they raised two dutiful and family-oriented children. As the sole-earner in the household, Jeff worked nearly every day of the year to provide for his family.
This loss has nearly broken us. We say nearly because he instilled in us his refusal to break or bend, even when times were at their worst. And times are certainly at their worst for our family.
The cost of burying our father, our husband, is insurmountable at this time without help. We do not cremate our family members, and we want to keep Jeff close to us and the place we have called home for the last 37 years.
The financial goal set for this fundraiser is an estimated cost for an in-ground burial at a cemetery near our home. An anonymous donor has now offered to cover those expenses, so the money raised will be used for associated costs and final expenses. We ask that you be generous, if you can, just as Jeff was generous towards his students, his coworkers, and his family. It may normally be a cliche, but Jeff Salan truly was the man who would give you the shirt off of his back without a second thought.
The Salan family thanks you in advance for all the help you may provide us in our time of need.
https://www.gofundme.com
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. - Jeffrey Salan, 70, of Ormond Beach, and Mohammed Alanazi, 27, from Saudi Arabia, died when a twin-engine plane from an Ormond Beach flight school went down late Thursday night, the medical examiner confirmed.
After hours of searching near the Flagler-St. Johns county line, the Piper PA44 was found Friday upside down in a clump of trees near Pellicer Creek, just west of Marineland. Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said one body was found with the wreckage and there did not appear to be any survivors.
Salan was a flight instructor for Sunrise Aviation Fight School. A spokesman for the school said they were on a routine night training flight.
"The families of the student, all of whom are in Saudi Arabia, and the family of our local instructor are all distraught, as you can imagine," said Patrick Murphy, director of training for Sunrise Aviation.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help Salan's family with funeral expenses.
"Jeff could have focused his career on making money, flying big jets and seeing the world, however, he chose to be home each day and do the one job he took even more pride in than teaching: being a father and husband," the GoFundMe page reads. "Jeff has been married to his loving wife, Jane, for 40 years, and they raised two dutiful and family-oriented children. As the sole-earner in the household, Jeff worked nearly every day of the year to provide for his family. This loss has nearly broken us. We say nearly because he instilled in us his refusal to break or bend, even when times were at their worst. And times are certainly at their worst for our family."
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. They have not provided any indication of what might have caused the plane to go down.
https://www.news4jax.com
Jeddah — A Saudi commercial pilot under instruction was killed in a twin-engine plane crash in the River To Sea Preserve near the St. Johns County line on Thursday, National Transportation Safety Board Investigator Joshua Cawthra confirmed to the local media.
Muhammad Al-Anzi, 27, who died along with his 70-year-old flight instructor, is to be buried in Riyadh.
Al-Anzi, married with a 3-year-old daughter, had gone to the US in 2014 to obtain a commercial flight pilot license.
The “mangled” aircraft was found shortly before noon Friday after about a 12-hour search, according to Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly.
Investigators collected debris from the plane wreckage scattered across a marshy area near the Matanzas River in eastern Flagler County, reported the Daytona Beach News Journal.
Cawthra said that the cause of the crash is still under investigation, and that a preliminary report will be released within a week or so.
Authorities previously confirmed that the downed plane belonged to Sunrise Aviation, a private flight school in Ormond Beach.
Federal Aviation Administration reports indicate the flight was bound for Ormond Beach from Brunswick, Georgia, when radar contact was lost about 22 miles north of Ormond Beach just after 11 p.m. Thursday.
http://saudigazette.com.sa
National Transportation Safety Board Investigator Joshua Cawthra
A 12-hour search by land, water and air ended just before noon Friday when a Piper PA-44 Seminole trainer aircraft sought since the FAA first reported losing contact with it Thursday night was found upside-down in dense brush near Marineland and the Flagler/ St. Johns County line.
Crushed and cracked in half according to images just released by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, it appears those on board are dead, according to Sheriff Rick Staly.
The white airplane had been the subject of a search by multiple state, federal and local agencies since the FAA lost contact with it around 11 p.m. Thursday, Staly said.
The plane was being operated by Sunrise Flight Academy in Ormond Beach, and its training director confirmed a student from Saudi Arabia and an instructor are both missing, according to First Coast News.
The FAA said that it lost contact with the Piper PA-44 aircraft approximately 22 miles north of Ormond Beach. The Coast Guard said it went down in the vicinity of Pellicer Creek, after taking off from Brunswick and heading to Ormond Beach. Witnesses heard what they described as the sound of an engine sputtering as the aircraft flew by, according to First Coast News.
Just after 11:30 a.m., the main part of the aircraft was discovered by a news helicopter from Orlando’s WESH-TV, crashed in the 90-acre River to Sea Preserve, which straddles both sides of Florida and is owned jointly by Flagler County and the Town of Marineland.
Staly said he had been to the wreck site and it appears that the aircraft clipped a tree and flipped over. Only one victim’s body was visible when he joined investigators there Friday morning, one of its landing gear deployed on the flattened wreckage surrounded by dense palmettos, according to Sheriff’s Office photos.
“It is a very tragic ending to a search. You always hope you can find people alive. There is no indication we will find survivors,” Staly said. “… I can see one [body]. It is a very crumpled aircraft, and by how it’s lying, you can’t see into the fuselage.”
The 34-year-old flight school, which also calls itself Sunrise Aviation, is based at 740 Airport Road in Ormond Beach. Sunrise is also a flight training provider for Florida State College at Jacksonville’s degree programs in professional pilot technology, as well as at Polk State College at Lakeland, Florida. It has satellite training facilities at Jacksonville’s Cecil and Herlong Recreational airports. The academy says it is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration on its website.
Staly couldn’t confirm how many people were in the airplane as what was a search and rescue operation shifted to a recovery effort that will see a crane brought in to flip it over so investigators can get inside. Staff at the Sunrise Flight Academy’s satellite office at Craig Airport did not wish to comment when reached. But a sign on the front door of its Ormond Beach office said all school activities were cancelled Friday since it is “dealing with an emergency involving one of its aircraft,” according to an image tweeted by First Coast News. The note also states a meeting was set for Friday afternoon with all cadets and instructors.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office command post was relocated to the crash site, which is on dry land, to “protect the scene.” The National Transportation Safety Board will take over the crash investigation.
“The indications are no one survived. It is clear one person is deceased inside the aircraft,” Staly said. “We can’t get inside to see how many more.”
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Chief Mark Strobridge, who saw the wrecked aircraft, said it will be “days or weeks” before investigators can officially confirm who was on board. But rescuers got to the site on foot and via Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission airboat to find the aircraft “fairly intact,” Staly said.
“It was a hard impact,” he said, adding there was no sign of fire.
The Piper Seminole is a 27.6-foot-long aircraft with two 180-hp engines on a 38.6-foot wingspan, and has been built for more than 20 years, according to the aircraft company website.
Coast Guard assisted in the search for survivors, a crew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater was launched at 2:15 a.m. St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Rescue as well as the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office joined in the search efforts.
http://staugustine.com
MARINELAND, FL (WTLV/WJXX) -- The wreckage of a small plane that crashed late Thursday has been found in a remote area near the Flagler-St. Johns County line. Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said he believes there were no survivors.
The Flagler County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the plane they found is the same one they had been looking for that flew out of Sunrise Aviation flight school in Ormond Beach near Daytona.
Sunrise Aviation director of training Patrick Murphy told First Coast News that a 27-year-old student from Saudi Arabia and a 70-year-old instructor went missing. He said he believes they were on the plane, but this has yet to be confirmed by authorities.
The FAA said it lost contact with a Piper PA-44 aircraft approximately 22 miles north of Ormond Beach around 11 p.m. Thursday.
The aircraft took off on what the flight school calls a routine flight from St. Simons Island, Georgia and was returning to Ormond Beach when it disappeared. A crew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater was launched at 2:15 a.m.
The sheriff said the plane might have clipped a tree before crashing. Witnesses heard what they described as the sound of an engine sputtering.
The 27-year-old student has a young daughter and wife in Saudi Arabia. He was aiming to go back home to fly for an airline, First Coast News has learned.
"Most of our students are international, so we get to know them close," Murphy said. "Students are family, particularly in this kind of program where students come to us for six or 12 months."
Sunrise Aviation has been around since the 1980s. An official with the flight school said this is the first crash in which someone was critically hurt or killed.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando, Florida
Piper Aircraft Inc; Vero Beach, Florida
Lycoming Engines; Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Hartzell Propeller; Piqua, Ohio
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
Location: Marineland, FL
Accident Number: WPR17FA151
Date & Time: 07/13/2017, 2258 EDT
Registration: N2173S
Aircraft: PIPER PA 44-180
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional
On July 13, 2017, about 2258 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-44-180, N2173S, was destroyed during an inflight breakup near Marineland, Florida. The flight instructor and private pilot receiving instruction were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Sunrise Aviation, Inc., Ormond Beach, Florida, as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight, which originated from Brunswick, Georgia, at an undetermined time with an intended destination of Ormond Beach Municipal Airport (OMN), Ormond Beach, Florida.
A representative from the operator reported that the accident flight was a roundtrip night cross-country instructional flight from OMN to Brunswick. Following one landing at Brunswick, the flight was to return to OMN as part of the pilot's initial commercial multi-engine rating training course. According to the company's flight training syllabus, the flight should have consisted of dead reckoning, pilotage, performance planning, GPS or VOR navigation, cross-country planning, normal takeoff and landings, intercepting and tracking navigational systems, and instrument procedures.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control (ATC) audio communications and ground tracking radar information, which also included Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data were reviewed. The airplane was on a southerly course along the coastline at altitudes between 5,500 ft and 5,700 ft mean sea level (msl). At 2250, the flight contacted ATC and advised that they were at 5,500 ft, which the controller acknowledged. At 2257:36, the data showed the airplane began to descend. The pilot radioed the controller 26 seconds later and stated that they were starting down and had the OMN lights in sight. At 2258:27, the airplane climbed from 5,200 ft to 5,600 ft msl over the course of 4 seconds. The airplane remained at 5,600 ft msl for about 3 seconds then initiated a descending right turn, which continued for about 11 seconds. At 2258:45, the airplane had descended to 3,000 ft msl. The last ADS-B data point, recorded at 2258:46, showed the flight at 3,600 ft msl, about 0.3 mile northwest of the main wreckage. See Figure 1.
Between 2259:29 and 2259:48, the controller unsuccessfully attempted to establish radio communication with the accident airplane. The FAA issued an alert notice (ALNOT) shortly thereafter. The main wreckage was located by law enforcement air units about 1141 the following day.
Figure 1: Radar data showing final airplane flightpathFlight Instructor Information
Certificate: Airline Transport; Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 70, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Glider
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 06/04/2016
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 34830 hours (Total, all aircraft)
Student Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 27, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 08/17/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 131.2 hours (Total, all aircraft), 7 hours (Total, this make and model)
Flight Instructor
The flight instructor, age 70, held an airline transport pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and airplane single-engine sea ratings, along with commercial pilot privileges for airplane multi-engine land and glider. He also held a flight instructor certificate with airplane single- and multi-engine and instrument ratings. A third-class FAA airman medical certificate was issued to the instructor on June 4, 2016, with the limitation, "must have available glasses for near vision." On the application for that medical certificate, the instructor reported 34,830 total hours of flight experience, of which 400 hours were in the previous 6 months. The flight instructor's logbook was not located.
Pilot Receiving Instruction
The pilot receiving instruction, age 27, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane ratings. He was issued a second-class FAA medical certificate on August 17, 2016 with no limitations. A review of flight school records revealed that, as of July 12, 2017, he had accumulated 131.2 hours of flight experience, of which 7 hours were in multi-engine airplanes.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Registration: N2173S
Model/Series: PA 44-180 180
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1979
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 44-7995245
Landing Gear Type:Tricycle
Seats:
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/12/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3801 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 2 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 9460.5 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: C91A installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-360-E1A6D
Registered Owner: SUNRISE AVIATION INC
Rated Power: 180 hp
Operator: SUNRISE AVIATION INC
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Pilot School (141)
The four-seat, low-wing, retractable gear, twin-engine airplane, serial number 44-7995245, was manufactured in 1979. The airplane was powered by 180-horsepower O-360-E1A6D and LO-360-F1A6D engines. Both engines were equipped with Hartzell constant-speed, 2-bladed propellers. The airplane was equipped with two 55-gallon fuel tanks.
Review of the airframe and engine maintenance logbooks revealed that the most recent annual inspection was completed on June 12, 2017, at an airframe total time of 9,460.5 hours and right engine tachometer hour reading of 9,460.5 hours. At the time of the inspection, the left engine had accumulated 2,174.0 hours since major overhaul and had an engine total time of 6,724.5 hours; the right engine had accumulated 3,122.4 hours since major overhaul and had an engine total time of 9,958.7 hours.
Using reported weights of both occupants (223 lbs and 185 lbs), an airplane empty weight of 2,460 lbs, and an estimated fuel load of 72 gallons (full fuel minus about 2 hours of flight time), the airplane was estimated to weigh about 3,285 lbs at the time of the accident. Maximum gross weight is 3,801 pounds.
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Night
Observation Facility, Elevation: KDAB, 41 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 30 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 0253 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 163°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 25000 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 3 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 90°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 30.15 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 28°C / 26°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Brunswick, GA
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Ormond Beach, FL (OMN)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time:
Type of Airspace: Class G
Recorded weather observation data from Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB), Daytona Beach, Florida, located about 30 miles south of the accident site, at 2253 included wind from 090° at 3 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, a broken cloud layer at 25,000 ft, temperature 28°C, dew point 26°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.15 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 2 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 29.661944, -81.215833
The airplane impacted terrain about 25 miles north of OMN. The main wreckage came to rest inverted within a heavily wooded area. Trees directly above the wreckage were broken, consistent with little to no forward movement of the airplane at impact. The outboard portions of the left and right wings, baggage door, and a portion of the right side of the stabilator were located throughout a 0.5-mile-long and 0.2-mile-wide debris path in water and marshland northwest of the main wreckage. The fuselage came to rest inverted on a heading about 022° magnetic. Various debris, including fragments of the left stabilator, were located within about 50 ft of the fuselage. The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
Fuselage
Examination of the recovered wreckage revealed that the roof structure was compressed into the cabin seating area. The fuselage was partially separated at fuselage station (FS) 156. The instrument panel was crushed aft into the front seat area. The cabin door and baggage area door were separated. Both the left and right inboard portion of the wings remained attached to the fuselage structure.
Both left and right seat control wheel horns were fragmented. The T-bar remained attached to the fuselage hinge point. The horizontal section was fragmented. The aileron control cables remained attached to the T-bar chain. The stabilator cables remained attached to the T-bar assembly. The rudder pedals were impact damaged. The rudder cables remained attached to the rudder cable assembly.
The left engine fuel selector valve lever was in the "on" position, and the right engine fuel selector valve lever was in the "off" position. The fuel selector valve positions could not be verified due to impact damage and mount separation at the fuselage. Air was applied to the fuel selector valves and continuity was established throughout each valve.
Left Wing
The outboard left wing was recovered about 0.48 mile west-northwest of the main wreckage. The main spar was fractured about wing station (WS) 105. The fiberglass wingtip was separated from the outboard wing at WS 206.7 and recovered mostly intact and undamaged. The left aileron was separated from the left outboard wing at the hinge points. Three sections of the left aileron were recovered, spanning from the inboard end about WS 106 to about WS 181. The outboard portion (25 inches) of the left aileron, including the aileron balance weight, was not recovered.
The main spar, leading edge, and upper and lower skins between about WS 105 and WS 130 were damaged and deformed up and aft indicative of an upward (positive) separation of the left outboard wing. There were several fractures and twisting deformation of the main spar structure in this area. The main spar inboard of the fracture point, between about WS 93 and WS 105, was deformed aft and down. A semicircular impact impression and tree debris were embedded in the wing structure in this area.
The aileron cables remained attached to the bellcrank and there was tearing of the WS 93 rib in an aft direction at the normal cable pass-through locations. The fractured ends of the aileron control and balance cables had a splayed appearance consistent with tension overload. The main spar fracture surfaces all had a dull, grainy appearance consistent with overstress separation. There was no evidence of any pre-existing corrosion or cracking on any of the fracture surfaces.
Right Wing
A large portion of the right outboard wing was recovered about 0.39 mile west-northwest of the main wreckage. The main spar upper cap was fractured about WS 126 and the lower cap was fractured about WS 148. The leading edge nose skin and ribs and lower leading edge skin were separated as a unit from the right outboard wing and recovered about 0.6 mile west-northwest of the main wreckage. A smaller piece of the leading edge lower skin about 3 ft long was also separated outboard of WS 170. The fiberglass wingtip was separated from the outboard wing at WS 206.7 and only the upper half was recovered. The right aileron was separated from the wing at the hinge points. The entire aileron was recovered; however, it was separated into two pieces at the center hinge point. The main spar inboard of the fracture point was deformed up and aft outboard of WS 105, indicative of an upward (positive) separation of the right outboard wing.
The aileron cables remained attached to the bellcrank and there were two cable tears through the upper wing skin inboard of the fracture point. The fractured ends of the aileron control and balance cables had a splayed, broomstraw appearance consistent with tension overload. The main spar fracture surfaces all exhibited a dull, grainy appearance consistent with overstress separation. There was no evidence of any pre-existing corrosion or cracking on any of the fracture surfaces.
Empennage
The vertical stabilizer was separated from the fuselage but remained connected to the fuselage by the electrical wiring. The two vertical stabilizer forward spar bolts remained installed in the stabilizer; however, they were pulled through the fuselage fitting in an upward direction. The vertical stabilizer rear attach fitting remained attached to the fuselage and was deformed aft and to the left. All the rivets that attached the fitting to the vertical stabilizer rear spar were sheared. The rudder was separated from the vertical stabilizer at the hinge points and was recovered at the main wreckage site. The rudder trim tab remained attached. The upper 12 to 18 inches of the vertical stabilizer and rudder were damaged and deformed to the left.
The horizontal stabilator hinge and counterweight was torn from the upper end of the vertical stabilizer and recovered at the main wreckage site. The left stabilator was torn into several pieces and was found wrapped around a tree at the main wreckage site. The left 28 inches and the center 29 inches of the trim tab were separated from the stabilator and recovered at the main wreckage site. The right side of the stabilator was separated from the empennage and recovered mostly intact about 0.6 mile west-northwest of the main wreckage. About 47 inches of the trim tab remained attached to the right stabilator. The right stabilator skins were buckled and there were impact impressions in the leading edge. The stabilator spar was fractured about right buttock line 7. The upper spar cap and upper stabilator skin were deformed and curled upward at the fracture point and the lower spar cap and lower stabilator skin had no obvious deformation. Matching of the fracture surfaces was indicative of upward direction separation to the left. The stabilator spar fracture surfaces all displayed a dull, grainy appearance consistent with overstress separation.
Flight Control Continuity
Flight control continuity was established throughout the airframe from the cockpit controls to all primary flight control surfaces. Numerous separations of the control system were observed. All areas of separation exhibited signatures consistent with overload separation.
Engine Examination
Left Engine
The left engine remained attached to the engine mount. The propeller assembly was partially separated from the engine just forward of the nose case and the crankshaft was fractured through about two-thirds of its circumference. The upper portion of the engine exhibited impact damage, mostly to the pushrod tubes. The upper spark plugs, vacuum pump, propeller governor, propeller, and fuel pump were removed from the engine. The crankshaft was rotated using the propeller flange. Rotational continuity was established throughout the engine and valve train. The No. 2 cylinder pushrods were damaged and would not allow for movement of the intake and exhaust rocker arm and valve when the crankshaft was rotated. After the No. 2 cylinder rocker arms were removed, thumb compression and suction was obtained on all four cylinders. All four cylinders were examined internally using a lighted borescope and were found unremarkable. Residual oil was present within the engine. The oil suction screen and oil filter were free of metallic debris.
The carburetor was impact separated and fractured across the throttle bore. The throttle and mixture control cables were separated; however, the cables remained attached to the respective control arms. The carburetor fuel inlet screen was missing, and the housing exhibited impact damage. The internal plastic float was intact and contained a blue liquid within 2 of the 3 bays. One bay was almost full of the liquid and the other bay was about one-third full. No fuel or debris was observed within the carburetor float bowl.
The engine-driven fuel pump base remained attached to the engine. The pump section of the governor was impact separated. The pump was partially disassembled and all internal components examined were unremarkable. Residual liquid consistent with fuel was observed within the fuel pump.
The top and bottom spark plugs were removed and examined. All four upper plugs were fractured and impact damaged. All eight spark plug electrodes exhibited worn normal signatures. All of the spark plugs exhibited dark gray deposits within the electrode area except for the No. 4 top spark plug; the electrode was separated consistent with impact damage.
The magneto remained attached to the engine and exhibited impact damage which precluded functional testing. All internal components were present and unremarkable.
The propeller governor base remained attached to the engine. The upper portion of the governor was fractured. The cable was separated however remained attached to the actuator arm. The propeller governor screen was free of debris.
The vacuum pump remained attached to the engine with external damage noted. The drive shaft was intact. The vacuum pump was disassembled. The carbon rotor was fractured, and the vanes remained intact.
Right Engine
The right engine remained attached to the engine mount. The propeller assembly was separated from the engine just forward of the nose case. The magneto and carburetor were separated from their respective mounts. The upper portion of the engine exhibited impact damage, mostly to the pushrod tubes. The upper spark plugs, vacuum pump, propeller governor, and fuel pump were removed from the engine. The crankshaft was rotated using a hand tool attached to an accessory drive mount pad. Rotational continuity was established throughout the engine and valve train. The No. 4 intake valve, No. 1 exhaust valve, and No. 3 intake and exhaust valve pushrods exhibited impact damage and would not allow for movement of the rocker arm and valve when the crankshaft was rotated. The rocker arms were removed and thumb compression and suction was obtained on all four cylinders. All four cylinders were examined internally using a lighted borescope and were found unremarkable. Residual oil was present within the engine. The oil suction screen and oil filter were free of metallic debris. The oil cooler hoses were secure to both the engine and oil cooler.
The carburetor was impact separated and fractured across the throttle bore. The throttle and mixture control cables were separated but remained attached to the respective control arms. The carburetor fuel inlet screen was partially crushed and exposed to elements, but was found free of debris. The internal plastic float was intact. No fuel or debris was observed within the carburetor float bowl.
The top and bottom spark plugs were removed and examined. All four upper plugs were fractured and impact damaged. All eight spark plug electrodes exhibited worn normal signatures. The number 1 upper and lower spark plugs exhibited darker deposits within the electrode area than the remainder of the spark plugs which exhibited light gray deposits.
The magneto was separated from the engine and exhibited impact damage which precluded functional testing. All internal components were present and unremarkable.
The engine-driven fuel pump base remained attached to the engine. The pump section of the governor was impact separated. The pump was partially disassembled, and all internal components examined were unremarkable. A liquid consistent with 100LL aviation fuel was observed within the fuel line from the engine-driven fuel pump to the carburetor.
The propeller governor base remained attached to the engine. The upper portion of the governor was fractured. The cable was separated but remained attached to the actuator arm. The propeller governor screen was free of debris.
The vacuum pump remained attached to the engine with no external damage noted. The drive shaft was intact. The vacuum pump was disassembled. The carbon rotor was fractured, and the vanes remained intact.
Propellers
Left
Examination of the left propeller revealed that all six mounting studs were present with no apparent damage to the propeller mounting flange. Both blades were bent aft and twisted leading edge down in varying degrees. The propeller pitch change mechanism appeared to be on the start lock. Blade one was rotated beyond the low pitch stop angle and the counterweight punctured the cylinder. The left propeller had chordwise/rotational abrasion on the camber side of the blades and witness marks indicating blade angle in the low range of normal operation.
Right
The right propeller was fractured from the engine aft of the crankshaft propeller mounting flange. The starter ring gear and crankshaft flange were still attached. All six mounting studs were present with no apparent damage to the propeller mounting flange. Blade one was bent aft and twisted. Blade two was unremarkable. The propeller pitch change mechanism appeared to be on the start lock. Blade one was rotated beyond the low pitch stop angle and the counterweight punctured the cylinder. The cylinder base appeared partially separated from the hub mounting area adjacent to blade one. The right propeller had chordwise/rotational abrasion on the camber side of the blades and witness marks indicating blade angle in the low range of normal operation.
Medical And Pathological Information
An autopsy of the flight instructor was performed by the Flagler County Medical Examiner, St. Augustine, Florida. The autopsy report indicated that the pilot's cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. The National Medical Services (NMS) Laboratory performed testing as part of the autopsy. Testing of a liver specimen detected ethanol at 0.087 gm/dl.
Toxicology testing on specimens recovered from the flight instructor performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified the following: anhydroecgonine methyl ester in liver, a product formed when cocaine is smoked; benzoylecgonine, the primary inactive metabolite of cocaine, at 22 ng/mg in liver and 25 ng/mg in muscle; ecgonine methyl ester, an inactive metabolite of cocaine, in liver; levamisole, a veterinary medicine and common cutting agent used to dilute the purity of street cocaine, in liver; delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana, was detected in muscle at 108 ng/mg but was inconclusive in liver; and 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH), the primary inactive metabolite of THC, was detected in in muscle at 4.5 ng/mg, in liver at 63.7 ng/mg, and in urine at 184.3 ng/ml. No ethanol was detected in the flight instructor's urine.
Cocaine is a strong central nervous system stimulant. Initial effects include euphoria, excitation, general arousal, dizziness, increased focus and alertness. At higher doses, effects may include psychosis, confusion, delusions, hallucinations, fear, antisocial behavior, and aggressiveness. Late effects, beginning within 1 to 2 hours after use, include dysphoria, depression, agitation, nervousness, drug craving, general central nervous system depression, fatigue, and insomnia. Additionally, more negative performance effects are expected after higher doses, with chronic ingestion, and during drug withdrawal, including agitation, anxiety, distress, inability to focus on divided attention tasks, inability to follow directions, confusion, hostility, time distortion, and poor balance and coordination.
Marijuana is a psychoactive central nervous system depressant. Concentrations of THC and THC-COOH are very dependent on pattern of use as well as dose. Concentrations vary depending on the potency of marijuana and the way the drug is used; however, peak plasma concentrations of 100-200 ng/mL are routinely encountered shortly after smoking. Plasma concentrations of THC decline rapidly and are often less than 5 ng/ml after 3 hours. Determination of accurate blood levels from known tissue levels is not possible at this time due to limited research and the drug's complex distribution and metabolism. Following smoking marijuana, most behavioral and physiological effects return to baseline levels within 3-5 hours after drug use, although some studies have demonstrated residual effects in specific behaviors up to 24 hours, such as complex divided attention tasks. In long-term users, even after periods of abstinence, selective attention (ability to filter out irrelevant information) has been shown to be adversely affected with increasing duration of use, and speed of information processing has been shown to be impaired with increasing frequency of use.
During an interview with the instructor's son, he reported that his family, including his father, were casual users of marijuana. He said that he knew of previous instances that his father used cocaine; however, he did not know when his father had last used either substance.
The use of cocaine and marijuana is prohibited under 14 CFR 91.17, which prohibits a person to act or attempt to act as a crew member of a civil aircraft while using any drug that affects the person's faculties in any ways contrary to safety.
Ethanol is primarily a social drug with a powerful central nervous system depressant. After absorption, ethanol is quickly distributed throughout the body's tissues and fluids fairly uniformly. Ethanol may also be produced in the body after death by microbial activity, however, vitreous humor and urine do not suffer from such production to any significant extent in relation to other tissues.
Pilot Receiving Instruction
An external-only examination autopsy of the pilot receiving instruction was performed by the Flagler County Medical Examiner, St. Augustine, Florida. The autopsy report indicated that the pilot's cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries.
Toxicology testing by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory was not performed.
Tests And Research
The airplane's design maneuvering speeds (VA) was 133 kts for a heavy airplane (3,800 lbs) and 112 kts for a lighter configuration (2,700 lbs; given the airplane's estimated weight at the time of the accident, (about 3,250 to 3,350 lbs), the design maneuvering speed was between 112 and 133 kts. The maximum structural cruising speed (Vno) was 165 kts.
An NTSB performance study calculated the airplane's indicated airspeed based on radar and ADS-B data. The study found that the airplane was flying at an altitude about 5,500 ft and an airspeed just above 130 kts with some variation. At 2257:36, the airplane began to descend and its airspeed increased to a maximum of 144 kts at 2257:59. At 2258:27, the airplane began to rapidly climb at a rate of 6,000 ft per minute (fpm) over the next 4 seconds from 5,200 ft to 5,600 ft before beginning its final descent. From 2258:32 to 2258:45, the rate of descent was in excess of 10,000 fpm. During this descent, the airplane exceeded Vno at 2258:39. The end of the radar and ADS-B data showed different flight paths; when combined, they show a right descending turn at the end of the flight. For more information, see the Performance Study within the public docket for this accident.
NTSB Identification: WPR17FA151
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, July 13, 2017 in Marineland, FL
Aircraft: PIPER PA 44-180, registration: N2173S
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 13, 2017, about 2300 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-44-180, N2173S, was destroyed during a descent and subsequent inflight breakup near Marineland, Florida. The flight instructor and private pilot receiving instruction were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Sunrise Aviation Inc., Ormond Beach, Florida, as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight which originated from Brunswick, Georgia, at an undetermined time with an intended destination of the Ormond Beach Municipal Airport (OMN), Ormond, Florida.
Information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the flight reported to Air Traffic Control that they had OMN in sight while at an altitude of about 5,400 feet mean sea level (MSL). Shortly after, radar and radio communication was lost with the accident airplane. The FAA issued an alert notice (ALNOT) shortly after. The main wreckage was located by air units about 1141 on July 14, 2017.
The main wreckage came to rest inverted within a heavily wooded area. The outboard portions of the left and right wings, baggage door, and a portion of the right stabilator were located throughout a 0.5-mile-long and 0.2-mile-wide debris path that spanned across water and marshland northwest of the main wreckage.
The located wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
Jeffrey Matthew Salan
August 29, 1946 - July 13, 2017
Muhammad Al-AnziOn the evening of July 13, 2017, our father and husband, Jeff Salan, was tragically killed in a plane crash. Jeff had been a pilot and instructor for more than half of his 70 years of life, and he loved every minute of it. He loved his career and his students, and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of pilots, both active and retired, who will tell you that they are alive today because of the skills and knowledge that they learned at Jeff Salan's side.
Jeff could have focused his career on making money, flying big jets and seeing the world, however, he chose to be home each day and do the one job he took even more pride in than teaching: being a father and husband.
Jeff has been married to his loving wife, Jane, for 40 years, and they raised two dutiful and family-oriented children. As the sole-earner in the household, Jeff worked nearly every day of the year to provide for his family.
This loss has nearly broken us. We say nearly because he instilled in us his refusal to break or bend, even when times were at their worst. And times are certainly at their worst for our family.
The cost of burying our father, our husband, is insurmountable at this time without help. We do not cremate our family members, and we want to keep Jeff close to us and the place we have called home for the last 37 years.
The financial goal set for this fundraiser is an estimated cost for an in-ground burial at a cemetery near our home. An anonymous donor has now offered to cover those expenses, so the money raised will be used for associated costs and final expenses. We ask that you be generous, if you can, just as Jeff was generous towards his students, his coworkers, and his family. It may normally be a cliche, but Jeff Salan truly was the man who would give you the shirt off of his back without a second thought.
The Salan family thanks you in advance for all the help you may provide us in our time of need.
https://www.gofundme.com
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. - Jeffrey Salan, 70, of Ormond Beach, and Mohammed Alanazi, 27, from Saudi Arabia, died when a twin-engine plane from an Ormond Beach flight school went down late Thursday night, the medical examiner confirmed.
After hours of searching near the Flagler-St. Johns county line, the Piper PA44 was found Friday upside down in a clump of trees near Pellicer Creek, just west of Marineland. Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said one body was found with the wreckage and there did not appear to be any survivors.
Salan was a flight instructor for Sunrise Aviation Fight School. A spokesman for the school said they were on a routine night training flight.
"The families of the student, all of whom are in Saudi Arabia, and the family of our local instructor are all distraught, as you can imagine," said Patrick Murphy, director of training for Sunrise Aviation.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help Salan's family with funeral expenses.
"Jeff could have focused his career on making money, flying big jets and seeing the world, however, he chose to be home each day and do the one job he took even more pride in than teaching: being a father and husband," the GoFundMe page reads. "Jeff has been married to his loving wife, Jane, for 40 years, and they raised two dutiful and family-oriented children. As the sole-earner in the household, Jeff worked nearly every day of the year to provide for his family. This loss has nearly broken us. We say nearly because he instilled in us his refusal to break or bend, even when times were at their worst. And times are certainly at their worst for our family."
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. They have not provided any indication of what might have caused the plane to go down.
https://www.news4jax.com
Muhammad Al-Anzi, 27, who died along with his 70-year-old flight instructor, is to be buried in Riyadh.
Al-Anzi, married with a 3-year-old daughter, had gone to the US in 2014 to obtain a commercial flight pilot license.
The “mangled” aircraft was found shortly before noon Friday after about a 12-hour search, according to Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly.
Investigators collected debris from the plane wreckage scattered across a marshy area near the Matanzas River in eastern Flagler County, reported the Daytona Beach News Journal.
Cawthra said that the cause of the crash is still under investigation, and that a preliminary report will be released within a week or so.
Authorities previously confirmed that the downed plane belonged to Sunrise Aviation, a private flight school in Ormond Beach.
Federal Aviation Administration reports indicate the flight was bound for Ormond Beach from Brunswick, Georgia, when radar contact was lost about 22 miles north of Ormond Beach just after 11 p.m. Thursday.
http://saudigazette.com.sa
National Transportation Safety Board Investigator Joshua Cawthra
A 12-hour search by land, water and air ended just before noon Friday when a Piper PA-44 Seminole trainer aircraft sought since the FAA first reported losing contact with it Thursday night was found upside-down in dense brush near Marineland and the Flagler/ St. Johns County line.
Crushed and cracked in half according to images just released by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, it appears those on board are dead, according to Sheriff Rick Staly.
The white airplane had been the subject of a search by multiple state, federal and local agencies since the FAA lost contact with it around 11 p.m. Thursday, Staly said.
The plane was being operated by Sunrise Flight Academy in Ormond Beach, and its training director confirmed a student from Saudi Arabia and an instructor are both missing, according to First Coast News.
The FAA said that it lost contact with the Piper PA-44 aircraft approximately 22 miles north of Ormond Beach. The Coast Guard said it went down in the vicinity of Pellicer Creek, after taking off from Brunswick and heading to Ormond Beach. Witnesses heard what they described as the sound of an engine sputtering as the aircraft flew by, according to First Coast News.
Just after 11:30 a.m., the main part of the aircraft was discovered by a news helicopter from Orlando’s WESH-TV, crashed in the 90-acre River to Sea Preserve, which straddles both sides of Florida and is owned jointly by Flagler County and the Town of Marineland.
Staly said he had been to the wreck site and it appears that the aircraft clipped a tree and flipped over. Only one victim’s body was visible when he joined investigators there Friday morning, one of its landing gear deployed on the flattened wreckage surrounded by dense palmettos, according to Sheriff’s Office photos.
“It is a very tragic ending to a search. You always hope you can find people alive. There is no indication we will find survivors,” Staly said. “… I can see one [body]. It is a very crumpled aircraft, and by how it’s lying, you can’t see into the fuselage.”
The 34-year-old flight school, which also calls itself Sunrise Aviation, is based at 740 Airport Road in Ormond Beach. Sunrise is also a flight training provider for Florida State College at Jacksonville’s degree programs in professional pilot technology, as well as at Polk State College at Lakeland, Florida. It has satellite training facilities at Jacksonville’s Cecil and Herlong Recreational airports. The academy says it is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration on its website.
Staly couldn’t confirm how many people were in the airplane as what was a search and rescue operation shifted to a recovery effort that will see a crane brought in to flip it over so investigators can get inside. Staff at the Sunrise Flight Academy’s satellite office at Craig Airport did not wish to comment when reached. But a sign on the front door of its Ormond Beach office said all school activities were cancelled Friday since it is “dealing with an emergency involving one of its aircraft,” according to an image tweeted by First Coast News. The note also states a meeting was set for Friday afternoon with all cadets and instructors.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office command post was relocated to the crash site, which is on dry land, to “protect the scene.” The National Transportation Safety Board will take over the crash investigation.
“The indications are no one survived. It is clear one person is deceased inside the aircraft,” Staly said. “We can’t get inside to see how many more.”
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Chief Mark Strobridge, who saw the wrecked aircraft, said it will be “days or weeks” before investigators can officially confirm who was on board. But rescuers got to the site on foot and via Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission airboat to find the aircraft “fairly intact,” Staly said.
“It was a hard impact,” he said, adding there was no sign of fire.
The Piper Seminole is a 27.6-foot-long aircraft with two 180-hp engines on a 38.6-foot wingspan, and has been built for more than 20 years, according to the aircraft company website.
Coast Guard assisted in the search for survivors, a crew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater was launched at 2:15 a.m. St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Rescue as well as the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office joined in the search efforts.
http://staugustine.com
MARINELAND, FL (WTLV/WJXX) -- The wreckage of a small plane that crashed late Thursday has been found in a remote area near the Flagler-St. Johns County line. Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said he believes there were no survivors.
The Flagler County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the plane they found is the same one they had been looking for that flew out of Sunrise Aviation flight school in Ormond Beach near Daytona.
Sunrise Aviation director of training Patrick Murphy told First Coast News that a 27-year-old student from Saudi Arabia and a 70-year-old instructor went missing. He said he believes they were on the plane, but this has yet to be confirmed by authorities.
The FAA said it lost contact with a Piper PA-44 aircraft approximately 22 miles north of Ormond Beach around 11 p.m. Thursday.
The aircraft took off on what the flight school calls a routine flight from St. Simons Island, Georgia and was returning to Ormond Beach when it disappeared. A crew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater was launched at 2:15 a.m.
The sheriff said the plane might have clipped a tree before crashing. Witnesses heard what they described as the sound of an engine sputtering.
The 27-year-old student has a young daughter and wife in Saudi Arabia. He was aiming to go back home to fly for an airline, First Coast News has learned.
"Most of our students are international, so we get to know them close," Murphy said. "Students are family, particularly in this kind of program where students come to us for six or 12 months."
Sunrise Aviation has been around since the 1980s. An official with the flight school said this is the first crash in which someone was critically hurt or killed.
Vans RV-8, N559JC: Accident occurred July 14, 2017 near Felts Field Airport (KSFF), Spokane County, Washington
The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Spokane, Washington
Aviation Accident Preliminary Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
http://registry.faa.gov/air/N559JC
NTSB Identification: WPR17LA153
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, July 14, 2017 in Spokane, WA
Aircraft: CLARK JAMES T VANS RV8, registration: N559JC
Injuries: 1 Minor.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On July 14, 2017, at 1330 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Clark Vans RV-8 airplane, N559JC, sustained substantial damage following a loss of engine power and subsequent off-airport forced landing from Felts Field Airport (FSS), Spokane, Washington. The pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. The pilot/owner operated the airplane as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 local personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed.
The pilot reported that the engine started to surge after takeoff and he turned back to the airport. During the turn back, the engine lost power and he observed black smoke coming from the engine compartment. The pilot made a forced landing to an open field that resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.
The wreckage was transported to a secure facility for further examination.
A pilot walked away with only minor injuries Friday after his small two-seat airplane apparently had mechanical problems and crashed in a field just east of Hillyard.
Spokane Police Officer Scott Hice, who observed the crash, said he was getting into his car at the North Precinct when he heard what sounded like an aircraft with mechanical problems overhead.
“I heard him before I saw him. I looked up and he was flying almost over the top of us. I said, ‘Man, that guy’s flying low,’” Hice said. “You could see he was fighting it.”
The airplane was banking toward a large vacant field east of Market Street and north of Wellesley Avenue. “I knew he wasn’t going to make it out of that field.”
Hice first saw the plan flying north. He banked to the south and turned west before it went down.
“On the last turn, he kind of flared … and then goes down,” he said. “Obviously, the way he put it down, he knew what he was doing.”
Hice said he ran towards the downed craft while he radioed for help. Hice lost sight of the plane and didn’t know that the aircraft had landed in a depression in the field.
“I thought for sure he was gone. I was scared to death I would run up on a fire and someone was burning,” Hice said.
Instead, Hice saw a man walking his way. Hice asked him “Are you the pilot?” The man said yes. “He said, ‘I’m in the Air Force.’ It was pretty crazy.”
Hice then walked the pilot to an area near the intersection of Wellesley Ave. and Ferrall St. and waited for an ambulance, which was already en route. He said pilot was 31 years old, and suffered cuts on his face, arm and left leg.
“I just hoping he wasn’t dead,” Hice said. “I looked up and he was walking away from it like nothing happened.”
Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer identified the plane as an RV 8, a tandem two-seat, single-engine, low-wing aircraft sold by kit aircraft manufacturer Van’s aircraft.
The area, which is near Felts Field, has seen a fairly regular series of crashes over the past few years.
In December of last year, the pilot of a twin-engine aircraft crash landed at Felts Field. The aircraft touched down without its landing gear deployed. The pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, was uninjured in the crash.
In May of 2015, two men were killed when their Piper PA-46 crashed into the Spokane River shortly after takeoff while conducting a post-inspection test flight. The National Transportation Safety Board later ruled control cables on the plan that control banking and turning were improperly installed.
Also in 2015, in February, a Piper Malibu crashed near the Hamilton Street Bridge shortly after takeoff from Felts Field near the Hamilton Street bridge. It was later determined the plane was refueled with jet fuel. The pilot, who was pulled from the plane’s wreckage alive but in serious condition, later succumbed to his injuries.
http://www.spokesman.com
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Spokane, Washington
Aviation Accident Preliminary Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
NTSB Identification: WPR17LA153
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, July 14, 2017 in Spokane, WA
Aircraft: CLARK JAMES T VANS RV8, registration: N559JC
Injuries: 1 Minor.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On July 14, 2017, at 1330 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Clark Vans RV-8 airplane, N559JC, sustained substantial damage following a loss of engine power and subsequent off-airport forced landing from Felts Field Airport (FSS), Spokane, Washington. The pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. The pilot/owner operated the airplane as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 local personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed.
The pilot reported that the engine started to surge after takeoff and he turned back to the airport. During the turn back, the engine lost power and he observed black smoke coming from the engine compartment. The pilot made a forced landing to an open field that resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.
The wreckage was transported to a secure facility for further examination.
SPOKANE, Wash. -- The man who crashed a plane in a field near Hillyard told KREM 2 News he is ok.
Jonathan Liard said, “I am ok, no major injuries just a couple scrapes and bruises.”
Liard said he was at home Saturday and he had gone to get some X-rays but they were all negative. He told KREM 2 News he could not discuss details of the crash because it is currently under investigation.
An Spokane Police Department officer said the crash happened just after 1:30 p.m. Officer Scott Hice was driving just north of the precinct and saw the plane flying very low then saw the plane crash in a nearby field. The officer escorted Liard to safety.
Officials believe Liard was experiencing some engine problems mid-flight, forcing him to crash land the plane. Authorities said the pilot does have former military and flight experience. The officer on scene said Liard told him he was in the U.S. Air Force.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash. An official from the FAA confirmed the plane was a Vans RV8 traveling from Spokane Felts Field to Deer Park, Washington when it went down.
A pilot walked away with only minor injuries Friday after his small two-seat airplane apparently had mechanical problems and crashed in a field just east of Hillyard.
Spokane Police Officer Scott Hice, who observed the crash, said he was getting into his car at the North Precinct when he heard what sounded like an aircraft with mechanical problems overhead.
“I heard him before I saw him. I looked up and he was flying almost over the top of us. I said, ‘Man, that guy’s flying low,’” Hice said. “You could see he was fighting it.”
The airplane was banking toward a large vacant field east of Market Street and north of Wellesley Avenue. “I knew he wasn’t going to make it out of that field.”
Hice first saw the plan flying north. He banked to the south and turned west before it went down.
“On the last turn, he kind of flared … and then goes down,” he said. “Obviously, the way he put it down, he knew what he was doing.”
Hice said he ran towards the downed craft while he radioed for help. Hice lost sight of the plane and didn’t know that the aircraft had landed in a depression in the field.
“I thought for sure he was gone. I was scared to death I would run up on a fire and someone was burning,” Hice said.
Instead, Hice saw a man walking his way. Hice asked him “Are you the pilot?” The man said yes. “He said, ‘I’m in the Air Force.’ It was pretty crazy.”
Hice then walked the pilot to an area near the intersection of Wellesley Ave. and Ferrall St. and waited for an ambulance, which was already en route. He said pilot was 31 years old, and suffered cuts on his face, arm and left leg.
“I just hoping he wasn’t dead,” Hice said. “I looked up and he was walking away from it like nothing happened.”
Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer identified the plane as an RV 8, a tandem two-seat, single-engine, low-wing aircraft sold by kit aircraft manufacturer Van’s aircraft.
The area, which is near Felts Field, has seen a fairly regular series of crashes over the past few years.
In December of last year, the pilot of a twin-engine aircraft crash landed at Felts Field. The aircraft touched down without its landing gear deployed. The pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, was uninjured in the crash.
In May of 2015, two men were killed when their Piper PA-46 crashed into the Spokane River shortly after takeoff while conducting a post-inspection test flight. The National Transportation Safety Board later ruled control cables on the plan that control banking and turning were improperly installed.
Also in 2015, in February, a Piper Malibu crashed near the Hamilton Street Bridge shortly after takeoff from Felts Field near the Hamilton Street bridge. It was later determined the plane was refueled with jet fuel. The pilot, who was pulled from the plane’s wreckage alive but in serious condition, later succumbed to his injuries.
http://www.spokesman.com
Cessna 172N Skyhawk, N737EZ: Fatal accident occurred January 12,2016 near Fox Stephens Field - Gilmer Municipal Airport ( KJXI) Gilmer, Upshur County, Texas
The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Irving, Texas
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas
Lycoming Engines; Williamsport, Pennsylvania
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/N737EZ
NTSB Identification: CEN16FA083
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, January 12, 2016 in Gilmer, TX
Probable Cause Approval Date: 07/20/2017
Aircraft: CESSNA 172N, registration: N737EZ
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Uninjured.
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.
The private pilot and one passenger departed on the approximate 35-minute personal flight with an unknown quantity of fuel onboard. Later that evening, they departed to return to their home airport in night visual meteorological conditions without adding additional fuel during their stop. While on final approach to their home airport, the engine lost total power and the airplane impacted trees and terrain. The passenger stated that the engine did not sound any different during the accident flight than on any of the previous flights and that there was no indication of a problem with the airplane when the engine lost power. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no usable fuel within the airplane's fuel system, and no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation; therefore, it is likely that the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power as a result of fuel exhaustion. While it is unknown what preflight fuel planning the pilot performed and the extent of his preflight inspection, it is apparent that both were inadequate; had he performed both properly, he likely would not have run out of fuel.
Recorded GPS data showed that the pilot flew the traffic pattern 400-600 ft lower than the recommended 1,000-ft above airport elevation and turned to the base leg of the traffic pattern farther from the runway than recommended. Had the pilot flown the traffic pattern at the recommended altitude and distance from the runway, it may have been possible for the airplane to glide to the runway following the loss of engine power.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate traffic pattern altitude and distance from the runway, which may have allowed the airplane to glide to the runway following the loss of engine power.
Samuel Oliver Lucky
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On January 12, 2016, about 1954 central standard time, a Cessna 172N, N737EZ, was substantially damaged when it impacted wooded terrain following a loss of engine power about 0.5 nautical mile south/southwest of Fox Stephens Field-Gilmer Municipal Airport (JXI), Gilmer, Texas. The private pilot was fatally injured and the passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was privately owned and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. No flight plan was filed and the flight was not receiving any air traffic control services. Night visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed for the flight that departed from Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport (SLR), Sulphur Springs, Texas, about 1916 and was returning to JXI.
The passenger, who was the pilot's wife, stated that the pilot filled both of the airplane's wing fuel tanks a couple of days before the flight to SLR. The tanks were fueled from three gas cans that had a capacity of 5 gallons each and one that had a capacity of 6 gallons. However, the investigation could not determine how much total fuel was onboard the airplane following the refueling. The passenger said that she obtained the fuel from the airport in Gladewater, Texas, 1 or 1 1/2 weeks before the accident because the fuel there was cheaper than at JXI. The gas cans had been used solely for fueling the airplane. She said that the flight departed from JXI to SLR, was 33-34 minutes long, and there were no stops.
The pilot's brother, who had dinner with the pilot and his wife near SLR, stated that he did not see the airplane depart from SLR. He said that when he left, the pilot was still getting the airplane warmed up, it was kind of cold outside, and the pilot's wife was already sitting in the airplane. The pilot's brother said that the airplane was tied down, and the pilot untied the tie downs and checked the airplane wings. The pilot then got into the airplane, turned the lights on, had the instrument lights on, and was "looking at things." He said that "he doesn't know how much looking around" at the airplane the pilot was doing and he said that he did not see the pilot reach up and shake the wings because he, the pilot's brother, was not paying attention.
The passenger stated that the return flight was 29-32 minutes long with no stops. The cruise altitude for both legs of the flight was 3,500-3,700 ft. She said that the engine did not sound any different during the accident flight than from previous flights. There was no indication of a problem with the airplane when the engine lost power. She said that there were no alarms, and the pilot did not say anything was wrong before the engine quit.
The airplane was located by law enforcement on January 13, 2016, about 0105, after it was reported overdue by a family member.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot, age 73, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. The pilot was issued a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate on July 7, 2014, with no limitations.
Review of the pilot's logbook showed that the pilot had accumulated 259.15 total hours of flight experience, of which 202.55 hours were in the accident airplane. The pilot's total flight experience at night was 13.5 hours. The two most recent entries for flight at night were 1.6 hours in February 2014 and 0.8 hours in December 2015.
The pilot's most recent flight review was completed on September 22, 2015, in the accident airplane.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The airplane, S/N 17269373, was registered to the pilot in July 2008. It was equipped with a Lycoming O-320-H2AD reciprocating engine, S/N L-3869-76. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on December 9, 2015, about 3 flight hours before the accident.
The airplane was equipped with standard capacity tanks, which held 21.5 gallons each and provided a total capacity of 43 gallons and 40 gallons of usable fuel.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
The 1955 automated weather observation at JXI included calm wind, clear skies, 10 statute miles visibility, temperature 6°C, dew point 2°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.24 inches of mercury.
According to data from the US Naval Observatory, sunset occurred at 1734 on the evening of the accident, and the end of civil twilight was at 1800. Moonset occurred at 2039. The phase of the moon was a waxing crescent, with 9% of the moon's visible disk illuminated.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The airplane came to rest on a heading of about 040° about 0.5 nautical mile south/southwest of runway 36 in a wooded area. A wreckage path measured about 197 ft in length and was oriented on an approximate 050° heading. The airplane was resting on its left side and on top of the left wing, which was folded over and oriented along the length of the fuselage. The wings, flight control surfaces, and stabilizers were attached to the airframe. The wing flap cockpit control and the flap actuator were in the 20° positions. Flight control continuity from the control surfaces to the cockpit controls was confirmed.
There was no fuel smell or leakage at the accident site. Both wing fuel tank caps and the auxiliary fuel tank cap were intact and secure. There was no usable fuel in the wing fuel tanks. About 8 oz of blue-colored liquid consistent in color with 100 low-lead aviation fuel was drained from the auxiliary fuel tank, and about 1 oz was drained from the airframe fuel strainer assembly. The fuel strainer did not contain debris. Removal and disassembly of the carburetor showed that the carburetor bowl contained about 2 oz of a liquid consistent in color with a mixture of oil and fuel. The remaining fuel from the auxiliary fuel tank, airframe fuel strainer, and carburetor bowl was tested for water using water sensing paste; the test showed no indication for the presence of water.
The propeller was attached to the propeller hub and engine. Neither propeller blade exhibited S-shaped bending or chordwise scratching.
The cockpit master/alternator switch was in the off positon, and the magneto key switch was in the both positon.
Throttle and mixture control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit controls to the carburetor. Examination of the engine confirmed the suction and expulsion of air through the top spark plug holes after removal of the spark plugs and when the engine was rotated through by hand using the propeller. Continuity of engine to the accessory section and of the valve train to the accessory section was confirmed during engine rotation. Rotation of both magnetos produced electrical spark through each magneto lead.
An Adventure Pilot iFly multifunction display was recovered from the wreckage and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Division for download.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy of the pilot on January 14, 2016. The autopsy report stated that the pilot died as a result of blunt force injuries. The manner of death was accident.
The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma performed toxicology testing. Testing was negative for carbon monoxide and ethanol. Losartan, an antihypertensive medication, was detected in the liver, and pravastatin, a high cholesterol medication, was detected in the blood and liver. Neither medication is noted to adversely affect pilot performance.
TESTS AND RESEARCH
An Adventure Pilot iFly was recovered from the wreckage. The iFly unit is an externally-powered, multi-function display and GPS receiver with a high resolution, LCD touchscreen display. The unit included a built-in navigational database and was optionally capable of receiving inflight ADS-B information, including weather radar, airport weather reports, weather forecasts, and traffic advisories. The navigational and information features included terrain warnings, airspace alerts, and display of en route visual flight rule and instrument flight rule (IFR) navigational information and IFR approach charts.
Download of the recovered iFly unit showed two log files that corresponded to the date of the accident flight. The most recent log, the accident flight, spanned from 19:16:21 to 19:53:53, which captured the accident flight from JXI to SLR. The second log file spanned from 16:42:46 to 17:26:59 and captured the previous flight from SLR to JXI.
During the last minute of flight, the airplane's speed steadily decreased from 79 knots to the last recorded speed of 29 knots. The GPS altitude also steadily decreased from 832 ft to 425 ft. At 19:53:16 the airplane was at 649 ft GPS altitude, 74 kts, and about 35 degrees past and .43 miles from the approach end of runway 36 at JXL. At 19:53:27 the airplane was at 583 ft GPS altitude, 70 kts, and about 55 degrees past and .62 miles from the approach end of runway 36.
Figure 1 shows the flight track the airplane followed, which is consistent with a left downwind and a left base leg for runway 36 at JXI, which had an airport elevation of 415 feet. The GPS track indicated the airplane began a turn for the left base when the airplane reached about 55 degrees past abeam the approach end of runway 36, as depicted in Figure 1.
Plot of recorded data points for the accident flight showing the accident location near JXI.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations 61.57 Recent flight experience: Pilot in command, states in part:
(b)Night takeoff and landing experience.
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, no person may act as pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, unless within the preceding 90 days that person has made at least three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, and –
(i) The person acted as the sole manipulator of the flight controls; and
(ii) The required takeoffs and landings were performed in an aircraft of the same category, class, and type (if a type rating is required), and, if the aircraft to be flown is an airplane with a tailwheel, the takeoffs and landings must have been made to a full stop in an airplane with a tailwheel.
Advisory Circular 90-66A - Recommended Standards Traffic Patterns for Aeronautical Operations at Airports without Operating Control Towers, stated in part:
c. It is recommended that airplanes observe a 1,000-foot above ground level (AGL) traffic pattern altitude. Large and turbine-powered airplanes should enter the traffic pattern at an altitude of 1,500 feet AGL or 500 feet above the established pattern altitude. A pilot may vary the size of the traffic pattern depending on the aircraft's performance characteristics.
d. The traffic pattern altitude should be maintained until the aircraft is at least abeam the approach end of the landing runway on the downwind leg.
e. The base leg turn should commence when the aircraft is at a point approximately 45 degrees relative bearing from the runway threshold.
The Cessna 172N airplane flight manual, Section 3, Amplified Emergency Procedures, Engine Failure, contained a chart of maximum glide distance, which is shown in Figure 2.
The Cessna 172N flight manual chart for maximum glide distance shows an approximate glide distance of 1 nautical mile at an altitude of 500 ft above ground level with a speed of 65 knots indicated airspeed, propeller windmilling, flaps up, and zero wind.
NTSB Identification: CEN16FA083
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, January 13, 2016 in Gilmer, TX
Aircraft: CESSNA 172N, registration: N737EZ
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 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 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 January 13, 2016, about 0105 central standard time, a Cessna 172N, N737EZ, was located in a wooded area about 0.5 nautical miles south/southwest of runway 36 at Fox Stephens Field - Gilmer Municipal Airport (JXI), Gilmer, Texas. The airplane was found by a Texas Department of Public Safety Officer during a search with the Gilmer Police Department for an airplane that was reported by a family member to be overdue. The private non-instrument rated pilot was fatally injured and a passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane received substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight that was not operating on a flight plan nor receiving any air traffic control services. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed from Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport, Sulphur Springs, Texas on January 12, 2016 about 1915 and was returning to JXI.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Irving, Texas
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas
Lycoming Engines; Williamsport, Pennsylvania
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
NTSB Identification: CEN16FA083
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, January 12, 2016 in Gilmer, TX
Probable Cause Approval Date: 07/20/2017
Aircraft: CESSNA 172N, registration: N737EZ
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Uninjured.
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.
The private pilot and one passenger departed on the approximate 35-minute personal flight with an unknown quantity of fuel onboard. Later that evening, they departed to return to their home airport in night visual meteorological conditions without adding additional fuel during their stop. While on final approach to their home airport, the engine lost total power and the airplane impacted trees and terrain. The passenger stated that the engine did not sound any different during the accident flight than on any of the previous flights and that there was no indication of a problem with the airplane when the engine lost power. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no usable fuel within the airplane's fuel system, and no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation; therefore, it is likely that the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power as a result of fuel exhaustion. While it is unknown what preflight fuel planning the pilot performed and the extent of his preflight inspection, it is apparent that both were inadequate; had he performed both properly, he likely would not have run out of fuel.
Recorded GPS data showed that the pilot flew the traffic pattern 400-600 ft lower than the recommended 1,000-ft above airport elevation and turned to the base leg of the traffic pattern farther from the runway than recommended. Had the pilot flown the traffic pattern at the recommended altitude and distance from the runway, it may have been possible for the airplane to glide to the runway following the loss of engine power.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate traffic pattern altitude and distance from the runway, which may have allowed the airplane to glide to the runway following the loss of engine power.
Samuel Oliver Lucky 
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On January 12, 2016, about 1954 central standard time, a Cessna 172N, N737EZ, was substantially damaged when it impacted wooded terrain following a loss of engine power about 0.5 nautical mile south/southwest of Fox Stephens Field-Gilmer Municipal Airport (JXI), Gilmer, Texas. The private pilot was fatally injured and the passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was privately owned and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. No flight plan was filed and the flight was not receiving any air traffic control services. Night visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed for the flight that departed from Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport (SLR), Sulphur Springs, Texas, about 1916 and was returning to JXI.
The passenger, who was the pilot's wife, stated that the pilot filled both of the airplane's wing fuel tanks a couple of days before the flight to SLR. The tanks were fueled from three gas cans that had a capacity of 5 gallons each and one that had a capacity of 6 gallons. However, the investigation could not determine how much total fuel was onboard the airplane following the refueling. The passenger said that she obtained the fuel from the airport in Gladewater, Texas, 1 or 1 1/2 weeks before the accident because the fuel there was cheaper than at JXI. The gas cans had been used solely for fueling the airplane. She said that the flight departed from JXI to SLR, was 33-34 minutes long, and there were no stops.
The pilot's brother, who had dinner with the pilot and his wife near SLR, stated that he did not see the airplane depart from SLR. He said that when he left, the pilot was still getting the airplane warmed up, it was kind of cold outside, and the pilot's wife was already sitting in the airplane. The pilot's brother said that the airplane was tied down, and the pilot untied the tie downs and checked the airplane wings. The pilot then got into the airplane, turned the lights on, had the instrument lights on, and was "looking at things." He said that "he doesn't know how much looking around" at the airplane the pilot was doing and he said that he did not see the pilot reach up and shake the wings because he, the pilot's brother, was not paying attention.
The passenger stated that the return flight was 29-32 minutes long with no stops. The cruise altitude for both legs of the flight was 3,500-3,700 ft. She said that the engine did not sound any different during the accident flight than from previous flights. There was no indication of a problem with the airplane when the engine lost power. She said that there were no alarms, and the pilot did not say anything was wrong before the engine quit.
The airplane was located by law enforcement on January 13, 2016, about 0105, after it was reported overdue by a family member.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot, age 73, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. The pilot was issued a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate on July 7, 2014, with no limitations.
Review of the pilot's logbook showed that the pilot had accumulated 259.15 total hours of flight experience, of which 202.55 hours were in the accident airplane. The pilot's total flight experience at night was 13.5 hours. The two most recent entries for flight at night were 1.6 hours in February 2014 and 0.8 hours in December 2015.
The pilot's most recent flight review was completed on September 22, 2015, in the accident airplane.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The airplane, S/N 17269373, was registered to the pilot in July 2008. It was equipped with a Lycoming O-320-H2AD reciprocating engine, S/N L-3869-76. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on December 9, 2015, about 3 flight hours before the accident.
The airplane was equipped with standard capacity tanks, which held 21.5 gallons each and provided a total capacity of 43 gallons and 40 gallons of usable fuel.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
The 1955 automated weather observation at JXI included calm wind, clear skies, 10 statute miles visibility, temperature 6°C, dew point 2°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.24 inches of mercury.
According to data from the US Naval Observatory, sunset occurred at 1734 on the evening of the accident, and the end of civil twilight was at 1800. Moonset occurred at 2039. The phase of the moon was a waxing crescent, with 9% of the moon's visible disk illuminated.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The airplane came to rest on a heading of about 040° about 0.5 nautical mile south/southwest of runway 36 in a wooded area. A wreckage path measured about 197 ft in length and was oriented on an approximate 050° heading. The airplane was resting on its left side and on top of the left wing, which was folded over and oriented along the length of the fuselage. The wings, flight control surfaces, and stabilizers were attached to the airframe. The wing flap cockpit control and the flap actuator were in the 20° positions. Flight control continuity from the control surfaces to the cockpit controls was confirmed.
There was no fuel smell or leakage at the accident site. Both wing fuel tank caps and the auxiliary fuel tank cap were intact and secure. There was no usable fuel in the wing fuel tanks. About 8 oz of blue-colored liquid consistent in color with 100 low-lead aviation fuel was drained from the auxiliary fuel tank, and about 1 oz was drained from the airframe fuel strainer assembly. The fuel strainer did not contain debris. Removal and disassembly of the carburetor showed that the carburetor bowl contained about 2 oz of a liquid consistent in color with a mixture of oil and fuel. The remaining fuel from the auxiliary fuel tank, airframe fuel strainer, and carburetor bowl was tested for water using water sensing paste; the test showed no indication for the presence of water.
The propeller was attached to the propeller hub and engine. Neither propeller blade exhibited S-shaped bending or chordwise scratching.
The cockpit master/alternator switch was in the off positon, and the magneto key switch was in the both positon.
Throttle and mixture control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit controls to the carburetor. Examination of the engine confirmed the suction and expulsion of air through the top spark plug holes after removal of the spark plugs and when the engine was rotated through by hand using the propeller. Continuity of engine to the accessory section and of the valve train to the accessory section was confirmed during engine rotation. Rotation of both magnetos produced electrical spark through each magneto lead.
An Adventure Pilot iFly multifunction display was recovered from the wreckage and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Division for download.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy of the pilot on January 14, 2016. The autopsy report stated that the pilot died as a result of blunt force injuries. The manner of death was accident.
The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma performed toxicology testing. Testing was negative for carbon monoxide and ethanol. Losartan, an antihypertensive medication, was detected in the liver, and pravastatin, a high cholesterol medication, was detected in the blood and liver. Neither medication is noted to adversely affect pilot performance.
TESTS AND RESEARCH
An Adventure Pilot iFly was recovered from the wreckage. The iFly unit is an externally-powered, multi-function display and GPS receiver with a high resolution, LCD touchscreen display. The unit included a built-in navigational database and was optionally capable of receiving inflight ADS-B information, including weather radar, airport weather reports, weather forecasts, and traffic advisories. The navigational and information features included terrain warnings, airspace alerts, and display of en route visual flight rule and instrument flight rule (IFR) navigational information and IFR approach charts.
Download of the recovered iFly unit showed two log files that corresponded to the date of the accident flight. The most recent log, the accident flight, spanned from 19:16:21 to 19:53:53, which captured the accident flight from JXI to SLR. The second log file spanned from 16:42:46 to 17:26:59 and captured the previous flight from SLR to JXI.
During the last minute of flight, the airplane's speed steadily decreased from 79 knots to the last recorded speed of 29 knots. The GPS altitude also steadily decreased from 832 ft to 425 ft. At 19:53:16 the airplane was at 649 ft GPS altitude, 74 kts, and about 35 degrees past and .43 miles from the approach end of runway 36 at JXL. At 19:53:27 the airplane was at 583 ft GPS altitude, 70 kts, and about 55 degrees past and .62 miles from the approach end of runway 36.
Figure 1 shows the flight track the airplane followed, which is consistent with a left downwind and a left base leg for runway 36 at JXI, which had an airport elevation of 415 feet. The GPS track indicated the airplane began a turn for the left base when the airplane reached about 55 degrees past abeam the approach end of runway 36, as depicted in Figure 1.
Plot of recorded data points for the accident flight showing the accident location near JXI.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations 61.57 Recent flight experience: Pilot in command, states in part:
(b)Night takeoff and landing experience.
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, no person may act as pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, unless within the preceding 90 days that person has made at least three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, and –
(i) The person acted as the sole manipulator of the flight controls; and
(ii) The required takeoffs and landings were performed in an aircraft of the same category, class, and type (if a type rating is required), and, if the aircraft to be flown is an airplane with a tailwheel, the takeoffs and landings must have been made to a full stop in an airplane with a tailwheel.
Advisory Circular 90-66A - Recommended Standards Traffic Patterns for Aeronautical Operations at Airports without Operating Control Towers, stated in part:
c. It is recommended that airplanes observe a 1,000-foot above ground level (AGL) traffic pattern altitude. Large and turbine-powered airplanes should enter the traffic pattern at an altitude of 1,500 feet AGL or 500 feet above the established pattern altitude. A pilot may vary the size of the traffic pattern depending on the aircraft's performance characteristics.
d. The traffic pattern altitude should be maintained until the aircraft is at least abeam the approach end of the landing runway on the downwind leg.
e. The base leg turn should commence when the aircraft is at a point approximately 45 degrees relative bearing from the runway threshold.
The Cessna 172N airplane flight manual, Section 3, Amplified Emergency Procedures, Engine Failure, contained a chart of maximum glide distance, which is shown in Figure 2.
The Cessna 172N flight manual chart for maximum glide distance shows an approximate glide distance of 1 nautical mile at an altitude of 500 ft above ground level with a speed of 65 knots indicated airspeed, propeller windmilling, flaps up, and zero wind.
NTSB Identification: CEN16FA083
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, January 13, 2016 in Gilmer, TX
Aircraft: CESSNA 172N, registration: N737EZ
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 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 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 January 13, 2016, about 0105 central standard time, a Cessna 172N, N737EZ, was located in a wooded area about 0.5 nautical miles south/southwest of runway 36 at Fox Stephens Field - Gilmer Municipal Airport (JXI), Gilmer, Texas. The airplane was found by a Texas Department of Public Safety Officer during a search with the Gilmer Police Department for an airplane that was reported by a family member to be overdue. The private non-instrument rated pilot was fatally injured and a passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane received substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight that was not operating on a flight plan nor receiving any air traffic control services. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed from Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport, Sulphur Springs, Texas on January 12, 2016 about 1915 and was returning to JXI.
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