Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Breakfast: More than a start to the day

AT THE CONTROLS: Claude Bergeron (left) and Jody King on their way to breakfast at Block Island. 


By John Howell

“How about breakfast?”

From Claude Bergeron’s tone, I knew exactly what he was asking. This wasn’t a casual invite to join him at one of many breakfast nooks to catch up on life’s events. Rather, this was Claude’s way of saying, I’m going flying and would you like to come? Over the years we’ve ordered omelets and pancakes at the airport restaurant on the Vineyard, which is a good hour’s flight, or taken a shorter hop to put in an order at the Block Island airport eatery.

“I’m thinking Block Island,” said Claude.

Claude has access to a single-engine airplane that’s kept at North Central Airport (KSFZ). It’s a 4-seater and must have thousands of hours under her wings. Claude treats her with the exactitude of a watchmaker. Every detail is scrutinized from the edge of the prop for dings and nicks to the tires, the fuel for possible water, the instruments and the tone of the engine that he listens to carefully after shouting out the cabin window “clear prop” and engaging the starter.

“Anybody else coming?” I inquired. “Maybe Jody would like to join us.”

We made plans to meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Airport Plaza to drive to North Central.

Jody King was intrigued by the invitation although reluctant to commit. He felt compelled to be out on the bay and quahogging and then had lined up a job piloting a powerboat that afternoon. The weather forecast was looking good, but that didn’t sway him.

“Well, let us know,” I said.

On Saturday night I called Claude to see if he’d heard from Jody, learning to my surprise that Claude was at a party and Jody was there serving up cherrystones.

“I’ve been working on him,” Claude reported, “I think I’ve convinced him to come.”

Jody’s brother, Lonnie, is a commercial pilot for a charter jet company that flies people with lots of money in the latest of aircraft. But that’s not the brother that has weighed heavily on Jody’s life since The Station nightclub fire of Feb. 20, 2003. A bouncer to the establishment, Tracey King, lost his life on the night of the fire. Jody was the driving force to the creation of a memorial on Veterans Memorial Drive across from fire headquarters to the 10 Warwick residents lost in the fire and for the memorial that opened in May on the site of The Station in West Warwick. He has made presentation after presentation to raise funds and gain the donation of materials and services to build the memorials, often sweetening his appeals with the presentation of a satchel of quahogs. That effort and the emotional pull it has had on his life has been consuming for the past 14 years.

We met as planned with Jody still questioning whether he should take the time for such self-indulgence. But now he had no choice and after Claude’s meticulous pre-flight inspection we were at the end of the runway with the engine at full throttle. We lifted over the woods of Lincoln, banked to the east and were soon following the bay passing over Rocky Point, Quonset, Newport and then Point Judith on our way to breakfast. We made an aerial tour of Deep Water Wind, looking down on the giant wind turbines looking like misshapen toothpicks stuck in a silver reflector stretching to the horizon.

The Block Island airport was humming. An assortment of single-engine general aviation aircraft – some experimental 2-seater airplanes – were parked on the tarmac while larger aircraft were making runs to and from Westerly delivering a stream of island vacationers. The mood was upbeat and full of excitement.

The terrace tables were full, but we found seats at the counter inside. It was the place to be for local gossip and to chat with breakfast fly-ins. Everyone, it seemed, had a story they wanted to tell. While only less than 50 miles away from Warwick, the venue with its aviation memorabilia and talk of airplanes was a world away. Barely an hour later, Claude was going through another pre-flight and Jody was back behind the stick.

We took a more westerly route back, flying over URI, Green Airport and the Citizens Bank campus under construction off 295 in Johnston before touching down at 10:30 Central. As brief as it had been, breakfast at Block Island served up so much more than eggs and French toast.

As viewed from above, the flight was a reminder of how much this state offers from shoreline to forests, highways, bridges and cities compacted into a neat package. We joke to out-of-states about missing Rhode Island if you blink while driving Route 95 and, indeed, this is a comparatively tiny piece of real estate. But from 2,400 feet up it is a quilt of diversity with the Bay like an artery reaching into the Atlantic.

The flight was also a breakfast of another sort, a means of separation from earthbound concerns and substance for fresh perspectives, a rare treat.

http://johnstonsunrise.net

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, N208SD: Fatal accident occurred October 02, 2016 in Togiak, Alaska

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

Additional Participating Entities: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Anchorage, Alaska
Pratt & Whitney Canada; Montreal, MB
Hageland Aviation Services Inc; Anchorage, Alaska 
Hartzell Propellers; Piqua, Ohio
Honeywell Aerospace; Phoenix, Arizona 
Hageland Aviation; Anchorage, Alaska
Federal Aviation Administration Washington, District of Columbia 

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

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board

Location: Togiak, AK
Accident Number: ANC17MA001
Date & Time: 10/02/2016, 1157 AKD
Registration: N208SD
Aircraft: CESSNA 208B
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: VFR encounter with IMC
Injuries: 3 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter - Scheduled

Analysis 

The NTSB's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/AccidentReports.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-18/02.

On October 2, 2016, about 1157 Alaska daylight time, Ravn Connect flight 3153, a turbine-powered Cessna 208B Grand Caravan airplane, N208SD, collided with steep, mountainous terrain about 10 nautical miles northwest of Togiak Airport (PATG), Togiak, Alaska. The two commercial pilots and the passenger were killed, and the airplane was destroyed. The scheduled commuter flight was operated under visual flight rules by Hageland Aviation Services, Inc., Anchorage, Alaska, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at PATG (which had the closest weather observing station to the accident site), but a second company flight crew (whose flight departed about 2 minutes after the accident airplane and initially followed a similar route) reported that they observed unexpected fog, changing clouds, and the potential for rain along the accident route. Company flight-following procedures were in effect. The flight departed Quinhagak Airport, Quinhagak, Alaska, about 1133 and was en route to PATG. 

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The flight crew's decision to continue the visual flight rules flight into deteriorating visibility and their failure to perform an immediate escape maneuver after entry into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). 

Contributing to the accident were

(1) Hageland's allowance of routine use of the terrain inhibit switch for inhibiting the terrain awareness and warning system alerts and inadequate guidance for uninhibiting the alerts, which reduced the margin of safety, particularly in deteriorating visibility; 

(2) Hageland's inadequate crew resource management (CRM) training; 

(3) the Federal Aviation Administration's failure to ensure that Hageland's approved CRM training contained all the required elements of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations 135.330; and 

(4) Hageland's CFIT avoidance ground training, which was not tailored to the company's operations and did not address current CFIT-avoidance technologies. 

Findings

Aircraft
Altitude - Not attained/maintained (Cause)
Ground proximity system - Not used/operated
Ground proximity system - Related operating info
Ground proximity system - Capability exceeded
Ground proximity system - Design

Personnel issues
Decision making/judgment - Flight crew (Cause)
Lack of action - Flight crew (Cause)

Environmental issues
Below VFR minima - Decision related to condition (Cause)
Below VFR minima - Response/compensation (Cause)
Mountainous/hilly terrain - Response/compensation (Cause)
Mountainous/hilly terrain - Contributed to outcome (Cause)

VHF/HF radio - Not specified
Meteo equip coverage/avail - Not specified

Organizational issues
Adequacy of policy/proc - Operator (Factor)
CRM/MRM training - Operator (Factor)
CRM/MRM training - FAA/Regulator (Factor)
Training - Operator (Factor)
Safety programs - FAA/Regulator
Safety programs - Other institution/organization

Factual Information 

The NTSB's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/AccidentReports.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-18/02.

On October 2, 2016, about 1157 Alaska daylight time, Ravn Connect flight 3153, a turbine-powered Cessna 208B Grand Caravan airplane, N208SD, collided with steep, mountainous terrain about 10 nautical miles northwest of Togiak Airport (PATG), Togiak, Alaska. The two commercial pilots and the passenger were killed, and the airplane was destroyed. The scheduled commuter flight was operated under visual flight rules by Hageland Aviation Services, Inc., Anchorage, Alaska, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at PATG (which had the closest weather observing station to the accident site), but a second company flight crew (whose flight departed about 2 minutes after the accident airplane and initially followed a similar route) reported that they observed unexpected fog, changing clouds, and the potential for rain along the accident route. Company flight-following procedures were in effect. The flight departed Quinhagak Airport, Quinhagak, Alaska, about 1133 and was en route to PATG. 

History of Flight

Enroute-cruise
VFR encounter with IMC (Defining event)
Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 43, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Unknown
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 2 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/22/2016
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 07/07/2016
Flight Time: 6481 hours (Total, all aircraft), 781 hours (Total, this make and model), 6181 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 271 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 102 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 4 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft) 

Co-Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 29, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 2 None
Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/13/2016
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 09/03/2016
Flight Time: 273 hours (Total, all aircraft), 84 hours (Total, this make and model), 139 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 84 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 83 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 5 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: CESSNA
Registration: N208SD
Model/Series: 208B
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 208B0491
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 09/15/2016, AAIP
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 7449 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Turbo Prop
Airframe Total Time: 20562.1 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: P&W
ELT: C126 installed, activated, aided in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: PT6-114A
Registered Owner: ICECAP LLC TRUSTEE
Rated Power: 675 hp
Operator: HAGELAND AVIATION SERVICES INC
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Commuter Air Carrier (135); On-demand Air Taxi (135)
Operator Does Business As: RAVN CONNECT
Operator Designator Code: EPUA

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: PATG, 20 ft msl
Observation Time: 1156 AKD
Distance from Accident Site: 11 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 124°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 3900 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 7°C / 6°C
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 4700 ft agl
Visibility:  7 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: Calm
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 29.88 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: Light - Rain
Departure Point: QUINHAGAK, AK (PAQH)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: Company VFR
Destination: TOGIAK, AK (PATG)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1133 AKD
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: TOGIAK (PATG) 
Runway Surface Type: N/A
Airport Elevation: 18 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Unknown
Runway Used: N/A
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: None 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: Fire At Unknown Time
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: Explosion At Unknown Time
Total Injuries: 3 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 59.165556, -160.653333

Fatal Alaska Commuter Flight Crash Subject of National Transportation Safety Board Investigative Hearing: https://www.ntsb.gov

Drew Edward Welty
The two pilots that died in the plane crash are identified as Timothy Cline, 43 of Homer, and Drew Welty, 29 of Anchorage. The passenger has been identified as Louie John, 49 of Manokotak. 




The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a rare hearing in Anchorage next month to examine the fatal crash of a Ravn Connect flight near Togiak last fall. 

The investigative hearing will be the first held by the board in Alaska since the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill and the first held outside Washington, D.C., in nearly 20 years.

The board is expected to address broader issues behind the crash that killed three, including operational control at Hageland Aviation Services Inc.

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Aug. 17 in the Mid-Deck Ballroom of the Captain Cook Hotel.

The board is making the rare trip to Alaska because most of the witnesses live here, officials say. But the unusual location also stems from a spate of fatal plane crashes linked to either flying an airworthy plane into the ground or heading into low-visibility conditions that require help from instruments.

The board's decision reflects a spike in accidents involving charter or commercial operators that often provide essential air service to Alaska villages.

The June 2015 crash of a Promech Air flightseeing floatplane killed nine people near Ketchikan. Another crash a few weeks later near Juneau killed a Wings of Alaska pilot and seriously injured four passengers. Eight people sustained serious injuries in the crash of a Wright Air Service scheduled flight near Anaktuvuk Pass in January 2016.

All told, 40 people have died in 36 aircraft accidents involving "controlled flight into terrain" in Alaska between 2008 and 2016, according to the NTSB.

Hageland Aviation Services aircraft were involved in six accidents since 2013, the board says. Four involved controlled flight into terrain and one involved flight into instrument meteorological conditions.

The NTSB issued two safety recommendations in 2014 asking the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct audits of operators owned by the holding company HoTH, Inc., which included Hageland, one of three airlines that fly as Ravn Alaska.

A Ravn spokesman didn't immediately respond to questions about the hearing Tuesday.

The Togiak crash happened in the Ahklun Mountains 12 miles northwest of Togiak just before noon Oct. 2, 2016. A Ravn Connect Cessna 208B Caravan slammed into a mountainside about 200 feet below the 2,500-foot summit, according to an NTSB preliminary report released last year.

The crash killed pilots Timothy Cline, 48, of Homer, and Drew Welty, 29, of Anchorage, as well as passenger Louie John, a fisherman from Manokotak, who boarded in Quinhagak.

The flight, on an unusual bypass mail route, originated in Bethel. The pilots flew under visual flight rules but poor weather concealed the wreckage from an Alaska State Troopers helicopter until more than four hours after the crash.

An NTSB press release lists several safety issues expected to be discussed at the hearing. Among them:

– Operational control at Hageland, including FAA oversight, organizational structure, and training and guidance for operational control agents;

– Pilot training and guidance related to deteriorating weather conditions including incorporating lessons from previous accidents;

– Safety management, training and oversight resources available to the Alaska aviation community.

Hageland Aviation Services is a participant in the Medallion Foundation's Shield Program. The foundation is a nonprofit partnership between the FAA and industry, created in 2001 by the Alaska Air Carriers Association, with the goal of improving aviation safety in Alaska while reducing insurance rates for commercial air carriers.

Several Medallion members including Ravn, however, have been involved in fatal plane crashes in Alaska.

Generally, NTSB hearings like this one involve a half-dozen witnesses who face questions from the four-member board.

The agency is still building a list of participants for the Anchorage hearing, said Alaska region chief Clint Johnson.

"It's a unique time for the public and especially Alaskans, since we're so dependent on aviation, to be able to peer inside our investigative process," Johnson said.

https://www.adn.com







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

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Anchorage, Alaska
Pratt & Whitney Canada; Montreal, MB
Hageland Aviation Services, Inc.; Anchorage, Alaska
Hartzell Propellers; Piqua, Ohio

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N208SD

NTSB Identification: ANC17FA001
Scheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Sunday, October 02, 2016 in Togiak, AK
Aircraft: CESSNA 208B, registration: N208SD
Injuries: 3 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 October 2, 2016, about 1154 Alaska daylight time, a turbine-powered Cessna 208B Grand Caravan airplane, N208SD, sustained substantial damage after impacting steep, mountainous, rocky terrain about 12 miles northwest of Togiak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as flight 3153 by Hageland Aviation Services, Inc., dba Ravn Connect, Anchorage, Alaska, as a scheduled commuter flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 and visual flight rules (VFR). All three people on board (two commercial pilots and one passenger) sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the Togiak Airport, Togiak, and company flight following procedures were in effect. Flight 3153 departed Quinhagak, Alaska, at 1133, destined for Togiak.

Earlier, flight 3153 had originated in Bethel, Alaska; made scheduled stops in Togiak and Quinhagak; and was scheduled to return to Togiak before returning to Bethel, the intended final destination for the day. 

According to the director of operations for Hageland Aviation Services, Inc., about 1214, he received a notification from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) that it received a signal from a 406 megahertz (MHz) Emergency Location Transmitter (ELT), which activated about 1208 and was registered to N208SD. After accessing the aircraft location data provided by an on-board flight tracking system and discovering the aircraft had been stationary for about 20 minutes, the Hageland director of operations contacted the Hageland Operational Control Center (OCC) in Palmer, Alaska, to verify the information. At that time, the operator initiated a company search for the airplane.

At 1326, the Alaska State Troopers (AST) were notified by the RCC personnel of an ELT activation near the village of Togiak, within the confines of the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge. 

Shortly before 1430, an AST helicopter was dispatched from Dillingham, Alaska, about 67 miles east of Togiak, to the coordinates associated with the ELT signal, but poor weather conditions kept the searchers from locating the accident airplane until about 1630. Alaska State Troopers were able to access the scene on foot shortly before 1730 and subsequently confirmed there were no survivors. 

On October 3, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), along with another NTSB investigator and two Alaska State Troopers reached the accident site. The airplane's fragmented wreckage was located on the southeast side of a steep, loose rock-covered mountainside, adjacent to the Quigmy River, about 12 miles northwest of Togiak. 

An area believed to be the initial impact point was discovered on the northwest side of a mountain ridgeline at the 2,300-foot level. The initial impact point was located north of and about 200 feet below the 2,500-foot mountain summit. The initial impact point contained fragmented portions of fuselage and two severed propeller blades. From the initial impact point, the wreckage path extended southeast to the main wreckage, which was located downslope on the southeast side of the ridgeline at the 1,550-foot level. The outboard portion of the left wing had separated and was located about 200 feet further downslope below the main wreckage site. A postcrash fire incinerated a large portion of the fuselage and right wing.

The airplane was equipped with a Spidertracks flight tracking system, which provides real-time aircraft flight tracking data. The flight tracking information is transmitted via Iridium satellites to an internet-based storage location at 6-minute intervals. According to the Spidertracks data, the airplane's last known location was reported at 1153, about 19 nautical miles northwest of the Togiak Airport, at an altitude of 1,043 feet, traveling at 144 knots across the ground, on a heading of 140 degrees.

At 1156, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) from the Togiak Airport (the closest weather reporting facility) reported, in part: wind calm; visibility 7 statute miles; light rain; sky condition, scattered clouds at 3,900 feet, overcast at 4,700 feet; temperature 45 degrees F, dewpoint 43 degrees F; altimeter, 29.88 inHg.

A detailed wreckage examination is pending. 

The airplane was equipped with a Pratt & Whitney PT6 series engine.

Traffic decline at Quad City International Airport (KMLI) expected to continue



The Rock Island County Metropolitan Airport Authority got a sobering outlook Tuesday, as its consultant predicted the number of passengers flying out of the Quad-Cities International Airport would fall this year. Meanwhile, June figures continued to show a significant drop in traffic.

Meanwhile, the authority approved a budget for fiscal year 2018, which is somewhat smaller than the year before. It also passed a measure that holds the line on its share of Rock Island County's property taxes.

Declines haven't been unusual for the Quad-City airport over the past five or six years, but the number of departures for June dropped 10 percent from the previous year, to 29,288. The year before, departures totaled 32,329.

Much of that decline came from United, which saw a 30 percent drop. But American was down 11 percent and Delta 2 percent. Allegiant saw a 10 percent increase.

The June decline was the third consecutive month in which the airport saw double digit percentage declines in departures. The airport reported declines of 15 percent and 18 percent in April and May, respectively.

Some of the decline in monthly traffic in June could still have come from the loss of the United flight to Washington, D.C., which operated for eight days last June. However, the airport did not collect data for those days, so the extent to which that contributed in the year over year decline isn't clear.

Still, the overall trend was downward. Mike Bown, vice president of Trillon Aviation, the airport's consultant, said he expected the figure for calendar year 2017 to only hit 320,000. That, he said, would be a 10 percent decline year over year.



Bown said that load factor, a measure of how full a plane is, is a major contributor here. Airlines that had been competing on price over the past few years have stabilized their yields, and that's pushed load factors down.

"A lot of it’s being load factor driven, which is being affected by the fares. And based on what the airlines are telling me I don’t expect that to change through Labor Day and probably thereafter," Bown told commissioners. He said it would be "a reach" for the airport to hit 340,000 for the 2018 fiscal year, which is about the passenger numbers included in the authority's budget.

There was some encouraging news. Allegiant has scheduled a twice weekly flight to Punta Gorda, Florida, from mid-December to mid-February. That should improve traffic numbers.

Last year, the flight had operated on an abbreviated schedule, but there is intense interest in some quarters for its return. Cathie Rochau, marketing director for the airport, said the flight is popular with people who have condominiums in Florida. The Punta Gorda flight takes people to the Fort Myers, Florida, area.

Also, Bown said he expects new Florida service to be added next year. He did not elaborate in front of the commission and declined to be more specific afterward.

In other business, the airport authority approved a budget for fiscal year 2018 that appropriates $25.7 million. That's down from $27.4 million in 2016. It also approved a measure that levies property taxes of a little more than $1.4 million. That is the same as it was for fiscal year 2016, said Angela Burch, the controller. The rate also doesn't change.

The authority also approved a collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME Local 3744, which covers about 50 people. The deal calls for a pay increase of 0.75 percent in the first year, 1.25 percent in the second year and 1.75 percent in the third and fourth years. There also were some changes in benefits that will result in savings to the authority.

http://qctimes.com

New Jersey approves plan for Jets' helipad

FLORHAM PARK--The New York Jets Flight Crew will soon include more than the NFL team's cheerleading squad.

Despite opposition from local residents, the state Department of Transportation without any public hearings has okayed a request by the Jets to use helicopters to airlift executives and players in and out of the NFL team's suburban training facility, despite its proximity to Morristown Airport.

The state gave clearance for the construction of a helipad, or so-called "helistop" at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park--which is just a few minutes' drive to the nearby airport.

DOT spokesman Steve Schapiro said the department issued a letter last week approving the project.

"Once the facility is completed it will undergo a final inspection. Upon passing that inspection, a license to operate the facility will be issued," he said.

The Jets declined comment and would not say when construction might get underway.

It took quite some time, but Donald Trump has officially named Woody Johnson the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

The team has been seeking a landing zone at the training facility since 2013, when it first went to the Florham Park planning. But the application was soon put on hold amid community opposition over concerns about the noise from low-flying helicopters and the possibility of an accident.

In March, the Jets re-filed the request directly with the state Bureau of Aeronautics, arguing that they were exempt from all local zoning and approvals because the training center property is owned by the N.J. Sports and Exposition Authority, a state agency, according to the filing.

The filing by Florham Park Development LLC, which is associated with the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center, said in its filing that the helipad would not be open for public use. Equipped for day and night operations, it was expected to accommodate takeoffs and landings several times during the week during the summer months.

The landing pad would be used "for transport of executives of the training center and injured athletes," according to the state filing.

The request had been opposed by residents in Madison, which opposed the initial application and lodged new objections to the Jets' request in a separate filing with the state. Officials also declined comment, but said in their response that the granting of a license would be contrary to local land use ordinances and the sentiments of residents.

Noting the close proximity of Morristown Airport, they questioned the need and safety as well.

"There is clearly no demand for the proposed helistop from an air operational standpoint, and any purported public benefit from the availability of a helistop for emergency uses is illusive," they wrote to the state.

But following a 30-day public comment period, the DOT approved the Jets' request. Schapiro said a public hearing had not been required.

http://www.nj.com

Piper PA-28-161, N315EF, AMVAL LLC: Incident occurred July 17, 2017 at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY), California

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

AMVAL LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N315EF

Aircraft on taxi, struck the wing of a parked aircraft.

Date: 17-JUL-17
Time: 15:20:00Z
Regis#: N315EF
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA28
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: INSTRUCTION
Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)
City: VAN NUYS
State: CALIFORNIA

Cessna 172S, N1608S, New Horizon Aviation Inc: Incident occurred July 16, 2017 at Norwood Memorial Airport (KOWD), Norfolk County, Massachusetts

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

New Horizon Aviation Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N1608S

Aircraft on landing, struck a bird and sustained minor damage.

Date: 16-JUL-17
Time: 13:08:00Z
Regis#: N1608S
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: C172
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: NORWOOD
State: MASSACHUSETTS

Luscombe 8A Silvaire, N45609, Flying Wrenches LLC: Accident occurred July 06, 2017 at Central Nebraska Regional Airport (KGRI), Grand Island, Hall County, Nebraska

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Lincoln, Nebraska

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

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

Flying Wrenches LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N45609

Location: Grand Island, NE
Accident Number: GAA17CA403
Date & Time: 07/06/2017, 0615 CDT
Registration: N45609
Aircraft: LUSCOMBE 8
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control on ground
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

Analysis 

The flight instructor reported that, during an instructional flight, when the tailwheel-equipped airplane was at rotation for takeoff, it sharply veered to the left. When safe flight was not assured, the flight instructor took over control from the student pilot, and subsequently the airplane exited the runway into the adjacent grassy area.

Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the fuselage.

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

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action. 

Findings

Aircraft
Directional control - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Aircraft control - Student pilot (Cause)
Delayed action - Instructor/check pilot (Cause)

Factual Information

History of Flight

Takeoff
Loss of control on ground (Defining event)

Takeoff-rejected takeoff

Runway excursion

The flight instructor reported that during an instructional flight, when the tailwheel-equipped airplane was at rotation for takeoff, it sharply veered to the left. When safe flight was not assured, the flight instructor took over control from the student pilot, and subsequently landed the airplane in the grass area adjacent to the runway.

Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the fuselage.

The flight instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. 

Student Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline Transport
Age: 61, Male
Airplane Rating(s):  Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 06/17/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 07/16/2016
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 2062 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1.5 hours (Total, this make and model), 1812 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 41.3 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 25 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 4.3 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Flight Instructor Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 70, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s):  None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s):  Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 11/05/2015
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 12/20/2015
Flight Time:  1893 hours (Total, all aircraft), 64 hours (Total, this make and model), 1701 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 20 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 7 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: LUSCOMBE
Registration: N45609
Model/Series: 8 A
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1946
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 2136
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 08/08/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1260 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3187.47 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: A65-8
Registered Owner:  FLYING WRENCHES LLC.
Rated Power: 65 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KGRI, 1856 ft msl
Observation Time: 1053 UTC
Distance from Accident Site:  0 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 206°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 19°C / 18°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 6 knots, 230°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting:  30.1 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Grand Island, NE (GRI)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Grand Island, NE (GRI)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time:  CDT
Type of Airspace: Class D

Airport Information


Airport: Central Nebraska Regional Airport (GRI)
Runway Surface Type: Concrete; Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 1847 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 17
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 7002 ft / 150 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude:   40.967500, -98.309722 (est) Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Lincoln, Nebraska

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

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

Flying Wrenches LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N45609

Location: Grand Island, NE
Accident Number: GAA17CA403
Date & Time: 07/06/2017, 0615 CDT
Registration: N45609
Aircraft: LUSCOMBE 8
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control on ground
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

The flight instructor reported that during an instructional flight, when the tailwheel-equipped airplane was at rotation for takeoff, it sharply veered to the left. When safe flight was not assured, the flight instructor took over control from the student pilot, and subsequently landed the airplane in the grass area adjacent to the runway.

Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the fuselage.

The flight instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. 

Student Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline Transport
Age: 61, Male
Airplane Rating(s):  Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 06/17/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 07/16/2016
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 2062 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1.5 hours (Total, this make and model), 1812 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 41.3 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 25 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 4.3 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Flight Instructor Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 70, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s):  None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s):  Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 11/05/2015
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 12/20/2015
Flight Time:  1893 hours (Total, all aircraft), 64 hours (Total, this make and model), 1701 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 20 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 7 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: LUSCOMBE
Registration: N45609
Model/Series: 8 A
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1946
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 2136
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 08/08/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1260 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3187.47 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: A65-8
Registered Owner:  FLYING WRENCHES LLC.
Rated Power: 65 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KGRI, 1856 ft msl
Observation Time: 1053 UTC
Distance from Accident Site:  0 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 206°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 19°C / 18°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 6 knots, 230°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting:  30.1 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Grand Island, NE (GRI)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Grand Island, NE (GRI)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time:  CDT
Type of Airspace: Class D

Airport Information


Airport: Central Nebraska Regional Airport (GRI)
Runway Surface Type: Concrete; Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 1847 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 17
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 7002 ft / 150 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude:   40.967500, -98.309722 (est)