Wednesday, August 09, 2017

South Charlotte teen charged with targeting Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department helicopter with laser

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Aviation Unit


Abrahan Saloman Nass Romero, alias Abrahan Nasser 



A south Charlotte teen was arrested early Wednesday and charged with pointing a laser at an aircraft in Charlotte.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police identified the suspect as 18-year-old Abrahan Saloman Nass Romero, alias Abrahan Nasser.

Pointing a laser at an aircraft is a felony.

Mecklenburg County jail records show Romero was also charged with possession of marijuana up to one-half ounce. Records show he lives in south Charlotte, in an apartment community near Johnston and Pineville-Matthews roads.

Investigators say Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Aviation Unit was flying in the area of Nations Ford Elementary School, when they noticed a green laser targeting the police helicopter.

Romero was standing outside of a vehicle, pointing the laser, police said in a statement. Officers were able to stop the vehicle on Nation’s Ford Road near Choyce Avenue and the laser was located inside of the vehicle.

The arrest occurred at 1 a.m. Wednesday, arrest records show.

“The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department would like to remind the community that shining a laser into the cockpit of an aircraft can temporarily blind a pilot, jeopardizing the safety of everyone on board. The charge of pointing a laser at an aircraft is a felony,” said a statement from police.

It’s the second time Romero has been charged with possession of marijuana. Records show he had two marijuana-related offenses dismissed in June.

North Carolina court records also show Romero has a pending trial for speeding and driving without a license.

Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.charlotteobserver.com

Cessna 172 Skyhawk, N6238D, Skylane Aviation LLC: Fatal accident occurred March 26, 2016 at Yeager Airport (KCRW), Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia

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

NTSB Identification: ERA16FA141
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, March 26, 2016 in Charleston, WV
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/28/2017
Aircraft: CESSNA 172N, registration: N6238D
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious.

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 flight instructor, who was controlling the airplane, and the student pilot were conducting an instructional flight. During the takeoff the airplane lifted off about 1,000 ft down the runway, pitched nose up, and rolled left to an inverted attitude before it impacted terrain next to the runway in a nose-down attitude. The student pilot recalled that as the airplane rotated during the takeoff, he heard the flight instructor exclaim, but could not recall any subsequent events. Postaccident examination of the flight controls revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Examination of the wreckage revealed witness marks along the flight instructor's seat tracks that corresponded with the seat in the nearly full-aft position. Given the flight instructor's stature, it is unlikely that this position would allow her to fully actuate the flight controls, and it is therefore unlikely she purposefully initiated the takeoff with her seat in this position. While one of the two locking pins that would have secured the seat from sliding fore and aft was found fractured, it is likely that the jockeying of the seat during the victim extraction process resulted in the fracture of the locking pin, and left the witness marks observed on the seat track. Examination of the wreckage and maintenance documents also revealed that the airplane was not equipped with a manufacturer-recommended secondary seat stop mechanisms for either of the pilot seats.

Review of operational and maintenance documents published by the airframe manufacturer showed the critical importance of ensuring that the pilot seats were secured prior to initiating a flight, and that accelerations such as those encountered during a takeoff could dislodge an unsecured seat. Had the flight instructor, who was performing the takeoff, not properly secured her seat prior to initiating the takeoff, it may have resulted in her seat sliding aft, and her inadvertent application of control inputs to the control yoke during the rotation and initial climb, consistent with steep climb, descent, and impact. The aft seat position could have also likely resulted in her inability to apply complete or sufficient control inputs to the rudder pedals, consistent with the left yaw/roll observed during the takeoff.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The flight instructor's failure to ensure that her seat was properly secured before initiating the takeoff, which resulted in a subsequent loss of control. Contributing was the lack of an installed secondary seat stop.

Brenda Joyce Willis Jackson, Flight Instructor
Her lifelong passion was flying.
She obtained her pilot's license as a teenager before she could drive a car.



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

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Charleston, West Virginia
Lycoming Engines; Milliken, Colorado
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas

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

Skylane Aviation LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N6238D





NTSB Identification: ERA16FA141 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, March 26, 2016 in Charleston, WV
Aircraft: CESSNA 172N, registration: N6238D
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious.

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.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On March 26, 2016, about 1208 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N6238D, impacted terrain during an attempted takeoff at Yeager Airport (CRW), Charleston, West Virginia. The flight instructor was fatally injured, and the student pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was registered to Skylane Aviation LLC and the flight was being conducted as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the airport about the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight. 

The student pilot stated that the flight instructor let him taxi the airplane out from the fixed-base operator. The student was having difficulty with the brakes, so the instructor took over the controls and taxied the rest of the way to the runway and run-up area. 

The student pilot stated that he did not remember much after that. However, he did remember that air traffic control told them to expedite the takeoff because another aircraft was coming in for a landing and that the flight instructor then taxied out for takeoff. He recalled that as the airplane rotated during the takeoff, he heard the flight instructor exclaim, but could not recall any subsequent events. 

Review of airport security surveillance video revealed that the airplane lifted off about 1,000 ft down runway 5, pitched up, rolled left, and then became inverted before it impacted terrain next to the runway in a nose-down attitude.



PERSONNEL INFORMATION

Flight Instructor

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the flight instructor held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land, airplane multiengine land, and instrument airplane ratings. She also held a flight instructor certificate with airplane single-engine and instrument airplane ratings. She was issued an FAA second-class medical certificate on June 11, 2015. At the time of the medical examination, the flight instructor reported 1,694 total hours of flight experience. The flight instructor's personal flight logs were not located.

Student Pilot

The student pilot held a student pilot/FAA third-class medical certificate, issued on March 9, 2016. The student's logbook had two entries indicating 3 total hours of flight experience.



AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The four-seat, high-wing, tricycle landing gear-equipped airplane was manufactured in 1979. It was powered by a 160-horsepower Lycoming O-320-H2AD engine and was equipped with a two-bladed McCauley propeller. Review of maintenance records revealed that the airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on October 20, 2015. At that time, the airframe had accumulated 10,995.9 total hours of operation, and the engine had accumulated 1540.4 hours since major overhaul. The airplane had been operated about 7 hours since the last annual inspection was completed.

Examination of the airframe logbooks revealed that the seat tracks were replaced on February 12, 2015. Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2011-10-09 was accomplished about 8 months later during the most recent annual inspection. The AD required the inspection of the seat tracks, including but not limited to, the visual inspection of the holes in each track for excessive wear, the seat tracks for dirt or debris, and the seat locking pin for limited vertical play.

The pilot and copilot seats were mounted onto a set of seat tracks, which allowed the seats to slide fore and aft. An adjustment bar was used to raise and lower two locking pins into one of twelve positions along each of the seat tracks, which would secure the seat to the desired position. The locking pins downward travel and positive locking action was aided via a spring mechanism that tensioned the adjustment bar (see figure 1).

Figure 1. Illustrated Parts Catalog, Seat Diagram.



WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The wreckage was contained in a small area, and ground scars were consistent with the airplane impacting in a nose-low, right-wing-down attitude. The airplane impacted the ground about 20 yards left and midfield of runway 5 and came to rest inverted. The engine and propeller were forced up and into the instrument panel and cockpit area. The leading edges of both wings were crushed due to impact forces. The fuselage had one wrinkle in the skin behind the rear window. The rudder and elevator were intact and unremarkable. The flaps and aileron were intact and unremarkable. Control cable continuity was established to all flight controls. Measurement of the elevator trim jackscrew corresponded to an approximate neutral trim setting. When the engine crankshaft was rotated by hand, valve train continuity was established, and thumb compression was attained on all cylinders. The propeller exhibited rotational scoring, and one blade tip was missing.

All four roller housing tangs (feet) on the flight instructor's seat were spread and bent. The seat tracks were gouged where they were in contact with the locking pins. One locking pin was fractured off at the roll pin. There were lockpin contact marks in the eleventh hole location from the front to back of the inboard seat rail, consistent with the seat being near the full-aft position at impact.

The inboard seat-position locking pin and outboard seat-post from the flight instructor's seat were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's Materials Laboratory for examination. The inboard seat position locking pin had fractured, and the overall deformation pattern adjacent to the fracture was consistent with bending deformation where the outboard side of the locking pin was in tension and the inboard side was in compression. The stop-pin hole below the fracture surface on the outboard side of the rod showed necking deformation, whereas the upper side of the hole remained close to its original diameter, consistent with the stop pin being in the upper side of the hole as the locking pin was bent. Contact marks were observed on the lower side of the stop-pin hole at the inboard end of the hole, consistent with contact along the roll pin split line on the compression side of the bending fracture.



MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Charleston, West Virginia, performed an autopsy on the flight instructor. The cause of death was reported to be "multiple injuries." The report also noted that the flight instructor's height was 69 inches.

The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, conducted toxicology testing on specimens from the pilot. The results were negative for carbon monoxide and drugs.



ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The airplane's Pilot's Information Manual, before starting engine checklist, advised pilots to verify the seats, seat belts and shoulder harnesses are adjusted and locked. 

The Cessna Pilot Safety and Warnings Supplements document warned that a pilot should perform a visual check to verify that their seat was securely on the seat tracks and assure that the seat was locked in position. Failure to ensure that the seat was locked in position could result in the seat sliding aft during a critical phase of flight, such as initial climb. The airframe manufacturer also issued a Service Bulletin (SEB07-R06 Revision 6, issued June 11, 2015), which required the installation of a secondary seat stop for the pilot seat, and recommended one for the co-pilot seat. A secondary seat stop was not installed on either of the accident airplane's front pilot seats. The supplement also warned that there had been previous reported events involving seats slipping rearward or forward during acceleration or deceleration related to discrepancies in the seat mechanisms. The investigations following these events revealed discrepancies such as gouged lockpin holes, bent lockpins, excessive clearance between seat rollers and tracks, and missing seat stops. Also, dust, dirt, and debris accumulations on the seat tracks and in the intermediate adjustment hoes have been found to contribute to the problem.





NTSB Identification: ERA16FA141 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, March 26, 2016 in Charleston, WV
Aircraft: CESSNA 172N, registration: N6238D
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators 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 March 26, 2016, about 1208 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N6238D, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain at the Yeager Airport (CRW) Charleston, West Virginia. The flight instructor was fatally injured and the student pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight. The airplane was owned by Skylane Aviation LLC. The instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

Review of airport security surveillance video revealed the accident airplane lifted off about 1,000 feet down runway 5 in a nose high attitude. The airplane then rolled left and reached an inverted attitude before it impacted nose first beside the runway. The airplane came to rest inverted.

The debris area was compact and the ground scars were consistent with the airplane impacting nose first, right wing down attitude. Control cable continuity was established to all flight controls. Measurement of the elevator trim jackscrew corresponded to an approximate neutral trim setting. When the engine crankshaft was rotated by hand, valve train continuity was established and thumb compression was attained on all cylinders. The propeller exhibited rotational scoring and one blade tip was missing.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the flight instructor held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multi-engine land, and instrument airplane, which was issued on March 3, 2011. She held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single engine, and instrument airplane. She also held an FAA second-class medical certificate, issued June 11, 2015. At the time of the medical examination, the flight instructor reported 1,694 total hours of flight experience. The student pilot held a student pilot certificate issued on March 9, 2016, and held a third-class medical certificate, issued on the same date.

The four-seat, high-wing, tricycle landing gear airplane, serial number 17272656, was manufactured in 1979. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160-horsepower engine, equipped with a two-bladed McCauley propeller. Review of maintenance records revealed that the airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on October 20, 2015. At that time, the airframe had accumulated about 10,995.9 total hours of operation and the engine had accumulated 1540.4 hours since major overhaul. The airplane had been operated about 7 hours since that inspection.

The recorded weather at CRW, at 1218, included winds from 330 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, and a clear sky.

First flight from Inyokern Airport (KIYK) takes off Tuesday



INYOKERN — At just before 5:40 a.m. on Tuesday, Indian Wells Valley Airport District board member Steven Morgan popped open the bottle of champagne, poured a few glasses and made a toast with fellow board member Russ Bates in a mostly empty but pristine air terminal.

They toasted to the first commuter flight leaving Inyokern Airport in nearly four years.

At around 6:30 a.m., Boutique Air’s Swiss-made Pilatus PC-12 single-engine turboprop aircraft left the runway, flying to Los Angeles International Airport with seven souls aboard, including Morgan and IYK manager Scott Seymour. Board President Paul Valovich observed as it flew off.

The first flight marked a major milestone for Inyokern Airport. For nearly four years, the airport has been without commercial air service, since SkyWest Airlines pulled out in November 2013.




On July 6, the airport district signed an agreement with Boutique Air to restart air service. Two flights come to and from LAX per day on the eight-seat airplane. Service was made possible in part by a $450,000 grant from the Department of Transportation in 2015, along with $100,000 in pledges from local businesses and private donors.

Last week, the Transportation Security Administration was busy setting up equipment at the airport terminal. The first Boutique airplane flew into Inyokern Monday night in advance of Tuesday’s flight.

“When I first ran for the airport board I said one of my goals was to get an airline here,” Morgan said prior to boarding. “With a great board and a lot of work from Scott Seymour and Nicole Hale, and a lot of tribulation, here we are four years later.”

Morgan said he was ecstatic to be on the first flight.




“It’s always nice to see one of your goals come through,” Morgan said.

Seymour noted the last flight to leave Inyokern, Nov. 4, 2013, was the first of a long haul toward regaining airport service.

“I said I would be on the first flight,” Seymour said. “It means a lot for the airport [for Boutique to be here].”

Seymour said he would drive back from LAX after arriving.

Bates agrees that Tuesday’s flight has been a long time coming.

“This is a day we’ve been looking forward to for a long time,” said Russ Bates. “It’s been four years that we haven’t had air service and we’ve gone through two or three others to get them in here. This is the first one that is going to take off and go to LA, so it’s wonderful.”

He said the next goal is to see “more people using this and we can probably add another airplane on the busy mornings.”




The current airfare for a one-way non-refundable ticket to LAX starts at just over $59. Seymour said those rates are introductory to get people on board. Once the introductory rates expire, prices may bump up.

Seymour said the rates are still “a heck of a lot cheaper than SkyWest.” At the time when SkyWest pulled out in November, airfare exceeded $400.

Boutique operates flights out of two other California airports: Merced Regional Airport and Oakland International. Currently, those are the only two other destinations passengers can fly into via Boutique after a brief layover at LAX. Those wishing to travel to other destinations like Las Vegas or Washington, D.C. would need to book a separate flight on a different airline.

For more information and to book a flight, visit www.boutiqueair.com.

Story and photo gallery ➤ http://www.ridgecrestca.com

Ameren Illinois takes to the skies with drone technology



DECATUR — With more than 40,000 square miles to cover, Ameren Illinois is seizing on increasingly popular drone technology that allows it to take to the skies and view the world from above. 

The company demonstrated the capabilities of one of its small, propeller-powered machines during a display Wednesday, showcasing its ability to take high-quality images in a variety of situations. Since the company first became interested in the unmanned aerial devices last year, they have become crucial to its mission to deliver power to its coverage map of 43,700 square miles, said Ron Pate, Ameren Illinois’ senior vice president of operations and technical services. 

“We started using them to help with our efficiency during storm restoration,” Pate said. “Now, we’re now using them even more because a drone can give us a dominant view of an area.”




In addition to enhancing its storm and emergency response efforts, Ameren also uses drones to inspect the infrastructure of electric and natural gas facilities, as well as survey the terrain of a potential location for new infrastructure.

The devices also help keep company employees safe by evaluating potentially dangerous situations and spotting hard-to-reach locations when out in the field, said Riley Adams, manager of electrical initiatives for Ameren. 

 “Drones are like a pair of binoculars, to an extent,” Adams said. “They're just more high-tech."

Ameren has 36 employees that have received the training and certification required by the Federal Aviation Administration to operate drones.




At least for now, there remain some limitations to the commercial operation of drones imposed by the FAA. Those include restrictions on flying the devices beyond the operator's line of sight and restrictions on nighttime use.

The FAA does not provide state-level information on how many commercial operations are using drones, a spokeswoman for the agency said.

Supervisor of Electrical Operations Kyle Maxwell said Ameren's drone pilots must first pass a two-day course offered by Southern Illinois University Carbondale before completing their training through a program offered by the company. 

"There's a lot of people out there that don't know how to operate a drone," Maxwell said. "There's much more to just un-boxing them and getting them set up."

Pate hopes to continue expanding Ameren's drone usage as the technology keeps improving over time, aiming to have at least one licensed drone operator at all of the company's operating centers in the near future. 

He also wants Ameren to invest in drones outfitted with infrared capabilities to help in low visibility situations. Since standard drones cost $3,000 each, Pate said it's not feasible to purchase the equipment at this time. However, that could change when less costly options become available.

"With drones, we're only just getting started," he said. 

Original article can be found here ➤ http://herald-review.com

Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority names interim leader, begins search

Thomas Stoudt, director of operations and safety for the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, was appointed Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017, interim executive director at the authority, which owns and operates Lehigh Valley International and Queen City airports and Braden Airpark. 



A 21-year veteran of Lehigh Valley International Airport and its sister facilities will lead its parent organization on an interim basis.

The Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority on Tuesday unanimously appointed Thomas Stoudt as interim executive director once the current director, Charles Everett, resigns Aug. 18.

Stoudt, of South Whitehall Township, is the authority's director of operations and safety. 

Everett is moving on to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

"I have confidence that the staff will continue to perform exceptionally and seize every opportunity to move our airport system forward," Everett said Tuesday at his final meeting of the airport authority's board of governors.

Everett came to the authority through a contract approved by the board in August 2011 with AFCO AvPORTS Management LLC, based in Dulles, Va. Toward the end of its two-year contract with the management firm, the board opted to hire Everett directly as their executive director. He had been a manager at the Federal Aviation Administration who previously helped run Syracuse Hancock International Airport.

Authority board Chairman J. Michael Dowd asked that his fellow board members return in September with ideas on what they're looking for in a new executive director.

He anticipates the authority contracting with a search firm and appointing a search committee from the board. 

There is no timetable set to hire someone, Dowd said, and internal candidates will be considered in addition to those identified through what is likely to be a national search. 

Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.lehighvalleylive.com

Backup generator keeps Westchester County Airport (KHPN) running after power outage



Some of the lights are out at the Westchester County Airport Wednesday afternoon.

Inside the airport, many of the florescent lights were off and the escalators were not working. However, travelers continue to arrive and depart inside the airport today.

County officials say the power went out at the airport about an hour ago and a backup generator was turned on. Also, noting that flight travel will not be affected.

"It happens, you live with it," says Bridgeport CT traveler Malcolm Kennedy.

According to the county, Con Edison is working to turn the lights back on at the airport and get things moving.

Story and video ➤ http://www.fios1news.com

Cessna 402C, N548GA, Cape Air: Incident occurred August 09, 2017 at Logan International Airport (KBOS), Boston, Massachusetts

Hyannis Air Service Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N548GA









A twin-engine passenger plane bound for Boston from Rockland on Wednesday afternoon made an emergency landing at Logan International Airport after the top half of a cabin door popped open during the flight.

There were nine passengers and one pilot on board Cape Air Flight 1858 when the top section of the boarding door, which includes a window, malfunctioned and opened.

Air rushed into the passenger cabin when the twin-engine Cessna 402 was about 15 minutes from Logan, according to Cape Air spokeswoman Michelle Haynes.

Because the Cessna 402 was flying at a low altitude – about 3,700 feet – the cabin was not pressurized and the passengers, who were buckled into their seats, were not at risk, Haynes said.

“I don’t want to downplay this because it’s disconcerting at best,” Haynes said. “I’m sure it was noisy.”

Haynes said mechanics employed by Cape Air planned to examine the door frame and window Wednesday night to determine why it malfunctioned.

Jeff Northgraves, a former military pilot who manages the Knox County Regional Airport in Rockland, said the Cessna 402 seats up to eight passengers in the cabin and can seat a ninth in the co-pilot’s seat.

He said the plane’s door is divided into a lower and upper half. The upper half has a window, while the lower half of the door opens into a staircase used to board the plane. Northgraves said it is likely that the upper half of the door popped open because of some type of door malfunction.

Northgraves said it’s likely that a warning light on the pilot’s control panel was activated – similar to a car’s warning light that a door is ajar.

Jennifer Mehigan, a spokeswoman for Logan International Airport, declined to comment and referred all questions to the airline. Haynes confirmed that Logan’s air traffic controllers authorized the pilot to make an emergency landing around 4:15 p.m. Wednesday.

Haynes said that everyone aboard made it to their destination safely. Cape Air’s Customer Care team contacted each passenger after the flight landed.

“I was told that everyone was fine and everyone went on their way,” Haynes said. “They had very high marks for the pilot, who the passengers said kept everyone calm.”

The pilot was the only crew member on board and he sits about 5 feet from the passenger cabin and the door that malfunctioned.

Cape Air flies out of Knox County Regional Airport, the Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport and the Augusta State Airport in Maine.

Northgraves said the Cape Air service to Boston has proven popular. It typically attracts tourists during the summer months, people who commute to work in Boston, and people who use the air service to reach their coastal properties.

Cape Air began commercial flights between Rockland and Boston in 2008, offering six daily nonstop flights during the summer months. Ridership has steadily increased from 11,744 passengers in 2009 to 13,716 passengers in 2014, according to the airport website.

“These positive trends contrast sharply with the statewide and national aviation trends. Cape Air’s ability to attract more passengers – even during these trying economic times – is attributable to their low fares, convenient schedule, reliability and strong customer service,” Northgraves wrote.

Boston serves as Cape Air’s hub with flights leaving year round to destinations in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York. Cape Air serves 39 destinations across the Northeast, Cape Cod, the Midwest, eastern Montana, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands and Guam.

Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.pressherald.com

Syracuse Hancock International Airport (KSYR) getting new 'front door' for people flying by private aircraft



Syracuse, N.Y. -- Syracuse Hancock International Airport is getting a second fixed-base operator to provide aviation services to private aircraft.

Steel is going up at 110 Air Cargo Road near the main entrance to the airport for a Million Air facility. 

The $10 million facility will consist of a 28,000-square-foot hangar and what project officials described as an "upscale" 11,000-square-foot terminal. It will provide aircraft storage, fueling, ground handling, cleaning and other aircraft services. In addition, the terminal will have a passenger lounge, a hospitality check-in area, a soda and coffee bar, quiet rooms, a flight planning area, offices and a multimedia conference room.

"We didn't want it to be just a big hangar," said Scott Freeman, CEO of Freeman Holdings Group, which will operate the facility under a franchise agreement with Million Air.




Planning for the project began in 2012 by Syracuse Jet Real Estate Management LLC, a partner in the project.

"Our vision was to create a new front door to Central New York for business leaders, government officials, entertainers and other distinguished guests arrive by private aircraft," said Mike Wetzer, Syracuse Jet's manager partner.

Project and airport officials held a ceremony at the construction site Wednesday marking the raising of steel for the facility. They signed a beam that was then hoisted into place by workers with Hueber-Breuer Construction Co.

The facility, which will have room for up to about 25 aircraft to park, is scheduled to open in March 2018.




The state is providing an $810,000 grant for the facility, which will employ approximately 15 people.

Million Air will be the second fixed-base operator at the airport. The other is Signature Flight Support on Tuskegee Road, the successor to longtime operators Executive Air and Sair Aviation.

Airport Director Christina Callahan said the location near the airport entrance was chosen because of its visibility and the fact that it can use an existing taxiway.

She said having a second FBO at the airport "means competition, which is always good."

"When you look at the services the airport offers, we want to give our customers options, and having a fixed-base operator at the airport is no different than having a number of airlines," she said. "It's good for the airport, it's good for our customers, it's good for the local economy."

She said airport officials were in discussions with Signature about possible improvements to its facility.  




"Signature does a great job of running their facility," she said. "They've had a long history at the airport, and we've been talking to them about investments they'd like to make." 

Signature officials did not immediately return a call from syracuse.com seeking comment Wednesday afternoon.

Million Air was founded in 1984 by the Mary Kay Cosmetics family in Dallas, Texas, to serve Mary Kay customers and sales representatives at the company's hometown airport.

It currently has 24 facilities in the U.S., including in Albany, Rome and White Plains in New York, and six in other countries. The Syracuse Million Air will be the 13th operated by Freeman Holdings.

Story, photo gallery and comments ➤ http://www.syracuse.com

Aeroprakt A-20 Vista Cruiser N55US: Accident occurred July 16, 2017 near Brookhaven Airport (KHWV), Shirley, Suffolk County, New York

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

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Farmingdale, New York

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/N55US

Location: Shirley, NY 
Accident Number: ERA17LA247
Date & Time: 07/16/2017, 2010 EDT 
Registration: N55US
Aircraft: AEROPRAKT A 20 VISTA CRUISER
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

Analysis

The private pilot reported that he was conducting touch-and-go landings and that, while on final approach, the experimental, light sport airplane encountered a downdraft, and the engine lost total power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine or glide the airplane to the runway, and it impacted trees.

The engine was test run successfully several times, and no anomalies were noted. The engine's choke control was located near the throttle lever. During the test runs, the engine lost total power if the choke control was moved about halfway (1 inch). It is likely that the pilot's hand was on the throttle lever and that it inadvertently bumped the choke control during the downdraft encounter, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's inadvertent activation of the engine's choke control during a downdraft encounter, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.

Findings

Aircraft
Engine controls - Unintentional use/operation (Cause)

Personnel issues 
Action - Pilot (Cause)

Environmental issues

Downdraft - Effect on operation (Cause)

Factual Information

On July 16, 2017, about 2010 eastern daylight time, an experimental light sport Aeroprakt A-20 Vista Cruiser, N55US, was substantially damaged during a forced landing into trees, following a total loss of engine power on final approach to Brookhaven Airport (HWV), Shirley, New York. The private pilot was not injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight.

The pilot reported that he was performing touch-and-go landings to runway 24 at HWV. About 700 feet above ground level, the airplane encountered a downdraft and the engine lost all power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and realized that the airplane would not glide all the way to the runway. He elected to land in the tops of trees approximately .3 mile from the runway threshold. The airplane subsequently contacted the tree tops and descended left wing low to the ground.

Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The airplane was equipped with a Rotax 912 S, 100-horsepower engine. Subsequent examination and successful test-runs of the engine by the pilot and FAA inspectors did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The engine operated continuously at multiple power settings, including full power.


The engine's choke control was located in the vicinity of the throttle lever. During one of the test-runs, the pilot and FAA inspectors noted that when the choke control was moved approximately halfway (1 inch), the engine lost all power. The pilot and inspectors believed that during the downdraft/turbulence encounter, the pilot's hand on the throttle accidentally bumped the choke control, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.

History of Flight

Approach-VFR pattern final
Loss of engine power (total) (Defining event)

Emergency descent
Off-field or emergency landing

Landing
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 45, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Front
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 05/12/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 10/11/2016
Flight Time:  400 hours (Total, all aircraft), 110 hours (Total, this make and model), 10 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: AEROPRAKT
Registration: N55US
Model/Series: A 20 VISTA CRUISER NO SERIES
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2006
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental Light Sport
Serial Number: 047
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 11/25/2016, Condition
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1200 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 22 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 430 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Rotax
ELT: C91A installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: 912 S
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 100 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: HWV, 81 ft msl
Observation Time: 1956 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 240°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 24°C / 19°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 5 knots, 200°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 29.98 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Shirley, NY (HWV)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Shirley, NY (HWV)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 2000 EDT
Type of Airspace:

Airport Information

Airport: Brookhaven Airport (HWV)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 81 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 24
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 4200 ft / 100 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing; Traffic Pattern 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None

Latitude, Longitude: 40.821944, -72.866944 (est)




NTSB Identification: ERA17LA247
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 16, 2017 in Shirley, NY
Aircraft: AEROPRAKT A 20 VISTA CRUISER, registration: N55US
Injuries: 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 may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On July 16, 2017, about 2010 eastern daylight time, an experimental light-sport Aeroprakt A-20 Vista Cruiser, N55US, operated by the private pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing into trees, following a total loss of engine power on final approach to runway 24 at Brookhaven Airport (HWV), Shirley, New York. The private pilot was not injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight.

The pilot reported that he was performing touch-and-go landings at HWV. About 700 feet above ground level, the airplane encountered a downdraft and the engine lost all power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and realized that the airplane would not glide all the way to the runway. He elected to land in the tops of trees approximately .3 mile from the runway threshold. The airplane subsequently contacted the tree tops and descended left wing low to the ground.

Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the wings and fuselage. The airplane was equipped with a Rotax 912S, 100-horsepower engine, which was retained for further examination.





A small plane crashed on Long Island, but the pilot was able to walk away uninjured, authorities say.

The aircraft went down just after 8 p.m. Sunday night along the Moriches-Middle Island Road in Mastic just shy of Brookhaven Calabro Airport, according to officials.

The FAA said the pilot was doing practice landings and was on the final approach to the airport when the plane’s engine cut out.

The pilot was able to coast the plane into a patch of woods before it came to rest in the trees, the FAA said.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com

his pilot was all smiles after he survived a crash-landing on Long Island.

Yuri Koziy, 45, was doing practice landings on his final approach to Brookhaven Calabro Airport around 8 p.m. Sunday when his plane went down along the Moriches-Middle Island Road in Mastic, officials told NBC.

Koziy, of Massapequa, managed to coast the plane into a patch of woods until it landed in the trees, the FAA told the station.

He was the only person on board the plane, and refused medical attention.

A photo shows Koziy, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, grinning broadly as he leans against a first responder’s van. The aircraft crash-landed in the trees in Mastic, Long Island. The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Farmingdale, New York

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N55US

NTSB Identification: ERA17LA247
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 16, 2017 in Shirley, NY
Aircraft: AEROPRAKT A 20 VISTA CRUISER, registration: N55US
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

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 16, 2017, about 2010 eastern daylight time, an experimental light sport Aeroprakt A-20 Vista Cruiser, N55US, was substantially damaged during a forced landing into trees, following a total loss of engine power on final approach to Brookhaven Airport (HWV), Shirley, New York. The private pilot was not injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight.

The pilot reported that he was performing touch-and-go landings to runway 24 at HWV. About 700 feet above ground level, the airplane encountered a downdraft and the engine lost all power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and realized that the airplane would not glide all the way to the runway. He elected to land in the tops of trees approximately .3 mile from the runway threshold. The airplane subsequently contacted the tree tops and descended left wing low to the ground.

Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The airplane was equipped with a Rotax 912 S, 100-horsepower engine. Subsequent examination and successful test-runs of the engine by the pilot and FAA inspectors did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The engine operated continuously at multiple power settings, including full power.


The engine's choke control was located in the vicinity of the throttle lever. During one of the test-runs, the pilot and FAA inspectors noted that when the choke control was moved approximately halfway (1 inch), the engine lost all power. The pilot and inspectors believed that during the downdraft/turbulence encounter, the pilot's hand on the throttle accidentally bumped the choke control, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.



NTSB Identification: ERA17LA247
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 16, 2017 in Shirley, NY
Aircraft: AEROPRAKT A 20 VISTA CRUISER, registration: N55US
Injuries: 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 may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On July 16, 2017, about 2010 eastern daylight time, an experimental light-sport Aeroprakt A-20 Vista Cruiser, N55US, operated by the private pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing into trees, following a total loss of engine power on final approach to runway 24 at Brookhaven Airport (HWV), Shirley, New York. The private pilot was not injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight.

The pilot reported that he was performing touch-and-go landings at HWV. About 700 feet above ground level, the airplane encountered a downdraft and the engine lost all power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and realized that the airplane would not glide all the way to the runway. He elected to land in the tops of trees approximately .3 mile from the runway threshold. The airplane subsequently contacted the tree tops and descended left wing low to the ground.

Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the wings and fuselage. The airplane was equipped with a Rotax 912S, 100-horsepower engine, which was retained for further examination.





A small plane crashed on Long Island, but the pilot was able to walk away uninjured, authorities say.

The aircraft went down just after 8 p.m. Sunday night along the Moriches-Middle Island Road in Mastic just shy of Brookhaven Calabro Airport, according to officials.

The FAA said the pilot was doing practice landings and was on the final approach to the airport when the plane’s engine cut out.

The pilot was able to coast the plane into a patch of woods before it came to rest in the trees, the FAA said.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com

his pilot was all smiles after he survived a crash-landing on Long Island.

Yuri Koziy, 45, was doing practice landings on his final approach to Brookhaven Calabro Airport around 8 p.m. Sunday when his plane went down along the Moriches-Middle Island Road in Mastic, officials told NBC.

Koziy, of Massapequa, managed to coast the plane into a patch of woods until it landed in the trees, the FAA told the station.

He was the only person on board the plane, and refused medical attention.

A photo shows Koziy, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, grinning broadly as he leans against a first responder’s van. The aircraft crash-landed in the trees in Mastic, Long Island.
Aeroprakt A-20 Vista Cruiser N55US: Accident occurred July 16, 2017 near Brookhaven Airport (KHWV), Shirley, Suffolk County, New York 


Federal officials said Wednesday that they will hold a safety seminar in Ronkonkoma next month after a series of crashes on Long Island involving small planes in recent years.

The National Transportation Safety Board said the seminar would be held Sept. 9 at 8:30 a.m. at Mid-Island Air Service on Hering Drive in Ronkonkoma.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who pressed for federal involvement, said the seminar would be the first of its kind on Long Island and would help local pilots learn about the causes of crashes and how to prevent them.

“These seminars are well attended, make the skies safer, and even allow pilots educational credits they can use to lower their insurance costs,” Schumer said.

The National Transportation Safety Board in March said that it examined 156 aviation accidents in the state over the past five years at Schumer’s request.

The review found that nothing set those accidents apart from those in general aviation, the agency said.

“For those accident investigations that have been completed, the causes have been similar to the cause of general aviation accidents that we investigated overall,” the agency said in a letter to Schumer on March 23.

About one-third of the crashes — including a cluster of seven early last year on Long Island — were caused by loss of pilot control, the agency said.

Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.newsday.com