Friday, August 11, 2017

James Riordan: Fire captain takes off for new career



ELKO – After serving with the Elko Fire Department for 20 years and seeing people on some of the worst days of their life, Capt. James Riordan is retiring to another lofty vocation.

Riordan is moving to Kanab, Utah, to give aviation tours in his single engine propeller plane starting this fall.

Aviation has always been a passion for Riordan, who said he was unable to join the Air Force after failing the eye test.

He has enjoyed working with his fellow firefighters for the past two decades, but is looking forward to starting the next phase of his life.

Riordan said he has been into planes since the day he was born — literally.

“I was flying day one. The day I was born, I was put in an airplane and flown to Reno because I was very premature,” he said. “I was in an incubator, and the doctor came up in his own airplane and flew me to Reno. I blame it all on that day.”




The Elko native is moving away, but his family has been in the area for five generations.

Riordan said he appreciated the opportunity to serve the community where he grew up, but noted that responding to emergency situations can be particularly stressful when he knows the person in trouble.

“It’s difficult. A lot of times you know the house, and you get in there and you know the person,” he said. “I actually responded to my grandfather who passed away, which was a pretty difficult time. At the same time, it was nice to be able to be there when he passed.”

One of the positives of working in a community where he was recognized was seeing the children he spoken to about fire safety in school grow up.

Fire Chief Matt Griego said it was a pleasure to have Riordan involved in community outreach programs.

“He has always put the citizens of Elko at the forefront of everything he does,” he said. “He has been passionate with the youth of Elko in teaching fire safety in the schools, so it’ll be sad to see him go, but I’m glad he’s moving on into something that he’s truly passionate about.”

Aside from the fact that it reminds him of his age, Riordan said he enjoys how children have remembered him after all these years.

“I’ve literally watched kids in the early years that were in kindergarten, and now they’re graduating college and getting married. Nothing like that to make you feel old,” he said. “I was at the grocery store, and the girl that’s checking me out at the checkout stand was like, ‘Fireman James, do you remember me? I was in kindergarten at Grammar No. 2.’ It’s so fun when they can remember you as adults.”

Now that he is leaving the department, Riordan said he is hoping to create more memories for the people who go on his aviation tours.

The area where he’ll be flying will give him a bird’s-eye view of national forests and part of the Grand Canyon. Flight tours will soar at more than 5,000 feet in the air.

Although Riordan had to get over his fear of heights when the department required him to climb ladders, he said he is looking forward to getting up to altitude on a more regular basis.

He said he will enjoy flying above southern Utah but that the view up above this area will probably remain one of his favorites.

“I picked that airplane up in Georgia and flew it clear across the country to get here, and the prettiest landscape was coming into southern Utah and coming home,” he said. “You cannot beat the mountains we have here in the West.”

Story and photos ➤ http://elkodaily.com

Todd Syhre, Watertown Regional Airport (KATY): Emergency landing shouldn’t deter fliers



Potential Aerodynamics Inc. (ADI) passengers flying to and from Watertown should not be deterred from an engine failure that occurred Wednesday evening, according to Watertown Regional Airport Manager Todd Syhre.

The Associated Press reported Thursday that an ADI Embraer 145 twin-engine aircraft carrying 46 passengers made an emergency landing around 6:40 p.m. Wednesday at Western Nebraska Regional Airport in Scottsbluff, Neb., after one of the engines lost power. 

The flight was returning from Denver to Pierre and Watertown. The forced landing occurred about 70 minutes after takeoff.

While Syhre told the Public Opinion Thursday afternoon that he did not know many specifics, including how many of the 46 passengers were flying to Watertown, he said all passengers landed safely.

“ADI’s pilots did a great job,” Syhre said. “They kept everybody calm and collected. The pilots landed the plane safely and got everybody off.”

Syhre said that some of the passengers who were on board were offered either a bus ride or car rental paid for by ADI to their destinations. Others were offered complimentary overnight hotel stays and bus transportation on Thursday.

While Syhre did not wish to speculate on whether ADI will offer further compensation, he praised ADI’s public relations history.

“I can tell you in the past that this airline has gone above and beyond what any other airline would have done,” he said.

Despite the engine problem Wednesday, Syhre said potential passengers should not be negatively swayed by the incident.

“These planes are very safe to fly,” Syhre said. “There are a lot features that help these pilots get these things safely down to the ground.”

According to the AP, the affected plane will remain in Scottsbluff as it is repaired. Meanwhile, Syhre said a replacement plane came into Watertown Thursday. 

An email sent by the Public Opinion Thursday afternoon to ADI’s Human Resources division seeking comment from Chief Operations Officer Mickey Bowman or another ADI representative was not returned.

Anyone who has questions or concerns may contact the Watertown ADI station at 605-753-8603 or Syhre at 605-882-6209.

Original article  ➤ http://www.thepublicopinion.com

Loss of Engine Power (Partial): Navion Navion G Rangemaster, N249KC; accident occurred August 11, 2017 near Lenawee County Airport (KADG), Adrian, Michigan

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

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Belleville, Michigan
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama 

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/N249KC

Location: Adrian, MI
Accident Number: CEN17LA316
Date & Time: 08/11/2017, 1200 EDT
Registration: N249KC
Aircraft: NAVION NAVION G
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (partial)
Injuries: 2 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

Analysis 

The flight instructor and private pilot had completed training maneuvers and were returning to the airport when the engine experienced a partial loss of power about 1,000 to 1,500 ft above ground level. They were unable to glide the airplane to an open field and descended into a wooded area. The airplane impacted trees and became wedged between trees, suspended above the ground. The engine and empennage separated from the rest of the airplane and came to rest on the ground nearby. The fuel tanks were damaged and most of the remaining fuel spilled onto the ground.

A postaccident examination of the engine revealed no pre-impact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation or production of rated horsepower; however, an examination of the gascolator showed that it had been leaking fuel from three locations and contained a significant amount of debris. In a postaccident examination, the gascolator was subjected to the relevant service bulletin testing and did not pass the test due to the leaking seals and drain valve. Since the gascolator was unable to seal properly, it would have allowed air into the fuel system, which would have resulted in a loss of engine power. A review of the airplane maintenance records revealed no record of compliance with the service bulletin, nor was compliance mandatory.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
A leak in the gascolator, which allowed air to enter the fuel system and resulted in a partial loss of engine power.

Findings

Aircraft
Fuel distribution - Damaged/degraded (Cause)
Fuel distribution - Not serviced/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Scheduled/routine inspection - Maintenance personnel
Scheduled/routine maintenance - Maintenance personnel


Factual Information

On August 11, 2017, about 1200 eastern daylight time, a Navion G airplane, N249KC, impacted trees after a loss of engine power near Adrian, Michigan. The flight instructor and private pilot were seriously injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to Kalea Co. LLC and operated by Sky Walker Flying under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and a flight plan had not been filed. The local flight departed Lenawee County Airport (ADG), Adrian, Michigan, about 1000.

According to the flight instructor, the engine experienced a loss of power about 1,000 ft above ground level (agl) while over a wooded area and she was unable to glide the airplane to a nearby field. She stated to the sheriff's office that after the accident she walked to a nearby road and waited for a car to pass by for help.

The private pilot stated to the sheriff's office that he was flying the airplane and they were returning to the airport after completing training maneuvers. He stated that the engine experienced a partial loss of power about 1,500 ft agl. He added that the engine still had a little power available during the event.

The responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that the airplane was found wedged between trees with the empennage separated from the rear fuselage and engine separated from the firewall (figure 1). There was a smell of aviation fuel at the accident site.


Figure 1 – The airplane suspended above the ground and wedged between trees

A postaccident examination of the airplane was conducted by the FAA inspector and a technical representative from Continental Motors. The examination revealed that more than 4 gallons of fuel was drained from left wing tip tank, which remained intact. The right wing tip tank was found breached and had separated from the wing; there was no fuel present in the tank. The fuel gascolator, which is the low point of the center main fuel tanks, did not contain any fuel. There were fuel stain marks underneath the gascolator as it was installed on the airplane. The gascolator was removed for further testing.

An examination of the engine revealed the engine sustained impact damage concentrated mostly to the left rear side and the crankcase remained intact. All six cylinders remained attached to the engine and displayed impact damage signatures with the left side cylinders sustaining more damage than the right. The induction and exhaust systems both displayed impact damage signatures, but there were no signs of exhaust or induction leaks noted. The fuel pump was impact damaged as were several of the fuel line fittings. The throttle and metering assembly remained attached to the engine and displayed impact damage signatures; both the throttle and mixture arms were broken. The fuel manifold valve remained attached to its installation point and displayed impact damage signatures at the rear fitting. All of the fuel nozzles remained installed in their cylinders and there were no signs of fuel leaks near the nozzles. The 2 magnetos were undamaged and produced a spark at each ignition lead when manually rotated. The ignition harness displayed impact damage signatures to several of the left side cylinder ignition leads. All of the spark plugs remained installed in their cylinders and the top left spark plugs displayed impact damage signatures. The three-blade, constant speed propeller remained attached to the crankshaft and one of the blades was impact damaged. There were no pre-impact anomalies with the engine that would have precluded normal operation or production of rated horsepower.

The gascolator top and bottom seals were comprised of rubber gaskets which were meshed to a wire screen by a glass cylinder. As assembled the glass cylinder was tightened between two caps which each contained the rubber gaskets and wire mesh. The gascolator was examined by an FAA inspector who reported that there were fuel stains on the top seal and the drain valve, indicative of a fuel leak at some point during the life of the unit (figure 2).


Figure 2 – Gascolator installed on the airplane 

Sierra Hotel Aero, Inc. (SHA) holds the type certificate for the Navion. In May of 2007, SHA issued Navion Service Bulletin (SB) 106A - Fuel System - Inspection of the fuel system continued safe operation. The purpose of the SB was to require accomplishment of one time inspection of entire fuel system. This included from firewall aft for condition of all fuel lines installed including tip tanks, metal lines, fittings, hoses, vent system, vapor return, boost pump, and fuel strainer. The SB further states, inspect fuel strainer for evidence of fuel staining and leaking. Disassemble strainer and clean fuel screen. Inspect for damage and reassemble. Perform vacuum test of gascolator to include: connect hand operated vacuum pump and apply 24" of vacuum, verify bleed down does not exceed 4" over one minute, replace gaskets, fuel drain and/or gascolator as needed to ensure proper operation.

The gascolator was subjected to postaccident testing as prescribed in the Navion SB No. 106 A. The outlet port was plugged using an appropriate AN plug fitting. The gascolator was filled with clean 100LL fuel. After the fuel was added, a significant amount of foreign debris was observed floating in the gascolator. A 7-inch aluminum line with AN fittings was attached to the inlet port and the other end to the gascolator. This line was previously leak checked with no anomalies found. The inspector applied 24 inches of vacuum pressure using a hand vacuum pump; the gascolator was tested and failed to hold the required 24 inches of vacuum pressure for any amount of time. During the test the gascolator was leaking from the top seal, bottom seal, and the drain valve.

A review of the airplane maintenance logbooks revealed no record of compliance with the Navion SB No. 106 A, and there was no mention of gascolator maintenance from December 2006 to July 2017. 

Flight Instructor Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 52, Female
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s):
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 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 12/01/2016
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 06/23/2016
Flight Time:  1700 hours (Total, all aircraft), 32 hours (Total, this make and model), 1500 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 80 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 30 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 49, Male
Airplane Rating(s): 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 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 01/23/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 12/13/2015
Flight Time: (Estimated) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: NAVION
Registration: N249KC
Model/Series: NAVION G
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1964
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: NAV-4-2499
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 07/05/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 
Time Since Last Inspection: 5 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 2089.06 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Continental Motors
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-520BA
Registered Owner: KALEA CO LLC
Rated Power: 285 hp
Operator: Skywalker Flight School, LLC.
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Does Business As: SkyWalker Flying
Operator Designator Code: 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KADG, 796 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 2 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1153 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 355°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 7 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 220°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 29.99 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 22°C / 18°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: ADRIAN, MI (ADG)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: ADRIAN, MI (ADG)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1000 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class E

Airport Information

Airport: LENAWEE COUNTY (ADG)
Runway Surface Type: 
Airport Elevation: 798 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Unknown
Runway Used: N/A
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 41.829167, -84.074444 (est)









NTSB Identification: CEN17LA316
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, August 11, 2017 in Adrian, MI
Aircraft: NAVION NAVION G, registration: N249KC
Injuries: 2 Serious.

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

On August 11, 2017, about 1000 eastern daylight time, a Navion G airplane, N249KC, impacted trees after a loss of engine power near Adrian, Michigan. The flight instructor and private pilot were seriously injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to Kalea Co. LLC and operated by Sky Walker Flying under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight departed Lenawee County Airport (ADG), Adrian, Michigan, at an unknown time. 

The responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that the airplane was found wedged between two trees and the engine had separated from the firewall (figure 1). 

According to the flight instructor, the airplane's engine experienced a total loss of power about 1,000 ft above ground level.

The airplane has been retained for further examination.





MADISON TOWNSHIP, MI (WTOL) - A single-engine aircraft crashed Friday morning in Madison Township.


The crash happened at about 10 a.m. on Lyons Road between the Sand Creek Highway and Gorman Road, south of the Lenawee County Airport. However, first responders did not get a call about the crash until 2:20 p.m.


According to the Lenawee County Sheriff's Office, a male and female were on board the plane when it crashed. First responders transported both to the hospital with serious injuries. 


"We have no idea what the reason is for the crash," said Lenawee County undersheriff Troy Bevier. "We do know that FAA is on the way here and we'll investigate. Our Lenawee County Airport is only about three quarters of a mile away and so they'll be out here also the manager out there." 


Crews on scene say the plan hit a treeline and part of the plane is in a tree.


Story and video ➤ http://www.wtol.com





ADRIAN — A single-engine private plane crashed Friday near the Lenawee County Airport, injuring the two people on board, Lenawee County Undersheriff Troy Bevier said.

The plan crashed at about 10 a.m. at the treeline in a field near Lyons Highway and Gorman Road, about two miles south of the airport. The plane broke apart in the crash, with part of it caught in a tree, Undersheriff Bevier said. The man and woman on board were at the site without aid until about 2:20 p.m., when she managed to walk to a nearby road and flag down a motorist who called 911.

The woman then led authorities to the crash site and the man. Both suffered serious injuries, Undersheriff Bevier said. The names of the victims were not immediately released.

They were taken to a Toledo-area hospital. The Federal Aviation Administration is on the way to the site to investigate the cause of the crash.

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








ADRIAN, MI - A single-engine plane has crashed south of Adrian, leaving two people injured, according to Lenawee County Dispatch.

The crash was reported at 2:23 p.m. Friday, Aug. 11 in the 6000 block of Lyons Highway in Madison Township, according to dispatch.

That's about four miles south of the Lenawee County Airport.

The two-passenger plane crash at about 10 a.m. in a field about a half mile off the road, said Lenawee County Undersheriff Troy Bevier.

Both passengers, a woman and a man, suffered serious injuries, he said. The woman was able to get out of the plane and walk to the road, where she flagged down a driver to call 911.

The Lenawee County Sheriff's Office is investigating, and the Federal Aviation Administration is on the way to the scene, Bevier said.

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

Piper PA-28R-200 Arrow II, N33732, Zabrosky Air LLC: Accident occurred August 11, 2017 near South Valley Regional Airport (U42), West Jordan, Salt Lake County, Utah

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

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Salt Lake City

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

Zabrosky Air LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N33732


NTSB Identification: WPR17LA183
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, August 11, 2017 in West Jordan, UT
Aircraft: PIPER PA 28R-200, registration: N33732
Injuries: 2 Minor, 2 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 August 11, 2017, about 1755 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA28-200R, N33732, was substantially damaged following a forced landing near West Jordan, Utah. The private pilot and one passenger received minor injuries, while two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the planned cross-country flight, which was being operated in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed and activated. The flight departed the South Valley Regional Airport (U42), West Jordan, Utah, about 1745, with the destination reported as Casper/Natroma County International Airport (CPR), Casper, Wyoming.

In a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the passenger, who was seated in the right-front cockpit seat, reported that shortly after takeoff and about 1 mile southwest of the airport, the airplane encountered a wind gust, the airplane lost lift, and the pilot commented that "they might be in trouble." The passenger stated that the pilot made a right-hand turn back toward the airport, but when he realized he could not make the airport he elected to land in an open field, during which the airplane's left wing spar was substantially damaged. 

In a telephone interview the day following the accident, the pilot confirmed what the passenger had reported to the IIC was an accurate account of the accident sequence. When asked by the IIC if his preflight planning had included a weight and balance calculation and a density altitude calculation, the pilot reported that he had completed both prior to departing. Additionally, the pilot opined that he thought the airplane was a few hundred pounds under its gross takeoff weight. The pilot concluded that he did not detect any anomalies with the engine during the takeoff or during the accident sequence.

At 1755, the U42 automated weather reporting facility indicated wind 120° at 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 32° C, dew point 12° C, and an altimeter setting of 30.03 inches of mercury.

The airplane was recovered for further examination.












WEST JORDAN, Utah, Aug. 11, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — A small airplane with four people aboard crashed after hitting power lines near South Valley Regional Airport, also known as Airport #2, in West Jordan Friday night.

Witnesses told Gephardt Daily the single-engine aircraft appeared to experience some sort of engine problem shortly after take off.

The pilot was attempting to return to the airport when he was forced to take evasive action to keep from striking abandoned rail cars parked on a nearby rail spur.

The plane then clipped electrical wires and crash landed in a nearby field.

Two of those aboard the aircraft — 48-year-old male pilot and 28-year-old male passenger — were treated for injuries before being transported by ambulance to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray.

Two others passengers walked away uninjured.

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



















WEST JORDAN, Utah -- Two of the four people aboard a small airplane that hit a power line and then the ground in West Jordan Friday night were taken to hospitals.

West Jordan Fire Department personnel at the scene say the crash occurred around 6 p.m. near New Bingham Highway and Airport Road.

The small aircraft with four men on board had departed from the nearby South Valley Regional Airport but was returning to the airport for an unknown reason.

Video shot by Daniel Hart shows the plane descending before striking some power lines, at which point sparks erupt.

Firefighters say the nose of the plane struck the lower voltage power line, causing the plane to nose dive. However, the tail of the aircraft then struck the higher voltage line, causing the aircraft to right itself and glide across a road, where it came down in a field.

The pilot, a male in his 30s, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. Another passenger was also taken to a hospital.

The other two passengers walked away without serious injury.

Firefighters say the FAA will be taking over the investigation into the crash.

Story and video ➤ http://fox13now.com

Sky Dive the Wasatch: Fatal accident occurred August 11, 2017 near Nephi Municipal Airport (U14), Juab County, Utah

Wendi-Kay Gabaldon



(KUTV) An instructor and client died in a skydiving accident that authorities say may have been the result of a parachute malfunction.

Nephi Police confirm Wendi Gabaldon, 41, of Tooele, and Serena Whelchel, 35, of California, died Thursday evening during a tandem jump at Sky Dive the Wasatch.

Officials received 911 calls reporting the accident around 7:20 p.m. Thursday near the Nephi City Airport.

The jumpers had leaped from a Cessna 182 that took off around 6:30 p.m.

“The cause of the accident is still under investigation. The victims were immediately transported by ambulance to the Central Valley Medical Center where they succumbed to their injuries,” Nephi Police Chief Michael Morgan said in a news release.

Police did not say if the parachute failed to open. 2News has contacted Sky Dive the Wasatch for comment. A company spokesperson said information may be released shortly.

Wendi Gabaldon's daughter, Brianna Gabaldon, told 2News her mother "passed doing something she loved." 

"She loved the outdoors," she said, adding her mother "always wanted to do things like skydiving. It was her second time going."

Wendi Gabaldon leaves behind a husband, six children, and two grandchildren, according to her daughter.

Story and video ➤ http://kutv.com

Cessna 172M, N1727V, registered to and operated by Arrow Aviation LLC: Fatal accident occurred August 11, 2017 at Candlelight Farms Airport (11N), New Milford, Litchfield County, Connecticut

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

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas 

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


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


Location: New Milford, CT
Accident Number: ERA17FA272
Date & Time: 08/11/2017, 0917 EDT
Registration: N1727V
Aircraft: CESSNA 172
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Aerodynamic stall/spin
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

On August 11, 2017, about 0917 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N1727V, collided with terrain at Candlelight Farms Airport (11N), New Milford, Connecticut. The flight instructor was fatally injured, and the student pilot and passenger were seriously injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by Arrow Aviation LLC under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight. The flight originated at Danbury Municipal Airport (DXR), Danbury, Connecticut about 0835.

Data from the airplane's Garmin GPSMAP 396 GPS was used to reconstruct the flight on the day of the accident. The GPS was not configured to record time data; therefore, groundspeed and the time of the accident could not be derived. The GPS data revealed that the airplane departed runway 26 at DXR then climbed and turned north. A series of maneuvers were performed about 3,000 ft, then the airplane entered a left downwind for runway 35 at 11N. The airplane landed on runway 35, taxied clear of the runway, and taxied to the south. The airplane took off from runway 35 and continued on runway heading; The final five GPS altitude points indicated 764 ft, 787 ft, 827 ft, 807 ft, and 712 ft. The unit stopped recording data at a point consistent with the accident site. The airport elevation was about 675 ft, and the accident site elevation was about 685 ft.

The aft seat passenger, who was the father of the student pilot, walked to a nearby residence after the accident to seek assistance. There were no known eyewitnesses. The passenger recalled that the airplane landed at Candlelight Farms and then taxied for takeoff. He did not recall the completion of the taxi or the takeoff. The student pilot did not recall any of the events associated with the accident. 

Flight Instructor Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 57, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 05/27/2017
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 05/13/2016
Flight Time:  3900 hours (Total, all aircraft) 

Student Pilot Information

Certificate: None
Age: 16, Female
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: None None
Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  15 hours (Total, all aircraft), 15 hours (Total, this make and model) 

The student pilot was enrolled as a student at Arrow Aviation at DXR; she did not possess a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) student pilot certificate or an FAA medical certificate. According to her pilot logbook, she had logged about 15 total hours of flight experience since July 2015.

The instructor held flight instructor and commercial pilot certificates with airplane single-engine land, airplane multi-engine land, and instrument airplane ratings. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on May 21, 2016. He did not report his flight experience on his most recent medical certificate application; however, he reported 3,900 total hours of flight experience to the FAA in October 2012. His pilot logbooks were not located. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Registration: N1727V
Model/Series: 172 M
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1974
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 17263727
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/28/2017, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2300 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 85 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 8478 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: C91A installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: O-320-E2D
Registered Owner: ARROW AVIATION LLC
Rated Power: 160 hp
Operator: ARROW AVIATION LLC
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

The single-engine, high-wing, four-seat airplane was manufactured in 1974 and incorporated fixed, tricycle landing gear. It was equipped with a Lycoming O-320-E2D reciprocating engine rated at 160 horsepower. The airplane was equipped with electrically-operated wing flaps and a stall warning system. The cockpit featured dual flight controls.

The most recent 100-hour inspections on the airframe and engine were completed on June 28, 2017. The most recent annual inspections on the airframe and engine were completed on February 17, 2017. The Hobbs meter indicated 8,478.5 hours at the time of the accident. 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: DXR, 456 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 12 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 0953 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 180°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 6 knots 
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None
Wind Direction: 150°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.17 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 24°C / 17°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Danbury, CT (DXR)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Danbury, CT (DXR)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0835 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G 

DXR was located about 12 miles south of the accident site. The DXR weather at 0953 included wind from 150º at 6 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, sky clear, temperature 24°C, dew point 17°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.17 inches of mercury.

Airport Information

Airport: Candlelight Farms (11N)
Runway Surface Type: Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 675 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 35
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 2900 ft / 50 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious
Latitude, Longitude:  41.576111, -73.467500 (est) 

The accident site was located on an open field about 1,000 ft northwest of the airport boundary. The wreckage was found in an upright, nose-low attitude. All components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The nose landing gear separated during the impact sequence. There was no fire.

The wreckage path was about 72 ft long and 30 ft wide, oriented on a 300º magnetic heading. The initial ground impact scar contained a broken fragment of the left wingtip navigation light. The airplane came to rest on a heading of 070º.

All primary flight control surfaces remained attached. Flight control continuity was established from the ailerons, elevator, and rudder to the cockpit controls. The elevator trim indicator was found in the "takeoff" position. The wing flaps were found in the fully extended position; witness marks and damage on the fuselage adjacent to the inboard end of the flaps were consistent with the fully extended position. The flap switch was found in the full extension, or 40º, position. Impact damage was noted in this area. The flap position indicator on the instrument panel was damaged from impact and the needle was off scale, above the retracted position. The flap indicator potentiometer inside the wing was observed at the full-down position limit. The flap motor was tested after the wreckage was recovered; it operated normally through its full range of travel.

The airplane was equipped with a fuel tank in each wing. Both vented fuel caps were in place and secure. The vents were unobstructed. The fuel selector handle was found in the left tank position. About 10 gallons of blue-colored fuel were recovered from the left tank and about 2 gallons were recovered from the right tank. Both tanks were leaking fuel when examined by investigators. The recovered fuel was free of water and debris.

The engine was examined at the accident site. It was removed from the airframe to facilitate the examination. The bottom spark plugs were removed; the electrodes displayed normal wear and color when compared to a Champion Check-A-Plug chart. One plug had wet oil on its electrode.

The carburetor remained attached to the engine; the intake system remained attached to the carburetor. The foam intake element was covered in organic debris from impact with the ground. The carburetor was partially disassembled, and the bowl contained about 2 ounces of blue-colored fuel, which was free of water and debris. The blue plastic floats were intact and in place. The inlet fuel screen was unobstructed. There was a small amount of lead solder on the screen surface.

The cylinder rocker covers were removed for the examination. The engine was rotated by hand at the propeller. Compression and suction were observed on all cylinders and valve action was correct.

The propeller remained attached to the engine. The blades displayed chordwise scratching, leading edge gouges, blade twisting, and "s" bending. One blade tip was broken off and found along the wreckage debris field. 

Medical And Pathological Information

The State of Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Farmington, Connecticut, performed the autopsy of the flight instructor. The cause of death was blunt trauma of the head, neck, and torso, and the manner of death was accident.

The FAA's Bioaeronautical Research Sciences Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology testing on specimens from the flight instructor. Losartan was detected in the blood and urine, and ibuprofen was detected in the urine. These medications are not generally considered impairing.

Additional Information

According to the Cessna 172 Owner's Manual pertaining to wing flap settings, "Normal and obstacle clearance takeoffs are performed with wing flaps up." The manual also states, "Flap settings greater than 10º are not recommended at any time for takeoff."

The operating checklists for the airplane include the following step in the "Before Takeoff" checklist: "(11) Wing Flaps -- UP." This step is also included as part of the "Normal Takeoff," "Maximum Performance Takeoff," and the "After Landing" checklists.


According to 14 CFR Part 1 (Definitions and Abbreviations), a pilot-in-command means the person who: (1) Has final authority and responsibility for the operation and safety of the flight.

NTSB Identification: ERA17FA272
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, August 11, 2017 in New Milford, CT
Aircraft: CESSNA 172M, registration: N1727V
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 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 August 11, 2017, about 0930 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N1727V, collided with terrain at Candlelight Farms Airport (11N), New Milford, Connecticut. The airplane was substantially damaged. The flight instructor was fatally injured. The student pilot and one passenger were seriously injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Arrow Aviation LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations part 91. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local, instructional flight. The flight originated at Danbury Municipal Airport (DXR), Danbury, Connecticut about 0835.

The passenger, who was seated in the aft seat, walked to a nearby residence after the accident to seek assistance. There were no eyewitnesses. A local resident heard the airplane's engine prior to the accident; however, he did not see the airplane in flight.

The accident site was located on an open field, about 1,000 feet northwest of the airport boundary. The wreckage was found in an upright, nose low attitude. All structure and components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The nose landing gear separated during the impact sequence. There was no fire. The airplane was equipped with a fuel tank in each wing, and both tanks contained fuel.

The student pilot, seated in the left cockpit seat, did not possess a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) student pilot certificate or a FAA medical certificate. She was enrolled as a student at Arrow Aviation. According to her pilot logbook, she had logged about 15 hours total flight time.

The instructor pilot, seated in the right cockpit seat, held flight instructor and commercial pilot certificates with airplane single engine land, airplane multiengine land, and instrument airplane ratings. His most recent FAA second class medical certificate was issued on May 21, 2016. He did not report any flight time on his most recent medical certificate application; however, he reported 3,900 hours total time to the FAA in October 2012. His pilot logbooks have not been located.

The single-engine, high-wing, four-seat airplane was manufactured in 1975 and incorporated fixed, tricycle landing gear. It was equipped with a Lycoming O-320-E2D reciprocating engine rated at 160 horsepower. The airplane was equipped with electrically-operated wing flaps and a stall warning system. The cockpit featured dual flight controls.

Anthony Joseph Morasco 



Anthony Joseph Morasco, better known as Duke, passed away unexpectedly Friday, August 11th, 2017. He was 57 years old.

Duke was a graduate of New Milford High School. He attended Heidelberg College in Ohio and Western Connecticut State University. At the time of his death he was employed as a flight instructor at Arrow Aviation in Danbury, CT.

In his life, Duke excelled in many areas. He was an expert mechanic and craftsman who was able to build, replace, repair or recreate nearly anything. He was a meticulous craftsman; good enough was not good enough for him. He liked nothing more than to be able to assist a friend who needed it. Duke was a profoundly decent man with a thoughtful and generous spirit. He was willing to teach those who were eager to learn and help those who needed it.

Duke was also a gifted writer, poet and satirist, often writing humorous poems, commentary and song parodies, which he enjoyed singing, as well as American song book and rock and roll classics. His intellect and wit were well-known and cherished by his family and friends; there was practically no subject about which he could not create a humorous anecdote, or about which he did not have a deep knowledge and understanding. Duke loved intelligent banter and had a brilliant sense of humor and comic timing. 

He recognized the humor in just about every life situation or moment. Everyone could count on a great story, well-timed pun or hilarious joke when Duke was there.

But Duke's true passion was flying. From the time he was a child, Duke had a special interest in any air craft, commercial, military or experimental. He trained and acquired his private pilot's license in his twenties and continued his studies, learning to fly some of the most unusual and challenging aircraft ever made. Duke flew for many summers as an aerobatic performer in the Rhinebeck Air Show at the Aerodrome in Rhinebeck, New York, piloting WWI aircraft, flying maneuvers, offering rides in antique planes and even having his skills featured in an episode of Man, Moment and Machine on the History Channel. Duke loved to fly and loved to talk about flying, aircraft, weather and all aviation-related trivia. His lifetime dream was to one day become a corporate pilot.

Duke was deeply devoted to his family and his family cherished him. Duke is survived by his father, Anthony S. Morasco and step mother Gail Washburn of New Milford, by sisters Annette and Jeffrey Marcus of Brookfield, Patricia Morasco and Louis Sproviero of Newtown, and Sharon and Edward Baldwin of Brookfield, and by eight nieces and nephews whom he adored. He is predeceased by his mother, Harriet Berry of Swansboro, N.C.

Calling hours will be held on Wednesday August 16, 2017 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Lillis Funeral Home, 58 Bridge Street, New Milford, CT. A graveside service will take place at St. Francis Xavier Cemetery in New Milford, CT, on Thursday August 17, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.

Duke will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him.

Contributions in Duke's memory may be made to the New Milford Animal Welfare Society, 8 Dodd Rd., New Milford, CT 06776




DANBURY, Conn. — A juvenile student pilot was at the controls when a plane crashed Friday morning in New Milford, killing the 57-year-old flight instructor and injuring herself and a passenger, according to New Milford police.

Anthony Morasco, of New Milford, was presumed dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred at 9:17 a.m. at the end of turf runway at Candlelight Farms Airport in New Milford, officials said.

Morasco, who was the co-pilot, was a flight instructor employed by Arrow Aviation, which owns the plane, a Cessna 172M, police said.

The female student pilot was not identified by name because she is underage, police said. The girl was trapped in the plane and suffered critical injuries in the crash, police said. She was extricated by the New Milford Fire Department and taken by LifeStar helicopter to Hartford Hospital , police said.

"Subsequent investigation revealed that the plane was being flown by a student pilot," New Milford police said i a statement.

A passenger in the backseat, identified as Peter Jellen, 44, of New York, was seriously injured, police said. But he was able to get out of the wreckage and walk to a nearby home, where he asked residents to call 911, police said.

That 911 call came in at 9:51 a.m., nearly 35 minutes after the crash, New Milford said. The resident lives at Border Lane and Green Pond Road in Sherman, near the airport property, police said.

Jellen directed first responders to the crash scene before an ambulance took him to Danbury Hospital, police said.

The plane had departed earlier from Danbury Municipal Airport, about 20 miles away, the Federal Aviation Authority said.

The FAA will investigate the crash, and the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the probable cause, a statement said.

An investigator from the NTSB is scheduled to be at the scene at 8 am. Saturday to begin the investigation, a spokesman said. The crash scene has been secured for investigators, police said.

Arrow Aviation, which operates a flight school out of the Danbury Airport, also owns the plane that crashed July 30 just after takeoff in Danbury.

The pilot, Mark Stern of Redding, died four days after that crash and two passengers were injured.

The airplane that crashed in New Milford was the same aircraft that was stolen from Danbury Airport in a bizarre incident in 2005, NBC Connecticut said. A man and two friends stole the plane and took it on a joyride, landing late at night at the Westchester County Airport in New York, NBC Connecticut said.

Anyone with information on Friday's crash, or anyone who witnessed it, is asked to call New Milford police at 860-355-3133. 

Original article ➤ http://brookfield.dailyvoice.com




SHERMAN -- A multi-town response has been called to a deadly plane crash on the New Milford/Sherman Line that happened before 10 a.m. at Candlelight Farms Airport.

New Milford police said a student pilot, a juvenile female, was trapped in the plane and was critically injured. Police said she was extricated from the plane and taken to Hartford Hospital.

Police said the co-pilot, a flight instructor employed by Arrow Aviation; Anthony J. Morasco, was killed in the crash. The third victim, Peter Jellen of New York, was seriously injured, but was able to walk out of the wreckage, police said.

Connecticut State Police were also called to the scene. A spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board said an investigator would be on scene by Saturday morning to take over the investigation.

The FAA said that the plane that crashed is a Cessna 172M. The plane had departed from Danbury Municipal Airport and crashed at the end of Runway 17-35 at Candlelight Farms Airport.

The plane is owned by Arrow Aviation of Danbury, a flight school.

Arrow Aviation is the same company that owns the plane involved in the deadly plane crash in Danbury, July 30.

Senator Blumenthal issued a statement regarding the crash:

"My thoughts and prayers are with the victim's family and those injured in this tragic crash. I am alarmed by the number of small plane crashes that have claimed lives in recent months and years in Connecticut. I urge the NTSB to complete its investigation quickly and thoroughly so we can determine whether action may be warranted to strengthen safety measures for small aircraft."


Story and video ➤ http://fox61.com




NEW MILFORD — At the end of the gravel driveway to Candlelight Farms Airport, Nic Marsicano anxiously awaited word on the fate of his best friend, Anthony “Duke” Morasco.

Marsicano had heard a small plane crashed Friday morning, and Duke likely was in it.

“How’s Duke doing?” he asked each passing emergency responder. “How’s Duke doing?”

A flight instructor is dead and two people are injured after a plane from Danbury Municipal Airport crashed at Candlelight Farms Airport, officials said.

“Nobody’s doing that well up there,” one man answered. The rest just drove past.

Marsicano soon learned Morasco — a flight instructor and his best friend of more than 30 years — had died in a crash that seriously injured two others.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane, a Cessna 172, departed Danbury Municipal Airport around 8:30 a.m. and crashed about an hour later in a grassy area a quarter-mile from the New Milford runway.

New Milford Police Sgt. Lee Grabner said the flight appeared to be a training flight. He said one of the victims, though badly disoriented, was able to walk several hundred yards to a nearby home to report the crash, and was eventually taken by ambulance to Danbury Hospital.

Police found two people still trapped inside the plane. The pilot, a woman who has yet to be identified, was extricated and airlifted to Hartford Hospital with life-threatening injuries. The other person was the flight instructor, Grabner said.

Police have yet to release any of the victims’ identities, saying family members are still being notified. But friends of Morasco said he was the man who died.

Marsicano, who had known Morasco since the two were students at Western Connecticut State University, said he was an experienced pilot who had flown for nearly four decades and had occasionally given flight lessons.

Marsicano, who had flown with Morasco many times, said his friend was a kind man and a “phenomenal pilot” whose “aspiration was to fly for a living.”

“He was one of those guys who would do anything for you,” Marsicano said. “I will miss him greatly every day.”

When Morasco wasn’t flying, he was a well-liked, hard-working maintenance worker for New Milford, said former Mayor Patricia Murphy.

“He was one of those people who could fix anything,” she said. “Just a very bright guy.”

Morasco worked for the town for two stints totaling about 15 years, Murphy added. He later worked for a rehabiliation center in town.

The plane’s registration number, obtained through photos of the crash scene, shows the plane is owned by Arrow Aviation, a Danbury flight-training school that owned a plane involved in a fatal crash nearly two weeks ago.

Mark Stern, of Redding, died from injuries he sustained after crashing a rented Cessna near Danbury Municipal Airport on July 30. Two passengers were injured in the crash, which is still under investigation by federal authorities.

Preliminary results of that investigation showed Stern’s plane began to lose altitude shortly after takeoff and crashed in a wooded area near the runway. The accident happened just two weeks after the plane had received its annual inspection.

A woman who answered the phone at Arrow Aviation on Friday declined to comment on either crash.

“We’re not able to talk about it,” she said.

The Cessna 172 is a single-engine four-seater and is one of the most popular aircraft in general aviation for flight instruction.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Friday he is concerned by the crashes.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the victim's family and those injured in this tragic crash,” Blumenthal said in a news release. “I am alarmed by the number of small plane crashes that have claimed lives in recent months and years in Connecticut.”

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



NEW MILFORD, CT (WFSB) -  A pilot is dead and two passengers were hurt after a single-engine plane crashed near an airport in New Milford on Friday morning, police said.

This is the second deadly crash involving Danbury-based Arrow Aviation in a matter of weeks.

Friday, the Cessna 172M aircraft crashed at the end of Runway 17-35 at Candlelight Farms Airport around 10:20 a.m., according to Federal Aviation Administration. FAA officials said the plane departed Danbury Municipal Airport around 9:45 a.m. 

National Transportation Safety Board officials said three people were on the plane when it crashed.

New Milford police said the male flight instructor, was pinned under wreckage and pronounced dead by responding paramedics.

The surviving female pilot was extricated and transported to Hartford Hospital by way of the LifeStar emergency helicopter. Police said she suffered serious life-threatening injuries.

The other surviving male emerged from the wreckage and walked several hundred yards to a random home to call for help, according to police. He reported that two others were with the plane. He was transported to Danbury Hospital.

"I saw a middle aged man, he was sitting on a stone wall and he was bleeding [on his head] and he looked dazed, just kind of staring off into space," said Maria Conte, an eyewitness. 

Conte said she didn't hear the crash. She stumbled upon officers tending to the victim.

"This man didn't look like he was too banged up," she said. "It looked like he was dazed, maybe concussed."

Police said he was able to get up on his own and get help.

"He was severely disoriented, all he could say was he was in a plane crash," said Sgt. Lee Grabner, New Milford police.

The victims' identities have not been released because their families have not yet been notified.

"We believe it was a training flight based on the appearance of where they were seated in the plane, but we don't know the exact circumstances like who had control of the plane or what caused the crash," Grabner said.

The cause of the crash is under investigation by NTSB and FAA officials. They confirmed it was indeed a training flight.

They said the plane may have landed in New Milford before taking off to return to Danbury.

"It's just a small private field that's used for personal flights and some instruction," Grabner said. "They also work with Danbury Airport."

Examining the registration numbers, Eyewitness News found that it appears the plane belongs to Arrow Aviation.

A plane crashed in Danbury on July 30, killing Mark Stern of Redding. That plane also involved a Cessna and the flight school.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal urged the NTSB to quickly complete its probe.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the victim's family and those injured in this tragic crash," Blumenthal said. "I am alarmed by the number of small plane crashes that have claimed lives in recent months and years in Connecticut. I urge the NTSB to complete its investigation quickly and thoroughly so we can determine whether action may be warranted to strengthen safety measures for small aircraft."

There have been a number of small plane crashes in Connecticut this year.

In April, Dr. Joseph Tomanelli was killed when the plane he was in crashed on Hanover Street in Wallingford.

Two men were killed in East Windsor roughly two weeks before that.

Pablo Campos-Isona of East Haven was killed when his plane crashed in February.

Anyone who witnessed Friday's crash is asked to contact the New Milford Police Department at 860-355-3133.

Story and video:  http://www.wfsb.com



One person was killed and two others, including a juvenile, were seriously injured when a Cessna 172M crashed Friday morning on a grassy runway, officials said.

The juvenile female, a student pilot, was flying the plane when it crashed and she sustained serious injuries, police said. The co-pilot and flight instructor, Anthony Morasco, 57, was pronounced dead on scene.

Another passenger, Peter Jellen, 44, of New York was seriously injured but was able to escape the crash and walk to a nearby home to ask for help, police said.

The plane crashed about 9:45 a.m. in the area of an airstrip on the Sherman line called Candlelight Farms, officials said.


The juvenile female, whose identity was withheld, was flown by Life Star helicopter to Hartford Hospital, police said.


The plane is owned by Arrow Aviation in Danbury, police said.


The National Transportation Safety Board said the organization is going to investigate the crash. Officials said the Federal Aviation Administration has been notified.


Mayor David Gronbach said police and first responders secured the scene. No one outside the airplane was injured.


The private airport on the border of Sherman sees a regular number of small airplanes coming and going without incident, according to Gronbach.


"I can't say there's been anything like this in recent memory," Gronbach said.


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


NEW MILFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — New Milford Police report that the National Transportation Safety Board is heading to the scene to continue their investigation on Friday’s fatal plane crash.

According to police, a subsequent investigation revealed that the plane was being flown by a juvenile female student pilot and crashed north of the grass runway of the Candlelight Farms Airport. They say the student pilot was trapped within the airplane and critically injured.

Police say the student pilot was extricated from the plane by the New Milford Fire Department and flown by LifeStar to Hartford Hospital for definitive care.

Authorities say, the co-pilot and flight instructor employed by Arrow Aviation, 57-year-old Anthony J. Morasco of New Milford, was killed in the crash and presumed dead at the scene by EMS personnel. They say the rear seat passenger, 44-year-old Peter Jellen of New York, was seriously injured, but able to walk out of the wreckage to a home nearby where he summoned help.

According to officials the plane is owned by Arrow Aviation LLC of Danbury. They say the plane is registered as a 1974 fixed wing, Cessna 172M, with a tail No. N1727V.

Authorities say the Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board and the Connecticut Airport Authority have all been notified. They say the scene has been secured awaiting the arrival of the NTSB Investigative personnel.

New Milford Police ask that any witnesses or persons with information regarding this accident to contact them at 860-355-3133.

Police have not released any further details at this time.


Original article ➤  http://wtnh.com


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

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Enfield, Connecticut

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

Cessna 616DF LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N612DF


NTSB Identification: ERA17LA261
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 30, 2017 in Danbury, CT
Aircraft: CESSNA 172S, registration: N612DF
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious.

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

On July 30, 2017, about 1025 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N612DF, was substantially damaged when it impacted brush and terrain shortly after takeoff from the Danbury Municipal Airport (DXR), Danbury Connecticut. The pilot died 4 days after the accident, and the two passengers received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was operated by Arrow Aviation LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the airport tower controller , the airplane lost altitude after takeoff while still over runway 26, a 4,422-foot-long runway. He then observed it "appearing to correct – it had assumed a more nose up attitude." It then began a left roll, followed by a "full nose up attitude, rolling to the left" before it lost altitude and impacted the ground.

An initial examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administrator (FAA) inspector revealed that fuselage came to rest upright in a nose down attitude, in a heavy brush area about 1,000 feet from the departure end of the runway. The left wing was partial separated from the fuselage and exhibited leading edge crush damage from the root to the tip. The outboard one-third of the right wing was bent upward and aft. The fuselage was buckled on both sides aft of the rear window, and the left rear pillar was crushed and separated from the roof. The nose section, including the engine, was crushed and displaced upward and aft. The empennage, vertical and horizontal stabilizers, rudder and elevators were largely undamaged .

Several brush branches were found severed at a 45-degree angle in the westerly path leading up to the airplane. Both propeller blades exhibited leading edge gouges and chordwise scratches. Fuel samples from both tanks was blue in color and absent of water. Oil was present in the engine, but the quantity could not be determined due to the canted resting position of the engine.

According to fuel records and statements from the operator, the airplane was fueled to the full level in both tanks on the afternoon of July 28. The accident flight was the first flight since that fueling.

Review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the most recent annual inspection was completed on July 21, 2017 about 17 flight hours prior to the accident. At that time, the engine had accrued 11,395 hours since new, and 656 hours since overhaul.

According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and helicopter. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued June 14, 2016 at which time he reported 582 hours of total flight experience.

At 1053, the reported weather at DXR included wind from 350° at 9 knots, the temperature was 23° C, and the dew point was 12° C.

The airplane was retained for further examination.



Mark Stern, 63, passed away on Thursday in Danbury Hospital after succumbing to injuries sustained from a private plane crash on Sunday morning, July 30.  

Stern is survived by his wife of 30 years Karin; his son Bryan; daughter Alexis; stepdaughter Stacee; brothers; David, Richard and Glen; sister Donna; and grandchildren Vincent, Emily and Sarah.  He was preceded in death by his parents Leon and Miriam Stern.

Stern attended New York University and graduated from the University of Florida in 1976, then went on to earn his Juris Doctor in 1979 from Loyola Marymount School of Law. He worked at several law firms before founding his international law practice, Mark Stern & Associates, in 1986.

Stern was licensed to practice law in Connecticut, New York, California and Florida. He was a trial litigator, community leader, teacher and law enforcement professional.

An active volunteer in his community throughout his life, he served as the Wilton Fire Commissioner, a Culver City California Police Officer, Volunteer Florida State Highway Trooper and an auxiliary Police Officer at Fairfield/Eagle 1 Search and Rescue helicopter program.

He served as a Fact Finder and Arbitrator for the Stamford-Connecticut Superior Court and a Director of the Fairfield Bar Association. He was also a member and volunteered his time with dozens of other organizations focused on law enforcement, emergency management, law, commercial security and others.

He was a lifetime student and teacher who continued exploring new fields of endeavor, including becoming an experienced aviator flying both helicopters and airplanes.

His true passions were family, flying, and making a positive difference on those around him.

All arrangements are being directed by Spadaccino and Leo P. Gallagher & Son Community Funeral Home of Monroe.   

Stern’s celebration of life and memorial will be held Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 10 a.m. at the Norwalk Inn, located at 99 East Ave., Norwalk.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made by calling either the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund at (561) 855-4207, or Blackhorse 4 Heroes at (516) 449-9610 in honor of “Mark Stern and Family.”




DANBURY - A plane that crashed last week during takeoff from Danbury Airport lost altitude quickly and rolled to one side before crashing into a wooded area, according to a preliminary report released by federal investigators.

The report, released Tuesday by the National Transportation Safety Board, said the plane, a Cessna 172 Skyhawk piloted by Redding resident Mark Stern, 63, was “assuming a nose-up attitude” before it rolled to the left and spun to the ground.

Stern, an experienced pilot, died of his injuries four days later. Two other passengers, whom authorities have yet to identify, also suffered serious injuries, the report said.

Sources have said that weight could have been a factor in the crash, but an aviation expert who reviewed the preliminary results for Hearst Connecticut Media said that weight is only one of several variables that could have caused the accident.

Matt Reynolds, a former aviation accident investigator for the U.S. Navy, said the initial report could also point to a loss of power, cautioning that more data would be needed to make a determination.

“One of the most common, insidious and deadly situations is a power interruption shortly after takeoff,” said Reynolds, an aviation expert with Pennsylvania-based Robson Forensics.

The report said the plane had begun losing altitude while still over the runway and that the pilot appeared to be trying to correct its course.

Reynolds said the pilot might have pulled the nose up in an effort to maintain the plane’s air speed, but the aircraft might have stalled. In an aircraft, a stall occurs when the wings lose lift and can no longer support the plane.

“Any overcorrection or incorrect inputs leading to uncoordinated flight, combined with a stall, will result in a spin shortly after takeoff that you can’t recover from,” Robinson said.

Pilots are trained to recover from a stall, but the Cessna didn’t have enough altitude to perform the emergency procedure, Reynolds noted.

“Your best chance, if you’re at an altitude below 500 feet and you have a power interruption, is to make a forced landing,” Reynolds said.

The NTSB report states that the plane was full of fuel when it took off and that its annual inspection was completed July 21 - less than two weeks before the accident.

The report also confirmed that the plane was rented from Arrow Aviation and that no flight plan was filed with the FAA. Stern had a license to operate both helicopters and single-engine aircraft and had logged about 582 hours of flight experience.

Stern’s obituary described him as “a lifetime student and teacher who continued exploring new fields of endeavor, including becoming an experienced aviator flying both helicopters and airplanes. His true passions were family, flying, and making a positive difference on those around him.”

Stern’s flying experience included time spent volunteering as a pilot with Eagle 1, a search-and-rescue helicopter operated by the Stratford Police Department, the obituary said.

Stern, an attorney with offices in Norwalk, had also served as a member of the Wilton Fire Commissioner, as a police officer in Culver City, Calif., and as a volunteer trooper for the Florida State Highway patrol.

Stern was licensed to practice law in Connecticut, New York, California and Florida.

A full report by the NTSB likely will take more than a year to complete.


http://www.newstimes.com









Authorities have yet to release the names of three men whose small plane crashed on Sunday less than a mile from Danbury Municipal Airport. But family members said the pilot, Mark Stern, has died of his injuries. 

Family members said Stern, of Redding, was an experienced pilot. The family “asks for privacy at this time given the tragedy,” said a Stern family spokesman reached by phone Friday, adding an obituary “is forthcoming.”

The other two passengers have not been identified by local or federal officials.

The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the crash, has not released any information, but Danbury Fire Department officials Friday described the crash scene as they found it some two minutes after they received the 911 call.

The plane, a single-engine Cessna Skyhawk, was found deep in brush up a hill near Miry Brook Road some seven minutes after it took off from Danbury Municipal Airport.


http://www.newstimes.com



DANBURY — At least one person remains in critical condition after Sunday’s plane crash near Danbury Airport.

Detectives with the National Transportation Safety Board have taken over the crash investigation from local authorities and were expected to remove the plane from the hillside sometime late Monday.

Three people injured in the crash remain at Danbury Hospital, authorities said. One person is reported to have life-threatening injuries, another is in serious condition and a third has non-life-threatening injuries. The names of the injured have not been released.

The plane crashed in the hills behind the city dog park on Miry Brook Road shortly after taking off around 10:30 a.m. Sunday morning.

Several sources told The News-Times that weight on board the aircraft might have been a factor in the crash, but NTSB officials have yet to release any information about what led to the accident. Agency officials did say the fuel tank was full when the plane went down.

Story and video ►  http://www.newstimes.com



DANBURY — Three men were injured after a plane crashed in a field about a mile from Danbury Airport Sunday morning.

The Cessna Skyhawk single-engine aircraft crashed on a hill behind the Danbury Dog Park on Miry Brook Road just before 10:30 a.m. after taking off from Danbury Airport for a local flight, said Stephen Williams, deputy fire chief for the Danbury Fire Department.

The four-passenger plane had been rented from the airport earlier Sunday morning and took off from Runway 26 behind the FedEx building on Backus Avenue, Williams said. The plane was heading west, but investigators do not yet know its intended destination.

Williams said the airport tower called 911 first, but authorities also received several other calls from witnesses walking their dogs in the park when the plane crashed down.

Within minutes, fire officials arrived and beat back brush to reach and rescue the three men from the plane. They were then transported to Danbury Hospital.

One of the men suffered life-threatening injuries. Another was in serious condition and was expected to stay in the hospital at least over night, Williams said. The third suffered minor injuries and was expected to be released from the hospital Sunday evening, Williams said.

Authorities were working on identifying the passengers and where they were inside the plane when it crashed. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are also determining why the aircraft crashed, Williams said.

“It may have been a pilot error or a mechanical problem, but it’s still too early to determine,” Williams said. “They did have a full tank of fuel, so it doesn’t appear to be any type of issue like that. It’s going to take them some time to go through the mechanical of the airplane and figure out what happened.”

He added the pilot likely tried to land safely.

“I’m sure the pilot was doing everything he could to get the plane down as safely as he could as soon as he realized he wasn’t able to fly,” Williams said. “What caused the condition that he couldn’t continue to fly, I don’t know, but I’m sure he did his best to get the airplane down as best he could.”

The National Transportation Safety Board says on its website that it can take 12 to 18 months to determine the cause of a plane crash.

Police initially closed Miry Brook Road from Backus Avenue to George Washington highway in Ridgefield. But by 12:30 p.m Sunday, police set up a barrier at the Miry Brook Road and Backus Avenue intersection and directed traffic around the site.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims at this time,” Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour said.

Any witnesses to the crash had left the scene by 11:30 a.m. Sunday, but a few passersby stopped during their walks to see what had happened.

John Zahner, who lives on the Wooster School campus across from the crash, said he heard sirens from his house and assumed there had been a small fire. But when he, his three kids and their dog went for a walk, they saw the plane in the field.

“I never heard the plane come down,” he said. “A plane of that size you would expect a little more noise.”

The dog park will be closed until the estimated 3,000 pound-plane is cleared.

“It’s still pretty rough terrain,” Williams said. “It’s going to take us a while to investigate the accident and remove the airplane.”

Lt. Mike Sturdevant said the plane is expected to be removed on Monday.

Story and video ►  http://www.newstimes.com




DANBURY, Conn. — Three men were injured, one critically, after their rented plane crashed into heavy brush on a hillside just after taking off from Danbury Airport on Sunday morning, the Danbury Fire Department said in a statement. 

The airplane, a Cessna SkyHawk, took off at about 10:30 a.m. when the tower witnessed the plane crash and called 911, said James Gagliardo, fire department spokesman.

The Danbury Fire Department was dispatched to the area near the Danbury Dog Park at the intersection of Miry Brook Road and Backus Avenue, Gagliardo said.

Upon arrival, Engine 26 confirmed the plane had crashed in the field just behind the dog park, he said. Responders had to make their way to the crash site, which was located in heavy brush, Gagliardo said.

The three male passengers, who were not identified, were quickly extricated and transported to Danbury Hospital by EMS for treatment, he said.

One man was in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, and medical officials planned to transfer him to Westchester Medical Center via medivac, Gagliardo said.

One man was in "severe condition," he said, and the third was in stable condition with minor injuries.

The plane was reportedly rented from an operator at Danbury Airport, Gagliardo said. It was unclear where the plane was headed after taking off from the westbound runway, he said.

The investigation was turned over to the Danbury Airport Administrator, who is working with the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board to determine the cause of the accident, he said.

Police and fire crews were on the scene throughout Sunday afternoon, with emergency crews parked in the Dog Park area and along the fences.

The Dog Park was closed, but the roads remained open in the area. Onlookers and media were gathered near the Federal Express office at the corner, across from the crash scene.

The crash scene is just west of the airport, which is near the Danbury Fair Mall.

The 3,000-pound plane was still at the crash scene Sunday evening. It was in rough terrain along the side of the hill. 


http://danbury.dailyvoice.com



DANBURY - Three men were hospitalized when a single-engine plane crashed Sunday while taking off from Danbury Airport, officials say.

Fire officials tell News 12 that one person is in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. Another person is in serious condition, and the third suffered minor injuries. All three were taken to Danbury Hospital, but the victim with the most serious injuries has since been transferred to Westchester Hospital.

Authorities say the initial 911 calls reporting the crash came in around 10:25 a.m.

The plane crashed on a hill near the airport property, behind the Danbury Dog Park. A deputy fire chief says that first responders had to beat their way through the brush on the hill to make it to the plane and get the victims out of the wreckage.

The men were flying in a Cessna 172S Skyhawk. They had rented the aircraft Sunday morning and were heading west, although authorities have not yet confirmed their exact destination.

The identities of those who were injured have not yet been released. 

The Danbury Dog Park was closed following the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board and the airport administrator are investigating the cause of the crash. Officials say the plane had a full tank of gas.

Story and video ► http://connecticut.news12.com



DANBURY, Connecticut (WABC) -- Three people were injured when a small plane crashed during takeoff in Connecticut Sunday morning. 

The Cessna 172S Skyhawk crashed after departure from Runway 26 at Danbury Municipal Airport at 10:25 a.m.

The Danbury Fire Department says one person was critically injured, another was seriously hurt, and the third sustained minor injuries.

The Hartford Courant reports that the plane crashed in a field on Miry Brook Road near the city's dog park.

Responders had to blaze a trail to the aircraft then extricate the victims and bring them down the trail they created.

Mayor Mark Boughton said the city is awaiting the Federal Aviation Administration and that the dog park will remain closed.

There is no word yet on where the plane was headed.

The  Federal Aviation Administration will investigate and the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the cause of the accident.

http://abc7ny.com




DANBURY — Mayor Mark Boughton tweeted Sunday morning that 3 people were injured following a plane crash at Danbury Airport.

Mayor Boughton goes on to say that all were taken to Danbury hospital after the plane crashed during take off.

Officials say that one person was in critical condition, one in serious condition, and the third had minor injuries.

The Federal Aviation Administration says the plane that crashed was a Cessna 172S Skyhawk that was departing from Runway 26 at Danbury Airport. 

The  Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating to determine the cause of the crash.

http://fox61.com




Three people are hurt after a plane crash at Danbury Municipal Airport, according to the mayor. 

Three men were taken to the hospital - one in critical condition and one in serious condition, according to officials on scene.


A spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration said that a Cessna 172S Skyhawk crashed after taking off around 10:25 a.m. 

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have been called in to investigate.

The plane crashed in the area of Miry Brook Road and Backus Avenue. The nearby Danbury Dog Park is closed due to the investigation. 

Story and video ► http://www.necn.com




DANBURY, CT (CBSNewYork) — Three people were injured when a small plane crashed after taking off from an airport in southwestern Connecticut late Sunday morning.

The Cessna 172S Skyhawk crashed after departure from runway 26 at Danbury Municipal Airport at 10:25 a.m, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

“Appears they were departing and wasn’t able to maintain flight and the pilot crashed into the side of the hill,” Deputy Fire Chief Steven Williams said.

Three men were rushed from the wreckage to area hospitals.

WCBS 880’s Kelly Waldron reports the men had rented the plane from an operator at the airport.

Nobody on the ground was injured in the crash, according to Deputy Chief Williams.

The Federal Aviation Administration continues to investigate, and the National Transportation Safety Board will work to determine the cause of the crash.

Story and video ►  http://newyork.cbslocal.com



Three people are hurt after a plane crash at Danbury Municipal Airport, according to the mayor.

Three men were taken to the hospital - one in critical condition and one in serious condition, according to officials on scene.

A spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration said that a Cessna 172S Skyhawk crashed after taking off around 10:25 a.m. 

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have been called in to investigate.

The plane crashed in the area of Miry Brook Road and Backus Avenue. The nearby Danbury Dog Park is closed due to the investigation. 

Story and video ► http://www.nbcconnecticut.com

DANBURY, CT (WFSB) -  Three people have been injured after a plane crashed at Danbury Airport on Sunday, according to officials.

Two people are listed in critical condition, according to Danbury Communications Officer, James Gagliardo, while a third passenger escaped with minor injuries. 


Firefighters said they received a call at 10:30 a.m. from tower dispatchers that the rented plane, a Cessna 172S Skyhawk, had crashed just after take-off into the heavy brush near airport property on Miry Brook Road.


First Responders extricated the passengers and all three were transported to Danbury Hospital. 


Deputy Chief Stephen Williams told Eyewitness News that a mechanical malfunction may have caused the plane to crash, but said the it is still too early in the investigation to make that determination.


Firefighters said a nearby dog park was evacuated and is expected to remain closed until the plane has been retrieved from the crash site. 


The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating to determine what caused the crash. 



Story and photo gallery ►  http://www.wfsb.com

DANBURY, Conn. — Three people have been injured after a small plane crashed during takeoff from Danbury Airport.

The crash happened around 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said in tweet that those injured have been taken to Danbury Hospital for treatment. He said he did not know the extent of their injuries.

The Hartford Courant reports that the plane crashed in a field on Miry Brook Road near the city's dog park.

Boughton said city is awaiting the Federal Aviation Administration and that the dog park will remain closed.