NTSB Identification: CEN16WA066
Accident occurred Wednesday, December 16, 2015 in Mixco, Guatemala
Aircraft: BELL 407, registration:
Injuries: 1 Serious, 2 Uninjured.
The foreign authority was the source of this information.
On December 16, 2015, about 1710 universal coordinated time, a Bell 407 helicopter, TG-PJV, sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain near Mixco, Guatemala. The pilot sustained a serious injury and the two passengers were uninjured. The local flight originated from the La Aurora International Airport, near Guatemala City, Guatemala at an unknown time.
The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the government of Guatemala. Further information may be obtained from:
Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (DGAC)
9 Ave, 14-75 Aeropuerto Internacional La Aurora zona 13
01000-Guatemala City, Guatemala
This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained from the DGAC.
Monday, August 28, 2017
ORNGE’s mistakes led to deaths of four in ‘flight into total darkness,’ court told: Sikorsky S-76A, Ornge Global Air Inc, C-GIMY
Night vision goggles could have prevented deaths of two pilots and two paramedics in 2013 helicopter crash, Crown prosecutor charges in labor code case against Ontario air ambulance service.
ORNGE caused the death of two pilots and two paramedics when the company failed to provide night vision goggles, the Crown attorney prosecuting Ontario’s air ambulance service has told a court.
“Despite knowing that flight into total darkness was their No. 1 workplace risk, ORNGE did not give these pilots any way to see in the dark or to see the ground,” prosecutor Nick Devlin told the judge presiding over the labour code case.
More than four years have passed since the 2013 crash that killed ORNGE captain Don Filliter, co-pilot Jacques Dupuy and flight paramedics Chris Snowball and Dustin Dagenais. They died shortly after taking off from Moosonee, Ont., headed to Attawapiskat.
In a hard-hitting condemnation of ORNGE’s safety and management regime at the time, Devlin never mentioned former boss Chris Mazza, but one of his decisions was front and centre: buying 12 state-of-the-art Italian helicopters and outfitting only 10 for air ambulance use. The plan — a failed one, as it turned out — was to one day sell the other two choppers for a profit. That purchase and related matters are part of an almost six-year-old OPP criminal probe, which, despite a statement by the force in March that it was nearing conclusion, now shows no sign of ending.
“ORNGE spent millions of dollars on a money-losing, speculative purchase of non-(air ambulance) aircraft, rather than using those funds to install (night vision) capacity in its fleet,” Devlin said in his submission to court. The helicopters were purchased from AgustaWestland at a cost of $144 million in 2008. Mazza and other senior company executives were gone by early 2012.
The air ambulance firm, which receives $172 million a year from the province, “failed the four men it sent out into the darkness,” Devlin said.
Though it involves the high-pressure field of emergency medical transport by air, the case in Brampton court is in essence a workplace safety case, and the prosecution is taking place under the Canada Labour Code. The maximum penalty against a corporation is a $1-million fine — something that has struck observers as odd, since if a penalty is paid, it will in effect come from Ontario taxpayers.
ORNGE has rejected Devlin’s claims, along with additional allegations that the two pilots were not properly trained or prepared for the flight.
“The pilots had the training, testing, and experience they needed to fly by instruments,” ORNGE said in its submission to court Friday, prepared by lawyers Brian Gover and Fredrick Schumann. “In those circumstances, the employer complied with its duty to ensure employee safety.” The lawyers pointed out that aircraft regulators in Canada do not require pilots to be able to see the ground.
ORNGE, in the wake of the crash, is in the process of outfitting its fleet and pilots with night vision capability.
The job ORNGE was doing in Moosonee, a northern community near James Bay, was routine for the service, which is charged with picking up patients in emergencies and flying others between hospitals. Filliter and Dupuy were flying an older model Sikorsky chopper, not one of the brand new EH-101s that Mazza, as ORNGE boss, had purchased.
Neither type of helicopter was outfitted for night vision, though they had instruments that ORNGE maintains were sufficient for a safe flight.
The Transportation Safety Board investigation of the crash found that shortly after midnight on May 31, 2013, the ORNGE chopper was dispatched from Moosonee to Attawapiskat to pick up an emergency patient. Investigators determined the aircraft climbed to 300 feet and the captain and first officer began carrying out post-takeoff checks. The paramedics on board likely would have been preparing for the medevac ahead in Attawapiskat.
What was described as an “inadvertent descent” began as the chopper was banking left. During the turn, the captain noticed on the instruments that the turn angle was excessive and the first officer said he would correct it. Seconds before impact, the report states the captain “recognized that the aircraft was descending and called for the first officer to initiate a climb.” It was too late and the Sikorsky hit the ground, crumpling and bursting into flames.
Night vision goggles, court heard, would have made it possible for the pilots to quickly orient themselves with the terrain.
ORNGE spokesperson James MacDonald said that the air service is now fully operational with night vision goggles and modified aircraft at its bases in Sudbury, Kenora and Thunder Bay. ORNGE is aiming to have night vision capability in all chopper bases by the end of 2017.
The court case has also delved into the previous management at ORNGE. Prosecutor Devlin said in his submission to court that ORNGE was “run by people with little or no relevant experience,” that three safety warnings concerning the Moosonee pilot’s state of mind, readiness and training were ignored, and that ORNGE had a “corporate culture of ignoring, attacking and ostracizing pilots and managers who expressed safety concerns.”
ORNGE today is under different management, following a series of investigative stories by the Star that led to a massive overhaul of the agency and most senior-level executives being shown the door.
As to the ongoing OPP criminal investigation of Mazza and others over alleged kickbacks and other matters, OPP officials did not return requests for comment last week. On Sunday, a media official with the OPP said an update would be provided this week.
Mazza, a doctor, has bounced around various jobs in Ontario since leaving ORNGE. Once paid millions of dollars a year as a top executive, he has worked at a northern hospital in the emergency room and recently has been doing a stint as a sports medicine doctor in Mississauga.
Read more here ➤ https://www.thestar.com
ORNGE caused the death of two pilots and two paramedics when the company failed to provide night vision goggles, the Crown attorney prosecuting Ontario’s air ambulance service has told a court.
“Despite knowing that flight into total darkness was their No. 1 workplace risk, ORNGE did not give these pilots any way to see in the dark or to see the ground,” prosecutor Nick Devlin told the judge presiding over the labour code case.
More than four years have passed since the 2013 crash that killed ORNGE captain Don Filliter, co-pilot Jacques Dupuy and flight paramedics Chris Snowball and Dustin Dagenais. They died shortly after taking off from Moosonee, Ont., headed to Attawapiskat.
In a hard-hitting condemnation of ORNGE’s safety and management regime at the time, Devlin never mentioned former boss Chris Mazza, but one of his decisions was front and centre: buying 12 state-of-the-art Italian helicopters and outfitting only 10 for air ambulance use. The plan — a failed one, as it turned out — was to one day sell the other two choppers for a profit. That purchase and related matters are part of an almost six-year-old OPP criminal probe, which, despite a statement by the force in March that it was nearing conclusion, now shows no sign of ending.
“ORNGE spent millions of dollars on a money-losing, speculative purchase of non-(air ambulance) aircraft, rather than using those funds to install (night vision) capacity in its fleet,” Devlin said in his submission to court. The helicopters were purchased from AgustaWestland at a cost of $144 million in 2008. Mazza and other senior company executives were gone by early 2012.
The air ambulance firm, which receives $172 million a year from the province, “failed the four men it sent out into the darkness,” Devlin said.
Though it involves the high-pressure field of emergency medical transport by air, the case in Brampton court is in essence a workplace safety case, and the prosecution is taking place under the Canada Labour Code. The maximum penalty against a corporation is a $1-million fine — something that has struck observers as odd, since if a penalty is paid, it will in effect come from Ontario taxpayers.
ORNGE has rejected Devlin’s claims, along with additional allegations that the two pilots were not properly trained or prepared for the flight.
“The pilots had the training, testing, and experience they needed to fly by instruments,” ORNGE said in its submission to court Friday, prepared by lawyers Brian Gover and Fredrick Schumann. “In those circumstances, the employer complied with its duty to ensure employee safety.” The lawyers pointed out that aircraft regulators in Canada do not require pilots to be able to see the ground.
ORNGE, in the wake of the crash, is in the process of outfitting its fleet and pilots with night vision capability.
The job ORNGE was doing in Moosonee, a northern community near James Bay, was routine for the service, which is charged with picking up patients in emergencies and flying others between hospitals. Filliter and Dupuy were flying an older model Sikorsky chopper, not one of the brand new EH-101s that Mazza, as ORNGE boss, had purchased.
Neither type of helicopter was outfitted for night vision, though they had instruments that ORNGE maintains were sufficient for a safe flight.
The Transportation Safety Board investigation of the crash found that shortly after midnight on May 31, 2013, the ORNGE chopper was dispatched from Moosonee to Attawapiskat to pick up an emergency patient. Investigators determined the aircraft climbed to 300 feet and the captain and first officer began carrying out post-takeoff checks. The paramedics on board likely would have been preparing for the medevac ahead in Attawapiskat.
What was described as an “inadvertent descent” began as the chopper was banking left. During the turn, the captain noticed on the instruments that the turn angle was excessive and the first officer said he would correct it. Seconds before impact, the report states the captain “recognized that the aircraft was descending and called for the first officer to initiate a climb.” It was too late and the Sikorsky hit the ground, crumpling and bursting into flames.
Night vision goggles, court heard, would have made it possible for the pilots to quickly orient themselves with the terrain.
ORNGE spokesperson James MacDonald said that the air service is now fully operational with night vision goggles and modified aircraft at its bases in Sudbury, Kenora and Thunder Bay. ORNGE is aiming to have night vision capability in all chopper bases by the end of 2017.
The court case has also delved into the previous management at ORNGE. Prosecutor Devlin said in his submission to court that ORNGE was “run by people with little or no relevant experience,” that three safety warnings concerning the Moosonee pilot’s state of mind, readiness and training were ignored, and that ORNGE had a “corporate culture of ignoring, attacking and ostracizing pilots and managers who expressed safety concerns.”
ORNGE today is under different management, following a series of investigative stories by the Star that led to a massive overhaul of the agency and most senior-level executives being shown the door.
As to the ongoing OPP criminal investigation of Mazza and others over alleged kickbacks and other matters, OPP officials did not return requests for comment last week. On Sunday, a media official with the OPP said an update would be provided this week.
Mazza, a doctor, has bounced around various jobs in Ontario since leaving ORNGE. Once paid millions of dollars a year as a top executive, he has worked at a northern hospital in the emergency room and recently has been doing a stint as a sports medicine doctor in Mississauga.
Read more here ➤ https://www.thestar.com
Drone Shuts Down Air Operations On Rice Ridge Fire
Sunday night, aerial firefighters working on the Rice Ridge Fire were forced to ground their planes after a drone was spotted flying over the fire. This is the third time this summer that drones have interfered with firefighting on the Lolo National Forest.
When fire managers begin using air support to suppress a fire, they set up what’s called a Temporary Flight Restriction, or TFR. The TFR bans any aircraft NOT associated with firefighting from the airspace to give pilots some space to do bucket scoops and retardant drops.
If a drone does breeze through, all that has to stop, says Erin Fryer, a public information officer on the Rice Ridge Fire.
"And so helicopters would go back to their helibase, air attack ends up going back to Helena where they're stationed right now."
Firefighters on the ground Sunday night continued to secure fireline and made some progress despite active fire conditions.
"But when the fire is getting up and moving, and moving fast, it's hard for them to stay ahead of it and take care of those hotspots," Fryer says.
In addition to losing a sorely needed resource, Fryer says this kind of thing weighs on firefighters and the community they’re trying to protect alike.
"Losing that capability of that air support is a huge impact to the firefighters, and it's pretty frustrating and defeating … it's a really unfair impact to our communities to have those operations shut down or hampered because of one person's choice."
This kind of interruption has happened twice on the Rice Ridge Fire and once on the Lolo Peak Fire. All three incidents are currently under federal investigation.
Nationwide, there have been at least 20 cases of drones interrupting firefighting activities this season. That’s according to Jessica Gardetto, spokesperson for the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho.
"We've had numerous close calls where a drone has come within 50 to 100 feet of a helicopter or an air tanker, and as I mentioned before, that can cause a collision and cause it to crash," Gardetto says.
There are a few layers of federal regulations that prohibit flying drones and other unmanned aircraft systems into active firefighting operations, but the Federal Aviation Administration is the main agency to handle these cases. If an investigator can prove the flight was intentional, the FAA can prosecute to the tune of $20,000.
Gardetto says some states have laws even more stringent than federal regulations to protect firefighting pilots and keep air suppression moving.
"These wildfires grow at a rapid pace, so every hour, every minute that those air tankers and those helicopters are working, counts. So it can have severe impacts on wildfires if they do have to shut down for even an hour or two."
The onus is on the drone operator to know where temporary flight restrictions are in place. A map of no-fly zones is available here.
App for drone pilots: https://www.faa.gov/uas/where_to_fly/b4ufly/
Story and audio ➤ http://mtpr.org
Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport (KPUW), Whitman County, Washington: Regents will consider airport land sale Wednesday
The university’s highest governing body will meet via teleconference Wednesday to consider proposals to turn over land to the airport and relocate parts of a research orchard.
The Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport has been seeking to build a bigger runway to accommodate bigger planes for more than a decade. One issue with the project was that parts of WSU animal and horticulture research facilities were located in the proposed runway’s Runway Protection Zone, a plot of land off the end of the tarmac that is supposed to remain clear in case a plane overshoots a landing or does not take off properly.
The airport will propose to purchase the land from the university for $15.3 million, about the same amount it will cost to relocate the facility.
Affected research programs include United States Department of Agriculture studies, College of Veterinary Medicine research and projects associated with the Tukey Horticulture Orchard and some College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences’ animal facilities.
The university plans to relocate the affected programs and facilities to the Tula Young Hastings Farm southwest of Pullman and the Spillman Farm south of Pullman, both of which WSU owns.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://dailyevergreen.com
A project to build a new runway at Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport will stay on track if the Washington State University Board of Regents approves a deal Wednesday.
WSU's administration is recommending that the trustees accept the latest counteroffer from the Pullman-Moscow airport authority of $15.3 million. The airport wants to buy about two dozen agricultural research buildings and barns and relocate those operations. The structures are in the way of the landing approach to a new runway.
The university and the airport have negotiated and traded offers and counteroffers for well over a year now. The affected research programs would be relocated to a pair of farms south of Pullman. October 2019 is the airport's tentative date to christen a wider, longer and realigned replacement for what is now a below-standard runway and taxiway.
The majority of the funding for the $119 million airport reconstruction project is coming from the federal government. The case for the new runway is based on improving the reliability of air service and handling growing demand.
Since 2006, the Pullman-Moscow airport has needed a waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration to operate. The separation between the current runway and the parallel taxiway is less than the 400 feet required by the FAA. The separation distance becomes an issue if large aircraft are using the runway and taxiway at the same time.
The Pullman-Moscow airport currently has daily commercial airline service from Alaska/Horizon Air using large turboprops and also receives the occasional Boeing or Airbus jet on a charter flight.
"This land acquisition was the last big one we have outstanding," airport director Tony Bean said in an interview Monday.
The multi-year runway reconstruction project broke ground last summer -- before the airport authority had control of all of the needed land.
Contractors are working almost 20 hours per day currently, Bean said. This year's primary tasks are earthmoving to build the base for the new runway and installation of an extensive drainage system. Paving should begin next year.
Story and audio ➤ http://klcc.org
Sumner County Regional (M33), Gallatin, Tennessee: Airport lands new operations firm IndyJet
As the Sumner County Regional Airport Authority prepares for expansion, it has selected an Indiana-based fixed base operator to provide services for aircraft owners.
IndyJet's arrival means complete aircraft servicing for piston and jet engine aircraft, airport Manager Roe Massey said Tuesday. The company will also provide aircraft for those interested in aviation lessons and or pilots wanting to rent a plane for the day.
The company currently operates as an FBO in Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio.
Massey said the airport authority put out a request for proposals earlier this year after the lease with GTO Aviation LLC ended. About a half-dozen companies met the deadline.
"In order to provide the services the airport needs as we prepare for expansion, they were the best option by far," Massey said.
The expansion project is expected to cost $6.2 million, with nearly $3 million covered by state funds and another $330,000 in local funds. The balance will be funded by FAA discretionary funds. All told, it's the airport's biggest projects since construction took place in 1962.
In addition to maintenance, IndyJet works with clients to provide charter flights, catering and ground transportation at its two other locations.
The SCRAA has an average daily traffic count of about 80 aircraft. With a runway 6,300 feet in length, the SCRAA is able to handle "just about any kind of aircraft," even a GulfStream 650, Massey said.
About seven part-time workers are employed by SCRAA, but IndyJet should bring another six to 12 jobs, Massey said.
The airport's growth isn't just a win for Gallatin, but for Hendersonville, Sumner County and beyond.
"A business that's coming here, they're going to be flying in. They want somewhere where they can get in and out quickly," Massey said. "And with the music scene like it is, they're able to fly out of here without all the fans being around."
As soon as next month, work will be underway to resurface the area where planes are parked for loading, unloading and refueling. That area will later be expanded toward the west, providing room for nearly two dozen new hangars and terminal.
When Gallatin was in the path of totality for the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, that number to between 115 and 130, with an additional 30 jets, Massey said.
"It was a zoo. There were people from all over the world. Some just landed, got off their aircraft and stayed in the shadow of their aircraft, got back on and left," he said.
Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.tennessean.com
IndyJet's arrival means complete aircraft servicing for piston and jet engine aircraft, airport Manager Roe Massey said Tuesday. The company will also provide aircraft for those interested in aviation lessons and or pilots wanting to rent a plane for the day.
The company currently operates as an FBO in Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio.
Massey said the airport authority put out a request for proposals earlier this year after the lease with GTO Aviation LLC ended. About a half-dozen companies met the deadline.
"In order to provide the services the airport needs as we prepare for expansion, they were the best option by far," Massey said.
The expansion project is expected to cost $6.2 million, with nearly $3 million covered by state funds and another $330,000 in local funds. The balance will be funded by FAA discretionary funds. All told, it's the airport's biggest projects since construction took place in 1962.
In addition to maintenance, IndyJet works with clients to provide charter flights, catering and ground transportation at its two other locations.
The SCRAA has an average daily traffic count of about 80 aircraft. With a runway 6,300 feet in length, the SCRAA is able to handle "just about any kind of aircraft," even a GulfStream 650, Massey said.
About seven part-time workers are employed by SCRAA, but IndyJet should bring another six to 12 jobs, Massey said.
The airport's growth isn't just a win for Gallatin, but for Hendersonville, Sumner County and beyond.
"A business that's coming here, they're going to be flying in. They want somewhere where they can get in and out quickly," Massey said. "And with the music scene like it is, they're able to fly out of here without all the fans being around."
As soon as next month, work will be underway to resurface the area where planes are parked for loading, unloading and refueling. That area will later be expanded toward the west, providing room for nearly two dozen new hangars and terminal.
When Gallatin was in the path of totality for the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, that number to between 115 and 130, with an additional 30 jets, Massey said.
"It was a zoo. There were people from all over the world. Some just landed, got off their aircraft and stayed in the shadow of their aircraft, got back on and left," he said.
Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.tennessean.com
New Super Hornet technology will ease pilot workload, jet noise
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) -- New technology will simplify the process of landing an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet on an aircraft carrier.
"Magic Carpet" allows pilots to make single-digit flight path corrections on approach to the ship instead of hundreds of corrections. Pilots can control their flight paths more simply and directly without worrying about adjusting roll, yaw, and pitch, adding and reducing power, and predicting how the plane's course will intersect with the moving ship.
"Just within the last few weeks, we've discovered it's going to be accelerated into the fleet, should be fully into the fleet by 2020," said Rick Keys, Director of Aviation Shore Readiness for U.S. Fleet Forces Command.
For people who live around Naval Airs Station Oceana and Fentress Field, there's an added bonus with Magic Carpet.
"We anticipate it will reduce the number of Field Carrier Landing Practice operations required by about two percent per pilot," said Keys. "So, that means less fuel, less noise, and safer landings at the aircraft carrier."
The change is one part of the ongoing switch from older F/A-18 "C" legacy Hornets to the newer, more capable F/A-18 E and F. Super Hornets.
The Super Hornets are more expensive than the older jets. They're larger and heavier, and they are believed to be 5 to 6 decibels louder than the older planes.
Story and video ➤ http://www.13newsnow.com
Fuel Exhaustion: Pacific Aerospace 750XL, N750UP; accident occurred August 28, 2017 in Harvest, Madison County, Alabama
The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Birmingham, Alabama
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
http://registry.faa.gov/N750UP
Location: Harvest, AL
Accident Number: ERA17LA302
Date & Time: 08/28/2017, 1110 CDT
Registration: N750UP
Aircraft: PACIFIC AEROSPACE LTD 750XL
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Fuel exhaustion
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On August 28, 2017, about 1110 central daylight time, a Pacific Aerospace Limited 750XL, N750UP, using call sign Penn 1, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a field near Harvest, Alabama. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was being operated under the provisions Title of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 0745 from Pennridge Airport (CKZ), Perkasie, Pennsylvania, and was destined for Huntsville International Airport-Carl T Jones Field (HSV), Huntsville, Alabama.
The pilot stated that the purpose of the planned 3.5 hour flight was to fly to HSV for a maintenance inspection, with a planned fuel stop at Rockwood Municipal Airport (RKW), Rockwood, Tennessee. As part of his preflight inspection of the airplane he visually verified each fuel tank was full, and the total usable fuel capacity was 221 gallons. For fuel consumption calculation purposes he used 50 gallons-per-hour.
After takeoff, the airplane climbed to the flight planned altitude of 8,000 ft mean sea level (msl), and proceeded towards the destination airport. When the flight was near the planned refueling location, he verified that the airplane had an adequate supply of fuel to reach the intended destination, but he did not recall the fuel load at that time.
The flight continued towards HSV and according to audio from the HSV air traffic control tower (ATCT), at 1055:23, the pilot requested to descend to 6,000 ft msl, which was approved, then at 1101:11, he was instructed to descend and maintain 4,000 ft msl. At that time, the pilot noted HSV was to his left about 10 miles away. At 1107:47, the controller instructed the pilot to descend and maintain 3,000 feet, and the pilot reported that while descending out of 4,000 ft msl, the annunciator panel lights (including the low fuel pressure light) came on along with alarms. At about 1108:40, or about 4 hours 23 minutes since the flight departed, the pilot declared an emergency and advised the controller that the flight was out of fuel. The pilot was advised by the controller of the distance and location of the destination airport, as well as 2 other airports, but the pilot later stated that he looked in the direction but was not familiar.
He maintained 91 knots indicated airspeed (best glide speed) and maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing in a field. After seeing powerlines ahead he pushed the yoke but hit the bottom wire. The airplane then touched down on the main landing gear near the edge of the field, rolled up a slight embankment, and then onto a road, coming to rest upright. He exited the airplane and called 911 to report the accident.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Commercial
Age: 33, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 04/04/2017
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 05/29/2017
Flight Time: 1063 hours (Total, all aircraft), 300 hours (Total, this make and model), 772 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 149 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft)
The pilot, age 33, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multi-engine land, issued October 15, 2014, and held a 1st class medical certificate with no limitations issued April 4, 2017. On the submitted NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report, he reported 1,063 hours total flight time, of which 300 hours were in the accident make and model airplane.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: PACIFIC AEROSPACE LTD
Registration: N750UP
Model/Series: 750XL NO SERIES
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2007
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 133
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 05/26/2017, Continuous Airworthiness
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 7500 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 161 Hours
Engines: 1 Turbo Prop
Airframe Total Time: 4910.9 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Pratt & Whitney
ELT: C126 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: PT6A-34
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 750 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
The two-place, low-wing airplane serial number 133 was manufactured in 2007. It was powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34 engine rated at 750 shaft-horsepower for 5 minutes, maximum continuous 633 shaft horsepower, and equipped with a constant-speed, feathering and reversible, three-bladed Hartzell propeller.
The airplane's fuel system consisted of four fuel tanks having a total capacity of about 227.4 U.S. gallons, of which 221 U.S. gallons were usable. The unusable fuel capacity of each forward fuel tank was 3 gallons.
The NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident report completed by the owner/operator in consultation with the pilot revealed the "no" block was checked to the question was there mechanical malfunction or failure.
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: HSV, 629 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 14 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1053 CDT
Direction from Accident Site: 183°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 21000 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 7 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 110°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.04 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 24°C / 18°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Perkasie, PA (CKZ)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: Huntsville, AL (HSV)
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 0745 EDT
Type of Airspace:
At 1053, a surface weather observation taken at HSV located about 14 nm south-southwest of the accident site, reported wind 110° at 7 knots, 10 miles visibility, overcast ceiling at 21,000 ft agl, temperature 24°C, dew point 18°C, and altimeter setting 30.04 inches of mercury.
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: 34.860000, -86.757500
The accident site was located about 13.6 nautical miles north-northeast of HSV. Examination of the accident site by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed damage to a cable adjacent to a road located about 570 ft southwest of the accident site. Marks from all three landing gears were noted in an open field between the contacted cable and resting position of the airplane. The marks continue on the ground, then impact upslopsing terrain adjacent to a road. The airplane slid across the road coming to rest upright with a portion of the right wing over the road about 460 ft from the first observed touchdown point in the field. A cable was wrapped around the propeller spinner, and the nose and the right main landing gear wheel assembly were separated.
Postaccident examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed that each forward fuel tank was breached, while a co-owner of the airplane reported the left rear fuel tank was also breached. The FAA inspector reported there was no evidence of fuel spill across the road along the energy path. A residual amount of fuel remained in both forward fuel tanks although the amount was not quantified, and a slight spill of fuel was noted beneath the left forward fuel tank no bigger than a "dixie plate." The propeller blades were in the feathered position though 1 blade which was bent about 90° was rotated in the propeller hub. The airplane was recovered for further examination.
According to a co-owner of the airplane, no fuel was found in the fuel filter assembly or environmental collector tank. Additionally, no fuel was found in the fuel lines in the engine compartment when the engine was removed from the airframe. The co-owner was requested information about the engine and internal condition of the engine-driven fuel pump to confirm it showed signs of fuel exhaustion, but the information was not provided to NTSB.
Tests And Research
According to an individual that co-owned the airplane, the same flight had been made multiple times, including twice in that airplane; however, that trip had never been attempted non-stop.
According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook, the fuel allowance for start, taxi, and takeoff is 39 pounds, or about 6 gallons. Based on the pilot's flight planning using 50 gallons per hour, and the usable fuel load at takeoff of 215 gallons, the available fuel without reserve allowed for about 4 hours 18 minutes of flight.
NTSB Identification: ERA17LA302
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, August 28, 2017 in Harvest, AL
Aircraft: PACIFIC AEROSPACE LTD 750XL, registration: N750UP
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 August 28, 2017, about 1109 central daylight time, a Pacific Aerospace Limited 750XL, N750UP, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a field near Harvest, Alabama. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was being operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 0630 from Pennridge Airport (CKZ), Perkasie, Pennsylvania, and was destined for Huntsville International Airport-Carl T Jones Field (HSV), Huntsville, Alabama.
The pilot stated that as part of his preflight inspection of the airplane he visually verified each fuel tank was full, and the total usable fuel capacity was 221 gallons. After takeoff, the airplane climbed to the flight planned altitude of 8,000 ft mean sea level (msl), and proceeded towards the destination airport. When the flight was near the planned refueling location of the Rockwood Municipal Airport, Rockwood, Tennessee, the pilot verified that the airplane had an adequate supply of fuel to reach the intended destination. While in contact with HSV air traffic control tower, he requested to descend to 6,000 ft msl, and was subsequently cleared to descend to 4,000 ft msl. At that time, the pilot noted HSV was to his left about 10 miles away. Shortly thereafter, while at an altitude about 3,500 ft msl, warning lights on the annunciator panel, which included a fuel pressure light, illuminated. The pilot declared an emergency with the controller, and the engine experienced a total loss of engine power. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the controller vectored the pilot to Epps Airpark (00AL), a private airport located in Harvest, Alabama, but the pilot was unable to locate it.
The pilot further stated that he maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing in a field, and he attempted to descend under powerlines, but the airplane impacted a telephone line. The airplane then touched down on the main landing gear near the edge of the field, rolled up a slight embankment, and then onto a road, coming to rest upright. He exited the airplane, and called 911 to report the accident.
Postaccident examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed the forward fuel tanks were breached, but there was no evidence of fuel spill across the road. A residual amount of fuel remained in both fuel tanks. The airplane was recovered for further examination.
HARVEST, AL (WAFF) - Emergency personnel responded to multiple emergency calls reported a plane crash in Harvest Monday morning.
The plane went down near a residential area on Harvest Rd. around 11 a.m.
“I heard it. It sounded like a clap of thunder. I came out a few minutes later and there he was, right there,” said Crystal Harrison, a nearby resident who witnessed the crash.
“He said his engine had given out. He was circling, and all of a sudden, he just crashed.”
A spokesperson with the FAA confirmed the pilot was not seriously injured in the crash. There were no other passengers on board.
"He put us on a wrong road for probably a minute, otherwise we'd probably would've been in the path and so it glided out in clear place where it landed where it didn't hit anybody, so definitely there was probably God in the mix today," said Marsha Folks, another witness who lives in the area.
The pilot was en route from Philadelphia to Huntsville International Airport.
The cause of the crash is unknown at this time, but the FAA is on the way from Birmingham to investigate.
According to the plane's registry, it's a fixed wing, single-engine turboprop aircraft.
Story, video and photo gallery ➤ http://www.wsfa.com
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Birmingham, Alabama
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: Harvest, AL
Accident Number: ERA17LA302
Date & Time: 08/28/2017, 1110 CDT
Registration: N750UP
Aircraft: PACIFIC AEROSPACE LTD 750XL
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Fuel exhaustion
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On August 28, 2017, about 1110 central daylight time, a Pacific Aerospace Limited 750XL, N750UP, using call sign Penn 1, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a field near Harvest, Alabama. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was being operated under the provisions Title of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 0745 from Pennridge Airport (CKZ), Perkasie, Pennsylvania, and was destined for Huntsville International Airport-Carl T Jones Field (HSV), Huntsville, Alabama.
The pilot stated that the purpose of the planned 3.5 hour flight was to fly to HSV for a maintenance inspection, with a planned fuel stop at Rockwood Municipal Airport (RKW), Rockwood, Tennessee. As part of his preflight inspection of the airplane he visually verified each fuel tank was full, and the total usable fuel capacity was 221 gallons. For fuel consumption calculation purposes he used 50 gallons-per-hour.
After takeoff, the airplane climbed to the flight planned altitude of 8,000 ft mean sea level (msl), and proceeded towards the destination airport. When the flight was near the planned refueling location, he verified that the airplane had an adequate supply of fuel to reach the intended destination, but he did not recall the fuel load at that time.
The flight continued towards HSV and according to audio from the HSV air traffic control tower (ATCT), at 1055:23, the pilot requested to descend to 6,000 ft msl, which was approved, then at 1101:11, he was instructed to descend and maintain 4,000 ft msl. At that time, the pilot noted HSV was to his left about 10 miles away. At 1107:47, the controller instructed the pilot to descend and maintain 3,000 feet, and the pilot reported that while descending out of 4,000 ft msl, the annunciator panel lights (including the low fuel pressure light) came on along with alarms. At about 1108:40, or about 4 hours 23 minutes since the flight departed, the pilot declared an emergency and advised the controller that the flight was out of fuel. The pilot was advised by the controller of the distance and location of the destination airport, as well as 2 other airports, but the pilot later stated that he looked in the direction but was not familiar.
He maintained 91 knots indicated airspeed (best glide speed) and maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing in a field. After seeing powerlines ahead he pushed the yoke but hit the bottom wire. The airplane then touched down on the main landing gear near the edge of the field, rolled up a slight embankment, and then onto a road, coming to rest upright. He exited the airplane and called 911 to report the accident.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Commercial
Age: 33, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 04/04/2017
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 05/29/2017
Flight Time: 1063 hours (Total, all aircraft), 300 hours (Total, this make and model), 772 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 149 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft)
The pilot, age 33, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multi-engine land, issued October 15, 2014, and held a 1st class medical certificate with no limitations issued April 4, 2017. On the submitted NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report, he reported 1,063 hours total flight time, of which 300 hours were in the accident make and model airplane.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: PACIFIC AEROSPACE LTD
Registration: N750UP
Model/Series: 750XL NO SERIES
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2007
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 133
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 05/26/2017, Continuous Airworthiness
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 7500 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 161 Hours
Engines: 1 Turbo Prop
Airframe Total Time: 4910.9 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Pratt & Whitney
ELT: C126 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: PT6A-34
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 750 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
The two-place, low-wing airplane serial number 133 was manufactured in 2007. It was powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34 engine rated at 750 shaft-horsepower for 5 minutes, maximum continuous 633 shaft horsepower, and equipped with a constant-speed, feathering and reversible, three-bladed Hartzell propeller.
The airplane's fuel system consisted of four fuel tanks having a total capacity of about 227.4 U.S. gallons, of which 221 U.S. gallons were usable. The unusable fuel capacity of each forward fuel tank was 3 gallons.
The NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident report completed by the owner/operator in consultation with the pilot revealed the "no" block was checked to the question was there mechanical malfunction or failure.
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: HSV, 629 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 14 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1053 CDT
Direction from Accident Site: 183°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 21000 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 7 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 110°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.04 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 24°C / 18°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Perkasie, PA (CKZ)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: Huntsville, AL (HSV)
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 0745 EDT
Type of Airspace:
At 1053, a surface weather observation taken at HSV located about 14 nm south-southwest of the accident site, reported wind 110° at 7 knots, 10 miles visibility, overcast ceiling at 21,000 ft agl, temperature 24°C, dew point 18°C, and altimeter setting 30.04 inches of mercury.
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: 34.860000, -86.757500
The accident site was located about 13.6 nautical miles north-northeast of HSV. Examination of the accident site by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed damage to a cable adjacent to a road located about 570 ft southwest of the accident site. Marks from all three landing gears were noted in an open field between the contacted cable and resting position of the airplane. The marks continue on the ground, then impact upslopsing terrain adjacent to a road. The airplane slid across the road coming to rest upright with a portion of the right wing over the road about 460 ft from the first observed touchdown point in the field. A cable was wrapped around the propeller spinner, and the nose and the right main landing gear wheel assembly were separated.
Postaccident examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed that each forward fuel tank was breached, while a co-owner of the airplane reported the left rear fuel tank was also breached. The FAA inspector reported there was no evidence of fuel spill across the road along the energy path. A residual amount of fuel remained in both forward fuel tanks although the amount was not quantified, and a slight spill of fuel was noted beneath the left forward fuel tank no bigger than a "dixie plate." The propeller blades were in the feathered position though 1 blade which was bent about 90° was rotated in the propeller hub. The airplane was recovered for further examination.
According to a co-owner of the airplane, no fuel was found in the fuel filter assembly or environmental collector tank. Additionally, no fuel was found in the fuel lines in the engine compartment when the engine was removed from the airframe. The co-owner was requested information about the engine and internal condition of the engine-driven fuel pump to confirm it showed signs of fuel exhaustion, but the information was not provided to NTSB.
Tests And Research
According to an individual that co-owned the airplane, the same flight had been made multiple times, including twice in that airplane; however, that trip had never been attempted non-stop.
According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook, the fuel allowance for start, taxi, and takeoff is 39 pounds, or about 6 gallons. Based on the pilot's flight planning using 50 gallons per hour, and the usable fuel load at takeoff of 215 gallons, the available fuel without reserve allowed for about 4 hours 18 minutes of flight.
NTSB Identification: ERA17LA302
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, August 28, 2017 in Harvest, AL
Aircraft: PACIFIC AEROSPACE LTD 750XL, registration: N750UP
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 August 28, 2017, about 1109 central daylight time, a Pacific Aerospace Limited 750XL, N750UP, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a field near Harvest, Alabama. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was being operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 0630 from Pennridge Airport (CKZ), Perkasie, Pennsylvania, and was destined for Huntsville International Airport-Carl T Jones Field (HSV), Huntsville, Alabama.
The pilot stated that as part of his preflight inspection of the airplane he visually verified each fuel tank was full, and the total usable fuel capacity was 221 gallons. After takeoff, the airplane climbed to the flight planned altitude of 8,000 ft mean sea level (msl), and proceeded towards the destination airport. When the flight was near the planned refueling location of the Rockwood Municipal Airport, Rockwood, Tennessee, the pilot verified that the airplane had an adequate supply of fuel to reach the intended destination. While in contact with HSV air traffic control tower, he requested to descend to 6,000 ft msl, and was subsequently cleared to descend to 4,000 ft msl. At that time, the pilot noted HSV was to his left about 10 miles away. Shortly thereafter, while at an altitude about 3,500 ft msl, warning lights on the annunciator panel, which included a fuel pressure light, illuminated. The pilot declared an emergency with the controller, and the engine experienced a total loss of engine power. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the controller vectored the pilot to Epps Airpark (00AL), a private airport located in Harvest, Alabama, but the pilot was unable to locate it.
The pilot further stated that he maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing in a field, and he attempted to descend under powerlines, but the airplane impacted a telephone line. The airplane then touched down on the main landing gear near the edge of the field, rolled up a slight embankment, and then onto a road, coming to rest upright. He exited the airplane, and called 911 to report the accident.
Postaccident examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed the forward fuel tanks were breached, but there was no evidence of fuel spill across the road. A residual amount of fuel remained in both fuel tanks. The airplane was recovered for further examination.
HARVEST, AL (WAFF) - Emergency personnel responded to multiple emergency calls reported a plane crash in Harvest Monday morning.
The plane went down near a residential area on Harvest Rd. around 11 a.m.
“I heard it. It sounded like a clap of thunder. I came out a few minutes later and there he was, right there,” said Crystal Harrison, a nearby resident who witnessed the crash.
“He said his engine had given out. He was circling, and all of a sudden, he just crashed.”
A spokesperson with the FAA confirmed the pilot was not seriously injured in the crash. There were no other passengers on board.
"He put us on a wrong road for probably a minute, otherwise we'd probably would've been in the path and so it glided out in clear place where it landed where it didn't hit anybody, so definitely there was probably God in the mix today," said Marsha Folks, another witness who lives in the area.
The pilot was en route from Philadelphia to Huntsville International Airport.
The cause of the crash is unknown at this time, but the FAA is on the way from Birmingham to investigate.
According to the plane's registry, it's a fixed wing, single-engine turboprop aircraft.
Story, video and photo gallery ➤ http://www.wsfa.com
Patricia and Bill Darby: Couple receive Federal Aviation Administration award
Pilot award: Patricia and Bill Darby
Midlanders Patricia and Bill Darby were among those who received a prestigious award from the Federal Aviation Administration. The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award recognizes individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise for at least 50 years while piloting aircraft as master pilots.
A distinctive certificate and lapel pin are issued after application review and eligibility requirements have been met. Upon request, a stickpin similar in design to the lapel pin is also provided to the award recipient’s spouse in recognition of his or her support to the recipient’s aviation career. Once the award has been issued, the recipient’s name, city and state will be added to a published Roll of Honor.
It is believed that the Darbys are the first husband-wife duo to receive the award on the same day. Both began their flying careers in January 1965 -- Bill in McCamey and Patricia in Midland. Bill worked as a charter pilot and flight instructor in San Angelo before joining the FAA as an air traffic controller in 1969. Patricia worked as a charter pilot and flight instructor in Midland, Los Alamos, Denver and Dallas before joining the FAA as an air traffic controller in 1967. The couple met in 1965 at a fly-in breakfast in Pecos.
Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.mrt.com
Airlines Turned to Plan B to Avert Brunt of the Storm: United sent extra planes to Houston ahead of the storm to handle backlog of delayed traffic when flights resume at its second-busiest hub
The Wall Street Journal
By Susan Carey and Doug Cameron
Updated Aug. 28, 2017 4:14 p.m. ET
Airlines were ready to give Tropical Storm Harvey a wide berth.
As the storm that is dumping record rain on south Texas formed in the Gulf of Mexico earlier this month, American Airlines Group Inc., United Continental Holdings Inc. and other carriers offered fee waivers to encourage passengers to fly before or after the storm.
United sent extra planes to Houston ahead of the storm to have dozens of aircraft in position there to handle the backlog of delayed traffic when flights resume at its second-busiest hub. “We will have the right number of crews to operate planes when we restart there,” a spokesman said.
After Houston’s two big airports closed on Sunday, United received permission from the Federal Aviation Administration to fly 300 passengers from Bush Intercontinental Airport there to its biggest hub at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
United also sent a flight full of humanitarian supplies, including bottled water and raincoats, and employees including flight crews to Houston on Sunday and planned to send two more on Monday, according to the spokesman. He said they would head back to Chicago carrying more passengers stranded in Houston.
Houston-bound United passengers coming to the U.S. from overseas were rerouted to other United hubs. Customers bound for Houston have been put up at hotels to wait for the airport to resume service, the spokesman said.
The FAA said Monday that Bush airport will remain closed to all but military and relief flights until Thursday. William P. Hobby Airport, a big base for Southwest Airlines Co. near downtown Houston, will remain closed until at least Wednesday. Officials allowed Southwest to send five flights from Hobby to Dallas on Sunday to clear that airport of 485 stranded passengers.
More than 1,400 flights to and from Bush and Hobby airports were canceled on Monday, a similar number to Sunday. Air-traffic controllers are on duty at both airports to direct relief flights, the FAA said.
The National Hurricane Center said the storm would likely re-enter the Gulf of Mexico on Monday and make landfall near Houston again later this week. As Harvey moves east, more airports are coming under threat. Local authorities closed the airport in Beaumont, Texas, according to the FAA, and American suspended operations at Lake Charles Regional Airport in Louisiana.
The storm that became Harvey meandered over the Gulf for days before barreling into the Texas coast on Friday night, allowing airlines time to get out a familiar playbook for major storms. For airlines, winter storms and hurricanes move slowly enough to allow time for planning, unlike thunderstorms and flight turbulence that can appear out of nowhere.
United is coordinating its response from the 27th floor of its headquarters in Willis Tower in downtown Chicago. Meteorologists, crew schedulers, dispatchers and air-traffic-control liaisons are working with the FAA, their airport counterparts and customer-service agents to track the storm and its impact on United’s flights. They are also mapping out how to rebuild the flight schedule when the weather clears.
And some of them are eyeing a new threat. Tropical Storm Irma is forming in the Atlantic off the South Carolina coast and is expected to cause heavy rain, gusty wind and rip currents all the way to Virginia. United has already issued waivers covering four airports in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, allowing customers slated to fly Monday and Tuesday to fly as late as Friday.
But Irma isn’t shaping up to be nearly as serious as Harvey, the United spokesman said. “We planned for this,” he said.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.wsj.com
By Susan Carey and Doug Cameron
Updated Aug. 28, 2017 4:14 p.m. ET
Airlines were ready to give Tropical Storm Harvey a wide berth.
As the storm that is dumping record rain on south Texas formed in the Gulf of Mexico earlier this month, American Airlines Group Inc., United Continental Holdings Inc. and other carriers offered fee waivers to encourage passengers to fly before or after the storm.
United sent extra planes to Houston ahead of the storm to have dozens of aircraft in position there to handle the backlog of delayed traffic when flights resume at its second-busiest hub. “We will have the right number of crews to operate planes when we restart there,” a spokesman said.
After Houston’s two big airports closed on Sunday, United received permission from the Federal Aviation Administration to fly 300 passengers from Bush Intercontinental Airport there to its biggest hub at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
United also sent a flight full of humanitarian supplies, including bottled water and raincoats, and employees including flight crews to Houston on Sunday and planned to send two more on Monday, according to the spokesman. He said they would head back to Chicago carrying more passengers stranded in Houston.
Houston-bound United passengers coming to the U.S. from overseas were rerouted to other United hubs. Customers bound for Houston have been put up at hotels to wait for the airport to resume service, the spokesman said.
The FAA said Monday that Bush airport will remain closed to all but military and relief flights until Thursday. William P. Hobby Airport, a big base for Southwest Airlines Co. near downtown Houston, will remain closed until at least Wednesday. Officials allowed Southwest to send five flights from Hobby to Dallas on Sunday to clear that airport of 485 stranded passengers.
More than 1,400 flights to and from Bush and Hobby airports were canceled on Monday, a similar number to Sunday. Air-traffic controllers are on duty at both airports to direct relief flights, the FAA said.
The National Hurricane Center said the storm would likely re-enter the Gulf of Mexico on Monday and make landfall near Houston again later this week. As Harvey moves east, more airports are coming under threat. Local authorities closed the airport in Beaumont, Texas, according to the FAA, and American suspended operations at Lake Charles Regional Airport in Louisiana.
The storm that became Harvey meandered over the Gulf for days before barreling into the Texas coast on Friday night, allowing airlines time to get out a familiar playbook for major storms. For airlines, winter storms and hurricanes move slowly enough to allow time for planning, unlike thunderstorms and flight turbulence that can appear out of nowhere.
United is coordinating its response from the 27th floor of its headquarters in Willis Tower in downtown Chicago. Meteorologists, crew schedulers, dispatchers and air-traffic-control liaisons are working with the FAA, their airport counterparts and customer-service agents to track the storm and its impact on United’s flights. They are also mapping out how to rebuild the flight schedule when the weather clears.
And some of them are eyeing a new threat. Tropical Storm Irma is forming in the Atlantic off the South Carolina coast and is expected to cause heavy rain, gusty wind and rip currents all the way to Virginia. United has already issued waivers covering four airports in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, allowing customers slated to fly Monday and Tuesday to fly as late as Friday.
But Irma isn’t shaping up to be nearly as serious as Harvey, the United spokesman said. “We planned for this,” he said.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.wsj.com
SkyWest marketing strategy to be rolled out the 'first week of September': North Central West Virginia Airport (KCKB), Bridgeport, Harrison County, West Virginia
Airport Director Rick Rock
Airport Authority President Ron Watson
BRIDGEPORT — The director of North Central West Virginia Airport said the marketing strategy for the airport’s new essential air service provider will be rolled out during “the first week of September.”
Airport Director Rick Rock said the comprehensive strategy to sell the public on SkyWest Airlines has been devised with the help of Volaire Aviation, a firm specializing in aviation marketing and strategic business planning for airports.
“Our strategy includes print, TV, radio, billboards and digital,” he said.
SkyWest, a Utah-based airline, which flies under contract for United Express, will offer passengers daily flights to Chicago and Washington, D.C., on 50-seat Canadair Regional jets, beginning Nov. 1, Rock said.
The members of the Benedum Airport Authority approved a $100,000 budget to market SkyWest’s services during their Aug. 16 regular meeting.
The budget will cover promotions for the new carrier for 12 months, Rock said.
“Basically we already have the strategy, we’re just working on rolling it out,” he said.
The marketing campaign will cover a large portion of the state, Rock said.
“All the away from Parkersburg all the way up to the state line above Morgantown,” he said.
Airport Authority President Ron Watson said the plan will target 17 counties in the central and northern parts of the state.
The campaign will hopefully help the airport be more competitive, Rock said.
“Our ultimate goal is to reverse the idea that we’re losing customers to Pittsburgh and other airports,” he said.
The strategy will hopefully not only attract new travelers to the airport, but will also make returning customers aware of the new services being offered, Rock said.
The airport never fully put in place a marketing plan for its previous essential air service provider, Via Air, Rock said.
Via saw its contract with the airport terminated in April following repeated delays and cancellations of flights.
The key to a successful strategy for the new airline is to ensure that the $100,000 budget is spent as efficiently as possible, Watson said.
“We want to make sure that it’s affordable and that we’re going to get the biggest bang for our buck out it,” he said. “I think what we’ve got is just about everything on the table. Then it’s just trying to prioritize and put some costs with it as to where we go from there.”
One aspect of the strategy includes advertising during West Virginia University sporting events, Watson said.
“We’d like to continue our relationship with the marketing people at WVU,” he said. “We feel that’s a good place to market the new service.”
These advertisements could include branded graphics displayed on screens and scoreboards during football and basketball games, Watson said.
Watson said the marketing strategy is important to the success of both SkyWest and the airport.
“We’re a partner,” he said. “SkyWest certainly will benefit by us working together because it’s a business. And they’re certainly looking to make a profit, and we’re looking to have a carrier that’s dependable and affordable.”
Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.theet.com
Part(s) Separation from Aircraft: Gulfstream American AA-5B Tiger, N28005; accident occurred August 28, 2017 near Southern Illinois Airport (KMDH), Murphysboro, Jackson County, Illinois
The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Springfield, Illinois
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas
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/N28005
Location: Carbondale, IL
Accident Number: CEN17LA333
Date & Time: 08/28/2017, 0906 CDT
Registration: N28005
Aircraft: GULFSTREAM AMERICAN CORP AA 5B
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Part(s) separation from AC
Injuries: 2 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
Analysis
The private pilot reported that, about 1 1/2 hours after departure and in cruise flight about 6,700 ft mean sea level, he felt a "jolt" as if the airplane had impacted an object. The pilot realized that the propeller was missing, initiated an emergency descent, and attempted to land at a nearby airport. Unable to glide to the airport, he decided to perform a forced landing to a field. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted trees and terrain and came to rest upright. Propeller sections and components were located about 9 miles from the accident site.
Material examination of the propeller revealed that the propeller fractured due to fatigue that initiated adjacent to two of the propeller attachment bolt holes. Fretting contact damage was observed at the primary fatigue initiation location. The contact damage appeared to be associated with the movement between the forward bulkhead and the propeller at the edges of the attachment bolt clamping locations, and some of the fretting contact damage likely preceded crack initiation in the propeller. Fatigue cracks were present in the forward bulkhead outboard of each of the propeller attachment holes. The symmetric nature of the cracks at all 6 holes and the locations of fatigue initiation at the forward and aft sides of the bulkhead suggest that the fatigue in the forward bulkhead could be associated with a rotational torque vibration in the spinner. Possible sources for high rotational torque vibration include looseness in the spinner attachment at the aft bulkhead or an engine issue that produced excessive rotational impulses.
Excessive clamping force from the attachment bolts may have also contributed to the initiation of fatigue cracks in the forward bulkhead. Excessive clamping force could have warped the forward bulkhead adjacent to the clamped area, leading to higher stresses in areas around the attachment holes where fatigue cracking was observed. The analysis of deposits from the threaded area within the crankshaft lug pieces suggested lubricant may have been present on the attachment bolt threads that should have been installed dry. The use of lubricant at installation would have reduced the frictional resistance to the applied torque, leading to higher than expected clamping force on the attachment bolts.
Crack arrest marks that appeared to coincide with flight cycles were observed on the fracture surface. One of the crack arrest marks would have a very high probability of detection by fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI); however, the presence of red deposits in the attachment holes and dowel holes suggest that red dye (visible) penetrant was used at some time on the propeller. The manufacturer recommends against using visible dye penetrant and indicates that the use of visible dye penetrant could prevent crack detection during subsequent FPI inspections.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The failure of the propeller due to fatigue as a result of improper installation by unknown maintenance personnel at some point during the life of the propeller.
Findings
Aircraft
Propeller assembly - Failure (Cause)
Propeller assembly - Fatigue/wear/corrosion (Cause)
Personnel issues
Installation - Maintenance personnel (Cause)
Factual Information
History of Flight
Enroute-cruise
Part(s) separation from AC (Defining event)
Emergency descent
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
On August 28, 2017, at 0906 central daylight time, a Gulfstream American Corporation AA-5B airplane, N28005, experienced a propeller separation in cruise flight and impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing near Carbondale, Illinois. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and the pilot was receiving visual flight rules flight following. The flight departed Louisville, Kentucky, at 0815 eastern daylight time, and was destined for Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The pilot reported that about 1 1/2 hours after departure and about 6,700 ft mean sea level, he felt a "jolt" in the airplane as if the airplane struck an unknown object. The pilot realized the airplane propeller was missing, and the engine began to overspeed at a high RPM. The pilot reported an engine failure to air traffic control, initiated an emergency descent, and attempted to land at the Southern Illinois Airport (MDH), Carbondale, Illinois. The pilot was unable to glide the airplane to MDH and executed a forced landing to a field near Carbondale. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted trees and terrain, and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The propeller, spinner, and spinner bulkhead were missing from the airplane wreckage.
Residential homeowners, located about 9 miles south of the accident site, found separated sections of an airplane propeller in their yards. The separated sections of the fixed-pitch propeller included both blades, the propeller hub, and other propeller installation components. The propeller sections were recovered by law enforcement and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 66, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/01/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 12/18/2016
Flight Time: (Estimated) 2000 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1400 hours (Total, this make and model), 2000 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 37 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 12 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Manufacturer: GULFSTREAM AMERICAN CORP
Registration: N28005
Model/Series: AA 5B B
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1978
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: AA5B0937
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 01/25/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2400 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 33 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 1506 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: C91A installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-360-A4K
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 180 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
A review of the airplane records revealed the separated propeller sections matched the propeller model that was installed on the accident airplane. The most recent annual inspection was completed on January 25, 2017, at a tachometer time of 1,472.96. The tachometer time at the accident site was 1,506.71.
The McCauley model 1A170/FFA propeller was subject to repetitive inspections in accordance with Airworthiness Directive (AD) 82-27-01. The inspections are to be accomplished at intervals of 200 hours time in service (TIS). The inspections include removal of paint from the hub area followed by dye penetrant inspection of the attachment holes, center bore, and entire hub area. The last inspection per the AD was completed on March 20, 2015, at a tachometer time of 1,429.35 hours. According to the mechanic that performed the last recorded inspection, the shop did not use red dye penetrant, and inspections are performed with a fluorescent dye penetrant for higher sensitivity and easier clean-up.
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: MDH
Observation Time: 0922 CDT
Distance from Accident Site:
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 23°C / 18°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 4 knots, 10°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 30 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Precipitation
Departure Point: Louisville, KY (LOU)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: VFR
Destination: Oklahoma City, OK (PWA)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 0815 EDT
Type of Airspace: Unknown
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 37.673056, -89.259167 (est)
Tests And Research
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Materials Laboratory Examination
The propeller with attached doubler, forward bulkhead, spacer, and attachment bolt pieces (propeller flange lugs) was examined by the NTSB Materials Laboratory.
Propeller
The propeller was fractured through the hub area with fractures adjacent to and partially intersecting bolt holes. Both fractures were on a relatively flat fracture planes with curving crack arrest marks, consistent with fatigue. The fatigue features on each fracture surface emanated from multiple origins located at the forward face. Fretting contact damage was observed near many of the attachment holes. Pink and red deposits were observed in the attachment and dowel holes for the propeller. No pink or red deposits were observed on the surfaces of the holes in the spacer.
The fatigue fracture region extended across most of the fracture surface. Near the origin, a portion of the fracture surface had a brown color, and an adjacent region with bluish gray tint. A periodic pattern of 17 crack arrest lines was observed between the bluish gray region and the fatigue boundary. No evidence of fluorescent dye was observed on the fracture surface.
Spacer
Fracture features in the spacer at the forward ends of a bolt hole and a dowel hole had a faceted appearance with the fracture on a plane perpendicular to the forward face, and features consistent with fatigue in the aluminum alloy. Fatigue features emanated from the hole corners at each location.
Doubler
Portions of the doubler fracture surfaces had flat fractures perpendicular to the surface with curving boundaries, features consistent with fatigue. The fatigue features were located at the edges of the attachment bolt contact faces. The fatigue propagated through the thickness of the doubler, initiating at the forward face in the fractures near 2 holes and initiated at the aft face near one hole.
The thickness of the doubler was measured in a flat area between the holes. The annular regions around the holes corresponding to the head contact area were recessed relative to the adjacent surfaces, and the surfaces were smeared in the circumferential direction consistent with sliding contact with the underside of the attachment bolt heads.
Forward Bulkhead
The forward bulkhead was fractured circumferentially outboard of the propeller attachment holes. Pieces were missing including the entire outer circumference and segments between 4 holes. Portions of the fracture surfaces had flat fractures perpendicular to the surface with curving boundaries, features consistent with fatigue. Fatigue regions were present outboard of each of the propeller attachment holes. The origins were located adjacent to the annular area associated with the attachment bolt heads, initiating at both the forward and aft sides of the bulkhead at each of the locations. The remaining fatigue regions had fracture features that generally propagated radially inboard or outboard and were located between attachment holes that corresponded to the propeller fracture locations.
Around each of the attachment holes, the forward bulkhead was deformed and was slightly dished with the concave side facing toward the forward direction.
Propeller Flange Lugs
Black deposits with silver flakes were observed in the threads and around the inner circumference of the lugs forward of the threads. A sample of the deposits were analyzed. The spectrum was consistent with carboxylic acid. A spectral library search was performed on the obtained material spectrum, and no strong matches were identified. However, there were some similarities to the spectra of several surfactants. Carboxylic acids are used in the production of several classes of surfactants. Carboxylic acids, as well as surfactants, can be found as components or additives to lubricants, greases, and fuels. According to the McCauley Propeller Systems Owner/Operator Information Manual, the torque specifications for propeller attachment bolts on fixed pitch propellers are for bolts installed dry.
Propeller Maintenance Instructions
The McCauley Propeller Systems Owner/Operator Information Manual refers to AD 82-27-01 and indicates the propeller should be inspected with fluorescent dye penetrant. In Section 15: Non-Destructive Procedures of the Information Manual, the inspection procedure for fluorescent dye penetrant inspection includes a note that states in part,
The use of visible dye penetrants (Type II) is not recommended for the inspection of the propeller and propeller hardware. While Type II visible dye penetrants do have limited crack detection capability, the constituents of visible dye penetrants are likely to deposit residue in crack voids. The residue can be extremely difficult to remove from cracks, regardless of the cleaning method employed. Cracks can become fully or partially masked by the remaining residue. Due to these characteristics, visible dye penetrants can make follow-on detection of existing cracks virtually impossible when using other NDI penetrant methods, specifically Fluorescent Penetrant Inspection (FPI).
The McCauley Propeller Systems Owner/Operator Information Manual also indicates fixed pitch propellers such as the accident model should be overhauled after 2,000 hour TIS or 72 calendar months, whichever occurs first (the time limits for overhaul listed in the owner's manual are not a requirement for airplanes such as the accident airplane operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91). The overhaul process includes removal and reapplication of paint to the propeller to facilitate dimensional and FPI inspections. According to a representative from McCauley Propeller Systems, the design logos on the accident propeller were discontinued from use at McCauley in 1998.
Flight Data Information
According to the flight log data provided by the pilot, the airplane accumulated 28 flight cycles and 89.9 hours TIS since the last propeller inspection per AD 82-27-01. No flight cycles were accumulated for more than 100 calendar days on several occasions.
JACKSON COUNTY, IL (KFVS) - Two men were hurt in a plane crash in Jackson County, Illinois on Monday, Aug. 28.
According to Captain Michael O'Leary with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, someone from the Southern Illinois Airport Tower called the department at 9:10 a.m. to report an aircraft that was in distress about seven miles south of the airport.
Just moments later, 911 calls started coming in about a plane crash in an orchard near Grammer Road south of Murphysboro.
The plane crashed near Kite Hill Vineyard. The plane hit a tree when it went down.
The two men inside the cockpit had major injuries. They were both flown to area hospitals by helicopter.
Witnesses said people who saw the plane go down jumped into action to help the two men who were on board the plane. One of those witnesses, Ashley Clerk, recalls her experience of the crash.
"We were out here working," Clerk said. "And all of a sudden we seen a plane flying around and he just kinda came down real low...almost looked like he was doing a stunt....turned on his side, came back up like he was going to do a figure eight and he just lost it over the tree line right there and just crashed. We took off running as hard as we could, all of us. every one of us out here."
The names and condition of the two men involved are not being released. Investigators believe they were both from out of state. Online records show the plane is registered in Oklahoma.
"It was definitely scary. It was something out of a movie, really. One of the gentlemans head was gashed open across the top...one of them had a wound there above his eye," Clerk said. "You can definitely tell they need medical help immediately. If you see something go wrong, help! that's the main thing. help people! get out there and do something. Don't let people suffer."
No one on the ground was hurt.
Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration are on the scene.
Story, video and photo gallery ➤ http://www.kfvs12.com
MURPHYSBORO, Ill. • Two people suffered serious injuries and were airlifted to regional hospitals after a small plane crashed Monday morning in a peach orchard near south of here.
According to a news release from Jackson County (Ill.) Sheriff's Office, the plane appears to have struck a tree. One wing appeared to have been sheared off and was under a pine tree.
Lt. Jennifer Lindsey of Jackson County Sheriff's Office was at the scene of the crash. She said the flight was believed to have originated in Oklahoma. She did not know the direction the plane was traveling or its destination.
The crash was reported about 9:10 a.m. Monday via a Southern Illinois Airport tower call regarding an aircraft in distress and several 911 calls from witnesses on the ground.
“Within minutes, we had a dozen or more 911 calls of a plane in distress,” Lindsey said.
When officials responded to the scene, they found that the plane's two male occupants were still inside the cockpit. Both men suffered major injuries, the release said, and both were extracted from the wreckage and flown from the scene to regional hospitals.
Their conditions are unknown, and the sheriff's office is not identifying the two. The release did say the sheriff believes they are both from out of state.
A bystander said both victims appeared to him to be conscious when they were put into the air ambulances.
No individuals or property on the ground were damaged. The cause of the crash is not known, the sheriff's office said.
Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration were notified about the crash and were expected to arrive on the scene Monday.
In addition to sheriff's office personnel, emergency crews from the Murphysboro, Pomona, Somerset Township Fire Department and the Jackson County Ambulance Services responded to the crash.
Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.stltoday.com
MURPHYSBORO -- A county sheriff’s office says two people were seriously hurt when a small plane crashed into a southern Illinois orchard.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office reports the plane involved in the Monday morning crash near Murphysboro appears to have crashed into a tree.
The Southern Illinoisan reports there was a Southern Illinois Airport tower call about an aircraft in distress. There also were 911 calls from witnesses on the ground. Responders found two males inside the cockpit. The sheriff’s office says both suffered major injuries and were flown to regional hospitals. Their conditions weren’t immediately known.
The sheriff says the cause of the crash isn’t known. No people or property on the ground were hurt or damaged.
Murphysboro is about 90 miles southeast of St. Louis.
Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.sj-r.com
MURPHYSBORO -- A small plane crashed just south of Murphysboro Monday morning.
The crash happened near the intersection of Route 127 and Grammer Road around 9:10.
A Jackson County Sheriff's Office Spokesperson tells News 3 that two men were on board the plane. They were still in the cockpit of the badly damaged aircraft when deputies arrived on scene. Both were flown to out of state hospitals from the scene with major injuries.
An initial investigation shows that the pilot made an emergency call reporting a mechanical failure just before clipping a tree and crashing.
FAA officials are aware of the crash and will be in the area to investigate the cause.
Original article ➤ http://www.wsiltv.com
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Springfield, Illinois
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas
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
Location: Carbondale, IL
Accident Number: CEN17LA333
Date & Time: 08/28/2017, 0906 CDT
Registration: N28005
Aircraft: GULFSTREAM AMERICAN CORP AA 5B
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Part(s) separation from AC
Injuries: 2 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
Analysis
The private pilot reported that, about 1 1/2 hours after departure and in cruise flight about 6,700 ft mean sea level, he felt a "jolt" as if the airplane had impacted an object. The pilot realized that the propeller was missing, initiated an emergency descent, and attempted to land at a nearby airport. Unable to glide to the airport, he decided to perform a forced landing to a field. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted trees and terrain and came to rest upright. Propeller sections and components were located about 9 miles from the accident site.
Material examination of the propeller revealed that the propeller fractured due to fatigue that initiated adjacent to two of the propeller attachment bolt holes. Fretting contact damage was observed at the primary fatigue initiation location. The contact damage appeared to be associated with the movement between the forward bulkhead and the propeller at the edges of the attachment bolt clamping locations, and some of the fretting contact damage likely preceded crack initiation in the propeller. Fatigue cracks were present in the forward bulkhead outboard of each of the propeller attachment holes. The symmetric nature of the cracks at all 6 holes and the locations of fatigue initiation at the forward and aft sides of the bulkhead suggest that the fatigue in the forward bulkhead could be associated with a rotational torque vibration in the spinner. Possible sources for high rotational torque vibration include looseness in the spinner attachment at the aft bulkhead or an engine issue that produced excessive rotational impulses.
Excessive clamping force from the attachment bolts may have also contributed to the initiation of fatigue cracks in the forward bulkhead. Excessive clamping force could have warped the forward bulkhead adjacent to the clamped area, leading to higher stresses in areas around the attachment holes where fatigue cracking was observed. The analysis of deposits from the threaded area within the crankshaft lug pieces suggested lubricant may have been present on the attachment bolt threads that should have been installed dry. The use of lubricant at installation would have reduced the frictional resistance to the applied torque, leading to higher than expected clamping force on the attachment bolts.
Crack arrest marks that appeared to coincide with flight cycles were observed on the fracture surface. One of the crack arrest marks would have a very high probability of detection by fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI); however, the presence of red deposits in the attachment holes and dowel holes suggest that red dye (visible) penetrant was used at some time on the propeller. The manufacturer recommends against using visible dye penetrant and indicates that the use of visible dye penetrant could prevent crack detection during subsequent FPI inspections.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The failure of the propeller due to fatigue as a result of improper installation by unknown maintenance personnel at some point during the life of the propeller.
Findings
Aircraft
Propeller assembly - Failure (Cause)
Propeller assembly - Fatigue/wear/corrosion (Cause)
Personnel issues
Installation - Maintenance personnel (Cause)
Factual Information
History of Flight
Enroute-cruise
Part(s) separation from AC (Defining event)
Emergency descent
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
On August 28, 2017, at 0906 central daylight time, a Gulfstream American Corporation AA-5B airplane, N28005, experienced a propeller separation in cruise flight and impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing near Carbondale, Illinois. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and the pilot was receiving visual flight rules flight following. The flight departed Louisville, Kentucky, at 0815 eastern daylight time, and was destined for Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The pilot reported that about 1 1/2 hours after departure and about 6,700 ft mean sea level, he felt a "jolt" in the airplane as if the airplane struck an unknown object. The pilot realized the airplane propeller was missing, and the engine began to overspeed at a high RPM. The pilot reported an engine failure to air traffic control, initiated an emergency descent, and attempted to land at the Southern Illinois Airport (MDH), Carbondale, Illinois. The pilot was unable to glide the airplane to MDH and executed a forced landing to a field near Carbondale. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted trees and terrain, and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The propeller, spinner, and spinner bulkhead were missing from the airplane wreckage.
Residential homeowners, located about 9 miles south of the accident site, found separated sections of an airplane propeller in their yards. The separated sections of the fixed-pitch propeller included both blades, the propeller hub, and other propeller installation components. The propeller sections were recovered by law enforcement and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 66, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/01/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 12/18/2016
Flight Time: (Estimated) 2000 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1400 hours (Total, this make and model), 2000 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 37 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 12 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Manufacturer: GULFSTREAM AMERICAN CORP
Registration: N28005
Model/Series: AA 5B B
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1978
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: AA5B0937
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 01/25/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2400 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 33 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 1506 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: C91A installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-360-A4K
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 180 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
A review of the airplane records revealed the separated propeller sections matched the propeller model that was installed on the accident airplane. The most recent annual inspection was completed on January 25, 2017, at a tachometer time of 1,472.96. The tachometer time at the accident site was 1,506.71.
The McCauley model 1A170/FFA propeller was subject to repetitive inspections in accordance with Airworthiness Directive (AD) 82-27-01. The inspections are to be accomplished at intervals of 200 hours time in service (TIS). The inspections include removal of paint from the hub area followed by dye penetrant inspection of the attachment holes, center bore, and entire hub area. The last inspection per the AD was completed on March 20, 2015, at a tachometer time of 1,429.35 hours. According to the mechanic that performed the last recorded inspection, the shop did not use red dye penetrant, and inspections are performed with a fluorescent dye penetrant for higher sensitivity and easier clean-up.
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: MDH
Observation Time: 0922 CDT
Distance from Accident Site:
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 23°C / 18°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 4 knots, 10°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 30 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Precipitation
Departure Point: Louisville, KY (LOU)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: VFR
Destination: Oklahoma City, OK (PWA)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 0815 EDT
Type of Airspace: Unknown
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 37.673056, -89.259167 (est)
Tests And Research
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Materials Laboratory Examination
The propeller with attached doubler, forward bulkhead, spacer, and attachment bolt pieces (propeller flange lugs) was examined by the NTSB Materials Laboratory.
Propeller
The propeller was fractured through the hub area with fractures adjacent to and partially intersecting bolt holes. Both fractures were on a relatively flat fracture planes with curving crack arrest marks, consistent with fatigue. The fatigue features on each fracture surface emanated from multiple origins located at the forward face. Fretting contact damage was observed near many of the attachment holes. Pink and red deposits were observed in the attachment and dowel holes for the propeller. No pink or red deposits were observed on the surfaces of the holes in the spacer.
The fatigue fracture region extended across most of the fracture surface. Near the origin, a portion of the fracture surface had a brown color, and an adjacent region with bluish gray tint. A periodic pattern of 17 crack arrest lines was observed between the bluish gray region and the fatigue boundary. No evidence of fluorescent dye was observed on the fracture surface.
Spacer
Fracture features in the spacer at the forward ends of a bolt hole and a dowel hole had a faceted appearance with the fracture on a plane perpendicular to the forward face, and features consistent with fatigue in the aluminum alloy. Fatigue features emanated from the hole corners at each location.
Doubler
Portions of the doubler fracture surfaces had flat fractures perpendicular to the surface with curving boundaries, features consistent with fatigue. The fatigue features were located at the edges of the attachment bolt contact faces. The fatigue propagated through the thickness of the doubler, initiating at the forward face in the fractures near 2 holes and initiated at the aft face near one hole.
The thickness of the doubler was measured in a flat area between the holes. The annular regions around the holes corresponding to the head contact area were recessed relative to the adjacent surfaces, and the surfaces were smeared in the circumferential direction consistent with sliding contact with the underside of the attachment bolt heads.
Forward Bulkhead
The forward bulkhead was fractured circumferentially outboard of the propeller attachment holes. Pieces were missing including the entire outer circumference and segments between 4 holes. Portions of the fracture surfaces had flat fractures perpendicular to the surface with curving boundaries, features consistent with fatigue. Fatigue regions were present outboard of each of the propeller attachment holes. The origins were located adjacent to the annular area associated with the attachment bolt heads, initiating at both the forward and aft sides of the bulkhead at each of the locations. The remaining fatigue regions had fracture features that generally propagated radially inboard or outboard and were located between attachment holes that corresponded to the propeller fracture locations.
Around each of the attachment holes, the forward bulkhead was deformed and was slightly dished with the concave side facing toward the forward direction.
Propeller Flange Lugs
Black deposits with silver flakes were observed in the threads and around the inner circumference of the lugs forward of the threads. A sample of the deposits were analyzed. The spectrum was consistent with carboxylic acid. A spectral library search was performed on the obtained material spectrum, and no strong matches were identified. However, there were some similarities to the spectra of several surfactants. Carboxylic acids are used in the production of several classes of surfactants. Carboxylic acids, as well as surfactants, can be found as components or additives to lubricants, greases, and fuels. According to the McCauley Propeller Systems Owner/Operator Information Manual, the torque specifications for propeller attachment bolts on fixed pitch propellers are for bolts installed dry.
Propeller Maintenance Instructions
The McCauley Propeller Systems Owner/Operator Information Manual refers to AD 82-27-01 and indicates the propeller should be inspected with fluorescent dye penetrant. In Section 15: Non-Destructive Procedures of the Information Manual, the inspection procedure for fluorescent dye penetrant inspection includes a note that states in part,
The use of visible dye penetrants (Type II) is not recommended for the inspection of the propeller and propeller hardware. While Type II visible dye penetrants do have limited crack detection capability, the constituents of visible dye penetrants are likely to deposit residue in crack voids. The residue can be extremely difficult to remove from cracks, regardless of the cleaning method employed. Cracks can become fully or partially masked by the remaining residue. Due to these characteristics, visible dye penetrants can make follow-on detection of existing cracks virtually impossible when using other NDI penetrant methods, specifically Fluorescent Penetrant Inspection (FPI).
The McCauley Propeller Systems Owner/Operator Information Manual also indicates fixed pitch propellers such as the accident model should be overhauled after 2,000 hour TIS or 72 calendar months, whichever occurs first (the time limits for overhaul listed in the owner's manual are not a requirement for airplanes such as the accident airplane operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91). The overhaul process includes removal and reapplication of paint to the propeller to facilitate dimensional and FPI inspections. According to a representative from McCauley Propeller Systems, the design logos on the accident propeller were discontinued from use at McCauley in 1998.
Flight Data Information
According to the flight log data provided by the pilot, the airplane accumulated 28 flight cycles and 89.9 hours TIS since the last propeller inspection per AD 82-27-01. No flight cycles were accumulated for more than 100 calendar days on several occasions.
NTSB Identification: CEN17LA333
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, August 28, 2017 in Carbondale, IL
Aircraft: GULFSTREAM AMERICAN CORP AA 5B, registration: N28005
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 28, 2017, at 0906 central daylight time, a Gulfstream American Corporation AA-5B airplane, N28005, experienced an in-flight propeller separation in cruise flight and impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing near Carbondale, Illinois. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was privately owned and operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a visual flight rules flight following flight plan was filed. The flight departed Louisville, Kentucky, at an unknown time, and was destined for Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the accident site, the airplane was in cruise flight when the pilot reported an engine failure to air traffic control. The pilot initiated an emergency descent and attempted to land at the Southern Illinois Airport (MDH), Carbondale, Illinois. The pilot was unable to land at MDH and executed a forced landing to a field near Carbondale. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted trees and terrain, and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The propeller, spinner, and spinner bulkhead were missing from the airplane wreckage.
A home owner, located about 9 miles south of the accident site, found a separated section of an airplane propeller in the residence's yard. The separated section of the fixed-pitch propeller included one blade and about 1/2 of the propeller hub. The propeller section was recovered by law enforcement and returned to the accident site. A review of the airplane records, which were located in the airplane, revealed the separated propeller section matched the propeller model installed on the accident airplane.
The airplane and propeller section were recovered for further examination.
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, August 28, 2017 in Carbondale, IL
Aircraft: GULFSTREAM AMERICAN CORP AA 5B, registration: N28005
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 28, 2017, at 0906 central daylight time, a Gulfstream American Corporation AA-5B airplane, N28005, experienced an in-flight propeller separation in cruise flight and impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing near Carbondale, Illinois. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was privately owned and operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a visual flight rules flight following flight plan was filed. The flight departed Louisville, Kentucky, at an unknown time, and was destined for Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the accident site, the airplane was in cruise flight when the pilot reported an engine failure to air traffic control. The pilot initiated an emergency descent and attempted to land at the Southern Illinois Airport (MDH), Carbondale, Illinois. The pilot was unable to land at MDH and executed a forced landing to a field near Carbondale. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted trees and terrain, and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The propeller, spinner, and spinner bulkhead were missing from the airplane wreckage.
A home owner, located about 9 miles south of the accident site, found a separated section of an airplane propeller in the residence's yard. The separated section of the fixed-pitch propeller included one blade and about 1/2 of the propeller hub. The propeller section was recovered by law enforcement and returned to the accident site. A review of the airplane records, which were located in the airplane, revealed the separated propeller section matched the propeller model installed on the accident airplane.
The airplane and propeller section were recovered for further examination.
JACKSON COUNTY, IL (KFVS) - Two men were hurt in a plane crash in Jackson County, Illinois on Monday, Aug. 28.
According to Captain Michael O'Leary with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, someone from the Southern Illinois Airport Tower called the department at 9:10 a.m. to report an aircraft that was in distress about seven miles south of the airport.
Just moments later, 911 calls started coming in about a plane crash in an orchard near Grammer Road south of Murphysboro.
The plane crashed near Kite Hill Vineyard. The plane hit a tree when it went down.
The two men inside the cockpit had major injuries. They were both flown to area hospitals by helicopter.
Witnesses said people who saw the plane go down jumped into action to help the two men who were on board the plane. One of those witnesses, Ashley Clerk, recalls her experience of the crash.
"We were out here working," Clerk said. "And all of a sudden we seen a plane flying around and he just kinda came down real low...almost looked like he was doing a stunt....turned on his side, came back up like he was going to do a figure eight and he just lost it over the tree line right there and just crashed. We took off running as hard as we could, all of us. every one of us out here."
The names and condition of the two men involved are not being released. Investigators believe they were both from out of state. Online records show the plane is registered in Oklahoma.
"It was definitely scary. It was something out of a movie, really. One of the gentlemans head was gashed open across the top...one of them had a wound there above his eye," Clerk said. "You can definitely tell they need medical help immediately. If you see something go wrong, help! that's the main thing. help people! get out there and do something. Don't let people suffer."
No one on the ground was hurt.
Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration are on the scene.
Story, video and photo gallery ➤ http://www.kfvs12.com
MURPHYSBORO, Ill. • Two people suffered serious injuries and were airlifted to regional hospitals after a small plane crashed Monday morning in a peach orchard near south of here.
According to a news release from Jackson County (Ill.) Sheriff's Office, the plane appears to have struck a tree. One wing appeared to have been sheared off and was under a pine tree.
Lt. Jennifer Lindsey of Jackson County Sheriff's Office was at the scene of the crash. She said the flight was believed to have originated in Oklahoma. She did not know the direction the plane was traveling or its destination.
The crash was reported about 9:10 a.m. Monday via a Southern Illinois Airport tower call regarding an aircraft in distress and several 911 calls from witnesses on the ground.
“Within minutes, we had a dozen or more 911 calls of a plane in distress,” Lindsey said.
When officials responded to the scene, they found that the plane's two male occupants were still inside the cockpit. Both men suffered major injuries, the release said, and both were extracted from the wreckage and flown from the scene to regional hospitals.
Their conditions are unknown, and the sheriff's office is not identifying the two. The release did say the sheriff believes they are both from out of state.
A bystander said both victims appeared to him to be conscious when they were put into the air ambulances.
No individuals or property on the ground were damaged. The cause of the crash is not known, the sheriff's office said.
Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration were notified about the crash and were expected to arrive on the scene Monday.
In addition to sheriff's office personnel, emergency crews from the Murphysboro, Pomona, Somerset Township Fire Department and the Jackson County Ambulance Services responded to the crash.
Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.stltoday.com
MURPHYSBORO -- A county sheriff’s office says two people were seriously hurt when a small plane crashed into a southern Illinois orchard.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office reports the plane involved in the Monday morning crash near Murphysboro appears to have crashed into a tree.
The Southern Illinoisan reports there was a Southern Illinois Airport tower call about an aircraft in distress. There also were 911 calls from witnesses on the ground. Responders found two males inside the cockpit. The sheriff’s office says both suffered major injuries and were flown to regional hospitals. Their conditions weren’t immediately known.
The sheriff says the cause of the crash isn’t known. No people or property on the ground were hurt or damaged.
Murphysboro is about 90 miles southeast of St. Louis.
Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.sj-r.com
MURPHYSBORO -- A small plane crashed just south of Murphysboro Monday morning.
The crash happened near the intersection of Route 127 and Grammer Road around 9:10.
A Jackson County Sheriff's Office Spokesperson tells News 3 that two men were on board the plane. They were still in the cockpit of the badly damaged aircraft when deputies arrived on scene. Both were flown to out of state hospitals from the scene with major injuries.
An initial investigation shows that the pilot made an emergency call reporting a mechanical failure just before clipping a tree and crashing.
FAA officials are aware of the crash and will be in the area to investigate the cause.
Original article ➤ http://www.wsiltv.com
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