Saturday, September 23, 2017

Incident occurred September 23, 2017 in Newberg, Yamhill County, Oregon




NEWBERG, OR (KPTV) -   A pilot received minor injuries after the power glider he was operating crashed into a fence in Newberg.

Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue said the incident happened Saturday afternoon in a residential area.

The homeowner was home at the time and called 911.

The pilot of the power glider walked away with just minor injuries. No one on the ground was injured.

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

Gering, Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska: Flying is a lifelong passion for pastor



GERING — Gary Hashley has pastored at Calvary Memorial Church in Gering for 10 1/2 years. If you can’t find him at he church he might be flying high above the community.

Hashley grew up deeply involved in the ministry as a missionary kid in Michigan.

“I was born into a ministry family. My parents joined a ministry in Michigan called the Rural Bible Mission when I was a month old,” Hashley said. “My dad’s ministry had us constantly moving. I went to five different schools between kindergarten and 12th grade and we lived in 13 different houses.”

Because of his parents’ ministry, Hashley came to faith early in life at the age of seven.

Growing up, Hashley had no intention or interest in becoming a pastor.

“When I went to Bible school out of high school I was still 17. I went to the Grand Rapids School of the Bible and Music in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and I started training to be a missionary pilot,” he said. “That’s where my flying began. My idea was to be a pilot, serving missionaries. My own personal goal was Alaska.”

Hashley earned his private pilot’s license and was starting on his commercial and instrument license when God showed him that was not the plan.

“It’s easy to do, he ran me out of money, because flying has never been cheap,” Hashley said, chuckling.

After meeting his wife Rachel in college and then lacking the funding to continue his piloting education, Hashley joined his father in Michigan.

“So I joined the ministry. Rachel and I got married 40 years ago and I joined the ministry my folks were with and spent some years in that same children’s ministry still fighting back against being a pastor,” Hashley said. “That was never what I had in mind. And then, finally in 1981, I got tired of telling God no and finally told him yes and became the pastor of the first church I pastored in Langford, Michigan, in 1982.”

Hashley and his family later moved to La Grange, Wyoming, in 1995 so he could teach at Frontier School of the Bible.

During his time at Frontier, Hashley worked as the interim pastor at Calvary Memorial in 1996 and 97.

“I always dreamed of coming back some day and here we are,” Hashley said smiling.

Hashley took a sabbatical from flying during that time. However, after moving back to Scottsbluff, Hashley and some friends founded the Panhandle Flyers Club.

“I was out of flying for 30 years, back when it was ‘feed the children or go fly’ and groceries took a precedent,” Hashley said. “Since I’ve been back here we’ve formed a flying club in the area that owns a plane. By being a part of a flying club the expenses are shared to the point where I can afford to fly again.”

Hashley expressed his excitement about being part of the Panhandle Flyers.

“It’s a wonderful thing because we have a daughter and her husband and five kids in Laramie so it’s quicker to get to Laramie to see grandchildren,” Hashley said. “So we use it a lot to go see the kids and the grandchildren.”

Hashley talked about his favorite thing about flying.

“I guess I never tire at looking down at the wonder of God’s earth he created from any altitude,” Hashley said. “To see the mountains, to see the valleys and the rivers out here and the reservoirs, it’s just astounding. I just love looking down on God’s beautiful earth.”

As a child, Hashley had a fascination with planes.

“I went up with a pastor friend of my dads who was giving away airplane rides as Vacation Bible School prizes,” Hashley said. “As the missionary’s son I got to go along when they went to the airport and there was room to give me a ride. I must have been in fifth grade and I’ve been in love with airplanes ever since.”

Hashley also talked about the people who influenced him in the ministry.

“My dad and his devotion to ministry, like I say I was a month old when he joined the mission,” he said. “My dad and mom were missionaries my whole life. In Michigan, not in Africa or South America, but their devotion and willingness to serve God even when the pay was small just was really a great role model.”

Along with his dad, Hashley’s pastor was also very influential.

“My pastor in my high school years was named Paul Deal. Paul Deal was such an influence in my life,” Hashley said. “He was not only my pastor, he was my friend and when I became a pastor he became my mentor. I would call him with questions and doubts and frustrations and he was always there to help me.”

While talking about the struggles and joys of pastoring, Hashley mentioned his favorite part.

“People,” he said without hesitation. “I just love people. And in helping people and teaching God’s word, it gives me the opportunity to serve them, encourage them, support them and get close to them. I’ve heard a pastor say ‘I’d love to pastor if it wasn’t for the people.’ I thought ‘he wouldn’t be a pastor if it wasn’t for the people.’”

Hashley said if he could go back in time to give advice to his younger self, he’d say don’t fight what God wants.

“I probably would tell myself to not fight God about being a pastor,” he said. “Because I had a lot of reasons in my head why I didn’t want to be a pastor and now looking back on 35 years of being a pastor and I wouldn’t want to do anything else.”

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

Griffiss International (KRME), Rome, Oneida County, New York: Griffiss remains sky-high over drone testing at airport



Griffiss International Airport continues to play a critical role in positioning Central New York as a leader in the future of unmanned aerial systems. 

That was the upbeat assessment of Aviation Commissioner Russell O. Stark when he spoke at the Mohawk Valley EDGE board meeting this week.

The county airport was designated as a drone test site by the Federal Aviation Administration in late 2013. Since the, the official said, more than 1,100 flight operations have been conducted. There are seven such sites across the country.

Griffiss, with high-definition air traffic surveillance, state-of-the-art data collection and analysis capabilities, is the foundation for testing and certification of drone detect-and-avoid systems to meet future FAA standards and support the safe integration of commercial drones into U.S. airspace. 

The idea is to figure out how drones can safely operate in the air alongside piloted aircraft.

In 2016, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced the creation of a 50-mile corridor customized for drones as an attempt to lure companies to Central New York. The corridor between the former Griffiss Air Force Base and Syracuse is going to cost $30 million, and is expected to be completed in 2018.

The test site at Griffiss, managed by the NUAIR Alliance, is undergoing expansion to cover 15,000 square miles of New York airspace, creating a world-class beyond-visual-line-of-sight test and development facility for the FAA and the drone industry. 

Additionally, Stark said the state is part of two specific initiatives.

Project UAS Secure Autonomous Flight Environment, also called U-SAFE, is being developed at the test site to further catalyze and expand the economic opportunities being created by this industry. It will create a low-altitude air traffic control system for safe drone operation, and will allow for testing of small UAS and commercial applications to include package delivery, railway and power line inspection, and precision agriculture and security applications, specifically surrounding airports. 

The U-SAFE project also establishes a new testing center for drone airworthiness and cybersecurity. Called NUSTAR, or National Unmanned Aerial System Standardized Testing and Rating, the center will offer independent performance and safety benchmark testing for drones and drone-related products. The hope is that the presence of NUSTAR will help draw industries involved in the production and use of drones to Central New York.

Stark said NUSTAR is similar to Underwriter Laboratories, or UL, which is a not-for-profit testing company that conducts safety and quality tests on a broad range of products, from fire doors to closed-circuit cameras.

“When they (New York state) decided to come into the ballgame, they came in a big way,” said the commissioner.

During his remarks Stark listed several drone accomplishments at Griffiss since 2013. They included:

In June, Griffiss simultaneously flew four remotely piloted machines from a command center on simulated missions for the first time. It was part of a job for NASA , which has contracted with the FAA test sites to further test and refine its unmanned aircraft systems traffic management technologies.

Aurora Flight Sciences successfully flew its Centaur optionally piloted aircraft in multiple pilotless flights from the airport. The flights marked the first time any large-scale, fixed-wing aircraft flew unmanned at any of the U.S. drone test sites.

A team led by Lockheed Martin Corp. has successfully tested a pair of unmanned aerial drones that its developers hope can be used to put out large fires without endangering the lives of pilots. Lockheed Martin used a helicopter drone to airlift and dump 24,000 pounds of water onto a controlled fire set at the airport.

DJI, a global leader in the production of small drones, held the finals of its 2016 SDK Challenge at Griffiss. Ten teams competed for a $100,000 prize to see whose software could best launch drones from the bed of a moving vehicle, guide them through a simulated disaster site to identify victims and return to land back on the vehicle.

“Pretty impressive for a little test site in Rome, New York,” said a smiling Stark as his presentation neared its end.

County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. spoke briefly after the commissioner.

He noted that drones were launched in July to survey flooding from the air when parts of the county were drenched by heavy rains in a short amount of time.

“You don’t see everything,” he said. “There’s a lot going on and it is a work in progress.”

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

Midair Collision: Piper PA-28R-201 Cherokee Arrow III, N1881H and Robinson R22 Beta, N404TB; accident occurred September 23, 2017 at Clearwater Airpark (KCLW), Pinellas County, Florida

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

Additional Participating Entity: 

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Tampa, Florida

N1881H Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

N1881H Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

http://registry.faa.gov/N1881H

Location: Clearwater, FL
Accident Number: ERA17LA332B
Date & Time: 09/23/2017, 1702 EDT
Registration: N1881H
Aircraft: PIPER PA 28R-201
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Midair collision
Injuries: 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

On September 23, 2017, about 1702 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-201 airplane, N1881H, and a Robinson R22 helicopter, N404TB, were substantially damaged when they collided in mid-air over the runway at Clearwater Air Park (CLW), Clearwater, Florida. The private pilot aboard the airplane received minor injuries, and the flight instructor and a pilot-rated student aboard the helicopter also received minor injuries. Both aircraft were owned and operated by Tampa Bay Aviation. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. Both flights were operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, and no flight plans had been filed. N404TB was an instructional flight that departed CLW at 1730 and N1881H was a personal flight that departed CLW at 1700.

According to the flight instructor, the purpose of the flight was a flight review of the pilot-rated student. He indicated that he never flew with the student pilot prior to the accident and both of them were wearing headsets. The student pilot proceeded to the hover practice area and executed multiple practice maneuvers. All radio calls were made during every turn while in the airport traffic pattern. The instructor performed all radio calls at each leg of the airport traffic pattern during the first approach; while the pilot-rated student made the radio calls at each leg of the airport traffic pattern during the second takeoff and approach to the runway. In addition, prior to every turn, they scanned in all directions for traffic. While on a final approach, the instructor noticed a fixed-wing airplane on the base leg of the airport traffic pattern for runway 16, and he announced on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) that they were using runway 34. They heard the pilot of the fixed-wing airplane say something unintelligible and observed the airplane veer away, flying to the west. The instructor then allowed the student to continue the approach to runway 34, which terminated with a hover, touchdown, and liftoff. The flight returned to the airport traffic pattern for runway 34. When the flight was 1 mile from the runway, the student pilot turned onto final approach for runway 34 and executed a steep approach. The instructor told the student to extend the flight path to the segmented circle. The helicopter came to a hover over runway 34 about 15 ft, when he heard a loud sound, and felt the helicopter being pushed forward. The helicopter then began to spin and impacted the ground hard and came to rest upright.

According to the pilot of the airplane, he was operating on the CLW common traffic advisory frequency and stated that between his first and second radio transmission he heard a heavy buzzing sound like a helicopter rotor with the words "34" barely distinguishable. The pilot scanned for air traffic and declared being on downwind via his radio. The pilot quickly turned to the base leg of the traffic pattern and decreased the engine power to descend. About that time, he quickly scanned of the airport environment, focusing on the taxiway to runway 34, the line of trees ahead, as well as the end of the runway and saw nothing unusual. He was confident his calls on the radio were heard. The pilot proceeded to land; about 2 seconds prior to the impact he saw the helicopter hovering "immobile," about 10 ft above the runway. He recalled the tail was pointed towards the airplane and absolutely stationary. The pilot tried to avoid the helicopter, then heard a loud sound followed by the airplane inverting and sliding on its canopy. After the airplane came to a stop the pilot exited the airplane.

According to another pilot/witness that was approaching CLW, about 2 miles west of the airport, he heard the radio call from the helicopter when it was on a 1-mile final at 500 ft. He flew over CLW and saw the accident outcome. He indicated that he was monitoring the CLW CTAF and did not hear the pilot of the airplane announce his intentions. Due to the accident the witness diverted to another local airport.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined both aircraft at the accident site and discovered that both the helicopter and airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane sustained damage to the fuselage and the left wing separated from the airframe. The helicopter's tubed airframe was buckled. Examination of the radio communication system in the airplane and helicopter did not reveal any anomalies.

A review of a surveillance video showed the helicopter descending and slowing to stationary hover over the runway 34 threshold. Just as the helicopter had slowed to a hover, the airplane entered the frame of the video from the left, about 2 seconds before the collision. At that point the airplane's main landing gear appeared to be on, or just above the ground, and it then entered a slight climb as it continued down the runway. At this point the helicopter was oriented with its nose facing down the runway, while the airplane was approaching the helicopter from behind. Over the next 2 seconds, the airplane climb to roughly the height of the hovering helicopter before the airplane's left wing struck the aft side of the helicopter. The helicopter yawed to the left and descended to the ground, while the airplane rolled left and impacted the ground in an inverted attitude.

See-and-Avoid Concept

According to 14 CFR 91.113, "Right-of-Way Rules," "when weather conditions permit, regardless of whether an operation is conducted under instrument flight rules or visual flight rules, vigilance shall be maintained by each person operating an aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft." In addition, FAA AC 90-48D, "Pilots' Role in Collision Avoidance," which was in effect at the time of the accident, stated that the see-and-avoid concept requires vigilance at all times by each pilot, regardless of whether the flight is conducted under instrument flight rules or VFR. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 48, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 04/11/2016
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 07/01/2016
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 284 hours (Total, all aircraft), 34 hours (Total, this make and model), 148 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 26 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 12 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: PIPER
Registration: N1881H
Model/Series: PA 28R-201 201
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 28R-7737015
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/13/2017, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2749 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 70 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 5718 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: C91 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-360-C1C6
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 200 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: CLW, 71 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1653 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 0°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 9500 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 7 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 100°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 29.83 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 32°C / 22°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Clearwater, FL (CLW)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Clearwater, FL (CLW)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 1600 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: CLEARWATER AIR PARK (CLW)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 71 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 34
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 4108 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None

Wreckage and Impact Information

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

Latitude, Longitude: 27.977222, -82.759167 (est)

N404TB Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

N404TB Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms 

 
N1881H Aviation Accident Preliminary Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf


http://registry.faa.gov/N404TB

Location: Clearwater, FL
Accident Number: ERA17LA332A
Date & Time: 09/23/2017, 1702 EDT
Registration: N404TB
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Midair collision
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional

On September 23, 2017, about 1702 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-201 airplane, N1881H, and a Robinson R22 helicopter, N404TB, were substantially damaged when they collided in mid-air over the runway at Clearwater Air Park (CLW), Clearwater, Florida. The private pilot aboard the airplane received minor injuries, and the flight instructor and a pilot-rated student aboard the helicopter also received minor injuries. Both aircraft were owned and operated by Tampa Bay Aviation. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. Both flights were operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, and no flight plans had been filed. N404TB was an instructional flight that departed CLW at 1730 and N1881H was a personal flight that departed CLW at 1700.

According to the flight instructor, the purpose of the flight was a flight review of the pilot-rated student. He indicated that he never flew with the student pilot prior to the accident and both of them were wearing headsets. The student pilot proceeded to the hover practice area and executed multiple practice maneuvers. All radio calls were made during every turn while in the airport traffic pattern. The instructor performed all radio calls at each leg of the airport traffic pattern during the first approach; while the pilot-rated student made the radio calls at each leg of the airport traffic pattern during the second takeoff and approach to the runway. In addition, prior to every turn, they scanned in all directions for traffic. While on a final approach, the instructor noticed a fixed-wing airplane on the base leg of the airport traffic pattern for runway 16, and he announced on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) that they were using runway 34. They heard the pilot of the fixed-wing airplane say something unintelligible and observed the airplane veer away, flying to the west. The instructor then allowed the student to continue the approach to runway 34, which terminated with a hover, touchdown, and liftoff. The flight returned to the airport traffic pattern for runway 34. When the flight was 1 mile from the runway, the student pilot turned onto final approach for runway 34 and executed a steep approach. The instructor told the student to extend the flight path to the segmented circle. The helicopter came to a hover over runway 34 about 15 ft, when he heard a loud sound, and felt the helicopter being pushed forward. The helicopter then began to spin and impacted the ground hard and came to rest upright.

According to the pilot of the airplane, he was operating on the CLW common traffic advisory frequency and stated that between his first and second radio transmission he heard a heavy buzzing sound like a helicopter rotor with the words "34" barely distinguishable. The pilot scanned for air traffic and declared being on downwind via his radio. The pilot quickly turned to the base leg of the traffic pattern and decreased the engine power to descend. About that time, he quickly scanned of the airport environment, focusing on the taxiway to runway 34, the line of trees ahead, as well as the end of the runway and saw nothing unusual. He was confident his calls on the radio were heard. The pilot proceeded to land; about 2 seconds prior to the impact he saw the helicopter hovering "immobile," about 10 ft above the runway. He recalled the tail was pointed towards the airplane and absolutely stationary. The pilot tried to avoid the helicopter, then heard a loud sound followed by the airplane inverting and sliding on its canopy. After the airplane came to a stop the pilot exited the airplane.

According to another pilot/witness that was approaching CLW, about 2 miles west of the airport, he heard the radio call from the helicopter when it was on a 1-mile final at 500 ft. He flew over CLW and saw the accident outcome. He indicated that he was monitoring the CLW CTAF and did not hear the pilot of the airplane announce his intentions. Due to the accident the witness diverted to another local airport.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined both aircraft at the accident site and discovered that both the helicopter and airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane sustained damage to the fuselage and the left wing separated from the airframe. The helicopter's tubed airframe was buckled. Examination of the radio communication system in the airplane and helicopter did not reveal any anomalies.

A review of a surveillance video showed the helicopter descending and slowing to stationary hover over the runway 34 threshold. Just as the helicopter had slowed to a hover, the airplane entered the frame of the video from the left, about 2 seconds before the collision. At that point the airplane's main landing gear appeared to be on, or just above the ground, and it then entered a slight climb as it continued down the runway. At this point the helicopter was oriented with its nose facing down the runway, while the airplane was approaching the helicopter from behind. Over the next 2 seconds, the airplane climb to roughly the height of the hovering helicopter before the airplane's left wing struck the aft side of the helicopter. The helicopter yawed to the left and descended to the ground, while the airplane rolled left and impacted the ground in an inverted attitude.

See-and-Avoid Concept

According to 14 CFR 91.113, "Right-of-Way Rules," "when weather conditions permit, regardless of whether an operation is conducted under instrument flight rules or visual flight rules, vigilance shall be maintained by each person operating an aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft." In addition, FAA AC 90-48D, "Pilots' Role in Collision Avoidance," which was in effect at the time of the accident, stated that the see-and-avoid concept requires vigilance at all times by each pilot, regardless of whether the flight is conducted under instrument flight rules or VFR.

Flight Instructor Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 32, Male
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Helicopter
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Helicopter
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 02/09/2017
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  224 hours (Total, all aircraft), 224 hours (Total, this make and model), 30 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 10 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 2 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 58, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s):None
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s):None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 02/11/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: (Estimated) 5203 hours (Total, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: ROBINSON HELICOPTER
Registration: N404TB
Model/Series: R22 Beta
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 3747
Landing Gear Type: Skid;
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 09/22/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1369 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 2 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3340 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: C91 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-360-J2A
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 145 hp
Operator:On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: CLW, 71 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1653 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 0°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 9500 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 7 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: 
Wind Direction: 100°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: 
Altimeter Setting: 29.83 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 32°C / 22°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Clearwater, FL (CLW)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Clearwater, FL (CLW)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1630 EDT
Type of Airspace:

Airport Information

Airport: CLEARWATER AIR PARK (CLW)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 71 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 34
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 4108 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Stop and Go

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude: 27.977222, -82.759167 (est)

NTSB Identification: ERA17LA332A
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 23, 2017 in Clearwater, FL
Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R22, registration: N404TB
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.

NTSB Identification: ERA17LA332B 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation 
Accident occurred Saturday, September 23, 2017 in Clearwater, FL Aircraft: PIPER PA 28R-201, registration: N1881H 
Injuries: 3 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 September 23, 2017, about 1715 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-201 airplane, N1881H, and a Robinson R22 helicopter, N44TB, were substantially damaged when they collided in mid-air over the runway at Clearwater Air Park (CLW), Clearwater, Florida. The private pilot aboard the airplane received minor injuries, and the flight instructor and a pilot-rated student aboard the helicopter were not injured. Both aircraft were owned and operated by Tampa Bay Aviation. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. Both flights were operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as personal flights, and no flight plans had been filed. 

According to the flight instructor, the purpose of the flight was a flight review of the pilot-rated student. He indicated that he had never previously flown with the student pilot, but during the flight, both were wearing headsets. The student pilot proceeded to the hover practice area and executed multiple practice maneuvers. All radio calls were made during every turn while in the airport traffic pattern. The instructor performed all radio calls at each leg of the airport traffic pattern during the first approach; while the pilot-rated student made the radio calls at each leg of the airport traffic pattern during the second takeoff, and approach to the runway. In addition, prior to every turn, they scanned in all directions for traffic. While on a final approach, the instructor noticed a fixed-wing airplane on the base leg of the airport traffic pattern for runway 16, and he announced on the common traffic advisory frequency that they were using runway 34. They heard the pilot of the airplane say something unintelligible and then observed the airplane veer away, flying to the west. The instructor then allowed the student to continue the approach to runway 34, which terminated with a hover, touchdown, and then liftoff.

The helicopter returned to the crosswind leg of the airport traffic pattern where then turned onto base leg of the airport traffic pattern for runway 34. When the helicopter was 1 mile from the runway, the student pilot turned onto final approach to runway 34 and executed a steep approach. The flight instructor told the student to extend the flight path to the segmented circle. The helicopter came to a hover over runway 34, about 15 ft above the ground, when he heard a loud sound and felt the helicopter being pushed forward. The helicopter then began to spin, impacted the ground hard, and came to rest upright.

According to the pilot of the airplane, he was operating on the CLW common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF), and stated that between his first and second radio transmission he heard a heavy buzzing sound like a helicopter rotor with the words "34" barely distinguishable. The pilot scaned for air traffic and declared being on downwind via his radio. The pilot quickly turned to the base leg of the traffic pattern and decreased the engine power to descend. About that time he quickly scanned of the airport environment, focusing on the taxiway to runway 34, the line of trees ahead of, as well as to the back of the runway, and saw nothing unusual. He was confident his calls on the radio were heard. The pilot proceeded to land; about 2 seconds prior to the impact he saw the helicopter hovering "immobile," about 10 ft. above the runway. He recalled the tail was pointed towards the airplane and absolutely stationary. The pilot tried to avoid the helicopter, then heard a loud sound followed by the airplane inverting and sliding on its canopy. After the airplane came to a stop the pilot exited the airplane.

A review of a surveillance video showed the helicopter at a stationary hover over the runway 34 threshold. Shortly after, the airplane began climbing before colliding with the rear of the helicopter.

According to another pilot/witness that was approaching CLW, while about 2 miles west of the airport, he heard the radio call from the helicopter when it was on a 1-mile final at 500 ft. As he flew over CLW, he saw the accident outcome. He indicated that he was monitoring the CLW CTAF, and did not hear the pilot of the airplane announce his intentions.


A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the aircraft at the accident site and found that both the helicopter and airplane sustained substantial damage. Examination of the radio communication system in the airplane and helicopter did not reveal any anomalies.





PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) -At least two people were injured when a helicopter collided with a plane that was making an emergency landing at Clearwater Airpark, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the helicopter, a Robinson R22 was hovering as the Piper PA-28 aircraft was landing on Runway 34. A collision occurred and the plane carrying two passengers flipped over.

Only the pilot was on the helicopter when he hit the plane.   Officials said two people were left with minor injuries, but their names and current conditions are unknown.

The Clearwater Fire Department is on the scene cleaning up a fuel leak.

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

A helicopter and a small airplane collided Saturday afternoon at a Clearwater airport.

The collision happened at the Clearwater Air Park, 1000 N Hercules Ave.

Zack Taylor said the helicopter was hovering over the runway when the plane approached. The plane's pilot did not make any radio calls as they made their way towards the landing.

The plane struck the back of the copter. The helicopter was able to make a safe emergency landing, but the plane lost part of a wing and flipped as a result of the collision.

The plane's pilot was taken to a local hospital for observation. The two people on the helicopter are speaking with officials.

Clearwater Fire Rescue was cleaning up the fuel spill.

Story and video ➤ http://www.wtsp.com

CLEARWATER — Authorities released more details Monday about the crash involving a helicopter and airplane over the weekend at the Clearwater Air Park.

Just after 5 p.m. Saturday, a helicopter piloted by 32-year-old Joseph Bell was hovering about 20 feet above the runway when a fixed-wing plane tried to land, according to the city of Clearwater. The plane, with Maurycy J. Sokolowski as the pilot, collided with the helicopter. It tumbled about 500 feet and came to a stop upside-down.

Sokolowski, 48, was taken to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg with minor injuries. Bell and his passenger, Ronald Eugene Gonzalez, 58, were not hurt, according to the city.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will respond to investigate.

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

As Securities and Exchange Commission investigates, Steve Down tightens connection to Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon




Last summer, supporters of the embattled Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville hoped a new era of stability and calm was at hand after Utah entrepreneur Steve Down bought much of the property out of bankruptcy.

But a year later, uncertainty is again at the museum’s door.

In the first detailed interview he’s granted in Oregon, Down confirmed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in June notified The Falls Event Center -- the Down company that purchased the Evergreen assets out of bankruptcy -- that it had found evidence of wrongdoing and could launch an enforcement action.

Down denies he did anything wrong and remains confident the SEC will back off. He acknowledges, however, that his companies have suffered some significant setbacks, particularly in its fundraising from investors. By this spring, Down told The Oregonian/OregonLive, his companies had fallen $20 million short of expectations. The resulting cash bind prompted Down to sell two important planes out of the museum because he needed the money.

The latest twist in the saga came this week, when Down filed a $25 million lawsuit against two Oregon men, one of them a former museum insider, accusing them of launching a stealth campaign to sabotage his business.




In a lengthy interview, Down described his business, his financial philosophy and goals for McMinnville.

He says his diversified family of companies -- which includes a chain of sandwich restaurants, event centers for weddings and corporate meetings, a financial coaching firm and several others -- has made him wealthy.

He practices what he calls “cause capitalism.” Even Steven, his restaurant chain, provides a sandwich to a homeless shelter for everyone it sells, he said.

It’s apparently a winning formula for attracting investors. Down said he’s raised between $70 million and $80 million from 300 individual investors.




Down returned to his native Oregon last summer when his Falls Event Center emerged as the winning bidder for most of the buildings that house the Evergreen museum and adjacent real estate.

For just under $11 million, Down said, The Falls Event Center obtained property worth more than $110 million, in a bankruptcy sale. The deal also gave Down’s company all future revenue from the water park at the site.

In recognition of that, Down agreed to donate $70,000 a month to the museum. Down also agreed not to charge the museum any rent.

“That was a proud day for this Oregonian,” Down said. “I felt like I had saved the museum.”

Everything was proceeding as planned, Down said, until last spring. Someone stole data from their computer system, including lists of lenders and investors, he said. The cyber-thieves urged investors to steer clear of Down's organization, Down said.

Fundraising suddenly became much more difficult, he added.

In dire need of cash, he sold two aircraft out of the museum for nearly $3 million. This summer, two prized WWII planes -- a P-51 Mustang and a Corsair -- were packed up and shipped to new owners.

The move outraged some aviation buffs. One of them was Paul Peterson, who helped run an education program for high school students at the museum. The Mustang and Corsair were two of the most historically significant planes in the entire place, Peterson said, and here was Down selling them for fire-sale prices.

Peterson said the two planes are worth $6 million to $8 million in their current condition and would fetch $10 million or more if restored to flying condition.

Down’s cash crunch worsened after The Oregonian/OregonLive broke the news of the SEC investigation in July. Down said his detractors sent copies of the stories to all of his investors.

Down’s organization informed investors this summer that The Falls Event Center lost $8.5 million in the first half of 2017 on $2.5 million in revenue.

It’s not just the aviation museum feeling the impact of Down’s financial travails. The Falls Event Center owes the city of Beaverton more than $33,000 in unpaid utility bills. The company bought 14,000 square feet of ground-floor space at The Round, an office and condo complex. It intends to make the space into one of its event centers. But months after the purchase work has yet to begun.

None of this has deterred the Evergreen museum board from tightening its relationship with down. Earlier this month, the board signed a new 30-year lease with The Falls Event Center. Brandon Roben, the museum executive director, said the museum is not going to get a similar, rent-free deal from another owner.




Federal investigators began looking into Down’s organization last October. Down’s team didn’t inform company investors until Aug. 5.

“The reason we waited to advise private equity partners is because, quite honestly, we believed we had answered their (the SEC’s) questions so thoroughly that they would go away,” said John Neubauer, Down’s corporate general manager. “And even if they file charges, we are quite prepared and confident of being able to successfully defend ourselves in court, as the issues in the Wells letter we have already responded to and addressed - we believe - quite satisfactorily.”

But the SEC put Down on notice in June that it may not agree.  The agency, which declined to comment, could still refrain from taking any action, said Tung Yin, a law professor at Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland.

“But this is the SEC saying in effect “we think you’ve done something wrong and we’re investigating it seriously,” Yin said. “It’s not good news. Other than getting a target letter from the U.S. Attorneys’ office, I can’t think of a worse letter to get.”




Down went on the attack this week.

The Falls Event Center sued Peterson and JW Millegan, a McMinnville hedge fund operator, in federal court on Thursday. The lawsuit claimed the duo launched a sustained campaign to disparage Down in hopes it would cause him to default on his debt, which would allow the defendants to buy the museum at a bargain price. He is seeking $25 million in damages.

Peterson and Millegan said Down’s accusations are untrue.

Peterson said he was told Friday to leave the museum campus.

Down, meanwhile, vowed to carry on. He said is working on a major refinancing deal that will allow him to begin work on a major four-star hotel on the museum grounds.

“We’ve got a lot of things in the pipeline,” Down said. “The big hotel is part of this.”

Story, photo gallery, comments: http://www.oregonlive.com

Jack Brooks Regional (KBPT), Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas: Amid Harvey’s flooding, airport became base for rescue operations




When Harvey’s flood waters inundated Port Arthur and surrounding communities, crews from across the country converged on the Jack Brooks Regional Airport and set up a rescue operation of an unprecedented scale.

From Aug. 30 to Sept. 10, records show 2,300 flight operations occurred at the Jack Brooks Regional Airport, said Manager Alex Rupp. That’s more than double the average for the first half of the year, Rupp said. And it may not include all flights.

As airplanes and helicopters buzzed over the area, some flights weren’t logged, meaning the number of total “flight operations” could be more than the 2,300 number. Buses and cars transported evacuees and first responders, too.

“It was 24/7 for four or five days,” Rupp said. “Time runs together, but I know at one time we had so many aircraft on the ground that we had to shut down a taxiway to park aircraft … Our level of activity was tremendously increased.”

Rupp said the airport sold 100,000 gallons of jet fuel from Aug. 30 to Sept. 10, which is about 20 percent of what the facility would sell in an average year. Some of those sales include repeat purchases from the same aircraft, he said.

A number of the airplanes were military C-130s or helicopters, but private and commercial pilots also flew evacuees out of Jefferson County, said Rupp and Nederland Fire Chief Gary Collins.

Rupp and Collins said some of the crews who flew into or conducted operations out of the airport included: The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Colorado Task Force One, National Guard units from multiple states, the Coast Guard, the U.S. Army, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“You name it, they were there,” Collins said.

Operations roughly broke down into a few categories: humanitarian aide, search and rescue, observation and evacuations. Crews even set up a mobile hospital in a parking lot, Rupp said.

With such a large operation at the airport, staff received significant help from volunteers, many of whom were affiliated with Nederland High School. From laundry to cooking, volunteers performed a wide array of tasks, said Brian Swindel.

“People just got in there and got after it,” said Swindel, one of the volunteers.

Volunteers showed a “selfless call to duty,” he said.

For his part, Swindel used a party bus to shuttle evacuees dropped off by helicopters at the airport’s older Jerry Ware Terminal to the newer terminal used for commercial flights.

First responders and crews at the airport also didn’t have a way to shower, Swindel said. So, he shuttled people to Powerhouse Gym in Port Neches, which opened their facility for first responders to use.

First responders also needed somewhere to wash their clothes. So, volunteers at the airport collected dirty laundry, split it up amongst themselves and washed it in their own homes, Swindel said.

Rupp said volunteers also obtained air mattresses and cots for crews based at the airport to use.

“It was just such an awesome thing to see everybody working together,” Swindel said. “It didn’t matter whether you had a high income or what you did on a daily basis, you just assumed your role and got to work.”

Relatively unaffected by flooding, the Jack Brooks Airport served as an invaluable resource for emergency operations, Collins said.

It’s unclear exactly how many evacuees moved through the airport, but Collins estimates the number to be 4,000 to 4,500 people. Some left the airport in buses or cars. Many left by air.

“For a lot of these people, you could tell that they didn’t know what they were going to do,” Swindel said. “Literally everything they had worked for was under water … It was just kind of surreal.”

At one point, buses weren’t able to leave the airport because of rising floodwaters, Collins said. As a result, evacuees were placed on the buses, which had air conditioning and small TVs, until an airplane arrived.

Environmental Protection Agency trailers remain parked at the airport. Some, minor repairs need to be made to the facility, but airport operations are mostly back to normal, Rupp said. The airport, however, largely escaped the wrath of Harvey.

“If you look at the devastation that occurred in other areas, we were relatively unscathed,” he said.

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