Thursday, October 26, 2017

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, N143WA, Wright Air Service Inc: Incident occurred at Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (PAGA), Galena, Alaska

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Fairbanks, Alaska

Aircraft on taxi, wingtip struck an object.

Wright Air Service Inc:  http://registry.faa.gov/N143WA

Date: 25-OCT-17
Time: 18:40:00Z
Regis#: N143WA
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: C208
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: OTHER
Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)
Aircraft Operator: WRIGHT AIR SERVICE
Flight Number: WRF1460
City: GALENA
State: ALASKA

Cessna T210M Turbo Centurion, N6025N, GV Air Inc: Incident occurred October 25, 2017 in Erie, Colorado

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Denver, Colorado

Aircraft force landed in a field.

GV Air Inc:  http://registry.faa.gov/N6025N

Date: 25-OCT-17
Time: 15:35:00Z
Regis#: N6025N
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: T210
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: NONE
Activity: OTHER
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: ERIE
State: COLORADO

Williams T-51 Mustang, N151TA: Incident occurred October 25, 2017 at Sioux Gateway Airport (KSUX),Sioux City, Iowa -and- Accident occurred August 07, 2012 at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH), Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Wisconsin

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Des Moines, Iowa

Aircraft on landing, went off the side of the runway and struck a light.

http://registry.faa.gov/N151TA

Date: 25-OCT-17
Time: 16:34:00Z
Regis#: N151TA
Aircraft Make: TITAN
Aircraft Model: T51 MUSTANG
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: SIOUX CITY
State: IOWA



Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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

Docket And Docket Items - National Transportation Safety Board: http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms 

Aviation Accident Data Summary - National Transportation Safety Board: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

http://registry.faa.gov/N151TA

NTSB Identification: CEN12LA530 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, August 07, 2012 in Oshkosh, WI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 02/27/2013
Aircraft: WILLIAMS JOHN T-51 MUSTANG, registration: N151TA
Injuries: 1 Serious.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

Shortly after takeoff for a test flight, the pilot noticed that the airplane was not climbing as expected and the engine was slowly losing power. The coolant temperature was 225 degrees and the airplane was only 250 to 300 feet above ground level. During the return to the airport, the pilot heard and felt an explosion behind him and felt a burning sensation on his back. During the forced landing, the right main landing gear collapsed. Examination of the airplane revealed that a cooling line had separated from the radiator behind the pilot during the accident flight. The examination also revealed that the radiator hose line clamp for a different cooling hose was overtightened and not seated properly in its pipe bead. A replacement engine had been installed as a result of a blown head gasket during a previous flight; however, the cooling system was not replaced, and it could not be determined when the clamp was overtightened. An examination of the remaining systems revealed no anomalies.

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

The separation of an engine cooling hose from the radiator.

On August 7, 2012, about 1620 central daylight time a Williams T-51 Mustang airplane, N151TA, conducted a forced landing at the Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The commercial pilot was seriously injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a test flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight which operated without a visual flight rules flight plan. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.

According to the pilot, the purpose of the test flight was to trouble-shoot the lower engine power and higher than expected operating temperatures encountered during the previous test flight. After takeoff, the airplane was not performing as expected and the engine was slowly losing power. The pilot observed that the coolant temperature was 225 degrees and the airplane was only 250 to 300 feet above ground level. The pilot communicated with air traffic control that he wanted to return to the airport and started a turn. During the turn, the pilot heard and felt an explosion behind him and felt a burning sensation on his back. The pilot lost all forward visibility as the windscreen was black with smoke, but he was able to see a small amount out the left side of the windscreen.

The pilot stated that he continued to try and fly the airplane, though he was limited by the inability to see outside of the airplane and the pain associated with the burning sensation on the left side of his body. The pilot extended the landing gear and conducted a forced landing in the grass, just short of the general aviation ramp.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who traveled to the accident scene, the right main landing gear collapsed during the forced landing. The airplane continued an additional 300 feet before coming to rest. The left wing and left flap were wrinkled during the forced landing.

The airplane was recovered and relocated to the owner’s hangar in Ohio for further examination. The FAA inspector who provided oversight for the examination reported that there were no negative properties or operational failures observed during the testing of the cooling system. The number four spark plug was severely damaged. According to the pilot, an examination of the engine revealed no further anomalies. The pilot added that a cooling hose separated from the radiator which was located behind him. The radiator and cooling lines had not been boxed in, which would isolate the cooling system from the cockpit.

Several days prior to the accident flight, the engine and cooling system operated at a higher than normal power setting and coolant temperature. After the flight, the coolant temperature reached the maximum range of 250 degrees Fahrenheit and coolant purged itself from the system. On a subsequent flight, the coolant temperature gauge did not function and shortly after takeoff the pilot observed smoke in the cockpit. As the pilot returned to the airport to land, he noticed that the engine oil temperature was high and the oil pressure was low. An examination revealed an oil leak between the cylinder head and the engine block. Following this flight, a replacement engine was installed; however, the cooling system was not replaced.


 NTSB Identification: CEN12LA530 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, August 07, 2012 in Oshkosh, WI
Aircraft: WILLIAMS JOHN T-51 MUSTANG, registration: N151TA
Injuries: 1 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On August 7, 2012, approximately 1620 central daylight time a Williams T-51 Mustang, N151TA, was substantially damaged while landing at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. The local flight has just departed KOSH and was landing when the accident occurred.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who traveled to the accident scene, shortly after takeoff steam and radiator coolant started entering the cockpit and burned the pilot. The pilot returned to the airport for a forced landing. During the landing the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane continued an additional 300 feet before coming to rest short of the general aviation ramp. The left wing and left flap were wrinkled.

Cessna 180J, N9789G, Oneida Wood Products LLC: Incident occurred October 24, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Aircraft on landing went off the runway and struck a light.

Oneida Wood Products LLC:  http://registry.faa.gov/N9789G

Date: 24-OCT-17
Time: 22:45:00Z
Regis#: N9789G
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: C180J
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: NONE
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: NEW ORLEANS
State: LOUISIANA

Piper PA-28-181, N52326, Lehigh Valley Flying Club Inc: Incident occurred October 25, 2017 at Lehigh Valley International Airport (KABE), Allentown, Hanover Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Allentown, Pennsylvania

Aircraft on landing, wing leading edge sustained birdstrike damage.  Landed with incident.

Lehigh Valley Flying Club Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N52326

Date: 25-OCT-17
Time: 15:18:00Z
Regis#: N52326
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA28
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: ALLENTOWN
State: PENNSYLVANIA

Cessna 152, N422JP, U S Aviation Group LLC: Incident occurred October 25, 2017 at North Texas Regional Airport (KGYI), Denison, Grayson County, Texas

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Fort Worth, Texas

Aircraft on landing gear collapsed.

U S Aviation Group LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N422JP

Date: 25-OCT-17
Time: 23:20:00Z
Regis#: N422JP
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: C152
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: SHERMAN
State: TEXAS

Cessna P210N Pressurized, N507HH, MWM Interest Inc: Incident occurred October 25, 2017 at Waco Regional Airport (KACT), McLennan County, Texas

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Fort Worth, Texas

Aircraft on takeoff, gear collapsed and went off the runway.

MWM Interest Inc:  http://registry.faa.gov/N507HH

Date: 25-OCT-17
Time: 16:14:00Z
Regis#: N507HH
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: C210
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: TAKEOFF (TOF)
City: WACO
State: TEXAS

Bellanca 7KCAB Citabria, N53735, Vermont Flight Academy: Incident occurred October 25, 2017 at Burlington International Airport (KBTV), Chittenden County, Vermont

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Portland, Maine

Aircraft on final, wing sustained bird strike damage. Landed without incident.

Vermont Flight Academy:  http://registry.faa.gov/N53735

Date: 25-OCT-17
Time: 19:10:00Z
Regis#: N53735
Aircraft Make: BELLANCA
Aircraft Model: 7KCAB
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: INSTRUCTION
Flight Phase: APPROACH (APR)
City: BURLINGTON
State: VERMONT

Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser, N4409M: Accident occurred October 06, 2017 in Webster, Burnett County, Wisconsin

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Minneapolis

Aircraft on takeoff, went off the grass strip onto the brush area.

http://registry.faa.gov/N4409M

Date: 06-OCT-17
Time: 20:11:00Z
Regis#: N4409M
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA12
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: DESTROYED
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: TAKEOFF (TOF)
City: WEBSTER
State: WISCONSIN

Cessna 182E Skylane, N9350X: Fatal accident occurred August 09, 2008 in Juneau, Alaska

Brandon Andrews, left, with his father Brian Andrews.


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

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Juneau, Alaska
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama

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


https://registry.faa.gov/N9350X


Location: Juneau, AK
Accident Number: ANC08FA133
Date & Time: 08/09/2008, 1605 AKD
Registration: N9350X
Aircraft: CESSNA 182
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: VFR encounter with IMC
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On August 9, 2008, about 1605 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped Cessna 182E airplane, N9350X, impacted steep mountainous terrain after departure from Young Lake on Admiralty Island about 15 miles south of Juneau, Alaska. The private pilot and the pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) were reported along the airplane's anticipated flight path, and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed from the remote lake about 1600, and the intended destination was the Juneau International Airport Seaplane Base (PAJN) in Juneau.

The pilot's youngest son reported that he, his older brother, and his father had been on a family camping trip at Young Lake, and, on the day of the accident, the group was returning to Juneau and determined that it would take two trips to transport all their camping gear. The pilot's son said that after discussing various options, they decided that all three would fly back to Juneau, one of them would stay behind in Juneau, and the other two would return to pick up the remaining camping gear. The son reported that they departed from Young Lake about 1515 and arrived in Juneau about 1540. He reported that when they left Young Lake, the weather was "open" on the north end of the lake but was "closed" on the south end of the lake.

The youngest son remained in Juneau, and he reported that the airplane with his father and older brother on board departed from Juneau about 1540 with an anticipated return time of about 1630. The son reported that his father and brother were both experienced pilots and that his father was seated in the left seat when the airplane departed Juneau. He said that he was confident that his father was flying the airplane on the accident flight.

After the airplane's 1540 departure from Juneau, there were no reports of communications with the airplane. No radar data were available for the flight. No emergency transmitter locator (ELT) signal was received from the airplane.

An Alaska State Trooper reported that about 1915, the pilot's youngest son walked into the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Juneau Flight Service Station, to report that the airplane had not returned to Juneau and to inquire about any radio contact with the airplane. The airplane was officially declared overdue at 1932. The son said that he thought that the flight might have been delayed due to poor weather conditions around the Juneau area.

Another Alaska State Trooper who participated in the search reported that a witness recalled seeing the airplane depart from Young Lake about 1600. The airplane's anticipated flight path from Young Lake in the Tongass National Forest to Juneau would have been on a north-northwest heading over about 16 miles of tree-covered steep mountainous island terrain, numerous ocean channels, and an extensive shoreline, containing small coves and bays. The area frequently has low ceilings and reduced visibility due to rain, fog, and mist. The U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Army Alaska National Guard, the Civil Air Patrol, the Alaska State Troopers, Juneau Mountain Rescue (JMR), and additional search volunteers conducted extensive air, water, and ground searches. The youngest son reported that on August 9, 2008, Alaska State Troopers and JMR personnel reached the Young Lake area and found that the cabin the group had used was empty of gear, except for some trash. The son stated that this "probably meant that [his father and brother] felt they only had a small weather window and left." The official search was suspended by U.S. Coast Guard personnel on August 20, 2008. Family members and volunteers continued to search for the missing airplane.

On October 25, 2017, the NTSB received notification from the Alaska State Troopers that the wreckage of the airplane was discovered on Admiralty Island by an individual who was hunting for blacktail deer.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

An examination of the airplane's maintenance records revealed no evidence of uncorrected mechanical discrepancies with the airframe, engine, and propeller.

According to the maintenance records, an Aero Electronics Development Company, Inc., Pointer II ELT was installed in the airplane. On May 21, 2007, an annual inspection was conducted on the airframe, and the logbook entry stated, "inspected and tested ELT, replaced ELT battery, new due date is October 2008." On June 26, 2008, an annual inspection was conducted on the airframe, and the logbook entry stated, "inspected and tested ELT."

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

An Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) was located at PAJN, which was located about 13 miles north of the accident location at an elevation of about 25 ft mean sea level (msl).

At 1553, PAJN reported a wind from 280° at 5 knots, prevailing visibility of 3 statute miles, light drizzle, mist, scattered clouds at 200 ft above ground level (agl), ceiling broken at 1,300 ft agl, overcast clouds at 2,000 ft agl, temperature of 12° Celsius (C) and a dew point temperature of 12°C, altimeter setting of 29.89 inches of mercury; remarks included: station with a precipitation discriminator, rain ended at 1533 and drizzle began at 1533, mountains obscured to the north through east through south and mountains partially obscured to the west, 0.02 inches of precipitation since 1453, temperature of 12.2°C and dew point temperature of 11.7°C.

At 1629, PAJN reported a wind from 230° at 5 knots, prevailing visibility of 2.5 statute miles, light rain, mist, scattered clouds at 200 ft agl, ceiling broken at 1,300 ft agl, overcast clouds at 2,000 ft agl, temperature of 12°C and a dew point temperature of 12°C, altimeter setting of 29.90 inches of mercury; remarks included: station with a precipitation discriminator, tower visibility of 3 miles, drizzle ended at 1618 and rain began at 1618, mountains obscured in all quadrants, trace amount of precipitation since 1553.

Refer to the Weather Study in the public docket for further weather information.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

On October 28, 2017, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), an aviation safety inspector from the FAA's Juneau Flight Standards District Office, an Alaska State Trooper, and members from JMR traveled to Young Lake via floatplane and hiked to the accident site. The wreckage was in densely-forested steep mountainous terrain about 1.25 miles northwest of the north end of Young Lake at an elevation of about 1,075 ft msl. The average tree height at the accident site was about 100 ft. At the wreckage location and in the immediate area surrounding the wreckage, various fallen and damaged trees were present; however, it could not be determined if these trees were damaged or fell due to the accident or natural causes.

The heavily corroded wreckage was saturated with dirt, fungus, leaves, and branches. The cockpit and the fuselage were located on top of a small stream and were destroyed by a postimpact fire. Various mangled control cable assemblies were located throughout the cockpit and fuselage area. A small portion of the engine case was slightly visible above ground, and the rest of the engine and engine accessories were buried beneath the soil underneath the cockpit wreckage. The propeller was presumed to be buried beneath the engine. Both wings were heavily fractured and were torn from the fuselage and lying near the cockpit and fuselage. The empennage, which sustained thermal damage, was found lying next to the cockpit area. Both float pontoons were heavily fractured and were located on top of the cockpit area. Scattered throughout the accident site were various camping items.

Due to extensive airframe fragmentation and thermal damage, flight control continuity could not be verified. The airplane's ELT was not identified in the wreckage. Due to the remote location, the wreckage was not recovered.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Alaska State Medical Examiner, Anchorage, Alaska, examined the skeletonized remains of the pilot and the passenger that were recovered. According to the medical examiner's autopsy reports, the causes of death for the pilot and the passenger were "most likely multiple blunt force injury."

Toxicology tests on specimens from the pilot and passenger were not performed due to a lack of suitable samples.

At the time of the pilot's most recent examination by an aviation medical examiner, the pilot reported having thrombophlebitis and using the blood thinner warfarin. Warfarin, also known by the trade name Coumadin, is not considered impairing.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Aviation Safety in Alaska

The NTSB's safety study, Aviation Safety in Alaska SS-95/03, discusses aviation safety issues with weather and risk taking in Alaska and states, in part:

Flying weather in Alaska can be quite variable depending on the climate zone and time of year. Although all parts of Alaska experience periods of instrument meteorological conditions, such conditions are frequent in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska Peninsula, southeast Alaska, and the Arctic Coast during the summer and early fall. Weather conditions can change rapidly in Alaska, and the vast distances between some reporting points will often conceal significant local variations in the weather. VFR flight into IMC usually involves poor pilot decision making, whether in initiating the flight or continuing it into adverse weather.

VFR into IMC Accidents

The FAA's report, A Human Factors Analysis of Fatal and Serious Injury Accidents in Alaska 2004-2009, discusses five factors associated with poor pilot decision-making in VFR into IMC accidents and states, in part:

Weigmann and Goh (2000) list four factors associated with poor pilot decision-making in VFR into IMC accidents.

The first factor is poor situation assessment. The pilot lacks experience in interpreting changing weather conditions, especially slowly changing weather. Tiredness, fatigue, and increased workload, or some combination of these, can also increase the likelihood of an inaccurate assessment of the weather.

The second factor associated with poor pilot decision-making is faulty risk perception of the dangers involved in flying in marginal weather conditions. Recent research by Shappell et al. (2010) supports the notion that many pilots have a poor understanding and appreciation of the hazards associated with adverse weather conditions. Contributing to this perception, many pilots might have successfully navigated during marginal conditions in the past and so have gained confidence in their ability to succeed again in similar circumstances.

The third factor associated with poor pilot decision-making is inappropriate motivations that bias the decision-making process. The term "get-home-itis" refers to the motivation of the pilot to complete the journey.

The fourth factor associated with poor pilot decision-making is called "decision framing." Decision framing refers to the idea that a person's choice between a risky or safe course of action depends on whether the choice is framed in terms of a gain or a loss. When the safer course of action is framed in terms of a loss, the decision tends to be risk-seeking. When framed in terms of a gain, the decision tends to be risk-averse. In the case of VFR flight into IMC, research has shown that framing the decision to not fly into marginal weather conditions as a loss (i.e., wasted time, money, and effort) leads to a greater likelihood of continuing the flight, but framing the decision to not fly as a gain (i.e., it is safer) leads to a greater likelihood of diverting the flight (O'Hare & Smitheram, 1995).

A fifth factor, one that is not discussed by Weigmann and Goh, is what is referred to as problem- solving set (Gick & Holyoak, 1979), which is the tendency to repeat a solution process that has been previously successful. In addition to altering one's perception of risk, successfully conducting a flight in marginal conditions by using a specific strategy (e.g., following a river while flying underneath the clouds) will increase the likelihood that the strategy will be used again under similar circumstances. Memory plays a crucial role in problem-solving, and repetition plays a crucial role in memory. So when faced with a problem (how do I make it through this weather?), humans tend to adopt a strategy that has been used successfully in the past, even if the current situation does not quite match previous events.

Previous NTSB Case Number

The previous NTSB case number associated with this accident when the airplane was missing was ANC08FAMS01. 


Brian Andrews and his son Brandon Andrews at a barbecue in 2006.


Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 56, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 05/01/2008
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 1200 hours (Total, all aircraft) 

Pilot-Rated Passenger Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 24, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 06/23/2008
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 08/03/2007
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 300 hours (Total, all aircraft)



Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Registration: N9350X
Model/Series: 182 E
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1962
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 18253750
Landing Gear Type: Float
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/26/2008, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2950 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 2829.87 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental Motors
ELT: C91  installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-470-R
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 230 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Instrument Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: PAJN, 24 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 13 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 2353 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 351°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 200 ft agl
Visibility: 3 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 1300 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 5 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: / None
Wind Direction: 280°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 29.89 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 12°C / 12°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: Light - Drizzle; Moderate - Mist
Departure Point: Juneau, AK
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: JUNEAU, AK (JNU)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1600 ADT
Type of Airspace: Class G 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: Unknown
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude:  58.151389, -134.505278 (est) In August 2008, a Cessna 182 airplane took off from Young Lake about 15 miles south of Juneau en route to the Juneau International Airport. It never made it. 

On board were 56-year-old Brian Andrews and his 24-year-old son Brandon. Brian Andrews was the deputy commissioner for the Alaska Department of Revenue at the time. The wreckage — along with the two men in the plane — remained missing.

This past Wednesday, that might have changed.

A man reported to the Alaska State Troopers that he and a group of friends and family found the wreckage of a float-equipped Cessna 182 airplane on Admiralty Island and that he found human remains inside as well, Alaska State Troopers Spokesperson Tim DeSpain said Friday.

“We’re reasonably certain, from his description and documentation, that it is that (Andrews’) plane,” DeSpain said.

National Transportation Safety Board Chief Clint Johnson said that the Andrews family has been notified of the discovery.

Brent Andrews, Brian’s son and Brandon’s brother, wrote a blog post Saturday about the discovery, saying that the people who found the plane are “lifelong friends” of the Andrews family.

“I understand that this news has been, and will be, a shock to some,” Brent wrote. “For some, and for my family, it has lead to a resurgence in all the feelings that arose when Dad and Brandon went missing, especially as we still miss your presence every day.”

The wreckage was found near Young Lake, Johnson said.

Members of the Juneau Mountain Rescue Group, a State Trooper and Mike Hodges from the NTSB are investigating the crash site, having flown to Young Lake on a U.S. Forest Service flight.

Johnson said the team arrived on Admiralty Island on Saturday afternoon, too late in the day to make the hike to the wreckage. They spent the night at a nearby cabin and started their journey to the wreckage Sunday morning. Johnson said that from the report Troopers receieved, there appears to have been a post-crash fire. They’re not sure how much of the plane remains, Johnson said.

They will seek to identify not only the plane but the remains, DeSpain said. There will be a tentative identification of the remains, he said, but it could take some time for the state medical examiner’s office to positively identify the remains.

On his blog post, Brent said the group of investigators were able to identify both the plane and the remains, though Johnson said Saturday that the group hasn’t been able to fully investigate.

According to the NTSB crash report filed in 2008, the men on board were flying supplies back from a family camping trip. Andrews’ youngest son reported that at the conclusion of the family’s camping trip, they determined that they had too much camping gear to safely take it to Juneau on one trip. They decided that three of them would fly back to Juneau and then Brian and Brandon would make one more round-trip flight to bring back the additional gear.

The plane departed the airport in Juneau at about 3:40 p.m. on Aug. 9, according to the report, and was expected to be back around 4:30 p.m. When the plane still wasn’t back at 7:15 p.m., the youngest son reported the plane overdue.

The Coast Guard, along with Alaska State Troopers and Civil Air Patrol, searched a 1,000-square mile area for the plane in 2008, but found nothing. A four-member team from Juneau Mountain Rescue hiked to the cabin the family was at, and found that the gear had been retrieved. The NTSB crash report said the two men were “presumed to have been killed.”

“I know that their disappearance was a very rare case,” Brent wrote Saturday, “and I’m glad that since 2008 there have been improvements in aircraft emergency signal requirements, photo reconnaissance, and other technologies, so that families in the future won’t have to conduct such searches for their loved ones.”

http://juneauempire.com

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Juneau, Alaska

Aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances. The two (2) souls on board were fatally injured. Subject of an alert notice issued August 09, 2018. Missing aircraft wreckage located October 25, 2017

http://registry.faa.gov/N9350X

Date: 09-AUG-08
Time: 00:00:00Z
Regis#: N9350X
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: C182
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: FATAL
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: DESTROYED
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: UNKNOWN (UNK)
City: JUNEAU
State: ALASKA

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

NTSB Identification: ANC08FAMS01
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, August 09, 2008 in Juneau, AK
Aircraft: CESSNA 182E, registration: N9350X
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On August 9, 2008, about 1600 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped Cessna 182 airplane, N9350X, departed from a remote lake about 15 miles south of Juneau, Alaska, en route to the Juneau International Airport Seaplane Base, Juneau. When the airplane did not arrive in Juneau, it was reported overdue. The airplane remains missing and is presumed to have crashed about 1615 while en route to Juneau. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, when the accident occurred. The private certificated pilot, and the sole pilot-rated passenger, are presumed to have been killed. Instrument meteorological conditions were reported along the airplane's anticipated flight path, and no flight plan was filed.

An Alaska State Trooper that participated in the search reported that family members said that the accident flight was the second of two round trip flights between Young Lake and Juneau, intended to shuttle people and supplies back to Juneau following a family camping trip. The Trooper said about 1915, the pilot's youngest son, who was on board the first round trip flight, walked into the Juneau Flight Service Station to report that the airplane had not returned to Juneau, and to inquire about any radio contact from the overdue airplane. The airplane was officially declared overdue at 1932. The son said that he had expected the accident airplane to return to Juneau about 1630, but he thought that the flight might have been delayed due to poor weather conditions around the Juneau area. 

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on August 28, the missing pilot's youngest son reported that on Saturday, August 9, at the conclusion of a family camping trip, the group discovered that they had too much camping gear, which required an additional round trip flight between Young Lake and Juneau. He said that after discussing various options, it was collectively decided that all three would fly back to Juneau together, then one of them would stay behind in Juneau, while the other two returned to pick up the remaining camping gear. After arriving in Juneau, the son decided to wait at the Juneau International Airport Seaplane Base until the airplane returned. He said that the airplane departed from Juneau about 1540, with an anticipated return time of 1630. 

The son reported that his father and older brother on board the missing airplane were both experienced pilots, but said that his father was seated in the left seat when the airplane departed Juneau. He said that he was confident that his father was flying the airplane at the time of their disappearance. 


During a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC on August 12, an Alaska State Trooper that participated in the search reported that a witness recalled seeing the accident airplane depart from Young Lake about 1600. Also, search and rescue personnel reported that the camping gear that had been left behind at Young Lake was gone. 

The missing airplane's anticipated flight path would have been over about 15 miles of ocean. The terrain around the Juneau area is characterized by tree-covered steep mountainous island terrain, numerous ocean channels, and an extensive shoreline, containing small coves and bays. The area frequently has low ceilings and reduced visibility due to rain, fog, and mist. 

Search and rescue personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard, Air Station Sitka, surface vessels, aerial and ground search volunteers participated in search operations. Coast Guard personnel suspended the official search on August 20, 2008. 

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and single-engine sea, and instrument ratings. His most recent third-class medical certificate was issued on May 1, 2008, and contained no limitations.

No personal flight records were located for the pilot, and the aeronautical experience listed on page 3 of this report was obtained from FAA records on file in the Airman and Medical Records Center located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. On the pilot's application for medical certificate, dated May 1, 2008, he indicated that his total aeronautical experience was 1,200 flight hours, of which 5 flight hours were accrued in the previous 6 months.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The closest weather reporting facility was the Juneau International Airport, the accident airplane's intended destination. At 1629, a weather observation from the Juneau Airport was reporting, in part: Wind, 230 degrees (true) at 5 knots; visibility, 2.5 statute miles with rain and mist; clouds and sky condition, 200 feet scattered, 1,300 feet broken, 2,000 feet overcast; temperature, 53 degrees F; dew point, 53 degrees F; altimeter, 29.90 inHg. 

COMMUNICATIONS

After the airplane departed from Juneau there were no reports of communications with the missing airplane. 

No emergency transmitter locator (ELT) signal was received by search personnel.

SEARCH AND RESCUE / SURVIVAL ASPECTS

The U.S. Coast Guard, and the Alaska State Troopers, Juneau, conducted extensive air, water, and ground searches. The official search was suspended by Coast Guard personnel on August 20, 2008. Family members and volunteers continued to search for the missing airplane. 

Search personnel reported that survival time, in water less than 40 degrees F, is typically less than one hour.

Texas ranches air freight cattle to Vietnam




Ten Brahman bulls sat patiently in 10-by-8-foot crates as the doors were drilled shut. They peeped through slats when lifted some two stories into the air and onto a Boeing 747 cargo plane at Bush Intercontinental Airport. They would go much higher and farther during the 30-hour-plus journey to Vietnam.

International sales of Texas cattle are not new, but they are increasing as population growth and rising incomes around the world have more people introducing beef, pork and other meat-based proteins into their diets.

"As their incomes go up, people eat more meat," said David Anderson, a professor and agriculture economist at Texas A&M University. "And so there are countries who want to upgrade their quality of meat production and quantity of meat production."




In Vietnam, specifically, beef production has been relatively stagnant while demand has increased. Imported beef made up 19 percent of consumption in 2016, compared with 5 percent in 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Seeing the strong demand, Vietnamese producers have been investing in their herds. The USDA reports the value of U.S. shipments of live cattle and bovine semen reached $11.6 million and $1.1 million, respectively, between January and August.

Houston-area exports of live animals to Vietnam was worth $731,554 last year, according to WISERTrade data provided by the Greater Houston Partnership.




The 10 Texas Brahmans flown out Wednesday will be bred with local cows to improve Vietnamese beef's quality and quantity. Texas cattle have more meat with better marbling and tenderness.

And since one bull produces 30,000 units of semen throughout his lifetime - about two units of semen are required to inseminate a cow - each of these 10 bulls could produce 5,000 calves.

Alfredo A. Muskus, of the family-owned Santa Elena Ranch in Madisonville, first went to Vietnam a year ago on a trade mission with the American Brahman Breeders Association, based in Houston, and Holstein Association USA. Santa Elena sent its first shipment of bulls to Vietnam in March.




"I think a lot of cattlemen in the United States need to start realizing that there's a lot of international markets," Muskus said.

Eight of the bulls headed to Vietnam were from Santa Elena Ranch. The other two were from Detering Red Brahmans.

After the cattle were loaded onto the plane in their two crates, Muskus climbed aboard himself. As the livestock attendant for the flight, he would sit on the 747's upper deck while the cattle, with some room to lie down inside their crates, are in the bottom portion of the plane. Muskus will feed the animals and be available should they need anything.




He compared it to flying in first class with food and a few lie-flat beds. The cattle might as well be flying first class, too, as the cost to ship a bull to Vietnam is similar to the cost of a premium airline ticket.

The 747 departed Wednesday for Anchorage, Alaska, and will then fly to Taipei, Taiwan. The crates are unloaded in Taipei and placed onto another plane that will travel to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and then their ultimate destination in Hanoi.

The cattle will be taken to a breeding station that, according to an article in the Brahman Journal, is run by the Vietnamese government. It collects semen from beef and dairy bulls to sell to local producers.




Vietnam is just one of the markets where Texas cattle are being sent. Muskus said 60 percent of his ranch's business is with international customers. He's sent live Brahman cattle, frozen semen or frozen embryos to countries including Thailand, Pakistan, Venezuela, Paraguay, Colombia and Mexico.

The Texas Department of Agriculture has also expanded international agriculture trade programs. It has coordinated activities on every continent, except Antarctica, and the department said trade missions to countries like China have opened new markets for Texas.

The department's Livestock Export Facility at Bush Intercontinental Airport was built in 1978 to export cattle. But the focus shifted to exporting horses about a decade ago, said Dr. Netia Abercrombie, a veterinary medical officer with the USDA.




Cattle began coming through the export facility again about a year ago, and Wednesday's flight marked the fifth cattle shipment in the past year to go through the site. In general, animals pass through the export facility two to three times a week.

But only certain cattle are worth first-class tickets.

"They have to be really expensive, high-dollar breeding stock," Anderson said. "Meaning they're going to be some really special bulls or cows."

The Brahmans exported Wednesday are a good fit for Vietnam because they're a resilient breed that does well in hot, humid weather.

"They truly thrive where it's harsh," said William Bunce, executive vice president of the American Brahman Breeders Association.

Muskus will spend four days working with his counterparts in Vietnam. He'll make sure the bulls are settled, check on the bulls his ranch previously sent and make suggestions that could improve the program.

Gordon Thornhill, general manager for T.K. Exports, which specializes in livestock, said Muskus will be able to teach them some tricks of the trade.

"You have an opportunity to take what you've learned and share it with somebody else," he said.

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