Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Police hope to launch drones over Anchorage — with limits

The Anchorage Police Department wants to start using drones. But elected officials have some concerns.

At a meeting of the Assembly’s public safety committee Wednesday, Captain Kevin Vandergriff presented draft policies on how police would like to use drones in Anchorage.

“Search and Rescue would be a primary,” Vandergriff said in a short interview after the meeting. “Evidence collection for major crimes and major crime scenes like fatality traffic accidents, for example. Also for tactical applications when we’re responding with a SWAT team for officer safety purposes. Those would be the three primary activities we’re interested in utilizing this technology for.”

According to Vandergriff, some core public safety functions can be done more efficiently by small unmanned aerial systems (UAS, as the devices are sometimes referred to) than by humans or equipment currently utilized in department procedures. Overhead cameras can reduce search times for missing and vulnerable adults down from hours to minutes, Vandergriff explained to the Assembly. Documenting a crime scene could similarly be expedited through the use of high-resolution overhead photographs.

In its proposals, APD introduced a limited set of functions for drones. The Department also laid out what they wouldn’t be used for, like warrant-less surveillance.

The idea for a limited roll-out by APD is to give the public time to acclimate.

“We want to utilize this new technology in a very conservative manner, all the time getting feedback from the public on how they believe we’re using the technolog,” Vandergriff said. “We want to be transparent when we use it. So we can put the public’s mind at rest, if you will, that this technology is not being abused by their police department.”

And the public is indeed skeptical. According to results from a poll conducted by Rasmussen and presented by APD, a slight majority of Americans, 39 percent, do not support police using drones, compared to 36 percent of those who do support law enforcement using them (25 percent were undecided).

Even though members of the Assembly were supportive of specific proposals, many said rules should come through new municipal laws.

Assembly vice-chair Forest Dunbar, who is a lawyer, believes there are a number of privacy concerns that merit a slower, more comprehensive legislative approach to the municipality’s drone policies.

“I think we want to strike that balance between the legitimate concerns of law enforcement and the potential for this technology, but also the real worries about privacy,” Dunbar said.

Dunbar was hardly alone among Assembly members expressing reservations. He expects the next step will be the Assembly working with the mayor’s administration on an ordinance that will solicit public testimony before coming up a vote.

Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.alaskapublic.org

An unidentified aircraft over Oregon had the US air force scrambling to identify what it was




by Jamie Seidel

This should not have happened.

On October 25, an unidentified aircraft was seen flying - in broad daylight - among the airliners in one of the United States' heavily trafficked air corridors in the skies above Oregon.

It had no submitted flight plan. It had no identification transponder active. Nor was it transmitting collision avoidance signals.

Air traffic control stations were reportedly having difficulty following it on radar.

Coming after the events of 9/11, such an unidentified aircraft is not just a matter for UFO cranks and conspiracy theorists.

It represents a potentially serious breach of national security.

Or does it?

The War Zone blog of automotive news service The Drive began digging for an answer after one of its reporters heard scuttlebutt about the incident from aviation industry associates.

At first it sounded like a typical example of an aircraft suffering communications failure.

But then came news, via Reddit, that US air force F-15C interceptor fighters had been launched in response to the sightings.

"Strange! My theory is they were running drugs to Canada. No news yet, not that I could find," a user claiming to have been a pilot in the air at the time posted user 'Duprass'. 

 He described how airliners had been asked to help track an unknown white-coloured aircraft visually for up to 30 minutes as air traffic control radar was having difficulty getting a fix.

While it was in sight of various airliner crews, it was apparently never close enough for its type to be identified.

"The last airplane to see it had to descend into Portland and lost sight of it. The fighters were scrambled out of PDX but flew around for a while and did not find it. And that's that."

War Zone contacted North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD), the 142nd Fighter Wing at Portland International Airport, and the Federal Aviation Administration to confirm the incident.

NORAD quickly confirmed it had been asked by the Federal Aviation Administration to help track an unidentified aircraft flying at heights regularly used by commercial aircraft (35,000 and 40,000ft). It said fighters had been scrambled from Portland to investigate - but failed to find anything.

This is in itself odd.

While little is known about the timing of the events (it is possible the fighters were simply activated too late), the F-15C Eagle interceptors have some of the most advanced combat search and tracking radars in the world.

They're also extremely fast.

So while the unidentified aircraft was reported to have been moving somewhat faster than the observing airliners, a F-15 should have been able to catch up easily.

War Zone says the Federal Aviation Administration has refused to add any detail to the story other than to confirm what had already been established. The 142nd Fighter Wing did not respond.

So what was it?

That remains speculation.

Oregon is adjacent Nevada, the well-known home to the United States Air Force's secret aircraft testing facility at Groom Lake (otherwise dubbed Area 51). But flying a secret aircraft among commercial airliner streams in daylight is both dangerous and insecure - and not known to be a common practice.

Was it Russian. Was it Chinese?

It may have been a smuggling aircraft, its cashed-up owners giving it an added dimension of speed and stealth. But there is no evidence to suggest such an aircraft exists.

Alien? If so, they're surprisingly incompetent at avoiding attention. 

Original article ➤ https://www.northernstar.com.au

Cessna 150F, N6488F: Incident occurred November 15, 2017 in Sabin, Clay County, Minnesota

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office

Aircraft force landed on a highway.

http://registry.faa.gov/N6488F

Date: 15-NOV-17
Time: 17:35:00Z
Regis#: N6488F
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: C150
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: NONE
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: SABIN
State: MINNESOTA



CLAY COUNTY, Minn. – A single-engine plane made an emergency landing about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 15, roughly two miles south of Sabin along Clay County Highway 52, Sheriff Bill Bergquist said.

The sheriff said the pilot, the lone occupant of the plane, was not hurt.

"There was no crash," he said, adding that the pilot was trying to get to Fargo.

Clay County Lt. Mark Empting said the pilot told authorities the plane had iced up so he had to bring it down. The plane was not damaged during the landing, Empting said.

Federal Aviation Administration officials came to the scene to investigate.

Story and video ➤ https://www.wday.com

Incident occurred November 15, 2017 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (KAVP), Pittston Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania



PITTSTON TOWNSHIP -- There were some tense moments as a plane from Chicago came in for a landing in Luzerne County.

The United Airlines flight from Chicago reported issues with its landing gear just before 5 p.m. Wednesday as it approached Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport.

Emergency crews were placed on standby, and the plane landed safely.

Newswatch 16 spoke with some relieved passengers after they got off the plane including a priest from California who is visiting West Pittston.

"Everybody remained calm. The pilot did an excellent job. I did a couple extra prayers, and we landed safely in back here in northeast Pennsylvania, so it's good to be home," Father Paul Mcdonnell said.

No injuries were reported. Officials have not said what was the problem with the plane's landing gear.

Story and video ➤ http://wnep.com

Women pilots dominate Mesquite skies

The flying team of Marge Thayer, center, was part of the Rio Colorado Chapter of the Ninety-Nines air race that began in Mesquite last Friday. Tiva Devitt, left, and Helen Beulen, right, flew with Thayer for the 600-mile, two-day race. While most of the pilots were women, there were a couple “boy teams” in the race as Shannon Hicks Hankins, vice-chair of the Rio Colorado Chapter described the flying field. 



The skies over Mesquite were quite full Friday morning, Nov. 10, as the Rio Colorado Chapter of the Ninety-Nines began a two-day, 600-mile race that took them through three states and ended at Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Sixteen airplanes, most piloted by women, participated in the race taking off at short intervals.

The racing event is a fundraiser for the Ninety-Nines scholarship fund for young women and men wanting a career in aviation. The Ninety-Nines is an international organization of licensed women pilots that Amelia Earhart began in 1929. Of the 117 licensed women pilots during the time of the organization’s founding, 99 became charter members and took the name from their number. The membership was international from the beginning and Earhart was elected the first president. There are now thousands of licensed women pilots from more than 40 countries who belong to the Ninety-Nines.

Shannon Hicks Hankins, vice-chair of the Rio Colorado Chapter, said the racers would hit seven airports in Nevada, California and Arizona. “Last year is the first time we came through Mesquite as part of the annual event,” Hicks Hankins said. “Mesquite was so warm and welcoming, and the airport was wonderful. It’s a beautiful location to fly into. We thought it would be a great place to start our race so we set it up for this year. We’re having a great time.”

Hicks Hankins said seven of the 16 teams are women pilot and co-pilot. Two are husband and wife teams although the wife does most of the flying. “And then the rest are boy teams,” she said.


At 75 years old, pilot Marge Thayer is the oldest participant in Rio Colorado Chapter of the Ninety-Nines air race that began in Mesquite last Friday. Sixteen teams flew 600 miles in two days, ending in Lake Havasu City, AZ. 


Pilot Marge Thayer is the oldest participant in the race at 75 years. A resident of Mesa, Arizona, she’s been flying since 1969. “Air racing for women is like a family reunion,” Thayer said. She has won the biggest Ninety-Nines Air Race Classic four times and is in the top five female air racers for the most wins. “It took me 35 years to do that. It’s tough,” she said. She flies a Cessna 182 RG (retractable gear).

While Thayer is the main pilot in her aircraft, her right-seater is Helen Beulen with Beulen’s daughter Tiva Devitt going along for the ride. “We have three generations of women in our plane,” Thayer said. “I drive and Helen points.”

The planes in the race are four-seat, single-engine, and are limited to less than 600 horsepower. Because of the different engine configurations and capabilities of each plane, all the teams are handicapped according to their airplane’s speed. “We fly a handicap route to see how fast each plane can go. That establishes the handicap,” Hicks Hankins said. “For instance, my handicap speed is 146. So, in the race I want to fly faster than the 146. To do that, you have to fly perfect cross-country, in straight lines, and try to find a good tailwind. You’re not only flying against the other pilots, but you’re racing against yourself.”

Story and photos ➤ http://mesquitelocalnews.com

Hard Landing: Cessna T207A Turbo Stationair 8, N9825M; accident occurred November 15, 2017 near Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport (KRKS), Wyoming

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

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Denver, Colorado
United States Department of the Interior; Boise, Idaho
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama

Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas

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


Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms 
 
http://registry.faa.gov/N9825M


Location: Rock Springs, WY
Accident Number: CEN18LA032
Date & Time: 11/15/2017, 1515 MST
Registration: N9825M
Aircraft:  CESSNA T207A
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Hard landing
Injuries: 2 Serious, 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Public Aircraft 

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 15, 2017, at 1515 mountain standard time, a Cessna T207A, N9825M, experienced a total loss of engine power and impacted terrain during a forced landing about two miles west of Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport (RKS), Rock Springs, Wyoming. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot and one survey crewmember received minor injuries, and two survey crewmembers received serious injuries. The airplane was registered to Slickrock Air Guides Inc and operated by Aerowest Aviation, dba Redtail Air Inc under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a public-use aerial wild horse and burro survey flight for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from Miley Memorial Field Airport (BPI), Big Piney, Wyoming at 1320 and was returning to RKS after having completed the aerial survey.

The pilot stated he was to fly the three crewmembers on the survey, which he estimated to have a flight duration of 1:45 hours. The fight duration consisted of 1:15 hours for the survey and 30 minutes for the return to RKS. The altitude of the survey portion of the flight was 1,000 feet above ground level (AGL). He stated the flight departed with full fuel in the left and right fuel tanks for a total of 80 gallons, of which 36.5 gallons were useable in each tank. His fuel consumption calculations for start, taxi, takeoff, climb, and cruise yielded a total of 27 gallons for 1:30 hour of operation. He planned to use fuel from the left fuel tank for 1:30 hours. He stated that the survey was completed about 1:20 hours, and the GPS indicated the return to RKS was 20 minutes. After 1:30 hours of flight time and 10 minutes from the airport, he looked at the left fuel gauge and "it was rapidly shifting from full to ¼." He stated that he had seen this behavior with the left gauge before as it was "often stuck at a full reading then flicked back and forth between full and the actual fuel level," when the fuel level in the tank was lower. He thought there was ¼ tank of fuel remaining and planned to switch to the right fuel tank upon entry into the airport traffic pattern. The airplane was on a base leg about 3.5 miles from runway 9, about 900-1,000 feet AGL (700 feet above airport elevation) when the pilot was going to select the right fuel tank. Just before he switched to the right fuel tank, the engine sputtered. The pilot then selected the right fuel tank, pushed the throttle control full forward, and selected the auxiliary fuel pump to HI and then LOW, but the engine continued to sputter. He looked for a place to land and turned toward State Highway 370 for a forced landing. During the approach to the road, the stall warning horn sounded; the pilot looked at the airspeed indicator and saw it indicated 65 knots. He lowered the airplane nose to increase airspeed, and the airplane was "descending rapidly." He was unable to restart the wind-milling engine with periodic selection of the auxiliary pump HI setting and by using the engine starter. The pilot stated that the stall warning horn would sound periodically, which prompted him to lower the airplane nose each time. When the airplane was over the road, he extended the flaps to full. He realized it was going to be a hard landing when the airplane was close to the road surface. He veered the airplane right to land in the dirt next to the road to soften the landing.

A United States Geological Service (USGS) employee, who was seated behind the pilot in the aft left seat, stated the engine sputtered and quit while the airplane was about 700 feet AGL, and he heard the stall warning horn when the airplane was about 200 feetAGL. He said that another one of the operator's pilots that flew the accident airplane the first week of the survey would use fuel from the right fuel tank for an hour then use fuel from the left fuel tank. The employee stated that the accident pilot would use fuel from the left fuel tank until it was empty and then use fuel from the right fuel tank.

A BLM employee, who was seated in the right front seat, stated that he did not hear the stall warning during the accident flight. He witnessed the same procedure used by the accident pilot in fuel management as reported by the USGS employee.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

According to the operator's training records for the pilot, the pilot began employment for the operator on April 9, 2013 as pilot-in-command (PIC) on Cessna 172 airplanes under Part 135. On April 7, 2014, he began flying as PIC on Cessna 207 airplanes and subsequently as PIC on Quest Kodiak 100 airplanes under Part 135. The pilot passed his last proficiency check, which was a Part 135 proficiency check that was 0.8 hours in duration, using a Cessna 207 airplane. The check airman for the proficiency check was the operator's director of operations, who was also a FAASTeam Representative. The records showed that the operator provided all the pilot's ground and flight training prior to the accident.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a 1981 Cessna T207A operated and maintained by Aerowest Aviation, dba Redtail Air Inc. In addition to its Part 91 operations, the airplane was also operated and maintained under a Part 135 air carrier and operator certificate.

Aircraft Maintenance Information

The airplane and engine underwent their last annual inspections, dated October 27, 2017 and were performed by Red Tail Aircraft Services, Moab, Utah. The tachometer time of the inspections was 4,007.2 hours, the airframe total time was 12,990.9 hours, and the engine time since major overhaul was 1,024.3 hours. A 50-hour inspection of the airplane, dated November 13, 2017, was performed by the Red Tail Aircraft Services at a tachometer time of 4,047.3 hours.

The Hobbs and tachometer indications at the time of the accident were 9,395.9 hours and 4,057.3 hours, respectively.

The USGS employee stated he witnessed the same discrepancy of an inoperative fuel gauge on previous survey flights flown in April 2017. The BLM employee stated that he witnessed the left fuel gauge as inoperative on previous flights flown in April 2017.

On September 23, 2003, the FAA issued a Revised Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) CE-03-43R1, which updated information issued in SAIB CE-03-43, dated June 27, 2003. The SAIB, which was not mandatory, informed owners or operators of Cessna model 100, 200, 300, and 400 series airplanes, that a safety concern exists regarding resistance and capacitance-type fuel quantity gauging systems. The SAIB recommended an FAA-certificated mechanic or repair station accomplish the detailed calibration procedure within the next 100 hours of operation or at the next annual. Further, the calibration procedure should be repeated by a properly FAA-certificated mechanic or repair station at 5-year intervals or any time the fuel gauging system components are disturbed or accuracy is suspect.

According to the Cessna 207 and T207 Series Service Manual, the fuel quantity indicators and transmitters were to be inspected after a 50-hour and 100-hour/annual inspection. Section 16-50 of the manual, Troubleshooting – Fuel Quantity Transmitters, lists in part: 



Part 91.205, Powered civil aircraft with standard category U.S. airworthiness certificates: Instrument and equipment requirements, stated in part, that no person may operate a powered civil aircraft with a standard category U.S. airworthiness certificate in any operation under visual flight rules unless that aircraft had a fuel gauge indicating the quantity of fuel in each tank that was in an operable condition.

According to the FAA principle maintenance inspector assigned to the operator, the operator's maintenance personnel were never notified nor were there any write ups prior to the accident regarding the left fuel gauge in the flight logs, as required by Part 135 maintenance regulations.

Pilot Operating Handbook Information

Section 2, Limitations, stated that the lower limit of the airspeed indicator white arc, Vso, in a landing configuration at maximum weight was 58 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS). The lower limit of the green arc, Vs, at most forward CG at maximum weight was 63 KIAS.

Section 3, Emergency Procedures, listed the engine failure restart procedures during flight as:




The Emergency Procedure checklist for Forced Landings stated the airspeed for flaps UP as 85 KIAS and flaps DOWN as 80 KIAS.

Section 4, Normal Procedures, Stalls, stated:

"The stall characteristics are conventional and aural warning is provided by a stall warning horn which sounds between 5 and 10 knots above the stall in all configurations."

Section 7, Airplane Systems and Systems Descriptions, pertaining to the fuel quantity indicators, stated in part:

"Fuel quantity is measured by two float-type fuel quantity transmitters (one in each tank) and indicated by two electrically operated fuel quantity indicators on the right side of the instrument panel. The fuel quantity indicators are calibrated in gallons (lower scale) and pounds (upper scale). An empty tank is indicated by a red line and the letter E. When an indicator shows an empty tank, approximately 3.5 gallons remain in each standard or long-range tank as useable fuel. …"

The systems description of the auxiliary fuel pump system stated the auxiliary fuel pump switch is a yellow and red split-rocker switch. The yellow (right) half of the switch is labeled "START," and its upper "ON" position is used for normal starting, minor vapor purging, and continued engine operation in the event of an engine-driven fuel pump failure. With the yellow half of the switch in the "ON" position, the pump operates at one of two flow rates that are dependent on the setting of the throttle. With the throttle open to a cruise setting, the pump operates at high enough capacity to supply sufficient fuel flow to maintain flight with an inoperative engine-driven fuel pump.

The red (left) half of the switch is labeled "EMERG," and its upper "HI" position is used in the event of an engine-driven fuel pump failure during takeoff or high power operation. The "HI" position may also be used for extreme vapor purging. Maximum fuel flow is produced when the left half of the switch is held in the spring-loaded "HI" position. In this position, an interlock within the switch automatically trips the right half of the switch to the "ON" position. When the spring-loaded left half of the switch is released, the right half will remain in the ON position until manually returned to the off position.

"If it is desired to completely exhaust a fuel tank quantity in flight, the auxiliary fuel pump will be needed to assist in restarting the engine when fuel exhaustion occurs. Therefore, it is recommended that proper operation of the auxiliary fuel pump be verified prior to running a fuel tank dry by turning the auxiliary fuel pump "ON" momentarily and checking for a slight rise in fuel flow indication.

To ensure a prompt engine restart in flight after running a fuel tank dry, immediately switch to the tank containing fuel at the first indication of fuel pressure fluctuation and/or power loss. Place the right half of the fuel pump switch in the "ON" position momentarily (3 to 5 seconds) with the throttle at least ½ open. Excessive use of the "ON" position at high altitude and full rich mixture can cause flooding of the engine as indicated by a short (1 to 2 second period) period of power followed by a loss of power. If flooding does occur, turn off the auxiliary fuel pump switch, and normal propeller wind-milling should start the engine in 1 to 2 seconds."

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane was located about 1.63 nautical miles and 279 degrees from the approach end of runway 9, at an elevation of 6,390 feet mean sea level, on the southern edge of State Highway 370, which was a two-lane east/west asphalt road. Ground scarring from the southern edge of the road toward the airplane had an approximate heading of 095 degrees, and the approximate tail-to-nose heading of the airplane was 350 degrees. The area around the road was devoid of aerial obstructions and its terrain features were flat, dirt, and brush covered.

The wing flaps were fully extended. The nose landing gear was buckled and crushed upward and aft into the engine firewall, and the main landing gear struts displayed upward buckling. The fuselage was buckled near the aft edge of the fuselage. The left fuel tank contained no useable fuel, and the right tank contained full fuel. The right fuel tank had impact damage and was broken open, and the fuel leaked out the following day.

The throttle and propeller controls were at the forward stop. The mixture control was about ½ inch from its forward stop. The left fuel gauge indicated about 1/3 fuel remaining. There was a placard above the three-position fuel selector (OFF, LEFT ON, RIGHT ON) that stated:

"WHEN SWITCHING FROM DRY TANK TURN AUX FUEL PUMP 'ON' MOMENTARILY"

The wings were removed to facilitate the recovery of the airplane to a salvage facility where an additional examination of the airplane and an engine run were performed.

Fuel Transmitter Testing

The left and right fuel transmitters were of the resistive type and were both stamped with part number C668050-0201. The following numbers were also stamped on the left and right transmitters respectively, 7740 167 G81 and 7740 167 D90. The left and right fuel quantity transmitters were removed from the wings and tested with an ohmmeter. The test results were as follows: 



Both transmitters were within the allowable specification on the lower stop and 5° above the lower stop. Both transmitters were slightly higher than the specification on the upper stop. The right fuel quantity transmitter moved smoothly from stop to stop. The left fuel quantity transmitter did not move smoothly from the upper stop to the lower stop; when it was positioned near mid-travel and allowed to free-fall to the lower stop; it repeatedly stuck in place.

The auxiliary fuel pump in the aircraft could not be used for the engine test run due to wiring damage in the lower forward fuselage area. The auxiliary fuel pump operated without anomaly after it was removed and connected to an electrical source of power.

Examination of the fuel selector revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Engine Test Run

Exterior examination of the engine (Continental TSIO-520-PcRcM, serial number 513025) revealed that all its accessories/components were attached and secure. The fuel system was intact, secure and displayed no evidence of leakage. Engine control continuity from the cockpit to the engine was confirmed. Borescope examination of the engine through the top spark plug holes revealed no mechanical anomalies. The top spark plugs displayed features of normal wear and operation.

In preparation for the engine test run, the airframe and attached engine were secured to a trailer and forklift. The propeller and the auxiliary fuel pump were replaced. A portable fuel tank containing 100 low-lead aviation fuel was connected to the fuel system. The engine was started and operated at 1,100 rpm to warm the engine to operating temperatures. At full throttle, the manifold pressure was about 37-38 inches of mercury, and the engine speed was about 2,600 rpm. Engine power was reduced to idle and after about one minute was returned to full power and operated without anomaly. The trailer and forklift began to move, and engine power was reduced to idle. Engine power was kept at idle power for about one minute to allow the turbocharger to cool and was then shut down. The engine was restarted without hesitation using a hot start procedure. The engine was operated at low to medium power due to the previous movement of the trailer and forklift at higher power settings.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

In the pilot's recommendation of how the accident could have been avoided, he stated, due to his fuel calculations and the lack of any substantial headwinds, he felt he had enough fuel left in the left tank to reach the traffic pattern. If the fuel gauge had been functioning properly, he would have been alerted to the actual fuel level sooner and would have changed to the fuller tank sooner. This airplane has never exhibited any problems with resuming full fuel flow immediately after switching to a fuller tank. He believed there was either a fuel line blockage or a mechanical problem that inhibited fuel flow once switched to the fuller tank.

The Airplane Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-3B, Chapter 3, Basic Flight Maneuvers, stated in part:

"The best glide airspeed is used to maximize the distance flown. This airspeed is important when a pilot is attempting to fly during an engine failure. The best airspeed for gliding is one at which the airplane travels the greatest forward distance for a given loss of altitude in still air. This best glide airspeed occurs at the highest lift-to-drag ratio (L/D). When gliding at airspeed above or below the best glide airspeed, drag increases." 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 52, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 11/14/2016
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 09/21/2017
Flight Time:  2386 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1116 hours (Total, this make and model), 2313 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 81 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 33 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 11 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Registration: N9825M
Model/Series: T207A
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1981
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 20700739
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 6
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 07/09/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3800 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: TSIO-520-PcRc
Registered Owner: SLICKROCK AIR GUIDES INC
Rated Power: 310 hp
Operator: Redtail Air, Inc
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: RKS, 6765 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 2 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1454 MST
Direction from Accident Site: 90°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 8500 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 11000 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 4 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: / None
Wind Direction: 210°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.02 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 11°C / -10°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Big Piney, WY (BPI)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: Company VFR
Destination: Rock Springs, WY (RKS)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1320 MST
Type of Airspace: Class E

Airport Information

Airport: Rock Springs-Sweetwater County (RKS)
Runway Surface Type: Dirt
Airport Elevation: 6765 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry; Rough
Runway Used: N/A
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 2 Serious, 1 Minor
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Serious, 2 Minor

Latitude, Longitude: 41.601944, -109.118056




Location: Rock Springs, WY
Accident Number: CEN18LA032
Date & Time: 11/15/2017, 1515 MST
Registration: N9825M
Aircraft: CESSNA T207A
Injuries: 2 Serious, 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under:  Public Aircraft

On November 15, 2017, at 1515 mountain standard time, a Cessna T207A, experienced a total loss of engine power and impacted terrain during a forced landing about two miles from Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport (RKS), Rock Springs, Wyoming. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot and one passenger received minor injuries, and two passengers received serious injuries. The airplane was registered to Slickrock Air Guides Inc and operated by Redtail Air, Inc under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a public-use aerial survey flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from and was returning to RKS after having completed the aerial survey.

The airplane experienced the loss of engine power while on an approximate 3.5-mile base-to-final approach for landing. The left fuel tank contained no useable fuel, and the right tank contained full fuel. The left fuel gauge indication showed about 1/3 fuel remaining. The pilot selected the right fuel tank after the power loss but was unable to restart the engine. The pilot performed the landing on flat brush-covered terrain. The airplane came to rest on the edge of an asphalt road, which did not have any aerial obstructions. The airplane flaps were in the extended position. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: CESSNA
Registration: N9825M
Model/Series: T207A
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: Redtail Air, Inc
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: RKS, 6765 ft msl
Observation Time: 1454 MST  
Distance from Accident Site: 2 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 11°C / -10°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 8500 ft agl
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 4 knots, 210°
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 11000 ft agl
Visibility: 10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.02 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: Unknown
Departure Point: Rock Springs, WY (RKS)
Destination: Rock Springs, WY (RKS)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 2 Serious, 1 Minor
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Serious, 2 Minor
Latitude, Longitude:



Rock Springs Sweetwater County Airport Manager Devon Brubaker has released the following statement on the plane crash which occurred today.

Operations are running normally after a small aircraft crashed while approaching Rock Springs Sweetwater County Airport ( RKS ) at approximately 3 :00 PM on November 15, 2017 . 

The Cessna T207A Turbo Stationair 8 was resting alongside HWY 370 approximately 2 miles from the airfield when airport’s Aircraft Rescue Firefighters arrived on scene. There were four passengers including the pilot onboard at the time of the accident. Three passengers were transported t o Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County.

The airport remained open throughout the response and no operations were affected. Several mutual aid response agencies respond to assist the airport ’ s aircraft rescue fire department including City of Rock Spring Fire Department, Sweetwater County Fire District #1, City of Rock Springs Police Department, Wyoming Highway Patrol, Sweetwater County Sheriff, Bureau of Land Management, and WYDOT,

The cause of the accident is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Original article can be found here ➤ https://wyo4news.com




ROCK SPRINGS — Operations are running normally after a small aircraft crashed while approaching Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport (RKS) at approximately 3:00 PM on November 15, 2017.

The Cessna T207A Turbo Stationair 8 was resting alongside HWY 370 approximately 2 miles from the airfield when airport’s Aircraft Rescue Firefighters arrived on scene. There were four passengers including the pilot onboard at the time of the accident. Three passengers were transported to Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County.

The airport remained open throughout the response and no operations were affected. Several mutual aid response agencies respond to assist the airport’s aircraft rescue fire department including City of Rock Spring Fire Department, Sweetwater County Fire District #1, City of Rock Springs Police Department, Wyoming Highway Patrol, Sweetwater County Sheriff, Bureau of Land Management, and WYDOT,

The cause of the accident is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration. 

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

Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport (KYNG) officials courting several replacement airlines

Western Reserve Port Authority officials are talking to several airlines that might offer flights between the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport and Chicago, flights to leisure destinations and flights on smaller aircraft.

Dan Dickten, director of aviation for the port authority, which runs the airport, told port authority directors Wednesday that he will meet with SkyWest Airlines a second time in January to further discussion about Chicago flights.

SkyWest, headquartered in St. George, Utah, works with network carriers including United, Delta, American and Alaska Airlines and has 421 aircraft. It operates more than 2,000 flights per day to 226 destinations in North America, according to its web site.

Dickten said a key is SkyWest “already works with United,” which would be crucial if SkyWest were to provide flights to Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

Aerodynamics Inc. provided flights to Chicago O’Hare for a short time during the summer of 2016, but ADI’s lack of an interline agreement with United to access United’s baggage handling and ticketing network was blamed for the failure of ADI’s service.

Like ADI, SkyWest would require a revenue guarantee from the local airport to start up the flights, but the port authority still has available about $500,000 of the revenue guarantee it offered to ADI, Dickten said.

Meanwhile, Dickten said Sun Country Airlines of Minnesota could become the replacement for Allegiant Air, which is ending its leisure air service at the local airport Jan. 4 after 11 years here.

“They are another ultra-low-cost carrier” that flies many of the same routes as Allegiant, Dickten said.

Story and comments:  http://www.vindy.com

de Havilland Fox Moth: John Lalonde and a team of volunteers have almost finished 20-year project; there are plans for astronaut Hadfield’s brother to fly reproduction aircraft



John Lalonde says “I’ve always been involved in long-term projects.”

One long-term project in which the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre volunteer played a major part in is the all-but-complete construction of a de Havilland Fox Moth reproduction aircraft.

With a team of 14 volunteers, John began building the plane at the Bushplane Museum in 1997.  

“Right now we’re just hooking up the exhaust system and that’ll be it,” John told SooToday.

The de Havilland Fox Moth was a small biplane passenger aircraft invented in the United Kingdom in 1932, 98 of which were built and flown in the UK, another 53 built and flown in Canada (with a distinct DH.83 Canadian categorization).




“It’s quite significant, this aircraft. None of the originals survived,” John said.

“This is Canadian history. If we hadn’t finished it, the children of today would not have known how significant it was in developing the north and the arctic. Some Canadian airlines started with the Fox Moth. Bearskin Airlines, which flies into the Sault, had one.”

The Moth’s wings fold in for easy storage.

The plane can carry three passengers (or cargo) in a tiny compartment in front of the pilot’s cockpit.

“Back in the early 1930s people were only five feet tall and weighed about 120 pounds. On one seat there’s a notch in the middle for seat belts. There would be about 18 inches for your hips. It would be a tight fit,” John chuckled.

“It’s quite durable,” said John of the Moth, which is built with a waterproof plywood fuselage.

“Five years ago there were three to five people here every day, conscientiously working on it”

“We built it by hand. We scrounged everything we could,” John said of his attempt to find and use as many original Fox Moth parts as possible, such as the oil tank and fuel tank, obtained from various locations across Canada.

John said he has over 200 photographs of the process on file.




The plan is for the Fox Moth to be taken to the Sault Ste. Marie airport next year (depending on government paperwork, John said) and flown on a special occasion by pilot Dave Hadfield, brother of Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield.

While a team of dedicated volunteers worked countless hours on the Fox Moth, John has been described by many as the driving force behind it.

“I would say I was ‘quality control’ in most cases.”

“A lot of times they would do something and I would say ‘that’s not good enough, do it over again.’ They weren’t happy sometimes,’” John laughed.

“The aircraft skeleton was on the floor and we decided we would finish it here on the floor or scrap it. They asked ‘anybody want to work on it?’”




John took the project on “as a body willing to get involved.”

“I didn’t know what I was getting into. I didn’t know anything about this aircraft, its not well known in Canada (though many were built in this country).”

John found as many design drawings of the Fox Moth as he could and went from there.

“Another fellow and me, all he and I did for three months was go through the drawings and catalogue them. There are over 1,500 sheets.”




John and his team of volunteers were sure to honor two men involved in aviation when putting the reproduction together. 

RCAF Capt. Al Cheesman’s name is painted on the surface of the plane just below the cockpit, while near the passenger door, there appears the name of his son, Dr. Ken Cheesman (a local dentist who was involved in the Fox Moth project, killed in the mid-1990s in a plane crash north of Sault Ste. Marie).

John, now 77, was born in Saskatoon, raised in Vancouver, and joined the RCAF in 1957, becoming highly skilled in electronics.




He retired from the air force in 1980 and went to work for Transport Canada at the Sault Ste. Marie airport.

When John, a married father and grandfather, retired from Transport Canada in the mid-1990s, he devoted much of his time to volunteering at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre.

“I always liked aircraft, it was a hobby of mine, so it was a natural thing to come to the Bushplane Museum,” said John, who plans to keep working on various aircraft projects.

Story, photo gallery and comments ➤ https://www.sootoday.com

Pilot arrested for loaded gun in his carry-on luggage at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (KSTL)

Statement Regarding Pilot Arrest for Firearm at STL Checkpoint

Posted on November 15, 2017 in Media Releases

(Nov. 15, 2017- St. Louis)  St. Louis Lambert International Airport police arrested a 51 year old airline pilot Wednesday morning for unlawful use of a weapon after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers discovered a loaded 9mm pistol in his carry-on luggage. The pilot, a First Officer who works for Southwest Airlines, was detained shortly before 5 a.m. in the Terminal 2 checkpoint prior to him boarding his aircraft, Southwest flight, #1106 from St. Louis to Las Vegas.

The suspect did not have any conceal and carry permit or any other authorization to carry a firearm. Charges are pending and will be handled through St. Louis County. 

Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.flystl.com

The Transportation Security Administration said this Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol was discovered in the carry-on bag of a Southwest Airlines pilot on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. The gun was loaded; it had seven rounds of ammunition in it. The magazine was in the pistol when it was discovered and removed by police for this photograph, said TSA spokesman Mark Howell.



A pilot for Southwest Airlines was arrested at St. Louis Lambert International Airport for having a loaded 9mm pistol in his carry-on luggage, officials said Wednesday.

The 51-year-old male pilot was detained at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at about 4:45 a.m. Wednesday. His name wasn’t released.

The Smith & Wesson M&P pistol had seven rounds of ammunition in it, said Mark Howell of the Transportation Security Administration.

The pilot was detained in the Terminal 2 checkpoint before he was to board flight 1106, from St. Louis to Las Vegas, according to Jeff Lea, a Lambert spokesman. It wasn’t immediately clear if the man, a first officer, was a crew member on that flight or was simply flying as a passenger to a next stop.

Lea said the pilot did not have any permit to carry a concealed weapon or any authorization to carry the firearm. Federal rules require anyone who wants to travel with a firearm to make sure the weapon is unloaded and kept in checked luggage. The firearm owner also has to notify the airline.

The pilot was arrested on suspicion of unlawful use of a weapon. Charges are pending. The case will be turned over to St. Louis County prosecutors for consideration of charges.

In an email, Southwest Airlines said, “We are aware of a situation involving a Southwest Pilot at St. Louis Airport. We are currently working alongside the appropriate authorities to gather more information. We have no further information to share at this time.”

The flight was scheduled to leave St. Louis at 5:15 a.m. Online flight records show it left about 45 minutes late.

After the pistol was discovered at the checkpoint, the Transportation Security Administration employees called police and had police take the pilot and the gun away. TSA agents don’t handle weapons. “We don’t want it to go off in the middle of a busy checkpoint,” said Howell, the TSA spokesman.

Howell said he’s not sure what the pilot’s reason was for having a gun in his carry-on bag. “Just the same as everybody else, regardless if an airport employee or a passenger caught with it, 99.99 percent of the time they say, ‘Oops, I forgot it was in my bag.’”

While it’s “rare” for crew members to be arrested for trying to take weapons onto planes, Howell said, the TSA has been finding more and more firearms in bags in St. Louis and nationally.

“It’s continuing to go up, year over year,” he said.

This was the 46th weapon discovered at a security checkpoint in St. Louis this year. Last year, 31 were found.

Nationally, the TSA agents found 3,391 firearms at security checkpoints last year, and so far in 2017 have found 3,733.

TSA requires someone carrying a firearm on a plane to have it unloaded and stored in a locked, hard-sided container in checked baggage. In addition, the owner of the firearm must declare the firearm and any ammunition to the airline when checking the bag at the ticket counter. Federal law defines a loaded firearm as having a live round of ammunition in the chamber or in a magazine that is in the firearm.

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