Sunday, October 14, 2018

Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II, N593MS: Fatal accident occurred October 13, 2018 in the Atlantic Ocean near Westhampton Beach, New York

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

Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Farmingdale, New York

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

https://registry.faa.gov/N593MS    

Location: Westhampton Beach, NY
Accident Number: ERA19LA012
Date & Time: 10/13/2018, 1100 EDT
Registration: N593MS
Aircraft: Piper PA34
Injuries: 3 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

On October 13, 2018, about 1100 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200T airplane, N593MS, was substantially damaged when it experienced an in-flight breakup and impacted the Atlantic Ocean near Westhampton Beach, New York. The flight instructor, the private pilot receiving instruction, and a passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was owned by the instructor and operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed along the route of flight, and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight, which originated from Danbury Municipal Airport (DXR), Danbury, Connecticut, about 1025 and was en route to Charleston Executive Airport (JZI), Charleston, South Carolina.

Preliminary voice communication and radar information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that, after contacting New York TRACON shortly after takeoff from DXR, the pilot requested visual flight rules (VFR) flight following and indicated a planned climb to 8,500 ft mean sea level (msl); however, the airplane continued to climb and was transferred to Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center after climbing through 12,900 ft msl. As the airplane climbed through 15,700 ft msl, the controller advised the pilot that other aircraft in the area were reporting IMC and asked the pilot to confirm that he was in visual meteorological conditions (VMC). The pilot responded that they were "trying to maintain VMC" and that the attitude indicator was "unreliable."

The controller declared an emergency on behalf of the airplane, then suggested a heading of 300° toward Westchester County Airport (HPN), which was reporting VFR conditions. The pilot then asked the controller for the height of the cloud tops, and the controller replied that the last reports were at 19,000 ft. The pilot subsequently replied that the airplane would be climbing to 19,000 ft. As the airplane continued on a southeasterly heading, the pilot stated to the controller that the airplane was "VFR on top," and that he would not be able to descend below the clouds. The pilot requested vectors to areas that were reported clear, and the controller instructed the airplane to turn west, though the airplane continued southeast. About 2 minutes later, after the controller repeated the instruction to turn west, the airplane entered a figure-eight turn and began to descend rapidly. Radio and radar contact was lost shortly thereafter.

A witness near the accident site reported seeing the airplane "nosedive" from out of the clouds and into the ocean after hearing the engine "throttle up severely and wind back down" several times. A second witness stated that the airplane sounded "as if it were a stunt plane doing spins (pitch changing)" and then heard a "pop" and saw two large pieces of the airplane descending from the sky.

The instructor held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single and multi-engine, and instrument airplane. He also held an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land, with commercial privileges for airplane multi-engine land and single engine sea. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued July 18, 2018, at which time he reported 4,000 total hours of flight experience.

The pilot receiving instruction held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued August 27, 1986, at which time he reported no flight experience.

The airplane came to rest in 20 ft of water on the ocean floor. A portion of the right wing was recovered floating above the airplane about 1/2 mile offshore.

At 1053, the reported weather at DXR included 10 statute miles visibility, light rain, wind from 270° at 5 knots, a broken cloud layer at 4,500 ft, and an overcast layer at 5,500 ft. The temperature was 7°C, the dew point was 6°C, and the altimeter setting was 29.87 inches of mercury. The 1053 reported weather at Francis S Gabreski Airport (FOK), Westhampton Beach, New York, about 3 nautical miles north of the accident site, included 10 statute miles visibility, light rain, wind from 300° at 7 knots, a broken cloud layer at 4,600 ft, and solid overcast at 5,500 ft. The temperature was 9°C, the dew point was 7°C, and the altimeter setting was 29.87 inches of mercury.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N593MS
Model/Series: PA34 200T
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KFOK, 66 ft msl
Observation Time: 1453 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 3 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 9°C / 7°C
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 7 knots / , 300°
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 4600 ft agl
Visibility: 10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.87 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Danbury, CT (DXR)
Destination: Charleston, SC (JZI)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 40.798611, -72.612500 (est)

Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board investigation may contact them by email eyewitnessreport@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.

https://youtu.be/SY39WTVQtXw

The Terbrusch family 

Jennifer Waynette Landrum

Raj Persaud
August 22, 1971 - October 13, 2018

Raj Persaud, 47, of Waterbury, passed away in a tragic accident in Long Island on Saturday, October 13, 2018. He was the beloved husband of Tricia (LaRose) Persaud and son of Drupattie Persaud and the late L.D. Persaud.

Raj was a pilot and flight instructor for Oxford Air for several years. He enjoyed spending time with his family and mentoring those around him. Raj was well-loved by family, friends, and all those who knew him personally. The passion he had for teaching and flying will never be forgotten.

Besides his wife and his mother, Raj leaves behind his four children, Raj Jr., Mary, Grace, and Madison all of Waterbury. He also leaves behind his sister, Ramona Persaud of Waterbury, brother-in-law Aaron Sr., nephew, Aaron Shiwnarine Jr., niece, Alissa Shiwnarine, as well as many extended family.

Arrangements: Calling hours will be held on Thursday, October 18, 2018 and Friday, October 19, 2018 from 6pm to 10pm at Bergen Funeral Service located at 114-30 Rockaway Blvd in South Ozone Park, NY. Services from 9am to 11am with cremation at noon will be held on Saturday, October 20, 2018.

A local memorial service will be celebrated at Chase Parkway Memorial/The Albini Family Funeral Home, 430 Chase Parkway, Waterbury, CT on Sunday, October 28, 2018 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, “The Raj Persaud Memorial Trust Fund” has been set up on behalf of his children at Thomaston Saving’s Bank, 824 Highland Ave., Waterbury, CT 06708.

http://www.chaseparkwaymemorial.com


Persaud was proud to be a pilot and owned a flight school in Danbury as well as Oxford Flight Training, according to the family. 

“He knew the dangers. Whenever he heard about a plane crash it hurt him as an instructor. He knew it was a chance, but it never stopped him from teaching people how to fly,” Mary Persaud, said.

On Sunday, the bodies of a man and a woman were recovered from the wreckage of the plane 20 feet underwater off the Hamptons in New York around 5 p.m. Sunday, according to the New York State Police and the Coast Guard.

The plane left from Waterbury-Oxford Airport Saturday, then landed at Danbury Municipal Airport before departing again for Charleston Executive Airport in South Carolina, according to the FAA and the CT Airport Authority.

The site of the crash is three miles southeast of the Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach, the FAA said.

The wreckage of the plane will be removed from the water on Tuesday.

https://www.nbcconnecticut.com

Richard P. Terbrusch, 53, of Ridgefield, Connecticut


Richard P. Terbrusch of Ridgefield, husband of Susan Terbrusch and father of Grant, died tragically on October 13, 2018, in a small plane crash off the coast of Quogue, New York. Born in Middle Village, Queens, New York, he was a son of Rosemarie and Walter Terbrusch. An area resident since 1976 relocating with his family first in Vista, New York.

Richard attended John Jay High School and was a graduate of Syracuse University. 

A resident of Ridgefield for 27 years, Richard was the principal attorney with Terbrusch Law Firm, LLC of Danbury, CT. Richard worked in the family court system in Connecticut supervising enforcement of child support orders and later as an attorney for the Chief Court Administrator of the Connecticut Judicial Branch responsible for the daily operations of the all State Courts in Connecticut. Richard was a cum laude graduate of Quinnipiac University School of Law and served as associate editor of the Quinnipiac Law Review. Richard was an active member in the Ridgefield community serving as Chairman of the Ridgefield Police Commission and a former member of the Ridgefield Board of Education and had been a guest lecturer at Western Connecticut State University. Richard enjoyed fly fishing and was an avid equestrian and nationally ranked amateur polo player often playing for charity, most notably Friends of Karen and the Allied Forces Foundation. 

In addition to his wife Susan, young son Grant and parents Rosemarie and Walter, Richard is survived by a brother Walter and his wife, Renee; a niece and nephew, Amanda and Tyler along with many extended family members. Interment will be private at the direction of the family.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either the Grant Terbrusch Education Fund, c/o Kane Funeral Home P.O. Box 459 Ridgefield, CT 06877 or https://www.gofundme.com/in-memory-of-richard-terbrusch 

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

Jennifer Landrum, 45, of Thomson, Georgia


Dr. Jennifer Waynette Landrum

Gibson, GA – Dr. Jennifer Waynette Landrum, 45, entered into rest October 13, 2018.

Dr. Landrum was a lifelong resident of Gibson, Georgia. After graduating from Glascock County High School, she attended Georgia College and State University and Valdosta State University earning a BSED Degree, Augusta State University earning a MA Degree in Administration/Supervision, and the University of Georgia earning a Doctorate Degree in Administration/Leadership. She also held a Georgia Real Estate Commission Brokers license and an inactive Georgia Auctioneer’s Commission license. She was an entrepreneur in Sales, Marketing, and Consulting. Dr. Landrum had extensive training in technology and was a multiple presenter at universities.  She had worked for multiple school systems in Georgia as an administrator for state, federal, and local programs in addition to teaching. Dr. Landrum was currently a Special Needs Educator with the McDuffie County Board of Education.  She was a devoted educator, inspiring her students and colleagues. A favorite philosophy “you cannot lead from behind” marked her career.  She was an outgoing person, loving life, her children, her parents, her family, friends, and would never back down from a challenge (in fact she sought challenges). She loved travelling, good food, and meeting new friends. Dr. Landrum was a  member of Magnolia Baptist Church.

Survivors include her son, Grant Hadden; daughter, Macy Alexis Hadden; parents, Wayne and Carol Ann Landrum; and sisters, Rhonda Wren (Don), Melissa Landrum, and Denise L. Dallas (Buddy).

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, October 20, 2018 at the Beggs Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Gary Hadden, Rev. Billy Duggan and Rev. Dean Watson officiating. Interment will follow at Magnolia Baptist Cemetery, Glascock County, GA.

The family will receive friends from 10 until 11 a.m. , Saturday prior to the service at the funeral home.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Gibson First Baptist Church, 136 Main Street Gibson, GA 30810.

Beggs Funeral Home, 799 Cobbham Rd., Thomson, Georgia is honored to serve the Landrum family.

https://www.beggsfuneralhome.net

Munidat “Raj” Persaud, 41, of Waterbury, Connecticut

DANBURY — Officials have yet to say what prompted a flight instructor to stop Saturday at Danbury Municipal Airport before a fatal crash off Long Island that killed both the instructor and two passengers.

Authorities have identified 41-year-old Munidat “Raj” Persaud, of Waterbury, as the owner and pilot of the Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II that crashed into the water about three miles southeast of Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach, N.Y., Saturday afternoon.

The two others killed in the crash were Richard P. Terbrusch, 53 of Ridgefield and Jennifer Landrum, 45, of Augusta, Georgia.

Authorities have identified 41-year-old Munidat “Raj” Persaud, of Waterbury, as the owner and pilot of the Piper twin turboprop airplane that crashed into the water about three miles southeast of Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach, N.Y., Saturday afternoon.

WRDW.com reports that Landrum went to New York on school break. Traveling with her boyfriend, she was on her way back home to Georgia planning for a Sunday dinner with her two children. “"She was beautiful. She was just a wonderful person and a wonderful mother. She has two children,” Carol Landrum, Jennifer's mother, told the TV station.

Landrum’s death was announced by McDuffie County School District Superintendent Mychele Rhodes. She had been previously employed with the system in 2001 as the 21th Century Program Coordinator before leaving and returning on July 31, 2017, according to The Augusta Chronicle.

“Dr. Landrum will certainly be missed. Please keep her family in your thoughts as they go through this most difficult and trying time,” Rhodes said.

Federal investigators have yet to say what caused the crash.

Michael Safranek, the assistant administrator at Danbury Airport, declined to comment on whether Persaud picked up any passengers or fueled up his plane before departing the air strip Saturday for a flight to South Carolina.

Authorities with the U.S. Coast Guard did confirm over the weekend that video footage from the airport is being reviewed in order to help determine the identity of the two passengers.

Persaud had purchased the Piper involved in the crash in June, according to the pilot’s Facebook page.

“Just took delivery of our new Piper Seneca to add to the fleet,” he posted on June 15. “This aircraft is awesome has full de-ice capabilities and they did away with all the analog engine gauges.”

Persaud owned Oxford Flight Training, which he operated out of the Waterbury-Oxford Airport, and had considered expanding the business into Danbury earlier this year. Safranek said Persaud sent the city’s Aviation Commission a letter stating his intentions to provide flight instruction services at the airport.

“He was looking to secure office space at one of the (businesses) at the airport,” Safranek said.

Persaud even developed a web presence for Danbury Flight Training, a company that never materialized, and posted photos of the company’s business card on Facebook.

Persaud is a former airline flight engineer who worked for several airlines, including Pan American World Airways, as a technical representative and avionics technician, according to the company web site. He was also an experienced bush pilot, having flown thousands of hours in the jungles of South America.

Safranek said he talked to Persaud about the expansion two weeks ago.

“We hadn’t heard anything from him in a while and I wanted to check in,” Safranek said. “Persaud said he wasn’t going to be doing anything in Danbury anymore.”

Persaud owned about a dozen planes, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, including another Piper that was involved in a fatal plane crash earlier this year.

Samson Kalani Ah Nee, 31, of Manchester, was killed when he crashed near Bald Mountain in Vermont on May 20. Investigators determined that Ah Nee had received his certificate to fly the multi-engine aircraft the day before and had been advised by his instructor not to fly due to weather conditions.

Persaud, according to reports, was a native of Guyana and also offered flight instruction services from that country under the name Oxford Aviation.

Newspaper reports from the Guyana Chronicle in June 2016 showed that authorities were investigating Persaud for flying a Cessna out of the country without permission.

The newspaper stated that Persaud had a “murky history” of operating in the region, a claim the pilot rejected on his Facebook page.

“This was third world propaganda.” he said on the social media web site. “The whole story was BS. This is state controlled newspaper...”

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



Southern Charm star Thomas Ravenel’s lawyer was among three people killed in a plane crash over the weekend, according to the New York State Police, The Post and Courier reported.

Richard P. Terbrusch and his girlfriend Dr. Jennifer Landrum, 43, were on their way to Charleston, South Carolina from Connecticut when their private plane went down over the Atlantic Ocean near Long Island, New York Sunday.


The plane’s owner and pilot, 41-year-old Munidat Persuad also died in the crash


Read more here ➤ https://people.com


“My client enjoys a certain degree of fame, which has unfortunately made him a vulnerable target for such claims,” Ravenel’s attorney, Richard P. Terbrusch, told PEOPLE in a statement after the allegations. “The person this woman describes is simply not the man that I know. My client is a loving father, successful businessman, and upright member of the community. He is appalled and hurt by these allegations — and is committed to defending his reputation in the appropriate legal forum.”



Read more here ➤ https://people.com


A Ridgefield attorney was among the victims in the weekend plane crash off Long Island.

Authorities confirmed Tuesday that town resident Richard Terbrusch, 53, was among three people killed Saturday when a Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II went down over the Atlantic Ocean.

“We are still numb,” Susan Terbrusch said Wednesday about her husband’s death. “He was a great guy who did a lot of good work for charities and the community.”

She said her main concern right now was caring for their young son.

Her husband was described as a beloved father and friend who enjoyed the outdoors — from fly fishing in New England streams to playing polo on fields throughout the east coast.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Munidat “Raj” Persaud — the owner and pilot of the plane — picked Terbrusch up at the Danbury Municipal Airport before heading to South Carolina.

Persaud was also killed along with another passenger, Jennifer Landrum, who worked as a high school teacher in Georgia and had been spending a school break in New York.

Longtime friend Andy Lucky said Terbrusch had a passion for the outdoors and would often travel to the south to attend polo tournaments when the season in the northeast had ended. He said Terbrusch also had a passion for flying and was hoping to regain his pilot’s license.

Whether it was his love of polo or flying that resulted in Terbrusch taking the flight Saturday wasn’t immediately known.

“He had gotten his pilot license years ago, but let it lapse when he was going to law school,” Lucky said. "He has been earning hours with the goal of getting his license back.”

While Lucky said Terbrusch wasn’t flying the plane when it crashed, it’s possible he could have been in a student pilot role.

“It wasn’t unusual for him — if he knew a flight instructor who was taking a long trip — he’d ask to go along so he could build up his hours,” Lucky said. “If that’s what happened on Saturday, I really can’t say.”

Terbrusch had worked for the judicial system before starting his own law firm based out of Mill Plain Road about 15 years ago. He also served in the past as a member of Ridgefield’s Police Commission and Board of Education.

And when the courts needed to appoint an attorney for someone who couldn’t afford to hire a lawyer, Terbrusch would always take the call.

“He was a dedicated attorney who helped a lot of people in the role of a conservator and as a court appointed attorney,” said Danbury Probate Court Judge Dianne Yamin. “He was always willing to accept a new appointment. He served the court well and will be missed very much.”

Persaud had purchased the Piper involved in the crash in June, according to the pilot’s Facebook page.

“Just took delivery of our new Piper Seneca to add to the fleet,” he posted June 15. “This aircraft is awesome has full de-ice capabilities and they did away with all the analog engine gauges.”

Persaud, who operated Oxford Flight Training, owned about a dozen planes, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, including another Piper that was involved in a fatal plane crash earlier this year.

Samson Kalani Ah Nee, 31, of Manchester, was killed when he crashed near Bald Mountain in Vermont on May 20. Investigators determined that Ah Nee had received his certificate to fly the multi-engine aircraft the day before and had been advised by his instructor not to fly due to weather conditions.


https://www.newstimes.com





OXFORD, CT (WFSB) - Three people were killed in a plane crash that happened in the Hamptons over the weekend.

New York State Police identified one of the victims as 41-year-old Munidat "Raj" Persaud of Waterbury.

Family members told Channel 3 that Munidat Persaud ran a flight school and frequently flew out of Waterbury-Oxford Airport in Oxford and Danbury Airport.

His body was recovered along with two others off the coast of New York.

Authorities said a Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II took off from Danbury Airport on Saturday, then crashed into the Atlantic Ocean just south of the village Quogue.

Munidat Persaud's family said he left behind two daughters.

"He loved education. He believed that girls should read and write and be strong leaders," said Mari Persaud, Munidat Persaud's daughter. "He was very adamant about our education and I think that's what really inspired him to become an instructor because he loved teaching people."

Persaud had more than 20 years of experience as a pilot and had been running the school for the last 14 years.

In 2004, Persaud, started Oxford Flight Training, teaching others how to fly.

However, according to records obtained from the FAA, Persaud had some prior run ins.

In the summer of 2011 he was fined $3,000.

The report states “no person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another. Unless approp & current airworthiness cert is in an acft, no person may operate it....No person may operate civil acft unless it is in airworthy condition."

In the September of 2011, Persaud’s airline transport pilot certification was suspended for 60 days, saying “person maintaining, rebuilding or altering a product must make entry in maintenance record. No person may operate aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another...No person may operate civil acft unless it is in airworthy condition."

That same month, the FAA revoked his certification as a flight instructor, saying “no person may make any fradul’t or intention’ly false entry in any req’d logbk, record or report."

Troopers said it was a surfer who told them that he saw the plane go down.

Several pieces of the aircraft were found; however, the fuselage remained missing as of Monday morning.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it is still looking for the exact cause of the crash.

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

Pilot and operator of Oxford Aviation, Munidat “Raj” Persaud

The National Transportation Safety Board is in the preliminary stages of investigating what caused a small civilian aircraft to crash into the Atlantic Ocean about a mile off Quogue on Saturday, killing three people. 

However, the investigation will likely be done without the plane’s fuselage, the main body of the aircraft. The Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II appears to have been uninsured, according to Joe Frohnhoefer, CEO of Sea Tow—a Hampton Bays-based maritime assistance company charged with recovering the wreckage. Without insurance, which would normally be billed to lift the wreckage, the fuselage will sit at the bottom of the ocean, he said.

“Unless someone steps forward and says, ‘We have to have that airplane for an investigation,’ then yes, it would sit there,” Mr. Frohnhoefer said. 

The wreckage was located at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, as were the bodies of the plane’s two passengers, whose identities have not yet been released, according to Petty Officer Steve Strohmaier of the U.S. Coast Guard. The body of the pilot, identified on Sunday as Munidat “Raj” Persaud, 41, of Waterbury, Connecticut, was recovered on Saturday and was brought to the office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner. 

When asked on Monday morning if the National Transportation Safety Board would pick up the tab to raise the plane, Keith Holloway, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, said that “there may be other ways to conduct an investigation. We aren’t assuming the charge of picking up the recovery,” he said.

“That doesn’t mean that we aren’t investigating,” he continued. “It won’t prevent us from conducting the investigation. We just won’t have the actual physical evidence.”

He added that a preliminary report including the flight plan, air traffic communications, radar data, and the plane’s maintenance records would likely be completed within the next 10 days.

The airplane crashed into the ocean about a mile off Quogue Canal at approximately 11 a.m. on Saturday, police said. The following morning, Alisa D. Sisic, a public information officer with the Connecticut Airport Authority, confirmed that the civilian aircraft originated from Waterbury Oxford Airport and landed for a brief time at Danbury Municipal Airport, also in Connecticut. The intended destination, she said, was Charleston Executive Airport in South Carolina. 

Ms. Sisic could not immediately confirm on Monday if the plane had fueled up at the airport, or what caused the plane to stop briefly in Danbury.

Jim Peters, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, also declined to say over the weekend why the plane landed at the Danbury airport. He did not immediately return phone calls or emails on Monday.

Mike Safranek, the Danbury airport’s assistant airport administrator, would not confirm or deny that the plane landed for a brief time at the airport, and referred all questions regarding the investigation to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

“Due to the seriousness of the incident, that’s why we’re playing it very closely to the vest,” he said.

In an emailed statement on Sunday, Mr. Peters said: “The FAA will investigate and the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the cause of the accident.”

Over the weekend, Mr. Holloway added that that the NTSB would likely take Saturday morning’s weather into account. According to the National Weather Service, the area was experiencing light rain and winds of 10 miles per hour. 

“Part of the investigation will be to look at the history of this flight, origin and destination and any issues that may have been a factor in the accident,” he wrote in a text message on Sunday.

Tim Carbone, the manager of the Surf Club of Quogue, was one of several witnesses who observed the plane flying near Quogue Village Beach just minutes before it crashed.

Standing in the surf club parking lot, he said, “I heard the plane engine accelerate in a very high, very loud way over the normal sound of an engine. And then the engine stopped.”

He immediately ran to the beach and saw three pieces of the plane hit the water; however, he said that he did not see the plane itself go down. 

The Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II was one of several civilian aircraft owned by Mr. Persaud, who, according to Mr. Safranek, was the owner and president of Oxford Flight Training in Oxford, Connecticut. Mr. Persaud’s Facebook page said that he had studied aeronautical engineering at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in Flushing, New York. 

According to an article by the New York Times, Shakuntala Persaud, Mr. Persaud’s ex-wife, said that her ex-husband opened the flight school in 2004 after working as a mechanic for a succession of major airlines. She also confirmed in the article that Mr. Persaud was a father of two. 

“He likes to be in the air. It’s the only place he feels free, that’s his passion. It’s his identity,” Ms. Persaud had said.“He’s a good person.”

Ms. Persaud could not be reached on Monday.

In a press release on Sunday, Captain Kevin Reed, commander for Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound, offered his department’s condolences to the families who lost loved ones in the crash.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and families of the people who were aboard the plane,” he said. “We are grateful to the emergency responders who assisted in the search efforts.”

Emergency responders included the U.S. Coast Guard, New York Air National Guard, Suffolk County Marine Unit, Suffolk County Sheriff, Suffolk County Aviation Unit, Southampton Bay Constables, Southampton Town Police, New York State Police and Quogue Village Police, among others.


Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.27east.com




QUOGUE, Long Island (WABC) -- Three bodies have been found after a plane crashed in the water approximately one mile off of a beach in Quogue.

The first body, identified as Raj Munidat, was found Saturday after a Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II crashed into the water around 11:10 a.m. The remaining two bodies were found in the water on Sunday evening near the plane's fuselage, the Coast Guard reports.

All passengers on board the plane have now been accounted for. The identities of the other two bodies have not yet been released, but one was an adult male.

The crash site is approximately three miles south of Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach.

The FAA says the plane took off at Danbury Municipal Airport in Connecticut. Their intended destination is unclear.

Quogue Village Police Department Chief Christopher Isola says the cause of the crash is still unknown.

Witnesses reported hearing the engine stuttering sounding like almost like a stunt plane.

"And then the engine went up even to a higher, screaming and screaming, and then all of a sudden quiet. It happened instantly. I saw three pieces of plane, separate trajectories heading towards the ocean, and they were just kind of going down like a leaf, you know?" says Quogue resident Tim Carbone.

The Air National Guard dispatched a rescue helicopter, and multiple agencies assisted the search on-scene.

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash.

Original article can be found here ➤ https://abc7ny.com



WESTHAMPTON BEACH, N.Y. — A Waterbury man’s body was recovered Saturday off the coast of Long Island following a plane crash that originated from Waterbury-Oxford Airport.

Raj Persaud, 41, was identified by New York State Police as the person recovered about a mile off of Quogue, in the Hamptons. The crash involved a twin-engine Piper PA-34.

Alisa Sisic, a spokeswoman for the Connecticut Airport Authority, said the plane left Connecticut’s Waterbury-Oxford Airport Saturday morning, landed at Danbury Municipal Airport and then took off again.

Persaud is listed as the founder of Oxford Flight Training on the flight school’s website.

It has not been confirmed how many people were on the plane, New York State Police said in a news release.

Agencies including the U.S. Coast Guard, the New York Air National Guard and the Suffolk County sheriff’s office respond to the crash.

“It’s still a search and recovery at this point,” Quogue Village Police Chief Christopher Isola said at a news conference late Saturday afternoon, according to Newsday. “The Coast Guard along with other marine assets will continue in that effort.”

The cause of the crash was not known, Isola said.

Officials said people on the beach reported the plane sputtering before it crashed.

John Morgan, of Quogue, told Newsday that his son Tyler Morgan, 24, was playing golf with friends when he saw the plane go down.

“They saw it in the air, and they just saw it come down,” said John Morgan, who went to the beach after the crash and saw several search boats on the water.

The crash was the third fatal crash involving a small plane on Long Island this year.

A pilot died May 30 when his vintage plane went down in a wooded area.

Four people were killed on June 2 when a twin-engine Piper Navajo crashed off Amagansett during a storm.

Original article can be found here ➤  http://www.rep-am.com

A Guyanese pilot, who was responsible for flying out two small planes from the Eugene F. Correia ‘Ogle’ International Airport two years ago without approval, died in a plane crash off the Long Island, New York coast on Saturday, well-placed sources confirmed.

Dead is Munidat ‘ Raj’ Persaud. United States (US) authorities have not yet identified the body, but his wife, Trisha La Rose Persaud, in a picture with her husband, said on Facebook that “I’ll forever love you my husband Raj Persaud. Gone too soon my love. Until we meet again. RIP.”


Guyanese aviation sources have also confirmed the death of Persaud.


Persaud and unnamed pilot had in June 2016 flown out two Cessna 206 aircraft, which are the subject of High Court litigation in Guyana, from the Ogle Airport without authorization. The aircraft were the subject of a court injunction by Domestic Airways that had barred their removal from Guyana.


The US Navy Times reported that a small private plane carrying three people crashed into the ocean off the coast of Long Island on Saturday.


One body was recovered following the 11 a.m. crash of a twin-engine Piper PA-34 about a mile off of Quogue, in the Hamptons.


Agencies including the U.S. Coast Guard, the New York Air National Guard and the Suffolk County sheriff’s office responded to the crash. “It’s still a search and recovery at this point,” Quogue Village Police Chief Christopher Isola said at a news conference late Saturday afternoon, according to Newsday. “The Coast Guard along with other marine assets will continue in that effort.”


The cause of the crash was not known, Isola said. The identity of the victim who was found was not immediately determined.


Officials said people on the beach reported the plane sputtering before it crashed.


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


Cessna 172M Skyhawk, N73101: Accident occurred September 25, 2016 at Pittsfield Municipal Airport (KPSF), Berkshire County, Massachusetts 

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

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


Munidat Persaud: http://registry.faa.gov/N73101


 September 25, 2016

Location: Pittsfield, MA
Accident Number: GAA16CA515
Date & Time: 09/25/2016, 1145 EDT
Registration: N73101
Aircraft: CESSNA 172
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional

Analysis 

The solo student pilot reported that on final, following a cross-country flight, "It was really bumpy", the airplane was at a "pretty steep angle", and the stall warning horn was "really going crazy". He further reported that he tried to avoid a stall, and lowered the nose of the airplane, and the airplane touched down to the left of the runway unexpectedly. The airplane continued to the left of the runway and impacted a ditch.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.

The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. 

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The student pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate descent rate and runway alignment during the landing flare, which resulted in the airplane touching down left of the runway and impacting a ditch.

Findings

Aircraft
Descent/approach/glide path - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Aircraft control - Student pilot (Cause)

Environmental issues
Terrain - Effect on equipment
Crosswind - Effect on operation

Factual Information

History of Flight

Landing
Other weather encounter
Loss of control in flight (Defining event)
Attempted remediation/recovery
Loss of control on ground
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) 

Student Pilot Information

Certificate: Student 
Age: 39, Male
Airplane Rating(s): None 
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No 
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/26/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: (Estimated) 42 hours (Total, all aircraft), 41 hours (Total, this make and model) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Registration: N73101
Model/Series: 172 M
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1976
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 17267266 
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection:  Unknown
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2299 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: O-320 SERIES
Registered Owner: PERSAUD MUNIDAT
Rated Power: 160 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None


September 25, 2016

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: PSF, 1194 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1554 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 315°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 12 knots / 22 knots
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: / None
Wind Direction: 290°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.19 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 13°C / 1°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: OXFORD, CT (OXC)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: VFR
Destination: Pittsfield, MA (PSF)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 1100 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: PITTSFIELD MUNI (PSF)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 1188 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used:26 
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5791 ft / 100 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Stop and Go

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude:  42.427500, -73.292500 (est)


PITTSFIELD >> An unidentified pilot suffered "traumatic" injuries early Sunday, September 25th, 2016, after his plane crashed at the Pittsfield Municipal Airport, according to the Pittsfield Fire Department.

The Cessna 172 aircraft veered into a ditch at about 11:45 a.m. Sunday as it was attempting to land on Runway 26, according to a statement from a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman.

The plane sustained substantial damage. The pilot, who is believed to be a student, was the only person on board.

An employee of Lyon Aviation, which fuels and maintains the planes at the airport, extricated the pilot from the aircraft, Pittsfield Fire Chief Robert Czerwinski said.

Pittsfield firefighters responded to the crash at the airport on Tamarack Road.

First aid was administered by emergency responders, assisted by Action Ambulance, and the pilot was transported to Berkshire Medical Center with "traumatic but what [are] believed to be non-life-threatening injuries," according to a prepared release by the fire department.

Response crews remained on the scene as the aircraft was leaking fuel. No other injuries were reported, but by officials' preliminary estimate, the aircraft was totaled.

Rescue procedures worked as designed, said airport manager Robert Snuck. Fire rescue workers arrived quickly and went through the proper gates to access the scene.

The aircraft came from Waterbury-Oxford Airport in Connecticut, Snuck said. The owner of the plane is Munidat Persaud of Waterbury, Conn., according to online records.

Oxford Flight Training, an active flight school at the Waterbury-Oxford airport, is owned by Raj Persaud, according to the school's website.

Snuck, who said he believes the pilot was a student, could not confirm the owner's name or whether he was connected to the flight school. But several online publications have listed a Munidat "Raj" Persaud as the owner of a Guyana-based company called Oxford Aviation, which is affiliated with the Connecticut school.

Larger airports such as Logan Airport in Boston do not allow student pilot access, Snuck said. At Pittsfield Municipal Airport, a public-use airport receiving public funds, any licensed pilot, including students, can take off or land, Snuck said.

The FAA is conducting the preliminary investigation into the accident. The agency will turn over its findings to the National Transportation Safety Board, which will determine the probable cause of the accident, according to the FAA's statement.

The FAA customarily provides the NTSB with information including statements, pilot's certificates, and weather information to assist in investigations, said Peter Knudson, a spokesman for the NTSB.

The "sole purpose" of the NTSB's investigation is to determine what went wrong to cause the accident, Knudson said.

Source:  http://www.berkshireeagle.com



PITTSFIELD -- One man was taken to the hospital after an incident with a small plane at the Pittsfield Airport Sunday.

It's not clear exactly what happened, but fire department officials received a call for a downed aircraft at the airport.

They found a Cessna 172 off the runway but upright, and the pilot had just been extracted by an airport worker.

The man was taken to Berkshire Medical Center. The FAA, Massachusetts State Police, and Pittsfield Police are investigating.

Story and video:   http://cbs6albany.com

PITTSFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -  A plane crashed at the Pittsfield Municipal Airport just before noon Sunday morning and the pilot had to be rushed to the hospital.

The Pittsfield Fire Department reports they were called to the scene on Tamarack Road at 11:44 a.m.

The plane was a Cessna 172 light aircraft.  It was completely destroyed in the crash.

The pilot who had to be rescued from the plane by firefighters, suffered trauma but his injuries are believed to be non-life threatening.  There was no one else on-board at the time.

When firefighters got to the runway there was an airport worker pulling the pilot away from the plane.  Firefighters then got the pilot to a safe distance and rendered first aid, stabilizing him on a backboard. 

"He was landing and for whatever reason he...sounded like he might have bounced and overshot part of it.  The plane was 30 to 50 feet off the runway. Found him really close to a ditch.  He was lucky the plane didn't end up in that ditch," explained Pittsfield Fire Department Deputy, Daniel Garner. 

An ambulance crew called in to the scene transported the pilot to Berkshire Medical Center.

The plane was leaking fuel while some of the equipment was still on in the plane.  Firefighters had foam ready while emergency crews brought the situation under control.

"Luckily the plane was upright and there was not really any catastrophic damage to the fuel compartment," noted Deputy Garner. 

Firefighters finally cleared the scene at about 2:15 p.m. Sunday, however investigators still remained to continue their work on the situation. 

The accident is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration, State Police, and the Pittsfield Police Department.


Source:   http://www.westernmassnews.com

June 27, 2016

As local authorities continue to examine the legal basis on which to tread, reports have suggested that the operators of two aircraft which departed Guyana without authorisation on Saturday had committed several aviation violations while operating here.The pilot of one of the two aircraft, Munedat “Raj” Persaud, along with another pilot whose only name was given as “Vladimir”, departed the Eugene F. Correia International Airport (EFCIA), unknown to the authorities here, in two (2) Cessna 206 aircraft bearing registration 8R-GTP and 8R-GMP.


The two flew undetected to Grenada, and later island-hopped their way further north to the island of Anguilla. This newspaper was informed that one of the aircraft was prevented from moving onward, while the other was allowed to depart for San Juan, Puerto Rico the following day.


Persons within the aviation sector told this publication on Monday that Persaud had always “bullied” his way while operating here. The pilot has, reportedly on several occasions, provided incorrect information to the authorities; and one aviation official noted that such violations are known within aviation circles.


Same occurred on Saturday when the pilot departed from these shores minus customs or immigration declarations. In addition, Persaud and his colleague flew through Trinidad’s airspace without authorisation.


Calls to the numbers provided for Oxford Aviation at Ogle on Monday went unanswered. According to reports, the company folded in recent months and the operator was planning to relocate the two aircraft to the United States, where the company operates a flight school.


Prior to last weekend’s incident, the company’s operations here have reportedly been dogged by several notable accidents, in one of which its aircraft was damaged beyond repair.


A Guyanese by birth, Persaud, during an interview with this newspaper in February 2011, had said he decided to start operating here because he had seen the need for a service to hinterland areas, and he had started with two aircraft. Shortly after, however, the company lost an aircraft in an incident at Ekereku, in Region Seven. On board then were five persons, some of whom were employees of Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). All the passengers managed to escape with minor injuries after the plane ran off the runway at Ekereku Bottom during take-off.


That aircraft, the first of two owned by Oxford, was damaged beyond repair, and subsequent investigations established that it had crashed as a result of pilot error — the pilot had overloaded the plane. He had suffered only minor injuries, Persaud confirmed at the time.


Then, in January 2010, the pilot of another aircraft operated by the company landed the aircraft short of the Baramita airstrip in Region One.


“The facts are that the aircraft landed short of the runway. Why he landed short of the runway, we don’t know. From what I was told, the aeroplane was coming in to land at minimal air speed, and he landed short of the runway; and part of the consequence was that he hit a ditch and lost control,” Persaud had said at a press conference at that time.


It is unclear whether the incident at Ekereku Bottom was related to another incident which involved another aircraft operated by another local company — Domestic Aviation.

That aircraft, a Cessna 172 model aircraft bearing registration 8R-JIL, had sustained structural damage during a collision with an aircraft operated by Oxford Aviation.

That incident resulted in pilot Orlando Charles of Domestic Aviation taking the matter to the courts to be resolved. The active High Court proceedings barred Persaud from operating the two aircraft, and this is seen as the genesis for the pilot’s actions on Saturday morning.


Reports are that the two pilots, using their airport pass, passed through the security at the airport and informed security personnel that they were going to the aircraft to place something onboard.


The incident has resulted in criticism of the security arrangement at the airport.


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


June 29, 2016 

One day after the questionable departure of two Oxford Aviation (OA) aircraft from the Eugene F. Correia International Airport at Ogle on Saturday last, two individuals’ attempt to gain access into the company’s office was thwarted by airport security personnel.

This was confirmed by the Airport’s Public Communication Consultant (PCC), Kit Nascimento, yesterday.

Nascimento stated that on Sunday, two men were prevented from entering the OA office after it was discovered that one of the men was wearing a security pass belonging to the OA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Tricia Persaud.

Nascimento stated that the individuals were denied entry and the office located in the terminal building was locked since the company owes the airport a “substantial” amount of money.

It was reported by another source at the airport that Persaud is the wife of the Company’s boss, Munidat “Raj” Persaud.

Reports also state that it was the duo’s son, who presented Tricia Persaud’s pass to the security personnel on Sunday.

Nascimento, providing an update on the “illegal” departure, stated that the airport is reviewing the actions and protocols on the day the planes left by examining video footage, among other things.

He said that three individuals were seen presenting themselves to the security as representatives of OA. He continued that the individuals had left airside on three occasions to load equipment onto the aircraft.

“When asked whether they were planning a flight, they said they were not planning to fly anywhere.”

Nascimento reiterated that there was no breach of protocols on behalf of the airport or any of its employees.

The two (2) Cessna 206, bearing registration numbers 8R-GTP and 8R-GMP attached to Oxford Aviation, left the airport sometime around 4am on Saturday.

One of the aircraft is reportedly subject to High Court litigation, barring the aircraft from leaving the jurisdiction.

This was also confirmed by Nascimento who stated that this particular plane was barred from leaving the country but was not barred to operating internally. He went on to state that this information was never conveyed to the airport.

According to reports, one of the aircraft was flown out of the country by its owner, Munidat Persaud who happens to be the owner of the Aviation Company and a flight school in the United States. The other pilot was not identified.

According to a source, the aircraft were flown to Trinidad then to the island of Grenada, from where they subsequently departed for Anguilla.

One of the planes has since been grounded in Anguilla whilst the other had departed to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

This publication was unable to verify if the aircraft had arrived to San Juan or the status of the grounded aircraft back in Anguilla.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, has since advised that employees who were on duty during the departures at the airport, be sent on Administrative leave to ensure a “thorough” investigation. He had also stated that the primary concern was to ascertain whether any procedures were breached.

Meanwhile, when asked for a comment from the President of the National Air and Transportation Authority (NATA), Annette Arjoon-Martins, since the Oxford Aviation is a member of the authority, she stated that she would rather wait on the conclusion of the investigation before making any comments. She noted that this approach seems better, since the “facts” will be revealed then, and she would be in a better position to comment on the matter.

Original article ➤  https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com

Coast Guard vessels continued to search for survivors Sunday morning after a small private plane crashed into Atlantic Ocean off the Hamptons Saturday after taking off from Connecticut.

“It’s still an active search and rescue operation,” Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer Steve Strohmaier said shortly before 7:30 a.m.

He said search parties would meet this morning in Quogue to reassess the situation.

Authorities did not release the identities of the three people the Federal Aviation Administration said were aboard the twin-engine Piper PA-34 bound for Charleston, South Carolina, that crashed about a mile off Quogue.

Only small pieces of the plane, which seats seven, were found, officials said.

A Coast Guard official on Saturday said Southampton police divers were assisting in the effort. He said the Coast Guard was using sonar to scan the seabed for the fuselage. 

An 87-foot Coast Guard patrol boat had been expected to continue the search overnight Saturday, officials said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it will investigate and the National Transportation Safety Board "will determine the probable cause for the accident."

Calls to 911 from surfers who reported seeing the plane sputter and crash just before 11 a.m. brought scores of first responders to Dune Road, gathering near the Quogue Beach Club for search-and-rescue efforts.

The plane's flight began Saturday morning from Connecticut’s Waterbury-Oxford Airport, and it landed at Danbury Municipal Airport before taking off again, said Alisa D. Sisic, a spokeswoman for the Connecticut Airport Authority. The plane was bound for Charleston Executive Airport, the FAA said.

Calls to 911 started coming in at 10:59 a.m., and a Coast Guard spokesman said one reported seeing the plane break apart in the air. There was light rain and winds of about 10 mph in the area at the time, according to the National Weather Service.

The plane crashed 3 miles south southeast of Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach, the FAA said.

John Morgan of Quogue said his son Tyler Morgan, 24, was playing golf with friends at nearby Quogue Field Club when he saw the plane go down.

“They saw it in the air and they just saw it come down,” said John Morgan, who went to the beach after the crash and saw several search boats on the water.

Authorities from Quogue police and fire departments, State Police, Suffolk County police, Southampton Town police and bay constables, Westhampton Beach Village police and firefighters, Suffolk County sheriffs, the Coast Guard, a commercial salvage crew with a dive team and the Air National Guard, among others, responded.

“There’s like every agency in the world down here,” said Quogue Mayor Peter Sartorius, noting that Dune Road was closed at the Quogue Bridge.

Earlier this year, small plane crashes left five dead on Long Island.

On May 30, two days after Memorial Day, a pilot died when his World War II-era plane went down in a wooded area in Melville.

On June 2, a small plane crashed off the coast of Amagansett during a storm, killing all four people on board. Pilot Jon Dollard of Hampton Bays lost control of the twin-engine Piper Navajo, according to an initial NTSB report in July. Dollard, 47, was carrying passengers Ben and Bonnie Krupinski, both 70, and their grandson William Maerov, 22, all of East Hampton, from Newport State Airport in Rhode Island to East Hampton Airport.

That wreckage was discovered about a mile south of Indian Wells Beach submerged in 50 feet of water, according to the report.

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

UPDATE: Sunday, 10:45 a.m.

In an emailed statement, Jim Peters, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, also confirmed that the plane departed from Danbury Municipal Airport and was headed to Charleston Executive Airport in South Carolina.

He did not say why the plane landed at the Danbury airport after leaving originally from Waterbury Oxford Airport.

"The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate and the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the probable cause for the accident," he wrote.

UPDATE: Sunday, 9:40 a.m.

Alisa D. Sisic, a public information officer with the Connecticut Airport Authority, confirmed on Sunday morning that the downed piper PA-34, originated from Waterbury Oxford Airport and landed for a brief time at Danbury Airport on Saturday morning before crashing into the Atlantic Ocean about a mile from Quogue Canal. 

The majority of the aircraft, which was carrying three unidentified passengers, has not yet been recovered, according to Steven Strohmaier of the United States Coast Guard—the agency leading the search and rescue.

Mr. Strohmaier added that the agency started using sonar technology on Sunday morning in an effort to locate the fuselage, or the main body of the aircraft. 

“Once we have an idea of that, they’re going to send down divers,” he said. “We’re still treating this as an active search and rescue. Hopefully we’re going to find two people still out there.”

Representatives with the Federal Aviation Administration did not immediately return phone calls on Sunday. 

Trooper Daniel Ahlgrim of the New York State Police said on Sunday morning that the one body that was recovered on Saturday afternoon was transported to the Suffolk County Medical Examiner office. The identity has not yet been released. 

UPDATE: Saturday, 3:45 p.m.

In a statement, Quogue Village Police Chief Christopher Isola confirmed that one body has been recovered from the plane crash; however, the identity of the person has not yet been released. 

He added that Quogue Village Police, Southampton Town Police, and Westhampton Beach Police, as well as the areas fire departments, bay constables, and many other assets had responded to the scene. "This is a joint investigation," he said.

He explained that the wreckage of a small plane was discovered about a mile off of Quogue Beach. 

UPDATE: Saturday, 2:25 p.m.

The downed plane was identified as a twin engine Piper PA-34, according to a U.S. Coast Guard press release on Saturday afternoon.

Immediately following the crash, watchstander at Sector Long Island Sound dispatched a boat crew from Station Shinnecock aboard a 47-foot motor lifeboat.

The press release also stated that a debris field and oil sheen was located near the reported crash site, about a mile off of Quogue Beach.

Crews from the Suffolk County Marines, Bay Constables, a commercial salvage crew, and multiple aircrews from the New York Air National Guard are assisting at the scene. 

An 87-foot patrol boat from the Coast Guard is also assisting in the search and recovery effort, the press release read.

It added that an air crew from Air Station Cape Cod is scheduled to be dispatched to relieve the Air National Guard. 

UPDATE: Saturday, 2:15 p.m.

According to Southampton Town Police, the plane that crashed about a mile off shore of Quogue Beach on Saturday morning was a four-seater piper aircraft, however; the plane's departure and destination are unknown.

Police could not provide any information regarding the passengers aboard the plane, only offering that it is a "search and recovery" effort," being lead by the United States Coast Guard. 

The New York State Police Department is the leading agency for investigation with assistance from the Southampton Town Police Department.

UPDATE: Saturday, 1:30 p.m.

Chief Billy Dalton of the Westhampton Beach Fire Department identified the search for the three passengers of the downed plane as a "recovery effort" on Saturday afternoon.

He could not offer information as to where the plane was headed or where it was coming from. He added that the department received the call notifying them of the crash at approximately 11 a.m. Saturday morning. 

He also confirmed that the New York State Police Department, Southampton Town Police Department, Westhampton Beach War Memorial Ambulance, and the Air National Guard have responded to the scene. 

Dune Road is closed from Beach Land Bridge in Westhampton to Quogue Bridge in Quogue, he said, noting that only security vehicles are being allowed access. 

Chief Dalton added that there were a number of eyewitnesses who were fishing on the beach, though he could not offer any additional information. 

Southampton Town Police could not be reached for comment. 

Police at the scene set up a staging area at the entrance to the beach near the Surf Club of Quogue.

ORIGINAL STORY 

A civilian plane carrying three unidentified passengers crashed about a mile off shore of Quogue Canal on Saturday morning, according to officials with the 106th Rescue Wing, a unit of the New York Air National Guard, stationed at Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach.

Major Linda Varela confirmed on Saturday afternoon that it was not a military aircraft and that local law enforcement was responding to the scene.

Officials with the United States Coast Guard Station Shinnecock in Hampton Bays confirmed that there is debris in the water.

Southampton Town Police did not immediately return phone calls on Saturday afternoon.

Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.27east.com

A body has been recovered after a small plane crashed Saturday in the water off the coast of the Hamptons, officials said.

The twin-engine Piper PA-34 plane went down in the waters off of Quogue around 11:40 a.m., the U.S. Coast Guard said. A surfer witnessed the crash.

Rescuers recovered a body from the water hours later, New York State Police said.

Three people were on board the aircraft, officials said.

The plane originally departed from the Waterbury-Oxford Airport, then went to  Danbury, Connecticut, the Connecticut Airport Authority said. The plane took off from Danbury and then crashed near the Hamptons. 

The plane was headed for Charleston, South Carolina, the FAA said. 

The site of the crash is three miles southeast of the Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach when it crashed, the FAA said.

Emergency personnel were responding to the site of the crash, which was one or two nautical miles south of the beach, Coast Guard Petty Officer Steve Strohmaier told NBC 4 New York.  

As of Sunday morning, search crews were using sonar to map the seafloor in an effort to locate the two missing people, Strohmaier said.

Debris could be seen in the water from Suffolk County. 

It was a rainy morning as a weak weather disturbance moved through the area. It wasn't immediately clear whether rain was a factor in the crash. 

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

48 comments:

  1. Hmm. Fuel exhaustion/starvation may be a suspect. Naturally, the NTSB will avoid looking into this mishap, and shift the investigating to a foreign agency. Island hopping is risky when winds and MGTOW reduced fuel loads hamper endurance.

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  2. This guy had a checkered past. This event does not surprise based on his past lack of good judgement in a previous accident.

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  3. Not so, davey. He refueled in Danbury before taking off. Aerodynamic oscillation has been discussed with the mid 70s Seneca II. Raj was an excellent pilot. He flew in South America in the bush. I flew in that very plane with him back and forth through weather to NC. I trained with him for my private pilot. The only thing that would have prevented him bringing the bird home safely, even without fuel, would have been a mid-air break up. See Kathryn's report here: http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2017/04/piper-aircraft-break-up-in-midair-dozen.html for a possible similar scenario. I say possible, but if I were a betting man, I would bet on Raj in any scenario except the one that he could not fly out of.

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  4. I bet the Anonymous, who is discussing "checkered past" is a lousy pilot or not a pilot at all.

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  5. The Anonymous saying about "checkered past" must be an incidental pilot or not a pilot at all. Ignore the Ignoramous!

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  6. Flightaware tracking log indicates the last radar return at 19,400 feet and climbing. This is considerably higher than the aircraft had been operated on any of the past recorded flights. Also noteworthy is that it appears they were not on an IFR flight plan so they had no business being at that altitude. This will be an interesting investigation to watch unfold.

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  7. Aerodynamic oscillation. Yeah right. Try LOC in IMC. The Johnstown crash referred to was in IMC as well. The pilot had put the wrong approach into his GPS and kicked it off while trying to input the correct approach. He lost it in IMC and the plane came apart. Turns out he wasn't Instrument current.

    Your boy made a mistake. It happens. RIP.

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  8. An “excellent pilot” who performed a gear-up landing in a perfectly functioning airplane last fall. And who was known to carry extra (unapproved) fuel cans in the cockpit, to pump into the fuel tank as needed. Or did he forget to mention these feats during your private training?

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  9. Most scam operations made up everything: Log book entries, certificates, bogus repairs and also herd paid or sympathetic "reviewers" to create amazing reviews online. And they will also lack basic necessities like insurance on their operations.
    And strangely they also come from certain regions of the world where such things are normal and expected as part of doing business, without naming names. I encountered the same in Software Engineering for example. Where crappiness can be masked very easily.
    Aviation is ill suited for such cutting corners and wanton money seeking for nothing in return.

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  10. Anonymous, above, may be on to something. Here is another report of a seneca that broke up due to flutter:
    https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2014/09/be-still-my-fluttering-seneca/

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  11. This guy has no record in the airman registry.

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  12. Last commentator, the guy's legal name is Munidat Persaud--he is in the airman registry.https://amsrvs.registry.faa.gov/airmeninquiry/Main.aspx

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  13. Am I reading this right? The lady was traveling with her boyfriend who, later in another article, was mentioned by his wife as being a kind, loving man? Weird....

    This one has LOC written all over it. And it sounds like this pilot had used up his 9 lives.

    How sad...

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  14. This one would make a GREAT movie and/or book!

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  15. "Terbrusch had a passion for flying and was hoping to regain his pilot’s license."

    I guess this beckons the question did Mr. Terbrusch hire Munidat Persaud for flight lessons? If so, bring on the movie and book deal!

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  16. A high-profile attorney (celebrity lawyer) cross-country flying with a shady pilot. Shaking my head...

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  17. Could it be Hypoxia or Carbon Monoxide poisoning? How quickly is there hypoxia onset when he just climbed above 12,500FT 10 mins earlier? Flight aware shows him at 18,000 feet over the crash site and then a rapid decent to the impact point 2-3 miles offshore. His airspeed was not steady for the last 7 mins of the flight. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/...20181013/1427Z

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  18. The newspapers and relatives talk of this as a charter flight.

    So another part 134 and 1/2 bites the dust. Another illegal charter flight masquerading as a bogus "training" lesson?

    The FAA should really step up and require for a lesson to be legal to have only a CFI with a student onboard the aircraft with only the luggage needed i.e headsets and iPads and kneepads and landing at the same point the plane took off within a few hours.

    Too many people die on those illegal charters. Part 135 is hard to get for a friggin reason and that is to guarantee the safety of clueless passengers who board such small planes without the benefit of knowing how to vet the crew and the plane for the sake of their lives!

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  19. Why did the United States FAA give Munidat Persaud clearance to fly? A quick Google search provides his criminal background in aviation. Guyana (South America's poorest country in the world), kicked his sorry ass out of the country and legal barred him from all aviation activities. Yet, United States FAA gave Munidat Persaud free rein/freedom to do as his pleased. United States FAA is not watching the store. They really dropped the ball with this one.

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  20. He is in the registry but only with a third class medical. Running commercial operations (which require a 2nd class) is illegal especially when masquerading them as instruction lessons (where a 3rd class can be used by a CFI).

    He also has an A&P and IA and I am damn sure he did all the maintenance on his fleet himself with various degrees of ethics considering he didn't bother to have insurance on his bird.

    Checked past - Check
    Homemade maintenance - Check
    Prior history of accidents, some of them fatal - Check
    Taking innocent lives with him due to his mistakes - Check

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  21. Terbrusch hired Oxford Flight School from time to time over the summer to provide training and help him regain his flying priveleges. He also took instruction from another flight school in Danbury. This I know for a fact. On one flight this summer he asked for CFI training on the flight regarding pre-flight planning, navigation, use of the GPS and just normal flying, pattern entry and landing. His girlfriend accompanied him and he flew out to Rhode Island to meet extended family. It is not surprising to me that he would hire Oxford Flight Training to take him and his girlfried to the South. She was from the South. Mr. Persaud probably suggested the Seneca because of the distance and time to get there vs. the Piper Archer/Arrow that Terbrusch was using to training in. I am not a part 135 expert, but I would say this would be considered flight training eventhough it may be different than normal. Regarding medical classes as someone else stated, you don't need a 2nd class medical acting as an MEI or CFI.
    I'm not sure where someone got the information he didn't have insurance on this aircraft. I'm fairly certain he did as he discussed it on several occasions.
    Regarding the fatal accident in the Seneca earlier in the year. The pilot flying was a rated multi-engine pilot , but with low time in the plane. He was told by both Mr Persaud the day of that ill-fated flight and the DPE who flew with him to wait out the weather before flying and not fly IFR. He chose to ignore some very good advice.

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  22. Aircraft was uninsured. Update states it will remain on the bottom of the ocean unless NTSB kicks in the dough to recover. Flying is an unforgiving profession. RIP ..

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  23. Too many moles, trolls, distractions, under the table operations and blind sympathy here to make much sense of it.

    Its a great movie tragedy. The truth does not matter now. All involved are dead. That is the common denominator in this equation.

    I still wonder why in 1125+ hours of flying I have not been ramp checked yet.

    Bring it on. Look me up.



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  24. After listening to LiveATC.net. It is apparent that N593MS lost vacuum and had entered into full IMC. The controller is heard telling Raj to try and use your turn/slip coordinator to maintain level flight and that they were in a turn and decent. It also appears that they were trying to get above the clouds in a desperate attempt to regain VFR. (this explains the 19000 plus altitude) Unfortunately they lost control in a rapid descent and broke apart in air. My heart goes out to the 3 souls on board and their loved ones. Truly a tragedy!

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  25. This is the link to Boston control. The first voice is control telling Raj to turn west, he then asks how many souls on board and how much fuel. The controller can be heard saying to try and use the turn-slip coordinator to keep the wings level and then says "I understand you have had a vacuum loss (no heading and attitude indicator!). Raj is heard saying "we are descending!"
    Very difficult to hear for those of us that knew Raj. The communication is lost and the plane clearly broke apart based on flight tracking speeds of 250 plus mph (I believe Vne is around 190) and witnesses on the beach that say 3 pieces fall into the water.

    Regardless of you views about Raj, remember that 3 people lost there lives, as pilots we can learn from this and hopefully keep ourselves and the people we fly safe by learning from this tragedy. Lets leave the other BS for the tabloids.

    MK

    http://archive-server.liveatc.net/kbos/ZBW-DXR19-HVN-Oct-13-2018-1430Z.mp3

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  26. RIP

    It's not uncommon for the second vacuum/pressure pump to fail very shortly after the first one fails ... It happens even quicker if the boots are in use.

    Attitude indicators can fail as well but tend to be more reliable than the pumps.

    Thi price of portable or permanent mounted electronic ADIs start to look pretty reasonable compared to the prospect of using a T&B or coordinator in real IMC conditions.

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  27. My iFly 520 has an instrument option where I get all the six pack from a WAAS enabled VFR GPS. $350-400.

    To think there are "pilots" out there flying with no portable radio (and the knowledge to quickly hook it up to a small intercom) or a simple gadget that can provide good instrumentation far better than a 1960s turn coordinator is mind boggling.

    ADM it is not.

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  28. Sad event.

    One thing that seemingly emerges, based on the reports and the images of badges, is that "Raj", who was reported to be 41 years old, held a Pan Am badge, an airline which finally dissolved in 1991, and which would have made him 14 in 1991. Also held an SAT badge which dissolved in 1998. Spirit? Could all of these badges be phony?

    Anyone find this at least a little strange?

    It will be interesting to see the maintenance records for this aircraft and whether "Raj" appears as the mechanic- and where he received his training.

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  29. Additionally, does anyone find it strange that the badges pictured are dated back in 2000, when the FAA registry tells a different story of A&P certs being issued in 2005

    Certificate: MECHANIC
    Date of Issue: 1/13/2005

    Ratings:
    MECHANIC
    AIRFRAME
    POWERPLANT
    INSPECTION AUTHORIZATION
    DISTRICT OFFICE: EA63 03/2017

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  30. Anonymous cites "Aerodynamic oscillation...." What's that? I did mention Fuel Starvation. We won't know for a couple of years what the causal factors were, so everything we discuss here is pure speculation. Sometimes I get lucky and guess the probable cause correctly...

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  31. Don't fly the raj express! Dr. seemed so smart!

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  32. So sorry for the loss of three lives, regardless.

    That being said, I can't imagine how Mrs. Terbrusch felt about finding out about her husband having a girlfriend like this. Sounds like they we're not separated or anything... According to the Go Fund Me account set up for Mrs. Terbrusch and their autistic son, Mr. Terbrusch had NO LIFE INSURANCE or other savings, etc. That's really surprising (and suspicious), especially for a "lawyer to the stars". Not to speak ill of the dead, but come on man!

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  33. There were several startups that used the Pan Am name ... All failed (what a shock) ... Could have been one of those.

    A mechanics assistant could could possibly have a mechanics tag ... Especially at one of the lower tier operators.

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  34. Agreed .... but the dates on the badges and his age are "eyebrow raising" in an investigation. i do hope that this is part of the the investigation

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  35. Raj's age was 47, not 41, and he did work for Pan Am. Unfortunately it's one of those 'facts' that was copied and misreported over and over.

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  36. Understandable, but I still have a question that should be easy to clear up and leave "me" satisfied about his A&P mechanic status.

    Looking at the top ID badge, it is dated 2001 and shows that he was an A&P Mechanic.

    The FAA records show him receiving his A&P cert in 2005.

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  37. Back sometime ago the FAA sent out a letter to all A&P mechanics stating they were changing the way they issue your certificate number as it used to be your S.S. #. Obviously with identity theft they reissued the licenses with a random # and that's the date of reissue. I got my A&P in 1991 but on the FAA site it shows a much more recent date. Case solved.

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  38. Regarding the question of the A&P cert:

    > The FAA records show him receiving his A&P cert in 2005.

    While there may be some inconsistencies in the whole employment story, the fact that the certificate was issued in 2005 doesn't mean much. The FAA record of 2005 simply states that his most recent document was issued in 2005. I have a commercial FAA pilot license since 2002, but the FAA record says 2017, because that was the year my current license was issued after some clerical work.

    So - take it slow with claiming that the 2005 A&P certificate is an indication of some fishiness.

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  39. Too many part-time detectives & junior space cadets trolling this site!

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  40. I got my ATP in 1979 ... My record shows 2006 ... That was when I changed from using my SSN for my certificate number to a generic certificate number ... Same with my A&P. A lot of people were changing their certificates over during that time frame.

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  41. Back then you really had to know your stuff. During 1998-2001 all you had to do was show up with 1,500 hours and $1,100.00. Done! Airlines here I come!

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  42. 19000 feet and probably not on oxygen. His instrument failure was probably hypoxia.

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  43. Hot shot lawyer cheating on his wife with a girlfriend, going flying with a shady instructor? I know morals and all 3 did not have any!!

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  44. Ignore previous post about lawyer cheating on wife. Poster obviously didn't read whole article.

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  45. This is by far the most interesting crash I have ever read about on this site....or any other!
    Any NTSB report on the cause would be speculation because the pieces of the plane are in the ocean and likely to remain there.

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