Wednesday, January 03, 2018

Ikarus C-42B, HB-WAB: Buochs Airport (LSZC/Mil: LSMU), Buochs, Nidwalden, Switzerland


A small plane lies upside down after a squall topled the plane in Buochs, Switzerland, January 03, 2018. The storm "Burglind" hit the biggest part of Switzerland with strong winds and rain on Wednesday. 

Story and photo gallery ➤ http://www.morganton.com

Cirrus SR22T, N325JK, Abide Aviation LLC: Fatal accident occurred January 03, 2018 in Gulf Of Mexico

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

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration AVP; Fort Worth, Texas
Cirrus Aircraft; Duluth, Minnesota
Continental Motors International; Mobile, Alabama 

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


Abide Aviation LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N325JK

Location: Gulf of Mexico, GM

Accident Number: CEN18FAMS1
Date & Time: 01/03/2018, 1800 CDT
Registration: N325JK
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22T
Injuries: N/A
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On January 3, 2018, about 1800 central standard time, a Cirrus Design Corporation SR22T airplane, N325JK, went missing over the Gulf Of Mexico. Since that time the private pilot has not been located and the airplane is missing. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight plan had been filed for the flight. The flight departed Wiley Post Airport (KPWA), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, about 1419, and was en route to Georgetown Municipal Airport (KGTU), Georgetown, Texas.


According to preliminary data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration, as the airplane approached KGTU, the pilot was instructed by air traffic control to turn right and descend to 13,000 feet. At that time, the airplane turned to the left. Air traffic controllers made multiple attempts to communicate with the pilot of the airplane with no success. The airplane was tracked by radar with the last known position about 220 miles north of Cancun, Mexico. 


Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information


Aircraft Manufacturer: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP

Registration: N325JK
Model/Series: SR22T
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:
Observation Time:
Distance from Accident Site:
Temperature/Dew Point:
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction:
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility:  
Altimeter Setting:
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point: Oklahoma City, OK (PWA)
Destination: Georgetown, TX (GTU) 

Wreckage and Impact Information


Crew Injuries: N/A

Aircraft Damage: Unknown
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: Unknown
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: Unknown
Total Injuries: N/A
Latitude, Longitude:  (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


Jake Kinsinger and his father Dr. Bill Kinsinger spend time participating in outdoor activities including a trip to Angel Fire, New Mexico, where the two went snowboarding. The elder Kinsinger’s plane went down in the Gulf of Mexico while on a dog rescue mission.


When the pilot of a small general aviation aircraft CIRRUS SR22 was no longer responsive, family members hoped for the best, but despite efforts to contact the pilot, contact was lost sometime after 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 3. The pilot, Edmond resident Dr. John William “Bill” Kinsinger, went down with his plane in the Gulf of Mexico.

“Dr. Bill” was known by many as the man with a heroic heart because of his actions, whether it was in the operating room or flying his airplane.

Dr. Bill was an anesthesiologist with Integris, although he had also worked at Baptist and Mercy hospitals in recent years.

He had spent countless hours flying rescue animals from one location to another in search of their forever home.

“His compassion for those dogs was evident, as he held and cuddled each one. His selflessness, professionalism, compassion and generosity will not be forgotten,” said Jolie Hendricks, a worker with one of the animal rescue groups Kinsinger worked with.

Kinsinger’s eldest son, 22-year-old Jake Kinsinger, has taken on the responsibility of finding his father’s plane that went down on Wednesday, Jan. 3 a few hours before its expected landing in Georgetown, Texas.

Kinsinger departed Wiley Post Airport in Bethany at approximately 2:20 p.m. on Wednesday on its way to “GTU” Georgetown, Texas, and was expected to arrive at 6:12 p.m. at Georgetown Municipal Airport near Austin, Texas, according to FlightAware. Contact was last made with the pilot at 4:30 p.m. according to information released by the Coast Guard. 

Information released by FlightAware shows the plane veered from its flight path near Waco, Texas.

Air Traffic Control lost contact with the flight leading Air Force jets to be scrambled to intercept the flight to assess the situation. The pilot was unresponsive and continued out over the Gulf of Mexico. It’s presumed to have run out of fuel and crashed approximately 115 miles from the Yucatan Peninsula. Speculation to the cause of the crash are medical emergency or hypoxia. 

NORAD, COAST GUARD RESPOND 

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) released the following statement about the incident: Fighter aircraft under the direction of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) were scrambled at approximately 2 p.m. MST (3 p.m. CST) on Wednesday, Jan. 3 from Ellington Field, Texas, in response to a small general aviation aircraft (CIRRUS SR22) that was unresponsive to FAA emergency radio contact attempts.

When the aircraft failed to respond to air traffic controllers, two F-16 fighter jets under the direction of NORAD were launched from Ellington Field, Texas. The F-16 pilots tried to establish communications with the CIRRUS SR22 pilot, but were unsuccessful. Those aircraft were later relieved by two fighters from New Orleans. Additionally, NORAD and USNORTHCOM directly advised Mexican authorities, the U.S. State Department, and the USCG regarding the situation. NORAD coordinated with the FAA and Mexico authorities to continue tracking and monitoring the SR22 until visibility was lost.

The Coast Guard said the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans launched aircraft to investigate and reported “the pilot was slouched over and appeared unconscious.” 

Kinsinger, was heading to Texas as part of an animal-rescue charity Pilots N Paws.  

It is believed the elder Kinsinger had become unconscious and his plane flew until it ran out of fuel somewhere over the Gulf of Mexico just north of Cancun.

The Coast Guard has suspended search efforts as they don’t do underwater searches, Jake said. 

“My family and I want everyone to know how much we appreciate the work done by the Coast Guard,” Jake said. “The Coast Guard is a search and rescue operation and not set up to do underwater retrieval.”

CONTINUING SEARCH

Jake said he has decided his best response is to do what the Coast Guard couldn’t do and that is to go out to the area where his dad’s plane went down and using sonar try to find the plane underwater.

Jake said he hopes to find and recover his father’s plane and bring up his father’s body.

“I want to give him a proper burial where he wished,” Jake said.  

“My dad, Bill Kinsinger, was one of the most exceptional men that has ever been put on this earth impacting every single person he came across in a positive way,” Jake  said.

In addition to his profession and his avocation, his dad always found time for his two sons. 

“He loved big bow hunting, although the sport was being in the outdoors, not in killing an animal. He also liked hiking and he, my brother and I hiked across the Grand Canyon.”

Dr. Bill’s former college friend, George Satterlee, told Jake he had run into his father last summer. “I was immediately reminded of his subtle wit, his gentle supportive listening style, his genuine interest in others, his strength of mission and service, and his love of relationship. What a great father he must have been.” 

Dr. Bill’s love for animals seemed to know no end.

“His love for animals was a passion like no other I have ever seen. He spent nearly every second of his free time and money out of his own pocket flying shelter dogs wherever they needed to go for safety,” Jake said.

Jake added that when he and his brother were young, before his dad had purchased his plane, he would take them to Free to Live to volunteer. 

HERO TO MANY

Those who knew the doctor well would comment on his humility.

“He never wanted people to know he owned an airplane. After he got his pilot’s license about six years ago, he flew over 1,000 dogs to safety. He did it for the dogs,” Jake said. 

That is the kind of man he was.

“He would buy stacks of $20 Chili’s gift cards, and when he would see someone in the military at an airport he would pass them a gift card as thanks for their service.”

He was a hero. He died trying to save the life of a dog.

“The dog he was saving was old and couldn’t walk. Another pilot brought him to Oklahoma City and now he is staying with a foster family and doing better,” Jake said. 

Wanting a proper burial for his father is Jake’s desire and motivation for him wanting to find his dad.

“He would do the same for me,” Jake said.

Jake was recently bitten by a water moccasin while at the lake. 

“After working a 24-hour shift, Dad would drive to Tahlequah to see me in the hospital if only for a few hours, and turn around and go back home.” 

It was touch and go for Jake but his dad was always by his side cheering him on.

ASKING FOR HELP

Jake said he has already spent $500 on maps, including tide and depth charts for the waters. He said he must have the money needed, about $100,000, in place before he can go any further.

“I will need a boat, side-scan sonar device, and provisions for the potential several month journey,” Jake said. “After talking with countless oceanographers and sailors all across the United States this seems to be the amount I will need in addition to the money I will get from selling my truck in the coming weeks. 

“I know if he is out there I want to find him,” Jake said.

There has been $33,653 raised so far in the Go Fund Me account, Help me Find my Dad, which Jake set up.

“Every little bit helps,” he added.

http://www.edmondsun.com


OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — The son of a missing animal rescue pilot is raising funds to search for his father's wreckage.

Dr. Bill Kinsinger was last seen Jan. 3 in his Cirrus SR22T over the Gulf of Mexico. He went missing while flying to the Austin-area as part of his work with the Pilots N Paws animal rescue. A military plane was sent to investigate Kinsinger's Cirrus SR22T in the air and found the pilot slumped over, unresponsive. The plane later lost sight of Kinsinger's Cirrus SR22T.

The US Coast Guard searched for 79 hours for the wreckage of Kinsinger's Cirrus SR22T, but called off the search Jan. 8.

Kinsinger's son, Jake, is attempting to raise $100,000 to hire a sailboat and drag a sonar in the area where Kinsinger's wreckage is believed to be.

"I would start at my dad's favorite place in the world, Key West, and journey to Cancun. Make base and go out everyday when it was clear and pull that sonar," Jacob said.

He's raised more than $4,000 so far, but still has a long way to go. He describes his dad a go-getter, who never gave up. Jacob said it's something that's installed in him.

"I know in my heart, my dad never, ever would have stopped looking for me, " Jacob said. "I'm giving it all I got. He's there somewhere."

He goes on to say his dad saved a lot of lives, inside the hospital and out, rescuing dogs who needed a forever home.

"My dad, Bill Kinsinger, was one of the most exceptional men that has ever been put on this earth impacting every single person he came across in a positive way. His love for animals was a passion like no other I have ever seen. He spent nearly every second of his free time and money out of his own pocket flying shelter dogs wherever they needed to go for safety," Jake wrote in the fundraising post.

You can find the fundraiser here.

Kinsinger was the medical director of obstetric anesthesia at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center. 

http://okcfox.com


Pictured, from left, Dr. Bill Kinsinger (Image/Masaru's Rescue Facebook page), Masaru, the rescue dog Kinsinger was supposed to pick up before he and his plane went missing.


The Coast Guard ended its search over the Gulf of Mexico on Monday for a missing Oklahoma pilot who was flying to Georgetown to pick up a rescue dog.

Bill Kinsinger, a 55-year-old volunteer pilot for the Pilots N Paws rescue group, left from the Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City, where he is from, on Wednesday evening, officials said. His Cirrus SR22 airplane disappeared above the Gulf sometime between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.

The search lasted 79 hours, Coast Guard officials said.  

“Ending a search is a difficult decision that we put the utmost thought and consideration into,” said Capt. David Cooper, the Coast Guard’s district chief of incident management. “Dr. Kinsinger was a well-loved man, and our hearts go out to everyone impacted during this tragic time.” 

After Kinsinger stopped responding to air traffic controllers, a defense command in Houston launched two aircraft to find the pilot, said officials with the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

The fighters flew in front of Kinsinger’s plane and dropped flares, but Kinsinger appeared to be unresponsive at the time, officials said.

The aircraft eventually left Kinsinger’s plane because of darkness and their proximity to Mexican air space, officials said. The Coast Guard, which was relying on the FlightAware website to monitor the plane, lost track of the plane when it stopped transmitting a signal.

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

Volunteers with Pilots N Paws flew a disabled dog from Texas to Oklahoma after the mission's original pilot went missing.



OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) - While the search continues for a missing pilot from Edmond, Oklahoma, his colleagues made a rescue flight in his honor Thursday night.

Dr. Bill Kinsinger left the Wiley Post Airport Wednesday for Texas. He had planned to reach the Austin area to rescue a disabled dog, but his Cirrus SR22T was last seen heading into the Gulf of Mexico.

Thursday, fellow volunteers with Pilots N Paws brought that dog to Oklahoma. They say even though Kinsinger is missing, he would have wanted this trip to happen.

"Whatever happened to Bill, you know, he did it for this dog out of the goodness of his heart, for the right reasons,” said pilot Justin Blackburn. “So, it would be, you know, be kind of sad for me to not have that completed."

The pilots brought the senior husky, which has no use of his back legs, to his temporary foster family in Oklahoma. The dog will ultimately head to a rescue in Las Vegas, where he can get the medical care he needs.

Kinsinger has been volunteering with Pilots N Paws since 2014.

“Bill was such a phenomenal pilot for Pilots N Paws,” said Kelly Rosson, a volunteer with the organization. “There was one flight the girls booked and he had five dogs on one flight, and he didn’t back down. He took on that responsibility and got them to their final destinations, their forever homes.”

His fellow volunteers are hopeful the pilot will be found alive.

Story and video ➤ http://okcfox.com

Dr. Bill Kinsinger


What is hypoxia?

HOUSTON — A doctor volunteering for a dog rescue operation who failed to land his small plane in Central Texas as planned and was later tracked by fighter jets flying over the Gulf of Mexico appeared unresponsive and may have been suffering from a lack of oxygen, officials said Thursday.

The condition is known as hypoxia.

WHAT IS HYPOXIA?

Hypoxia is the condition that occurs when someone’s brain is deprived of adequate oxygen. If untreated, it can be fatal.

Oxygen pressure decreases as altitude increases. It’s the reason planes are pressurized, mountaineers carry supplemental oxygen on high-altitude climbs, or climbers and athletes train at higher altitudes to become acclimated to the lower oxygen pressure. It’s also the reason flight attendants explain to aircraft passengers the use of oxygen masks that will drop from overhead compartments in the unlikely event cabin pressure is lost during a flight.

Providing adequate oxygen resolves hypoxia.

THE EFFECTS OF HYPOXIA

“Thinking becomes cloudy, a person can become confused, lethargic, fatigued,” according to Dr. Zeenat Safdar, a pulmonologist and director of the Houston Methodist Hospital Pulmonary Hypertension Program at the hospital’s lung center.

The person becomes discolored and dies.

“Before that, a lot of confusion,” Safdar said. “They wouldn’t know where they’re going, what’s up and what’s down. The sense of direction may be clouded.”

It also depends on where they are. At a lower altitude, it can be a gradual process.

“They want to sleep, might have a seizure, become short of breath or can’t breathe … He might not even know what’s happening.

“With a small plane, maybe their own plane, they don’t realize what’s happening,” Safdar said. “These things are very unfortunate.

“If it starts to happen, and if you get oxygen right away, you’ll recover right away. It depends on how rapidly it happens. If you go from pressurized cabin at 30,000 feet … and now the plane loses pressure, in few minutes the person is going to start noticing. If they’re not that high up, like in a small aircraft, the effect going to be more slow and more subtle and may be even missed,” Safdar said.

HYPOXIA AT SEA LEVEL

Safdar said hypoxia is not limited to people at high altitudes.

People suffering from emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung damage and the effects of pneumonia all can be described as dealing with hypoxia.

“See people walking around with oxygen tanks?” she asked. “The need for oxygen. We are treating hypoxia all the time.”

NOTABLE HYPOXIA DEATHS

—In 1999, a charter jet crash killed pro golfer Payne Stewart and four others and flew halfway across the country on autopilot before crashing in a pasture in South Dakota. Everyone on board had apparently lost consciousness for lack of oxygen after a loss of cabin pressure and investigators said the plane crashed after it ran out of fuel.

—Among multiple theories in the 2014 disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 carrying 239 passengers and crew is a slow or sudden decompression, causing a loss of oxygen, could have killed everyone on board. If oxygen levels dropped, a loud, automated warning would have alerted the pilots to put on their oxygen masks and immediately descend below 10,000 feet, where there is enough oxygen to breathe without aid. But aviation experts said in that case the plane should have kept flying automatically toward Beijing and been visible on radar.

—Greek investigators said pilots on a Cypriot airliner did not realize an automatic pressurization system was set to “manual” when in 2005 a loss of cabin pressure and oxygen led to hypoxia and the plane’s crash in Greece, killing all 121 people on board.

Hypoxia altitude and oxygen 


OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — The search continues for a missing plane from Wiley Post Airport.

The Cirrus SR22T, piloted by Dr. Bill Kinsinger, was last seen Wednesday headed into the Gulf of Mexico. Kinsinger was on his way to the Austin-area to pick up homeless pets.

Kinsinger's associate at Pilots N Paws rescue Kelly Rosson says the ultimate outcome doesn't look good but she's keeping a positive outlook. She hopes that Kinsinger is still alive and says he was doing what he loves: rescuing dogs and giving them a new home. By day Kinsinger was an anesthesiologist, but by night he rescued dogs from kill shelters across the country.

"He has flown many pets here to me to foster for one night. For several nights. I think the most that he's ever done was five in one flight," Rosson said.

Just after 2:15 p.m. Jan. 3 Kinsinger left from Wiley Post Airport for a pickup from Georgetown, Texas. He planned to drop the dog off in Las Vegas. Rosson says that for every flight all of the pilots keep in contact with each other, letting them know when they are going to take off.

Through a group chat, everyone was able to see Kinsinger go off radar.

"Bill had communicated that he was just about to be wheels up at Wiley Post at 2:16 and at 2:19 he actually took off," Rosson said.

He was supposed to land in Georgetown at 6:19 p.m. but lost communication about 30 minutes before his scheduled landing.

"When he said he was going to be somewhere at 3:30, at 3:29 he arrived. So, it was not like him to not be on time," Rosson said.

A military plane was sent to investigate Kinsinger's plane in the air and found the pilot slumped over, unresponsive. The plane later lost sight of Kinsinger's aircraft.

"I'm still hopeful that Bill can be found," Rosson said.

The FAA says the Coast Guard deployed a plane from Clearwater, Florida to aid in the search and is searching for the plane approximately 118 nautical miles north of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Kinsinger is the medical director of obstetric anesthesia at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center.


Story and video ➤ http://ktul.com

Dr. Bill Kinsinger


A doctor volunteering for a dog rescue operation who failed to land his Cirrus SR22T at an airport in Central Texas as planned and was later tracked by fighter jets flying over the Gulf of Mexico appeared unresponsive and may have been suffering from a lack of oxygen, officials said Thursday.

The Coast Guard identified the pilot of the Cirrus SR22T as Dr. Bill Kinsinger, who took off from Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City on Wednesday after filing a flight plan to land in Georgetown, Texas, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Austin.

It's unclear why the Cirrus SR22T never landed in Georgetown. 

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford said the Cirrus SR22T kept flying and was last observed on radar 219 miles (352 kilometers) northwest of Cancun, Mexico, flying at 15,000 feet (4,600 meters).

Coast Guard spokeswoman Lexie Preston in New Orleans said Thursday that Coast Guard aircraft are searching for the Cirrus SR22T in a broad area off the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.

After Kinsinger stopped responding to air traffic controllers, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, launched two F-16 fighters from a base in Houston and made contact with the plane, NORAD spokesman Michael Kucharek said. The fighters flew in front of the Cirrus SR22T, dropped flares and performed other military maneuvers in an effort to gain the pilot's attention, but Kinsinger, who was the only person onboard, appeared to be unresponsive, he said.

The F-16s became low on fuel and were replaced by two F-15 fighters from New Orleans. The F-15s stayed with the plane for a time but later returned to base because of darkness and their proximity to Mexican airspace. Kucharek said NORAD coordinated with the Coast Guard to take over monitoring the Cirrus SR22T. The Guard, which was relying on the FlightAware website, lost track of the Cirrus SR22T when it stopped transmitting a signal, Coast Guard Petty Officer Travis McGee said.

"We didn't deem the Cirrus SR22T to be a threat and that's normally what we're looking for," Kucharek said.

The Eighth Coast Guard District, referencing a NORAD report, said Kinsinger appeared to be suffering from hypoxia, in which the brain is deprived of adequate oxygen. The condition can cause confusion, nausea, breathlessness and hallucinations. If left untreated, it can be fatal.

According to Federal Aviation Administration regulations, a civil aircraft pilot flying solo must use supplemental oxygen if flying for longer than 30 minutes above 12,500 feet (3,800 meters), and for an entire flight if flying above 14,000 feet (4,300 meters).

The executive director of the Oklahoma Medical Board, Lyle Kelsey, said Kinsinger is an anesthesiologist who serves on the board and lives in Edmond, Oklahoma. Federal Aviation Administration records show the Cirrus SR22T belongs to Abide Aviation, which is registered to Kinsinger's home address.

Kinsinger was flying a rescue mission for the nonprofit Pilots N Paws when his Cirrus SR22T went missing, according to flight coordinator Monica Marshall, who said she was tracking his progress when radar indicated he had veered hundreds of miles off course. Pilots N Paws has a fleet of volunteer pilots with private planes who transport dogs in need of rescue, shelter or a new home.

"He was the type of guy that went above and beyond," Marshall said. "If someone bailed on an assignment then he would just stretch and do it for you."

A message left for a brother of Kinsinger was not immediately returned.

This is not the first recorded instance of a pilot losing consciousness due to a lack of oxygen.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined that a pilot suffered from hypoxia while flying golfer Payne Stewart and three others on a private plane from Florida to Texas in 1999. The plane veered off course and later crashed in South Dakota, killing them all.

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

Dr. Bill Kinsinger


FREEPORT, Texas – The Coast Guard continues to search for a missing Cirrus SR22T that disappeared over the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday.

The FAA confirms the Cirrus SR22T left Oklahoma City's Wiley Post Airport on Wednesday afternoon and filed a flight plan to Georgetown, TX.  However, officials say the pilot did not land in Georgetown and continued on the same course.

When air traffic controllers tried to contact the pilot, he was unresponsive. FAA officials say the plane was last seen on radar about 219 miles northwest of Cancun at 15,000 feet and was headed into the Gulf of Mexico.

A short time later, the Coast Guard received word of a possible plane crash in the Gulf of Mexico due to an unresponsive pilot.

“We are getting ready to send out an aircraft to search the waters off Freeport, TX (due south of Houston right on the Gulf). Our report shows 150 nautical miles off Freeport,” the Coast Guard said on Wednesday.

Although the pilot has not officially been identified, family members confirmed to KFOR that the pilot is Bill Kinsinger.

Kinsinger's family tells KFOR that they are still receiving updates from the Coast Guard, and are hopeful that he will be found alive.

"We ask that you keep our Women's Center, Labor and Delivery Unit and entire Anesthesiology Team; as well as our colleagues at Northwest Anesthesia PC in your thoughts and prayers. Dr. John William Kinsinger, who goes by Bill, is a longtime employee and friend. He is the current medical director of obstetric anesthesia at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center. He is also President of the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision. He was piloting his plane yesterday evening in route to Texas to pick-up some rescue dogs in need of help, when his plane mysteriously veered off course. When he did not respond to air traffic control communication attempts, a military plane was sent to investigate. The military crew made visual contact of Kinsinger's plane and determined he was unresponsive. His plane eventually went down in the Gulf of Mexico. The Coast Guard is currently searching the area. While we do not know many details at this time or the ultimate outcome, we thought it necessary and important to share with you the facts that we have been given," said INTEGRIS Health.

An organization on social media says Kinsinger was on his way to pick up a senior husky in need of medical care.

"We have some unfortunate news to share with you. Masaru was scheduled to be picked up by a Pilots N Paws pilot named Bill to transport him to Oklahoma City. However, Bill's plane was diverted off course southeast of Houston. It's been over six hours since we've last had contact with the plane. Currently, the Coast Guard is on the look-out. And just to clarify, Masaru was not on the plane and is safe with his foster in Texas. This news has devastated all of us. But for Masaru's sake we're doing our best to stay strong. With your help, we'd like to start a prayer chain to surround all of Masaru's heroes with love and positive energy, especially Bill and his family," a post on Facebook read.

"We at White Paws ask that you join us in prayer for Bill Kinsinger, a pilot for Pilots N Paws, and his family. Bill was on a rescue flight and it appears there was a tragic in flight issue. Coast Guard is searching for his plane currently. Please pray for him and his family. He was doing what he loved," a post by White Paws German Shepherd Rescue read.

Officials say that Mexican authorities, the U.S. Coast Guard and the State Department are now in charge of the investigation.

Story, video and photos ➤   http://kfor.com

Dr. Bill Kinsinger


GULF OF MEXICO - The Federal Aviation Administration says a Cirrus SR22T lost out of Oklahoma City was last tracked in the Gulf of Mexico; U.S. Coast Guard confirms it has sent out aircraft to do a search 150 nautical miles off the coast.

Authorities confirmed on Thursday that the pilot's name is Bill Kisinger.

The Coast Guard received a report of an unresponsive pilot from the Cirrus SR22T, which had a tail number of N325JK. 

The Cirrus SR22T was scheduled to arrive at Georgetown Municipal Airport earlier Wednesday after taking off from Oklahoma City's Wiley Post Airport at 2:19 p.m.

The Coast Guard said it is searching due south of the gulf coast town of Freeport, Texas, which is an hour south of Houston.

The Federal Aviation Administration reports that the Cirrus SR22T left Wiley Post on Wednesday afternoon and the pilot filed a flight plan to Georgetown, Texas. 

The pilot did not land in Georgetown, however, but continued on the same course. 

The pilot was unresponsive to traffic control instructions at this point, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The lost Cirrus SR22T was last observed on radar about 219 miles northwest of Cancun at 15,000 feet and heading into the Gulf of Mexico, according to the Federal Aviation Administration report.

The Cirrus SR22T is registered to Abide Aviation LLC out of Edmond.

On Thursday afternoon, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) confirmed to 2 Works For You that fighter aircraft were scrambled from Ellington Field, Texas in response to a small general aviation aircraft (Cirrus SR22T). Officials confirm that the Cirrus SR22T wasn't responsive to Federal Aviation Administration emergency radio contact attempts. 

An H-C 130 Hercules jet out of Clearwater, Florida is currently searching. 

Crews are swapping out for fatigue and fuel. 

Officials say they cannot confirm the cause at this time. They say they believe that the pilot was flying at high altitudes, which can cause hypoxia. 

Story, video and photos ➤ https://www.kjrh.com

Dr. Bill Kinsinger 




HOUSTON -- U.S. Coast Guard officials are trying to locate a Cirrus SR22T they say went missing Wednesday while en route to Texas.

Officials say the Cirrus SR22T took off from Oklahoma City Wednesday and was headed to Georgetown Municipal Airport, north of Austin, but diverted at some point and headed south.

U.S. Coast Guard officials say they lost contact with the pilot after the Cirrus SR22T flew past Freeport. 

The Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in New Orleans sent a plane into the Gulf to try and make contact with the pilot where they observed him slouched over in the cockpit.

Officials believe he was the only person onboard the Cirrus SR22T, and the pilot was unresponsive likely due to hypoxia.

A search is now underway for where the aircraft likely went down.

Story and video ➤ http://www.khou.com

Dr. Bill Kinsinger

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) - The U.S. Coast Guard is continuing the search for a Cirrus SR22T that went missing after leaving a metro airport.

U.S. Coast Guard officials tell FOX 25 that Bill Kinsinger is the pilot of the Cirrus SR22T that left Wiley Post Airport Wednesday afternoon with a flight plan to Georgetown Municipal Airport (GTU) in Texas.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the Cirrus SR22T veered off course ahead of its approach to Georgetown and headed out into the Gulf of Mexico. 

The Cirrus SR22T was last observed on radar around 5:15 p.m. Wednesday about 219 miles northwest of Cancun at 15,000 feet and was headed into the Gulf of Mexico.

The U.S. Coast Guard has deployed a plane from Clearwater, Florida, to aid in the search.

CBS Austin reports that the U.S. Coast Guard is searching for the Cirrus SR22T approximately 118 nautical miles north of the Yucatan Peninsula.

The airplane is registered by Abide Aviation LLC in Edmond.

Story and photo ➤ http://okcfox.com




BETHANY, Okla. —  The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a Cirrus SR22T that took off from Wiley Post Airport in Bethany, officials confirmed.

Crews are searching for a Cirrus SR22T with the tail number N325JK, but have not found anything yet. 

Online records show that the Cirrus SR22T took off shortly before 2:20 p.m. Wednesday from Wiley Port Airport and was expected to arrive at 6:12 p.m. at Georgetown Municipal Airport near Austin, Texas.

The Cirrus SR22T veered from its flight path near Waco, Texas.

Records show that the Cirrus SR22T is registered to the Edmond-based company Abide Aviation LLC.

Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration said that the pilot of a Cirrus SR22T filed a flight plan to Georgetown, Texas. 

The Cirrus SR22T did not land and continued on the same course and was unresponsive to air traffic control instructions.

The Cirrus SR22T was last observed on radar about 219 miles northwest of Cancun at 15,000 feet and was headed into the Gulf of Mexico.

Multiple sources have told KOCO 5 that the pilot, identified by social media posts as Bill Kinsinger, was heading to Texas as part of an animal-rescue charity.

Story and video ➤ http://www.koco.com





FREEPORT, Texas (KTRK) -- The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a Cirrus SR22T off the coast of Freeport after its pilot stopped responding to air traffic control.

The USCG told Eyewitness News the pilot took off from Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City Wednesday afternoon. 

The pilot had filed a flight plan to Georgetown, Texas, but failed to land there.

When air traffic controllers tried making contact with the pilot, investigators said controllers received no response and the plane continued on the same course. It's believed the pilot likely suffered from hypoxia, a lack of oxygen.

The pilot and the Cirrus SR22T was last observed on radar about 219 miles northwest of Cancun at 15,000 feet, and was heading into the Gulf of Mexico.

Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans launched aircraft to investigate and reported the pilot was slouched over and appeared unconscious.  

The Coast Guard is using a C-130 aircraft in its search for the missing pilot and the Cirrus SR22T.

Story and video ➤ http://abc13.com

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - A Cirrus SR22T that took off from the Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City is missing.

The Cirrus SR22T was supposed to land in Georgetown, Texas, but radar data shows that it kept going and flew south over the Gulf of Mexico.


The Coast Guard said they are searching for the last point of contact to confirm whether or not the Cirrus SR22T is lost. 


North American Aerospace Defense Command helped in the search, sending four F-16 fighter jets to search. 


They found the Cirrus SR22T, but could not get the pilot to respond. 


The pilots of the fighter jets said they could only see one person on board- the pilot. 


Mexican authorities,  the US Coast Guard and the State Department are now in charge of the investigation. 


The Cirrus SR22T is registered to Abide Aviation LLC out of Edmond.

Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.fox23.com

de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver, VH-NOO, Sydney Seaplanes Pty Ltd: Fatal accident occurred December 31, 2017 at Cowan Creek, New South Wales, Australia



Collision with water involving a de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver aircraft, VH-NOO, at Cowan Creek, NSW on December 31,  2017

Investigation number: AO-2017-118


The ATSB is investigating a fatal accident involving a de Havilland Canada DHC-2 aircraft, registered VH-NOO, at Cowan Creek, NSW on December 31, 2017.


At about 1500 Eastern Daylight-saving Time, the single-engine seaplane was flying in the vicinity of Jerusalem Bay, near Cottage Point. The aircraft had one pilot and five passengers onboard for its return flight to Rose Bay, Sydney. Shortly after take-off, the aircraft collided with the water and sank a few minutes later. None of the aircraft’s occupants survived the accident.  


https://www.atsb.gov.au




Police divers have battled through limited to no visibility on the floor of Jerusalem Bay in Sydney’s north to recover three major parts of the seaplane which plunged into the water on New Year’s Eve, killing six people including multi-millionaire British CEO Richard Cousins.

Investigators have spent the last three days scoping out the crash site and formulating a plan to raise the plane from its resting place under 13 metres of water.

Detective Superintendent Mark Hutchings from the Marine Area Command, said the fuselage, or body of the plane, looked to have suffered extensive damage on impact when it was raised from the water this morning.

“From the time the wreckage was brought on the barge we saw there was severe damage to the plane and it appeared there had been quite an impact on hitting the water,” Det Sup Hutchings said.

Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s executive director of transport safety Nat Nagy said there were a number of elements that had been semi-removed from the fuselage either on impact or over the last few days and that to ease the recovery mission and ensure everything fit on the barge, the floats had been detached by police from the main body of the plane.

He said a wing, the floats or pontoons and the main body of the aircraft had been lifted from the water and onto the barge, with police divers still looking for other parts of the plane before it will be transferred to shore at Rowland Reserve in Baysview later this afternoon.

Mr Nagy said the team had not yet recovered any personal items or phones that they were aware of, and that his team would conclude their on-site investigation in coming days before returning to Canberra to analyse the collected eveidence.

The ATSB is expecting to publish a preliminary factual report within 30 days, with a more extensive record of findings to be handed down in 12 months.

“Over the course of the next 12 months we will complete a report that will aim to find out exactly what went wrong, with the goal of improving safety and preventing an accident like this happening again in future,” Mr Nagy said.

NSW Police confirmed they had been in contact with relatives of the victims - Richard Cousins, 58; his two sons William, 25, and Edward Cousins, 23; his fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, who worked as Art Editor of OK Magazine; her daughter Heather, 11; and pilot Gareth Morgan, 44 - and said some were headed to Australia to assist with the investigation.

The plane, a 1964 model de Havilliand Beaver owned by Sydney Seaplanes, took off from Cottage Point Inn just after 3pm on Sunday and turned to the north-west before making a sharp turn to the right and nosediving into the water.

Witnesses, including 32-year-old Todd Stellars, saw the plane flip on impact and rushed to help but could not rescue anyone from the quickly sinking aircraft.

The six bodies were recovered from the wreckage on the day and a coroner is yet to determine the exact cause of death.

Family says thank you

As the seaplane that crashed on New Year’s Eve in Sydney’s north is lifted onto a barge to be taken ashore so that authorities can begin their investigations into the accident, the family of one of the victims has expressed their thanks for support.

A statement has been issued from Simon and Andrew Cousins, who are the brothers of millionaire British CEO Rchard Cousins who was killed in the crash. The pair have travelled to Australia as the investigation continues.

“We are fortunate and thankful for the outpouring of love and support we’ve received from across the world. We are deeply touched by the tributes to Richard, William, Edward, Emma and Heather in the media and throughout the community.

We have now arrived in Australia and as the investigation continues, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved for their dedication and commitment, in particular the Sydney Water Police and those members of the public who helped on the day of the accident. We are also thankful for the tremendous support received from Compass Group, Richard’s employer, the British Consulate General in Sydney and all those in Australia who have expressed their condolences.

On behalf of our extended families we thank you for allowing us to grieve privately during this difficult time and respect our decision to not participate in any media interviews.”

Seaplane a ‘rebuilt cropduster’

The seaplane that crashed north of Sydney killing six people on New Year’s Eve had a previous life as a crop duster and was reportedly “destroyed” in a fatal accident twenty years ago, an investigation report shows.

The Sydney Seaplanes 1964 model de Havilland Canada Beaver plunged into the Hawlesbury River after a sharp right turn on Sunday afternoon, killing millionaire British CEO Richard Cousins, 58; his two sons William, 25, and Edward Cousins, 23; his fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, who worked as Art Editor of OK Magazine; her daughter Heather, 11; and pilot Gareth Morgan, 44.

The aircraft, which is currently being floated to the river surface by police, had flown thousands of trips around Sydney since the early 2000s.

But an Australian Safety Investigation report from the late 90s shows the plane flew under a different registration in a previous life as a crop duster with the same serial number.

The plane allegedly set off from Armidale in the state’s north on November 15, 1996, and was preparing to spread a load of phosphate fertiliser on a nearby property when it fell into difficulty in gusty winds, Fairfax Media reports.

It then clipped a hillside with a wing and cartwheeled, a government report found.

The pilot was killed, and under “damage to aircraft” the investigators wrote the plane had been “destroyed”. They found that wind conditions, air density and the plane’s weight were all significant factors in the crash.

It is understood the aircraft was assessed by a specialist engineer who deemed the aircraft repairable.

It was then entirely rebuilt, recertified and owned by several more businesses before it was acquired by Sydney Seaplanes.

Parts of the plane are beginning to emerge from the water at the crash site in Jerusalem Bay.

The wreckage is expected to be completely recovered and delivered to Rowland Reserve in Bayview by the early hours of this afternoon.

Describing the Armidale crash, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau report said: “The aircraft did not seem to be climbing sufficiently to pass over the hill in front of it. The aircraft was then seen to be in a climbing left turn ... with superphosphate dumping from it. The aircraft’s left wingtip contacted the ground after which the aircraft cartwheeled and came to rest 200-300 meters from the superphosphate dump. The driver ran down to the aircraft and found the pilot still strapped in the seat with no apparent sign of life.”

Seaplanes Pilots Association vice-president Kevin Bowe said crashed planes were completely overhauled before re-use so they were as good as or better than new.

Aviation expert Neil Hansford said the fuselage was probably the only original part left on the aircraft.

“The engine on this particular aircraft has to come off every 1200 hours and this operator was pulling it off at 1100 and it’s basically return to new,” he told ABC Radio.

Authorities are using a floating crane to recover the plane, which is resting on its roof in about 15 metres of water, according to All Waterfront Constructions operations director Chris Kemp.

Mr Kemp, who will work to recover the aircraft, said two slings would be lowered and passed through the aircraft’s cabin by police divers.

“Then we’ll be lifting the whole lot up and placing it on the barge,” he told AAP.

“One of the wings is pretty badly damaged and bent over on the plane itself, so we’ll be pulling that back down and lashing it to the plane,” Mr Kemp said. The ATSB is working to determine why the seaplane went down. One possibility is the plane stalled.

Aircraft maintenance engineer Michael Greenhill told AAP on Wednesday that while it was not mandatory in Australia for Beaver planes to have stall warnings installed, most did.

“A stall is when the airflow over the aircraft’s wing becomes insufficient enough to produce lift,” Mr Greenhill said.

A Canadian report, published in September 2017, recommended the warning system be mandatory on all Beavers.

“Even if the Beaver had this system fitted there’s a large possibility there would have been insufficient time to rectify the situation due to the low altitude and approaching terrain,” Mr Greenhill said.


http://www.theaustralian.com.au


Recovery of the de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver started at 6am today.


This is the first view of the wreckage of the de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver that plunged to the bottom of the Hawkesbury River killing a family from the UK and its Canadian pilot.

The plane is being lifted carefully from Jerusalem Creek north of Sydney.

A barge was the first at the scene this morning in a six-hour operation to retrieve the de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver.



The detached wing is recovered from the water.


The recovery started at 6am today.

The de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver pontoon’s or “floats” which allow the plane to land on water were the first pieces to be salvaged. Those parts of the de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver have been loaded onto a barge which will be taken to Bayview Boat ramp.

One of the de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver wings has also been pulled from the water.

Pilot Gareth Morgan died when the aircraft nosedived and smashed into the Hawkesbury River before flipping over onto its roof killing passengers 58-year-old British millionaire Richard Cousins, his two sons, fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, and her daughter Heather, 11.

The plane is being lifted carefully from Jerusalem Creek. 


Amazing photographs have emerged of the same plane as it morphed from a 1964 crop duster into a seaplane.

The seaplane in 1976. 


The plane was involved in a fatal crash in 1996.


The plane morphed from a 1964 crop duster into a seaplane. 


The plane was totally rebuilt after it was involved in a fatal 1996 crash which killed the pilot as he was preparing to spray crops in Armidale in gusty winds.

It was being used as a crop duster when it cartwheeled and crashed at Armidale, with the pilot killed and the plane destroyed, according to an Australian Transport Safety Bureau report.

The DHC-2 Beaver was rebuilt and has since been owned by several businesses including, most recently, Sydney Seaplanes.

Aviation expert Neil Hansford says the fuselage was probably the only original part left on the aircraft.

“The engine on this particular aircraft has to come off every 1200 hours and this operator was pulling it off at 1100 and it’s basically returned to new,” he told ABC radio today.

Story and photos ➤ https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au



SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian air crash investigators and police on Thursday began hoisting a seaplane from the Sydney river where it sank after crashing on New Year’s Eve, killing six people, including the chief executive of British catering company Compass Group Plc.

Compass chief executive Richard Cousins, 58, and four members of his family were among the six people who died when the plane hit the water shortly after takeoff, according to police.

Police divers and a barge fitted with a small crane arrived not long after dawn on Thursday to begin lifting the plane out of about 13 meters of water near Cowan, 40 km (25 miles) north of Sydney. The job was expected to take several hours.

Using the crane, underwater airbags, or a combination of the two, they hope to recover the aircraft intact and take it by barge to a park downstream for further examination. 

Investigators also hope to retrieve personal phones or other electronic devices that may have been on board when the plane crashed on Sunday, which could help to piece together what happened.

The plane’s pilot, Gareth Morgan, 44, was also killed in the crash.




Air crash investigation records, first reported by the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper on Thursday and reviewed by Reuters, show an airplane with the same serial number crashed 21 years earlier, when it was being used as a crop duster.

The 1996 Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) accident report found that the aircraft, a DHC-2 de Havilland Canada, likely stalled and that conditions were gusty when it crashed, killing the pilot.

“It was repaired after the accident and all appropriate approvals and checks were done.  It was then re-registered and went back into service,” a spokesman for Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority said in an email.

The ATSB did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for Sydney Seaplanes, which operated the Sunday flight, said the company had no comment while the investigation into the crash continues.

The business has operated since 2005 with no previous record of mishap. Its director, Aaron Shaw, told reporters on Monday that the engines of its planes are regularly replaced, and the motor on the crashed aircraft had flown for only 200 hours.

Australian police have identified the family members killed along with Cousins as Emma Bowden, 48; Heather Bowden, 11; Edward Cousins, 23; and William Cousins, 25.

Family members and media reports identified the four as Cousins’ two sons, his fiancée and her daughter. 

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