Friday, April 06, 2018

Boeing 737-400 freighter, N733CK: Incidents occurred April 12, 2022 and June 05, 2020

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Cincinnati, Ohio

April 12, 2022:  Aircraft struck multiple birds on departure, returned to airport and post flight inspection revealed damage to the pitot tube at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (KCVG), Covington, Boone County, Kentucky.

Kalitta Charters II LLC
Date: 12-APR-22
Time: 11:06:00Z
Regis#: N733CK
Aircraft Make: BOEING
Aircraft Model: 737
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: CARGO
Flight Phase: TAKEOFF (TOF)
Aircraft Operator: KALITTA CHARTERS
Flight Number: KII835
City: COVINGTON
State: KENTUCKY
 
June 05, 2020

June 05, 2020

June 05, 2020


Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Rochester, New York

June 05, 2020:  Aircraft on departure veered off runway at Greater Rochester International Airport (KROC), New York.

Kalitta Charters II LLC

https://registry.faa.gov/N733CK

Date: 05-JUN-20
Time: 17:50:00Z
Regis#: N733CK
Aircraft Make: BOEING
Aircraft Model: 737
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: CARGO
Flight Phase: TAKEOFF (TOF)
Operation: 121
Aircraft Operator: KALITTA
Flight Number: KII822
City: ROCHESTER
State: NEW YORK

The sponsor of a northern Arkansas festival during which live turkeys are dropped from an airplane says it will no longer promote the event

Yellville Chamber of Commerce

After much consideration, discussion, and soul-searching, it is with a heavy heart that we announce that the Yellville Area Chamber of Commerce will no longer be the promoter of the Turkey Trot festival. For many years, we have enjoyed the days of a family-friendly festival that served as a homecoming; an occasion every fall to gather and enjoy a parade, live music, crafts, festival food, and camaraderie. We feel we can no longer deliver the same experience that we have enjoyed in years passed. Our decision was not entered into lightly. Safety concerns, rising costs, and loss of funding were some of the determining factors in making this decision. As a chamber of commerce, our goal is to help our local businesses grow and the festival has been more detrimental to them than prosperous. We remain committed to the Yellville area and appreciate the support that our community has given us over the years and hope that you will continue to support us in our efforts to promote our area.

Sincerely,
The Yellville Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors



LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The longtime sponsor of a northern Arkansas festival that included dropping live turkeys from a low-flying airplane to crowds below said Friday it would no longer organize or promote the annual gathering.

Yellville Chamber of Commerce board member Lesley Edmonds said a flap had continued since the 72nd Annual Turkey Trot last October. She didn't know whether other organizers might come forward.

"For many years, we have enjoyed the days of a family-friendly festival that served as a homecoming; an occasion every fall to gather and enjoy a parade, live music, crafts, festival food, and camaraderie," the board said in a statement posted on its Facebook page. "We feel we can no longer deliver the same experience."

The tradition of a "Phantom Pilot" dropping live birds to crowds below began 50 years ago, but protests mounted in recent years.

"Our goal is to help our local businesses grow and the festival has been more detrimental to them than prosperous," the board's statement said.

The Federal Aviation Administration has investigated but said the pilot was not running afoul of aviation rules. Regardless of whether any laws were broken, animal rights activists wanted the turkey drops stopped.

"We hope to speak to people involved with the event to try to find a way to promote businesses in the community some other way," Gene Baur, the president of Farm Sanctuary, said Friday. "Dropping birds out of an airplane is unacceptable and outside the norms of society."

Baur's group said it had taken in four birds that survived last year's fall.

Arkansas is one of the nation's top turkey-producing states and the festival, coming six weekends before Thanksgiving, has drawn thousands.

Early on, live birds were dropped from the courthouse roof, but at least 50 years ago the birds were taken aloft in an airplane. After animal rights advocates offered a $5,000 reward for the pilot's arrest, flights stopped for a time before resuming in 2015.

Whether wild turkeys can fly was the subject of a "WKRP in Cincinnati" episode in 1978 after a radio station stunt involving birds dropped from a helicopter went horribly awry. In the wild, they typically only flutter from tree top to tree top rather than fly long distances.

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

US air accidents lead to cancellation of exercise

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military on Thursday canceled the remainder of a training exercise in the Horn of Africa, and the government of Djibouti called a halt to U.S. military air operations in its country, following two U.S. Marine aircraft accidents this week in Djibouti.

Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie told reporters at the Pentagon that the decision to cancel the remainder of an exercise called Alligator Dagger, billed by the U.S. as a combat rehearsal, was "a reasonable precaution" in light of the aviation accidents, which happened separately but within a few hours of each other on Tuesday.

A Marine AV-8B Harrier jet crashed after the pilot ejected during takeoff from Djibouti Ambouli International Airport. Officials said the pilot received medical care and was released by a medical facility at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti. In the second incident about two hours after the first, a Marine CH-53 Super Stallion helicopter sustained structural damage during a landing at Arta Beach, Djibouti. The aircrew were not injured.

The U.S. aircraft conduct sensitive surveillance and counterterrorism missions from Djibouti.

The accidents were the latest in a recent series of aviation mishaps in the U.S. military, including the crash of an F-16 fighter jet in the Nevada desert that killed an Air Force Thunderbirds pilot during what the Air Force called a routine aerial demonstration training flight Wednesday. The pilot's name was being withheld pending notification of relatives.

Also, four crew members were killed when a Marine CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter crashed Tuesday in California during a training mission along the U.S.-Mexico border west of El Centro.

Asked whether he considered the series of accidents to be evidence of a systemic problem in U.S. military aviation, McKenzie said it would be a mistake to reach such a conclusion now and that accidents are inevitable.

"Those are mishaps that occurred. We're going to look at each one in turn," he said. "Each one is tragic. We regret each one. We'll look at them carefully. I'm certainly not prepared to say that it's a wave of mishaps or some form of crisis."

McKenzie is director of the staff that reports to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford.

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

Gulfstream business-jet lead in China at risk in trade spat



Gulfstream, the maker of the G650 business jet, is at risk of losing its dominance in China because of a worsening trade spat with the U.S.

China's proposed 25 percent tariff on U.S.-made aircraft would leave Gulfstream at a disadvantage against competitors from Canada and France. Of the 431 private aircraft based in the country, Gulfstream jets account for 42 percent followed by 24 percent for Montreal-based Bombardier and 9 percent made by France's Dassault Aviation, said consultant Rolland Vincent.

"They have been the most successful of the manufacturers in penetrating the Chinese market with new aircraft," Vincent said of Gulfstream, a unit of General Dynamics Corp. "There's potentially a market-share benefit for Dassault and Bombardier if this tariff goes in."

The tariffs, outlined by China as part of a $50 billion retaliation against duties on Chinese goods proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, would add to the hurdles of selling private jets in an already sputtering market. Sales have been under pressure in China in the last couple years after President Xi Jinping began an anticorruption campaign, said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst with Teal Group.

"People said, 'wrong time for a business jet,' " Aboulafia said.

The new restrictions on U.S. aircraft have yet to take effect, and there's a chance they never will if the U.S. and China reach a truce. But tensions escalated Friday as the nations traded more threats. Trump ordered his administration to consider another $100 billion tariffs against China, which prompted the Asian nation to vow it would defend its interests "to the end, and at any cost."

China already has a 17 percent value-added tax on private aircraft plus a 5 percent duty on foreign jets, according to the International Trade Administration. The 25 percent tariff on large Gulfstream models would probably be added to that, said Vincent, who puts out a widely read industry forecast with partner Jetnet called Jetnet iQ.

The duties would be applied to U.S. aircraft weighing between 15,000 kilograms (33,000 pounds) and 45,000 kilograms. All Gulfstream models except for its smallest aircraft, the G280, fit in that weight range. Some models of the Boeing 737 would also be affected.

China deliveries made up 10 percent of the 80 large aircraft that Gulfstream shipped last year, Vincent said. The company has an even bigger share of planes hit by the tariff. Gulfstream accounts for 112 of those jets, including the G650 and G550, compared with 41 Bombardier jets in the same category and 28 for Dassault.

Gulfstream is expected to begin deliveries this year of two new large aircraft -- the G500 and the G600 -- that fall in the weight range for the tariff. Heidi Fedak, a spokeswoman for Gulfstream, declined to comment.

The extra levy "would have an immediate effect of curtailing potential sales," said Steve Varsano, founder of the corporate aircraft brokerage The Jet Business. Although private jets can be registered in one country and used in another, operators in China discovered that authorities frowned on attempts to circumvent the existing 22 percent tax-and-tariff combination.

"It was a hardship to pay," Varsano said in an email. "But if you didn't and were a regular user in China, they made life difficult to get landing slots and parking availability."

Business-jet manufacturers will be in Shanghai less than two weeks from now for the annual Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition.

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

Mauro Ociel Valenzuela-Reyes: New Reward for Fugitive in ValuJet crash

The FBI recently released age-progressed images of Mauro Ociel Valenzuela-Reyes, a fugitive in the 1996 crash of a ValuJet Flight 592 near Miami. 


When Valujet Flight 592 ascended for the last time in 1996, it was supposed to be for a routine, hour-and-a-half-long trip from Miami International Airport to Atlanta.

Seven minutes after takeoff, however, flight captain Candalyn Kubeck radioed a troubling message: There had been a strange sound heard on the plane, and now the pilots were experiencing electrical problems.

“We’re losing everything,” Kubeck said, seconds later. “We need, we need to go back to Miami.”

In the background were shouts of “fire, fire, fire, fire” and “We’re on fire! We’re on fire!”

Kubeck and her co-pilot managed to turn the aircraft back toward Miami, but it was too late. In the cargo hold a devastating blaze had erupted, filling the cabin and cockpit of the DC-9 with thick smoke and flames that were hot enough to melt aluminum. The plane careened downward, tilted to the right, on a final, uncontrolled descent.

At 2:13 p.m. on May 11, 1996 — less than 10 minutes after takeoff — Valujet Flight 592 slammed into the murky waters of the Florida Everglades, killing all 110 people on board. The impact was at once devastating and curious: A witness in a sightseeing plane would later tell investigators that the jet seemed to vanish once it struck the wetlands, creating a deep crater in the muck and saw grass.

Crash debris haunted investigators for months as they recovered fragments of both plane and passengers from the “River of Grass.” To this day, no complete body of any of the passengers has ever been found.

“It just went to pieces,” Jacqueline Fruge, a special agent with the FBI’s Miami office, said in a statement Thursday.

The devastating crash prefaced the financial demise of one of the country’s low-cost carriers.

The National Transportation Safety Board spent more than a year working up an accident report that ruled the crash had been caused primarily by a contractor’s mishandling of the packaging and shipment of oxygen generators in the cargo hold.

The oxygen generators had been loaded without the proper safety caps, causing them to ignite in the cargo hold and trigger the deadly fire, the report said.

Investigators identified three employees of SabreTech, the maintenance contractor for Valujet at the time, who had a role in mishandling the oxygen generators, according to the FBI. Two of those employees were criminally charged but later acquitted.

However, the third SabreTech employee, mechanic Mauro Ociel Valenzuela-Reyes, fled sometime before his trial in 2000. He had been charged the year before with making false statements to the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation, as well as causing the transportation of hazardous materials.

Now, more than two decades after one of the deadliest aviation disasters in Florida history, the FBI is renewing its search for Valenzuela-Reyes, the last employee wanted in connection with the Valujet crash.

The FBI announced Thursday that it was offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the capture of Valenzuela-Reyes. The agency also released age-progressed images of what the mechanic might look like today at 48 years old.

He is described as a 170-pound Hispanic male with black hair and brown eyes, and stands anywhere from 5-foot-10-inches to six feet tall. FBI investigators believe Valenzuela-Reyes could be living under a false identity in Chile or elsewhere in South America. He also has ties to Georgia, the agency said.

Anyone with information on Valenzuela-Reyes is asked to contact their local FBI office.

An FBI spokesman did not respond to questions sent by email or grant an interview request Friday, referring to the statement the agency had released the day before.

Fruge, who has worked for the FBI for 29 years and has been the primary agent on the Valujet case since it began, said in the statement that locating Valenzuela-Reyes would bring “closure” in one of Florida’s deadliest airline crashes.

“We’ve tried over the years to find him,” Fruge said. “It bothers me. I’ve lived and breathed it for many, many years.”

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




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


Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board 


Location: MIAMI, FL
Accident Number: DCA96MA054
Date & Time: 05/11/1996, 1413 EDT
Registration: N904VJ
Aircraft: Douglas DC-9-32
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event:
Injuries: 110 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 121: Air Carrier - Scheduled

Analysis

The airplane crashed into the Everglades about 10 minutes after takeoff from Miami International Airport.  Safety issues discussed in the Board's report include minimization of the hazards posed by fires in class D cargo compartments; equipment, training, and procedures for addressing in-flight smoke and fire aboard air carrier airplanes; guidance for handling of chemical oxygen generators and other hazardous aircraft components; SabreTech's and ValuJet's procedures for handling company materials and hazardous materials; ValuJet's oversight of its contract heavy maintenance facilities; FAA's oversight of ValuJet and ValuJet's contract maintenance facilities; FAA's and the Research and Special Programs Administration's (RSPA) hazardous materials program and undeclared hazardous materials in the U.S. mail; and ValuJet's procedures for boarding and accounting for lap children. Safety recommendations concerning these issues were made to the FAA, RSPA, the U.S. Postal Service, and the Air Transport Association.  (See NTSB Report AAR-97/06)

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
which resulted from a fire in the airplane's class D cargo compartment that was initiated by the actuation of one or more oxygen generators being improperly carried as cargo, were (1) the failure of SabreTech to properly prepare, package, and identify unexpended chemical oxygen generators before presenting them to ValuJet for carriage; (2) the failure of ValuJet to properly oversee its contract maintenance program to ensure compliance with maintenance, maintenance training, and hazardous materials requirements and practices; and (3) the failure of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to require smoke detection and fire suppression systems in class D cargo compartments. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the FAA to adequately monitor ValuJet's heavy maintenance programs and responsibilities, including ValuJet's oversight of its contractors, and SabreTech's repair station certificate; the failure of the FAA to adequately respond to prior chemical oxygen generator fires with programs to address the potential hazards; and ValuJet's failure to ensure that both ValuJet and contract maintenance facility employees were aware of the carrier's 'no-carry' hazardous materials policy and had received appropriate hazardous materials training. (NTSB Report AAR-97/06)

Findings

Occurrence #1: FIRE
Phase of Operation: CLIMB

Findings
1. (C) HAZARDOUS MATERIAL - IMPROPER
2. (C) PROCEDURE INADEQUATE - OTHER PERSON
3. (C) CARGO/BAGGAGE - IMPROPER
4. (C) MAINTENANCE - INADEQUATE - COMPANY/OPERATOR MANAGEMENT
5. (C) SMOKE DETECTOR(S) - NOT INSTALLED
6. (C) FIRE EXTINGUISHER,CARGO - NOT INSTALLED
7. (C) INSUFFICIENT STANDARDS/REQUIREMENTS - FAA(ORGANIZATION)
8. FUSELAGE,CARGO COMPARTMENT - FIRE

Occurrence #2: LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT

Phase of Operation: DESCENT

Occurrence #3: IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER
Phase of Operation: DESCENT - UNCONTROLLED

Factual Information


Please refer to the National Transportation Safety Board Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB/AAR-97/06, DCA96MA054, for information about this accident.




Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline Transport; Flight Instructor
Age: 35, Female
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Seatbelt, Shoulder harness
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Single-engine
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Last FAA Medical Exam: 04/12/1996
Occupational Pilot:
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  8928 hours (Total, all aircraft), 2116 hours (Total, this make and model), 188 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft) 

Co-Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline Transport; Flight Engineer
Age: 52, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed:
Medical Certification: Class 1 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/07/1996
Occupational Pilot:
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: Douglas
Registration: N904VJ
Model/Series: DC-9-32 DC-9-32
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Transport
Serial Number: 47377
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 115
Date/Type of Last Inspection:  Continuous Airworthiness
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 108000 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 2 Turbo Fan
Airframe Total Time: 2864 Hours
Engine Manufacturer: P&W
ELT: Not installed
Engine Model/Series: JT8D-9A
Registered Owner: VALUJET AIRLINES INC
Rated Power:
Operator: VALUJET AIRLINES INC
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Flag carrier (121)
Operator Does Business As:
Operator Designator Code: VJ6A 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: MIA, 8 ft msl
Observation Time: 1350 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 18 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 100°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 4000 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 29°C / 16°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  12 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 8 knots, 100°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting:
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration:
Departure Point: MIAMI, FL (MIA)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: ATLANTA, GA (ATL)
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 1403 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class B

Airport Information

Airport: MIAMI INTL (MIA)
Runway Surface Type:
Airport Elevation:
Runway Surface Condition:
Runway Used: 0
IFR Approach:
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: 

Wreckage and Impact Information


Crew Injuries: 5 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 105 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: In-Flight
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 110 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude:

Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey, N124AL: Accident occurred April 06, 2018 in Palatka, Putnam County, Florida

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando

http://registry.faa.gov/N124AL

NTSB Identification: GAA18CA212
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, April 06, 2018 in Palatka, FL
Aircraft: SASSER ALLEN L SEAREY, registration: N124AL

NTSB investigators will use data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator, and will not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.


PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. - The pilot of a Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey that flipped over after landing on the St. Johns River north of Palatka was rescued by a nearby boater, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 63-year-old Allen Sasser was piloting the aircraft about 11:20 a.m. Friday when he attempted to land on the St. Johns River near his East Palatka home. 

During the landing, troopers said, the Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey crashed and rolled. 

After he was helped by a boater, Sasser was taken to the Crystal Cove Marina, where he was checked out by a Putnam County Fire Rescue crew and refused treatment, troopers said.

The crash report said he suffered minor injuries.

Authorities said the upside-down plane was removed from the river to be taken to the pilot's home.

The Federal Aviation Administration was called to investigate.


Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.news4jax.com

PALATKA, Fla. - Civilians helped rescue several people from the St. Johns River after a Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey crashed in Palatka on Friday, according to officials with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities said the crash went down in the river in the the Bostwick area near Seminole Electric, according to Putnam media. 


The Putnam County Sheriff's Office is responding to the scene. 


We're working to find out the conditions of the crash victims. 


The city and the surrounding area has recently had several plane crashes. Authorities are expected to release more information.


In March, two people were hurt after a small plane crashed off Reid Street. Another incident happened in February after a small plane crash-landed behind a home off Dogwood Road.


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

New executive director for Chennault International Airport (KCWF) named

LAKE CHARLES, LA (KPLC) -  A new executive director of Chennault International Airport Authority is coming aboard in late April.

The board of commissioners announced the selection of W. Kevin Melton as Chennault’s executive director.

Melton joins Chennault from American Airlines, where he was a project manager, facilitating and directing airport terminal and hangar construction projects for national and international sites.

Melton retired from the U.S. Air Force as a colonel after 24 years of service, during which he was part of the Pentagon’s Joint Staff.  His primary experience is as an airfield operations officer, responsible for all airport operations, including air traffic control, airfield management and flight service operations. He served as lead for the U.S. Department of Defense to support the rebuilding of Iraqi and Afghan civic airspace infrastructure as part of nation rebuilding operations.

“Kevin’s wealth of experience in aviation and the airport operations will be invaluable to Chennault,” said Chennault board president Charles Dalgleish. “The board and staff look forward to Chennault’s continued growth as a leading economic driver in the region with Kevin at the helm.”

Melton also brings airshow experience to his new position, having provided direct support to several airshows, and served as military airshow director for the Dayton Airshow in Ohio.

A native Tennessean, Melton holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Middle Tennessee State University as well as a master’s degree in national resource strategy from the National Defense University.

Chennault International Airport is a major industrial airport in Lake Charles, La. The airport and its tenants employ some 1,500 persons and account for $300 million in annual economic impact. Chennault was recently honored as Louisiana Airport of the Year by the Federal Aviation Administration. For more information, visit www.chennault.org.

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

Honda HA-420, N104HJ: Incident occurred April 05, 2018 at Piedmont Triad International Airport (KGSO), Greensboro, North Carolina

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Greensboro, North Carolina

Aircraft blew two main tires on landing.

Honda Aviation Service Company Inc

http://registry.faa.gov/N104HJ

Date: 05-APR-18
Time: 18:35:00Z
Regis#: N104HJ
Aircraft Make: HONDA
Aircraft Model: HA 420
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: GREENSBORO
State: NORTH CAROLINA

Luscombe 8A, N71617: Accident occurred April 05, 2018 at Wilbarger County Airport (F05), Vernon, Texas

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Lubbock

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


http://registry.faa.gov/N71617

Location: Vernon, TX

Accident Number: GAA18CA205
Date & Time: 04/05/2018, 1445 CDT
Registration: N71617
Aircraft: LUSCOMBE 8
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control on ground
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, during the three-point landing, almost immediately after touch down, the airplane veered to the left, ground looped to the left, and the right main landing gear collapsed. He added that, the airplane came to rest facing 180° opposite of the landing direction in the grass off the left side of the runway.

He further reported, that when loading the airplane onto the trailer for recovery, he noticed there was a crack in the right gear leg, just above the weld to the axle. He added that 2/3 of the break showed fresh metal and the other 1/3 was rusted and corroded.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and right aileron.

The automated weather observation system located at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 230° at 9 knots, gusting to 16 knots. The pilot landed on runway 20. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 43, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Glider
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 04/20/2018
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 06/17/2017
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 1307 hours (Total, all aircraft), 300 hours (Total, this make and model), 1195 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 10 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 4 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: LUSCOMBE
Registration: N71617
Model/Series: 8 A
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1946
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 3044
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 04/05/2018, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1260 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3660.5 Hours
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: C91  installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: A65F
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 65 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KF05, 1265 ft msl
Observation Time: 1935 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 313°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 24°C / 1°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 9 knots/ 16 knots, 230°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 29.91 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: FAIRVIEW, OK (6K4)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Vernon, TX (F05)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1245 CDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: WILBARGER COUNTY (F05)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 1264 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 20
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5099 ft / 100 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full Stop; Traffic Pattern

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude:  34.225278, -99.283056 (est)

Cessna 182Q Skylane, N5292N, registered to Squawk Aviation LLC: Accident occurred March 30, 2018 at Nephi Municipal Airport (U14) , Juab County, Utah

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Salt Lake City, Utah

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

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


http://registry.faa.gov/N5292N

Analysis 

The pilot reported that, during the landing flare, the airplane "lurched to the left of the runway, yawed to the right, and nosed down." He added that, as he corrected the airplane parallel with the runway centerline, the airplane "immediately dropped" to the ground and it felt like a "hard landing." He continued the landing roll, taxied clear of the runway, and did a brief check from inside of the airplane for damage. Subsequently, he did not note anything abnormal and proceeded to taxi to the departure airport without further incident.

A postflight examination revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.

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

The pilot further reported that he believed that a tailwind gust may have been responsible for the sideways lurch, and that the airplane may have stalled resulting in the nose pitching down and the hard landing.

A commercial weather reporting station for the town, about 3 miles from the accident airport, reported about the time of the accident that the sky was clear, and the wind was southwest at 5 knots. The pilot landed runway 17.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain a proper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

Findings

Aircraft
Landing flare - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Aircraft control - Pilot (Cause)

Factual Information

History of Flight

Landing-flare/touchdown
Abnormal runway contact (Defining event)


Location: Nephi, UT
Accident Number: GAA18CA202
Date & Time: 03/30/2018, 1250 MDT
Registration: N5292N
Aircraft: CESSNA 182
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Abnormal runway contact
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

The pilot reported that, during the landing flare, the airplane "lurched to the left of the runway, yawed to the right, and nosed down". He added that, as he corrected the airplane parallel with the runway centerline, the airplane "immediately dropped" to the ground and it felt like a "hard landing". He continued the landing roll, taxied clear of the runway, and did a brief check from inside of the airplane for damage. Subsequently, he did not note anything abnormal, and proceeded to fly back to the departure airport without further incident.

A postflight examination revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.

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

The pilot further reported that he believed that a tailwind gust may have been responsible for the sideways lurch, and that the airplane may have stalled resulting in the nose pitching down and the hard landing.

A commercial weather reporting station for the town, about 3 miles from the accident airport, reported about the time of the accident that the sky was clear, and the wind was southwest at 5 knots. The pilot landed runway 17. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 48, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
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: 09/05/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 03/12/2016
Flight Time: (Estimated) 107 hours (Total, all aircraft), 37 hours (Total, this make and model), 70 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 4 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 2 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: CESSNA
Registration: N5292N
Model/Series: 182 Q
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1980
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 18267624
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection:  Continuous Airworthiness
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2350 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 
Engine Manufacturer: CONT MOTOR
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-470 SERIES
Registered Owner: SQUAWK AVIATION LLC
Rated Power: hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KPVU, 4497 ft msl
Observation Time: 1856 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 30 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 13°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 14°C / -1°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 3 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 5 knots, 220°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 30.23 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: BOUNTIFUL, UT (BTF)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Nephi, UT (U14)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1130 MDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: NEPHI MUNI (U14)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 5022 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 17
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 6300 ft / 100 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full Stop; Touch and Go; Traffic Pattern

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude:  39.735278, -111.870000 (est)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Boeing Signal Regular Missions to Space Station to Be Delayed: Revised Boeing contract signals capsule won’t fly with crew until 2019



The Wall Street Journal
By Andy Pasztor
Updated April 5, 2018 11:34 p.m. ET


NASA and Boeing Co. have agreed to turn the initial test flight of the company’s commercial crewed capsule into an operational mission, one of several recent signs officials are hedging their bets on when U.S. spacecraft will start regularly ferrying astronauts to the international space station.

Thursday’s disclosure by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration suggests a previously planned two-person flight, slated for November 2018,  is now likely to occur in 2019 or 2020 and would likely carry one additional crew member along with extra supplies. Instead of staying for two weeks as originally envisioned, NASA said the expanded crew could stay at the station for as long as six months conducting experiments and carrying out maintenance tasks.

The agency’s agreement to use Russian rockets and capsules to carry astronauts to the international laboratory ends in late 2019. That is prompting NASA leaders to seek contingency plans to carry American astronauts into orbit—and keep them there for extended periods—in the event U.S. providers aren’t ready to assume routine transportation responsibilities by the deadline. Maintaining a continuous U.S. presence on the international space station is important to NASA.

Even after a successful crewed test flight, it could take NASA several months or longer to authorize routine missions, according to outside experts, agency advisory committees and senior NASA officials. The process could leave the U.S. scrambling for stopgap measures unless alternate options are put in place relatively soon.

On its website, NASA said it is updating its existing contract with the company and “may evolve flight test strategy” for Boeing’s Starliner capsule, in anticipation of validating the spacecraft’s safety and authorizing “regular post-certification crew rotation missions.”

Boeing was more direct. In a release, the company said “it was clear” that “we needed to provide NASA with additional flexibility to ensure the station remains fully staffed and fully operational” until U.S. capsules achieve a regular cadence of missions.

In February, NASA’s top official in charge of the crewed exploration programs telegraphed such moves were under active consideration but stopped short of announcing a decision.

On its web posting Thursday, the same official, William Gerstenmaier, said the contract modification “provides NASA with additional schedule margin if needed,” but further technical reviews are anticipated. He also said NASA is “preparing for potential schedule adjustments normally experienced during  spacecraft development.”

NASA stopped flying the space shuttle fleet in 2011 and has relied on Moscow for crew access to orbit since then. A major challenge for shuttle replacements is that the agency must comply with longstanding requirements that all commercial crew systems meet strict statistical safety benchmarks.

Boeing already has six post-certification Starliner flights under contract, but dates and payments for those missions haven’t been set. In 2014, NASA awarded Boeing a contract valued at as much as $4.2 billion, including an unmanned test flight followed by the first test flight with people on board.

Elon Musk’s closely held Space Exploration Technologies Corp. is developing its own commercial space taxi and plans at least one crewed test flight before seeking approval to begin routine trips. After NASA gives the green light, both providers envision flying a pair of missions to the space station annually.

Boeing and SpaceX will have to demonstrate their capsules are more than four times safer than the space shuttle fleet when it was retired. But senior NASA officials and independent safety watchdogs have repeatedly said it may be difficult to comply with the new standards, and the agency may have to issue certain waivers before regular flights commence. Those deliberations could lead to delays.

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