Saturday, April 21, 2018

Taylorcraft BC12-65, N29831: Incident occurred April 21, 2018 at Henry County Airport (7W5), Napoleon, Ohio

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

Aircraft veered off the runway and flipped over.

http://registry.faa.gov/N29831

Date: 21-APR-18
Time: 20:59:00Z
Regis#: N29831
Aircraft Make: TAYLORCRAFT
Aircraft Model: BC12 65
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: MINOR
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: NAPOLEON
State: OHIO




HENRY COUNTY, OH (WTOL) -  A passenger in a single-engine airplane suffered minor injuries after a plane crash at the Henry County Airport on Saturday afternoon.

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Taylorcraft BC12-65 landed on the runway from the east of the airport and then ran off the north side of the runway, overturning and coming to rest upside-down.

The crash happened just before 5 p.m.

The pilot, 59-year-old Walter Bernard Gerhardt Jr., of Napoleon, was uninjured. Mr. Gerhardt's passenger, 51-year-old Audra Smith, also of Napoleon, suffered minor injuries and was taken to the hospital.

Both Gerhardt and Smith were wearing 4 point harnesses when the plane overturned.

The Henry County Airport is on County Road O in Napoleon.


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


HENRY COUNTY, Ohio (WTVG) - The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a plane crash at the Henry County Airport.

Troopers say the accident happened just before 5:00 p.m. Saturday evening at the airport located on County Road O near Napoleon.

Investigators say Walter Bernard Gerhardt Jr., 59, was landing a single-engine plane at the airport when it ran off the runway and overturned.

Gerhardt was unharmed while his passenger, 51-year-old Audra Smith, suffered only minor injuries. Troopers say both were wearing 4-point safety harnesses.

The crash remains under investigation at this hour.

Original article can be found here ➤  http://www.13abc.com

Cessna 150L, N19298: Incident occurred April 21, 2018 near Pearson Field Airport (KVUO), Vancouver, Clark County, Washington

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Portland

Aircraft landed on a highway.

Aero Maintenance Inc

http://registry.faa.gov/N19298 

Date: 22-APR-18
Time: 00:00:00Z
Regis#: N19298
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 150L
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: INSTRUCTION
Flight Phase: EN ROUTE (ENR)
Operation: 91
City: VANCOUVER
State: WASHINGTON




The Washington State Patrol released the names of the people involved in landing a small propeller airplane on state Highway 14 on Saturday during a training flight out of Pearson Field Airport.

Instructor David M. Alexander, 35, of Portland made an emergency landing with trainee Trenton M. Morneault, 30, of Vancouver at 4:50 p.m. Saturday on the westbound highway at Milepost 3 just east of downtown Vancouver.

“They were coming in for a landing at Pearson when there was a mechanical or power failure,” said Washington State Patrol Trooper Will Finn. “They were already at a low altitude. That forced the instructor to take over the plane and perform an emergency maneuver. One of the wings clipped a highway sign and there was minor damage to the plane and the sign. Nobody was hurt and no other vehicles were involved.”

Nobody was injured, and the airplane was moved onto the right shoulder of the road almost immediately. State police and Clark Country Sheriff’s deputies were on hand within minutes. The right lane of the highway was partially blocked. William Gough, owner of Aero Maintenance Flight Center, which has offered flying lessons out of Pearson Field since 1980, was also on scene, Finn said.

Finn was unsure what the next steps are in investigating the emergency landing.

The airplane was a fixed-wing, single-engine Cessna 150L, manufactured in 1973, according to a Federal Aviation Administration aircraft registry.


http://www.columbian.com









PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- A small airplane made an emergency landing on SR-14 Saturday evening.

An unknown power failure forced the pilot to land on the highway around 4:50 p.m. near the Columbia Way onramp.

Washington State Patrol spokesman Trooper Will Finn tweeted that there are no injuries and no vehicles were involved.

The plane was towed away just before 6 p.m. and the lane reopened. 

Story and raw video:  http://www.koin.com

Gainesville veteran, businessman joins Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame

Jack McKibbon started flying at 14, flew bombers in WWII and owned several aircraft during his career


During his Korean War service Jack McKibbon piloted a Boeing KC 97 tanker refueling B-50s and B-47s.



He already loved model airplanes.

But after flying in a Piper Cub airplane over Gainesville at age 14 — taking off from a dusty field now known as Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport — John B. “Jack” McKibbon Jr.’s interest in aviation soared.

It would be lifelong passion.

On Saturday, April 28, McKibbon will be recognized for a history of flying, from bombers in World War II to planes for his business travel, with his induction in the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame.

The honor is set to take place at the 2018 Annual Enshrinement Banquet at the Century of Flight Hangar at the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins. The museum is at the Robins Air Force Base.

“I was very surprised to know I was even nominated,” McKibbon said during a recent interview at his office at McKibbon Hospitality in Gainesville.

McKibbon, 94, was nominated by the Rev. Tom Smiley, senior pastor at Lakewood Baptist Church in Gainesville and a close personal friend.

“Jack McKibbon represents what I think is the best possible candidate for induction into the Hall of Fame,” Smiley said. “I’m very, very pleased the selection committee accepted that recommendation.”

McKibbon was born in Newnan but grew up in Gainesville, graduating from Gainesville High School. He went on to North Georgia College (now University of North Georgia), graduating into service during World War II.

“The war came and I had no idea of doing anything else but being a pilot,” McKibbon said.

His first solo flight was on Oct. 20, 1943 in Arcadia, Fla., and he earned his flying wings in April 1944. McKibbon flew B-25 bombers in the Pacific during World War II, inflicting “significant damage to Japanese ships and airports” during his 59 combat missions in the South Pacific, according to a press release announcing his induction.

“I never was hurt but lost a couple of (fellow cadets),” McKibbon said.

He didn’t say much else about the war.

“I wouldn’t want to do it again, and I wouldn’t want to have my boys to go through that,” McKibbon said.

He was recalled to active duty in 1951. Assigned to the Strategic Air Command, he flew KC-97 refueling aircraft for B-47 and B-50 bombers.

“This was early in the evolution of air-to-air refueling, and McKibbon trained other pilots to perform this challenging task,” the press release stated.

McKibbon flew as a private pilot after his military service, and for a short time had a flying school at the Gainesville airport.

In his business career, he has owned several aircraft, including Cessnas and Beechcrafts.

After the war, he had mixed business interests, including founding Mar-Jac Poultry with brother Marvin in 1954.

He also went into the motel and restaurant business, which has evolved into what is now McKibbon Hospitality, developing and managing more than 80 hotels in eight states, according to the company website.

“By the 1960s, the company had become one of the earliest Holiday Inn franchisees, with hotels in operation throughout the state of Georgia,” according to the company. “Hotel development and operations became the core focus and have been ever since.”

His son, John McKibbon III, took over the company in the early 1990s and today serves as chairman.

In an email last week, the younger McKibbon spoke of his father, now chairman emeritus, and his influences on him.

“I remember flying with him all of my life,” he said. “He taught me how to fly. I had to hold the plane on course and on altitude, and he was very strict if I lost focus for even a minute.”

He recalled flying with his father in a “terrible thunderstorm,” back in the days “when our plane didn’t have radar.”

“He radioed in to ask for some vectors around the storm, but the controller was no help at all,” the son said. “My dad never lost his composure as the plane was tossed about in very turbulent weather.”

He said his father “loves flying and owned a plane from the time he completed his missions in World War II until he was almost 80.

“Our company still owns a plane, and whenever he is traveling with us, he loves to fly the plane from the right seat, next to our pilot, from takeoff to landing, even at the age of 94.”

“I haven’t landed (a plane) or taken off since I was 85,” McKibbon said.

Asked why he stopped, he didn’t pause in his answer.

“You have to be on top of your game,” McKibbon said.

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

Caprock Chronicles - Dagley, Durham die in plane crash in 1958

EDITOR’S NOTE: Caprock Chronicles is edited by Paul Carlson, emeritus professor of history at Texas Tech. This week’s essay is written by John McCullough, author and aviation historian of Lubbock. The essay reviews life of Maenard F. Dagley, an early Lubbock aviator, and the crash that killed him and his young student pilot, Bennie Joe Durham in 1958.



Maenard F. “Dag” Dagley operated a flying service at the Lubbock Municipal Airport with his partner, Emmett Morris, from 1937 until the spring of 1942.

In May of 1942, he moved his business to his own private airport, Dagley Field, southwest of town because the U.S. Army Air Forces was opening an advanced glider base at the city airport. Dagley Field was at 34th Street and Dagley Road (now Quaker Avenue). The 160-acre airfield had one large hangar, 140 feet long, 60 feet wide and 30 feet tall.

The airfield had four dirt runways, a T-wind cone, a small café and storage shack. Hangar doors were on the east side and first- and second-floor offices were on the west.

During WWII, around 3,000 student pilots trained at Dagley Field as part of the Civilian Pilot Training Program and later the 309th College Training Detachment.

In March 1943, the U.S. Navy called Lt. M. F. Dagley into active service and posted him and his good friend and fellow naval officer, Lowell Sailsbury, to the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station to train student pilots.

When he came home from the war, Dagley resumed operation of his flying service and continued training student pilots. He expanded the business to include crop dusting. However, Dagley Field no longer existed.

In June 1944, Dagley Field was purchased by four men and renamed Lubbock Aero Field. Tragedy struck on April 29, 1945, when a welder took his welding job inside the hangar due to high winds. The sparks from the welding tool set fire the highly flammable fumes from material nearby and the hangar and all five aircraft inside it went up in flames.

One of Dagley’s post-war students was Bennie Joe Durham. Originally from New Deal, Durham later moved with his family to a cotton farm near Wolfforth. Durham joined the U.S. Army in 1955 at the age of 21 and served at Fort Bliss in El Paso until 1958.

In a recent interview, Bennie Joe Durham’s younger sister, Anniece Durham Willis, talked about a visit that the Durham family made to Fort Bliss to visit Bennie Joe and the later airplane crash that took Dagley’s and Bennie Joe’s lives in June 1958.

Willis recalled that Bennie Joe was a wonderful brother and protective of her. When Willis met her future husband, Bill Willis, Bennie Joe chaperoned their dates.

“Bill was the first guy that I started dating that Ben approved of. He would even go on dates with us. Bill liked Ben. He [Ben] just took me under his wing. We would go to movies in Lubbock and the Hi-D-Ho.”

On Saturday, June 28, 1958, Durham and Dagley flew Dagley’s crop duster to Amarillo to renew Bennie Joe’s pilot’s license. Durham was flying.

Upon returning to Lubbock the same day, they came in for a landing at the dirt airstrip on the Durham family farm when the accident occurred. Anniece Willis still vividly remembers that afternoon when she heard the tragic news of the crash.

“I was at the beauty shop. My sister worked at the beauty shop here [in Ropesville]. We got a hold of Bill and I waited for him to come go with me.”

Anniece’s brother Don and a cousin David Durham watched the airplane crash. They saw it circle around the family farm to make its approach for a landing while Bennie Joe’s parents were waiting at their home on the farm. The airplane crashed on the nearby Raymond Hitt farm two miles south of Wolfforth at 2:30 p.m.

Anniece said, “Ben was still alive when they got to the crash; so, they loaded him up and headed him to the hospital [Methodist in Lubbock]. Mother said that he was breathing. ... I don’t know if she said that he was dead before they got there; but, if they had waited for the ambulance he sure would have been dead.”

Dagley died at the scene, she recalled.

Anniece’s very close relationship with her brother Bennie Joe was revealed in her memory of the dream that she had about him almost every night for many years after he died:

“When he was still at Fort Bliss, we went by — mother and dad and Don and Bill and I — went by to get him and we were going to Arizona. From that, I had this dream for years that we would drive up to that compound with that wire fence where Ben was, and there was a jeep coming with dirt just rolling; and, it kept coming ... it never did get to the gate.

“This is after Ben was killed. Oh, I had that dream forever! He was coming! He was coming! But he just never got to the gate.”

Read more ➤ http://www.lubbockonline.com

Editorial: Allegiant Air still has safety issues

Allegiant Air’s safety record remains troubling, and the Federal Aviation Administration’s reluctance to talk about it is no more encouraging. Those are the key takeaways from a 60 Minutes report on the low-cost carrier’s high rate of mid-flight breakdowns, which built on earlier Tampa Bay Times reporting that found Allegiant had far more incidents than other major airlines. While Allegiant has made improvements by beginning to modernize its fleet, the flying public in Tampa Bay still has plenty of reasons to be concerned.

A Times investigation in 2016 found that Allegiant flights were four times as likely as other carriers’ flights to make unexpected landings due to midair mechanical failures. The company heavily relied on a fleet of older planes, which allowed it to keep its ticket costs low. But aging planes require more upkeep, and the Times report documented how Allegiant’s maintenance operation missed routine inspections and often fixed problems only temporarily. Eighteen times in one year, key aircraft components failed during flight, got checked out and then failed again, leading to another unexpected landing.

The FAA noticed but did little in the way of enforcement, citing the airline only for maintenance paperwork deficiencies and allowing it to file its own corrective action plan. The agency has no means of measuring airlines’ safety records against one another, so it was unaware that Allegiant’s rate of unexpected landings far outpaced the rest of the industry.

What has changed? 60 Minutes found that Allegiant’s midair breakdown is now 3.5 times that of American, United, Delta, JetBlue and Spirit. That’s a slight improvement but far from satisfactory. And it reported that the company has replaced some of its oldest planes, which were 27 years old on average. That’s a positive change, but not enough. Newer planes still have to be maintained, for one thing. The FAA’s head of Flight Standards told 60 Minutes that the agency addresses the "root cause" of each incident and ensures that a fix is in place. But if that’s the case, why is Allegiant still experiencing so many more problems than its peers?

Allegiant accounts for virtually all of the passenger traffic at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. It has grown quickly, adding more destinations to smaller, under-served cities. Its shaky mechanical record carries huge stakes for the airport and for Pinellas tourism in general. Airport and tourism officials should keep a close watch on the steps Allegiant is taking to improve safety — and hold the airline to its commitments.

Outside pressure is clearly needed since the FAA has been so hands-off. Following the 60 Minutes report, Sen. Bill Nelson called for an investigation into the FAA’s handling of Allegiant’s safety-related incidents. U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, D-St. Petersburg, wants more accountability for past breakdowns. Those are both welcome developments in a problem that has persisted for years even as the airline expands.

The mechanical failures on Allegiant Air flights do not constitute a few isolated incidents. Allegiant has an established record that raises serious safety concerns, and the changes it has made to improve are not enough. It’s well past time for the FAA to demand more and impose serious sanctions if Allegiant does not deliver.

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

Chico Airport (KCIC) Commission revisits airport property leases

Chico >> After a special meeting in March, the Chico Airport Commission is looking for an update over the unpopular process of reversion — that is, the city taking over improvements from tenants after a lease is up.

During the March meeting, which included a presentation by an aviation consultant in support of reversion clauses, the Airport Commission asked for updated lease language for existing properties, new properties, lease rates and fees, according to the agenda, “for clarity and compliance.”

The meeting will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the City Council Chambers, 421 Main St.

Part of the discussion will be on existing leases “with a recommendation for a long-term plan regarding improvements and that address hangar owner concerns.” 

A number of pilots and hangar tenants said they had made improvements to their leased properties, based on the concept that the city would not end the leases and inherit the improvements.

The city has been interpreting Federal Aviation Administration guidelines to mean that long-term leases were against federal goals, and that the airports needed to be self-sufficient.

Added to the April agenda was a letter from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association that “AOPA wants to advise the city that the FAA does not require airport sponsors to take possession of any private property improvements, such as hangars, at the expiration of a lease.”

The letter noted that several airport tenants had contacted the association about the issue.

In addition, there will be an update on re-establishing commercial air service; paid parking at the terminal, should Chico regain service; and renaming the airport a regional airport.

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

Woman assaulted air marshal on flight, federal charges say

Sarah Maria Beach, 45, faces a misdemeanor assault charge after attacking a federal air marshal on a Delta Air Lines flight. 
(Salt Lake County Jail)



Salt Lake City, Utah — A 45-year-old woman aboard a Delta flight from London to Salt Lake City toppled a drink cart when she raced up and down the aisle and threw coffee in the air before jumping on the back of an air marshal, federal prosecutors say.

Sarah Maria Beach was charged Friday with misdemeanor assault of a federal air marshal following the Thursday ordeal.

She was handcuffed during the flight after she “jumped on the back of” the air marshal and “placed her hands on his head, neck, and jawline,” charging documents say.

Beach was seated next to the air marshal after she “caused a disruption on the flight” by throwing coffee on other passengers, overturning a drink cart and running up and down the center aisle of the plane “repeatedly,” the charges allege.

A passenger who was sitting across the aisle, Martin Nicholls of London, watched as “she literally sprinted down the end. And I mean she’s only a small woman, really,” he said.

He said she then raced the other direction, toward the back of the plane.

At that moment, “everyone’s becoming very concerned because, I thought, we’re at 30-odd thousand feet over the sea. What if she tried to open the door? she couldn’t get to the back door but then she ran again.”

As she bolted, Nicholls said he became so concerned that “I literally just stood up and grabbed her and rooted her to the spot,” before flight attendants came by and she was escorted to the back of the plane.

He said he’d had a conversation with her on the flight.

“She was saying she’s got a lot going on in her life,” he said, and she appeared to get more and more agitated, shouting out at times.

“At one point she stood up and she was drinking coffee and she literally just threw the whole thing — not the cup, the coffee — and it hit the ceiling, it was going down the walls. It went over probably about six or seven passengers, some, almost, to the other side of the plane,” Nicholls recalled.

The air marshal had identified himself to Beach when she was put next to him, according to court documents. Beach was “initially calm with” the man and an additional air marshal, and was peaceful when escorted to the plane’s lavatory on two occasions. The alleged assault occurred “after (she) used the bathroom for a third time,” the charges say.

Beach, an American citizen who lives in London, could face up to a year in federal prison if convicted, said U.S. Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch.

She was arraigned at an initial court appearance Friday in U.S. District Court and ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation. No hearing had been scheduled as of Friday.

Original article can be found here ➤ http://fox5sandiego.com

Cessna 172R Skyhawk, N2382R, registered to Clearwater Helicopters Inc dba Tampa Bay Aviation: Accident occurred January 26, 2017 at Clearwater Air Park (CLW), Pinellas County, Florida

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

Additional Participating Entity: Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office: Tampa, Florida

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



Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board 

Location: Clearwater, FL
Accident Number: ERA17LA095
Date & Time: 01/26/2017, 1230 EST
Registration: N2382R
Aircraft: CESSNA 172
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Abnormal runway contact
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On January 26, 2017, about 1230 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172R, N2382R, registered to Clearwater Helicopters, Inc., dba Tampa Bay Aviation, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at the Clearwater Air Park (CLW), Clearwater, Florida. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a local, personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the flight that originated about 30 minutes earlier from CLW.

The pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection of the rental airplane but elected to have it fueled because of the on-board fuel load. He finished his preflight inspection after fueling, which included an inspection of the undamaged propeller, but did note the passenger door was difficult to close, and he had an issue with his lap belt, but was able to secure it. After engine start, he taxied to runway 16, where he performed an engine run-up with no discrepancies noted.

After takeoff, he flew west towards the beach but elected to return after seeing adverse weather nearby. He entered the traffic pattern at CLW for runway 16, which was equipped with a visual approach slope indicator, but he did not turn it on. He turned the airplane onto the base leg of the traffic pattern and then onto final approach leg of the traffic pattern, where he maintained 65 mph with the flaps extended 30 degrees, and reported descending at the standard rate with no airspeed fluctuations. On his first landing attempt about at touchdown, the airplane encountered a strong wind gust which caused the airplane to climb "a little bit", or about 10 feet. He performed a go-around, and re-entered the traffic pattern for runway 16. The pilot conducted the second landing attempt with 10 degrees of flaps extended, maintaining 65 mph while on the final approach leg of the traffic pattern, and reported the, "touchdown was perfect soft" on the numbers. He did not experience a propeller strike on landing, and then taxied to the tie-down area where he secured the airplane. He then went inside the fixed-base operator and wrote up the discrepancies related to the lap belt, and for a fuel gauge which indicated 5 gallons after fueling.

According to the operator, their review of airport surveillance video revealed that later that same day, maintenance personnel of the operator went to the airplane, which had not been moved or damaged, and observed damage to the propeller. Additionally, review of aircraft operational records and the airplane's hour meter revealed that the airplane had not been operated since it was returned. During hand rotation of the propeller, maintenance personnel heard internal engine damage, and subsequently noted damage to the firewall. The oil pressure-activated hour meter reading when the mechanics inspected the airplane was the same as when the pilot returned the airplane. Subsequent testing of the hour meter with FAA oversight revealed it operated satisfactory with no discrepancies.

The operator reported that the airplane was flown the evening before on a training flight with a student and instructor, and at the conclusion of their uneventful flight, the airplane was secured. They also indicated that airport surveillance video depicted the accident pilot inspecting the propeller after securing the airplane at the conclusion of the flight. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 75, 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 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 11/02/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 12/09/2016
Flight Time:  450 hours (Total, all aircraft), 300 hours (Total, this make and model), 450 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 10 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 2 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: CESSNA
Registration: N2382R
Model/Series: 172 R
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1999
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal; Utility
Serial Number: 17280700
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 12/12/2016, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2450 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 6955.6 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: C91A installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-360-L2A
Registered Owner: CLEARWATER HELICOPTERS INC
Rated Power: 160 hp
Operator: CLEARWATER HELICOPTERS INC
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Does Business As: Tampa Bay Aviation
Operator Designator Code: 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: CLW, 71 ft msl
Observation Time: 1255 EST
Distance from Accident Site: 
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 1900 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 25°C / 20°C
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 9 knots/ 16 knots, 220°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting:  30.02 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Clearwater, FL (CLW)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Clearwater, FL (CLW)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1200 EST
Type of Airspace: 

Airport Information

Airport: Clearwater Airpark (CLW)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 71 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 16
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:  4108 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Traffic Pattern 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude:  27.977222, -82.759167 (est)

NTSB Identification: ERA17LA095
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, January 26, 2017 in Clearwater, FL
Aircraft: CESSNA 172, registration: N2382R
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On January 26, 2017, about 1230 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172R, N2382R, registered to Clearwater Helicopters, Inc., dba Tampa Bay Aviation, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at the Clearwater Air Park (CLW), Clearwater, Florida. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a local, personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the flight that originated about 30 minutes earlier from CLW.

The pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane which included a check of the propeller and did not notice any damage. He did note the passenger door was difficult to close, and had an issue with his lap belt, but was able to secure it. After engine start, he taxied to runway 16, where he performed an engine run-up with no discrepancies noted. After takeoff, he flew west towards the beach but noticed adverse weather to the north and south of their location. He elected to return to CLW and entered the traffic pattern for runway 16, which was equipped with a visual approach slope indicator, but he did not turn it on. He turned the airplane onto the base leg of the traffic pattern and then onto final approach leg of the traffic pattern, where he maintained 65 mph with the flaps extended 30 degrees, and reported descending at the standard rate with no airspeed fluctuations. On his first landing attempt about at touchdown, the airplane encountered a strong wind gust which caused the airplane to climb "a little bit." He performed a go-around, and re-entered the traffic pattern for runway 16. The pilot conducted the second landing attempt with 10 degrees of flaps extended. He maintained 65 mph while on the final approach leg of the traffic pattern, and reported the, "touchdown was perfect soft" on the numbers. He further reported the airplane did not have a propeller strike on landing, and he taxied to the tie-down area, secured the airplane, then went inside the fixed-base operator and wrote up the discrepancies related to the door and lap belt.

Later that same day, maintenance personnel of the operator went to the airplane, which had not been moved or operated since it was returned, and observed damage to the propeller. After noting internal engine damage, they towed the airplane into their hangar, and upon removal of the engine cowling, noticed firewall damage.

Maule MX-7-160 Sportplane, N3156K: Accident occurred January 11, 2017 in Carthage, Smith County, Tennessee

Collin McDonald

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


Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Nashville, Tennessee 

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


http://registry.faa.gov/N3156K



Location: Carthage, TN
Accident Number: ERA17LA083
Date & Time: 01/11/2017, 1540 CST
Registration: N3156K
Aircraft: MAULE MX7
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

Analysis


The commercial pilot was landing on his 1,100 ft-long private grass airstrip. He set up for a landing to the north due to obstacles and the runway's upslope in that direction. A witness reported that the wind was "blowing hard," gusting, and variable at the time of the landing. The witness described the approach as normal until just before touchdown, when the left wing dropped and the right wing rose. The airplane then collided with the ground and came to rest on its nose with structural damage to the left wing and forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures before the accident, and the witness reported that the engine sounded normal during the event. Recorded weather information from nearby airports indicated wind from the south; one airport reported gusts of up to 29 knots. The pilot subsequently reported that the accident was the result of wind gusts that he had not anticipated.

Probable Cause and Findings

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

The pilot's inadequate compensation for gusting tailwind conditions, which resulted in a loss of airplane control during the landing flare.

Findings

Aircraft

Lateral/bank control - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Aircraft control - Pilot (Cause)

Environmental issues
Gusts - Response/compensation (Cause)
Gusts - Effect on operation (Factor)



Factual Information

On January 11, 2017, at 1540 central standard time, a Maule MX-7-160, N3156K, was substantially damaged during landing at a private, grass airstrip at Carthage, Tennessee. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Lebanon Municipal Airport (M54), Lebanon, Tennessee, at 1518.

The pilot reported that the preflight inspection, departure, and cruise portions of the flight were uneventful. He entered the traffic pattern at his property, which consisted of a grass airstrip that was about 1,100 feet in length. He maneuvered the airplane for a landing to the north, which was always the landing direction due to runway slope and obstacles. He checked the wind at the departure airport prior to landing and recalled that it was out of the south at 12 knots. He also checked the wind sock at his airstrip prior to landing. Due to his injuries, he did not recall the events of the landing sequence.

A witness observed the accident and the weather conditions at the scene. He reported that the pilot arrived over the airstrip, and circled around the property. He then set up for a landing to the north. The wind was "really blowing hard" at the time, and he described the wind as strong and gusting, and coming from different directions. Just prior to the airplane touching down, the left wing dropped suddenly, and the right wing came up. The airplane then went nose down and stopped. He stated that the engine was "running great, no misfires or roughness."

An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. Structural damage to left wing and fuselage was confirmed. An on-scene examination of the airframe, engine, and fuel system did not reveal evidence of a mechanical malfunction. The initial impact point was about 900 feet north of the approach end of runway 35, and about 200 feet west of the runway. The initial ground impact point matched damage to the left wingtip. The airplane came to rest in a nose low attitude, 30 feet to the west of the initial ground impact point. He also noted that runway 35 sloped uphill, with a total elevation change of 50-70 feet.

Murfreesboro Municipal Airport (MQY), Murfreesboro, Tennessee was located about 30 nautical miles southwest of the accident site. The MQY weather at 1556 included wind from 180 degrees at 12 knots with gusts to 20 knots. Nashville International Airport (BNA), Nashville, Tennessee, was located about 35 nautical miles west-southwest of the accident site. The BNA weather at 1553 included wind from 190 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 23 knots, with a recorded peak wind from 190 degrees at 29 knots.

After the accident, the pilot reported that there was no mechanical failure or malfunction with the airplane prior to the accident. He also reported that the accident was the result of wind gusts that were not anticipated by him.

History of Flight

Landing-flare/touchdown
Other weather encounter
Loss of control in flight (Defining event)
Abnormal runway contact

Landing-landing roll
Nose over/nose down

Pilot Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 23, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Single-engine
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 09/11/2014
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 11/25/2015
Flight Time:  695 hours (Total, all aircraft), 478 hours (Total, this make and model), 605 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 17 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 4 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: MAULE
Registration: N3156K
Model/Series: MX7 160
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1995
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 19036C
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 08/28/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2200 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 325 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 1057 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: C91A installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: O-320-B2D
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 160 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: MQY, 614 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 30 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1556 CDT
Direction from Accident Site: 220°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 12 knots / 20 knots
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: / None
Wind Direction: 180°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.03 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 19°C / 14°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Lebanon, TN (M54)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Carthage, TN
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1518 CST
Type of Airspace: Class G

Wreckage and Impact Information


Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 36.254444, -85.969167 (est)




NTSB Identification: ERA17LA083 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, January 11, 2017 in Carthage, TN
Aircraft: MAULE MX7, registration: N3156K
Injuries: 1 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On January 11, 2017, at 1540 central standard time, a Maule MX-7-160, N3156K, was substantially damaged during landing at a private, grass airstrip at Carthage, Tennessee. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Lebanon Municipal Airport (M54), Lebanon, Tennessee at 1518.

The pilot reported that the preflight inspection, departure, and cruise portions of the flight were uneventful. He entered the traffic pattern at his property, which consisted of a grass airstrip, 1,195 feet in length. He maneuvered the airplane for a landing to the north, which was always the landing direction due to runway slope and obstacles. He checked the wind at the departure airport prior to landing and recalled that it was out of the south at 12 knots. Due to his injuries, he did not recall the events of the landing sequence. Witnesses reported that the airplane nosed down during the landing and the left wing struck the ground. The witnesses also reported that the wind began "swirling and gusting" as the airplane was landing.

An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. Structural damage to left wing and fuselage was confirmed. A cursory examination of the airframe, engine, and fuel system did not reveal evidence of a mechanical malfunction. The wreckage was retained for further examination.

Hawley Richard A1B, N5249H: Accident occurred April 12, 2018 at Lincoln Regional Airport (KLHM), Placer County, California

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Sacramento, California

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/N5249H

Analysis 

The pilot reported that this was his first flight in the accident gyroplane. He added that, during takeoff from runway 15, which was 6,001 ft long by 100 ft wide, he centered the gyroplane on the runway and increased engine rpm and rotor speed. Around 120 rotor rpm during the takeoff roll, he pulled back on the cyclic. Due to his injuries sustained in the accident, he does not recall what occurred afterward.

The gyroplane came to rest on its right side on the right side of the runway and sustained substantial damage to the empennage.

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

The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 260° at 7 knots. The same automated station reported that, about 15 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 330° at 5 knots. The gyrocopter was departing runway 15. 

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 directional control during takeoff.

Findings

Aircraft
Directional control - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Aircraft control - Pilot (Cause)
Total experience w/ equipment - Pilot

Environmental issues
Tailwind - Effect on operation (Factor)
Crosswind - Effect on operation (Factor)

Factual Information

History of Flight

Takeoff
Loss of control on ground (Defining event)
Roll over

Location: Lincoln, CA
Accident Number: GAA18CA213
Date & Time: 04/12/2018, 1700 PDT
Registration: N5249H
Aircraft: HAWLEY RICHARD A1B
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control on ground
Injuries: 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under:  Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

The pilot reported that this was his first flight in the accident gyroplane. He added that, during takeoff from runway 15, which was 6,001 ft long by 100 ft wide, he centered the gyroplane on the runway and increased engine rpm and rotor speed. Around 120 rotor rpm during the takeoff roll, he pulled back on the cyclic. He further added that, due to his injuries sustained in the accident, he does not recall what occurred afterwards.

The gyroplane came to rest on its right side on the right side of the runway and sustained substantial damage to the empennage.

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

The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 260° at 7 knots. The same automated station reported that, about 15 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 330° at 5 knots. The gyrocopter was departing runway 15. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Sport Pilot
Age: 58, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Single
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Sport Pilot
Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/26/2000
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 04/07/2018
Flight Time: (Estimated) 76 hours (Total, all aircraft), 60 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 13 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 8 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: HAWLEY RICHARD
Registration: N5249H
Model/Series: A1B NO SERIES
Aircraft Category: Gyroplane
Year of Manufacture: 1991
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental Light Sport
Serial Number: 1735
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 1
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 01/10/2018, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 750 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 51 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Rotax
ELT: Not installed
Engine Model/Series: 532
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 64 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: KLHM, 122 ft msl
Observation Time: 2355 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 163°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 7000 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 16°C / 1°C
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility: 10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 7 knots, 260°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 30.26 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Lincoln, CA (LHM)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Lincoln, CA (LHM)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 1700 PDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: LINCOLN RGNL/KARL HARDER FIELD (LHM)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 121 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 15
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 6001 ft / 100 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 38.914167, -121.353056 (est)