Sunday, April 29, 2018

Piper PA-24-250 Comanche, N6261P: Incident occurred April 29, 2018 at Sacramento Mather Airport (KMHR), Sacramento County, California

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Sacramento

Gear-up landing.

http://registry.faa.gov/N6261P

Date: 29-APR-18
Time: 20:50:00Z
Regis#: 6261P
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA24
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: SACRAMENTO
State: CALIFORNIA

MATHER (CBS13) — Sacramento Metro Fire Airport Rescue And Fire Fighting crews responded at Mather Field just before 2 P.M. on Sunday afternoon to a report of an aircraft that had declared an in-flight emergency.

Sacramento Metro Fire spokesman Chris Vestal says that the aircraft was able to land at Mather and that 2 people on board the aircraft were able to safely get out of the aircraft and were not injured.

The Piper PA-24 Comanche made a “gear-up” landing on runway 22R according to FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer.

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

Cessna 172H Skyhawk, N8201L: Incident occurred April 27, 2018 at Richard B. Russell Airport (KRMG), Rome, Floyd County, Georgia

http://registry.faa.gov/N8201L

Dents are barely visible both in front of the pilots door and behind the door to this Cessna 172 after being hit by a deer between 10:30 and 11 p.m. Friday night at Richard B. Russell Regional Airport. The pilot, who was practicing touch and go landings and takeoffs, was not hurt. A second near miss involving a Piper aircraft Saturday morning resulted in more serious damage to the aircraft, but no serious injuries to the pilot or flight instructor. 



The importance of tall security fencing at Richard B. Russell Regional Airport has been evidenced twice this weekend with one deer strike incident Friday night and a second near-deer incident Saturday morning.

On Friday night a small Cessna 172 owned-by George Russell of Calhoun, but piloted by another man who's identity has not been disclosed, was practicing touch and go landings and take-offs when a deer hit the side of the aircraft as it was landing about 1,000 feet from the south end of the main runway. The plane was dented both in front of and behind the pilot-side door.

On Saturday morning, around 10:30, a pilot was landing in a Piper with a certified flight instructor when a deer ran out in front of the aircraft as it was landing. Airport Manager Mike Mathews, who was at a Georgia Airport Association board meeting in Savannah, said he had been told the pilot swerved to miss the deer and the tail swept around with such force that it ended up dropping a wing, causing the plane to flip into a ditch. The near miss occurred in almost the same location as the incident 12 hours before.

The Piper did sustain significant damages, but no one was hurt in either incident. 

An investigator from the Federal Aviation Administration was on the scene Saturday afternoon investigating both incidents but declined to speak with the Rome News-Tribune.

Mathews said that in his 20 years at the airport he's only aware of perhaps three previous incidents involving deer strikes. But wildlife — particularly birds — are well known problems at airports all over the country.

Russell Airport received a grant several years ago for fencing but it was not enough to completely encircle the airport.  Mathews said the south end of the field, close to where the incidents occurred this weekend, is fenced and that deer probably got in from the north end of the airport.

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

Kolb Flyer SS, N38KF: Accident occurred July 11, 2020 at Tampa North Aero Park (X39), Lutz, Florida









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.

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

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:


Location: Tampa, FL
Accident Number: ERA20CA244
Date & Time: July 11, 2020, 11:26 Local 
Registration: N38KF
Aircraft: Kolb KOLB FLYER SS
Injuries: N/A
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Kolb 
Registration: N38KF
Model/Series: KOLB FLYER SS No Series
Aircraft Category:
Amateur Built: Yes
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held:
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: 
Condition of Light:
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:
Departure Point:
Destination:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 
Aircraft Damage:
Passenger Injuries: 
Aircraft Fire:
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion:
Total Injuries: N/A
Latitude, Longitude: 28.13034,-82.460197 (est)

Cessna A185F Skywagon, N4585F, registered to and operated by the pilot: Fatal accident occurred June 25, 2016 near Horse Haven Airstrip, Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai County, Idaho

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


Analysis 

The private pilot was on a local personal flight in the airplane. According to witnesses, the pilot appeared to fly a series of practice approaches at a remote private airstrip and then flew northeast up a nearby canyon towards rising mountainous terrain. The airplane impacted trees on the canyon hillside about 1 mile from the airstrip on a southwest heading, indicating that the pilot had reversed course. It is likely that the pilot realized that the canyon narrowed ahead and that he was surrounded by rising terrain. He likely attempted to turn the airplane around, and while maneuvering in the turn, he was unable to maintain clearance with the trees on the canyon hillside.

No significant weather or turbulence was reported or forecast in the area, however wind at the time of the accident may have created some light turbulence, though it is unlikely to have affected the flight.

Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The engine was subsequently test run in a test cell at various power settings with no anomalies noted.

It is unlikely that the pilot's elevated blood pressure, insomnia, or medications used to treat these conditions impaired him or contributed to the accident. Additionally, it is unlikely that the pilot's antidepressant medications contributed to the accident. The pilot had used the potentially-impairing medication tramadol before the accident. However, because of variations in patient tolerance to opioid medications and possible postmortem changes in drug concentrations, the investigation was unable to determine if the pilot was impaired by tramadol at the time of the crash. 

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 clearance from trees while maneuvering at low altitude in mountainous terrain. 

Findings

Aircraft
Altitude - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Decision making/judgment - Pilot (Cause)
Monitoring environment - Pilot (Cause)
Use of medication/drugs - Pilot

Environmental issues
Mountainous/hilly terrain - Effect on operation
Tree(s) - Contributed to outcome

Factual Information

History of Flight

Maneuvering-low-alt flying
Low altitude operation/event

Maneuvering
Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT) (Defining event)

Kenneth D. Chapman
(1946 - 2016)

CHAPMAN,  Kenneth D. 
June 2, 1946 --  June 25, 2016 

Ken passed away in a plane crash that happened while flying his Cessna A185F Skywagon the backcountry of Idaho on June 25, 2016.

Ken was a man of many interests, hobbies and talents he developed throughout his life. He spent his earlier years in California pursuing a college degree and working with disabled children for a brief time. He went on to work on the Titan III booster rocket for the Rohr Corporation, which was involved in the NASA space program and it was there he learned the machinist trade. He later moved to Stevensville, MT, where he got into rodeo and owned and operated Ace Machining Company, which did work for all four branches of the U.S military. In 1990 he moved to Spokane, WA where he formed Chapman & Sons, Inc-- a structural steel fabrication and installation business that he owned for twenty years. He was an experienced and avid pilot, passionate about aviation and felt the happiest while flying, fly fishing and camping in the backcountry of Idaho with family and friends. 

The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Spokane, Washington
Continental Motors Inc.; Mobile, Alabama 
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas 

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

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

Kenneth D. Chapman: http://registry.faa.gov/N4585F

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board

Location: Coeur d'Alene, ID
Accident Number: WPR16FA131
Date & Time: 06/25/2016, 1200 PDT
Registration: N4585F
Aircraft: CESSNA A185F
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On June 25, 2016, about 1200 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna A185F airplane, N4585F, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain about 15 miles northeast of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane departed Felts Field Airport (SFF) Spokane, Washington, about 1126. 

A witness located at the Horse Haven Airstrip, a remote private airstrip about 1 mile southwest of the accident site, reported seeing the airplane flying northeast before it "came back around buzzing us as if to land on the airstrip." Another witness located at the airstrip stated that the airplane made two passes over the airstrip: the first pass was "very high, and the second pass was just above the tree tops in a northeast direction." The witness further reported that after the second pass, the airplane never returned, and that no noise was heard after the airplane did not return.

There were no witnesses to the impact. The wreckage was discovered later in the day by an individual passing through the area. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 70, 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: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/29/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 3505 hours (Total, all aircraft) 

The pilot, age 70, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. The pilot was issued a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class airman medical certificate on March 29, 2016, with the limitation that he must wear corrective lenses. The pilot reported on the application for this medical certificate that he had accumulated 3,505 total flight hours and had logged no flight hours in the last 6 months. The pilot's logbook was not located during the investigation. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: CESSNA
Registration: N4585F
Model/Series: A185F F
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1966
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 1851092
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 04/11/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3350 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3788.2 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental Motors
ELT: C91  installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-520 SERIES
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 300 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

The high-wing, fixed gear airplane, was manufactured in 1966. It was powered by a 300 horsepower Continental IO-520-F-C-D (9) reciprocating engine driving a two-bladed McCauley D2A34C58 constant speed propeller.

A maintenance invoice indicated that the airplane's most recent annual and 100-hour inspections were completed on April 11, 2016. At the time of the accident, the airplane had been flown 11.2 hours since the annual inspection. 

According to the performance section of the owner's manual for the airplane, the airplane's maximum rate of climb at 5,000 ft, and a temperature of 41° C, was 1,425 feet per minute (fpm) at a gross weight of 2,300 pounds (lowest weight listed) and 1,050 fpm at a gross weight of 2,800 pounds. 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KCOE, 2307 ft msl
Observation Time: 1155 PDT
Distance from Accident Site: 16 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 255°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 3500 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 17°C / 8°C
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 5000 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 6 knots, 140°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 30.22 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: SPOKANE, WA (SFF)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination:
Type of Clearance: Unknown
Departure Time: 1126 PDT
Type of Airspace: Class G 

The 1155 weather observation at Coeur d'Alene Airport – Pappy Boyington Field, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, located about 16 miles southwest of the accident site, reported wind, 140° at 6 knots with gusts to 15 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 3,500 ft, scattered clouds at 4,300 ft, broken clouds at 5,000 ft, temperature 17º C, dew point 8º C, and an altimeter setting of 30.22 inches of mercury. 

A review of the weather information revealed that no significant weather or turbulence was reported or forecast in the accident area. No AIRMETS or SIGMETS were valid in the area at the time of the accident. The wind speed was estimated to be about 5 to 15 knots. 

Given the atmospheric conditions on the day of the accident, the density altitude at the accident location was calculated to be about 3,859 ft. 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude:  47.833611, -116.483611 (est) 

The airplane was examined at the accident site by investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Continental Motors, and Textron Aviation. The airplane impacted heavily wooded terrain, at an elevation of about 3,133 ft, and came to rest inverted on a canyon hillside, with a slope of about 45.° The ridgelines surrounding the site were separated by a distance of about 3,500 ft and were several hundred feet above the accident site elevation. The canyon was orientated southwest to northeast and narrowed to the northeast, with the distances between ridgelines decreasing to about 2,200 ft about 1/3 mile northeast of the accident site. The canyon continued to narrow a couple miles further northeast, with the canyon floor elevation increasing by several hundred feet, and the ridgelines increasing to about 1,500 ft above the elevation of the accident site.

The debris path was about 150 ft long on a heading of 220° magnetic and began with an initial impact to a tree top about 100 ft in height. The second point of impact was a group of 4 trees about 50 ft west of the initial impact point. The last portion of the debris path was a disturbed area of dirt about 25 ft long, 3 ft wide, and 2 inches deep, that led to the main wreckage. All major components of the airplane were located along the debris path. Flight control continuity was established to the empennage. One personal electronic device was recovered from the wreckage. 

The left wing was separated at the fuselage and located about 15 ft downhill from the main wreckage. The left wing exhibited "accordion type" crushing damage to the leading edge mid-span. Both the aileron and flap remained attached to the wing. 

The right wing was separated from the fuselage at the wing root but remained located with the main wreckage. The aileron and flap remained attached to the wing. Impact damage was observed on the bottom side of the wing from the leading edge to trailing edge. A small amount of fuel was drained from the right wing and tested negative for water contamination.

The forward upper portion of the passenger cabin was crushed from impact. The heading indicator displayed 230° magnetic and the fuel selector was in the both position. The ignition switch was selected to both.

The left horizontal stabilizer was separated from the empennage and located about 31 ft east of the main wreckage. The left stabilizer exhibited crushing impact damage to the inboard portion of the leading edge and the elevator remained attached. The vertical stabilizer and rudder remained attached. The leading edge of the vertical stabilizer exhibited crushing damage, and the tip fin assembly that contained the beacon light was separated from the vertical stabilizer and located about 30 ft east of the main wreckage. The right horizontal stabilizer and elevator remained attached and were intact. 

The on-scene examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Following the on-scene examination, the airplane wreckage was recovered to a secure facility for further examination.

The postaccident examination of the engine revealed that all engine components and accessories were present. The crankshaft could be manually rotated by hand by the propeller and continuity was established throughout the crankshaft and drivetrain. The combustion chamber of each cylinder was examined using a borescope and revealed evidence of normal operational conditions.

The examination of the engine revealed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. 

Medical And Pathological Information

The Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office, Spokane, Washington, conducted an autopsy on the pilot. The medical examiner determined that the cause of death was "blunt force trauma."

The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing on the pilot. Testing was negative for carbon monoxide and volatiles. Drug testing detected bupropion in liver and cavity blood; tramadol at 0.943 ug/g in liver, at 0.476 ug/g in lung, and at 0.102 ug/ml in cavity blood; and zolpidem at 0.065 ug/g in lung, at 0.01 ug/g in liver, and not in blood.

Bupropion is an antidepressant used to treat depression and help patients quit smoking, often marketed with the names Wellbutrin and Zyban. Its carries a warning and advises patients not to drive or use heavy machinery until the medication's effects are known and there is a dose-dependent risk of seizures.

Tramadol is a prescription opioid available as a Schedule IV controlled substance, that is used to treat pain. Typical therapeutic levels of tramadol are between 0.05 and 0.50 ug/ml. It carries the warning: "… may impair the mental and or physical abilities required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks such as driving a car or operating machinery. The patient using this drug should be cautioned accordingly." Additionally, it increases the risk of seizures via an unknown mechanism, even when used at usual doses. The FAA advises pilots not to fly while using tramadol. Individual tolerances to opioid medications and postmortem changes can affect the drug's concentration.

Zolpidem is a prescription central nervous system depressant used as a short-acting sleep aid, often sold with the name Ambien. It carries the warning, "due to the rapid onset of action, zolpidem tartrate should only be taken immediately prior to going to bed."

According to a family-provided summary of personal medical records from April and June of 2016, the pilot's active medical conditions included high blood pressure controlled with losartan; (losartan is generally not considered to be impairing); degenerative disc disease, and low back pain treated with tramadol; depression and anxiety treated with bupropion and citalopram; and insomnia treated with zolpidem.

Citalopram is a prescription antidepressant commonly marketed as Celexa and is not generally considered impairing. 

Tests And Research

The engine was shipped to the manufacturer for an engine run and detailed examination. The engine was prepared for the engine run by fitting it with a test propeller appropriate for the engine model and a wiring harnesses for the left and right magnetos. Further, a magneto-to-engine timing and cylinder leakage tests were accomplished.

The engine started normally and was run at various power settings for several minutes, including at full power, with no anomalies noted. Further, the engine throttle was rapidly advanced from idle to full throttle a couple of times, and the engine performed normally with no hesitation, stumbling, or interruption in power.

The personal electronic device recovered from the wreckage was sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for download. No information pertinent to the investigation was present in the device.

NTSB Identification: WPR16FA131
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, June 25, 2016 in Coeur d'Alene, ID
Aircraft: CESSNA A185F, registration: N4585F
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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 either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On June 25, 2016, about 1200 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna A185F, N4585F, airplane was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain about 16 miles northeast of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight. The pilot departed Felts Field Airport (SFF) Spokane, Washington, about 1126. 

A witness located at the Horse Haven Airstrip, a private airstrip about 1 mile southwest of the accident site, reported observing the accident airplane flying northeast and "then came back around buzzing us as if to land on the airstrip." An additional witness located at the airstrip stated that the airplane made two passes over the airstrip, stating the first pass was "very high and the second pass was just above the tree tops in a northeast direction." The witness further reported that after the second pass, the airplane never returned and no noise was heard after the airplane left the area.

Examination of the accident site by the National Transportation Safety Board investigator in charge revealed that the airplane wreckage was located on a wooded hillside, in mountainous terrain, at an elevation of about 3,100 feet, mean sea level. The first identified point of contact was the top of a tree about 100 feet in height, located about 150 feet northeast of the main wreckage location. All major components of the airplane were located in the debris path. The airplane was recovered to a secured location for further examination.

Rans S-12 Airaile, N6202N, registered to and operated by the pilot: Fatal accident occurred December 12, 2015 at Chilhowee Gliderport (92A), Benton, Polk County, Tennessee

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 Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board:https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfg

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

Gary Wayne Church: http://registry.faa.gov/N6202N



Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board

Location: Benton, TN
Accident Number: ERA16LA068
Date & Time: 12/12/2015, 1440 EST
Registration: N6202N
Aircraft: MCCORKLE ROBERT B RANS S-12 AIRAILE
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On December 12, 2015, about 1440 eastern standard time, an experimental, amateur-built RANS S-12 Airaile airplane, N6202N, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground shortly after takeoff from Chilhowee Gilderport (92A), Benton, Tennessee. The sport pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the flight to a private airstrip in Athens, Tennessee.

According to witnesses, the airplane was the third in a group of three to take off from runway 21 at 92A. Witnesses noted that, after the takeoff, the airplane made a "rapid" or "steep" climb at the top of which it began a left turn. One witness noted that the airplane then entered a "steep wingover-like 180° turn reversing to the north." The airplane was then "in a low energy state," about 150 ft above ground level (agl) at a high rate of descent with "the left wing [then] lowering in what can only be described as a 1/2- to 3/4-turn spin, impacting the ground with the left wing and nose."

Another witness noted that the airplane "appeared to stall, hovered for a split second and twisted in a nose dive into [a] sod field." A third witness stated that the airplane was in a left bank of about 70° to 80° and subsequently "descended rapidly then 'nosed over' and impacted the ground in a near vertical attitude." A fourth witness, who was inside at the time, stated, "I heard the crash; the sound of the engine was loud and even right up to the moment of impact."

The accident site was located in an open grass field about 360 ft southeast of runway 21. According to a local law enforcement incident report, the airplane impacted terrain inverted and was subsequently righted by first responders.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector's examination of the airplane did not reveal evidence of any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Photographs of the airplane showed crush damage to the forward section of the fuselage and the leading edges of both wings. All major flight control surfaces remained attached. The engine remained attached to the airframe. The propeller hub remained attached to the engine. Two of the wooden propeller blades were fragmented near the propeller hub, and one blade fragmented near the tip.

According to FAA airman records, the pilot held a sport pilot certificate. He also held a light sport aircraft repairman certificate that was limited to N4288S, a Quad City Challenger II, serial number GC6151954. The pilot did not hold a medical certificate nor was he required to for the accident flight. The pilot's logbook was not located.

According to FAA airworthiness records, the two-seat, single-engine airplane was manufactured in 1992. It was powered by a 100-horsepower Bombardier Rotax 912 engine. The airplane's airframe and engine logbooks were not located.

According to a specifications sheet provided on the kit manufacturer's (Rans Aircraft) website, the airplane's aerodynamic stall speed with flaps retracted was 42 mph and with flaps extended was 35 mph. The airplane's flap setting at the time of the accident was not determined.

A witness at the airport reported that the wind was from the south at 8 to10 miles per hour. The weather conditions reported at McMinn County Airport (MMI), Athens, Tennessee, about 10 nautical miles north of the accident site, included wind from 230° at 7 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 5,000 ft agl, temperature 21°C, and dew point 13°C.

The Center for Forensic Medicine, Office of the Medical Examiner, Nashville, Tennessee, performed an autopsy on the pilot. The autopsy report noted the cause of death as "multiple blunt force injuries." The autopsy also revealed that the pilot had significant coronary artery disease with 70-80% stenosis of the left anterior descending artery and 50-60% stenosis of the right coronary artery.

The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology testing on samples from the pilot. The testing identified clozapine, an antipsychotic medication known to increase the risk of a number of medical conditions including seizures and death, and propranolol, a non-impairing medication most often used to treat hypertension. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Sport Pilot
Age: 61, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Sport Pilot None
Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: MCCORKLE ROBERT B
Registration: N6202N
Model/Series: RANS S-12 AIRAILE
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1992
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental Light Sport
Serial Number: 0992285
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection:  Unknown
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1100 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: ROTAX
ELT: Not installed
Engine Model/Series: 912
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 100 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: MMI, 874 ft msl
Observation Time: 1435 EST
Distance from Accident Site: 10 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 10°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 5000 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 21°C / 13°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 7 knots, 230°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 30.2 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Benton, TN (92A)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Athens, TN (NONE)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1440 EST
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: Chilhowee Gliderport (92A)
Runway Surface Type: Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 770 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 21
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 2600 ft / 200 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude:  35.224167, -84.584722

NTSB Identification: ERA16LA068
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, December 12, 2015 in Benton, TN
Aircraft: MCCORKLE ROBERT B RANS S 12 AIRAILE, registration: N6202N
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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 December 12, 2015, about 1440 eastern standard time, an experimental amateur-built RANS S-12 Airaile, N6202N, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground shortly after taking off from Chilhowee Gilderport (92A), Benton, Tennessee. The sport pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the flight to a private airstrip in Athens, Tennessee. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. 

According to witnesses, the airplane was the third in a group of three to take off from runway 21. Witnesses noted that after the takeoff, the airplane made a "rapid" or "steep" climb, at the top of which, it began a left turn. One witness noted that it then entered a "steep wingover-like 180-degree turn reversing to the north." The airplane was then in "in a low energy state," about 150 feet in the air, at a high rate of descent, with "the left wing [then] lowering in what can only be described as a ½ to ¾ turn spin, impacting the ground with the left wing and nose." 

Another witness noted that the airplane "appeared to stall, hovered for a split second and twisted in a nose dive into [a] sod field." A third witness stated, "the airplane was in a 70-80 degrees of bank. It subsequently "descended rapidly then 'nosed over' and impacted the ground in a near vertical attitude." A fourth witness, in her office at the time, stated, "I heard the crash; the sound of the engine was loud and even right up to the moment of impact." 

Due to the accident's proximity to a road and the responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector's arrival the next day, permission was granted to move the wreckage to behind an airport building. The FAA inspector's subsequent examination of the airplane did not reveal any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Piper PA-28R-200 Arrow II, N4363F, fatal accident occurred April 28, 2018 in Gainesville, Forsyth County (and) Incident occurred March 08, 2016 at Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport (KPUJ), Dallas, Paulding County, Georgia

The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities: 

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Atlanta, Georgia
The New Piper Aircraft Company; Wichita, Kansas
Textron Lycoming; Atlanta, Georgia

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


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


http://registry.faa.gov/N4363F


Location: Gainesville, GA
Accident Number: ERA18FA137
Date & Time: 04/28/2018, 1715 EDT
Registration: N4363F
Aircraft: PIPER PA28R
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (partial)
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On April 28, 2018, about 1715 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-200, N4363F, was substantially damaged when it struck a vehicle during a forced landing to a highway near Gainesville, Georgia. The flight instructor was fatally injured; the commercial pilot and passenger were seriously injured. The two people in the vehicle were not injured. The airplane was registered to and was being operated by the Flight School of Gwinnett as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which departed Gwinnett County Airport–Briscoe Field (LZU), Lawrenceville, Georgia, about 1615.

According to the commercial pilot, who was seated in the front left seat, the purpose of the flight was to practice maneuvers for a single-engine add-on rating to his commercial certificate. After they departed, they flew to the flight school's practice area, which was over Lake Lanier, before returning to the airport to practice landings and traffic pattern work. While returning to the airport in level flight between 3,500 and 5,000 ft mean sea level (msl), the commercial pilot heard a loud bang from the engine and saw the cowling expand simultaneously. Engine oil then sprayed over the entire windscreen and obstructed their view. The engine was producing some power, but the airplane was unable to maintain altitude. The flight instructor, seated in the front right seat, took control of the airplane and made two descending 360° turns over the highway and prepared to land to the west. The flight instructor also made a distress call to air traffic control. The flight instructor opened the cabin door so he could see outside and aligned the airplane with the road. The commercial pilot was looking out the left-side window. When the airplane was about 20 to 30 ft above the ground, the flight instructor began to flare the airplane. The commercial pilot remembered an impact, then the airplane flipped over. He recalled seeing the top of the fuselage caving in before losing consciousness.

The passenger in the rear left seat was a student pilot at the flight school and was observing the flight. He stated that they had been practicing maneuvers when he heard a loud bang and the airplane began to shake. Oil then covered the windshield from right to left. The flight instructor said they were going to make an emergency landing. The flight instructor opened the cabin door so he could make sure the landing area was clear, because he could not see out the windshield. The passenger said that there was a loud crash sound as the airplane touched down. The next thing he knew he was upside down still strapped into his seat via his lap belt. He unbuckled the belt and exited the airplane.

Several people witnessed the accident and reported that the airplane's engine was sputtering, leaking fluid, and trailing smoke.

A witness was driving westbound on the highway when she saw the airplane fly over her car. She said the pilots tried to land the airplane and struck a vehicle; there was then an explosion. The airplane then went down an embankment.

Another witness was a passenger in a car driving westbound on Highway 369 when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. The airplane then struck the car from behind. Her husband, who was driving the car, said the airplane struck their car, then he saw flames in his rearview mirror before the airplane passed the car on the left and went into a ditch.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The flight instructor held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. He also held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine, and instrument airplane. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) second-class medical certificate was issued on December 18, 2017.

The flight instructor's logbook was not recovered. According to information provided by the flight school, as of November 2017, the flight instructor had about 536 total hours of flight experience. The flight instructor began employment at the flight school in December 2017 and had flown about 135 hours between that time and the accident.

The pilot receiving instruction held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for airplane multi-engine land and instrument airplane, with private pilot privileges for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on April 10, 2018. The commercial pilot reported about 560 total hours of flight experience.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The Piper PA-28R-200 is a four-seat, low-wing, single-engine airplane powered by a four-cylinder Lycoming IO-360 engine.

The airplane's most recent annual inspection was conducted on February 6, 2018, at an airframe total time of about 5,477.87 hours. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accrued about 5,515.01 hours.

The engine's most recent annual inspection was conducted on February 6, 2018 at a total time of 1,033.97 hours and the engine had accrued 1,071.11 hours since major overhaul at the time of the accident. The overhaul was conducted in July 2014, at which time the crankcase was reassembled and all four cylinders were installed. Review of maintenance records did not reveal any cylinder removals or crankcase disassembly since the overhaul.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

Recorded weather at LZU at 1656 included wind from 250° at 8 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 8,000 ft, temperature 25°C, dew point 5°C, and a barometric pressure setting of 29.92 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane collided with a set of power lines before touching down on the road. It then struck a car, veered to the right, went off the road, and down a steep embankment before coming to rest inverted on a northerly heading about 450 ft from the power lines. The main wreckage exhibited no evidence of fire; however, the right wing, which had separated from the airplane and came to rest on the opposite side of the highway, was fire damaged.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage, including the top and bottom of the engine cowling, the windshield, and the aft section of the fuselage were coated in oil. The top of the fuselage was crushed down, left, and aft. The left wing separated from the airframe at the wing root, but the control cables remained connected. The outboard section of the left wing was separated and found adjacent to the main wreckage.

The vertical stabilizer, including the rudder, was bent to the left. The left side of the horizontal stabilator was bent up. The elevator trim was neutral.

Flight control continuity was established from all flight control surfaces to the cockpit. The flaps were fully retracted and the landing gear were extended.

All four seats remained attached to their respective mounts. The front left seatbelt/shoulder harness assembly was intact and found unbuckled. The shoulder harness inertia reel was locked and would not retract or extend. Some stretching of the harness was observed. The front right lap belt was buckled and the webbing was cut by emergency personnel. The shoulder harness was retracted and found stowed with the metal clip attached to the headliner. Both rear seats were equipped only with lap belts, and both belts were unbuckled.

The engine and cowling remained attached to the airframe and the two-bladed propeller remained attached to the engine. Both blades exhibited chordwise scoring, curling at the tips, and twisting toward the blade faces.

Examination of the engine revealed that the No. 2 cylinder (S/N: EC10 3504-08) had separated from the cylinder mounting deck. Two fractured sections of the left crankcase, which included part of the No. 2 cylinder bore, were found lying in the engine cowling. The No. 2 cylinder rocker box cover and a pushrod tube was protruding from the left forward side of the cowling. The No. 2 cylinder connecting rod was protruding through the top of the cowling. The No. 2 cylinder base studs and thru bolts remained in the cylinder/crankcase bore and were fractured. The separated portions of the bolts and the cylinder base nuts were not observed with the recovered wreckage.

The Nos. 1, 3, and 4 cylinders were removed and the crankcase was disassembled. The No. 1 cylinder head was impact damaged. No damage was noted to the pistons, valves or cylinder walls of the Nos. 1, 3, or 4 cylinders. The No. 2 piston remained in the No. 2 cylinder. The cylinder skirt and piston skirt were damaged consistent with impact by the No. 2 connecting rod. The No. 2 connecting rod remained attached to the No. 2 piston and was damaged consistent with impact with the cylinder skirt. The No. 2 rod cap was not attached to the rod and no bolts were present in the rod bolt holes. The rod cap was damaged. A portion of one rod bolt remained in the rod cap. The shank portion of the rod bolt that remained was narrowed consistent with stretching of the bolt. The rod bearing shell was distorted consistent with the distortion of the rod cap.

The crankcase web mating surfaces at the Nos. 2, 3, and No. 4 bearing journals exhibited pitting consistent with fretting.

The left section of the crankcase with remaining base studs and thru bolts, the two broken sections of the crankcase with remaining bolts, the No. 2 cylinder with piston and attached lower section of connecting rod, the No. 2 cylinder end-cap with one bolt, the No. 2 cylinder connecting cap bearing, and the No. 2 cylinder pushrod tube were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's Materials Laboratory for examination. The examination revealed that all the No. 2 cylinder's base studs and thru bolts were fractured at their threaded section. The fractured surfaces exhibited evidence of crack arrest marks consistent with fatigue cracking and microvoid coalescence features typical of overstress separation.

Examination of the fractured bolt from the connecting rod end cap revealed that the shank portion exhibited evidence of a cup-and-cone fracture consistent with overstress separation.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Division of Forensic Sciences, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Atlanta, Georgia, performed the autopsy on the pilot. The autopsy report indicated that the cause of death was, "Blunt force trauma of the head and neck."

Toxicology testing performed at the FAA Forensic Laboratory identified an unquantifiable amount of doxylamine in the pilot's iliac blood and urine. Doxylamine is a sedating antihistamine available in several over-the-counter cold and allergy products and in some over-the-counter sleep aids.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

According to the FAA Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook (FAA-H-8083-30), fretting occurs:

…when two mating surfaces, normally at rest with respect to one another, are subject to slight relative motion. It is characterized by pitting of the surfaces and the generation of considerable quantities of finely divided debris. Since the restricted movements of the two surfaces prevent the debris from escaping very easily, an extremely localized abrasion occurs.

According to the Lycoming Overhaul Manual, section 6, page 6-21, "To assure proper assembly of the crankcase halves and to eliminate the possibility of subsequent loosening of the cylinder base nuts, a definite and specific sequence of tightening all crankcase and cylinder base nuts must be followed." Lycoming also issued Service Instruction No. 1029D for all Lycoming piston engines, titled Tightening Procedures for Crankcase Thru-Studs and Bolts, on August 15, 1986. The Service Instruction stated,

All Avco Lycoming aircraft engines incorporate bolts and long thru studs that extend through the crankcase halves primarily for holding them together. The studs also secure the cylinders to their mounting decks on the crankcase. To ensure uniform loading on the main bearings, it is necessary to tighten these studs and bolts in a sequence beginning at the approximate center of the engine and progressing evenly to both front and rear of the engine...

In a June 2014 issue of EAA Sport Aviation, Mike Busch wrote an article, "Cylinder Work: Be Afraid," that stated that:

…preload is the technical term for the clamping force created by tightening a fastener (typically a threaded bolt or stud) that holds assembled parts together. Having sufficient preload is the key to a strong and reliable bolted joint that will not loosen, break, or shift under the load. In order for a bolted joint to be stable under cyclic repetitive stress, the preload on the fasteners must be greater than the maximum stress that is trying to pull the joint apart. If this condition is met, the joint will not separate, and the fasteners won't "feel" the repetitive stress cycles. But if it isn't, the joint will shift under load and the fasteners will ultimately fail from repetitive stress fatigue.

Flight Instructor Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial; Private
Age: 28, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 2 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 12/18/2017
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 04/10/2018
Flight Time: (Estimated) 671 hours (Total, all aircraft)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial; Private
Age: 30, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 04/10/2018
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 05/06/2015
Flight Time: 560 hours (Total, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: PIPER
Registration: N4363F
Model/Series: PA28R 200
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1976
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 28R-7635406
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 02/06/2018, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection: 37 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 5515.01 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: C91 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-360-C1C
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 200 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: LZU, 1061 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 16 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1656 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 360°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 8000 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 8 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 250°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 29.92 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 25°C / 5°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Lawrenceville, GA (LZU)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Lawrenceville, GA (LZU)
Type of Clearance: VFR Flight Following
Departure Time: 1615 EDT
Type of Airspace: Unknown

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 34.250000, -83.972778 (est)

Location: Gainesville, GA
Accident Number: ERA18FA137
Date & Time: 04/28/2018, 1715 EDT
Registration: N4363F
Aircraft: PIPER PA28R
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

On April 28, 2018, about 1715 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-200, N4363F, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Gainesville, Georgia. The flight instructor was fatally injured. The commercial pilot and the passenger were seriously injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the Flight School of Gwinnett as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that departed the Gwinnett County Airport – Briscoe Field (LZU), Lawrenceville, Georgia, about 1615.

According to the commercial pilot, who was seated in the front left seat, the purpose of the flight was to practice maneuvers for a single-engine add-on rating to his commercial certificate. After they departed, they flew to the flight school's practice area, which was over Lake Lanier, before returning to the airport to practice landings/traffic pattern work. On the way back to the airport, while in level flight between 3,500 and 5,000 ft mean sea level (msl), the commercial pilot simultaneously heard a loud bang from the engine and saw the cowling expand. Engine oil then sprayed over the entire windshield and obstructed their view. The engine was producing some power, but they were unable to maintain altitude. The commercial pilot immediately focused on finding a place to make a forced landing. He said their only option was Highway 369 or the lake. The flight instructor, seated in the front right seat, took control of the airplane, and made two, descending orbits over the highway and prepared to land to the west. On the second circuit, they extended the landing gear. The flight instructor also made a distress call to air traffic control. The flight instructor opened the cabin door, so he could see outside and lined up on the road. The commercial pilot was looking out the left side window. When the airplane was about 20-30 ft above the ground, they began to flare. The commercial pilot said he remembered an impact, and then the airplane flipped over. He recalled seeing the top of the fuselage caving in before losing consciousness.

The passenger in the rear left seat was a student pilot at the flight school and was observing the flight. He said they had been practicing maneuvers when he heard a loud bang and the airplane began to shake. Oil then covered the windshield from right to left. The flight instructor said they were going to make an emergency landing. The flight instructor opened the cabin door, so he could make sure the landing area was clear, because he could not see out the windshield. The passenger said as the airplane touched down there was a loud crash sound. The next thing he knew he was upside down still strapped in to his seat via his lap belt. He unbuckled the belt and exited the airplane.

Several people witnessed the accident and reported the airplane's engine was sputtering, leaking fluid, and trailing smoke.

One witness stated that he observed the airplane about 10-15 minutes before the accident. The engine was sputtering, and the airplane made five "laps" overhead before it attempted to land to the west on Highway 369.

A second witness was driving westbound on the highway when she observed the airplane fly over her car. She said the airplane tried to land on the road but struck a vehicle followed by an explosion. The airplane then went down an embankment.

A third witness was a passenger in a car driving westbound on Highway 369 when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She said, "Loud noise and force came through the back window and almost decapitated us." Her husband, who was driving the car said, "…we were impacted in the rear of the car by a plane. I looked in rearview and saw flames and then the plane passed us on the driver's side and went off side of the road into a ditch."

The airplane collided with a set of power lines prior to touching down on the highway. It then struck a car, veered to the right, went off the road, and down a steep embankment, before coming to rest inverted on a northerly heading. The distance between the point where the airplane struck the power lines to where it came to rest was about 450 ft. There was no post-impact fire to the main wreckage; however, the right wing, which had separated from the airplane and came to rest on the opposite side of the highway was fire damaged.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the fuselage, including the top and bottom of the engine cowling, the windshield and the aft section of the fuselage were coated in oil. The top of the fuselage was crushed down, left and aft. The right wing exhibited impact and postimpact fire damage. The left wing separated from the airframe at the wing root but the control cables remained connected. The outboard section of the left wing had separated and was found adjacent to the main wreckage.

The vertical stabilizer, including the rudder, was bent to the left. The left side of the horizontal stabilator was bent up. The elevator trim was neutral.

Flight control continuity was established for all flight controls from the flight control surface to the cockpit. The flaps were fully retracted, and the landing gear were extended.

The engine and cowling remained attached to the airframe and the two-bladed propeller remained attached to the engine. Both blades exhibited chordwise scoring, curling at the tips and twisting toward the blade faces.

Examination of the engine revealed the No. 2 cylinder had separated from the cylinder base pad. The No. 2 cylinder rocker box cover and a pushrod tube was protruding from the left forward side of the cowling. The No. 2 cylinder connecting rod was protruding through the top of the cowling. The No. 2 cylinder base studs and through-bolts remained in the crankcase and were fractured.

The engine was retained for further examination.

The flight instructor held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. He also held flight instructor ratings for airplane single-engine land, and instrument airplane. His last Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) second-class medical certificate was issued on December 18, 2017.

According to information provided by the flight school, as of November 2017, the flight instructor had a total of 536 flight hours. The flight instructor began employment at the flight school in December 2017 and had flown about 135 hours between then and the time of the accident.

The commercial pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. He also held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for airplane multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. His last FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on April 10, 2018. The commercial pilot reported a total of about 560 flight hours.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: PIPER
Registration: N4363F
Model/Series: PA28R 200
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: FLIGHT SCHOOL OF GWINNETT
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: LZU, 1061 ft msl
Observation Time: 1656 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 16 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 25°C / 5°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 8000 ft agl
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 8 knots, 250°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.92 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Lawrenceville, GA (LZU)
Destination: Lawrenceville, GA (LZU)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious
Latitude, Longitude:  34.250000, -83.972778 (est)


Ernesto Arteaga-Membreno


FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. - Friends and co-workers are remembering a flight instructor who was killed when his plane crashed over the weekend.

Channel 2’s Lori Wilson spoke with a neighbor who said he spent hours with the pilot the night before. 

Those who knew him best said Ernesto Arteaga-Membreno, 28, of Grayson, was a good pilot and a good neighbor. He was a flight instructor at flight school in Gwinnett County. 

“We had a reveal party and that was really the first time we interacted, and he was just a really nice guy,” neighbor Erik Siders told Wilson. 

He said Arteaga-Membreno had just bought the house next to him a couple of months ago. 

Siders invited him to a party Saturday and got to know more about the young pilot, instructor and airplane mechanic.

“Actually, my aunt, she works for Delta, and my wife's dad, he also did stuff with planes, so they all had really good conversations,” Siders said. 

Siders said he was glad he was able to spend a couple of hours with his neighbor, not knowing they would be his final moments.

“He actually stayed for a long time, until he had to go to work,” Siders said.

At the flight school in Gwinnett County where Arteaga-Membreno worked part-time, operations director Gary Stone told Wilson he hired Arteaga-Membreno because he was good.

“The chief flight instructor goes and flies with you and he came back and goes, ‘He's an excellent pilot.’ So that sold me,” Stone said. 

He was an excellent pilot who would take his last flight Saturday evening. 

“We consider ourselves a family, and we've lost one of the members of our family. That's kind of tough,” Stone said. 

Two passengers, Litsu Chen and Shen Yang Wu, were both injured in the crash. 

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash.


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


A man killed in a weekend plane crash in Forsyth County was identified as a Gwinnett County flight instructor. 

Ernesto Antonio Arteaga-Membreno, 28, of Grayson, died at the scene Saturday afternoon after a single-engine prop plane went down in the area of Browns Bridge Road and Waldrip Circle, Forsyth County sheriff’s Cpl. Doug Rainwater said Monday in a statement. 

Arteaga-Membreno was a part-time instructor for The Flight School of Gwinnett, Channel 2 Action News reported. The flight school’s operations director, Gary Stone, told the news station that Arteaga-Membreno was a mechanic for Delta Air Lines who moved from California late last year.

“We consider ourselves a family, and we've lost one of the members of our family,” Stone told Channel 2. “That's kind of tough.”

The plane’s other occupants — student pilots Litsu Chen, 30, of Lawrenceville, and Shen Yang Wu, 25, of Duluth — were taken to a nearby hospital for their injuries. Chen remained in the hospital Monday.

The plane had just taken off around 5 p.m., and Rainwater said “we can speculate” that the pilot was trying to make an emergency landing on Browns Bridge Road but collided with the rear of a car.

The occupants of the car were not injured. Their names were not released. 

“The plane was smoking as it started making circles around the cul-de-sac, and then the engine started to sputter on and off,” witness Cherie Simonds told Channel 2. She said the plane then went silent and crashed. 

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.

Stone said the young instructor will be missed.

“He wanted to do some flying and continue teaching, so we hired him,” Stone said. “And he also was a mechanic, so he knew a lot about aircraft.”

https://www.ajc.com


The pilot of a single-engine plane that crash-landed Saturday in Forsyth County has been identified as the person who was killed in the accident. 

Ernesto Antonio Arteaga-Membreno, 28, from Grayson, died at the scene of the crash on Browns Bridge Road near Waldrip Circle, according to the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office. 

Two passengers on board the plane were injured. Litsu Chen, 30, from Lawrenceville, remained hospitalized at last report with non-life threatening injuries while Shen Yang Wu, 25, from Duluth, has already been released from the hospital.

Local investigators determined the crash happened around 5 p.m. on April 28. When fire and law enforcement arrived at the scene, they found the Piper PA-28R-200 Arrow II on an embankment with one wing of the plane on the south side of Browns Bridge Road. A passenger vehicle traveling west on the roadway was clipped by the plane; the occupants of the car were not injured.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continues its investigation into the crash. 

http://accesswdun.com



Two people are still recovering after an airplane crash Saturday in Forsyth County.

The crash happened around 5 pm, when a Piper PA-28R-200 Arrow II went down while trying to make an emergency landing on Highway 369, also known as Browns Bridge Road.

There were three people on the flight. One of them died.

The National Transportation Safety Board has confirmed there was a flight instructor and two students on board the Piper PA-28R-200 Arrow II.

Officials said it left Gwinnett County’s Briscoe Field at 5:11 pm. But shortly after takeoff, air traffic control got a distress call about a need for an emergency landing right as the plane was over Lake Lanier.

But instead of aiming for water, the pilot tried to make Highway 369 his runway. Instead, the plane hit a car, which sheared off a wing, and landed nose down in a ravine.

“The best place to land is in an open field,” said Don Barnes, who has been a pilot for 55 years. “But if there’s nothing but trees around or lakes and water, the highway may be your best choice.”

Barnes has been teaching students how to fly since 1975, and said most instructional flights are done between 2,000 and 3,000 feet, which gives a single engine airplane plenty of space to glide to the ground if the engine goes out.

“I would stay away from highways,” Barnes said. “I’ve had nine engine failures in my career and I’ve only landed once on a highway.”

But he says what’s worse than landing on a road, is landing on the water.

“You don’t want to land on a lake,” he said. “Once you hit the water, it’s like hitting concrete. It’s hard, and the plane can do any number of things. It’s unpredictable.”

http://www.11alive.com



The investigation continues into the Saturday evening plane crash that left one man dead and two others injured in Forsyth County. 

Few new details were available Sunday morning regarding the crash, which happened near Browns Bridge Road and Waldrip Circle. The Piper PA-28R-200 Arrow II - which officials have speculated was trying to make an emergency landing — collided with the back of a car that was driving on the road. 

No one in the car was hurt, but one man in the plane was killed. Two other occupants in the airplane were injured and taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Cpl. Doug Rainwater said Saturday. 

“The plane was smoking as it started making circles around the cul de sac ,and then the engine started to sputter on and off,” witness Cherie Simonds told Channel 2 Action News. She said the plane then went silent and crashed.

Authorities have not released the names of the plane’s occupants, pending notification of their next of kin. Few other details were available regarding the crash. 

Channel 2 reported Sunday morning that the plane was registered to a local flight school.

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash as well.

https://www.ajc.com



FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. - Federal investigators are at the scene of a plane crash in Forsyth County. Investigators say the plane slammed into the back of a car before crashing along the side of Browns Bridge Road Saturday afternoon.

One person was killed and two other were injured in the crash. 

Forsyth County officials told Channel 2’s Christian Jennings that they've been trying to get in touch with the victim’s family but have not yet been able to reach them. 

Neighbor Cherie Simonds said she was outside with her husband when they looked up and knew right away something was wrong.

“It looked like it was going to hit our house the way it was coming down,” Simonds said. “The plane was smoking, making circles around the cul-de-sac and then the engine started to sputter on and off, and then it went completely silent and the plane started to come down.”

Forsyth County officials said just after 5 p.m. Saturday the single-engine aircraft crashed on Highway 369 (Browns Bridge Road) near Waldrip Circle, hitting the back of a car on its way down.

“When that occurred, a wing to the aircraft sheared off. The wing full of fuel went off to the southern embankment of the roadway, (a) very steep embankment, and set that embankment on fire,” Forsyth County Fire Division Chief Jason Shivers said. “The aircraft unfortunately tumbled off the northern embankment.”

No one inside the car was injured but three people were on board the airplane. Two of those people were rushed to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in stable condition. 

A third man inside the plane died on impact. 

“Our assumption is there was some attempt by aircraft to make an emergency landing of some sort on the roadway,” Shivers told Jennings. 

“I’m so thankful it didn’t hit a house, you know? Whoever was on there actually avoided all the houses in our subdivision,” Simonds said. 

The NTSB and FAA are on the ground beginning their investigation. There is no word from them on what caused the plane to go down.

Channel 2 Action News looked up the tail number of the plane and knows that it is registered to an area flight school. 

We're holding off on saying which school because we know officials are still working to notify next of kin.

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



One man is dead and two others are injured after their plane crashed in Forsyth County on Saturday afternoon.

Forsyth County emergency personnel responded to the scene, located on Browns Bridge Road (Ga. Highway 369) near Waldrip Circle, around 5:15 p.m. after receiving multiple 911 calls about a plane that had crashed, officials said.

“The plane, we presume, was attempting to make an emergency landing on 369, but as it came down — it was heading westbound — it clipped a power line,” Forsyth County Fire Department Division Chief Jason Shivers said. “As soon as it hit 369, it hit a car that was also going westbound, and one wing broke off to the east and the aircraft spun off into a bank off (the highway).”

Three men were in the plane, one of whom was pronounced dead on scene, Shivers said.

Forsyth County firefighters were able to extract the other two men, who were transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center — Gainesville in stable condition.

Shivers said it was not immediately known who was piloting the plane, nor where the men were traveling from, though he said the National Transportation Safety Board “is working on that.”

“They are on scene investigating as well as FAA (personnel),” Shivers said. “We were able to have a heavy-duty wrecker pull the plane from the embankment onto 369, but NTSB and FAA recovery teams, which are still several hours away, will (take over) the investigation.”

Officials have not yet made contact with the deceased’s family and will release more information as it becomes available. No one in the car was injured.

Original article ➤ http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com

One man has died and two others have been injured following the crash of a Piper PA-28R-200 Arrow II plane near Lake Lanier on Saturday afternoon. 

According to Division Chief Jason Shivers of the Forsyth County Fire Department, the aircraft went down on Browns Bridge Road at Waldrip Circle.

According to a press release from Cpl. Doug Rainwater of the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the crash at 5:12 p.m. and found the aircraft down an embankment to the north side of Browns Bridge Road. A wing was found to the south side. 

Shivers said that the aircraft contained three male passengers; one was pronounced dead at the scene, while two others were taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in stable condition.  

The aircraft also struck a sedan traveling west on Browns Bridge Road in the trunk area, but neither of the vehicle’s two occupants — a male and a female — were injured, according to the press release.

Shivers also said that a fuel fire was started by the crash but was quickly extinguished. 

Shivers said that both eastbound and westbound traffic on Browns Bridge Road is diverted with detours and is moving slowly. 

The National Transportation Safety Board is on scene and investigating the crash.

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


Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Atlanta, Georgia 
 
March 08, 2016:  Aircraft on a rejected takeoff went off the end of runway.


Date:  08-MAR-16
Time:  23:15:00Z
Regis#:  N4363F
Aircraft Make:  PIPER
Aircraft Model:  PA28R
Event Type:  Incident
Highest Injury:  None
Damage: None
Flight Phase: TAKEOFF (TOF)
City: DALLAS
State: Georgia