Thursday, July 19, 2018

Loss of Engine Power (Total): Eagle DW-1, N8805X; accident occurred July 18, 2018 in Ider, DeKalb County, Alabama

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

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Birmingham, Alabama
Textron Lycoming; Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Aviation Accident Factual 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/N8805X

Location: Ider, AL
Accident Number: ERA18LA195
Date & Time: 07/18/2018, 1400 CDT
Registration: N8805X
Aircraft: Eagle DW1
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 137: Agricultural 

On July 18, 2018, about 1400 central daylight time, an Eagle DW-1, N8805X, was substantially damaged when it made a forced landing following a total loss of engine power while maneuvering near Ider, Alabama. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations as a Part 137 aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot stated that he was maneuvering at 1,500 ft when the engine stopped producing power after he heard a "deep knock" in the engine followed by the entire windshield getting covered with oil. The pilot made a forced landing to a service road and the airplane struck a barbed-wire fence with the right wings before coming to rest upright on the edge of a soybean field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the upper and lower right wings, the outboard section of the left wings, and the fuselage. Two of the three propeller blades were displaced aft.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a large hole in the left side of the engine cowling and a large amount of oil over the entire nose and windshield. The No. 2 cylinder had separated from the cylinder mounting deck. Two fractured sections of the left crankcase that included part of the No. 2 cylinder bore were found lying in the engine cowling. All but one of the No. 2 cylinder base studs and thru bolts remained in the cylinder/crankcase bore and were fractured. Photographs of the fractured studs/bolts were reviewed by the National Transportation Safety Board's Materials laboratory. The fractured surfaces exhibited signatures consistent with fatigue

A review of the engine maintenance logbook revealed that all six cylinders were replaced in September 2015 at a total engine time of 1,334.0 hours. At the time of the accident, the engine had accrued 1,582.43 hours and 248.43 hours since the No. 2 cylinder was installed.

In the June 2014 issue of Sport Aviation, the author of the "Savvy Aviator" column noted that, according to a veteran mechanic/expert witness, "who specializes in research on fastener torque and engine assembly practices,…the root cause of spun bearings, thrown rods, and separated cylinders is simply, 'a failure to achieve sufficient preload in the assembled fasteners.'"

The author further noted 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."

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His last Federal Aviation Administration second-class medical was issued on December 30, 2017. The pilot reported a total flight time of 2,214.4 hours.

Weather reported at Huntsville International Airport (HSV), Huntsville, Alabama, about 53 miles northwest of the accident site, at 1353, was: wind from 310° at 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 3,600 ft, scattered clouds at 25,000 ft, temperature 32° C, dew point 24°, and an altimeter setting of 29.97 inches Hg.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 66, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Center
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 11/17/2017
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 12/20/2017
Flight Time: 2214.4 hours (Total, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Eagle
Registration: N8805X
Model/Series: DW1 NO SERIES
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Restricted
Serial Number: DW-1-0036-81
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 1
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 03/23/2018, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection: 23 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 4432.93 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: IO-540
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 260 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Agricultural Aircraft (137)

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: HSV, 629 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 53 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1353 CDT
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 3600 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 6 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 310°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 29.97 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 32°C / 24°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Ider, AL
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Ider, AL
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time:  CDT
Type of Airspace: Unknown

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude:  34.714167, -85.680833 (est)

Location: Ider, AL
Accident Number: ERA18LA195
Date & Time: 07/18/2018, 1400 CDT
Registration: N8805X
Aircraft: Eagle DW1
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 137: Agricultural

On July 18, 2018, about 1400 central daylight time, an Eagle DW-1 bi-plane, N8805X, was substantially damaged when it made a forced landing due to a total loss of engine power while maneuvering near Ider, Alabama. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 agricultural flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot stated that he was maneuvering at 1,500 ft when the engine stopped producing power after he heard a "deep knock" in the engine followed by the entire windshield getting covered with oil. The pilot made a forced landing to a service road and the airplane struck a barbed-wire fence with the right wings before coming to rest upright on the edge of a soybean field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both right wings, the outboard section of the left wings, and the fuselage.

Examination of the engine revealed the No. 2 cylinder had separated from the engine. The airplane and engine were retained for further investigation.

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His last Federal Aviation Administration second-class medical was issued on December 30, 2017. The pilot reported a total flight time of 2,214.4 hours.

Weather reported at Huntsville International Airport (HSV), Huntsville, Alabama, about 53 miles northwest of the accident site, at 1353, was: wind from 310° at 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 3,600 ft, scattered clouds at 25,000 ft, temperature 32° C, dew point 24°, and an altimeter setting of 29.97 inches Hg. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Eagle
Registration: N8805X
Model/Series: DW1 NO SERIES
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Agricultural Aircraft (137) 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: HSV, 629 ft msl
Observation Time: 1353 CDT
Distance from Accident Site: 53 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 32°C / 24°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 3600 ft agl
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 6 knots / , 310°
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.97 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Ider, AL
Destination: Ider, AL

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 34.714167, -85.680833 (est)

Piper PA-12, N7511H; fatal accident occurred September 22, 2018 in Healy, Alaska and Incident occurred July 16, 2018 in Fairbanks, Alaska

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

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Fairbanks, Alaska
Lycoming Engines; Williamsport, Pennsylvania

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


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

https://registry.faa.gov/N7511H

Location: Healy, AK
Accident Number: ANC18FA071
Date & Time: 09/22/2018, 1600 AKD
Registration: N7511H
Aircraft: Piper PA-12-150
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Unknown or undetermined
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

On September 22, 2018, the wreckage of a tailwheel-equipped Piper PA-12 airplane, N7511H, was located in remote mountainous terrain about 35 miles east of Healy, Alaska. The private pilot and the passenger were fatally injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged by impact forces and a postcrash fire. The airplane was registered to the pilot who was operating it as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed from Fairbanks International Airport (FAI), Fairbanks, Alaska, on September 15, 2018, and no flight plan had been filed.

The purpose of the flight was to fly to the Alaska Range, which is a mountain range located about 50 miles south of Fairbanks, where the pilot and his passenger would hunt sheep. No communications from the pilot, such as from a satellite phone or a satellite communication device, were received by the family after the pilot's departure from FAI.

After the pilot did not report to his place of employment on September 19, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) alert notice "ALNOT" was issued at 1620 Alaska daylight time, and an extensive search and rescue (SAR) operation began the next day. The operation consisted of aerial SAR assets from multiple agencies, including the Alaska Air National Guard, the Alaska Army National Guard, the Civil Air Patrol, and the Alaska State Troopers, as well as several individual volunteers. The accident airplane was located by a volunteer, and an Alaska Army National Guard helicopter responded to the accident site and the aircrew found both occupants deceased inside of the wreckage.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 45, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied:
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
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: 01/16/2018
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 128.8 hours (Total, all aircraft), 77.5 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N7511H
Model/Series: PA-12-150
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1946
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 12-372
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 3
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/12/2018, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1750 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 4141.4 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-320-A2B
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 150 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

The airplane was equipped with a Garmin Aera GPS device, which was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) Vehicle Recorder Division Laboratory in Washington, DC. The device is capable of storing data in nonvolatile memory. However, the circuit board was delaminated due to the thermal damage, and most of the components were burned off. The extent of the damage precluded recovery of the data.

The airplane was also equipped with an emergency locator transmitter (ELT), which did not broadcast after the accident. The ELT sustained postimpact fire damage, so the NTSB could not definitively determine why the ELT did not broadcast.

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Unknown
Condition of Light: Not Reported
Observation Facility, Elevation: PAHV, 12944 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 33 Nautical Miles
Observation Time:
Direction from Accident Site: 267°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility: 
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts:
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction:
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting:
Temperature/Dew Point:
Precipitation and Obscuration:
Departure Point: Fairbanks, AK (FAI)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination:
Type of Clearance: Unknown
Departure Time:  AKD
Type of Airspace: Class G

The exact meteorological conditions before and at the time of the accident could not be determined.

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: Fire At Unknown Time
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: Unknown
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 63.900278, -147.733333 

The wreckage of the airplane was located in a remote snow-covered mountainous valley with rocks, alder trees, and a small creek. The wreckage was positioned on the east side of the creek on a heading of about 220° and at an elevation of about 4,300 ft mean sea level. Most of the wreckage showed evidence of a postimpact fire. The airplane came to rest upright, with the fuselage banking to the right, both wings indicating forward/aft crushing, and the tail slightly elevated with little impact damage.

All of the major structural components of the airframe were located at the accident site. An examination of the airframe revealed no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

The engine was examined after the recovery of the wreckage. The examination revealed no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

During examination, the AFT right wing spar exhibited signs of compression bending, with the right wing forward spar exhibiting aft bending. The AFT left wing spar bolt indicated a failure in tension, and the left wing forward spar indicated forward bending.

Medical And Pathological Information

The State of Alaska Medical Examiner's Office, Anchorage, Alaska, conducted an autopsy of the pilot. According to the autopsy report, the cause of death for the pilot was multiple blunt force injuries. The report also indicated that there was no evidence of soot-like material found in the pilot's airway.

Toxicology testing performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory found that the pilot's specimens were negative for drugs and ethanol. 

Additional Information

Search and Rescue

The FAA's Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) discusses SAR operations and states in part the following: SAR is a lifesaving service provided through the combined efforts of the federal agencies' signatory to the National SAR Plan, and the agencies responsible for SAR within each state. Operational resources are provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, DOD [Department of Defense] components, the Civil Air Patrol, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, state, county and local law enforcement and other public safety agencies, and private volunteer organizations. Services include search for missing aircraft, survival aid, rescue, and emergency medical help for the occupants after an accident site is located.

Flight Plan

The AIM discusses the importance of filing a flight plan in case of an emergency or if an aircraft is overdue and states in part the following:

A filed flight plan is the most timely and effective indicator that an aircraft is overdue. Flight plan information is invaluable to SAR forces for search planning and executing search efforts.


Prior to departure on every flight, local or otherwise, someone at the departure point should be advised of your destination and the route of flight if other than direct. Search efforts are often wasted, and rescue is often delayed because of pilots who thoughtlessly take off without telling anyone where they are going. File a flight plan for your safety.


View of airplane from front left.

View of airplane from right rear.

View of airplane from front.


Location: Healy, AK
Accident Number: ANC18FA071
Date & Time: 09/22/2018, 1600 AKD
Registration: N7511H
Aircraft: Piper PA 12
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On September 22, 2018, the wreckage of a Piper PA-12 airplane, N7511H, was located in an area of mountainous terrain about 35 miles east of Healy, Alaska. The accident occurred at an unknown time between September 15 and September 22. The private pilot and the passenger sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to the pilot, who operated the airplane under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a visual flight rules personal flight when the accident occurred. With no definitive accident date at this time, exact meteorological conditions are unknown, and no flight plan had been filed.

According to family and friends of the two occupants, the airplane departed from Fairbanks International Airport on September 15 in support of a sheep hunt in the Alaska Range. The family reported that it was not uncommon for the pilot to take off and not tell anyone where he was going. When the airplane did not return, family members reported it missing, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an alert notice (ALNOT) on September 19 at 1620 Alaska daylight time. No emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal was received.

After being notified of an overdue airplane, search and rescue personnel from the Air National Guard's 210th Air Rescue Squadron, Alaska Army National Guard, Civil Air Patrol, Alaska State Troopers and Good Samaritans, began a search for the missing airplane.

On September 22, about 1600, searchers located the incinerated wreckage of the accident airplane, but poor weather prevented searchers from reaching the site until the next morning. The following morning the crew of an Air National Guard HH-60G helicopter reached the accident site and confirmed that both occupants had died.

On September 26, two National Transportation Safety Board investigators reached the accident site. The airplane was located in an area of mountainous, tree and snow-covered terrain at an elevation of 4,300 ft mean sea level. A postcrash fire incinerated a large portion of the airplane's fuselage and portions of both wings.

The airplane was equipped with a Lycoming O-320 series engine.

A detailed wreckage examination is pending recovery.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N7511H
Model/Series: PA 12 No Series
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

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: None
Departure Point: Fairbanks, AK (FAI)
Destination:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: Fire At Unknown Time
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: Unknown
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude:  63.900278, -147.733333

Timothy Mark Sonnenberg
May 20, 1973 - September 23, 2018

Jason Dean Roberts
January 12, 1975 - September 23, 2018


FAIRBANKS — A search for two overdue hunters from Fairbanks and North Pole ended Sunday after their plane was found crashed with their bodies inside, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Timothy Sonnenberg, 45, of Fairbanks, and Jason Roberts, 43, of North Pole, are believed to have died in the small aircraft that went down near the Japan Hills south of Fairbanks in the area of Wood River and Chutes Creek, according to trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters. 

They were reported overdue on Friday from a hunting trip to the Nenana River, a trooper report stated. The men reportedly left to hunt sheep Sept. 15; their last known coordinates were near the west fork of the Delta River. 

A search involving the Civil Air Patrol and other volunteers commenced. A pilot on Saturday reported seeing an aircraft south of Gold Creek that appeared to have burned.

A military helicopter was sent to the site and confirmed Sunday that it was Sonnenberg’s plane. Authorities launched a body recovery effort, according to troopers.  

Family members of both men have been notified, troopers stated. 

An online Federal Aviation Administration database shows Sonnenberg flew a Piper PA-12, a fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft built in 1946. He was a licensed pilot though not instrument rated, according to another FAA database.

Sonnenberg owned TS Construction in Fairbanks. Roberts coached wrestling at North Pole High School, according to his Facebook page. 

A GoFundMe campaign that was started Saturday to raise money for fuel for the search effort drew more than $25,000 in less than 24 hours.

Attempts on Sunday to get information from the National Transportation Safety Board, which investigates every civil aviation accident in the United States, were unsuccessful. 

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

July 16, 2018:  Landing gear collapsed and aircraft experienced a prop strike.

Date: 16-JUL-18
Time: 22:45:00Z
Regis#: N7511H
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA 12
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: FAIRBANKS
State: ALASKA

Ascender, N749AW: Incident occurred July 18, 2018 in Yakutat, Alaska

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Juneau

Crashed into lake under unknown circumstances.

http://registry.faa.gov/N749AW

Date: 19-JUL-18
Time: 03:28:00Z
Regis#: N749AW
Aircraft Make: EXPERIMENTAL
Aircraft Model: ASCENDER
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: UNKNOWN
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: UNKNOWN (UNK)
Operation: 91
City: YAKUTAT
State: ALASKA

Robinson R44, N514CH: Incident occurred July 19, 2018 in Tripoli, Bremer County, Iowa

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Des Moines

Struck a powerline and force landed in a field.

Tri State Helicopters Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N514CH

Date: 19-JUL-18
Time: 02:35:00Z
Regis#: N514CH
Aircraft Make: ROBINSON
Aircraft Model: R44
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: AERIAL APPLICATION
Flight Phase: MANEUVERING (MNV)
City: TRIPOLI
State: IOWA

Beegles BREEZY EB, N805JS: Incident occurred July 18, 2018 in Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Cleveland

Aircraft went into the grass and tipped over.

http://registry.faa.gov/N805JS

Date: 18-JUL-18
Time: 17:40:00Z
Regis#: N805JS
Aircraft Make: EXPERIMENTAL
Aircraft Model: BREEZY EB
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: MANSFIELD
State: OHIO

Cessna 150L, N6908G: Accident occurred July 12, 2018 near Ontario Municipal Airport (KONO), Malheur County, Oregon

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

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Boise, Idaho

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


https://registry.faa.gov/N6908G


Location: Ontario, OR

Accident Number: WPR18LA193
Date & Time: 07/12/2018, 1645 MDT
Registration: N6908G
Aircraft: Cessna 150
Injuries: 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On July 12, 2018, about 1645 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 150L airplane, N6908G, experienced a loss of engine power and was destroyed following an off-airport landing near Ontario Municipal Airport, Ontario, Oregon. The student pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was privately owned and operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The personal cross-country flight originated from Caldwell Industrial Airport, Caldwell, Idaho about 1620 and was dest
ined for Ontario.

The student pilot stated that he was on final approach to the destination airport when the engine experienced a loss of power. Given the airplane's low altitude, he opted to make an emergency landing in a nearby wheat field. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted a ditch and flipped over coming to rest inverted. The airplane erupted into flames and the student egressed with minor injuries. The airplane was consumed by fire.

The student's certified flight instructor was the owner of the airplane. He stated that he and the student had never flown together in hotter temperatures because he thought the airplane wouldn't have the performance to takeoff. He had taught the student that while on final approach, the mixture control was to be set to a full rich position and the carburetor heat should be on. He thought that this may have contributed to the loss of engine power.

The student pilot received his student pilot certificate in May 2018. At the time of the accident, he had accumulated 21.3 hours of total flight time, of which 19.7 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane and 6.4 hours were as pilot-in-command. The student's first solo flight was June 25, 2018. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N6908G
Model/Series: 150 L
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KONO, 2193 ft msl
Observation Time: 1653 MST
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 35°C / 6°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 5 knots / , Variable
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 Miles
Altimeter Setting:  29.97 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Caldwell, ID (EUL)
Destination: Ontario, OR (ONO) 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Minor
Latitude, Longitude:  44.028889, -117.017778 (est)

de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver, registered to Laughlin Acquisitions, LLC and operated by Alaska Skyways Inc dba Regal Air, N9878R: Fatal accident occurred July 18, 2018 in Willow, Alaska

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

Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Anchorage, Alaska

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

http://registry.faa.gov/N9878R

Location: Willow, AK
Accident Number: ANC18FA055
Date & Time: 07/18/2018, 1900 AKD
Registration: N9878R
Aircraft: De Havilland DHC-2 MK l (L20A)
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter - Non-scheduled 

On July 18, 2018, about 1900 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped De Havilland DHC-2 (Beaver) airplane, N9878R, impacted tree-covered terrain following a loss of control during the initial climb from the Willow Seaplane Base, Willow, Alaska. Of the three people on board, the airline transport pilot died at the scene, and the two passengers received serious injuries. The airplane was destroyed by a postcrash fire. The airplane was registered to Laughlin Acquisitions, LLC, and operated by Alaska Skyways, Inc., dba Regal Air, as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 visual flight rules on-demand passenger flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and company flight following procedures were in effect. The accident flight originated from the Willow Seaplane Base about 1900 and was destined for a remote, unnamed lake about 61 miles northwest of Willow.

The operator reported that the accident flight was chartered by the Alaska Medicaid Travel Office to provide roundtrip transportation for one passenger from her private residence at the remote lake, to the Willow Seaplane Base and return. The operator flew the passenger and her 2.5-year-old son from their home to Willow Seaplane Base on July 16, and the accident flight was the chartered return trip to their residence.

On July 19, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) reviewed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) archived automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) track data concerning the accident flight. According to the ADS-B track data, on July 18, the accident airplane departed from the Lake Hood Seaplane Base about 1755 and arrived at the Willow Seaplane Base about 1818.

Witnesses reported that after arriving at the Willow Seaplane Base, the pilot loaded the passenger's cargo, which according to a statement provided by the passenger, consisted of multiple bags of masonry mortar, three totes full of food and stores, two propane tanks, and miscellaneous baggage and supplies. Just prior to departure, the passenger was seated in the second row with her son on her lap.

As part of their company flight following procedures, Regal Air incorporates Spidertracks, which provides company management personnel with a real-time, moving map display of the airplane's progress. According to archived Spidertracks data provided by Regal Air, the airplane began an initial takeoff run to the south at 1851. Numerous witnesses at Willow Lake stated that the airplane appeared heavy as they watched two takeoff attempts followed by a takeoff on the third run. At least three separate witnesses recorded the takeoff attempts on their mobile phones due to what they perceived as an unusual operation. Each witness stated that the airplane departed to the south and descended out of sight below the tree line. Soon thereafter, a loud airplane impact was heard.

At 1900, multiple residents in a neighborhood southeast of Willow Lake heard a loud impact and witnessed smoke rising above the site. A neighbor responded and discovered the passenger walking with her son in her arms, outside of the airplane which was engulfed in flames. The Willow Fire Department and Alaska State Troopers responded. The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center received a 406 MHz Emergency Locator Transmitter signal at 1901 and dispatched a HH-60 helicopter to the site.

On July 18, immediately after being notified of the accident, the NTSB IIC, along with an aviation safety inspector from the FAA's Anchorage Flight Standards District Office traveled to the site.

The airplane wreckage came to rest in a level wooded residential lot in a nose down attitude. The postcrash fire incinerated the fuselage, empennage, floats, and cargo.

The airplane was outfitted with Aerocet model 5850 floats and equipped with a Pratt and Whitney R-985 radial engine.

The closest official weather observation station to the accident site was located at the Willow Airport, about 1 miles to the northeast. On July 18, 2018, at 1956, the station was reporting, in part: wind variable at 3 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; ceiling and clouds, clear; temperature 72° F; dew point 46° F; altimeter 30.15 inches of mercury.

The wreckage has been recovered and transported to a secure location for future examination. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: De Havilland
Registration: N9878R
Model/Series: DHC-2 MK l (L20A)
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: Alaska Skyways, Inc.
Operating Certificate(s) Held: On-demand Air Taxi (135)
Operator Does Business As: Regal Air
Operator Designator Code: 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: PAUO, 205 ft msl
Observation Time: 0356 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 22°C / 8°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: Light and Variable / , Variable
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.15 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: Company VFR
Departure Point: Willow, AK (2X2)
Destination: Skwentna, AK 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 2 Serious
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 61.729444, -150.048056 (est)

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

Colt Thomas Richter
 (1994 - 2018)

Colt Thomas Richter was born on June 21, 1994, in Anchorage, Alaska, and died on July 18, 2018, at the age of 24, in a tragic airplane accident.

Colt attended Rogers Park Elementary, Romig Middle School and graduated Summa Cum Laude from West Anchorage High School in 2012. In high school, he was active in many organizations, including the varsity ski team and the Alaska team for the "We the People" Constitutional Law competition in Washington D.C. His Alaska team placed in the top 10 in the nation. Colt joined the Anchorage Youth Court in 2008, serving as a defense attorney and then Chief Justice and, in addition, helped mentor many of his peers.

After high school, Colt went on to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2016. Colt was an active member of many of the University's organizations, including the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity and the Ohms a cappella group. He served four years as a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician on campus and in his junior year became the Chief of Emergency Services for MIT and the surrounding Cambridge area. During his junior and senior years, he co-taught a course at MIT on basic flight aerodynamics, safety and regulations. He had an active leadership role in the Gordon Engineering Leadership Program, which provides a challenging and supportive environment for students to develop skills to help them become highly effective future leaders. Colt was one of three undergraduate students selected to serve on the Advisory Council for the President of MIT. 

Colt was a lifelong Alaskan and adventurous world traveler. He visited much of the U.S., as well as many locales overseas, including Croatia, Japan, the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe. He was also an avid outdoorsman who loved to fly, fish, hunt, camp, ski and skydive. He truly loved to do anything outdoors. Colt was his father's co-pilot from an early age, earned his pilot's license on his 17th birthday and became a flight instructor and Airline Transport Pilot. For the past four years, Colt worked as a commercial pilot for several companies in Alaska, including Fly Denali, Hilcorp, Ravn Air and Regal Air. He was also an accomplished musician who could sing, play piano and guitar.

Colt's dream was to become an orthopedic surgeon and he was set to start University of Washington medical school this August. He was committed to the well-being and service of others.

Colt was an amazing person, son, friend and colleague. His drive and passion for learning was unparalleled, yet he was known to be modest about his knowledge and accomplishments. Colt was a most trusted friend, confidant and advisor, who made everyone around him want to be the best version of themselves. He did not waste a moment of his time on this Earth, and he made it clear how much he cared about his friends and family. He will be remembered as a "best friend" to many people, an inspiration to everyone who knew him and the perfect son to his parents.

Colt was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents; maternal grandfather, Lt. Col. (Ret.) USAF, Thomas Dolan; and aunt, Jill Richardson. He is survived by his loving parents, Cathy and Rick Richter; his maternal grandmother, Barbara Dolan; his adoring aunts, Carolyn and Susan Dolan; and countless friends and family members.

The world is dimmer for having lost Colt, but heaven is brighter for having gained him. Blue skies and tailwinds to the best person so many of us were fortunate enough to know.

Funeral services will be held at First Presbyterian Church, 616 West 10th Avenue in Anchorage, on Thursday, July 26, 2018, at 11 a.m., followed by burial services at Angelus Memorial Park, 440 East Klatt Road. A celebration of life will be held at Hilltop Chalet, 7015 Abbott Road, on Friday, July 27, 2018, from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Flowers may be sent to First Presbyterian Church or, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Colt's name to either the Anchorage Youth Court, the Alaska Red Cross or a charity of your choice.


http://www.legacy.com

Photo provided by: Cathy Richter

Get to know Colt Richter

September 8, 2012

Colt Richter, a native of Anchorage, Alaska, says that after graduating from  Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he’d like to return to his home state. With a degree in chemical engineering, he says he could explore a career in Alaska’s petroleum industry.

But he says aeronautical and astronautical engineering also beckons, as flying has been in his family for generations: Richter’s grandfather was a pilot in World War II, and later became a commercial airline pilot, moving the family to Alaska after he secured a job with Japan Airlines. As a child, Richter flew small planes with his father and received his pilot’s license on his 17th birthday.

“I’ve kind of grown up around aviation,” Richter says. “We have a cabin about 50 miles from Anchorage that you have to fly to in order to get to. So my whole life I’ve been surrounded by it.”

Something else that surrounds Richter: Alaska’s towering mountain ranges, which he’s appreciated from a very young age. “I started downhill skiing when I was about 3,” Richter recalls; he more recently transitioned to competitive Nordic skiing as part of his high school ski team.

While he’s looking forward to a new beginning at MIT and living on his own, Richter says one of the things he’ll miss most about home is the view. “Here, I can look out my window and see mountains,” Richter said in a phone call from his Alaska home. “In Boston, it’s really, really flat.”

http://news.mit.edu

ANCHORAGE (KTUU) - A deadly plane crash in Willow has claimed the life of a pilot, but family members say he was much more than just a young man who loved to fly.

"A loving son and a generous friend" are the words family members used to describe 24-year-old Colt Richter.

Richter was a graduate of West High School and had earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusettes Institute of Technology. A 2012 profile article released by MIT News shows Richter had a love of aviation from a young age. "As a child, Richter flew small planes with his father and received his pilot's license on his 17th birthday," the article reads.

He told the publication, "We have a cabin about 50 miles from Anchorage that you have to fly to in order to get to. So my whole life I've been surrounded by it."

In an email to Channel 2 News, Richter's mother Cathy said her son had been working as a commercial pilot for the past four years and had plans to start med school next month at the University of Washington.

"Colt loved the Alaskan way of life and enjoyed hunting, fishing and anything that involved the outdoors," Richter wrote about her son.

Two other people, a woman and toddler, were injured in the crash. The boy has been released from the hospital, and the woman is still recovering, but was able to talk to NTSB investigators.


Story and video:  http://www.ktuu.com






Witnesses say the pilot who was killed in Wednesday night’s plane crash near Willow Lake may have overloaded his aircraft.

Troopers say Colt Richter, 24, was flying for Regal Air when he took off from Willow Lake on his way to FBI Lake with two passengers. He crashed just a minute later.

Phillip Stanger watched Richter make several attempts to take off and recorded the efforts on his cellphone.

The video shows Richter’s plane circling the lake three times.

“Full throttle, engine is getting hot,” Stanger described. “I knew he was overloaded, there was no way he was going to get off the water but he did.”

Stanger said the plane made it a little more than a mile before he heard the crash.

“He stalled, he went straight down," Stanger said. "There were no trees clipped, no power lines taken out. He just dropped like a rock."

Stanger and some friends got in his van and drove to the site to help. He said the two passengers, a woman and her young son, were in shock so he put them in the van until an ambulance arrived.

“Her legs were burned, arms were all messed up," Stanger said. "She was in a lot of pain."

Then they tried to look for the pilot but Stanger said the flames were so intense they weren’t able to get close to the aircraft.

“I was very surprised to see anyone alive," he said.

Stanger said he started flying in the 1970s and can tell when an aircraft is too heavy. The video shows Richter’s floats protruding from the water; Stanger said during takeoff the floats should be parallel with the water.

“You can see how the airplane was mushing through the water,” Stanger said. “He should have been off in 10 seconds but he was out here for at least ten minutes circling.”

Stanger believed the plane may have been hauling building materials, like bricks.

The National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the crash.

NTSB investigator Noreen Price said weight and balance are an important part of every investigation, but said it’s too soon to tell whether those issues were a factor in this crash. She said witness statements and video will help investigators determine the takeoff weight.

Price said the maximum weight load for a de Havilland Beaver like the plane that crashed is typically 5,100 pounds. She doesn’t yet know, however, what Richter’s plane was carrying or how much it weighed.

“The plane really suffered catastrophic fire after impact and destroyed pretty much everything that was on board the airplane,” Price said.

NTSB investigators will remove the wreckage and take it to a secure location for a more in-depth examination. A preliminary report is usually issued about a week after a crash.

Regal Air declined to comment.

Story and video ➤ http://www.ktva.com




Alaska State Troopers have identified the pilot who was killed in a plane crash near Willow Lake Wednesday night. 

According to troopers online dispatch Thursday morning, Colt Richter, 24, of Anchorage, was flying for Regal Air when the plane went down. 

"Richter took off at Willow Lake enroute to FBI lake in the Skwentna area with cargo and two passengers," troopers wrote. "Immediately after takeoff, the plane crashed into a wooded area of a residential area." 

The wreckage is located in the woods, about 20-feet from Barrington Loop. 

On Thursday morning, a witness said he watched the plane try to take off two or three times and "knew the pilot was in trouble."

Ken Barkley, the borough's deputy director of emergency services, said the pilot was killed in the crash south of the lake was first reported at about 7 p.m.

Alaska State Troopers said in an online dispatch on Wednesday that the crash took place near Mile 69 of the Parks Highway, near Barrington Loop and Long Lake Road.

Troopers and Alaska Division of Forestry crews responded along with Mat-Su firefighters and medics, to the crash of a propeller-driven de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver. The plane was a commercially contracted flight, troopers said, but didn't mention which carrier was operating it; its pilot was not related to the passengers.

Two passengers, described by Barkley as a 30-year-old mother and a 2-year-old child, survived with what troopers said "are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries."

"We do not know the extent of their injuries," said trooper Sgt. Brent Johnson. "They were conscious; I think they were ambulatory."

Willow resident Trisha Wyrick said she heard the aftermath of the crash, including a fire in the aircraft, as residents helped the mother and child escape.

"I could hear her screaming for help and the flames were -- the flames were pretty big," Wyrick said. "[My neighbor] was out there and he was able to help her, and there was another car that drove up too and they were able to help as well to get her out."

A Federal Aviation Administration weather camera looking southwest from the Willow Airport showed smoke rising from the area shortly after 7 p.m.

Emergency services director Otto Feather said the plane burned after the crash, with crews still trying to extinguish a blaze that had spread to wildlands as of 8 p.m.

"We have the wildfire contained in that area," Feather said. "Right now we're trying to put out the fire in the aircraft -- the engine contains some magnesium that still wants to burn."

Neighbors reported hearing several explosions after the plane went down. A burned propane tank was found at the crash site.

Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska chief, said the NTSB had been notified of the crash and was still gathering information on the aircraft, its origin and destination.

Story and video ➤ http://www.ktva.com


Fire from Willow plane crash as seen from the air.


A Federal Aviation Administration weather camera at the Willow Airport shows smoke from the area of a nearby plane crash on July 18, 2018.

  
WILLOW, Alaska (KTUU) — July 19, 9 a.m. Update:

Authorities have identified the man who was piloting the plane that went down in the area of Willow Lake, killing him and injuring the other two on board.

The victim is Colt Richter, 24, of Anchorage, according to Megan Peters, spokesperson for the Alaska State Troopers.

Richter was flying for Regal Air and reportedly took off from Willow Lake, headed to FBI Lake in the Skwentna area. On board were two passengers who survived the crash and other cargo.

According to troopers, "Immediately after takeoff, the plane crashed into a wooded area of a residential area."

The NTSB is conducting an interview into what exactly happened with the plane and why it crashed.

Original Story:

A plane crash in Willow killed one person and started a wildfire Wednesday night, while two others suffered non-life threatening injuries according to Alaska State Troopers.

Troopers received reports of the crash at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Long Lake Road and Barrington Loop, just west of milepost 69 of the Parks Highway.

Alaska State Troopers, Wildlife Troopers, Division of Forestry, and Mat-Su emergency crews are on the scene. Clint Johnson with the NTSB confirmed that a team member was dispatched to investigate.

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