Fiery Helicopter Crashes Persist With Industry Slow to Upgrade Fuel Tanks: Safer fuel-tank technology has been available for decades, but isn’t used on some popular models

A survivor, lower right, walks away from the scene of a deadly tour helicopter crash along the jagged rocks of the Grand Canyon, in Arizona February 10, 2018. Airbus Helicopters EC130 B4, N155GC. The air-tour flight was operated by Papillon Airways Inc.

The Wall Street Journal
By Andy Pasztor
August  7, 2018 8:00 a.m. ET

After a rash of helicopter accidents several years ago ending in fatal fires, industry executives and regulators reached a high-profile compromise: Businesses could avoid rules mandating safety upgrades and retrofits but would be expected to make the changes on their own.

“You got our attention and we’re going to participate,” said Matthew Zuccaro, president of Helicopter Association International, the leading trade association, at the time.

But three years later, critics and even some industry leaders say some helicopter companies haven’t followed through to quickly and voluntarily install more durable, less fire-prone fuel tanks on an array of civilian helicopters. These vehicles are used for everything from sightseeing flights to utility repairs to emergency medical transportation.

Over roughly the past two decades, according to accident investigators and industry critics, there have been more than 170 fiery helicopter crashes in the U.S. alone, at least 80 avoidable fatalities and ballooning legal liabilities for both manufacturers and operators.

As retrofit efforts lag—only 20% of some widely used Airbus SE commercial models are fixed nationwide, for example—lawmakers, plaintiffs’ attorneys, other industry critics and members of a Federal Aviation Administration-created advisory committee are stepping up calls for strict federal mandates.

Attorney Gary Robb, who has represented scores of fire victims or their families over the years, says the FAA has encouraged a “regulatory loophole without any safety justification.”

In a June interview, acting FAA administrator Daniel Elwell said the agency is methodically “examining everything” surrounding the issue, but hasn’t decided whether mandates are necessary.

In a statement last month, an agency spokesman called the topic “a high priority for the FAA,” adding that officials are assessing the advisory group’s existing and anticipated recommendations for safety enhancements.

“The industry continues to make voluntary strides,” according to the statement, which pointed to crash-resistant systems available from seven different manufacturers. In March, the advisory panel told the FAA it would cost the industry roughly $184 million over 10 years to build and then operate all those choppers with fully compliant fuel systems.

Reducing such threats “may be hard and businesses will have to figure out how to make it work,” according to Rep. Ed Perlmutter, a Colorado Democrat who has been a prominent voice demanding change. “But it’s the right thing to do.”

Sometimes, a spectacular crash changes everything. That is what happened when five British tourists, including two newlyweds, died of burns and other injuries after a Papillon Airways sightseeing helicopter crashed and erupted in flames near a landing zone at the western part of the Grand Canyon in February.

In under three weeks, the operator announced plans to retrofit its entire air-tour fleet with crash-resistant fuel tanks. A company spokeswoman declined to comment.

Under voluntary efforts, the industry promised to make safety upgrades and retrofits intended to prevent fuel tanks from rupturing and killing pilots and passengers in otherwise survivable crashes. Industry leaders pledged to aggressively switch to more crash-resistant fuel systems on their own—either on assembly lines or by relying on retrofits—featuring stronger tanks, fuel lines and valves better able withstand impact. Mr. Zuccaro of the industry association called the change then “a major cultural shift.”

The basic technology dates back to the Vietnam War, and is standard on military choppers world-wide. If installed after aircraft are delivered, costs for some of the fixes run between $75,000 and $110,000 per helicopter. The price tag during initial assembly is a fraction of that amount.

Federal rules continue to permit production of various models, designed before the mid-1990s, lacking the most effective fuel-system upgrades.

The contrast between safety protections on new models—including totally automated recovery systems to help disoriented or confused pilots—and decades-old fire problems stemming from older designs, was highlighted last month at the Farnborough International Air Show. Mitch Snyder, president and chief executive of Textron Inc.’s Bell helicopter unit, practically invited the FAA to mandate tougher requirements.

Emphasizing that Bell embraced crash-resistant fuel systems on the production line ahead of FAA moves in the 1990s, Mr. Snyder told reporters “in some cases, safety costs more” and “it needs all of us to perform.” Bell would like chopper operators to upgrade tanks “in every single aircraft we have ever produced,” he said, adding “I do believe that regulation plays a role.”

On Tuesday, a Bell spokeswoman said she didn’t know what portion of the company’s fleet has been retrofitted.

Critics fault some manufacturers for moving too slowly to secure necessary federal certification for retrofit kits they could offer customers. Further delaying fixes, certain operators have balked at spending the money, adding the extra weight or taking aircraft out of service to do the work.

The U.S. helicopter unit of Airbus, for example, estimates that only about one of every five of a popular, single-engine line it sells is retrofitted with sturdier fuel tanks. The company didn’t have kits for any of those models available until early this year, but Airbus officials say they are now offering them at manufacturer’s cost through the end of 2018. A spokesman said the company anticipates demand for retrofits “equaling about another 20% of the fleet.”

The delays partly stem from the fact that there are so many different types of choppers requiring individual U.S. and European approvals for retrofit parts, plus “there’s a real fear” about unintended consequences affecting other onboard systems, according to Jeffrey Trang, the unit’s vice president for technology and flight operations.

Despite a drumbeat of deadly crashes and hefty damage awards, some industry spokesmen appear sanguine about progress. “Everybody would like to have it happen quickly,” the industry’s Mr. Zuccaro said in an interview earlier this year. “We’re trying to do it in a timely, logical and efficient manner,” he said, adding: “this is not something that you can snap your fingers, and in a day you have it.”

—Jim Carlton contributed to this article.

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

Unknown or Undetermined: de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver Mk I, N323KT; fatal accident occurred August 04, 2018 in Talkeetna, Alaska

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

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Wasilla, Alaska
K2 Aviation; Talkeetna, Alaska
Federal Aviation Administration; Washington, District of Columbia

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/N323KT

Location: Talkeetna, AK
Accident Number: ANC18FA063
Date & Time: 08/04/2018, 1753 AKD
Registration: N323KT
Aircraft: De Havilland DHC-2
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Unknown or undetermined
Injuries: 5 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter - Non-scheduled - Sightseeing 

On August 4, 2018, about 1753 Alaska daylight time, a de Havilland DHC-2 airplane, N323KT, sustained substantial damage during an impact with steep, snow-covered terrain about 50 miles northwest of Talkeetna, Alaska, in Denali National Park and Preserve. The commercial pilot and four passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Rust Properties, LLC, and was operated by Rust's Flying Service, Inc., doing business as K2 Aviation, as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 visual flight rules on-demand commercial air tour flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight departed Talkeetna Airport at 1705 and was scheduled to return about 1 hour later.

The glacier tour flight comprised an aerial tour of multiple glaciers as well as the area that serves as base camp for Denali climbers. A review of GPS track data from the company's satellite tracking program revealed that, at 1746, the accident airplane had changed its course near the Denali summit and proceeded southeast down the Kahiltna glacier valley abeam the Kahiltna Climber Base Camp.

At 1753, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center received an alert from the airplane's emergency locator transmitter (ELT). At 1756, K2 Aviation's satellite tracking program alerted the flight follower that satellite tracking had stopped and the company initiated lost aircraft procedures. About 1800, the accident pilot placed a satellite phone call to personnel at K2 Aviation. According to another company pilot that was in the operations area at K2 Aviation, the accident pilot stated on that call "[w]e've run into the side of a mountain" and that they were in need of rescue; the connection was lost shortly thereafter. After several attempts, contact was again made with the accident pilot, who stated that he was trapped in the wreckage and there were possibly two fatalities. No further information was received before the connection was lost a second time. At 2008, a National Park Service (NPS) rescue helicopter departed Talkeetna Airport en route to the coordinates transmitted from the ELT. Due to poor weather conditions in the area, the wreckage was not located. On August 6, an NPS helicopter crew located the airplane in a crevasse on a hanging glacier on Thunder Mountain (about 14 miles southwest of the Denali summit) at an elevation about 10,920 ft mean sea level (msl).

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 58, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Unknown
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed:No 
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/13/2018
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 05/18/2018
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 2550 hours (Total, all aircraft), 346.8 hours (Total, this make and model), 216 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 78.8 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 6 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft) 

The pilot, age 58, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and sea and instrument airplane. His most recent second-class Federal Aviation Administration medical certificate was issued on March 13, 2018, with a limitation for corrective lenses.

The pilot's personal logbooks were located; however, the last entry in the logbook was April 27, 2018. Company records indicated that the pilot had accumulated about 2,550 total hours of flight experience, of which about 216 were in the previous 90 days and 78.8 were in the previous 30 days. His most recent pilot competency check conducted in accordance with 14 CFR 135.293 was completed on May 18, 2018. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: De Havilland
Registration: N323KT
Model/Series: DHC-2
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1957
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 1022
Landing Gear Type: Ski/wheel; Tailwheel
Seats: 9
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 07/22/2018, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 5600 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 49 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 15495.6 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Pratt & Whitney
ELT: C126 installed, activated, aided in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: R-985
Registered Owner: Rust Properties LLC
Rated Power: 450 hp
Operator: K2 Aviation
Operating Certificate(s) Held: On-demand Air Taxi (135)
Operator Does Business As: K2 Aviation
Operator Designator Code: ERHA

The accident airplane was manufactured in 1957. At the time of the most recent 100-hour inspection on July 22, 2018, the airplane had a total time in service of 15,495.6 flight hours. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accrued 48.6 flight hours since the 100-hour inspection.

The airplane was equipped with a Pratt and Whitney R-985 radial engine rated at 450 horsepower. The engine was overhauled 1,113.4 hours before the accident flight. The engine had a total time in service of 2,471.6 hours. 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: TKA, 365 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 50 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1753 AKD
Direction from Accident Site: 150°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 8000 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 10000 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 6 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: Unknown / Unknown
Wind Direction: 170°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: Unknown / Unknown
Altimeter Setting: 29.87 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 22°C / 12°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Talkeetna, AK (TKA)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: Company VFR
Destination: Talkeetna, AK (TKA)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time:1705 AKD 
Type of Airspace: Class G

The station models in the vicinity of the accident site about the time of the accident depicted light winds, broken to overcast clouds, and temperatures between 58°F and 64°F. Farther north and northeast of the accident site, the stations at McKinley Park Airport (PAIN) and Ft. Greely (PABI) both reported moderate rain at the time of the accident.

The Alaskan Surface Analysis chart for 1900 depicted a developing stationary front to the north of the accident site with a high-pressure system at 1018-hectopascals (hPa) to the south along the coastal section. A Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS) model sounding over the accident site for 1900 was obtained from the NOAA Air Resource Laboratory archive data and plotted on a Skew T log P diagram.

The estimated conditions at 11,000 ft mean sea level (msl) included temperature -1.9°C and dew point -2.4°C with a relative humidity of 96% and wind from 230° at 6 knots. The sounding estimated broken cloud bases at 700 ft above ground level (agl), overcast clouds at 1,000 ft agl with cloud tops to 21,000 ft, and higher clouds above. The freezing level was 9,866 ft msl and supported light-to-moderate rime icing in clouds and precipitation. The wind profile indicated light southwest surface winds that veered to the west with height.

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 4 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 5 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 62.790278, -151.225278 

The airplane was located on August 6 by a National Park Service (NPS) helicopter crew in a crevasse on a hanging glacier on Thunder Mountain (about 14 miles southwest of the Denali summit) at an elevation at about 10,920 ft msl. Due to the location of the wreckage, NTSB personnel were unable to access the accident site. The airplane was highly fragmented and the right wing had separated and fallen several hundred feet below the main wreckage. The fuselage was fractured aft of the trailing edge of the wing and the fuselage was splayed open with blown snow inside. An impact mark consistent with the right wing was visible in the snow, and the airplane appeared to have impacted in a near wings-level attitude. 

Organizational And Management Information

Organizational Structure

According to the Rust's Flying Service director of operations, Rust's Flying Service operated 23 airplanes and employed about 30 pilots. Operations were conducted from Anchorage, Alaska, under the Rust's Flying Service name, while operations that originated in Talkeetna were operated under the name K2 Aviation. Management personnel oversaw both operations. The director of operations and the chief pilot were both located in Anchorage, and there was a base chief pilot in Talkeetna. Each operation had separate flight followers located at that operation's main base.

Route Selection

The K2 Aviation base chief pilot reported that glacier tour flights were not conducted over a fixed route; routes were subject to change at the pilot's discretion based on the weather conditions at the time of the flight to provide the best tour experience.

The chief pilot also stated that pilots were expected to report to base operations when changing the planned route of a flight; however, this was not a requirement contained within the company's general operations manual.

Risk Mitigation

When asked about company safety meetings, the director of operations stated that morning meetings were routinely conducted to discuss issues that may arise that day such as weather, aircraft, equipment, or staffing issues. He did not know if a meeting was conducted on the morning of the accident and stated that he did not call in for the meetings.

When asked if K2 Aviation completed formal, written preflight risk assessments, the director of operations stated that such assessments were a "conversation" between "the people who are involved and their experience and their insight." When asked if flight followers used a checklist for information to discuss with the pilot before a flight, he said there was nothing to his knowledge; the base chief pilot then confirmed that there was no such checklist. The director of operations stated that, if the flight follower had a question or concern about a flight, they could contact the base chief pilot to address those concerns.

Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT) Avoidance

The base chief pilot was asked to describe the CFIT training provided to pilots at K2 Aviation. He stated that it varied depending on the trainer and check airman but that "the idea" was to fabricate a realistic scenario and evaluate the pilot's response. He stated that, in ground school, pilots would watch a video regarding CFIT, which would be followed by a discussion. He stated that the GPS units installed in the airplanes provided positional awareness and that pilots were trained in the use of the GPS. " The base chief pilot also reported that pilots were not taught a standard CFIT escape maneuver because "it's never standard…the 180 [degree turn] is kind of the basic. And we go from that. Because that doesn't always work…But, you know, that's not always the best thing to do." He added that it was "thought-provoking" and instructors would continually develop new scenarios and ideas and it was not just "you flew in the clouds, let's do a 180 and go somewhere else….We teach more than that…"

Additional Information

Due to treacherous terrain at the accident site, a park ranger was suspended by a long line from a helicopter and positioned near the airplane. The ranger was able to locate the pilot and three of the passengers in the forward portion of the fuselage. Rapidly deteriorating weather conditions limited the initial on-scene time to about five minutes.

NPS conducted a second site assessment mission on August 10. During this mission, the final passenger was located in the aft section of the fuselage and was confirmed deceased.

In a public press statement, NPS stated that, due to the unique challenges posed by the steepness of terrain, the crevasse, avalanche hazard, and the condition of the airplane, recovery of the deceased and/or removal of the aircraft exceeded an acceptable level of risk; therefore, a recovery would not be attempted.

NPS rangers on an April 5, 2019 assessment flight reported that, during the winter, the hazardous hanging glacier at the accident site calved, releasing an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 tons of ice and debris. NPS rangers did not observe any evidence of the wreckage near the crash site, in the steep fall line, or on the glacier surface over 3,600 ft below. Further inspection of high-definition digital imagery taken during the assessment flight confirmed that the wreckage was not visible on the mountain face or in the surface debris at the base of Thunder Mountain.

K2 pilot Craig Layson

Location: Talkeetna, AK
Accident Number: ANC18FA063
Date & Time: 08/04/2018, 1753 AKD
Registration: N323KT
Aircraft: De Havilland DHC-2
Injuries: 5 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter - Non-scheduled - Sightseeing 

On August 4, 2018, about 1753 Alaska daylight time, a single-engine, de Havilland DHC-2 (Beaver) airplane, N323KT, sustained substantial damage during an impact with steep, high altitude, snow-covered terrain about 50 miles northwest of Talkeetna, Alaska, in Denali National Park and Preserve. The airplane was registered to Rust Properties, LLC and operated by Rust's Flying Service Inc, doing business as K2 Aviation as a visual flight rules on-demand commercial air tour flight, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot and four passengers sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at the Talkeetna Airport (TKA) about 1705.

According to K2 Aviation, the purpose of the flight was to provide the four passengers a one-hour tour flight. This tour was to consist of an aerial tour of multiple glaciers, which included a flyover of the Denali Base Camp located on the Kahiltna Glacier, at 7,200 feet mean sea level (msl), and then return to Talkeetna.

According to archived global positioning system (GPS) track data from K2 Aviation's in-flight tracking system, at 1746, as the flight passed over the Denali Base Camp, the airplane initially turns south, and travels down the Kahiltna Glacier. As the flight progressed southbound, it then turns to the left, and towards Talkeetna on a southeasterly heading. As the airplane continues on the southeasterly heading, the track terminates near a knife-edge ridge above the Kahiltna Glacier on Thunder Mountain.

At 1753, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) received the first alert from the accident airplane's 406MHz emergency locator transmitter (ELT). At 1756, K2 Aviation was alerted that the accident airplane's satellite tracking had stopped moving, and lost aircraft procedures were immediately initiated.

About 1800, a satellite phone call from the accident pilot was received by personnel at K2 Aviation. The pilot stated that they had impacted a mountain and needed rescue. The call only lasted a couple minutes before the connection was lost. After several attempts, contact was once again made with the accident pilot, and he stated that he was trapped in the wreckage and there were possibly two fatalities. No further information was received before the connection was once again lost.

At 2008, the National Park Service (NPS) high altitude rescue helicopter based in Talkeetna, was dispatched to the coordinates transmitted from the accident airplane's 406MHz ELT. However, due to continuous poor weather conditions in the area, the helicopter crew was not able to reach the accident site. Search and rescue assets from the National Park Service (NPS), the RCC, the Alaska Air National Guard, the Alaska Army National Guard and the U.S. Army joined in the search and rescue mission.

On August 6, about 0717, the crew of the NPS's high altitude rescue helicopter located the airplane wreckage in an ice crevasse, at an altitude of about 10,920 ft msl, on a hanging glacier on Thunder Mountain, which is located about 14 miles southwest of the Denali Summit. The airplane was highly fragmented, and the right wing had separated and fallen several hundred feet below the main wreckage. Subsequently, an NPS mountain rescue ranger was able to access the accident site utilizing a technique known as a short-haul, which allows transport of rescue personnel to otherwise inaccessible sites while suspended beneath a helicopter using a long-line. Once on scene, and while still connected to the helicopter, the ranger was able to locate the deceased pilot and three of the passengers in the forward portion of the fuselage, but the fifth occupant was missing. The fuselage was fractured aft of the trailing edge of the wings, and the fuselage was splayed open with blown, packed snow inside.

Rapidly deteriorating weather conditions limited the initial on-scene time to about five minutes.

On August 10, NPS launched another short-haul site assessment mission. During this mission, the fifth occupant was located in the aft section of the fuselage and was confirmed deceased.

According to NPS management personnel, given the unique challenges posed by the steepness of terrain, ice crevasses, avalanche danger, and the instability of the aircraft wreckage, it was determined that recovery of the occupants remains, and retrieval of the aircraft wreckage, exceed an acceptable level of risk and therefore a recovery will not be attempted.

The airplane is equipped with a Pratt and Whitney R-985 series engine.

The closest official weather observation station to the accident site was located at the Talkeetna Airport, about 50 miles to the southeast. On August 4, 2018, at 1753, the station was reporting, in part: wind 170° at 6 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; ceiling and clouds, 8,000 ft. scattered, 10,000 ft. broken; temperature 72° F; dew point 54° F; altimeter 29.87 inches of mercury.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: De Havilland
Registration: N323KT
Model/Series: DHC-2
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: K2 Aviation
Operating Certificate(s) Held: On-demand Air Taxi (135) 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: TKA, 365 ft msl
Observation Time: 1753 ADT
Distance from Accident Site: 50 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 22°C / 12°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 8000 ft agl
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 6 knots / , 170°
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 10000 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.87 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: Company VFR
Departure Point: Talkeetna, AK (TKA)
Destination:  Talkeetna, AK (TKA)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 4 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 5 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude:

This photo from the National Park Service shows the site of a plane crash into the side of a mountain near the top of Thunder Mountain in the Alaska Range, near Denali.

ANCHORAGE (KTUU) - Recovery of the plane that crashed into a mountain in Denali National Park Saturday may not be possible for another couple of days, at least, say some of the agencies involved. The National Park Service and National Transportation Safety Board are still working up their plan of action, which is also dependent on weather, for the recovery of the plane, and those killed in the crash.

The plane, piloted by Craig Layson flying for K2 Aviation, also had four Polish passengers on board when it crashed within Denali National Park. Officials say that all on board are presumed to have died in the crash. Four were confirmed dead by a National Park Mountaineering Ranger who was hauled to the scene by helicopter. The ranger was unable to see the fifth person in the plane due to his short time at the plane and limited access, but presumes that person was in the plane as well.

Katherine Belcher, spokesperson for the National Parks Service, said the agency is still in the planning process Tuesday, meeting throughout the day to determine the next course of action for recovering the bodies of those who died.

Belcher said there's no plan to approach the plane Tuesday, due to poor weather conditions, and that action taken by NPS would likely need to wait until Thursday or Friday, as weather permits.

Clint Johnson, Chief of the National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska district, told KTUU that this investigation is unusual.

"Our office is very used to dealing in very remote, challenging areas, however, this accident, and where the wreckage came to rest, is even over our heads," Johnson told Channel 2 Tuesday afternoon.

"This one is a unique situation because the wreckage is at altitude, and a very precarious location, so we're working right now very closely with the National Park Service, to see if we can gain access to the accident site," Johnson said. "I think that's unlikely, given the pictures that we saw yesterday of the airplane, that we probably won't be launching investigators to the actual site."

Johnson said that two separate recovery missions would likely be planned: one for the bodies trapped on the plane, and one for the plane itself.

While the Park Service will spearhead the main recovery effort of getting the bodies out of the downed plane, NTSB is focused on retrieval of the plane, which will take place after the bodies are recovered.

If recovering the bodies proves too difficult or impossible, Johnson said the NTSB would likely then try to recover both the plane and those on board in one trip. Johnson said two NTSB investigators were planning on flying to Talkeetna Wednesday to begin a preliminary investigation. The ultimate recovery of the aircraft would be in cooperation with K2 Aviation's insurance provider, Johnson said.

While Layson has been named by officials, the four Polish nationals have not. Belcher said that the NPS is working with the Polish consulate in Los Angeles to notify family members of the deaths first.

Story and video ➤ http://www.ktuu.com

ANCHORAGE (KTUU) - Talkeetna is mourning the loss of a pilot and four passengers who are all presumed to have perished in a plane crash in Denali National Park.

Air travel is one of Talkeetna's biggest attractions, as it draws in thousands of tourists flying in and out of the town. Many who take to the air will return safely but that wasn't the case for K2 pilot Craig Layson and four Polish flight-seers, when their plane crashed into a mountain on the Alaska Range.

"There is always an inherent risk when you're flying around a mountain that makes its own weather and that weather can change really fast," said David Lee of Sheldon Air Service.

While Layson may have worked for a competing air service, together as pilots, Lee says they were colleagues and when a deadly incident happens to one, it impacts all.

"You know you don’t wish this on anybody even though sometimes it’s competitive around here it does affect the whole industry, really the whole state of Alaska," said Lee.

Inside the Talkeetna Roadhouse, one of a handful of iconic businesses that tourists fill during these popular summer months, Trish Costello greets and serves guests with a smile on her face. While she's smiling externally, internally she's still mourning the loss of a fellow colleague in the tourist town she calls home.

As someone in a service industry, Costello says it’s difficult to deal with a loss like this because she still has to cater to the needs of every visitor while trying to process the impact this crash has had on her beloved community.

"They don’t really know what’s going on and they don’t realize that our staff is trying to operate completely shocked, processing their emotions, and dealing with the loss," said Costello.

Costello said she worked with pilot Craig Layson's wife, Maggie, so this tragedy hits very close to home for her and her staff. But says she’s trying to keep her emotions in perspective knowing the grief and shock the staff at K2, and the victims' families, are feeling.

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

Piper PA-28-181 Archer III, N925PA: Incidents occurred August 06, 2018 and October 03, 2016 at Deer Valley Airport (KDVT), Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Scottsdale, Arizona

August 06, 2018: While taxiing, struck the wingtip of aircraft N433PA.

http://registry.faa.gov/N925PA

Date: 06-AUG-18
Time: 15:15:00Z
Regis#: N925PA
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA 28 181
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: INSTRUCTION
Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)
Operation: 91
City: DEER VALLEY
State: ARIZONA

August 06, 2018:  While standing, aircraft's wing was struck by N925PA which was taxiing.

http://registry.faa.gov/N433PA

Date: 06-AUG-18
Time: 15:15:00Z
Regis#: N433PA
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA 44 180
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: INSTRUCTION
Flight Phase: STANDING (STD)
Operation: 91
City: DEER VALLEY
State: ARIZONA

October 03, 2016: Aircraft on landing, went off the runway, nose wheel collapsed and the propeller struck the runway.

Date: 03-OCT-16
Time: 23:30:00Z
Regis#: N925PA
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA28
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Damage: Minor
Activity: Instruction
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: PHOENIX
State: Arizona

MD Helicopter MD 500D: Incident occurred August 06, 2018 at Honolulu International Airport (PHNL), Hawaii

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Honolulu, Hawaii

Reported bird strike, right window broken, returned to Honolulu International Airport

Date: 06-AUG-18
Time: 18:50:00Z
Regis#: UNK
Aircraft Make: MD HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Model: MD500D
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: UNKNOWN (UNK)
Operation: 91
Aircraft Operator: MK5
City: HONOLULU
State: HAWAII

Endeavor Air, Bombardier CRJ900: Incident occurred August 06, 2018 at Portland International Jetport (KPWM), Maine

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Portland, Maine

Flight Number 3296: Reported bird strike with damage to left wing.

Date: 06-AUG-18
Time: 21:33:00Z
Regis#: UNK
Aircraft Make: BOMBARDIER
Aircraft Model: CRJ9
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: UNKNOWN
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: COMMERCIAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 121
Aircraft Operator: ENDEAVOR AIR
Flight Number: 3296
City: PORTLAND
State: MAINE

McDonnell Douglas 500-E, N424WC: Accident occurred August 06, 2018 in Big Falls, Koochiching County, Minnesota

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Minneapolis, Minnesota

Rotorcraft slipped off skid into swamp.

Wilson Construction Company

http://registry.faa.gov/N424WC

Date: 06-AUG-18
Time: 16:40:00Z
Regis#: N424WC
Aircraft Make: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELI
Aircraft Model: 500 E
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: SUBSTANTIAL
Activity: CORPORATE
Flight Phase: MANEUVERING (MNV)
Operation: 91
City: BIG FALLS
State: MINNESOTA

Loss of Engine Power (Total): Cessna A188B, N4996R; accident occurred August 06, 2018 in Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri

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

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Kansas City, Missouri
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

http://registry.faa.gov/N4996R

Location: Sedalia, MO
Accident Number: CEN18LA321
Date & Time: 08/06/2018, 1515 CDT
Registration: N4996R
Aircraft: Cessna A188
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 137: Agricultural 

On August 6, 2018, at 1515 central daylight time, a Cessna A188B, N4996R, experienced a total loss of engine power and impacted terrain during an aerial application flight about 10 miles north of Sedalia, Missouri. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and post-crash fire. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to an individual and operated by Lloyd Darter Aviation under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flight originated from Marshall Memorial Municipal Airport (MHL), Marshall, Missouri about 1430.

The pilot did not submit a National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report (form 6120), as required under Part 830.

The pilot provided a written statement to the Federal Aviation Administration Inspector assigned to the accident investigation. The pilot stated that during the second pass over an agricultural field, he pulled up and "felt a loss of power." He stated that he pushed the throttle and mixture controls full forward but there were "no results." He dumped the payload and located a landing area. He said he flew the airplane's best glide speed and struck a tree short of the landing area, spinning the airplane to the right. He pulled the control stick back and applied right rudder to maintain the airplane in an upright attitude prior to impacting the ground.

Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed the airframe was consumed by post-crash fire from the empennage, to the engine firewall, and to the mid-wingspan of both wings. Ground scarring was limited to the airplane's planform with nose-down crushing. The flaps were in the retracted position. Neither of the two propeller blades displayed S-shaped bending and were relatively straight, consistent with a lack of torsion. The bottom half of the engine case was melted to the accessory section exposing the crankshaft and accessory gears. The internal engine drive and valve train components were connected, secure, and did not display any fractures. The engine accessories were destroyed by the fire. The number four-cylinder fuel line with an attached adapter leading from the fuel manifold was loose and was pulled out by hand. The remaining fuel lines were attached and secure in the fuel manifold. The fuel line, the fuel line adapter fitting, and the manifold were removed for metallurgical examination at the National Transportation Safety Board Material Laboratory.

The metallurgical examination revealed the fuel line with its adapter fitting were separated from the fuel manifold. The adapter had tapered pipe thread where it would screw into the fuel manifold. Examination of the adapter fitting did not reveal evidence of thread deformation on the fitting. The first few threads of the adapter appeared to contain aluminum material from the fuel manifold.

The threaded port on the fuel manifold for the number-four fuel line exhibited deformation and the appearance of incipient melting of the aluminum housing.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 27, 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 None
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/01/2018
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 06/29/2019
Flight Time:

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N4996R
Model/Series: A188 B
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1975
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Restricted
Serial Number: 18802483T
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 1
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 05/10/2018, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 9077 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: IO-540-S1A5
Registered Owner: Lloyd Darter
Rated Power: 290 hp
Operator: Lloyd Darter Aviation
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: DMO, 910 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 10 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1453 CDT
Direction from Accident Site: 180°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR): 
Wind Speed/Gusts: 9 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 220°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.02 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 33°C / 21°C
Precipitation and Obscuration:
Departure Point: Marshall, MO (MHL)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Marshall, MO (MHL)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1430 CDT
Type of Airspace: 

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:  38.704444, -93.228333 (est)

Location: Sedalia, MO
Accident Number: CEN18LA321
Date & Time: 08/06/2018, 1515 CDT
Registration: N4996R
Aircraft: Cessna A188
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 137: Agricultural 

On August 6, 2018, at 1515 central daylight time, a Cessna A188B, N4996R, experienced a total loss of engine power and impacted powerlines and terrain during an aerial application about 10 miles north of Sedalia, Missouri. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and post-crash fire. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to an individual and operated by Lloyd Darter Aviation under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from an unknown location at time unknown. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N4996R
Model/Series: A188 B
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: Lloyd Darter Aviation
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: DMO, 910 ft msl
Observation Time: 1453 CDT
Distance from Accident Site: 10 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 33°C / 21°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 9 knots / , 220°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.02 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point:
Destination:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude:

Deputies and firefighters from Pettis County were dispatched to a plane crash on Monday in the area of Green Lawn Road in Hughesville.

According to the Pettis County Sheriff's Office, the pilot reported mechanical problems as the cause of the crash. 

The pilot was taken by private vehicle to an area hospital for treatment. 

An investigation is underway by the Federal Aviation Administration.

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