Monday, January 14, 2019

Loss of Control in Flight: Beechcraft A36TP Bonanza (Soloy Turbine Conversion), N100JB; fatal accident occurred January 07, 2019 near Colusa County Airport (O08), California















Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board 

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

Additional Participating Entities: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Sacramento, California
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas
Rolls Royce; Indianapolis, Indiana

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:

Chalk Hills Consulting Group LLC


Location: Colusa, California
Accident Number: WPR19LA058
Date & Time: January 7, 2019, 10:50 Local
Registration: N100JB
Aircraft: Beech A36
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

The pilot, who did not possess a current medical certificate, departed in instrument meteorological conditions on a cross-country flight with a passenger onboard. A witness at the departure airport reported that at the time of takeoff, the cloud ceiling was about 500 ft above ground level with visibility of about 1 mile. Radar information revealed that the airplane turned to a southwesterly heading after departure, consistent with a heading toward their intended destination. The data showed that about 10 seconds after takeoff, as the airplane ascended through about 725 ft mean sea level (msl), a right turn was initiated. During the initial portion of the turn, the airplane continued to ascend to about 825 ft msl, where it remained for about 7 seconds. The airplane then began a descent while remaining in the right turn until impact.

Maneuvering the airplane in restricted visibility placed the pilot in conditions conducive to the development of spatial disorientation. The accident circumstances, including the tightening descending turn, and the subsequent high-energy impact, are consistent with the known effects of spatial disorientation. Additionally, examination of the engine revealed no evidence of any preexisting anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Part of the flight control system was highly fragmented and could not be examined; however, the portions that remained intact did not exhibit any preexisting anomalies. Therefore, it is likely that the pilot was experiencing the effects of spatial disorientation when the accident occurred.

The pilot’s autopsy revealed severe cardiac disease, and although incapacitation as a result of this was possible, the pilot's loss of control suggests spatial disorientation was a more likely initiating event. Thus, it is unlikely that any symptoms from the pilot's severe cardiac disease contributed to this accident. The pilot also had bipolar disorder, but the extent of symptoms and whether they contributed to the accident could not be determined from the available information. However, the pilot had an established history of using medications to control the disease; therefore, some of the negative effects may have likely improved. 

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation shortly after takeoff in instrument meteorological conditions.

Findings

Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot
Personnel issues Spatial disorientation - Pilot
Environmental issues Below VFR minima - Effect on operation

Factual Information

History of Flight

Initial climb Loss of control in flight (Defining event)
Initial climb Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

On January 7, 2019, about 1050 Pacific standard time, a Beech A36, N100JB, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Colusa, California. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

A witness located at Colusa Airport (O08) reported that he saw the airplane taxi out and heard the pilot announce his departure from runway 13 on the airport's common traffic advisory frequency. The witness estimated that at that time, the cloud ceiling was about 500 ft above ground level with visibility of about 1 mile.

Information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the pilot was issued an instrument flight rules clearance to Palo Alto, California, before departure; however, he did not contact air traffic control after departure. Radar data showed that the airplane departed runway 13 at O08 and turned to a southwesterly heading. (Figure 1) About 10 seconds later, as the airplane ascended through about 725 ft mean sea level (msl) and had a groundspeed of about 130 knots, a right turn was initiated. During the initial portion of the turn, the airplane continued to ascend to about 825 ft msl, where it remained for about 7 seconds. The data showed that the airplane then began a descent, with an increase in groundspeed, while continuing the right turn for about 15 seconds until radar contact was lost. The last recorded radar target was within the vicinity of the accident site and showed an altitude of 75 ft msl and a groundspeed of about 160 knots. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private 
Age: 66,Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Multi-engine land
Seat Occupied: Unknown
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None 
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane 
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None 
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: None 
None Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 1500 hours (Total, all aircraft)

The pilot did not possess a valid medical certificate at the time of the accident. His most recent medical certificate application was dated January 18, 2005, at which time he reported 1,500 hours of total flight experience. Review of FAA records showed that the pilot had reported hay fever and knee pain along with intermittent use of chlorpheniramine (a sedating antihistamine available over the counter and often marketed with the name Chlor-TriMeton). Correspondence sent to the FAA in May 2006 stated that the airman had a diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder type II, a history of attempted suicide, and had been prescribed Effexor (generic: venlafaxine), Wellbutrin (generic: bupropion), and Lamictal (generic: lamotrigine). The pilot surrendered his medical certificate a few months later after the FAA requested further medical information, which he declined to provide.

The pilot's logbooks were not located during the investigation.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Beech
Registration: N100JB
Model/Series: A36 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1984 
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: E-2203
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle 
Seats: 6
Date/Type of Last Inspection: July 18, 2018 Unknown
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3651 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 
Engines: 1 Turbo prop
Airframe Total Time: 3202.7 Hrs as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Allison
ELT: Installed, not activated 
Engine Model/Series: 250-B17C
Registered Owner: 
Rated Power: 450 Horsepower
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Instrument (IMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KMYV,62 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 21 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 19:53 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 98°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility: 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 7500 ft AGL
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 9 knots / 
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  /
Wind Direction: 160°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:  /
Altimeter Setting: 30.18 inches Hg 
Temperature/Dew Point: 12°C / 9°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Colusa, CA (O08)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: Palo Alto, CA
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 10:50 Local
Type of Airspace: Class E

The terminal aerodrome forecast (TAF) issued closest to O08 was about 26 miles east of the accident site. Between 0800 and 0900, the TAF forecast wind from 180º at 9 knots, visibility better than 6 miles, ceiling broken at 3,000 ft agl, overcast ceiling at 6,000 ft, altimeter setting 30.03 inches of mercury, with a temporary period from 0900 to 1100 of ceiling broken at 1,500 ft.

A search of the FAA automated flight service station provider, Leidos, indicated that no requests from the pilot for a weather briefing or to file a flight plan were made. It is unknown what the pilot reviewed to familiarize himself with the reported and forecasted weather conditions.

Airport Information

Airport: COLUSA COUNTY O08 
Runway Surface Type:
Airport Elevation: 49 ft msl 
Runway Surface Condition: Unknown
Runway Used: 
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: None

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal 
Latitude, Longitude: 39.153057,-122.019996 (est)

Examination of the accident site by local law enforcement revealed that the airplane impacted a water irrigation pond 1.8 miles southwest of O08. The airplane wreckage, which was mostly submerged within about 5 ft of water, was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

Examination of the recovered wreckage revealed that the airframe was fragmented into multiple pieces. The instrument panel was displaced, and multiple instruments had separated. One attitude indicator was located within the recovered wreckage and was disassembled. The gyro and gimbal exhibited extremely light scoring. One vacuum pump remained attached to an external drive assembly mounted on the firewall. The vacuum pump was disassembled, and all internal rotors and vanes were intact. The vacuum pump drive was intact and undamaged. Another vacuum pump was located within the recovered wreckage, and all internal components were separated and not located.

The left wing was bent and buckled throughout. The flap and aileron remained attached. The tip tank remained attached. The right wing was fragmented into multiple sections. The outboard tip tank, and inboard portion (gear well) of the wing were recovered. A majority of the right wing was not recovered.

Flight control continuity was unable to be established throughout the airframe. Fragments of the elevator, trim, and aileron control cables were located within the recovered wreckage. The fracture surfaces on the bellcranks and control cables exhibited evidence of being cut by recovery personnel or signatures consistent with overload separation.

The turbine engine was separated from its mount, and the compressor section was separated. The propeller gearbox and governor were separated and not recovered. The engine displayed extensive impact, crush, and fracture damage and was covered with dried mud and water residue. Multiple stages of compressor rotor blade bending and fractures opposite of rotation were observed. The gas producer
turbine 1st and 2nd stage nozzles exhibited marks consistent with turbine blade tip rub.

Examination of the recovered airframe and engine revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Additional Information

The FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute's publication, "Introduction to Aviation Physiology," defines spatial disorientation as a “loss of proper bearings; state of mental confusion as to position, location, or movement relative to the position of the earth.” Factors contributing to spatial disorientation include changes in acceleration, flight in IFR conditions, frequent transfer between visual flight rules and IFR conditions, and unperceived changes in aircraft attitude.

The FAA’s Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3B) describes some hazards associated with flying when the ground or horizon are obscured. The handbook states, in part, the following:

The vestibular sense (motion sensing by the inner ear) in particular can and will confuse the pilot. Because of inertia, the sensory areas of the inner ear cannot detect slight changes in airplane attitude, nor can they accurately sense attitude changes that occur at a uniform rate over a period of time. On the other hand, false sensations are often generated, leading the pilot to believe the attitude of the airplane has changed when, in fact, it has not. These false sensations result in the pilot experiencing spatial disorientation.

Medical and Pathological Information

 According to the autopsy performed by Bennet Omalu Pathology, Stockton, California, the pilot’s cause of death was high velocity deceleration injury. Extensive coronary artery disease was identified in the right, left main, left anterior descending, and circumflex arteries, which were 90-99% occluded. Microscopy demonstrated evidence of previous ischemia including myofibrillary contraction band degeneration and cytoplasmic hypereosinophilia, which was multifocal but with no visible scar on the gross evaluation. In addition, the pilot had hypertensive cardiomyopathy and the pathologist reported a clinical history of poorly controlled diabetes with damage to his kidneys as well as bipolar disease.

Toxicology testing performed by NMS Labs on cavity blood at the request of the pathologist identified venlafaxine and its metabolite desmethylvenlafaxine, bupropion and its metabolite hydroxybupropion, and lamotrigine.

Toxicology testing performed by the FAA's Forensic Science Laboratory identified zolpidem, venlafaxine and its metabolite desmethylvenlafaxine, bupropion and its metabolite hydroxybupropion, and lamotrigine in liver and muscle tissue. The zolpidem level in the pilot was too low for the lab to quantify.

Zolpidem is a Schedule IV controlled substance available by prescription for the short-term treatment of insomnia; it is often marketed with the name Ambien. It is quickly sedating; users are instructed to take it only immediately before going to bed. Particularly during the initial period after taking the drug, a variety of psychoactive effects have been described, including "sleep driving" and other potentially dangerous events.

Venlafaxine is an antidepressant that can cause a variety of psychoactive effects but has not been shown to affect safety while operating a vehicle. Bupropion is an antidepressant or an adjunct to quit smoking. Bupropion can cause a number of psychoactive effects and increases the risk of seizure. Lamotrigine is an anti-seizure medication also indicated for mood stabilization in patients with bipolar disease. Lamotrigine may cause a variety of psychoactive effects; its direct effects on operating a vehicle have not been studied.

============

Location: Colusa, CA
Accident Number: WPR19LA058
Date & Time: 01/07/2019, 1050 PST
Registration: N100JB
Aircraft: Beech A36
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On January 7, 2019, about 1050 Pacific standard time, a Beech A36 airplane, N100JB, collided with terrain about 2 miles south of the Colusa County Airport (O08), Colusa, California. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to Chalk Hill Consulting Group LLC, and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument and visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area and an instrument flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and was destined for Palo Alto, California.

A witness located at O08 reported that he saw the airplane taxi out and heard the pilot announce his departure from runway 13 on the airport's common traffic advisory frequency. The witness estimated that at that time, the cloud ceiling was about 500 ft above ground level with visibility of about 1 nm. Preliminary information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that the airplane departed O08 on a southwesterly heading. As the airplane ascended through about 1,000 ft mean sea level, a right turn was initiated followed by a rapid descent until radar contact was lost.

Examination of the accident site by local law enforcement revealed that the airplane impacted a water irrigation pond. The airplane wreckage, which was mostly submerged within about 5 ft of water, was subsequently recovered to a secure location for further examination. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information


Aircraft Make: Beech
Registration: N100JB
Model/Series: A36
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: Jeffrey Webber
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan


Conditions at Accident Site: Instrument Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KMYV, 62 ft msl
Observation Time: 1953 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 21 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 12°C / 9°C
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 9 knots / , 160°
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 7500 ft agl
Visibility: 10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.18 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point: Colusa, CA (O08)
Destination: Palo Alto, CA

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 39.153056, -122.020000 (est)



Jeffrey Thomas Webber
66 years old
Date of birth:  January 7th, 1953
Place of birth:  Medford, Oregon
Date of passing:  January 7th, 2019
Place of passing:  Calusa, California


This memorial website was created in the memory of our loved one, Jeffrey Webber, 66, born on January 7th, 1953 and passed away on January 7th, 2019. We will remember him forever.


Lionel J. Robin
December 8, 1948 - January 7, 2019


Cecilia - A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 am on Monday, January 14, 2019, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Cecilia for Lionel J. Robin, 70, who passed away on Monday, January 7, 2019.

The family requests that visiting hours be observed at the funeral home from 3:00 pm until 9:00 pm on Sunday and continue on Monday at 7:00 am until 10:45 am.

A rosary will be prayed at 7:00 pm on Sunday by Reverend Gregory Cormier.

The Reverend Michael Delcambre will be the Celebrant of the Funeral Mass and will conduct the Funeral Services. Con-Celebrants will be Reverend Gregory Cormier and Reverend Flo Calais.

Interment will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Cecilia.

A lifelong resident of Cecilia, Louisiana, Lionel John Robin was born on December 8, 1948 to the late Aristile and Irene Fitzgerald Robin. He was a 1966 graduate of Cecilia High School. An avid musician at the time, Lionel enjoyed playing the saxophone in the band, “Billy John and the Continentals”.

Lionel honorably served his country in the United States Marine Corps from 1966 to 1972. Following his military career, Lionel, along with his wife Peggy, and his parents, opened Robin’s Restaurant in Henderson, Louisiana on March 15, 1974, serving all the traditional Cajun dishes – never once changing its menu. The restaurant remained open for 42 years.

Paul McIlhenny, President and CEO of McIlhenny Company, made Lionel the corporate chef and the official chef of NASCAR Team Tabasco, a position he has held for 42 years. During his tenure with Tabasco, he and his wife Peggy, hosted events including, the British Open, Pebble Beach, The Masters on the P.G.A. Tour, The James Beard Foundation, Bahamas Fishing Tournament, and the Washington Mardi Gras Ball.

His awards and honors include induction into the New Orleans Gastronomical Hall of Fame in 1977; he was one of the Star Chefs for the James Beard Foundation in 2002; and in 2017, he was bestowed the honor of being named “Le Roi de L’Ecrevisse” (Crawfish King) of the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival Association.

Lionel was a wine connoisseur and was knowledgeable in all aspects of wine tasting - he loved sitting down with his friends to share his thoughts on the finest of wines. Although he has traveled the world to cook for various events and fundraisers, his culinary skills remained true to his Cajun heritage and his dishes were always “simply” outstanding.

Lionel adored and lived for his family and enjoyed traveling the world with his wife and grandchildren, while creating memories they would cherish for a lifetime. An avid outdoorsman, he loved duck hunting and snow skiing with his son, Mark. He loved his companion, Max, his Grand Champion Labrador Retriever.

Lionel enjoyed the company of his many friends, some who were like family to him. He lived in the moment and enjoyed being the life of the party.

Lionel will be dearly missed by his family and the many friends he has made throughout the years.

He is survived by his loving wife, Peggy Trahan Robin of Cecilia; his son, Mark Robin and wife Judy of Cecilia; his two grandchildren, Ali Guidry and husband Blake, and Jake Robin; his sister, Melba Huval and husband Dale of Cecilia; and his brother, Aaron Robin and wife Diane of Lafayette.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Aristile and Irene Fitzgerald Robin.

Pallbearers will be John O'Meara, Dale Trahan, Craig Cormier, Dr. Warren Degatur, Mike Robicheaux, and Larry Leger.

Honorary pallbearers will be Aaron Robin, Don Dupuis, Blake Guidry, Dale Huval, Robert McFaul, Jeromy Robin, Jeffery Robin, Cliff LaBorde, Roland Laurent, Charles Chatelain, Brian Barnes, Franz Schoeffler, Randy Angelle, and Buddy Azar.

Pellerin Funeral Home of Cecilia, 2238 Bushville Hwy., Cecilia, LA 70521, (337-332-2111) is in charge of arrangements.



Funeral arrangements have been set for Lionel Robin, an iconic Acadiana chef who died Jan. 7 in a California plane crash during a hunting trip.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Cecilia, according to Robin's obituary on the Pellerin Funeral Homes website.

Interment will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Cecilia. 

Visiting hours will be observed at Pellerin Funeral Home of Cecilia from 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday and 7 to 10:45 a.m. Monday.

Robin, 70, and his friend Jeffery Thomas Webber, 66, of Healdsburg, California, died after a private passenger plane crashed near a flooded rice field about 65 miles northwest of Sacramento in the Central Valley region of California.

A dog named George is believed to be the only other passenger who was on the aircraft at the time of the incident. George survived but was seriously injured.

The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Colusa County Sheriff's Office, Federal Aviation Administration and National Traffic Safety Board.

As officials sort through the murky wreckage in California, one thing is clear in Louisiana:

Robin leaves behind a legacy.

"The Robin name will never be forgotten in this town," said Henderson Mayor Sherbin Collette said. "I can promise you that. The Robin name will never die in the town of Henderson."

Robin is remembered in his obituary for living in the moment and being the life of the party.

Collette and others who knew Robin well described him as a phenomenal chef, passionate hunter, innovative businessman, cultural advocate and, above all else, a great friend and family man.

The Cecilia native owned and operated Robin's Restaurant in Henderson for about four decades and served as the official hospitality chef for Tabasco Pepper Sauce.

"He was an awesome chef," said Dona Richard of the St. Martin Parish Tourist Commission. "He was just a driving force for getting people here. And he set the bar as far as other restaurants go."

Robin was perhaps best known for his crawfish etouffee.

Robin canned the dish — crawfish and all — and distributed it across the country so his fans never had to go without.

"There's not many people who could sell crawfish etouffee in a can and it be delicious, but he did just that," Richard said. "He shared the spirit of Cajun culture and cuisine with everyone. He cooked all over the world."

More:18 Lafayette restaurants that opened their doors in 2018

Robin's crawfish etouffee was also featured in a 2011 episode of Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." 

"We are just so honored to be picked, and it's a really great thing," Robin said during a 2011 interview with The Daily Advertiser. "(It's) not only a compliment to me but the whole area we live in as well."

Robin was a lifelong resident of Cecilia who graduated from Cecilia High School in 1966. He is described in his obituary as being an avid musician who played the saxophone in a band called Billy John and the Continentals when he was young.

He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1966 to 1972.

Robin, along with his wife, Peggy, and his parents, Aristile and Irene Fitzgerald Robin, opened Robin’s Restaurant in Henderson in 1974.

The beloved Cajun restaurant kept the same menu during its 42 years in business.

Robin was also the corporate chef of the McIlhenny Company and the official chef of NASCAR Team Tabasco for 42 years.

During his time with Tabasco, Robin traveled the world to share Cajun cooking and culture with others.

Robin was inducted into the New Orleans Gastronomical Hall of Fame in 1977, was one of the Star Chefs of the James Beard Foundation in 2002 and was named the Crawfish King of the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival in 2017.

Collette considered Robin a lifelong friend.

They attended school together in Cecilia, and Robin was married to Collette's cousin, Peggy. Collette also worked with Robin in a professional capacity: Collette harvested crawfish in the Atchafalaya Basin and Robin purchased the crawfish to use in his restaurant.

"When I first became mayor, he actually wanted me to buy the restaurant and renovate it to be city hall and a police station," Collette said with a laugh."But it needed a lot of repairs and I didn't want to go out and do all that work. My city hall is antique, but it's working."

Robin closed his restaurant a few years ago as business declined.

"The oilfield controls everything around here," Collette said. "And when it dropped real hard, that was the end."

More:10 Acadiana restaurants that closed in 2018

Robin kept busy even after closing the restaurant by spending time with his grandchildren, tasting wine, traveling, and hunting with his Grand Championship Labrador retriever, Max, and his son, Mark.

He often judged regional cook-offs alongside elected officials like St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars.

Cedars would sometimes peek at Robin's scorecards while judging cook-offs and "copy them a little" because he trusted the chef's opinions more than his own.

"It's a very tragic loss for his family and friends, and it's clearly a loss to St. Martin Parish and all of Acadiana, for that matter," Cedars said. "It's a sad day for the area and the food industry as a whole."




A Healdsburg man was piloting a plane when it crashed into a pond in rural Colusa County on Monday, killing him and his passenger.

The Colusa County Sheriff’s Office said it found the bodies of Jeffrey Webber, 66, of Healdsburg, and Lionel Robin, 71, of Arnaudville, Louisiana, amid the wreckage. The small private plane was headed for Sonoma County, authorities said.

Deputies, an air squadron and a dive team responded to a 12:15 p.m. report from federal aviation officials that a plane carrying two passengers and a dog had crashed about 2½ miles south of Colusa. The plane had taken off from the Colusa County Airport about an hour earlier and was headed for the Healdsburg Municipal Airport, Assistant Sheriff Jim Saso said. It wasn’t clear exactly what time the plane crashed, or what caused its “steep” descent, he said.

Visibility was low around the time of the crash, said Greg Hinton, airport operations director.

Webber was piloting the plane, which didn’t issue a distress call, Saso said.

The two men were “best friends” who went hunting together, he said. Robin was a Cajun chef who in 2002 was named one of the Star Chefs for the James Beard Foundation, according to foundation records and his obituary.

Drake Fusaro, a fishing and hunting guide in the Butte Sink area, said Robin was in California to go duck hunting with Webber. The two had spent Saturday and Sunday duck hunting with Fusaro and various members of Webber’s family. He said Webber was a frequent customer of his and he had known him for years.

“He was a very special individual. He was always very energetic and he was there to have a good time,” Fusaro said.

In contrast to many duck hunters, he said, for Webber “it wasn’t about the kill or the quantity; it was about being out in the outdoors doing something that you love and spending time with the people who were there with us in the blind.”

He said Webber loved to joke and tell stories, and would do accents and impressions.

“That was the first thing that popped into my head when I heard the news, was I won’t get to hear his jokes anymore,” Fusaro said.

A brother of Webber’s reached by phone Wednesday said the family is preparing an obituary and had no further comment.

Sherbin Collette, the mayor of Henderson, Louisiana, said he was a close friend of Robin’s since grade school. He said Robin was a generous and kind-hearted man who had a passion for hunting and valued the companionship of his dog, Max.

It’s unclear whether the dog was the same one on the plane. That dog was found badly injured on a nearby road, was turned over to a veterinarian in Yuba City and is expected to survive, Saso said.

“I never talked to anybody in my life that said anything bad against him. He was that kind of man,” Collette said. “I told him a lot of times, I said, ‘Lionel, we should have more people on Earth like you.’”

Webber is listed as the manager of Healdsburg-based Chalk Hill Consulting Group, according to state records. The management consulting services group is listed as the registered owner of the 1984 fixed-wing, single- engine plane that crashed, according to FAA records.

Saso said the FAA and National Traffic Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash. Neither agency responded to requests from the Sheriff’s Office and the wreckage remains in the pond, Saso said.

Amid short staffing during the ongoing government shutdown, the FAA was unable to provide details on the crash, a spokesman said.

The official cause of death hasn’t been released for the two men, Saso said.

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


Funeral arrangements are being finalized for Lionel Robin, an iconic Acadiana chef who died Monday in a California plane crash during a hunting trip.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Cecilia, according to Robin's obituary on the Pellerin Funeral Homes website.

Visitation times, as well as the time and date of the Mass and interment, are still pending.

The Rev. Michael Delcambre will be the celebrant of the funeral Mass and conduct the funeral services. Con-celebrants will be the Rev. Gregory Cormier and the Rev. Flo Calais. 

Interment will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Cecilia. 

Robin, 70, and his friend Jeffery Thomas Webber, 66, of Healdsburg, California, died after a private passenger plane crashed near a flooded rice field about 65 miles northwest of Sacramento in the Central Valley region of California.

A dog named George is believed to be the only other passenger who was on the aircraft at the time of the incident. George survived but was seriously injured.

The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Colusa County Sheriff's Office, Federal Aviation Administration and National Traffic Safety Board.

As officials sort through the murky wreckage in California, one thing is clear in Louisiana:

Robin leaves behind a legacy.

"The Robin name will never be forgotten in this town," said Henderson Mayor Sherbin Collette said. "I can promise you that. The Robin name will never die in the town of Henderson."

Robin is remembered in his obituary for living in the moment and being the life of the party.

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

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