Monday, April 15, 2019

Fuel Exhaustion: Cessna 172N Skyhawk, N5296H; accident occurred April 14, 2019 near John F. Kennedy International Airport (KJFK), New York, New York

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

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Farmingdale, New York

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/N5296H


Location: New York, NY 

Accident Number: ERA19LA150
Date & Time: 04/14/2019, 2215 EDT
Registration: N5296H
Aircraft: Cessna 172
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Fuel exhaustion
Injuries: 3 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On April 14, 2019, about 2215 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N5296H, was substantially damaged when it impacted a building and powerlines during a diversion to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York, New York. The private pilot and two passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to N5296H LLC. and operated by 2BAPilot NYC Flight School and Aircraft Rental under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight that originated from Niagara Falls International Airport (IAG), Niagara Falls, New York about 1710 and was destined for Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York.

The pilot reported that on the morning of the accident, he and his passengers arrived at FRG airport about 0630 and departed for IAG, arriving about 1100. They spent the day in the area and departed to return with a direct route to FRG; while enroute, the pilot reported that his planned route was changed by air traffic control which increased the enroute time by about 40-50 minutes longer than he had expected. Once arriving into the FRG area, he attempted a precision instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 14 which resulted in a missed approach. He attempted the ILS approach again, and on this attempt, "saw some lights," but was unable to see the runway and performed another missed approach.

The pilot attempted the FRG ILS runway 14 approach for a third time, and during the approach he noticed that there was "something wrong with the heading indicator." He realized his course was "zigzagging," so he began to have a passenger tell him what the track heading was displaying on an electronic flight bag application; he subsequently decided a "bigger airport will be better" so he diverted to JFK, via radar vectors from air traffic control.

The pilot reported that he attempted three ILS approaches to runway 22L at JFK. The first two resulted in missed approaches, and on the third attempt, the pilot reported that the "fuel went out" and the "engine totally stopped." During the power out descent, he flew the "best glide speed" and about 100 ft above ground, he saw streetlights and made a left turn towards a road. While in the turn the airplane impacted the roof of a building and powerlines. The airplane came to rest entangled in the power lines suspended just a few feet above the ground; the pilot and passengers were able to exit from the main cabin doors onto the street below.

The pilot reported that he utilized a timing method for his fuel consumption, because he noticed that after about one hour of flying time enroute, both fuel gauges were stuck indicating full. He believed he had about 5 hours and 20 minutes of fuel onboard at takeoff, which was a full 42 gallons. The pilot reported that he expected the accident flight to take about 3 hours and 30 minutes; however, the total flight time was about 5 hours and 5 minutes.

Review of an FAA summary of air traffic control and pilot communications revealed that controllers provided the pilot with several observation weather reports and pilot reports (PIREPs) during his approaches at FRG and JFK. They also requested and received updates from the pilot regarding his low fuel state during the approaches. The record revealed that the pilot did not declare an emergency throughout the flight; however, during the diversion to JFK, air traffic control internally designated the flight as an emergency and had alerted emergency equipment prior to the airplane's loss of engine power.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the airplane at the accident site, the fuselage, wings, and empennage sustained substantial damage. There was no odor of fuel at the accident site, nor was fuel observed in the wing tanks.

A subsequent examination of the engine found no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Additional examination of the vacuum system found that the pump remained intact, the drive coupling operated normally, there were no blockages observed in the vacuum air hoses, and the pump's wear indicator was within normal operational limits.

According to FAA airmen records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. He held a first-class medical certificate issued in January 2018. The pilot reported that he had logged about 80 hours of simulated instrument flight time, of which one hour was in actual instrument conditions and that flight was with a flight instructor. He reported that the accident flight was his first flight in actual instrument conditions as the pilot in command.

According to FAA airworthiness records, the 4-seat high wing airplane was powered by a Lycoming O-320-H2AD 160-horsepower engine. The most recent annual inspection was completed in January 2019.

According to an NTSB weather study, about the time of departure from IAG and throughout the cross-country flight, IFR conditions were observed at the destination airport and the filed alternate airport (LaGuardia Airport (LGA), New York, New York). The weather conditions reported at FRG and JFK during the pilot's approaches included low visibility and cloud ceilings. At 2153 the weather conditions reported at FRG were, visibility 1/4-mile, fog, vertical visibility 200 ft above ground, wind 200° at 8 knots, temperature 14°C, dew point 14°C, and barometric pressure of 29.65 inches of mercury. One-hour prior at FRG, the visibility and cloud ceiling were the reported as the same (visibility 1/4-mile, fog, vertical visibility 200 ft).

At 2212 the weather conditions at JFK were, visibility 1/8-mile, fog, vertical visibility 200 ft above ground, wind 180° at 15 knots, temperature 13°C, dew point 13°C, and barometric pressure of 29.64 inches of mercury. About the time of the accident, FRG, JFK, LGA, and several other New York area airports were observing low IFR conditions. Figure 1 depicts the surrounding weather observation reports at the time of the accident.


Figure 1: Weather Observations at the Time of the Accident in the New York Area.

Forecast weather products issued prior to the departure from IAG, including AIRMETs and Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAFs), called for low IFR conditions at the accident airport and surrounding airports about the time of the pilot's estimated time of arrival.

According to Leidos Flight Service, there was no record that the pilot requested a weather briefing for the accident flight. The pilot reported in a written statement that, "I found that FRG will be bad weather but one of my friend need to go Korea next day. I decide to try to come back, and alternate LGA, because I could land [at] big airport."

The FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge provided a variety of tools regarding aeronautical decision making. One such item was the "PAVE" checklist. The FAA PHAK stated in part:

The PAVE Checklist

Another way to mitigate risk is to perceive hazards. By incorporating the PAVE checklist into preflight planning, the pilot divides the risks of flight into four categories: Pilotin-command (PIC), Aircraft, enVironment, and External pressures (PAVE) which form part of a pilot's decision-making process.

E = External Pressures

External pressures are influences external to the flight that create a sense of pressure to complete a flight—often at the expense of safety. Factors that can be external pressures include the following:

Someone waiting at the airport for the flight's arrival A passenger the pilot does not want to disappoint;
The desire to demonstrate pilot qualifications;
The desire to impress someone (Probably the two most dangerous words in aviation are "Watch this!");
The desire to satisfy a specific personal goal ("get-there-itis");
The pilot's general goal-completion orientation. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 27, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 01/19/2018
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 03/04/2019
Flight Time:  279 hours (Total, all aircraft), 232 hours (Total, this make and model), 214 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 46 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 14 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 4 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N5296H
Model/Series: 172 N
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1977
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 17269408
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 01/11/2019, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2300 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 2857.1 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: Installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: O-320-H2AD
Registered Owner: N5296H LLC.
Rated Power: 160 hp
Operator: 2BAPilot NYC Flight School and Aircraft Rental
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Instrument Conditions
Condition of Light: Night
Observation Facility, Elevation: KJFK, 12 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 2 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 2212 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 50°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Unknown / 200 ft agl
Visibility:  
Lowest Ceiling: Indefinite (V V) / 200 ft agl
Visibility (RVR): 1400 ft
Wind Speed/Gusts: 15 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 180°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 29.64 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 13°C / 13°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: Moderate - Fog
Departure Point: Niagara Falls, NY (IAG)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: Farmingdale, NY (FRG)
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 1710 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class B

Airport Information

Airport: John F Kennedy Intl (JFK)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 12 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 22L
IFR Approach: ILS
Runway Length/Width: 8400 ft / 200 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 2 Minor
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 40.676944, -73.714167 (est)
  
Location: New York, NY
Accident Number: ERA19LA150
Date & Time: 04/14/2019, 2215 EDT
Registration: N5296H
Aircraft: Cessna 172
Injuries: 3 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On April 14, 2019, about 2215 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, N5296H, was substantially damaged when it impacted a building and power lines during a diversion to John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York, New York. The private pilot and two passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to N5296H LLC. and operated by 2BAPilot NYC Flight School and Aircraft Rental under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight that originated from Niagara Falls International Airport (IAG), Niagara Falls, New York about 1710 and was destined for Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York.

The pilot reported that he departed IAG with full fuel, and while enroute to FRG, his route was changed by air traffic control which made his enroute time about 40-50 minutes longer than he had expected. Once arriving into the FRG area, he attempted a precision instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 14 which resulted in a missed approach. He attempted the ILS approach again, and on this attempt, "saw some lights," but was unable to see the runway and performed a missed approach.

The pilot attempted the ILS approach for a third time, and he noticed that there was "something wrong with the heading indicator." He realized his course was "zigzagging," so he began to have a passenger tell him what the tracking heading was displaying on an electronic flight bag application. At this time, he decided a "bigger airport will be better" so he diverted to JFK. He attempted two approaches at JFK, in which the first resulted in a missed approach, and on the second attempt, the "engine totally stopped." He flew the "best glide speed" and about 100 ft above ground, he saw street lights and made a left turn towards a road. While in the turn the airplane impacted the roof of a building and power lines. The airplane came to rest entangled in the power lines suspended just a few feet above the ground.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the airplane at the accident site, the fuselage, wings, and empennage sustained substantial damage. There was no odor of fuel at the accident site, nor was fuel observed in the wing tanks.

According to FAA airmen records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. He held a first-class medical certificate issued in January 2018.

At 2153 the weather conditions reported at FRG were, visibility 1/4-mile, fog, vertical visibility 200 ft above ground, wind 200° at 8 knots, temperature 14°C, dew point 14°C, and barometric pressure of 29.65 inches of mercury. At 2212 the weather conditions at JFK were, visibility 1/8-mile, fog, vertical visibility 200 ft above ground, wind 180° at 15 knots, temperature 13°C, dew point 13°C, and barometric pressure of 29.64 inches of mercury

The wreckage was retained for further examination. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N5296H
Model/Series: 172 N
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: 2BAPilot NYC Flight School and Aircraft Rental
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Instrument Conditions
Condition of Light: Night
Observation Facility, Elevation: KJFK, 12 ft msl
Observation Time: 0212 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 2 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 13°C / 13°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Unknown / 200 ft agl
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 15 knots / , 180°
Lowest Ceiling: Indefinite (V V) / 200 ft agl
Visibility:  
Altimeter Setting: 29.64 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point: Niagara Falls, NY (IAG)
Destination: Farmingdale, NY (FRG) 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 2 Minor
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 Minor
Latitude, Longitude:  40.676944, -73.714167 (est) 





A small plane carrying three people went down in a residential neighborhood of Valley Stream Sunday night.

The pilot, flying a rented Cessna 172N Skyhawk plane in thick fog, ran out of fuel and became disoriented shortly after 10 p.m., officials said.


Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said the three on board, all from Flushing, are associated with a flight school at Republic Airport in Farmingdale. The pilot was identified as Dongl Kim, 27, and the passengers as Hung Joo-Na, 29 and Jung Woo, 26. Ryder said the plane had been rented at Republic. All three sustained minor injuries.


The Cessna 172N Skyhawk made four attempts to land at Republic but the pilot became disoriented and missed each time due to dense fog, Valley Stream Fire Chief Jason Croak said. The plane was then redirected to Kennedy Airport but the pilot became disoriented again and the aircraft eventually ran out of fuel, officials said. The plane clipped the roof of Revival Outreach Ministries on Hillside Avenue. It then glided into the wires above the front yard of a home a block away and ended up suspended a few feet above the home’s front yard.


The wires stopped the plane from striking the home, police spokesman Det. Richard LeBrun said.


The pilot and passengers had safely made it clear of the plane and appeared uninjured while sitting on the sidewalk when first responders had arrived, Ryder said.


Officials said about two dozen homes were without power.


The National Weather Service had issued a dense fog advisory at the time of the crash.


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




Karen Gustav had just settled in to watch TV when she heard a loud noise. Everything went dark. 

A plane had dropped from the sky onto her street in Valley Stream. 

Gustav went outside to find out what was going on. So did others in her Valley Stream neighborhood.

At first, she thought a car had run into a pole. Then, she saw the plane — and three men who she described as looking “dazed” and “stunned.”

“They were just saying ‘We need water,’ ” Gustav recalled Monday.

The men had been onboard the rented single-engine Cessna, which crashed after running out of fuel Sunday night.

All the men walked away virtually unscathed. No one on the ground was hurt either, even though the plane came to rest just feet from a home after clipping a church and getting tangled in power lines.

“I’m just so glad nobody’s been hurt," neighbor Cat Andrews said right after the crash. "What’s the odds, a plane comes down on a residential street … and nobody’s hurt … so lucky."

With a wheel caught on sagging power lines, the plane rested at an extreme angle for hours overnight. By Monday evening, the plane had been removed the yard of the house on Clarendon Drive.

Like Gustav, Kenneeda Taylor-Sidberry  lives on Clarendon Drive not far from where the plane went down. The time was shortly after 10 p.m.

“It was a loud boom. Then all the power went off,” Taylor-Sidberry said. “Everyone opened their doors to see what was going on. Then people started yelling that a plane crashed. And then we came over and just saw the plane hanging here.”

She saw the three men sitting on the curb across the street from where the plane came down.

“I think they were in shock, really,” said Taylor-Sidberry.

Monday morning, she was still marveling that no one had been hurt.

“Nobody on the ground was hurt. The three people, they walked away,” Taylor-Sidberry said. “Thank God for that.”

The men all are from South Korea, authorities said. The pilot, Dongil Kim, 27, moved to the United States from South Korea and is living in Flushing, Queens. The passengers — Hongjoo Na, 29, and Jumwoo Jung, 26 — were visiting from South Korea, officials said. None of the men could be reached for comment Monday.

Kim had flown Na and Jung from Republic Airport, where he rented the plane, upstate to Niagara and was returning to the airport, said Patrick Ryder, Nassau County’s police commissioner.

The pilot tried four times to land at Republic Airport through dense fog but became disoriented, said Jason Croak, Valley Stream’s fire chief. The plane was redirected to Kennedy Airport, but Kim became disoriented again and the plane eventually ran out of fuel, officials said.

The Cessna 172N Skyhawk clipped the roof of Hillside Avenue's Revival Outreach Ministries and glided into power lines above the front yard of the home a block away on Clarendon Drive, officials said.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are working together to investigate the crash, said NTSB spokesman Keith Holloway. NTSB isn’t sending an investigator to the crash site, he said.

Investigators will examine air traffic control and radar communication, the plane's mechanical and safety records, the pilot's flying and medical history and the weather at the time of the crash, Holloway said. 

FAA records show that Kim has had a commercial pilot's license since 2013 and that the Cessna 172N Skyhawk, manufactured in 1977, had an up-to-date airworthiness certificate. 

The plane, with the tail number N5296H, is owned by Robert Corona of West Babylon records show. Corona rents the plane to the Danny Waizman Flight School and Aircraft Rental at Republic Airport in East Farmingdale, confirmed a person who answered the phone at Corona’s office.

The National Weather Service had issued a dense fog advisory at the time of the crash. Visibility was a quarter of a mile at Republic and an eighth of a mile at Kennedy. Fog is considered dense when it results in quarter-mile visibility or less, said Faye Morrone, a weather service meteorologist in Upton.

The NTSB will issue a preliminary report in seven to 10 days and a full report in 12 to 18 months, Holloway said. 

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

6 comments:

  1. I didn’t fly this weekend because of the fog on the long island south shore . And any windows of marginal vfr were small and seemed unreliable

    ReplyDelete
  2. The pilot was multiengine rated and an ATP type rated in the 737.
    Any instrument pilot should know better than to fly in such weather. Six missed approaches, including two attempts at JFK -- and not even surveillance approaches -- followed by fuel exhaustion. Did he declare a fuel emergency? Did he ask JFK for a surveillance approach? It looks as though he missed the JFK approaches by a lot.

    Flightaware log: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N5296H

    What type of pilot does such things?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The pilot was not ATP rated and he certainly does not have a type rating on the 737. I don't know where you get your information from but that is incorrect. In addition, it was not six approaches. It was actually 3 in FRG and he was on his second in JFK when he ran out of fuel.

      On the other hand, I agree with your question. I'm not sure what kind of pilot does this and gets away with it. He certainly was lucky.

      Delete
  3. For instructional purposes, it would be interesting to see the actual flight plan as entered, with alternates, as well as the actual weather briefing and en-route weather updates as well as the terminal weather during the terminal communications- perhaps even a request for a suitable immediate alternate with "approachable" weather.

    Then on to what was suggested by ATC when the weather at FRG was checked ..... all of this would make for a very interesting and sobering instrument ground school.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I guess it's better to be "lucky" than "good".

    On a brighter side, Mesa is hiring.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Looking at the ground track on flightaware and listening to the pilots radio phraseology on youtube, it's really hard to believe he's instrument rated. I'm glad they all walked away. It would be a very good training aid if the pilot agreed to be interviewed by the air safety foundation.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATlDcZLetZE

    ReplyDelete