Saturday, January 05, 2019

Accident occurred January 03, 2019 at Houma–Terrebonne Airport (KHUM), Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana

Woman injured by airplane propeller at Houma–Terrebonne Airport

A 41-year-old woman suffered severe injuries Thursday night after being struck by a spinning airplane propeller at the Houma-Terrebonne Airport, authorities said.

According to Houma Police Sgt. Travis Theriot, the incident occurred about 11:45 p.m. 

The unidentified victim stood too close to a parked aircraft while its engine was running.

“The propeller struck her in the arm,” Theriot said. “She was transported to a medical facility in New Orleans with severe trauma injuries. The plane was stopped in place but the engine was still running.”

Joe Wheeler, Houma-Terrebonne Airport executive director, said the aircraft did not belong to the victim.

“A gentleman went out to check on his airplane that hadn’t been run in a while,” Wheeler said. “A lady who was with him got out of the truck and inadvertently walked into the propeller. From my understanding she’s in stable condition.”

Although such accidents are not common, spinning airplane propellers can be difficult to see in the dark, Wheeler said.

“I’m a pilot also,” Wheeler said. “When you’re running an airplane like that with a propeller it’s hard enough to see during the daytime, but at night you really can’t see it.”

The accident will help tighten safety precautions at the airport to prevent future incidents, Wheeler said.

“Speaking with my other tenants here, we’ve all grown up around airplanes and have been with them for a long time,” Wheeler said. “We sometimes take them for granted. My tenants are tightening up on how they operate. Once this type of incident happens, it creates a lot more respect for the airplane. It’s kind of like when you drive a car and haven’t had a blown tire for three or four years. You start to get complacent and take it for granted. It will be my job to mitigate this risk.”

The accident is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration, Wheeler said.

“It’s a very unfortunate event,” Wheeler said. “We’re hoping and praying everything comes out all right for her.”

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

Beechcraft C35 Bonanza, N241EE: Incident occurred January 03, 2019 at Venice Municipal Airport (KVNC), Sarasota County, Florida

https://registry.faa.gov/N241EE





According to the city of Venice, a single-engine plane had an emergency at the Venice Municipal Airport on Wednesday.

Shortly after 5 p.m. Wednesday, Venice Fire, Venice Police, Sarasota EMS and Venice Airport staff responded after a Beechcraft C35 Bonanza had a mechanical failure after landing at the airport. While braking to exit the runway, the plane’s forward landing gear failed, causing the nose to hit the pavement, according to airport staff. The pilot and sole occupant of the plane, Dan Gualandri, was not injured.

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



VENICE (WWSB) - No one was injured when a plane landed at Venice Airport and ended up on its nose when the landing gear failed.

Authorities say the Beechcraft C35 Bonanza landed without incident shortly after 5pm on Wednesday. When it was taxing to exit the runway, the pilot, Dan Gualandri, applied the brakes and his nose gear failed, causing the front to nose into the pavement.

Gualandri, who is the Director of Maintenance at Sarasota Avionics, was the sole occupant of the plane and was uninjured.

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

Fuel Related: Piper PA-24-250 Comanche, N6872P; accident occurred January 03, 2019 near Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport (KWBW), Luzerne County, Pennsylvania








Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board 

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

Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Allentown, Pennsylvania

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:


Location: Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 
Accident Number: ERA19LA085
Date & Time: January 3, 2019, 16:00 Local 
Registration: N6872P
Aircraft: Piper PA24 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Fuel related
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional

Analysis

The pilot, who was an airframe and powerplant mechanic, and the flight instructor both reported that, after turning onto the base leg at the end of the instructional flight, the pilot extended the landing gear in preparation to land; however, the gear did not fully extend, and the engine stopped producing power. The pilots made a forced landing to a soccer field short of the runway, during which the airplane struck a ditch and sustained substantial damage to the airframe. A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no obvious preimpact mechanical anomalies with the landing gear system or the engine. However, the pilot later stated that he had opened the engine cowling after the forced landing and saw the mixture cable was caught in the nose gear assembly. The pilot said he then unsnagged the cable, so it was not immediately obvious to investigators. He said that the mixture cable had gotten caught on the nosewheel assembly when it was trying to extend, which had caused the mixture control arm on the carburetor to move to the lean position.

The pilot had performed maintenance on the landing gear a few weeks before the accident. He used plastic tie-wraps to ensure the throttle/mixture/carburetor heat cables were positioned away from the nose gear, which does not have a protected well on this make/model airplane. He then flew the airplane and placed it back in his hangar until the accident flight. The pilot said there were a lot of mice in his hangar, and he thought a mouse got up in the engine and chewed off the plastic tie-wraps, which allowed the mixture cable to come loose. However, there was no evidence to support this theory.

A review of the airplane's Illustrated Parts Catalogue showed the mixture, throttle, and carburetor heat cables routed and secured away from the nose landing gear via metal clamps. Additional research of the Federal Aviation Administration Service Difficulty Reports (SDRs) revealed only one reported instance in which the mixture control cable got caught in the nose landing gear on this make/model airplane. The December 2003 report stated that, due to the mixture control cable not being properly secured or routed, it encountered the nose gear assembly during extension and fuel to the engine was shut off. The mechanic who submitted the SDR corrected the situation by properly routing and securing the mixture control cable. 

Given the available evidence, the mixture control cable in the accident airplane was not properly installed/secured. As a result, the cable caught on the nose landing gear assembly when the landing gear were extended and subsequently pulled the mixture control arm on the carburetor, thus shutting off fuel to the engine.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot/mechanic's improper installation and securing of the mixture control cable, which led to a simultaneous loss of total engine power and failure of the nose landing gear to fully extend when the cable caught on the nose landing gear assembly.

Findings

Aircraft (general) - Failure
Aircraft Fuel control/carburetor - Incorrect service/maintenance
Personnel issues Installation - Pilot
Aircraft Gear extension and retract sys - Failure

Factual Information

On January 3, 2019, at 1600 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-24-250, N6872P, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a field while on approach to the Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport (WBW), Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The commercial pilot and the flight instructor were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Bradford County Airport (N27), Towanda, Pennsylvania, about 1540.

The pilot stated that he had to extend the downwind leg of the traffic pattern due to a departing aircraft. He turned on to the base leg at an altitude of 1,000 ft above ground level (agl) and extended the landing gear, but the gear did not fully extend, and the gear-handle was "stuck." The pilot removed the access door for the emergency landing gear extension handle, but he could not get it to release. At this point, the flight instructor said, "You better put power in", but there was no response from the engine and the tachometer read "0." The airplane was unable to reach the runway and the pilot made a forced landing to a soccer field. The airplane struck a ditch, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. All three propeller blades were also damaged.

The flight instructor stated the pilot extended the landing gear on the base leg of the traffic pattern, but it extended mid-way and stopped. The pilot then said, "the engine quit." The flight instructor told the pilot to retract the gear, but the gear would not retract. The pilot tried the emergency landing gear extension handle but the handle would not move. The flight instructor also noted that the mixture control was "jammed up sideways" in the full rich position and could not be moved. Due to their low altitude (500 ft above ground level), they were unable to land at the airport and made a forced landing to a soccer field. The flight instructor said the landing was smooth until the airplane struck a drainage ditch.

A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no obvious pre mishap mechanical issues with the landing gear system or the engine; however, the pilot subsequently admitted that after the examination was completed that he knew what caused the simultaneous loss of engine power and the landing gear malfunction. He said the mixture cable got caught on the nose wheel assembly when it was trying to extend, which caused the mixture control on the carburetor to move to the lean position. The pilot said that after the forced landing, and against the advice of his flight instructor, he opened the engine cowling and saw the mixture cable caught in the nose gear structure and unsnagged the cable so it was not immediately obvious to investigators.

The pilot, who was also an airframe and powerplant mechanic, performed maintenance on the landing gear a few weeks before the accident. He retracted the gear 10-12 times and it worked "flawlessly." The pilot said he used plastic tie-wraps to make sure the throttle/mixture/carburetor heat cables were positioned away from the nose-gear, which does not have a protected well on this make/model airplane. He last flew the airplane on December 27, 2018. After he landed, he placed the airplane in his hangar and did not install covers over the landing gear to prevent mice from getting into the engine compartment. The pilot said there were a lot of mice in his hangar and he thought a mouse got up in the engine and chewed off the plastic tie wraps allowing the mixture cable to come loose. Prior to the flight he did not check inside the engine compartment for any rodent damage.

A review of the Piper PA-24-250 Illustrated Parts Catalogue, pages 2G13-2G15, show the mixture, throttle and carburetor heat cables routed and secured away from the nose landing gear via metal clamps. Additional research of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Service Difficulty Reports (SDRs), revealed only one reported instance where the mixture control cable got caught in the nose landing gear on this make/model airplane. The report was made in December 2003 and stated, "Mixture control cable secured and/or routed incorrectly when mixture control cable was replaced and/or lubed. when the cable came in contact with nose gear extension during final approach to runway. The nose gear assembly caught the mixture control cable somewhere between the firewall and carburetor pulling the mixture control cable down, shutting off the mixture at the carburetor with enough force to break the stop on the mixture control arm of the carburetor. Corrected by routing mixture control cable correctly and performing gear retraction checking operation."

At 1554, the weather conditions reported at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP), Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, located about 6 miles southeast of the accident site, was wind from 010° at 3 knots, visibility 10 miles, overcast clouds 3,600 ft, temperature 2°C, dew point -3°, and an altimeter setting of 29.94 inches of mercury.

History of Flight

Prior to flight Aircraft maintenance event
Approach-VFR pattern base Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
Approach-VFR pattern base Fuel related (Defining event)
Emergency descent Fuel related
Emergency descent Off-field or emergency landing

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial 
Age: 71, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land 
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None 
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None 
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With waivers/limitations 
Last FAA Medical Exam: April 20, 2017
Occupational Pilot: No 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 497 hours (Total, all aircraft)

Flight instructor Information

Certificate: Commercial; Flight instructor; Private
Age: 61, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane 
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane single-engine; Instrument airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: April 13, 2018
Occupational Pilot: Yes 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 5550 hours (Total, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N6872P
Model/Series: PA24 250 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1960 
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 24-2007
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 6
Date/Type of Last Inspection: Unknown
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2899 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: Installed, not activated 
Engine Model/Series: O-540 SERIES
Registered Owner:
Rated Power: 250 Horsepower
Operator: On file 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: AVP,961 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 6 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 15:54 Local 
Direction from Accident Site: 90°
Lowest Cloud Condition: 
Visibility 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 3600 ft AGL
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 3 knots / 
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 10° 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 29.94 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 2°C / -3°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Towanda, PA (N27)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Wilkes-Barre, PA (WBW)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 15:40 Local 
Type of Airspace: Unknown

Airport Information

Airport: Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley WBW 
Runway Surface Type:
Airport Elevation: 543 ft msl 
Runway Surface Condition: Dry;Vegetation
Runway Used: 
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced landing; Full stop

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 None 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude: 41,-75(est)
=======

Location: Wilkes-Barre, PA
Accident Number: ERA19LA085
Date & Time: 01/03/2019, 1600 EST
Registration: N6872P
Aircraft: Piper PA24
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional

On January 3, 2019, at 1600 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-24-250, N6872P, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a field while on approach to the Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport (WBW), Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The commercial pilot and the flight instructor were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight that departed Bradford County Airport (N27), Towanda, Pennsylvania, about 1540.

The pilot stated that he was coming into land and had to extend the downwind leg of the traffic pattern due to a departing aircraft. He turned on to the base leg at an altitude of 1,000 ft above ground level (agl) and extended the landing gear, but the gear did not fully extend, and the gear-handle was "stuck." The pilot removed the access door for the emergency landing gear extension handle, but he could not get it to release. At this point, the flight instructor said, "You better put power in," but there was no response from the engine and the tachometer read "0." The airplane was unable to reach the runway and the pilot made a forced landing to a soccer field. The airplane struck a ditch, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe and an engine mount.

The flight instructor stated the pilot extended the landing gear on the base leg of the traffic pattern, but it extended mid-way and stopped. The pilot then said, "the engine quit." The flight instructor told the pilot to retract the gear, but the gear would not retract. The pilot tried the emergency landing gear extension handle but the handle would not move. The flight instructor also noted that the mixture control was "jammed up sideways" in the full rich position and could not be moved. Due to their low altitude (500 ft), they were unable to land at the airport and made a forced landing to a soccer field. The flight instructor said the landing was smooth until the airplane struck a drainage ditch.

The airplane wreckage was recovered for further examination.

At 1554, the weather conditions reported at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP), Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, located about 6 miles southeast of the accident site, was wind from 010° at 3 knots, visibility 10 miles, overcast clouds 3,600 ft, temperature 2°C, dew point -3°, and an altimeter setting of 29.94 inches of mercury.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information


Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N6872P
Model/Series: PA24 250
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: AVP, 961 ft msl
Observation Time: 1554 EST
Distance from Accident Site: 6 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 2°C / -3°C
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 3 knots / , 10°
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 3600 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.94 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Towanda, PA (N27)
Destination: Wilkes-Barre, PA (WBW)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude: 41.000000, -75.000000 (est)




FORTY FORT — Two occupants narrowly escaped injury when their small plane made an emergency landing on a recreational soccer field near the Wyoming Valley Airport Thursday afternoon.

“It could have been a lot worse,” said borough Mayor Andy Tuzinski, speaking in his role as emergency management director.

Tuzinski was at the scene with first responders after the aircraft came down at 4:12 p.m.

Aboard the aircraft were two men, a pilot and instructor, who had flown out of Towanda, Bradford County, and were preparing to land in Forty Fort for refuelling, Tuzinski said.

As they approached the airfield, the pair experienced a problem with the landing gear, he added. Unable to use the manual override, they opted to make a controlled crash-landing on the empty soccer field just south of the airport’s runway.

“They did everything they needed to do and they brought the plane down safely,” Tuzinski said. “There were no injuries and they were able to walk away from the plane.”

The plane will have to remain on the field until National Transportation Safety Board officials arrive to perform an investigation, Tuzinski said. Because no one was injured, that may take a few days.

According to Federal Aviation Administration records for the plane’s registration number, it is a 1960 single-engine Piper registered to an owner in Bradford County with a certificate valid through June 2020.

It is not the first plane to touch down on that soccer field.

In 1988 another small aircraft crashed there, resulting in the deaths of two people. Tuzinski, a longtime firefighter, was on the scene for that incident as well, he recalled Thursday.

“I am glad everything went as well as it could have today,” he said.

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



FORTY FORTY, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU-TV) A little excitement late Thursday afternoon in Forty Fort, Luzerne County when a small plane came in for a landing.


The plane came down in the middle of a soccer field.   


Eyewitness News was on the scene shortly after crews were called about the plane emergency.


Forty Fort Mayor Andy Tuzinski tells us the plane was on its way from Towanda to the Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport when the plane experienced technical problems.


The pilot made an emergency landing on the nearby soccer field in Forty Fort. Mayor Tuzinski says the pilot and co-pilot were not injured.


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




WYOMING, Pennsylvania  --  A small plane headed from Towanda to the Wyoming Valley Airport in Wyoming had a close call.

Two experienced pilots inside the plane realized the landing gear was broken as they were traveling on Thursday afternoon.

The pilots decided to land on the soccer fields near the airport.

They were able to successfully do so with no injuries after the emergency landing in Luzerne County.

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

Robinson R44 Raven I, N772MG: Accident occurred January 02, 2019 - Santa Maria Island, Florida

Sarasota Helicopter Services

https://registry.faa.gov/N772MG


NTSB Identification: GAA19CA124
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, January 02, 2019 in Santa Maria Island, FL
Aircraft: Robinson R44, registration: N772MG

NTSB investigators will use data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator, and will not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.


















Stan Lee
Commercial Helicopter Pilot and Flight instructor.


Pete Boden


Tom MacKnight

Updated January 6, 2019 – ANNA MARIA – A helicopter crashed into the Gulf of Mexico about two miles off Anna Maria Island on Wednesday, January 2nd, sending two men to the hospital, according to Manatee County emergency officials.

The helicopter was shooting video of a boat about 10-15 feet above the water a half-mile west of the Sandbar restaurant when the crash occurred around 11 a.m., said Steve Litschauer, acting chief of Manatee County Emergency Management.

Two men were transported to Blake Medical Center; the pilot, Stanley Lee, in his 60s, with trauma, and Thomas MacKnight, 58, with back injuries, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO). The third occupant, photographer Peter Boden, refused treatment.

Lee was listed in stable condition on Friday; MacKnight was not hospitalized.

Emergency workers met the victims at the South Coquina boat ramp for transport to the hospital, said Robert Smith, Manatee County’s public safety director. The boat that was the subject of the video transported them from the crash site to the ramp.

The owner of the Robinson R44 Raven I helicopter is Sarasota Helicopter Services LLC, according to MCSO. Lee is listed as manager of the company, according to the Florida Division of Corporations.

The crew was working for North Carolina-based Fountain Powerboats, according to MacKnight’s Facebook page.

This evening, MacKnight posted on his Facebook page: “Hi Everyone. I want to just let you know that I am out of the hospital and back home. Wish I could say that for my pilot, Stan, who is in critical condition. Please say a prayer for him. We went down hard in the gulf around 11 am while shooting for Fountain Powerboats. I am pretty banged up like I just played a quarter with a pro football team but I am blessed to be here. Guess I am not done here on earth. I lost my camera, wallet, phone, keys but feel like I won the lottery of life today. I appreciate the messages and concern and will try to respond. But now, I am going to chill out. I kind of had a bad day. Again, please pray for Stan and thank you for well wishes and concern. More tomorrow.”

Pete Boden posted: “Just a quick update, I am a bit bruised, but fine! The inflatable Vest worked great, that’s why I wear them. Today God didn’t need us, and for that I am truly thankful. Thank you for all the kind thoughts and prayers!”

A GoFundMe account has been set up for Boden, who lost his camera equipment in the crash.

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



SARASOTA (WWSB) - Thomas MacKnight is thankful to be alive after the helicopter he was in crashed into the water about a mile offshore of Anna Maria Island on Wednesday.

It happened around 11am. MacKnight was one of three people in the Robinson R44 Raven I helicopter belonging to Sarasota Helicopter Services LLC.

MacKnight says the pilot, Stanley Lee, is one of the best in town and he’s flown with him many times. They were shooting video, hovering around 10-15 feet above the water like they normally do, when all of a sudden they hit the water.

“The second we hit, the water, because there’s no doors [on the helicopter when we’re shooting], threw me back into the back of the helicopter. At that point, I wasn’t even conscious of, I mean I didn’t know what was going on. You would never think that you had just crashed,” he said. “As soon as that happened, as soon as we hit, we went down like a rock.”

MacKnight says he was immediately underwater. He had been through safety demonstrations before, so he knew what to do. First, he detached himself from his seat belt and started to try to get out of the helicopter, which had tilted in the water, so he was facing towards the sea floor.

“I got out of the helicopter but I got hung up on something and the helicopter was going down and I looked up and saw the sky going away. Honestly, I thought, ‘This is it,’” MacKnight recalled.

You would think that in a situation like that, MacKnight would have been terrified. But he says it was calm experience. He said he just felt “it was going to be done.”

“When I thought it was going to be my last breath, I wasn’t concerned or upset. As soon as I thought that, I popped away and came up to the top. I looked around for everybody and saw everybody was up. Then I pulled the cord on my life preserver,” said MacKnight.

He says he couldn’t see anyone and didn’t know where everyone else was until he reached the surface. It happened so quickly, it was hard to take anything in, even to understand what had happened to him.

“Stan was obviously in very bad condition. I went over to him. By that time, the boat that we were shooting had come back. They jumped in and were helping us. I told them to go get Stan,” he said.

The passengers on the boat were able to pull all three people from the helicopter out of the water. The U.S. Coast Guard from St. Pete responded, putting two of their crew onto the boat to help with first aid efforts and then escorting the boat Coquina Beach to have the victims transported to the hospital.

Stanley Lee of Sarasota was taken to Blake Hospital under a trauma alert and he is listed in critical condition. MacKnight was taken to Blake Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Peter Bowden had only superficial wounds and refused treatment.

The day after the crash, MacKnight said he hurts all over, his back was hurt and everything is stiff. At the same time, he says he woke up this morning and looked at the ceiling, and thought, ‘Wow, here I am.’ "It’s a different day than it was yesterday. Life’s different.”

But he’s praying for his friend, Stanley Lee, who was hurt badly, and telling others to keep what’s really important at the forefront of their minds.

“Life is precious. We’re all here for some reason, I think. Respect the fact that you are here. Love the people that are closer to you and the people that are not. Every day is a gift and you should use it as you should. I almost didn’t have a today," said MacKnight. “Treat each bother. Let’s make life better while we’re here."

Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Longboat Key Police, Sarasota Police and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, to assist the Coast Guard.

The sheriff’s office located the wreckage using sonar and marked the location. The FAA and NTSB will follow up with removal and further crash investigation. It’s still unknown why the helicopter crashed.

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



MANATEE COUNTY — A vacationer was enjoying the view of the Gulf of Mexico with his wife on Manatee Public Beach when he saw a helicopter plunge into the water and disappear.

Steve Buso of Omaha, Nebraska says he caught a glimpse of the privately-owned aircraft on the horizon, miles offshore, circling alongside a boat.

“It looked like it was kind of hovering, then next thing you know I saw the tail of the helicopter go up and nose-dive right in the ocean,” Buso told SNN-TV. “I saw the spray of all the water going up and I heard a big boom — that caught most people’s attention.”

Moments later the aircraft’s tail sank beneath surface of the water and disappeared.

The pilot, Stanley Lee of Sarasota, was transported to Blake Medical Center in critical condition. Passenger Thomas MacKnight — a guitarist for The Verge and owner of a video production company — was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said. A third person, Peter Bowden, had minor injuries and was not transported.

The Robinson R44 Raven I is registered to Sarasota Helicopter Services LLC.

The Sheriff’s Office located the wreckage and used sonar to mark its location.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were notified and will remove the helicopter from the sea, and investigate the crash.

Buso said there was commotion on the water he saw from his spot near the beach. The boat was still before it took off.

“It was close enough that I could see it was a helicopter and the tail go up,” Buso said. “I looked at my wife. That helicopter just went into the ocean. I know it did.”

The Sheriff’s Office said a boat that was being filmed from the helicopter, two miles offshore from The Sandbar, rescued the occupants of the helicopter and called 911 around 11 a.m. They met with a Coast Guard vessel that administered first aid on arrival.

“Through the coordination of the good Samaritans, local authorities and crewmen on our boat, we were able to rapidly and safely transport the crash victims to advanced medical care,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob Lettington, the coxswain on the Response Boat-Small.

The Coast Guard escorted the boat to awaiting first responders, the Manatee County EMS, West Manatee Fire Department, Manatee County Beach Patrol, Longboat Key Police Department at the South Coquina boat ramp.

The helicopter was flying about 10 to 15 feet above the surface recording video when it crashed, said Robert Smith, the Director of Public Safety at Manatee County Government.

Smith said the helicopter departed from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport earlier in the day.

The MCSO and Sarasota Police Department marine patrol units provided assistance, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission boat towed a piece of the helicopter to shore.

Sarasota police spokeswoman Genevieve Judge said SPD sent one marine unit to help with the crash.

MacKnight posted a statement on Facebook about eight hours later addressing the incident. He asked for prayers for Lee, the injured pilot.

“We went down hard in the gulf around 11 a.m. while shooting for Fountain Powerboats,” MacKnight said in his statement. “I am pretty banged up like I just played a quarter with a pro football team but I am blessed to be here. Guess I am not done here on earth. I lost my camera, wallet, phone, keys but feel like I won the lottery of life today. I appreciate the messages and concern and will try to respond. But now, I am going to chill out. I kind of had a bad day.

“Again, please pray for Stan and thank you for well wishes and concern. More tomorrow.”

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





ANNA MARIA - It was a scary moment in the sky around 11:00 Wednesday morning.

"Once I seen it go down, I said, 'That helicopter just went down in the ocean and disappeared,'” Witness Steve Buso said. 

Buso, a Nebraska resident, was vacationing on the Suncoast. He describes the moment he saw a helicopter crash in the Gulf of Mexico, about a mile offshore of Anna Maria Island's Sandbar Restaurant. 

“I see the tail of the helicopter go up and nosedive right into the ocean, and I saw the spraying from all of the water that was coming up and heard a big boom, and that caught most people’s attention," Buso said. 

Manatee County Public Safety Director Robert Smith says the helicopter, owned by Sarasota Helicopter Services, LLC was flying just 10 to 15 feet above the water, filming a boat.

"We don’t know the circumstances of what caused the accident, but it was seen, and people in the boat transported the patients to the boat ramp,” Smith said. 

He says the pilot, Sarasota Resident Stanley Lee, was taken as a trauma alert to Blake Medical Center and is in critical condition. Another male passenger, Thomas McKnight, was also transported. The third passenger, Peter Bowden, refused treatment, having only superficial wounds, according to a release from the Manatee County Sheriff's Office. Smith says if the helicopter were higher, things could have been a lot worse.

"I think in this case, the fact that the helicopter was only 10 to 15 feet above the surface of the water played a big role,” Smith said. 

"That’s what caught my attention," Buso said. "It looked awful low, and kept getting lower and lower and obviously it went down."

Multiple agencies are investigating the cause of this crash.

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

Rotorcraft:  2015 Robinson R44 N772MG, s/n: 2397

Last Annual: 05/25/2018 at 239.4 AFTT

Hobbs currently reads 296.3                                                      

ENGINE: Lycoming IO-540-F1B5, s/n: L-27532-40E

The last 50 hour inspection was recorded on 11/08/2018 at 288.52 ETT: 296.3

EQUIPMENT:   All submerged in saltwater

(1) Garmin GTX327 Transponder

(1) Garmin GTR225B Comm

(1) Integra 406 ELT

DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT:  The helicopter impacted the ocean and was completely submerged in saltwater

DESCRIPTION OF DAMAGES:  Damage includes but may not be limited to the following:  

Substantial damage from impact and recovery.

Tail boom was damaged and separated from fuselage

Rotor blades are damaged

Completely submerged in salt water

LOCATION OF HELICOPTER:   Florida Air Recovery & Storage, Jacksonville, Florida

REMARKS:  Engine was not preserved. Rear doors were not on the aircraft at the time of the accident.  Rear doors are in good condition and are included with the salvage.

Read more here: http://www.avclaims.com

Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey, N24YD: Fatal occurred January 02, 2019 on American River near Sacramento, California

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

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Sacramento, California

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


https://registry.faa.gov/N24YD 

Location: Sacramento, CA
Accident Number: WPR19LA054
Date & Time: 01/02/2019, 1130 PST
Registration: N24YD
Aircraft: Progressive Aerodyne SEAREY
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On January 2, 2019, about 1130 Pacific standard time, an experimental Searey amphibian airplane, N24YD, nosed down and partially submerged during landing on the American River near Sacramento, California. The private pilot received minor injuries and the passenger succumbed from injuries 14 days after the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provision of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Napa County Airport (APC), Napa, California, about 1050 and was destined for the Sacramento area.

The pilot reported that after departure another airplane distracted his attention and he forgot to retract the landing gear. It was not until the airplane was just about to touch down on the river, that he realized that the landing gear was still extended. When the airplane touched down, it immediately nosed down and partially submerged.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information


Aircraft Make: Progressive Aerodyne
Registration: N24YD
Model/Series: SEAREY No Series
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: Yes
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: SMF
Observation Time: 1153 PST
Distance from Accident Site:
Temperature/Dew Point: 8°C / 3°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 3 knots / , 180°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.27 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Napa, CA (APC)
Destination: Sacramento, CA 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Minor
Latitude, Longitude:  38.600833, -121.503333 (est)

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


Candace Marshall


SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Candace Marshall, the woman who was a passenger in a seaplane that crashed into the American River on January 2nd, has died.

Marshall was flying in a Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey with pilot Keith Hezmalhalch when the plane crash-landed into the American River, leaving Marshall submerged in the river for an unknown amount of time.


Hezmalhalch managed to pull himself out of the plane with an abrasion on his head but walked away from the incident okay. He said in an interview with CBS13 after the crash that he thinks his plane crashed because its wheels were down for the planned water landing.


“Looked like one of my best water landings ever,” Hezmalhalch said. “Such a beautiful day, and then suddenly it wasn’t.”


Hezmalhalch fears the wheels were down because of his own pilot error.


“I feel a sense of failure, a sense of guilt, over not being the kind of pilot that we all are supposed to be,” Hezmalhalch said.


After finally making it above water, he dove down again and again to free his passenger, Marshall, who was now unconscious and still strapped in her seat.


“I can tell you, it looks just like it does in the movies,” Hezmalhalch said. “It was bad.”


Finally freeing her on his fourth dive, he performed CPR until first-responders arrived.


According to a Facebook page detailing Marshall’s medical journey in the hospital, she passed away two weeks after the crash on January 17th.

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


Keith Hezmalhalch

SACRAMENTO -- The pilot of the seaplane that crashed into the American River on Wednesday says he still beats himself up over his error in not checking to see if his landing gear was up before an attempted water landing.

Keith Hezmalhalch, a onetime Sacramento resident, flew out of Napa for what was to be a short boating trip up the river, but the plane hit hard.

His passenger, longtime friend Candy Huffman is still in critical condition at the UC Davis Medical Center and remains unconscious.

Hezmalhalch dove into the shallow water four times before he could release Huffman from her seatbelt. He performed CPR until rescuers arrived.

Hezmalhalch credited homeless people on the river for calling 9-1-1 almost immediately after the crash and for getting emergency responders to the scene quickly.

It was a traumatic experience for him because he feels he's responsible for placing his friend's life in danger.

"She's not out of the woods, so any prayers anybody can bring are so need...that's all that matters to me," said Hezmalhalch.

Huffman's family has set up a GoFundMe account to help with expenses.


Original article can be found here ➤  https://fox40.com



SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The pilot of the Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey plane who crash-landed into the American River Wednesday is speaking out about the moment of impact and the struggle to escape the submerged plane alive.

Pilot Keith Hezmalhalch still has a bloody forehead from the crash.

“It’s an abrasion from where my head… and my hat was still on… was forced into the windscreen on the airplane,” Hezmalhalch said.

Hezmalhalch says he is okay.

“Physically, I am fine,” Hezmalhalch said.

Hezmalhalch believes his seaplane crashed because its wheels were down for the planned water landing.

“Looked like one of my best water landings ever,” Hezmalhalch said. “Such a beautiful day, and then suddenly it wasn’t.”

Hezmalhalch fears the wheels were down because of his own pilot error.

“I feel a sense of failure, a sense of guilt, over not being the kind of pilot that we all are supposed to be,” Hezmalhalch said.

Hezmalhalch recounted the terrifying first moments under water. His self-inflated life vest, intended to save him, had instead trapped him and pushed him into the back of the plane, a dark cargo area.

“I was frantic to try and figure out what was going on because I was very aware that I was holding my breath and the air was 5 or 6 feet above me,” Hezmalhalch said.

After finally making it above water, he dove down again and again to free his passenger, who was now unconscious and still strapped in her seat.

“I can tell you, it looks just like it does in the movies,” Hezmalhalch said. “It was bad.”

Finally freeing her on his fourth dive, he performed CPR until first-responders arrived. She is still in critical condition.

A crash landing, and a harrowing underwater escape. Now this pilot, with his love for flying, is focused on his passenger making a complete recovery.

“It all seemed so simple until it didn’t go that way at all,” Hezmalhalch said.

Hezmalhalch credits the homeless camped along the American River who watched his plane go down for calling 9-1-1. He says if first-responders had not arrived so quickly, his passenger may not have initially survived.

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


New details emerged Thursday about the plane crash on the American River near Discovery Park, amid an investigation complicated by the federal government shutdown.


The crash was a failed water landing in a Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey, Sacramento County authorities said.


Sacramento County Deputy Director of Parks Liz Bellas said Thursday that according to a direct pilot statement, one of the wheels of the plane failed to retract upon landing.


“So when the wheels hit the water, it caused the plane to tumble,” Bellas said.


The crash injured the plane’s two occupants, the male pilot and a woman. Both were transported to UC Davis Medical Center, and the man suffered non-serious injuries while the woman was listed in critical condition Wednesday. Sacramento Fire Department spokesman Capt. Keith Wade said no update on the woman’s status was available Thursday morning.


Sacramento County’s Regional Parks Department was charged with the early investigation and evidence-gathering phases after the plane crashed, even though that stretch of the American River falls under state jurisdiction.


As Bellas explained, response to a major incident like a plane crash into the river would typically be handled by the Coast Guard. But the ongoing federal government shutdown means that both the Coast Guard and the investigating National Transportation Safety Board are unavailable.


“We do not frequently have plane crashes into the river, so it is outside of the norm most definitely,” Bellas said. “We wanted to make sure that we did our best to document the incident so we could forward the information to what would typically be a responding agency.”


Bellas said authorities believe the man piloting the plane was its registered owner.


Federal Aviation Administration registry information available online shows the Progressive Aerodyne Inc SeaRey, with a certificate issued in April 2015 to Keith Hezmalhalch. According to public Facebook posts by Hezmalhalch, the Sacramento-born man has worked in aerial photography and for a local TV news station.


According to a 2017 Facebook post, Hezmalhalch nicknamed his SeaRey “’lil stinker.” It is emblazoned with insignias of the U.S. Air Service, the post-World War I-era precursor to the Air Force that operated from 1918 to 1926. The SeaRey, though, was manufactured in 2007, and is classified as an “experimental” craft.


The plane crashed into the water less than a half-mile from the Interstate 5 crossing and nearby Jibboom Street Bridge.


Dozens of personnel, including park rangers, firefighters, Drowning Accident Rescue Team (DART), county Office of Emergency Services and private contractors, worked for about three hours Wednesday afternoon to drain the amphibious plane of most of its oil and tow it to shore.


Visible amounts of oil spilled into the river, but Wade said it was contained and cleaned up by hazardous materials teams.


Fire crews were tasked with mitigating the incident and the danger it presents, but getting the plane out of the water is not technically their responsibility, Wade explained.


Once the plane was towed closer to shore, private salvage workers using a winch in a Ford F-350 truck hauled the from the sand to a boat launch under the Jibboom Street Bridge, with some help from emergency personnel.


“Once the hazmat was dealt with, removal of the plane doesn’t really fall under the purview of the Fire Department,” Wade said. “We just assisted to be a good custodian to the community.”


The NTSB says on its website it is still accepting submitted accident reports, but it does not specify when they would be received. NTSB’s day-to-day operations and information notices are limited due to the government shutdown. Investigations can take anywhere from six weeks to more than two years to complete depending on complexity, according to the website.


Wade said the Fire Department has sent its incident reported to the NTSB and the FAA.


Bellas said except for the immediate area during the recovery of the aircraft, no part of the river or Discovery Park was closed by the incident.


Bellas encouraged anyone who may have witnessed the crash to call the parks’ department’s main line at 916-875-6961 and to ask to speak with Sgt. Nelson.


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