Loren Vernon Gallagher
Loren Vernon Gallagher was born on April 6th, 1946 in Minnesota. He entered into eternal rest on June 8th, 2019 in Hemet, California. He is survived by his loving wife, children, extended family and friends.
The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Riverside, California
Lockwood Aviation; Sebring, Florida
Aviation Accident Preliminary Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
https://registry.faa.gov/N123GN
Location: Hemet, CA
Accident Number: WPR19FA161
Date & Time: 06/08/2019, 0938 PDT
Registration: N123GN
Aircraft: LOCKWOOD AIRCAM
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Flight Test
On June 8, 2019, at 0938 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Lockwood Aviation Aircam airplane, N123GN, was substantially damaged when it rolled inverted and impacted the runway surface during a takeoff attempt at Hemet-Ryan Airport (HMT), Hemet, California. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the local flight.
According to records and witness statements, the pilot purchased the kit for the accident airplane in November 2017, and completed construction several months before the accident. The accident flight was the first test flight in the airplane after having recently received a Special Airworthiness Certificate to begin Phase I flight testing. On the morning of the accident, several of the pilot's friends and acquaintances had gathered to witness his first flight. Witnesses reported that the pilot performed a preflight inspection of the airplane and sumped the fuel tanks before he taxied to the active runway. He lined up the airplane on the runway centerline, and began a slow ground roll for a few seconds before he advanced the throttles to takeoff power. Seconds later, the airplane lifted off the runway, but as the airplane approached about 20 ft above ground level, the left wing folded upward. The airplane immediately rolled to the left and entered a descent before it impacted the ground inverted.
A video of the accident was captured by an eyewitness who was recording the initial flight with a smartphone. The video was consistent with witness statements and showed the tailwheel lift from the runway surface about 200 ft into the airplane's ground roll. The airplane departed the runway surface about 400 ft into the ground roll, and began a climb. Two seconds after the wheels came off the ground, the left wing folded upward and the airplane began a left roll and descended to the ground.
The airplane came to rest inverted on the left runway edge, approximately 550 ft from the beginning of runway 23. All major sections of the airframe were accounted for at the accident site. The main wreckage was located about 125 ft forward of the airplane's initial impact point and oriented on a heading of 111° magnetic. Multiple dents and compression wrinkles were observed on both sides of the forward fuselage at the nose cone, which was scarred and cracked along the top. The fuselage frame at each wing strut attachment was compressed on both sides of the fuselage. The left wing was partially separated and folded beneath the main wreckage and the wing tip was adjacent to the empennage. The right wing compression tube was deformed and the leading edge was crushed. Fuel stains were observed below the left wing on the runway surface covered by an absorbent material that had been distributed by first responders.
A preliminary examination of the airplane showed that both the forward and aft left wing struts remained connected to their braces at the left wing, but were not connected to the wing strut attachment fittings at the fuselage. According to the airplane's build manual, during normal assembly the wing struts are installed on the fuselage attachment fittings with bolts. On the accident airplane, the bolts were present and secured to the struts with nuts, however they were straight and undamaged, and not connected to their respective fittings on the fuselage. Likewise, the fittings on the fuselage were intact, and their corresponding bolt holes were undamaged. The right wing struts remained connected to both the wing strut attachments fitting at the fuselage, and braces at the wing.
Photograph 1: Left Wing Strut Attachment Fitting Ends and Fuselage Attachment Fittings
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: LOCKWOOD
Registration: N123GN
Model/Series: AIRCAM
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: Yes
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site:
Condition of Light:
Observation Facility, Elevation: , 1514 ft msl
Observation Time: 0935 PDT
Distance from Accident Site:
Temperature/Dew Point: 19°C / 13°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: Calm / ,
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.93 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Hemet, CA (HMT)
Destination: Hemet, CA (HMT)
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude:
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.
HEMET, California — The pilot of a twin-engine open cockpit experimental amateur-built aircraft was killed after crashing at Hemet-Ryan Airport Saturday morning, June 8. The Lockwood Aircraft AirCam built by the pilot and his friends – had just passed its FAA inspection and the deadly crash happened during the plane’s inaugural flight.
Although coroner officials have not yet released the victim’s name, friends and family have since identified the man who died as Loren Gallagher, of Hemet.
City of Hemet Police and Fire Departments, along with AMR, were dispatched to the fatal crash around 9:30 a.m., Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor later said.
When officials arrived they found the small red and gold plane upside down near one of the runways. The pilot, later identified as Gallagher, was reportedly trapped inside the mangled wreckage of the overturned plane and had to be extricated from inside the open cockpit of the two-seater.
Officials attempted CPR and requested an air ambulance while making other life-saving efforts, Hemet Fire Department later reported. However, the air ambulance was soon cancelled and Gallagher was transported by ground ambulance to Hemet Valley Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
A person who was at the airport and witnessed the crash but requested to remain anonymous, later told RCNS the plane crashed moments after it lifted off.
“It started off fine and was lifting into the air when it looked like the wing possibly failed,” the witness reported. “(The plane) only managed to get about 30-40 feet into the air when it came crashing down, trapping Loren.”
“A wonderful man died today. So many will miss him,” one friend, Debbie Dunajski Schamber, wrote after learning of the tragic accident. “That plane was so much more than just a hobby for the men who built it. Today was going to be a celebration for it’s first flight and now it has turned into a tragedy.”
“I am thankful for only one thing,” Schamber wrote. “Loren was a good Christian man with Jesus Christ as his savior. RIP my sweet friend. Until we meet again.”
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the deadly crash, according to Gregor. Their results and findings will be released once their investigation is complete.
Original article ➤ https://riversidecountynewssource.org
HEMET, California — Federal aviation officials are looking into what caused an experimental plane to crash at Hemet-Ryan Airport soon after takeoff on Saturday, fatally injuring the pilot.
Coroner’s officials on Sunday identified the pilot who died as Loren Gallagher, 73, of Hemet.
The Lockwood Aircraft AirCam crashed on the runway at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday, according to Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor, who said the pilot was the only person believed to have been onboard.
The pilot later identified as Gallagher was freed from the wreckage and taken to Hemet Valley Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the Hemet Fire Department said.
The plane was registered to Gallagher in February, according to FAA records.
AirCam planes are manufactured by Lockwood Aircraft, sold as a kit and put together by the customer, according to the company’s website.
Photos taken at the scene of the crash show the red plane upside down on the runway.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board typically take a year, or in some cases longer, to determine the cause of the crash, Gregor said.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.pe.com
A pilot died Saturday, June 8th, when an experimental aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Hemet-Ryan Airport, authorities said.
The crash, on the runway, happened at about 9:30 a.m., Hemet Fire Chief Scott Brown said. The pilot was the only person on board the Lockwood Aircam, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said.
The Hemet Fire Department arrived to find the Lockwood Aircraft AirCam upside down and the pilot trapped in the wreckage, Brown said. The victim was taken to Hemet Valley Hospital, where the Riverside County Coroner’s Office was called.
The pilot’s name was not immediately released.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. It takes the NTSB about a year to determine the probable cause of a crash, Gregor said.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.pe.com
Matthew Thompson and Zachary Moore were both arrested June 8th on marijuana-related charges.
The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Hillsboro, Oregon
Aviation Accident Preliminary Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
https://registry.faa.gov/N602BH
Location: Medford, OR
Accident Number: WPR19TA162
Date & Time: 06/08/2019, 1400 PDT
Registration: N602BH
Aircraft: Beech 35
Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On June 8, 2019, about 1400 Pacific daylight time, a Beech 35 airplane, N602BH, struck a tree during an emergency landing at the Rogue Valley International Airport (MFR), Medford, Oregon. The private pilot and his passenger received minor injuries. The airplane received substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The airplane was pending registration and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions were reported about the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from MFR about 1330 and was destined for Boise, Idaho.
According to the passenger, after departing MFR the pilot began having engine trouble and decided to return to MFR. During the return portion of the flight, the pilot had to hand pump the auxiliary (wobble) fuel pump to keep the engine running. The airplane descended onto a street in a residential neighborhood about 1 mile from runway 32, striking a tree, then came to rest upright against the tree. The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Beech
Registration: N602BH
Model/Series: 35 Undesignated
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site:
Condition of Light:
Observation Facility, Elevation: KMFR, 1329 ft msl
Observation Time:
Distance from Accident Site: 2 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point:
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction:
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility:
Altimeter Setting:
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point:
Destination:
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 42.351667, -122.860556 (est)
Two weeks after a small plane crashed on the front lawn of a Medford home, details about who owned the aircraft are still unclear.
Mathew William Thompson, 38, and Zachary Wayne Moore, 34, both of Boise, Idaho, were arrested by the Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team after the June 8 crash in the 2300 block of Whittle Avenue. The men face charges of unlawful import/export of marijuana extract, unlawful delivery of marijuana extract, unlawful possession of marijuana extract, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and recklessly endangering another person.
Details of the arrest have been sealed in Jackson County Circuit Court records, and the National Transportation Safety Board has yet to release a preliminary report about the crash.
NTSB spokesman Peter Knudson said Thursday that a preliminary report “is expected shortly,” but he did not provide a time frame.
In the year leading up to the crash, at least three parties tried to claim ownership of the 1947 Beechcraft 35 Bonanza — with none insuring it.
Lamon Loucks of Marsing, Idaho, was the last individual to hold the plane’s disputed title, but he first learned his plane was involved in the Medford crash when a reporter from KBOI-TV in Boise connected the plane’s lapsed registration to Loucks’ address.
“I thought it was parked at the Caldwell airport,” Loucks told the station in a June 10 phone interview in which he denied any liability or knowledge that the plane was being used. A call to Caldwell police was not returned.
Loucks’ lawyer, David Leroy, told KBOI-TV last week that his client reported the plane stolen June 11.
The disputed liability was a point of frustration for homeowner Michael Gibson, who voiced his frustration to a videographer the day after the crash.
“I have to have insurance on my car or I’m in trouble with police, but you can fly an aircraft from the airport with no insurance,” Gibson said June 9. “How is that even possible?”
In a June 13 report from KTVL in Medford, FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer said the FAA requires air carriers to maintain “economic authority” — issued through the U.S. Department of Transportation and usually demonstrated with proof of insurance.
“But for a private individual, we don’t have a regulation that requires insurance,” Kenitzer told the news station.
The pilot in the crash, Thompson, knew the plane’s owner.
Loucks told TV reporters in Boise he’d agreed with Thompson on a price of $20,000 for the plane, and a $10,000 down payment had been paid.
“I was waiting for the last half of the payment. I think it’s crazy, absolutely crazy,” Loucks said.
“He was recently visited by the Department of Homeland Security to get his version of what was going on with this particular plane,” Leroy said of Loucks. “Those agents assured him that he was not a suspect. They ... had been following the movements of this plane for the last several weeks.”
Leroy said the plane is “of uncertain title” — and was twice used as loan collateral before it made it into his client’s hands.
The Beechcraft was one of two aircraft that previous owner Nathan Ward Pyles used as collateral on an $80,000 loan to Pyles’ now-bankrupt building business, Shiloh Management Services of Boise. Records show that Leroy also represents Pyles in a since-dismissed criminal case surrounding the Shiloh’s bankruptcy.
“I had a client who took title to the plane when the prior owner of the plane defaulted on a loan that my client had made to the original owner,” Leroy said of Pyles. “However, that original owner got tied up in a bankruptcy proceeding, so instead of my client getting clear title, the trustee of the bankruptcy proceeding made a claim against the aircraft as well.”
Leroy also represents Pyles in a still-pending lawsuit filed by the Securities Bureau of the Idaho Attorney General’s Office Department of Finance in Ada County, Idaho, according to Idaho court records. According to an article in the Idaho Statesman, state authorities alleged that Pyles through his business, Shiloh, engaged in a Ponzi scheme that used money from new investors to pay old investors, along with engaging in “affinity fraud.”
“Pyles lulled some of his investors into a false sense of security by holding himself out as a religious man,” according to a court document filed Oct. 25.
According to documents filed last year in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Idaho, a lawyer representing Shiloh bankruptcy trustee Noah Hillen sought to seize the 1947 Beechcraft from Loucks and Thompson by citing the plane’s improper registration. The complaint filed April 19, 2018, also mentions a 1964 Cessna 210 Centurion Loucks seized as collateral after Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings began.
“As titled vessels, any security interest in the Beechcraft or Cessna must be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration,” Hillen’s complaint says, adding that “Loucks never registered his security interest in the Beechcraft or Cessna.”
The Beechcraft’s FAA registration showed that registration had expired May 4.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://mailtribune.com
MARSING, Idaho (CBS 2) — We've uncovered new information about a weekend plane crash in Medford, Oregon that's resulted in a federal drug smuggling investigation.
The owner of the plane is a Marsing realtor who says he had no idea where his plane was...until we told him.
Video from our sister station in Medford showed the plane's tail number.
We checked with the FAA registry which took us to a Marsing address and then we found the apparent owner was away from our area in Nevada where he too saw the video on TV. (We were given his cell phone number by a family member).
Lamon Loucks says he wasn't sure where his plane was until we told him about the crash and that authorities now believe it was being used in a marijuana trafficking operation.
The single engine 1947 Beechcraft Bonanza crashed into a tree in Medford Oregon Saturday.
Nobody on the ground was hurt and the planes' two occupants had only minor injuries.
"And I thought that looks a lot like my airplane but never thought about it," said Loucks. "I figured my plane was parked in Caldwell, I figured it can't be crashed out somewhere else. Then when I got your message that was the first I heard about it."
The plane's two occupants Zachary Moore and Matthew Thompson, both of Boise, now face felony charges of exporting marijuana and marijuana possession.
And now Loucks knows his airplane isn't in Caldwell anymore where it was last recorded as being tied down on March 29th of this year.
Loucks says he came into ownership of the plane through a foreclosure deal and that Thompson had given him $10,000 as a down payment on the $20,000 total price.
Did he know the plane was being used in some apparent smuggling deal? "Absolutely not," Loucks said. "I thought it was parked at the Caldwell Airport. I was waiting for the last half of the payment. I think it's crazy, absolutely crazy."
Medford police say a federal drug investigation is ongoing.
Story and video ➤ https://idahonews.com
MEDFORD, Ore. — Right after the Beech 35 Bonanza crashed into a Medford neighborhood Saturday area residents rushed to the aid of the two people on-board.
One resident told News 10 on the scene they saw bags of marijuana in the plane. Authorities quickly brought out a drug K-9 and his handler following the crash Saturday to search the wreckage. It would not be until Sunday, June 9, that Medford Police would announce drug trafficking charges against the pilot, Mathew Thompson, and passenger, Zachary Moore.
News 10 has learned the federal investigation may have started before the crash.
Allen Kenitzer, from the Federal Aviation Administration Office of Communication, tells News 10 the pilot failed to file a flight plan in that doomed flight.
"No flight plan was filed, " Kenitzer said.
And it may not have been the first time.
David Leroy, an attorney representing the plane's owner, Lamon Loucks, said flying without a flight plan tipped off agents from the Department of Homeland Security, who then started tracking their movements for weeks.
"(Mr. Loucks) was recently visited by agents of the Department of Homeland Security to get his version of what was going on to this particular plane. Those agents assured him that he was not a suspect. They knew, and in fact, had been following the movements of this plane for the last several weeks," Leroy said.
News 10 reached out to Homeland Security for comment but have not heard back.
On Monday Moore and Thompson will face a preliminary hearing where the probable cause for their arrest will be examined in court.
Leroy contends his client is the victim in this case who's aircraft was supposed to be tied down at the airport in Caldwell, Idaho.
"My client is utterly not involved," Leroy said.
Leroy said Loucks filed a police report earlier this week to report the plane stolen.
"It may have been flying drugs into Oregon, picking up cash, picking up marijuana to fly them to some other point," said Leroy. "But as far as I am able to learn, as far as my client knows, there was no flight plan filed for this flight either flying into Oregon or going out of Oregon. That's why the Department of Homeland Security was tracking this aircraft."
Leroy said the plane wasn't insured. According to the FAA, the registration had expired May 4.
"If this plane was stolen or not authorized to be flown it's not necessarily foreseeable by an owner of an aircraft that it might crash at the hands of someone else. The individuals flying the plane would probably be those persons most liable for damages caused by a crash," Leroy said.
Federal drug charges could be pending against the two Idaho residents. Oregon's neighbors to the east, Idaho, outlaws both recreational and, medicinal marijuana.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://kval.com
BOISE, Idaho — The owner of the small plane that crashed in a Medford neighborhood over the weekend, is now reporting it stolen.
Idaho resident Lamon Loucks's attorney David Leroy said he filed the police report in Caldwell, Idaho where he saw it tied down at the airport.
The Beech 35 Bonanza with tail number N602BH crashed into a sidewalk outside a house in the 3200 block of Whittle Avenue in Medford June 8.
Leroy, of Leroy Law Office in Boise said the ownership of the plane is in doubt.
"The aircraft that crash in Oregon is of uncertain title, at this time, although it appears my client, who is un-involved in this circumstance, and did not know that the plane was removed from Caldwell airport, may be the title owner still," Leroy said.
Leroy's client took the title to the plane when the prior owner of the plane defaulted on a loan that he made to the original owner.
"That original owner got tied up in a bankruptcy proceeding, so instead of my client getting clear title, the trustee in the bankruptcy made a claim against the aircraft as well," Leroy said.
Leroy said Loucks didn't know of the alleged illegal activity.
Zachary Wayne Moore, 34, and Mathew William Thompson, 38, face charges of unlawful import/export of marijuana extract, unlawful delivery of marijuana extract, unlawful possession of marijuana extract, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and recklessly endangering another person.
"My client is utterly not involved," Leroy said.
Michael Gibson who's full size van was damaged in the crash said Loucks should have had insurance on his plane to cover the damage.
"I have to have insurance on my car or I'm in trouble with police but you can fly an aircraft from the airport with no insurance." Gibson told Rosebud Media Sunday. "How is that even possible?"
Allen Kenitzer, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration said the FAA requires air carriers to maintain “economic authority” that is issued by the department of transportation and is usually demonstrated by them having adequate insurance for the operation.
"But, for a private individual (non-commercial) we don’t have a regulation that requires insurance," Kenitzer said.
Leroy confirmed the aircraft had no insurance and he believes the owner of the plane didn't need it.
"There was no insurance on this aircraft," Leroy said. "If this plane was stolen or unauthorized to be flown it's not necessarily foreseeable by an owner of an aircraft that it might crash at the hands of someone else. The individuals flying the plane would probably be those persons most liable for damages caused by a crash."
Leroy puts the liability on the operators of the plane, who are facing a slew of charges already in a Jackson County Courtroom and possible federal charges if they come down for taking marijuana across state lines.
Both Thompson and Moore have pleaded not guilty, have public defenders assigned to their case, and face a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 17
Story and video ➤ https://ktvl.com
Two Boise, Idaho, men arrested on felony marijuana traffic charges after their single-engine plane crashed on a Medford street Saturday afternoon pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon in Jackson County Circuit Court.
Zachary Wayne Moore, 34, and Mathew William Thompson, 38, are lodged in Jackson County Jail on $50,000 bail.
Both men face charges of unlawful import/export of marijuana extract, unlawful delivery of marijuana extract, unlawful possession of marijuana extract, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and recklessly endangering another person.
“I don’t understand the reckless endangering,” Moore told Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Benjamin Bloom.
Moore said that when he was released from hospital he was told he needed to see a specialist.
“All my teeth have been knocked out,” he said. “I’m in a lot of pain.”
Moore said he has only received aspirin or Tylenol in jail.
Bloom said the men face a five-year prison sentence and a maximum $125,000 fine for the import/export of marijuana charge.
The plane carrying Thompson and Moore crashed into a tree in the 2300 block of Whittle Avenue in east Medford at 1:56 p.m. Saturday, according to Emergency Communications of Southern Oregon and Federal Aviation Administration records.
An initial release from Medford police Saturday said that the plane encountered mechanical issues shortly after leaving the Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport.
The crash prompted road closures through the afternoon and evening.
Thompson and Moore were taken to a local hospital for minor injuries prior to their arrest.
Thompson, for his video court appearance, was wearing a head and wrist bandage.
He asked Bloom, “Is there any way I can leave and come back for a court date?” Thompson said he had family matters that required his attention.
Bloom denied the request, noting that bail was set at $50,000.
At first Thompson appeared confused about the charges and how he should plea.
Amy Young with the Southern Oregon Public Defenders in Medford recommended he get an attorney.
“Your charges are pretty serious,” she said.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for June 17.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://mailtribune.com
The pilot and passenger of a private airplane that crashed in a Medford neighborhood Saturday afternoon are in jail facing marijuana trafficking charges, Medford police confirmed Sunday evening.
Zachary Wayne Moore, 34, and Matthew William Thompson, 38, are lodged in the Jackson County Jail on felony charges of importing or exporting marijuana items and unlawful marijuana possession; Moore is also charged with possession of a schedule I substance.
Moore was lodged in the jail on $35,000 bail. Thompson’s bail is set at $15,000.
Sgt. Steve Furst with MPD said that Thompson was piloting the plane, a 1947 Beech 35 aircraft with an expired registration.
He said criminal and federal drug investigation is ongoing and he could not comment on whether additional charges would be added.
Thompson and Moore, both residents of Boise, Idaho, crashed into a tree in the 2300 block of Whittle Ave. in east Medford at 1:56 p.m. Saturday, according to Emergency Communications of Southern Oregon and Federal Aviation Administration records.
An initial release from Medford police Saturday said that the plane encountered mechanical issues shortly after leaving the Rogue Valley International Airport in Medford.
The crash prompted road closures through the afternoon and evening.
Thompson and Moore were taken to a local hospital for minor injuries prior to their arrest, Furst said.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://mailtribune.com
MEDFORD, Oregon – A small plane crashed into a Medford neighborhood Saturday afternoon much to the surprise of residents who were enjoying a previously quiet weekend.
The plane went down along Whittle Avenue and Grandview Avenue, just south of the Rogue Valley airport, striking several trees and sliding along several neighbors front yards before coming to a stop. No neighbors were hurt.
Witnesses described the scene as hectic and chaotic as two men, considered to be in their thirties, exited the plane.
“This is like the first thing that’s ever happened and after this, you’re kind of like, ‘OK you never know right?'” said Melissa Oar, a resident who lives right around the corner from where the accident occurred.
Oar was one of the first on scene and says she is trained in First Aid and CPR and went to see if she could help. When she arrived, she said the two men were already out of the plane but had what seemed to be some serious injuries.
“The one gentleman had, I think, lost some of his front teeth. So we put pressure, my husband Michael put pressure on his mouth,” she said. “I had him do that. The other gentleman had an injury to his ear and he had a laceration to his arm.”
Oar says they continued to help the two men until paramedics arrived. They were then transported to the hospital where police say they are doing well.
Jim Porter, whose house the plane stopped in front of, says he was lucky enough that his wife had just moved the car and he had just stepped into his garage.
“I had walked maybe a foot into the garage and I heard Crash! Boom! Bang!” he said. “I said what the heck was that and I turnaround and an airplane fell in my front yard.”
Porter says the two men were pretty shaken up by the incident but remained coherent throughout the time till ambulances came. Porter and Oar both said the pilot claimed the plane lost the fuel pump which led to the crash.
Police and aviation officials are still investigating.
“All we have is just very little information that was given to us and I believe that’s what the dispatch said is something to do with the fuel pump,” said Cpl. Ericka Doran, Medford Police Department. “We still don’t know if that’s the case or not.”
Much of this incident is still under investigation. Witnesses claimed there was marijuana on the plane but no one made allegations that the pilots were under the influence. Police could neither confirm or deny that at this time.
Still, residents living near the airport say this doesn’t happen often.
“I’ve lived here since ’74 and we’ve had two crashes,” said Porter. “One down the street and one in my front yard.”
Police say Whittle Avenue will be moved to one lane until the plane can be cleared. NTSB and FAA officials will be coming to inspect the plane soon to identify the cause of the crash. No word yet on when those results may be release.
Story and video ➤ https://kobi5.com
The pilot and passenger of a private airplane with expired registration survived a crash in a northeast Medford neighborhood.
At 1:56 p.m. Saturday, a 1947 Beech 35 aircraft collided with a tree in the 2300 block of Whittle Ave., according to Emergency Communications of Southern Oregon and Federal Aviation Administration records, prompting road closures through the afternoon and evening.
Crews from Medford Fire-Rescue, Medford police, Mercy Flights and Jackson County Airport Authority descended to the neighborhood within minutes, according to Medford police Cpl. Ericka Doran and multiple eyewitnesses at the scene throughout the afternoon.
According to Doran, the aircraft wreckage is expected to remain in the home’s driveway until authorities with the NTSB, FAA and possibly other federal agents can arrive on scene to investigate and collect the downed plane; however, local police and first responders said at least one lane of travel was cleared on Whittle Avenue as of Saturday evening.
The plane’s FAA registration shows its last registration out of Marsing, Idaho, expired May 4 of this year, and no name aside from “registration pending.” The pilot and passenger’s names have not yet been released.
Witness Mikyle Carr said that he and his stepfather heard the plane’s engine sputter, saying he “knew it didn’t sound right,” then heard the crash.
He said he saw the pilot and passenger get out of the plane “pretty busted up.” Despite the wreckage leaking fuel, the two returned to grab items from the plane including a phone and a bag.
Carr said it’s the first time he’s ever seen an aircraft fall from the sky.
"When we got out, I honestly was surprised I saw someone come out alive," Carr said. "I’m blown away that it didn’t blow up."
A K-9 unit was spotted at the scene, but it’s unclear what role it had in the investigation, if any. Doran declined to comment on the sighting beyond saying that the case is under investigation.
Melissa Oar, Carr’s mother who lives nearby, said she has first aid and CPR training because she works for an assisted living facility, and was among the first good Samaritans to help the pilot and passenger.
"I never thought it’d be a plane crash around the corner that I’d help somebody," Oar said.
The pilot was conscious and walking around, but suffered lacerations to parts of his arm and ear and lost some teeth, according to Oar. Authorities have not released an official cause of the crash, but the pilot told Oar the plane’s fuel pump had gone out.
"When it went to come down, he was trying to aim for the trees because he did not want to hit houses," Oar said.
Next-door neighbor Jim Porter said he’d just moved his truck out of his driveway in order to make room for someone to pick up his old hot tub when he heard the crash. His wife had just left to take her grandson to the store.
"I had walked maybe a foot into the garage and I heard ‘Crash! Boom! Bang!’" Porter said. "I said, ‘What the heck is that?’"
“I turn around and an airplane fell in our front yard.”
Porter said the crash is a first since he’s lived at the home since 1974, although he remembers at least one other plane crash down the street in the early 1980s.
Witness Daniel Gutfeld lives about 100 feet from the crash near the corner of Whittle and Alcan Drive. He said he was working on his computer and saw something impact the treeline.
“At first I thought it was just a car towing a plane, which I thought was weird,” Gutfeld said.
Gutfeld helped to gather rags because the plane was leaking fuel. He said one of the plane’s occupants appeared concussed and bleeding, and heard him say, “I gotta get to the hospital now.”
The ambulance arrived “within five minutes” of the crash, according to Gutfeld, Carr and Oar. They walked to the ambulance on their own power.
Gutfeld commended the pilot for mitigating harm to anyone.
“He missed houses, he missed people, they’re alive, he did a great job bringing that sucker down,” Gutfeld said.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://mailtribune.com
MEDFORD, Oregon — Two people were taken to the hospital after a small plane crashed in a neighborhood south of Medford Airport.
"I heard crash.. boom.. bang and I thought, 'what the heck is that? and I turned around and an airplane fell in my front yard," Medford resident Jim Porter said.
The plane crashed on the sidewalk right out front of his home just before 2:00 pm Saturday in the 2300 block of Whittle Ave.
Witnesses tell News 10 that the plane appeared to be coming in for a landing when it clipped a tree, hit two parked cars coming to rest in front of a second tree. It lost a wing and stopped on the front sidewalk of a home.
Robert Austin who lives nearby saw the plane come out of the sky.
“I heard it sputter and it was really low, came at angle. I feel like he didn’t have enough height. He came down hard and at a steep angle, plane leaning to left," Austin said.
The plane clipped a tree and two cars, and two people walked out of the plane with injures to their head and arms.
Melissa Oar, who lives nearby, said she has CPR and first aid training and wanted to help.
“The pilot had an ear and arm injury," Oar said. “He told me the fuel pump went out and he was aiming for the trees so he would not hit the houses.”
Medford police Corporal Erika Doran said investigators are looking into the the report and consider the crash under investigation.
“The other man came out and had a facial injury and my husband and I helped him pack the wound,” Oar said.
Doran said Mercy Flight transported the two injured occupants of the plane.
As rescuers worked the scene other planes landed along the same flight path over-head. It was a reality check for Oar.
“We always think about it when we see them flying over. I can read the side of the planes when they go over your house,” Oar said.
Police said no one on the ground was hurt in the incident.
Doran said the wreckage will remain where it lays on the suburban sidewalk until officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board arrive to investigate.
Porter said its the second small plane crash on Whittle since he's lived in the airport neighborhood since 1974.
Story and video ➤ https://ktvl.com
The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Burlington, Massachusetts
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/N3115R
Location: Hanson, MA
Accident Number: ERA18TA236
Date & Time: 08/27/2018, 1250 EDT
Registration: N3115R
Aircraft: Cessna 182
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Runway excursion
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Skydiving
On August 27, 2018, about 1250 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182L, N3115R, nosed over following a landing overrun at Cranland Airport (28M), Hanson, Massachusetts. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local skydiving flight, which originated at 28M and was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The pilot reported completing a thorough preflight inspection and runup prior to the accident flight, noting that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to the flight that would have precluded normal operation, and no abnormal indications or battery discharge indications during the runup preceding takeoff. A witness stated that the airplane was jump-started by a vehicle just prior to the accident flight.
About 2,000 ft during the initial climb, the airplane experienced a radio failure and the pilot noted a slight change in engine sound. He consulted with the jumpmaster and continued to climb to 7,500 ft to allow the two pairs of skydivers to jump. He reported engine roughness after the jumpers departed the airplane. He considered going to a nearby airport about 8 miles southeast that offered longer runways but did not want to go to an airport that was unfamiliar to him. Instead, he circled down over the airport, keeping his approach "a little faster and higher than normal" so that if the engine lost total power he could still reach the runway. After extending full flaps, he tried to "bleed off speed" and lose altitude as quickly as possible. He landed longer than usual but preferred to not execute a go-around due to the rough-running engine. Despite maximum braking, the airplane overran the departure end of runway 18, encountered a ditch, nosed over, and came to rest inverted.
According to the jumpmaster, he noted no engine problems or other anomalies besides the radio failure prior to jumping. Once on the ground, he observed the landing and left main tire smoking from the pilot "locking up the brakes." According to the second jumpmaster, once back on the ground he saw the airplane "arriving fast" and heard the airplane braking before it overran the runway.
A review of the airport video revealed that the airplane touched down near the midpoint of the 1,760-ft-long runway. Additionally, a Federal Aviation Administration who responded to 28M shortly after the accident noted a quartering tailwind for the airplane's direction of landing. The recorded wind at an airport located 8 miles southeast of the accident site, about the time of the accident, was variable at 5 knots.
The airplane came to rest inverted 183 ft beyond the departure end of runway 18. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the airframe sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, rudder, and vertical stabilizer. The flaps were in the extended position. The main landing gear tires both displayed significant tread wear on one side with visible holes in the tread area. The runway displayed tire skid marks with geometry consistent to the accident airplane for537 ft. Additionally, rim marks were evident 158 ft after the first contiguous skid marks.
Examination of the airplane revealed that the alternator belt was located off the pulleys and on the lower right side of the engine firewall. It was examined, and no anomalies were noted. The battery was disconnected during the accident sequence, with the left post separated at impact. For examination, a replacement battery was wired to the airplane and the flaps operated normally. A multimeter was applied to the accident battery and it indicated 12.3 volts. Except for the alternator belt located off the pully, the engine was examined and no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions were observed. Testing of the brakes showed that they were operational and did not reveal evidence any preimpact mechanical anomalies.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Commercial
Age: 20, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
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: 04/07/2018
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 12/01/2017
Flight Time: 703.1 hours (Total, all aircraft), 392.3 hours (Total, this make and model), 572.7 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 242.5 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 47 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 0 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N3115R
Model/Series: 182 L
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1968
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 18258515
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 1
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 10/12/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3525 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 69 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 6167.51 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: Installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: O-470-U-50
Registered Owner: 516 Skydive Inc
Rated Power: 235 hp
Operator: Go Skydive Boston
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: PYM, 148 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 8 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1252 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 146°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 4400 ft agl
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 5 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: Variable
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.04 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 31°C / 19°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Hanson, MA (28M)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Hanson, MA (28M)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1236 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G
Airport Information
Airport: Cranland (28M)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 71 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 18
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 1760 ft / 60 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full Stop
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 42.022222, -70.837222 (est)
