Friday, August 09, 2019

Wheeler Express Series 2000, N43FD: Fatal accident occurred August 07, 2019 near Camarillo Airport (KCMA), Ventura County, California

John Brent Wells and Tara Wells 


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

Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Van Nuys, California
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama

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

https://registry.faa.gov/N43FD

Location: Camarillo, CA
Accident Number: WPR19FA212
Date & Time: 08/07/2019, 1329 PDT
Registration: N43FD
Aircraft: Wheeler EXPRESS SERIES 2000
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On August 7, 2019, about 1329 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Wheeler Express 2000 airplane, N43FD, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground near Camarillo Airport (CMA), Camarillo, California. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to N43FD Airplane LLC, which was owned by two persons, one of whom was the pilot. The personal cross country flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site about the time of the accident, and a flight plan was filed for the flight. The flight originated from the South Valley Regional Airport (U42) Salt Lake City, Utah about 0900 mountain daylight time.

According to the preliminary information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot contacted the CMA air traffic control tower (ATCT) local controller (LC) when the airplane was about 5 miles north of CMA, and advised the LC that he was inbound for landing. The pilot was instructed by the LC to fly a right traffic pattern for runway 26. Soon thereafter, the ATCT ground controller (GC) observed the airplane on a 2-mile final. Subsequently, the LC reported a dust cloud from the crashed airplane.

A flight instructor and his student were hovering about 10 feet above the CMA pavement in a helicopter, and both witnessed the accident. The instructor saw the airplane when it was on final approach, close to the runway. When the airplane was about 40 feet above the ground, the airplane entered into an "aerodynamic stall" and then impacted the ground. The student pilot stated that the airplane pitched up and then entered a downward right bank and impacted the ground.

The airplane impacted the ground about 750 feet short of the runway. The debris field was approximately 130 feet long and aligned towards the northwest. The first identified point of contact with the ground was ground scarring and contained multiple fragments from the composite right wing tip. The main wreckage consisted of the fuselage, empennage, engine, and both wings.

The wreckage was recovered and transported to a secure facility for further investigation.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Wheeler 
Registration: N43FD
Model/Series: EXPRESS SERIES 2000 No Series
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: Yes
Operator: N43FD Airplane LLC.
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site:Visual  Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KCMA, 65 ft msl
Observation Time: 2055 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 23°C / 16°C
Lowest Cloud Condition:Clear 
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction:9 knots / , 240°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.95 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: VFR
Departure Point: Tonopah, NV (TPH)
Destination: Camarillo, CA (CMA) 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion:None 
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 34.213889, -119.070833 (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. 




Tara (Francyk) Wells & John "Bret" Wells
August 7, 2019

We are deeply sad to announce the sudden passing of John Bret Wells, and Tara Francyk Wells on Wednesday August 7th, 2019. They are remembered, loved, and mourned by their daughter, Emily Wells, their dogs Mo and Bailey, Bret's siblings Sam Wells, Victor Wells, Sally Wells Burns, Tara's brothers Peter Francyk, David Francyk and Tara's mother Joni Phillipp. Their life is celebrated by everyone who knew them. Tara was an incredible speech pathologist and dedicated her life to helping children with special needs. Bret was an accomplished electrical engineer for Hill Air Force Base. Both Tara and Bret loved being parents to their daughter Emily Wells; she was the light of their lives. Tara loved to paint, read, play games and travel - especially to Hawaii. Bret loved to brew his own beer, build planes and fly them.

Flying was Bret's passion, he often said "If I get reincarnated, I hope I get to be a bald eagle". They had both recently retired and planned to spend the rest of their days travelling together. Together, Tara and Bret built an exemplary life. They raised a remarkable daughter. Their hearts and their home were always open to family and friends. Their enthusiasm and joy for living was infectious, and a gift to those of us lucky enough to be included in their lives. There will be a family and friends' get-together this Sunday, August 18th, 2019 at Bell Canyon Park, 5:30-8pm to remember and celebrate this beautiful couple who touched so many people's lives. Family and friends are looking forward to celebrating the many accomplishments of Bret and Tara come springtime.

 A tentative date for this celebration is May 29th, 2020. For all who knew and loved them, their life is remembered and celebrated for their inspiration as parents, partners, family and community members, dedicated to the love of life and living.



COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah – A Cottonwood Heights couple is being remembered as “probably the best parents that have ever existed” the day after they died in a plane crash.

John Brent Wells and Tara Wells died Wednesday when the plane they were in crashed on approach to Camarillo Airport in Southern California. The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash.

Their daughter, 26-year-old Emily Taylor Wells, told KSL her father was a longtime pilot. She said he had worked as an electrical engineer at Hill Air Force Base and her mother was a speech therapist in local schools. They retired last year and planned to enjoy as many experiences as they could.

“He was never wasting a moment. He always was on to the next adventure, whether it was snowshoeing or skiing. My mom too. The minute she retired, she was so good at making friends,” she said.

Emily said aviation had always been her father’s passion. He had built another airplane, an F-1 Rocket, and they had flown together.

“I flew with him in that plane back and forth to Idaho a couple of times. It was really something special,” she said. “I’ve never seen my dad so happy. Sharing flying with other people is what made my dad feel on top of the world. I think when it was me that he could share it with, it was really special,”

Emily said her mother was passionate about helping children in the schools where she worked.

“It really made a big difference for a lot of people and she just devoted her whole life to it,” she said. “She really enjoyed her job. Not everybody can say they enjoy their job,”

Emily said her parents had a way of putting things into perspective.

“I had a talk with my dad right before he passed away and he just said how he wished people would stop worrying so much about everything else that doesn’t really matter and just actually spend time living their life and doing things that make life worth living,” Emily said.

She said they left a lasting impression on countless people in the community and that she could not have asked for better parents.

“They’re just some of the most genuine and kind people. I feel really lucky that they were my parents because not everybody gets to have parents like I had,” she said.

https://ksltv.com


SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake City couple died Wednesday after their plane crashed in Camarillo, California, according to officials.

John Wells, 60, and his wife, Tara Wells, 56, died in the crash, an official with the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office said Thursday. The couple’s cause of death was accidental and from multiple blunt force injuries, the official said.

The plane was a single-engine, homebuilt Express Series 2000 that crashed under unknown circumstances about 1,000 feet short of Runway 26 at Camarillo Airport around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Ian Gregor with Federal Aviation Administration confirmed to KSL.com.

"These are my favorite people in the whole wide world,” said the couple’s daughter, Emily Taylor Wells.

She said her parents had just retired together last year — Tara Wells was a speech therapist for local schools and John, who went by his middle name Bret, worked as an electrical engineer at Hill Air Force Base.

They were flying to a family wedding when the plane crashed. Emily Wells said her parents were one-of-a-kind.

“I feel really lucky that they were my parents because not everybody gets to have parents like I had,” she said Thursday.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, Gregor said.

Officials presumed John Wells was flying the plane, considering he had a pilot’s license, James Baroni, with the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office, told VC Star, but Baroni said that information had not yet been verified by investigators.

The plane was registered to a limited-liability corporation in Taylorsville, the FAA told VC Star.

“They just loved living," Emily Taylor Wells said. "They loved seeing things. They loved exploring. They loved being together and you would definitely feel that.”

Story and video ➤ https://www.ksl.com













Authorities have identified the man and woman killed when a small plane crashed at the Camarillo Airport on Wednesday afternoon.

John Wells, 60, and his wife, Tara Wells, 56, were both from Salt Lake City, said James Baroni, an investigator with the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office. The cause of death had not yet been determined as of Thursday afternoon, he said. John Wells had a pilot’s license and is presumed to have been flying, Baroni said, but added that information has not yet been verified by aviation authorities investigating the incident.

The crash took place around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday when the plane was reportedly coming in to land, according to airport officials. The plane’s two occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. The airport is at 555 Airport Way.

The plane was an experimental Express Series 2000, according to aviation investigators. Records on file with the Federal Aviation Administration indicate it was an amateur-built craft made in 2002 from a Wheeler Aircraft Co. kit.

The plane came down about 1,000 feet short of the airport’s eastern runway, FAA officials said. The facility’s two runways and surrounding infrastructure form a long rectangle along the south side of Ventura Boulevard, stretching west from Las Posas Road past commercial and agricultural properties to the north.

Crash debris was visible from Ventura Boulevard east of Springville Drive, where chain-link fences surround the airport and aviation enthusiasts sometimes watch goings-on. A crowd had gathered along the fence line Wednesday as fire, ambulance and police personnel worked the scene. There was no fire at the crash site, firefighters said.

The incident is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.

NTSB investigators are currently in the fact-gathering stage and no additional details were available Thursday, an agency spokesman said. 

Investigators typically release preliminary findings a week to 10 days after an accident, he said. The agency’s full report will likely be complete about a year or a year-and-a-half from now, he said.

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

Runway Excursion: Diamond DA-20-C1, N979DA; accident occurred August 07, 2019 at Pueblo Memorial Airport (KPUB), Colorado

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Denver, Colorado

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/N979DA

Location: Pueblo, CO
Accident Number: GAA19CA490
Date & Time: 08/07/2019, 0810 MDT
Registration: N979DA
Aircraft: Diamond DA20
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Runway excursion
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

The student pilot reported that, after being endorsed for his first solo flight, he made three approaches and three landings. During the third approach, the nose of the airplane yawed to the right, and he applied left rudder to correct the right yaw but was unsuccessful. About 15ft AGL, the pilot aborted the landing and applied full engine power but, "The aircraft jerked and continued to descend with right yaw." The airplane landed on the runway with the nose of the airplane oriented to the right of the runway heading. The airplane exited the right side of the runway and stopped after encountering the rough terrain.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the tail and empennage.

The METAR at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was variable at 4 knots.

The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Student
Age: 33, Male
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 06/04/2019
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 18.4 hours (Total, all aircraft), 17.7 hours (Total, this make and model) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Diamond
Registration: N979DA
Model/Series: DA20 C1
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2008
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Utility
Serial Number: C0486
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 07/02/2019, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1764 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 6528.9 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: C126 installed, activated, aided in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: IO-240-B
Registered Owner: Doss Aviation Inc
Rated Power: 125 hp
Operator: Doss Aviation Inc
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KPUB, 4720 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1416 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 90°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: Light and Variable /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: Variable
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 30.05 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 23°C / 16°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Pueblo, CO (PUB)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Pueblo, CO (PUB)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 0755 MDT
Type of Airspace: Class D

Airport Information

Airport: Pueblo Memorial (PUB)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 4729 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 08L
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 4690 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Go Around; Traffic Pattern

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: 38.290000, -104.498056 (est)

de Havilland DH.60GM Gipsy Moth, N919DH: Accident occurred August 07, 2019 in Cortez, Montezuma County, Colorado

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

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Salt Lake City, Utah

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

https://registry.faa.gov/N919DH

Location: Cortez, CO
Accident Number: CEN19LA260
Date & Time: 08/07/2019, 1945 MDT
Registration: N919DH
Aircraft: DE HAVILLAND DH60
Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On August 7, 2019, about 1945 mountain daylight time, a Moth DH60GM airplane, N919DH, experienced a loss of engine performance after departure from a private airstrip near Cortez, Colorado. The airplane struck a tree and subsequently impacted the ground in a nose-down position. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries. The airplane received substantial damage to the left and right wings, the horizontal stabilizers, and the nose structure. The airplane was privately owned and operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: DE HAVILLAND
Registration: N919DH
Model/Series: DH60
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:
Observation Time: 1853 MDT
Distance from Accident Site:
Temperature/Dew Point: 29°C / 11°C
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 13 knots / ,
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:

A pilot and a passenger survived a plane crash Wednesday night southwest of Mancos.

The crash was reported about 8 p.m. in a remote area south of County Road J and west of County Road 41, said Montezuma County Sheriff Steve Nowlin.

The pilot and the passenger were taken by ground to a hospital. Both suffered injuries but are expected to survive, he said.

He declined to identify the crash victims other than to say they are residents of Montezuma County.

He described the plane as a single-engine antique airplane.

The plane took off from an airstrip south of the crash site and was returning when the crash occurred, Nowlin said.

The Federal Aviation Administration was notified. The pilot was apparently able to describe the crash, but Nowlin preferred those details come from the FAA.

He said the crash site “didn’t look too bad,” but was “more than a hard landing.”

“I’m glad they’re alive,” Nowlin said. “They’re lucky; really lucky.”

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

Cessna 425 Corsair, N127BB: Incident occurred August 07, 2019 at University of Oklahoma Westheimer Airport (KOUN), Norman, Cleveland County, Oklahoma

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Aircraft on taxi veered off taxiway and hit a taxiway light and prop strike occurred.

4 C Aviation LLC

https://registry.faa.gov/N127BB

Date: 07-AUG-19
Time: 20:25:00Z
Regis#: N127BB
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 425
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: UNKNOWN
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)
Operation: 91
City: NORMAN
State: OKLAHOMA

Jonker JS-1 Revelation, N213DT: Fatal accident occurred August 06, 2019 near Cotulla-La Salle County Airport (KCOT), Texas and Incident occurred August 08, 2017 in Uvalde County, Texas

2019 Uvalde Invitational - Tragedy at Uvalde: https://www.ssa.org

Steven Coggins Memorial Foundation


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

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; San Antonio, Texas

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

https://registry.faa.gov/N213DT

Location: Cotulla, TX
Accident Number: CEN19FA253
Date & Time: 08/06/2019, 2030 CDT
Registration: N213DT
Aircraft: JONKER SAILPLANES JS1C
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On August 6, 2019, about 1530 central daylight time, a Jonker JS-1C glider, N213DT, impacted the ground under unknown circumstances near Cotulla, Texas, during a soaring competition. The pilot was fatally injured and the glider was destroyed. The glider was registered to an individual 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 for the flight, which was not on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Garner Field Airport (UVA), near Uvalde, Texas, about 1330.

It was reported that the pilot was participating in the 2019 Uvalde Invitational and was flying a cross-country course that included three turn points. The intended flight would have included those turn points and returned to UVA. When the pilot did not return to UVA, and could not be reached via radio by the contest coordinators, a search was started. The glider was found about 7 nautical miles (nm) east-southeast of the Cotulla-La Salle County Airport (COT). COT was reportedly one of the turn points for the course.

The glider impacted a level field and the entire glider was located in the immediate vicinity of the wreckage. A linear ground scar consistent with wing impact was observed with the left wing of the glider directly over the ground scar and the right wing located a few feet forward of the ground scar. The glider's aft fuselage was broken and the tail was bent upward and to the left relative to the fuselage. The 4 piece wing spar was intact from tip to tip. The leading edge of the wing exhibited crushing damage along the entire span. The fuselage was crushed rearward from the nose to aft of the wing. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: JONKER SAILPLANES
Registration: N213DT
Model/Series: JS1C
Aircraft Category: Glider
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: COT, 474 ft msl
Observation Time: 2053 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 7 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 39°C / 16°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: Light and Variable / , Variable
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.85 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Uvalde, TX (UVA)
Destination: Uvalde, TX (UVA) 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
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. 

August 08, 2017:  Glider force landed in a field.

Date: 08-AUG-17

Time: 23:30:00Z
Regis#: N213DT
Aircraft Make: JONKER SAILPLANES
Aircraft Model: JS1C
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: NONE
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: UVALDE
State: TEXAS

Maule M-5-235C Lunar Rocket, N381X: Incident occurred August 07, 2019 in Llano, Texas

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; San Antonio, Texas

Aircraft landed on a sandbar in the Colorado River and nosed over.

https://registry.faa.gov/N381X

Date: 07-AUG-19
Time: 19:27:00Z
Regis#: N381X
Aircraft Make: MAULE
Aircraft Model: M5
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: EN ROUTE (ENR)
Operation: 91
City: LLANO
State: TEXAS

Piper PA-30, N10KC: Accident occurred August 08, 2019 at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (KIWA) Phoenix, Arizona

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

Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Scottsdale, Arizona

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

https://registry.faa.gov/N10KC

Location: Phoenix, AZ
Accident Number: WPR19LA220
Date & Time: 08/08/2019, 0845 MST
Registration: N10KC
Aircraft: Piper PA 30
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

On August 8, 2019, about 0845 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-30 airplane, N10KC, was substantially damaged during a gear up landing at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (IWA) Phoenix, Arizona. The flight instructor/owner and student pilot were not injured. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions were reported at the airport about the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed for the flight. The flight had originated from Falcon Field Airport (FFZ), Mesa, Arizona about 0710.

The flight instructor reported that, after several single engine approaches he noticed that the landing gear would not fully retract. He added that, the landing gear circuit breaker was in the open position. The flight instructor reset the circuit breaker and attempted to cycle the landing gear but was unsuccessful. He then used the gear extension handle to attempt to manually extend the gear but was unsuccessful. He elected to land with the landing gear in the up position.

The airplane was transported to the pilot's hangar and secured for further investigation. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N10KC
Model/Series: PA 30 No Series
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:
Observation Time:
Distance from Accident Site:
Temperature/Dew Point:
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction:
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility:  
Altimeter Setting:
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point: Mesa, AZ (FFZ)
Destination: Phoenix, AZ (IWA) 

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:
33.315000, -111.658056 (est)

Piper PA-34-200 Seneca, N40702: Accident occurred August 08, 2019 in Bimini, Bahamas

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; South Florida

Aircraft crashed in the ocean under unknown circumstances.

5 J Aviation Services LLC

https://registry.faa.gov/N40702

Date: 08-AUG-19
Time: 13:10:15Z
Regis#: N40702
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA34
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: UNKNOWN
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: EN ROUTE (ENR)
Operation: 91
City: BIMINI BAHAMAS
State: ATLANTIC OCEAN



MIAMI - Bahamian officials on Friday identified three people who survived a plane crash Thursday off Bimini as Morel Trimpin Aldrich Reubens, who was the pilot, Joaquin Nova Sr. and Joaquin Nova Jr.

According to the Air Accident Investigation Department of The Bahamas, the survivors, who were the only people onboard the Piper PA-34 aircraft, returned home Thursday afternoon. 

"Thank God for the miracle of being alive," Novoa Jr. said in a statement Friday to Local 10 News. "I want to thank the pilot for landing tail first. That saved us. I want to thank the fishermen from Key Largo for rescuing us out of the water. And thanks to everyone at Cat Cay and the Bahamian Police who attended to us. And big, huge thanks to Tropic Ocean for flying us back to Fort Lauderdale."

Recovery efforts are now underway to recover the small airplane from the water.

Officials said U.S. Coast Guard crews based in Miami responded to the site of the crash 20 miles east of Bimini, but a group of friends from the Florida Keys, who were on a fishing and diving trip, spotted the plane's yellow emergency life raft in the ocean and picked up the men.

"As we got closer, we realized it was a life raft, and we were pretty taken aback," Danny Hampson said.

Hampson's father, Tim, who was manning the 35-foot Contender center console, said they steered the boat closer to the raft to make contact with the three men sitting on it.

"It was crazy. We asked what happened and they said, 'Our plane just crashed,'" Tim Hampson said.

The Hampsons -- along with Mark Wheaton, Rick Suarez, Steve Oropeza and Allen Wood -- helped the three men aboard and gave them water.

They said the men told them they were from Miami and had been sitting on that raft for more than an hour.

"They were all kind of in shock. There were no bad injuries, thank god," Tim Hampson said. "They said the plane sunk in about a minute's time."

Officials said the three survivors were transferred to Bahamian authorities in Cat Cay before they returned home.

According to Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen, the small plane had departed from Great Harbour Cay Airport in The Bahamas and was flying to Miami Executive Airport when it crashed.

The Air Accident Investigation Department of The Bahamas is investigating the cause of the crash. 

Story and video ➤ https://www.local10.com




Three people are not only lucky to survive a plane crash on Thursday, they also have a fishing boat to thank for plucking them out of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Piper PA-34-200 Seneca, with a pilot and two passengers, went down about 20 miles east of Bimini, the westernmost island in the Bahamas, on Thursday while traveling from Great Harbour Cay Airport to Miami Executive Airport.

The passengers inflated a yellow emergency raft and alerted the Coast Guard. But the professionals ended up not being needed.

A group of fishermen out for a day on their boat made the rescue instead.

"We were about 25 miles from Cat Cay on our way to Great Harbour, when we came across the life raft with three guys in it," Tim Hampson, one of the fishermen, told ABC News. "And we pulled up to them, asked what was up, and they were like, 'We just scratched our airplane like an hour ago.'"

"No one was hurt, they were just all in a little bit of shock," he continued. "One gentleman was 80 years old, which gave us some concern, but he was a real trooper -- probably the toughest one of the group, for sure."

The fishermen ended up taking the rescued trio to Cat Cay in the Bahamas.

"It was a gift from God for sure," Hampson said. "And things can go wrong really quickly, and lucky for them that it didn't, for sure."

The Piper PA-34-200 Seneca can be seen on the shallow bottom of the clear blue-green waters in video released by the U.S. Coast Guard.

The crash is still under investigation.

"We could have been looking the other way for just an instant and we might have not seen them," Hampson told ABC News. "It could have been a little rough, and the waves could have hit 'em. So yeah, it was meant to be, and we're glad we were there to help.

"Just did what anyone else would really do and thankful we were able to help."

Story and video ➤ https://abcnews.go.com

Cessna 421B Golden Eagle, N555MY: Incident occurred August 08, 2019 at Waterbury-Oxford Airport (KOXC), New Haven County, Connecticut

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Bradley

Aircraft left wing came in contact with a fence.

Phillips Enterprises Inc

https://registry.faa.gov/N555MY

Date: 08-AUG-19
Time: 20:30:00Z
Regis#: N555MY
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 421
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)
Operation: 91
City: OXFORD
State: CONNECTICUT

Loss of Control on Ground: Cessna 152, N65401; accident occurred August 08, 2019 at North Perry Airport (KHWO), Hollywood, Broward County, Florida

View of engine mount damage. 
Federal Aviation Administration


Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Miramar, Florida

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/N65401

Location: Hollywood, FL
Accident Number: GAA19CA488
Date & Time: 08/08/2019, 0930 EDT
Registration: N65401
Aircraft: Cessna 152
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control on ground
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional

The solo student pilot reported that during the landing roll, she used brakes and pulled back on the yoke, but the airplane was traveling too fast to turn off at the taxi intersection she normally used. She became confused as to where to turn off the runway, turned left toward the next taxiway intersection too fast, but the airplane exited the runway to the left and struck a taxiway sign.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount.

The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 3 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 230° at 4 knots. The student pilot landed the airplane on runway 28.

Student Pilot Information

Certificate:Student 
Age: 24, Female
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 06/14/2019
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 30 hours (Total, all aircraft), 30 hours (Total, this make and model), 30 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 18 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N65401
Model/Series: 152 No Series
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1978
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal; Utility
Serial Number: 15281529
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/26/2019, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1670 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 20321.4 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: C91A installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-235-I2C
Registered Owner: DELAWARE TRUST CO TRUSTEE
Rated Power: 110 hp
Operator: American Flight Training LLC
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Pilot School (141)
Operator Does Business As: Wayman Aviation Academy
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KHWO, 9 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1333 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 288°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 2400 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 4 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 230°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.03 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 31°C / 24°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Hollywood, FL (HWO)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Hollywood, FL (HWO)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0800 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class D

Airport Information

Airport: NORTH PERRY (HWO)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 8 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 28L
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 3255 ft / 100 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: 25.998056, -80.237778 (est)