Sunday, November 15, 2020

Boeing 737-700, N615AS: Incident occurred November 14, 2020 at Yakutat Airport (PAYA), Alaska

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Juneau, Alaska 

Aircraft on landing struck a bear. 

Alaska Airlines Inc

Performing flight AS-66


Date: 16-NOV-20
Time: 06:52:00Z
Regis#: ASA66
Aircraft Make: BOEING
Aircraft Model: 737
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: COMMERCIAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 121
Aircraft Operator: ALASKA AIRLINES
City: YAKUTAT
State: ALASKA  
 



An Alaska Airlines jetliner struck a brown bear while landing early Saturday evening in Yakutat, killing the animal and causing some damage to the plane. No one one in the plane was hurt.

Airport crew members had cleared the runway about 10 minutes before flight 66 was expected to land, said Sam Dapcevich, a public information officer for the department. The crews did not see any signs of wildlife during the check, but as the plane began to slow and approach for a landing, Dapcevich said, the pilots spotted two bears crossing the runway.

“The nose gear missed the bears, but the captain felt an impact on the left side after the bears passed under the plane,” a statement from Alaska Airlines said.

The Boeing 737-700 struck a brown bear sow, but its cub, thought to be roughly 2 years old, was uninjured, Dapcevich said.

The pilots saw the “bear lying about 20 feet off the center of the runway,” as the plane taxied to parking just before 6:30 p.m., according to Alaska Airlines.

None of the passengers or crew members onboard the plane were injured. It was not immediately clear how many passengers were on the flight. The plane had departed first from Cordova was scheduled to stop in Juneau next.

The left engine cowl of the plane was damaged and the plane remained in Yakutat Sunday.

“Our maintenance technicians are working to repair the plane, which will take a couple of days,” the statement from Alaska Airlines said.

Crew members at the Yakutat Airport cleared the bear carcass from the runway, and Dapcevich said officials with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game are expected to collect the remains.

Passengers flying out of Yakutat were picked up by flight 107 Saturday night and flown to Anchorage. Alaska Airlines said they were rebooked on other flights after reaching Anchorage.

The Yakutat Airport is partially enclosed by a fence. Dapcevich said employees undergo annual wildlife hazard training and use pyrotechnics or vehicles to herd animals away from the area when needed. He said it was dark out when the plane landed and crews followed normal procedure checking the runway Saturday.

In the past, planes have been reported to hit deer, geese, caribou and other animals in Alaska, but Dapcevich said this is the first time he’s heard of a bear being struck by a plane. In 1987, an Alaska Airlines jet was delayed while it was inspected for damage in Yakutat after a bald eagle dropped a salmon from its talons in midair and the fish hit a cockpit window shortly after takeoff from the Juneau airport. ''They found a greasy spot with some scales, but no damage,'' the Juneau airport manager said at the time.

Loss of Control on Ground: Cessna 195, N195BG; accident occurred November 11, 2019 at Kalispell City Airport (S27), Flathead County, Montana


Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Helena, Montana 

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:


Location: Kalispell, Montana 
Accident Number: GAA20CA070
Date & Time: November 11, 2019, 13:45 Local 
Registration: N195BG
Aircraft: Cessna 195 Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control on ground
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

The pilot reported that, after a bounced landing, he maintained directional control and conducted a three-point landing back onto the runway. Shortly after, the airplane gradually veered left, but he overcorrected, and the airplane veered right. He corrected with left rudder control and was able to maintain the runway centerline, but as the airplane slowed, it veered left again. He corrected with right rudder and right brake, but the airplane continued left, exited the runway and skidded sideways, and the left landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. Postaccident examination by the pilot's mechanic revealed that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and the left main landing gear collapsing.

Findings

Aircraft Directional control - Not attained/maintained
Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot

Factual Information

History of Flight

Landing Loss of control on ground (Defining event)
Landing Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial 
Age: 53,Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Single-engine sea; Multi-engine land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter 
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane; Helicopter
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane multi-engine; Airplane single-engine
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With waivers/limitations 
Last FAA Medical Exam: August 1, 2019
Occupational Pilot: Yes 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: April 18, 2019
Flight Time: (Estimated) 4188 hours (Total, all aircraft), 52 hours (Total, this make and model), 3940 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 76 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 38 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 3 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Co-pilot Information

Certificate: 
Age: Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Single-engine sea; Multi-engine land; Multiengine sea
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Glider
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): None 
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane multi-engine; Airplane single-engine; Gyroplane; Instrument airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With waivers/limitations 
Last FAA Medical Exam: January 1, 2015
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: (Estimated)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna 
Registration: N195BG
Model/Series: 195 Undesignated
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1951 
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 7652
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3600 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: Jacobs
ELT: 
Engine Model/Series: L6
Registered Owner: 
Rated Power: 330 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: KGPI,2973 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 8 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 19:55 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 12°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear 
Visibility: 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: None 
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: / 
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.53 inches Hg 
Temperature/Dew Point: -3°C / -11°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Kalispell, MT (S27 )
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Kalispell, MT (S27 ) 
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 12:40 Local 
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: Kalispell City S27
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 2932 ft msl
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 31 
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 3600 ft / 60 ft 
VFR Approach/Landing: Full stop;Traffic pattern

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 None 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None 
Latitude, Longitude: 48.178611,-114.303611(est)

Runway Excursion: General Atomics MQ-9, N341HK; accident occurred November 25, 2019 in Palmdale, Los Angeles County, California

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

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:


Location: Palmdale, California 
Accident Number: DCA20CA028
Date & Time: November 25, 2019, 10:52 Local 
Registration: N341HK
Aircraft: General Atomics MQ-9 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Runway excursion
Injuries: N/A
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional

Analysis

On November 25, 2019, at 1052 Pacific standard time (PST), N341HK a General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) MQ-9 unmanned aircraft system (UAS), sustained substantial damage after departing runway 26 when landing during a training flight at the Gray Butte airport, Palmdale, California. The flight was operated by GA-ASI as a routine pilot and sensor operator training flight. The flight departed Gray Butte, and was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and an FAA Certificate of Authorization (COA). There were no injuries or other damage.

At 1058 PST, the automated surface observation system at Gray Butte reported clear skies with wind from 260 at 18 knots, variable from 220 degrees to 290 degrees, with a peak wind of 270 degrees at 28 knots.

According to the operator/manufacturer, the student pilot was pilot-flying and the aircraft touched down at 79 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS) crabbed to the left approximately 5 degrees, consistent with a 7 knot crosswind component from the left. Upon touchdown, the aircraft began drifting to the left with the nose wheel off the ground. Over approximately the next 15 seconds, increasing right rudder was applied as the aircraft continued to drift left. Pitch stick position was +9 degrees (with pitch trim set to -5 degrees, pitch command was +4 degrees, 2 degrees above recommended pitch in the Flight Manual). The throttle was not moved to ground idle or reverse. A go-around was initiated, but the aircraft departed the runway before the engine could respond.

Operator/manufacturer examination of data logs systems information revealed that since the autopilot prioritizes pitch control over yaw control for movement of the ruddervators, the atypically high pitch command limited the ruddervator authority available for yaw control. With the ruddervators saturated in pitch, yaw authority from the ventral rudder alone was insufficient to effect a right yaw.

The flight manual did not have any information about the possibility of pitch control prioritization resulting in limited yaw authority.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
Incorrect control inputs by the student pilot during a crosswind landing, resulting in control saturation and a runway excursion.

Findings

Personnel issues Aircraft control - Student/instructed pilot
Environmental issues Crosswind - Response/compensation
Aircraft Crosswind correction - Incorrect use/operation

Factual Information

History of Flight

Landing Runway excursion (Defining event)

Student pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial 
Age: 28
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land 
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None 
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane 
Second Pilot Present:
Instructor Rating(s): None 
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 Without waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: August 8, 2019
Occupational Pilot: Yes 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: September 19, 2018
Flight Time: 987.7 hours (Total, all aircraft), 315 hours (Total, this make and model) 

Flight instructor Information

Certificate: Commercial; Flight instructor
Age:
Airplane Rating(s):
Seat Occupied: Rear
Other Aircraft Rating(s):
Restraint Used: None
Instrument Rating(s): 
Second Pilot Present:
Instructor Rating(s): 
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: 
Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 2906 hours (Total, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: General Atomics 
Registration: N341HK
Model/Series: MQ-9 5 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2014
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Certificate of authorization or waiver (COA)
Serial Number: FC341
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 0
Date/Type of Last Inspection: October 22, 2019 
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 10500 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 
Engines: 1 Turbo prop
Airframe Total Time: 1979.9 Hrs at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Honeywell International Inc.
ELT: Not installed
Engine Model/Series:
Registered Owner: 
Rated Power:
Operator: 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Certificate of authorization or waiver (COA)

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KGXA,3028 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 10:58 Local 
Direction from Accident Site: 0°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear 
Visibility: 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: 
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 18 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 29.85 inches Hg 
Temperature/Dew Point:
Precipitation and Obscuration:
Departure Point: Palmdale, CA (04CA)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Palmdale, CA (04CA)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 08:44 Local
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: Gray Butte 04CA 
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 3028 ft msl 
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 26 
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 8000 ft / 150 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full stop;Traffic pattern

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: N/A
Latitude, Longitude: 34.571109,-117.668891

Cop Tales: My first month on the job

I was on the job for one month with my Field Training Officer (FTO) as a rookie deputy sheriff when we got a call of an explosion in the hills above a coastal town. When we arrived on scene, my FTO and I saw something we never expected. It looked like a garbage truck exploded all over the landscape. We exited our vehicle as we were the first ones on scene. I saw something close by the road and it had an airlines’ logo on it.

Since we did not have good radio coverage where we were, my FTO told me to drive up the road where the coverage was better. I told dispatch it looked like we had a plane crash and we needed assistance and medical aid. For the next two weeks, I was assigned to that location as the FBI, NTSB and other agencies investigated and went through all the evidence.

The investigation and the black boxes revealed the plane, which was flying at 22,000 feet, went into a nosedive. It turned out that a disgruntled employee of the airline shot both the pilot and co-pilot. The plane broke the sound barrier only 600 feet above the ground and it disintegrated all over the 2-acre site. It is something I will never forget as it was definitely a training call for the books.

- KS

Pilot Roger Long: Seeks out his father's fatal plane crash from 65 years ago

Bob, Frances and Trudy Long

Bob Long

Roger and his wife Stacey Long


When Roger Long was 2 months old, his dad was killed in a plane crash.

Bob Long was an executive pilot flying for Salem Brosius Co. when the twin engine Piper Apache he was flying iced up over the Allegheny mountains and crashed. He had survived the crash but couldn’t free himself and subsequently died.

He left behind his wife, Trudy, and three children: Frances, Barbara and Roger.

"He was a mythical person in my mind," Roger said. "He would have been 100 this year! I had no clue.

"I never really kept track of his birthdays, except on occasion one of my two sisters would say something like, 'Did you know that today is our dad's birthday?'"

Bob Long crashed on December 29th, 1955, en route from a field near Baltimore to Pittsburgh. The plane ended up about 5 miles east of Normalville on a farm owned by John Henry.

There was one other deadly plane crash that day because of bad weather and the deadly Allegheny Mountains.

Roger, who is now 65, has recently had a renewed interest in learning about his father and his years as a pilot.

"I wanted to know more about my dad, where did the crash occur, what kind of plane he was flying at the time," he said. "No one in my family knew the answer to those questions."

Through the Connellsville Historical Society, Roger connected with Karen Hechler, who put him in touch with a resident who wants to walk him to the suspected crash site.

Roger and his wife, Stacey, will travel to the site in April and would love to meet people from the area and share stories. He can be reached at rogeralong0727@gmail.com.

"Someone else sent me a tailwheel from what they think was that crash," he said. "All I know is that I have met some very genuinely kind and caring people in this pursuit and my wife and I are eagerly waiting for early spring to come so that we can meet everyone and trek to see if we can indeed find some of those long gone landmarks and indeed find the site."

Through his search, Roger was also able to connect with his father, who he now remembers through other people's memories.

"I have felt a greater affinity of my dad's presence! Old stories of what a joyful, adventuresome and outgoing, kind person he was, have made the journey super exciting to me and opened up and made my dad more real to me than ever," he said.

"He used to pick my mom up in his 1931 Curtiss-Wright Travel Air biplane shortly after getting his private pilot's license in Corvallis, Oregon, where he went to high school and then to Oregon State — my alma mater as well," he said.

"My dad went on to be a flight instructor and commercial rated pilot for the Flying Tiger airlines, taking him to the far east many times over the years and had over 10,000 hours of experience and had just taken a job in Pittsburgh (moving from California) flying executives around for a company in Pittsburgh called Salem Brosius."

Roger also recently picked up flying, despite his fear of small planes. What motivated him was overcoming his fear and reconnecting to his “rightful heritage as a pilot.”

His goal was to some day fly his dad’s old biplane, which is now in the museum of aviation and automobiles in Hood River, Oregon.

This summer, he saw an old Piper Cub, which he had flown in as a child with his step dad. It was a taildragger. His dad was a “Tail Dragger” pilot and he wants to be one too.

After seeing the old Piper Cub with is wife, he started flying three days later near his home on Vashon Island, Washington, in a tail dragger: the Piper J-3 Cub.

Nose Over: Kitfox IV, N58CD; accident occurred November 30, 2019 in Williamston, Ingham County, Michigan





Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Belleville, Michigan

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: 


Location: Williamston, Michigan 
Accident Number: CEN20CA027
Date & Time: November 30, 2019, 11:00 Local 
Registration: N58CD
Aircraft: Skystar Kitfox 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Nose over/nose down
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

The pilot stated that he landed the airplane on a harvested field in an area that he had walked the day before. When he attempted to take off from a different location than the previous landing, the airplane encountered high wheel resistance due to the soft, wet ground, and he aborted the takeoff. The pilot stated that he had not walked or inspected the area where the takeoff attempt was conducted. While attempting to taxi to the previous landing location, dirt and mud collected on the main landing gear (MLG) between the MLG leg and the tire, which caused the wheel to lock up as if the brakes had been applied. The pilot attempted to reduce engine power, but the airplane slowly nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and vertical tail. The pilot reported that there was no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions of the braking system and that the tires stopped rotating due to the dirt and mud between the MLG leg and the tire.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's improper decision to continue taxiing the airplane on unsuitable terrain, which resulted in a nose-over.

Findings

Personnel issues Decision making/judgment - Pilot
Environmental issues Soft surface - Effect on operation
Environmental issues Soft surface - Decision related to condition

Factual Information

History of Flight

Taxi Miscellaneous/other
Taxi Attempted remediation/recovery
Taxi Nose over/nose down (Defining event)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private 
Age: 47,Male
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Glider 
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: May 8, 2018
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 75 hours (Total, all aircraft), 15 hours (Total, this make and model)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Skystar 
Registration: N58CD
Model/Series: Kitfox IV 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1992
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental (Special)
Serial Number: 1458
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel 
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: December 28, 2018 Condition 
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1050 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 433 Hrs as of last inspection 
Engine Manufacturer: Rotax
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: 582UL
Registered Owner: 
Rated Power: 65 Horsepower
Operator: Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC) 
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: ETW,919 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 88 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 15:55 Local 
Direction from Accident Site: 37°
Lowest Cloud Condition: 
Visibility: 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 1300 ft AGL
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 8 knots / 14 knots
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  /
Wind Direction: 90°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:  /
Altimeter Setting: 30.02 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 2°C / -1°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Gregory, MI (69G )
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Williamston, MI
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 10:15 Local
Type of Airspace: Class G

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude:  42.686111,-84.313056

Loss of Engine Power (Total): Yakovlev Yak-52, N52CY; accident occurred November 30, 2019 in Wrightsville, Johnson County, Georgia






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


Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Atlanta, Georgia

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:


Location: Wrightsville, Georgia
Accident Number: ERA20LA045
Date & Time: November 30, 2019, 10:00 Local
Registration: N52CY
Aircraft: Yakovlev YAK 52 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Factual Information

On November 30, 2019, about 1000 eastern standard time, a Yakovlev Yak 52, N52CY, was substantially damaged during an off-airport landing after experiencing a loss of engine power enroute near Wrightsville, Georgia. The flight instructor and private pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the flight instructor as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Waycross-Ware County Airport (AYS), Waycross, Georgia about 0915 and was destined for Kaolin Field Airport (OKZ), Sandersville, Georgia.

The private pilot, seated in the rear seat, reported this was the second day of a cross-country trip to move the recently purchased airplane to Tennessee, from Florida. He reported that the flights the day prior were normal, and the accident flight takeoff and cruise progressed normally, until about 10 minutes from OKZ. While cruising at 3,500 ft mean sea level, there was a sudden heavy vibration from the engine that lasted about 5 seconds and resulted in a complete loss of engine power. He added that there was no indication that something was wrong with the engine, prior to the heavy vibration.

The flight instructor reported the same heavy vibration and loss of engine power, and added that the vibration was so heavy, that an engine gauge fell out of its position into the back of the instrument panel during the event. He immediately took the flight controls and adjusted the throttle but received no response from the engine. He then attempted an engine restart, but when he engaged the starter, he saw one propeller blade remained fixed in the airstream. The flight instructor reported he then turned the airplane left to align with a long farm field, and while on final approach about 500 ft above ground, he extended the landing gear, which resulted in the airspeed decaying rapidly and a further increase in the descent rate. Subsequently, he reported that as the airplane entered the landing flare, it was "out of airspeed," and shortly after the nose wheel touched down the airplane nosed over and skidded to a stop.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the airplane at the accident site, the airplane came to rest upside down. The fuselage, empennage, and wings sustained substantial damage. Flight control continuity was confirmed to all surfaces. Oil spray was observed on the underside of the fuselage. When the propeller was moved by hand, it was revealed that the engine had seized and would not rotate.

Further examination of the engine by a National Transportation Safety Board investigator revealed that thick black oil was present in the engine. The spark plugs were dark in color. The propeller blades sustained impact damage. Inspection of each cylinder with a lighted borescope found that the cylinders were very dark in color and oil soaked. The No. 5 cylinder exhaust valve was damaged and had the appearance that the valve seat dropped into the cylinder. Metal pieces were also found inside the No. 5
cylinder.

According to FAA airman records, the private pilot had ratings for airplane single and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. He completed the FAA basic medical certificate course October 21, 2019. His most recent flight review was completed on November 19, 2019. He reported a total flight time of 1,920 hours, of which 4 hours were in the accident airplane make and model. In the past 90 days, he reported a total flight time of 4 hours.

According to FAA airman records, the flight instructor held an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating for airplane multi-engine land and a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and sea, and glider. He held a private pilot certificate for rotorcraft-helicopter. He also held a flight instructor certificate for airplane single and multi-engine, instrument airplane, and glider. He did not hold a medical certificate. He reported a total flight time of 3,805 hours, of which 4 hours were in the accident airplane make and model. In the past 90 and 30 days, he reported a total flight time of 20 hours and 7 hours respectively.

According to FAA airworthiness and airplane maintenance records, the 2-tandem seat former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) aerobatic trainer was manufactured in 1988 and was powered by a Vedeneyev M14P nine-cylinder radial engine. The propeller was a wooden Vperod V530TA-D35. The most recent 100-hour inspection was completed on November 1, 2019, where the maintenance entry stated that the engine oil and spark plugs were replaced. There was no mention of an inspection of the engine cylinders. According to the flight instructor, the airplane had not flown for a "couple of years" prior to the 100- hour inspection and repositioning cross-country flight.

At 0955, the OKZ hourly weather observation, about 12 nautical miles north of the accident site, included wind from a heading of 210° at 4 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, overcast ceilings at 3,100 ft above ground, temperature 16°C, and dew point 10°C.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 75,Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Multi-engine land
Seat Occupied: Rear
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None 
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s):  Airplane 
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: BasicMed None 
Last FAA Medical Exam: October 21, 2019
Occupational Pilot: No 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: November 19, 2019
Flight Time: (Estimated) 1920 hours (Total, all aircraft), 4 hours (Total, this make and model), 1645 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 5 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 5 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 5 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Flight instructor Information

Certificate: Airline transport; Commercial; Flight instructor; Private
Age: 51,Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Single-engine sea; Multi-engine land
Seat Occupied: Front
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Glider; Helicopter 
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane; Helicopter
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane multi-engine; Airplane single-engine; Glider; Instrument airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: None None
Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: No 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: December 3, 2018
Flight Time: (Estimated) 3805 hours (Total, all aircraft), 4 hours (Total, this make and model), 3555 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 20 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 7 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 4 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Yakovlev 
Registration: N52CY
Model/Series: YAK 52 No Series
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1988
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental (Special)
Serial Number: 889006
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle 
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: November 1, 2019 100 hour 
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2900 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 4 Hrs
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 829.7 Hrs as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Vedeneyev
ELT: C91 installed, activated, aided in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: M-14P
Registered Owner:
Rated Power: 360 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: KOKZ,430 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 12 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 09:55 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 350°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Visibility 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 3100 ft AGL
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 4 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 210°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.06 inches Hg 
Temperature/Dew Point: 16°C / 10°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Waycross, GA (AYS )
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Sandersville, GA (OKZ ) 
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 09:15 Local
Type of Airspace: Class G

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 Minor 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Minor 
Latitude, Longitude: 32.766666,-82.809997(est)

Mooney M20B, N74507: Incident occurred November 15, 2020 Newton, Cache County, Utah

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Salt Lake City, Utah

Aircraft unable to restart engine during engine failure simulation, landed in a field and gear collapsed. 


Date: 15-NOV-20
Time: 22:35:00Z
Regis#: N74507
Aircraft Make: MOONEY
Aircraft Model: M20B
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: INSTRUCTION
Flight Phase: EN ROUTE (ENR)
Operation: 91
City: NEWTON
State: UTAH



NEWTON, Utah (ABC4 News) – Crews responded to an aircraft “alert incident” north of Newton on Sunday afternoon.

Officials say a small plane experienced an engine malfunction, forcing it to land without power near Newton Reservoir. Station 50, Squad 50 and battalion 3A of the Newton Fire Department responded to the plane malfunction.

The occupants of the plane were able to exit the aircraft and were not injured.

The plane reportedly experienced minor damage to its propeller, but no fuel or fluids were leaking from the aircraft.

Crews stayed on scene until law enforcement showed up.

Lieutenant JG Steven Agudelo: A passion for flying





Former Dacula resident Steven Agudelo, now deeply entrenched in helicopter training at Naval Air Station North Island in Southern California, admits that growing up he never thought much about flying.

“I initially wanted to be a professional soccer player,” said Agudelo, 24, and a 2014 graduate of Dacula High School. “I wanted to play soccer my whole life, but my dad, who was a cyclist, was tough on us about professional sports. When I was in high school in Dacula, he suggested I would not make it as a pro soccer player, so I should think about another career.”

Recently promoted to Lieutenant JG, Agudelo said his family’s proximity to Gwinnett County Airport at Briscoe Field stoked his interest in flying. He experienced his first flight as part of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s program for young people and he hung around at the airport and worked for pilots, who eventually paid for Agudelo to first earn his license to fly.

“They do something regularly – any kid can go and take a ride,” he said. “That’s where I got my first exposure. And they also have a youth building program. For every 10 hours you volunteered, you got an hour of flight training. That would be stored up.

“I’d be there every Saturday working on the planes until I had enough hours, so they basically paid for me to get my initial pilot’s license. I was very fortunate in that sense.”

Agudelo decided that the best course of action to respond to his passion for flying was to go to college and join the military. After a long and competitive program involving both Georgia State and Georgia Tech that rounded him into tip-top shape both physical and academically, Agudelo graduated from Georgia State with a 4.0 GPA and had earned a scholarship through Georgia Tech’s NROTC program.

But initially getting denied for the NROTC scholarship changed his entire outlook on life, Agudelo said.

“In high school, I wasn’t the most amazing student,” he said. “I wanted to be a professional soccer player, so I wasn’t studying to the level that I should have. I was kind of putting everything off to the side. Then the biggest thing that happened was when I applied my senior year of high school for the scholarship. Getting denied was a huge life-changer.

“The work ethic I learned from not getting what I wanted initially helped me a lot. By the time I finished college, I was the No. 1 physics student at Georgia State.”

Now flying M860 Romeo helicopters in San Diego, Agudelo was trained at naval bases in Florida and Texas and expects to be dispatched in the spring to Naval Station Rota in Spain. He was one of three pilots chosen to go to Spain.

“Everyone wanted Rota, the best-case situation, you spend a year to a year and a half in San Diego and then you get to go to Rota for two or three years,” he said. “I winged in May and between January and May only three of us got the slots. It’s a brand-new squadron, so everyone was putting in first so the chances were low, but I got very lucky and I think it will be a lot of fun.”

A native of Colombia, Agudelo is about to put all of his training and ability into practice in San Diego.

“I once asked one of the pilots at Briscoe what the hardest thing a pilot can do was and he said landing on the back of a ship on a moonless night is the hardest thing any pilot can do; and from there I decided that was what I wanted to do,” Agudelo said. “I get to do that in a couple of weeks, landing on my first ship. It’s amazing. It takes a lot of training to get to that point and they always talk about it and all this build-up training is for that moment. Now it’s coming to fruition.

“It’s going to be cool and I’m going to have a lot of fun with it and I’m looking forward to it.”

In addition to his academic and military schooling, Agudelo and several friends – including Tevin Shaw, a 2014 graduate of Norcross High whom Agudelo met through the NROTC program – got involved in public service by establishing the informal “20 for 20” program, where the students would pool their money each month and provide some much-needed financial help to needy individuals in Atlanta.

“My passion is flying, but doing stuff like (“20 for 20”), that is important and I continue to do it,” said Agudelo, who gave a TEDx talk at Georgia State in 2017 on the subject.



Hard Landing: Cirrus SR22T, N82SN; accident occurred November 23, 2018 at Greenville Downtown Airport (KGMU), South Carolina


Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office;  Columbia, South Carolina 

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:


Location: Greenville, South Carolina 
Accident Number: GAA19CA094
Date & Time: November 23, 2018, 18:20 Local
Registration: N82SN
Aircraft: Cirrus SR22 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Hard landing
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

The pilot reported that, during a night landing, he flared too high, and the airplane descended and landed hard. The airplane exited the runway, but the pilot was able to maneuver the airplane back onto the runway without further incident.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing rib.

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

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's improper landing flare with a gusting, right quartering headwind, which resulted in a hard landing.

Findings

Aircraft Landing flare - Not attained/maintained
Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot
Environmental issues Gusts - Effect on operation

Factual Information

History of Flight

Landing Hard landing (Defining event)
Landing Loss of control on ground
Landing Runway excursion

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 70,Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land 
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With waivers/limitations 
Last FAA Medical Exam: November 1, 2018
Occupational Pilot: No 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: February 22, 2018
Flight Time: (Estimated) 1003 hours (Total, all aircraft), 180 hours (Total, this make and model), 944 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 30 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 11 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 4 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cirrus
Registration: N82SN
Model/Series: SR22 T
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2014
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal 
Serial Number: 0859
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: Annual 
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3600 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 1.214202E+07 Hrs 
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: TSIO-550-K
Registered Owner:
Rated Power:
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Dusk
Observation Facility, Elevation: KGMU,1048 ft msl 
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 23:39 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 122°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 3100 ft AGL
Visibility: 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 5000 ft AGL 
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 14 knots / 19 knots
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 50° 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.23 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 5°C / -2°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: Light - None - Rain
Departure Point: Angola, IN (ANQ )
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Greenville, SC (GMU )
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 15:10 Local 
Type of Airspace: Class D

Airport Information

Airport: GREENVILLE DOWNTOWN GMU 
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 1048 ft msl
Runway Surface Condition: Wet
Runway Used: 01 
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5393 ft / 100 ft 
VFR Approach/Landing: Straight-in

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A Aircraft
Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 34.848056,-82.349998(est)