Incident occurred December 05, 2020 in Rochester, Olmsted County, Minnesota

ROCHESTER, Minnesota (KTTC) -- Saturday morning saw some unexpected excitement when a hot air balloon landed in Southeast Rochester.

Photos from Sue Kee show a hot air balloon landing at a driveway in the 1000 block of 3rd Avenue Southeast.

Witnesses say there were no injuries or extensive damage, although the balloon ripped as it deflated.

Jeff Cochran said he was watching the balloons earlier in the day, and was surprised to see one make a soft landing in his driveway.

"I was working and I opened the window and once I saw that they were okay, I just kind of said, 'well, thanks for dropping in,'" Jeff Cochran said.

https://kttc.com

Ercoupe 415-C, N2674H: Accident occurred December 06, 2020 in South Boston, Halifax County, Virginia

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. 

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

Additional Participating Entity: 

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Richmond, Virginia

https://registry.faa.gov/N2674H

Location: South Boston, VA 

Accident Number: ERA21LA062

Date & Time: December 6, 2020, 16:18 Local 

Registration: N2674H

Aircraft: Ercoupe 415 

Injuries: 1 None

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On December 6, 2020, about 1618 eastern daylight time, an Ercoupe 415-C, N2674H, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near South Boston, Virginia. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that the airplane had 25 gallons of fuel onboard when he departed. The pilot performed three takeoffs and landings, followed by a local sightseeing flight northeast of his home airport. The engine experienced a partial loss of power, which happened about 45 minutes after the first takeoff. The pilot applied carburetor heat and used the primer to try and inject fuel into the engine;

however, the engine eventually lost all power. The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to a road, and during the landing, the airplane struck a mailbox, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing.

The wreckage was retained for further examination.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Ercoupe 

Registration: N2674H

Model/Series: 415 C Aircraft Category: Airplane

Amateur Built: No

Operator: Operating Certificate(s)

Held: None

Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC 

Condition of Light: Dusk

Observation Facility, Elevation: W78,419 ft msl

Observation Time: 16:15 Local

Distance from Accident Site: 

Temperature/Dew Point: 11°C /-4°C

Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear

Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: / ,

Lowest Ceiling: None 

Visibility:

Altimeter Setting: 29.92 inches Hg

Type of Flight Plan Filed: None

Departure Point: South Boston, VA 

Destination: South Boston, VA

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None 

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Passenger Injuries: N/A 

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: 

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: 1 

None Latitude, Longitude: 36.6987,-78.9014 (est)

The pilot of a small airplane had to make an abrupt landing in Centerville when the plane ran out of fuel at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

The pilot, James Rutherford Jr., said he was flying his father’s Ercoupe airplane around Halifax County when he ran out of fuel.

He said the landing went smoothly aside from clipping a mailbox at 4024 Halifax Road. No one was injured in the plane landing.

The plane was moved out of the roadway to the parking lot of Farm Credit.

Virginia State Trooper L.V. Pambid, the investigating officer, said the plane was leaking fuel, and firefighters worked to mitigate the leaking fuel from the plane at the scene.

The plane landing is still under investigation.

The South Boston Fire Department, South Boston Police Department and Virginia State Police all responded to the scene of the plane landing and directed traffic in the area.

http://www.yourgv.com

Tired of the noise, East Hampton Town considers closing airport

“It is one of the main sources of bringing people into the area because anybody who's been out here knows how much traffic is on [Route] 27.”

- Kathryn Slye Allen, recreational pilot and vice president of the pilot group East Hampton Aviation Association.

East Hampton Town officials are considering closing the town-owned East Hampton Airport — which services ride-share helicopter passengers, CEOs and their private jets and recreational pilots — if the town cannot achieve meaningful reductions in aircraft noise and traffic volume.

The thumping of helicopter blades and roar of seaplane and jet engines, most frequent during the summer, has been a hot-button issue for years at the airport in Wainscott. Critics contend that the airport, which is a 35-minute flight from the East End to Manhattan, brings big-city noise, but supporters said the town could lose jobs, hurt its economy and alienate some of its most influential and affluent residents.

East Hampton has exhausted the judicial, legislative and administrative means of addressing the noise issue, Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc said in an interview. After mandates tied to federal grants expire on Sept. 29, 2021, the town could solve the problem by closing the facility. No town board members have publicly said they support closing the airport, but the possibility has been mentioned several times over the years.

"I’m not sure given the constraints that we have … that the town board is in a position to allow things to continue at status quo," Van Scoyoc said.

The town tried to regulate noise with curfews and other restrictions in 2015, but those rules were struck down in court because they did not comply with federal law. The town also considered undertaking a Part 161 study, a multimillion-dollar federal process working with the Federal Aviation Administration to enact local restrictions, but abandoned the process on the advice of its counsel. Town officials noted that other municipalities have spent millions of dollars and up to a decade of work on such proceedings without success.

East Hampton Town Councilman Jeff Bragman, the town board airport liaison, said the town is working on a public process to allow input from both sides on the issue. Part of the discussion will be examining economic and environmental impacts and envisioning other possible uses for the property, Van Scoyoc said. Those could include commercial retail space, housing, recreational space or a solar farm, he said. No formal requests for proposals have been issued for any studies.

Airport does not serve major airlines

The general aviation airport is unlike the Islip Town-owned Long Island MacArthur Airport in that it does not serve any major airlines. Instead, advertisements for Chanel and Patek Phillipe watches compete for attention from the airport’s private air travelers.

The airport’s 600 acres are owned by the town, but its more than $6 million annual budget is raised mostly through leases, landing fees and the sale of aviation fuel. The airport is home to private hangars leased by recreational pilots and transient flyers, and also services private charter and medevac flights.

The town last accepted grant money from the FAA in 2001, and with that came several requirements, including keeping the airport operational for public use. That agreement expires next September.

If the airport remains public — and if it is operated by the town, it must stay public regardless of the grant assurances — it still must comply with the Airport Noise and Capacity Act, which hamstrings East Hampton’s ability to control operations. The FAA said the law is not clear as to what, if any, access restrictions an airport owner can impose on an airport that is not for public use.

"The FAA realizes that the Town of East Hampton’s decision is not simple, and while the FAA encourages the preservation of airports, we recognize this is a local decision," an FAA spokeswoman wrote in an email.

Resident: 'Our quality of life is gone'

The noise issue has drawn the attention of Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Long Island’s congressional delegation, who most recently pushed the FAA to extend the North Shore Helicopter Route, a rule requiring the aircrafts to fly a mile offshore when traveling along the Island’s North Shore, until 2022.

The complaints have grown in the past few years with the proliferation of a sharing economy. Operations such as Columbus, Ohio-based NetJets, which allows users to share in leasing or owning a private jet and is owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, and New York City-based Blade, which advertises a 10-pack of flights between Manhattan and the Hamptons for $7,500, have made private flights accessible to more people.

Patricia Currie, one of the founders of the anti-airport group Say No to KHTO, said noise is particularly troublesome in Noyac where she lives, which is north of the highway in Southampton Town, and for North Fork residents.

"Private aviation in a rural area like this, I mean the airport was not built for that," said Currie, who advocates for closing the airport. "It’s become a major jet port. So as far as I’m concerned, our quality of life is gone."

Kathy Cunningham, an East Hampton resident who lives near the airport and who has studied the issue for decades, said she did not previously favor closing it. However, she now thinks it may be impossible for the town to gain control of the airport.

"I think the town has been forced into an all-or-nothing approach," Cunningham said.

Some say airport an economic engine

Proponents said the airport is an important economic engine, most recently allowing people to easily commute from Manhattan to the East End during the coronavirus pandemic. They also said it offers recreational and educational opportunities for aircraft enthusiasts, charity flights for those in need of medical treatment and allows a safe place for a medevac helicopter to land.

Members of the East Hampton Aviation Association, a pilot group, have noted that the demand for air travel out east would not suddenly evaporate with the airport’s closure. Those aircraft would still make use of existing helipads in Montauk and Southampton, they said.

Closing the facility, supporters said, would be an extreme option when perhaps other compromises could be reached.

"It is one of the main sources of bringing people into the area because anybody who’s been out here knows how much traffic is on [Route] 27," Kathryn Slye Allen, the aviation association’s vice president and a recreational pilot, said during an interview at the airport. "We have a two-lane road that comes in and out. This does have a significant impact when people choose where they want to go and do their summer vacation."

One avenue could be working directly with organizations such as the Eastern Region Helicopter Council, an industry group that wields considerable influence over its pilots. Bragman noted during a public forum in February hosted by the Express News Group, a local newspaper company, that during summer 2019 helicopter traffic suddenly increased over Northwest Harbor, a hamlet north of the airport. He then learned the helicopter council had put out a directive to its pilots telling them to abandon the southern route following questions about that route’s safety.

"My realization was the Eastern Region Helicopter Council had more control over routing in the sky than your elected officials in the Town of East Hampton," Bragman said during the forum.

The newly formed East Hampton Community Alliance — founded by Gianpaolo de Felice, a local restaurateur, and Michael Norbeck, who owns a Hertz rental car franchise based at the airport — is among those stressing the airport’s importance on the South Fork. The group, which has hired a Manhattan public relations firm to help its cause and is soliciting donations for an awareness and advertising campaign on its website, is commissioning its own study examining the airport’s impact on the local economy.

"I think business is going to be affected," said de Felice, a former Alitalia pilot who keeps a small plane at the airport. "A lot of people that benefit from working here in the Hamptons, they will have to migrate elsewhere."

Van Scoyoc said he doubts an independent review would show the town’s economy would crash without the airport.

"Further study to understand exactly what the economic impacts are, both benefits and detriments, is really important," he said. "That’ll be a crucial part of making a sound decision."

Rising traffic and noise complaints

Total flights in and out of the airport

Summer 2019: 19,200

Summer 2018: 17,700

Summer 2015: 15,600

Resident complaints

2019: 47,500

2015: 19,100

Helicopters are about one-third of operations, but make up more than half of complaints.

Complaints are funneled to the town board through two systems, PlaneNoise and Air Noise Report. In 2019, complaints were recorded from 553 locations. However, 44% of those complaints came from just 10 households, with the highest making 1,811 complaints that year.

Source: Review of Operation and Complaints prepared by Burlington, Massachusetts-based HMMH, July 2020

https://www.newsday.com

Colorado Parks and Wildlife to begin winter wildlife classifications using airplanes, helicopters

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is preparing for its winter wildlife classifications this season, utilizing low-flying helicopters and airplanes to capture and classify big game species.

The classification flights will be held statewide from December to February. CPW classifies animals by age and sex to determine the health of herds, providing researchers with data to estimate wildlife populations and compositions.

“The short duration of flight disturbances is warranted by the important biological information that is gathered,” said CPW Area Wildlife Manager Matt Yamashita.

Winter is the ideal season for these kinds of classification operations, according to CPW.

“Winter is the safest time to conduct capture work,” said Nathaniel Rayl, CPW researcher. “Cool ambient temperatures and moderate snow depths help prevent overheating and injury when capturing big game species with a helicopter.”

Residents of northwest Colorado may see low flying aircraft during the operations; however, CPW said it aims to minimize noise and disruption in residential areas.

CPW taking applications aiming to restore wetland habitat projects

Classification flights began in southeast Colorado near Park and Fremont counties on Nov. 30, assessing deer, elk, moose and bighorn sheep. Later flights will target El Paso, Teller, Lake and Chaffee counties.

Other CPW winter study work includes operations to capture, assess and collar elk, deer and pronghorn in the Bears Ears, White River, Roaring Fork, Steamboat Springs and Middle Park areas.

The studies will, in part, assess the survival rates, migration patterns and seasonal movement of these species.

https://gazette.com

Piper PA-32R-301T Turbo Saratoga SP, N8178Y: Fatal accident occurred December 06, 2020 near Windom Municipal Airport (KMWM), Cottonwood County, Minnesota

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

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

Additional Participating Entity: 

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Minneapolis, Minnesota

https://registry.faa.gov/N8178Y

Location: Windom, MN 

Accident Number: CEN21LA075

Date & Time: December 6, 2020, 06:25 Local 

Registration: N8178Y

Aircraft: Piper PA32 

Injuries: 1 Fatal

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On December 6, 2020, about 0625 central standard time, a Piper PA32 airplane, N8178Y, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Windom, Minnesota. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to airport video and preliminary air traffic control (ATC) radar data, the airplane departed at 0621 from Runway 35 at Windom Municipal Airport (MWM) on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan, but the pilot did not initiate radio contact with ATC. The airplane made several turns with large heading changes about 2 miles north of MWM starting at 0623:24. The last ATC radar data was recorded at 0625:12 near the accident site.

The airplane impacted a plowed field on an easterly heading about 2.5 miles from the end of Runway 35 and slightly west of the extended runway centerline. The initial impact point included portions of the right-wing position light and the debris path was about 220 ft long, with the airplane highly fragmented. 

The airplane will be further examined at the recovery location.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper 

Registration: N8178Y

Model/Series: PA32 301T

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Amateur Built: No

Operator: 

Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: IMC

Condition of Light: Night

Observation Facility, Elevation: KMWM,1410 ft msl 

Observation Time: 06:21 Local

Distance from Accident Site: 3 Nautical Miles

Temperature/Dew Point: -1°C /-2°C

Lowest Cloud Condition:

Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 6 knots / , 350°

Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 400 ft AGL 

Visibility: 7 miles

Altimeter Setting: 30.14 inches Hg 

Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR

Departure Point: Windom, MN (MWM) 

Destination: McMinnville, TN (RNC)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal 

Aircraft Damage: Destroyed

Passenger Injuries:

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries:

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: 1 Fatal 

Latitude, Longitude: 43.95639,-95.11833 (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.

Scott William Fredin

Scott William Fredin was born on October 14, 1964, in Windom, Minnesota to the late Merlin Eugene and AnnaMarie (Anderson) Fredin. He was baptized in Windom and later confirmed at the American Lutheran Church in Windom. Scott received his education in the Windom Public Schools, graduating from Windom High School in the Class of 1983. After high school, Scott moved to the Cities for a few years of work before returning to Windom in 1986 to start working with Wilder Farms. Scott then joined Fredin Brothers, a place he’s called his second home for 32 years. Scott proved to be an integral part of the business, his genuine nature allowing him to naturally transform business relationships into friendships across the country. Scott & his Brother Jeff started J & S Grazing, a Feeder Cattle operation at the family ranch, until recently embracing the next generation when Austin and Scott started their father/son venture in Heritage Hills Cattle Growers.

On June 24 ,2000, Scott was united in marriage to Lisa Bergendahl. Lisa joined Scott on the Family Ranch, where they raised Feeder cattle, horses & the kids. Scott loved boating and spending weekends at their lake getaway on Lake Minnewaska. Away from the office at the lake, Scott also enjoyed making new friends, sometimes surprising Lisa with unannounced guests. They would often host grill-outs, bonfires, and good times at the family farm. Those who’ve spent time with Scott would recognize the phrase “I just wanna have fun, dammit”. The grandkids quickly figured out Grandpa’s good nature and he cherished the time they spent together.

Scott was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Windom and a member of the City of Windom’s Airport Commission. He will be remembered as a gentle, carefree, driven (stubborn), family man who loved politics-especially Trump rallies. You could normally find him sitting beside a fire, smoking a cigar & sipping whiskey, or at a Hockey game watching Austin - he loved watching his boy play. Scott’s true passion in life was flying, often going to hockey games, Vikings games & offering rides to friends and family. Scott’s other passion was Cattle, he was a true Cattleman.

At the young age of 20, Scott began his journey toward earning his pilots license. He quickly achieved this goal and purchased his first plane shortly thereafter. This took him on many adventures across the country with family and friends. There wasn’t one flight that went without meticulous planning and consideration. On Sunday morning, December 6, 2020, Scott was called home, doing what he loved at the age of 56 years.

Scott is survived by his wife, Lisa; three children, Tanner (Abby Lund) Jenkins of Minneapolis; Jessica (Jay) Keller of Rochester; Austin (Heather Bratrud) Fredin of Windom; three grandchildren, Paxton, Weston, and Griffin Keller, two brothers, Curt (Linda) Fredin of Springfield; Jeff (Betty) Fredin of Windom; sister-in-law, Kathy Fredin of Alexandria; brother-in-law, Denny Geffre of Mound; two brothers-in-law, Jeff Bergendahl of Windom; Doug (Heidi) Bergendahl of Windom; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Scott is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Wayne Fredin; sister, Brenda Geffre; nephew, Jason Fredin; and father-in-law and mother-in-law, Lyle and Bonnie Bergendahl.

Blessed be the memory of Scott W. Fredin.

A PRIVATE, FAMILY Celebration of Life Service for Scott Fredin, age 56 of Windom will be held on Friday, December 11th, at the American Lutheran Church in Windom with Reverend Pam Prouty officiating. Burial will take place at the Lakeview Cemetery in Windom.

A PUBLIC Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 10th from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the LaCanne Family Funeral Home in Windom.

A memorial fund has been setup in Scott’s name at Bank Midwest in Windom.

Masks are required to attend the visitation on Thursday evening.

The Celebration of Life Service will be live streamed on the "American Lutheran Church Windom" Facebook Page on Friday.

https://www.lacannefuneralhome.com

Family identified the pilot killed in a Sunday morning plane crash in southwestern Minnesota as 56-year-old Scott William Fredin.

Jeff Fredin said he last spoke to his brother around noon Saturday. Scott Fredin was on his way to Tennessee for business early Sunday when his plane crashed just north of the Windom Municipal Airport.

“Everything was good,” Jeff Fredin said in an interview Monday, adding that his brother sent a text message to a friend at 6:15 a.m., shortly before a scheduled 6:21 a.m. takeoff.

The family owns and operates Fredin Brothers, a cattle company based in Springfield, Minnesota and founded by brothers Jeff and Curt Fredin with their late father in 1976. Scott Fredin was the company pilot flying to Knoxville, Tennessee on Sunday morning.

“He was going down there to look at cattle,” Jeff Fredin said. “Our business wasn’t here in Minnesota, it was all over the country.”

The Windom airport notified the Cottonwood County Sheriff’s Office at 7:05 a.m. that it lost contact with the plane. About 40 minutes later, the crash site was located about 2 1/2 miles north of the airport, according to Heather Janssen with the sheriff’s office.

Scott Fredin was “not in the air for more than a minute,” Jeff Fredin said, adding it was foggy that morning and he wasn’t aware of his brother having any medical issues that may have interfered with his ability to fly.

The loss is a blow to brothers Jeff and Curt Fredin, who have lost three siblings in less than two years.

“There was five of us at one time, we’re now down to two,” Jeff Fredin said. In March 2019, brother Wayne Fredin and sister Brenda Fredin Geffre both died unexpectedly.

“That’s life,” Jeff Fredin said. “You just never know.”

Funeral arrangements for Scott Fredin are pending.

‘Not the day to be flying’

Scott Fredin was issued a pilot certificate in 2004. In July 2020, he applied for a medical class certificate, which is typically issued for two years. But Fredin only received a one-year certificate.

Scott Fredin’s last flight registered on the aviation website FlightAware was November 19th, when he flew to Iowa for his annual plane inspection, Jeff Fredin said. Sunday’s flight was not registered on Flight Aware; Cameron Johnson, who works as a pilot for Fredin Brothers, said it doesn’t appear online because the plane wasn’t in the air long enough to activate the site.

Johnson said visibility was low Sunday morning and “personal limits” factor into decisions about whether to fly, but Scott Fredin didn’t break any FAA rules.

The crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. Spokesman Eric Weiss said a preliminary report would be available in the next two weeks.

The cause of death remains under investigation at the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office.

https://www.startribune.com

Loss of Engine Power (Partial): Cirrus SR22T, N729TG; Accident occurred October 12, 2018 near Midland Airpark (KMDD), Texas

Aviation Investigation Report: Loss of Engine Power due to Excessive Fuel Flow in Cirrus SR22T Aircraft 

The NTSB has released an Aviation Investigation Report (AIR-22-04) urging Cirrus Aircraft and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to address safety issues identified in investigations involving Cirrus SR22T airplanes in which an excessive fuel condition led to a loss of engine power during the takeoff climb. We investigated six accidents involving Cirrus SR22T airplanes; in five of them, we were able to retrieve fuel flow data from the recoverable data modules (RDM) installed in the accident airplanes. In each case, the fuel flow data indicated an excessively high fuel flow (ranging from 42.2 to 50.1 gallons per hour [gph]) to the engine just before the loss of power.

What You Should Know

Our examination of these investigations suggests a lack of system safety assessments to identify the cause and reduce the potential of the hazard from occurring. We concluded:

the Cirrus SR22T can experience a loss of engine power due to excessive fuel flow and some causes of excessive fuel flow during takeoff and climb may not have been identified and mitigated. We have recommended that Cirrus Aircraft conduct a functional hazard assessment (FHA) to identify the causes, effects, and severity levels for the SR22T excessive fuel flow hazard condition during takeoff and climb phases of flight and, based on the FHA, update the system safety assessment. 

until the FAA requires implementation of appropriate mitigating actions to prevent the loss of engine power due to excessive fuel flow in the SR22T, additional accidents may occur due to this hazard. We have recommended the FAA review the functional hazard assessment (FHA) recommended in Safety Recommendation A-22-7 and ensure it meets the objectives of Advisory Circular 23.1309-1 E. Upon approval of the FHA, work with Cirrus to identify necessary mitigating actions and require their implementation through the appropriate means, such as an airworthiness directive. 

What You Can Do

We encourage all pilots and operators with Cirrus Aircraft to read this AIR and review the circumstances of the six accidents investigated by the NTSB.

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board 

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

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Lubbock, Texas

Cirrus Aircraft; Duluth, Minnesota 

Continental Aerospace Technology; Mobile, Alabama 

Hartzell Engine Technologies Inc; Montgomery, Alabama 

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket

https://registry.faa.gov/N729TG

Location: Midland, Texas

Accident Number: CEN19LA002

Date & Time: October 12, 2018, 10:45 Local

Registration: N729TG

Aircraft: Cirrus SR22

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Defining Event: Loss of engine power (partial)

Injuries: 2 Minor

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

The pilot and passenger departed on a cross-country flight in a single-engine airplane. Shortly after takeoff and about 500 ft above ground level, the engine "surged." The pilot turned the airplane back toward the airport; however, the engine lost power. The pilot recognized the airplane would not make it back to the airport, so he deployed the airplane's parachute. The airplane descended under the parachute into a parking lot and impacted a parked automobile, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.

The engine examination and test run noted that the engine fuel flow was high and above specified engine and airframe manufacturers' limits.

Data from the airplane's data monitor also indicated that the airplane engine's fuel flow was high on the accident flight and on previous flights, although the maximum fuel flow recorded varied. A review of maintenance records revealed that the engine manifold pressure and fuel flow were adjusted in accordance with the manufacturer's maintenance manual about 3 months before the accident.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The loss of engine power due to excessive fuel flow.

Findings

Aircraft (general) - Not specified

Environmental issues Ground vehicle - Contributed to outcome

Factual Information

On October 12, 2018, about 1045 central daylight time, a Cirrus SR22 airplane, N729TG, impacted a parking lot shortly after departing the Midland Airpark (MDD), Midland, Texas. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by TJG Equipment, LLC under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a cross-country flight.

The pilot reported that after departure and about 500 ft above ground level, the engine "surged". He turned back toward the airport and the engine lost power. The pilot recognized the airplane would not make it back to the airport, so he deployed the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). The airplane descended under the parachute into a parking lot and impacted a parked automobile.

The airplane was recovered to a salvage facility. An engine examination was then conducted by the NTSB Investigator in Charge (IIC), and technical representatives from the engine and airframe manufacturers. A visual inspection and borescope examination of the engine was conducted: a damaged propeller and minor damage to the exhaust system was noted. In order to facilitate an engine test run, a

replacement propeller was installed, and a fuel can was plumbed into the airplane fuel system. An engine run was then conducted, and the engine started without hesitation. The engine was operated about 1,000 rpm to bring the engine up to operation temperatures. During the engine test run, full throttle was applied: manifold pressure stabilized at 39 inHg and fuel flow reached 49 gph. [The engine manufacturer specifications are 36.6 inHg and 37.5 gph, with Cirrus specified a 40.5gph limit].

After the engine run, the turbocharger controller and wastegate actuator were removed from the airplane and sent to the manufacturer for additional testing. It was also noted that during the wastegate actuator removal, the wastegate valve appeared "stuck". After moving the valve, it appeared to move normally.

The airplane's parachute was also removed and sent to Cirrus for a performance and conformity inspections.

The airplane's recoverable data module (RDM) was downloaded, and a review of the data noted that on the accident flight and previous flights, the engine's fuel flow was high, including near or above the maximum limit. A review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed a maintenance entry dated July 18, 2018, that annotated the manifold pressure was set to 36.5, and fuel flow to 41gph, and rpm to 2,500, per Cirrus aircraft maintenance manual 5-30. There were no additional entries that indicated the fuel flow was later changed.

The wastegate actuator and turbocharger controller were bench tested at Hartzell's Engine Technologies (HET) facility, in Montgomery, Alabama, with representatives from the NTSB, FAA, and HET present. Both units operated normally, with no discrepancies noted that would have affected normal performance.

The engine was removed and shipped to the manufacturer's facility where it was placed in an engine test cell. The NTSB IIC and technical representative from the airframe and engine manufacturers conducted the test. The engine was started and ran at various power settings. It was noted that fuel flows were high, enough so that the engine would run rough, but did not experience a total loss of power. A small amount of black smoke was also observed during portions of the engine test run. Later during the test run, adjustments were made that lowered fuel flow; the engine appeared to run normally, without black smoke nor roughness.

A review of Cirrus support publications revealed two publications that address potential issues with engine high fuel flows:

Service Advisory SA19-01, Subject: High Boost/Prime Altitude Lockout Software Condition, which advises that high boost/prime mode be avoided in-flight, below 10,000 ft.

Service Bulletin SB2x-42-17, Subject: 42-20 INTEGRATED MODULAR AVIONICS - Perspective S/W Update, which provides a 10,000 ft altitude lockout feature; and a high fuel flow CAS message, at 42 gph.

History of Flight

Enroute-climb to cruise Loss of engine power (partial) (Defining event)

Emergency descent Off-field or emergency landing

Emergency descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline transport 

Age: 33

Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Multi-engine land

Seat Occupied: Left

Other Aircraft Rating(s): None 

Restraint Used: 3-point

Instrument Rating(s): Airplane 

Second Pilot Present: No

Instructor Rating(s): Airplane multi-engine; Airplane single-engine; Instrument airplane

Toxicology Performed: No

Medical Certification: Class 1 Without waivers/limitations

Last FAA Medical Exam: September 1, 2017

Occupational Pilot: No 

Last Flight Review or Equivalent:

Flight Time: 3979 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1468 hours (Total, this make and model), 3941 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 67 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 16 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 2 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cirrus 

Registration: N729TG

Model/Series: SR22T 

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Year of Manufacture: 2016

Amateur Built: No

Airworthiness Certificate: Normal

Serial Number: 1347

Landing Gear Type: 

Tricycle Seats:

Date/Type of Last Inspection: June 26, 2018 Annual 

Certified Max Gross Wt.:

Time Since Last Inspection: 

Engines: Reciprocating

Airframe Total Time: 582.5 Hrs as of last inspection 

Engine Manufacturer: Continental

ELT: Installed 

Engine Model/Series: TIO-550

Registered Owner: 

Rated Power:

Operator: 

Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)

Condition of Light: Day

Observation Facility, Elevation: KMDD

Distance from Accident Site:

Observation Time: 15:35 Local 

Direction from Accident Site:

Lowest Cloud Condition: 

Visibility: 10 miles

Lowest Ceiling: Visibility (RVR):

Wind Speed/Gusts: 9 knots / 

Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /

Wind Direction: 180° 

Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /

Altimeter Setting: 30 inches Hg

Temperature/Dew Point: 20°C / 19°C

Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation

Departure Point: Midland, TX 

Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR

Destination: Andrews, TX (E11) 

Type of Clearance: Unknown

Departure Time: 

Type of Airspace:

Airport: 

Runway Surface Type:

Airport Elevation: 

Runway Surface Condition:

Runway Used:

IFR Approach: None

Runway Length/Width:

VFR Approach/Landing: Forced landing

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: 32.034442,-102.104721(est)

 

 

Cessna 172K Skyhawk, N79446: Incident occurred December 05, 2020 in Park City, Summit County, Utah

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

Aircraft made an emergency landing on an interstate.

https://registry.faa.gov/N79446

Date: 05-DEC-20

Time: 01:20:00Z

Regis#: N79446

Aircraft Make: CESSNA

Aircraft Model: 172

Event Type: INCIDENT

Highest Injury: NONE

Aircraft Missing: No

Damage: NONE

Activity: PERSONAL

Flight Phase: EN ROUTE (ENR)

Operation: 91

City: PARK CITY

State: UTAH

SALT LAKE CITY – The quick actions of a small plane pilot in the air and a driver on Interstate 80 may have saved a couple of lives last weekend.

The pilot, Jackson Walker, credited the driver who helped clear cars from I-80, creating an improvised landing strip for the plane.

Paul Jessop said he was driving on I-80 Saturday night near Park City, a little distracted.

"I admit, I was fiddling with my phone, like a bad boy, and I felt an impression, just a really rapid impression," he said.

Jessop said something told him to pay attention.

"I just threw my phone down to the side in the passenger seat and as soon as I looked up and got reoriented, I saw his plane banking as high as a tall tree," he said.

At nearly the same time in the air, Chase Dalton was watching from the passenger seat inside the plane. He reminded his good friend Walker to recall his training and he immediately went to work.

"There was that one moment of panic, where he just said, 'Oh my gosh.' I do give credit to where it's due. I do believe there was a lot of divine intervention," Dalton said.

Being near the freeway at the right time, having the altitude to glide down, a lot of things fell into place.

"When he came over, I just knew he was in trouble," Jessop said.

Jessop said he immediately turned on his hazard lights and started weaving between the lanes to slow the traffic behind him.

"And with that hole that was starting to build, he just dropped in like a fighter pilot. I was so excited I tell ya," Jessop added.

After the aircraft landed Jessop ran over to the plane.

"He leans back and opens his door and I said, 'That was awesome! You did it! You can get out now," said Jessop.

Both Jessop and Dalton have a lot of praise for Walker's piloting skills, but they admitted a lot of things just fell into place at the right time.

"Somehow, everything happened correctly and happened right. And that's where we have a lot of credit to give, to God I think. There's too many coincidences for me to say that we're just lucky," Dalton said.

Dalton said it was his first time ever in a small plane. He does not think he will get in one again, nor will his wife let him.

https://www.ksl.com

 

Pilot Jackson Walker, of Idaho Falls, managed to safely land a small airplane on the I-80 freeway Saturday evening after experiencing engine problems. No damage or injuries were reported.

SUMMIT PARK, Summit County — After its engine failed, a small passenger plane was forced to make an emergency landing on the I-80 freeway near Jeremy Ranch Saturday evening.

Despite the plane’s engine troubles, the pilot was able to land safely, without sustaining any injuries to himself or his one passenger, without hitting any motorists, and without causing any structural damage to the plane itself.

Utah Highway Patrol trooper Alex Agin called it the “best-case scenario” for an aircraft making an unexpected landing on a freeway.

“It was a landing, it’s not a crash,” he said. “Fortunately, the pilot of the aircraft was able to navigate traffic, find an opening on the eastbound traffic lanes and successfully land it with a disabled engine at hand.”

Jackson Walker, of Idaho Falls, was flying himself and a friend from Idaho Falls to Provo Saturday night when, about an hour-and-a-half into the flight, he noticed the oil pressure in the Cessna 172K Skyhawk he was piloting had dropped “almost to zero.”

He began looking for alternate places to land, thinking the airport in Heber City might work, when his engine seized and stopped. After trying and failing to restart it multiple times, he knew that he wasn’t going to make it to an airport.

Fortunately, he had decided to travel over I-80, so that in case of an emergency, he would have a place to land.

“I thought ... if your engine ever goes out, you want to make sure you’re over a highway,” he said.

“You plan for the worst and you hope it never happens, but in this case it did. And I was glad that I was on I-80 rather than the traffic on I-15, so I tried to keep my speed with the traffic, flash my landing lights several times and just tried to stick with what you train for.”

He stuck the landing and was able to guide his plane down by Jeremy Ranch Golf and Country Club, according to UHP Lt. Colton Freckleton.

“It seemed like the rumble strip was the bumpiest part,” said Walker, who was able to maneuver the plane to an open on-ramp.

Following the landing, he and his passenger were able to exit the plane and push it to the shoulder of the road, out of the way of traffic.

The landing was aided by a Good Samaritan who was driving on the interstate and helped provide adequate space for Walker to land.

“He started swerving to slow down traffic behind us, and that created even more room,” Walker said. “That was just great, just really heads up.”

Walker is a self-described “newly minted private pilot” and only started flying in June — a fact that makes the safe landing even more miraculous.

“I was obviously nervous, but at the same time, just tried to think through what the procedure I’d practiced is when you do your check rides and everything,” he said. “(I) just said a quick prayer and just wanted to get home and make sure that my passenger got home to his baby.”

Despite Walker’s relative inexperience, the engine failure wasn’t a beginner’s mistake, he said, and he is puzzled as to why it happened.

“There will definitely be further investigation as to why the engine failure happened, cause I just got the oil changed yesterday, just trying to be diligent with maintenance and be responsible,” he said. “You try to plan ahead, but things happen.”

https://www.deseret.com