Monday, December 14, 2020

Republic RC-3 Seabee, N451E: Accident occurred November 16, 2020 near Twin Lakes Airport (8A7), Mocksville, Davie County, North Carolina

  

 
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; Greensboro, North Carolina

Southern Aircraft Consultancy Inc 
Trustee


Location: Advance, NC 
Accident Number: ERA21LA042
Date & Time: November 16, 2020, 08:10 Local 
Registration: N451E
Aircraft: Republic RC-3
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On November 16, 2020, about 0810 eastern standard time, a Republic RC3, N451E, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Advance, North Carolina. The airline transport pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to a mechanic who test flew the airplane the day prior to the accident, he “dipped” the fuel tanks and the airplane had about 18 gallons of fuel on board prior to the pilot departing on a 30-45 minute flight that evening. On the day of the accident the pilot departed on an approximate 30-minute flight from his home airport with an intended destination of Twin Lakes Airport (8A7), Mocksville, North Carolina.

According to the mechanic, that make and model of airplane can burn between 13.5 and 20 gallons of fuel per hour. He also reported that they had not calibrated the fuel flow gauge for the airplane prior to the accident flight. Lastly, the mechanic asked the pilot the night before and the morning of the accident if there was enough fuel in the airplane, to which the pilot stated, “it was fine.”

The airplane came to rest in a field less than 2 miles from the destination airport. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector responded to the accident site and examined the airplane. The examination revealed that the airplane incurred substantial damage to the wing spar during the accident. The propeller was rotated by hand and crankshaft continuity was confirmed. In addition, he noted that there was no fuel in the fuel tanks and about 4 drops of fuel in the fuel filter. Furthermore, there was no evidence of fuel spillage at the accident site.

The airframe and engine were recovered and will be examined.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Republic Registration: N451E
Model/Series: RC3
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: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: EXX,732 ft msl
Observation Time: 08:15 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 11 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 9°C /1°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: / , Lowest Ceiling: None Visibility:
Altimeter Setting: 30.17 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Catawba, NC (NC26)
Destination: Mocksville, NC (8A7)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious 
Latitude, Longitude: 35.903235,-80.471142 (est) 

Boeing Widens 787 Dreamliner Inspections After Finding More Assembly-Line Defects

Federal regulators determine defects don’t pose an immediate safety risk, but added scrutiny has slowed deliveries


The Wall Street Journal 
By Andrew Tangel and Andy Pasztor
Updated December 14, 2020 3:54 pm ET

Boeing Co. has expanded inspections of newly produced 787 Dreamliners after finding a previously disclosed manufacturing defect in sections of the jet where it hadn’t been initially detected, according to industry and government officials.

Boeing engineers and United States air-safety regulators agree the newly discovered problem doesn’t pose an imminent safety hazard, the officials said. But the new issue is likely to ramp up a Federal Aviation Administration review of 787 production safeguards sparked earlier this year by other defects, one of these officials said.

The broader quality-control checks, covering the entire fuselage of the planes rather than just certain sections around the tail, are why inspections are taking longer than previously anticipated, the officials said. It also explains why no Dreamliners were delivered in November.

The Chicago-based plane maker disclosed the inspection and delivery delays Dec. 4 without specifying the reasons for them.

The defects in question are spots where the surface of the 787’s carbon-composite fuselage isn’t as smooth as it is should be, a Boeing spokesman said. Such areas can create tiny gaps where fuselage sections are linked together and could lead to premature structural fatigue, which can require extensive repairs. The spokesman said the inspections have pinpointed areas where assembly of portions of the 787 fuselage “may not meet specified skin flatness tolerances.”

The defects mark the fourth assembly-line lapse affecting Boeing’s popular family of wide-body jets that has come to light in as many months. Other than May, after the Covid-19 pandemic roiled airline operations and forced the plane maker to briefly shut down production facilities, November was the only month since 2013 without a Dreamliner delivery, according to an analysis of delivery data.

The company found the latest issue through strengthened quality-assurance practices over the past year, when other defects had been identified, the Boeing spokesman said. And he said the company has asked suppliers to perform similar checks. “These findings are part of Boeing’s review of assembled 787 aircraft to ensure each meets our highest quality standards prior to delivery to customers,” he said.

The Federal Aviation Administration, which has been considering actions to mitigate the problems by potentially issuing safety directives, on Sunday released a statement saying the agency regularly engages with Boeing on “continued operational safety and manufacturing oversight processes to appropriately address any issues that might arise.”

Under pressure from the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing also has stepped-up internal manufacturing controls focusing on other lapses ranging from inspection paperwork problems to debris mistakenly left behind by assembly-line workers inside 737 MAX jetliners and military tankers.

The wide-body passenger jets, which Boeing first delivered in 2011, have an excellent safety record and are frequently used on long international routes. If found on planes already carrying passengers, the latest defect can be addressed during comprehensive maintenance checks that are required as the jets age, some of the officials familiar with the matter said.

Delivery delays threaten to add to Boeing’s financial strain as it struggles with fallout from the pandemic, which has sapped global demand for air travel and passenger jets. Boeing Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith has said Boeing expected to continue working to clear its growing inventory of undelivered Dreamliners through next year.

Earlier this year, Boeing disclosed the skin-smoothness defect near the rear of the planes, as well as improperly sized shims—or parts used to fill small gaps where the fuselage sections are joined together. It wasn’t immediately clear how many planes have been found with the skin-smoothness defects in additional locations, but officials familiar with the matter said instances appeared relatively isolated.

Boeing engineers previously determined that when the defects involving skin smoothness and shim size both occur in the same location, the result can be tiny imperfections creating a potential hazard such as a cracking in the fuselage under extreme flying conditions. Boeing in August took the unusual step of voluntarily grounding eight aircraft in airlines’ fleets for immediate repairs.

Those earlier problems prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to start reviewing quality-control lapses in Boeing’s 787 production stretching back almost a decade.

Boeing also previously identified a third quality-control lapse affecting the horizontal stabilizer, a movable, winglike panel in the tail.

Earlier this month, Mr. Smith disclosed Boeing’s intention to further cut 787 production next year because of weak demand and a growing backlog of parked planes.

Boeing, which has been producing around 10 Dreamliners a month, as of early December had 53 built but undelivered 787s that had been in its inventory for an average of about five months, according to aviation-research firm Ascend by Cirium.

Mr. Smith said the monthly 787 production rate would remain below Boeing’s target of 10 before slowing to five in May at its plant in North Charleston, S.C. Assembly of 787s is set to end at a Seattle-area Boeing facility.

The 787 manufacturing issues are unrelated to design flaws in a flight-control system that kept the global fleet of 737 MAX jets grounded for nearly two years. The plane models are built in separate facilities.

—Doug Cameron
contributed to this article.




Cessna 207A, N9475M: Incident occurred December 12, 2020 at Kongiganak Airport (PADY), Alaska

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

Aircraft ran over a case of eggs in the dark during taxi. 

Ryan Air Inc


Date: 12-DEC-20
Time: 04:51:00Z
Regis#: N9475M
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 207
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)
Aircraft Operator: RYAN AIR
Flight Number: RYA2675
City: KONGIGANAK
State: ALASKA

Boeing 757-200: Incident occurred December 12, 2020 at Sacramento International Airport (KSMF), California

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

Aircraft struck a bird and returned to land, a large dent on left side under the nose cone was discovered.

Delta Air Lines Inc

Date: 12-DEC-20
Time: 15:16:00Z
Regis#: DAL783
Aircraft Make: BOEING
Aircraft Model: 757
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: COMMERCIAL
Flight Phase: TAKEOFF (TOF)
Operation: 121
Aircraft Operator: DELTA AIRLINES
Flight Number: DAL783
City: SACRAMENTO
State: CALIFORNIA

Eclipse 500, N686TM: Accident occurred December 13, 2020 at Lake County Airport (KLXV), Leadville, Colorado


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; Denver, Colorado

Musgrave Properties Inc

Location: Leadville, CO
Accident Number: CEN21LA086
Date & Time: December 13, 2020, 20:00 Local
Registration: N686TM
Aircraft: Eclipse EA 500 
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Eclipse 
Registration: N686TM
Model/Series: EA 500 
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: Night
Observation Facility, Elevation: LXV,1933 ft msl
Observation Time: 19:53 Local
Distance from Accident Site:
Temperature/Dew Point: -14°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few 
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: / ,
Lowest Ceiling: None 
Visibility: 6 miles
Altimeter Setting:
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point: San Diego, CA (MYF)
Destination: Leadville, CO

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries:
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None 
Latitude, Longitude: 39.2242,-106.3152 (est)



























AIRCRAFT:  
2008 Eclipse EA 500 N686TM, s/n: 500000221

Time Since New 1844.1

Cycles Since New 1160

Time Since Last Shop Visit 103.9

Cycles Since Last Shop Visit 77 

The aircraft is currently on Eclipse Aerospace’s Continuous Aircraft Maintenance Program

ENGINES:    
#1 Engine - Pratt & Whitney PW610F-A, s/n: LA0471
Time Since New 1844.1
Time Since Major Overhaul 1160
Time Since Last CAMP Inspection 12/10/2019                              

#2 Engine - Pratt & Whitney PW610F-A, s/n: LA0450
Time Since New 1813.1
Time Since Major Overhaul 1138
Time Since Last CAMP Inspection - May 5, 2020 (Installation on No. 2 Pylon)                                           
EQUIPMENT:  
AVIO IFMS

DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT: 
Aircraft landed long and ran off runway on 12/14/20 at Lake County Airport (KLXV), Leadville, CO

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

Fuselage:
Radome is shattered, deformed, and has impact damage.
Forward pressure bulkhead and nose skins are bent and abraded.
Belly skins are torn and abraded.
AHRS sensors on the nose have been damaged from impact forces.
Nose gear was torn from the nose gear bay attach points.

Left Wing
Impact damage to left leading edge resulting in a dent of approximately 1 ½ feet.
Left main gear was torn from attach points and punctured wing skin.
Left flap is twisted, deformed, and abraded.
The left fuel tank is dented and abraded.

Right Wing
The right wing is substantially damaged, dented, and torn in half mid-wing.
The right flap and aileron are twisted and dented.
The right main gear was torn from the attach points.
Right wing fuel tank is breached from impact forces.

Engines
A hard landing occurred to the No. 1 engine. Internal damage is not known at this time.
A hard landing and Foreign Object Damage (FOD) occurred to the No. 2 engine. The inlet and nacelle have impact damage and the engine has been twisted on the pylon. FOD damage was observed to several fan blades.
The pylon fairing on the No. 2 pylon have been torn.

Tail
The lower skins on the tail have been dented and abraded.
Denting occurred to the right horizontal stabilizer.

LOCATION OF AIRCRAFT: 
Aircraft is stored outside at Beegles Aircraft Service, Greeley, Colorado.

REMARKS:   
Insurer reserves the right to reject any and all bids. 
Salvage is as is/where is. 
The posting information is the best to our knowledge. 
An inspection of the salvage is highly recommended. 
LOGS ARE NOT GUARANTEED TO BE ACCURATE OR COMPLETE.

WARRANTY:  There is no warranty, express or implied for the information provided herein or the condition, useability, workability, operability or marketability of the aircraft salvage.  All times are approximate and the logbooks and aircraft should be inspected by each bidder BEFORE BIDDING.  Failure of the bidder to view the salvage or wreckage, or confirm any information provided is NOT grounds for a claim or withdrawal of bid after bid closing date.)  

HOURS estimated from logbooks or other information - not guaranteed or warranted

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

Piper PA-28-161, N8436T: Accident occurred December 11, 2020 at Nantucket Memorial Airport (KACK), Massachusetts

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; Boston, Massachusetts 


Location: Nantucket, MA 
Accident Number: ERA21LA079
Date & Time: December 11, 2020, 14:30 Local
Registration: N8436T
Aircraft: Piper PA-28-161 
Injuries: 1 None 
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper 
Registration: N8436T
Model/Series: PA-28-161 161 
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: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: ACK,48 ft msl
Observation Time: 14:30 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: -12.8°C /-13.3°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear 
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 7 knots / , 210°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 9 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.15 inches Hg 
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: New Bedford, MA (KEWB)
Destination: Nantucket, MA

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: 41.259407,-70.058238

Cessna 170A, N1297D: Incident occurred December 13, 2020 at Trenton Mercer Airport (KTTN), Mercer County, New Jersey

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Philadelphia

Aircraft ground looped on landing. 

Cessna 170 LLC


Date: 13-DEC-20
Time: 21:39:00Z
Regis#: N1297D
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 170
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: TRENTON
State: NEW JERSEY

Kolb FireStar II, N7094T: Accident occurred December 11, 2020 in Durham, North Carolina

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; Greensboro, North Carolina
Location: Durham, NC
Accident Number: ERA21LA075
Date & Time: December 11, 2020, 13:00 Local 
Registration: N7094T
Aircraft: Kolb Firestar
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On December 11, 2020, about 1300 eastern standard time, a Kolb Firestar II, N7094T was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Durham, North Carolina. The pilot was uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that after an uneventful takeoff and climb out, and about 20 minutes into the flight, the airplane began to experience a loss of engine power. The airplane was about 500 ft above ground level; the pilot observed the engine monitoring system and noted no indications of an engine problem. The pilot’s attempts to increase engine power were unsuccessful, and the airplane continued to lose altitude.

The pilot subsequently elected to attempt a forced landing to a lake about 3 nautical miles from the departure airport. During the landing flare, the wheels struck the water surface, the airplane immediately flipped forward and came to rest upside down and partially submerged. The pilot extricated himself and swam to the surface where he was rescued by an individual on a personal watercraft.

The airplane’s tail separated about 2 ft aft of the fuel tank and the leading outboard edges of both wings were crushed and torn open. The airplane remained submerged until the following day, when it was recovered and transported to the pilot’s hangar, where it was retained for further examination.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Kolb 
Registration: N7094T
Model/Series: Firestar II 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: RDU,435 ft msl 
Observation Time: 13:51 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 3 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 17.8°C /8.9°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 25000 ft AGL
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 3 knots / ,
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.18 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Durham, NC (8NC8)
Destination: Durham, NC

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: 36.024094,-78.716475 (est)

Flight Design CTSW, N138CT: Accident occurred December 13, 2020 at Shiflet Field Airport (9A9), Marion, McDowell County, North Carolina

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; Charlotte, North Carolina

https://registry.faa.gov/N138CT

Location: Marion, NC
Accident Number: ERA21LA073
Date & Time: December 13, 2020, 10:45 Local 
Registration: N138CT
Aircraft: Flight Design CTSW
Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On December 13, 2020, about 1045 eastern standard time, a Flight Design CTSW, N138CT, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Marion, North Carolina. The pilot and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that all preflight operations were routine for the cross-country flight to Frankfort, Kentucky. Shortly after liftoff at an airspeed about 46 knots, the airplane suddenly yawed to the right and came back down to the runway. The pilot elected to reject the takeoff. The airplane continued to veer to the right and the airplane departed the runway and entered an area of soft terrain. The nose wheel collapsed and the airplane nosed over.

Inspectors with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. The nose gear was collapsed and crushed into the lower fuselage. The vertical stabilizer and rudder were structurally damaged.

The wreckage was recovered and retained for further examination.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Flight Design 
Registration: N138CT
Model/Series: CTSW 
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: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KFQD,1078 ft msl
Observation Time: 10:55 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 18 Nautical Miles 
Temperature/Dew Point: 14°C /11°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear 
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: / ,
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.12 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Marion, NC 
Destination: Frankfort, KY (FFT)

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: 35.7203,-82.0141 (est)

Eclipse EA-500, N2YU: Incident occurred December 12, 2020 in Portland, Oregon

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Portland, Oregon

Aircraft hit tree during landing. 

N2 Yankee Uniform LLC


Date: 12-DEC-20
Time: 01:10:00Z
Regis#: N2YU
Aircraft Make: ECLIPSE
Aircraft Model: EA500
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: PORTLAND
State: OREGON

Cessna 340, N980AM: Incident occurred December 12, 2020 at Memphis International Airport (KMEM), Tennessee

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Memphis, Tennessee

Aircraft landed and gear collapsed. 

Fly By Night LLC


Date: 12-DEC-20
Time: 20:58:00Z
Regis#: N980AM
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 340
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: MEMPHIS
State: TENNESSEE

Aeronca 7DC, N85130: Incident occurred December 09, 2020 in Ivor, Southampton County, Virginia

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

Aircraft experienced engine issues and made a forced landing in a field. 


Date: 09-DEC-20
Time: 18:20:00Z
Regis#: N85130
Aircraft Make: AERONCA
Aircraft Model: 7DC
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: NONE
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: EN ROUTE (ENR)
Operation: 91
City: IVOR
State: VIRGINIA