Embraer ERJ-145, N648AE: Accident occurred December 15, 2019 at Philadelphia International Airport (KPHL), Pennsylvania

 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.

This accident report documents the factual circumstances of this accident as described to the National Transportation Safety Board.

American Airlines Inc

https://registry.faa.gov/N648AE

Location: Philadelphia, PA 

Accident Number: DCA20CA040

Date & Time: December 15, 2019, 06:27 Local

Registration: N648AE

Aircraft: Embraer EMB145

Injuries: N/A

Flight Conducted Under: Part 121: Air carrier - Scheduled

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Embraer 

Registration: N648AE

Model/Series: EMB145 LR 

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Amateur Built: No

Operator: 

Operating Certificate(s) Held:

Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC

Condition of Light: Dawn

Observation Facility, Elevation: KPHL,36 ft msl

Observation Time: 10:54 Local

Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles

Temperature/Dew Point: 6°C /1°C

Lowest Cloud Condition: 

Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 11 knots / , 240°

Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 19000 ft AGL 

Visibility: 10 miles

Altimeter Setting: 29.73 inches Hg 

Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR

Departure Point: Columbia, SC (KCAE)

Destination: Philadelphia, PA (KPHL)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 

Aircraft Damage: None

Passenger Injuries:

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: N/A

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: N/A

Latitude, Longitude: 39.872222,-75.240554

Embraer EMB-135KL (ERJ-140LR), N805AE: Accident occurred December 16, 2019

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.

This accident report documents the factual circumstances of this accident as described to the National Transportation Safety Board.

American Airlines Inc

https://registry.faa.gov/N805AE

Location: Unknown

Accident Number: DCA20CA038

Date & Time: December 16, 2019, 14:50 Local

Registration: N805AE

Aircraft: Embraer EMB 135KL 

Injuries: N/A

Flight Conducted Under: Part 121: Air carrier - Scheduled

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Embraer

Registration: N805AE

Model/Series: EMB 135KL KE

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Amateur Built: No

Operator:

Operating Certificate(s) Held:

Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: 

Condition of Light:

Observation Facility, Elevation: 

Observation Time:

Distance from Accident Site: 

Temperature/Dew Point:

Lowest Cloud Condition: 

Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: / ,

Lowest Ceiling: Visibility:

Altimeter Setting: 

Type of Flight Plan Filed:

Departure Point: 

Destination:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries:

Aircraft Damage: None

Passenger Injuries:

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: N/A

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: N/A 

Latitude, Longitude:

Federal Aviation Administration reforms reassert primacy of Boeing oversight, safety

By The Seattle Times editorial board

December 25, 2020 at 4:01 pm 

At last, Congress has undone disastrous Federal Aviation Administration policy that abetted Boeing’s lapses in pushing the unsafe 737 MAX to market. The restoration of trusted Federal Aviation Administration oversight is a necessary step to set Boeing back on course as aviation’s longtime leader.  

Legislation that passed Congress Monday, championed by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., rolls back Boeing’s ability to control much of the certification process for its aircraft. Misguided attempts to streamline federal policy and help Boeing over the years had improperly ceded too much of the Federal Aviation Administration responsibilities to the manufacturer.

As a Senate Commerce Committee report this month showed, Boeing abused this free hand, limiting the Federal Aviation Administration ability to spot flaws in the 737 MAX that would have been expensive to fix. The federal agency compliantly went along, setting off a chain of systematic failures. 

Federal Aviation Administration test pilots were “inappropriately coached” about cockpit logistics, that report found. Flight control systems that should have been reviewed holistically were presented in fragmentary fashion. Whistleblowers rightly alarmed about this way of doing business faced unethical retaliations. It took two 737 MAX crashes that killed 346 people to forced Boeing to ground its global 737 MAX fleet.

The reform legislation correctly restores the paramount role airplane safety must play in Federal Aviation Administration oversight of all manufacturers, including Boeing. The upside-down thinking that implemented paid incentives for federal inspectors to meet manufacturers’ certification deadlines has correctly been stopped. The Federal Aviation Administration now directly oversees engineers responsible for safety work, and has a mandate to review systems design changes in their full cockpit context. These and other fixes arrived too late to prevent the 737 MAX disaster, but they can help Boeing restore its reputation — and market leadership — by enforcing rigorous safety requirements. 

The downturn throughout the aerospace industry created by the COVID-19 pandemic gives Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration a bit of breathing room to recreate a functional relationship. Boeing’s next aircraft, the 777X, won’t be delivered until 2022. For Boeing’s sake, and other manufacturers’, the Federal Aviation Administration must work intensively to show international regulators its certification can be trusted, as aviation analyst Scott Hamilton of Leeham News and Analysis told this editorial board. If unable to trust Federal Aviation Administration assessment, other nations’ regulators conduct their own certifications, slowing the aircraft market for all. 

“Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration have a lot of credibility to restore,” he said, “and I think it’s going to take a long time to do that.” 

The reforms negotiated by Cantwell and her Commerce counterpart, committee chair Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., help reassert the primacy of safety in the Federal Aviation Administration certification process. The regulatory agency’s responsibility to the flying public must not again become captive to Boeing’s conflicting motive to turn a profit. 

The Seattle Times editorial board members are editorial page editor Kate Riley, Frank A. Blethen, Brier Dudley, Jennifer Hemmingsen, Mark Higgins, Derrick Nunnally and William K. Blethen (emeritus).

https://www.seattletimes.com

Several Members Of Baltimore Police Department’s Aviation Unit Test Positive For COVID-19

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Several members of the Baltimore Police Department’s aviation unit have tested positive for COVID-19, the department confirmed Thursday.

Police did not say how many members of the team, which is responsible for the Foxtrot police helicopter, received positive tests. The department did say a number of others are quarantining pending test results.

The helicopter was down Thursday due to the weather, a spokesperson said. It is expected to take to the skies again on Friday or Saturday.

https://baltimore.cbslocal.com

United States-Trained Afghan Fighter Pilot Is in Hiding After Being Denied Safe Passage

The case of a top Afghanistan pilot facing death threats from the Taliban has drawn ire from inside United States military ranks

Maj. Naeim Asadi was part of Afghanistan's first training program for pilots flying the MD-530 helicopter.

Mr. Asadi is now in hiding with his wife and 4-year-old daughter.

The Wall Street Journal 

By Sune Engel Rasmussen

December 25, 2020 11:00 am ET

Maj. Naiem Asadi, an Afghan pilot trained by the United States military, became known for his bravery during six years of fighting in the country’s war, from battling Taliban and Islamic State fighters to helping rescue a crashed American pilot.

Today, facing death threats from the Taliban, he is in hiding with his wife and 4-year-old daughter, after the United States reversed its decision to help him leave Afghanistan and live in America.

In late November, the United States military asked Mr. Asadi and his family to leave an American military base in Afghanistan, where he had sought refuge from the Taliban for a month, after the Pentagon withdrew its initial support for his request for protection in the United States.

“We didn’t expect the United States government to leave us halfway,” said Mr. Asadi, who says he has killed hundreds of Taliban and Islamic State fighters during his active duty with the Afghan military.

“After completing a full review of the request, the appropriate officials determined that DoD [the Department of Defense] could not support the request,” Pentagon spokesman Maj. Robert Lodewick said.

As the United States prepares to extricate itself from Afghanistan, Washington faces a dilemma over whether to help individuals who fought with and even saved Americans to leave the country—something that could deprive the Afghan military of its best fighters, when the survival of a political project the countries built together is at stake.

Mr. Asadi’s case has raised ire inside the United States military, with officers who trained and worked with the pilot saying he has done enough for Afghanistan and for the United States, and that America should honor its initial pledge to protect him.

Army Gen. Mark Milley, the Pentagon’s top officer, met with Taliban officials on December 15 in an attempt to accelerate peace talks between Kabul and the insurgent group that could help end the nearly two-decade-old conflict in Afghanistan.

President Trump has ordered the United States military to reduce the number of troops in Afghanistan to 2,500 before Inauguration Day, from about 4,500. President-elect Joe Biden has said he wants to withdraw United States troops in Afghanistan within his first term.

As the United States drawdown continues, retaining Afghan pilots who can provide air power to defend cities is essential for Kabul and Washington alike.

Thirty-two-year-old Mr. Asadi graduated in 2013 as one of the first four Afghan pilots—known by their American advisers as the Fab Four—trained to fly the United States-made MD-530 helicopter, now a cornerstone of the Afghan Air Force. He says he logged nearly 3,000 flight hours on hundreds of missions, making him one of the most experienced pilots in the Afghan Air Force.

On his first mission, in 2014, Mr. Asadi was sent to a small town near the eastern city of Jalalabad, which militants had occupied. In 2015, Mr. Asadi was dispatched to help liberate Kunduz city from the Taliban, firing a barrage of rockets against insurgents who had surrounded an army base, forcing them to flee, he said.

He was also commended earlier this year by the United States military for providing air protection to an American soldier waiting to be rescued after crashing his attack aircraft in northern Afghanistan.

This year, Mr. Asadi applied for Significant Public Benefit Parole, a temporary protection status for noncitizens in the United States He was helped by 12 retired and active U.S. military officers who supported his case. They offered to help him find employment and set him up with a house in New Jersey in preparation for a new life.

United States officers who worked with Mr. Asadi say he is particularly vulnerable, largely because the American-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization mission featured him in promotional videos for the MD-530 helicopter.

The Pentagon endorsed his application, and a Pentagon official verified a Taliban threat letter to Mr. Asadi. On October 27, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services approved Mr. Asadi’s parole, according to case documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

However, on his way to pick up his travel documents, Mr. Asadi said he received a call from an American officer informing him that they weren’t ready after all. A week later, the United States military confirmed that it had withdrawn its support for his request, which effectively ensured its rejection.

“It’s an extremely challenging balance, and one that the Department of Defense strives to get right,” said a Pentagon official. “The bottom line is that the United States, DoD specifically, cannot be the element that facilitates an active duty military officer deserting his duty.”

“It is patently untrue and inaccurate for anyone to say that Asadi would be guilty of desertion if he left the Afghan military. There is no crime of desertion codified in Afghanistan’s Criminal Code,” said Mr. Asadi’s United States lawyer, Kimberley Motley.

Ms. Motley said the Afghan government has a history of imprisoning citizens for alleged crimes that aren’t codified in law, and she worried the same might happen to Mr. Asadi. Mr. Asadi himself says he can’t return to the Afghan Air Force for fear that he will be arrested for desertion.

When Niloofar Rahmani, Afghanistan’s first female airplane pilot, sought asylum in the United States in 2016 during a training course, citing threats to her life at home, the Afghan Ministry of Defense said she would be arrested if she returned. Ms. Rahmani received asylum in 2018 and now lives in the United States.

A spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, Fawad Aman, didn’t comment on whether Mr. Asadi would be arrested if he returned to duty.

The spokesman said the Afghan security forces took the threats against Mr. Asadi seriously, but they weren’t providing him with extra protection.

“We are responsible for providing security for him and his family,” said Mr. Aman. “We do it for him, as we do for the rest of our personnel.”

The Pentagon and the United States mission in Afghanistan declined to comment further on Mr. Asadi’s case. A spokesperson for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services also declined to comment.

A Pentagon official said that after receiving the initial approval, senior United States military officials in Afghanistan approached the Office of the Secretary of Defense, which then conducted another review.

Eventually, the Defense Department concluded that the threats against Mr. Asadi weren’t “greater or more alarming” than those facing other Afghan soldiers, the Pentagon official said.

“The solution of the hundreds and hundreds of people who face security threats can’t be to get on a plane to America,” said the Pentagon official. “It would absolutely gut the Afghan security forces.”

His case has struck a nerve among Afghans wanting to leave the country along with United States troops, as well as American soldiers eager to protect partners with whom they fought.

The United States promised Mr. Asadi a new beginning, and “we need to honor that,” said Rafael Caraballo, a retired United States Army pilot who trained Mr. Asadi. “He has nowhere to go.”

Mr. Caraballo said that years ago, Taliban fighters pulled another Afghan fighter he had trained off a bus, found documents in his luggage tying him to the American pilot-training program and slit his throat.

Mr. Asadi “has done everything he can so effectively for” the Afghan military, Mr. Caraballo said. “He needs to see his child grow.”

The controversy over Mr. Asadi’s case comes amid a wave of assassinations of Afghan government officials. Targeted killings of civilians, including officials, have surged to 531 in the first 10 months of this year from 369 in the same period of 2019, according to the United Nations.

Afghanistan’s national security adviser, Hamdullah Mohib, said that soldiers who join the Afghan military have to honor their commitments and not use their service as a ticket to leave the country.

“As far as the threat from the Taliban is concerned, every Afghan’s life is threatened,” Mr. Mohib said.

https://www.wsj.com

Wings over Venice, Florida, helped with tourism and local commerce

When Venice was founded in 1926, visitors arrived by train, car and boat.

Within a decade, air travel featured prominently in the city’s growing vitality.

“It’s hard to imagine that barely three decades after the Wright brothers made their historic flight, aviation here in Venice was already becoming established,” said Clarke Pressley, president of the Venice Area Historical Society and a knowledgeable source on local aeronautical history. “A pivotal point in that evolution occurred with the creation of the first municipal airport.”

Although an emergency landing strip existed as early as 1927, the first recorded landing in Venice occurred on Jan. 13 of that year when pilot George Haldeman landed his open cockpit biplane on Nassau Street with a crate of fresh strawberries for guests of the Hotel Venice.

GRASS-STRIP RUNWAY

In 1935, a joint effort between the Civil Aeronautics Authority (precursor to the Federal Aviation Administration) and the Works Project Administration began construction of a grass-strip runway to serve the fledging community. The runway began just south of Venice Avenue and ended near what was then the city’s municipal golf course.

The area today is where the Intracoastal Waterway is located behind Venice High School. The land was donated by Dr. Fred Albee, famed orthopedic surgeon and himself an amateur pilot who was responsible for developing much of the property in the Venice-Nokomis area.

Concrete markers were added in January 1936 to identify the sod runway as more than just an emergency landing strip. A hangar with space for planes, offices, a flying school and repair shop were completed just three years later.

By 1939, Venice was continuing to recover from the Depression and the establishment of an airport promised economic opportunity. Although the airport had been known by other names such as the “Venice Municipal Airport” and “Downtown Airport,” the facility was formally dedicated on Jan. 23 as the Fred Albee Municipal Airport.

HUB OF ACTIVITY

The Venice Flying Club was also formed in 1939 and consisted of local flying enthusiasts and an instructor, H.J. “Doc” Chiddix, who provided courses on navigation, meteorology, maps, and map reading. James Darby served as the club’s first president.

Other founding members included such notables as Helga Roess-Siede, Venice’s city clerk from 1930 until 1952, local businessman George Hauser, and his daughter, Betty Hauser-Arnall, who would go on to become the city’s first historian. James Cousins, the son of former mayor Mitt Cousins and the older brother of philanthropist Julia Cousins-Laning, learned to fly at the airport, would serve as an instructor for RAF pilots in Florida during World War II, and later flew jets for Eastern Airlines.

Albee recognized the advantage of having an airport nearby. He had purchased the former Park View Hotel, current site of the Post Office on Venice Avenue, in 1933 and converted it into an orthopedic hospital where his patients could rest and recuperate. He paid for his nephew, Steve Albee Jr. to take flying lessons and purchased a five-passenger Stinson Reliant airplane the young man could use to shuttle patients from all over the western hemisphere to his uncle’s medical center.

Glenn Stephens, a lifelong resident of Venice, was a young teenager during the airport’s heyday and remembers all of the activity that took place there. “Pilots would fly in for various airshow events, crop dusters would use the field, and then the members of the aviation club had their airplanes. Planes would be stacked up everywhere. It was a real hub of activity.”

PILOT TRAINING

In 1942, with America engaged in war with Germany, Army Colonel A.M. Nicholson landed at Albee Airport to look at property south of the city that might serve as a training base for pilots. The Venice Army Air Base was built on 1,660 acres of land there, sold to the government by Finn Casperson. After the war, the base was turned over to the City of Venice and converted to a civilian airport in 1946. The two airports co-existed until the mid-1950s when the Sarasota County School Board acquired the Albee Airport land to construct a new Venice High School on the property.

https://www.yoursun.com

Orlando's AeroSpares acquired by rival aircraft parts maker in Seattle

AeroSpares, a proprietary aircraft parts maker in Orlando, was acquired by rival Jet Parts Engineering LLC, a leading Seattle-based designer and supplier of commercial aerospace aftermarket parts.

Terms of its deal were not disclosed.

AeroSpares President Tom Webb and his firm are innovators in the Federal Aviation Administration-approved aerospace aftermarket components business, said Jet Parts President Anu Goel. In addition, Goel said the deal strengthens his firm’s catalog of proprietary aftermarket parts for the commercial and cargo airline industries.

"Each of the parts Tom has designed imbeds technology that significantly improves the performance and reliability compared to the originally designed parts,” Goel said in a prepared statement, calling Webb and AeroSpares leaders in developing aftermarket pressure sensors and pressure switches for big commercial jets.

"Additionally, we look forward to having Tom work with our engineers to develop more PMAs in the pressure sensor and switch categories," Goel added.

AeroSpares was founded in 1993 to provide airlines with a customer support alternative to their original manufacturers — jet makers such as Boeing and Airbus or other major suppliers. PMA parts makers help passenger and cargo airlines reduce their aircraft and engine direct and indirect operating costs while still using FAA-approved replacement parts. Its Orlando office is at 11842 Fiore Drive, where it has eight employees and generates $660,544 in sales, according to Dun & Bradstreet.

It's the second deal of 2020 for Jet Parts Engineering, an aerospace portfolio company controlled by Goel and midmarket private equity firm Vance Street Capital of Los Angeles.

In January, it also acquired Aero Parts Mart of Fort Worth, Texas, a similar company that works to design and supply parts for the regional segment of the aviation business. The terms of that deal also were not disclosed.

Both deals were overseen by its majority owner Vance Street Capital, which acquired control of Jet Parts Engineering in 2018 and is working to grow the aircraft parts business alongside Goel.

Jet Parts Engineering was created in 1994. Before its latest deal, the company had 67 employees and $9 million in annual revenue, according to ZoomInfo. Another research firm pegged its annual revenue at $22 million. The company's offices are closed for the Christmas holidays.

Vedder Price LLP acted as legal adviser to Vance Street Capital on the deal, while West PLC served as legal advisor to AeroSpares, the companies said.

https://www.bizjournals.com

Fuel Exhaustion: Champion 7ECA Citabria, N9566S; accident occurred December 18, 2019 in Starkville, Oktibbeha County, Mississippi

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board

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

Additional Participating Entity: 

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Jackson, Mississippi

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket

https://registry.faa.gov/N9566S

Location: Starkville, Mississippi

Accident Number: CEN20LA036

Date & Time: December 18, 2019, 17:43 Local 

Registration: N9566S

Aircraft: Champion 7ECA 

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Defining Event: Fuel exhaustion 

Injuries: 1 Minor

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Factual Information

On December 18, 2019, at 1743 central standard time, a Champion 7ECA, N9566S, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Starkville, Mississippi. The pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot was conducting a 400 nautical mile cross country flight from North Houston Airport (9X1), Texas, to deliver the airplane for sale at the Golden Triangle Regional Airport (GTR), Mississippi. GTR is located on an approximately 050° bearing from 9X1. After about 4.5 total hours of flight time and about 15 miles from GTR, the engine "hiccupped and appeared to run rougher." The pilot began an immediate turn to George M. Bryan Airport (STF), Mississippi, which was a closer. During the turn the right fuel gauge "slammed to [empty]" and the left fuel gauge was between 1/8 tank and empty, and the engine quit. The pilot attempted to restart the engine before realizing the airplane would not make the runway. The airplane struck a tree during the forced landing near the highway and both wings separated from the fuselage. The accident location was 15 miles west of GTR and two miles south of STF.

The Federal Aviation Inspector who responded to the scene said there was no fuel in the fuel tanks and there was no evidence of fuel on the ground. The airplane wreckage was disposed of prior to any additional examinations being conducted on the fuel gauges or wreckage. 

The pilot said he utilized timing backed up by gauges for fuel planning and awareness in general aviation aircraft. He had "topped off the tanks to 36 [gallons]" the night before the accident flight, which provided 35 gallons of usable fuel onboard. The pilot had previously verified his normal fuel burn rate for the airplane was 5.5 gallons per hour but said he "determined 6 GPH would provide a margin of safety." He also said he leaned the engine during the flight.

The pilot made an unplanned stop at Vicksburg Municipal Airport (VKS), Mississippi, after about 3 hours of flight. He did not visually check the fuel tanks during the stop and opted not to add fuel based off timing and the gauges showing the tanks were half full.

The pilot provided fuel planning for the accident flight that was completed post-accident. The computations indicated the flight would take 4.7 hours and burn 28.2 gallons of fuel. His planning included fuel used for start, taxi, takeoff, and climb at both 9X1 and VKS, as well as enroute descents to each airport. His calculations used a burn rate of 5.9 gallons per hour (GPH) at 5,500 ft mean sea level (MSL) and 2,600 revolutions per minute (RPM) and showed he should have arrived at GTR with 4.8 gallons of fuel, which exceeded that necessary to meet his 45-minute reserve requirement. He stated he would have needed to stop for fuel to meet his reserve fuel requirements if the planned flight exceeded 5 hours.

The airplane was equipped with a Continental O-200-A engine rated at 100 horsepower (HP) at 2,750 RPM. The pilot's operating handbook (POH) did not contain performance data for airplanes equipped with O-200-A engines, but did provide fuel burn rates for 7ECA airplanes equipped with Continental O235-C1 engines rated at 115 HP. The POH indicated the fuel burn rate for the O-235-C1 engine at 5,000 ft MSL and 2,600 RPM was 5.6 GPH and endurance was 6.3 hours. The fuel burn rate at 5,000 ft MSL and 2,700 RPM was 6.3 GPH and 5.6 hrs of endurance. The fuel burn rate at 5,000 ft MSL and 2,800 RPM was 8.9 GPH and 3.9 hrs of endurance.

The POH contained the following notes regarding cruise performance:

1. Maximum cruise is normally limited to 75% power.

2. All fuel consumption estimates are based on the recommended lean mixture when at or below 75% power and full rich above 75% power

The POH states "The fuel mixture should be leaned at any altitude when below 75% of maximum power." It also contains the warning "Range and endurance information is based on a properly leaned fuel mixture. Failure to lean the fuel mixture will increase fuel consumption appreciably."

The pilot stated he encountered higher than anticipated headwinds during the flight. The following wind aloft forecasts at 6,000 ft MSL were valid along the route of flight during the times of the flight:

DATA BASED ON 181200Z

VALID 181800Z FOR USE 1400-2100Z.

William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) 010°/12 knots

Shreveport Regional Airport (SHV) 340°/16 knots

Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers Int'l Airport (JAN) 350°/17 knots

DATA BASED ON 181200Z

VALID 19OOOOZ FOR USE 2100-0600Z.

William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) 010°/08 knots

Shreveport Regional Airport (SHV) 340°/12 knots

Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers Int'l Airport (JAN) 350°/16 knots 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline transport; Commercial; Flight instructor; Private

Age: 38,Male

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

Seat Occupied: Front

Other Aircraft Rating(s): None 

Restraint Used: 4-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: May 22, 2019

Occupational Pilot: Yes

Last Flight Review or Equivalent: December 9, 2019

Flight Time: 5742 hours (Total, all aircraft), 45 hours (Total, this make and model), 4500 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 120 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 40 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 0 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Champion

Registration: N9566S

Model/Series: 7ECA No Series

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Year of Manufacture: 1965

Amateur Built: No

Airworthiness Certificate: Aerobatic; Normal

Serial Number: 377

Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel 

Seats:

Date/Type of Last Inspection: December 17, 2019 Annual Certified 

Max Gross Wt.:

Time Since Last Inspection: 

Engines:

Airframe Total Time: 2134 Hrs at time of accident 

Engine Manufacturer:

ELT: C91 installed, activated, aided in locating accident

Engine Model/Series:

Registered Owner:

Rated Power:

Operator: On file 

Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)

Condition of Light: Night

Observation Facility, Elevation: GTR

Distance from Accident Site:

Observation Time:

Direction from Accident Site:

Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear 

Visibility:

Lowest Ceiling: None

Visibility (RVR):

Wind Speed/Gusts: / 

Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  /

Wind Direction: 

Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:  /

Altimeter Setting: 30.37 inches Hg 

Temperature/Dew Point: 10°C

Precipitation and Obscuration:

Departure Point: Vicksburg, MS (VKS)

Type of Flight Plan Filed: VFR

Destination: Columbus, MS (GTR) 

Type of Clearance: VFR flight following

Departure Time: 16:05 Local 

Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: George M Bryan STF

Runway Surface Type:

Airport Elevation: 332 ft msl 

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:

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: N/A

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: 1 Minor 

Latitude, Longitude: 33.39389,-88.852775(est)

Cessna 172M Skyhawk, N9646Q: Accident occurred December 21, 2019 near Rush City Regional Airport (KROS), Chisago 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

Hawk Aviation Inc

https://registry.faa.gov/N9646Q

Location: Rush City, MN

Accident Number: CEN20LA042

Date & Time: December 21, 2019, 13:06 Local

Registration: N9646Q

Aircraft: Cessna 172 

Injuries: 1 None

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional

On December 21, 2019, about 1306 central standard time, a Cessna 172M airplane, N9646Q, collided with trees following a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from Rush City Regional Airport (ROS), Rush City, Minneapolis. The student pilot was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was operated by Hawk Aviation Inc, Rush City, Minnesota, as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that was originating at the time of the accident.

The student pilot reported that he had completed an uneventful 15-20 minute flight in the airport traffic pattern with his flight instructor immediately before the accident flight. The student pilot stated that that he did not lean the fuel mixture during taxi, and that leaning was typically only done during cruise flight. The student pilot stated that he did not shutdown the engine while his flight instructor deboarded the airplane on the airport ramp. After the flight instructor deboarded, the student pilot taxied to the hold-short line for runway 16 where he completed an abbreviated before takeoff check, which included verifying that elevator trim was positioned for takeoff, carburetor heat was turned off, flaps were fully retracted, and that the fuel mixture control was full rich. The student pilot noted that he did not complete an engine runup before takeoff.

The student pilot stated that he taxied onto the runway 16 centerline where he briefly held the brakes as he advanced throttle to takeoff power. He stated that the takeoff roll was uneventful, and that liftoff was achieved with about half of the runway remaining. The student pilot stated that the airplane had climbed to about 200 ft above the runway when the engine began to sputter and had a total power loss. The student pilot stated that the propeller continued to windmill after the loss of engine power. The student pilot momentarily "froze-up" before he reduced airplane pitch to establish best glide airspeed and avoid an aerodynamic stall. The student pilot initially thought he could land in a field directly south of the runway, but he subsequently determined that the airplane would not clear a power line that preceded the field. The pilot reported that the airplane collided with trees as he maneuvered to avoid the power line. The student pilot stated that after the accident there was fuel "raining" down into the cabin from the damaged wings. After the accident the student pilot placed the electrical master switch to OFF, turned off both magnetos, repositioned the fuel selector from BOTH to OFF, and pulled the mixture control knob full aft.

The student pilot's flight instructor told Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors that he had received feedback from maintenance personnel that he should lean the fuel mixture during taxi to avoid fouling the sparkplugs. The flight instructor stated that he teaches his students to pull the mixture knob back about 1.5 inches during taxi. The flight instructor stated that he told the student pilot to lean the fuel mixture while they taxied back to the ramp following the previous flight.

The airplane and its engine were recovered from the accident site and retained for additional examination.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna

Registration: N9646Q

Model/Series: 172 M 

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: ROC,926 ft msl 

Observation Time: 12:55 Local

Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles

Temperature/Dew Point: 1°C /-5°C

Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear

Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 6 knots / , 180°

Lowest Ceiling: None 

Visibility: 10 miles

Altimeter Setting: 30.05 inches Hg

Type of Flight Plan Filed: None

Departure Point: Rush City, MN (ROS)

Destination: Rush City, MN (ROS)

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: 45.697223,-92.952224 (est)

Birdstrike: Cessna P210N Pressurized Centurion II, N6300W; accident occurred December 21, 2019 in Gainesville, Alachua County, Florida

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando, Florida 

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket

https://registry.faa.gov/N6300W

Location: Gainesville, Florida

Accident Number: ERA20CA058

Date & Time: December 21, 2019, 11:45 Local 

Registration: N6300W

Aircraft: Cessna P210 

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Defining Event: Birdstrike 

Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 None

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

The pilot reported that, during the initial climb and while about 1,500 ft mean sea level, he saw a bird flying "straight up," but when it reached the airplane's altitude, it turned toward the airplane. The bird then impacted the propeller, continued through the left side of the windshield, and struck the pilot's face. The airplane began descending, but the pilot regained control of the airplane, declared an emergency, and landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the windshield. 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 airplane's impact by a bird during the initial climb.

Findings

Environmental issues Animal(s)/bird(s) - Effect on operation

Environmental issues Animal(s)/bird(s) - Ability to respond/compensate

Factual Information

History of Flight

Initial climb Birdstrike (Defining event)

Initial climb Attempted remediation/recovery

Landing Off-field or emergency landing

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private

Age: 65,Male

Airplane Rating(s): Single-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): None 

Toxicology Performed: No

Medical Certification: Class 3 With waivers/limitations 

Last FAA Medical Exam: January 17, 2018

Occupational Pilot: No

Last Flight Review or Equivalent: March 27, 2018

Flight Time: 1552 hours (Total, all aircraft), 28 hours (Total, this make and model), 1552 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 15 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 4 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna

Registration: N6300W

Model/Series: P210 N 

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Year of Manufacture: 1981

Amateur Built: No

Airworthiness Certificate: Normal

Serial Number: P21000744

Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle

Seats: 6

Date/Type of Last Inspection: April 17, 2019 Annual Certified 

Max Gross Wt.: 4000 lbs

Time Since Last Inspection: 

Engines: 1 Reciprocating

Airframe Total Time: 5700 Hrs as of last inspection

Engine Manufacturer: Continental

ELT: C126 installed, not activated 

Engine Model/Series: TSIO-520P

Registered Owner: 

Rated Power: 310 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: GNV,123 ft msl

Distance from Accident Site: 3 Nautical Miles

Observation Time: 11:53 Local 

Direction from Accident Site: 46°

Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear 

Visibility: 10 miles

Lowest Ceiling: None

Visibility (RVR):

Wind Speed/Gusts: 13 knots / 21 knots

Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  /

Wind Direction: 80°

Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:  /

Altimeter Setting: 30.29 inches Hg

Temperature/Dew Point: 22°C / 14°C

Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation

Departure Point: Gainesville, FL (GNV)

Type of Flight Plan Filed: None

Destination: Nassau (MYNN)

Type of Clearance: None

Departure Time: 11:30 Local

Type of Airspace: Class E

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Passenger Injuries: 1 None 

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: N/A

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 None 

Latitude, Longitude: 29.651666,-82.324165(est)

Location: Allendale, SC
Accident Number: ERA20LA278
Date & Time: 08/07/2020, 1036 EDT
Registration: N6300W
Aircraft: Cessna P210
Injuries: 2 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On August 7, 2020, about 1036 eastern daylight time, a Cessna P210N, N6300W, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Allendale, South Carolina. The pilot and passenger were seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to the pilot, he departed Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV), Gainesville, Florida, with an intended destination of Allendale County Airport (AQX), Allendale, South Carolina. Prior to departure, he fueled the airplane with 58 gallons of fuel. The flight was unremarkable, but when the airplane was on short final approach to runway 35 at AQX, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The propeller continued to rotate and the pilot attempted to restart the engine by switching the selected fuel tank but was unsuccessful. The pilot realized that the airplane was not able to reach the runway and he attempted to perform a forced landing to a field.

During the forced landing, the airplane struck trees and impacted the ground. After impact, the pilot and passenger egressed, and then a postimpact fire ensued.

The airframe and engine were retained for examination. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N6300W
Model/Series: P210 N
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built:No 
Operator: N206DJ, LLC
Operating Certificate(s) Held:None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: AQX, 162 ft msl
Observation Time: 1035 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 29°C / 24°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: Calm / ,
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.09 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Gainesville, FL (GNV)
Destination: Allendale, SC (AQX) 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 32.986389, -81.266667 (est)

Loss of Control on Ground: Piper PA-28-181, N924PA; accident occurred December 23, 2019 at Chandler Municipal Airport (KCHD), Maricopa County, Arizona

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board 

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Scottsdale, Arizona

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket

https://registry.faa.gov/N924PA

Location: Chandler, Arizona 

Accident Number: WPR20CA052

Date & Time: December 23, 2019, 09:30 Local

Registration: N924PA

Aircraft: Piper PA28

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Defining Event: Loss of control on ground

Injuries: 1 None

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional

Analysis

The solo student pilot reported that, following a normal landing and while the airplane was decelerating, he attempted to exit the runway as instructed by the air traffic tower controller. During the turn, the student lost directional control of the airplane, and it exited the runway and struck a taxiway sign, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The student reported that the speed was suitable for the turn but that he had issues controlling the airplane with the rudder pedals and brakes, which resulted in the runway excursion. The operator 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 student pilot's loss of directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a collision with a taxiway sign.

Findings

Aircraft Directional control - Not attained/maintained

Personnel issues Aircraft control - Student/instructed pilot

Environmental issues Sign/marker - Effect on operation

Factual Information

History of Flight

Taxi-from runway Loss of control on ground (Defining event)

Taxi-from runway Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

Student pilot Information

Certificate: Student 

Age: 24,Male

Airplane Rating(s): None

Seat Occupied: Left

Other Aircraft Rating(s): None 

Restraint Used: 3-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: August 12, 2019

Occupational Pilot: UNK

Last Flight Review or Equivalent: December 10, 2019

Flight Time: (Estimated) 46 hours (Total, all aircraft), 46 hours (Total, this make and model)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper

Registration: N924PA

Model/Series: PA28 181 

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Year of Manufacture: 1999 

Amateur Built: No

Airworthiness Certificate: Normal

Serial Number: 2843286

Landing Gear Type: Tricycle

Seats: 4

Date/Type of Last Inspection: December 18, 2019 Continuous airworthiness

Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2550 lbs

Time Since Last Inspection:

Engines: 1 Reciprocating

Airframe Total Time: 23303 Hrs as of last inspection

Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming

ELT: C91A installed, not activated 

Engine Model/Series: O&VO-360 SER

Registered Owner: 

Rated Power: 180 Horsepower

Operator: 

Operating Certificate(s) Held: Pilot school (141)

Operator Does Business As: AeroGuard Flight Training Center

Operator Designator Code: MSQT

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC) 

Condition of Light: Day

Observation Facility, Elevation: KCHD,1243 ft msl

Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles

Observation Time: 09:47 Local

Direction from Accident Site: 264°

Lowest Cloud Condition: Visibility 10 miles

Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 18000 ft AGL

Visibility (RVR):

Wind Speed/Gusts: 4 knots / 

Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /

Wind Direction: 30°

Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:  /

Altimeter Setting: 29.96 inches Hg 

Temperature/Dew Point: 12°C / 2°C

Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation

Departure Point: Chandler, AZ (CHD )

Type of Flight Plan Filed: None

Destination: Chandler, AZ (CHD)

Type of Clearance: VFR

Departure Time: 09:22 Local 

Type of Airspace: Class D

Airport Information

Airport: Chandler Municipal Airport CHD Runway Surface Type: Asphalt

Airport Elevation: 1243 ft msl Runway Surface

Condition: Dry

Runway Used: 04L IFR Approach: None

Runway Length/Width: 4401 ft / 75 ft 

VFR Approach/Landing: Stop and go;Traffic pattern

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: 33.269165,-111.811111(est)

Loss of Control in Flight: Zenith CH 750 STOL, N227L; accident occurred December 23, 2019 at Greene County - Lewis A. Jackson Regional Airport (I19), Xenia, Ohio

         

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board 

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Cincinnati, Ohio

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket

https://registry.faa.gov/N227L

Location: Xenia, Ohio 

Accident Number: CEN20CA059

Date & Time: December 23, 2019, 15:04 Local 

Registration: N227L

Aircraft: Zenith CH 750

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Defining Event: Loss of control in flight

Injuries: 1 None

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Flight test

Analysis

The pilot reported that the flight was the first flight of the experimental, amateur-built airplane. He stated that he was lined up with the runway centerline for landing, that the airspeed was 60 mph, and that the tachometer was showing 1,600 rpm when he felt the right tire contact the runway. He said "in an instant the left wing came down and the left tire and axle [were] sheared off. The left wing impacted the runway and the plane skidded about 40 feet and came to a full stop." The pilot used a higher landing airspeed because he had been told by other builders of that airplane that he needed to land with speed "so as not [to] get near the stall speed as this aircraft does have leading edge slats and this equates to a high lift wing." Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the nose landing gear and the left wing strut sustained substantial damage.

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 airplane control during landing, which resulted in the right tire contacting the runway first followed by the left wing.

Findings

Aircraft (general) - Not attained/maintained

Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot

Factual Information

History of Flight

Landing-flare/touchdown Loss of control in flight (Defining event)

Landing-flare/touchdown Abnormal runway contact

Landing-flare/touchdown Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

Landing-flare/touchdown Part(s) separation from AC

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private; Sport Pilot

Age: 75,Male

Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land

Seat Occupied: Left

Other Aircraft Rating(s): None

Restraint Used: 3-point

Instrument Rating(s): None

Second Pilot Present: No

Instructor Rating(s): None 

Toxicology Performed: No

Medical Certification: Sport pilot With waivers/limitations

Last FAA Medical Exam: September 30, 1988

Occupational Pilot: No

Last Flight Review or Equivalent:

Flight Time: 341 hours (Total, all aircraft), 5 hours (Total, this make and model)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Zenith 

Registration: N227L

Model/Series: CH 750

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Year of Manufacture: 2019 

Amateur Built: Yes

Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental light sport (Special)

Serial Number: 75-8165

Landing Gear Type: Tricycle

Seats: 2

Date/Type of Last Inspection: 

Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1440 lbs

Time Since Last Inspection:

Engines: 1 Reciprocating

Airframe Total Time:

Engine Manufacturer: Corvette

ELT: Not installed 

Engine Model/Series:

Registered Owner: 

Rated Power: 100 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: KFFO,949 ft msl

Distance from Accident Site:

Observation Time: 14:56 Local

Direction from Accident Site:

Lowest Cloud Condition:

Visibility: 10 miles

Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 800 ft AGL 

Visibility (RVR):

Wind Speed/Gusts: 12 knots /

Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  /

Wind Direction: 200° 

Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /

Altimeter Setting: 30.12 inches Hg 

Temperature/Dew Point: 8°C / -7°C

Precipitation and Obscuration:

Departure Point: Xenia, OH (I19)

Type of Flight Plan Filed: None

Destination: Xenia, OH (I19) 

Type of Clearance: None

Departure Time: 14:30 Local

Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: Greene County-Lewis A Jackson I19

Runway Surface Type: Asphalt

Airport Elevation: 949 ft msl 

Runway Surface Condition: Dry

Runway Used: 25

IFR Approach: None

Runway Length/Width: 5004 ft / 75 ft

VFR Approach/Landing: Full stop

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: 39.690834,-83.992774(est)