Sunday, December 27, 2020

Pilot Sammie Smith celebrates 50 years since first solo flight

“I just like to burn holes in the sky.”

Sammie Smith sitting in his Legend Cub. 


NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KTRE) - Some say it takes around six months to master a skill. but what about spending fifty years doing one. For Nacogdoches pilot Sammie Smith, he recently celebrated 50 years since his first solo flight.

He began his flight endeavors in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where he said he flew a lot in grad school at the University of Arkansas. His logbook showed his first solo flight was December 20, 1970. He made it to Nacogdoches in 1980.

“The last 50 years has gone by in a flash. I don’t know, I think everybody enjoys flying, that have flown,” he said. “I’ll never get tired of flying around and looking at the countryside. It’s absolutely beautiful.”

Smith credits his love for planes and flying to his childhood. Growing up two years before World War II, he said living in Fort Worth they’d often see air training activities.

“We’d go out in the yard almost anytime and look up in the air and you’d see some of the WWII aircrafts flying,” Smith said. “I think all little boys look up in the air every time they see an airplane and said man, I would love to do that.

Smith got around to flying at thirty. Some of his advice after all this time is, “You don’t want to fly in thunderstorms, you don’t want to fly in freezing weather. Ice is a problem,” Smith said. “You greatly reduce the risk of flying if you fly a good plane, in good clear weather, and don’t fly at night.”

Nacogdoches Airport Manager Joe Cefalu says this is a big accomplishment.

“It’s not real common for someone to start early and continue to fly into those later years. A lot of times it’s medical issues, or just lack of interest, or family issues that might slow them down,” Cefalu said. “So there’s very few people that can say, in the aviation world, that they’ve actually flown for fifty years.”

Smith said COVID-19 has put fly ins and gatherings on hold but he is still able to take his plane out and not see many, if anyone. In all 50 years his one regret is, “When I was 25 years old I had a college classmate that was a retired Navy pilot who had flown in the early stages of Nam, and he almost talked me into applying for naval aviation,” Smith said. “And I thought about it seriously, I had one year to go because their age limit was 26 and I was 25, and probably if I had it to do over I would’ve tired a naval aviator.”

Smith says he hopes to continue flying for as long as his health allows.

Hard Landing: Questair M-20 Venture, N35HW; accident occurred October 27, 2019 at Spruce Creek Airport (7FL6), Daytona Beach, Volusia 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:


Location: Daytona Beach, Florida 
Accident Number: GAA20CA088
Date & Time: October 27, 2019, 11:53 Local 
Registration: N35HW
Aircraft: HIGGINS JOHN H/WILLIAMS JOHN D QUESTAIR VENTURE 
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Hard landing
Injuries: 2 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

The pilot reported that, during landing, his approach was unstable with an excessive descent rate. Surveillance video footage showed that the airplane touched down hard at the start of the displaced threshold, bounced, veered right, exited the side of the runway, clipped a tree, and then impacted terrain. A postcrash fire ensued. The airplane sustained thermal and substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot report that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's unstabilized approach, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing, loss of directional control, and impact with a tree and then terrain.

Findings

Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot
Aircraft Descent/approach/glide path - Not attained/maintained
Aircraft Directional control - Not attained/maintained
Environmental issues Tree(s) - Effect on operation

Factual Information

History of Flight

Landing-flare/touchdown Miscellaneous/other
Landing-flare/touchdown Hard landing (Defining event)
Landing-flare/touchdown Abnormal runway contact
Landing-flare/touchdown Runway excursion
Landing-flare/touchdown Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
Post-impact Fire/smoke (post-impact)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline transport; Commercial; Flight instructor
Age: 80, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Single-engine sea; Multi-engine land; Multi-engine sea
Seat Occupied:
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Balloon; Glider; Helicopter 
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane; Helicopter 
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane multi-engine; Airplane single-engine; Helicopter; Instrument airplane; Instrument helicopter
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: March 1, 2019
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: (Estimated)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: HIGGINS JOHN H/WILLIAMS JOHN D
Registration: N35HW
Model/Series: QUESTAIR VENTURE MDL 20 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2019 
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental (Special)
Serial Number: 99
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle 
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection:
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection: 
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: 
Engine Model/Series: IO-550-N
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: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KEVB,10 ft msl 
Distance from Accident Site: 5 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 15:47 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 107°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 3000 ft AGL 
Visibility: 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: 
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 10 knots / 
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 230° 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.02 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 30°C / 23°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: 
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination:
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: Spruce Creek 7FL6 
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 24 ft msl
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 24 
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:4002 ft / 176 ft 
VFR Approach/Landing: Unknown

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: 29.080278,-81.046669(est)

Fuel Starvation: Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer, N2621P; accident occurred October 27, 2019 near Benson Airport (6MN9), White Bear Township, Minnesota















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; Minneapolis, Minnesota

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:

https://registry.faa.gov/N2621P 

Location: White Bear Township, Minnesota 
Accident Number: CEN20LA015
Date & Time: October 27, 2019, 10:55 Local
Registration: N2621P
Aircraft: Piper PA22 
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Fuel starvation Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Factual Information

On October 27, 2019, about 1055 central daylight time, a Piper PA22-150 airplane, N2621P, impacted terrain during a takeoff from Benson Airport (6MN9), White Bear Township, Minnesota. The airline transport pilot sustained serious injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged during the impact. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area about the time of the accident, and the flight was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight was originating from 6MN9 at the time of the accident.

The pilot reported that this was the first flight of the day and he conducted a preflight examination of the airplane to include "trims." The pilot reported the fuel quantity was 18 gallons in the left tank, the engine had 5 quarts oil, and he indicated that there was "no fuel in the right tank." He taxied the airplane on runway 13 and performed a "running" carb check and magneto test. At end of runway 13, the pilot turned the airplane and broadcast the flight's takeoff on runway 31 and enter the traffic pattern. He started the takeoff on runway 31 and did not remember anything further about the flight.

According to information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the airplane impacted a tree and terrain about 1/4 mile northwest of the departure end of runway 31. It came to rest near a ditch. 

At 1045, the recorded weather at the Anoka County-Blaine Airport (Janes Field), near Minneapolis, Minnesota, was: Wind 300° at 10 kts, gusting to 15 kts; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition overcast clouds at 2,000 ft; temperature 7° C; dew point 2° C; altimeter 29.90 inches of mercury.

The temperature and dew point spread were plotted on a carburetor icing chart. Their intersection on the icing chart indicated a probability of carburetor icing at any power setting.

An FAA Inspector examined the wreckage after the accident and photo documented the airplane controls. The inspector indicated that the right fuel tank was found dry. The quantity of liquid present in the left fuel tank had a visual appearance of about 5 gallons. The fuel selector valve was positioned to the right fuel tank. The gascolator/strainer was intact and found to be dry when examined. The engine was not bound and it turned when rotated by hand.

The airplane owner's handbook, in part, stated:

Two 18-gallon fuel tanks located in the wings provide fuel storage in the Tri-Pacer. ... The main fuel strainer, through which all fuel going to the carburetor flows, is located on the lower left engine side of the firewall. … Before take-off, it is very important that the fuel selector be checked to make sure it is on the proper tank.

CAUTION

When fuel quantity in right tank is 1/3 or less use only in level flight.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline transport; Commercial; Flight engineer; Flight instructor
Age: 78, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Single-engine sea; Multi-engine land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Glider; Helicopter 
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane; Helicopter
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane single-engine; Helicopter 
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With waivers/limitations 
Last FAA Medical Exam: October 2, 2018
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: May 2, 2018
Flight Time: 7957 hours (Total, all aircraft), 315 hours (Total, this make and model), 7409 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N2621P
Model/Series: PA22 150 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1955 
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 22-2957
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle 
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: April 16, 2019 
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2000 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 2677.61 Hrs as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: C126 installed, activated, aided in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: O-320
Registered Owner: 
Rated Power: 150 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: KANE, 912 ft msl 
Distance from Accident Site: 10 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 10:45 Local 
Direction from Accident Site: 282°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility: 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 2000 ft AGL
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 10 knots / 15 knots
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  /
Wind Direction: 300° 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:  /
Altimeter Setting: 29.89 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 7°C / 2°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: White Bear Township, MN (6MN9)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: White Bear Township, MN (6MN9)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 10:55 Local
Type of Airspace:

Airport Information

Airport: BENSON 6MN9 
Runway Surface Type: Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 942 ft msl 
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 30
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 2000 ft / 75 ft 
VFR Approach/Landing: Traffic pattern; None

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious 
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious 
Latitude, Longitude: 45.116664,-92.996109(est)

Cessna 172C Skyhawk, N8311X: Accident occurred December 27, 2020 in Pleasant Valley, Dutchess County, New York

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; Teterboro, New Jersey 


Location: Pleasant Valley, NY 
Accident Number: ERA21LA091
Date & Time: December 27, 2020, 15:00 Local 
Registration: N8311X
Aircraft: Cessna 172 
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional

On December 27, 2020, about 1500 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172C, N8311X, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Pleasant Valley, New York. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

According to the student pilot, after a normal preflight inspection she departed with 27 gallons of fuel and planned to remain in the traffic pattern to practice takeoffs and landings. She deployed partial flaps and carburetor heat on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. Shortly thereafter, the engine experienced an rpm reduction, which was followed by a total loss of engine power during the turn from the base leg to the final approach leg of the traffic pattern. The student pilot performed the emergency checklist and
cycled the magnetos, then declared an emergency and performed a forced landing to a wooded area.

The airplane came to rest inverted in swampy terrain amongst trees and sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.

The airplane was recovered for further examination.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna Registration: N8311X
Model/Series: 172 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: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: POU,166 ft msl
Observation Time: 14:53 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 8 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 2°C /-8°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 5 knots / , 230°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.28 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Pleasant Valley, NY
Destination: Pleasant Valley, NY

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: 41.717864,-73.74979 (est)
 
As officials continue to figure out what caused a plane to crash Sunday in Dutchess County, aviation experts are applauding a teen's quick thinking that saved her life.

The 17-year-old Dutchess resident, who had been cleared to fly alone, went up like many other times before. However, on Sunday, officials say her single engine plane began experiencing engine failure just short of runway 17 at Sky Acres Airport.

Below her were high voltage power lines, marshland and houses.

"As she was getting ready to land, she started losing power," said aviation expert and attorney Sal Lagonia. "[She] wanted to make sure she avoided those power lines. So she put the thing down in a nice flight spat, which is exactly what you trained to do ... she did an excellent job."

The teen was able to walk away from the emergency landing.

Her dad, who happens to be a pilot and asked to remain anonymous, says she's a bit sore but is a tough young woman who has dreams of flying for a living with the Air Force.



After nine years of race car driving, Samantha Muller is familiar with making quick decisions, her father said.

That's exactly what was needed Sunday afternoon during a training flight.

Piloting a  Cessna 172C Skyhawk and approaching Sky Acres Airport, it became evident to Muller that she could not make it over power lines to reach the runway, Scott Muller told the Journal.

"She had a choice and it's all woods," the father said. "The only place she had open was under the powerlines and she managed to get it down in there. That's pretty remarkable. I don't know if I could have squeezed in there."

Samantha Muller crashed the plane in a wooded area near Gidley Road around 3 p.m., just north of Sky Acres in LaGrangeville. The sole occupant, she was able to walk away without injuries, and nobody was harmed outside of the plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration Monday said the plane had a "rough-running engine," and an investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Samantha Muller visited her doctor's office Monday to get her neck and head checked out. Her father said he wasn't going to transport her to the hospital on Sunday, due to COVID-19. 

Samantha Muller's goal is to become a pilot, Scott Muller said, adding that his side of the family has a history of being pilots including himself. He and his father, Peter, own the plane together.

"I was 15 when I started flying," Scott Muller said. "And then I stopped pursuing it but then I got my license 17 years ago."

The plane's certification was issued November 19, 2004 and it is valid for flying, per the FAA website. The site lists Scott Muller as having a private pilot's license, but does not list license information for Samantha.

Trooper A.J. Hicks, Troop K state police spokesperson, said it is "My understanding is that it was a training flight, take off, fly around and come back."

State police and the LaGrange Fire Department responded to the crash. The Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response, as well as the county's Hazardous Materials team, also responded to the site to assist and address any fuel leak issues.

"The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate," Arlene Salac, FAA spokesperson, said. "The NTSB determines the probable cause of an accident. Neither agency identifies people involved in aircraft accidents."

Near site of deadly crash

The crash comes roughly 16 months after a deadly plane crash into a home in the area of Sky Acres.

On August 17, 2019, a Cessna 303 Crusader took off from Sky Acres, experienced engine problems and struck the south side of the two-story Union Vale home on South Smith Road.

Three members of the household were home at the time and one, Gerard Bocker, 61, was killed. The pilot, Francisco Knipping-Diaz, 61, was also killed, though his two passengers survived.

That Union Vale home is 2.8 miles southeast from Sunday's crash. It was unclear how close the Sunday crash was to the nearest house.

Sky Acres Airport is a non-towered and uncontrolled airport, Dana Smith, the county commissioner of emergency response, said in August 2019. There is no communication with pilots flying to or from uncontrolled airports.

Following the Union Vale plane wreck, multiple residents expressed concerns about regulations at the airport, who provides oversight and what action the town could take to protect itself from future incidents. 

Birdstrike: Beech 200 Super King Air, N850BK; accident occurred October 31, 2019 near New Braunfels Regional Airport (KBAZ), Guadalupe County, Texas








Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board

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

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:

RPM Consulting LLC


Location: New Braunfels, Texas
Accident Number: GAA20CA054
Date & Time: October 31, 2019, 17:00 Local
Registration: N850BK
Aircraft: Beech 200 
Aircraft Damage: Minor
Defining Event: Birdstrike
Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation

Analysis

The pilot reported that the airplane was descending through 2,500 ft while about 200 knots when a single bird struck the upper left corner of the pilot-side windshield. The windshield was broken and cracked by the impact. The pilot was seriously injured by flying glass that ejected from the broken inner ply's surface, which affected his vision. The passenger in the cabin moved up into the copilot's seat, and while being instructed by the pilot, landed the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained minor 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 in-flight collision with a bird.

Findings

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

Factual Information

History of Flight

Enroute-descent Birdstrike (Defining event)

Pilot Information
Certificate: Airline transport; Private
Age: 54, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Multi-engine land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter 
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With waivers/limitations 
Last FAA Medical Exam: October 11, 2018
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: November 10, 2018
Flight Time: (Estimated) 8500 hours (Total, all aircraft), 3400 hours (Total, this make and model), 6000 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 40 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 15 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)

Passenger Information

Certificate: Age: Male
Airplane Rating(s): 
Seat Occupied: Unknown
Other Aircraft Rating(s): 
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): 
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): 
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: 
Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Beech
Registration: N850BK
Model/Series: 200 B200
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1981
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal 
Serial Number: BB-896
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle 
Seats: 10
Date/Type of Last Inspection:
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 12500 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 2 Turbo prop
Airframe Total Time: Engine
Manufacturer: Pratt & Whitney
ELT: Installed, not activated 
Engine Model/Series: PT6-42
Registered Owner: 
Rated Power: 850 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: KBAZ,645 ft msl 
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 21:51 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 324°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: None 
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 7 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 360° 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.37 inches Hg 
Temperature/Dew Point: 13°C / -6°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Dallas, TX (ADS)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: New Braunfels, TX (BAZ)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 16:00 Local
Type of Airspace: Class D

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Minor
Passenger Injuries: 1 None 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 29.774999,-97.977775(est)

Quad City Challenger II, N895BT: Accident occurred December 26, 2020 at Noah’s Ark Airport (06MO), Waldron, Platte County, Missouri

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; Kansas City, Missouri
 

Location: Waldron, MO 
Accident Number: CEN21LA098
Date & Time: December 26, 2020, 11:30 Local 
Registration: N895BT
Aircraft: Quad City Aircraft Corp Challenger II
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Quad City Aircraft Corp
Registration: N895BT
Model/Series: Challenger II 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
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: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious 
Latitude, Longitude: 39.230667,-94.801305 (est)


WALDRON, Missouri  — A pilot was hurt when a small plane crashed Saturday in the Kansas City area, authorities say.

The Platte County Sheriff's Office said the crash happened just after noon as the single-engine plane was landing at Noah's Ark Airport in Waldron. 

The pilot was the only person aboard and suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries.

Authorities are investigating what caused the crash. Federal investigators have been called to the scene.


KANSAS CITY, Missouri — One person suffered serious injuries when a small plane crashed in Platte County Saturday afternoon.

According to the Platte County Sheriff's Office, a small plane crashed at Noah's Ark Airport on NW River Road in Waldron, Missouri just after 12 p.m.

The pilot was the only person on board and was transferred to an area hospital with serious, but non-life threatening injuries.

Maj. Erik Holland, of the Platte County Sheriff's Office, said the crash occurred as the plan was attempted to land.

Authorities are investigating what caused the crash, though Holland said the landing gear separated.

The National Transportation Safety Board is the lead agency investigating the crash, along with the Federal Aviation Administration.

The airport still is operational since the plane involved in the crash is not on the runway.

Turners Falls Airport (0B5) to request Town Meeting support in expansion


MONTAGUE, Massachusetts — The Turners Falls Municipal Airport, as part of a planned expansion, plans to request a $45,000 short-term loan from the town. The loan requires Town Meeting approval and is likely to appear on a meeting warrant sometime this winter.

The airport’s expansion would involve the purchase of a 10-acre lot next to the runway, which includes buildings currently used for aircraft maintenance and storage, flight school and fuel sales.
 
By purchasing the land, Airport Manager Bryan Camden has said, the airport should be able to reach total financial independence from the town. He has also said that, if the land were sold to someone else and repurposed for some non-aviation use, it would jeopardize the long-term viability of the airport.

“It’s kind of a do-or-die to purchase this property,” Camden said.

The total purchase is expected to be $1.5 million at the very most, but 95 percent of the price would be covered by grants for public airports from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).

The last 5 percent would be covered by the airport with support through a loan from the town, which Camden said will likely be about $45,000.

The cash from the town would allow the airport to increase its budget for the current fiscal year, so that it can support operations at the property it plans to purchase during the period before the new property starts producing revenue.

Repaying the money to the town should be possible by August or September of 2021, Camden said.
 
“It wouldn’t be a one-way transfer. It would be a simple short-term borrowing,” he clarified.

This expansion has been in discussion between Camden and the Selectboard for months. Last week, Camden and the Airport Commission met with the Selectboard and Finance Committee to discuss the airport’s expectations for Town Meeting, and to begin considering methods for financing the loan.

The committees will likely continue to consider options into January, said Selectboard Chair Rich Kuklewicz.

Articles related to the purchase are very likely to appear on a Special Town Meeting warrant this winter, as the Selectboard and Town Administrator Steve Ellis have discussed. Because of the pandemic, Montague is weighing options for holding Town Meeting remotely, via an online platform. (Special state legal provisions allow representative Town Meetings to meet remotely during the pandemic.) However, a date hasn’t been discussed yet.

Federal Aviation Administration Chief Had Helped Delta Air Lines Retaliate Against Whistleblower, Administrative Judge Rules

Carrier used psychological evaluation to ground, intimidate pilot, Labor Department ruling says

“In this case, the squeaky wheel did not get the grease.”
— Labor Department administrative law judge Scott Morris

Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Steve Dickson spent more than a decade as head of Delta’s flight operations.


The Wall Street Journal 
By Andy Pasztor
Updated December 27, 2020 3:09 pm ET


A Labor Department ruling determined that before becoming head of the Federal Aviation Administration, Steve Dickson participated in efforts by Delta Air Lines Inc. management to wrongly use a psychiatric evaluation to retaliate against a pilot who raised safety concerns.

The lengthy decision by a department administrative law judge concluded that Mr. Dickson, as Delta’s senior vice president of flight operations, knew about and approved punitive moves against veteran co-pilot Karlene Petitt, who was deemed unfit to fly in December 2016 after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The diagnosis eventually was reversed and she resumed flying.

The ruling supported Ms. Petitt’s claims that she was singled out for special scrutiny to try to keep her quiet about safety issues. Scott Morris, the judge who presided over the long-running litigation, determined that Delta punished and discriminated against a federally protected whistleblower without any evidence indicating her “performance as a pilot was deficient in any way.” According to the decision, “not a single witness questioned her flying acumen.”

The ruling says that “in this case, the squeaky wheel did not get the grease.” Instead, “it got unlawfully discriminated against in the form of a career defining” mental-health evaluation. Ms. Petitt has four decades of flying experience and a doctorate in aviation safety. Many inside Delta saw her safety concerns and warnings as valid and told her to brief managers about them, according to the decision, but simultaneously other company officials identified her as a candidate for psychiatric evaluation.

Issued before Christmas, the ruling contains strong criticism of Delta’s safety culture and more broadly warns against management’s use of compulsory psychological assessments “for the purposes of obtaining blind compliance by its pilots.”

A Delta spokesman said the carrier plans to appeal. In an email, the company also said it denies Ms. Petitt was retaliated against for raising safety issues, adding “we took her safety concerns seriously and carefully investigated them.” Without elaborating on specifics in the decision, Delta said “it has zero tolerance for retaliation in any form,” encourages voluntary safety reporting by employees and provides “multiple ways for employees to do so.”

Mr. Dickson’s involvement with Ms. Petitt and her case emerged as a major controversy during his confirmation in July 2019. He wasn’t personally named as a target of the litigation.

Speaking for the FAA administrator, an agency spokesman said Mr. Dickson had only one meeting with Ms. Petitt while he was at Delta, and instead allowed other company officials to handle her complaints and subsequent referral for evaluation. The spokesman pointed to what Mr. Dickson told the Senate Commerce Committee during his 2019 confirmation hearings, including that there were “legitimate questions about her fitness to fly” and that Delta’s reliance on psychiatric evaluations was nonpunitive and nondiscriminatory.

During his tenure of more than a decade as head of Delta’s flight operations before retiring and moving to the FAA, Mr. Dickson told lawmakers, individual pilot matters were handled by an experienced team, “and I had very little involvement in individual cases.” He also told the panel he had provided direction “that the appropriate follow-up actions were completed and that the contractual processes were followed.”

The psychiatrist who gave the initial diagnosis, which Delta paid for, years later was forced by Illinois regulators to stop practicing medicine partly due to improprieties involving commercial-pilot screening for the carrier. Under contract provisions between Delta and its pilots union, Ms. Petitt was referred to doctors from the Mayo Clinic and elsewhere for subsequent evaluations. She and Delta shared the cost of those follow-up reviews, both of which repudiated the original findings.

In reaching his diagnosis, the first psychiatrist didn’t reference any letters of support for Ms. Petitt and, according to the ruling, he didn’t interview anyone about Ms. Petitt, not even the doctor who over the years approved her to retain a commercial pilot’s license. That initial diagnosis also found her experiences years earlier—going to night school while helping her husband’s business and also raising three children under the age of three—suggested mania.

Ms. Petitt was restored to flying status after nearly two years and she is currently a first officer on wide-body Airbus A330 jets. But the judge agreed that the episode exacted a “severe emotional toll” on the pilot. Ms. Petitt filed suit under an aviation-whistleblower statute, alleging she sustained financial damages and a hit to her professional reputation. The judge awarded her $500,000 in compensatory damages, along with back pay and other financial benefits. The decision also requires Delta to send each of its pilots a copy of the final order to deter similar management transgressions, according to the judge, who called publicizing his order “possibly embarrassing, but not onerous.”

The ruling described Ms. Petitt’s safety concerns as “prudent and reasonable,” including allegations such as chronic pilot fatigue, inadequate pilot training, falsification of training records and lack of confidence by some pilots to manually fly certain highly automated jetliner models.

In his deposition in the litigation, Mr. Dickson said Delta “sought the assistance of an outside auditor” to look into what he recalled were Ms. Petitt’s legitimate safety concerns, prior to the company sending her to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

The ruling calls Mr. Dickson’s testimony in the case vague, evasive and “less than credible.” The judge wrote that Mr. Dickson’s internal company emails highlighted that Delta’s “much touted ‘open door policy’ ” for safety complaints “was not as open as portrayed” by the company. The FAA spokesman declined to comment on that point.

Ms. Petitt’s lawyer, Lee Seham, said his client declined to comment due to fear of possible company reprisal. Mr. Seham said the case record shows that high-ranking current and former Delta safety officials, including Mr. Dickson, failed to specify how they looked into Ms. Petitt’s underlying safety concerns.

https://www.wsj.com

Low Altitude Operation/Event: Grumman American AA-5, N24AU; accident occurred November 02, 2019 at Gilbert International Airpark (SC45), Lexington County, South Carolina




Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board

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

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:

CASA Of SC LLC


Location: Gilbert, South Carolina 
Accident Number: GAA20CA066
Date & Time: November 2, 2019, 11:15 Local 
Registration: N24AU
Aircraft: American Aviation AA 5
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Low altitude operation/event 
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

The pilot reported that the airplane was low on final approach to land and struck a tree. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's improper approach path, which resulted in impact with a tree.

Findings

Aircraft Descent/approach/glide path - Not attained/maintained
Aircraft Altitude - Not attained/maintained
Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot
Environmental issues Tree(s) - Effect on operation

Factual Information

History of Flight

Maneuvering Low altitude operation/event (Defining event)
Landing Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private 
Age: 66,Female
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land 
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None 
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane 
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None 
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: BasicMed With waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: August 29, 2018
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: September 7, 2018
Flight Time: (Estimated) 2157 hours (Total, all aircraft), 179 hours (Total, this make and model), 2012 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 45 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 9.6 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1.1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: American Aviation 
Registration: N24AU
Model/Series: AA 5 Undesignated
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1974 
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: AA5-0588
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: June 18, 2019 Annual 
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2200 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 4372.54 Hrs as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: C91 installed, not activated 
Engine Model/Series: O-320-E2G
Registered Owner:
Rated Power: 160 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: KCAE,225 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 14 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 15:56 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 75°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 15000 ft AGL
Visibility: 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: 
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: / 
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.18 inches Hg 
Temperature/Dew Point: 15°C / 3°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Columbia, SC (CAE)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Gilbert, SC (SC45)
Type of Clearance: VFR flight following
Departure Time: 11:15 Local
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: Gilbert Intl Airpark SC45
Runway Surface Type: Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 551 ft msl
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 27 IFR 
Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 3000 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full stop;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: 33.884166,-81.381668(est)

Loss of Control in Flight: CubCrafters CC11-100 Sport Cub S2, N718CC; accident occurred November 02, 2019 at Reigle Field Airport (58N), Palmyra, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania




Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:

Hilltop Aviation LLC


Location: Palmyra, Pennsylvania
Accident Number: GAA20CA057
Date & Time: November 2, 2019, 12:45 Local
Registration: N718CC
Aircraft: Cub Crafters CC11 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

The pilot reported that, while on final approach, the airplane was a little high, so he extended a notch of flaps. The airplane touched down slightly faster than normal and then bounced. The pilot added power to maintain level flight, but a "strong and unexpected crosswind gust" pushed the airplane right of the runway. The pilot immediately initiated a go-around, but the airplane was headed toward a row of trees at the end of the runway. The pilot banked slightly to try and avoid the trees, but the right wing struck a tree, and the airplane descended and impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing, and his subsequent failure to maintain lateral control during a go-around, which resulted in impact with a tree.

Findings

Aircraft Landing flare - Not attained/maintained
Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot
Aircraft Lateral/bank control - Not attained/maintained
Environmental issues Tree(s) - Effect on operation

Factual Information

History of Flight

Landing-flare/touchdown Abnormal runway contact
Approach-VFR go-around Loss of control in flight (Defining event)
Landing-aborted after touchdown Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 54, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land 
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): None 
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None 
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: May 1, 2018
Occupational Pilot: No 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: (Estimated) 473 hours (Total, all aircraft), 158 hours (Total, this make and model)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cub Crafters 
Registration: N718CC
Model/Series: CC11 100 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2007 
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental (Special) 
Serial Number: CC11-00058
Landing Gear Type: 
Tailwheel Seats:
Date/Type of Last Inspection:
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection: 
Engines: Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: O-200A
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: KMDT,312 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 10 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 16:56 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 239°
Lowest Cloud Condition: 
Visibility: 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: / 
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 220° 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 
Temperature/Dew Point:
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Palmyra, PA (58N)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Palmyra, PA (58N)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: Reigle Field 58N
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 489 ft msl
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 31 
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 1955 ft / 40 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full stop; Straight-in

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 None 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None 
Latitude, Longitude: 40.286666,-76.576942(est)