Tuesday, March 16, 2021

Loss of Control in Flight: Cessna 421B Golden Eagle II, N424TW; fatal accident occurred March 17, 2019 near Delaware Municipal Airport (KDLZ), Ohio

Lt Col  (retired) Matthew "Rip" Hayden
August 22, 1974 - March 17, 2019

Craig Hatch, Investigator In Charge


Lt Col (retired) Matthew "Rip" Hayden 


Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board

The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Columbus, Ohio
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama
Textron; Wichita, Kansas
Avidyne Corporation; Melbourne, Florida 

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:


Location: Plain City, Ohio 
Accident Number: CEN19FA100
Date & Time: March 17, 2019, 17:45 Local 
Registration: N424TW
Aircraft: Cessna 421 
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation

Analysis

The pilot departed on a short cross-country flight in the twin-engine airplane. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) were present at the time. While en route at an altitude of 3,000 ft mean sea level, the pilot reported that the airplane was "picking up icing" and that he needed to "pick up speed." The controller then cleared the pilot to descend, then to climb, in order to exit the icing conditions; shortly thereafter, the controller issued a low altitude alert. The pilot indicated that he was climbing; radar and radio contact with the airplane were lost shortly thereafter. The airplane impacted a field about 7 miles short of the destination airport. Examination of the airplane was limited due to the fragmentation of the wreckage; however, no pre-impact anomalies were noted during the airframe and engine examinations. Extensive damage to the pitot static and deicing systems precluded functional testing of the two systems.

A review of data recorded from onboard avionics units indicated that, about the time the pilot reported to the controller that the airplane was accumulating ice, the airplane's indicated airspeed had begun to diverge from its ground speed as calculated by position data. However, several minutes later, the indicated airspeed was zero while the ground speed remained fairly constant. It is likely that this airspeed indication was the result of icing of the airplane's pitot probe. During the final 2 minutes of flight, the airplane was in a left turn and the pilot received several "SINK RATE" and "PULL UP PULL UP" annunciations as the airplane conducted a series of climbs and descents during which its ground speed (and likely, airspeed) reached and/or exceeded the airplane's maneuvering and maximum structural cruising speeds.

It is likely that the pilot became distracted by the erroneous airspeed indication due to icing of the pitot probe and subsequently lost control while maneuvering.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
A loss of airspeed indication due to icing of the airplane's pitot probe, and the pilot's loss of control while maneuvering.

Findings

Environmental issues Freezing rain/sleet - Effect on equipment
Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot
Aircraft Instrument panel - Inoperative
Aircraft Pitot/static system - Inoperative
Aircraft Airspeed - Not attained/maintained

Factual Information

History of Flight

Enroute-cruise Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
Enroute-cruise Loss of control in flight (Defining event)

On March 17, 2019, about 1745 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 421B airplane, N424TW, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Plain City, Ohio. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot departed on a short cross-country flight. A review of radar and radio communications information revealed that the pilot contacted air traffic control at 1717 shortly after takeoff from James M. Cox Dayton International Airport (DAY), Dayton, Ohio. At 1729, the pilot was given a frequency change. The pilot checked in on the new frequency and requested the RNAV runway 28 approach at Delaware Municipal Airport (DLZ), Delaware, Ohio, located about 55 nautical miles east-northeast of DAY. About 2 minutes later, the controller advised the pilot of weather ahead, and the pilot accepted a 15° course deviation. At 1735, the controller issued the pilot a heading of 090° and instructed him to maintain an altitude of 3,000 ft mean sea level (msl), which the pilot acknowledged. About 1 minute later, the pilot reported that the airplane was "picking up icing" and that he needed to "pick up speed." The controller issued the airplane a descent to 2,500 ft and subsequently asked if the airplane was clear of clouds; the pilot replied, "negative." About 1739, after noting that the airplane was climbing, the controller cleared the pilot to an altitude of 6,000 ft and approved deviations to the left or right as needed; the pilot acknowledged. The controller subsequently issued the pilot a low altitude alert, and the pilot advised that he was climbing. About 1740, the controller asked the pilot to report his altitude, as altitude information from the airplane was no longer being received; there were no further communications from the accident airplane.

A review of recovered data from onboard avionics indicated that, about 17 minutes after takeoff, the airplane's indicated airspeed began to decay while its groundspeed, as calculated from position information, remained steady. About 1 minute later, fuel flow increased from 38 gallons per hour (gph) to 60 gph, consistent with an increase in engine power. At this time, the indicated airspeed had decayed to about 100 knots (kts), while the groundspeed remained about 150 kts. For the final approximate 2.5 minutes of the flight, the airplane was in a left turn. The airplane entered a climb to about 3,500 ft msl, then began descending around 5,000 ft per minute. The data recorded "SINK RATE" and "PULL UP PULL UP" annunciations, and the airplane's rate of descent was arrested about 300 ft above ground level (agl). The airplane subsequently entered two additional sets of climbs and descents, receiving the same annunciations; however, the pilot did not recover from the third descent. During this time, the airplane's groundspeed, and likely airspeed, exceeded the airplane's maneuvering speed (Va) of 150 kts, and during both the first and final "SINK RATE" annunciations, the airplane's groundspeed exceeded its maximum structural cruising speed (Vno) of 200 kts.

Figure 1: Airplane's Final Flight Track

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial 
Age: 44
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: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 2 Without waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: August 2, 2018
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: (Estimated) 3000 hours (Total, all aircraft), 48.5 hours (Total, this make and model)

The pilot was a former Air Force pilot and test pilot with over 3,000 hours of military flight experience.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N424TW
Model/Series: 421 B 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1974 
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal 
Serial Number: 421B0816
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats:
Date/Type of Last Inspection: February 15, 2019 Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 7449 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 2 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 8339.4 Hrs as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: C91A installed, not activated 
Engine Model/Series: GTSIO-520-C
Registered Owner:
Rated Power: 340 Horsepower
Operator: 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

The airplane was manufactured in 1974 and was certified for flight into known icing conditions.

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Instrument (IMC) 
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KDLZ 
Distance from Accident Site: 8 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 21:35 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 35°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 400 ft AGL 
Visibility: 3 miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 1600 ft AGL
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 3 knots / 
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  /
Wind Direction: 80°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:  /
Altimeter Setting: 30.02 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 1°C / 0°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: Light - None - Snow
Departure Point: Dayton, OH (KDAY)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: Delaware, OH (KDLZ)
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 17:15 Local
Type of Airspace:

At 1735, the automated weather observation facility located at Union County Airport (MRT), Marysville, Ohio, about 8 miles northwest of the accident site, recorded calm wind, 3 miles visibility, broken clouds at 400 ft agl, an overcast sky at 1,200 ft agl, temperature 34°F, dew point 32°F, and an altimeter setting of 30.19 inHg.

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal 
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 40.188331,-83.204444(est)

The airplane impacted a field about 7 miles southwest of DLZ. Ground impact scars and the wreckage were consistent with a left-wing-low attitude at the time of impact. The wreckage path was oriented on an approximate 140° heading. From the initial impact point, the airplane crossed a two-lane road before impacting two wooden utility poles. The main wreckage came to rest at the base of the second utility pole, about 395 ft from the initial impact point. The wreckage path was about 850 ft long and the airplane was highly fragmented along the wreckage path. There was no postcrash fire.

All major components of the airplane were located at the accident site; however, flight control continuity could not be confirmed due to the fragmentation of the wreckage.

The cockpit and instrument panel were extensively impact damaged. The positions of the landing gear and wing flaps could not be determined based on the positions of their cockpit controls.

Both engines had separated from the wings and were located in the wreckage path; the first engine was located near the utility poles. The engine sustained heavy impact damage and the majority of the components were separated from the engine. Due to impact damage, the crankshaft could not be rotated by hand. The camshaft, connecting rods, pistons, and valves were examined either by openings in the case or via borescope examination.

The second engine was located near the end of the wreckage path and also sustained heavy impact damage, with the majority of the components separated from the engine. The crankshaft could not be rotated by hand due to impact damage.

Each engine's fuel system, fuel manifold, fuel pump, fuel nozzles, and fuel screen were field examined and no pre-impact abnormalities were noted. The top set of spark plugs were removed from both engines and displayed normal combustion and wear signatures.

Both engines were equipped with three-bladed propellers, which had separated from their respective engines during the accident sequence. All three blades from one propeller were separated from the propeller hub; two of the blades were located in the first field, with the other blade located across the road in the second field. The blades exhibited similar signatures, including twisting and leading-edge polishing. The second propeller's three blades remained in the propeller hub and also exhibited twisting and leading-edge polishing.

Though the examinations were limited by impact damage, no pre-impact airframe, engine, or systems anomalies, were noted that would have precluded normal operation. The extensive damage to the pitot static and deicing systems precluded any functional testing.

Additional Information

An excerpt from the FAA's Instrument Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8-83-15B, Chapter 4, under "Effects of Icing on Critical Aircraft Systems" states:

In addition to the hazards of structural and induction icing, the pilot must be aware of other aircraft systems susceptible to icing. The effects of icing do not produce the performance loss of structural icing or the power loss of induction icing but can present serious problems to the instrument pilot. Examples of such systems are flight instruments, stall warning systems, and windshields.

Flight Instruments

Various aircraft instruments including the airspeed indicator, altimeter, and rate-of-climb indicator utilize pressures sensed by pitot tubes and static ports for normal operation. When covered by ice these instruments display incorrect information thereby presenting serious hazard to instrument flight.

Medical and Pathological Information

The Montgomery County Coroner's Office, Dayton, Ohio, conducted an autopsy on the pilot. The autopsy noted the cause of death was "multiple blunt force injuries." The FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory conducted toxicological testing. The specimens were were negative for ethanol and tested-for drugs; the specimens were not tested for carbon monoxide or cyanide.

















Loss of Control in Flight: Cessna 150H, N7095S; accident occurred March 16, 2019 near Talkeetna Airport (PATK), Alaska










Aviation Accident Final 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; Anchorage, Alaska

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket


Location: Talkeetna, Alaska
Accident Number: ANC19LA015
Date & Time: March 16, 2019
Registration: N7095S
Aircraft: Cessna 150 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional

Analysis

The flight instructor reported that she initiated the takeoff at the beginning of the runway to use all 3,500 ft of available runway. She added that the flight controls were free and correct and that she applied power with the control yoke full aft for a "soft field" takeoff. The airplane "seemed" to become airborne earlier than normal, and during the initial climb, the nose of the airplane wanted to pitch up slightly. She applied "some" nose-down trim and pushed the yoke forward "slightly," and the airplane continued to climb. As the airspeed increased, the airplane's pitch attitude increased; she then applied full nose-down trim and full forward yoke and asked for help from her student. She then reduced the engine power to idle, performed an emergency landing, and the airplane came to rest in the trees.

A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical failures or malfunctions 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:
A loss of pitch control for an undetermined reason, which resulted in a collision with terrain during an emergency landing. 

Findings

Aircraft Pitch control - Attain/maintain not possible
Not determined (general) - Unknown/Not determined

Factual Information

On March 16, 2019, about 1530 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 150H airplane, N7095S, impacted trees while performing an emergency landing after takeoff at Talkeetna Airport (TKA), Talkeetna, Alaska. The certified flight instructor and one student sustained no injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to a private individual and was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a visual flight rules instructional flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from TKA, about 1530.

During discussion with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the flight instructor reported that the purpose of the flight was to provide an introductory flight lesson to a prospective new student. She added that she was in the right seat, and the student was in the left seat at the time of the accident. Prior to departure she checked the movement of the flight controls and stated that they "were free and correct".

The flight instructor said that during the first takeoff run, condensation formed on the airplane's windscreen, so she aborted the takeoff and taxied back to the end of Runway 1 for a second attempt, using all 3,500 feet of available runway. During the second takeoff attempt, she applied power with the control yoke full aft for a "soft field" takeoff. The airplane "seemed" to become airborne earlier than normal, and during the initial climb out, the nose of the airplane wanted to pitch up slightly. She applied "some" nose down trim, and pushed the yoke forward "slightly", and the airplane continued to climb. As the airspeed increased the pitch up attitude increased, she then applied full nose down trim and full forward yoke and asked for help from her student.

The flight instructor added, she observed the tree line ahead, and unable to correct the nose high attitude of the airplane, reduced the engine power to idle and selected an area of tree covered terrain as an emergency landing site.

The airplane subsequently settled into the trees and came to rest near a road. The occupants were able to egress without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the both wings, the empennage, and the fuselage.

The flight instructor reported that during the accident flight, they had about 20 lbs. of equipment in the back seat/storage area, including an engine cover, sleeping bag, stove, and winter gear.

A postaccident examination of the airplane by the NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration revealed no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

The flight instructor further reported that there were no mechanical issues with the engine that would have precluded normal operation.

History of Flight

Takeoff Loss of control in flight (Defining event)
Takeoff Attempted remediation/recovery
Landing Off-field or emergency landing

Flight instructor Information

Certificate: Commercial; Flight instructor
Age: 35,Female
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Single-engine sea
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap only
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane single-engine
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: February 24, 2017
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: February 20, 2018
Flight Time: (Estimated) 950 hours (Total, all aircraft), 50 hours (Total, this make and model), 874 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 100 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 70 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 2 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Student pilot Information

Certificate: None 
Age: Male
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap only
Instrument Rating(s): None 
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None 
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Unknown
Unknown Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: No 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: Flight Time: (Estimated)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N7095S
Model/Series: 150 H 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1967
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal; Utility 
Serial Number: 15067795
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: August 1, 2018 Annual 
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1600 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 6391.6 Hrs as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: C126 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-200A-14
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: PATK,356 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 14:53 Local 
Direction from Accident Site: 210°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 9000 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: 29.29 inches Hg 
Temperature/Dew Point: 1°C / -6°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Talkeetna, AK (TKA)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Talkeetna, AK (TKA)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 
Type of Airspace: Class E

Airport Information

Airport: TALKEETNA TKA
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 364 ft msl
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 01 IFR
Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 3500 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full stop;Precautionary landing

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None 
Latitude, Longitude: 62.333057,-150.078613(est)

Beechcraft B36TC Bonanza, N236BC: Fatal accident occurred March 15, 2021 near North Perry Airport (KHWO), Hollywood, Broward County, Florida

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.

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Miramar, Florida
Continental Aerospace Technologies; Mobile, Alabama 
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas

FL Eagle Aviation Inc


Location: Pembroke Pines, FL 
Accident Number: ERA21FA154
Date & Time: March 15, 2021, 14:59 Local 
Registration: N236BC
Aircraft: Beech B36TC
Injuries: 3 Fatal, 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On March 15, 2021, about 1459 eastern daylight time, a Beech B36TC, N236BC, was destroyed when it collided with a vehicle and the ground after takeoff from North Perry Airport (HWO), Pembroke Pines, Florida. The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger in the airplane and a passenger in the vehicle were fatally injured. The driver of the vehicle sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

A witness at HWO reported that he heard an engine run-up being performed near taxiway Bravo before the airplane’s departure. He stated that the engine was sputtering, “like rough idle.” He heard cycling of the propeller “a few times” and the engine backfired when power was increased during each sequence. He further reported that the engine rpm sounded “…high, very high. From low to full rpm repeatedly which was more than a normal run-up. He was doing it fast.” The witness did not observe the airplane’s takeoff.

According to recorded air traffic control communications, the airplane was cleared for takeoff from runway 10L and the pilot was instructed to enter the left downwind leg of the traffic pattern, which was acknowledged. There were no distress calls received from the airplane during the flight.

A pilot-rated witness who was located about 775 ft and 307° from the departure end of runway 10L reported that he observed the airplane in a very low climb at a “very slow rate.” He attributed the takeoff to be a soft field takeoff. The witness had diverted his attention when he heard the airplane suddenly experience a total loss of engine power, adding that it “failed completely.” At that time the airplane was about 100 to 200 ft past the departure end of the runway and at an altitude “definitely lower than 300 ft above ground level.” The airplane remained at the same attitude for 1 to 2 seconds, then started a “gentle” right bank while maintaining same pitch attitude. The airplane then “stalled,” spun, and pitched nose down. He heard a bang sound and noted an explosion.

Several video recordings located around the accident site captured the impact sequence. One of the videos revealed the airplane’s right wing impacted the ground while nearly simultaneously impacting the side of the vehicle. The engine separated during the impacted sequence and a postcrash fire began about 2 seconds after the right wing contacted the ground.

The airplane was recovered and retained for further examination.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Beech 
Registration: N236BC
Model/Series: B36TC NO SERIES 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: HWO,9 ft msl 
Observation Time: 14:53 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 0.52 Nautical Miles 
Temperature/Dew Point: 27°C /16°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 3900 ft AGL 
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 10 knots / , 100°
Lowest Ceiling: None 
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.12 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Pembroke Pines, FL 
Destination: Pembroke Pines, FL

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal 
Aircraft Fire: On-ground
Ground Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious 
Aircraft Explosion: On-ground
Total Injuries: 3 Fatal, 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 25.998414,-80.231454 

Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation may contact them by email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov. You can also call the NTSB Response Operations Center at 844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290.

Megan Bishop was driving with her 4-year-old son Taylor on a residential road next to the North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines one afternoon last March when a single-engine airplane suddenly dropped out of the sky soon after takeoff and broadsided her SUV. The crash killed the two men who were aboard, both of them licensed pilots. Bishop escaped her vehicle with a severe facial laceration, broken ribs, and a cracked spine. But her son became trapped in the wreckage. He was pulled out by first responders and taken to Memorial Regional Hospital, where he died less than an hour after the accident.

More than four months have passed, but the grieving mother “constantly lives with violent images of Taylor Bishop’s traumatic death.” She has described her memory of the day as “living in a nightmare.” Last month she filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in Broward County court against the pilots' estates and a group of defendants who had allegedly inspected or serviced the plane, a Beech Bonanza aircraft, which documents obtained by New Times reveal had been purchased from an owner in South Africa in late 2020.

The lawsuit claims the plane should have been grounded in light of mechanical problems it exhibited before the March 15 flight and raises the larger question of whether there ought to be more oversight in the private aircraft-resale industry.

"The general-aviation market space — sometimes it has a tendency of becoming the Wild, Wild West," says a Broward County pilot who works at the North Perry Airport and spoke to New Times on the condition that his name not be published, for fear of repercussions on his aviation business.

"People hide behind certifications, and the minute that an airplane is handed over to the eventual end user, you're done and it's hands-off," the pilot says. "It's like a used-car dealership. Get an airplane, patch it up, and resell it."

A lack of oversight of general-aviation aircraft maintenance and assembly is accompanied by a disproportionately high rate of crashes among private planes versus commercial airliners: The fatal-accident rate for general aviation has hovered around 1 per 100,000 flight hours in recent years, while commercial airliners have racked up millions of flight hours without a fatal incident.

As for the Beech Bonanza, the unnamed North Perry pilot says it was shipped from South Africa and reassembled upon arrival in South Florida. Though the plane underwent an airworthiness certification process in order to fly in the United States, he believes regulators need to scrutinize the private aircraft-resale industry more closely, saying that it's not uncommon for plane buildouts and maintenance to be rushed when an aircraft is going up for sale.

Documents obtained by New Times show that the Beech Bonanza plane went through its airworthiness certification process only a few weeks before the crash. The mandatory process, which involved inspections and a review of the plane's maintenance history, concluded on March 6, nine days before the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board, whose investigation into the crash is still underway, released a preliminary report noting that the Beech Bonanza's engine was backfiring on March 15 during the preflight runup, a procedure pilots run through to ensure all is right with their engines before takeoff. One witness said the engine was "sputtering" on the taxiway.

"He heard cycling of the propeller 'a few times' and the engine backfired when power was increased during each sequence," the NTSB report states.

Bishop's attorney, Nicole Martell of DiPietro Partners, claims that because the plane was showing signs of engine trouble at the airport on March 15, it should never have been allowed to take off. The attorney suspects mechanical problems with the plane were already evident six days before the crash — when, she says, a post-certification flight was quickly terminated.

Pilot Yaacov Nahom, whose company FL Eagle Aviation owned the plane (along with several others), died in the crash alongside Grant Hustad, Jr., also a registered pilot. Nahom was in the primary pilot's seat while Hustad was in the first officer's seat to Nahom's right, according to the court records. The unnamed North Perry pilot says Nahom was in the business of buying and reselling planes, and that the team of mechanics who worked for him was known at the airport as a "Band-Aid crew" for their stock-in-trade: quickly patching up aircraft for resale.

FAA records show that both Nahom and Hustad were experienced pilots. Hustad, 71, had a commercial pilot license that was issued in 2012; Nahom, 63, was registered as a private pilot; his license dated back to 2017. In the aftermath of the crash, a Minnesota publisher who'd flown with Hustad told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that Hustad was an “extremely careful pilot."

Bishop's lawsuit lists Ryan Bivens, Patrick Coulton, and Charles Mente as additional defendants. Bivens was a Federal Aviation Administration designee who signed off on the Beech Bonanza's airworthiness certificate. (Designees are not FAA employees but are authorized to issue airworthiness certificates on the agency's behalf.)

Reached on the phone by New Times, Bivens explained that his work on the aircraft was procedural, largely limited to a conformity inspection to ensure the aircraft met "type-design" — meaning, for example, that the plane was equipped with the proper propeller and parts. Ensuring the integrity of its mechanical aspects was not his responsibility, he said.

New Times could not reach Coulton or Mente through employers listed on their professional profiles. Coulton also did not respond to a request for comment via a social-media account he maintains. The two are listed in FAA documents as technicians who worked on the plane.

Orlando-based pilot and attorney Guy Haggard tells New Times the investigation into the crash is in its early stages and could take more than a year to be completed. He cautions that the engine backfiring on the taxiway was not necessarily an indication of imminent disaster.

"Sometimes when you test the magnetos, you can get an engine backfire or a rough engine because there is carbon buildup on the spark plugs," explained Haggard, who is not involved in the lawsuit or the NTSB inquiry.

Haggard added that NTSB investigators will likely be looking into the March 9 flight records to see what, if any, mechanical problems surfaced that day.

In a separate court case, Endurance Assurance, Nahom's insurer, contends it has no obligation to cover Bishop's claim over the accident because the Beech Bonanza was not one of the planes listed in Nahom's insurance policy, which offers $1 million in liability coverage, with a $100,000 limit for each passenger.

According to the Dallas Business Journal, Florida has no general law that requires private aircraft operators to maintain liability insurance.

The case is pending in the Southern District of Florida.

"This is an unimaginable tragedy. Ms. Bishop, with the support of her family, has taken time to focus on her healing and treasure Taylor's memory," says Martell, Bishop's attorney. "He was a sweet, funny, and smart boy. And he had an incredible family behind him."


 Grant Hustad, 71 of Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Yaacov Nahom, 63 of Davie, Florida 


The two men who died in a plane crash in Pembroke Pines Monday were owners of an aviation business in North Perry, and one customer spoke to NBC 6 about how shocked he was to hear the news.

The crash took place in the afternoon Monday when 63-year-old Yaacov Nahom and 71-year-old Grant Hustad flew into an SUV not far from North Perry Airport, fatally injuring 4-year-old Taylor Bishop.

"He was a very cool guy," realtor Saul Suarez said of Hustad. The two had flown together when Suarez was looking into purchasing an aircraft. "He was always polite, always kind."

The Beechcraft B36TC Bonanza had just taken off from North Perry and was returning to the airport after possibly experiencing mechanical issues, officials said.

A neighbor's Ring door camera recorded the crash, showing the plane nose-diving into the SUV driven by Taylor's mother, Megan Bishop.

Suarez says his girlfriend first told him about the crash. “At the time their names were not released, but I did do a little bit of research, and I realized this was one of Grant’s airplanes for sale. That’s when everything clicked,” he said.  

“My original reaction was disbelief. It took me a couple of hours for the news to sink in," Suarez continued. "I even called his cell phone and I got his voice mail. Even now, I’m in shock that it happened."

Some residents near North Perry are calling for changes as drastic as shutting down the airport due to what the County confirmed were 14 accidents over the last 5 years.

Randy Migdalski, President of Pines Village Group Incorporated, said that "The airport itself, I feel, is safer than what’s out on the street as far as tragedy. The residents in Pines Village all embrace the airport.”

Migdalski represents 1,800 homeowners who live in the area east of North Perry Airport.

Broward County Mayor Steve Geller told NBC 6 that the airport itself isn’t at fault for any of these incidents, and that the accident rate for North Perry is on overage with road airports across Florida.

It will be months before the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board has the final report on what happened in Monday’s tragedy.


Yaakov NACHUM
October 13, 1957 – March 15, 2021

Yaakov NACHUM was born on October 13, 1957 and passed away on March 15, 2021 and is under the care of Riverside Gordon Memorial Chapels. Graveside will be held on March 17, 2021 at 2:00 pm at Beth el, Griffen Road, Hollywood, Florida.