Thursday, May 20, 2021

Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport (KRUT) bidders dangle New York City flight

The Rutland airport appears likely to have flights to New York soon, but with whom remains to be determined.

The contract for carrier service out of the Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport is up for renewal, and Cape Air made a pitch for local support to the Board of Aldermen Monday saying they would look at replacing one of the three daily flights to Boston with a daily flight to John F. Kennedy International Airport if they got the contract again.

Mayor David Allaire said this week that the other two bidders have similarly offered service to airports in the greater New York City area — Newark and White Plains. Allaire said he met this week with both Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) executive director Lyle Jepson and airport manager Chris Beitzel on the bids and would express his office’s preference to federal officials in the next few days.

The U.S. Department of Transportation selects the passenger carrier to operate out of the airport. In theory, this is done with input from state and local officials, but in 2019 Cape Air’s contract was renewed despite Allaire and the Vermont Agency of Transportation endorsing a competing bid from Boutique Air.

Materials supplied by USDOT indicated that the selection will be announced in September.

Cape Air’s representatives told aldermen on Monday that they were the only carrier proposing to fly a multi-engine plane out of Rutland, and if their contract was renewed they would deploy a brand-new model of plane. Their proposal also included a $50,000 marketing budget for the service.

“That money goes a long way up in Rutland,” Cape Air CEO Dan Wolf told the board.

The airline’s bid materials put airfare at $69 to Boston and $99 to JFK.

Southern Airways Chief Commercial Officer Mark Cestari said Thursday his company would provide service with Cessna Caravans, which he said were roomy planes with large windows, significant personal space and high cargo capacity. Similarly to Cape Air, they propose two flights a day to Boston and one to Newark. Fares would range from $39 to $89 depending on how far in advance passengers booked.

Boutique Air did not immediately respond to inquiries Thursday, but bid materials provided by USDOT showed the airline promising a $20,000 marketing budget and average fares of $69. In addition to redirecting a Boston flight to White Plains, it held out the possibility of flights to Hartford, Connecticut, depending on demand.

Allaire noted that he backed Boutique’s bids in both 2019 and 2017 despite the fact that he was “not unhappy” with Cape Air’s service.

“They’ve been a partner here in the community for a long time,” he said of Cape Air. “They continue to be.”

Boutique, however, proposed to bring in a newer and faster aircraft than what Cape Air sends to Rutland and the service looked like it would be a “step up.” Allaire said proposing to bring in a newer plane and service to JFK made for Cape Air’s strongest presentation yet.

Cessna 182T Skylane: Incident occurred May 21, 2021 at Raleigh Executive Jetport at Sanford-Lee County Airport (KTTA), North Carolina

 Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Greensboro, North Carolina

Aircraft taxied into the tail of Piper PA-28-181, N94WA.   

Date: 21-MAY-21
Time: 16:30:00Z
Regis#: N505CP
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: R182
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)
Operation: 91
City: SANFORD
State: NORTH CAROLINA

Stoddard-Hamilton Glasair III, N54CB: Accident occurred May 20, 2021 near Mahlon Sweet Field Airport (KEUG), Eugene, Lane County, Oregon

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; Portland, Oregon 


Location: Eugene, OR 
Accident Number: WPR21LA204
Date & Time: May 20, 2021, 10:30 Local 
Registration: N54CB
Aircraft: MCCLURE B J GLASAIR III 
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On May 20, 2021, about 1030 Pacific daylight time, an experimental McClure Glasair III, N54CB, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Eugene, Oregon. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot had departed Aurora State Airport (UAO), Aurora, Oregon, about 1000 with a destination of Mahlon Sweet Field Airport (EUG), Eugene, Oregon.

The pilot was cleared to land runway 16R at EUG and an air traffic controller cautioned him for wake turbulence. During the approach, the pilot reported, “going down, going down.” The airplane crashed in an open field about 1.5 miles north of the EUG airport.

The wreckage debris field was in tall grass. The first identified point of contact was with the left-wing tip. The wreckage debris field continued for about 50 yards to where the engine was located. All major components of the airplane were identified.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: MCCLURE B J 
Registration: N54CB
Model/Series: GLASAIR III 
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: KEUG,353 ft msl
Observation Time: 09:54 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 2 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 11°C /4°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 2500 ft AGL
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 4 knots / , 240°
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 3400 ft AGL
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.19 inches Hg 
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point: 
Destination:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 44.158721,-123.20972 (est)




EUGENE, Oregon - A Eugene pilot who suffered "multiple life-threatening injuries" when his plane crashed in a field north of the Eugene Airport in May will be home for Christmas, his family says.

"Miracles do happen! Nearly 7 months ago to the day, beloved community member Bob Cross survived a plane crash as he was approaching his landing at the Eugene Airport. With the skilled ICU team, orthopedic surgeons, and therapists at Peace Health Medical Center he was stabilized for a month, before his 6-month journey of rehabilitation with stops in Denver, Colorado and most recently Omaha, Nebraska," his family said in a statement.

Cross grew up in Eugene and graduated Churchill High School.

"In addition to being a seasoned and experienced pilot, he is the President of Lee Built Construction, a member of the University Fellowship Church and known to many in the Eugene community as a long-standing and founding member and vocalist of The Emerald City Jazz Kings," his family said.

The statement continues:

That day, 7-months ago Bob, his wife Michelle and their 4 children Lexi, Ellie, James, and Ethan walked out of their normal lives on a quest to save and restore their dear husband and father. After months of therapy at amazing facilities across the country, “He’ll Be Home for Christmas” and reunited with his extended family, friends, and community.

Although Bob still has a long road ahead, he and his family are thrilled to be home for the holidays and back in Eugene.

Without the skilled teams of professionals, prayers, and Bob’s fight and tenacity it may be a different story. He has worked tirelessly every day to return to health and to return as the leader of his family. Bob is a miracle! He is walking, talking, playing cards and still has his quick wit. He looks forward to continuing his journey of rehabilitation and orthopedic surgeries in his hometown of Eugene. Although his life will be a bit different, it will be full and overflowing with love, new adventures, and discovery as he continues to work on improving his physical and cognitive health.

The Cross family is grateful every day for the gift of Bob and for his future and to this amazing community for their love, notes of support and encouragement and prayers every day these past 7-months. #LetsGoBob

The crash Thursday, May 20, 2021, remains under investigation by aviation authorites.



EUGENE, Oregon -- Friends are sharing memories they have of 51-year-old Bob Cross, the pilot who suffered life-threatening injuries when his airplane crashed on Thursday.

Cross was taken to River Bend Hospital after the crash, which happened near the Eugene Airport.

Ginevra Ralph, director at The Shedd Institute, said Cross is a talented singer and performer.

"He is my go-to singer. He has this amazing voice," Ralph said. "But it's so much more than that. It's everything that comes with that voice."

Ralph said Cross has been with The Shedd Institute for nearly 30 years and has never missed performing at a Christmas show. She said he is known in the community to have talents for many things.

"He's a business man, a golfer, a family man, a church man. You ask him to do a favor for you and he's right there to do it for you," Ralph said.

Ralph said she didn't know much about his hobby of flying but realized it is a big passion of his when she contacted some of his other friends who are also pilots.

The plane that Cross was operating in the crash was a Glasair III. Aviation experts said that it's unique in that it can fly at high speeds.

"I would say because of the speed that that plane is capable of doing, it would take a better than average pilot to be able to fly it well," said I Fly Aviation LLC owner and flight instructor Steve Boulton.

As of now, Ralph and some of Cross' other friends at The Shedd Institute are hoping for his speedy recovery.

"We love you, Bob," Ralph said. "We need you back. You're supposed to be singing on stage for Christmas."





EUGENE, Oregon — NTSB and FAA investigators are at the scene of a small plane crash that happened in north Eugene, continuing their investigation Friday morning.

The crash happened Thursday in a field north of the Eugene Airport near Meadow View and Greenhill roads.

The crash seriously injured the pilot.

Investigators are combing through the wreckage in an effort to piece together what caused the crash.

First responders on Thursday found the pilot seriously injured and they also said he was unresponsive.

Police searched the area to make sure he was the only person on the plane.

Eugene Police used a drone to get a view from the sky and an infrared camera to detect body heat.

The name of the pilot has not been released.

   




A small airplane crashed Thursday morning into a field north of the Eugene Airport, leaving one person in critical condition, according to law enforcement at the scene.

The crash, reported a little after 10:30 a.m., occurred in a field west of Green Hill Road and north of Meadowview Road.

The Lane County Sheriff's Office responded along with emergency responders, after which they found the victim among the debris, according to Sgt. Marvin Combs. 

"We arrived with fire responders, located the debris field, and an adult male victim in the debris field," Combs said. 

Wreckage of an airplane is barely visible in the tall grass of a field off Greenhill Road north of the Eugene Airport where an aircraft crashed Thursday morning.

The man was transported to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield in "serious to critical condition," according to Combs. 

The plane was in pieces after the crash, Combs said, adding that the Sheriff's Office would stay on the scene until the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board arrive.

There is no indication of what caused the crash so far, Combs said. 

Katy Earls, 38, lives across the field from where the crash happened, and said she didn't see anything but heard the sounds when the plane crashed.

"I thought it might have been crop dusting, because I heard it go by twice, I thought, and then I heard a sputter," Earls said. "I saw some people, fire trucks and ambulances drive by, and then I saw people looking in the field."

Assistant Airport Director Andrew Martz said the Eugene Airport was not investigating the issue because it's not on the airport's grounds.

"It's not on airport grounds, so it's not an airport matter," Martz said, noting that he did not know if the plane was heading for the Eugene Airport. 




EUGENE, Oregon – Firefighters are responding to a plane crash north of the Eugene Airport.

One person has been hospitalized for possibly life-threatening injuries.

Lane Fire Authority says the plane went down in a field near Greenhill Road and Meadowview Road around 10:30 Thursday morning.

First responders located one man with serious to critical injuries.

Eugene Police deployed a drone to further canvass the crash scene in search of an other victims.

"Because the pilot was non-responsive to us, we didn't know if he was by himself so EPD came out to help assure they were no more victims out in that grass field, which is hard to see through," Sgt. Marvin Combs from the Lane County Sheriff's Office said. "We don't believe there is one."

First responders said there is a debris field and that the FAA will handle the investigation into the crash.

The FAA offered this statement during the noon hour:

A single-engine Stoddard-Hamilton Glasair III crashed into a field approximately 1.5 miles north of the Mahlon Sweet Field Airport in Eugene, Ore., around 10:30 a.m. local time today. Preliminary reports indicate that only the pilot was on board. The FAA and NSTB will investigate.

Boeing 767-332, N1602: Incident occurred February 08, 2022 in Madridsp, Spain

National Transportation Safety Board incident number: DCA22WA078

Granbury Regional Airport (KGDJ), Hood County, Texas

Mistaken signal may have prompted search for downed aircraft 

An inactive airplane that was being worked on in a hangar at the Granbury Regional Airport late Wednesday afternoon was found to have its emergency locating beacon inadvertently switched on, which apparently led to a search for a possible downed aircraft.

Fire Marshal Jeff Young told the Hood County News Thursday morning that investigators now suspect that a metal panel from part of the airplane may have fallen and accidentally set off the locator beacon.

That beacon signal led to a search that turned up no evidence of any crash, and no pilots have been reported missing.

Young said that he thinks that maybe what was originally considered to have been “mayday” calls reported by three separate pilots in the area were actually not verbal distress calls, but were merely prompted by hearing the emergency beacon.

“It was reported to us as ‘pilots heard a mayday.’” Young said.

The search by Hood County firefighters, deputies and other local officials began shortly after 5 p.m. Wednesday (May 19). Young said shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday that most of the search had been focused on an area about 5 miles northeast of the Granbury Regional Airport, but was suspended "pending more information." Hood County radio dispatch called the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, which may have given an approximate area to search through radar images, according to Young.

Piper PA-24-260, N9258P: Incident occurred May 19, 2021 at Hayward Executive Airport (KHWD), Alameda County, California

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

Aircraft landed and gear collapsed. 


Date: 19-MAY-21
Time: 16:38:00Z
Regis#: N9258P
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA24
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: HAYWARD
State: CALIFORNIA

Bombardier Challenger 350, N571FX: Incident occurred May 18, 2021 at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (KPDK), Chamblee, DeKalb County, Georgia

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Atlanta, Georgia

Aircraft experienced damage to right nose gear and wing possibly due to a missing piece of tire. 

Flexjet LLC


Date: 18-MAY-21
Time: 15:52:00Z
Regis#: N571FX
Aircraft Make: BOMBARDIER
Aircraft Model: BD-100-1A10
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: ON DEMAND
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 135
Aircraft Operator: FLEXJET
Flight Number: LXJ571
City: ATLANTA
State: GEORGIA

SIAI-Marchetti F-260, N260MT: Incident occurred May 19, 2021 at Carson City Airport (KCXP), Nevada

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Reno, Nevada

Aircraft on landing caught wind gust and right main gear collapsed. 

ShadeTree Aviation Inc


Date: 19-MAY-21
Time: 15:30:00Z
Regis#: N260MT
Aircraft Make: SIAI-MARCHETTI
Aircraft Model: F-260
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: CARSON CITY
State: NEVADA

Cessna T210N Turbo Centurion, N7568N: Accident occurred May 19, 2021 at Bloomsburg Municipal Airport (N13), Columbia County, 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. 

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

 Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Rochester, New York

Keystone Aerial Surveys Inc


Location: Bloomsburg, PA
Accident Number: ERA21LA268
Date & Time: May 19, 2021, 10:56 Local
Registration: N7568N
Aircraft: Cessna T210
Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 None
Flight Conducted
Under: Part 91: General aviation - Aerial observation

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N7568N
Model/Series: T210 N 
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: KIPT,520 ft msl
Observation Time: 10:54 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 27 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 22°C /10°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 4 knots / , 250°
Lowest Ceiling: None 
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.37 inches Hg 
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point: 
Destination:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 None 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries:
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 40.998202,-76.430878 (est)

Boeing 767-300, N1049A: Incident occurred May 18, 2021 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (KSEA), Washington

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Seattle, Washington

Aircraft was struck by a tug after pushback damaging main gear and gear doors. 

Air Transport International


Date: 18-MAY-21
Time: 10:41:00Z
Regis#: N1049A
Aircraft Make: BOEING
Aircraft Model: 767
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: CARGO
Flight Phase: PUSHBACK/TOWING (PBT)
Operation: 121
Aircraft Operator: AIR TRANSPORT INTERNATIONAL
Flight Number: ATN3478
City: SEATTLE
State: WASHINGTON