Saturday, September 24, 2022

White Lightning WLAC-1, N17WL: Accident occurred September 24, 2022 at Greenville Downtown Airport (KGMU), South Carolina

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Columbia, South Carolina 

Aircraft landed, blew a tire and slid off the runway damaging landing gear and incurred a propeller strike.


Date: 24-SEP-22
Time: 14:31:00Z
Regis#: N17WL
Aircraft Make: EXPERIMENTAL
Aircraft Model: WHITE LIGHTNING
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Flight Crew: 1 
Pax: 0
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: SUBSTANTIAL
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: GREENVILLE
State: SOUTH CAROLINA






GREENVILLE, South Carolina — A plane crashed at the Greenville Downtown Airport Saturday morning, according to Robert Hoover, Public Relations Director for Greenville Downtown Airport.

Hoover said the crash was due to pilot error. No injuries were reported.

According to Hoover, the landing gear was damaged in the crash. The airport was temporarily closed to clear the runway, which is procedure. However, it is back open.

The city of Greenville said on its Facebook page that the Federal Aviation Administration has been notified.

It also said a crane will be brought in to remove the plane.

Accident occurred September 24, 2022 near Robbins Field Airport (20A), Oneonta, Blount County, Alabama








Two people were taken to the hospital after a plane crashed Saturday morning just off the runway at the  Robbins Field Airport.

Blount County 911 dispatchers were notified of a reported downed aircraft at 8:17 a.m. Saturday. Several agencies responded to the scene including Oneonta Fire and Rescue, Oneonta Police, Blount County EMS, Blount County Sheriff's Office and Blount County EMA.

Emergency crews arrived on scene at 8:29 a.m. to find a two-passenger aircraft down with two reported injuries. The extent of those injuries has not been announced.

One of the occupants was transported by air ambulance to a hospital in Birmingham. The other person was transported by ground to Birmingham.





At 8:17 am the Blount County 911 was notified of a reported aircraft crash located just north of the runway at the Oneonta Municipal Airport at Robbins Field.

Oneonta Fire & Rescue, Oneonta Police, Blount EMS, Blount County S.O. and Blount EMA responded to the scene.

Emergency crews arrived on the scene at 8:29 am to find a two passenger aircraft to have gone down with two reported injuries. 

Two occupants were transported one by air ambulance and the other by ground to Birmingham area hospitals. 

The Federal Aviation Administration is on scene investigating the cause of the crash.

Taylorcraft C-12D-85, N5619M: Accident occurred September 24, 2022 near Clarence Aerodrome (D51), Buffalo, Erie County, New York

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Rochester, New York

Aircraft crashed for unknown reasons in a wooded area. 


Date:24-SEP-22
Time: 17:39:00Z
Regis#: N5619M
Aircraft Make: TAYLORCRAFT
Aircraft Model: BC12D
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: SERIOUS
Flight Crew:  1 Serious 
Pax: 0
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: UNKNOWN (UNK)
Operation: 91
City: BUFFALO
State: NEW YORK


    





A small plane crashed in a heavily wooded area off of Transit Road in Swormville, just south of the Clarence Aerodrome Airport, leaving the pilot – the only person on board – injured, according to emergency responders and the manager of the airport.

The incident took place at about 12:50 p.m., according to a report to Amherst Central Fire Control by Swormville Fire Chief Scott Will. 

A Mercy Flight helicopter transported one injured person from the scene to Erie County Medical Center.

The manager of the airport identified the pilot as Lee Hardy, 70. Hardy was flying from Dundee, near Watkins Glen. His brother Jay, who lives in Western New York, rushed to the scene when he heard about the crash. As he tried to get through the rough terrain to the crash site, he got his truck stuck but made it in time to to see his brother before he was airlifted to the hospital, said Fred Stanton,

Hardy’s father Russ, who died in 2013, was a key figure in Clarence Flying Club and built five planes, Stanton said. The one that crashed today was the lone active plane of those five planes. Lee finished refurbishing the plane after his father’s death, Stanton said.

The Taylorcraft plane was about to land at the Clarence Aerodrome when he abruptly turned "90 degrees," Stanton said. Then "he turned south and barely made it over the trees. It appeared that he stalled the wing."

The plane crashed in a densely wooded area a few hundred yards south of the landing strip.

The plane's front was badly damaged and the tail could be seen sticking straight up. 

Stanton wasn't sure what caused the crash. "It's a mystery," he said.

One of the people who called 911 regarding the crash reported from the scene that "the pilot was trapped in the cockpit and had injuries but was alert and talking."

Crews extricated the pilot from the wreckage, Will said in the report. EMTs with Twin City Ambulance evaluated him at the scene.

Hardy suffered suspected broken bones and was put on a utility vehicle so that he could be transferred to the Mercy Flight helicopter, Stanton said.

Clarence Center and North Amherst responded to the scene with their off-road vehicles and other equipment to assist. 

The Erie County Sheriff's Office secured the crash scene and were awaiting investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, N1026V: Incident occurred September 23, 2022 at Bethel Airport (PABE), Alaska

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

Aircraft struck landing threshold light during landing. 

Avion Capital Corp 


Date: 23-SEP-22
Time: 00:35:00Z
Regis#: N1026V
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 208
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Flight Crew: 1 No Injuries
Pax: 2 No Injuries 
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: NONE
Activity: COMMERCIAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 135
Aircraft Operator: GRANT AVIATION
Flight Number: GUN26V
City: BETHEL
State: ALASKA

Cessna 150J, N60203: Incident occurred September 22, 2022 in Sacramento, California

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

Aircraft struck vulture on final approach.  

Mike Smith Aviation International 


Date: 22-SEP-22
Time: 20:55:00Z
Regis#: N60203
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 150
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Flight Crew: 1 No Injuries
Pax:  1 No Injuries
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: APPROACH (APR)
Operation: 91
City: SACRAMENTO
State: CALIFORNIA

Airbus A321, N995JL: Incident occurred September 16, 2022 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA)

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Washington, District of Columbia

Aircraft reported a bird strike on final approach.  

JetBlue Airways Corp


Date: 16-SEP-22
Time: 02:00:00Z
Regis#: N995JL
Aircraft Make: AIRBUS
Aircraft Model: A321
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Flight Crew: 2 No Injuries
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: COMMERCIAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 121
Aircraft Operator: JET BLUE AIRLINES
Flight Number: JBU1348
City: WASHINGTON
State: DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Gulfstream G450, N800AL: Incident occurred September 22, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio

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

Aircraft reported a bird strike during landing. 

Abbott Laboratories Inc


Date: 22-SEP-22
Time: 11:35:00Z
Regis#: N800AL
Aircraft Make: GULFSTREAM
Aircraft Model: IV
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Flight Crew: 2 No Injuries
Pax: 0
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: COLUMBUS
State: OHIO

Loss of Control in Flight: Van's RV-6, N69HF; fatal accident occurred December 08, 2020 in Hitchcock, Galveston County, Texas

Austin Stahl























Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board

Investigator In Charge (IIC): Baker, Daniel 

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

Additional Participating Entity: 
Ramon Reyes; Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Houston, Texas 

Investigation Class: 3

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:


Location: Hitchcock, Texas 
Accident Number: CEN21LA080
Date and Time: December 8, 2020, 15:40 Local
Registration: N69HF
Aircraft: Vans RV6 
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

Before the accident flight, the pilot was seen conducting maintenance on the airplane in front of his hangar. Witnesses heard the pilot start the engine and saw the airplane take off from the hangar/ramp area and stated that the pilot appeared to be struggling to control the airplane. About 1.5 hours later, the airplane was seen flying at low altitude over a residential area before it impacted the ground. Witnesses stated that the engine was running normally before the accident and that the airplane appeared “out of control.”

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Postmortem toxicology testing of specimens from the pilot were consistent with the recent use of alcohol and a sedating antihistamine. It is likely that the pilot was impaired from ingested alcohol, which contributed to his loss of airplane control. Whether effects from his use of the antihistamine also contributed to the accident could not be determined.

Although family and friends described the pilot having episodes of unusual behavior in the years before the accident, no significant medical conditions were identified during the investigation.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot’s impairment by the effects of ingested alcohol, which resulted in the loss of airplane control and impact with terrain.

Findings

Personnel issues Alcohol - Pilot
Aircraft Altitude - Not attained/maintained

Factual Information

On December 8, 2020, about 1540 central standard time, a Vans RV-6 airplane, N69HF, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Hitchcock, Texas. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight.

Family members and a friend stated that the pilot had gone to the airport the day of the accident to work on the airplane’s magnetos and did not take his flying gear or indicate that he would fly that day. Witnesses observed the pilot conduct maintenance on the airplane in front of his hangar at the airport. One witness talked to the pilot while he was working on the airplane and described him as “distracted,” and the pilot avoided talking to him. The witness further stated that the pilot acted “very distant,” and he thought the pilot may have been impaired.

The accident airplane was located in front of the pilot’s hangar in the ramp area that was on the north end of the airport between two rows of hangars. About 1415, one witness heard the airplane’s engine start and saw the pilot in the cockpit of the airplane with the canopy closed. He heard the engine power increase and watched the airplane take off from the ramp area to the west. He said that the airplane became airborne as it entered the grassy area between the taxiway and runway 18/36, and it bounced, pitched, and yawed erratically as it accelerated.

A pilot who was in his airplane on the parallel taxiway near the hangar area, saw the airplane “shoot out” of the ramp area about 200 yards in front of him and become airborne as it entered the grass. He stated that the pilot appeared to be having trouble controlling the airplane. He did not hear the pilot make any radio calls on ground or tower frequencies.

Additional witnesses saw the airplane fly at a low altitude above a residential area about 6 miles west of the airport. They said that the airplane flew north to south 200 to 300 ft above the ground and made a turn to the west toward the accident location, which was about 4 miles northwest of their location. They reported that the engine sounded normal. Residential security cameras also captured videos of the airplane about this time, and the engine could be heard operating at a high power setting.

About 1.5 hours after the airplane took off, a witness near the accident site reported that she heard a loud noise, and her house began to shake. She looked out her window and saw an airplane fly low near her house. She described the airplane as “out of control,” wobbling and moving unusually before it hit the ground. She said that the airplane traveled more horizontally than vertically as it descended. She said the noise sounded like an engine, and it was constant before the airplane impacted the ground.

All flight control surfaces were identified at the accident site, but flight control continuity could not be verified due to impact damage.

On his most recent application for a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman medical certificate, the pilot reported no medical conditions, no use of medications, and no visits to health providers.

According to the autopsy performed by the County of Galveston Medical Examiner's Office, the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries, and the manner of death was accident.

Toxicology testing performed by NMS Labs at the request of the medical examiner identified ethanol at 0.252 gm/dl in femoral blood.

Toxicology testing performed by the FAA’s Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified ethanol at 0.160 gm/dl in liver tissue, 0.348 gm/dl in lung, 0.238 gm/dl in muscle, and 0.196 gm/dl in brain. In addition, cetirizine was identified at 60 ng/ml in cavity blood and liver tissue.

Family members and a friend of the pilot told investigators the pilot had been experiencing episodes of unusual behavior for about 4 years, for which the pilot had sought medical evaluation; however, no medical records and no record of treatment or condition were located during the investigation.

History of Flight

Enroute Loss of control in flight (Defining event)
Prior to flight Miscellaneous/other

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline transport
Age: 50,Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Multi-engine land
Seat Occupied: Front
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter 
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane 
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 1 None
Last FAA Medical Exam: February 28, 2020
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 17825 hours (Total, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Vans 
Registration: N69HF
Model/Series: RV6 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental (Special)
Serial Number: 21624
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel 
Seats:
Date/Type of Last Inspection: December 14, 2019 Annual 
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection: 
Engines: Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: 
Engine Model/Series: O-360-A4A
Registered Owner:
Rated Power: 180 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: KGLS, 9 ft msl 
Distance from Accident Site: 9 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 15:52 Local 
Direction from Accident Site: 119°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: 
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 11 knots / 
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  /
Wind Direction: 190°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:  /
Altimeter Setting: 30.2 inches Hg 
Temperature/Dew Point: 18°C / 9°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Galveston, TX (KGLS)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: 
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 14:15 Local
Type of Airspace:

Airport Information

Airport: Scholes International Airport at Galveston KGLS
Runway Surface Type:
Airport Elevation: 6 ft msl 
Runway Surface Condition:
Runway Used: 
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: None

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 29.342925,-95.004477(est)