ARFF Working Group • P.O. Box 1539 • Grapevine, Texas 76051 • (972)714-9412 • [email protected]• www.arffwg.org • Page 1 Friday the 13th of January, 2017 One dead after plane crash in Cooke County, Texas An Era man is dead after a plane crash in Cooke County on Thursday. After a several hour search for a missing pilot, authorities were able to locate the wreckage near County Road 325 and FM 51 in Cooke County. Texas DPS Trooper Mark Tackett says they were called out to help locate the missing pilot, Tyler Foster, around 8:30 Thursday night. Two hours later, deputies found Foster dead in the wreckage. A friend of Foster’s says the his location was last known at around 4:30 Thursday evening near Era. The National Transportation Safety Board will take over the investigation as soon as they arrive. Tackett said the cause will not be confirmed until the FAA investigates. http://www.kxii.com/content/news/Fatal-plane-crash-in-Cooke-County-410615885.html “To Promote the Science and Improve the Methods of Aviation Fire Protection and Prevention” WEEKLY NEWS REPORT
One dead after plane crash in Cooke County, Texas An Era man is dead after a plane crash in Cooke County on
Thursday. After a several hour search for a missing pilot, authorities were able to locate the wreckage near County Road 325 and FM 51 in Cooke County.
Texas DPS Trooper Mark Tackett says they were called out to help locate the missing pilot, Tyler Foster, around 8:30 Thursday night.
Two hours later, deputies found Foster dead in the wreckage.
A friend of Foster’s says the his location was last known at around 4:30 Thursday evening near Era.
The National Transportation Safety Board will take over the investigation as soon as they arrive.
Tackett said the cause will not be confirmed until the FAA investigates.
Pilot injured after single-engine plane crashes in Blount County, Ala. Hayden, Ala. (WIAT) — An 84 year-old pilot is recovering in the hospital after his plane went down in Blount
County. The pilot’s Cessna 172 airplane crashed at Campbell’s Field on Arkadelphia road in Hayden. Susan Crowson, the owner of a restaurant at Campbell’s Field, witnessed the crash.
“He went in very low and very slow,” Crowson said. “I think he stalled, just nosed it in. He hit the left wing first, that popped the fuselage around, and nosed into the dirt,” said Crowson.
Crowson told CBS42 News that the pilot was Jack Fisher, a regular at the restaurant. Due to her training she received in her former career as a nurse, Crowson was able to spring into action to help her friend.
“He had bruising on his face, he has some cuts on his face,” Crowson said. ” [He] got some bruising around where the seat belt and dash board got him and some cuts on his arm.”
Crowson says that Fisher was talking, but that he was confused and didn’t know what happened
Three area fire departments responded to the scene, along with an air evac helicopter, which airlifted the pilot to the hospital.
Crowson told CBS42 News that Fisher flies about two times a week at the Campbell Field.
“Extremely experienced pilot, he has been flying for years,” said Crowson.
Pilot injured after single-engine plane crashes in Blount County
DEICING FLUID MAY BE CAUSE OF SICK FLIGHT ATTENDANTS IN SAN JOSE By Katie Marzullo SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) —
First responders raced to the tarmac at Mineta San Jose International Airport Thursday after flight attendants on an Alaska Airlines plane got sick. Officials from the airline say the substance is believed to be residue from deicing, and
that the materials are non-toxic. A large emergency response met Alaska flight 322 from Seattle. The San Jose fire department got the call about an inbound plane with a problem just before 6:30 p.m. Officials say the plane has been taken out of service.
“We believed it to be a hazardous materials incident because there were some flight crew members who were feeling ill on board the aircraft,” said Mitch Matlow of the SJFD.
Three flight attendants reported having symptoms in flight. One was taken to the hospital.
“One of them was talking about, he felt for ten minutes, he felt like his chest, something was wrong with him for ten minutes,” said passenger Dean Bettis. “He felt woozy or something like that.”
The fire department, Alaska Airlines and the airport are working together to determine what made the attendants sick.
“At this moment, we still don’t know what the material was that the flight crew was exposed to, but apparently the exposure took place before passengers got on board,” said Matlow.
The official cause may be under investigation, but passengers told ABC7 News the pilot made an announcement, offering an explanation.
Glynn, a passenger who wanted to be identified only by his first name, said, “The deicing fluid they put on in Seattle created some kind of powder that got in the air system. They were checking it out.”
None of the 181 passengers on board reported getting sick.
FAA Proposes $201,250 Civil Penalty Against Jegs Automotive for Alleged Hazardous Materials Violations WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes a $201,250 civil penalty against Jegs Automotive Inc. of Delaware, Ohio, for allegedly violating the Hazardous
Materials Regulations. The FAA alleges that on March 11, 2016, the automotive parts and supplies company offered an undeclared hazardous material shipment to FedEx for air transportation from Delaware, Ohio, to Edgewater, Fla.
The FAA alleges that the shipment contained three 32-ounce metal cans of Race Gas Fuel Concentrate, which is a flammable and toxic liquid.
Workers at FedEx’s cargo sort facility in Columbus, Ohio, discovered the shipment was leaking.
The FAA alleges that the shipment was not accompanied by a shipper’s declaration for dangerous goods and was not properly marked, labeled or packaged. The FAA further alleges that Jegs did not provide emergency response information with the shipment and failed to ensure its employees had received required hazardous materials training.
Jegs has been in communication with the FAA about the case.
FAA Proposes $91,000 Civil Penalty Against Amazon.com for Alleged Hazardous Materials Violations WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes a $91,000 civil penalty against Amazon.com, Inc., for allegedly violating the Hazardous Materials
Regulations. The FAA alleges that on May 7, 2016, Amazon offered an undeclared hazardous material shipment to FedEx for air transportation from Hebron, Kentucky to Marshall, Minnesota.
The agency further alleges the shipment contained one 2.5 gallon plastic container of toxic Clear Diesel Fuel and Tank Cleaner, Concentrated Formula. Employees at FedEx’s sort facility in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, discovered the shipment was leaking.
The FAA alleges that the shipment was not accompanied by a shipper’s declaration for dangerous goods; was not properly marked, labeled or packaged; and was not in the proper condition for transportation. The FAA further alleges Amazon did not provide emergency response information with the shipment and failed to ensure its employees had received required hazardous materials training.
Since 2013, the FAA has assessed 22 civil penalties against Amazon totaling more than $1.4million.
Amazon has been in communication with the FAA about the case.
Man’s body found on runway at Detroit airport DETROIT — Police are investigating a body found Wednesday on the runway at Coleman A. Young International Airport in Detroit. After air traffic controllers saw something, a guard went to investigate and discovered the body of a 61-year-old Detroit man around noon, Detroit Police Sgt. Adam Madera said.
The man’s name was not immediately released and police were trying to locate his relatives.
“We haven’t located any trauma to the body,” Madera said.
Police don’t know how the man’s body got on the runway at the airport on the city’s east side, and no cause of death has been determined yet.
An autopsy is scheduled Thursday, Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office spokesman Lloyd Jackson said.
The airport, better known as City Airport, has two runways and is separated from surrounding neighborhoods by chain-link fencing.
Industrial properties and mostly vacant lots are along the airport’s western edge. A cemetery sits next to it. Homes are also in the area.
Pro Air, the last commercial carrier to fly out of the airport, stopped service in 2000. Now, the airport primarily handles air cargo flights. About 25 flights go in and out daily, airport director Jason Watt said.
Today in History 35 Years ago today: On 13 January 1982 an Air Florida Boeing 737 crashed while taking off from Washington, DC due to icing of the pitot tube, killing 74 out of 79 occupants and 4 people on the ground.
Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: 1,4 km (0.9 mls) N of Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA) [Potomac River] ( United States of America)
Phase: Initial climb (ICL)
Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport: Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA/KDCA), United States of America
Destination airport: Tampa International Airport, FL (TPA/KTPA), United States of America
Flightnumber: 90
Narrative: Air Florida Flight 90 was scheduled to leave Washington National Airport at 14:15 EST for a flight to Fort Lauderdale International Airport, FL (FLL), with an intermediate stop at the Tampa, FL (TPA). The aircraft had arrived at gate 12 as Flight 95 from Miami, FL, at 13:29. Because of snowfall, the airport was closed for snow removal from 13:38 to 14:53. At about 14:20 maintenance personnel began de-icing the left side of the fuselage with de-icing fluid Type II because the captain wanted to start the de-icing just before the airport was
scheduled to reopen (at 14:30) so that he could get in line for departure. Fluid had been applied to an area of about 10 feet when the captain terminated the operation because the airport was not going to reopen at 14:30. Between 14:45 and 14:50, the captain requested that the de-icing operation be resumed. The left side of the aircraft was de-iced first. No covers or plugs were installed over the engines or airframe openings during de-icing operations. At 15:15, the aircraft was closed up and the jet way was retracted and the crew received push-back clearance at 15:23. A combination of ice, snow, and glycol on the ramp and a slight incline prevented the tug, which was not equipped with chains, from moving the aircraft. Then, contrary to flight manual guidance, the flight crew used reverse thrust in an attempt to move the aircraft from the ramp. This resulted in blowing snow which might have adhered to the aircraft. This didn’t help either, so the tug was replaced and pushback was done at 15:35. The aircraft finally taxied to runway 36 at 15:38. Although contrary to flight manual guidance, the crew attempted to deice the aircraft by intentionally positioning the aircraft near the exhaust of the aircraft ahead in line (a New York Air DC-9). This may have contributed to the adherence of ice on the wing leading edges and to the blocking of the engine’s Pt2 probes. At 15:57:42, after the New York Air aircraft was cleared for takeoff, the captain and first officer proceeded to accomplish the pre-takeoff checklist, including verification of the takeoff engine pressure ratio (EPR) setting of 2.04 and indicated airspeed bug settings. Takeoff clearance was received at 15:58. Although the first officer expressed concern that something was ‘not right’ to the captain four times during the takeoff, the captain took no action to reject the takeoff. The aircraft accelerated at a lower-than-normal rate during takeoff, requiring 45 seconds and nearly 5,400 feet of runway, 15 seconds and nearly 2,000 feet more than normal, to reach lift-off speed. The aircraft initially achieved a climb, but failed to accelerate after lift-off. The aircraft’s stall warning stick shaker activated almost immediately after lift-off and continued until impact. The aircraft encountered stall buffet and descended to impact at a high angle of attack. At about 16.01, the aircraft struck the heavily congested northbound span of the 14th Street Bridge and plunged into the ice-covered Potomac River. It came to rest on the west end of the bridge 0.75 nmi from the departure end of runway 36. When the aircraft struck the bridge, it struck six occupied automobiles and a boom truck before tearing away a 41-foot section of the bridge wall and 97 feet of the bridge railings. Four persons in vehicles on the bridge were killed; four were injured, one seriously. Probable Cause: PROBABLE CAUSE: ” The flight crew’s failure to use engine anti-ice during ground operation and takeoff, their decision to take off with snow/ice on the airfoil surfaces of the aircraft, and the captain’s failure to reject the takeoff during the early stage when his attention was called to anomalous engine instrument readings. Contributing to the accident were the prolonged ground delay between de-icing and the receipt of ATC takeoff clearance during which the airplane was exposed to continual precipitation, the known inherent pitch up characteristics of the B-737 aircraft when the leading edge is contaminated with even small amounts of snow or ice, and the limited experience of the flight crew in jet transport winter operations.”
Thursday the 12th of January, 2017 While it is not ARFF related, I had to throw in the last story titled “Metro Blames DC Fire for Failed Response to Deadly Smoke Incident in 2015″ after reading the first paragraph… (Metro asked a court to dismiss legal claims against it for a deadly smoke incident at L’Enfant Plaza in 2015, arguing that it has immunity from the lawsuits — and putting the blame on D.C. first-responders.) Here are the stories for today…
Pilot Injured In Single-Engine Plane Crash CARTHAGE, Tenn. – A pilot has been taken to the hospital following a plane crash in Smith
County. The wreck happened in the 100 block of McCall Street in South Carthage on Wednesday afternoon.
Smith County EMA Director Sonny Carter said the pilot was the only person on board.
“This guy that crashed, he’s been a pilot for sometime. He lives right here in this area. He crashed right here on the farm that he lived on,” Smith County EMA Director Sonny Carter said.
Emergency crews took the pilot, MTSU graduate Collin McDonald out of the plane and rushed him to Vanderbilt by LifeFlight. Residents coming home say they were shocked to see what happened.
10-year-old Lili Anne Gregory said the crash scared her.
“I saw a life flight and ambulances and then our dad says that there must’ve been a wreck. Then I looked over in the field and said oh my gosh there’s a plane tail sticking out.”
Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration said the plane was a Maule Air aircraft. They confirmed the plane made a forced landing in a field.
The exact cause of the crash had not been released as the investigation remained ongoing by the FAA.
Miami Heat’s plane slides on Milwaukee airport runway Members of NBA team uninjured following accident
MILWAUKEE – Members of the Miami Heat NBA team escaped injury after their charter plane slid on the runway at
Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport Wednesday night. The plane slid on the runway during its landing at 9:07 p.m.
The Boeing 737 Miami Air plane did not slide off the runway.
Miami’s NBC affiliate spoke with individuals on the plane who confirmed that nobody was hurt.
Several flights were canceled and delayed at the airport due to icy conditions Wednesday evening.
The flight originated in Oakland where the team played the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday.
The Heat is scheduled to play the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.
It’s the second time in the past few weeks a professional sports teams plane had runway trouble at a Wisconsin airport. Last month, the Minnesota Vikings’ plane slid off the taxiway at an Appleton airport. http://www.tmj4.com/sports/miami-heats-plane-slides-on-milwaukee-airport-runway
Cuomo’s Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing Between Albany And NYC Helicopter Filled With Fumes That Smelled Like Smoke, Officials Say
NEW WINDSOR, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s helicopter made an emergency landing at Stewart International Airport in Orange County Wednesday afternoon, sources said. The helicopter made the emergency landing at Stewart International Airport in New Windsor around 4 p.m., sources told CBS2.
Cuomo was on his way to New York City from Albany for meetings at the time. He delivered a State of the State address at SUNY Albany earlier in the day.
En route to the city, the New York State Police helicopter filled with fumes that smelled like smoke, and thus, the pilot decided to make the landing, Cuomo’s office said.
Late Wednesday afternoon, the cause was being investigated and the helicopter was undergoing maintenance, the governor’s office said.
Cuomo was on the helicopter with two aides, along with security and the pilot.
Cuomo released a tweet taking the emergency landing in stride, and touting his tour of the state for multiple addresses this week.
No one was injured in the incident, and Cuomo was safely transported back to the city, the governor’s office said.
Cuomo’s Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing Between Albany And NYC
NTSB Releases Preliminary Report From December 23 Accident In Vermont One Person Fatally Injured When The Plane Went Down Shortly After Takeoff The NTSB has released a preliminary report outlining the circumstances of an accident which occurred on
December 23, 2016. At about 1145 EST, a Piper PA-28-161, N31202, was substantially damaged after it impacted trees and terrain during the initial climb from Middlebury State Airport (6B0), Middlebury, Vermont. The private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to a witness, the airplane was not flown during the past 2 months. The pilot cleared off snow from the airplane’s wings the morning of the flight and preheated the airplane. He then performed a preflight inspection and sumped the fuel tanks. The pilot taxied the airplane to runway 19 and departed. During the initial climb, about 150 feet above ground level (agl), the airplane’s wings “wagged,” the engine “skipped,” and then the engine sound “went back to normal.” The airplane continued to climb, it made a slight right turn, and then entered a left turn. When the angle of bank was about 45-degrees, the airplane “stalled,” and “rapidly” descended until it struck trees. Another witness stated the engine “sputtered” several times, and that after the airplane struck the ground, a postimpact fire erupted.
According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. The pilot was issued a third-class medical certificate on August 6, 2009, with no limitations. At that time, he reported 750 hours of total flight time, of which 54 hours were within the previous 6 months. In addition, the pilot held an airframe and powerplant certificate with an inspection authorization. According to FAA records, the four-place airplane was issued an airworthiness certificate on April 10, 1978, and was registered to a corporation. It was equipped with a Lycoming O-320 series, 160-horsepower engine with a Sensenich fixed-pitch propeller. According to airplane maintenance logbooks, an annual inspection was performed on June 16, 2016, at a total time in service of 8,582 hours.
The airplane impacted trees, the ground, and came to rest in an upright position about 300 feet from the departure end of runway 19. The main wreckage was oriented on a 347-degree magnetic heading, the debris path was oriented on a 360-degree magnetic heading, and was approximately 160 feet in length. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the scene. The fuselage remained intact but was heavily damaged by impact forces and a postimpact fire. Flight control continuity was confirmed from all flight control surfaces to the cockpit through multiple control cable fractures that were consistent with overload. The fuel tanks were breeched; the left fuel tank exhibited thermal damage, and the right fuel tank was heavily impact damaged.
The engine remained attached to the airframe through all but one engine mount and was removed to facilitate further examination. Engine crankshaft continuity was confirmed from the propeller flange to the rear accessory section of the engine. All cylinders remained attached to the crankcase. The rocker box covers were removed and no anomalies were noted with the valve springs and rocker arms. Valvetrain continuity was confirmed when the crankshaft was rotated. The cylinders were examined with a borescope and no anomalies were noted with the cylinders, pistons, and valves. Piston movement and thumb compression was observed on all cylinders. Both magnetos remained attached to the engine. Each were removed, and sparks were observed on all towers, when they were rotated by hand. The top spark plugs were removed and their electrodes were dark gray in color. The engine driven fuel pump was removed and disassembled. The fuel pumped liquid that was consistent in odor with 100LL aviation fuel when the arm was actuated by hand. No debris was noted in the liquid. There were no anomalies noted with the fuel pump. Fuel was noted in the fuel line to the carburetor. The carburetor box was impact damaged. The carburetor was impact separated from the engine but remained attached through cables. The carburetor was disassembled and no liquid was noted in the fuel bowl. However, the carburetor floats exhibited damage consistent with hydraulic deformation. Debris, similar to the terrain at the accident site, was noted in the carburetor. The carburetor inlet fuel screen was removed and no debris was noted.
The 1135 recorded weather observation at 6B0 included wind from 180 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 14 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, scattered clouds at 3,200 feet agl, temperature 3 degrees C, dew point -3 degrees C; and an altimeter setting of 30.26 inches of mercury.
Piper PA-31T Wiring Issue Prompts NTSB Urgent Safety Recommendation Based On Preliminary Findings From Medical Transport Flight Accident July 29, 2016 The National Transportation Safety Board issued an urgent safety recommendation to the FAA Monday concerning
unsafe wiring on Piper PA-31T-series aircraft that may lead to arcing and cause fires. The urgent safety recommendation is based upon preliminary findings in the ongoing investigation of the July 29, 2016, in-flight breakup of a Piper PA-31T medical transport flight in California. Investigators found evidence of thermal damage near the airplane’s main electrical bus circuit breaker panel. This enclosed space also includes hydraulic lines that run directly below the panel. Further examination of the wiring in this area showed evidence of electrical arcing, and sections of the adjacent hydraulic lines were consumed by in-flight fire. Evidence thus far indicates that the in-flight fire occurred in the area where these electrical wires and adjacent hydraulic lines may have been in contact.
Current maintenance procedures, which only specify a general visual inspection, do not provide adequate guidance for inspection in the area of the floor-mounted circuit breaker panel because of its location and the confined space in that area. Thus, contact between electrical wires and hydraulic fluid lines can persist undetected. NTSB and FAA investigators examined this area in six other Piper PA-31T-series airplanes using a boroscope and camera and noted electrical lines in direct contact with hydraulic lines in all six cases. The NTSB believes that owners and operators must identify and repair (or replace) damaged wires in the floor below the main circuit breaker panel and ensure proper clearance between wires and hydraulic lines. The FAA issued a special airworthiness information bulletin (SAIB) on this issue in December 2016. The NTSB believes the wiring condition on Piper PA-31T aircraft merits an FAA emergency airworthiness directive, which would require mandatory action and a shorter timeline for addressing the issue than the SAIB.
NTSB urgent safety recommendations are issued in advance of the completion of an investigation when the Board believes an imminent threat to life and safety exists, based upon findings of the ongoing investigation.
(NTBS image. An exemplar Piper PA-31T, white electrical lines are in close proximity to metal hydraulic lines. The NTSB believes this wiring may chafe and then arc, causing a fire and subsequent damage to hydraulic lines) FMI: Hart Letter to the FAA
Metro Blames DC Fire for Failed Response to Deadly Smoke Incident in 2015 Metro asked a court to dismiss legal claims against it for a deadly smoke incident at L’Enfant Plaza in 2015, arguing that it has immunity from the lawsuits — and putting the blame on D.C. first-responders.
In a filing in federal court Monday, Metro denied all liability, arguing it is a government-created agency that can’t be sued and adding that the D.C. Fire and EMS (FEMS) department is responsible for rescuing or evacuating passengers on its trains.
And Metro filed a cross-claim against the District of Columbia, saying firefighters and paramedics ignored critical information coming from WMATA. It claims D.C. Fire sent an inexperienced battalion commander to the scene, who failed to manage the response.
“The D.C. FEMS Incident Commander failed to learn the critical fact that passengers on Train 302 were inside the tunnel and that the tunnel and train were filling with smoke. The Metro Transit Police Deputy Chief tried to communicate this critical piece of information to the Incident Commander several times, and each time the Incident Commander rolled up his vehicle window and drove off,” Metro’s claim reads.
It also claims that D.C. Fire didn’t give Metro quick access to an above-ground communications facility that Metro believed was key to fixing emergency radios in the tunnel.
“As a result of DC Fire and Emergency Services’ utter disregard for its duties in responding to such emergencies, Metrorail passengers experienced injuries that were more severe than they otherwise would have been, and the event ended in tragedy,” reads Metro’s claim against D.C. government.
When asked about the claims, Metro said it would not comment on pending lawsuits. D.C. FEMS has not yet responded to the suit.
“I cannot respond to their legal claims,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said Tuesday afternoon. “There will be an opportunity for us to respond to their legal claims, and we’ll do it in the legal process. What I will tell riders is that their fire department is ready to respond.”
Bowser commended first-responders for running into harm’s way to save people that day two years ago.
“But for their actions, we don’t even know what the severity of that incident could have been,” she said.
Bowser said she called a news conference Tuesday because “I wanted to be perfectly clear that the D.C. Fire and emergency system is ready and able to respond.”
“We have our opinion,” said Fire Chief Gregory Dean, who was not chief at the time of the incident. “We think that we have a great fire department, we think our people are well trained, ready to go and we will continue to improve on that.”
But that’s exactly what Metro says did not happen on that deadly day at L’Enfant Plaza.
On the afternoon of Jan. 12, 2015, smoke filled a tunnel just beyond the L’Enfant Plaza Metrorail station. A Yellow Line train encountered the smoke and stopped in the tunnel.
The train filled with smoke; Carol Glover, a 61-year-old commuter from Virginia, died in the smoke-filled train. Passengers said they were ordered to stay on the train. Some took their lives in their hands and evacuated on their own.
The smoke was eventually traced to an electrical malfunction that sent thick, black smoke into the tunnel. An investigation found Glover died of acute respiratory failure due to smoke exposure. The National Transportation Safety Board has issued a list of 43 findings that it says led to the the deadly L’Enfant Plaza incident — including improperly secured and covered power cables, water problems, poor training and lack of procedures and proper maintenance. The deadly incident was part of the reason that the federal government took oversight of Metro safety in the fall. It also led to more than 80 lawsuits against Metro on behalf of passengers who lived through the ordeal. Those passengers have said they struggle with complications from smoke inhalation and from the trauma of the day.
Source: Metro Blames DC Fire for Failed Response to Deadly Smoke Incident in 2015 | NBC4 Washington http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Metro-Blames-DC-Fire-for-Failed-Response-to-Deadly-Smoke-Incident-in-2015-410191565.html#ixzz4VUbKs5mZ
Today in History 62 Years ago today: On 12 January 1955 a TWA Martin 2-0-2 collided in midair with a corporate DC-3; both aircraft crashed near Cincinnati, KY, USA, killing all 15 occupants.
Location: 4 km (2.5 mls) W of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, KY (CVG) ( United States of America)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, KY (CVG/KCVG), United States of America
Destination airport: Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport, OH (CLE/KCLE), United States of America
Flightnumber: TW694
Narrative: DC-3 N999B departed Battle Creek (BTL) at 07:33 for a VFR flight to Lexington, KY (LEX). At 09:02 a TWA Martin 2-0-2 departed Cincinnati Airport (CVG) runway 22. While making a right turn after takeoff, the Martin collided with the DC-3 at or near the cloud base at an altitude of 700-900 feet. The left wing of the DC-3 came in contact with the right propeller of the Martin. The right wing of the Martin and the left wing of the DC-3 then struck, resulting in disintegration of the DC-3 wing and causing such structural damage to the Martin right wing that it also separated from the aircraft. The left propeller of the Martin cut across the top of the DC-3 fuselage and through the vertical fin and rudder. Portions of the DC-3 fin and rudder separated in flight. Both aircraft crashed out of control. Probable Cause: PROBABLE CAUSE: “Operation of the DC-3 in the control zone as unknown traffic, without clearance, very close to the base of, or in, the overcast.”
Wednesday the 11th of January, 2016 Two articles that pertain to OUR safety…
First is an article from Chief Billy Goldfeder, (The Secret List) an article focused on firefighter exposure to cancer-causing carcinogens and toxins and the second is a story from The Cayman Compass that focuses on the recent rollover of an ARFF vehicle. Take the time to read them, and then take some action… We should all safely go home to our families at the end of our shift, healthy and in one piece! Be safe out there!
FD Safety Officers & Cancer? (The Secret List) Hey,
Please take a minute to check this out and/or pass it on to your fire department safety officer, related to their job in preventing firefighter exposure to cancer-causing carcinogens and
toxins. The Fire Department Safety Officers Association’s annual Safety Forum, January 18-20, 2017, in Orlando, FL, will offer three programs to address firefighter cancer and what fire department safety officers can do about cancer risks among firefighters, EMS and emergency vehicle technicians. In the first program, “The Boston Cancer Study” by Commissioner Joseph Finn and Rich Paris, will review the prevention program created for the Boston Fire Department after statistics revealed a Boston firefighter is twice as likely to get cancer than the average resident. After a powerful video released this spring, Boston Fire Department is actively raising awareness of the firefighter cancer rates. Second, Victor Stagnaro, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, will present “Cancer-Distantly Dangerous to Life and Health.” Stagnaro said, “The hazards the 21-st Century American firefighter faces may not be ‘immediately’ dangerous to life and health, but are ‘Distantly Dangerous to Life and Health'”. The presentation will provide recommendations developed by the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance. According to Stagnaro, both the individual firefighter and the organizations they operate under have responsibilities to reduce the exposures, educate fellow firefighters, ensure that the carcinogens that attach themselves to firefighting equipment don’t contaminate others, and take care of those men and women who took an oath to serve their communities and, as a result of their occupation, have been diagnosed with the insidious disease. Lastly, Architect Paul Erickson, LeMay Erickson Willcox, will explain how to limit contaminants in the fire station with his popular presentation, “Hot Zones and the Fire Station.” Erickson, one of the leading architects in fire station design, will offer insights on how and why it is critical to restrict exposures within the fire station from contaminated turnout gear, equipment and apparatus. The Safety Forum will also include topics on: · IAFC SHS Track – Health and Wellness Safety Program Success Story – Jake Rhoades · IAFC SHS Track – Overcoming Safety Challenges in Your Fire Department – Robert Atlas · POISONED-The Smoke You’re Breathing Is Slowly Killing You – Robert Fling Details and registration are available at www.FDSOA.org Check it out-
Gov’t warned about fire truck rollovers after 2005 incident By Brent Fuller The Cayman Islands Fire Service was warned in October 2005 about the potential for its fire engines to tip over at relatively low turning speeds, the Cayman Compass can
reveal. The warning came after a police investigation of a rollover accident involving a T-2500 model fire engine at Owen Roberts International Airport in January 2005.
Police Constable Michael Caputo, a Royal Cayman Islands Police Service accident reconstructionist at the time, wrote a memo to the fire service’s aerodrome division on Oct. 17, 2005. He asked that his findings be passed along to all members of the fire service who operate the T-2500 and T-3000 engine models used in the fleet.
“The stability of these trucks are poor based on track width and height of center [of] mass and this is why the rollover speeds are so low,” Mr. Caputo wrote in the 2005 memo. “Attention must be given to the speed of the truck and the corresponding steering wheel position to prevent future rollovers.”
Fire service officials confirmed Friday that a T-3000 model engine was involved in the Cayman Brac airport rollover accident on Thursday.
The accident report from 2005 stated that the fire engines require three complete rotations of the steering wheel before the wheel “locks up” (meaning it can turn no further).
“This equates to rollover speeds of 36.4 mph (on the first turn), 26 mph (on the second) and 22.5 mph (on the third),” Mr. Caputo wrote. “This … tells me that the steering wheel position for the January 2005 accident was about one and a half turns for 30 mph rollover.”
The reason why the firefighter driving the engine during the 2005 crash was deemed not to be at fault is explained: “The (fire service) operations manual makes no reference whatsoever with regard to how to drive the fire truck or limits not to exceed to prevent a rollover.”
The investigation into last week’s accident at the Charles Kirkconnell International Airport in the Brac that injured two firemen on board is ongoing.
A government statement sent in response to Cayman Compass questions indicate that the fire engine manufacturer, Oshkosh, is arranging to send one of its experts to assess the vehicle, which was bought in 2006.
The fire service conducts monthly mandatory speed tests of its trucks used for airport operations with the goal of achieving a two-minute response time to any point on the airport runway.
According to the government, the speed testing is done accordance with regulatory requirements that must be complied with by all Rescue and Fire Fighting Service providers at international airports.
The government statement also indicates that speeds between 65 mph and 69 mph can be reached during these
speed tests. “In the 12 years since the last airport-based fire truck accident occurred on the runway at Owen Roberts International Airport in January 2005, an average of 144 performance tests for speed have been conducted at that location and a similar number have been executed in Cayman Brac without incident,” the government statement issued Friday notes. “In addition to the monthly performance checks, the vehicles also undergo daily inspections as part of the shift handover.”
Airport partially closed Cayman Brac’s airport was still closed to jet traffic Monday and is expected to remain so until a new fire truck is shipped to the island to replace the vehicle that flipped over there on Jan. 5.
Smaller Twin-Otter and Saab prop planes which service the route between the Brac and Grand Cayman are still able to land and were deployed to minimize passenger disruption.
Air safety guidelines require at least two fire trucks to be on standby for a jet to be able to land, officials said.
Compass reporter James Whittaker contributed to this story.
Today in History 58 Years ago today: On 11 January 1959 a Lufthansa Lockheed Super Constellation crashed on Tubiacanga Beach (Brazil), killing 36 out of 39 occupants.
Date: Sunday 11 January 1959
Time: ca 11:20
Type: Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation
Operator: Lufthansa
Registration: D-ALAK
C/n / msn: 4602
First flight: 1955
Crew: Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 10
Passengers: Fatalities: 29 / Occupants: 29
Total: Fatalities: 36 / Occupants: 39
Airplane damage: Destroyed
Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport, RJ (GIG) ( Brazil)
Destination airport: Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport, RJ (GIG/SBGL), Brazil
Flightnumber: LH502
Narrative: The Super Constellation operated on flight LH502 from Hamburg, Germany to Buenos Aires, Argentina with en route stops at Frankfurt, Paris, Lisbon, Dakar, Senegal and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The crew were cleared to descend from 4200 m to 3000 m when 20 min out from Rio de Janeiro. They were to maintain 3000 m to the KX NDB in preparation for an approach and landing at runway 14. Over KX they were cleared to descend to 900 m. Galeao Approach was contacted and normal position reports were made. The plane descended over Guanabara Bay under rainy conditions and struck the water with the nosewheel. The crew then presumably tried to continue the approach, but the Constellation crashed near Flecheiras Beach, short of the Galeao runway. Crew duty and flight time exceeded the Brazilian limits, but did not exceed the German limitations. Probable Cause: PROBABLE CAUSE: “In spite of an exhaustive investigation it was not possible to determine the actual cause. However, the probable cause was considered to be pilot error in descending below the minimum altitude on final approach. Aircrew fatigue was considered to be a contributing factor.”
Crew aborts flight when two tires blow out on takeoff from Hector By Helmut Schmidt FARGO — The takeoff of a United Express commuter jet flight to Denver from Fargo was safely aborted Monday, Jan. 9, after the plane blew two tires, a Hector International Airport spokesman
said. About 6:30 a.m., United Express Flight 4629, a 50-passenger Embraer 145, was rolling down the runway for takeoff when two right rear tires blew on the landing gear, said Airport Authority Executive Director Shawn Dobberstein.
The crew then aborted the takeoff and returned to the gate, he said. No one was hurt, he said.
“It does happen. It’s not frequent, but it does happen on occasion,” Dobberstein said of tire blowouts.
Flights are being found for passengers on board with Delta, American or United, “wherever they have the space available,” Dobberstein said.
That could be complicated because a winter storm is dumping heavy snow on Denver, and the same storm could affect flights out of Chicago and Minneapolis Monday afternoon and evening, he said. He urged airline passengers to monitor their flight schedules and be in contact with the airlines on which they’ve booked flights.
Dobberstein said operations are continuing normally at Hector International, though the runway was closed down for about 20 minutes as airport crews searched for and removed debris from the mishap, and swept the runway to prevent other planes from being affected by foreign object damage.
Dobberstein said the United Express jet is still being repaired and the cause of the mishap is under investigation.
SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (SUAS) – KEY CONCEPTS FOR NEW USERS (Free Embry-Riddle on-line course) Feb 6 – Feb 19, 2017 Need a reason to take the 2-week free MOOC sUAS course? It will educate you on preventing something like this from happening; Incident: LAM B737 at Tete on Jan 5th
2017, collision with a drone http://avherald.com/h?article=4a319157&opt=0 DESCRIPTION Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) – Key Concepts for New Users is presented by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world’s largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace. Whether you are flying for fun or for a commercial enterprise, this course will introduce you to key concepts related to sUAS, including basic types, capabilities, and current and future uses. Particular emphasis is placed on safety within the National Airspace System (NAS), including where to fly and where to find flight planning tools. The MOOC also introduces the FAA’s new regulations (FAA Part 107) and will focus participants toward possible certification, regulations and flight planning considerations.
This course is for both novice and seasoned sUAS enthusiasts.
OBJECTIVES Upon successful completion of all components of the course, you should be able to:
• Describe the basic types of sUAS and their capabilities.
• Discuss the sUAS operating environment, including the National Airspace System (NAS).
• Discover the basic dos and don’ts of sUAS/recreational drone operations.
• Identify regulatory requirements for remote pilot certifications.
• Recognize requirements for planning safe sUAS flights. https://www.canvas.net/browse/erau/courses/unmanned-aircraft-2
Today in History 63 Years ago today: On 10 January 1954 a BOAC DH-106 Comet crashed into the sea off Elba, Italy, killing all 35 occupants.
Destination airport: London Airport (LHR/EGLL), United Kingdom
Flightnumber: 781
Narrative: Comet G-ALYP left Rome-Ciampino Airport (CIA) at 09:31 UTC on a flight to London. After taking off the aircraft was in touch with Ciampino control tower by radio telephone and from time to time reported its position. These reports indicated that the flight was proceeding according to the B.O.A.C. flight plan and the last of them, which was received at 09:50, said that the aircraft was over the Orbetello Beacon. The captain of another B.O.A.C. aircraft, Argonaut G-ALHJ, gave evidence of communications which passed between him and G-ALYP. The last such message received by the Argonaut began ” George How Jig from George Yoke Peter did you get my ” and then broke off. At that time, approximately 09:51, the aircraft was probably approaching a height of 27,000 feet. The Comet descended and crashed into the sea off the Island of Elba. Initial examination and reconstruction of the wreckage of G-ALYP revealed several signs of inflight break-up. Shreds of cabin carpet were found trapped in the remains of the Comet’s tail section; The imprint of a coin was found on a fuselage panel from the rear of the aircraft; and Smears and scoring on the rear fuselage were tested and found to be consistent to the paint applied to the passenger seats of the Comet. When most of the wreckage was recovered, investigators found that fractures started on the roof, a window then smashed into the back elevators, the back fuselage then tore away, the outer wing structure fell, then the outer wing tips and finally the cockpit broke away and fuel from the wings set the debris on fire. To find out what caused the first failure, BOAC donated G-ALYU for testing. The airframe was put in a huge water tank, the tank was filled, and water was pumped into the plane to simulate flight conditions. After the equivalent of only 3,000 flights investigators at the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) were able to conclude that the crash had been due to failure of the pressure cabin at the forward ADF window in the roof. This ‘window’ was in fact one of two apertures for the aerials of an electronic navigation system in which opaque fibreglass panels took the place of the window ‘glass.’ The failure was a result of metal fatigue caused by the repeated pressurization and de-pressurization of the aircraft cabin. Another worrying fact was that the supports around the windows were only
riveted not glued, as the original specifications for the aircraft had called for. The problem was exacerbated by the punch rivet construction technique employed. Unlike drill riveting, the imperfect nature of the hole created by punch riveting may cause the start of fatigue cracks around the rivet. The Comet’s pressure cabin had been designed to a safety factor comfortably in excess of that required by British Civil Airworthiness Requirements (2.5x P as opposed to the requirement of 1.33x P and an ultimate load of 2x P, P being the cabin ‘Proof’ pressure) and the accident caused a revision in the estimates of the safe loading strength requirements of airliner pressure cabins. Probable Cause: PROBABLE CAUSE: “We have formed the opinion that the accident at Elba was caused by structural failure of the pressure cabin, brought about by fatigue. We reach this opinion for the following reasons: – (i) The low fatigue resistance of the cabin has been demonstrated by the test described in Part 3, and the test result is interpretable as meaning that there was, at the age of the Elba aeroplanes a definite risk of fatigue failure occurring. (ii) The cabin was the first part of the aeroplane to fail in the Elba accident. (iii) The wreckage indicates that the failure in the cabin was of the same basic type as that produced in the fatigue test. (iv) This explanation seems to us to be consistent with all the circumstantial evidence. (v) The only other defects found in the aeroplane were not concerned at Elba, as demonstrated by the wreckage. ” Classification:
Today is Monday the 9th of January, 2017 Dallas Stars plane makes emergency landing due to smoke in cockpit The Dallas Stars team plane had to make an emergency landing in St. Louis Downtown Airport because smoke was
detected in the cockpit shortly after takeoff, the Belleville News-Democrat reported. The Stars’ Boeing 737 plane took off at 11:52 a.m. local time in St. Louis en-route for Los Angeles where Dallas will play the Los Angeles Kings Monday night. According to the News-Democrat, less than five minutes into the flight, the plane had to turn around in order to land. There were 50 passengers on the plane and nobody was hurt. A team spokesman described the problem as an “electrical” issue. The News-Democrat reported that there was no fire on the plane.
The Stars said that lunch was brought to the players in the airport as they waited over three-and-a-half hours for a new plane. The team is currently on its way to Los Angeles. The Stars were in St. Louis because of a game at the Blues on Sunday.
Shaheen Air flight makes emergency landing in Lahore after engine catches fire A Shaheen Air plane made emergency landing at Lahore Airport after one of its engines caught fire on Sunday, Express News reported. The flight 902 arriving from Manchester landed at its destination Alama Iqbal Airport using only one of its engines. According to spokesperson civil aviation authority, the engine of Airbus 330 had caught fire before landing but the pilot successfully averted the accident.
This is not the first time a Shaheen Air flight has met with an accident. In December, last year, a Karachi-bound Shaheen Air flight was delayed following emergence of some technical problems during its takeoff.
Similarly, in November last year, a Lahore-bound Shaheen Air flight, carrying 121 passengers and crew members, had made an ‘emergency landing’ at the Lahore airport as the aircraft skidded off the runway. The CAA had accused the pilot of the passenger flight of being drunk and fatigued as he flew the plane.
In June, a Dubai-bound Shaheen Air flight narrowly escaped a crash when its tyres burst just before takeoff at the Lahore airport.
The engine of Shaheen Air flight NL-766 started making loud noises seconds before takeoff which prompted the pilot to apply emergency breaks to keep the plane on the runway. However, the breaks caused three of the plane’s tyres to burst. No loss of life was reported.
Colorado Springs pilot talks about surviving crash MEEKER, Colo. (KKTV) 11 News is talking to the Colorado Springs man who, along with his wife, survived a plane
Russ Ford and his wife Sheri were flying their Cirrus SR-22 single-engine plane over the remote Flat Tops Wilderness Area near Meeker, CO, on Saturday when he says the engine cut out.
They were at about 12,000 feet over rough terrain and Russ had to make a quick decision; whether or not to deploy the plane’s emergency parachute, which is designed to bring the entire plane safely to the ground. Russ Ford/Pilot, crash survivor: “I feel that if I pull the parachute at that time our momentum and the wind would have carried us into the cliff. The plateau is flat, but there’s about a 700 foot drop on either side and I felt that we would’ve probably crashed, if I pulled the parachute would have crashed into the side of that cliff and I don’t think that would’ve ended well.”
Ford was able to land the plane on that plateau. It skidded for several hundred yards, and stopped just 75 yards short of a 700 foot cliff.
Ford says he believes the roughly six feet of snow helped cushion the crash landing.
Ford and his wife were stranded at the crash for about an hour and a half before a rescue helicopter picked them up. He says they’re incredibly thankful to all of the rescuers who helped find and save them. “that’s the biggest thing I just want to thank all the pilots, search and rescue, the sheriffs department, ATC all those people who helped.” “It was definitely a miracle.”
Miraculously, the only injury in the crash was a bruise to Ford’s wife’s pinky finger.
The NTSB will be investigating what caused the plane’s engine to fail.
Small plane falls through ice on Kent Co, Michigan lake GRATTAN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — A small plane fell through the ice on Murray Lake near Lowell Saturday
afternoon. Authorities were called around 12:30 p.m. to the lake in Grattan Township.
Kent County sheriff’s deputies say the 2008 American Legend AL3C fell through the ice just before takeoff. The plane was equipped with “ski-landing gear” at the time.
A witness used a kayak to go out and rescue the pilot, 59-year-old James Bakeman of Grand Rapids, who was not injured.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident.
Small plane falls through ice on Kent Co. lake
HIGH-FLYING DEBATE – Nonfatal Osprey crash in Okinawa brings safety fears to fore BY AYAKO MIE STAFF WRITER The MV-22 Osprey accident last month in Okinawa rekindled concerns about the tilt-rotor aircraft, which was once known as the “widow maker” for those killed during its development.
Starting this year, Japan will see more of the odd-looking hybrids in its skies than the 24 deployed by the U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa, and residents are worried about potential accidents in densely populated areas and noise issues.
Here are some basic facts and about the Osprey and the lingering issues surrounding it:
What is the Osprey? The V-22 Osprey is a twin-engine hybrid combining the functions of a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft. It usually takes off vertically like a helicopter without a runway and, after its engines are tilted to point forward, can cruise at fixed-wing aircraft speeds, lending to its maneuverability.
It is more capable than the CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters used by the U.S. military in Okinawa and is intended to replace them. They can fly twice as fast as the CH-46, carry three times the payload and fly more than five times farther. Unlike the CH-46, the Osprey can also be refueled in flight, with one refueling giving it the range to reach the Philippines or South Korea from Japan.
Are they safe? The U.S. military and the Defense Ministry say yes.
During its 25-year development phase, the Osprey suffered four crashes, including three fatal ones. But in September 2005, the Pentagon gave green light for full production, saying it had overcome all safety issues.
Due to its hybrid nature, the Osprey is harder to operate and requires more training than usual, experts say. And the aircraft has had fatal accidents after deployment, including the one in Hawaii in 2015 when two marines were killed in a crash.
When Tokyo announced the introduction of the controversial aircraft in 2012 to gradually replace the aging CH-46s, the Defense Ministry said the Osprey’s Class A accident rate — the rate for accidents that cause property damage of $2,000,000 or more per 100,000 hours of flight — was 1.93.
The ministry apparently used this figure to show the Osprey was safer than other Marine Corps aircraft, which have an average Class A accident rate of 2.45.
But since then, the ministry’s website hasn’t been updated to reflect the Osprey’s current accident rate, which stood at 2.64 as of September 2015. This is slightly higher than the Marine Corps’ average accident rate of 2.63 between 2002 and 2016, according to the ministry.
One factor that has Okinawans worried is that Ospreys deployed to Afghanistan logged 40 times more accidents compared with the average accident rate for all U.S. Marine Corps aircraft deployed in that country, according to Japanese media reports citing statistics between 2010 and 2012 by the U.S. Naval Safety Center.
How did the U.S. handle the recent accident in Okinawa? Japan’s first Class-A Osprey accident occurred on Dec. 13 when one ditched just off the coast of Nago during in-flight refueling exercise at night, injuring two of its five crew members.
The U.S. military said the accident was not caused by a problem with the aircraft, but by its rotor blades slicing the fuel hose from the tanker plane.
The U.S. grounded all Ospreys in Okinawa after the accident but resumed operations on Dec. 19. The Japanese government also gave a tacit nod to the resumption of refueling drills last Friday, even though the U.S. military has yet to identify what specifically caused the accident. The potential causes cited so far include turbulent air, the complicated nature of in-flight refueling at night, and human error.
Where is the Osprey deployed in Japan? The U.S. has deployed 24 Ospreys deployed at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture. It also uses helipads in the Northern Training Area in the villages of Kunigami and Higashi in the prefecture. More than half of the training area was returned to Japan at the end of last month, marking the biggest transfer of land since Okinawa’s reversion to Japan in 1972.
The land was returned in exchange for building six helipads on the remaining land, only a few hundred meters away from the Takae district in village of Higashi. According to an environmental review released by the U.S. military in 2012, an annual average of 420 Osprey training flights were projected to be held using the new helipads, but the actual number is not available.
Are there other concerns? Aircraft noise is an ongoing problem in Okinawa, but Tokyo maintains that the Osprey generates about the same amount of noise as the CH-47 Chinook helicopters used by the Self-Defense Forces.
Last year, 31 residents filed a motion against the central government demanding that a temporary injunction be issued to suspend construction of the helipads, arguing that Osprey training there would jeopardize the livelihood of 150 residents in Takae.
The injunction was rejected last month shortly before the Northern Training Area land was returned to Japan. The Fukuoka High Court’s Naha branch ruled that the noise was within legally permitted levels based on the environmental impact assessment and said there was no proof the noise would severely harm the health of residents.
However, Gentatsu Takamine, one of the plaintiffs, said before the ruling that his family could not sleep during a two-week Osprey training period that included flights at around 8 a.m. and 11 p.m.
“My children cannot go to school due to the psychological damage brought by the Osprey noise,” Takamine said at a news conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan in October.
Will the Osprey be deployed outside Okinawa in the future? Yes. Three CV-22 Ospreys are planned to be deployed at U.S. Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo this year, and another seven will be deployed by 2021. The CV-22 is the U.S. Air Force version of the aircraft and will be used more to conduct special operations. The MV-22 is the marine version and is mainly used for transport.
Some say the CV-22 could be more prone to accidents because it is used in more severe situations, even during training. The CV-22 is the version that crashed in Afghanistan in April 2010, killing four soldiers. The mileage necessary to calculate official accident rates is not available, but based on some 42,000 flight hours, the air force version has an accident rate of 7.21 — three times more than the marine version.
The SDF also plans to purchase 17 Ospreys by 2018 to be deployed at the Saga Airport after 2019.
As part of bilateral efforts to improve interoperability, the Defense Ministry announced last year that it is going to use the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Kisarazu Air Field in Chiba Prefecture as a joint maintenance hub for the aircraft.
It also has been reported that the U.S. Navy will deploy the navy version of the Osprey between 2021 and 2026, although no official announcement has been made.
Passenger Drone May Be Available By 2020 Urban Aeronautics Has Been Developing The Aircraft For 15 Years An Israeli tech firm believes it can realistically get a 3,000 pound passenger-carrying UAV into production by 2020,
Called the Cormorant, the aircraft recently demonstrated the ability to follow terrain autonomously. The company envisions the aircraft being used as an air ambulance or for evacuation in times of natural or man-made disasters.
Reuters reports that while the company is optimistic that the aircraft can be on the market in three years, there is still a lot of work to be done. The aircraft is about the size of a family sedan and uses ducted fans to produce lift and thrust. It can carry about 1,100 pounds and has a range of some 100 nautical miles.
The aircraft has not yet been certified by the FAA, and in the November test, there were some discrepancies noted in the data sent by the Cormorant’s onboard sensors, according to the report.
Urban Aeronautics holds some 39 patents for the aircraft’s systems, so founder and CEO Rafi Yoeli told Reuters that he has few concerns about another company beating him to market with a similar aircraft.
(Image from file) FMI: www.urbanaero.com
Today in History 14 Years ago today: On 9 January 2003 a Peruvian TANS Fokker F-28 collided with a mountain while on approach to Chachapoyas, Peru, killing all 46 occupants.
Date: Thursday 9 January 2003
Time: ca 08:45
Type: Fokker F-28 Fellowship 1000
Operator: Transportes Aéreos Nacionales de la Selva – TANS
Registration: OB-1396
C/n / msn: 11100
First flight: 1975-11-13 (27 years 2 months)
Engines: 2 Rolls-Royce Spey 555-15
Crew: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Passengers: Fatalities: 41 / Occupants: 41
Total: Fatalities: 46 / Occupants: 46
Airplane damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location: near Chachapoyas ( Peru)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport: Chiclayo-Capitan FAP Jose Abelardo Quiñones Airport (CIX/SPHI), Peru
Destination airport: Chachapoyas Airport (CHH/SPPY), Peru
Flightnumber: 222
Narrative: TANS Flight 222 departed Lima for a scheduled flight to Chachapoyas with an intermediate stop at Chiclayo. It
departed Chiclayo at 08:17 and climbed to its assigned cruising altitude of FL190, which was reached approx. ten minutes after takeoff. The F-28 followed the V-3 airway, heading 075deg until 08:32. The crew then turned to the left heading 060deg, maintaining FL190 until 08:36. The flight then descended to FL130. After reaching that altitude five minutes later, the crew extended the speedbrakes in order to decelerate from 280 knots to 210 knots. Fifty seconds later, with the speedbrakes still extended, the crew turned to a heading of 135deg, aligning the plane with Chachapoyas’ runway 13. The turn was accomplished in 45 seconds with a 30deg bank angle course change in 45 seconds. Shortly afterwards the Fellowship struck Cerro Coloque at an altitude of 10350 feet. Rescue workers found the wreckage two days after the crash. Until 1995 this F-28 was used as the Peruvian Presidential plane.
