Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Instructor and student killed following a Zenair CH 2000 trainer plane crash near the McAllen Miller International Airport in Texas






Joel Martinez

Texas State Troppers invesigate a small plane that crashed in the brush south of the McAllen Miller International Airport August 18, 2015 in McAllen. photo by joel martinez/jmartinez@themonitor.com
  


Posted: Monday, August 17, 2015

KRISTIAN HERNANDEZ | STAFF WRITER

 


Posted on Aug 17, 2015

by Kristian Hernandez

McALLEN, TEXAS


Two people are dead following a small plane crash just south of the McAllen Miller International Airport, emergency officials said Monday night.

The privately owned single-engine aircraft carrying a student and an instructor crashed under unknown circumstances shortly after takeoff from McAllen Miller International Airport, according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The aircraft, a Zenair CH 2000 trainer, went down just south of Runway 13 shortly after 6:50 p.m., according to the statement. The crash happened near a canal off of South 10th Street, just south of the airport, said McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez while at the scene.

“We have some witnesses that we’ve identified in the area that actually saw the aircraft,” Rodriguez said. “They report the aircraft stalling and tilting over south of the airport and ultimately crashing.”

After the crash the plane ignited with the pilot and co-pilot still inside. McAllen Fire Department put out the burning aircraft and quickly extinguished a small brush fire that sparked in the surrounding area, Rodriguez said.

The aircraft was registered to a Dan McCauley from Helotes, Texas, in Bexar County according to FAA records, but the victims had not been identified at the time of this report. FAA inspectors were on their way to the accident site Monday night and The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified, Rodriguez said.

Air traffic continued without interruption at the airport Monday, according to airport officials.









Date: 17-AUG-2015
Time: 18:45
Type: Zenair CH 2000
Owner/operator: Private
Registration: N26ZA
C/n / msn: 29-0026
Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: Near McAllen Miller International Airport (KMFE), McAllen, TX - United States of America
Phase: Take off
Nature: Training
Departure airport: McAllen Miller Intl (KMFE)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
The aircraft experienced a stall/spin shortly after takeoff from McAllen Miller International Airport (KMFE), McAllen, Texas, and impacted terrain south of the departure end of runway 13. The airplane was partially consumed by the post-impact fire and the two pilots onboard received fatal injuries.


Sources: 

http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=178774
http://m.krgv.com/news/breaking-news-pd-two-confirmed-dead-in-plane-crash/34771108
http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=1243749#.VdK3j8RHaK0
http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/two-dead-following-small-plane-crash-near-airport-officials-said/article_e69d4842-4542-11e5-8800-5f161815685e.html
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=26ZA

http://www.zenair.com/ch-2000-vla-index.html



Aircraft Manufacturer & Model: ZENAIR LTD CH 2000

Type: Fixed Wing Single Engine

Information Updated 08/12/2015


Aircraft Description
N-Number N26ZA
Serial Number 20-0026 Status Valid
Manufacturer Name ZENAIR LTD Certificate Issue Date 11/28/2012
Model CH 2000 Expiration Date 11/30/2015
Type Aircraft Fixed Wing Single Engine Type Engine Reciprocating
Pending Number Change
Dealer
Date Change Authorized
Mode S Code (base 8 / octal) 50477344
MFR Year
Mode S Code (base 16 / hex) A27EE4
Type Registration Individual Fractional Owner No
Airworthiness
Engine Manufacturer LYCOMING A/W Date 02/19/1997
Engine Model 0-235 SERIES Classification Standard
  Category Utility
Registered Owner
Name MCCAULEY DAN W
Street 20235 BLUEHILL PASS
 
City HELOTES State TX
County BEXAR COUNTY Zip Code 78023-3311
Country US
Other Owner Names None