MEC&F Expert Engineers : 05/27/15

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

SPEEDING TRUCK OVERTURNS, SPILLS LOGS ONTO ROAD ON ROUTE 4 IN AVON, MAINE, ALSO DAMAGING A HOME.







MAY 27, 2015

AVON, MAINE (NEWS CENTER)

A logging truck overturned early Wednesday morning, spilling logs onto the road and hitting a home, said the Franklin County Sheriff's office.

The Sheriff's office said Steven Boyd Jr. was driving Thorndike truck on Route 4. 

Around 3:30 a.m., he failed to go around a sharp turn and the truck overturned and spilled logs onto the road, said the Sheriff's office. The logs rolled and struck a local home, some of them going into the home, said officials.

Some of the logs went into a nearby home.
The driver was taken to Farmington Memorial Hospital for injuries. 

The deputy who responded said excessive speed was a factor in the crash.

ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE IN COLUMBIA, SC: EXPLOSION, FIRES, MELTED CARS, ASPHALT, FENCES AFTER SERIES OF WRECKS INVOLVING AT LEAST TRUCKS/CARS ON INTERSTATE 26 IN COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA










MAY 27, 2015

COLUMBIA, SC (WACH)

Ten vehicles were involved in an accident Wednesday morning on I-26.
South Carolina Highway Patrol spokesperson David Jones said two of those vehicles were commercial and eight of them were passenger cars. There have been no reports of fatalities.

Interstate 26-East and 26-West were shut down near mile marker 106 for hours Wednesday morning. A couple lanes of 26-West were re-opened before 11am, but 26-East is not expected to re-open until after 2pm, due to repairs that are needed to be done to the highway.

7650 square yards of asphalt has been damaged or been exposed to fuel. 860 feet of barriers will need to be replaced and that 420 feet of chain linked fence has melted.

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All lanes have reopened on I-26, following an explosion that shut down most of the interstate for around 10 hours. 

Ten vehicles were involved in an accident Wednesday morning on I-26.

Lance Corporal David Jones of SCHP said two of those vehicles were commercial and eight of them were passenger cars. There have been no reports of fatalities.
Jones has also confirmed that the ten car accident started when a passenger vehicle and commercial vehicle crashed.

He further stated that it is unknown how the other vehicles crashed that an accident reconstruction team is still investigating.

Interstate 26-East and 26-West were shut down near mile marker 106 for hours Wednesday morning. A couple lanes of 26-West were re-opened before 11am, but 26-East is not expected to re-open until after 2pm, due to repairs that are needed to be done to the highway.

Detours were set up at Piney Grove Road (26-East) and at St. Andrews Roads (26-West), but many of the side roads, including Fernandina Road, Jemil Temple Road and St. Andrews, were all backed-up with traffic.

SCHP stated that they will take their time to investigate what happened.

The South Carolina DOT has stated that 860 feet of barriers will need to be replaced and that 420 feet of chain linked fence has melted.

Also, 7650 square yards of asphalt has been damaged or been exposed to fuel.
As of now, there are no reported fatalities but there have been some serious injuries and people were transported to local hospitals.
Source: http://www.wach.com

Pilot arrested after plane clips equipment at Melbourne Int'l Airport in Florida






  Wednesday, May 27, 2015



The pilot of a small plane was arrested Wednesday after the aircraft clipped a piece of communication equipment at Melbourne International Airport, officials said.

A man and his pre-teen son were set to take off from the airport around 2 p.m. They had communicated with the tower, but they didn't leave the runway yet.

The 1970 two-engine Cessna Skymaster clipped a piece of communication equipment and then made contact with a shed.

The man was arrested by Melbourne International Airport police, but the charges haven't been released. The Federal Aviation Administration has been called in to investigate the incident.

Air traffic at the airport wasn't shut down.

The man and his son weren't injured, according to Melbourne Fire Department officials.

Federal Aviation Administration investigating Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport (KCLE) for 12 safety-related incidents

MAY 27, 2015
 
CLEVELAND, OHIO

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is under investigation for 12 safety-related incidents during the past two winters, according to interviews with airport officials and public records.

After the first three events, during the 2013/2014 winter, Hopkins entered into a "snow and ice control plan" with the Federal Aviation Administration that spells out the number of field maintenance employees that must be on duty to clear runways and taxiways, depending on a color-coded ranking of weather conditions.

For example, during a yellow code -- with an estimate of greater than 1 to 4 inches of dry or wet snow -- there are supposed to be four airport operations workers and 26 field maintenance employees.

The plan was put in place in November 2014. Another nine safety-related incidents followed, involving planes that had to divert for various reasons or that reported poor or "nil"--– bad or nonexistent -- braking conditions on airfield pavement.

In an interview Tuesday, Hopkins Director Ricky Smith and Airport Commissioner Fred Szabo said the events triggered a total of four FAA "letters of investigation" -- notices that the FAA thinks Hopkins may have violated one or more federal aviation regulations. Airport officials responded to all the letters, providing information such as timelines and proof of runway surface inspections and a breakdown of airfield staffing.

Hopkins is waiting to hear back from the FAA and hopes to have the investigations closed in coming months.

In no case was the flying public at risk, nor did any of the incidents involve insufficient staffing, Smith said. Claims to the contrary are coming from a disgruntled employee who "has been on a mission to create this narrative that there are safety issues at the airport," he said.

Staffing rules "not an absolute"

Nonetheless, the airport has struggled to meet the snowfall staffing standards. On Jan. 5, for example, under a yellow code, there were 12 field maintenance employees on the second shift and 14 on the third shift, not the 26 that were supposed to be on each shift, according to a performance indicator for the month provided by an airport employee. The indicator shows that at least six times in January 2015 the airport "failed" staffing levels.

Smith said the color-code system is not an absolute, but a range. As to whether the FAA allows some leeway, Smith said, "We have not heard from the FAA that it is a problem."

Szabo said of the plan, "I would describe it more as a living document. If we need to make any modifications, we'll do it in cooperation with the FAA."

Hopkins has a self-imposed target to complete an update to its snow and ice plan by Nov. 1, Szabo and Smith said.

Diversions of planes are not unusual at cold-weather airports, Smith said. Factors other than airfield conditions, such as the type of aircraft scheduled to land and pilot familiarity with low-visibility conditions, can prompt a pilot to divert to another airport. Medical, mechanical and other emergencies also can lead to diversions.

Smith said Hopkins has made enormous progress in reducing safety incidents in the past 10 years, in part by extending one of its runways by more than 2,000 feet and reconfiguring taxiways to avoid incursions, when airplanes enter runways without authorization.

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics shows 28 diversions at Hopkins for January through March of this year, not the 10 reported by Hopkins. Airport spokeswoman Michele Dynia said Hopkins is only aware of diversions within its air space -- a 20-mile radius around the airport -- not those that may occur en route.

Here's the BTS tally of diversions at 10 northern airports for the first three months of 2015:

Columbus -- 7; Pittsburgh -- 7; Buffalo -- 4; Cincinnati -- 3; Minneapolis -- 11; Milwaukee -- 14; Chicago O'Hare -- 55; Chicago Midway -- 86; LaGuardia -- 114; Boston -- 30.

Szabo gave these description of some of the incidents at Hopkins from the 2013/2014 winter:

December 30, 2013: The pilot of a Delta plane that landed reported nil braking on a taxiway. "In that instance we found we had proper staffing. One operations supervisor failed to close a piece of pavement that should have been closed," Szabo said. The worker was disciplined and left the airport soon after.

January 18, 2014: An aircraft rescue vehicle, driven by a 24-year veteran of Hopkins, crossed into an active runway during a training exercise. "An incursion does not mean a near miss," Smith said. Szabo noted there was no aircraft nearby. The employee was disciplined for failure to understand his surroundings.

The aircraft diversions in 2015 were:

January 21 – A United Express regional jet was diverted because of extremely low visibility. The diversion occurred during a 30-minute stretch when Hopkins had both its main runways closed to clear accumulated snow.

February 5 – Two United mainline jets and five United regional carriers were diverted during a heavy snowstorm with poor visibility and a low cloud ceiling. The diversions occurred during 22 minutes when Hopkins had both its main runways closed.

March 1 – The pilot of an Air Wisconsin regional plane that landed reported bad taxiway braking, leading air traffic controllers to cancel takeoff clearance for an Express Jet and give go-round instructions to a Delta aircraft.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com

NTSB Releases Preliminary Agenda for Investigative Hearing on WMATA Smoke and Electrical Arcing Accident




​ WASHINGTON, DC

The National Transportation Safety Board has released the preliminary agenda for its investigative hearing into the January 12 smoke and electrical arcing accident that occurred in a tunnel near the L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station in Washington, D.C.

The agenda for the hearing, which will be held June 23-24, 2015, at the NTSB’s Board Room and Conference Center in Washington, DC, is available at http://go.usa.gov/39Hrz.

The two-day hearing will be chaired by NTSB Chairman Christopher A. Hart. Parties to the investigation, which will all be represented at the hearing, are the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, the Federal Transit Administration, the Tri-State Oversight Committee, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, the International Firefighters Association Local 36, and the District of Columbia Emergency Services, which includes three DC departments. 

A final agenda will be released closer to the hearing date.

The event will be webcast live. An archive of the webcast will be available on the NTSB website after the event. A link to the webcast site is available at: http://www.capitolconnection.net/capcon/ntsb/ntsb.htm.



Agenda
NTSB Conference Center, Washington, dC
6/23/2015 9:00 AM

preliminary agenda

Day 1: June 23 (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)

Opening Remarks and Introductions (9:00 AM–9:30 AM)

• Chairman’s Opening Statement
• Introduction of the Technical Panel
• Introduction of the Parties
• Introduction of the Exhibits
• Investigator-in-Charge Opening Presentation
 

Panel 1: State of WMATA’s Infrastructure

• Technical Panel 1 questions witnesses (9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.)
• Break (10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
• Parties and Board of Inquiry question witnesses (11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)
 

Lunch (12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.)

 

Panel 2: Emergency Response Efforts

• Technical Panel 2 questions witnesses (2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.)
• Break (3:00 to 3:30 p.m.)
• Parties and Board of Inquiry question witnesses (3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
 

Adjourn for Day 1


Day 2: June 24 (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)

Panel 3: WMATA’s Organizational Culture

• Technical Panel 3 questions witnesses (9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.)
• Break (10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.)
• Parties and Board of Inquiry question witnesses (10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.)
 

Lunch (12:00 Noon to 1:30 p.m.)

 

Panel 4: FTA And Tri-State Oversight Committees Efforts For Public Transportation Safety

• Technical Panel 4 questions witnesses (1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.)
• Break (2:30 to 3:00 p.m.)
• Parties and Board of Inquiry question witnesses (3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
 
Chairman’s Closing Remarks (4:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
 
Hearing Adjourned

NTSB Safety Alert Urges Pilots to ‘See and Be Seen’ in the Air


WASHINGTON, DC

The National Transportation Safety Board issued a Safety Alert today urging pilots to vigilantly look out for other aircraft and to make their own presence known.

The Board has investigated numerous general aviation accidents in which pilots operating near one another did not maintain adequate visual lookout and failed to see and avoid other aircraft. Investigators also note that pilots can be distracted by technology such as cell phones, tablets and other devices that challenge the see-and-avoid concept.

“As a pilot, your first job is to fly your own airplane,” said NTSB Chairman Christopher A. Hart, who is also a pilot. “Part of that job is to scan for other airplanes. On-board traffic advisory systems are not a substitute for an outside visual scan.”

The safety alert advises pilots to scan for traffic throughout their flight, clearly communicate intentions, use lights to be more conspicuous and encourage passengers to help scan for other aircraft.




 See and Be Seen: Your Life Depends on It
Maintaining Separation from Other Aircraft
The problem
Accidents have occurred in which pilots operating near one another did not maintain adequate visual lookout and failed to see and avoid the other aircraft.
 While some accidents occurred in high-traffic areas (near airports), some accidents occurred in cruise flight; in the cases described below, the pilots were flying in daytime visual meteorological conditions.
 All pilots can be vulnerable to distractions in the cockpit, and the presence of technology has introduced challenges to the see-and-avoid concept. Aviation applications on portable electronic devices (PEDs) such as cell phones, tablets, and handheld GPS units, while useful, can lead to more head-down time, limiting a pilot’s ability to see other aircraft.
Related accidents
 In January 2015, two Piper PA-18s collided near Wasilla, Alaska, while conducting cross-country flights. The commercial pilots of each airplane sustained serious injuries. A ground witness indicated that the airplanes were converging at a 90˚ right angle and that neither airplane changed altitude or direction as they approached one another. (ANC15FA009)
 In September 2014, a Cessna 172 and an amateur-built Searey collided near Buffalo-Lancaster Regional Airport, Lancaster, New York, while participating in a fly-in event. The commercial pilot and passenger of the Cessna 172 died, and the private pilot and passenger of the Searey were not injured. Both airplanes were traveling westbound with the Cessna behind the Searey. The Cessna was traveling about 90 knots and was gradually descending, and the Searey was traveling about 70 knots and was gradually climbing when the Cessna overtook it. (ERA14FA459)
 In March 2012, a Cessna 172 and a Cessna 180 collided near Longmont, Colorado, about 7,200 ft mean sea level. The private pilot and instructor in the Cessna 172 died, and the pilot of the Cessna 180 sustained minor injuries. The Cessna 172 was in level flight on a north-northeast course, and the Cessna 180 was in a gradual climb on a northerly course. The pilots were not in contact with air traffic control at the time of the accident, and neither pilot maintained adequate visual lookout for the other airplane. (CEN12FA199) SA-045 May 2015

 In July 2011, a Cessna 180 and a Cessna 206 collided about 900 ft above ground level near Talkeetna, Alaska. The airline transport-rated pilot of the Cessna 206 was not injured, and the private pilot and three passengers of the Cessna 180 died. The pilots were monitoring different radio frequencies and failed to see and avoid the other airplane as each was approaching Amber Lake on the left downwind. (ANC11FA071)
What can pilots do?
 Be vigilant and use proper techniques to methodically scan for traffic throughout your flight, not only in high-volume traffic areas.
 Divide your attention inside and outside the aircraft and minimize distractions (including nonessential conversations, photography or sightseeing activities, and PED use) that may degrade your ability to maintain awareness of other aircraft.
 Make your aircraft as visible as possible to other aircraft by turning on available lights, including anticollision lights, and consider using high-intensity discharge or LED lighting.
 Clearly communicate your intentions and use standard phraseology, known distances, and obvious ground references to alert other pilots of your location.
 Recognize that some conditions make it harder to see other aircraft, such as operating in areas where aircraft could be masked by surrounding terrain or buildings and when sun glare is present.
 Encourage passengers to help look for traffic and, during instructional flights, ensure that one pilot is always responsible for scanning for traffic.
 Effectively use on-board traffic advisory systems, when available, to help visually acquire and avoid other aircraft and not as a substitute for an outside visual scan.
Need more information?
The following Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advisory circulars (ACs) can be accessed from www.faa.gov:
 AC 90-48C, “Pilots’ Role in Collision Avoidance
AC 90-66A, “Recommended Standard Traffic Patterns for Aeronautical Operations at Airports without Operating Control Towers
 AC 90-42F, “Traffic Advisory Practices at Airports without Operating Control Towers

The website www.seeandavoid.org, which is funded by the FAA and the Air National Guard, provides pilots with information and education on airspace, visual identification, aircraft performance, and mutual hazards to safe flight to help eliminate midair collisions.
The FAA Aviation Safety Program publication “How to Avoid a Mid Air Collision” (P-8740-51), which describes pilot scanning techniques and offers a useful collision avoidance checklist, can be accessed from the FAA Safety Team’s web page at www.faasafety.gov.
This National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) safety alert and others can be accessed from the NTSB’s Safety Alerts web page at www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-alerts/Pages/default.aspx or searched from the NTSB home page at www.ntsb.gov.
 

This and other Safety Alerts are available at: http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-alerts/Documents/SA_045.pdf