MEC&F Expert Engineers : 07/08/15

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Missouri Teen confesses to 'hill jumping' in crash that killed woman, injured several


Posted: July 08, 2015
Cameron Kopecky, 19, pleaded guilty to charges including involuntary manslaughter for a 2013 crash that killed one woman and injured several people.
 
WARREN COUNTY, Mo. (KMOV.com) - 

A 19-year-old Warren County man confessed to "hill jumping" in his pick-up truck, which caused a three-vehicle crash that killed one woman and injured others in July 2013.

Cameron Kopecky of unincorporated Warren County pleaded guilty to a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter and a misdemeanor charge of operating a vehicle carelessly. He was 17 years old at the time of the accident.

Two vehicles were stopped on the side of the road with their hazard lights on to assist a vehicle in a ditch when Kopecky came over the hill at more than 75 miles per hour, causing a one of the stopped vehicles to hit the other, according to Missouri Highway Patrol.

Kopecky's Dodge Ram also hit 32-year-old Jennifer Graves, who was seriously injured and airlifted from the scene of the crash, along with Deborah Hughes, 58, who died from her injuries.

The crash occurred on Township Line Road west of Highway 47 in Warren County.

Graves filed a civil lawsuit against Kopecky and the passengers of his truck, seeking damages of more than $100,000.

In the lawsuit, Kopecky's passengers are accused of encouraging Kopecky to speed in order to go airborne while driving over hills, also known as "hill jumping." Two of Kopecky's passengers were injured.

Kopecky could be sentenced to up to four years in prison and a fine of $5,000 for the felony charge and up to a year in county jail and a $1,000 fine for the misdemeanor charge.

The sentencing will take place on September 1.

Woman hit, killed after trying to beat thetrain in Hinckley, Minnesota




HINCKLEY, Minn. - 

A woman trying to run across railroad tracks to beat a passing train was killed early Wednesday morning, according to authorities.

Pine County dispatch received a 911 call around 12:39 a.m. Wednesday regarding a woman who was hit by a train on Main Street East.

Upon arrival, authorities spoke with a witness who said the woman was trying to run across the tracks before the train when she was hit.

The intersection is marked with signals and crossing arms, which were all functioning correctly at the time of the accident.

The incident remains under investigation. The woman's identity has not been released.

Car crashes into Whyte Avenue apartment building in Edmonton, CA, killing young passenger


WATCH ABOVE: A 21-year-old woman is dead after a crash near Whyte Avenue and 99 Street. Lisa Wolansky reports.

EDMONTON — Speed and alcohol are believed to have played a role in a rollover that left a 21-year-old woman dead Wednesday morning in south Edmonton.

Police were called to Whyte Avenue near 99th Street shortly after 2 a.m., where they discovered an eastbound car had lost control and collided with trees, before rolling into the awning of the Red Lion apartment building at 9845 82 Ave.

Two people were inside the upside-down vehicle, police said. The female passenger was killed, while the 30-year-old male driver was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The avenue was closed to traffic in both directions between 98th and 99th Street early Wednesday morning, as traffic investigators worked to determine the cause.

The westbound lanes were later re-opened. Eastbound lanes remained closed Wednesday afternoon in the area as the trees damaged in the collision were removed.

Charges haven’t been laid against the driver.

It’s the 13th traffic fatality in Edmonton this year.

A 73-year-old woman has died after she was involved in a crash with a Norfolk Fire-Rescue utility truck in Virginia

Woman dies after crash with Norfolk Fire-Rescue utility truck





































NORFOLK

A 73-year-old woman has died after she was involved in a crash with a Norfolk Fire-Rescue utility truck this afternoon.

About 3:45 p.m., Norfolk police closed East Brambleton Avenue between Church Street and Tidewater Drive for the crash.

According to the preliminary investigation, the Norfolk Fire-Rescue utility truck was traveling east on Brambleton when the Dodge Stratus, driven by the 73-year-old woman, pulled out from Landing Street in front of the truck to try to make a left turn and travel westbound on Brambleton Avenue. Officer Daniel Hudson said the utility truck was not responding to an emergency and was not running its lights at the time of the crash.

The woman was taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The driver of the truck was treated at the scene for minor injuries, according to a police news release.

Members of the Norfolk Traffic Fatality Team were working at the scene for several hours. The road reopened about 7:40 p.m.

No other details were available.

A car crashed into a doughnut shop Tuesday evening in California, leaving one person dead and four others in critical condition.




JULY 8, 2015

GARDENA, CA (KTLA/CNN) - 

A car crashed into a doughnut shop Tuesday evening in California, leaving one person dead and four others in critical condition.

The accident happened after a car and SUV collided at an intersection near King Doughnut Shop. The crash sent the car into the building.

The woman was transported to the hospital in critical condition but later died from her injuries.

Among the four others injured were a 6-year-old boy and shop employee.
Police had not released a cause for the crash Tuesday night.

Read more: http://www.fox10tv.com

Probable cause of the crash of CESSNA 172D, registration: N2755U in Fairhope, Alabama

 


 
NTSB Identification: ERA14LA147
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, March 08, 2014 in Fairhope, AL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/22/2015
Aircraft: CESSNA 172D, registration: N2755U
Injuries: 1 Serious.
 
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot reported that the airplane entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern behind a large helicopter and that he followed the helicopter closely in the traffic pattern.

While on short final approach, the airplane remained behind the helicopter as the helicopter was terminating its approach about three-quarters down the runway. When the airplane was about 30 ft above the approach end of the runway, it banked and pitched suddenly, and it then impacted the ground. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation nor were any found during a postaccident examination of the wreckage.

A simulation modeling the helicopter’s trailing vortex-generating tendencies showed that vortices of significant strength were likely present at the airplane’s reported position at the time of the upset.

If the pilot had maintained adequate separation from the large helicopter during the approach to landing, the airplane likely would not have encountered the trailing vortices that caused the loss of airplane control.


The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: 


 The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate separation from a helicopter during the approach to landing, which resulted in an encounter with the helicopter’s trailing vortices, a loss of airplane control, and impact with terrain.

Probable cause of crash of the glider AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES A.S. L33 SOLO, registration: N318BA in Bunn, NC

 

 
NTSB Identification: ERA14LA199
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, April 13, 2014 in Bunn, NC
Probable Cause Approval Date: 07/07/2015
Aircraft: AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES A.S. L33 SOLO, registration: N318BA
Injuries: 1 Serious.
 
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The glider was towed aloft and then released. Shortly after, the glider pilot radioed the towplane pilot and informed him that he was returning to the airport.

 Because of the short duration of the glider flight, the towplane pilot asked the glider pilot if he wanted to be towed aloft again, and he replied that he did.

Witnesses on the ground reported observing the glider low on the downwind leg and then turning onto the base leg. Based on data from the onboard portable GPS receiver, the glider turned onto final approach and flew in a southerly direction toward the runway with its groundspeed decreasing from 34 to 25 knots during the last few seconds of the flight. The glider impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude, which caused the wing to separate.

Postaccident examination of the glider found no evidence of a preimpact failure or malfunction of the flight controls or air brakes, and the air brakes were retracted. The published stall speed for the glider with the air brakes retracted is about 34 knots indicated airspeed.

Although the indicated airspeed during the final portion of the flight could not be determined, the evidence indicates that the pilot likely failed to maintain adequate airspeed while approaching the airport, which resulted in a stall/mush.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
  • The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed while approaching the airport, which resulted in a stall/mush.

Probable cause of the crash of CESSNA T210L, registration: N1631X plane in Clayton, Alabama







NTSB Identification: ERA14LA179
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, April 03, 2014 in Clayton, AL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 07/07/2015
Aircraft: CESSNA T210L, registration: N1631X
Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 Uninjured.
 
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot receiving instruction reported that, about 1 hour into the flight, the engine “clunked and shuddered” and then lost total power. The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane and maneuvered it toward a nearby airport, and the pilot receiving instruction initiated an unsuccessful restart of the engine.

After determining that the airplane was not going to reach the airport, the flight instructor executed a forced landing to a road, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and firewall.

Examination of the engine crankshaft revealed that it had fractured at the No. 2 main bearing journal; the fracture surface exhibited evidence consistent with fatigue crack propagation. The adjacent bearing materials had deformed and disintegrated.

The failure of these components likely preceded the final fracture of the crankshaft. The bearing components from this section were generally too damaged to conclude the mode of failure. However, examination of the No. 6 bearing components and connecting rod bearing journal exhibited wear patterns and damage consistent with oil starvation; the oil starvation likely resulted from bearing movement, which can result from inadequate torque on the engine case through bolts.

Although the torque values on the through bolts could not be determined, the failure of the engine’s internal components and the oil starvation were consistent with the through bolts not being torqued properly.

Further, the damage was also consistent with damage found on another airplane engine that had experienced a crankshaft failure and oil starvation, which was determined to had been caused by the engine through bolts not being properly torqued (NTSB accident number ERA14LA193).

A review of maintenance records revealed that maintenance personnel had replaced the Nos. 2, 3, and 6 engine cylinders about 3 months before the accident. It is likely that maintenance personnel did not torque the through bolts in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications during this maintenance and that this led to the eventual fracture of the crankshaft.

Further, during postaccident engine examination, metal particles were found in the oil sump. The maintenance records indicated that the engine oil was changed the day before the accident.

However, the entry did not indicate that the oil filter was dissected or that the filter element was examined. It is likely that maintenance personnel did not examine the oil filter after the oil change and that, if they had examined the oil filter element, they would have detected the metal particles, which would have indicated an impending failure of an internal engine component.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
  • Maintenance personnel’s failure to properly torque the engine case through bolts, which resulted in the fatigue fracture of the crankshaft and subsequent total loss of engine power.

Probable cause of the deadly crash of CESSNA T207A, registration: N7311U plane in Paze, Arizona

 


 
NTSB Identification: WPR14FA186
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, May 10, 2014 in Page, AZ
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/18/2015
Aircraft: CESSNA T207A, registration: N7311U
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious, 5 Minor.
 
NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

During a local sightseeing flight, the pilot noticed that the engine had lost partial power, and he initiated a turn back toward the airport while troubleshooting the loss of power.

Despite the pilot’s attempts, the engine would not regain full power and was surging and sputtering randomly. The pilot entered the airport’s traffic pattern on the downwind leg, and, while on final approach to the runway, the airplane encountered multiple downdrafts and wind gusts.

It is likely that, due to the downdrafts and the partial loss of engine power, the pilot was not able to maintain airplane control. The airplane subsequently landed hard short of the runway surface and nosed over, coming to rest inverted.

The reported wind conditions around the time of the accident varied between 20 and 70 degrees right of the runway heading and were 14 knots gusting to greater than 20 knots.

In addition, a company pilot who landed about 8 minutes before the accident reported that he encountered strong downdrafts and windshear while on final approach to the runway and that he would not have been able to reach the runway if he had a partial or total loss of engine power.

Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The engine was subsequently installed on a test stand and was successfully run through various power settings for several minutes. The reason for the partial loss of engine power could not be determined.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:  


The pilot’s inability to maintain aircraft control due to a partial loss of engine power and an encounter with downdrafts and gusting crosswinds while on final approach to the runway. The reason for the partial loss of engine power could not be determined because postaccident examination revealed no mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable cause of the AIR TRACTOR INC AT 301, registration: N8593S crash in Pearsall, Texas

 
 
NTSB Identification: CEN14LA287
14 CFR Part 137: Agricultural
Accident occurred Thursday, June 12, 2014 in Pearsall, TX
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/22/2015
Aircraft: AIR TRACTOR INC AT 301, registration: N8593S
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
 
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot reported that, while returning to the airport after spraying a cornfield, he noticed that the engine cylinder head temperature was high.

After landing, he checked the engine cylinders for discrepancies and found none, so he decided to continue the spraying operations at the cornfield. As the pilot pulled up the airplane from a spray run, the engine started to vibrate and lose power.

 He subsequently made a forced landing in a nearby field, which resulted in the airplane sustaining substantial damage to both wings.

During postaccident examination, a considerable amount of metal was found in the oil drain. The No. 2 cylinder front spark plug was loose. After removing all of the spark plugs, an attempt was made to rotate the engine, but it seized.

After removing the No. 1 cylinder, it was discovered that the piston rod had broken at the link pin; no other rods were broken. The No. 1 cylinder link pin was scored, and there was evidence of oil starvation at the rod bearing.

 According to the operator, the engine had accrued about 100 hours since it had received extensive maintenance, including the replacement of the crankshaft. It is likely that the oil cooler was not properly flushed when the crankshaft was replaced and that metal and other debris remained in the oil, clogged the drain, and caused the piston to fail.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:  


The failure of the No. 1 cylinder rod at the link pin. Contributing to the accident was oil starvation to the rod bearing due to the improper flushing of the oil cooler, which allowed metal and other debris in the oil to clog the drain and the led to the piston’s failure.

Chattanooga, Tennessee, Man Charged with Solicitation to Burn Down a Mosque in Islamberg, New York

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
 
Chattanooga, Tennessee, Man Charged with Solicitation to Burn Down a Mosque in Islamberg, New York
 
Vanita Gupta, the head of the Civil Rights Division, and William C. Killian, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, announced today that a federal grand jury in Knoxville, Tennessee, returned a one-count indictment charging Robert Doggart, 63, with soliciting another person to violate federal civil rights laws by burning down a mosque in Islamberg, a hamlet in Hancock, New York.

According to court documents, Doggart planned an attack on Islamberg, a small settlement that is home to a large Muslim community.  Doggart’s plans included burning a mosque, a school and a cafeteria in the community, and he solicited others to join in his plan through Facebook posts and in telephone conversations. 

Doggart has been charged with one count of soliciting others to violate federal civil rights laws by intentionally defacing, damaging or destroying any religious property, because of the religious character of that property, or attempting to do so.  If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  It is being prosecuted by Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Saeed Mody and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Perry H. Piper and Chris Poole of the Eastern District of Tennessee.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Chief Mate of the ocean cargo vessel M/V Murcia Carrier Sentenced to Three Months in Prison for failing to maintain an accurate oil record book in violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships

 

 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
 
Chief Mate Sentenced to Three Months in Prison for Environmental Crimes 
 
Valerii Georgiev, 42, a Russian citizen, and the former chief mate of the ocean cargo vessel M/V Murcia Carrier, was sentenced to a term of three months prison for failing to maintain an accurate oil record book in violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS), by the Honorable Joseph Rodriguez, the Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division and the U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey announced today.

APPS requires vessels like the M/V Murcia Carrier to maintain a record known as an oil record book in which all transfers and disposals of oil-contaminated waste, including the discharge overboard of such waste, must be fully and accurately recorded. 

On April 27, 2014, at the direction of Georgiev, crew members on board the M/V Murcia Carrier dumped overboard several barrels containing some hydraulic oil.  While Georgiev disputes the number of barrels dumped into the sea, the government believes that approximately 20 barrels of hydraulic oil were dumped overboard.  The dumping occurred in international waters off the coast of Florida while the vessel was in transit from Costa Rica to New Jersey.  

The dumping was not recorded in the ship’s oil record book.  During the course of the Coast Guard boarding, Georgiev denied that dumping occurred and instructed crew members on board the vessel to deny that dumping had occurred.

On June 17, 2015, Norbulk Shipping UK Ltd, a company in Glasgow, United Kingdom and operator of the M/V Murcia Carrier pleaded guilty failing to maintain an accurate oil record logbook and providing false statements with respect to the vessel’s garbage record book.  The company was sentenced to pay a fine of $750,000 and placed on probation for three years. 

The case was investigated by U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service.  The case was prosecuted by Joel La Bissonniere of the Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O’Leary and Matthew Smith of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of New Jersey.

The two people injured in fatal Flight-for-Life helicopter crash in Colorado that killed the pilot have been identified





 JULY 8, 2015

KUSA, COLORADO

The two people injured in a Flight-for-Life helicopter crash that killed the pilot were identified Monday.

Nurses Matt Bowe and Dave Repsher were aboard the helicopter at the time of the crash in Frisco Friday afternoon. The two were seriously injured and continue to recover at a Denver hospital.

The pilot, 64-year-old Patrick Mahany, did not survive. Mahany had to be removed from the wreckage.

The chopper came down in a parking lot on the west side of St. Anthony Summit Medical Center, about 100 meters from the hospital's helipad.

The helicopter was taking off from the Frisco hospital on a non-medical call when it began to spiral out of control and crash into a truck, a trailer and then into the ground, witness Curt Weitkunat said. He said the chopper was trying to gain altitude in windy conditions.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash.

A memorial service for Mahany will be held Friday at 10 a.m. at the Dillon Amphitheater, located on West Lodgepole Street.

9 People hospitalized after car collides with van head-on on I-77 in West Virginia




JULY 8, 2015

MERCER COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA
 
An accident involving two cars shut down part of I-77 on Wednesday, July 8, 2015. 

It happened around 5:45 p.m. near the Camp Creek exit in Mercer County. 

A West Virginia State Trooper on scene told 59News nine people were taken to the hospital.

The trooper said a car came from the southbound side across the median, and hit a van on the northbound side.

Princeton Rescue Squad, Turnpike police and the Bluestone Valley Fire Department responded. Crews on the scene said the rain and wet roads was likely to blame for the crash.

Two lanes of I-77 north were closed for about an hour and a half. All lanes were reopened as of 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Girl, 12, killed in Illinois ATV crash


Written By LeeAnn Shelton 
 
JULY 7, 2015
 
NOKOMIS, Ill.

A 12-year-old west suburban girl died after she and her father were involved in an ATV crash in downstate Illinois on the Fourth of July.

About 6:50 p.m. Saturday, Isabella S. Erickson was driving the Polaris Trail Blazer 250 ATV with her father as a passenger near the city of Nokomis when the vehicle left the roadway, struck a tree and turned over, according to a statement from the Montgomery County sheriff’s office.


The west suburban Montgomery residents were both airlifted to a hospital in Springfield, about 43 miles away, where Erickson was later pronounced dead.
Her father remains hospitalized, the sheriff’s office said.

Erickson was a student at Plank Junior High School in Oswego, according to a statement issued by School District 308 Supt. Matthew Wendt.

“At this time, words cannot express our grief and our heart-felt sympathy for Isabella’s entire family,” Wendt said in the statement. “Family and friends have shared how Isabella was a wonderfully warm and caring girl who displayed remarkable talent in art.”

“She will be deeply missed by her fellow students, teachers, and the staff at Plank Junior High and throughout the district,” Wendt said.

A visitation is scheduled from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday at Dieterle Funeral Home in Montgomery, the school district said. The family welcomes students who wish to attend, and asks them to wear a tie-dyed shirt in her memory.

A funeral service will take place 10 a.m. Monday, also at Dieterle Funeral Home, according to the school district.

Plank Junior High School will have a crisis counseling team on site Monday to meet with students and staff, the school district said.

State Trooper, 2 others injured in I-95 crash in Maryland


LAUREL, Md. (WUSA9) -- 


An accident involving a state trooper shut down all southbound lanes on I-95 during rush hour Wednesday.

The crash happened between Route 175 and Route 32 in Howard County around 3 p.m. while the trooper was conducting a traffic stop.

The trooper was out of his car, on the shoulder of the road talking to the driver he had pulled over when a second car hit him and the stopped car.

Bother drivers and the trooper were injured. The tropper was taken to Shock Trauma in Baltimore.The two drivers were taken to Howard County General Hospital.

The conditions of the three victims are unknown.



One of two workers is back on the job after a truss collapse at the future site of a Kwik Trip in Duluth, MN

One of two workers injured on Kwik Trip build site back on the job

By Kevin Jacobsen



July 8, 2015
  Duluth, MN (NNCNOW.com) -- 

One of two workers is back on the job after a truss collapse at the future site of a Kwik Trip in Duluth.

The two workers suffered minor injuries in the collapse Tuesday at the Central Entrance and Arlington Avenue location.

Jerry Shea, the president of the contracting company, "Market and Johnson", says a safety inspector was on site today investigating the collapse.

The store is one of several Kwik Trips being built across the Northland.

Driver took his eyes off the road to take a drink of coffee and caused the rollover of the truck

Glue truck driver rolls over embankment after taking sip of coffee

By Amy Khuu






July 7, 2015 Updated Jul 8, 2015 at 2:22 PM EDT
 
Colesville, NY (WBNG Binghamton) 

The Broome County Sheriff's Office responded to a tractor trailer rollover on Rt. 88 Westbound in Sanitaria Springs on Tuesday afternoon.

Broome County Sheriff's Deputies responded to the scene around 1 p.m.

A tractor trailer loaded with 76,000 lbs of glue went off the right hand shoulder of the highway and down over an embankment, according to deputies. 

The truck traveled 200-300 feet, jackknifed and became wedged between trees. The saddle bag tanks on the truck were punctured and 75-100 gallons of diesel fuel was spilled, according to officials.

According to the sheriff's office, the driver said he took his eyes off the road to take a drink of coffee when the passenger’s side tires of the vehicle went off a slight incline on the right shoulder of the roadway and he lost control. 

The driver, Dariusz Salata, 44, of Mount Prospect, Illinois was not injured in the accident. 

Salata was issued a traffic summons to the Town of Colesville Court for Failure to Maintain Designated Lane, a violation. 

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the New York State Police Truck Enforcement Unit, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Department of Transportation and the Sanitaria Springs Fire Department.

Female Postal worker injured in mail truck rollover in Binghamton, NY


By Anna Norris






July 8, 2015
 
Town of Binghamton, NY (WBNG Binghamton) 

A U.S. Postal Service worker was trapped inside a mail truck Wednesday afternoon after the vehicle overturned.

The accident happened around 2:30 p.m. on Stevens Road, between Park Avenue and Morgan Road, in the town of Binghamton.

According to Assistant Town of Binghamton Fire Chief Russ Cole, the female postal worker had to be cut out of the mail truck.

Cole says the driver was conscious, alert and breathing when she was put into the ambulance and taken to the hospital. The extent of her injuries were not immediately known.

Multiple agencies assisted at the scene. The crash is still under investigation.

Worker injured during rescue attempt due comp benefits because he was within the course and scope of his employment

A worker was within the course and scope of his employment when he sustained injuries trying to help a co-worker who had fallen into a concrete pit full of methane gas at a worksite, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania has ruled.

Franklin Pound began working for Pipeline Systems Inc. installing pipelines and manholes at the Sewickley Borough Sanitation Department Plant in January 2010, court records show.

Mr. Pound was installing a new pipeline in July 2010 when he heard someone yell “man down” by the concrete pit located about 30 feet away, according to records. 

Another worker was lying at the bottom of the pit, so Mr. Pound, the plant manager and an inspector descended the ladder to help, records show. Upon reaching the bottom of the pit and examining the worker, Mr. Pound realized the worker was dead. 

While trying to climb out of the pit, he lost consciousness and fell about 20 feet to the bottom, according to records. He was hospitalized and later learned there had been methane gas in the pit. 

Listing injuries to his left leg, knee, foot, ribs, back and lungs, Mr. Pound filed a workers compensation claim petition in November 2010, but Pipeline Systems denied that he was within the course and scope of his employment when he was injured, according to records. 

However, in April 2012, a workers compensation judge issued an interlocutory decision and order stating that Mr. Pound was within the course and scope of employment, records show.

Pipeline Systems appealed to the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Appeal Board, which affirmed the judge's order in August 2014, according to records. Pipeline Systems appealed the board's decision to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania.

On Tuesday, the Commonwealth Court affirmed the board's order, ruling that Mr. Pound is entitled to workers comp benefits.

The ruling states that, according to the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act, an injury arises out of the court and scope of employment if it occurs “in furtherance of the business or affairs of the employer, as well as other injuries which occur on premises occupied or controlled by the employer.” 

In addition, the Pennsylvania General Assembly amended the Workers' Compensation Act in 2003 to provide benefits for “an employee who, while in the course and scope of his employment, goes to the aid of a person and suffers injury or death as a direct result of … rendering emergency care, first aid or rescue at the scene of an emergency,” according to the ruling.

At the time of the emergency, Mr. Pound was “engaged in the furtherance of (Pipeline Systems') business or affairs and was, therefore, within the course and scope of his employment,” the ruling states.