MEC&F Expert Engineers : 03/09/17

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Old pilot killed after his Pitts S2E Special home-built plane, clipped a tree and impacted airport terrain during a landing attempt at Cox Airport (NC81) in Apex, North Carolina.








APEX, N.C. -- The NTSB continues to investigate a fatal plane crash in Apex.

It happened Wednesday afternoon off Fern Valley Lane near US Highway 64.

Officials say 80-year-old Bruce Jordan Junior of Cary, crashed as he was landing his plane and hit a tree near Cox Airfield.

It is still unclear at this time exactly what caused the plane to go down.

The single engine plane was a Pitts S2E aircraft built by the pilot.




Date:

08-MAR-2017
Time: -16:00
Type: Pitts S2E Special
Owner/operator: Private
Registration: N30BJ
C/n / msn: BJ-3
Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: Cox Airport (NC81), Apex, NC - United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature: Private
Departure airport:

Destination airport: Cox (NC81)
Narrative:
The aircraft, an experimental Jordan built Pitts S2E Special, clipped a tree and impacted airport terrain during a landing attempt at Cox Airport (NC81) in Apex, North Carolina. The aerobatic biplane sustained substantial damage and the sole pilot onboard received fatal injuries.

Sources:
http://www.twcnews.com/nc/triangle-sandhills/news/2017/03/8/pilot-killed-in-small-plane-crash-near-apex.html
http://www.wral.com/small-plane-crashes-in-apex-airfield/16573442/
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=30BJ

A home-made Sportsman GS-2 plane experienced a runway excursion and subsequent impact with trees upon landing at Trenton-Robbinsville Airport (N87) in Robbinsville, New Jersey.










MARCH 9, 2017

ROBBINSVILLE, N.J. (WPVI) --

Authorities are investigating a small plane crash in Mercer County that left a pilot injured.

It happened before 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Trenton Robbinsville Airport on Sharon Road.

Police say the pilot of a single engine plane was trying to land and lost control.

The plane ended up a wooded area adjacent to the runway.

Video from Chopper 6 HD showed one wing partially separated from plane's fuselage.

The pilot, who was alone in the plane, was taken to the Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton with injuries described as minor.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the crash.


N237PM Aircraft Registration
Aircraft Summary

Summary
2015 PEDERSEN BJARNE MARTIN SPORTSMAN GS-2
Fixed wing single engine
(4 seats / 1 engine)

Owner
PEDERSEN BJARNEMARTIN
NEW YORK , NY, US
(Individual)

Airworthiness Class
Experimental

Serial Number
7423

Engine
THIELERT TAE125-02-114 (Reciprocating)
Horsepower: 152

Weight
Less than 12,500lbs

Speed
Not defined

Mode S Code
050421722 / A223D2





Date:

09-MAR-2017
Time: 13:30
Type:
Glasair Sportsman GS-2
Owner/operator: Private
Registration: N237PM
C/n / msn: 7423
Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Substantial
Location: Trenton-Robbinsville Airport (N87), Robbinsville, NJ - United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature: Unknown
Departure airport:

Destination airport: Trenton-Robbinsville (N87)
Narrative:
The aircraft, an experimental Pedersen built Sportsman GS-2, experienced a runway excursion and subsequent impact with trees upon landing at Trenton-Robbinsville Airport (N87) in Robbinsville, New Jersey. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the sole pilot onboard received undetermined injuries.

Sources:


http://nj1015.com/plane-crashes-at-robbinsville-airport-injuries-reported/
http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2017/03/plane_crashes_into_woods_near_robbinsville_airport.html
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N237PM
https://www.flickr.com/photos/egbj/21551941296



========= By Kevin Shea | For NJ.com


on March 09, 2017 at 2:00 PM, updated March 09, 2017 at 3:54 PM




ROBBINSVILLE, NJ -- A small plane crashed into a wooded area near a runway while trying to land at Robbinsville Airport Thursday afternoon, police said.

The pilot, identified only as a 79-year-old man, was the only person on board and had injuries to his face in the 1:10 p.m. crash, police spokesman Lt. Michael Polaski said.

He was out of the plane when first responders arrived at the scene and was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton for treatment.

Polaski said the pilot was approaching the airport from the west in a home-built plane when he suddenly lost control and crashed south of the landing strip. The runway runs parallel to Sharon Road.

The plane is a Sportsman GS-2 registered to Bjarne Martin Pedersen, of New York, N.Y., Federal Aviation Administration records show.

Police said they could not confirm if Pedersen was the pilot.

The plane is manufactured in kit form by Glasair Aviation, and then assembled by the owner, the company says.

The crash also caused a fuel spill at the scene, police said. The Robbinsville Fire Department also responded.

Federal aviation authorities were notified of the crash and are investigating, police said.

Johnthony K. Walker, 24, of Chattanooga, TN, indicted with 6 counts of vehicular homicide, reckless driving, reckless endangerment, using a cellphone while behind the wheel of a bus, and four counts of reckless aggravated assault.






The driver of a school bus filled with elementary students when it crashed in Chattanooga, killing at least five children, has been arrested and faces charges including vehicular homicide. Johnthony Walker was arrested on Monday. (Nov. 22, 2016) COURTESY WTVC

A man police say was behind the wheel of a school bus when it crashed in Chattanooga in November, killing six elementary students on board, has been indicted.

The indictment of Johnthony K. Walker, 24, includes six counts of vehicular homicide, one for each child killed. It also charges him with reckless driving, reckless endangerment, using a cellphone while behind the wheel of a bus, and four counts of reckless aggravated assault.

Walker is scheduled to be arraigned on March 24 in Hamilton County Criminal Court.

In a prior hearing in the case in December, Chattanooga police investigators testified that Walker was going an estimated 20 mph over the speed limit when the bus crashed on a curve on Talley Road on Nov. 21. There were 37 students from Woodmore Elementary School on board at the time.

Killed were: 10-year-old Zyanna Harris, 9-year-old Cor'Dayja Jones, 9-year-old Zoie Nash, 8-year-old Keonte Wilson, 6-year-old D'Myunn Brown and 6-year-old Zyaira Mateen. More than 20 other students were injured.

As state and federal agencies began investigations of the wreck, it was revealed that students had complained about Walker's driving before, and the private company he worked for, Durham School Services, based in Warrenville, Ill., had a history of crashes in Tennessee. Those issues are cited in a flurry of civil lawsuits filed by the children's families.

=====




CHATTANOOGA, TN — A school bus that crashed last month, killing six Chattanooga elementary students just days before Thanksgiving, was going approximately 20 miles over the speed limit at the time, a police officer testified Thursday.

Chattanooga Police Officer Joe Warren outlined the investigation that led to the arrest of the driver, Johnthony Walker, during a 90-minute court hearing.

He said police estimated the bus’ speed at between 48 and 52 mph. The speed limit on the road was 30 mph. Warren also revealed in his testimony that there were three video cameras that recorded the inside of the bus.

"The videos are very disturbing, and I don't want to describe a whole lot," said the 21-year department veteran, who estimated he'd investigated hundreds of deadly wrecks involving cars and commercial trucks. The Nov. 21 incident was his first fatal crash involving a school bus, he said.

Walker is seen using his cellphone while children were on the bus while it was parked, according to Warren's testimony. Police are sifting through 1,400 pages of Walker’s cellphone records for more information.

Powerful winds uprooted huge trees and many came crashing down on multiple homes in Kalamazoo County, Michigan



KALAMAZOO, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - The powerful winds are causing not only major power outages, but major property damage on Wednesday.


Newschannel 3's Alex Jokich has been scoping out the worst of it in Kalamazoo County to see how wicked damage done by the winds.

The wind snapped massive trees in half, one crushing a man's garage and just narrowly missing his sports car.

The damage done by the wind pretty widespread on Wednesday. The wind uprooted huge trees and many came crashing down on multiple homes in Kalamazoo County.

A man in Galesburg had a tree crush his home and his car.

The downed trees and powerlines caused a big hassle for drivers and many roads were blocked, causing detours and delays throughout the day.

Gusty winds ripped off business signs, like the one at the Kalamazoo Inn, which was hanging in a state of disarray.

Many people across the state are left with a big mess to clean up.

Doug Annis, the man whose garage was destroyed, said he's just happy the winds were blowing in the right direction.

Annis said, "I thought one day if that tree ever falls hopefully it falls that way instead of on the house and so it fell that way!"

He says he is relieved it's just his garage and his house was spared in this whole mess.

"I actually do feel lucky that I wasn't hurt or anything it's just one of those things you don't want it to happen but I'm hoping I'm going to get a new garage out of this!"

Unfortunately, not everyone was so lucky and many people will be making claims to the insurance companies to help pay to repair the damage to their property.

The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services has some tips when dealing with your insurance company.

If you plan to make a claim, contact your insurance agent as soon as possible and keep a record of who you talk to and when you talk to them.

Make temporary repairs to prevent further damage, like covering up holes with tarps.

Take pictures of the damage is possible.Make a list of everything that was damaged and be sure to ask your insurance provider about what is covered in your plan