MEC&F Expert Engineers : 09/26/18

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

THOSE CROOKED ITALIANS: Roy Tuccillo Sr., 58, and his son, Roy Tuccillo Jr., 31, both of Jericho, and two of their Westbury food processing and distribution companies, Anchor Frozen Foods Inc., and Advanced Frozen Foods Inc., accused of importing giant squid from Peru and marketing and selling it to grocery stores as octopus


 Roy Tuccillo Sr., 58





FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Long Island Companies and Owners Charged With Falsely Labeling Squid as Octopus


A federal grand jury indicted two Long Island corporations and their owners for their scheme to falsely label seafood that was later sold across the country. The indictment accuses Roy Tuccillo Sr., 58, and his son, Roy Tuccillo Jr., 31, both of Jericho, and two of their Westbury food processing and distribution companies, Anchor Frozen Foods Inc., and Advanced Frozen Foods Inc., of importing giant squid from Peru and marketing and selling it to grocery stores as octopus. The four defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and violate the Lacey Act, as well as four substantive Lacey Act violations.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and Director James Landon of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) announced the indictment today.

“NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement is dedicated to enforcing federal marine resource laws, including the Lacey Act and its provisions on mislabeling,” said James Landon, OLE’s Director. “This investigation is a great example of how we collaboratively work with other federal partners, such as the Food and Drug Administration, to combat seafood fraud.”

Octopus and squid are distinct species of fish with great variance in their taxonomy, habitat, and physical characteristics. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration permits that food companies selling squid market it by its name or as calamari, while octopus is the only acceptable name when selling octopus. In general, octopus has a greater retail price than squid. The indictment alleges that for over three years the defendants fraudulently imported, processed, marketed, sold, and distributed over 113,000 pounds of octopus that was actually squid.

The Lacey Act prohibits submitting false descriptions of fish that were transported and sold in interstate commerce. The defendants are charged with four counts of defrauding grocery stores in New Jersey and Massachusetts.

This case was investigated by the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement with assistance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Ryan Connors and Senior Trial Attorney David Kehoe of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 


========================================



Business Owners Sentenced For Stealing $120K From Workers
The men failed to adequately pay workers at their Long Island food-processing plant for five years. 


By Paige McAtee, Patch Staff 


May 23, 2018


Westbury meat-processing facility owners were sentenced on Tuesday for their involvement in to failing to properly pay workers and falsifying payroll records to conceal up to $120,555 in wage theft, according to the New York Attorney General's Office.

Roy S. Tuccillo Sr. who owned and operated Diversified Processors, Inc. and Processors Inc., located at 32 Urban Ave., alongside Roy Tuccillo Jr. failed to adequately pay workers overtime and minimum wages from 2012 to 2017.

Roy Tuccillo Sr., was sentenced to three years of felony probation, the restitution payment of $120,555 and an additional $500 fine.. Roy Tuccillo Jr., Diversified Processors, Inc., and Processors, Inc., were each sentenced to conditional discharges and a $500 fine.


An Attorney General's investigation revealed the men exploited workers in several ways:

Telling workers that they would be paid only for their first 40 hours of work per week, even though they often worked 60 or more hours.
Failing to maintain workers' compensation insurance despite the many work hazards and history of workers injuries at the facility. The Worker's Compensation Board issued a Stop-Work order in 2016 because the facility did not have worker's compensation insurance.
Failing to retain the time cards that workers used to punch in and out, and then deliberately falsifying those workers' hours by using several different payroll provider companies.

"Workers are entitled to a fair day's pay for a fair day's work," Acting Attorney General Barbara Underwood said in a press release.

Roy S. Tuccillo Sr., Diversified Processors, Inc., and Processors Inc., pleaded guilty on March 27 to fourth-degree grand larceny and failure to pay wages. Roy Tuccillo Jr. also pleaded guilty on March 27 to failure to pay wages for his involvement.

Department of Veterans Affairs: 10 percent increase in the rate of suicide among younger vets, even as the overall rate among veterans decreased. There were more than 6,000 Veteran suicides each year from 2008 to 2016




THERE SO MANY MENTALLY ILL SOLDIERS AND THEY ARE ARMED WITH LETHAL WEAPONS.  There were more than 6,000 Veteran suicides each year from 2008 to 2016 . (Page 4 of the report).  Thank god that these 6,000 mentally-ill vets kill themselves and not turn the gun towards the public.  However, several hundred people are killed every year by former or current soldiers.



VA: Suicide rate for younger veterans increased by more than 10 percent



By: Leo Shane III   2 hours ago

  New data released by the Department of Veterans Affairs on Wednesday showed an increase in the rate of suicide among younger vets, even as the overall rate among veterans decreased. (Airman 1st Class Kathryn R.C. Reaves/Air Force)



WASHINGTON, DC — 


The suicide rate among all veterans decreased slightly but the rate among young veterans increased dramatically in the latest figures released by the Department of Veterans Affairs on Wednesday.


The research, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, comes a day before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee is scheduled to question department officials over progress with suicide prevention efforts and shows mixed results from those programs.

In 2016, the most recent data available, the suicide rate for veterans was 1.5 times greater than for Americans who never served in the military. About 20 veterans a day across the country take their own lives, and veterans accounted for 14 percent of all adult suicide deaths in the U.S. in 2016, even though only 8 percent of the country’s population has served in the military.

Still, VA officials touted “great strides in crisis intervention” with the release of the latest data, including an expansion of the department’s crisis hotline and expanded mental health support services.

The report showed thousands more troops taking their own lives than official military records had previously reported. 


By: Leo Shane III

Veterans who have regular contact with VA health services are less likely to commit suicide than those with little or no interactions.

“To prevent veteran suicide, we must help reduce veterans’ risk for suicide before they reach a crisis point and support those who are in crisis,” the new report states. “This requires the expansion of treatment and prevention services and a continued focus on innovative crisis intervention services.



“It also requires effective networks of support, communication, and care across the communities where veterans live and work.”



According to the report, the suicide rate of veterans aged 18 to 34 steadily increased from 2006 to 2016, with a jump of more than 10 percent from 2015 to 2016. That translates into 45 deaths per 100,000 veterans, the highest of any age group.



But since the majority of veterans are older, the majority of suicides are also among older veterans. Nearly 60 percent of veterans suicide in 2016 were from individuals 55 or older.






Nationally, the suicide rate among all adults rose from 2005 to 2016 by nearly 21 percent, indicating the challenges facing prevention efforts may also be affected by non-military and non-veteran factors. Among veterans alone, the rate was up 26 percent over that span.

VA Secretary Robert Wilkie has pledged to keep suicide prevention among his top priorities, mirroring promises from his predecessor, David Shulkin. Department officials began emphasizing mental health care and support services in the last decade, as research showed rising rates of suicide among active-duty troops.

A survey by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America last fall found that more than half of their members know a post-Sept. 11 service member who has committed suicide.

To contact the Veteran Crisis Line, callers can dial 1-800-273-8255 and select option 1 for a VA staffer. Veterans, troops or their families members can also text 838255 or visit VeteransCrisisLine.net for assistance.

Maersk has implemented new guidelines on the stowage of dangerous goods after a review of its safety procedures in the aftermath of the devastating Maersk Honam fire



Maersk Honam fire in the Arabian Sea.



Maersk Says New Dangerous Goods Guidelines to Improve Containership Safety After Maersk Honam Fire

September 26, 2018 by Mike Schuler


The world’s top shipping line Maersk has implemented new guidelines on the stowage of dangerous goods after a review of its safety procedures in the aftermath of the devastating Maersk Honam fire back in March.

The shipping company says the new guidelines will improve safety across its fleet of container vessels.

“Following the tragic fire aboard Maersk Honam in March this year, Maersk took measures and implemented additional preliminary guidelines for stowage of dangerous goods,” Maersk said in a press release announcing the guidelines. “The company evaluated over 3,000 United Nations (UN) numbers of hazardous materials in order to further understand and improve dangerous cargo stowage onboard container vessels and developed a new set of principles called Risk Based Dangerous Goods Stowage.”


Working with the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Maersk held a workshop with other industry representatives to conduct a comprehensive Hazard Identification study that validated the new guidelines. Maersk has now now implemented the guidelines across Maersk Line’s fleet of more than 750 vessels.

In March of this year, five crew members of the Ultra Large Container Vessel (ULCV) Maersk Honam were killed when a major fire started in a forward cargo hold of the ship. Maersk said that although dangerous goods were present in the cargo hold where the fire originated, there was no evidence to suggest that dangerous goods had caused the fire, and as of today Maersk is still awaiting the investigation to establish the root cause of the fire.


“All cargo aboard Maersk Honam was accepted as per the requirements of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code and stowed onboard the vessel accordingly. Despite this, as the fire originated in a cargo hold in front of the accommodation which held several containers with dangerous goods, it had an unbearably tragic outcome,” says Ole Graa Jakobsen, Head of Fleet Technology at Maersk.

“This clearly showed us that the international regulations and practices with regards to dangerous goods stowage needs to be reviewed in order to optimally protect crew, cargo, environment and vessels.”

Maersk said the new guidelines, which it calls theRisk Based Dangerous Goods Stowage principles, have been developed with the aim of minimising risk to crew, cargo, environment and vessel in case a fire develops. “The different container vessel designs were reviewed from a risk mitigation perspective and ultimately six different risk zones defined,” Maersk explains.

“Cargo covered under the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code will no longer be stowed next to accommodation and main propulsion plant which is defined as the zone with the lowest risk tolerance. Similarly, risk tolerance will be low below deck and in the middle of the vessel, whereas the risk tolerance will be higher on deck fore and aft. Utilising statistics on container fires in the Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS), Maersk defined which UN numbers can be stored in each risk zone,” said Maersk.

Maersk will continue to review its rules and policies for accepting dangerous goods and assess how to further improve them. Together with other members of the CINS, Maersk said it seeking to channel these experiences into developing new industry best practices.

Denmark-based Maersk has also presented Risk Based Dangerous Goods Stowage to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as well as the Danish Maritime Authorities.

“Container ship fires are a problem for our entire industry and we intend to share and discuss our learnings from this thorough review within relevant industry forums. We very much believe that discussions, views and insights among container carriers can further improve fire safety in our industry,” says Ole Graa Jakobsen. “We aim for long term improvements by reviewing our systems and then designing an end-to-end process that is safe for our seafarers and smooth for our customers.”

In the coming months, a review aimed at creating best management practices for dangerous goods stowage will be undertaken with help from ABS, Lloyds Register, the International Group of PandI Clubs, National Cargo Bureau, the TT Club and Exis Technologies. Once the project is completed the best management practices will be published and presented to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

The Coast Guard determined that potential hazards associated with and resulting from high waters are present and have established safety zones effective Monday, Sept. 24 through Oct. 19 to protect personnel, vessels and the marine environment.


Crew members from the U.S. Coast Guard Gulf Strike Team, from Mobile, Alabama, and Coast Guard Station Georgetown rescued 10 people and four pets Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018 after floodwaters spilled into an apartment complex near Socastee, South Carolina, Sept. 19, 2018. Due to Hurricane Florence, rivers flooding from the north continue to pose a threat to communities throughout South Carolina. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)



CHARLESTON, S.C. — 

The U.S. Coast Guard and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources have determined that potential hazards associated with and resulting from high waters are present and have established safety zones effective Monday, Sept. 24 through Oct. 19 to protect personnel, vessels and the marine environment.

The Coast Guard Captain of the Port has set a temporary safety zones that prohibit vessel transit on all waters in the following areas:

  • Intracoastal Waterway from Winyah Bay to the Little River Swing Bridge
  • Waccamaw River between U. S. Business Highway 501 and U. S. Highway 501 in Conway
  • Sampit River
  • Great Pee Dee River from Winyah Bay northward to the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge
  • Black River from its junction with the Great Pee Dee northward to U.S. Highway 701 Bridge

“The U.S. Coast Guard, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and our extensive network of federal, state and local partners have been constantly evaluating the situation and potential public safety threats caused by record-breaking flooding throughout the Pee Dee region of South Carolina,” said Lt. J.B. Zorn, Coast Guard public information officer, South Carolina. “To best protect the public from potential hazards, safety and exclusionary zones have been established. We remind the public to seek permission on a case-by-case basis to enter a safety zone through a designated representative, preferably on-scene. Please avoid rumors during this extremely dangerous situation.”

To seek permission to enter the safety zone; recreational vessels may contact SCDNR at 843-915-5990, commercial vessels may contact USCG at 843-323-7761, or through a designated on-scene representative. A designated representative means federal, state, or a local law enforcement officer assisting the USCG or SCDNR in the enforcement of the safety zones. Those in the safety zone must comply with all lawful orders or directions given to them by the USCG or SCDNR designated representatives.

Marine Safety Information Bulletins 39-18 and 40-18 can be viewed here.

OSHA cited pretzel manufacturer J&J Snack Foods Corp. after a worker at its Pennsauken, New Jersey, plant suffered a partial finger amputation. The company faces $206,019 in proposed penalties.






U.S. Department of Labor Cites South Jersey Pretzel Manufacturer For Safety Hazards, Proposes $206,019 in Penalties


PENNSAUKEN, NJ – 


The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited pretzel manufacturer J&J Snack Foods Corp. after a worker at its Pennsauken, New Jersey, plant suffered a partial finger amputation. The company faces $206,019 in proposed penalties.

OSHA inspectors determined that the worker was cleaning a machine when it activated. OSHA cited the company for willfully failing to conduct periodic inspections of its energy control procedures used to de-energize equipment when cleaning; and failing to implement lockout/tagout procedures to prevent unintentional machine startup, and train employees on lockout/tagout procedures and hazards.

"The employer's failure to correct previously identified violations and follow basic safety standards resulted in this preventable incident," said Paula Dixon-Roderick, OSHA Area Director in Marlton, New Jersey. "Employers are legally required to implement appropriate procedures and provide training to protect employees."

The employer has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to help ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education, and assistance. For more information, visit https://www.osha.gov.

A truck driver, Joseph Dean Pell, 61, of Fremont, MI, died in eastern Muskegon County, MI after his semi-truck was T-boned by a black Honda CRV whose driver failed to stop at a stop sign







HOLTON TOWNSHIP, MI - 


A truck driver died Sunday afternoon in a two-vehicle rollover crash in eastern Muskegon County, according to the Muskegon County Sheriff's Office.

The truck driver has been identified as Joseph Pell, of Fremont, who was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a news release issued Tuesday, Sept. 25, by the sheriff's office. Pell was pinned inside his vehicle following the crash and was unresponsive when deputies arrived.

The crash occurred around 3:18 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 23, near the intersection of South Maple Island Avenue and Marvin Road in Holton Township. It involved Pell, driving a semi-truck, and a black Honda CRV carrying two individuals from the Grant area, according to the release.

Sheriff's deputies have not identified the other two individuals involved in the crash. The incident remains under investigation, according to the sheriff's office.


Investigators wrote that the Honda CRV was traveling westbound on Marvin Road, which turns into 80th Street, and failed to stop at a stop sign, according to the release. The intersection is controlled by a stop sign on Marvin Road while traffic on South Maple Island has the right-of-way.

Pell was traveling southbound on Maple Island Avenue when the Honda CRV struck his truck, the release states. The impact rolled the truck onto its cab.

Debris and automobile parts scattered the roadway, and sheriff's deputies from Muskegon and Newaygo counties were on scene collecting evidence and directing traffic. Holton Township firefighters were also on scene. Traffic was blocked a half mile from the crash on Maple Island Avenue.


It is unclear whether Pell was wearing a seat belt of if the vehicle had airbags installed.

Both occupants in the Honda CRV were wearing seat belts at the time of crash, and the vehicle's airbags did deploy, according to the release. They were treated for minor injuries. It is unclear whether they were treated on scene or taken to a hospital. 





========================================

Joseph Dean Pell - Obituary




Date of Birth : Jan 29 1958


Date Deceased : Sep 23 2018

Location : Fremont, Michigan



It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Joseph Dean Pell of Fremont, Michigan, who passed away on September 23rd 2018, leaving to mourn family and friends. Family and friends can send flowers and/or light a candle as a loving gesture for their loved one. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of Joseph Dean Pell to show support.He was loved and cherished by many people including : his wife, Renee Pell; his children, Kyle Dean Pell, Kayla Lynn Pell; his brothers, Gary Pell (Deb), Dan Pell (Gladys), Andy Pell (Sherry), Tom Pell (Merri).

A Michigan road construction worker, 20, was killed and another critically injured when they were struck by a speeding female car driver in a construction zone on U.S. 31 in the Village of Bear Lake in Manistee County







Worker killed, another injured in construction zone crash 


By ABC12 News Team |
Wedneday, September 26, 2018

 
MANISTEE COUNTY, Mich. (AP) - (09/25/18) - 


A Michigan construction worker was killed and another injured when they were struck by a car in a construction zone on U.S. 31 in Manistee County.

The incident occurred Tuesday afternoon in the Village of Bear Lake.

Manistee County sheriff's deputies say a 20-year-old worker of Pentwater was standing off road with a 23-year-old worker from Ludington when the car struck them. The 20-year-old was killed.

According to authorities, witnesses said the vehicle was traveling at a high speed when it crossed the center line, left the road and struck the workers.

The 23-year-old victim was flown to Munson Medical Center in Traverse City and was last known to be in critical condition.

Authorities say the 66-year-old driver, a Bear Lake woman, was not injured. She was not taken into custody pending further investigation into the crash.

The pilot was killed after the 1977 Beechcraft 200 Super King Air, operarting as Kalitta Charters flight 85, crashed and burned in a wooded area in Iosco County's Wilber Township in Michigan


 The plane that crashed





WILBER TWP, MI -- 




A Florida pilot is missing after his plane crashed in rural Michigan.

About 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 25, the Federal Aviation Administration contacted Iosco County Central Dispatch to report a missing plane. The dual-propeller King Air, 10-passenger plane had been en route to Kalitta Air in Oscoda and had left the Ypsilanti Willow Run airport earlier in the morning.

The craft was last observed on radar southwest of the airport at a rapid descent. Michigan State Police troopers, Oscoda Township police and firefighters, and Iosco County Sheriff's deputies searched the area.

At 10:27 a.m., ground crews found the plane's wreckage in Iosco County's Wilber Township, though its pilot was not present. The pilot, believed to be the lone occupant, is a 33-year-old man from Orlando, Florida.

FAA personnel are currently on their way to the crash scene for further investigation.

Officers from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the United States Forest Service also assisted at the scene.

====================================

by ABC12 News Team
Tuesday, September 25, 2018


IOSCO COUNTY (WJRT) (9/25/2018) - 


Authorities are investigating a plane crash near the former Oscoda-Wurtsmith Air Force Base northwest of Tawas.

The Michigan State Police say the Kalitta Air twin-engine propeller 10-seat charter plane was expected to arrive at the Oscoda air strip around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, but it never landed.

The plane took off from Kalitta's headquarters at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti. Air traffic control radar last showed the plane making a rapid descent.

Kalitta Air is a worldwide charter and air cargo business with permanent operations at the Oscoda Wurtsmith Airport.

Michigan State Police Sgt. Pete McNamara told the Associated Press runway lights were activated at the airport by the pilot but no plane landed.

The Federal Aviation Administration contacted Iosco County 911 Central Dispatch about the missing plane around 7:30 a.m.

Police and fire crews spent hours searching for the missing plane before ground crews spotted the wreckage in a wooded area of Iosco County's Wilber Township around 10:30 a.m.

U.S. Air Force surveillance officers were able to ping the location of the plane to narrow the search area for rescuers on the ground.

A fire after the crash consumed most of the wreckage.

FAA spokesman Tony Molinaro told the Associated Press that the wreckage is a Beechcraft Super King Air BE20. The wreckage is about four miles from the Oscoda-Wurtsmith airfield.

Police believe only the pilot, a 33-year-old man from Orlando, Florida, was on board the aircraft. As of the early afternoon, investigators had not located the pilot or a body.

The FAA has launched an investigation into the crash, which likely will take several months to complete.

======================================

USA, Oscoda, MI - 




The Michigan State Police say the Kalitta Air twin-engine propeller B200 King Air 10-seat charter plane was expected to arrive at the Oscoda air strip around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, but it never landed. Pilot died.


Narrative:
A Beechcraft 200 Super King Air, operarting as Kalitta Charters flight 85, impacted wooded terrain in Iosco County's Wilber Township, 4 miles from runway 6 at Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport (KOSC), Michigan, USA. The airplane was consumed by the post-impact fire and the sole pilot received fatal injuries.





Sources: » Flightaware flight track
» ABC 12

https://www.mlive.com

Status: Preliminary
Date: Tuesday 25 September 2018
Time: 05:51
Type:
Beechcraft 200 Super King Air
Operator: Kalitta Charters
Registration: N241CK
C/n / msn: BB-272
First flight: 1978
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-41
Crew: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: 6,4 km (4 mls) SW of Oscoda Wurtsmith Airport, MI ( United States of America)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature: Ferry/positioning
Departure airport: Detroit-Willow Run Airport, MI (YIP/KYIP), United States of America
Destination airport: Oscoda Wurtsmith Airport, MI (KOSC), United States of America
Flightnumber: K985

Carl David Oberg, 67, a pilot flying with flightseeing company Regal Air Services at Lake Hood, AK, died after he crashed his the Cessna U206G plane near Rainy Pass, Alaska

Carl David Oberg, 67, died after he crashed his plane





Regal Air pilot killed in crash near Rainy Pass was longtime Alaska aviator

  Author: Zaz Hollander


  
PALMER, AK — 


A Regal Air Services pilot and beloved member of Alaska's aviation community died Monday when his plane crashed into snowy, mountainous terrain near Rainy Pass in the Alaska Range, authorities say.

Alaska State Troopers identified the pilot as 67-year-old Carl David Oberg, a well-known pilot from a Palmer family and longtime teacher at Service High School.

Troopers were notified Monday afternoon that a wheel-equipped Cessna 206 operated by the Lake Hood air service company had crashed in the area northwest of Anchorage, according to a dispatch posted Tuesday.

The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center located the plane and found Oberg's body, troopers said. No one else was in the plane. No additional information was available Tuesday about the specific location of the crash.

Oberg was flying out to pick up hunters when the plane went down, according to Clint Johnson, Alaska chief for the National Transportation Safety Board.

Regal reported losing contact with the Cessna sometime after noon Monday, Johnson said. A GPS track stopped in the general area of Puntilla Lake, he said.

A Regal representative declined comment Tuesday.

Oberg, who went by "Dave," was born and raised in Palmer and taught aviation science in the offseason, according to the company's website. He started flying as a teenager and had flown commercially since he was in his 20s.

Oberg started working for Regal in 2002.

"He was a phenomenal photographer … and an amazing husband, father, grandpa, son and friend," his niece, Holly Christensen, wrote in a message. "We will miss him so much."

Numerous friends posted farewells Tuesday on Oberg's Facebook page, where just days earlier he'd posted the latest batch of stunning photos of the view from his "office windows" to the incredible Alaska scenery below.

Oberg added new photos Sunday, with a caption: "Just finished up another great day retrieving hunters and guides from the Alaska Range! What a fantastic job!"

The NTSB will investigate the cause of the crash.

It marked the third fatal crash by a Regal Air pilot in a little over a year.

A chartered floatplane operated by the company crashed on a flight from Willow Lake carrying mortar, propane and other cargo on July 18. Pilot Colt Richter, 24, was killed. His female passenger and her young son survived.


Pilot Joel Black, 22, died in July 2017 when he crashed carrying freight from Lake Hood to the Bristol Bay area. The plane came down in Lake Clark National Park. Black had no passengers.
=================================================






Once In A Lifetime Experience

Regal Air has been the top Flightseeing and Bear Viewing company in Alaska for over 33 years, and we have done it with an unsurpassed safety record. We know there is no better way to share this amazing and majestic country with our visitors than to take to the skies, and by doing so we get you into the heart of Alaska. Regal Air has many fantastic Flightseeing and Day Trips leaving daily from Anchorage.


Narrative:
The plane crashed under unknown circumstances. The pilot died.

Alaska State Troopers said in a statement:
"Carl David Oberg, 67, a pilot flying with Regal Air Services at Lake Hood, died after the Cessna 206 he was piloting crashed. According to AST, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center responded to the area of Rainy Pass and located the plane and Oberg, the sole occupant on board, deceased. "

Sources:
http://thecount.com/2018/09/25/carl-david-oberg-plane-crash-pilot-cause-regal-air/
https://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Pilot-of-Alaska-plane-killed-in-Rainy-Pass-crash-494252031.html
http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2018/09/cessna-u206g-stationair-6-n1738r-fatal.html
________________
https://regal-air.com/about-us/aircraft-fleet/
https://www.jetphotos.com/registration/N1738R
https://fr.flightaware.com/resources/registration/N1738R
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Anchorage, Alaska

Last ASN occurence Regal Air, 18-July-2018: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=213479
Date: 25-SEP-2018
Time: Morning
Type:
Cessna U206G
Owner/operator: Regal Air/Laughlin Aquisitions LLC
Registration: N1738R
C/n / msn: U20604588
Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 0
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Location: near Rainy Pass, Alaska - United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature: Unknown
Departure airport:

Destination airport:

OSHA cited Vforge Inc. – based in Lakewood, Colorado – for machine safety hazards after an employee died while working on a forging machine











U.S. Department of Labor Cites Metal Forging Company, Proposes $225,046 in Penalties


LAKEWOOD, CO – 


The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Vforge Inc. – based in Lakewood, Colorado – for machine safety hazards after an employee suffered fatal injuries while working on a forging machine. The company faces proposed penalties of $225,046.

OSHA cited Vforge Inc. for two willful and two serious safety violations for failing to develop lockout/tagout procedures, provide adequate machine guarding, and train employees in a language they understand. OSHA has placed Vforge Inc. in the Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

“Employers are legally required to implement appropriate procedures and provide training to protect their employees’ safety,” said OSHA Englewood Area Office Director David Nelson. “This tragedy could have been prevented if safety measures were in place to prevent machinery from starting while being serviced.”

Vforge Inc. has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov


 


Headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado, a suburb of Denver, Vforge Inc. is a technology-based manufacturing company providing high precision, high performance light alloy components to the recreational goods, industrial, medical, defense and specialty automotive markets.

Embodied in its principals, Vforge SSM technology is a revolution and not simply an evolution in shape metal forming. As a hybrid process between high-pressure die casting (liquid feedstock) and conventional closed-die forging (solid feedstock), semi-solid aluminum alloy with a viscosity comparable to soft-serve ice cream is injected under high pressure into hardened steel dies. Similar to the low velocity injection of plastic molding only with aluminum, Vforge SSM produces components with near-net shape definition, precision tolerance control and structural integrity right from the forming press.

The underlying quality and internal soundness of vforged components enables clients to pursue various secondary operations to enhance mechanical performance, cosmetic finish and/or pressurized assembly, and further establishes Vforge SSM as a premium metal forming technology.