Sunday, August 14, 2016

6 more pay the piper: 6 killed after a 1984 Piper PA-31-325 Navajo C/R plane crashed at Tuscaloosa Regional Airport, Alabama

Oxford University Aircraft Charters LLC:http://registry.faa.gov/N447SA

Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board investigation may contact them by email eyewitnessreport@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.

Dr. Austin Poole and his wife, Angie.

Dr. Michael Perry and his wife, Kim.

Drs. Jason and Lea Farese

Jason Farese's father, John, survived a Cessna 182 plane crash in 2011 because he activated the newly installed ballistic recovery system, which deployed a parachute. His plane dropped out of the sky 50 seconds into the flight.

Say a prayer for the children tonight who lost parents in tragic plane crash

By David Magee

Say a prayer for the children tonight.

They are going to need it, the 11 Oxford children who in an instant today lost their parents when a small plane went down.

The late Dr. Jason Farese and Dr. Lea Farese are survived by three children; The late Dr. Michael Perry and Kim Perry are survived by three children; and the late Dr. Austin Poole and Angie Poole are survived by five children.

Anyone who has ever lost a loved one tragically understands how much these children will need our community’s collective prayers. Plus, it is every parent’s worst nightmare, right? The thought of getting on a plane and never coming back to your children.

Some parents lose sleep over that. Some children, too.

And today, that fear struck deep in the heart of Oxford and these three families.

One moment, the children are playing, enjoying a quiet Sunday early in the school year; the next moment the plane carrying their parents home goes down, claiming the lives of all six on board.

That’s some kind of shock.

And, say a prayer for Oxford.

Losing three married couples in the prime of their professional and family lives at once has ripped a hole in this community’s heart.

One moment, three couples are traveling home from a dental seminar in Florida together, anticipating soon seeing their children they have been away from for days. The next moment, two loud booms and they are gone.

Just like that.

Oxford is a small community, so when the unthinkable happens — the mothers and fathers of three families tragically killed, leaving young children behind in each household — all hearts are broken.

When word spread of the crash by early afternoon today a pall fell over the city like we rarely see. The community is stunned, searching for something to say, anything to say, wondering why these children must suffer such heart-breaking consequence.

The deceased were more to the community than just parents, too. They were good dentists, good neighbors, and one (Kim Perry) was a good nurse practitioner at Ole Miss, remembered as being “terrific.”

We never will understand why tragedy strikes like this.

Never.

We must simply have faith, believing that all things in God’s wonderful, mysterious and at times, heart-wrenching world, work together for a reason. One day these 11 children will be stronger from this.

They will be, with the support of massive prayers and love. Believe it.

So one day, long into the future, these children can explain to others how this tragic moment helped them find their calling in life, how it helped make them who they have become.

But on this day, hearts are broken. Very broken, with the deepest kind of hurt that is going to last for some time.

And that’s why on this day, as families and the Oxford community are torn into emotional shreds by the news that three couples died in a plane crash, faith is all we have.

So, say a prayer for the children tonight.

And, say a prayer for Oxford.

David Magee is Publisher of The Oxford EAGLE.

Source: http://www.oxfordeagle.com

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

A plane enroute to Oxford crashed late this morning near Northport, Alabama, killing three married couples.

All six of the deceased are from Oxford, The EAGLE has learned. They had been attending a dental seminar together in Florida.

Among the deceased are Oxford dentists Dr. Jason Farese and his wife, Dr. Lea Farese, a family member and employee of the Fareses has confirmed with The EAGLE.

Others killed in the crash are Dr. Michael Perry and his wife, Kim; and Dr. Austin Poole and his wife, Angie, sources have told The EAGLE.

Dr. Poole and his wife live in Wellsgate in Oxford, but his dental practice is in Clarksdale.

Dr. Perry graduated from Ole Miss and was a member of Kappa Sigma social fraternity. He graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry. He and his wife Kim had three children.

The Fareses, both dentists at Farese Family Dental in Oxford, left Wednesday for Florida, attending a dental continuing education seminar. They were returning home to Oxford this morning, the source said.

The Farese’s leave three children behind, ages 10, 7, and 5. The youngest just started kindergarten this week.

Three couples including the Fareses were on board the plane, officials said — three men and three women. The identities of the other two couples has not been confirmed, but both of the couples are from Oxford, the EAGLE has learned.

The other couples attended the dental seminar with the Farese’s and were returning home with them. Each of the couples has young children, but none of their children were on board the plane, according to reports.

The plane was operated by Oxford University Aircraft Charters LLC., according to flight information. Mississippi Secretary of State records show the registered agent of the company Oxford University Aircraft Charters LLC. is Oxford dentist Dr. Jason Farese.

The address listed for the charter flight company is the same as Farese’s dental office, at 2212 West Jackson Avenue.

The plane is a Piper PA-31-325 Navajo. The plane left the Kissimmee Gateway airport in Florida at 9:55 a.m. eastern time this morning. Officials said they encountered engine problems around Tuscaloosa.

The crash occurred at about 11:20 a.m. this morning, east of the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport. Tuscaloosa police Lt. Teena Richardson told AL.com there are six deaths.

The plane went down behind the farmers market in Northport, officials said.

FAA spokeswoman Arlene Salac told AL.com that the Piper PA-31 crashed into trees on approach to Runway 30. A woman who lives nearby told the news site that she heard two loud booms.

Dr. Jason Farese is a native of Ashland and a 1997 graduate of Vanderbilt. He attended the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry.

Dr. Lea Farese is a native of Pearl and she also graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry.

Source: http://www.oxfordeagle.com

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

A plane crash in Tuscaloosa County has killed six people, three married couples who had attended a dental conference in Florida, and left a total of 11 children now without parents.

The crash happened about 11:20 a.m. just east of the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport in Northport. The crash site is in a wooded field of Van de Graaff Park near an area known as Gate 1.

Tuscaloosa police Lt. Teena Richardson confirmed the six deaths. Northport police officials on the scene said the plane is not intact.

Richardson said the plane was traveling from Kissimmee, Florida en route to Oxford, Miss. when the pilot reported engine problems. The pilot sent out distress call, and the plane went down behind the farmers market in Northport.

According to Flightaware.com, an Oxford University Aircraft Charters departed the Florida airport at 9:55 a.m. but was diverted.

Three couples -- three men and three women -- were on board. Authorities have spoken with the pilot's brother. Despite widespread speculation that the plane had direct ties to Ole Miss, university spokesman Ryan Whittington said those onboard are not affiliated directly to the school.

According to the Oxford Eagle, among the deceased are Dr. Jason Farese and his wife, Lea, both dentists, a family member and employee of Dr. Farese has confirmed with The EAGLE. The Farese's leave three children behind, ages 10, 7, and 5. The youngest just started kindergarten this week.

According to their dental practice website, Dr. Jason Farese was a native of Ashland, Mississippi, a 1997 graduate of Vanderbilt University, where he played football. He obtained his dental degree from the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry. Upon graduation, Dr. Farese practiced dentistry at the North Benton County Health Center for two years.

Dr. Lea Farese also graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry with her dental degree in 2004. She is a native of Pearl, Mississippi and is a 1998 graduate of Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi. She also practiced dentistry for 1 ½ years at the North Benton County Health Center. She has been practicing dentistry in Oxford since 2004.

Dr. Michael Perry, a periodontist, and his wife Kimberly, who is nurse, and Dr. Austin Poole and his wife Angie, were also on the plane, the Eagle reported. The Pooles had five children.

Terry Lloyd, director of aviation for Kissimmee Gateway Airport, said it's his information that the three couples had been in Florida for a medical convention. "It's a terrible tragedy,'' Lloyd said.

Officials at the Oxford-University Airport, which is owned and operated by the university, told AL.com they have not received any official information about the crash.

Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration arrived at the scene at approximately 3:25 p.m. National Transportation Safety Board officials were en route to the crash site.

"It's a sad day," Northport Mayor Bobby Herndon told reporters gathered at the scene. "We want everybody to pray for the families."

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox credited the joint efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies and fire departments that responded to the crash.

"It really speaks to the collective response of all the different agencies that were involved," Maddox said.

FAA spokeswoman Arlene Salac said the Piper PA-31 crashed into trees on approach to Runway 30. The flight departed Kissimmee Gateway Airport.

Pieces of the plane can be seen from the park's entrance on Robert Cardinal Road.

Van de Graaff Park is home to the state's oldest iron bridge. Northport officials said that the crash did not damage the bridge.

A woman who lives nearby, Wykita McVay, heard what she described as a "loud boom." She heard two booms, but didn't think it was anything to be worried about.

She and her father said that loud noises are common in the area because of the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport.

McVay said she "came out [to the crash scene] to see what was going on."

She said it was "crazy" that a plane had crashed just minutes from her home.

Tuscaloosa County Sheriff Ron Abernathy said that the crash is a "very sad situation." He did not give any details about the flight plan or the plane's distress call, but did say that the plane was a "small aircraft."

"It's very unfortunate," he said. Abernathy added that the plane was a "short, short distance from the runway."

As for learning the cause of the crash, the sheriff said that the crash investigation will be a "long, deliberate investigation."

Source: http://www.al.com

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

A plane heading from Florida to Oxford, Mississippi has crashed in Alabama. According to a press conference from the mayor of Tuscaloosa, there appeared to be no survivors.

Friends of the family have confirmed four people involved in the accident.

On board the plane was Dr. Jason Farese and his wife Lea Farese. They were both dentists and owned a dental practice together. Also among the dead are dentist Dr. Michael Perry and his wife Kim Perry.

All four are from Oxford.

Sources have told FOX13 that they were traveling back from Florida where they were attending a dental convention.

The plane was diverted before the incident, according to flight records.

According to the FAA, the flight is owned by the Oxford University Aircraft Charters.

Source: http://www.fox13memphis.com

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

OXFORD, MS (WMC) - A small plane headed to Oxford, Mississippi crashed in Tuscaloosa County, killing as many as six people, according to Northport Fire Chief Bart Marshal.

Marshal said a small fire was extinguished, but it appears there are no survivors.

WMC Action News 5 confirmed two of the people on board were Dr. Jason Farese, a dentist in Oxford, and his wife, Lea. The couple has three children, who were not on the plane. They were staying with friends, according to Dr. Farese's uncle, Steve Farese, who is a defense attorney in Memphis.

The airplane, a Piper PA-31-325 Navajo, departed Kissimmee, FL and filed an IFR flight plan for 12,000 feet, typical for this type of aircraft.

At some point around 11 a.m., the airplane began having problems.

The pilot was on final for Runway 30 in Tuscaloosa when the crash happened; they were about 1,000 feet short of that runway.

Source: http://www.wmcactionnews5.com

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

A plane crash near the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport claimed the lives of all six passengers on board.

Officials released few details at a press briefing around 1:45 p.m., but did confirm that there were no survivors.

The pilot issued a distress signal around 11:10 a.m., Northport Mayor Bobby Herndon said at a press joint press conference with Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue crews stationed at the airport were based at the foot of the towers on the runway where the plane was set to land, Herndon said.

"Unfortunately, it didn't make it to the runway," he said.

The plane crashed in the wooded area of Van de Graaff Park just south of Robert Cardinal Airport Road. The firefighters made it to the site within three minutes, but were unable to save the victims, Herndon said.

"They did everything they could," he said.

Information about the type of plane and it's origin was not officially released. Online flight records indicate that a Piper PA-31-325 Navajo registered to Oxford University Aircraft Charters LLC departed from Kissimmee Gateway Airport in Florida at 9:55 a.m. and was headed to Oxford, Miss. before the pilot diverted to Tuscaloosa.

"There will be families hurting greatly because of this, the worst thing we can do is put out information that's not correct or not accurate," Maddox said. "The hesitation that we have in all of this is that we're only two hours into this matter. There's a lot of details that haven't surfaced."

Source: http://www.tuscaloosanews.com

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

Date:

14-AUG-2016
Time: 11:20LT
Type:

Piper PA-31-325 Navajo C/R
Owner/operator: Oxford University Aircraft Charters LLC
Registration: N447SA
C/n / msn: 318312016
Fatalities: Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: E of Tuscaloosa Regional Airport, AL -

United States of America
Phase: Approach
Nature: Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport: Kissimmee Gateway (KISM)
Destination airport: Tuscaloosa Rgnl (KTCL)

Narrative:
Following a pilot reported loss of engine power, the aircraft impacted trees and terrain east of the approach end of Runway 30 at Tuscaloosa Regional Airport, Alabama. The aircraft was destroyed and the six occupants onboard received fatal injuries.
Sources:
http://www.kathrynsreport.com
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=447SA
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.2230692,-87.6027063,17z/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en-us
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/4824067677
http://komonews.com/news/nation-world/at-least-six-dead-in-alabama-plane-crash

Last Action Date

2016-07-07
Airworthiness Date 1998-03-25 Expiration Date 2019-07-31
Manufacturer_Name PIPER Model Name PA-31-325

Registrant Name OXFORD UNIVERSITY AIRCRAFT CHARTERS LLC Street 2212 WEST JACKSON AVE
Registrant City OXFORD Registrant State MS
Registrant Zip Code 38655 Country UNITED STATES
Region Southwestern Registrant Type Corporation
Fract Owner Certificate Issue Date 2016-07-07
Status N-Number Assigned and Registered

Serial Number 318312016 Aircraft Type Fixed wing multi engine
Mode S Code 51263057 Year Mfr 1984
Aircraft Category Land Builder Certification Type Certificated
Number Engines 2 Number Seats 8
Aircraft Weight CLASS 1 Aircraft Cruising Speed 162
Airworthiness Classification Standard Approved Operation Codes Normal

Engine Manufacturer LYCOMING
Engine Model Name TI0-540 SER Engine Type Reciprocating
Engine Horsepower/Thrust 0 Fuel Consumed 0.00

After more than twenty inches of rain, rising floodwater leaves thousands homeless in Louisiana

Rising floodwater leaves thousands homeless in Louisiana.

Updated 11 mins ago
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Robert and Gwen Arceneaux endured a sleepless night Sunday after noticing floodwater creeping into their home - in a neighborhood that had never seen water before.

They gathered up their dogs and a few bags of belongings and fled out the back door, eventually wading through waist-deep water to a passing National Guard truck. Now safe at a movie studio-lot-turned-shelter their worries weren't over, as they tried to get medication for Robert, who suffers from lung cancer.

"We need to get somewhere safer," Gwen said, as her dogs panted heavily under the hot sun.

Across southern Louisiana Sunday, residents scrambled to get to safety as rivers and creeks burst their banks, swollen from days of heavy rain that in some areas came close to two feet over a 48-hour period.

In high-water vehicles, boats and helicopters, emergency crews hurried to rescue scores of south Louisiana residents as the governor warned that it was not over.

From the air homes in southwest Louisiana looked more like little islands surrounded by flooded fields. Farmland was covered, streets descended into impassable pools of water, shopping centers were inundated with only roofs of cars peeking above the water.

From the ground it was just as catastrophic.

Drivers tried to navigate treacherous roads where the water lapped at the side or covered the asphalt in a running stream. Abandoned cars were pushed to the side of the road, lawn furniture and children's toys floating through the waters.

The low pressure system that wreaked such havoc moved into Texas, but the National Weather Service warned that there's still danger of fresh floods, as swollen rivers drain toward the Gulf of Mexico.

Most of the rivers have crested, but several are still rising.

Approximately 18,000 people have been rescued from East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes, said Maj. Doug Cain. Those were two of the hardest-hit areas.

The federal government declared a major disaster in the state, specifically in the parishes of Tangipahoa, St. Helena, East Baton Rouge and Livingston.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards called on people to refrain from going out to "sightsee" even as the weather gets better.

"This is a serious event. It is ongoing. It is not over," said the governor Sunday.

Four people have been reported dead, said Devin George, the state registrar for vital records. The death toll rose Sunday when a man's body was found washed up on a riverbank in Tangipahoa Parish.

Mike Steele, spokesman for the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, said there was an overnight spike in flood rescues in the eastern part of Baton Rouge. Two nursing homes were being evacuated.

Police rescued people from cars stranded on a miles-long stretch of Interstate 12.

One of those stranded motorists was Alex Cobb of Baton Rouge, who spent the night on the interstate before being rescued by a National Guard truck.

She was on her way to a bridal shower she was supposed to host Saturday when flooding closed off the highway.

She said she had food intended for the bridal shower and a produce truck about a mile up the road shared its stock with drivers - giving out fruits and vegetables to people.

Hundreds of people were gathered at Celtic Media Centre in Baton Rouge, some coming in by bus and others by helicopter.

Matthew and Rachel Fitzpatrick, from Brandon, Mississippi, hopped off one of the choppers with her grandparents. The couple had been visiting family in Baton Rouge when the flooding started. They found temporary refuge at Hebron Baptist Church but became trapped by floodwaters Saturday night.

People at the church used boats and big trucks to rescue others and bring them to the church, where helicopters started picking them up and flying them to safety Sunday.

Matthew, 29, said between 250 and 300 people were still at the church as of late afternoon Sunday. Water was creeping up to the back of the sanctuary, and they didn't have any food or water there.

"Everybody is just tired and nervous and wanting to see what kind of damage they have to their home," Rachel said.

Steele said the flooding that started Friday has damaged more than 1,000 homes in East Baton Rouge Parish, more than 1,000 homes in Livingston Parish, and hundreds more in other areas, including St. Helena and Tangipahoa parishes.

Gov. Edwards declared a state of emergency Saturday, calling the floods "unprecedented" and "historic." He and his family were even forced to leave the Governor's Mansion when chest-high water filled the basement and electricity was shut off.

In one dramatic rescue Saturday, two men on a boat pulled a woman from a car almost completely underwater, according to video by WAFB. The woman, who's not initially visible on camera, yells from inside the car: "Oh my god, I'm drowning."

One of the rescuers, David Phung, jumps into the brown water and pulls the woman to safety. She pleads with Phung to get her dog, but he can't find it. After several seconds, Phung takes a deep breath, goes underwater and resurfaces - with the small dog.

As of Sunday morning, some 5,050 people were staying in parish and Red Cross shelters, said Department of Children & Family Services Secretary Marketa Garner Walters. Even more people were staying in private shelters like churches.

Other effects from the flooding:

- A hospital in Baton Rouge - Ochsner Medical Center in Baton Rouge's O'Neal campus - has evacuated about 40 patients and is expected to evacuate another 10-15.

- Severe weather damaged AT&T Wireless's equipment and halted service for some customers in the Baton Rouge area.

- Amtrak is busing customers from Jackson, Mississippi to New Orleans instead of using the train.

- Rescuers have taken out hundreds of pets as they go door-to-door searching for people. Lt. Davis Madere from the Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries said he and his teams have rescued at least 100 pets since they started working Friday.

- The head of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency says 56 people remain in a shelter because their homes are flooded.

Around Baton Rouge, worried family members tried to locate relatives. Wayne Muse, 68, ran into a police roadblock on Sunday morning in east Baton Rouge, where rapidly rising water is flooding neighborhoods near the juncture of the swollen Amite and Comite rivers.

Muse said he has been trying in vain to reach or contact his 86-year-old mother since Saturday night, when she told him by phone that she had two inches of water inside her retirement home apartment.

"She said they were going to evacuate them but no one could get to them," Muse said.

MARINE AND TRANSPORTATION CLAIM MANAGEMENT AND CLAIM INVESTIGATIONS. Metropolitan Engineering, Consulting, Forensics, and Environmental Remediation Services

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metroforensics@gmail.com

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Our Clients include P & I Clubs, Cargo Underwriters & Charterers. We work from various locations all around the US for local coverage and administer all operations from our Head Office in Newark. Due to our longstanding expertise and the specialized nature of many of the cargoes we deal with, we also travel world-wide for assignments.

We undergo reviews of claim documentation on both shortages and contamination of liquid and dry cargo claims having a vast range of experience with vessels and Terminals worldwide.

We are able to prepare our reports in a format for follow up Court Action, Arbitration or Mediation proceedings as required; we have also attended as Expert Witnesses when requested to do so.

To summarize our Marine Claims Investigation service includes the following:-

· Full technical ‘Cause, Nature & Extent’ surveys

· General average surveys

· On the spot regular updates with the Client from our surveyors

· Detailed photographic evidence, wherever possible, sent by email when required

· Prompt but detailed reports immediately following our survey

· Comprehensive report writing to an Expert Witness standard, as required

· Review of claim documents for arbitration, mediation or court proceedings

We are active members of the Energy Institute, (EI) and we are quality assured to ISO 9001 giving our clients added security.

Loss Control

Loss Control is the process that is used to succeed in today’s ever demanding and evolving Petroleum industry. More than ever before, it is vital that a loss control strategy is in place working and protecting your financial interests.

Metropolitan has an unrivalled global reputation within the Loss control industry, with our dedicated team of qualified professionals including, Master Mariners, Chemists, Ex-terminal personal and experienced senior surveyors.

Losses can be categorized into two associated areas:

Real physical losses are caused by events such as; ROB quantities, loss of light ends, leakage or passing of vessel or terminal valves and deliberate theft or sabotage.
Apparent losses; these are paper losses caused by poor or erroneous procedures in quantity measurements, differing calculation procedures, sampling, sample handling and analysis as well as the different contractual methods of determining Quantity and Quality between the purchase and sale of a cargo.

Our policies ensure that we strategically evaluate an operation to prevent, minimize or eradicate both real and apparent losses.

All of METROPOLITAN’s consultants are proactive to give that added value to our principals’ commercial interest.

Our expertise enables us to investigate, react and respond to prevent our clients from suffering financial losses in cargo shortages, contaminations and demurrage claims.

We are continually preventing the loss of over 15 million USD annually to our clients.

We are ISO 9001 accredited, to give our clients quality assurance and we are active members of the Energy Institute.

Cargo Surveys & Superintendency

Metropolitan has an unrivaled global reputation within the Cargo Surveying & Claims prevention industry, with our dedicated team of qualified and experienced professionals. METROPOLITAN have carried out numerous cargo surveys or have overseen cargo operations as Superintendents, across a wide spectrum of dry and wet cargoes.

An outline of our experience covering particular cargoes is given within the pages listed to your left.

Whatever the operation, be it a loading, discharge or an STS operation; or whatever the cargo, be it Dry goods, Reefer, or Petroleum such as Crude Oil, Products, or Chemicals, Bio-Fuels, LNG/LPG, we have expertise available to protect your interests.

Our policy includes attendance at the loading and discharging or STS operations; until confirmation of both quantity and quality are successfully obtained. By doing such, we have found that we have been in a stronger position to prevent our clients from suffering financial losses in cargo shortages, cargo contamination and demurrage claims.

Precise and regular communication with our clients, both prior and during an assignment by the attending Surveyor or Superintendent is an integral part of our service.

Crude Oil & Petroleum Products

In an ever-evolving world market of clean & black oil trading, transportation and storage, it is vital, more than ever before, that a loss control strategy is in place - working on your behalf.

METROPOLITAN have a wealth of global experience in the monitoring, measurement and control of a wide range of various crude oils and petroleum products.
Our Loss Control techniques include:

100 % attendance during a load, discharge or STS operation
"Squeeze dry" discharge operations, effective C.O.W plan and monitoring,
particularly of heated or waxy natured cargoes
Multi Point ROB/OBQ assessment
Specialized Closed sampling techniques available
Direct "real time" field communication with our clients
Protection of the Principal’s commercial interest
Analytical witnessing
Minimizing demurrage costs
Cargo Blending, both on board and in terminal
Oversight of cargo document accuracy
Detailed and unbiased report of events
Loss Investigation

Other Liquids & Services

Other Liquids

Bio-Fuels

Metropolitan are building their knowledge base with Bio-Fuels having been requested to attend for shipments and on claims matters relating to these products. We are also part of a Working Group with the Energy Institute liaising with FOSFA & API to put forward proposals of standards on measurement practice. In addition, on the quality side we have been gaining experience with each cargo we have been involved with; as there is such a variety of products available in the market each with varying quality standards. METROPOLITAN are well placed to be able to assist you with any recent Claims matters and also with Loss Control and Claims Prevention.

LNG/LPG

Metropolitan have experience with measurement practice and certain claims matters relating to these cargoes and are well placed to be able to assist you with any recent Claims matters and also with Loss Control and Claims Prevention.

Other Services

Terminal Shore Tank Auditing (Inventories)

Metropolitan qualified team can offer an Inventory service linked to any operational Loss Control system your company may run.

Vessel Tank Cleaning

Metropolitan qualified team can offer:

A pre-wash vessel tank inspection
A vessel washing equipment inspection & suitability report
A risk assessment and time-scale report
A bespoke tank washing programmer, designed individually, for each vessel
Use of chemical wash if needed
100% attendance during washing operation
Direct field communication with our clients
Motivation, support and guidance to a vessel’s officers and crew

Our attendance can reduce a vessel’s down-time and eliminates possible next cargo contamination.

Closed Sampling of Liquid Cargoes

Metropolitan is aware that contaminated and non-representative samples can cause lengthy delays for Oil Majors and Traders - both after loading and prior to discharging.

That is why METROPOLITAN has experience with specialized closed sampling equipment which can eradicate the time lost due to the necessity of re-sampling or re-analyzing owing to erroneous contamination claims on sensitive and light cargoes. The system ensures that samples are not contaminated with particulates from the vessels vapor locks.

Unlike many vessels' sampling equipment used for obtaining cargo tank samples; the equipment we can employ draws representative running, spot or dead bottom samples on oil tankers via their vapor lock system.

In today's work place, with advancing safety and environmental considerations, the system eradicates the need for "open sampling" and enables accurate representative samples to be drawn.

The closed sampler ensures that no gases are expelled from a vessel tanks during sampling, essential when dealing with high H2S cargoes.

We are active members of the Energy Institute and we are quality assured to ISO 9001.

Commercial Risk Management

Oil Terminal Inspections and Audits

METROPOLITAN has experience in Oil Terminal Inspections and Audits to international recognized standards for Oil Majors, Traders and Insurers.

Surveillance of Oil Jetty Operations

METROPOLITAN has the experience of delivering specialized bespoke marine related services. Their expertise and professionalism has been called upon to represent the interests of Marine Assurance departments within Major Oil Companies in outlying ports and at Oil Terminals where difficulties / incidents have been experienced in the past. METROPOLITAN are able to offer that measure of confidence in the vessel operations by their attendance where there has been a lack of it in the past. Due to the unique ‘personal professional’ manner of operating, our Consultants are able to deliver results in what has been described previously as almost impossible circumstances.

These services can be tailor-made to the Clients requirements. We draw on a vast resource of experience in order to deliver just-in-time services, which is quite a frequent request in today’s heavily litigious society.

We are ISO 9001 accredited, to give our clients quality assurance and we are members of the Energy Institute and Nautical Institute.

AVIATION CLAIMS

Our aviation adjusters are capable of handling hull claims and liability claims on all types of aircraft and aviation facilities. We maintain a strong roster of experienced aviation engineering and mechanical specialists. Our aviation adjusters are top notch, with A&P licensed professionals (with real world experience) and FAA Airframe Engineers acting as our estimators, former Commercial Pilots & Airline Transport Pilots acting as our C&O consultants (and adjusters in some cases) and Inspection Authorization professionals for review and quality assurance of our estimates.

We maintain a solid relationship with aviation MRO's and FBO's throughout the US, and can perform accurate adjusting with Accelerated results.

METROPOLITAN’S ACCELERATED ADJUSTING