Chief pilot of Alpine Air Express killed in Montana crash

A Beech 1900C turbo-prop aircraft operated by cargo carrier Alpine Air Express crashed into a building and burned shortly after taking off from Billings Logan International Airport early today. Alpine Air's Chief Pilot, identified by the company as Kelly William Lynch, was piloting the aircraft and was lost in the crash. No one else was aboard the aircraft, and no one on the ground was injured, according to the FAA preliminary report about the accident.

The accident occurred on May 23, 2008, at about 1:25AM. The aircraft, operating as Alpine Air Flight 5008, was en route from Billings to Great Falls Montana, carrying about 5,000 pounds of U.S. Mail. A news article about the crash quoted a witness who said that the plane appeared to hit the ground in the lot of a rental business and skid into a construction materials building. FAA spokesman Mike Fergus added that the construction materials building and plane were destroyed by fire, and a nearby United Rentals building was damaged by debris. Fire officials confirmed the pilot's body was found in the wreckage.

An Alpine Air Express press release about the accident said that Capt. Kelly Lynch, a native of Belgrade, Montana, joined the company in July of 1996. He was promoted to captain in February of 2002, and became chief pilot in October of 2007.

Mr. Joe Etchart, Alpine Air’s Board of Directors Chairman, stated, “The Alpine family is heartsick with the loss of Kelly. Kelly personified the professional pilot. His work in training Alpine pilots, helping everyone maintain proficiency for the unforeseen emergency in an airplane was his trademark. He was a perfectionist and promoted that same attitude among his contemporaries. Kelly was a consummate professional.”

Etchart added, “Our prayers go out to Kelly’s family and friends. He was a magnificent man with the willingness and energy to do whatever he could do to help those around him. Kelly was a celebrity around Billings as a long-time member of a Barber Shop Quartet which often performed at events around the area. Kelly and his partners, the group 3 Dimes and a Nickel, evolved into the quartet Sound Barrier which became one of the noted Barber Shop Quartets in the Rocky Mountain West. His zest for fun, gleeful energy and his compassion for his fellow man were always evident.”

Condolences to Kelly Lynch's family and friends, and his colleagues at Alpine Air.

NTSB reports on Alpine Air crash in Hawaii

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued a preliminary report on the loss of a Beech 1900C and its pilot earlier this month in Hawaii. The aircraft is believed to have crashed into the Pacific Ocean near the island of Kauai. The body of the pilot has not been recovered. The aircraft (registration number N410UB) was operated by Alpine Aviation Inc., doing business as Alpine Air, as an on-demand cargo flight under 14 CFR Part 135 rules at the time of the accident.

According to the NTSB report, the aircraft departed Honolulu International Airport at 04:43 AM local time on January 14, 2008 carrying 4,200 pounds of mail en route to Lihue, on the island of Kauai. The report notes that "night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed." The aircraft was lost from radar over the ocean about 7 miles south of the Lihue, at 05:08 AM. It had been scheduled to arrive in Lihue at 05:15 AM.

Here is an excerpt from the NTSB report:

The Coast Guard indicated that debris from the airplane was initially identified floating on the ocean surface at 0848, approximately 11 miles south-southwest of the airport. The water depths in the search area were up to 800 fathoms (4,800 feet). Additional debris was identified and collected and then transported to the Coast Guard station at Lihue. The Coast Guard discontinued the search on the afternoon of January 15.

An Airport Duty Operations Controller was conducting an airport inspection while the accident airplane was approaching the airport. He recalled that he heard a pilot who identified himself as Alpine Air state that he was, "...landing 35 and 7 miles out." Airport personnel reported that the runway lights, medium intensity approach lighting system with runway alignment indicator lights (MALSR), and precision approach path indicator (PAPI) lights for runway 35, were recorded as functional at the time of the accident.

The following weather conditions were reported at Lihue Airport at 0453: wind from 030 at 23 knots with gusts to 27 knots, 10 miles visibility, cloud layers scattered at 4,100 feet and overcast at 5,500 feet, temperature 20 degrees Celsius, dew point 13 degrees Celsius, and the altimeter setting was 30.13 inches of Mercury. [NTSB ID: SEA08FA062]

The pilot, identified in news reports as Paul Akita of Honolulu, was making his first flight following a two day scheduled rest period, and had been scheduled to return to Honolulu later on the same day as the accident. The Honolulu Advertiser reported:

Akita was one of 10 pilots employed by Alpine Air in Hawai'i. He graduated from Everglades University with a bachelor's degree in aviation and joined Alpine Air in July 2004 after flying for Big Kahuna Aviation.

The NTSB expects to issue its final report on the accident within eight months to one year.