UPS Boeing 747-400 freighter crash in Dubai

by B. N. Sullivan

UPS has just confirmed that one of their aircraft has crashed in Dubai. Here is what the company said in a press statement:

At approximately 12 p.m. EST, UPS Flight 6 from Dubai, UAE, to Cologne, DE, a 747-400 with two crewmembers on board crashed on takeoff. At this time, we have not confirmed any casualties.

"Safety is a key priority for UPS," said Airline & International Operations Manager Bob Lekites. "This incident is very unfortunate and we will do everything we can to find the cause," said Lekites. "Our thoughts go out to the crewmembers involved in the incident and their families."

"We will also release more information as it becomes available, in cooperation with government authorities. We will not speculate about the cause. Until then, we ask for your patience in this difficult time."

Unconfirmed reports say that the crew did declare mayday, and that there may have been a cockpit fire.  There are reports of a "huge fire" at the accident site, said to be near the area known as Dubai Silicon Oasis, which is a housing area for Emirates crew members.

The story is developing. I will post more details here on Aircrew Buzz as they become available.

UPDATE:  The Aviation Herald reports that the accident aircraft was N571UP.  The same source reports that both crew members have died.  Still waiting for official word from UPS on crew status.

UPDATE 2:   Sadly, the report that the two crew members perished appears to be true.

Boeing has issued the following statement:  "Boeing extends its deep condolences to the families and friends of the crewmembers lost in the crash of UPS Flt. 6. Boeing will send a team to provide technical support to the investigation upon invitation from the authorities."

Various news media are quoting an official from the United Arab Emirates who says that the bodies of the two crew members have been recovered from the wreckage.

UPDATE 3:  The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) just announced that it "will dispatch an aviation investigator to assist the government of the United Arab Emirates" with the accident investigation.   NTSB says the team "will include NTSB specialists in the areas of human performance, fire, operations, and systems. The team will also include technical advisors from the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, UPS, GE and Independent Pilots Association."

[Photo Source]

Agni Air Dornier DO 228 crash in Nepal

by B. N. Sullivan

A small passenger aircraft, believed to be a Dornier DO 228, has crashed in Nepal.  The accident happened early on the morning of August 24, 2010.  Initial reports say the flight, operated by Agni Air, was en route from Kathmandu to Lukla, but could not land at its destination due to poor weather.  The flight was said to be returning to Kathmandu when it crashed in Nepal's Makwanpur District, south of Kathmandu.  The crash site is believed to be near the village of Shikharpur.

The number of people on board the accident flight is uncertain. Some news reports from the region say the plane was carrying three crew members and 11 passengers; others report as many as 18 may have been on board.  Their fate is unknown at this time.

More to follow as reliable information becomes available.

UPDATE: The accident aircraft has been identified by several sources as 9N-AHE.  The flight number was AG-101.

UPDATE Aug 24, 2010: New information suggests that the aircraft was attempting to divert to Simara after developing "technical problems."  News reports variously mention engine failure or generator failure, but neither has been officially confirmed.  According to The Himalayan, the crash site was located at Bastipur. 

I am sorry to report that there were no survivors among the three crew and 11 passengers on the accident flight.   The Himalayan has published a list of those on board Agni Air Flight AG-101. The three crew members were:

• Captain Laxman Pratap Bikram Shah, pilot
• Sophia Singh, co-pilot
• Sahara Sherpa, air hostess

Condolences to the families and friends of all those who lost their lives in this accident.

ACE Air Cargo Beech 1900C accident in Alaska

by B. N. Sullivan

A Beech 1900C aircraft operated by ACE Air Cargo crashed into the sea last night at around midnight. The accident occurred shortly after the aircraft took off from Sand Point, Alaska, bound for Anchorage. Both pilots on board are missing.

Eyewitnesses told Coast Guard officials that they saw "an orange flickering off the end of the runway" at Sand Point Airport (SDP) at about the time of the crash. Sand Point is on Popof Island, off the coast of the Alaska Peninsula.

According to an article about the accident in the Anchorage Daily News, boats are searching the waters in the area near the crash. The Coast Guard sent a Jayhawk helo and a C-130 from Kodiak to assist with the search. Debris has been found, including pieces of fuselage and a seat, but there has been no sign of the pilots so far.

The company released the following statement earlier today:

ACE Air Cargo has joined the search for our Beech 1900 aircraft, that disappeared shortly after departing Sand Point, Alaska with two pilots on board yesterday evening. At this time, we are focused on the welfare of our pilots and their families and will be releasing no further information at this time. We ask that the media respect the privacy of our employees and their families at this time. More information will be released as it becomes available.

UPDATE Jan. 23, 2010: The Anchorage Daily News reported this morning that the Coast Guard has suspended its search for the two pilots.

Condolences to their families and friends, and their colleagues at ACE Air Cargo.

UPDATE Mar. 15, 2010: NTSB update on ACE Air Cargo Beech 1900C accident in Alaska

Divi Divi Air Britten-Norman Islander accident near Bonaire takes pilot's life

by B.N. Sullivan

On October 22, 2009, a Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander (registration PJ-SUN)ditched in the Caribbean Sea after losing power in the number two engine. The aircraft, operated by Divi Divi Air, was en route from Curaçao to Bonaire at the time of the accident. All nine passengers on the flight survived the impact and were able to exit the aircraft; they were rescued. The pilot did not survive.

The pilot has been identified as Robert Mansell, originally from England. News reports say that he was knocked unconscious in the crash, and passengers were unable to get him out of the aircraft before it sank.

Several news stories about the accident quoted a Divi Divi Air spokesman who called Mansell a "hero" saying, "All the passengers survived and he is the only one missing. If he wasn't a good pilot, he couldn't have ditched it so everyone could be saved."

Condolences to the family and friends of Captain Mansell.

Caspian Airlines TU-154 accident in Iran; no survivors

by B. N. Sullivan

A passenger aircraft operated by Caspian Airlines has crashed in Iran. The aircraft, a Tupolev Tu-154M (registration number EP-CPG), operating as Caspian Airlines flight RV7908, was en route from Tehran, Iran to Yerevan, Armenia at the time of the accident. There were no survivors among the 168 people on board.

The accident happened on July 15, 2009, at about 11:33 AM local time. The aircraft had departed from Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport just 16 minutes before the accident occurred. Some news reports say that the crew reported a fire in the No. 1 engine just prior to the crash. The aircraft is said to have impacted the ground in an agricultural field near the village of Jannatabad, in Qazvin province, about 120 km northwest of Tehran. The aircraft was completely destroyed by the crash and a fire, with wreckage reportedly covering an area of about 200 square meters.

The complete passenger manifest for Flight RV7908 has been published on the Caspian Airlines web site. The official manifest lists 12 crew members and 156 passengers.

According to Caspian Airlines, the names of the crew members, all of whom perished on Flight RV7908, are as follows:

1. MR.ALI ASGHAR / SHIR AKBARI
2. MR.JAVAD / MASOUMI HESARI
3. MR.MAHDI / FIROUZE SOUHEIL
4. NIMA / SALEHIE REZVE
5. MR.GARIGOURI / BARSEGHIAN
6. MR.SOREN /MOUGHOUMOUNIAN
7. MR.SEIED ABAS / GHAEEM MAGHAMI
8. MR.AMIR ALI / MALEKI NEJAD
9. MRS.FERESHT / SAMAKI RAHMAT
10. MRS.SANAZ / ASLANI
11. MRS.MARYAM / FARHADI HAGHANI
12. MRS.MARYAM /KAMANI

Condolences to the families, flying partners and friends of the crew and passengers who lost their lives in this accident.

Here are links to several news videos about this accident that have been posted to YouTube: AlJazeera / Associated Press / MediaNewsChannel.

A photo of the aircraft (taken long before the crash) can be found here on JetPhotos.net.

UPDATE: Iranian news web site PressTV is reporting that two 'black boxes' have been recovered from the wreckage of Caspian Airlines Flight RV7908, but they are damaged. PressTV quoted Ahmad Majidi, Head of the Crisis Working Group of Iran's Road and Transportation Ministry, who said the boxes were "heavily damaged but experts are trying to retrieve data from them."

"If efforts to retrieve data from the boxes fail, they will be sent back to the country that has produced them so that they could be repaired in order to find the reason behind the crash," Majidi said.

Canadian Air Charters identifies pilots killed in Piper Navajo crash at Vancouver

On July 9, 2009, a Piper Navajo operated by Canadian Air Charters crashed while on approach to Vancouver International Airport, claiming the lives of the two pilots on board. The pilots have been identified by the company as Mathew Douglas Pedersen, 23, and Jeremy Ryan Sunderland, 28. Their names were made public by Darcy Coonfer, chief pilot of Canadian Air Charters, on behalf of the pilots' families.

The aircraft impacted the ground near a shopping center, about four kilometers short of the Vancouver runway. The aircraft was destroyed by the crash and a post crash fire. No one on the ground was injured.

An article about the two pilots on the CTV.ca web site said that Sunderland had been working for Canadian Air Charters for three years, while Pedersen had been at the firm for over a year.

"They will be missed greatly," said Mark Wilcox, an operations manager with Canadian Air Charters.

At the time of the accident, the aircraft was en route from Victoria, BC to Vancouver, BC. According to news reports, Canadian Blood Services had chartered the cargo plane and it was carrying 143 units of donated blood.

Canada's Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the accident.

[Photo Source]

Continental Airlines pilot who died during international flight is identified

A Continental Airlines captain died today during a flight from Brussels to Newark. Capt. Craig Alan Lenell, 60, was in command of Continental Flight 61, a Boeing 777, when he passed away about halfway through the trans-Atlantic crossing. The two other pilots on board completed the flight, landing safely at Newark.

Capt. Lenell's wife, Lynda, told Houston TV station KHOU that the first officer on Flight 61 "thought her husband had fallen asleep during the flight, but they couldn’t wake him up. That’s when they realized something was wrong and called for a doctor."

A cardiologist who was a passenger on the flight responded to a call for assistance by the crew. The cardiologist, identified in several news reports as Dr. Julien Struyven of Belgium, reportedly used a defibrillator to try to resuscitate Capt. Lenell, but was unsuccessful.

Mrs. Lenell said that her husband "was in perfect health" and had no known heart condition. His most recent physical exam had been in March of this year.

Capt. Lenell, who was based in Newark, had worked for Continental Airlines for 32 years. He was a former Air Force pilot who had served in Vietnam. He lived with his wife in Flynn, TX. They had been married since 1973, and had several children and grandchildren.

"Flying was his life," Mrs. Lenell said. "He died doing what made him happiest."

Sincere condolences to Capt. Lenell's family, flying partners and friends.

Pilatus PC-12 crash in Montana kills all on board

A Pilatus PC-12 single-engine turboprop aircraft (registration N128CM) crashed earlier today near Butte, Montana. According to news reports, the aircraft was preparing to land at Butte's Bert Mooney Airport, but impacted the ground about 500 feet short of the runway. The aircraft caught fire, and all on board are said to have perished.

A short time ago, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued a press statement that said that the accident occurred at approximately 15:00 MDT on March 22, 2009. The NTSB statement noted that the aircraft crashed into a cemetery while on approach to the airport. The NTSB has dispatched a 'Go Team' to Butte to investigate the accident.

It is unclear exactly how many people were on board the aircraft, but various news reports said that a number of the passengers were children. News reports say that the aircraft was en route from Oroville, CA to Bozeman, MT, but that it diverted to Butte for unknown reasons. The origin and intended destination of the accident flight have not been confirmed by official sources.

UPDATE Mar. 23, 2009: It has been confirmed that there were 14 people on board the Pilatus PC-12 aircraft that crashed yesterday at Butte, Montana. Most of the seven adults and seven small children were members of the extended family of Dr. Irving 'Bud' Feldkamp III, of Redlands, CA, who leased the plane. All those on board perished.

The pilot, who also died in the accident, was identified as Bud Summerfield, from Highland, CA. He reportedly flew the Feldkamp family for about 10 years. An article about the accident on a Los Angeles Times blog quoted a surviving member of the Feldkamp family, who said about the pilot, “He is accomplished and careful, dotting his `i's' and crossing his 't's' and filing his flight plans. If you were in the position to hire a pilot, this is the guy you would hire. We called him Air Bud. My wife has flown with him. There are none better.”

Condolences to the families and friends of all those who perished in this accident.

RELATED: NTSB: Preliminary report on Pilatus PC-12 crash in Montana - Apr. 3, 2009

Video tribute to the crew of Colgan Air Flight 3407

This video memorializes the crew of Colgan Air Flight 3407, who perished along with 45 others when their aircraft crashed while on approach to Buffalo on February 12, 2009. Captain Marvin Renslow, First Officer Rebecca Shaw, Flight Attendant Matilda Quintero, and Flight Attendant Donna Prisco were working the flight; off-duty Captain Joseph Zuffoletto was a passenger. The video is a nice reminder that those five crew members were real people with real lives -- not just names on an accident report.



If the video does not play or display properly above, click here to view it on YouTube.

Hat tips to YouTube user tdonohue and Twitter user @FoxWhisperer.

RELATED: Click here to view all posts about Colgan Air Flt 3407 on Aircrew Buzz.

Turkish Airlines identifies crew members who died in Flight TK 1951 accident

Three pilots and one flight attendant were among the nine fatalities in the crash of Turkish Airlines Flight TK 1951 at Amsterdam on February 25, 2009.  Turkish Airlines has officially identified the crew members who perished in the accident, as follows:

• Hasan Tahsin ARISAN - Pilot
• Olgay ÖZGÜR - Pilot
• Murat SEZER - Pilot
• Ulvi Murat ESKİN - Flight Attendant

Condolences to the families, flying partners, and friends of these Turkish Airlines crew members.

RELATED: Click here to view all posts about THY Flt 1951 on Aircrew Buzz.

Boeing employees among casualties in Turkish Airlines accident at Amsterdam

A short time ago, Boeing released the following statement to the media:

Boeing today received confirmation from the U.S. State Department that two Boeing employees have been identified as among the fatalities from this week's Turkish Airlines Flight 1951 accident in Amsterdam. Boeing extends its deepest condolences to their families, friends and colleagues. A third Boeing employee on Flight 1951 sustained injuries and remains hospitalized. The company is awaiting official notification about the condition of the fourth employee on the flight. Boeing remains committed to supporting the families of our employees through this very difficult time. Given the pending information, and at the request of some of the affected families, the specific condition of each employee on the airplane isn't being released by Boeing at this time.

"This is a very sad day for our company," Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with our colleagues' families, friends and co-workers and with the families of everyone who was on the flight."

UPDATE Feb. 27, 2009: Today Boeing confirmed that a third employee who was a passenger on Flight TK 1951 has died. The company also named all four Boeing employees who were on board the accident aircraft:

...With the consent of the affected families, Boeing confirms the names and conditions of the four Boeing employees on Flight 1951. Three employees - Ronald A. Richey of Duvall, Wash., John Salman of Kent, Wash., and Ricky E. Wilson of Clinton, Wash. - died in the crash. One employee - Michael T. Hemmer of Federal Way, Wash. - was among the injured and remains hospitalized.

Condolences to the families, colleagues and friends of those who lost their lives in the accident. Best wishes to Mr. Hemmer for a speedy and complete recovery from his injuries.

Related:  Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800 accident near Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam - AircrewBuzz.com, Feb. 25, 2009

Dash 8 crashes on approach to Buffalo, no survivors

A Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft operated by Colgan Air has crashed while on approach to Buffalo Niagara International Airport. The aircraft reportedly crashed into a house, and a fire ensued. There are no survivors among the 49 on board. One person on the ground also is reported to have been killed.

The accident happened last night, February 12, 2009, at about 22:20 local time as the aircraft, operating as Continental Connection Flt. CJC 3407, was arriving at Buffalo from Newark Liberty International Airport. The aircraft (registration N200WQ) disappeared from radar during an instrument approach to Buffalo.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) dispatched a team of investigators to the scene early this morning.

Colgan Air has released the names of the crew members on board Flight 3407, all of whom perished:

• Marvin Renslow, Captain, joined Colgan on September 9, 2005
• Rebecca Shaw, First Officer, joined Colgan on January 16, 2008
• Matilda Quintero, Flight Attendent, joined Colgan on May 28, 2008
• Donna Prisco, Flight Attendent, joined Colgan on May 28, 2008

Capt. Joseph Zuffoletto, an off-duty crew member who joined Colgan on September 19, 2005, also was on board.

Condolences to the families, colleagues, and friends of all those who lost their lives.

[Photo Source]

UPDATE: The NTSB has retrieved the flight recorders from the accident scene, and transferred them to NTSB headquarters in Washington, DC.

UPDATE Feb. 16, 2009: Colgan Air has released the names of the passengers who were on board Flight 3407 (one page 'pdf' file).

RELATED: Click here to view all posts about Colgan Air Flt 3407 on Aircrew Buzz, or choose from the list below.

• Video: NTSB Briefing on Colgan Air Flt 3407 Flight Data Recorder & Cockpit Voice Recorder - Feb. 13, 2009
• The Flight Attendants from Colgan Air Flight 3407 - Feb. 14, 2009
• Colgan Air addresses speculation about Flt. 3407 accident - Feb. 19, 2009
• Video tribute to the crew of Colgan Air Flight 3407 - Feb. 28, 2009
• Colgan Air Flt. 3407 crash near Buffalo: New info from NTSB - Mar. 25, 2009
• The Colgan Air accident: Don't draw conclusions from incomplete information - Mar. 26, 2009
• Public hearing on the crash of the Colgan Air Dash-8 near Buffalo slated for next week - May 8, 2009
• Cockpit Voice Recorder Transcript from Colgan Air Flight 3407 released by the NTSB - May 13, 2009
• NTSB animation of the Colgan Air accident near Buffalo - May 19, 2009
• Highlights of the NTSB's findings on the Colgan Air accident near Buffalo in February 2009 - Feb. 3, 2010

Air New Zealand identifies those lost in the A320 crash off the coast of France

Air New Zealand has officially identified the five New Zealanders who are presumed to have lost their lives in the crash of an Airbus A320 off the coast of France, on November 27, 2008.

The aircraft, owned by Air New Zealand, had been leased to XL Airways Germany for the past two years, and was about to be returned to Air New Zealand. Immediately prior to yesterday's crash, the accident aircraft had been performing an acceptance flight (as Flight GXL 888T), and was about to be ferried to Frankfurt where it would be officially handed over to Air New Zealand.

According to information provided by the airline, the five New Zealanders on board were:

• Capt. Brian Horrell, 52, Air New Zealand pilot from Auckland
• Murray White, 37, Air New Zealand engineer from Auckland
• Michael Gyles, 49, Air New Zealand engineer from Christchurch
• Noel Marsh, 35, Air New Zealand engineer from Christchurch
• Jeremy Cook, New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority inspector

The names of the two XL Airways crew members who were piloting the aircraft have not yet been made public.

The most recent media statement about the accident issued by Air New Zealand says, in part:

French authorities have now advised Air New Zealand that it should not expect there to be any survivors after its Airbus A320 that was on lease to XL Airways of Germany was lost in the Mediterranean yesterday.

Group General Manager International Airline Ed Sims says rescue authorities have told the airline it appears the aircraft broke up on impact and there was no realistic chance of survivors.

"This is devastating news for the families and all Air New Zealanders as we had all been clinging on to hope. Sadly, rescue authorities have told us that all evidence on site indicates that given the nature of the impact there is no chance of survivors. Debris is spread over a large area and it appears the aircraft is not in large pieces as originally indicated by those who saw the impact," Mr Sims says.

Earlier today, French search and rescue authorities advised Air New Zealand that they had identified locator signals from the two 'black box' flight recorders from accident aircraft. They are not expected to be recovered until tomorrow due to deteriorating weather conditions.

Condolences to the families, colleagues and friends of all seven individuals who were lost in this tragic accident.

Pacific Coastal Airlines Grumman Goose crash in British Columbia

Seven lives were lost yesterday, November 16, 2008, when a Grumman G-21 Goose aircraft operated by Canadian carrier Pacific Coastal Airlines crashed in British Columbia. Those who perished included the pilot and six passengers. A seventh passenger was injured but survived. He was rescued and transported to a hospital where he is being treated for burns and other injuries. The aircraft was completely destroyed.

According to Pacific Coastal Airlines, the accident aircraft was operating as a charter flight for Peter Kiewit Sons Co. and Plutonic Power Corporation. At approximately 10:15 AM local time, the flight departed Vancouver South Terminal with seven passengers and one pilot on board, bound for the Toba Montrose run-of-river hydroelectric project, north of Powell River, British Columbia. The aircraft crashed into a hillside on Thormanby Island, off the coast of British Columbia, about 50 kms. northwest of Vancouver. The airline confirmed seven fatalities and one survivor, but did not release any names.

News reports say that the accident occurred shortly after 10:30 AM local time. The aircraft apparently broke up on impact. The survivor told rescuers that the wreckage burst into flames shortly after he escaped. Though injured, the survivor was able to make his way down the hillside to a beach, where he was rescued by a Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel.

The cause of the accident is unknown at this time. A team from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada reached the accident site this morning to begin their investigation.

An article about the crash on Canada.com quoted Spencer Smith, a spokesman for Pacific Coastal Airlines, who said that they were grounding all sea planes until staff could be debriefed about the accident.

"This is a pretty emotional time for everybody right now and the trauma of this is pretty significant, so we want to make sure everyone is OK and in a comfortable position to get into an airplane again," he said.

Smith said the pilot was extremely experienced and while the weather was low visibility it wasn't considered unsafe to fly.

Condolences to the families, colleagues and friends of those who perished in this accident. Best wishes to the survivor for a full and speedy recovery.

UPDATE Nov. 19, 2008: The names of the pilot and passengers who were on board the Pacific Coastal Airlines Grumman Goose that crashed at Thormanby Island, BC, have been made public. The pilot has been identified as Peter McLeod, 54.

Pacific Coastal Airlines announced that float plane operations had resumed this morning. The carrier had voluntarily suspended float plane operations immediately after the accident.

Yeti Airlines Twin Otter crash in Nepal claims 18 lives

A DHC-6 Twin Otter operated by Yeti Airlines has crashed at Lukla, Nepal. The accident destroyed the aircraft, and killed 16 passengers and two crew members. The captain was the only survivor.

According to news release issued by Yeti Airlines, the accident occurred on the morning of October 8, 2008 as the aircraft (registration 9N-AFE) was attempting to land at Tenzing Hillary Airport at Lukla, in eastern Nepal, after a scheduled passenger flight from Kathmandu. Although the cause of the crash is unknown at this time, the carrier's media release said that "the entire Airport region was suddenly covered with fog."

Yeti Airlines has identified the crew members on Yeti Flight 0Y-103 as "Capt. Surendra Kunwar, Co-pilot Bikash Pant and Air Hostess Sunita Shrestha." The captain, who was the only survivor, was rescued and admitted to the Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj. The airline reports that he is "out of danger."

The names of the passengers who perished on Yeti Flight 0Y-103 has been posted on the airline's website.

Condolences to the families, colleagues and friends of those who were lost in this accident. Best wishes to the Captain for a full and speedy recovery.

[Photo Source]

UPDATE Jan. 2, 2009: The Reuters news agency is reporting that the investigation of the Yeti Airlines accident in Nepal has cited pilot error as the cause.

"The crew made incorrect judgment of the deteriorating weather and flew into a patch of cloud causing the accident," the investigation report said.

Pilot fatally injured in Cape Air accident on Martha's Vineyard

On the evening of Friday, September 26, 2008, a Cessna 402C aircraft operated by Cape Air crashed shortly after takeoff from Martha's Vineyard Airport, Vineyard Haven, MA. According to the FAA preliminary report about the accident, the aircraft was destroyed, and the pilot was fatally injured. The pilot, who was the only person on board at the time of the accident, was identified by Massachusetts State Police as David D. Willey, 61, of Vineyard Haven.

The aircraft (registration N770CA), operating as Cape Air Flight 1055, took off shortly after 8PM local time from Martha's Vineyard, bound for Boston's Logan International Airport. It went down in West Tisbury, just a few miles from the Martha's Vineyard airport. A news article about the Cape Air crash in the Boston Globe quoted a State Police official who said that a nearby house was damaged by debris, but no one was injured on the ground.

An FAA spokesperson, quoted by the Boston Globe, said airport officials reported heavy rain and high winds around the time the plane took off. However, the Cape Cod Times reported that, although the weather had been rainy, "a weather window" emerged between rain squalls when Willey took off.

The Cape Cod Times has published an article outlining David Willey's long and varied career as a pilot. The article includes a photo of Mr. Willey, supplied by his family.

A Memorial Gathering for David Willey was held today. Condolences to David Willey's family, his colleagues at Cape Air, and his friends.

Global Exec Aviation Learjet 60 crash at Columbia, SC

A chartered Learjet 60 operated by Global Exec Aviation, LLC, has crashed at Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE), West Columbia, South Carolina. Four of the six people on board, including both crew members, were killed in the accident. Two more passengers were seriously injured. The aircraft was completely destroyed.

According to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the aircraft (registration N999LJ) crashed on take-off at 11:53 p.m. EDT on Friday, September 19, 2008. News reports say that the aircraft overran Runway 11 at Columbia Metropolitan Airport, crossed the airport perimeter and came to rest on an embankment along Highway 302. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was departing Columbia for Van Nuys, CA. An airport official who was quoted by local news website TheState.com said that the weather was "cool, dry and clear" when the accident occurred.

All six people who were on board have been identified. A news article about the accident published by television station WIS News 10 reports:

Lexington County Coroner Harry Harman identified all four victims from California. Harman says the pilot, Sarah Lemmon, 31, of Anaheim Hills, co-pilot James Bland, 52, of Carlsbad, Chris Baker, 29, of Studio City and Charles Still, 25, of Los Angeles all perished in the crash.

The two survivors, 32-year-old Travis Barker, former drummer of the band Blink-182, and 35-year-old Adam Goldstein, aka DJ AM, are currently at the Augusta Burn Center.

The airport has been temporarily closed to enable the investigation team to examine evidence on the runway.

WIS News 10 has published a collection of still photos of the crash site.

TheState.com has made an online condolences book available.

Condolences to the family, colleagues and friends of the pilots and passengers who perished in this accident. Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery to the two men who were injured.

UPDATE Sep. 22, 2008: Yesterday Debbie Hersman, an NTSB official, indicated that there was evidence that a tire had burst during the takeoff roll of the Learjet 60 that crashed at Columbia, SC. At a meeting with the press, Hersman said that, based on a preliminary review of the aircraft's Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), "The crew reacted to a sound that was consistent with a tire blowout," and apparently initiated a rejected takeoff. Tire debris was found on the runway, about 2,800 ft. past the point where the aircraft had begun its takeoff roll. The runway is approximately 8,600 ft. long.

Today the Associated Press, quoting the chief deputy coroner for Lexington County, reported that the two crew members died from smoke inhalation and burns. Both "were burned on their entire bodies and died within minutes" of the crash. The two passengers who perished are believed to have died on impact, since no evidence of smoke was found in their lungs.

The two surviving passengers suffered second- and third-degree burns, but are expected to recover fully.

[Photo Source]

All 88 on board perish in Aeroflot-Nord Boeing 737 accident in Russia

The Russian airline Aeroflot confirmed today that a Boeing 737-500 aircraft operated by Russian domestic regional carrier, Aeroflot-Nord, crashed at Perm in eastern Russia. The accident occurred on September 14, 2008 at approximately 5:10 a.m. local time as Aeroflot Flight SU-821, which had originated at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, was on approach to Perm. The aircraft (Bermuda registration number VP-BKO) was destroyed, and there were no survivors among the 82 passengers and six crew members on board. The crew members who perished were based at Archangelsk.

A message posted on the Aeroflot website said, in part, "Radio contact with flight SU821 was lost at 1,100 metres as the plane was descending for its landing at Perm; at the same time the plane’s signal was lost on air traffic controllers’ displays. Wreckage of the plane has been found within the boundaries of the city of Perm. The plane was totally destroyed and had caught fire."

Several news reports say that the accident happened as the aircraft was attempting to land at Perm for the second time, after a go-around. Some media reports said that at least one of the aircraft's engines may have been on fire, according to witnesses, but this has not been confirmed. [Note: According to investigators, there was no engine fire prior to the crash. See Sep. 18, 2008 update below.] The aircraft was equipped with CFM56 engines. Russian officials quoted by the news media said that both the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) had been recovered from the wreckage.

The aircraft crashed on or near the tracks of the Trans-Siberian Railway, causing railroad service to be temporarily suspended. No one on the ground was said to be injured.

A list of the names of the Aeroflot Flight SU-821 passengers and crew has been posted on the Aeroflot website (Russian language). Names of the six crew members are as follows:

1. Командир - Медведев Родион Михайлович
2. 2-ой пилот - Аллабердин Рустам Рафаилович
3. Широкова А.Д.
4. Норицина Т.В.
5. Яковлева А.Ю.
6. Кучма О.В.

Condolences to the family, colleagues and friends of those who lost their lives in this accident.

UPDATE Sep. 15, 2008: Flight International, quoting officials of Russia's Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK), is reporting that both the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder from the Aeroflot-Nord B737 accident at Perm have been badly damaged. MAK officials said that, given the damage, decoding the data will require "additional work using special equipment."

According to today's Flight International article, MAK says the investigative commission will include US and French participants, representing the manufacturing states of the airframe and engines. A representative from the UK will also take part because the aircraft was Bermuda-registered.

UPDATE Sep. 18, 2008: New information posted today on the website of Russia's Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) about the Aeroflot-Nord B737 accident says that both of the aircraft's engines were operating normally prior to the crash, neither engine was on fire, and the aircraft did not break up before impact. This determination was made through examination of fragments of aircraft engines at the scene, and interpretation of data obtained from the aircraft's Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR).

You can follow the progress of the investigation on this page of the MAK website (Russian language). If you cannot read Russian, I suggest using Google Translate for assistance.

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Crew killed in Air Tahoma Convair 580 crash in Ohio

A Convair 580 freighter operated by Air Tahoma has crashed in an agricultural field outside of Lockbourne, Ohio killing all three crew members on board. The accident happened just after noon on September 1, 2008, shortly after the aircraft (registration number N587X) had departed from Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK), south of Columbus, Ohio, en route to Mansfield, Ohio. The FAA's preliminary report about the Air Tahoma accident indicates that it was a training flight.

News reports about the accident say that minutes after takeoff, the crew had communicated via radio that they intended to return to LCK, where the aircraft was based, but did not request any emergency equipment to stand by. Shortly afterward, the aircraft struck a row of trees and crashed into a cornfield located in Pickaway County near the town of Lockbourne, where it caught fire. The aircraft was completely destroyed. An eyewitness quoted by the Columbus Dispatch said she saw no fire or smoke coming from the aircraft before it crashed.

The Columbus Dispatch, quoting the State Highway Patrol, identified the crew members who perished in the crash as Urs Anderegg, 58, and Sean Gardiner, 41, both of Miami, FL, and James Monahan, 57, of Plantation, FL. Condolences to the families, colleagues and friends of these men.

Fatal crash of Neptune Aviation Services P2V fire fighting aircraft near Reno

On Monday, September 1, 2008, a Lockheed P2V Neptune aircraft operated by Neptune Aviation Services crashed off the departure end of the runway at Reno Stead Airport in Nevada. According to a preliminary report released today by the FAA, the aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members on board were killed in the accident.

News reports say the accident happened shortly after 18:00 local time, just after the aircraft took off. The Reno Gazette-Journal quoted an FAA spokesman who said that "reports from witnesses suggest the tanker lost a piece of its engine or a wing before it caught fire and went down." The Gazette-Journal also reported that crash debris was scattered over five acres, and the fire from the crash burned about two acres.

The aircraft (registration number N4235T) belonged to Neptune Aviation Services of Missoula, MT. It was operating under contract to the U.S. Forest Service. Earlier in the day, it had participated in firefighting activities in the Sierra Nevada, dropping fire retardant on a wildfire south of Lake Tahoe. News reports say that the aircraft had been fueled just before the accident, and was carrying a full load of fire retardant intended for a second fire.

UPDATE Sep. 4, 2008: The Washoe County Coroner’s Office in Nevada has identified the crew members who perished in the Neptune Aviation Services accident as Calvin Gene Wahlstrom, 61, of Huntsville, UT; Gregory Jess Gonsioroski, 41, of Baker,MT; and Zachary Jake Vander-Griend, 25, Missoula, MT. Condolences to the families, colleagues and friends of these men.

UPDATE Sep. 8, 2008: A preliminary factual report about the Neptune accident has been released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Here is an excerpt from the NTSB report:

An air tanker base employee who witnessed the accident reported observing the airplane taxi to Runway 32 "...and everything appeared normal." The witness reported watching the airplane takeoff, and at an elevation estimated to be between 100 to 300 feet above the ground, he observed the left jet engine emitting flames, followed by the left wing being engulfed in flames. The witness further reported that about 2 seconds later the airplane entered a left wing down attitude before impacting terrain and bursting into flames.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC), accompanied by representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the United States Department of Forestry, and representatives from Neptune Aviation Services, Inc., responded to the accident site on September 2, 2008. The initial onsite examination revealed that about 500 feet from the departure end of Runway 32, several identifiable pieces of the airplane's left jet engine were located.

It was also revealed that prior to impacting terrain the airplane had collided with a set of powerlines, estimated to be about 50 feet high. An initial ground impact scar was observed about 25 feet west of the powerlines, followed by the airplane's energy path proceeding in a westerly direction, covering a measured distance of about 755 feet on a magnetic heading of 250 degrees. The damage assessment also revealed that the airplane had sustained significant fragmentation and thermal damage throughout the debris path. [NTSB ID: SEA08GA194]

The NTSB says that the airplane will be recovered to a secure location for further examination.

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