Your stories for today...
Of note, check out the first story regarding the crash of an Icon A-5 on Puerto Rico's northern coast. If you were first on scene, would you know that it was equipped with with a ballistic parachute system (IPS) developed by BRS Aerospace that could deploy while you were working on removing victims or securing the aircraft? While you may not be able to know every system on every aircraft, at least be aware that these ballistic recovery systems can be installed on many, many different general aviation aircraft and they can seriously injure if not kill you if deployed while your around them...
Be safe out there!
Tom
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Small plane crashes on Toa Baja beach
Due to mechanical problems with the engine.
By Maribel Hernández Pérez
A small plane crashed this morning on the beach at
kilometer 27.3 of PR-165 highway, in Toa Baja , near the Comfort Inn & Suites hotel.
The aircraft crashed around 10:30 this morning, after the 41-year-old pilot encountered mechanical problems with the engine while flying over the water pump area in Levittown.
Despite the pilot beginning to maneuver to return to his starting point, the ICON-A5 model airplane crashed on the shores of this beach.
He was rescued, and his condition is stable.
Emergency and rescue units are responding to the situation.
In addition, the causes of the accident are being investigated.
Major storm damage reported at Albia Municipal Airport
Kelly Maricle
ALBIA, Iowa — Emergency crews are on the scene at the
Albia Municipal Airport on Wednesday morning after major storm damage was reported.
The Albia Police Department posted to its social media at 7:52 a.m. that APD, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, and ADLM Emergency Management were on the scene at the airport and surrounding properties in response to a natural disaster. The airport is located at 6786 201st St., southeast of Albia.
Photos of the damage were shared by the APD, including damage to buildings on-site as well as aircraft.
The APD said initial observations of the damage led them to believe it was caused by straight-line winds or possibly a small tornado. The emergency crews are continuing to assess and check for hazards as well as ensure the safety of those in the area.
The public is being asked to avoid the area to allow first responders to work.
APD said more information will be released as it becomes available.
https://who13.com/news/major-storm-damage-reported-at-albia-municipal-airport/amp/
FAA to incident of pilots heard meowing, barking on radio at DC airport
It is unclear when the now-viral incident occurred, but the FAA said that it plans to determine if the pilots violated any regulations.
By Steven Richards
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating an incident at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in which two airline pilots were heard on radio meowing and barking at one another.
The Air Traffic Control audio of the incident has been circling social media, but it is unclear when the radio communication between the two pilots took place.
"Meow meow meow meow," one voice can be heard on the recording.
Another pilot responded to the transmission by barking before the air traffic controllers intervened.
The FAA told NBC News that "regulations prohibit pilots from engaging in non-essential conversations when they’re below 10,000 feet altitude."
"Conversations must be related to the safe operation of the aircraft," the agency said. "The FAA investigates all situations where pilots may have violated any regulation."
Reagan airport is in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.
https://justthenews.com/government/federal-agencies/faa-investigate-after-pilots-heard-meowing-barking-radio-dc-airport
NTSB Prelim: Cessna 150G
When (Witness) Regained Sight Of It, The Airplane Was On An Easterly Heading And In An Approximate 60° Left Bank
Location: Ellicott, CO Accident Number: CEN26LA156
Date & Time: March 21, 2026, 10:23 Local Registration: N6305S
Aircraft: Cessna 150G Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On March 21, 2026, about 1023 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 150G airplane, N6305S, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Ellicott, Colorado. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot reported that he recalled completing a preflight inspection, a before takeoff engine run-up, and taxing onto the runway for takeoff. He did not recall any portion of the accident sequence.
A witness stated that the pilot intended to conduct some takeoffs and landings for currency. The pilot departed toward the south, and the takeoff appeared normal. The airplane went out of sight behind a hangar. However, when he regained sight of it, the airplane was on an easterly heading and in an approximate 60° left bank.
The airplane subsequently impacted the ground near wings level. It came to rest on a northeast heading about 100 ft before the departure end of the runway and about 500 ft left of the centerline. The airplane sustained damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings.
Airframe and engine examinations are planned.
FMI:Â www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
54 Years ago today:Â On 16 April 1972 ATI flight 392, a Fokker F-27 Friendship, crashed following a loss of control near Ardinello di Amaseno, Italy, killing all 18 occupants.
| Date: | Sunday 16 April 1972 |
| Time: | 22:10 |
| Type: | Fokker F-27 Friendship 200 |
| Owner/operator: | Aero Trasporti Italiani - ATI |
| Registration: | I-ATIP |
| MSN: | 10251 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1964 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 20461 hours |
| Cycles: | 26490 flights |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 18 / Occupants: 18 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Ardinello di Amaseno -Â Â Â Â Italy |
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Roma-Fiumicino Airport (FCO/LIRF) |
| Destination airport: | Foggia Airport (FOG/LIBF) |
| Confidence Rating: | Â Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Narrative:
ATI flight 392, a Fokker F-27 Friendship, crashed following a loss of control near Ardinello di Amaseno, Italy, killing all 18 occupants.
Flight BM392 was a scheduled service from Roma-Fiumicino (FCO) to Foggia (FOG). The flight was cleared for takeoff from runway 16 and takeoff was accomplished at 21:56. Immediately after takeoff the crew contacted the Rome Departure controller. The controller confirmed the en route clearance via Pratica, Latina and Teano. He then instructed the flight crew to contact Pratica di Mare. The crew was not able to contact the air traffic controller at Pratica di Mare. At 22:00 the flight contacted Rome Departure again. They reported leaving FL65 for FL110 and noted their problems of contacting Pratica. They were then instructed to call Rome-Control (Terminal Sector South). At 22:04 flight 392 contacted the Terminal Sector South controller and reported at FL100, estimating Latina at 22:10.
At 22:05 the flight was cleared to climb to FL150, following the specific request of the pilot. The F-27 was also cleared for a direct route to Teano, skipping Latina.
Three minutes later the pilot reported passing FL135 and the crew were instructed to switch frequencies to Teano. Nothing more was heard from the flight. By then the flight entered an area of poor weather with local thunderstorm activity. The aircraft had almost reached FL150 when it suddenly lost 1200 ft of altitude and the airspeed dropped 30 knots. This developed into phugoid oscillations from which the pilots were not able to recover. The airplane entered a descent and struck the ground at 340 knots at an angle of 20 degrees.
PROBABLE CAUSES: "The Commission does not have sufficient evidence to determine the certain or probable cause of the accident. However, based on the information from the flight recorder and all conducted investigations, it reasonably hypothesizes that, shortly after reaching the cruise level FL 150, the aircraft suddenly entered an area characterized by strong turbulence and significant downdrafts, which may have led to or coincided with an event or condition that caused abnormal attitudes of the aircraft and/or significant damage to it, even if not identifiable, primarily affecting the flight control system. Meteorological factors alone are ruled out as being able to directly cause the aircraft's fall. There are also no elements to suggest a contributing cause attributable to pilot error, while there are doubts about the pilots' ability to maintain the necessary psycho-physical capacity to control the aircraft during the critical phase of flight, due to the particular stresses they were under."
ICAO Occurrence Category:
LOC-I: Loss of Control–Inflight
