These are your stories for today...
Of note, the obituary and information on services for UPS Captain, Fire Chief and friend to many in the ARFF Community, Dana Diamond.
Be safe out there!
Tom
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Dana Diamond - 1963 - 2025
Dana's life was defined by love, laughter, and
devotion to his family, his friends, his work, and his community. The greatest joys of his life were his beloved wife, Donna; his brother; his family; his seven cherished grandbabies; and their canine son, Jack Diamond.
He loved the freedom of flying, but nothing brought him more happiness than simply being by Donna's side. Whether they were ranching, cooking breakfast, or even running errands together.
He had a gift for filling every room with laughter and for spoiling his grandchildren endlessly. He loved caring for animals of all kinds, and he could turn something as simple as a grocery run into an adventure. He called their home "our canvas," a place where he and Donna were dreaming up a butterfly garden and countless other projects.
Dana's heart was generous, and he lived by the words, "anything you need, just ask." In truth, no one ever had to ask, he was already there, ready to help. His kindness, humor, and selflessness touched everyone he met, and his grandbabies especially adored their "silliest" Grandpa.
Though not originally from Caldwell, Dana quickly became woven into the fabric of the community. He was known, appreciated, and loved by so many. A former resident of Bastrop, he served with pride as Commissioner and Chief of Bastrop County Emergency Services District No. 1, dedicating himself to the safety and well-being of others.
Professionally, Dana devoted 37 proud years to UPS, achieving the #1 seniority position on the MD-11 and #5 overall among all pilots. Passionate about pilot safety, he played a significant role in union leadership and served as the IPA ARFF Committee Vice-Chairman from 2012 to 2017, where he helped educate more than 1,000 ARFF personnel across the country. His credibility, compassion, and unwavering commitment made a lasting impact on everyone he worked alongside.
Although taken from us too soon, Dana lived a full and generous life, grounded in love and service. He will be profoundly missed and leaves a great hole in our heart, but the countless memories, lessons, and moments of laughter will live on forever.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Anita and Milton Diamond. He is survived by his loving wife, Donna; his canine children, Jack and Ellie; his brother, Derek; his stepchildren, Will and his wife, Cesili, and April and her husband, Brian; and his seven treasured grandchildren: Izzy, Boyd, Willow, Caleb, Hayden, Josie, and Lainey.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memorial Events for Dana Diamond
Visitation - November 23
9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Strickland Funeral Home
530 TX-36, Caldwell, TX 77836
Funeral service – November 24
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Burleson County Cowboy Church
300 Co Rd 169, Caldwell, TX 77836
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/statesman/name/dana-diamond-obituary?id=60063763
Plane carrying ministerial delegation has crash-landed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Author: AIRLIVE contributors
A plane transporting a delegation from the
Ministry of Mines crashed during landing on Tuesday at Kolwezi Airport in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The incident occurred as the aircraft (registered D2-AJB) touched down, prompting an immediate emergency response at the airport.
According to initial reports, all crew members and passengers (including officials from the ministerial delegation) were able to evacuate the Embraer ERJ-145 safely, with no fatalities reported.
The extent of any injuries has not yet been confirmed, but authorities say everyone on board was accounted for following the evacuation.
The aircraft involved has not yet been officially identified, and details regarding what caused the landing accident remain unclear. Aviation investigators and local authorities have begun securing the site to conduct an assessment of the damage and determine the factors that led to the crash.
The delegation from the Ministry of Mines was reportedly traveling to Kolwezi for official business linked to the region’s major mining operations, a central pillar of both Lualaba’s local economy and the country’s national extractive sector.
The Ministry of Transport is expected to release further information as the investigation progresses.
Small plane crashes near Mesa neighborhood after pilot reports engine issues
By Mitchell Koch, Brian Petersheim Jr. and Jason Barry
MESA, AZ (AZFamily) — Federal investigators say
a pilot reported engine problems moments before a small plane crashed along a canal road behind several homes in Mesa on Monday morning.
Just after 8:30 a.m., authorities received multiple reports of a plane crash near Greenfield and McKellips roads in Mesa, just southwest of Falcon Field Airport. After searching the area, rescue crews found the plane on a canal access road near a neighborhood.
The two people on board had already exited the aircraft unharmed when first responders arrived.
“Whatever issues they were experiencing, they made the decision to try to land safely on the canal bank,” said Marrisa Ramirez-Ramos with the Mesa Fire and Medical Department.
The FAA identified the aircraft as a Piper PA-28. Online records show it’s registered to the CAE Aviation Academy.
The single-engine plane crashed into a wall dividing the canal from a home, damaging pool equipment and a city gas line. City crews responded to make sure the line was repaired, and no evacuations were necessary.
“It looked like it hit the wall and wall crumbled over,” said neighbor Mark Sherman. “They probably saw canal said this is our best bet lets go ahead and lets land on canal.”
Wendy Wise lives down the block and said this is the third plane in the past year to crash out of Falcon Field.
“It could have hit my house; absolutely could have hit any of the houses that sit along the canal. I applaud the pilot for being able to put it down without crashing into a house and for looking for a safe place to put it down where he is not in middle of road or in somebody’s house,” Wise said.
Pilot and Embry-Riddle professor Cary Grant said the fact that the plane landed safely and no one was hurt shows that the pilot followed his training in an emergency.
“You’re looking for whatever you can, whether it’s road or clearing at low altitude. You don’t have a lot of choices so you have to make a very quick decision on where you put down airplane. So, I’d say crew did excellent job of getting plane down,” said Grant.
Federal investigators will work to determine what led to the crash.
https://www.azfamily.com/2025/11/17/small-plane-crashes-canal-road-mesa/
No injuries reported after small plane crash in Palm Bay
BY Spectrum News Staff Brevard County
PALM BAY, Fla. — A small plane has crashed near
the intersection of Grant Road and Babcock Street SE in Palm Bay on Monday night.
Brevard County Fire Rescue responded to the incident just after 7 p.m.
The pilot reported the plane was out of fuel just before it went down.
The plane was returning to Melbourne Orlando International Airport after a flight to Okeechobee County Airport.
Only one person was on board, and Brevard County Fire Rescue reports they were not injured, nor was anyone on the ground.
https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2025/11/18/no-injuries-reported-after-small-plane-crash-in-palm-bay
NTSB Final Report: Shoemaker Ronald R Pazmany PL-2
Pilot Reported That He Purchased The Airplane Earlier That Day
Location: Reading, Pennsylvania Accident Number: ERA25LA224
Date & Time: May 6, 2025, 16:30 Local Registration: N289RS
Aircraft: Shoemaker Ronald R Pazmany PL-2 Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Landing area undershoot Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis: The pilot reported that he purchased the airplane earlier that day and completed a condition inspection that afternoon. The previous owner suggested performing a couple of touch-and-go landings and some air work in preparation for the planned flight to the airplane’s home base.
The pilot stated that the takeoff, climb, crosswind, and downwind legs of the traffic pattern were normal. While on the base-to-final turn, the airplane was high, and when the pilot reduced engine power, it developed a high sink rate. He did not correct the sink rate with additional power, and the airplane landed short of the runway. It then bounced to the runway threshold, and the right main landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane’s right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further stated that since he had no prior flight experience with the airplane, additional flight planning and familiarization of the airplane’s flight characteristics prior to departure could have prevented the accident.
Probable Cause and Findings: The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be -- The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper descent rate, resulting in a hard landing short of the runway and collapse of the right main landing gear.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
27 Years ago today: On 18 November 1998 An ASESA Aérospatiale SA 365N2 Dauphin 2 helicopter and a Pegaso MBB BK-117 helicopter collided in mid-air over the Gulf of Mexico, killing all 22 occupants.
| Date: | Wednesday 18 November 1998 |
| Time: | 07:30 LT |
| Type: | Aérospatiale SA 365N2 Dauphin 2 |
| Owner/operator: | Aeroservicios Especializados S.A. (ASESA) |
| Registration: | XA-RYL |
| MSN: | 6433 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1992 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 13 |
| Other fatalities: | 9 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Campeche Sound, near Ciudad del Carmen - Mexico |
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Offshore |
| Departure airport: | ship helideck, Gulf of Mexico |
| Destination airport: | |
| Confidence Rating: | Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Narrative:
An ASESA Aérospatiale SA 365N2 Dauphin 2 helicopter and a Pegaso MBB BK-117 helicopter collided in mid-air over the Gulf of Mexico, killing all 22 occupants.
Shortly after take-off from a ship helideck, the Dauphin 2 helicopter came into collision with the BK117, which was on approach to a nearby oil rig. Both helicopters went out of control and fell into the sea.
Both helicopters sank, killing all 18 pax and four crew members. The pilot of XA-RYL may have been affected by glare from the sun.
