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Small Plane Skids Off Runway Near Central California Airport, Six People Escape Safely
Kathakali Nandi
A plane went down near Porterville Airport in Central California’s Tulare County on the morning of Tuesday, September 1, while it was attempting to land.
The incident happened at around 11:43 a.m. near the corner of Newcomb and Teapot Dome, the Porterville Fire Department said in a social media post. 
Sharing details of the incident in a Facebook post, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office said that deputies arrived at the scene and found a plane down, with smoke showing in a field near the airport.
Deputies later learned that the plane had been trying to land, but skidded off the runway and came to rest in a nearby field.
By the time the deputies and fire crews reached the scene, all four passengers and two pilots had exited the aircraft, authorities said.
Emergency crews did not share details on any injuries.
Fire crews worked along with pilots and other emergency personnel to safely secure the plane’s power sources.
Several roads in the area have been temporarily closed as emergency crews work at the scene.
The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to arrive to investigate the incident.
The fire department asked the public to avoid the area for the next few days and warned of potential road closures and delays while the investigation was underway. 
Authorities did not disclose information on what may have caused the plane to skid off the runway.
The fire department and the Sheriff’s Office shared images of the small jet lying on the field with visible damage to the nose and wings. Emergency crews were seen around the aircraft.
The Cessna 560 XL was carrying four Bay Area doctors who were due to perform a surgery in Porterville, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The plane was trying to land at the Porterville Municipal Airport when the incident happened.
Citing flight tracking records, the Chronicle said that the plane departed from Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport at 11:06 a.m. Earlier that day, the plane had flown from San Jose to Oakland.
The Sheriff’s Office urged anyone with information about the incident to contact the office.
https://www.edhat.com/beyond-local/news/porterville-airport-plane-skids-runway/
Single-engine plane crash-lands near Lebanon elementary school playground, police say
by Ashley Griffin
LEBANON, Tenn. (WZTV) — A single-engine aircraft crash-landed near the playground at Byars Dowdy Elementary School, according to the Lebanon Police Department. 
Police said children were on school grounds at the time, but none were on the playground or near the aircraft when it came down.
No injuries had been reported as of the department’s initial update.
Emergency crews were on scene Tuesday working to secure the area, police said.
Police did not say whether school operations, transportation, or after-school activities would be affected.
- No injuries; single occupant in plane; kids in the area but not on playground
- Took off from Lebanon Municipal Airport
- Pilot not transported to hospital
- He says he expects school will continue tomorrow
- Crashed about a mile from the airport. Mechanical failures caused the crash. Police will likely be here with the plane at the school Wednesday morning
https://fox17.com/news/local/plane-crash-lands-near-byars-dowdy-elementary-lebanon
Pilot, passenger escape injury after crash-landing into Cispus River in East Lewis County
Pilot, 18, and passenger, 27, both walked out on Forest Road 23 after crash
By Jacob Farmer / jfarmer@chronline.com
An 18-year-old pilot and his 27-year-old passenger escaped injury Tuesday after they were forced to crash-land their 1965 Cessna airplane into the Cispus River.
“These two young men are very lucky to be alive and to walk away without injuries,” Lewis County Sheriff Rob Snaza told The Chronicle Tuesday, after the sheriff’s office and assisting agencies found the two individuals near milepost 11 on Forest Road 23.
At about 12:18 p.m., the sheriff’s office received the initial report of an airplane that had crashed about 10 miles south of the Packwood area. Based on the coordinates provided, the sheriff’s office determined the single-engine plane had landed on or near the Cispus River.
Snaza said he arrived in the area at about 12:51 p.m. Another deputy was already on the scene. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Randle Fire & EMS and the Morton Police Department also responded to the crash.
As personnel searched the river, dispatch began relaying text messages sent from the plane’s occupants to 911. Snaza said the two men reported they could hear the sirens.
Personnel eventually located the Bainbridge Island residents.
According to Snaza, the plane, which landed in shallow water facing east, surrounded by a bed of rock, suffered “no real damage,” other than to its propeller.
The sheriff said the plane was not leaking any fuel after the crash.
“It was a great team effort by everyone involved,” Snaza said. “I really could not be more pleased with the outcome.”
According to Snaza, the plane was coming from Port Townsend. At about 4,000 feet, the plane experienced engine troubles. At about 3,000 feet, the pilot began making preparations to land.
“They both had experience in flying,” Snaza said.
The USFS will now act as the primary investigating agency, according to the sheriff. A subsequent news release from the sheriff's office stated the incident is being referred to the Federal Aviation Administration.
https://www.chronline.com/stories/pilot-passenger-escape-injury-after-crash-landing-into-cispus-river-in-east-lewis-county,407401
NTSB Final Report: Fantasy Air SRO Allegro 2007
The Airplane’s Co-Owner Reported That The Accident Pilot Had A History Of Sometimes Omitting The Preflight Inspection
Location: Eureka, Utah Accident Number: WPR24FA227
Date & Time: July 7, 2024, 05:44 Local Registration: N969RC
Aircraft: Fantasy Air SRO Allegro 2007 Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis: The pilot departed from a local airport and proceeded to land on a road where, according to acquaintances, the pilot frequently landed to hike in the surrounding area. Flight track data show that the airplane departed from the road a little over an hour after landing and subsequently impacted terrain about a minute later. The wreckage was later located in a field adjacent to the road.
A nearby landowner stated that airplanes occasionally land on the road, though he did not observe the airplane on the day of the accident, and noted that dust devils were a common occurrence in the area. The investigation could not determine whether the pilot obtained a weather briefing before the flight.
Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of a preexisting mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. However, a flight control locking device was found about 22 ft from the airplane's right wing, raising the possibility that the airplane departed with the control lock installed. The airplane’s co-owner reported that the accident pilot had a history of sometimes omitting the preflight inspection. It is possible that the pilot omitted a departure preflight inspection and left the flight control locking device in place.
The pilot had severe cardiovascular disease that placed him at increased risk for an impairing or incapacitating cardiac event, including chest pain, arrhythmia, or myocardial infarction. Although the autopsy found no evidence of such an event, cardiac arrhythmias and other acute cardiac conditions may not leave definitive postmortem findings when they occur immediately before death. While a pacemaker may record arrhythmias, the autopsy report did not indicate that the pilot's pacemaker was interrogated to evaluate device function or detect arrhythmias.
The autopsy and toxicology findings also suggested a likely history of heart failure, a condition commonly associated with fatigue; however, heart failure was not specifically documented in the available medical records.
Toxicology testing detected citalopram, an antidepressant medication, in the pilot's system. Based on the available evidence, it could not be determined whether the pilot was experiencing impairment from an underlying condition, such as depression, or adverse effects associated with his unreported citalopram use. The presence of frequent localized wind events, commonly referred to as dust devils, may have influenced the pilot to expedite his departure during a perceived lull between wind events. In doing so, the pilot likely inadvertently omitted the removal of the airplane's flight control locking device. During the departure, any wind-induced displacement of the wing from a level attitude would have left the pilot with limited ability to correct roll deviations as the aircraft ascended. Compounding the situation was the pilot's underlying medical condition and associated propensity for a cardiac event, which may have further degraded his ability to respond effectively to the developing emergency.
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 airplane control during initial climb, which resulted in an in-flight upset and impact with terrain.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
28 Years ago today: On 2 September 1998 Swissair flight 111, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, crashed into the sea off Peggy's Cove, NS, Canada, following an in-flight fire, killing all 229 occupants.
| Date: | Wednesday 2 September 1998 |
| Time: | 21:31 |
| Type: | McDonnell Douglas MD-11 |
| Owner/operator: | Swissair |
| Registration: | HB-IWF |
| MSN: | 48448/465 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1991 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 36041 hours |
| Cycles: | 6400 flights |
| Engine model: | P&W PW4462 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 229 / Occupants: 229 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 9 km SW off Peggy's Cove, NS - Canada |
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport, NY (JFK/KJFK) |
| Destination airport: | Genève-Cointrin Airport (GVA/LSGG) |
| Investigating agency: | TSB |
| Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:
Swissair flight 111, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, crashed into the sea off Peggy's Cove, NS, Canada, following an in-flight fire, killing all 229 occupants.
At 20:18 Swissair flight SR111, departed New York-JFK Airport on a flight to Geneva, Switzerland. Forty minutes later the copilot contacted Moncton ACC, reporting FL330. At 21:10 the pilots detected an unusual odour in the cockpit and began to investigate. They determined that some smoke was present in the cockpit, but not in the passenger cabin. They assessed that the odour and smoke were related to the air conditioning system. Four minutes later a Pan Pan radio call was made to Moncton ACC. The aircraft was about 66 nm southwest of Halifax. The pilots reported that there was smoke in the cockpit and requested an immediate return to a convenient place. The pilots named Boston, which was about 300 nm behind them. The Moncton ACC controller immediately cleared SR 111 to turn right toward Boston and to descend to FL310. Then the controller asked SR 111 whether they preferred to go to Halifax. The pilots expressed a preference for Halifax. They immediately received an ATS clearance to fly directly to Halifax. At this time, the pilots donned their oxygen masks. At 21:16, the controller cleared SR 111 to descend to 10000 feet. Two minutes later they were cleared down to 3000 feet. At 21:19, the controller instructed SR 111 to turn left to a heading of 030 for a landing on runway 06 at the Halifax, and advised that the aircraft was 30 nm from the runway threshold. The aircraft was descending through approximately FL210 and the pilots indicated that they needed more than 30 nm. The controller instructed SR 111 to turn to a heading of 360 to provide more track distance for the aircraft to lose altitude. The flight crew discussed internally the dumping of fuel based on the aircraft's gross weight, and on their perception of the cues regarding the aircraft condition, and agreed to dump fuel. The flight was vectored to the south to dump fuel. At 21:24, both pilots almost simultaneously declared an emergency. The co-pilot indicated to the controller that they were starting to dump fuel and that they had to land immediately. Last radio contact was one minute later when they again declared an emergency. By now the fire had propagated, causing severe disturbances of the electric system. In the last minutes of the flight, the electronic navigation equipment and communications radios stopped operating. The aircraft descended over the dark waters off the coast of Nova Scotia until it stuck the water in a 20 degrees nose down and 110 degrees right bank.
FINDINGS AS TO CAUSES AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS:
1. Aircraft certification standards for material flammability were inadequate in that they allowed the use of materials that could be ignited and sustain or propagate fire. Consequently, flammable material propagated a fire that started above the ceiling on the right side of the cockpit near the cockpit rear wall. The fire spread and intensified rapidly to the extent that it degraded aircraft systems and the cockpit environment, and ultimately led to the loss of control of the aircraft.
2. Metallized polyethylene terephthalate (MPET)-type cover material on the thermal acoustic insulation blankets used in the aircraft was flammable. The cover material was most likely the first material to ignite, and constituted the largest portion of the combustible materials that contributed to the propagation and intensity of the fire.
3. Once ignited, other types of thermal acoustic insulation cover materials exhibit flame propagation characteristics similar to MPET-covered insulation blankets and do not meet the proposed revised flammability test criteria. Metallized polyvinyl fluoridetype cover material was installed in HB-IWF and was involved in the in-flight fire.
4. Silicone elastomeric end caps, hook-and-loop fasteners, foams, adhesives, and thermal acoustic insulation splicing tapes contributed to the propagation and intensity of the fire.
5. The type of circuit breakers (CB) used in the aircraft were similar to those in general aircraft use, and were not capable of protecting against all types of wire arcing events. The fire most likely started from a wire arcing event.
6. A segment of in-flight entertainment network (IFEN) power supply unit cable (1-3791) exhibited a region of resolidified copper on one wire that was caused by an arcing event. This resolidified copper was determined to be located near manufacturing station 383, in the area where the fire most likely originated. This arc was likely associated with the fire initiation event; however, it could not be determined whether this arced wire was the lead event.
7. There were no built-in smoke and fire detection and suppression devices in the area where the fire started and propagated, nor were they required by regulation. The lack of such devices delayed the identification of the existence of the fire, and allowed the fire to propagate unchecked until it became uncontrollable.
8. There was a reliance on sight and smell to detect and differentiate between odour or smoke from different potential sources. This reliance resulted in the misidentification of the initial odour and smoke as originating from an air conditioning source.
9. There was no integrated in-flight firefighting plan in place for the accident aircraft, nor was such a plan required by regulation. Therefore, the aircraft crew did not have procedures or training directing them to aggressively attempt to locate and eliminate the source of the smoke, and to expedite their preparations for a possible emergency landing. In the absence of such a firefighting plan, they concentrated on preparing the aircraft for the diversion and landing.
10. There is no requirement that a fire-induced failure be considered when completing the system safety analysis required for certification. The fire-related failure of silicone elastomeric end caps installed on air conditioning ducts resulted in the addition of a continuous supply of conditioned air that contributed to the propagation and intensity of the fire.
11. The loss of primary flight displays and lack of outside visual references forced the pilots to be reliant on the standby instruments for at least some portion of the last minutes of the flight. In the deteriorating cockpit environment, the positioning and small size of these instruments would have made it difficult for the pilots to transition to their use, and to continue to maintain the proper spatial orientation of the aircraft.
