ARFF Daily News

Today is Tuesday the 16th of April, 2024

Here are the stories for today...

Be safe out there!

Tom

No injuries after plane makes Statesville belly landing

The landing forced the closure of the airport's only runway for about two hours Monday.

Author: James Brierton (WCNC)

STATESVILLE, N.C. — Statesville Regional Airport has reopened to air traffic after a plane made a belly landing Monday afternoon, according to the airport.

The plane made the landing around 12:30 p.m. Photos shared by the airport showed the aircraft sitting on the runway. The aircraft appeared to have problems with its landing gear forcing it to land on the underside of the plane's fuselage, which did not appear to be held up by wheels.

Emergency officials responded to the landing. No one was injured. Runway 28, where the landing occurred, reopened around 2:30 p.m. 

This plane travels frequently between Tennessee and Statesville, according to publicly-available flight logs. It is listed by the FAA as a Piper fixed wing single-engine aircraft originally manufactured in 1974. 

Statesville Regional Airport, known to pilots as KSVH, is a general aviation airport owned by the city of Statesville. It has a single, 7,003 foot runway. The airport's website lists several NASCAR teams among the airport's frequent fliers. 

About 100 aircraft are based at the airport, according to the city's website. Data from 2022 shows the airport supported over 7,000 flights to 47 different states that year.

In an unrelated crash late Sunday night, the pilot of another small aircraft experienced a scary situation in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The pilot, the only person onboard at the time of the crash, was not injured when a Cessna 172 crashed in a neighborhood overnight

https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/statesville-airport-plane-belly-emergency-landing/275-72f09b1a-7939-4f13-97b6-11858e64ddb0

NTSB Prelim: Holmes William B Air Creation Twin

(Passenger) Intended On Purchasing The Aircraft, And Was Receiving Flight Instruction From The Pilot

Location: Gila Bend, AZ Accident Number: WPR24FA112
Date & Time: March 17, 2024, 09:42 Local Registration: N4425L
Aircraft: Holmes William B Air Creation Twin Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional

On March 17, 2024, about 0942 mountain standard time, an experimental light-sport weightshift control Air Creation Twin, N4425L, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Gila Bend, Arizona. The pilot sustained fatal injuries and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

According to the passenger, who was seated in the front seat, he intended on purchasing the aircraft, and was receiving flight instruction from the pilot. He reported that the morning of the accident, they had flown around the local area for about 45 minutes to increase his flight experience and understanding of the flight characteristics of a weight-shift control aircraft. The passenger stated that after the local flight, they returned to Gila Bend Municipal Airport (E63), Gila Bend, Arizona, and focused on takeoffs and landings on runway 04. Prior to operating in the airport traffic pattern, the pilot had briefed the passenger to maintain aircraft control during the approach to landing, and before the aircraft touched down, transfer control of the aircraft back to the pilot, who would abort the landing and initiate a go-around. 

During the second approach to landing, the passenger heard the pilot state, “my airplane” and relinquished the flight controls, as he heard the engine spool up to which he opined that the engine, “sounded strong.” The passenger stated that the aircraft turned to the right and overflew the dirt area that paralleled the right side of runway 04. As the aircraft’s descent rate was arrested, it continued to drift to the right, over brush and vegetation. Subsequently, the aircraft turned left, toward the runway and the left wing struck a mesquite tree. The aircraft descended into the ground and came to rest on its right side, oriented on an easterly heading, about 2.634 ft from the approach end of runway 04, and about 158 ft southeast of the runway centerline. 

FMI: www.ntsb.gov 

Today in History

52 Years ago today: On 16 April 1972 an ATI Fokker F-27 crashed near Ardinello di Amasend, 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

Aircraft damage: Destroyed, written off

Category: Accident

Location: near Ardinello di Amaseno -   Italy

Phase: En route

Nature: Passenger - Scheduled

Departure airport: Roma-Fiumicino Airport (FCO/LIRF)

Destination airport: Foggia Airport (FOG/LIBF)

Narrative:

ATI 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.