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Piper Crash in Florida Parking Lot
On March 15, 2013, a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain took off from a small Fort Lauderdale airport, developed problems and struck a tree while returning to the airport. The plane impacted the ground in a parking lot for repossessed cars at 964 NW 53rd Court which was described as going up like a fireball.
No one on the ground was injured but there were three fatalities aboard. Kevin Watson, in his 30s, and his father, Wallace, who owned Avionics Engineering were aboard.
Locals are concerned about aviation safety and are interested in having city inspectors to check planes for safety like the FAA and NTSB.
The fire at the lot was under control within thirty minutes.
The FAA and the NTSB are investigating.
Canadian Antarctica Support Flight Missing
On January 23, 2013, a Kenn Borek Air de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter was en route from the South Pole to Terra Nova Bay when it went missing en route, somewhere around Northern end, Queen Alexandra Range, Antarctica.
Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand is coordinating the search.
Three Canadians were aboard. The pilot is Captain Bob Heath, a Canadian with 25 years of Arctic and Antarctic experience. His plane was carrying survival tent and equipment and 5 day food supply.
The flight was a support mission from Amundson-Scott South Pole Base (USA) to an Italian base at Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica. A distress beacon sounded but a C-130 sweep sent by United States authorities at McMurdo failed to detect the plane. The beacon activated at around 10pm Wednesday night from the northern end of the Queen Alexandra Range, during hurricane force winds blowing slow below at temperatures below zero.
A DC-3 circled for five hours in heavy snow and 190 km winds.
A Twin Otter was scheduled to take off at around 8am NZ Time from McMurdo Station to fly over and establish a forward base approximately 50km from the mountainous area where the beacon is sounding, but weather may be prohibitive. A joint New Zealand and US field rescue team is planning a helicopter rescue as soon as weather permits.
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Ecuador Crash Kills 7, Maybe More
What: twin-engine Beechcraft 200 propeller plane en route from Manta to Quito’s airport
Where: 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) from the airport near Hotel Quito
When: 5:20 pm (2220 GMT)
Who: seven people were killed: 5 aboard; 2 on the ground
Why: small military plane on a training flight clipped some tree tops and crashed into an apartment building. The reports list two buildings.
Initial reports said the deaths included the wife and son of the pilot, Major Julio Zaldumbide but we have not verified that information.
Cessna Emergency Landing Key Largo
On Feb 24, 2013, a Cessna 336/337 en route from North Perry Airport Hollywood Florida to Florida Keys Marathon Airport went down in Biscayne Bay, Bayfront Park in Homestead after the pilot lost power.
There were four people aboard. After the plane was upside down, the pilot and passengers came out from under the plane. They were taken to Black Point Marina and from there to a local hospital for minor injuries.
It was termed a forced landing (wheels up) in Biscayne Bay.
There were no fatalities.
Video below

Fred Flintstone Airlines? No, it’s Air Zimbabwe
Like the nineteen year old Yemenia Airlines* Airbus A310-324 that was written up as having passengers with standing room only, unattached seats and an assortment of safety problems that were so bad that the plane was disallowed from flying over European airspace, Air Zimbabwe’s fleet demonstrates how not to run an airline.
There are apparently 5 planes and 50 pilots; far too many engineers (300? For a fleet of 5?), and is an accounting nightmare, being $108 million in debt and accruing more as it is operating in the red, and it has reportedly fallen behind on quarterly insurance payments.
A B767 may be auctioned if Air Zimbabwe fails to pay a monthly installment of US$500 000 to Lufthansa Technics. Repair of the B767-200 engine which requires US$2,5 million for repairs, hinged on the condition of making US$500 000 monthly payments from May 2011 to redeem the debt.
Skytrax, which rates airlines on a scale of 5-1 (5 being good) rates Air Zimbabe as a 2. Passenger reviews include random cancellations, ancient planes, unexpected delays, missed connections, owed reimbursements, misdirected charter flights, and strange excuses from gate personnel.
Yemenia Airlines* is also a 2 star airline.
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