Small Plane Lands in Emergency in a Houston Parking Lot
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Small Plane Lands in Emergency in a Houston Parking Lot

small planeA single-propeller aircraft made an emergency landing in the parking lot of an oilfield service company located in northwest Houston, Texas.

According to the Houston Fire Department, they were called to the parking lot of TAM International, near Pinemont west of Highway 290, shortly after 7 a.m. on June 20.

The small, red-colored Champion Sportster landed without any damage to the nearby parked cars, although its right tire was damaged during the emergency landing. The landing gear collapsed during an apparently intentional ground-loop.

Officials confirmed that there were two people aboard at the time of the accident. HPD Officer Tray Riley said, “They’re very thankful to be uninjured and to be able to put that aircraft down without it flipping over, without injuring anyone else in the parking lot.”

The pilot maintained that the plane lost power just after taking off from Weiser Airpark, Cypress.

The initial investigation confirmed that the plane’s engine failed. The FAA is investigating the cause of the engine failure.

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Small Plane Crashes in Alaska

On August 29, 2013, a Champion 7ECA Citabria crashed north of Sutton, AK while on a a moose scouting flight.

The flight was reported overdue at 9:45 p.m.

The wreck was located on Friday by an Alaska Air National Guard helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft around 4 a.m.

The names of the victims have been released:

Adam Norton, 30, and Derrik Swanson, 31

Recovery was hampered by weather and rustic conditions.

PG&E Contractor Accident in California
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PG&E Contractor Accident in California


On August 13, 2013, an AA Aerial Services and Frontline Energy operated Champion 7GCAA was on a survey mission over a natural gas transmission pipeline when it crashed in Hamlin Canyon, SW of Paradise, CA. The time is estimated at 11:35 a.m.

Witness Bob Smalley saw the plane circle to the right and fall out of the sky.

The plane caught fire on impact and by the time firemen got there, the plane was gone. When they arrived, they had no idea who was aboard and the plane was beyond identification. Twenty-one acres burned. The fire was contained by six engines, four water trucks, a bulldozer, four crews on the ground and aboveground, two air tankers and a spotter plane.

Afterwards, the plane was identified as one performing surveillance contracted for PG&E. The two people aboard who lost their lives were identified only as an employee of AA Aerial Services and one with Frontline Energy Service. However, the plane was registered to Fredrick Lewis, an agricultural pilot.