Contact Photographer Steve Nation
What: Schweizer SGS 1-34
Where: Skylark Field Lake Elsinore, California
When: 12-SEP-2009 2:50 pm
Who: William R. Klesse
Why: While being towed, the glider pilot lost control, and received received serious injuries.
The pilot was transported to Inland Valley Medical Center and died within hours.
On April 1:
What: Happy Lines Pilatus PC-12/45 en route from Antwerp to Switzerland
Where: Solemont, France
When: August 24, 2012
Who: 4 aboard, 4 fatalities
Why: Eye witnesses say that the Pilatus was en route Friday night when it was struck by lightning. Forty minutes after the plane had sent out a distress call, emergency services found the wreck. Debris from the plane is scattered over a wide area.
Those on the plane included the pilot, aged 57, a woman passenger aged 20, and two men aged 36 and 51. All the remains have not been found and identified, although family members have been informed.
The accident is under investigation, and no specific cause has been released. Heavy rain was falling at the time of the crash, and there was low visibility. The four aboard the plane were from Switzerland. Late Friday, the Minister of Economy and Finance and managing director of the city of Montbéliard, Pierre Moscovici, expressed his “emotion” and “deep sympathy” towards victims.
What: Ugandan helicopter Mil Mi-24 en route from Soroti to Garissa
What: Ugandan helicopter Mil Mi-24 en route from Soroti to Garissa
Where: Mount Kenya
When: August 12, 2012
Who: 7 aboard, 3 fatalities
Why: Three Mi-24 were heading to Somalia. A fourth helicopter did not crash.
Capt. William Letti and Lt. Patrick Nahamya were flying a peace-keeping mission when they crashed onto the side of Mount Kenya. They are calling it a “hard landing” i.e. in an “ungazetted” area. Two bodies were found on August 14. A third body was found a day later (August 15)
One choppers made it to Garissa, North Eastern Kenya. 18 people from that helicopters safely evacuated.
Two of the helicopters crashed, and were found burned.
A pilot from one of the helicopters sent a message requesting assistance for ground troops and the grounded chopper crew.
A small plane crashed in Kirknie near Townsville, Queensland, Australia, on July 27.
A young farmer was piloting the crop duster plane when it went down. The pilot sustained minor injuries and was treated on the scene.
The cause of accident is still under investigation.
What: 1946-era single-engine fixed aircraft listed as a “model 415 C ERCOUP/ MOONEY A-2 AIRCOUPE”
Where: corn field near the city of Sandwich
When: 04/11/2009 1:49 p.m.
Who: 53-year-old Randall Hougham of Sandwich, who was flying the plane, and 22-year-old passenger Lauren Hamilton, also of Sandwich died in the crash
Why: Circumstances are unknown.
What: Twin-engine Cessna 421B on approach to Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling
Where: crashed into a storage yard
When: January 2006
Who: Michael Waugh ( general manager and chief operating partner of Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab in Chicago), Kenneth Knudson (founder of Sybaris), and Scott Garland (financial adviser at Morgan Stanley)
Why: Circuit Judge John Ward awarded $6 million to Waugh’s widow, with the rest being divided among the couple’s three young sons.
Wrongful death suiit: Morgan Stanley improperly allowed employees to fly personal planes to conduct business–a situation which other financial institutions prohibit.
Pilot Mark Turek, a Morgan Stanley senior vice president was charged with negligence.
George’s Point of View
Settlements are seldom published