A small plane crashed in the Canton of Valais in Switzerland, on August 20th.
Authorities said the plane was carrying three people when it went down near the Sanetsch Pass.
All three occupants of the plane were killed in the crash.
The accident is being investigated.
A small plane crashed near Madras Municipal Airport in Jefferson County, Oregon, on August 19th.
The plane was approaching the airport when it crashed and caught fire.
The pilot, who is believed to be the only one aboard, was killed in the crash.
The cause of crash is being investigated.
A small plane crashed near Fort Atkinson Municipal Airport, Wisconsin, on August 8th.
The plane was carrying two people when it crashed into the Rock River.
Both occupants of the plane were killed in the crash. The deceased include a 61-year-old man and his 16-year-old son.
The cause of crash is being investigated.
A small plane crashed at Trinca Airport in Green Township, New Jersey, on August 6th.
Authorities said the single-engine plane went down at the end of the runway.
The pilot, who was the only one aboard, was killed in the crash.
The cause of crash is being investigated.
A Piper PA-28 plane crashed near the Diavolezza mountain in Switzerland, on August 4th.
The incident happened when the plane was transporting three teenagers who were participating in a week-long youth camp organized by Swiss Aero Club.
Three people, including the pilot and two 14-year old boys were killed in the crash. A 17-year-old girl was injured and was flown to a hospital in serious condition.
The cause of crash is being investigated.
A small plane crashed near Philip Billard Municipal Airport in Topeka, Kansas, on July 31st.
The 1965 Piper PA-30 fixed wing plane was carrying two people when it went down.
Both occupants were killed in the crash. They were identified as pilot William Leeds, 76, of Mission, Kansas, and co-pilot James Bergman, 55, of Leawood, Kansas.
The crash is being investigated.
A small plane crashed in Waianae mountains on Oahu Island, Hawaii, on July 28th.
The single-engine plane went down while it was performing a sunset flight from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
All four people aboard were killed in the crash. They were identified as Gerrit Evensen, his girlfriend Heather Riley, and their friends Dean Hutton and Alexis Aaron.
The incident is being investigated.
Dear Tam Families,
On this day, 7/17/17, I just reread the transcript of TAM flight JJ-3054. I never knew those people aboard that plane, but I knew their families. I remember the families of these lost passengers. I remember your heartbreak and your loss. Ten years have passed. I hope you have had ten years of healing.
On this day, 7/17/2007, TAM flight JJ-3054 flew into history, taking with it all 187 passengers and crew, and twelve people on the ground. Tonight, I wanted to be that good friend who remembers the date, but not the pain. I was there with you, and I remember you were towers of strength, getting through the hardest time of all. What I hope is that time has healed your wounds, and that you can remember the music and joy that filled your loved ones lives. Remember the good things. The love. The laughter. The connection. May you continue to carry with you all the good memories. I share my heartfelt condolences to all the families. I was there with you, then. I am with you now in spirit. I will never forget.
U.S. DOT Announces $290.6 Million in Infrastructure Grants to 105 Airports
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the FAA is awarding $ 290.6 million in airport infrastructure grants to 105 airports. The airport grant program funds airport infrastructure projects, runways, taxiways, and airport signage, lighting, and markings. “AIP grants will allow airports to complete critical airport infrastructure projects that will help maintain the safety of the nation’s airports,” said FAA Administrator Michael P. Huerta. The grants will provide many jobs. AIP funding is allocated based on passenger volume. If their capital project needs exceed their available entitlement funds, then the FAA can supplement their entitlements with discretionary funding. The FAA is currently providing discretionary funding to 26 airports based on their high-priority project needs.
A small stunt plane crashed in Winchester, New Hampshire, on July 13th.
Authorities said the wreckage of the two-seater plane was found in a heavily wooded area near Warwick Road.
The pilot, who was the only one aboard, was killed in the crash. He was later identified as 65-year-old John Everson of Danielson, Connecticut.
The cause of crash is being investigated.
SINGAPORE—The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) signed a milestone Maintenance Agreement Guidance (MAG) yesterday with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). The agreement allows for mutual surveillance conducted on certified repair stations located abroad for each of the agreement partners.
It provides guidance for the implementation of the previously agreed-upon. In cases where there are sufficient certificated facilities in both partner countries, MIPs may reduce the number of surveillance activities, free up inspector resources for the authorities, and reduce the regulatory burden on industry. There are 58 FAA-approved repair stations located in Singapore.
The MAG furthers the Maintenance Implementation Procedures (MIP) agreement signed by FAA Administrator Michael Huerta and CAAS on February 16, 2016. That agreement was the first of its kind in Asia and reduces costs by allowing the reciprocal acceptance of Singapore and the United States’ surveillance of maintenance work.
The MIP and MAG permits reliance on each other’s surveillance systems to the greatest extent possible while maintaining safety. Agreements such as the MIP allow for greater efficiency and ultimately save valuable industry and authority resources. The FAA and the CAAS have agreed to conduct surveillance on each other’s behalf to ensure compliance with the respective regulatory requirements for maintenance and the applicable Special Conditions. Both agreements build on the 2004 U.S-Singapore Bilateral Safety Agreement (BASA) which has benefitted both countries by saving time and reducing costs in aircraft design and manufacturing.
FAA Assistant Administrator for NextGen James Eck and Executive Director for International Affairs Carey Fagan are participating in the World Civil Aviation Chief Executives Forum this week in Singapore as part of the agency’s continued collaboration with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states.
As part of the strong U.S.-Singapore bilateral relationship, the FAA and the CAAS also partner under Singapore’s Air Traffic Management Center of Excellence to expand understanding and build Air Traffic Management capacity in the region.
A Marine Corps C-130 departed from the Mid-South Base in Millington, Tennessee and crashed in Mississippi in Leflore County in Itta Bena just off Highway 82 in a soybean field. Reports say the plane exploded in mid-air. Bodies were found more than a mile from the crash site. The debris field covered a radius of five miles. Witnesses report seeing the plane spiraling down with one engine on fire. The way the debris was scattered on both sides of the highway leads investigators to believe the explosion happened prior to the crash. The plane was loaded with ammunition. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
A small plane crashed on Piney Hill Road in Chatsworth, Georgia, on July 1st.
The incident happened when the twin-engine Piper PA-23 plane was carrying four people.
Authorities said all four occupants of the plane were killed in the crash.
The incident is being investigated.
A small plane crashed near Buckeye, Arizona, on June 27th.
Authorities said the plane was carrying two people when it went down in the Gila Bend Mountains.
Both occupants of the plane were killed in the crash.
The FAA and the NTSB are investigating.
A small plane crashed into a daycare center in Fort Myers, Florida, on June 24th.
One person was killed in the accident while another one was injured. The injured was shifted to a hospital.
Authorities confirmed that there were no employees inside the Chico’s daycare center when the Piper PA-28 crashed into it.
The incident is being investigated.
A helicopter lost its balance and crashed while taking-off from Himalayan shrine of Badrinath, Uttarakhand, India, on June 10th.
The accident happened due to insufficient air pressure.
A crew member lost his life while the two pilots sustained injuries in the crash. All five passengers remained safe.
The crash remains under investigation.
A small plane crashed in Camarillo, California, on June 4th.
Authorities said the single-engine plane went down in a private property in Marvella Court.
There were two people aboard at the time, including James Harlan, 57, and his son, Dylan Harlan,15; both of them were killed in the crash.
The incident is being investigated.
A small plane crashed near Fairbanks, Alaska, on May 27th.
The single-engine plane was carrying two people when it went down approximately 50 miles east of Fairbanks.
Both occupants of the plane were killed in the accident. They were identified as Sam Richard Brice, 81, of Fairbanks, and Howard A. “Buzz” Otis, 63, of North Pole, Alaska.
The incident is being investigated.
A Summit Air freight flight crashed on the runway of Tenzing–Hillary Airport, Lukla, Chaurikharka, Nepal, on May 27th.
The Let L-410 flying from Kathmandu, Nepal, was about to land when it hit a tree near the runway and hit the land. The incident happened due to fog.
The aircraft sustained technical problems.
Captain and the first officer were killed in the crash. All three crew members sustained injuries.
The incident remains under investigation.
A single-engine plane crashed at Lake Berryessa between Pleasure Cove Marina and Markley Cove Resort in Napa County, California, on the morning of May 8th.
The two men aboard the Icon A5, identified as Jon Murray Karkow, 55, and his passenger Cagri Sever, 41, were killed in the crash. Both were employees of Icon Aircraft.
The cause of crash is being investigated.
Egyptair Flight MS804 (AKA EgyptAir Flight 804) was a Paris to Cairo flight that ended in the Mediterranean on May 19, 2016. Sixty-six people lost their lives: three security crew, fifty-six passengers, seven crew.
Egyptian authorities published a progress report on 28/06/16 that the BEA repaired the recorders. On 17/06 that the Technical Investigation Committee of the A320 accident studied FDR data as well as performing time correlation between FDR and CVR data and cockpit voice recordings before the occurrence of the accident where the existence of a “fire” was mentioned. That report did not determine the reason or location where that fire occurred. Smoke was reported during the flight in the bathroom and the avionics bay.
The investigation has been fraught with controversy. On 22 May, 2016, M6 (French TV) reported that a pilot told Cairo air traffic control about smoke in the cabin, and the pilot consequently made an emergency descent.
On May 20th 2016 The Aviation Herald received information from three independent channels, that ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) messages with following content were received from the aircraft:
No sooner did the report come out that the Egyptian Civil Aviation Ministry dismissed it as false.
One truism I have found in accident investigation is that it takes time to find the truth. Another is that facts can be misleading. Reportage from official sources moves slowly; reportage from commercial, so-called “news,” or social sources is frequently speculative, unsourced, or purely imaginary. Sometimes it is actually correct. It is difficult to tell the difference. Contradictions are a frequent finding, such as this:
How does a close reader respond to a statement that “traces of explosives were found WITH human remains?” A close reader finds more questions. With the remains is not ON the remains. But it could be either way since we are dealing with languages. In English, WITH the remains could mean a bomb was floating in the water near the bodies, or ashes, or gasoline or TNT residue. And what constitutes near? Inches? Miles? It all is relative. Or if the original report is loosely translated, did the original document use a preposition such as ON the remains? And then, there are the forensic questions. Were explosive remains washed off of bodies that were submerged in the ocean?
If the case goes to court, the court will want to know if something failed on the plane, and if so, what it was. Manufacturers of failed components are considered responsible parties. No matter what the cause, international treaty determines carrier responsibility to the victims of the crash.
The determination of failed components provides additional responsible parties. The discovery of a bomb would make airport security one of the potential responsible parties. In addition, international treaty provides guidelines for what carriers owe to the families. (Which treaty is involved depends on which treaty/treaties the involved country/countries are signatory to. If it sounds like it can get complicated, you are correct.)
It has been nearly a year since the accident, and though some things may be believed in the court of public opinion to be one way or another, questions remain unanswered. How grievous and how difficult for the families that must wait so long to find out what brought about this tragedy that took their loved ones.
A single-engine plane made a crash landing at St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport, Clearwater, Florida, at around 7:30 p.m. on May 5th.
The 44-year old pilot James Fink from Rhode Island was killed in the accident.
The airport authorities informed the police after hearing the crash sound.
The FAA is investigating the incident.
Air Cargo Carriers flight 2Q-1260 crashed into the trees left to the runway of Yeager Airport, Charleston, West Virginia, on May 5th.
The Short SD-330 flying on behalf of UPS went down the hill after hitting the trees.
All 2 crew members aboard lost their lives in the crash.
The incident is under investigation.
A military plane crashed in the municipality of Facatativa in Colombia, on May 1st.
The plane was flying from Guaymaral airbase, Bogota, to Tolemaida airbase, Melgar, when it went down.
There were eight people aboard at the time; all of them were killed in the crash.
The cause of crash is being investigated.
A small plane crashed near Meriden Markham Municipal Airport in Wallingford, Connecticut, on April 24th.
Authorities said that Joseph Tomanelli, 56, and his son Daniel Tomanelli, 21, were practicing takeoffs and landings when the plane went down.
Joseph Tomanelli was killed in the crash while his son was injured.
The incident is being investigated.
