The antique aircraft’s owners—Dave and Jeanne Allen—were killed in the June 30 accident.

According to the preliminary report released by the agency (below), thick fog was reported by residents in the area at the time of the accident.

The Allens, from Elbert, Colorado, were both accomplished pilots. Dave was a retired airline pilot, and Jeanne flew gliders. The accident airplane, the teal cabin-class model, had been restored by the Allens and was one of the most photographed vintage airplanes at airshows and fly-ins.

• READ MORE: Award-Winning WACO YKC Restorers Killed in Kansas Crash 

What Happened

According to the NTSB preliminary report, on June 30 the Allens were planning to fly from Knox County Airport (4I3) in Mount Vernon, Ohio, to Oberlin Municipal Airport (KOIN) in  Kansas. According to SkyVector, the straight-line distance is approximately 829 nm. 

The Allens made two fuel stops en route—one at the Shelby County Airport (2H0) in Shelbyville, Illinois, around 8:40 a.m. CDT, and another at the Chillicothe Municipal Airport (KCHT) in Missouri, about 11:35 a.m.

The aircraft was not equipped for IFR flight as it was not required to be when it rolled off the assembly line in 1934. The panel of the WACO was period correct with the required original instruments, including an airspeed indicator, altimeter, slip-skid indicator, magnetic compass, and vertical speed indicator.

Investigators also found a hand-held Garmin GPSMAP 496 and an Appareo Stratus 3 in the aircraft. The circuit boards of both were recovered and retained for further examination.

While in Shelbyville, Jeanne Allen made the first of several text messages to the manager of Oberlin Municipal Airport stating that their estimated time of arrival would be around 5 p.m., according to the NTSB report. A second message sent later said that the weather was looking too low for VFR at Oberlin, so they would divert to Phillipsburg Municipal Airport (PHG) in Kansas, approximately 57 nm to the west.

From the ground, Dave Allen made several telephone calls to both the Oberlin Municipal Airport manager and a family friend in Colby, Kansas, to inquire about the weather en route and possible destinations.

According to the NTSB, the airport manager told him that the weather conditions included low ceilings and visibility, and he did not know when or if the weather would improve.

The family friend told investigators that, based on the telephone conversation, he assumed the couple would stay overnight in Colby.

The WACO took off from Chillicothe Municipal Airport at 5:10 p.m.. Approximately six minutes later, the passenger sent a text to the manager in Oberlin stating they were “going to try and go south to get out of this stuff.”

ATC radar data, beginning at 5:46 p.m., showed the airplane making several climbing turns starting at an altitude of 3,025 feet msl. The aircraft reached a maximum altitude of 4,625 feet msl over the accident site, then began descending right bank. Data was lost by 5:49 p.m. The last readout shows the aircraft on a heading of 75 degrees, with a groundspeed of 109 knots and an altitude of 3,800 feet msl, which put it approximately 1,050 feet agl.

The accident site was in a flat agricultural field about 0.10 nm southeast of the last received ATC radar position. The impact marks and debris were consistent with the airplane hitting the ground in about a 90-degree right bank and about 40-degree nose-down attitude. There was a postaccident fire.

NTSB said that an oil rig crew, located about a half mile from the accident site, reported that fog was so dense it could not see the top of its derrick.

The NTSB final report with the probable cause of the accident is expected to be released in about 18 months.

The post NTSB Releases Prelim Report on Vintage WACO YKC Crash appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

On Wednesday in Washington, D.C., NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy noted the investigation into the door plug blowout in January near Portland, Oregon, has revealed that the message to Boeing workers is “you mess up, you get moved.”

The 737 flying as Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 had been in service less than four months when it lost a door plug on January 5 shortly after takeoff from Portland International Airport (KPDX). The airline grounded its fleet of 737 Max 9s and the FAA followed suit, keeping the airplanes on the ground out of an abundance of caution.

• READ MORE: NTSB Grills Boeing Over Max 9 Door Plug Loss

Within two weeks, the NTSB determined the door plug had been reinstalled without four retaining bolts. Two crews who flew the aircraft prior to the blowout reported issues with the pressurization system. The aircraft was slated to go into maintenance.

On the first day of testimony on Tuesday, Boeing officials stated that during the build process the door plug was removed from the fuselage at the Renton, Washington, factory in order to replace substandard rivets. The required paperwork authorizing and tracking the removal and subsequent reinstallation has still not been found.

Homendy stressed that no evidence has been discovered to suggest the improper installation of the door plug was anything more than a mistake. Boeing has stated there is a no-retaliation policy, and it should not implement disciplinary action for unintentional mistakes.

However, Homendy questioned that assertion, citing a decision by Boeing to move two members of the door installation crew from the plant at Renton to the factory in Everett, Washington, describing it as “a form of retaliation.” There were references to Boeing employees calling the Everett facility a “cage,” “jail,” or “prison” for workers who speak up about safety issues or report mistakes.

• READ MORE: Boeing Names New CEO to Lead Through ‘Consequential Period’

During the proceedings there were several mentions of how lucky the people aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 had been, as there were injuries but no loss of life. Several officials noted that had the aircraft been much higher, the damage and outcome likely would have been much different.

A representative from the flight attendants union described his emotions when he learned of the blowout on the jet that had only been in service since October, realizing he had been assigned to the aircraft on a previous trip.

Much of the testimony over the past two days carried the theme of an “accident waiting to happen” because of a lack of oversight, rush jobs, and hastily trained and overworked technicians. Those who testified spoke of a factory culture where employee training is rushed or sometimes incomplete. In addition, employee turnover is frequent, resulting in employees with limited experience who don’t recognize a mistake or hazard on the floor during the build process.

Boeing officials touted the “speak up” process that encourages employees to call attention to airplane safety issues by reporting them to a manager or anonymously. However, many employees when questioned stated that they were not familiar with the “speak up” process, or they feared retaliation, saying “nothing within the Boeing system is confidential.”

• READ MORE: Boeing to Plead Guilty in DOJ 737 Max Crash Cases

It was noted that Boeing has faced accusations of retaliation against whistleblowers in the past, most notably in 2018 and 2019 after the two 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people. Both crashes were attributed to the MCAS, an automated system that put the aircraft into unrecoverable dives shortly after takeoff. The subsequent investigation revealed the pilots had not been told of or trained on the use of the system.

FAA representatives stated that the agency hotline has received an increase in reports of safety concerns from Boeing employees and those from Spirit AeroSystems, a Boeing contractor that builds the components of the 737 fuselage, such as the door plugs, since the accident.

The post NTSB Hears Testimony of Boeing Retaliation for Workers’ Mistakes appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to the NTSB report, ADS-B data indicates the aircraft departed Trenton Mercer Airport (KTTN) in Trenton, New Jersey, around 7:40 a.m. and flew to Hartford Municipal Airport (KHXF) in Wisconsin before departing KHXF around 11:45 a.m.

• READ MORE: NTSB to Focus on ‘Four Corners’ of PC-12 in Fatal Crash Probe

ATC recordings and ADS-B data show the aircraft was on the Fisk arrival when the pilot was directed to make a wider turn to accommodate an L-29 and an L-39 that were landing in front of him. The pilot confirmed he had them “in sight” and initiated a left turn. He was subsequently cleared to land on the yellow dot on runway 36L and acknowledged the clearance.

The NTSB report noted that the aircraft crashed into a soybean field about 1.5 miles from the end of Runway 36L, catching fire and destroying the plane. It struck the ground on a heading of 060 degrees and came to rest in the same direction. The main wreckage included the fuselage, empennage, and wings, with flight controls intact. The wreckage has been recovered for further investigation.

Investigators found weather conditions at the time of the crash to be VMC with a visibility of 10 miles.

This article first appeared on AVweb.com.

The post NTSB Releases Prelim Report on Fatal Oshkosh Accident appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Wednesday is Day 2 of the NTSB hearing about the loss of a door plug from a Boeing 737 Max 9 in January after takeoff in Portland, Oregon.

According to Tuesday’s proceedings, sometimes the shoddy work was discovered and rectified before the aircraft was delivered. Sometimes it was not, as in the case of the 737 that was delivered to Alaska Airlines.

• READ MORE: NTSB Sanctions Boeing for Sharing Door Plug Blow Out Investigative Details

Boeing relies on contractor SpiritAeroSystems to build the fuselages. A representative from Spirit told the NTSB that the door plug for fuselage No. 8789, which was delivered to Alaska Airlines in fall 2023 and became ill-rated Flight 1282, was built at SpiritAeroSystems Malaysia and shipped to Wichita, Kansas, where it was installed in the fuselage, which was then shipped to the Boeing factory in Renton, Washington.

When it arrived at the factory, it was determined that the rivets in the assembly if the fuselage were substandard, and in order to replace them, the door plug had to be removed.

According to Elizabeth Lund, senior vice president/quality of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, when there is a need to replace a component such as a door plug, there is supposed to be a paperwork trail to indicate what needs to be done and who will do it, and then who has done it.

“We have still found no paperwork documenting the removal of 8789 left-hand door plug,” Lund testified to the NTSB on Tuesday.

Lund said the door plug was removed to replace a line of rivets that were not up to standard, and then it was put back into position so that the aircraft could be moved outside and its interior protected from the weather. The door plug was missing four crucial bolts.

• READ MORE: Boeing to Acquire Spirit AeroSystems in $8.3 Billion Deal

According to Boeing, under normal circumstances, the paperwork trail would let employees know the door plug had been reinstalled but the bolts had not been replaced. The paperwork would indicate the bolts had to be reinstalled before the aircraft could be delivered.

That was not the case here, according to testimony. The aircraft was delivered to Alaska Airlines in October 2023 and flew for approximately 100 flight cycles (takeoffs and landings) with the door plug kept in place by a series of small pins. There were two reports of crew noticing pressurization warning lights in the cockpit. The aircraft was supposed to go in for maintenance at the end of the duty day on January 5.

There were Spirit employees at the Boeing Renton plant, but according to testimony, communication between the Boeing and Spirit workers on the floor of the factory wasn’t good, and there was a lot of turnover at the facility because of low morale and early retirement of more experienced technicians due to COVID-19.

There were no serious physical injuries when the door plug blew out as the aircraft reached 16,000 feet, although seven passengers and a flight attendant were treated for injuries upon landing. The flight crew was praised for its skill, and aviation experts noted that had the aircraft been higher, the outcome would have been much worse.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy offered an apology to the passengers and flight crew on behalf of the agency.

The decision to conduct the two-day hearing into the event is unprecedented. Within hours of the blowout, Alaska Airlines grounded its 737 Max 9s, and the FAA followed suit grounding the world fleet for 19 days while inspections were done to door plugs.

The post NTSB Grills Boeing Over Max 9 Door Plug Loss appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The aircraft, operating as Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, had just taken off from Portland International Airport (KPDX) in Oregon, and as it passed through 16,000 feet, the door plug blew off, resulting in rapid decompression. All 177 people on board the aircraft survived, although eight were injured by the loss of pressure that resulted in loose objects and parts of the cabin interior being turned into projectiles.

Last week the NTSB displayed the door plug that departed the aircraft. The door has been the subject of scrutiny in the agency’s materials lab.

• READ MORE: Boeing to Plead Guilty in DOJ 737 Max Crash Cases

The NTSB’s preliminary investigation revealed that four restraining bolts designed to hold the door plug in place were missing during the last flight. On two previous occasions the flight crews had reported a pressurization warning light had activated in the cockpit. Both times the crew notified maintenance about the issue. The aircraft was removed from over-water flights and scheduled for maintenance at the end of the day on January 5.

Boeing did not respond to FLYING’s inquiries by press time, although the aerospace manufacturer has been subpoenaed to appear at the hearing.

In response to the accident, the company initiated changes in the workplace to enhance safety culture that included the removal of several highly placed company officials. In March Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun announced he would step down at the end of the year. At the end of July Boeing announced Robert “Kelly” Ortberg will be the new CEO.

As previously reported by FLYING, the NTSB sanctioned Boeing, suggesting it had released nonpublic information into the investigation.

Alaska Airlines is a party to the investigation and offered a statement to FLYING.

• READ MORE: Boeing to Acquire Spirit AeroSystems in $8.3 Billion Deal

“We appreciate the importance of the investigative hearing being conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) into Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 and the ‘in-flight mid-exit door plug Separation,” Alaska Airlines said in the statement.  “This hearing is part of the NTSB’s established investigation to obtain additional information necessary to determine the facts, circumstances, and probable cause of the accident. Our participating safety and technical representatives remain committed to cooperating with the NTSB.”

The Alaska Airlines statement concludes that because this is an ongoing investigation, the company is limited in the details it can release.

“Safety is always our top priority at Alaska Airlines,” the company said. “We have full confidence in the safety of our operation and aircraft.”

The post NTSB to Conduct Hearing on Boeing 737 Max 9 Door Plug Incident appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The accident happened on July 29, 2023, when both aircraft were operating in the EAA’s “Fun Fly Zone,” (FFZ), which consists of a grass runway in the ultralight display area of the EAA AirVenture show grounds at Wittman Field (KOSH) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. In the area were ultralights, light planes, powered parachutes and trikes, hot-air balloons, homebuilt rotorcraft, and light sport aircraft (LSA).

• NTSB: Rule Violation Contributed to Fatal Midair Collision at EAA AirVenture

The FFZ was created by the EAA within the Class D airspace that is KOSH, beginning at the surface and extending to 2,500 feet agl. 

The accident involved a collision between a Rotorway 162F helicopter and an ELA Eclipse 10 gyrocopter. The gyrocopter was in the traffic pattern and made a 360-degree turn, colliding with the left side of the helicopter as it was on the base leg for landing. The pilots participating in the FFZ are required to be briefed by the FFZ officials on the rules and procedures for operating in the FFZ. One of those rules is that no 360-degree turns are permitted in the pattern.

• READ MORE: EAA Adopts New Procedures in Wake of AirVenture NTSB Crash Report

According to the final report on the accident published by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on May 16, the probable cause of the accident was “the failure of the gyroplane pilot to see and avoid the helicopter while maneuvering in the traffic pattern. Contributing to the accident was the gyroplane pilot’s performance of a prohibited maneuver in the traffic pattern.”

The complaint was filed by Milwaukee-based firm Cannon & Dunphy S.C., which is representing Margaret Peterson, wife of helicopter pilot Mark Peterson, and Patricia Volz, wife of Thomas Volz, who was a passenger on the helicopter. The pair were on a demo flight at the time of the accident.

According to the complaint,  the EAA “did not have an FAA waiver, letter or authorization of memorandum of understanding to alter the flight rules affecting Class D airports.”

• READ MORE: 4 Killed in 2 Separate Oshkosh Crashes Identified

“The FAA purported to waive some of the requirements for Ultralight and Homebuilt Rotorcraft to arrive and depart from the Ultralight/Homebuilt Rotorcraft field in a NOTAM (a notice containing specific information),” the complaint read. “Specifically, the FAA authorized an arrival and departure procedure to be used during AirVenture 2023 but did not authorize any continuing operations for the Ultralight/Homebuilt Rotorcraft field.”

It was noted that pilots wishing to operate in the FFZ were required to attend a daily preflight briefing in which they would learn about flight rules and procedures they were required to follow. 

The complaint alleges that gyrocopter pilot Eric Bruce made several illegal 360-degree turns despite being repeatedly warned not to by EAA officials and per the complaint by other pilots participating in the FFZ, and yet the EAA continued to allow him to fly.

According to the complaint, “defendant Bruce elected to fly in EAA’s FFZ on Thursday, July 27, 2023, Friday, July 28, 2023, and Saturday, July 29, 2023, and attended a daily briefing on each of those days before flying, signed the attendance sheets, and received a wrist band confirming he had attended the briefings before flying.”

Per the EAA rules for the FFZ, if a pilot observed another aircraft getting too close, they were to do a “go around” and leave the pattern then reenter to fly the pattern to return for landing. The pattern was kept at 300 feet to keep the smaller, slower aircraft away from the larger and faster airplanes using Runway 27.

Video of the accident shows both aircraft at an altitude of approximately 300 feet when they collided.

The helicopter flown by Peterson hit the ground inverted and caught fire. The gyrocopter also came down hard and Bruce and his passenger were seriously injured.

The complaint suggests “the EAA cannot by law arrogate to itself the power to establish a separate ‘airport within an airport,’ and the rules were not and could not be made mandatory by the EAA without authority from the FAA, which was never granted.” However, according to the lawsuit, these rules were discussed at a daily pilot briefing which pilots who desired to use the EAA FFZ during the specified times were required to attend.

The complaint suggested that in addition to failing to get proper clearance and approval from the FAA, the EAA failed to properly and sufficiently enforce its flight safety rules and to provide proper and sufficient air traffic control during the event to instruct pilots who may deviate from the rules to immediately cease and desist, and despite knowing that Bruce had violated the rule by performing a 360-degree turn, allowed him to continue to fly. 

“EAA’s negligence, as alleged, was a cause of the subsequent midair collision on June 29, 2023 between Bruce’s gyrocopter and Mark’s helicopter, which resulted in the deaths of Peterson and Volz,” it said.

The lawsuit called for a 12-person jury trial.

When asked for its perspective, the FAA told FLYING it does not comment on pending litigation.

The NTSB final report published May 16 listed the probable cause of the accident as pilot error.  When reached for comment, the EAA replied, “EAA is aware of the lawsuit and extends its condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the mid-air collision that occurred on July 29, 2023. EAA denies any negligence and refers all interested persons to the investigation and conclusions reached in the final report of the [NTSB] published May 16, 2024.”

Last month, EAA spokesperson Dick Knapinski said that the organization had made procedural changes in the FFZ for EAA AirVenture 2024, which included a “one strike, you’re out” rule that would not tolerate pilots who did not fly by the rules. If a pilot is observed breaking the rules they are not allowed to fly.

The post Families File Lawsuit Against EAA for 2023 Midair appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to Boeing, Ortberg will begin in the position on August 8. He replaces Dave Calhoun, who earlier this year announced he was retiring. Calhoun had served as president and CEO since January 2020 and been on the Boeing board of directors since 2009.

Ortberg, 64, comes to the position with more than 35 years of experience in the aerospace industry. He recently served as president and CEO of Rockwell Collins, a position he held since 2013.

Ortberg was instrumental in the company’s integration with United Technologies and RTX. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Iowa, has held numerous leadership positions in the aerospace industry, and is the former chair of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) board of governors.

• READ MORE: FAA Head Vows Increase in Boeing Oversight

“The board conducted a thorough and extensive search process over the last several months to select the next CEO of Boeing, and Kelly has the right skills and experience to lead Boeing in its next chapter,” said Steven Mollenkopf, chair of the board. “Kelly is an experienced leader who is deeply respected in the aerospace industry, with a well-earned reputation for building strong teams and running complex engineering and manufacturing companies. We look forward to working with him as he leads Boeing through this consequential period in its long history.”

The board also thanked Calhoun for his services, noting the past few years have been challenging for Boeing, beginning with the two 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019, respectively, resulting in the deaths of 346 people. The FAA ordered the grounding of the aircraft while the accidents were investigated. Boeing’s manufacturing and certification processes were called into question.

• READ MORE: Boeing Presents Quality Control Improvement Plan to FAA

The aerospace company announced it had worked through the issues and made changes to its manufacturing procedures to mitigate them. Then in January a 737 Max 9 operated by Alaska Airlines lost a door plug shortly after takeoff from Portland, Oregon, resulting in rapid decompression and minor injuries.

Next week the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is scheduled to conduct an investigative hearing on the door plug loss.

In the meantime, the families of those killed in the crashes are campaigning for Boeing to face criminal prosecution and the U.S. Department of Justice to fine the company $24 billion, alleging criminal negligence and violating the 2021 agreement that allowed the company to previously avoid criminal charges.

The post Boeing Names New CEO to Lead Through ‘Consequential Period’ appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Three of the people on board the privately owned aircraft were members of the Atlanta-based gospel group The Nelons. 

• READ MORE: PC-12 Crash Claims Members of Prominent Gospel Singing Group

According to USA Today, those who died in the crash have been identified as singers Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, Nathan and Amber Kistler, and group assistant Melody Hodges.

The aircraft, a 2010 PC-12/47E single-engine turboprop, was registered to Haynie Enterprises Inc. It was piloted by its owner, Larry Haynie, who along with his wife, Melissa, was also killed in the accident.

According to a statement from the Gaither Management Group, the family was en route to Seattle to join the Gaither Homecoming Cruise in Alaska. It was noted that Autumn, the youngest daughter of the Kellys, and her husband, Jamie Streetman, arrived in Seattle by other means and are safe.

Flight History 

The PC-12 departed from West Georgia Regional Airport (KCTJ) around 9:30 a.m. EST Friday, stopping at Nebraska City Municipal Airport (KAFK) to refuel. The aircraft lifted off around noon, heading for Billings Logan International Airport (KBIL) in Montana.

Approximately two hours into the flight while cruising at an altitude of 26,000 feet, Haynie notified controllers there was a problem with the autopilot and he was losing control of the aircraft. The ADS-B data as recorded by FlightAware.com shows multiple turns and pitch changes. The ground speed varied from 173 to 319 mph, and at one point the aircraft was descending at 5,545 feet per minute. 

The ADS-B readout shows a series of descending turns before data is lost.

According to the Gillette News Record, the aircraft crashed near the town of Recluse, Wyoming, near the Montana state line, causing a small wildfire that was contained to about 38 acres. There were no injuries on the ground, although witnesses reported seeing the airplane circling and flying low before the crash.

Debris from the aircraft was found away from the main impact. One of the theories that NTSB investigators will be looking at is the possibility of an in-flight breakup, as the aircraft was not designed for such rapid and extreme altitude and airspeed changes.

• READ MORE: Authorities ID 2 Killed in Lancair ES Crash Near EAA AirVenture

According to NTSB spokesperson Keith Holloway, the investigation begins with the identification of the so-called “four corners” of the aircraft: the nose, tail and wing tips

“Part of the investigation will be to locate those sections,” Holloway told FLYING. “NTSB investigators have the experience and expertise to locate aircraft parts even from aircraft that are not quite intact. They have the knowledge of being able to locate aircrafts parts that may be unidentifiable to the average person. Unfortunately, it is not rare that NTSB investigators have situations involving scattered wreckage from a plane crash.”

When the wreckage is scattered over a wide area in a remote location, gathering it up takes time and is a painstaking but necessary process as each piece is considered evidence and part of a puzzle.

“With the use of the NTSB metallurgical lab and review of navigational devices and equipment, NTSB investigators are still able to put together the scenario of what probably happened and determine a cause of the crash,” Holloway said.

According to Holloway, the NTSB investigations involve three basic review areas: the pilot—notably their actions in the 72 hours prior to flight, as well as ratings and recency of experience—aircraft maintenance records, and the operating environment.

The agency will also listen to recordings of any ATC communications and review radar data and weather reports. If there are any witnesses to the event, they will be interviewed as well, Holloway said, adding that the NTSB will “look for electronic devices that could contain information relevant to the investigation and any available surveillance video, including from doorbell cameras.”

The NTSB preliminary report is expected to be available in a few weeks. The final report with the probable cause of the accident is several months out from being released.

The post NTSB to Focus on ‘Four Corners’ of PC-12 in Fatal Crash Probe appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to officials, the aircraft went down around 12:15 p.m. CDT in a farm field near Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH). 

“This area is about 2 miles south of the EAA AirVenture event and was first reported by ATC in the Wittman Airport tower,” Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “Upon arrival, responders discovered that the plane was fully engulfed in fire. At this time, we can confirm that there were two occupants in the plane, and that they are both deceased.”

The black smoke was visible from the airport at the annual weeklong airshow, which opened Monday and attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world, according to media reports.

The names of the people on board the aircraft have not been released.

This is a developing story.

The post 2 Killed in Plane Crash Near EAA AirVenture appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The first crash happened on June 15 in Chino, California, when Lockheed N93R was taking part in a Father’s Day airshow. The pilot and copilot were killed when the aircraft crashed during takeoff. The pilot took off with the flaps fully extended. 

Lockheed N93R

The NTSB noted that video of the takeoff shows the flaps down and the aircraft struggling to climb. The vintage twin reached an altitude of approximately 300 feet before plunging to the left. There was a post-impact fire.

The crew had lowered the flaps as part of the preflight inspection but did not retract them before takeoff. The NTSB noted that during engine start the ground crew used arm and hand signals to try to let the pilot and copilot know the flaps were in the fully extended position.

Lockheed N2072

The second accident occurred on June 18 at Seven Lakes Airport (62GA) in Jackson, Georgia. The pilot, the commercially rated copilot, and a passenger were seriously injured when the privately owned 1936 Lockheed 12A Electra Junior (N2072) veered off the turf runway during landing.

Video of the landing taken by a bystander on the ground shows the aircraft on approach to the turf runway with the flaps and gear down. The touchdown appears normal, then as the aircraft slows and the tailwheel settles to the ground, the aircraft veers to the left. The videographer lowers the camera so the aircraft’s impact with a tree is heard but not shown.

• READ MORE: 3 Left Injured in Georgia Lockheed 12A Crash

“The impact crushed the cockpit] aft toward the cabin,” the NTSB report said. “A tree trunk about 2 feet in circumference was observed within the cockpit. The instrument panel was buckled around the tree trunk. The pilot, co-pilot, and passenger seats were crushed up and aft.”

The investigation quickly focused on the brakes and the tailwheel as both are used for directional control on the ground. Examination of the main landing gear braking system revealed hydraulic fluid on the landing gear strut and hydraulic fluid leaking from the brake line fitting.

“The steel-braided brake line B-nut fitting, which connected the right brake caliper to the rigid brake line attached to the right landing gear strut, was finger-tight, and hydraulic fluid was observed leaking from the fitting,” the NTSB said.

The fitting on the left brake could not be moved by hand and there was no fluid leakage.

Investigators stated the tailwheel lock control lever was found in the locked position, but the locking tab on the control-wheel assembly appeared to be unlocked.

The NTSB final report on both accidents is likely several months out as it can take 18 to 24 months for investigations to be completed.

The post NTSB Releases Details on 2 Lockheed 12A Crashes appeared first on FLYING Magazine.