05 FEB 2009 _______________________________________ *Charter Company Indicted In 2005 TEB Overrun *Executives of charter jet company indicted *NTSB Confirms Bird Remains On Flight 1549 Engines *Turbo DC-3 Accident (Mojave, CA) *Study Spotlights Helicopter Dangers *Air Medical Safety Measures *************************************** Charter Company Indicted In 2005 TEB Overrun Four Execs Already In Custody Six executives of a Florida-based air charter service face federal criminal charges in connection with the crash of an overloaded jet which couldn't get off the runway at Teterboro, New Jersey in 2005. Acting US Attorney Ralph J. Marra, Jr. tells the New Jersey Star-Ledger that Platinum Jet Management of Fort Lauderdale claimed to be a luxury charter service, but didn't hold the required certificate; falsified flight records; and routinely overloaded planes with fuel at airports where the price was cheaper, a practice known as 'tankering.' "The fuel loading was the primary contributing factor in the crash," Marra said. "It is astounding -- and criminal -- that owners and operators of jet aircraft would repeatedly engage in such a dangerous game with passengers and airplanes loaded to the brim with jet fuel." As ANN reported, on the morning of February 2, 2005 the pilots started a takeoff roll in the Challenger CL-600 with eight passengers. When the pilots found the plane wouldn't rotate, they tried to abort the takeoff... but crashed through a perimeter fence and out across six lanes of traffic on busy Route 46. A car's roof was torn off, and the plane finally stopped after hitting a clothing warehouse. The National Transportation Safety Board ruled the plane had a center-of-gravity forward of limits. No one died, but the NTSB came down on the company for a host of violations, and the FAA for inadequate oversight. Michael Brassington, the 35-year-old President and CEO, and chief pilot 29-year-old VP Paul Brassington -- Michael's brother -- and two other execs of Platinum Jet are in custody, and warrants are out for two more. The suit also claims the captain of the flight that crashed at Teterboro reportedly lied about his experience on job applications, and had been fired from a previous job for safety related issues and poor airmanship. Neither pilot was charged in the Teterboro case. FMI:www.usdoj.gov aero-news.net *************** Executives of charter jet company indicted, charged in connection with 2005 Tete Five company officials and a pilot associated with Platinum Jet Management, LLC were named in a 23-count Indictment charging a series of crimes, including endangering the safety of aircraft. The Indictment alleges a conspiracy to commit continuous willful violations of regulatory requirements for the operation of commercial charter aircraft. The Indictment also accuses the defendants of routinely undertaking and concealing dangerous fueling and weight distribution practices which existed on the Platinum-operated jet that failed to lift off at Teterboro on Feb. 2, 2005. The jet left the end of the runway, crossed Route 46, hitting cars along the way, and slammed through the side of a clothing warehouse. The Teterboro flight that crashed on Feb. 2, 2005, was over-fueled in a manner that caused the plane's center of gravity to exceed its forward weight limit for takeoff, contributing to the crash, according to the Indictment. The fueling practice was commonly used, according to the Indictment, to increase profits for Platinum Jet. According to the Indictment, from November 2002 until November 2003, the conspirators operated Platinum Jet as an on-demand commercial jet charter company without having a Part 135 certificate, which is required by federal aviation regulations for charter operations. During this period, the conspirators lied in contractual documents faxed from state to state to charter brokers about Platinum Jet's illegal regulatory and safety status. The Indictment claims that the defendants operated more than 85 commercial flights during this period in violation of federal safety regulations for more than $1 million in compensation. The Indictment further alleges that, in November 2003, the conspirators started sharing a Part 135 certificate, or "piggybacking," with a Part 135 certificate holder based in Alabama, and that after they did so, they continued to violate FAA rules by dispatching unqualified pilots and pilots without the FAA-required amount of rest to fly chartered flights. To conceal this illegality, the Indictment alleges, Platinum Jet pilots signed FAA mandated flight logs for more than 30 charter-brokered flights falsely indicating that those charters were private, non-profit flights, which are subject to less onerous regulation than commercial flights. This alleged conduct lasted from November 2003 until shortly after the crash at Teterboro Airport in February 2005. (The United States Attorney's Office District of New Jersey) (aviation-safety.net) *************** NTSB Confirms Bird Remains On Flight 1549 Engines Earlier Surge Unrelated To Incident A third update from the National Transportation Safety Board on its investigation of US Airways Flight 1549 confirmed Wednesday the remains of birds were found in both engines of the Airbus A320, which became famous in "The Miracle on the Hudson." The board also appears to dismiss any connection between a surge in the plane's right engine January 13, and the failure that led to that forced landing two days later. As ANN reported, passengers on that earlier flight said there was a surge in the engine, and an announcement made that the flight would be turning back to LaGuardia. Instead, the engine was successfully restarted, and the flight continued on the Charlotte. The NTSB now says maintenance personnel found that engine had a defective temperature sensor, replaced the sensor, and followed up with a boroscope inspection which confirmed no internal damage before returning the plane to service. The board also says the engine was in compliance with applicable bulletins and airworthiness directives. The bird remains have been sent to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, where they will be tested to identify the species. FMI: www.ntsb.gov, www.usairways.com aero-news.net **************** Turbo DC-3 Accident (Mojave, CA) Status: Preliminary Date: 04 FEB 2009 Type: AMI 65 TP Turbo DC-3 Operator: National Test Pilot School Registration: N834TP C/n / msn: 12590 First flight: 1947 Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65AR Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Mojave-Kern County Airport, CA (MHV) (United States of America) Phase: Takeoff (TOF) Nature: Training Departure airport: Mojave-Kern County Airport, CA (MHV), United States of America Destination airport: ? Narrative: A Turbo DC-3 aircraft was taking off from runway 30 when it lifted and dropped back down to the ground and veered off the runway. Damage was reported as being substantial. The integrity of a fuel tank was compromised since 600 gallons of fuel leaked from the plane after the accident. The DC-3 involved was a turbine conversion and highly modified with a belly radar pod and chin FLIR turret. It was formerly operated by the South African Air Force as a maritime patrol aircraft. (aviation-safety.net) *************** Study Spotlights Helicopter Dangers By ANDY PASZTOR WASHINGTON -- Emergency medical helicopter pilots had the most dangerous jobs in the U.S., racking up fatalities at a faster clip than loggers and other historically risky professions, according to a new study presented to federal air-crash investigators. In addition to sobering statistics about the hazards of such medical chopper flights for patients as well as pilots, testimony at a National Transportation Safety Board hearing Tuesday illustrated the drawbacks of relying on voluntary industry efforts to improve safety. Comparing 13 medical helicopter crashes that claimed 29 lives in 2008 with federal fatality rates for many other accident-prone professions, Dr. Ira Blumen, of the University of Chicago Hospitals, concluded that statistically the pilots "far exceed any of the high-risk occupations." At least 180 people have been killed or seriously injured in U.S. medical helicopter crashes over past decade, with 2008 ending up as the most deadly year ever. Against this backdrop, the safety board is prodding regulators to require helicopter operators to install devices that can warn pilots of impending collisions with the ground, as well as digital flight-data recorders that are better able to record what occurred in the event of a crash. During the first of four days of hearings this week, the safety board also began examining how powerful economic forces -- ranging from consolidation to how much the government will reimburse operators -- affect safety margins. Almost half of the world's roughly 26,000 choppers fly in the U.S. One industry representative testified that it's time for operators to become more aggressive in pursuing safety goals and embracing federal mandates. "We have to, in essence, change the way we do business," said Matthew Zuccaro, president of Helicopter Association International. He said helicopter operators must pay more attention to flight planning, adverse weather hazards and ways to retrofit the existing fleet with advanced safety equipment. At the same time, the Federal Aviation Administration released updated figures about the results of its years-long campaign to promote voluntary industry compliance. An FAA spokesman told reporters that so far roughly 40% of U.S. helicopters have been voluntary outfitted with collision-avoidance systems, and only about 11% have recorders. Testimony by a Canadian helicopter official offered a stark contrast to the U.S. experience. Sylvain Seguin, vice president of Canadian Helicopters, the largest medical chopper organization in Canada, described extensive safety programs that have allowed Canada to avoid a single fatality in this segment since the 1970s. Mr. Seguin emphasized that Canadian medical choppers have two-pilot crews as opposed to many single-pilot flights in the U.S. Funded and regulated strictly by government, the craft are equipped with the latest safety devices. They are required to adhere to strict instrument-flight rules and safeguards in all cases. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123370317612745375.html?mod=googlenews_wsj *************** Air Medical Safety Measures Safety is a big priority in air travel, especially when a sick patient is on board. But lately, fatalities in air medical crashes are on the rise. This week, the National Transportation Safety Board is holding hearings in Washington DC about how to make medical transportation safer. Lawson Brawner is the chief pilot of Angel One transport at Arkansas Children's Hospital. When he's flying, he knows the life of a child is in his hands. He says although it can be rewarding, it's also very challenging. "It can be a difficult job. You fly day and night, good weather, bad weather, hot and cold," Lawson Brawner with Angel One Transport Arkansas Children's Hospital goes beyond government safety standards. From the send off in the dispatch center, to the take-off, Angel One says it tries to make sure patients are completely safe in the air. "We have an enhanced ground proximity warning system, we're one of few helicopter operations in the nation that have that installed on our aircraft," Brawner said. That's to warn pilots if they're approaching the ground without knowing it, something that's a major cause of helicopter crashes "That's a big source of accidents, especially over the last year. Pilots are accidentally running into objects, or a hill, or the ground," BJ Raysor said from the NTSB hearings in Washington. B.J. Raysor is director of aviation operations for Angel One. He's in Washington D.C. this week, testifying before the National Transportation Safety Board, about air medical safety and how to improve it. He says there are different challenges with Med-Evacs across the country, but he hopes the NTSB hearings will provide solutions to make medical transport safer for everyone. "I think it's great that all these stakeholders have gotten together. Everyone's committed to safety. I think good things will come out of this here," Raysor said. In the 25 years of operations, Angel One has never had a helicopter crash. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29002965/ *************** Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC