04 MAR 2009 _______________________________________ *Marines sack 4 over deadly California plane crash *Report: Miramar Accident Pilot Rejected Closer Airport *Passenger Flees American MD-82 On Ramp At DFW *Swearingen SA226TC Metro II Gear Up Landing *AOPA Air Safety Foundation Commends Pilots' Partners On The Ground *Aerospace Notebook: Delta signals it may pull back on 787 orders *Maybe It's Time for 'Help Wanted' Ads *FAA Reinterprets Maintenance Rule, Turbine Owners Benefit *FAA Issues Guidance On Release Of $1.1 Billion In AIP Stimulus Funds *Police: Woman Fights With Flight Crew, TIA Officers *FAA Aviation News - Spotlights New Technology **************************************** Marines sack 4 over deadly California plane crash Fighter squadron commander, maintenance officer, two others relieved of duty Pilot involved in fatal crash grounded pending further review, Marine Corps says Deferred maintenance, faulty decision, pilot contributed to crash, Marine Corps says (CNN) -- Deferred maintenance, faulty decisions by controllers and the pilot of a fighter jet contributed to an aircraft's fatal crash into a San Diego, California, neighborhood in December, the Marine Corps announced Tuesday. The commander of the fighter squadron involved in the crash, its top maintenance officer and two others have been relieved of duty as a result of the crash investigation. The pilot has been grounded pending a further review, Maj. Gen. Randolph Alles announced. Nine other Marines have received other disciplinary action, Alles said. The December crash killed four people when the F/A-18D jet slammed into houses about three miles from the Marine air base where it was attempting to make an emergency landing. Learn more about the jet > Dong Yun Yoon lost his wife, children and mother-in-law and another unoccupied house also was destroyed. Yoon said the victims were his daughter Rachel, who was born less than two months before the accident; his 15-month-old daughter Grace; his wife, Young Mi Yoon, 36; and her 60-year-old mother, Suk Im Kim, who he said had come to the United States from Korea recently to help take care of the children. In an emotional press conference in December, Yoon said he did not blame the pilot and urged the public to pray for him. "I don't blame him. I don't have any hard feelings. I know he did everything he could," Yoon said at the time. "Please pray for him not to suffer from this accident," Yoon said as he fought for composure. "He is one of our treasures for the country." Yoon's minister, Daniel Shin, told reporters in December that the Yoon family had moved into the house a little more than a month before. He said Yoon came to the United States in 1989 and had since become a naturalized citizen. Yoon works as manager of "a variety store -- a store where they sell a variety of things," Shin said. Yoon's wife came to the United States about four years ago, Shin said. The pilot, who was the only occupant of the two-seat plane, ejected moments before the crash, according to the Marine Corps. http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/03/plane.crash/index.html *************** Report: Miramar Accident Pilot Rejected Closer Airport ATC Suggested NAS Coronado As Alternate Landing Site Recordings of radio exchanges reveal that the pilot of a military jet that crashed onto a San Diego home December 8, resulting in four deaths on the ground, passed up at least two chances to land at a facility with an approach over open water. The transcripts were released by the government Tuesday. The Associated Press reports the pilot, after reporting the failure of one of the fighter's two engines, was directed to Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado, which sits on the tip of a peninsula. At that time, the pilot still had the plane under control, and operating on one engine. The recordings show the pilot responded to controllers, "I'm actually going to try to take it to Miramar if possible." He also requested that emergency responders be ready. The base at Miramar is 10 miles farther north. It appears controllers tried to keep the pilot's options open, by giving him headings that would allow landing at either base in case of further difficulties. The recordings also indicate the pilot had problems in following the headings assigned by ATC due to the plane's mechanical problems. "I'm trying, sir, but single engine," the pilot said. As ANN reported, the F/A-18 crashed into a residential neighborhood two miles from Miramar, killing four people on the ground. The pilot was able to eject from the fighter moments before impact, after the plane lost power to its second engine. Marine Corps officials have defended the decision, although they've declined to discuss particular questions, saying that would compromise the investigation. The AP reports 13 Marine Corps personnel have been disciplined for errors involved in the crash, including the removal from duty of four officers. Officials say the pilot should have been told to fly over San Diego Bay and land at Coronado. The base at Miramar dates to World War I, and has seen encroachment by residential development in the decades since. FMI: www.miramar.usmc.mil/home.htm aero-news.net **************** Passenger Flees American MD-82 On Ramp At DFW Escapes Down Evacuation Slide, Detained For Questioning The flight from Charlotte, NC to Dallas isn't very long, just a hair over two hours... but for one passenger onboard American Airlines Flight 1343 Tuesday, it apparently couldn't be over soon enough. American spokesman Tim Smith told the Dallas Morning News the unnamed passenger apparently ran into First Class as the MD-82 taxied to the gate at Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW) after landing, just before 1 pm CST Tuesday, and opened the right front door. He slid down to the pavement on the emergency slide that deployed automatically when the door was opened. Brian Murnahan, spokesman for DFW, said the passenger then ran towards the terminal -- where he was promptly detained, and hauled off by airport police for questioning and a likely psych evaluation. The man, whose name hasn't been released, wasn't injured. As of Tuesday night, the man hadn't been charged with any crime... though he could face a slew of charges on the local, state and federal level. There's no indication what led the man to flee the airliner. Smith said the airliner's slide was removed and replaced at DFW, and the airliner was returned to service. The airline spokesman also noted -- somewhat proudly -- that despite the ramp-side drama, Flight 1343 arrived to the gate on-time... which is fairly impressive when you think about it. Either the plane managed to leave CLT early, made really good time in flight... or perhaps American has a healthy time margin built into that particular schedule? FMI: www.aa.com aero-news.net **************** Swearingen SA226TC Metro II Gear Up Landing Status: Preliminary Date: 03 MAR 2009 Time: 12:15 Type: Swearingen SA226TC Metro II Operator: Perimeter Airlines (Inland) Registration: C-FSLZ C/n / msn: TC-222EE First flight: 1976 Engines: 2 Garrett TPE331-10UA-511G Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 8 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 10 Airplane damage: Minor Location: Winnipeg-James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, MB (YWG) (Canada) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: ? Destination airport: Winnipeg-James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, MB (YWG/CYWG), Canada Narrative: Carried out a forced belly landing following landing gear trouble. (aviation-safety.net) **************** AOPA Air Safety Foundation Commends Pilots' Partners On The Ground Six Controllers Honored With Archie League Awards The AOPA Air Safety Foundation on Tuesday night honored six air traffic controllers for their roles in helping general aviation pilots in trouble land safely. The commendations were presented during the Archie League Awards banquet at the National Air Traffic Controllers Association's Communicating for Safety conference. "Air traffic controllers are an invaluable resource in the general aviation cockpit," said Bruce Landsberg, president of the AOPA Air Safety Foundation. "Pilots' and controllers' common goal is the safe conclusion of every flight. And when a pilot needs assistance, especially if he or she is the only person on board, the controller's calm voice at the other end of the radio can be exactly what's needed to get safely down to the ground." Landsberg presented commendations for controllers from six of the FAA's regions. Eastern Region - Mark Duncan was honored providing outstanding assistance to a Cessna 150 pilot over mountainous terrain in Instrument conditions. The VFR pilot reported being on top of the clouds, was low on fuel and having radio problems. Great Lakes - Dean Pesato was honored for providing outstanding assistance to a Columbia 400 pilot who suffered an engine failure over mountainous terrain at night. Northwest Mountain Region - Mike Naiman was honored for providing outstanding assistance to a Mooney pilot in instrument conditions. The pilot reported icing and needed vectors. Low ceilings and icing conditions required several diversions until a suitable airport was found. Southern Region - Brent Evans was honored for providing outstanding assistance to a Piper PA28 pilot over flying mountainous terrain. The pilot reported icing, engine roughness along with the loss of navigation and communications equipment with a failing electrical system. Southwest Region - William DeBolt was honored providing outstanding assistance to a Cessna 210 pilot in instrument conditions. The pilot reported a loss of flight instruments and was suffering from vertigo. After providing an attempted approach the flight was diverted to VFR conditions. Western Pacific Region - Jason Hughes was honored for providing outstanding assistance to a Cessna 182 pilot over flying mountainous terrain. The pilot reported icing and needed vectors. After determining that the first alternate was not suitable, vectors through high terrain were provided at minimum altitude. In all six cases, the controllers' efforts resulted in safe on-airport landings with no injuries or damage. "Pilots should never be concerned about asking for a controller assist," said Landsberg. "The controllers are there to help, and oftentimes their help is the difference between a safe landing and an accident." FMI: www.aopa.org/asf aero-news.net **************** Aerospace Notebook: Delta signals it may pull back on 787 orders Although it continues to talk with Boeing about the 787, Delta Air Lines has given the strongest signal yet that it will not take some or all of the 18 Dreamliners it has on order. The planes were ordered by Northwest, which is now part of Delta, and Delta has said it likely will want more of the bigger 777s from Boeing instead. In a regulatory filing this week with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Delta said it had dropped from the report the 787s on firm order. "We have excluded from (the report) our order for 18 B-787-8 aircraft. The Boeing Company has informed us that Boeing will be unable to meet the contractual delivery schedule for these aircraft. We are in discussions with Boeing regarding this situation." The 787 is about two years late. Northwest was to have been the first U.S. airline to operate the Dreamliner. Continental has ordered 25 787s and will now likely be the first U.S. carrier to put the plane into service if Delta doesn't take the first 787s that were supposed to go to Northwest. Assuming it can agree on a pay rate for the pilots who fly it, American Airlines has said it will buy 42 787s and take options on many more. But those are not yet firm orders. And American has said it wants the bigger 787-9. A Delta representative said the airline has not canceled the Northwest order. "The orders are still on the books," a Boeing spokesman said Tuesday. But perhaps not for long. Delta executives have indicated over the past several months that as it integrates its fleet with that of Northwest, Delta will seek significant changes in airplane orders that both airlines have placed with Boeing. Over the short term, Delta may increase its firm orders for the 777-200LR, a long-range plane that can fly as much as 19 or more hours nonstop. In the regulatory filing, Delta said it has eight more of the 777s on firm order with options to take an additional 10. In addition to the firm 787 orders, Delta still has options, from Northwest, for 18 more 787s, and those were listed in its regulatory filing. Six of the planes on option are supposed to be delivered in 2013 and the remaining dozen in the years following, Delta said. In November, during a visit to Seattle, Delta Chief Executive Richard Anderson said in an interview that he believed the airline would eventually operate the 787, and possibly a lot of them. "Given the wide variations of markets we serve, the 787 over the long term will certainly have a role," he said then. The much-delayed 787-8 is supposed to make its maiden flight in the second quarter of this year, with the first planes delivered to All Nippon Airways in February 2010. Deliveries were originally supposed to start in May 2008, with Northwest getting its first 787s later that year. If Delta does not take the Northwest 787-8s, it may switch to the bigger 787-9 for those options that are still on its books for delivery in 2013 and later. Because of the delays on the 787-8, development of the 787-9 has slipped, and Boeing has said it will not be ready for customers until at least 2012. So far this year, Boeing has had 31 of its 787s orders canceled by two customers -- a Russian airline and a Dubai leasing company. A customer also canceled one VIP 787-8 order. More airlines that have ordered jets from Boeing and rival Airbus are expected to either push back delivery of planes or cancel some orders because of the worldwide recession, which has sent the industry into one of its worst downturns ever. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/402167_air04.html ************** Maybe It's Time for 'Help Wanted' Ads RETURN OF TRAVELIN' ROB? Loop Fans were elated by an Aviation Daily report last week that "former National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Robert Francis is being considered by the Obama Administration to come back and lead the safety board as chairman." We all hope this Loop favorite gets the nod, but caution counsels that we keep the champagne corked. (Both Democratic NTSB members Kitty Higgins and Deborah Hersman are said to under consideration.) Francis, now working in this area as a consultant with Farragut International, keeps up with NTSB activities, monitoring board meetings. The vice chairmanship he held is a largely ceremonial post, but we had occasion to note that Francis, a career FAA official, was able to circumnavigate the globe at least three times -- one stop was Nepal -- to carry out his duties. And in November 1999, just before the end of his five-year term on the board, he worked in a jaunt to Paris, Brussels and Toulouse on his way to Morocco for a speech. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/03/AR2009030303 640.html **************** FAA Reinterprets Maintenance Rule, Turbine Owners Benefit A review by the FAA about what the word "current" really means in a regulation regarding maintenance of multiengine turboprops and turbine-powered aircraft is good news for owners and operators, AOPA said this week. The legal interpretation arose from a question regarding whether an aircraft operator is obliged to comply with the maintenance standards that were in place when the aircraft was manufactured or with updated maintenance instructions. Although the industry has historically interpreted the rule to mean that the latest standards must be applied, the new interpretation says the operator is not obliged to do so. The FAA notice says an operator needs only to adopt a manufacturer's inspection program that is "current" as of the time he adopts it, and that program remains "current" unless the FAA mandates revisions to it. Such a mandate would be adopted in the form of either an AD or an amendment to the operating rules. This interpretation is particularly good news for owners of Cessna 425 and 441 Conquests, which were built 20 to 30 years ago, says AOPA. Recently, these owners were facing the possibility of having to comply with extremely invasive inspections, including the removal of the aircraft's wings, because of multiple updates to Cessna's maintenance program, AOPA said. They now can comply with the maintenance program in place at the time their airplanes were built. "Owners need to spend time talking to the mechanics who've worked on their aircraft to decide what type of inspections to have performed," said Rob Hackman, AOPA senior director of regulatory affairs. "Owners should consider many factors, including the aircraft's history, total time, how long they've owned it, how familiar they are with its maintenance, and the information they gather from those who have completed the inspections in making their decisions." http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FAAReinterpretsMaintenanceRule_TurbineO wnersBenefit_199889-1.html ***************** FAA Issues Guidance On Release Of $1.1 Billion In AIP Stimulus Funds FAA Tuesday issued guidance on how the agency will release the $1.1 billion in "Economic Recovery" (ER) funding for AIP grants included as part of recently enacted stimulus legislation. Funding will be targeted toward "ready-to-go" projects, and airports must commit to meeting strict requirements set by FAA in accordance with the law. The guidance outlines the types of specific projects that will receive priority considerations; highlights airport project timelines; and walks through various requirements and restrictions. FAA has indicated that it intends to move quickly to designate projects available for ER funding and to get funds flowing to airports for those projects. The guidance can be viewed online at http://www.aaae.org/_pdf/_govpdf/Industry%20Guidance%20Final%20_4_.pdf. AAAE legislative and regulatory members may view the full Airport Alert online at http://www.aaae.org/federal_affairs/airport_legislative_alliance/airport_ale rts/. http://www.aviationnews.net/?do=headline&news_ID=164801 ***************** Police: Woman Fights With Flight Crew, TIA Officers TAMPA - A 21-year-old St. Petersburg woman on a plane punched a Spirit Airlines flight attendant Monday and later battered three law enforcement officers, Tampa International Airport police say. Cassie Winiavski was arrested at 6:28 p.m. Monday. She was charged with three felony counts of battery on a law enforcement officer and one misdemeanor count of battery. The incident began when the plane Winiavski was on pushed back from the gate about 6:19 p.m. Monday. According to airport spokeswoman Brenda Geoghagan: Winiavski complained to the flight attendant that she needed to use the restroom. She complained so much that the captain stopped the plane to let her go. After Winiavski left the restroom, the flight attendant asked her to return to her seat immediately. Winiavski continued to complain, so the captain announced the plane would be returning to the gate. Other passengers were upset with Winiavski. That's when Winiavski punched a flight attendant in the nose, Geoghagan said. Details on the flight attendant's condition weren't available. Police say that during an incident at Gate 44 of Airside C, Winiavski spit at and kicked two officers and bit another officer on the ring finger of the right hand. One of the officers suffered a sprained thumb, and another has an injured right shoulder. In a police vehicle, Winiavski intentionally threw her head back at the seat, causing a cut to the back of her head and leading to her being transported to St. Joseph's Hospital, Geoghagan said. Winiavski remained in Orient Road Jail today. Her bail was set at $6,500. Details on where the Spirit Airlines plane was heading and how long it was delayed due to the incident weren't immediately available. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29492375/ ***************** FAA Aviation News - Spotlights New Technology The March/April 2009 issue of FAA Aviation News includes articles on the retrofit market and how advances in technology bring new life to older cockpits, on important safety considerations for purchasing new avionics, about working with your autopilot, about approach with vertical guidance (APV), a third type of instrument approach, and much more. The link to the online edition is: http://www.faa.gov/news/aviation_news/ ************** Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC