Flight Safety Information March 16, 2012 - No. 054 In This Issue AViCON 2012: Aviation Disaster Conference (25APR - NYC) Business jet crashes at airport in North Carolina Convair CV-340 Accident (SJU, P.R.) Lockheed C130J-30 Missing...(Norway) ARGUS PROS Global Auditing AViCON 2012: Aviation Disaster Conference Held At The Intrepid Air, Sea & Space Museum Wednesday, April 25, 2012 The Intrepid Air, Sea & Space Museum Pier 86, W 46th St and 12th Ave New York, NY 10036-4103 AViCON 2012 Trailer by RTI Forensics AViCON 2012 Trailer Aviation Disaster Conference Investigating the Causes, Resolving the Claims Venue: The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum New York, NY April 25, 2012 CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION ACCREDITATIONS ARE BEING SOUGHT FROM 22 STATES, PUERTO RICO, AND CANADA The following distinguished faculty members are scheduled to instruct at the event: Frederick (Rick) Alimonti Alimonti Law Offices, P.C. Professor Graham Braithwaite Head, Department of Air Transport, Cranfield University Christa M. Hinckley Partner, Husch Blackwell LLP Nick Hughes Partner, Holman Fenwick Willan LLP David T. Hunter Orion ADR Jason Kelly President, Crisis Advisors Curt Lewis, PE, CSP Curt Lewis & Associates LLC Ricardo M. Martinez-Cid Partner, Podhurst Orseck Rocie Park Director Aviation Claims, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty Tim Scorer Consultant, Ince & Co LLP Kathryn Ward Partner, DLA Piper UK LLP Diane Westwood Wilson Partner, Clyde & Co US Fitzpatrick Grand Central Official Hotel for AViCON 2012 Gather with our distinguished faculty and your fellow delegates before and after the conference. A limited number of rooms have been reserved for April 24th and 25th at the special rate of $209 per night plus tax for attendees of the AViCON 2012 conference. After you register to attend AViCON 2012 you will receive a confirmation email which contains the promotion code for the hotel. Reserve your room at the Fitzpatrick Grand Central by calling 212-351-6800 or at fitzpatrickhotels.com using the code. We look forward to seeing you there. The highly successful AViCON® 2010 held in London is set to return to New York. This Aviation Insurance Claim Conference, with its unique format, is gathering reputation and recognition on both sides of the Atlantic since first presented to the London market in 1998. Following are some of the testimonials received from attendees of AViCON 2010: "Excellent having so many professionals together defending their position sitting in the same room and explaining to the audience the consequences of their actions." "I completely enjoyed the whole presentation and found it very educational." "Brilliant!!!" "Very impressive in terms of content and organization." "A very interesting and informative day." This conference will be of interest to anyone involved in Aviation Insurance - underwriters, claims managers, lawyers, risk managers, insurance brokers, airline flight safety directors, airline board members with flight safety responsibility, claims investigators, and aircraft product manufacturers. Previous AViCON events have attracted well respected speakers and delegates from the legal profession and insurance market. Speakers have included aviation professionals, law partners, and associates from: Alimonti Law Offices, Barlow Lyde & Gilbert, Blank Rome, Bryan Cave, Clyde & Co., Condon Forsyth, Cozen O'Connor, Cranfield University, Curt Lewis & Associates, Inc., DLA Piper, Ince & Co, Kenyon International Emergency Services, Podhurst Orseck, and Xchanging. AViCON 2012 will follow the same configuration whereby the speakers and delegates move along the timeline of an accident investigation to legal discovery, multi-party litigation, and resolution. Previous AViCON events have worked around the scenario of a new entrant airline buying a new technology airframe that suffers a survivable failure to an engine. This failure subsequently results in multiple fatalities due to a range of issues that include: * Organizational Failures * Crew Competence * Possible Bogus Parts * Defective Warning Systems All are et within an environment that includes many possible choices of forum and law. The 2012 accident scenario will be presented with state-of-the-art animation prepared by RTI's Magic Motion Studios and will highlight a fresh set of complex issues of current concern and debate within the aviation market. This event presents a unique opportunity, in a concise and effective format, for all those concerned with safety in aviation to gain a fuller understanding of the entire range of complexities involved in the resolution of multi-party claims that arise from a fictitious aviation accident. Taking just one day, the 2012 conference is based on a reconstruction of a very conceivable and carefully scripted air disaster that occurs when an airline transport aircraft crashes off the runway in bad weather. Causation is far from clear, and a number of parties may have contributed to the accident. The conference will show how such a disaster may be investigated and managed. It then goes on to illustrate the complex legal issues involved and the strategies that may be employed in settling the claims. After viewing the animation, experts in disaster management and accident investigation will lead the audience through the technical aspects of crisis management and the process and protocols of a formal investigation. The circumstances shown in the video and the results of the investigation lead to potential liability for a number of parties including: the airline, the aircraft manufacturer, and the airport authority. A group of leading lawyers and insurance executives will debate the issues that arise including: forum selection, punitive damages, fee considerations, evaluating claims, discovery, spoliation, mediation and dispute resolution, quantum of damages, and relationship with insurers. Register for AViCON® 2012 Go to: WWW.RTIAViCON.COM and select the 'Registration' link to view the Registration Application Form. Regular fee $795.00 * February 1, 2012 to April 25, 2012 Student $395.00 * Prior to April 25, 2012 * Must present law school, college, or university student identification at the door Government / Military $650.00 * Prior to April 25, 2012 * Must present government employee or active military identification at the door Business jet crashes at airport in North Carolina, three feared killed FRANKLIN, North Carolina (BNO NEWS) -- A small business jet carrying three people crashed at an airport in western North Carolina on early Thursday afternoon, local and federal officials said. The conditions of those on board was not immediately known. The accident happened at about 1:36 p.m. local time when a Cessna Citation 501 aircraft crashed in a corn field at the end of the runway at Macon County Airport, which is located about three miles (five kilometers) northwest of Franklin, causing a fire at the scene. Kathleen Bergen, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), said the aircraft was carrying a total of three people and suffered 'substantial' damage. Photos from the scene showed the entire aircraft was completely engulfed in flames, leaving only a small field of debris. Franklin Fire & Rescue officials said the fire was quickly extinguished, but it was not immediately known if anyone survived. The Western Carolinas Region of the American Red Cross said its volunteers were responding to the airport. "Initial services to be provided are mental health along with canteen services," a statement said. According to flight records, the business jet was registered to an individual in Venice, but Bergen would not confirm specific details about the aircraft. "We are not confirming tail numbers until we know the conditions of the three persons on board," Bergen said. "If they are fatalities, then we will wait until next of kin are notified before we confirm." Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate the cause of the accident. ************ Status: Preliminary Date: 15 MAR 2012 Time: ca 14:00 Type: Cessna 501 Citation I/SP Operator: private Registration: N7700T C/n / msn: 501-0248 First flight: 1982 Crew: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 Total: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 Airplane damage: Destroyed Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Franklin-Macon County Airport, NC (United States of America) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Venice Municipal Airport, FL (VNC) (VNC/KVNC), United States of America Destination airport: Franklin-Macon County Airport, NC, United States of America Narrative: A Cessna 501 Citation I/SP corporate jet was destroyed in an accident at Franklin-Macon County Airport, NC. The five occupants were killed. The airplane was inbound from Venice Municipal Airport, FL (VNC). It crashed during landing and came down just to the left of runway 7, just past the runway threshold. The airplane burst into flames. www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top Convair CV-340 Accident (SJU, P.R.) Status: Preliminary Date: 15 MAR 2012 Time: 07:15 Type: Convair CV-340 Operator: Jet One Express Registration: N153JR C/n / msn: 117 First flight: 1953 Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Crew: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Airplane damage: Written off Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) (Puerto Rico) Phase: Initial climb (ICL) Nature: Cargo Departure airport: San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) (SJU/TJSJ), Puerto Rico Destination airport: Saint Croix-Alexander Hamilton Airport (STX) (STX/TISX), U.S. Virgin Islands Narrative: A Convair CV-340 cargo plane crashed shortly after departure from San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU), Puerto Rico. Both pilots were killed. The airplane took off from San Juan on a cargo flight to Saint Croix (STX), Virgin Islands. It carried 12059 pounds of cargo mainly consisting of bread. Shortly after takeoff the crew declared an emergency, stating that they wanted to return to the airport. They reported smoke coming from one of the engines. Air traffic control cleared the flight to land on runway 10, but the crew requested runway 28 for landing. This was approved and the controller cleared N153JR to land, stating that the wind was "150 at 3". The flight came down in the Torrecilla Lagoon on the east side of the airport. It sank in 30-50 feet of water. www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top Lockheed C130J-30 Missing (Norway) Status: Preliminary Date: 15 MAR 2012 Time: ca 14:56 Type: Lockheed C-130J-30 Hercules Operator: Royal Norwegian Air Force - RNoAF Registration: 5630 C/n / msn: 5630 First flight: 2010 Crew: Fatalities: / Occupants: 5 Passengers: Fatalities: / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: / Occupants: 5 Airplane damage: Missing Location: near Tarfala (Sweden) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Military Departure airport: Harstad-Narvik-Evenes Airport (EVE) (EVE/ENEV), Norway Destination airport: Kiruna Airport (KRN) (KRN/ESNQ), Sweden Narrative: A Lockheed C-130J Hercules military transport plane went missing during a flight from Harstad-Narvik-Evenes Airport (EVE) in Norway to Kiruna Airport (KRN) in Sweden. There are five crew members on board. Last radio contact was at 14:43 with Kiruna Tower and radar contact was lost at 14:56. A military helicopter picked up an ELT signal near Mount Kebnekaise, 80 km west of Kiruna. Search operations are hampered by cloud cover and poor visibility due to strong winds. Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP, FRAeS, FISASI CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC