Flight Safety Information October 2, 2013 - No. 203 In This Issue LA Coroner's Office IDing 4 Bodies Found in Jet Government shutdown halts NTSB probe into Santa Monica jet crash SFPD hands jet-crash probe findings to prosecutors Pilots on Asiana's Crashed Plane to Work as Ground Staff Jet Blue flight attendant found with heroin under uniform World Bank Approves Grant to Help Improve Aviation Safety and Security Oversight in the Pacific 2 arrested after suspicious packages, 1 'destructive,' close Florida airport Armed gang steals $800,000 in electronics at Brazil's busiest airport ISASI NERC Meeting (19OCT2013) Think ARGUS PROS Watch for: AVIATION MAINTENANCE & ENGINEERING EXCHANGE LA Coroner's Office IDing 4 Bodies Found in Jet (AP) Just as he had so many times before, Mark Benjamin rode his small jet from a town in the Idaho wilderness he loved to the Southern California airport he knew so well. The flight went well until, landing into the sunset, it veered off the runway and into a storage hangar. On Tuesday, forensic specialists worked to identify the remains of four people pulled from the charred wreckage of Benjamin's Cessna 525A. Meanwhile, federal safety investigators curtailed their work due to the partial government shutdown. The Los Angeles County coroner's office took the remains from the aircraft at Santa Monica Municipal Airport and tried to match dental X-rays with X-rays of people believed to be aboard, Lt. Fred Corral said. That process could be completed Wednesday. Among the likely deceased were Benjamin, CEO of Morley Builders, and his son, Luke Benjamin, a senior project manager with the company. According to the company's website, past projects include Southern California landmarks such as the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, the Getty Villa art museum and parts of the Hollywood Bowl. "We are heartbroken at the loss of Mark Benjamin and his son Lucas in a tragic accident," Charles Muttillo, the firm's vice president said in a written statement. It was not immediately clear who the other two dead people were. Also recovered were the remains of two cats and a dog. Several people who knew Mark Benjamin told The Associated Press he would typically pilot the plane between Santa Monica and Hailey, Idaho, though they did not know whether Benjamin was at the controls Sunday. Mark Benjamin lived in Malibu but would frequently spend weekends in the outdoors that he loved around the Sun Valley area of Idaho, said longtime friend John French of Ketchum, Idaho. French, also a pilot, said that Benjamin started flying the Cessna about six years ago. "He flew a lot," French said. "He was not a casual pilot." Benjamin was an avid nature photographer who would rise early to make pictures while others slept, French said. He also loved the stars, and built a home in Ketchum with a retractable roof so that a large telescope could take in the night sky. His other son, Matt, works at the University of Colorado planetarium. An active philanthropist, Benjamin had a particular interest in nature conservation and youth programs. Executives with the Idaho Conservation League and the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu praised a man they said practiced generosity for its own sake - not the recognition some seek. After listening intently, he often would conclude a group discussion with a trenchant suggestion or observation, friends said. During Sunday's flight, there was "no communication with the pilot indicting there's a problem with the aircraft at any time," Van McKenny, lead investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said Monday. The investigation was affected by the federal government shutdown that began late Monday on the West Coast. Investigators gathered all evidence that could not be preserved from the active accident scene and then left Tuesday morning. The plane was taken off site for potential future investigation, acting airport manager Stelios Makrides said. Soon after, the airport reopened to plane traffic Tuesday afternoon. http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/trouble-reported-calif-jet-crash-20427763 Back to Top Government shutdown halts NTSB probe into Santa Monica jet crash Remains Of 2 Men, 2 Women Recovered From Plane At Santa Monica Airport Officials for the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday that their investigation into the crash of a private jet Sunday evening in Santa Monica has been suspended due to the federal government shutdown. The agency, however, is recovering the wreckage of the Cessna Citation 525 and moving it to a secure site, where it will be stored until the investigation can resume. Two of the victims were unofficially identified Monday when Los Angeles-based construction company Morley Builders announced its chief executive Mark Benjamin, 63, and his son Luke, 28, were believed to have been on the plane. The two other passengers were women, according to KABC-TV. Authorities have tentatively identified the four victims, a coroner's official said, but are awaiting confirmation through dental records provided by the victims' families. The private jet touched down at Santa Monica Airport Sunday evening then steered hard right off the runway and smashed into an airport hangar then burst into flames about 6:20 p.m. The crash collapsed the hangar and the fire spread to two neighboring buildings. No one on board survived. The bodies were charred beyond recognition so the coroner's office needs dental records to confirm who the victims were, said Lt. Fred Corral. Investigators said Monday that it was too early to tell what caused the plane to veer hard-right off the runway after touching down. The pilot had not communicated any issues with the plane during the flight, the NTSB said. Investigators hoped the plane's voice recorder could shed light on what went wrong. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-ntsb-govt-probe-santa-monica-crash- 20131001,0,1127810.story Back to Top SFPD hands jet-crash probe findings to prosecutors The destroyed fuselage of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 is visible on the runway at San Francisco International Airport after it crashed on landing and burned on Saturday, July 6, 2013. San Francisco police have completed their investigation into the death of a 16-year-old girl who was run over and killed by a fire truck after the crash of an Asiana Airlines flight in July, and have given their findings to prosecutors for review, authorities said Tuesday. Ye Meng Yuan of China was covered with fire retardant foam when she was run over near the burning Boeing 777 after the July 6 crash at San Francisco International Airport. She suffered crushing injuries to her head and pelvis, according to the autopsy report that the San Mateo County coroner gave to the girl's family this week. The report does not explain how Ye ended up on the ground near the plane's left wing, where she was struck and killed by the San Francisco fire truck. Fire Department officials are still investigating the incident, but have called Ye's death a "tragic accident." The Police Department's major accident team recently forwarded findings of the police probe to prosecutors in San Mateo County, who would handle any criminal case because the airport is located there. The coroner's autopsy concludes that Ye died of head injuries. She also suffered a crushed pelvis, but the coroner indicated that happened after she was dead because there was "extremely scant" bleeding from the injury. Bleeding happens when the heart is still beating. The finding raises the possibility that Ye was run over twice, though not necessarily by two trucks - she may have been struck by the front and back wheels of one truck. It has never been made clear how Ye ended up by the wing, leading to speculation that she was either thrown from the fuselage during the crash or placed there by someone who took her off the plane. Anthony Tarricone, an attorney for Ye's family, said his experts have reviewed the autopsy findings and concluded that Ye was probably not thrown from her seat in the rear of the plane. "This shows that her injuries were not consistent with being ejected from the plane," he said, "and that it was likely that she was run over a second time after suffering the fatal injuries, by the same or a second, different vehicle." http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/SFPD-hands-jet-crash-probe-findings-to-prosecutors-4861193.php Back to Top Pilots on Asiana's Crashed Plane to Work as Ground Staff Two pilots on the Asiana Airlines Inc. (020560) plane that crash-landed at a San Francisco airport in July will return to work as ground staff, the company said. The pilots, Lee Kang Kuk and Lee Jung Min, will return to work as early as this week, Lee Hyo Min, a spokeswoman for the Seoul-based airline, said today. Their specific roles haven't been determined, she said. July 6 (Bloomberg) -- A Boeing Co. 777 operated by Asiana Airlines Inc. on a flight from Seoul crashed while landing at San Francisco International Airport, killing two as escaping passengers plummeted down emergency slides. (Source: Bloomberg) Manual flying skills and cockpit teamwork are part of the U.S. probe into the crash of Asiana Flight 214, which struck a seawall short of the San Francisco airport on July 6, killing three people. Lee Kang Kuk was in control of the Boeing Co. 777 plane and was being trained by Lee Jung Min on the flight. More than 300 people survived the crash, the first fatal airline accident in the U.S. since 2009. Spokeswoman Lee declined to comment on whether the two pilots will resume flying in the future. Asiana fell 0.8 percent to 5,000 won in Seoul trading. The stock has fallen 19 percent this year, compared with a 0.1 percent climb in South Korea's benchmark Kospi index. Lee Kang Kuk, 46, logged 9,793 flight hours before the accident. Only 43 were on the 777, after he moved up from the narrow-body Boeing 737, and he was making his first trip to San Francisco on the wide-body aircraft. Lee Jung Min, 49, a Korea Aerospace University graduate who joined Asiana in 1996, had flown 12,387 hours, including 3,220 on the 777. Two other pilots on Flight 214 returned to flying last month, spokeswoman Lee said. Safety Standards Asiana, South Korea's second-biggest airline, plans to expand instruction for air crew and begin an outside review of safety standards, it said last month. Pilots will get more hours in flight simulators to prepare for approaches to airports without landing guidance systems. The carrier said it will also hire another company to evaluate its procedures, add safety specialists and boost maintenance. Lee Kang Kuk was using a visual approach the day of the accident because the instrument landing system's glide slope, which helps line up the correct path to the runway, was closed for construction. Former Asiana pilots and trainers have said in interviews that the company's pilots were well trained on automatic systems, yet rarely flew manually. It was Asiana's first fatal accident since a Boeing 747 cargo plane went down at sea in the southern part of South Korea in July 2011. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-02/pilots-on-asiana-s-crashed-plane-return-to-work-as-ground- staff.html Back to Top Jet Blue flight attendant found with heroin under uniform ORLANDO, Fla. - A Jet Blue flight attendant tried to smuggle heroin into Orlando International Airport, authorities said. Customs officers said Carla Alvarado was hiding more than 900 grams of the drug, which is about two pounds, underneath her uniform. Officials said the heroin, which was disguised to look like chocolate, was discovered Friday. Authorities said Alvarado admitted she was paid $10,000 to transport it on a direct flight from Colombia to Orlando. http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/jet-blue-flight-attendant-found-heroin-under-unifo/nbC5F/ Back to Top World Bank Approves Grant to Help Improve Aviation Safety and Security Oversight in the Pacific WASHINGTON, September, 30 2013 - The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors today approved a US$2.15 million grant to the Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO) to ensure safety and security oversight in the aviation sector in Pacific Island Countries. Many Pacific Islands countries face challenges related to their remote, geographically dispersed locations and small populations. Safe and reliable air services are needed to connect people in the Pacific Island countries to each other and to larger markets, and to facilitate important industries such as tourism. This regional dependence on air services highlights the importance of strengthening PASO, the regional body charged with supporting governments to implement effective aviation safety and security oversight. The Pacific Aviation Safety Office Reform Project will improve aviation safety and security in Pacific Island Countries by strengthening the technical and coordination capacity of PASO. Designed around three main components, the project will support the reform agenda, build institutional capacity to meet international aviation safety regulations across the region, and modernize information systems for improved quality control. "Having a safe and efficient aviation sector is essential to so many aspects of life in the Pacific where populations are dispersed across huge distances and separated by vast expanses of ocean," said Franz Drees- Gross, Country Director for the World Bank in Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands. "This support will help strengthen PASO's ability to provide critical regional oversight that will improve aviation safety in the Pacific and ensure international safety requirements are met." "I thank the World Bank for the support and recognising the needs of the Smaller Island States of the Pacific Islands in their endeavour to tackle their individual safety oversight issues," said Wilson Sagati, Chief Executive Officer for PASO, "I look forward to see a positive outcome from this Reform whereby we in the Pacific can all be proud of because of our collective desire to improve governance and to make a change for the better. Furthermore, enhancements in safety in the aviation sector will see tangible benefits for the economies of our nations and more importantly that PASO be sustainable with new models of funding and support from our donor partners to deliver its mandate". The grant is funded by the International Development Association (IDA) and will be implemented by PASO over a five year period. It complements an earlier grant to PASO to assist with their restructuring provided by the Australian government. This grant is a part of a series of projects implemented under the Pacific Aviation Investment Program (PAIP) that are designed to increase aviation safety and security in the Pacific, focusing on developing key airport infrastructure for international travel such as runways, navigation aids and lighting; aviation sector reform, and improving airport management and operations. PASO is a Regional Safety Oversight Organization operating under the Pacific Islands Civil Aviation Safety and Security Treaty. Membership comprises 10 countries in the Pacific region. http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2013/09/30/world-bank-grant-improve-aviation-safety- security-oversight-pacific Back to Top 2 arrested after suspicious packages, 1 'destructive,' close Florida airport The Jacksonville International Airport was shut down for nearly five hours Tuesday after police found two suspicious packages on the tarmac, leaving planes and passengers stranded. NBC's Kerry Sanders reports. Two people were arrested after the discovery of two suspicious packages - one of which authorities said "certainly had some destructive nature" - closed the Jacksonville, Fla., airport for five hours. A source close to the investigation told NBC News that the main suspect, dressed all in black, was heard making a threat, and that two other people near him had run away. The source also said that counterterrorism officials were already aware of the suspect. Airport officials confirmed the arrests early Wednesday but had no further details. On Tuesday night, the airport was evacuated after the two packages were found, one in a terminal and the other in a garage. There was no information on what was in the packages. The airport, Jacksonville International, is a joint civilian and military facility north of the city. It served 5.2 million passengers last year. At a news conference, Jacksonville sheriff's spokesman Shannon Hartley said that a bomb squad dispatched to the scene had recovered a "device" in one of the packages that "certainly had some destructive nature." Hartley said that federal and local authorities were investigating. http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/01/20777297-2-arrested-after-suspicious-packages-1- destructive-close-florida-airport?lite Back to Top Armed gang steals $800,000 in electronics at Brazil's busiest airport, police say An armed gang in Brazil has carried out a brazen heist at the country's busiest airport, swiping an estimated $800,000 in tablets, cameras and computers, police say. Authorities in Sao Paulo say ten men stormed a cargo terminal at the Guarulhos airport on Sunday, taking several guards hostage for a half hour while six men loaded boxes of imported goods into a truck, the BBC reports. Some of the men were dressed like security guards, and an assessment by authorities revealed that 59 boxes of imported items were stolen. No arrests have been made, according to the BBC. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/10/01/armed-gang-steals-800g-in-electronics-at-brazil-busiest-airport- police-say/ Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top AVIATION MAINTENANCE & ENGINEERING EXCHANGE Published weekly on Wednesday. Curt Lewis