Any details on today’s crash in MD?
Bill
The pilot, only one on board, landed in a bean field—had major head trauma. Tough deal!!
In reply to:
The pilot, only one on board, landed in a bean field—had major head trauma. Tough deal!!
To add a few more details from a variety of articles: the aircraft came to rest w/in 300 yrds of the runway, possibly alongside of it. Hit trees prior to impact, and at least one witness seemed to indicate that the engine was having problems. According to these articles, the pilot left Ocean City airport, Cape May, NJ in the fog, and canceled his IFR about 3 miles out after reporting the filed in sight. There were no reports that the Parachute was activated, and from looking at the pictures, a post crash fire was unlikely. The pilot is in critical condition in a Baltimore hospital trauma center and the COPA members wish him well.
Please be advised that initial reports are notoriously innacurate.
Man injured in Anne Arundel Co. plane crash
Small aircraft went down near Lee Airport in Edgewater this morning
The Associated Press
Originally published July 11, 2006, 4:45 PM EDT
A small plane crashed while attempting to land this morning in Edgewater, injuring the pilot, Anne Arundel County police said.
No one else was on board the plane and no one on the ground was injured in the 9:40 a.m. crash, said Lt. David Waltemeyer, a police spokesman.
The pilot appeared to be attempting to land when the plane struck trees and crashed south of Lee Airport, Waltemeyer said.
Airport operator Dan Lee said the four-seat plane took off from Ocean City, N.J. The pilot had filed an instrument flight plan but canceled the plan about three miles out because he could see the airport, Lee said.
The pilot, a male in his 40s, was found unconscious suffering from head trauma and was taken to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, said Lt. Frank Fennell of the Anne Arundel County fire department.
The plane crashed in a soybean field a few hundred feet from the end of the runway, Fennell said.
Arlene Murray, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said an investigation was under way into the crash of the plane registered to Dilks Aircrafts LLC of Marco Island, Fla.
Donald Dilks told The Annapolis Capital that he believed the pilot was his brother, Ralph Dilks, 65. Donald Dilks said he planned to meet his brother, who has been flying for more than 30 years, at the airport and they planned to fly to Ocean City, N.J., for lunch with their mother.
Gwen Brewster, who lives next to the airport, said she knew something was wrong when she heard a “throaty and raspy and very loud” noise that sounded like a boat in neutral.
This doesn’t add much to the previous post…but the plane came down just behind a hangar where I keep my Pitts at Lee. The owner of the hangar (also a medical professional) was the first to the crash site and tended to the victim until emergency help arrived. He told me it appeared the plane was too high for the first approach attempt to 30, and flew just on the west side (taxi side) of the runway at about 200 feet. It never climbed above perhaps 300 feet, turned crosswind and then downwind at low altitude. He reported it did not sound to him like the engine was developing full power and that it seemed the engine went silent shortly before the sound of the impact (trees, then ground). The outside cover to the chute was off, but the chute was not deployed. The engine had sheered completely off the firewall. Photos on MSNBC site show the extensive damage. The pilot’s injuries are very serious, …in this regard, I’ll only say I pray for him and his family for his full recovery.
Dave: Thanks for the additional info. Do you have any idea what the ceilings and vis were at the time of the accident?
In reply to:
Photos on MSNBC site show the extensive damage. The pilot’s injuries are very serious, …in this regard, I’ll only say I pray for him and his family for his full recovery.
Glad that the pilot survived with serious injuries. The wreckage shown in those pictures and the speculation by the NTSB investigator of a near vertical, low speed impact, leaves me awestruck.
We know that Cirrus builds strong passenger cages on purpose, to protect the people inside. That much damage and a live, albeit seriously injured, person inside! Ouch!
Wonder if such an impact would have exceeded the specs for airbag protection?
Cheers
Rick
The weather was clear today with a bit of haze and virtually no ceiling this morning. Weather was definitely NOT a factor in this accident.Hope we get more information as it sounds like it could be an engine problem.
I was not flying yesterday, but my friend at Lee said the haze was so thick, it seemed to him to be below VFR mins…then again, the pilot cancelled IFR three miles out, so perhaps early morning haze and fog had burned off somewhat by the time he arrived.
The pilot’s brother was quoted in a news report saying he had more than 30 years flying experience, which suggests something other than sloppy piloting was the cause of this. But as we all know…it’s somewhat pointless speculating on the cause, until after the investigation. Hopefully the pilot will recover and be able to tell his version of events
In reply to:
The weather was clear today with a bit of haze and virtually no ceiling this morning. Weather was definitely NOT a factor in this accident.Hope we get more information as it sounds like it could be an engine problem.
Brian: Is that for montgomery county, or annapolis, near the water. I used to fly out of Bay Bridge, just across the bay from Lee, and due to the water, there could be very different WX from my home near GAI and the bay.
I ask only because according to FAA as reported by the news, the pilot canceled IFR 3 miles out with the airport in sight. According to witnesses also as reported by the media, the pilot approached the first landing hot/long and performed a go-around. So, assuming both reports are true, and the pilot hit trees on the downwind while setting up for a second try, why was he so low?
The reports seemed to vary about the sound of the engine, so at this time I can guess that either he had engine trouble attaining power and hence altitude, or some other reason kept him low. As for the latter, my speculation would be that he was trying to stay low to remain in visual contact with the field. My only other guess would be that he was intentionally flying low to “say hi” to whomever he was picking up IF they lived in those houses near the airport.
(Disclaimer: This is all speculation based solely upon unconfirmed reports from various news sources, all of which seem to be using the same, not necessarily well trained sources.)
I hope the pilot pulls through. Has anyone heard any news?
Marty:
There was no fog locally in the area yesterday at that hour. When there is, you usually cannot see the airport at all.
All in all yesterday was a typical summer VFR day around here where the haze is the biggest problem at any time of day.