Air Tahoma Crash

[Publishers]

To blame the company for this without any shread of knowledge about he accident is like blaming the passengers for pushing the crew on another thread.
This was a training flight, we do not know who was sitting where, we know the instructor had been there for two years and knew the aircraft, they did not think they had a severe problem initially, and yet the aircraft obviously did not fly. While I don't know the 580, I would imagine just an engine out that did not feather would be a challenge with the size o f those blades.
Sooner or later we will find out what went wrong.

 

[Rick1128]

To blame the company for this without any shread of knowledge about he accident is like blaming the passengers for pushing the crew on another thread.
This was a training flight, we do not know who was sitting where, we know the instructor had been there for two years and knew the aircraft, they did not think they had a severe problem initially, and yet the aircraft obviously did not fly. While I don't know the 580, I would imagine just an engine out that did not feather would be a challenge with the size o f those blades.
Sooner or later we will find out what went wrong.

I have flown the 580 and had an excellent ground school on the airframe. Plus almost a 1000 hours in it. It is a fine aircraft that makes all the other commuter turboprops look second best. However, if the prop will not feather, you are SOL! But the prop system is a very simple system and I have not heard of one not feathering. If the rudder cables are not properly adjusted, with an engine out you are SOL! And that has happened at least once.

I have flown 580's that have sat for 6 months. They flew fine, just a few minor Hydraulic leaks and some avionics issues. After a week or so, they went away.

Maintenance items that you can let slide in the 340/440, you can't in the 580. The increased weight, speed and power don't allow for that.

 

[Golden Falcon]

The propellor a6441fn by areoproducts is actually a rather complex device when it comes to modern-style propellors, however the operation side is easy..if the autofeather system fails, then th NTS system will coarsen the blades to the point of no existing drag..if it goes low blade angle, it should pitch-lock..all speculation...i'd be inclined to speculate on some sort uncontrollable airframe malfunction given the experience of the crew..

 

[on autopilot]

Great Aviators, sorry to hear that. Air Tahoma = Air to a Tombstone. I get sick every time I hear of these guys, another crash, more people trying to put food on thier tables or pay obligations die, and for what?

Air Tahoma or Air Tombstone should be shut down. There is already too much blood paid out as there is.

 

[152hvy]

I don't know the crew personally but I remember sharing a van ride to the custom in MIA with Mr. Urs on several occasion. A true aviator, my deep respect to everyone involved and to their families...

 

[HalinTexas]

The other two were new-hires-in-training. Jim Monohan had 20 years or so at ATA. Was an L1011 CA for quite a long time.

 

[waka]

Jimmy Monahan had just reached his 20th year with ATA only days before the company went TU. He was a well-respected L1011 Captain, who also had extensive experience in previous lives with many older transport category aircraft. He was a pleasure to fly with, and even more fun to drink beer with in exotic locales.

My condolences to his family. God give your soul rest, Jimmy.

The scumbags at GAL have claimed another victim.

I'm not defending GAL but what, pray tell, did they have to do with this accident?

 

[Joker 152]

I'm not defending GAL but what, pray tell, did they have to do with this accident?

The accident itself, no.

For Jimmy being on that aircraft, yes.

If not for the incompetence and malfeasance of ATA management, exacerbated and abetted by the greed of GAL and the amateurs at MatPat, Jim Monahan wouldn't have found himself on the street, forced to take a job he wouldn't have even considered previously.

The following is from an article in the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel:

PLANTATION - When three Plantation police officers knocked on her door Monday night, Holly Monahan knew her worst nightmare had finally come true.

James Monahan, 58, her husband of 39 years, a devoted pilot who loved everything about airplanes, had died in a fiery crash during a training mission in Ohio for Air Tahoma, a cargo transporter that had recently hired him.

Holly Monahan said she never thought twice about her husband's new job, because he had previously flown 20 years for ATA before that airline folded.

"Aviation was his whole life," said Monahan, 57, still in shock today. "No one from the company has told us any details."
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash.

James Monahan and Urs Anderegg, 58, and Sean Gardiner, 41, both of Miami, died when the 1956 Convair 580 they were flying crashed into a row of trees, skidded into a cornfield in Lockbourne, Ohio, and burst into flames Monday.

Holly Monahan said she doesn't know who was behind the controls at the time.

According to the FAA, the plane was headed to Mansfield in northern Ohio when it crashed. The FAA has cited the company for flight operations problems several times, most recently in 2005.

Holly Monahan said her husband's body was so badly burned he will have to be identified through dental records.

"This was a new company [for him] and this was a new job ," she said. "This was a flight training mission."

James Monahan was qualified to fly an array of different planes and was a certified flight instructor.

The couple met in high school, and married when they turned 18, his wife said.

They are parents to Jennifer, 32, of Melbourne, and Patrick, 28, who lives at home.

The tragedy couldn't have come at a more difficult time, Holly Monahan said.

Their daughter is expecting a baby girl any day, Monahan said. They already have a grandson, Logan, 16 months.

In addition to working for ATA for 20 years, James Monahan had also worked form National Jets Inc. in Fort Lauderdale for 10 years, flying charter flights and air ambulances throughout the United States, Caribbean, Canada and Central and South America, according to his resume.

He had also worked for Florida Aircraft Leasing Corp. in Fort Lauderdale where he conducted ground and flight instruction, and had served in the Army in the early 1970s, his wife said.

"He never had an accident," Holly Monahan said.

She said one of her husband's favorite jobs involved flying U.S. troops to and from the Middle East.

"He loved it when he got to bring them home," she said.

Longtime friend George Friedlund, who worked with James Monahan at National Jets, was heartbroken by news of his death.

"He was beyond a nice guy. He was the best guy you'd ever know," said Friedlund, of Pompano Beach. "I had lunch with him the week before he went out there. He was excited about flying again. And he was a very, very safe pilot. He never took chances."

The receipt for Monahan's first flying lesson is framed inside the couple's home, hanging next to the front door. The receipt for $5 is dated July 17, 1967, from the Showalter Flying Service in Orlando.

Monahan also was an avid fisherman. A 28-foot Seabird the Monahans often took to the Florida Keys is docked behind their home.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

 

[BornAgainPagan]

The accident itself, no.

For Jimmy being on that aircraft, yes.

If not for the incompetence and malfeasance of ATA management, exacerbated and abetted by the greed of GAL and the amateurs at MatPat, Jim Monahan wouldn't have found himself on the street, forced to take a job he wouldn't have even considered previously.

i don't know what has gone on with management at ATA or umbrella companies and no disrespect intended to you or your fallen friend but that is an irrational thing you said. nobody "forced" him to work for Air Tahoma or anywhere

 

[avbug]

It's kind of along the same lines as "xxx owes me a living." "XXX owes me a job because of my seniority with an entirely different company...we have the same union." Blah, blah, blah.

"XXX ruined my marriage." "It's management's fault." "They made me fly overweight." "They make us fly in weather." "They can't make me fly into Baghram...sure I knew we did it when I hired on, but I didn't think they'd want me to do it." Yada, yada.

Nobody made anybody hire on with Tahoma or anywhere else. This is aviation. Jobs end, companies fold, companies merge. People are furloughed, fired, terminated, transferred, wet leased, traded, and sold out. It's not new. When any of those and more happen, it's not the old employer's fault that the furloughed employee takes a job which leads to his or her demise.

We live in a society that loves to find fault. Loves to have some one to blame. The thing is, it doesn't bring anybody back, no matter how righteous it may make you feel. Newsflash; you're not righteous, and nobody forced these men, or anyone else to work for Tahoma. Their choice. It's still a free country, gents.

 

[Donsa320]

In my 77 years, 60 of them in aviation, I have wept for a number of lost comrades. It always seems so senseless. But it hurts.

Earnest Gann said it most succinctly with the title of his great book..... "Fate Is The Hunter". It is, after all, just fate.

Take care all,

DC

 

[JAKEFAC]

Very poignant thread, guys. Something like this brings out the best in all of us. In my many years in aviation, I have had the pleasure of flying with many of these same guys; different names but the same guys. Hug the ones you love and fly your trip tomorrow and be vigilant. My thoughts and prayers go out to these aviators and to their families.

 

[Whistlin' Dan]

While it may be true that nobody "forced" these guys to work for Air Tahoma, I feel for them, and their families. I too, have lost a number of friends over the years in this business. Some were lost due to something they did (or didn't) do. Some due to the errors of another. And some...they never saw it coming. There was nothing they or anybody else could have done to save them.

None of them "deserved" to die.

My thoughts and prayers are with the families and many friends of these gentlemen. It could have been any one of us.

 

[PJaxPilot]

Get a load of these excerpts from the columbus dispatch:

1. Not Surprised here:


"It could be as long as 15 months before the safety board releases its findings.
Investigators will listen to cockpit audio recordings, but the flight-data recorder -- the "black box" -- appears to have been inoperable before takeoff, Silliman said." NONE OF THEM WORK!!!


2. HOLY CRAP THERE IS NO WAY THIS NEEDS TO BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN:


"The cargo company had applied earlier that year for a certificate allowing it to begin flying passengers."


BUT
AT LEAST THE FAA DID SOMETHING RIGHT FOR ONCE


"The Transportation Department denied the application in 2005 because of "material deficiencies,"

 

[avbug]

None of them "deserved" to die.

Has anyone suggested such a thing?

 

[kingaira90]

I have flown the 580 and had an excellent ground school on the airframe. Plus almost a 1000 hours in it. It is a fine aircraft that makes all the other commuter turboprops look second best. However, if the prop will not feather, you are SOL! But the prop system is a very simple system and I have not heard of one not feathering. If the rudder cables are not properly adjusted, with an engine out you are SOL! And that has happened at least once.

Wow! The first time I have heard the 580 prop system called simple! Did you mean operationally or mechanically?

Sad to see AT lost more good people. I made my exit shortly after MG died in the CVG crash on Friday 13th, Aug 2004 a great guy with a young family. I truly hope the Rude family will be out of aviation after this. Bud Rude, the head of the family brags that he shut Wein Air down in Alaska and runs his business like it is Alaska bush flying in the 50's and every flight is getting the cure to some village. You can fill in the blanks on that. They have been exceedingly good at making sure the PAPERWORK isin order though! I wouldn't be surprised if the get off from this though ;-( -kingaira90

 

[The_Russian]

Has anyone suggested such a thing?

Some are suggesting that Air Tahoma is an unsafe operation which resulted in the death of innocent pilots though no fault of their own.

 

[FlyingHigh262]

Get a load of these excerpts from the columbus dispatch:

1. Not Surprised here:


"It could be as long as 15 months before the safety board releases its findings.
Investigators will listen to cockpit audio recordings, but the flight-data recorder -- the "black box" -- appears to have been inoperable before takeoff, Silliman said." NONE OF THEM WORK!!!


2. HOLY CRAP THERE IS NO WAY THIS NEEDS TO BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN:


"The cargo company had applied earlier that year for a certificate allowing it to begin flying passengers."


BUT
AT LEAST THE FAA DID SOMETHING RIGHT FOR ONCE


"The Transportation Department denied the application in 2005 because of "material deficiencies,"

thats a little scary..........wow...

 

[FlyingHigh262]

air tahomas website is closed down...

 

[a320drivr]

NTSB Identification: CHI08FA270
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, September 01, 2008 in Columbus, OH
Aircraft: Convair 580, registration: N587X
Injuries: 3 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On September 1, 2008, about 1206 eastern daylight time, a Convair 580 airplane, N587X, operated by Air Tahoma Inc., was destroyed when it impacted terrain as it was attempting to return to the Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK), Columbus, Ohio, where it had just departed from runway 5L (11,937 feet by 150 feet, asphalt). The captain, first officer, and a company pilot sitting in the observer seat received fatal injuries. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 post maintenance check flight departed LCK at 1203 and was en route to Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport (MFD), Mansfield, Ohio. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed.

The accident flight was the first flight following a maintenance "C" check, which included flight control cable rigging as part of the check. The flight was also intended to be a training flight for the first officer and the company pilot seated in the observer seat.

The flight contacted the LCK air traffic control (ATC) at 1139 for its IFR clearance. At 1147, the flight was cleared to taxi. At 1200, the flight received its takeoff clearance, and the airplane started its takeoff roll about 1203. About one minute later, at 1204 the flight contacted ATC and stated that it needed to return to LCK, and it was cleared to land on runway 5L. ATC asked the flight if it needed equipment and the flight responded, "Negative." About 1206, the airplane impacted a cornfield about one mile southwest of the approach end of runway 5L.

The inspection of the wreckage revealed that the airplane had impacted the terrain on a southerly heading. The cut through the high corn that was produced by the airplane's landing gear, fuselage, and wings indicated that it was in a slight right wing down attitude on a glide path of about 10 degrees at impact. The initial contact with the corn revealed three parallel cuts through the corn that were consistent with the landing gear being in the down position. Both left and right propeller gearboxes separated from the engines and were found near the initial impact point. All four blades from both propeller hubs were separated from the hubs and were found throughout the wreckage path. Both propeller hubs were located about 1,250 feet from the initial impact point, the furthest wreckage found in the debris field. The debris field stretched from about 665 feet from the initial point of impact to an abandoned set of railroad tracks within a tree line. The main wreckage was found about 160 feet south of the railroad tracks, or about 825 feet from the initial impact point.

Approximately 10 feet of the forward portion of the airplane, which included the cockpit, separated from the fuselage at impact. The portion was lying on its right side (as viewed looking forward) and was consumed by fire. The fuselage was partially consumed by fire just forward of the vertical stabilizer between about Fuselage Station (FS) 623.00 and FS 798. The left wing had separated from the fuselage and was about 50 feet from the fuselage. It was partially consumed by fire and pieces of the wing were found in the debris field. The right wing had separated from the fuselage, and a part of the wing was consumed by fire lying under the cockpit section next to the fuselage. Sections of the lower right wing were found in the debris field. Both engines had separated from the wings and were found in the main wreckage. A ground fire had consumed a swath of corn along the debris field.

The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) were retrieved from the tail section of the wreckage and were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's Vehicle Recorder Division for inspection.