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Crash Investigation Underway in Spokane Valley




Investigators were on the scene of a cargo plane crash all day Sunday. The Twin Turbo-Prop Metroliner went down in the Spokane Valley at a little after eight Saturday morning killing the pilot.
It could take up to six months to determine a cause. On Sunday, National Transportation Safety Board Investigators along with the FAA surveyed the scene before snow or other weather could destroy it. They looked at the timberline to see where the downed aircraft struck trees and mechanical cables were reviewed to look for any problems. So far, investigators say there does not appear to be any mechanical problems - though a detailed inspection of the plane's wreckage could turn up some kind of mechanical failure.

The scorched shattered remains of the aircraft were removed from the hillside. An investigator says each key part will be stored locally for the months of work that still lie ahead. Maintenance records for the plane will be reviewed this week, and so will weather reports. Investigators say they want to get as much information as possible about Saturday's thick fog.

"I may want to have witnesses that were up in the area, they may not have seen the aircraft, but know what the weather was," said Steve McCreary.

Investigators say visibility at Felts Field was quite good Saturday morning, but that hillside where the plane crashed did have poor visibility conditions. A report with preliminary findings on the crash should be out later this week.


 
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** Report created 12/1/2003 Record 1 **
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IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 439AF Make/Model: SW3 Description: SA-226TB, SA-227TT Merlin 3
Date: 11/20/2003 Time: 1606

Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
City: SPOKANE VALLEY State: WA Country: US

DESCRIPTION
AMERIFLIGHT AMF1996, N439AF, A FAIRCHILD SWEARINGEN SW-3 AIRCRAFT CRASHED
INTO TREES A MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY WHILE ON ILS APPROACH, ONE PERSON ON
BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED, SPOKANE VALLEY, WA

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 1
# Crew: 1 Fat: 1 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

WEATHER: METAR KSFF 291553Z 25005KT 10SM OVC004 06/06 A2983



OTHER DATA
Activity: Business Phase: Approach Operation: Air Taxi (On Demand)

Departed: BOEING FIELD SEATTLE Dep Date: 11/29/2003 Dep. Time: 1507
Destination: SPOKANE, WA Flt Plan: IFR Wx Briefing: N
Last Radio Cont: LOCAL CONTROL
Last Clearance: LOW ALTITUDE ALERT

FAA FSDO: SPOKANE, WA (NM13) Entry date: 12/01/2003
 
Being new to this I posted my reply as a new thread. Look at the thread "Merlin" if your interested.
 
Pilot of crashed plane identified

The pilot who died in a cargo plane crash in the Spokane Valley over the weekend was identified Tuesday as Thomas A. Richert of Kent.
The 32-year-old pilot died when the airplane crashed east of Felts Field early Saturday.

The Spokane County Sheriff's Office says dental records were used to confirm the victim's identity. No one else was on the plane.

The Federal Aviation Authority and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash

 
We had a Merlin crash here at CRG Thanksgiving morning. In about the identical weather conditions. The pilot, who was killed, was a Doctor from TX. The other 4 passengers, all survied, were his childern.
 
SFF used to station a weather observer back in the late 80's early 90's. Don't know if one was(is still) there that time of the day to eyeball the W and advise the pilot on the approach. Shame, if not. Sure could have helped with an eyeball on the weather from the ground.
Pilot reported in News outlets as Thomas Richert. I knew him as "Tom" from years ago and he was a great guy and will be sorely missed. I don't recall him being the type to blow off approach mins. Ameriflight just ain't worth it. People/things change and it's all Still preliminary info. The last time I flew into Felts, there was an fbo pumping avgas from a toyota pickup and an ILS was a wet dream. Crashing short of the runway on a precision approach looks to side the FAA against Tom void of navigational or mechanical failure findings.

Moment of reflection for all Single Pilot Operations. Be safe out there.

100-1/2
 
We had a Merlin crash here at CRG Thanksgiving morning. In about the identical weather conditions. The pilot, who was killed, was a Doctor from TX. The other 4 passengers, all survied, were his childern.

Thanks for the post. Thank goodness there were survivors.

How are things at CRG otherwise? I went to the 141 school that used to based there called Shields Aviation. Were you around then?
 
SFF used to station a weather observer back in the late 80's early 90's. Don't know if one was(is still) there that time of the day to eyeball the W and advise the pilot on the approach. Shame, if not. Sure could have helped with an eyeball on the weather from the ground.

There is both a tower and an ILS at SFF now. As well, an FAA FSDO. It's been that way for sometime.
 
knew him as "Tom" from years ago and he was a great guy and will be sorely missed. I don't recall him being the type to blow off approach mins. Ameriflight just ain't worth it. People/things change and it's all Still preliminary info. The last time I flew into Felts, there was an fbo pumping avgas from a toyota pickup and an ILS was a wet dream. Crashing short of the runway on a precision approach looks to side the FAA against Tom void of navigational or mechanical failure findings.


I did a training flight with Tom and your right; his isn't the type to blow things off. Tom was the ACP at BFI and had tons of Metro time.

The number 1 NAV in Toms AC was inop and that could have been a huge factor. In most of the Metros I fly, the number 2 NAV is hidden behind the yoke and hard to see regardless of seat position. He could have been looking over at the co-pilots side but presents challenges to. By no means am I saying that was the cause or that he may have made a bad decision to use it. Rather that it would be a major challenge to shoot an approach that way.

Ameriflight does do a lot of flying and often the pilots are pushing a tight schedule or trying to make up time. Flying the Metro single pilot is a challenge at times, especially when things are not working right. I have to wonder what Tom’s duty time was. Many of the ACPs work long hours and then end up flying a run. We all know what it’s like to shoot an approach at the end of a long day. In my days at Ameriflight there have never been any repercussions for refusing an aircraft or for being too tired to fly (as long as you have done things right). I would have to disagree with your comment of “Ameriflight just ain’t worth it”. I think they provide a great opportunity. I know that there are always individuals within that push the limits of man and machine. All too often the pilot is the bottom line and it is up to that individual to do what is right.
 

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