Don't fly 134.5 without your inspections

[FN FAL]

NTSB releases information on 2003 fatal air accident

By JEFF REINITZ, Courier Staff Writer

PETERSBURG --- The instruments on an airplane that crashed near here in March 2003 hadn't been inspected for more than two years, and their certification had lapsed, according to a recently released report by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The crash killed pilot James Dean Volker, 44 and of Elbow Lake, Minn., and his two passengers, Lonnie Lee Rohloff, 34, and Jerry Dean Nohl, 31, both from Morris, Minn.

They were returning from a trip to Aurora, Ill.

The updated NTSB report didn't list an official cause of the accident but noted the aircraft, which was a single-engine Beech A36 owned by a Minnesota flying club, encountered weather that produced an ice build up shortly before the crash.

It also noted the plane didn't have a wing ice protection system and the craft's operating handbook said flight in icing conditions was prohibited.

The 44-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot license, but investigators found he and the flying club didn't hold an Air Carrier Certificate, which is required to fly paying passengers and transport cargo for compensation, according to the report.

The airplane crashed at about 3:49 p.m. March 28, 2003, in a grass field between Petersburg and New Vienna.

Volker was flying passengers on a business trip and charged for the day plus an hourly rate for the club's airplane, a person who knew Volker told investigators. Before the flight, Volker had told the person that one of the passengers wanted to be back by Friday afternoon, and the pilot mentioned the weather might alter the route because he didn't want to fly in any ice, the report states.

An aviation weather service forecast possible icing conditions on the day of the flight, according to the report.

The plane took off on its return flight from the Aurora airport at 2:39 p .m., and less than an hour later, Volker asked permission to lower to 4,000 feet because his craft was picking up a light rime icing. Rime is an opaque ice formed by freezing water drops.

After getting clearance, the pilot descended to 4,000 feet and stayed there for about 25 minutes before asking to climb back to 6,000 feet.

He was allowed to ascend, but the air traffic control center lost track of the plane minutes later.

After the accident, investigators determined the plane's pitot static system, which is used to determine air speed, hadn't been checked recently, according to the report.

FAA rules require instruments be checked every two years, but Beech's system check had expired a month before the accident.

Flight club representatives said they weren't aware the check had lapsed. They had discussed having the instrument checked during the February 2003 meeting and made an appointment, but the appointment was canceled and not rescheduled, according to the report.

The official cause of the accident will be released at a later date.

Volker also was involved in a Sept. 29, 2002, accident where he was a flight instructor. He received minor facial injuries, and his student received serious facial injuries. In that case, the NTSB ruled Volker inadequately managed the plane's fuel.

 

[Wankel7]

134.5

What is that......and why do I feel like I am missing something?

 

[FN FAL]

This guys estate has gotta be crap by now. Holding out in a non-air carrier plane that isn't even "airworthy". The passenger's widows of this negligent 134.5 operator are probably cleaning house on any estate the pilot has, plus with negligence, you can penetrate the corporate veil of the flying club...so there will probably be some others listed in the lawsuit. Not to mention any "Product liability" lawsuits that may occur.

I bought a partner out of a twin engine cessna partnership because he was pulling crap like this. Two weeks after I bought him out, I was headed to the airport with a co-worker to go on a part 91 field service trip, when I find out from the line crew that the "OLD" partner had a "charter" with some packer players.

I'm glad I caught him in time...the thief! He could have killed a couple of NFL players on my dime. That's the first time I ever took luggage off a plane and told two millionaires get the F.uk off of my planet...