Chopper-Cessna collision in Augusta kills two
Virginia State Police are investigating an aircraft collision that claimed two lives Friday afternoon in Augusta County. Trooper K. Hyden is investigating the incident and is still in the process of confirming the identities of the deceased.
At 2:27 p.m. Friday, a single-engine Cessna 172H and a medical transport helicopter made contact in the air near the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport in Weyers Cave, Va. The plane suffered severe damage and crashed to the ground. The plane’s two occupants died at the scene.
The helicopter’s skid was damaged in the collision, but was still able to safely land at the airport. The helicopter, AirCare 5 Medevac, had a pilot and a medical crew of two on board at the time. The helicopter had transported a patient to the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville and was returning to the airport at the time of the incident. No one on the helicopter was injured.
State police have notified the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Investigators with both agencies are en-route to the scene.
The circumstances and cause surrounding the collision remain under investigation at this time.
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
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[...] Chopper-Cessna collision in Augusta kills two – Augusta Free PressVirginia State Police are investigating an aircraft collision that claimed two lives Friday afternoon in Augusta County. Trooper K. Hyden is investigating the incident and is still in the process of confirming the identities of the deceased. At 2:27 p.m [...]
Update from the Virginia State Police:
At 2:27 p.m. Friday, a 1967 single-engine Cessna 172H and a medical transport helicopter made contact in the air near the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport in Weyers Cave, Va. The plane suffered severe damage and crashed to the ground. The plane’s two occupants died at the scene. The plane is owned by Michael Price of Elkton, Va. Price was not on the plane when it crashed.
The helicopter’s skid was damaged in the collision, but was still able to safely land at the airport. The helicopter, AirCare 5 Medevac, was a 2005 Eurocopter and owned by PHI Air Medical of Virginia. On board was pilot, Paul Weve; co-pilot and flight nurse, Joseph Root; and flight nurse, Carolyn Booke. The helicopter had transported a patient to the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville and was returning to the airport at the time of the incident. No one on the helicopter was injured.
Update from the Virginia State Police:
Two young men from Rockingham and Shenandoah counties lost their lives Friday (Dec. 31) when their airplane collided with a medevac helicopter near the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport in Weyers Cave, Va. The cause and circumstances of the crash remain under investigation by Trooper K. Hyden.
At 2:27 p.m. Friday, a 1967 single-engine Cessna 172H and a medical transport helicopter made contact in the air near the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport in Weyers Cave, Va. The plane suffered severe damage and crashed to the ground.
The plane’s two occupants, Jacob H. Kiser, 19, of Grottoes, Va., and Jason A. Long, 32, of Edinburg, Va., died at the scene. The plane is owned by Michael Price of Elkton, Va.
Former James Madison University track and field All-American Jason Long has been identified as one of the victims of a plane/helicopter collision at Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport Friday, Dec. 31, 2010. Both Long and the other occupant of the plane died in the crash while all three people in the helicopter landed safely and walked away from the incident.
A native of Edinburg, Va., Long was a four-time All-American for the Dukes from 1998-2001, earning the honor in the outdoor 1,500 meters and three times in the indoor distance medley relay. He was a two-time CAA Champion, winning the 1,500 meters as a sophomore and the 800 meters his senior year. During his collegiate career, Long also competed at the 2000 U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials in the 800 meters.
“My thoughts and prayers are with Nellie, Jim, Laura, Sara Long and family as they deal with the tragic death of Jason,” JMU Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Bill Walton said. “Jason and his family have been an important part of the men’s track and field/cross country program and James Madison University as well as lifelong friends of my family. Jason represents the ideals of what a student-athlete should be. He made a positive impact on people while he was here at James Madison University and in life as he lived it to the fullest.”
Something unrelated to this crash you should know about Cessna aircraft fuel tanks:
Cessna undetectable water in the fuel tanks the pilot cannot positively detect during the preflight of the aircraft.
Read NTSB Safety recommendation A-83-6
Read FAA Safety Recomendations 91.283 and 91.284
Read SAIB CE-10-40R1 about trying to prevent water from getting into the fuel tanks. Prevention is real good, but positive detection and elimination of it during the preflight is much better just in case prevention has failed. Sabotage comes to mind.
Read WSJ Air and Water: FAA Tests Put Cloud Over Cessna’s Revival Of Single-Engine Planes By Jerry Guidera April 30, 2001
Why did Cessna stop single engine production in 1986?
Why did NTSB close Safety Recommendation A-83-6 in 1986? Why did NTSB mark it as “CLOSED BUT UNACCEPTABLE”?
Why has the NTSB ignored undetectable water in Cessna aircraft for well over two decades, allowing pilots and passengers to die?
Why did Cessna come out with SEB92-25 in 1992? Was 1992 the same year Textron bought Cessna?
Why was GARA passed in 1994 limiting Cessna liability for their aircraft?
Why did Cessna then restart production of single engine aircraft in 1996?
Why did Cessna new production aircraft come with thirteen sump drains?
Could the answer lie in a simple real world test pouring red dyed water into any Cessna fuel tank in its normal ground attitude and then not positively detecting it at any sump drains?