ARFF Daily News
Published on:
Friday the 11th of April, 2025
Sheriff: Plane rolled over on landing at Davis Field, 4 injured
Fire rescue was actively working to extract the injured people as of 5 p.m. Thursday.
Author: Tobie Nell Perkins
FOLKSTON, Ga. — Charlton County Sheriff Robert Phillips has confirmed that a small plane overturned after a hard landing at Davis Field in Folkston, Georgia. While the sheriff originally reported three injuries, as of 5:30 p.m., he has now determined there were six people on board and four were injured.
Some of the victims had severe injuries, the sheriff said.
He said the plane rolled and hit a tree. The crash caused a fuel spill that then caused a small fire.
The crash happened around 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
Fire rescue was actively working to extract the injured passengers as of 5 p.m.
The victims will be taken to a hospital in Jacksonville, Phillips said.
First Coast News has reached out to the FAA for more information.
Six dead, including three kids, after helicopter crashes into NYC’s Hudson River: ‘Split in half’
By Joe Marino, Jack Morphet, Craig McCarthy and Anna Young
Six people are dead after a tourist helicopter carrying a family from Spain “split in half” in midair and spiraled out of the sky before crashing into the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon, according to officials.
Dozens of first responders rushed to the scene after the Bell 206 aircraft, apparently missing its rotors, plunged into the river near Pier 40 in Manhattan near the Hoboken border of New Jersey around 3:15 p.m., the FDNY said.
A top executive of the global technology company Siemens and his family were identified as five of the victims who were killed. The sixth victim was the pilot, whose identity has not been announced.
Agustin Escobar, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children had just arrived in the Big Apple from Barcelona earlier in the day, according to law enforcement sources.
The doomed chopper was owned and operated by New York Helicopter, a tour company in the Big Apple that touts itself for providing comfort and safety to customers.
“I’m absolutely devastated,” CEO Michael Roth, who was visibly shaken, told The Post.
“The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down, that the main rotor blades weren’t on the helicopter. And I haven’t seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business.”
NYPD divers recovered all six victims — four of whom were pronounced dead at the scene, and two who “succumbed to their injuries” at a local hospital, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
A witness to the fatal crash was walking along the Hudson River Greenway when he saw the chopper drop at a 45-degree angle and plunge into the waterway within “seconds.”
“I was like, ‘Oh s–t,’” Eric Campoverde, 21, told The Post.
“I was walking home from work when I saw the helicopter going down at a 45-degree angle,” he said. “Then I heard and saw a big splash. It was going fast.”
The 21-year-old construction worker said that after the initial splash, the aircraft was only above water for seconds before it submerged into the chilly waters.
“It was maybe on top of the water for three or four seconds before it went under. It was fast.”
Chilling footage captured the moment the helicopter spiraled out of the sky before plummeting into the Hudson. Other clips showed the rotors splashing down into various parts of the water.
Witnesses said the aircraft “split in half” and made “a boom sound” when it crashed.
“It was falling apart probably 15 feet before it actually fell and then the tail whipped off and the propeller fell while it was falling,” Jersey City resident Bruce Wall, 28, recalled.
“Like a boom sound when it hit, it was a crackling sound, I guess you could say, something breaking apart in midair. The helicopter was still pretty loud and then just a loud, loud crash into water.”
Flight Tracker data showed the aircraft, carrying five passengers and a pilot, was in the air for roughly 15 minutes before going down.
The helicopter traveled up the Hudson from Lower Manhattan toward Fort Lee before turning around just north of the George Washington Bridge and reaching the water by Hoboken leading up to the crash, records show.
The chopper was floating upside down on the New Jersey border of the Hudson River near the vents to the Holland Tunnel near Jersey City when more than five dozen first responders arrived at the alarming scene and initiated rescue efforts, according to officials.
Gov. Kathy Hochul offered prayers for the victims and confirmed that her office was standing by ready to assist with recovery efforts.
Police also warned of traffic delays in the surrounding area near the West Side Highway and Spring Street.
It remains unclear what caused the crash.
Escobar was the global CEO for rail infrastructure at Siemens Mobility and before that was head of Siemens Spain for about two years, according to his LinkedIn profile.
While Manhattan’s skies are routinely dotted with planes and helicopters, Thursday’s horrifying crash is one of several deadly tragedies involving tourist helicopters in recent years.
At least 32 people have died in helicopter accidents in NYC since 1977, according to the Associated Press.
In 1977, the landing gear on a Sikorsky S-61L malfunctioned as passengers waited to board from the roof of the Pan Am Building. The chopper tipped on its side, and its spinning rotor blades killed four people — including film director Michael Findlay — and injured a fifth.
A broken piece of blade fell down to the streets below, killing a pedestrian and injuring another.
In 2009, nine people were killed when a Eurocopter AS350 tourist helicopter with five Italian tourists on board collided with a small private plane over the Hudson River near Frank Sinatra Park in Hoboken. The flight was operated by Liberty Helicopter Sightseeing Tours.
In 2018, a Liberty Helicopters flight operated for FlyNyon, also a Eurocopter AS350, went down in the East River, killing five people. Two passengers died at the scene and three others were pronounced dead at the hospital. A jury later awarded the family of the victims $116 million in a lawsuit.
In 2019, an Agusta A109E helicopter crash-landed on the roof of a 54-story building in Midtown Manhattan, killing the pilot, later identified as Tim McCormack. He was the only person on board and known as a well-respected pilot. It was speculated by airport officials that McCormack suffered a mechanical failure while in flight.
The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the probe into Thursday’s incident, the latest in a series of deadly aircraft emergencies in the past few months.
With additional reporting from Jorge Fitz-Gibbon and Amanda Woods
https://nypost.com/2025/04/10/us-news/helicopter-crashes-into-hudson-river-near-pier-40-in-nyc/
North Little Rock Municipal Airport confirms plane crash, prompting closure
by Scott Solomon
North Little Rock, Ark. (KATV) — A plane ran off the runway at North Little Rock Municipal Airport this afternoon, but the two people on board walked away unharmed.
Classified as a Fairchild SA227-AC Turbo Prop, the plane had just landed a few minutes after 4:00 p.m., when it left the runway and crashed in the grass.
North Little Rock Fire engines quickly responded to the scene.
Officials with the North Little Rock Municipal Airport confirm a plane crash has caused a temporary closure of the airport.
According to Airport Director Virginia Young, 2 people were on board.
KATV has been told the two on board are reportedly safe.
The plane was registered out of Wilsonville, Oregon, but it's unclear where the flight originated.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSBS) will investigate what happened.
https://katv.com/news/local/north-little-rock-airport-confirms-plane-crash-prompting-closure
Terrifying footage shows moment plane from New York crashes in Mexico
Gergana Krasteva
A private jet travelling from New York to Mexico has crashed – in what is the second aviation incident in 24 hours after a helicopter plummeted in the Hudson River, killing six people on board, including three children.
Footage circulating on social media shows the Gulfstream V long-range aircraft skidding off the runway at Cabo San Lucas International Airport.
It is seen veering off the paved surface and coming to a halt near the edge of the airfield.
Plumes of smoke are rising from the wreckage as emergency crews rush in.
The crash is understood to have happened on Thursday afternoon, just two hours after the aircraft took off from Teterboro Airport, in New Jersey.
Several families travelling with their children from Brooklyn were on board, but it is understood they all survived.
‘We are alive,’ one man is heard on the verge of tears as he films from the tarmac.
‘Thank you Hakadosh Baruch Hu. [traditional Hebrew expression showing gratitude].
‘Thank you for saving us and my children because it is absolutely a miracle that we are alive.’
Screams can be heard in the background as passengers rushed away from the wreckage.
Part of the plane, which had severed in the landing, is shown on the ground about 50 metres away from the cockpit.
Inside the private jet, it is chaos. Another video shows the aftermath, with bags overturned fallen out from overhead compartments, and plates and cutlery smashed on the floor.
It is understood that the families were travelling to Cabo, a resort city at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Passover, which begins this weekend.
The exact cause remains unconfirmed and Mexican aviation authorities have not yet commented on the incident.
According to initial reports, the aircraft experienced a fault upon landing, which may have caused it to end up off the runway.
Local media reported that paramedics and internal brigades responded to the scene, treating several people at the scene.
The Gulfstream V is designed for executive flights, capable of carrying up to 16 passengers and with a range of over 7,000 miles.
Known for its luxurious cabins, it costs more than £10 million and it is used by both businesses and governments.
The hourly charter rate for a Gulfstream typically ranges from £6.5 million to £7.5 million.
The collision in Mexico happened just an hour after a Siemens executive, his wife and their three young children died when the helicopter they were riding in broke apart in midair and crashed upside-down in New York’s Hudson River.
The family had arrived from Barcelona on Wednesday for a sightseeing trip in New York before the tragedy unfolded.
American Airlines plane wing strikes another flight on taxiway at Reagan National Airport
by Jessica James, Khalida Volou, Tom Roussey, and Carl Willis
WASHINGTON (7News) — The wingtip of American Airlines Flight 5490 struck American Airlines Flight 4522 on a taxiway at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Thursday afternoon, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Flight 5490, a Bombardier CRJ900 operated by PSA Airlines, was en route to Charleston International Airport in South Carolina. Flight 4522, an Embraer E175 operated by Republic Airways, was headed to JFK International Airport in New York.
According to American Airlines, after the incident, both aircraft taxied to the terminal and were taken out of service to be inspected by maintenance teams. The airline said the damage was limited to a winglet on each aircraft, and there were no reported injuries.
Passengers on both flights are expected to board replacement aircraft to continue their trips, the airline stated.
The Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority told 7News the incident did not impact flight operations at Reagan National Airport.
Two congressional members representing New York stated on their X accounts that they were involved in the plane incident at DCA. Congressman Nick LaLota reported that everyone on the plane was OK after the impact.
Representative Grace Meng also posted on X, stating, "Glad my colleagues and I are okay! We are safely waiting on the tarmac."
Meng held a virtual press conference where she said she will be looking into the incident.
“I’ve been flying for over 10 years to Washington–this has never happened to me,” said Meng.
She said she was concerned about the hundreds of fired FAA officials whose roles involve safety while flying.
"The right side of the plane was struck and passengers felt some minor shaking," said Meng. “...I felt safe, the crew took great care of us, but it just seemed like a preventable error."
The FAA said it will investigate the incident.
On Wednesday, passengers were removed from a Frontier Airlines flight at Dulles International Airport and away from the main terminal after a beeping noise was heard from the cargo hold during the flight, according to a statement from Frontier Airlines.
Flight 4708 was traveling to Washington, D.C. from Atlanta, Georgia, when a beeping noise coming from the cargo hold was heard during the flight, according to the airline. The FAA is also investigating this incident.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) have consistently sounded the alarm about safety at DCA.
"We need a thorough investigation because, clearly, DCA has the busiest runway in the country," said Warner. "We had the tragedy less than 90 days ago. We have had a few other near misses, but this honestly is what happens when you cut the FAA, when you cut air traffic controllers, when you don't treat safety as a primary concern."
Warner also points to the number of recently added flights at DCA.
"We need some accountability," said Warner. "The most important thing would be let's make sure we go ahead and not cut the FAA any further. Put more people into the air traffic control system. We are 3,000 short at this point and that is before the (Department of Government Efficiency) massacre."
https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/washington-dc-dca-reagan-national-airport-american-airlines-new-york-ny-congressional-members-flight-plane-incident-tarmac-passengers-injuries-bombardier-crj900-jfk-international-federal-aviation-administration
NTSB Final Report: Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 Twin Astir
During The Forced Landing, The Right Wing Impacted A Pole, Which Resulted In Substantial Damage
Location: Huntsville, Utah Accident Number: ANC24LA071
Date & Time: July 29, 2024, 15:55 Local Registration: N8485W
Aircraft: Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G103 Twin Astir Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis: The pilot of the unpowered glider reported that, he experienced “spatial disorientation” due to hazy conditions, and he inadvertently flew the glider in the wrong direction, which was farther away from his intended landing site. The pilot selected an open field as a forced landing site. During the forced landing, the right wing impacted a pole, which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause and Findings: The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be -- The pilot's failure to navigate in hazy conditions, which resulted in a forced landing in a field and a collision with a pole.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
73 Years ago today: On 11 April 1952 Pan Am flight 526A, a Douglas DC-4, was ditched into the sea off San Juan following a loss of engine power, killing 52 occupants; 17 survived the accident.
Date: Friday 11 April 1952
Time: 12:20
Type: Douglas DC-4
Owner/operator: Pan American World Airways (Pan Am)
Registration: N88899
MSN: 10503
Year of manufacture: 1945
Total airframe hrs: 20835 hours
Engine model: P&W R-2000
Fatalities: Fatalities: 52 / Occupants: 69
Other fatalities: 0
Aircraft damage: Destroyed, written off
Category: Accident
Location: 18 km NW off San Juan-Isla Grande Airport (SIG) - Puerto Rico
Phase: En route
Nature: Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport: San Juan-Isla Grande Airport (SIG/TJIG)
Destination airport: New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY (IDL/KIDL)
Investigating agency: CAB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
Pan Am flight 526A, a Douglas DC-4, was ditched into the sea off San Juan following a loss of engine power, killing 52 occupants; 17 survived the accident.
The aircraft, named "Clipper Endeavour" took off from San Juan at 12:11 for a flight to New York when the no. 3 engine failed. The prop was feathered at 350 feet and the crew elected to return to San Juan. The aircraft reached an altitude of 550 feet but the no. 4 engine ran roughly and height couldn't be maintained. To avoid a possible forced landing in a congested area or on coral reef, the aircraft was ditched 11 miles NW of San Juan Airport, 4,5 miles offshore. The rear fuselage broke off behind the bulkhead aft of the main cabin. The plane sank in about 3 minutes.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "a) The company's inadequate maintenance in not changing the No. 3 engine which resulted in its failure immediately subsequent to take-off, and b) The persistent action of the captain in attempting to re-establish a climb, without using all available power, following the critical loss of power to another engine. This resulted in a nose-high attitude, progressive loss of airspeed and the settling of the aircraft at too low an altitude to effect recovery,"
