(© FlaglerLive)
A small twin-engine plane crash-landed on runway 24 at the Flagler County Airport at 12:50 p.m. Tuesday after the plane’s landing gear failed. There are no reports of injuries. The runway is closed, but the airport is not.
The plane is a DA42, belonging to Embry-Riddle Aeronautic University. It was a training flight with two people on board, Flagler County Spokesman Carl Laundrie said. Neither was injured.
An identical Embry-Riddle plane flying over Palm Coast on Oct. 17 lost one of its doors, which crashed in the cul de sac of the C Section, near 16 College Court. No one was injured in that incident. On Wednesday, Embry-Riddle confirmed that the same plane was involved in both incidents.
Numerous requests were made to Embry-Riddle for the N-Number, or plane identification number, of the DA42 involved in the October incident. Embry-Riddle refused to provide the number. The university has again refused to do so regarding the N-Number of the plane involved in Tuesday’s incident. “We’re investigating a landing gear malfunction on one of our aircraft that landed at the Flagler Airport. There were no injuries. That’s all the information I have at the moment,” Embry-Riddle Spokesman James Roddey wrote in an email a little after 2 p.m.
Just before noon Wednesday, Roddey wrote: “We did not have the information on the aircraft ID verified until late last night when we received the preliminary investigation report from the Flight Safety.” That information was not going t be released before being confirmed, he wrote. “The aircraft, N1ER, was conducting a training exercise involving runway approach and landing. The first three landings were successful and the fourth landing in the exercise resulted in the gear incident. The aircraft is no longer in service and is being evaluated. This is the same aircraft that was involved in the October incident. There is a full investigation underway, and the university is cooperating with the Federal Aviation Administration. We will release more information on this incident as it becomes available.”
The incident report obtained Wednesday from the Flagler County Airport was filled out by Embry-Riddle’s Walter Barry, a resident of DeBary, who noted a failure of “all three gear.”
On Tuesday, two planes had been setting up to land behind the DA42 that crash-landed. One of them diverted to Daytona Beach, the other landed on Runway 29.
Ralph Treder, 68, a Palm Coast resident, was piloting the second plane, getting some refresher hours with an instructor, at the time of the incident. Treder said he heard the tower at the airport radio the plane whose gear had failed. “Sir,” the tower told the pilot of the other plane, according to Trader, “your landing gear collapsed, your nose gear collapsed.”
Trader was flying in from Palatka. It’s not yet clear where the other plane was flying in from, or how many people were aboard.
“He came on the frequency and told us we’ll have to change you to 29,” Trader said.
Flagler County Fire Rescue, Flagler Beach and Palm Coast Fire Department units at first staged near Highjackers Restaurant, then drove onto the tarmac to the plane, which was perpendicular to the runway at the point where it came to rest, not far from the airport tower.
ThreeEighty says
Flagler County, Plam Coast and Flagler Beach units stages at Highjackers..
confidential says
I am glad no one was hurt …that we learned so far.
Now how long before another incident of a plane or plane part, falls in any of our homes, a car, boat or pedestrians? Embry Riddle students flying over us all the time and making practicing maneuvers are a tragedy on the wait. This school should be held responsible for the residents safety on the ground under their aircraft malfunctions or pilot error threats other than hiding detailed info regarding this misshapes. Why do they have to practice their maneuvers overhead of our heavily populated Palm Coast and other county residential areas? When I bought my house I was not told that we will be used in the future as Guinea Pigs for pilot heavy training. That was approved by BOCC in the late 2000’s.
3 local Fire and Emergency units for just one plane..? Man that cost is shoved to the non flying tax payers!
Confidential II says
Funny how many people complain about student pilots. What they dont realize is that without student pilots or training then they wont have future pilots to fly them to there vacation spots or to there homes. Accidents happen in planes and cars. Should we stop driving in neighborhoods in case a car hits someone or someones house. This was an accident that happened at a controlled airport and affected nobody but the school and the pilots. I say good job pilots for no one getting hurt and you safely landing the aircraft without anyone getting hurt. P.S. Flying still safer than driving anyday of the week.
Anonymous (Certificated Flight Instructor) says
Couple things to consider.
1. How many car accidents happen in Flagler county per year vs aircraft accidents?
2. Embry-Riddle students fly with instructors until they are experienced enough to fly by themselves.
3. If you crash your car, do you publish your license plate? The aircraft is leased by ERAU, and there is no regulation requiring the disclosure of the registration number to the media.
4. ERAU has an impeccable safety record, and the school’s number one priority is safety. This safety includes the flight crew, aircraft, and general public.
5.The majority of ERAU practice areas are well outside of residential areas (practice area map http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae258/aileron117/Screenshot2013-12-10221736_zps64f93d4e.png ) Yellow areas on the map are high population areas.
6. ERAU has been flying in Daytona Beach since 1965, I’m pretty sure your house was not even built then.
7. If one car crashes (and has injuries), there are normally multiple police, fire, and EMS units that respond to the scene, and the non-driving public has to pay for that one as well. If a fire erupts at a house, once again, numerous units respond to the scene. Its a public service, everyone pays for it.
Rick says
Confidential, you brought up some good points with all these student pilots & flights. I’m sure quite a few PC residents are on edge with these flights, as am I. As far as Embry Riddle, I believe that they would have to be held responsible for any problems caused by their students or planes. If not, I can’t begin to believe that homeowners would be financially held for damages they create. Isn’t that what Embry Riddle’s ridiculous insurance premiums are for?
The 3 emergency units that responded to the airport, because of them, should also not be the taxpayers’ responsibility. You or I didn’t call them. They were there due to Embry Riddle’s accident therefore they should be held responsible & receive the bill.
When EMS was called to my residence I appropriately received a charge for their services, not you or my neighbor. And while I’m on the subject of EMS responding to my residence, let say that they were most professional & efficient.
My apology for getting slightly sidetracked.
concerned citizen says
Embry wont give the N # ?? What are they trying to hide. I hope to see the Flagler County Airport as it was years ago without all of the touch and goes/traffic/. Embry better get their stuff together before someone decides to sue the crap out of you!!
Anonymous (Certificated Flight Instructor) says
And what exactly did ERAU do wrong?
confidential says
Maybe we need to organize the residents of this county to make numbers enough to demand a stop to the abuse overhead and on land too.
jim says
F.Y.I….. E.R.A.U. has NEVER had a plane crash The only 2 planes that EVER crashed from Embry were suicides For the amount of planes and flights on a daily basis they are the SAFEST flight school in the country!!!!
Cfi says
ERAU had an accident at KDED in 1999, it was hit by a Phoenix East Seminole.
confidential says
We do not have a problem with student pilots we have a problem with the area allowed by the Flagler County BOCC about practicing hundreds, thousands of students above our homes! Also we have a problem with Embry Riddle not disclosing the problems on their aircraft involved in accidents around our residential areas. How could anyone find the valid residents complaints funny, unless is profiteering and benefitting from the CAPT program in the airport while detrimental to the local population?
Ann Mezick says
That was probably the best training hands on training the student could have gotten. He or she had to remain calm under pressure and land that plane safely. Kudos to them!
STUDENTPILOT!!! says
everybody COMPLAINS about what we practice/ where we fly over. THE reason why we practice over land and not sea is god for bid something serious does happen, we have a higher chance at making a safer landing/approach over land than sea! AND WHAT DO PEOPLE THINK WILL HAPPEN when we lose nose gear! that we can just stay up there! NO NO NO! we have to eventually come down! and you know what, we will come down to a airport!!!!!! so why are you all so consider about it when this plane landed at the airport!! as far as i’m concern, RIDDLE (being a RIDDLE STUDENT MYSELF!!!) teaches their students damn awesome, when nobody not even the two aboard this plane got injured or hurt! and what do people think! that when they step into a plane to travel, that those pilots were just born pilots and didn’t learn anything we are learning! RIDDLE has the right to have the tail number of those planes remain unsaid to the press, and what would it matter if you all knew it or not?!
Anonymous says
N1ER
justaperson says
I’m glad to see people coming to the defense of Embry-Riddle. Here’s a question. How many of you lived in Palm Coast because Riddle was here? And how many of you lived in Palm Coast before that airport was here? Don’t move into an area known to have a flight school and known to have an airport then complain that you’re not happy with them flying above you. Unbelievable!
confidential says
@Certified Flight Instructor. The map you provided shows clearly the restricted yellow areas of practice that you instructors and students violate day in and day out, the air space over heavily populated areas specially over Palm Coast like above Palm Coast Parkway and Club House Drive over our homes.
I have the copy of the reply letter sent to me when they started Embry Riddle training over Flagler, in 2004 by then Jim Jarrel Airport Manager with copy to BOCC after I complained to BOCC, he is telling me that there was no reason for the practices over my home as I am located over 5 miles from the airport and those maneuvers are not take off and landing. The advise was to provide the numbers if visible and strips on the aircraft wings or tails. Also the reply letter from USDOT/FAA Orlando Florida after I contacted then again in 2008 when the incursions came back, explaining that “they located” the aircraft for which I provided its numbers while maneuvering dangerously over our homes and contacted the management and instructors crew at the Flagler Airport about “not to conduct spin training over or near our residential areas located in Palm Coast”. They enclosed a pamphlet instructing how to identify aircraft violating the restricted space. Letter signed by FAA Steven R, Weaver Aviation Safety Inspector.
Have your buddies instructors and students observe the no flight restricted areas on yellow in your map and then we won’t complain. Or otherwise you will force us to create a coalition of residents against you all for non compliance. Also your comparisons have no basis…as when there is a car accident the pick and close up of the car identifying driver and passengers is allover in the news and a public record and the open investigation about “what cause the accident” is a public records as well. Why the Embry Riddell transportation practicing planes are exempted of graphic and investigative records and news cover open to public, what are you the ER operating in the USSR? Once more we are not your Guinea Pigs in the ground and the less respect you show for us, is what will move my calls to the FAA and the USDOT in DC. You are promoted by self serving interest and we are promoted by the safety of our families on the ground and the right to peace and quiet too, as we do not have and air sheriff patrol overhead to watch your transgressions and that is the big advantage you flight boys have, breaking the FAA rules on their backs.
The Flagler County Airport brochure starts with “Fly Friendly” dogma that most of you ignore and that current Manager Roy Sieger should enforce!
I have a friend of mine that is lucky to be alive and may have only to live to be 50, after himself and his British student pilot had catastrophic head injuries while practicing takes off and landings at the Ormond airport as their craft malfunctioned and fell luckily on top of some trees that cushioned them. Took them 9 years of lawsuits to prove “the cover up” for the faulty part used on the craft that caused the accident and receive compensation. So imagine what will cost us, the residents, to recover cost for injuries, loss of life or destroyed property if one of you hits another Palm Coast home? Worse worry is potential loss of our loved ones! Also my favorite uncle died burned over recognition inside his Cessna 3 decades ago, practicing new maneuvers and “he loved to show off as comes with the territory?. Nothing funny!!
Nancy N. says
I truly do not understand the hatred directed by FL commenters toward the ERAU planes overhead.
Flying is safer than driving. MUCH safer, statistically. It perhaps seems more dangerous to those unfamiliar with it because it is something they aren’t comfortable with. But you are much more likely to get in an accident with a car than in a plane crash while traveling an equal number of miles. You are way more likely to have a car accident with an ERAU training student than to have a plane fall on your house.
We also need to remember that while everyone keeps going on about all the aviation incidents in town and how they want ERAU gone, the two most serious recent incidents didn’t involve ERAU – the plane that made the emergency landing on Palm Coast Parkway and the crash into the house by the airport. The number of incidents makes it feel like ERAU is having a ton of incidents if you just blame it all on ERAU but they weren’t actually involved in the worst of them.
This anger is a classic case of American NIMBY – not in my back yard. We all want our planes to be flown by the most highly trained and experienced pilots, yet where are they supposed to get that training when we all say “not here?”
confidential says
Would be nice that the Flagler County Airport dogma be complied with: http://www.flaglercounty.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/5569
confidential says
And if we are lucky enough to walk away from the aircraft crash on us, read in detail the type of situation that will be enduring more or less: http://www.flaglercounty.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/5569
Ann Mezick says
You people that are complaining about the airport traffic now just wait until the Armory moves to the airport. I believe that is still a go at some point in time. So you better move now before it happens.
[email protected] says
what does that have to do with the airport and or people flying as the Guard is NOT moveing onto airport land???
confidential says
@justaperson…When I bought my home in Palm Coast ERAU was not practicing out of Flagler Airport. BOCC approved that in the mid to late 2000’s. Your Highness Cocky attitude is proof of your behavior overhead about getting away with anything as we have no air law enforcement.
@Nancy…we have nothing against responsible pilot training just FAA says No flight spin over residential in yellow areas. What part of this you don/t understand…are you in the airport business too?
How many are not even reported? http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=aircraft+accidents+in+Flagler&FORM=VIRE3#view=detail&mid=E07E7E63DFAE1A9FE569E07E7E63DFAE1A9FE569
Residents concerned: http://flaglersos.com/index.html
Nancy N. says
To clarify the source of my comments, no, I’m not involved in professional aviation in any way. In fact, far from it – I’m a writer/presenter that works in the crafts industry. I happen to know a bit about civil aviation, though, because I grew up around it.
justaperson says
While they may not have been flying out of FC airport I can assure you they were flying in the air over FC. Additionally, I’m not sure what you’re referring to as a “cocky attitude” . The only snark I’m seeing dished out is coming from you. I asked a question and made a suggestion. If you’re not happy with planes (ANY PLANE not just ERAU) being above you, I might suggest you move somewhere that doesn’t involve aircraft transportation.
Ann Mezick says
The Reserve Center (rather than an armory) will be located south of the Flagler County Airport, which will be of particular advantage. “It can handle both our heavy-lift helicopters and fixed-wings that can bring supplies in and we can operate out of that,” Widener said. “But as far as actually stationing any type of military aircraft, no, that’s not the mission of that type of unit, so therefore we’d just be operating as a home-base for those 247 soldiers that would be stationed there.”
Mustang says
The aircraft landed at an airport, where aircraft are supposed to land and take off. Moving next to an airport and complaining about aircraft flying overhead is like moving next to a train track and moaning about trains making noise. Flying is much safer than riding to work in your car. These types of things happen in aviation from time to time. ERAU is very safe and goes to extremes to maintain that level of safety. The areas in yellow on the practice area chart are to signify well lit areas at night, which yes, will coincide with a more populated area, but the color is there for navigation purposes and they are not restricted, those restricted areas are marked differently. The whole point of this story shows that training works when done right, no one was injured, and this won’t be the last time this ever happens. I would love to live by an airport, or better yet…on an airport.
Outsider says
I have lived here since 1986 and would like to correct some of the ignorance on display here misrepresented as people not not knowing what the hell they are talking about. The airport was built on or about 1942, if my fading memory doesn’t fail me, as a World War II TRAINING base. So anyone who claims they moved here before it was a training base has lived here since 1941 or is ignorant of the facts. I worked at the airport from 1989 to around 2003, and Embry Riddle was one of our biggest fuel customers, so this talk that they only received “permission” to train here in 2004 is more hogwash. I also conducted traffic counts during this time, and the daily take offs and landings were in the 500 range, primarily due to Embry Riddle and other Daytona based flight schools, although we were a favorite refueling point for area pilots due to our relatively low fuel price. We also had occasional business jets come in, including Sea Ray’s Falcon 10, Winn Dixie’s aircraft, ITT, and even Jack Nicklaus. As you can plainly see, this has been primarily a training field for nearly 70 years. The airport is part of the national transportation system, which includes all airspace over the United States. The airspace is controlled by the U.S. government, and this claim that the “BOCC” has any say as to what can be done in the airspace above Flagler County is more misinformation. The county may indirectly control operations at the airport via policy and procedures, but they cannot regulate airspace. The FAA is in charge of regulating the airspace, and planes can practice non-aerobatic maneuvers over the county as long as they observe certain altitude and airspace restrictions. The fact is, airplanes will continue to takeoff and land and operate over the county, and all th commissioners can do is make policy changes to try and regulate, to some degree, what happens at the airport only.
Andrew says
Live near the airport.
Enjoy watching planes maneuvers before landing and taking off.
Can’t hear planes inside my house.
If school were still here would’ve possibly learn flying there…
P.S. Don’t recall when was the last time something fell on my house. .. or near… Or anywhere around.
Car crashes on the other hand…
a.s.ERAUsenior says
I think some people need a hobby!
It amazes me how many people think that they are aviation experts…
@confidential… “shows clearly the restricted yellow areas of practice that you instructors and students violate day in and day out, the air space over heavily populated areas specially over Palm Coast like above Palm Coast Parkway and Club House Drive over our homes.” AREAS OF YELLOW DOES NOT DEPICT “RESTRICTED” AREAS. I suggest you pick up a FAR/AIM.
ERAU Alum says
Just to clarify, the FAR/AIM is the Federal Aviation Regulations/Aeronautical Information Manual for pilots, mechanics etc. The yellow that you talk about is not “restricted” airspace. its merely “noise abatement” airspace, meaning IF POSSIBLE, we pilots need to try and reduce the amount of noise our airplane makes (lower power settings) in those areas. the problem is that it is virtually impossible to do so, as the yellow areas depicted, are in what us pilots call the “traffic pattern”. you’ve decided to build, move into a house that is directly in our flight path, not to mention on the approach and departure flight paths of EVERY single runway in XFL. we have no option but to fly over your houses.
Licensed Pilot says
Some of these comments are shear riduculousness. As an Embry-Riddle alumni, I can also vouch for the fact that safety is the number one concern of the aviation department. Also, we don’t fly planes that we know need to be repaired (per Confidential’s comment). First off, that doesn’t even make sense! – not to mention illegal. As with anything else, aviation has it’s risks. The problem isn’t that ERAU flies over residential areas (not to mention, so do other flight schools & everyone else for that matter) the problem is ignorant people such as yourselves making such assumptions. The next time y’all get in an airplane, don’t forget where the pilots learned what they know and how their flight training went.