Business Jet Down Near KTOL

[spudskier]

AP says Lear Jet, local sources says is was a Falcon20. Take type with a grain of salt.

------------
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) _ A twin-engine Lear jet crashed in flames
Tuesday as it approached the Toledo airport, killing three people
on board, the Highway Patrol said.

Dispatcher Bob Brehm said he did not know how many people were
aboard the plane when it went down a mile southwest of the airport.

The plane was trying to land when it crashed and caught fire,
Brehm said. Firefighters were still trying to extinguish the flames
an hour-and-a-half later.
-------------

Local sources also say that the company that owned the jet has shady maintenance operations.

[PaperTiger]

WUPW-TV says aircraft owned by GrandAire, based at KTOL. Which would make it a Falcon 20. ("Lear Jet" is media-speak for any exec jet.)

[B727]

They also operate a Lear 35

[SeniorDispatcher]

Reportedly, this same outfit had -another- Falcon 20 crash into the Mississippi River this evening, just SE of KSTL. Jungle drums are saying that they'd gone missed approach on either 30L or 30R, and ran out of fuel coming around for a subsequent approach. No pax onboard, just 2 crew, both survived, but hurt.

http://www.kmov.com or http://www.ksdk.com for local media coverage...

[SeniorDispatcher]

Updated details...

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/86256C7E00525A1B86256D030007FDE6?OpenDocument&Headline=Small+plane+crashes+into+Mississippi+River

[PaperTiger]

The two men were identified by the FBI as pilots Saleem Iqbal, 34, and Mohammed Saleh, 44. The men were in the custody of St. Louis police on Tuesday night as a precaution while police and the FBI continue their investigation.

The FBI ? Oh right, Saleem and Mohammed.

and...

The aircraft was ordered to land on Runway 30-Right, but poor visibility and rain forced controllers at the Lambert tower to send the plane around and try to land a second time.

Oh, FFS :mad:

[RatherBeFlying]

If they ran out of fuel, they're owed congratulations for a successful ditching -- though perhaps not for running out.

And another hysteric outburst of Islamophobia -- can't think of a better place for a forced landing than water to avoid hazard to people on the ground.

[Shore Guy]

ACCIDENT #1

SWANTON TOWNSHIP -- At 1:59 PM this afternoon, a Falcon 20-G two-engine aircraft, operated by Grand Aire of Toledo, was on approach
to Toledo Express Airport when it crashed in a wooded area near Oak Openings Metropark. The three people aboard died in the
accident.

Park rangers were the first on the scene. Area fire departments and the Lucas County Sheriff's Department responded immediately. The
FAA and the National Transportation Safety board have arrived and will be conducting an investigation.

Killed were Dave Davenport, 40, of Elmore, Ohio; Will Forshay, 37, of Maumee, Ohio; and Wallis Bouldin, 34, of Louisville, Ky., said
the State Highway Patrol. The three were employees of Grand Aire Inc., a charter company based in suburban Toledo that owned the
plane, according to Lucas County Sheriff James Telb.

Tahir Cheema, Grand Aire's owner and president, said all three were experienced pilots, but he declined further comment.

It is not known if weather was a factor. There was some fog and low dense clouds in the area at the time of the crash, but
Meteorologist Robert Shiels said weather should not have interfered with this plane's landing. The crash site is about a mile from
the airport. The pilot gave no indication of any problems to the tower.

Firefighters and emergency responders from Monclova Township, Springfield Township, Swanton and Swanton Township rushed to the
scene, along with the airport's fire crew. Also present were the Lucas County Sheriff's Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Telb told Toledo 11's Bob Jones that the empty cargo plane was on the way to Toledo Express from Traverse City, Michigan. When the
plane disappeared from the radar, the sheriff's office was notified and officers and park rangers headed toward the area of Girdham
and Sager Roads. They eventually spotted smoke and made their way to the wreckage.

The plane went down in a spot thick with brush and leaves. "It was really difficult to reach it and even find it," said Mike George,
fire chief for the Ohio National Guard unit based at Toledo Express.

The wreckage lay in a heap surrounded by yellow police tape, still smoldering hours after the crash.

The plane apparently arrived in Traverse City sometime Tuesday morning, either picked up or dropped off freight, and returned to
Toledo, said Stephen Cassens, Cherry Capital Airport director.

Cassens said it did not appear the aircraft took on passengers in Traverse City. He did not know what type of freight was involved
in the transfer.

Ron Height, of Swanton, said he stopped when he saw a large cloud of smoke coming from the woods while driving. He got to the crash
site as the first rescuers arrived. "It was pretty clear right away there wasn't going to be a lot we could do," he said.

There was a lot of smoke and some flames, but not a huge fireball, Height said. "There wasn't debris all over the place like you
would think," he said. "It was all in one spot.''

The plane, which can seat up to nine people, was built in 1968.

Grand Aire is based at Toledo Express Airport. The company moved their headquarters to Toledo in 1999. Employees are described as a
"close-knit" group where everyone is friends. The company employees around 50 people.



************************************************************ ************************************************************ ************************************************************ ************************
ACCIDENT #2

Small cargo jet crashes into Mississippi River
By Greg Jonsson and Ken Leiser
04/08/2003


A twin-engine cargo jet plunged into the Mississippi River north of downtown St. Louis on Tuesday night, moments after bad weather
forced its pilot to delay a landing attempt at Lambert Field.

Two men on board the Grand Aire jet were rescued just north of the McKinley Bridge, although one was reported in critical condition
at a St. Louis hospital. The second man was in stable condition.

The two men were identified by the FBI as pilots Saleem Iqbal, 34, and Mohammed Saleh, 44. The men were in the custody of St. Louis
police on Tuesday night as a precaution while police and the FBI continue their investigation.

Grand Aire Flight 179 was en route to Lambert from Del Rio, Texas, said Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham
Cory.

The aircraft was ordered to land on Runway 30-Right, but poor visibility and rain forced controllers at the Lambert tower to send
the plane around and try to land a second time.

While circling above St. Louis, the crew radioed air traffic controllers that the plane was critically low on fuel, an FAA source
said. The Falcon 20 turbo jet crashed into the river about 6:30 p.m., FAA officials said.

Authorities were investigating to determine whether the crash was the result of possible terrorism.

"Because the country is on an orange alert and because Mississippi River bridges have been listed as possible terrorism targets, we
are handling this matter with extreme caution,'' Mayor Francis Slay said.

But he warned against jumping to conclusions.

The Mississippi River crash was the second of the day involving a plane operated by the charter company based in suburban Toledo,
Ohio.

Three people were killed earlier Tuesday when another Falcon 20 operated by Grand Aire crashed into a nature preserve near the
Toledo Express Airport. That flight originated in Traverse City, Mich., and crashed about 2 p.m., authorities said.

Both accidents remain under investigation. A Grand Aire customer service representative who answered the telephone late Tuesday
declined to comment on either crash.

In St. Louis, police received a call just before 7 p.m. regarding a plane in distress, said Deputy Police Chief Ray Lauer.

When a Fire Department rescue boat reached the plane, firefighters found one man sitting on top of the plane, and the other man was
inside, Lauer said. Both were conscious.

Lauer said that he could not determine the injuries to both men, but said they probably were suffering from hypothermia. Both men
may have been in the water for about 15 minutes before their rescue, he said.

After the men were rescued, the plane continued to drift downriver. A Fire Department rescue boat was deployed to guide the plane to
shore.

Asked if security will be heightened at the bridges following the crash, Lauer said that such steps will be taken.

"Yes, as a precaution," he said.

Before Tuesday, the last fatal crash involving a Grand Aire plane was on July 14, when a pilot was killed in a crash as he tried to
land a twin-engine plane amid thick fog at the Columbus, Ind., airport.

The FAA said that there have been several civil penalties brought against Grand Aire over the past few years.

For example, on June 1, 2000, the FAA proposed a $95,000 civil penalty against the company for deficiencies in performing four
maintenance tasks. Also that month, Grand Aire was fined another $95,000 for operating an aircraft for 20 days without repairing a
known problem.

On May 1, 2000, the aviation agency assessed Grand Aire a $195,000 fine for failure to conduct a required ground and in-flight test
after removal and replacement of an engine.

The company, founded in 1985, has seen dramatic growth under President and CEO Tahir Cheema. In 1997, it moved from Monroe, Mich.,
to a $4.5 million headquarters at Toledo Express Airport. It has seven operation bases throughout the country.

Grand Aire is one of the largest air charter management companies in North America, according to company statements. It delivers
auto parts and other cargo in addition to a charter passenger operation.

It had 27 aircraft ranging from twin piston to jet, including a DC-9. Two of the aircraft carry passengers and the remaining 25 are
for freight.

[av8boy]

I wouldn't normally post all of this, but given the circumstances, I thought others might also be interested in prelim info.

FYI Traverse City, Michigan (KTVC 44.7414447 / -85.5822350) is roughly 240 miles NW of Toledo, Ohio, on Lake Michigan. Toledo (KTOL 41.5868056 / -83.8078333) is about 200 miles east of Chicago (KORD) on Lake Erie. Del Rio, Texas (KDRT 29.3728333 / -100.9258472) is on the Mexican border, 340 miles SW of KDFW and 150 directly west of San Antonio (KSAT). KSTL is at 38.7476869 / -90.3599897 and is some 890 miles NE of KDRT. Direct route from KDRT to KSTL is pretty much right over KDFW (illustration only... not implying anything about actual route of flight in any of this).

FAA Prelim Accident Info
(sorry about the formatting)


IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 179GA Make/Model: FA20 Description: FALCON 20, MYSTÈRE 20 (T-11, T
Date: 04/08/2003 Time: 2351

Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Serious Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
City: ST. LOUIS State: MO Country: US

DESCRIPTION
GRAND AIR EXPRESS, GAX179, DASSAULT FA20 ACFT, ON SECOND ATTEMPT TO LAND,
REPORTED AND EMERGENCY, LOST BOTH ENGINES AND CRASHED INTO THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER, TWO PILOTS WERE RESCUED FROM THE RIVER, ST. LOUIS, MO

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 2 Fat: 0 Ser: 2 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

WEATHER: SPECI KSTL 082337Z 34010KT 7SM -RA OVC010 02/01 A3029 RMK CIG 007V013

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

Departed: DEL RIO, TX Dep Date: Dep. Time:
Destination: ST. LOUIS, MO Flt Plan: IFR Wx Briefing: N
Last Radio Cont: 2 MI N OF GATEWAY ARCH, ST. LOUIS
Last Clearance: LOW ALTITUDE ALERT, MAINTAIN 2100 UNTIL INTERCEPTING GLIDESLOPE

FAA FSDO: ST. LOUIS, MO (CE03) Entry date: 04/09/2003

*****
*****
*****

IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 183GA Make/Model: FA20 Description: FALCON 20, MYSTÈRE 20 (T-11, T
Date: 04/08/2003 Time: 1935

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

LOCATION
City: TOLEDO State: OH Country: US

DESCRIPTION
GRAND AIR INC, FA20 ACFT, ON APPROACH TO ILS RUNWAY 7, DROPPED OFF RADAR ON
FINAL, CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, 3 PERSONS ON BOARD SUFFERED
FATAL INJURIES, ACFT WAS DESTROYED, 2 W TOLEDO, OH

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 3
# Crew: 2 Fat: 2 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 1 Fat: 1 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

WEATHER: TOL METAR 1752Z 03009KT 1SM BR 0VC003 00/M01 Z3025 RMK SFC VIS 13/4

OTHER DATA
Activity: Training Phase: Approach Operation: General Aviation

Departed: TRAVERSE CITY, MI Dep Date: 04/08/2003 Dep. Time: 1935
Destination: TOLEDO, OH Flt Plan: IFR Wx Briefing: U
Last Radio Cont: UNK
Last Clearance: CONTACT TOLEDO TOWER

FAA FSDO: CLEVELAND, OH (GL25) Entry date: 04/09/2003



FAA Aircraft Registration info:


N179GA is Assigned

Assigned/Registered Aircraft Aircraft Description

Serial Number 100 Type Registration Corporation
Manufacturer Name DASSAULT/SUD Certificate Issue Date 11/25/1997
Model FAN JET FALCON Status Valid
Type Aircraft Fixed Wing Multi-Engine Type Engine Turbo-Jet
Pending Number Change None Dealer No
Date Change Authorized None Mode S Code 50235463
MFR Year 0000 Fractional Owner NO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registered Owner

Name GRAND AIRE EXPRESS INC
Street 11777 W AIRPORT SERVICE RD
City SWANTON State OHIO Zip Code 43558-9387
County FULTON
Country UNITED STATES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Airworthiness

Engine Manufacturer AMA/EXPR Classification Standard
Engine Model UNKNOWN ENG Category Transport

A/W Date 08/19/1994
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other Owner Names: None
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Temporary Certificate: None
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuel Modifications: None

*****
*****
*****

N183GA is Assigned

Assigned/Registered Aircraft Aircraft Description

Serial Number 147 Type Registration Corporation
Manufacturer Name AVIONS MARCEL DASLT MERGINAC Certificate Issue Date 08/17/1994
Model MYSTERE 20 Status Undeliverable Triennial
Type Aircraft Fixed Wing Multi-Engine Type Engine Turbo-Jet
Pending Number Change None Dealer No
Date Change Authorized None Mode S Code 50246150
MFR Year 1968 Fractional Owner NO
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registered Owner

Name CZARS INC
Street 2316 BAYNARD BLVD
City WILMINGTON State DELAWARE Zip Code 19802
County NEW CASTLE
Country UNITED STATES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Airworthiness

Engine Manufacturer GE Classification Standard
Engine Model CF700 SERIES Category Transport

A/W Date 12/12/1994
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Other Owner Names :None
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Temporary Certificate: None
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuel Modifications: None



Dave

[skidcanuck]

This outfit has a long history of accidents. Maybe time for an in-depth study of their operations!!!!!

[ORAC]

"Airline Loses 2 Planes to Crashes in One Day"
From Associated Press

SWANTON, Ohio -- The National Transportation Safety Board opened an investigation Wednesday after an Ohio charter airline lost two small planes in separate accidents in a single day, killing three people.

Tuesday's accidents, which occurred 400 miles apart, both involved Dassault Aviation Falcon 20s operated by Grand Aire Inc. The airline voluntarily suspended flights Wednesday. "We can't draw any inference beyond this being a coincidence," NTSB spokesman Ted Lopatkiewicz said. "At the moment, they are being handled as separate events."

The first plane crashed about a mile short of the runway at the Toledo airport, killing all three people on board. Five hours later, the second plane splashed down in the Mississippi River, not far from the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Both crew members were rescued; one was in serious condition and the other was listed as fair. The causes of the accidents had not been determined, although the plane that went down in St. Louis was low on fuel, said FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory.

Police and the FBI there said they had no reason to suspect terrorism. Officials have listed the arch as a potential terrorism target.

"You can't calculate the odds," said Dick Williams, president of Aviation Data Source, a Denver aviation maintenance consulting company. "You have to immediately ask questions about what is in common about these two events."

Officials in St. Louis praised pilots Saleem Iqbal and Mohammed Saleh for purposely flying clear of populated areas after their plane became low on fuel.

"This is a case of heroism, not terrorism," said Tom Bush, head of the St. Louis FBI office. Bush also credited Saleh with pulling Iqbal -- who could not swim -- from the wreckage and safeguarding him until rescuers arrived.

Saleh is a native Libyan who is a naturalized U.S. citizen, and Iqbal is a resident alien from Pakistan, authorities said Wednesday.

[con-pilot]

I landed at KSTL right after the accident; the weather wasn’t that bad, however we did pick up moderate/heavy ice on the approach. We broke out around 400/500 ft AGL.

We were taking the airplane in for maintenance and for a while the maintenance people waiting for us thought it was us, a bit concerned they were.