Outstanding pilot crashes in Utah

                                                                                Ogden Hinckley Municipal Airport

                                                      A Plane Crash-Flying too low or flying too high  

For outstanding pilots the flying field can pay off in today’s economy. In the tough economy jewelry and the electronics demand is down, but if you’re aspiring person as is Mr. Aaron Farr you get smoothly past lots of the problem by flying to the primary markets on the West coast expecting to obtain big discounts.

Nearly every move 80 year old Mr. Farr made at the controls of his 1948 Piper Super Cruiser used often for training students, was perfect. Mr. Farr is owner of Farr jewelry and Salt Lake City Flying Service Inc. At one time he was a virtuoso stunt pilot.  Now days he generally doesn’t look at f the dashboard instruments, he simply looks where he is going. After the accident Mr. Farr said, 

“I noticed a crosswind carrying my plane off course. As I started a corrective turn, I was skidding and slipping using too much rudder then not enough.”

               With a huffy voice to the control tower, Mr. Farr guided the Piper back to its original course instead of a go around as he was told to by the air contoller in the tower, and at the same time forgetting to put the his landing gear down.

       Quite by accident, Brian Wallace was standing on the tarmac of his hanger, December 5, 2010, 5:57 p.m. He saw all this going on, the low flying single engine plane preparing to land with its wheels up. He wouldn’t have time to warn the pilot over the radio so he jumped into the truck he was leaning against, and headed toward the spot the plane would be when it stopped. Mr. Wallace took pictures with his IPhone as he drove. When he arrived at the plane, he opened the plane door and noted the pilot appeared a bit dazed. Mr. asked,

      "Do you know your name?" 

     “Aaron Farr, What should I do?”

     “Are you hurt?” 

     “No.” 

     “Did you shut off the gas?” 

     “No.” 

     “Shut off the gas and get out of the plane.” 

         Next, Mr. Wallace called the Federal Aviation Association. Subsequently, the area was sealed off.  For four hours, in and out going air traffic was prohibited, while an investigation took place. Estimated damage at the time was $9,500.00. Finally the 1948 Piper Super Cruiser was pushed the edge of the run way.  Mr. Wallace and his Sky diving   started up again, and continued jumping until dark. 

       Mr. Wallace's final remark was,

      “I wish I would have thought to call Chanel 4 for the 10 PM interest story.”

     The pilot eighty year old Aaron Farr is the owner of Farr’s Jewelry. There was some confusion: still to be investigated, communication with the control tower, and a change in the normal flight pattern. Sometime later the National Transportation Safety Board blamed the pilot for the belly flop.

       In its investigation, the NTSB also determined visibility was diminished because of ground fog and that after being advised about the conditions by an air traffic controller, the pilot also had ignored his advice.  The recorded air traffic control communications box revealed that the pilot got an update that weather conditions were deteriorating while he was en route to the airport. He was advised that visibility was a quarter mile less than the published approach minimums--the lowest a pilot can safely fly before determining it safe to land, and to try again later or land somewhere else. Also, Farr did not stabilize his airspeed or intercept the localizer once inside his final approach.

Farr added that the controller gave him clearance and told him to climb to maintain 2,000. ft. "The next thing I remember is lying on the ground and having my clothes cut off. The NTSB report points out that another pilot flying under the same conditions choose to go to different airport. The fog was thick enough that evening to obscure the wreckage, even around the crash site, as emergency responders rushed to the scene.

Residents have complained to the Roy and Ogden city councils about the airport as this was the fourth such crash in 11 years in a council meeting a week after the crash, the residents' main point of concern was a runway that the airport had expanded. When construction finished, it was closer to their homes, prompting planes to depart and land at lower altitudes closer to their homes.

          The Mayor Godfrey apologized for the stress the residents felt but explained that the FAA not the city controls the airport. Mayor Joe Ritchie said he and City Manager Criss Davis have met with airport manager Royal Eccles, as well as with Ogden city officials, to discuss expanding the airport to increase commuter flights. Ritchie said he feels confident all involved have the best interest of safety for everyone in mind.

      One man whose house was damaged in a previous crash took a different tact and thanked Roy City for keeping the public informed about the investigation. The council also explained that the airport preceded the creation of the subdivisions. Farr declined to comment on the report.

*10-21-2012 The first commercial jet left the Ogden airport today at 3 p.m. carrying 186 passengers to Phoenix two days a week coming and going.

To be continued…

DR. KARL WALLACE D.D.S. 10 years Little League Football/Baseball Coach Washington Terrace, UT

To read more Karl Wallace writings please go to:     w.w.w.karlwallaceblog.blogspot.com