Don Palas verongelukt
frenkiep· 24 jan
Voor veel oud-IAC-ers is deze voormalig chef-instructeur van ACA te Lakeland,FL behoorlijk bekend. Helaas is hij op 14 junuari verongelukt op Lakeland Linder Regional Airport.
Published Friday, January 14, 2005
TWIN-ENGINE CESSNA
Two Die in Lakeland Airport Crash :
Ledger Staff
LAKELAND – A twin-engine Cessna crashed at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport Friday afternoon, killing both its pilot and passenger.
The plane crashed about 3:30 p.m., minutes after taking off from Runway 27, headed west, according to Lakeland police.
Danny Ferrer, the owner of the Cessna Skymaster, identified the pilot as Lakeland flight instructor Don Palas.
The Ledger could not positively identify the passenger Friday night.
Lakeland police and fire officials did not identify the two people killed in the crash, saying their bodies had been too badly burned and that the medical examiner would need to identify them with dental records. Police said they would not release the names until 8 a.m. Saturday.
Polk County Medical Examiner Stephen Nelson said identifying the bodies would take time, though he did not give a specific timetable.
The Lakeland Fire Department received a call about the crash at 3:37 p.m. Firefighters were dispatched moments and reached the airport 10 minutes later. Six vehicles and 14 firefighters, from the Beacon Road, Brunell Parkway and Lake Mirror stations, responded.
Eyewitnesses described watching the plane take off from the Runway 27 – at 8,500 feet, the airport’s longest – climb to between 100 feet and 150 feet and then plummet to the ground.
Colin Osborn, who stopped at the Lakeland airport en route from Louisville, Ky., to West Palm Beach, said he watched from inside the airport terminal as the Cessna crashed. The plane’s nose was too high as it climbed, Osborn said, fell straight down after reaching its apex and hit the ground hard. A minute or two later, the plane burst into flames.
After hearing the crash, John Troutner said he raced to the plane, already on fire, and tried to open the cockpit door. The fire, which had engulfed the cockpit and the left side of the plane, scorched his hand when he grabbed the door.
Despite suggestions that Palas’ trajectory might have been too steep, Ferrer discounted the possibility that pilot error was responsible for the crash.
“I would bet my life it was not pilot error, and I don’t give a damn what anybody saw or says,” he said. “He was a walking encyclopedia of aviation. This guy was the best.”
Ferrer said he bought the plane – a 1976 Cessna 337P – last month and that the plane was flown from California to Lakeland Wednesday. He said his mechanic inspected the plane and discovered a small oil leak, which Ferrer described as insignificant.
Palas was a former Marine with 15,000 hours of flying time under his belt, Ferrer said. Ferrer said he had recently hired Palas as chief pilot for a flight school he was starting here.
“He was the best flight instructor around,” Ferrer said. “That’s why I hired him.
“He was calm and collected.”
www.theledger.com
16 REACTIESPublished Friday, January 14, 2005
TWIN-ENGINE CESSNA
Two Die in Lakeland Airport Crash :
Ledger Staff
LAKELAND – A twin-engine Cessna crashed at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport Friday afternoon, killing both its pilot and passenger.
The plane crashed about 3:30 p.m., minutes after taking off from Runway 27, headed west, according to Lakeland police.
Danny Ferrer, the owner of the Cessna Skymaster, identified the pilot as Lakeland flight instructor Don Palas.
The Ledger could not positively identify the passenger Friday night.
Lakeland police and fire officials did not identify the two people killed in the crash, saying their bodies had been too badly burned and that the medical examiner would need to identify them with dental records. Police said they would not release the names until 8 a.m. Saturday.
Polk County Medical Examiner Stephen Nelson said identifying the bodies would take time, though he did not give a specific timetable.
The Lakeland Fire Department received a call about the crash at 3:37 p.m. Firefighters were dispatched moments and reached the airport 10 minutes later. Six vehicles and 14 firefighters, from the Beacon Road, Brunell Parkway and Lake Mirror stations, responded.
Eyewitnesses described watching the plane take off from the Runway 27 – at 8,500 feet, the airport’s longest – climb to between 100 feet and 150 feet and then plummet to the ground.
Colin Osborn, who stopped at the Lakeland airport en route from Louisville, Ky., to West Palm Beach, said he watched from inside the airport terminal as the Cessna crashed. The plane’s nose was too high as it climbed, Osborn said, fell straight down after reaching its apex and hit the ground hard. A minute or two later, the plane burst into flames.
After hearing the crash, John Troutner said he raced to the plane, already on fire, and tried to open the cockpit door. The fire, which had engulfed the cockpit and the left side of the plane, scorched his hand when he grabbed the door.
Despite suggestions that Palas’ trajectory might have been too steep, Ferrer discounted the possibility that pilot error was responsible for the crash.
“I would bet my life it was not pilot error, and I don’t give a damn what anybody saw or says,” he said. “He was a walking encyclopedia of aviation. This guy was the best.”
Ferrer said he bought the plane – a 1976 Cessna 337P – last month and that the plane was flown from California to Lakeland Wednesday. He said his mechanic inspected the plane and discovered a small oil leak, which Ferrer described as insignificant.
Palas was a former Marine with 15,000 hours of flying time under his belt, Ferrer said. Ferrer said he had recently hired Palas as chief pilot for a flight school he was starting here.
“He was the best flight instructor around,” Ferrer said. “That’s why I hired him.
“He was calm and collected.”
www.theledger.com
Direct Graus· 24 jan
Wow Don Palace.......
Dat is inderdaad een tijd geleden.
Was een rare vogel, maar triest om te lezen dat het zo is afgelopen.
In het harnas: Rest In Peace!
Dat is inderdaad een tijd geleden.
Was een rare vogel, maar triest om te lezen dat het zo is afgelopen.
In het harnas: Rest In Peace!
24 jan
active-8· 25 janAlleen al vanwege zijn slangeleer comboy-boots een markant figuur. Triest dat hij is omgekomen.
r.i.p.
r.i.p.
25 jan
GridMora· 25 janIs hij degene die altijd zonder headset met zijn studenten vliegt?
R.I.P.
R.I.P.
25 jan
frenkiep· 25 jan
Hij was in ieder geval degene die tijdens checks de neiging had om óf zelf te sturen (en jou daarna te complimenteren met de mooie uitvoering van je commercial maneuvre) óf in slaap te vallen. Daarnaast was hij uiteraard de man die neuspulken tot een kunst verheven heeft; dit met zijn leather boots op zijn bureau geplaatst. Een gozer, die het niet kwaad bedoelde maar wel eens vervelend uit de hoek kon komen als hij van het management op z'n dak gehad had.
2 Jaar geleden heb ik 'm nog opgezocht in LAL en hij had het erg naar zijn zin bij een beter vliegbedrijf en was ondertussen getrouwd. Helaas te vroeg gestorven....
Rest In Peace, Don.
2 Jaar geleden heb ik 'm nog opgezocht in LAL en hij had het erg naar zijn zin bij een beter vliegbedrijf en was ondertussen getrouwd. Helaas te vroeg gestorven....
Rest In Peace, Don.
25 jan
capt. Kebab· 25 janJammer
Jammer
één van de weinig positieve dingen van ACA was idd deze cowboy die idd neuspulken tot kunst verheef, met ski handschoenen nog aan.
Maar hopen dat 'ie een mooi plekje heeft daarboven.
So long Don
Jammer
één van de weinig positieve dingen van ACA was idd deze cowboy die idd neuspulken tot kunst verheef, met ski handschoenen nog aan.
Maar hopen dat 'ie een mooi plekje heeft daarboven.
So long Don
25 jan
Bora Bora· 25 janJa, ik herinner hem me ook nog goed. Hij had het altijd over Iowa, waar hij vandaan kwam, en hij leek altijd wat melancholisch als hij het er over had. Verder hield hij erg van koeien (zal ook wel met Iowa te maken hebben).
Kan me ook nog de nodige vlucht herinneren waarin hij mij door alle manoeuvres heen stuurde zonder het door te hebben.
Markant figuur maar een van de aardigere gasten op ACA destijds (NJ tijd nog).
Shame.
Kan me ook nog de nodige vlucht herinneren waarin hij mij door alle manoeuvres heen stuurde zonder het door te hebben.
Markant figuur maar een van de aardigere gasten op ACA destijds (NJ tijd nog).
Shame.
25 jan
Metroman· 25 jan
Blast from the past...
Thanks for the "check"-rides...
Nicest thing to always pull the engine right above a certain field in jersey, .... To bad..he was a nice guy ..
RIP Don.
Thanks for the "check"-rides...
Nicest thing to always pull the engine right above a certain field in jersey, .... To bad..he was a nice guy ..
RIP Don.
25 jan
Breaking_Clouds· 26 janHij heeft mij een keer haarfijn uitgelegd waarom een pick-up truck zó veel beter was dan een normale auto:
With a truck... you can move stuff!
Don,
Thanks for the interesting flights!
Hope they have a nice pick-up truck waiting for you up there!
Rest In Peace
With a truck... you can move stuff!
Don,
Thanks for the interesting flights!
Hope they have a nice pick-up truck waiting for you up there!
Rest In Peace
26 jan
Co-Co· 26 jan
Hij was idd van tijd tot tijd een vreemde vogel.
Op mijn checks lag hij altijd te slapen, maar vreemd genoeg was hij altijd precies op tijd wakker om je te vertellen dat je 180 graden de verkeerde kant opvloog op de NDB bij Plant City Municipal
Don Palas, R.I.P
Op mijn checks lag hij altijd te slapen, maar vreemd genoeg was hij altijd precies op tijd wakker om je te vertellen dat je 180 graden de verkeerde kant opvloog op de NDB bij Plant City Municipal
Don Palas, R.I.P
26 jan
Abaco-Air· 27 janDat dat nieuws zelfs NL gehaald heeft is interesting.. Sprak nl. assistant chiefpilot steve harder (werkt in hetzelfde bedrijf)afgelopen week en die wist niet totdat hij een telefoontje van Lawrence Widener had gekregen, drie dagen na het ongeluk.. was hier blijkbaar een blip on the (TV)screen.
Net als iedereen zal ik hem missen als de pullek-ende, achteroverleunend in zijn stoel met cowboyboots (op het bureau) dragende boss, die je mondelinge tests afnam maar eigenlijk liever sprak over tractors in Iowa.
We'll miss ya.
Abaco-Air
Net als iedereen zal ik hem missen als de pullek-ende, achteroverleunend in zijn stoel met cowboyboots (op het bureau) dragende boss, die je mondelinge tests afnam maar eigenlijk liever sprak over tractors in Iowa.
We'll miss ya.
Abaco-Air
27 jan
marauder· 27 jan
'back on the farm in Iowa......'; die zin zal me nou altijd bijblijven!Nadat ACA over de kop ging sprak ik hem nog regelmatig in lal, hij had het in ieder geval een stuk beter naar zijn zin bij zijn nieuwe baas en hij kon daar ongestoord rondlopen in cowboy outfit. Laat de nabestaanden maar weten dat hij voor redelijk wat vliegende hollanders een icoon is!
27 jan
Birdmare· 28 janGood old Don, a legend in his own time!
Lazy 8's met m oefenen had meer iets van aerobatic hammerheads.Geweldig!
Heb ook nog n een keer een xeck met m daan.Had ie die grote boots op de pedalen en die enorme handen v m op de yoke.
Alleen op een gegeven moment dacht ik dat hij vloog en anders om ; nog nooit een C-172 zo zien en voelen stuiteren op de rwy.
Don; rest in peace!
Lazy 8's met m oefenen had meer iets van aerobatic hammerheads.Geweldig!
Heb ook nog n een keer een xeck met m daan.Had ie die grote boots op de pedalen en die enorme handen v m op de yoke.
Alleen op een gegeven moment dacht ik dat hij vloog en anders om ; nog nooit een C-172 zo zien en voelen stuiteren op de rwy.
Don; rest in peace!
28 jan
Iz· 28 jan
Wat een figuur. Over z'n figuur gesproken, op een gegeven moment had hij volgens mij iets met de vrouwelijke security guard die iedere 30 minuten in haar Colt langs kwam rijden. Hij viel af, liet z'n haar knippen en liep met een permanente glimlach rond.
Inderdaad ook slapende checkrides gehad en z'n no-hands steep turns waren ook aardig.
Fantastisch.
Inderdaad ook slapende checkrides gehad en z'n no-hands steep turns waren ook aardig.
Fantastisch.
28 jan
Brakes Released· 28 janzeer tragisch, de kist zou overtrokken zijn toen zijn stoel naar achteren schoot
Don Palas, RIP
hij kon als de beste met z'n cowboy boots op het bureau wiebelen op z'n stoel en hoofd achterover op de dikke FAR/AIM in de vensterbank voor een check ride cooltjes in z'n onnavolgbare accent zeggen: "let's have a look if ther is some go-go juice in that plane", om vervolgens zelf de helft van de figuren op twijfelachtige wijze uit te voeren, geweldig!
Don Palas, RIP
hij kon als de beste met z'n cowboy boots op het bureau wiebelen op z'n stoel en hoofd achterover op de dikke FAR/AIM in de vensterbank voor een check ride cooltjes in z'n onnavolgbare accent zeggen: "let's have a look if ther is some go-go juice in that plane", om vervolgens zelf de helft van de figuren op twijfelachtige wijze uit te voeren, geweldig!
28 jan
Brakes Released· 29 janNTSB preliminary
NTSB preliminary
NTSB Identification: MIA05FA050
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, January 14, 2005 in Lakeland, FL
Aircraft: Cessna T337G, registration: N42WA
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On January 14, 2005, about 1537 eastern standard time, a Cessna T337G, N42WA, registered to Aerolease of America, Inc., leased to a private individual, crashed shortly after takeoff onto runway 27 at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, Lakeland, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight from the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, Lakeland, Florida, to Tallahassee Regional Airport, Tallahassee, Florida. The airplane was destroyed by a postcrash fire and the airline transport-rated pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
According to the local controller of the Lakeland Linder Regional Air Traffic Control Tower, the flight was cleared to takeoff from runway 27 and to climb runway heading. He did not observe the point of rotation, but reported the airplane was in a normal climb attitude when the flight was airborne approximately 1,000 feet down the runway. The flight continued and when it was approximately 500 feet more down the length of the runway, he observed the airplane pitch up to between an estimated 30-45 degrees, then leveled off at an estimated altitude of between 150-200 feet above ground level. At that time the flight was abeam runway 27 and taxiway "B." Approximately 5 seconds later, the wings were noted to rock up and down and the airplane drifted north of the north edge of the runway. The airplane rolled nose and left wing low, then appeared to level off before impacting the ground while in a slight nose up and left wing low attitude; the airplane caught fire 20 seconds later. He did not hear any unusual engine sounds during the flight and could not determine if the engines were run-up before departure. Both engines' rpm sounded to be synchronized during the short duration flight. There was no distress call made by the pilot of the airplane.
Another witness reported seeing the airplane in a steep nose-up attitude after becoming airborne. The witness reported the airplane then rolled left and impacted the ground while in a slight nose-up and left wing low attitude. An individual who owns a Cessna 337 airplane and only heard the accident flight reported hearing both engines operating at what he thought was full power.
NTSB preliminary
NTSB Identification: MIA05FA050
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, January 14, 2005 in Lakeland, FL
Aircraft: Cessna T337G, registration: N42WA
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On January 14, 2005, about 1537 eastern standard time, a Cessna T337G, N42WA, registered to Aerolease of America, Inc., leased to a private individual, crashed shortly after takeoff onto runway 27 at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, Lakeland, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight from the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, Lakeland, Florida, to Tallahassee Regional Airport, Tallahassee, Florida. The airplane was destroyed by a postcrash fire and the airline transport-rated pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
According to the local controller of the Lakeland Linder Regional Air Traffic Control Tower, the flight was cleared to takeoff from runway 27 and to climb runway heading. He did not observe the point of rotation, but reported the airplane was in a normal climb attitude when the flight was airborne approximately 1,000 feet down the runway. The flight continued and when it was approximately 500 feet more down the length of the runway, he observed the airplane pitch up to between an estimated 30-45 degrees, then leveled off at an estimated altitude of between 150-200 feet above ground level. At that time the flight was abeam runway 27 and taxiway "B." Approximately 5 seconds later, the wings were noted to rock up and down and the airplane drifted north of the north edge of the runway. The airplane rolled nose and left wing low, then appeared to level off before impacting the ground while in a slight nose up and left wing low attitude; the airplane caught fire 20 seconds later. He did not hear any unusual engine sounds during the flight and could not determine if the engines were run-up before departure. Both engines' rpm sounded to be synchronized during the short duration flight. There was no distress call made by the pilot of the airplane.
Another witness reported seeing the airplane in a steep nose-up attitude after becoming airborne. The witness reported the airplane then rolled left and impacted the ground while in a slight nose-up and left wing low attitude. An individual who owns a Cessna 337 airplane and only heard the accident flight reported hearing both engines operating at what he thought was full power.
29 jan
active-8· 29 jan@ Iz,
Ik geloof dat Don later met deze dame getrouwd is.
Ik geloof dat Don later met deze dame getrouwd is.
29 jan