Plane Crash Portland Maine

This accident occured this weekend in a Yak-52, the Pilot Mark Haskell was also an Air Traffic Controller in the Portland Tower and one of the nicest accomidating persons in aviation you could ever talk too, say a prayer for Mark and his family as we will all miss him.

http://www.wmtw.com/video/24298629/index.html

Pics of Mark and the Yak

http://maineyak.net/images.htm

Comments

  • Federal Investigators Probe South Portland Plane Crash
    07/19/2010 11:18 AM ET
    Two experienced pilots were killed in the crash Saturday near the Maine Mall.


    Federal investigators are examining the wreckage of a plane that crashed Saturday near the Portland Jetport, killing the pilot and his passenger.

    The Aerostar Yak-52, a Russian-made plane, was hauled away yesterday from the crash scene on Western Avenue, near the Maine Mall.

    Killed in the crash was veteran pilot and Portland International Jetport air traffic controller Mark Haskell, 42, and his passenger, Thomas Casagrande, 66. Casagrande was a also an experienced pilot who was conducting Haskell's flight test review, required every two years, according to the Portland Press Herald.

    Haskell had worked at the Jetport for 19 years, airport officials told the paper. He was married and the father of three. No one on the ground was hurt.
  • PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board say the emergency fuel shutoff had been activated before the plane crash on Saturday that killed two men. That would have killed power to the propellor.

    Mark Haskel had just taken off from the Portland Jetport in his YAK 52 around 3:30 in the afternoon when something caused him to suddenly turn back.
    The NTSB says there was never a distress call made to the tower, but that Haskell had said he was turning around and heading back to the Jetport. Within a minute, the plane went down.The crash killed both Haskell and passenger, Thomas Casagrande.

    Investigators say after inspecting the air frame on Tuesday, they noticed that all of the airplane controls were working properly but that the fuel and electrical circuit breakers had been shut off. It's too soon to tell whether that caused the propeller to stop or if the engine stopped first.
    Investigators say shutting the fuel off is a safety procedure pilots will do if they know they're making an emergency landing, that way, there's less of a chance of a fire starting when they land.

    Investigators also say it appears Haskell opened both his canopy and Casagrande's canopy... another safety precaution pilots take before making an emergency landing. That way they aren't trapped inside.
    According to the NTSB, Mark Haskell's YAK 52 is one of just 300 in the United States. Since the engine is so rare and badly damaged, investigators have called in specialists to help.The NTSB plans on disassembling the engine entirely on Wednesday. They hope to have a preliminary report done by Friday
  • Investigators found corrosion inside the pump to its bypass valve and to its fuel inlet line

    UPDATE : Plane that crashed in South Portland had been inspected weeks before
    By David Hench dhench@mainetoday.com
    Staff Writer


    2:47 p.m.



    A preliminary report on the fatal plane crash July 17 in South Portland notes that the plane was inspected and cleared for flight two weeks before the crash.

    The National transportation Safety Board''s preliminary report notes that the aircraft was subjected to an annual condition inspection on July 2.

    The report notes that the pilot, Mark Haskell, had not flown since Sept. 5, 2008. If the plane had sat idle since then, having it inspected by a mechanic was the right thing to do before taking it up, said Al Yurman, an aviation expert from Lakewood, New Jersey, who was contacted by the Press Herald to review the report.

    The NTSB report noting corrosion in the fuel pump shows investigators plan to study that component further to determine if it could have caused an interruption in fuel flow, contributing to the crash, Yurman said.

    The investigation involved the NTSB investigator in charge, three Federal Aviation Administration inspectors and two representatives of Coy Aircraft Sales Ltd. which provided documents from when Haskell took delivery of the aircraft.

    12 p.m.

    The National Transportation Safety Board's investigation into the fatal plane crash in South Portland July 17 revealed that there was corrosion in the fuel pump.

    The preliminary report was posted on the NTSB website.

    Mark Haskell was flying his Yak-52 as part of a required flight review and was being observed by Thomas Casagrande, a certified flight instructor, when the plane crashed on Western Avenue that afternoon. Both men were killed.

    The NTSB preliminary report does not draw any conclusions about the cause of the crash. However, it does recount eyewitness descriptions of the flight and crash and the results of a mechanical investigation.

    The report notes that the engine-driven fuel pump operated briefly during an initial test but would not run on a subsequent test.. Investigators will examine the pump further, the report said.

    Just before the Russian-buiilt single engine plane crashed, an air traffic controller observed that the plane's wings were rocking back and forth. The controller asked if Haskell needed to return to the airport and he responded that he did and began a slow left turn, the report said.

    The controller asked if there were any problems and Haskell replied "No, but it's getting awfully hot in here," the report said.

    The controller then saw the plane nose down into the ground, the report said.

    The report said Haskell's last flight before the crash had been in the Yak-52 on Sept. 5, 2008, according to his logbook.
  • Guest wrote:
    If you're going to suggest someone check their spelling, you best be sure there's a misspelled word. Moron.

    Hey Guest Idiot,

    Looks like you failed the test and didn't find your spelling errors, I am not surprised and you even replied and thought incorrectly that you did not have any, and since this is too complicated for you I thought you would like to know the correct spelling is "ludicrous" that you misspelled.

    Appears you believed the error when I mentioned was in your last post, when in fact was in a prior one and you were not smart enough to find it before calling me a Moron, anyway I knew you couldn't figure it out on your own and glad I am not flying in plane with you with your limited abilities.

    For the record I posted also the posts 5, 6, and 9 and the new system that wasn't always logging us in and using our screen names, and pretty sad to see the poor comments by a couple of "Guests" on this Website which is one reason I won't renew my paid subscription. The Comments such as "What does this have to do with Pipers" and "WOT" posts for example were pathetic and posted by the aliases "Guest", too bad they were allowed on this site as I know no registered and paying members would show such disrespect to both of the pilots that lost there lives in this accident.

    Mark was really a great ATC Guy in Portland who always kept me safe for the eight years I have been flying to my vacation home in Maine from Mass, always very personable and accommodating for any requests more so than when Boston handed me off, met him once when I saw the nice Yak at Lewiston Maine after landing and started talking too him about the plane , and I recognized his voice as one of controllers from Portland and we talked about his plane. Was nice to meet Mark a real handsome guy and talk about aviation for a few minutes, and know not only was he a Controller but a Pilot too which explained why he was so great at ATC.

    Thomas Casagrande 60 medals and commendations, his service in Vietnam and experience in over 190 aircraft record speaks for itself, his love for aviation in mentoring and training pilots (For Free Sometimes) is second to none as few pilots have the experience and achievements he has accomplished.

    PaulR
  • Maybe this forum needs to be closed off to only those "paying" to use it .................................. Keep the rif-raff comments out of here ................................
  • airbusflyboy

    "Maybe this forum needs to be closed off to only those "paying" to use it .................................. Keep the rif-raff comments out of here ................................"

    I agree with you 100% and that was the way it was done a while ago, I said on another forum to let read only but not post unless they are members and signed up. Try following a post with a couple different 'Guests" posting and members trying to reply as it turns into a side show and no one knows who is talking to who with the multiply "Guest" name, and the occasional wise guy. Most of the guests are pretty good, but all it takes is one to wreck the forum so some sort of registration would be better for the site.

    Love the Warbirds and this looked liked one well taken care or aircraft by Mark, note the panel and the rest of the plane was very sharp and impressive and something you really don't see in older aircraft.

    http://maineyak.net/images.htm
  • PaulR, I am sure the two outstanding Aviators who lost their lives in that horrible crash, don't deserve any less of a Honorable mention here. I hated to read about this, I probably have talked to that fine young ATC man, as I fly into the Portland Airport on occasion. The decorated Military I.P., I am sure was a gem of a guy to know !
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