2023 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Plane Crash Caused the Airpark Wildfire

It has been determined that the crash of single-engine plane near Miller Airpark in Ocean County, New Jersey caused the Airpark Wildfire.

Direct link to video from CBS Philadelphia on YouTube

Collings B-17, 909, gone but not forgotten

On the morning of Wednesday, October 2nd, the Collings Foundation B-17, "909" crashed at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, Connecticut while on a stop on the 2019 Wings of Freedom Tour. Seven died, seven injured including one on the ground.


Direct link to video on Youtube from Savannah66

909, I first met you in August 2010 when you came to the Monmouth Executive Airport with the  Collings Foundation Wings of Freedom Tour. I was awestruck to see you and your friends, the B-24 "Witchcraft" and the dual cockpit P-51 "Betty Jane". You represented living history. I know that you did not fly in World War II but you were restored to World War II configuration to honor all B-17's and their crew who served in World War II. Some of men who served on the B-17 made it home and some did not. After doing service in rescue operations, military transport and nuclear testing, you were purchased by Aircraft Specialty Company in 1965. You were then modified for service as an air tanker, flying wildfires until sometime in the 1980s. You saved a lot of lives on the ground as you flew fires in support of the wildland firefighters on the ground.

The Collings Foundation purchased you in 1986 and restored you to a configuration similar to that of B17 bombers that flew during World War II.

As you toured the United States over the years, you were and still are loved by many including but not limited to all who came to see you and perhaps take a ride in you. You were living history. Seeing you had a profound effect on me. I love you as well as the B-24 and the P-5 that I saw on tour. I knew that I had to write about B-17s on my blog. I spent several months reading about the B-17. I got to know many other B-17s and their crews through my research and I have met a couple of other B-17s but you were and still are special. I saw you for a second time a year or so later in New Jersey. I regret not going to see you again, that is my loss. You were at Monmouth Executive Airport this past August, if I had known . . .

I mourn the loss of all who died when 909 crashed in Windsor Locks on October 2, 2019.  My prayers are with their families, friends, and all who loved them. My prayers are with all at the Collings Foundation. I pray for all who were injured in that crash.

I offer this wholly inadequate post to honor you and all who died on October 2nd. Nine-o-Nine, I am not sure that my words are adequate to express what you meant to me. Nor are my words adequate to express my sadness for those who died on October 3rd. I know that you and your pilots and those who lost their lives are flying in favorable tail winds.

The pilot of the Collings B-25 who was also on tour at Windsor Locks gave a moving tribute before he took off from Windsor Locks this past weekend. Please see this short article and audio clip from Fox61.

For those who have not seen this, the Collings Foundation issued this statement on October 2nd. They are suspending the rest of their 2019 Wings of Freedom Tour.

RIP Bill Gordon warbird pilot

As some of you no doubt know, Bill Gordon (of Key West Florida), an experienced warbird pilot died on Friday night May 27, 2016 when the P-47 Thunderbolt he was piloting crashed into the Hudson River just south of the George Washington Bridge. Gordon's P-47, owned by the American Airpower Museum, was flying with two other warbirds in a promotional photo shoot at the time of the crash. The two other warbirds landed safely. He was scheduled to fly the P-47 in the Jones Beach Airshow last weekend to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the P-47.

According to this May 28th article from the Washington Post, Gordon had over 25 years experience flying in air shows and was formerly the chief pilot at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in New York. The Washington Post refers to Gordon's profile (now offline?) from an April Key West airshow saying that he was an "Aerobatic Competency Evaluator for the air show industry” who certified air-show performers to executive “low level aerobatics,” a profile from an April Key West airshow says about him."

I join all who loved Bill Gordon -- his family, friends, warbird and airshow pilots -- in offering my thoughts and prayers. I know that he is flying in favorable tail winds.

The American Airpower Museum has a nice tribute to Bill on their Facebook Page.

The GEICO Skytypers flew a missing man formation in the Bethpage Federal Credit Union Air Show (Jones Beach) in memory of Bill Gordon. The American Airpower Museum shared the video on their Facebook page (May 29th),  but I had trouble with the video in one of my browsers. However, I was able to find a video of the missing man formation posted on youtube which I am embedding here:

RIP Capt Jeff Kuss -- Blue Angels 6

I want to pause today and remember Captain Jeff Kuss, pilot of Blue Angels 6, who died on June 2nd when Blue Angels 6 (F18) crashed in Smyma Tennessee. The Blue Angels airshow scheduled for this coming weekend, a part of the Great Tennessee Airshow, has been cancelled. Captain Kuss, 32, leaves a wife and two children. Please join me in remembering Captain Kuss, may you always fly in favorable tail winds. My thoughts and prayers are with Captain Kuss's family, friends, Blue Angels team, and all who love him.


Direct link to tribute video by John's Flying Channel (Youtube)


Direct link to video from the Cradle of Aviation Museum

Brush fire - Mt. Tom - Holyoke MA and B-17 crew remembered

I have a few websites that I monitor just about every day to get an idea of current news relating to wildfires. As I was reading the news late this morning I came across a newsclip about a brush fire on Mt. Tom in Holyoke MA. I'll get to the eighteen acre brush fire in a moment.

The reason the article on the brush fire on Mt. Tom caught my eye is because Mt. Tom is one of those natural landmarks that stood out to me on many trips up I-91 in Massachusetts on my way to northern New England. It is a ski and recreation area, so there were a couple of bill boards advertising Mt. Tom.  Not only that, but she was a mountain that I always noticed. I regret that I have not yet stopped to visit her. Hopefully there is time for that on a later trip, I'll have to make time.

As I was reading the Wikipedia article on Mt. Tom, I noted that the mention of a crash of converted B-17 bomber in 1946 on Mt. Tom in 1946 killing all 25 on board. Small pieces of the wreckage are still on the mountain and a momument was erected at the site in 1946. For those who are interested, here is a copy of the July 10, 1946 Fitchberg Sentinal article reporting on the crash. They were returning from overseas, going home. They never quite made it. I know that all who died in that crash are flying in favorable tail winds. May you continue to rest in peace.

Back to the wildfire. According to news reports, the brush fire began at about 7 PM on Sunday night, November 8th. Darkness meant that firefighters pulled out to resume fighting the brush fire this morning. The fire, which burned approximately 18 acres is now contained. Speaking of I-91, smoke was visible from I-91 during the morning commute. I am reminded that it is fall here in the east with a lot of leaf litter on the ground with more to come, and it was breezy yesterday. Hopefully all the hotspots are or will soon be out so that fallen leaves will not be a problem. Firefighters from the Massachusetts Forest Fire Control and near by Holyoke worked the fire

News reports on the brush fire on Mt. Tom

• mass live, 10:44 AM on Nov 9th - with some must see photos of wildland firefighters working the fire
• 22News WWLP (with a couple of photos and a video report)
• boston dot com, 9 AM on Nov 9th - a couple of short videos 

RIP Michael Tyner Alsbury and speedy recovery for Peter Siebold

By know most of you know about the tragic crash of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo on Friday, October 31, 2014 while on a test flight over the Mojave Desert in California (USA). SpaceShipTwo was the first of Virgin Galactica's planned Space Tourism Aircraft. The only people on board SpaceShipTwo were the two pilots, Michael Tyner Alsbury (39) died in the crash. Peter Siebold (43) sustained serious injuries.

I want to take a time out and offer my heartfelt condolences and prayers to the family, friends, and colleagues of Michael Tyner Alsbury. I pray especially for Michaels family as you mourn his loss.

Michael and Peter were on a test flight when the accident happened resulting in Michael's death and Peter's injuries. The community of test flight pilots is small and very tight. If any of you in Michael's community of pilots happens to be reading this, please know that I am keeping you in my thoughts and prayers

Micheal, you have left the bonds of earth. I know that you will be missed. I am sorry that I never knew you, my loss. May you always fly in favorable tail winds.

For Peter Siebold I offer you my continued toughest and prayers as you continue to recover from the injuries you sustained in the test flight. I pray also for your family and friends and those who love you as they are with you as you recover from your injuries.

Miracle emergency landing on NYC expressway

A single engine airplane (Piper PA-28) with what may have been engine trouble made an emergency landing on a busy NYC expressway yesterday afternoon. Thanks to an alert DOT crew doing pothole repair who stopped traffic and the skill of the pilot, there were no fatalities. I can't seem to get the embed code from FoxNewsNYC or CBS2NYC to work, but I've provided links to both reports and video here. If you check out the video from FoxNewsNY, you'll see a video clip of the plane being towed off the expressway.

link to report and video on FoxNewsNYC

link to video on CBS2 NYC

link to report with video and radio audio clips on CBS2 NYC

NTSB update on Morris County NJ airplane crash

Yesterday I reported here on an airplane crash on Interstate 287 in Morris County NY. Here is this afternoon's NTSB briefing on yesterdays plane crash. I believe but am not certain that the wreckage has been cleared from the highway. The plane, a Socata TBM 700 (single engine prop-turbine), was at an altitude of close to 18,000 when it went into an uncontrolled spin crashing into the I-287.

The names of those who died in the crash, widely reported in the press, have not been released by the authorities. My prayers go out to their family, friends, colleagues, and school mates.

small plane crash in NJ - five dead

updated on July 18, 2013: video that I had embedded here reporting on crash of the Socata killing all aboard is no longer available. :-( 

For more info go to this NJ dot com article. My prayers go out to the family and friends of those who died in the crash.