downed aircraft?

Is it possible for FA to display an aircraft arriving before it has? Reason I ask is that we had a BE35 accident here at SPI it went down just beyond the Outer Marker for RWY4. (witnesses say it was seen doing loops, however the ceiling was only about 500 so I’m guessing they meant either a roll or maybe a spin) and it impacted the ground. There aren’t many V tailed Bonanza’s on field that I know of, and this one shows arriving w/i about 2 or 3 min of the time the reports have one going down. The flight in question is…
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N17784
and upon seeing the latest television report it mentioned the hometown of the owner (which matched) and the tail number from what could be seen matched as far as 784. My experience before is that FA is actually about 5 to 10 min behind the actual position. Would the programming automatically bring the aircraft in for an arrival?

The “arrival” message does not necessarily mean the aircraft landed. The arrival message from the FAA is relayed when the aircraft leaves radar coverage.

Thanks for the info! I’m assuming then that maybe they were given a contact approach or something, as they were too far out w/ the vis to get a visual. But that makes sense, with alot of the good WX days, The flight path of the airliners that come in usually terminates several miles out, but that would be the point of radar services terminated.
Thanks again for the info, I think I might have known the owner so I was just hoping maybe this was not the case.


Three dead after plane crashes west of Springfield
Last Updated 12/20/2007 6:29:04 PM

Authorities investigated a plane crash Thursday afternoon. (SJ-R photo)

At least three people were killed when a small aircraft crashed in a field near Farmingdale Road and Illinois 54 this afternoon.

The crash was reported about 3:30 p.m.

Officials said the plane was a single-engine Beechcraft. It was inbound to Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport.

The three victims, all men, were the only people on board the plane, which was registered to an individual in Rochester, according to a recorded telephone message left by Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Tony Molinaro.

The FAA Web site indicates the owner’s name is Ray L. Wright. There was no confirmation whether he was on the plane.

The plane, which had been routed through Champaign, was on final approach to Springfield when it crashed, Molinaro said.

“The FAA is still gathering information about the event, including the destination point, the scheduled arrival point and any further information,” Molinaro said. “These investigations typically take several weeks to months or more before they are completed.”

The crash did not cause a fire and it appeared the impact killed the men, Sangamon County Sheriff Neil Williamson said. Two of the men sat in front and one was in back.

Air-traffic controllers reported losing track of the aircraft before witnesses saw it crash 100 yards into a field near the intersection.

Williamson said a neighbor heard a plane and saw it doing loops in the air, then heard a thud. There was no evidence of a distress call, he said.

“The nose cone and propeller are completely buried in the dirt,” Williamson.

The local chapter of the American Red Cross has responded to the site to assist the approximately 30 firefighters and other authorities on the scene.

http://www.sj-r.com/video/flash/lb-playerbox.asp?ID=178
Here’s video from our local newspaper. I know that if you’re not in the aviation scene, these things may not be obvious, but our sherriff said, regarding the witness seeing the aircraft do loops…(I’m paraphrasing) it is not known whether it was out of control or performing stunts. WX was 500OVC and 2 1/2 (going off memory from looking). Again, I know that the public just doesn’t know about these things, but to me that’s like saying, we don’t know if the truck driver was popping wheelies when he hit the bridge. I dunno,
RIP to those aboard, I know I’ve seen these guys around the aerodrome. As if there’s any that are better, but what a horrible time for this to happen.

http://www.sj-r.com/extras/galleries/gallerybox.asp?gallery=932
Looking at this photo gallery, there’s some real irony. The brown building in the background is the hangar of a Restricted landing area of a mechanic who does annuals and MX including a paint shop. He is right under the ILS of 4.


** Report created 12/21/2007 Record 1 **


IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 17784 Make/Model: BE35 Description: 35 Bonanza
Date: 12/20/2007 Time: 2117

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

LOCATION
City: SPRINGFIELD State: IL Country: US

DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT ON APPROACH, CRASHED IN A FIELD, THE THREE PERSONS ON BOARD WERE
FATALLY INJURED, 9 MILES FROM SPRINGFIELD, IL

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

WEATHER: 2052Z 1308 2 1/2BR 7OVC A2383

OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Approach Operation: OTHER

FAA FSDO: SPRINGFIELD, IL (GL19) Entry date: 12/21/2007

Crash victims ID’d as ministers, church volunteer

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The three victims of a plane crash near Springfield have been identified as two ministers and a charity volunteer.

Sangamon County Coroner Susan Boone said one victim of Thursday’s crash was the Rev. Rick Hohimer, 55. He lived in Springfield and was pastor at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Chandlerville, about 30 miles away.

Another was the Rev. John Crabtree, 57. He was affiliated with Springfield’s Calvary Temple Christian Center and the fledgling New Creation Ministry that helped churches build and organize.

The third victim was Ray Wright, 71, the former owner of a sand and gravel business and a member of the Contact Ministries board of directors. The organization provides assistance to low-income families and runs a shelter.

Wright, who lived near Springfield, owned and was flying the single-engine, four-seat Beechcraft V35B Bonanza, according to authorities.

“These men are greatly loved by our church, greatly respected. It’s going to be a real time of mourning. We love these guys, and we are really going to miss them,” said Calvary’s senior pastor, the Rev. Mark Johnson.

The three had been on a trip to Cincinnati. Their small plane crashed in a field a few miles southwest of Springfield Thursday afternoon.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it could be months before an investigation into the cause of the crash is complete.

A service of the Associated Press(AP)