Cessna 414 Down, Three Of Four On Board Killed

A Cessna 414 from Tampa (FL) went down in Tennessee Thursday, killing three people and severely injuring a fourth. Among the dead is David Jochman, an award-winning pilot described as a pilot with a passion for flying.

The aircraft was flying into Greeneville-Greene County Municipal Airport Thursday when someone on board called to the ground, according to Greene County Emergency Management Director Bill Brown. "Emergency. Ice. Engine. That's all they heard," Brown said.

The victims were identified as John Saunders, 40, of Tampa; Jochman, 49, of New Port Richey; Laura Jones, 44, of Tampa; and Hani Boutros, 27, of Brandon. Saunders father, John Sr., was reportedly thrown from the aircraft, but survived. He was airlifted to a hospital in Johnson City. He was reported in stable condition.

The Cessna 414, built in 1972, was on a flight from Columbus (OH) when it went down about two miles short of the Greeneville-Green County airport. It impacted the ground at approximately 11:00 am local time. It sheered the tops off 100-foot tall trees and crashed in a wooded area, igniting a fire that burned briefly before emergency workers arrived on the scene.

Jochman (above, left) was a celebrated pilot, designated the FAA's Southern Region Pilot of the Year. He was also Director of Aviation for a humanitarian organization called "Healing the Children" and was active in the Angel Flight Network, having flown blood to New York City in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

The NTSB is investigating.

FAA Preliminary Report

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 1592T        Make/Model: C414      Description: 414, Chancellor
  Date: 12/11/2003     Time: 1552

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

LOCATION
  City: GREENEVILLE                 State: TN   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT REPORTED AN ENGINE PROBLEM AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, AND CRASHED
  WHILE DOWNWIND TO GREENEVILLE, FIVE PERSONS ON BOARD, FOUR WERE FATALLY
  INJURED AND ONE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, GREENEVILLE, TN

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   4
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:    4     Fat:   3     Ser:   1     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:           Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: TRI 14552 25012 10SM OVC019 01/M03 A2993                                   
                                                                                    
                                                        

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: General Aviation

  Departed: COLUMBUS, OH                Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination: GREENEVILLE, TN          Flt Plan: IFR          Wx Briefing: U
  Last Radio Cont: 6 NM SW DYQ NDB CLRD LDC APCH AT GCY
  Last Clearance: CHANGE TO ADVSY FREQ ADVS CANCELATION OF THIS FREQ

  FAA FSDO: NASHVILLE, TN  (SO03)                 Entry date: 12/12/2003

FMI: www.ntsb.gov