Pilot Killed After Parachute Apparently Failed

They were headed from Arizona to Canada in three A-4 Skyhawks. Once in The Great White North, they were to train Canadian flight crews on behalf of Advanced Training Systems International (ATSI). Suddenly, over Utah's Salt Lake, one of the pilots, 42-year old Philip "Steve" Kenny, declared an emergency. His A-4 suffered an apparent engine failure. Kenny ejected from the A-4 seconds later, according to his wingmen. Unfortunately, his parachute failed to deploy.

The aircraft impacted the water near Salt Lake's Antelope Island, according to officials at Hill AFB (UT). The flight of three was to have landed at Hill for refueling before continuing from ATSI's Arizona facility to Canada. The A-4 itself is still underwater. NTSB and FAA investigators are beginning their work now.

Kenny: USNA Grad, Delta Pilot

Kenny, who lived in Atlanta, was a 777 first officer for Delta. He graduated 25th in his class at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis in 1982, then spent seven years flying for the Navy. Kenny was working part-time for ATSI. Family members said he was not married, but instead, very devoted to his eight nieces and nephews. As for ATSI, this was the government contractor's first ever fatal accident.

FAA Preliminary Accident Report

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 263WL    Make/Model: A4   Description: A-4, OA-4, TA-4 SKYHAWK
  Date: 05/10/2003     Time: 1813
  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: SALT LAKE CITY   State: UT   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  ACFT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE, PILOT ADVISED HE WAS EJECTING, ACFT CRASHED INTO SALT LAKE 5 MILES WEST OF ANTELOPE ISLAND, ONE PERSON ON BOARD SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES, SALT LAKE CITY, UT

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

WEATHER: SPECI KSLC 101811Z 12007KT 10SM FEW012 BKN034 BKN055 07/05 A3008

OTHER DATA
Activity: Business      Phase: Unknown      Operation: Other
Departed: MESA, AZ    Dep Date:    Dep. Time:
Destination: OGDEN, UT   Flt Plan: IFR          Wx Briefing: U
Last Radio Cont: 1813 TCH 270/14  Last Clearance: CLRD DIRECT HIF
FAA FSDO: SALT LAKE CITY, UT  (NM07)    Entry date: 05/12/2003

FMI: www.atsifightertraining.com