The White Falcon - 10.08.1990, Side 11

J
ivilian aircraft makes emergency landing
JOl(AW) Jodelle Blankenship
A twin engine turboprop civilian aircraft
lost engine power and attempted an emer-
gency landing Sunday night prompting a quick
response from the Naval Air Station Fire De-
partment. The pilot tried to land on the ap-
proach road to Leifur Eriksson Terminal and
the plane hit the road and landed in the rocky
teiTain area between the approach road and the
base fence, approximately 500 meters from
the end of Runway 29.
“They are both
very lucky to be alive”
The pilot of the aircraft was William Evans,
age 65, from Denver, Colo. He is a British
Subject, but is now a resident alien in the
United States. He sustained multiple lacera-
tions and bruises and was treated at the U. S.
Naval Hospital.
The co-pilot was Yves Fotsch, age 29, from
Wake Forest, N. C. Fotsch is a citizen of S wit-
id, but now resides in the United States,
valked away from the mishap without

The time of the mishap as logged at Air
Forces Iceland Operations Control Center at
9:56 p.m. The pilot and co-pilot were ferrying
the aircraft from Denver, Colo, to London,
England via Canada and Iceland. Their stop-
over and refueling location in Iceland was
originally intended for Reykjavik Airport.
According to the pilot, as the aircraft ap-
proached Iceland there were unclear and faulty
readings from the aircraft’s fuel gauges. Rather
than risking more time in the air with an
unknown malfunction, the pilot decided to
land at Keflavik Airport.
During their approach to Runway 29 at
Keflavik, the aircraft’s engines began to lose
A 1967 Rockwell International Aero Commander 680V, twin engine turboprop civilian aircraft
made an emergency landing outside the Agreed Area perimeter fence Sunday evening after
attempting to land on Runway 29. The Naval Air Station Fire Department, the Surdames Region
Fire Department and the Keflavik Airport Police responded. The pilot sustained minor injuries
and the co-pilot walked away from the mishap unscathed. (Photo by JOl(AW) Jodelle
Blankenship)
power. The pilot then attempted to land on the
approach road to the tenminal, outside the
Agreed Area perimeter fence.
The immediate, on-scene rescue organiza-
tion was the U.S. Naval Air Station Fire
Department, followed by the Surdames Re-
gion Fire Department.
“They are both very lucky to be alive,”
Haraldur Stefinsson, NAS Fire Chief said
upon arriving on the scene of the accident.
The Keflavik Airport Police ultimately be-
came responsible for security at the crash site.
The investigating authority for the mishap is
the Icelandic Civil Aviation Administration
(CAA).
The exact cause of the mishap is under
investigation.
The damaged aircraft was removed from
the mishap site by NAS Fire Department and
is located on the base pending disposal in-
structions from the aircraft owner’s insurance
company and the Icelandic CAA.
NATO Base
p
Residents of the NATO Base will be without hot water for a 27
hour period next week. A geothermal hot water outage for the entire
base, which will affect ALL buildings, will be from 1 a.m. Thursday
through 4 a.m. Friday. Cold water service during this time will be
uninterrupted.
According to Lt.Cmdr. Kevin Mikula, assistant public works
freer, “There will be some inconvenience but the outage is
pessary. Valves in the main water system must be replaced.”
The Sudumes Regional heating Corporation which services the
geothermal plant that supplies the base with hot water will conduct
the work. They will replace 13 valves and perform other associated
maintenance work at 11 base locations. The Public Works Depart-
ment will assist by providing access to the water lines and by
cleaning strainers.
Lt. Cmdr. Mikula further explained, ’Twenty-seven hours are
needed to allow for a six hour draining of the hot water system before
the needed work can begin. After the work is completed another five
to six hours are needed to refill the system before consumer use.”
He suggested that residents shower before bedtime on Wednes-
before Thursday.
However, during the outage laundry can be done in cold water.
Some facilities, such as the hospital, have boilers to handle their
needs.
If you have any hot water problems after this scheduled outage
call the Public Works trouble desk at 4100.
August 10,1990
3