Jessica is Executive Editor of Business & Commercial Aviation magazine. She started as Editor of ShowNews Online, Aviation Week's on-site trade show daily published at the Paris Air Show, NBAA Annual Convention, Singapore Air Show and at other significant aerospace gatherings.
Jessica has worked in television production and management consulting. While not yet a licensed pilot, Ms. Salerno has received flight instruction and has soloed.
At 1439 PDT, a Cessna 172N (N75558) was substantially damaged when it hit trees while flying near McMurray, Wash. The commercial pilot and her two passengers were killed. The airplane was registered to Crest Airpark Inc., Kent, Wash., and operated by the pilot. It was VFR and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The cross-country flight originated from the Roche Harbor Airport (WA09), Roche Harbor, Wash., at about 1402 with an intended destination of Auburn, Wash.
At approximately 5:00 p.m. local time, in Gapyeong, Republic of Korea, a Korean-registered Sikorsky S-92A helicopter (HL9292), serial number 920020, operated by Times Aerospace, collided with trees and other ground obstacles while attempting a landing on a nearby helipad. The helicopter was consumed by a post-crash fire. Of the 16 persons on board, two persons suffered serious injuries and 14 suffered minor injuries.
In Rosharon, Texas, the pilot of a Robinson R22 was maneuvering the helicopter at a low altitude over a rice field when the tail rotor "dipped into the rice, causing it to fail." As a result, he lost control of the helicopter and it impacted the ground hard on the skids causing the main rotor blade to flex down and sever the tail boom. When asked how this accident could have been prevented, the pilot said, "There is very little margin for error and no time to correct with the ground so close.
