FAA: Mechanical issue at fault in emergency landing

May 12, 2022 | Intercom, Student News

TRAVERSE CITY — Initial fact-finding by the Federal Aviation Administration has determined that a mechanical issue with an NMC plane forced an aviation student and flight instructor to make an emergency landing at the Grand Traverse County Civic Center on Tuesday, May 10.

No one was injured in the incident, which occurred shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday. The student and flight instructor were on a routine training flight aboard an NMC-owned 2010 Cessna 172 Skyhawk from Traverse City to Pellston, then to Gaylord and back to Traverse City. Weather, fuel and all other conditions were normal and the plane was cleared for landing by air traffic control at Traverse City Cherry Capital Airport about 10 miles out.

Upon the final approach the flight instructor noticed a loss of RPM and immediately took control of the aircraft. The aircraft engine started to choke and lose power. During this time, the flight instructor went through the emergency checklist, alerted the control tower and looked for the safest place to make an emergency landing.

The instructor located an open field at the Grand Traverse County Civic Center and flew the aircraft away from the people. The instructor landed the aircraft about 250 feet from a baseball backstop fence, which absorbed the energy from the landing. The airbags deployed and the seat belts restrained the pilot and student, neither of whom experienced significant injury. The aircraft did not bounce, but the impact did damage the right side of the plane. Two bystanders helped the student and instructor from the aircraft. No one on the ground was injured. All of this took place in a matter of seconds.

As is routine, the Federal Aviation Administration arrived at the scene Wednesday morning for fact finding. Investigators determined quickly that the incident was NOT caused by pilot error but a single, anomalous mechanical issue. The FAA has wrapped up its fact finding, but the full investigation may take several weeks to complete. The FAA believes the pilot did everything right and made the best choice possible.

The FAA will continue looking for the exact cause. Once determined, the FAA will turn over the report to the National Transportation Safety Board for analysis. That report could take more than a year. Damage to the aircraft and all related expenses will be covered by insurance.

NMC performs regular maintenance on its aircraft. This particular plane did receive maintenance last week and was signed off to fly. It had flown approximately 3 hours without incident since it was released from maintenance. Following a voluntary safety stand down, the rest of the NMC fleet was cleared for flying at 11 a.m. Thursday.

NMC plans additional safety training with students and flight instructors, as well as offering counseling for anyone who wants it. Both the flight instructor and the student are taking some time to recover from this harrowing experience. The flight instructor was also on the side of the plane that received the most damage and is sore. NMC is respecting their request to have their identities remain private.

“Because of the pilot’s quick thinking and solid training, we are so grateful that no one was injured,” said NMC Director of Aviation Alex Bloye. “The No. 1 thing we teach our aviation students is to fly the airplane. That’s exactly what our pilot did here. The flight instructor was able to keep control of the aircraft and respond to the situation, not just react.”

NMC would like to thank the incredibly quick response from air traffic control at Cherry Capital Airport, Traverse City Police Department and Grand Traverse Metro Fire Department and all first responders for their assistance, as well as the bystanders on the scene who helped the student and flight instructor.

Release date: MAY 12, 2022

For More Information:

Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019

FAA: Mechanical issue at fault in emergency landing

May 12, 2022 | Intercom, Student News

TRAVERSE CITY — Initial fact-finding by the Federal Aviation Administration has determined that a mechanical issue with an NMC plane forced an aviation student and flight instructor to make an emergency landing at the Grand Traverse County Civic Center on Tuesday, May 10.

No one was injured in the incident, which occurred shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday. The student and flight instructor were on a routine training flight aboard an NMC-owned 2010 Cessna 172 Skyhawk from Traverse City to Pellston, then to Gaylord and back to Traverse City. Weather, fuel and all other conditions were normal and the plane was cleared for landing by air traffic control at Traverse City Cherry Capital Airport about 10 miles out.

Upon the final approach the flight instructor noticed a loss of RPM and immediately took control of the aircraft. The aircraft engine started to choke and lose power. During this time, the flight instructor went through the emergency checklist, alerted the control tower and looked for the safest place to make an emergency landing.

The instructor located an open field at the Grand Traverse County Civic Center and flew the aircraft away from the people. The instructor landed the aircraft about 250 feet from a baseball backstop fence, which absorbed the energy from the landing. The airbags deployed and the seat belts restrained the pilot and student, neither of whom experienced significant injury. The aircraft did not bounce, but the impact did damage the right side of the plane. Two bystanders helped the student and instructor from the aircraft. No one on the ground was injured. All of this took place in a matter of seconds.

As is routine, the Federal Aviation Administration arrived at the scene Wednesday morning for fact finding. Investigators determined quickly that the incident was NOT caused by pilot error but a single, anomalous mechanical issue. The FAA has wrapped up its fact finding, but the full investigation may take several weeks to complete. The FAA believes the pilot did everything right and made the best choice possible.

The FAA will continue looking for the exact cause. Once determined, the FAA will turn over the report to the National Transportation Safety Board for analysis. That report could take more than a year. Damage to the aircraft and all related expenses will be covered by insurance.

NMC performs regular maintenance on its aircraft. This particular plane did receive maintenance last week and was signed off to fly. It had flown approximately 3 hours without incident since it was released from maintenance. Following a voluntary safety stand down, the rest of the NMC fleet was cleared for flying at 11 a.m. Thursday.

NMC plans additional safety training with students and flight instructors, as well as offering counseling for anyone who wants it. Both the flight instructor and the student are taking some time to recover from this harrowing experience. The flight instructor was also on the side of the plane that received the most damage and is sore. NMC is respecting their request to have their identities remain private.

“Because of the pilot’s quick thinking and solid training, we are so grateful that no one was injured,” said NMC Director of Aviation Alex Bloye. “The No. 1 thing we teach our aviation students is to fly the airplane. That’s exactly what our pilot did here. The flight instructor was able to keep control of the aircraft and respond to the situation, not just react.”

NMC would like to thank the incredibly quick response from air traffic control at Cherry Capital Airport, Traverse City Police Department and Grand Traverse Metro Fire Department and all first responders for their assistance, as well as the bystanders on the scene who helped the student and flight instructor.

Release date: MAY 12, 2022

For More Information:

Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019

West Hall is now the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center

May 12, 2022 | Intercom, Student News

As announced last summer, West Hall is now the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center. As a reminder, the building abbreviation has changed from WH to IC, and will appear that way in class schedules and on campus maps.

Success Story: Study abroad returns

May 11, 2022 | Intercom, Student News

May 11, 2022

NMC resumes its place as a leader in short-term study abroad experiences, with 50 students from multiple academic areas traveling to the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Colombia this spring.

NMC study abroad students in Parma, ItalyNMC students haven’t studied abroad since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and many colleges are still hesitant to travel, said Jim Bensley, director of International Services and Service Learning.

“We are on the leading edge,” said Bensley, who will co-lead a group of 16 humanities students bound for Paris and Normandy, France next month. It’ll be his eighth destination with NMC and second time in Europe. “I am itching to get on that plane and get my feet on the ground in France,” he said.

Study abroad trips are one form of experiential learning and required for the global endorsement credential NMC began offering eight years ago. Bensley said that global experiences add another dimension to classroom education.

“They feel like they are a better student and much more prepared for the job market,” he said of past global endorsement recipients.

NMC study abroad students en route to South Africa from LondonNMC also offers up to $1,000 Global Opportunities scholarships to defray the cost of the study abroad experiences.

Three of the four 2022 destinations are new for NMC. This week,13 nursing students departed for the UK, a previous destination for aviation students, and 15 culinary students set off for Spain. Six Water Studies students will be in Bogota, Colombia from June 1–12. That trip is the first half of an exchange created by a grant NMC submitted with the Universidad de La Salle, “Bridging Waterways across the Americas.” The Colombian students will come to Traverse City June 14–25.

A fifth global experience is also slated for this summer. NMC student Edward Goloson has been selected by the French Embassy to participate in its community college summer bootcamp. Goloson will spend two weeks in Grenoble, France with an environmental science program, Mountains in a Changing World.

Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month at the NMC Library

May 5, 2022 | Intercom, Student News

In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, the NMC library has compiled a list of books, films and podcasts for you to enjoy throughout the month of May.

(more…)

New books at the NMC Library — May 2022

May 2, 2022 | Intercom, Student News

The library has recently purchased many new books. You can view a handful of them here along with descriptions or go to the library catalog to see the full listing.

(more…)

Success Story: Skilled trades to transfer, grads showcase NMC’s breadth

Apr 27, 2022 | Intercom, Student News

April 27, 2022

Commencement 2022 means a quadruple celebration for the Myers-Rockwood family, whose four NMC graduates also illustrate the breadth of learning opportunities at the college.

Bridget Bernhard, David Myers and Olivia RockwoodOn May 7, the blended Traverse City clan will celebrate the graduations of brothers David and Jack Myers, stepsister Olivia Rockwood, and David Myers’ fiancee, Bridget Bernhard. All four arrived at NMC via different routes, studied vastly different subjects and have distinctly different future plans. Yet the college was able to serve them all. 

“I really enjoyed it with the vast amount of curriculum I could take,” said Olivia Rockwood, 21, who enrolled in everything from anthropology to life drawing. She enrolled at NMC in the fall of 2020 to “reassess” after a year at Michigan Technological University, which wasn’t a good fit. Armed with her associate degree, this fall Rockwood will transfer to the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in product design.

Stepbrother David Myers, 26, started at NMC in 2013 as a dual-enrolled high school student. Now finishing “my 10-year, two-year degree,” he said being able to attend at his own pace was important to his persistence. 

“I’ve had a lot of great classes. (But) I don’t think I’ve ever had a full-time semester,” said Myers. His next big step is marrying Bernhard in July.

Bernhard, 28, is earning two associate degrees, one of which is in electrical renewable energy. She chose the field after taking time following her 2012 Traverse City West High School graduation to travel in the developing world. At NMC, Bernhard especially appreciated the female instructors she had in the typical male world of skilled trades. She completed an apprenticeship and is considering either pursuing a journeyman electrician’s license or transferring for a four-year degree after her wedding to David Myers.

Youngest sibling Jack Myers, 19, studied computer science and will transfer to a four-year school next year.

Parents Bill Myers and Kris Rockwood have NMC connections, too. Myers is a former NMC trustee and Rockwood, the owner of Press On Juice, has employed NMC culinary graduates.

More than 600 graduates will earn degrees and certificates from NMC in 2022. In-person commencement ceremonies will be held Saturday, May 7 in Milliken Auditorium at the Dennos Museum Center.

Ross Childs, Ann Rogers named NMC Fellows

Apr 25, 2022 | Intercom, Student News

TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College’s highest honor, the NMC Fellow award, has been bestowed for 2022 on former trustee K. Ross Childs and longtime college supporter Ann Rogers.

Ross Childs (download a high-resolution version here)The two Traverse City residents each have supported the college for decades. Childs (right) served as a member of the NMC Foundation Board from 1990–1999 and as an elected member of the Board of Trustees from 2001-2020. He bookended those two decades by serving on the search committees that led to the selections of both immediate past NMC president Tim Nelson and current president Nick Nissley.

Childs epitomizes NMC values including integrity, collaboration, respect, stewardship and excellence. During his trustee service, which included two years as board chair, NMC continued to grow and flourish. Childs and his late wife, Helen, have also supported NMC philanthropically for 35 years.

Ann Rogers’ support and advocacy for NMC spans more than six decades and three generations of family. Her late husband, science instructor and 1985 Fellow Joe Rogers, spearheaded the construction of the Rogers Observatory, and she created a science scholarship as a birthday gift to him. She went on to create four scholarships, the most recent being in support of students who are active in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work at the college.

Ann Rogers (download a high-resolution version here)Environmental advocacy is Rogers’ (right) other passion. She is a longtime member of the Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council, and can frequently be found walking across campus, taking stock of the native plants and trees she helped to plant, including clones of champion trees propagated by NMC’s 2020 Outstanding Alumnus David Milarch. Rogers is the mother of two former NMC students, and grandmother to three.

The Fellow is Northwestern Michigan College’s highest honor, awarded since 1964. Fellows may be nominated because they have demonstrated influential networking on behalf of the College, have demonstrated a pattern of outstanding financial or personal time contributions to NMC, or as a retiree of the College continue to contribute back to their academic or professional fields as volunteers, mentors or advisors. Exceptional contributions in one or more of these areas may justify nomination

See a list of past recipients.

Release date: April 25, 2022

For more information:

Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019

Ross Childs, Ann Rogers named NMC Fellows

Apr 25, 2022 | Intercom, Student News

TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College’s highest honor, the NMC Fellow award, has been bestowed for 2022 on former trustee K. Ross Childs and longtime college supporter Ann Rogers.

Ross Childs (download a high-resolution version here)The two Traverse City residents each have supported the college for decades. Childs (right) served as a member of the NMC Foundation Board from 1990–1999 and as an elected member of the Board of Trustees from 2001-2020. He bookended those two decades by serving on the search committees that led to the selections of both immediate past NMC president Tim Nelson and current president Nick Nissley.

Childs epitomizes NMC values including integrity, collaboration, respect, stewardship and excellence. During his trustee service, which included two years as board chair, NMC continued to grow and flourish. Childs and his late wife, Helen, have also supported NMC philanthropically for 35 years.

Ann Rogers’ support and advocacy for NMC spans more than six decades and three generations of family. Her late husband, science instructor and 1985 Fellow Joe Rogers, spearheaded the construction of the Rogers Observatory, and she created a science scholarship as a birthday gift to him. She went on to create four scholarships, the most recent being in support of students who are active in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work at the college.

Ann Rogers (download a high-resolution version here)Environmental advocacy is Rogers’ (right) other passion. She is a longtime member of the Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council, and can frequently be found walking across campus, taking stock of the native plants and trees she helped to plant, including clones of champion trees propagated by NMC’s 2020 Outstanding Alumnus David Milarch. Rogers is the mother of two former NMC students, and grandmother to three.

The Fellow is Northwestern Michigan College’s highest honor, awarded since 1964. Fellows may be nominated because they have demonstrated influential networking on behalf of the College, have demonstrated a pattern of outstanding financial or personal time contributions to NMC, or as a retiree of the College continue to contribute back to their academic or professional fields as volunteers, mentors or advisors. Exceptional contributions in one or more of these areas may justify nomination

See a list of past recipients.

Release date: April 25, 2022

For more information:

Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019

First Annual NMC ELI Learning Symposium

Apr 22, 2022 | Intercom, Student News

The First Annual NMC ELI Learning Symposium is set to occur from May 2—May 5 and will feature a variety of student and faculty artifacts, experiences and scholarship, including oral and poster presentations on research and community engagement projects, external programs, academic courses, service learning experiences, internships or community partnerships. The symposium will exhibit the diverse ways NMC students and faculty engage in high-impact teaching and learning.

Click here to learn more and see the full list of programming.