November 2000
Aug. 31, Des Moines, Iowa / Piper Dakota
Subscribers Only At 14:00 central time, a Piper PA-28-236 experienced a left main gear brake fire while taxiing for takeoff at Des Moines International Airport. The pilot was not injured. The pilot apparently taxied with the parking brake set....
Aug. 29, Laton, Calif. / Cessna 150
Subscribers Only At 17:22 Pacific time, a Cessna 150L crashed while maneuvering near Laton, killing both occupants. Witnesses said the pilot frequently flew over their home at low altitude. He would orbit and converse with them. On this occasion, the airplane was orbiting at about 300 feet when the pilot opened his side window and said, “Hello.” One of the ground witnesses invited him to come visit after his flight and he responded, “We will.” The airplane continued the left turn, momentarily leveled out, then banked left and began to turn left again. The bank angle continued to rapidly increase until the witnesses could see the tops of the wings. The nose dropped and the airplane crashed....
Aug. 29, Jonestown, Pa. / Mooney M20F
Subscribers Only At 15:54 eastern time, a Mooney M20F struck a power line and crashed during an aborted landing at Dee Jay Airport. The pilot was killed. Dee Jay Airport is a private 1,800-foot sod strip oriented 09/27, with trees at the east end, and trees, houses and power lines at the west end. Traffic that landed to the west faced an uphill runway with a slight dogleg to the left. The pilot’s logs showed he had flown 11.8 hours in the previous eight months, with his previous flight more than three months before the accident flight. Witnesses reported the airplane flying slowly as it passed the departure end of the runway, striking the power lines and plunging to the ground. The pilot was delivering the a...
Aug. 27, Westminster, Calif. / Pitts S1S and Cessna 172RG
Subscribers Only At about 18:50 Pacific time, a Pitts S1S collided in-flight with a Cessna 172RG near Westminster. The aircraft were maneuvering during a formation flight when the collision occurred. Both airplanes made successful landings at Fullerton, Calif., and neither pilot was injured. The pilots said they were flying each other’s airplane at about 1,400 feet. As the Pitts maneuvered from behind to in front of the Cessna, the Cessna’s propeller contacted its vertical stabilizer and rudder....
Aug. 26, Daytona Beach Shores, Fla. / Ryan Navion
Subscribers Only At about 08:40 eastern time, a Ryan Navion A suffered an engine failure and ditched in the Atlantic Ocean near Daytona Beach Shores. The three occupants reported minor injuries. The pilot said they were flying from Spruce Creek to St. Augustine at 1,000 feet when the engine quit. He ditched about 150 yards from shore. The aircraft remained afloat for two to three minutes and all occupants were able to exit before the airplane sank in 11 feet of water....
Aug. 25, Mayville, N.Y. / Cessna 206
Subscribers Only At 06:20 eastern time, a Cessna 206H suffered an in-flight fire and crashed in a field in Mayville. The pilot was seriously injured. The pilot reported he was in cruise flight when an explosion occurred in the engine compartment. Flames immediately emanated from both sides of the engine, and smoke filled the cockpit. The pilot maneuvered the airplane toward some open fields, but had difficulty breathing and seeing outside the cockpit. He attempted to land in a clear area but clipped trees during the approach. The airplane was manufactured in May 1999 and had flown about 350 hours....
Aug. 24, Corsicana, Texas / Mitsubishi MU-2
Subscribers Only At 02:15 central time, a Mitsubishi MU-2B-35 lost a right propeller blade while in cruise flight near Corsicana. Neither occupant was injured. The Part 135 cargo flight was at 11,000 feet, when the pilot heard a loud bang and felt the airplane vibrate. According to the operator’s chief mechanic, the vibration buckled the right engine firewall and twisted the right wing....
Aug. 19, Collinsville, Okla. / Cessna 150
Subscribers Only At 15:09 central time, a Cessna 150 crashed in an uncontrolled descent following takeoff from the south runway at the Sky Haven Airpark, a private grass airstrip near Collinsville. The pilot was killed. A witness said two Cessna 150s taxied to the north end of the airstrip. The accident airplane was number one for departure. As the airplane climbed through 50 feet the pilot banked 35-40 degrees to the left and climbed to about 200 feet. Then he made a 45-degree banked turn to the left and wagged his wings in very steep banks. He then made another 45-degree banked turn and continued wagging his wings. During the recovery from the last wag, the airplane apparently stalled and made a one-turn s...
Aug. 18, Kennebunkport, Maine / Piper Saratoga
Subscribers Only At approximately 15:30 eastern time, a Piper PA-32R-301 was ditched in the Atlantic Ocean after an engine failure. The pilot and one passenger suffered minor injuries, a second passenger suffered serious injuries, and two passengers were killed. The pilot said the airplane was in cruise flight at 9,000 feet with the autopilot engaged, when he heard a loud report from the engine compartment and the windshield became covered with oil. The nearest airport was Biddeford, 19.4 miles away. The engine continued to produce some power and the airplane was descending at 500 fpm. The pilot distributed life vests and gave instructions on inflation. As the airplane approached the water, the pilot said he...
Aug. 18, Austell, Ga. / Beech Duke
Subscribers Only At 22:44 eastern time, a Beech B60 crashed during an attempted forced landing at the Fulton County Airport, killing the pilot. The flight had departed Houston about 3:15 before the accident. Reportedly, the pilot had flown to Houston earlier in the week and had experienced engine problems. The airplane was taken to a local repair facility. After several days, the pilot topped the airplane’s fuel tanks and departed for Atlanta. Approximately three hours into the flight, the pilot reported that he had about 30 minutes of fuel remaining. The pilot was advised of enroute airports where he could refuel, but the pilot elected to continue the flight to the destination airport. While on final approa...
Aug. 17, Pensacola, Fla. / Lake Buccaneer
Subscribers Only At about 17:45 central time, a Lake LA-4 seaplane crashed during a touch-and-go landing on the Perdido River near Pensacola. The CFI and the pilot receiving instruction were seriously injured. The pilot said he and the CFI had been conducting takeoffs and landings from the Perdido River in preparation for his seaplane rating. On the last touchdown, the seaplane bounced and he was recovering when the airplane got too close to a spoil island in the river. The CFI took control and started a left turn to avoid a collision but the right wing struck a tree....
Aug. 15, Holland, Mich. / Beech Bonanza
Subscribers Only At 23:15 eastern time, a Beech K35 was damaged during a precautionary landing at the Tulip City Airport, but the pilot was uninjured. The pilot reported that, while in flight, he found that the throttle control would only operate between ¾ throttle and full throttle, so he elected to land. He was at a point where he thought he could land, so he shut off the engine and attempted to glide to the airport. The airplane struck the ground about 300 feet short of the runway. An examination of the airplane found that the bolt that attaches the clamp for the throttle cable housing in the engine compartment was loose, limiting the movement of the throttle....
Aug. 15, Deerpark, La. / Air Tractor AT-502 and Schweizer G-164B
Subscribers Only At 13:30 central time, an Air Tractor AT-502 and a Schweizer G-164B, both agricultural airplanes, collided in flight while landing at a private airstrip near Deerpark. The Air Tractor pilot suffered minor injuries and the Schweizer pilot was not injured. The Air Tractor was on a straight-in approach for landing north at the private airstrip and the Schweizer was inbound from the west for a north landing. The Schweizer’s propeller struck the top of the Air Tractor’s fuselage, aft of the cockpit when they were about 60 feet agl. Both airplanes struck the ground together about a quarter-mile short of the runway....
Aug. 15, Lumber City, Ga. / Piper Navajo
Subscribers Only At 08:30 eastern time, a Piper PA-31-350 crashed while making an instrument approach to the Hazelhurst Airport, killing all three aboard. The flight had been cleared for an NDB or GPS runway 14 approach, which had minimums of 800 feet and one mile visibility. Witnesses said the ground level visibility was about 300 feet in fog. Radar data showed the airplane descending below 200 feet. The airplane struck 80-foot tall trees and crashed into a farmer’s field....
Aug. 14, Addison, Texas / Cessna Turbo Centurion
Subscribers Only At 10:04 central time, a Cessna T210L was damaged during landing at Addison Airport. The pilot was not injured. While on a 1.5 mile final for runway 15, the pilot reported to Addison tower that he had an electrical fire with smoke in the cockpit and declared an emergency. Prior to landing, the tower advised the pilot that the airplane’s landing gear was extended but not fully down. The pilot landed the airplane and it came to a stop on its belly on the east side of the runway. Examination of the cockpit revealed that the fire originated in a wire bundle under the instrument panel on the copilot’s side....
Aug. 14, Ironwood, Mich. / North American Sabreliner
Subscribers Only At 18:22 central time, a North American NA-265-80 crashed in a densely wooded area about 3.5 nautical miles northeast of the Gogebic-Iron County Airport. The two pilots were killed and two passengers were seriously injured. The airplane was cruising at FL 320 when the pilot called “Mayday,” saying the jet had been hit by lightning and had lost power to both engines. Shortly afterward, the pilot reported a loss of navigational instruments. A convective sigmet had been issued for possible severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, hail to 2 inches and wind gusts to 70 knots....
Aug. 14, Newberry Springs, Calif. / Beech Bonanza
Subscribers Only At about 12:52 Pacific time, a Beech K35 suffered an engine failure in cruise and attempted a forced landing on Interstate 40 near Newberry Springs. The airplane struck three cars, killing the pilot and injuring two occupants of one of the cars, one of them seriously. Examination of the wreckage showed an apparent catastrophic engine failure, with oil on the windshield, belly, empennage and back of the propeller blades....
Aug. 12, Carlsbad, Calif. / Cessna 150
Subscribers Only At about 11:30 Pacific time, a Cessna 150 ditched in the Pacific ocean about 20 miles south west of Carlsbad following a loss of engine power. The pilot suffered minor injuries. The flight originated from San Diego about a half hour earlier and was en route to a fish-spotting mission offshore. The pilot said the engine rpms began a slow decay when he was about 40 miles offshore, accompanied by a loss of oil pressure and an increase in oil temperature. The pilot reversed course and headed toward Carlsbad, the closest airport. About 20 miles out the engine lost all power and the pilot ditched the airplane. A passing fishing boat picked up the pilot....
Aug. 11, Albuquerque, N.M. / Cessna 150 and Stinson AT-19
Subscribers Only At approximately 10:00 mountain time, a Cessna 150H and a Stinson AT-19 collided on final approach to Coronado Airport. The pilot of the Cessna received minor injuries and the pilot of the Stinson was seriously injured. Witnesses said both airplanes were on final, with the Stinson lower, when the Cessna descended on top of it....
Aug. 10, Somerset, Pa. / Aero Commander 114-B
Subscribers Only At 14:50 eastern time, an Aero Commander 114-B lost power while on approach to runway 24 at the Somerset County Airport and was damaged during a forced landing to a field. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The pilot’s son said the aircraft was on a five-mile final on the Localizer 24 approach when the pilot changed the fuel selector valve from the right tank to both, at which point the engine began to sputter. On approximately one mile final, the engine shut off completely. Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel system was intact, and approximately one quart of light blue fuel was drained from the airplane....
Aug. 10, Avalon, Calif. / Piper Arrow
Subscribers Only At 12:30 Pacific time, a Piper PA-28R-200 landed short of the approach end of runway 22 at the Catalina Island Airport, shearing off the right main gear and damaging the right wing. The three occupants were not injured. Steeply downsloping terrain surrounds the airport on three sides and the terrain at the approach end of runway 22 is very precipitous down to the ocean below. The pilot said the airplane was caught in a downdraft as he came over the cliff edge for landing. The airplane landed hard approximately 20 feet short of the approach end of the runway....
Aug. 10, Klamath Falls, Ore. / Lancair 235
Subscribers Only At about 16:20 Pacific time, a Lancair 235 lost power and was damaged when it made a forced landing to a highway, or so the pilot thought. The aircraft landed on top of a flatbed tractor trailer combination that was traveling southbound on Interstate 97. The aircraft came to rest on the forward most section of the trailer, against the tractor. Neither the pilot nor the driver of the truck was injured....
Aug. 9, Bridgewater, Mass. / Cessna 150
Subscribers Only At about 13:00 eastern time, a Cessna 150 was damaged during an emergency landing in a field near Bridgewater. Neither occupant was injured. The pilot designated the PIC said the pilot-rated passenger was a mechanic who had completed an annual inspection on the airplane. The mechanic wanted to take the airplane for a test flight, but did not have a current medical certificate, so he asked the PIC to accompany him on the flight. Prior to the annual inspection, the airplane had not flown for approximately three years. The mechanic checked the main fuel strainer during the annual inspection and did not observe any debris or contamination. About 2 weeks before the accident flight, the mechanic c...
Aug. 9, Hillsboro, Ore. / Cessna 152
Subscribers Only At 18:32 Pacific time, a Cessna 152 struck the ground short of the runway, seriously injuring the flight instructor and leaving the student pilot with minor injuries. The student said the aircraft was trailing about 30 seconds behind two Life Flight helicopters (Bell 230 and BK 117) on final approach to runway 02. After the helicopters crossed over the airport boundary fence (about 500 feet before the end of the runway) they made a right turn for landing on the ramp. The student stated that he was on the controls at the time, and at about 100 feet above ground level and 60 knots, the aircraft suddenly rolled to the right about 90 degrees. The flight instructor took over the controls and righ...
Aug. 9, Gleneden Beach, Ore. / Cessna 172
Subscribers Only At approximately 14:45 Pacific time, a Cessna 172N overran runway 35 and struck trees following an aborted takeoff at the Siletz Bay State Airport. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight was to have been a brief local evaluation of weather conditions before departing for Salem, Ore. The pilot said he decided to evaluate the weather conditions around the airport before departing with his wife and two children back to Salem. He taxied out to runway 35 but did not complete the “Before Takeoff” checklist prior to initiating his takeoff roll. He was unable to rotate the nose and realized that the aircraft control lock was still engaged. The aircraft overran the departure end of the 3,000...
Aug. 9, Burlington Township, N.J. / Piper Navajo and Piper Seminole
Subscribers Only At 07:52 eastern time, a Piper PA-31 and a Piper PA-44 collided over Burlington Township, killing the nine people on board the Navajo and the two aboard the Seminole. Most of the PA-31 struck the garage of a house and most of the PA-44 landed in a soybean field approximately one-half mile away....
Aug. 6, West Milford, N.J. / Beech Baron
Subscribers Only At about 11:30 eastern time, a Beech BE-58 was damaged during a hard landing at Greenwood Lake Airport. The two occupants were not hurt. During the landing flare to runway 24, the airplane dropped about 30 feet onto the pavement with the nose cocked about 30 degrees to the left. The left main landing gear tire blew and the airplane veered off the left side of the runway. The airplane rolled through the grass until hitting a parked airplane about 400 feet from the runway....
Aug. 5, Alabaster, Ala. / Cessna Skymaster
Subscribers Only At about 08:00 central time, a Cessna P337H crashed after a go-around in Alabaster, seriously injuring the pilot but leaving three passengers uninjured. The pilot said he landed on runway 33 and was too fast. He attempted to go around, but overran the runway and struck a furrow. Inspectors found the throttle of the number one engine pushed full forward and the throttle of the number two engine on the idle position....
Aug. 5, Westhampton, N.Y. / Piper Super Cub
Subscribers Only At about 10:00 eastern time, a Piper PA-18 was damaged while making an emergency landing at Gabreski Airport, but the pilot was not hurt. The flight departed the airport a few minutes earlier and returned to pick up a banner. The pilot said that, when he picked up the banner, the tow rope became entangled around the airplane’s rudder horn. The pilot returned to land, maintaining a steep descent angle in an attempt to land before the banner struck the ground. The airplane landed hard and the main gear collapsed....
Aug. 4, Davis, Calif. / Piper Twin Comanche
Subscribers Only At about 09:00 Pacific time, a Piper PA-30 went off the runway during a takeoff from Yolo County Airport and struck a runway light. No one was injured. The CFI said he and his student had completed simulated single-engine approaches at altitude and this was the first attempt near the ground. The right engine’s throttle was retarded and the landing and touchdown were uneventful. Power was added to do a touch-and-go. During the takeoff phase the instructor again retarded the right throttle to simulate an engine failure on takeoff. The airplane veered off the right side of the runway, bounced twice, then veered to the left side of the runway and contacted a runway light with the right wing. The...
Aug. 2, Taberg, N.Y. / Piper Cherokee
Subscribers Only At about 13:00 eastern time, a Piper PA-28-180 was substantially damaged while departing a private grass strip. The pilot sustained minor injuries and three passengers were not injured. The pilot reported that, while en route to Albany, the airplane’s upper door latch opened and the pilot intended to perform a precautionary landing at Becks Grove Airport in Rome to secure the door. The pilot was receiving VFR flight following from Griffiss ATC and was asked if he had Becks Grove in sight. The pilot asked the controller if the airport was a grass strip and the controller replied in the affirmative. The pilot landed on a 1,500-foot-long private grass strip that was located about 2½ miles north...
Aug. 2, Clarksville, Tenn. / Beech Bonanza
Subscribers Only At about 07:00 central time, a Beech A36 struck a tree during a missed approach to runway 35 at Outlaw Field and crashed. The pilot and passenger were seriously injured. The flight had departed Atlanta at 05:30. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot said he attempted to land on runway 35, then flew a missed approach. During the maneuver, the left wing clipped a tree, rupturing the fuel tank. The pilot maintained control, declared an emergency, and attempted to divert to Sabre Army Heliport. The engine quit before he got there, however, and the airplane crashed in a heavily wooded area....
Educational Trip
Subscribers Only In early September I crashed and destroyed my Aerostar. Fortunately, there were no injuries. I have benefited over the years from the reports of other pilot’s mistakes, and I wanted to share my report of the accident. For background, I have a commercial license and multiengine and instrument ratings. I have about 3,550 civilian hours and 2,650 Aerostar hours. Every year I attend simulator-based recurrent training and am FAA “Wings” Level Five. My first flying experience was with the U.S. Navy, where I flew F-8 and RF-8 Crusader jets for about 1,200 hours, including one tour in Vietnam and 332 carrier landings. I had purchased the airplane, which we affectionately called White Kite, mor...
A Distracted JFK?
I have my own opinion about what caused the Kennedy accident. My experience level is very similar to Kennedy’s. I have similar (if fewer) hours (200), similar (if more) hood time, similar solo vs. dual ratio. Clearly the plane did a graveyard spiral, but I disagree that the cause was spatial disorientation. Had he looked at his instruments (early enough), his documented training and ability was adequate to react. His problem, I submit, was that when it came time to look up ATIS and tower frequencies, his passengers were not able to help. He had to look them up himself either in the airport guide or try to decipher them off the sectional in bad light. He then had to set his radios. ...
Kick Out the Jams
Subscribers Only The following information is derived from the FAA’s Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts. Click here to view "Airworthiness Directives." ---------- The Greensboro, N.C., Flight Standards District Office has issued a warning to owners and operators of Beech 58P Barons after a gear-up landing. The normal landing gear extension system failed and the pilot was unable to extend the landing gear with the emergency gear crank handle because it was jammed. The inspector discovered that the emergency landing gear extension crank handle jammed under the spar carry-through cover. The crank handle had been improperly stowed under the...
NTSB Preliminary Reports
Subscribers Only The following briefs were selected from the 226 preliminary reports filed with the NTSB in August 2000. Statements in quotes were taken directly from the NTSB documents. The information is subject to change as the investigations are completed. Click here to view "Accident Totals, August." ---------- Aug. 2, Clarksville, Tenn. Beech Bonanza At about 07:00 central time, a Beech A36 struck a tree during a missed approach to runway 35 at Outlaw Field and crashed. The pilot and passenger were seriously injured. The flight had departed Atlanta at 05:30. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot said he attempted t...
A Game of Inches
Subscribers Only A look at accident statistics can be a bit haunting. The NTSB has determined that about 80 to 85 percent of general aviation accidents are caused by human error. While some kind of equipment failure or weather problem may contribute to the accident, the fact remains that bad judgment and lousy decisions are what usually lead to bent metal and broken lives. Many times the pilot’s mistakes are induced by outside pressures. The desire to get home, make a meeting, meet a schedule, beat weather or impress someone can lead to shortcuts and risky maneuvers. Often the pilot gets away with it, which reinforces the possibility that it will happen again. Sometimes, however, the pilot’s luck runs ou...
Writing a Reality Check
Subscribers Only No matter what you’re flying, chances are you’ve thought of trading up to something faster, or more nimble, or with a bigger payload. Pilots never have problems thinking ahead of the airplane when they’re looking so far ahead they’re seeing the next airplane they’ll own. As one pilot once told me, “Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess.” Conventional wisdom says that aircraft selection should match the mission of aircraft ownership. In other words, once you’ve figured out what you really want to do with an airplane, selecting an adequate model should be a piece of cake. If you plan to haul a family of four plus luggage over the Sierra Nevadas in the summertime in a typical 4-place...
A Better Mousetrap
Subscribers Only Put a dozen pilots in a room, and odds are you’ll hear a series of shocking stories of derring do as well as a parade of tales about other people’s mistakes. Put 200 in a room, and you might see something different. The National Transportation Safety Board hosted a symposium in late September that brought together accident investigators, regulators, flight training experts, mechanics and manufacturers, among others, to discuss ways to make general aviation safer. The NTSB billed it as the first-ever General Aviation Accident Prevention Symposium. For several days, engineers, mechanics, human factors experts and flight training specialists examined a variety of common general aviation acci...
Boats or Floats?
Subscribers Only They are leviathans sleeping on the tarmac. Towering amphibious floatplanes, boasting adventures of which their landlubbing cousins only dream. Nearby, small flying boats, engines mounted oddly above the fuselage, ponder remote lakes brimming with bass. If you’re pondering whether to take the aqua plunge, the next question is floats or boats? Flying boats, or “hull designs,” splash down on their bellies and have small floats, or sponsons, under each wing for stability on the water. Floatplanes are common aircraft that sit atop two pontoons. Which you choose will depend upon your anticipated missions and your budget. The decision may also have a substantial impact on your future safety.
Misfortune Strikes Home
The sad state of flight instruction is nothing new to any general aviation pilot who has tried to find someone good when it came time to upgrade a rating, get a biennial flight review or take an instrument proficiency check. Think you can make it all the way through a license or rating without losing at least one instructor to the call of higher pay at a commuter airline? Bet ya can’t. Until recently, my CFII of choice was an anomaly – a dedicated professional who was a skilled veteran with a love of teaching, not just a kid looking to build time before jumping to the airlines. That’s all changed now. My CFI (sounds as possessive as a high school romance, doesn’t it?) went and becam...
Winter Wonderland
Subscribers Only Although some recreational fliers ground themselves during the dingy winter months, most pilots continue to rely on their airplanes even when the mercury dips and the gray skies move in. And there’s no reason not to, as long as you take into account the icy grip winter weather can have on everything it touches. Planning for defensive flying in winter conditions begins on the ground. For VFR flight, you’ll need to plan to stay clear of clouds by a reasonable distance and be alert for signs of carb ice. For the pilots who are going to go IFR, things get more complicated. Watching The Weather Channel just isn’t enough. Preflight planning has to be thorough and thoughtful. Consider the rou...