December 2000
Sept. 30, Telluride, Colo. / Sukhoi SU-26
Subscribers Only At approximately 14:20 mountain time, a Sukhoi SU-26 crashed shortly after takeoff from Telluride Regional Airport. The pilot was killed. VMC prevailed for the aerobatic flight that was originating at the time of the accident. According to the Telluride airport manager, the airplane had departed and “popped up to near vertical.” The airplane then entered a spin and crashed....
Sept. 30, Tucumcari, N.M. / Ercoupe 415-C
Subscribers Only At 16:45 mountain time, an Ercoupe 415-C crashed immediately after takeoff from Tucumcari Municipal Airport. Both occupants, neither of who were certificated or student pilots, were killed. The flight was unauthorized by the airplane’s owner. The occupants were reportedly a father and son who had been hired to mow grass at the airport. An airport employee said the airplane reached about 150 feet agl, “wobbled” from side to side, and dove nose-first to the ground....
Sept. 28, Smithers, British Columbia / Cessna A185F
Subscribers Only In the late morning or early afternoon Pacific time, a Cessna A185F recently purchased by a U.S. citizen crashed in mountainous terrain approximately 87 miles northwest of Smithers. The pilot and two passengers were killed. A VFR flight plan had been filed but meteorological conditions at the time of the accident were not known. The flight was en route from Smithers to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. The accident site was along a direct line between Smithers and Whitehorse at about 5,200 feet. The site was on the southeastern face of a snow covered, treeless ridgeline. Weather forecasts along the route of flight called for ceilings from 5,000 to 7,000 feet on the day of the accident....
Sept. 27, Owingsville, Ky. / Cessna Skylane
Subscribers Only At 13:50 eastern time, a Cessna 182Q crashed during a forced landing in Owingsville; the pilot, who was not wearing a seatbelt, died of injuries he received. The pilot departed Manassas, Va., and was cruising about 30 miles east of Lexington when he contacted Lexington Approach to report he was “low fuel and engine sputtering.” The pilot transmitted only two calls before radio contact was lost. The airplane crashed adjacent to the westbound lanes of Interstate 64. The airplane showed evidence that it had a fuel leak for some time. Water was drained from the airplane’s fuel tanks, fuel lines, carburetor bowl and cylinders. One of the fuel caps was broken and the inside of the filler port was...
Sept. 26, Charlotte, N.C. / Douglas DC-3
Subscribers Only At about 06:35 eastern time, a Douglas DC-3 nosed over during landing at Douglas International Airport. The pilot said he made a “normal” IFR approach to runway 5 and had a gear down-and-locked indication. On touchdown, the airplane yawed right and nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed that the right landing gear had collapsed....
Sept. 25, Navasota, Texas / Cessna 152
Subscribers Only At 01:24 central time, a Cessna 152 crashed near Navasota, killing the pilot and passenger. VMC prevailed and the airplane was on an IFR flight plan. The pilot told controllers he was having a “problem with the vacuum system” and was “disoriented.” The controller provided vectors to the pilot so he could return to College Station. During this time the pilot reported that he was in a left turn, although the controller’s radar scope indicated the airplane was in a right turn. Subsequently, the airplane disappeared from radar....
Sept. 24, Orlando, Fla. / Embraer EMB-120RT
Subscribers Only At about 12:41 eastern time, an Embraer EMB-120RT operated by Comair Inc., had an in-flight fire in the right engine shortly after takeoff from Orlando International Airport. There were no injuries. The flight had just departed runway 17 in Orlando, en route to Fort Myers, when the right engine lost power and caught fire. The pilot made a teardrop maneuver and returned to MCO, landing without further incident on runway 35. After landing, the flight taxied onto a taxiway and the passengers and crew evacuated. Preliminary inspections of the engine revealed an internal failure of the No. 6 bearing, and subsequent failure of a fuel line, which resulted in an engine fire....
Sept. 22, Tuba City, Ariz. / Cessna Skylane
Subscribers Only At about 20:43 mountain time, a Cessna 182 crashed into hills about 1.5 miles northeast of the Tuba City Airport, killing the pilot and passenger. The pilot had volunteered to transport blood to the Tuba City Hospital. According to a courier for the hospital, the airplane was to arrive about 20:35. The courier arrived about 20:25, and about five minutes later the pilot-operated runway lights came on. Within 3 to 5 minutes the courier saw an airplane’s lights heading toward the airport. The airplane continued north and did not land. The National Weather Service had issued an advisory for turbulence and strong southwest winds 25 to 35 knots with gusts to 45 from early afternoon to early evenin...
Sept. 21, Buffalo, Mo. / Cessna Skyhawk
Subscribers Only At 18:55 central time, a Cessna 172 crashed following a go-around attempt at Buffalo Municipal Airport. The student pilot and two passengers on board reported no injuries. The student pilot said that he was flying a solo cross-country flight from Lebanon, Mo., to Stockton, Mo., and back to Lebanon. On arrival over Stockton, the pilot discovered the airport was closed. On the return to Lebanon, one of the passengers asked the pilot to make a momentary stop at the closest airport. The pilot chose the Buffalo Municipal Airport. On his landing attempt at Buffalo, the pilot elected to execute a go around. A passenger on board said, “The buzzer went off and the airplane fell into the ground.”...
Sept. 20, Jeffersonville, Ind. / Piper Navajo
Subscribers Only At 19:30 eastern time, a Piper PA-31-325 ran off the end of runway 14 at Clark County Airport and went down a ravine. The pilot reported minor injuries. The pilot said he landed long on the 3,899-foot runway and couldn’t stop the airplane. The pilot blamed a severe tailwind component. The 18:56 weather observation at the Louisville International Airport, 11 miles south of the accident site, showed wind 220 degrees at 14 knots....
Sept. 18, Nuiqsut, Alaska / Piper Chieftain
Subscribers Only At about 15:10 Alaska time, a Piper PA-31T3 crashed shortly after a rejected landing at Nuiqsut Airport. The pilot and four passengers were killed and five passengers received serious injuries. Witnesses said the airplane touched down on runway 22 with the landing gear retracted. The fuselage-mounted belly cargo pod lightly scraped the runway for about 40 feet, but the airplane transitioned to a climb. As the airplane began climbing away from the runway, the landing gear was observed to extend. The airplane climbed to about 100 to 150 feet above the ground and began a descending left turn until it crashed about 300 yards south of the airport....
Sept. 17, Prescott, Ariz. / Piper Warrior
Subscribers Only At 15:18 mountain time, a Piper PA-28-161 lost power and collided with objects on the ground during the ensuing forced landing about four miles northwest of Ernest A. Love Field Airport. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The pilot was flying from Mariposa, Calif., to Mesa, Ariz., with a fuel stop in Prescott. He calculated the leg to Prescott would take 4 hours 15 minutes. When he arrived in the area, the pilot informed the Prescott tower he was low on fuel. About five minutes later, he informed the tower that he was out of fuel. He attempted to land on Highway 89, but traffic was too heavy. He then made an emergency landing in a shrub-covered area, where the airplane lost its gear a...
Sept. 16, Everett, Wash. / Cessna Skyhawk and Cessna Skylane
Subscribers Only At 10:33 Pacific time, a Cessna 172L collided with a Cessna 182P while taxiing on taxiway A-4 at Snohomish County Airport. Neither pilot was injured. The pilot of the 172 said he was taxiing forward in a line of aircraft and stopped his aircraft about 10-15 feet behind the Skylane directly ahead. As he waited for his turn, he focused his attention on setting up radio frequencies for his upcoming flight. When he looked up, he noted that his aircraft was rolling forward. He applied brakes and right rudder, which swung the nose of his aircraft to the right, but not before the propeller struck the 182’s right horizontal stabilizer and elevator....
Sept. 16, Zephyrhills, Fla. / Grumman Tiger
Subscribers Only At about 10:00 eastern time, a Grumman AA-5 lost power one minute after takeoff from Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. The pilot and one passenger were not injured; one passenger sustained minor injuries. The pilot said the preflight and engine run-up were uneventful, but the airplane failed to climb as expected after takeoff. He raised the nose and saw the tachometer indicated 1,900 to 2,000 rpm. He verified that the mixture control was full rich, the auxiliary fuel pump was on and the throttle was full forward. He advised his passengers of the situation and maneuvered the airplane for a landing in a field. Examination revealed that the mixture control cable was broken approximately three inch...
Sept. 16, Morris, Ill. / Piper Cherokee 140
Subscribers Only At 08:45 central time, a Piper PA- 28-140 veered off the left side of runway 36 while landing at Morris Municipal Airport. The pilot and passenger were not injured. Inspection of the airplane revealed the left main gear tire was low on air prior to touchdown. The pilot stated he serviced all three landing gear tires prior to takeoff about 30 minutes earlier....
Sept. 15, Phoenix, Ariz. / Piper Warrior
Subscribers Only At 11:00 mountain time, a Piper PA-28-161 lost power on initial climb from runway 7L at Deer Valley Airport. During an attempted return to runway maneuver, the aircraft landed short of runway 25L and struck a perimeter fence. The CFI and student pilot were not injured....
Sept. 15, Sheridan, Wyo. / Piper Archer
Subscribers Only At approximately 16:10 mountain time, a Piper PA-28-181 struck terrain while maneuvering about 20 miles west of Sheridan. The pilot was not injured, but his passenger sustained a serious injury. The pilot was flying IFR from Pierre, S.D., to Red Lodge, Mont. West of Sheridan, he cancelled his IFR flight plan and received VFR flight following as he started crossing the Big Horn Mountains. He turned up a valley and soon realized the terrain was rising faster than the airplane could climb. Terrain proximity precluded him from turning around, so he elected to land in a meadow. Both wings and the fuselage were buckled....
Sept. 14, Tacoma, Wash. / Luscombe 8A
Subscribers Only At 17:53 Pacific time, a Luscombe 8A suffered a collapsed landing gear at Tacoma Narrows Airport. The pilot was not injured. The pilot was landing on runway 17 after hearing an ATIS broadcast that indicated winds from 240 degrees at 17 knots, with higher gusts. He made a successful wheel landing, but as he was lowering the tailwheel a gust induced the airplane to turn to the left. The right main gear then collapsed and the right wing struck the runway....
Sept. 13, Ontario, Ore. / Cessna 150
Subscribers Only At approximately 09:15 mountain time, a Cessna 150H lost power on departure and crashed. The instructor and student pilot were not injured. A total of 2.5 quarts of fuel was recovered from the aircraft’s fuel system. The aircraft has a total fuel capacity of 26 gallons, of which 3.5 gallons are unusable....
Sept. 12, Friday Harbor, Wash. / Cessna Skyhawk and Cessna Skylane
Subscribers Only At approximately 15:15 Pacific time, a Cessna 172P that was taxiing for takeoff struck a Cessna 182J that was stopped on the taxiway with its engine running. No one was injured. The 172 pilot said he was taxiing south toward runway 16. As he approached the fuel island, he noted an aircraft fueling on the outside (taxiway side) of the fueling island. He also saw the Cessna 182 taxiing toward him. The 182 stopped abeam the fueling aircraft and, as the 172 pilot tried to taxi between the two airplanes, the 172’s left wing struck the Cessna 182’s left wing....
Sept. 11, Anchorage, Alaska / Piper Navajo
Subscribers Only At 13:13 Alaska time, a Piper PA-31-350 was damaged during a wake turbulence encounter about 3.5 miles northwest of Anchorage. The pilot was not injured. The pilot was in contact with controllers, who pointed out traffic departing the Lake Hood Seaplane Base but did not advise him of a McDonnel Douglas MD-11 that was on final approach to land on runway 14. His flight path was behind and below the MD-11. Shortly after the MD-11 airplane passed his position, the pilot said his airplane encountered wake turbulence from the MD-11 that produced a violent vertical wind shear. The airplane’s right winglet mounted landing light cover and the landing light assembly departed the airplane and the gear...
Sept. 11, Fort Pierce, Fla. / Piper Warrior and Piper Aztec
Subscribers Only At 12:46 eastern time, a Piper PA-28-161 and a Piper PA-23-250 collided on final approach to runway 9 at Saint Lucie International Airport. The pilots, sole occupants of each plane, were killed. The pilot of the Warrior, a Saudi Arabian national with a private license making an instructional flight, made a touch-and-go landing and re-entered the traffic pattern. The tower controller instructed him to execute a 360-degree right turn on downwind. Meanwhile, the pilot of the Aztec reported 10 miles west inbound to the airport and was instructed to continue straight in and report crossing the interstate highway. When the Aztec pilot reported over the interstate, the tower controller told him to...
Sept. 9, Brookhaven, Miss. / Beech Baron
Subscribers Only At about 10:26 central time, the pilot of a Beech 58P crashed while circling to land during a VOR/DME-A approach to a runway at the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Airport, killing the pilot and passenger. The pilot’s father and brother, both of whom are pilot-rated and were at the airport, the airplane flew over the runway at about 500 to 600 feet agl on the downwind leg with gear and flaps extended. As it reached the approach end of runway 22, the airplane started banking to the left until it was banked 70-75 degrees. The airplane then pitched nose down and crashed....
Sept. 8, Cross Keys, N.J. / Cessna Skyhawk
Subscribers Only At about 10:25 eastern time, a Cessna 172P was damaged during takeoff from Cross Keys Airport, leaving the pilot with minor injuries. The pilot said he was flying from the front right seat, practicing for his CFI practical test, when during his takeoff roll the seat slid rearward. He aborted the takeoff, secured the seat and departed uneventfully. He performed some maneuvers and landed at Millville Municipal Airport. He then departed and returned to Cross Keys. After landing, he made another takeoff, and this time the seat slid rearward again and he lost control of the airplane. The airplane climbed 20 to 30 feet, then “cartwheeled” along the left wing, struck two parked airplanes and burned...
Sept. 7, Elmer, N.J. / Cessna Cardinal RG
Subscribers Only At 10:00 eastern time, a Cessna 177RG was substantially damaged while landing at a private airstrip in Elmer. Neither occupant was injured. The CFI on board said the pilot wanted to take the airplane to Cross Keys to have the transponder inspected and then complete a biennial flight review. During the course of the review, the instructor told the pilot to conduct a power off landing at Elmer. The pilot made a continuous turn from downwind to final, lowering the landing gear and selecting two notches of flaps. When the airplane was about 10 feet above the runway, the pilot commented they were going to hit a little hard. The instructor responded by telling the pilot to add “a little power.” Th...
Sept. 5, San Diego, Calif. / Williams Mite M18L
Subscribers Only At 12:14 Pacific time, an experimental Williams Mite M18L lost its vertical stabilizer and rudder assemblies while maneuvering over Gillespie Field. The pilot was not injured. The pilot reported feeling a vibration as he approached the airport and he experienced difficulty controlling the airplane. The separated stabilizer and rudder assemblies were subsequently located on airport property. Inspectors discovered evidence of dry rot on the fracture surfaces....
Sept. 3, Auburn, Wash. / Cessna Skyhawk
Subscribers Only At an unknown time, a Cessna 172P was substantially damaged at an unknown location and by an unknown pilot. The Chief Flight Instructor from the operator reported that the aircraft is used for rental purposes and had been flown several times since the last maintenance inspection. On about September 4 or 5, a pilot reported that during the pre-flight inspection, he noted wrinkles in the skin on a wing. A mechanic looked at the aircraft and reported that it was okay for flight. On September 7, the aircraft went in for the scheduled 100-hour inspection. During this inspection, maintenance personnel reported the wing spar and the horizontal stabilizer spar were both bent as if they were overstre...
Sept. 3, Peyton, Colo. / Cessna Stationair
Subscribers Only At approximately 08:15 mountain time, a Cessna 206A was substantially damaged when the airplane taxied – without the pilot – into a hangar at Meadow Lake Airport. The pilot received minor injuries and the passenger received serious injuries. The pilot said that the airplane’s battery was low and he was unable to start the engine. He asked his wife to sit at the controls while he hand-propped the airplane. The engine started and the airplane taxied into a hangar....
Sept. 3, South Kingstown, R.I. / Piper Saratoga
Subscribers Only At 13:46 eastern time, a Piper PA-32R-301 broke up in flight over South Kingstown, killing the three people and one dog aboard. The airplane was flying IFR from Chatham, Mass., to Philadelphia at 8,000 feet. No radio transmissions indicated there were any problems with the airplane. Transponder and radar returns showed the airplane departing cruise flight by making a descending 270-degree turn, then turning back about 30 degrees. During the turn, the descent rate increased from 1,300 fpm to 16,000 fpm. The stabilators and vertical fin were found some distance from the main wreckage. The heading indicator and the attitude indicator showed damage consistent with a loss of vacuum....
Sept. 2, Paso Robles / Aeronca 7AC
Subscribers Only At about 1230 Pacific time, an Aeronca 7AC was damaged when it departed the runway after landing at Paso Robles Municipal Airport. Neither occupant was injured. The pilot said that, after touchdown, the airplane swerved to the right and he had no control of the airplane. He and the passenger later determined the rudder pedals failed to respond because the passenger’s foot was stuck between them....
Sept. 1, Seven Springs, Pa. / Cessna 310
Subscribers Only At about 14:50 eastern time, a Cessna 310 crashed while attempting to make a single-engine landing at Seven Springs Airport. The two occupants suffered minor injuries. The airplane was in cruise flight from Atlanta to Glens Falls, N.Y., and had made a fuel stop in Charleston, W.Va. The flight at 5,000 feet was uneventful until the passenger told the pilot the right engine spinner looked unusual. To get a better look at the spinner, the pilot reduced the throttle on the right engine, but still could not identify the problem. The pilot then advised air traffic control that he was going to shut down the right engine to examine the spinner. After securing the engine, the pilot could see the spin...
Stunning Surprise
Subscribers Only It was probably the most embarrassing experience I ever had as a CFI, and a good lesson I learned. I had just sold my 1980 B55 Baron to a real pilot. He was an 8,000-hour, on-call charter pilot, current in G3’s, G4’s, Citations and Lears who wanted his own toy. Part of the deal, however, was that I had to teach him how to fly the Baron. Is he kidding me, I wondered? My 1,500 hours are confined to this Baron, a Duchess and a smattering of hours in small Cessnas and Pipers. What could I possibly teach him? So, I laughed when he made that part of the deal and said, “Sure, but you know more about flying than I’ll ever know.” “Perhaps,” he answered. “I could teach you to fly the G4, but y...
Measly Living
I would like to comment about your editorial on shortage of flight instructors [Editor’s Log, November]. For several years I flew for a commuter airline. At 50 I was told I did not meet their pilot profile and I should quit. I also had personal problems at home, so I left to be closer to home. I decided to go back into flight instruction. For the next three years I worked six and sometimes seven days a week, sometimes from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. in order to accommodate students. All for only a four-figure income a year. Three years later I found a job on a assembly line. It only pays a couple of dollars above minimum wage, but it doubled my yearly income. I continued doing flight instr...
Mistaken Identity
Subscribers Only The following information is derived from the FAA’s Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts. Click here to view "Airworthiness Directives." ---------- Several years ago, Cessna designed, manufactured and approved an engine oil filter adapter for use on Continental engines installed on the company’s aircraft. The oil filter adapter was made available through the Cessna parts distribution system and was installed on various other aircraft using TCM engines via FAA field approval. In 1996, the FAA issued AD 96-12-22, which addressed the possibility of the adapter becoming loose and/or separating from the accessory case and...
NTSB Preliminary Reports
Subscribers Only The following briefs were selected from the 191 preliminary reports filed with the NTSB in September 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, September." ---------- Sept. 1, Seven Springs, Pa. Cessna 310 At about 14:50 eastern time, a Cessna 310 crashed while attempting to make a single-engine landing at Seven Springs Airport. The two occupants suffered minor injuries. The airplane was in cruise flight from Atlanta to Glens Falls, N.Y., and had made a fuel stop in Charleston, W.Va. Th...
A Little Light in the Nose
Subscribers Only Accident prevention is a big part of most pilots’ training. You learn what’s most likely to go wrong, and then you try to figure out how to handle it with the highest probability of a safe landing. Weather briefings, preflight inspections, recurrent training, annual inspections, proper maintenance and pilot proficiency are all important pieces in the risk management puzzle. Without all of them, the picture is ruined. And so it was on one August morning that a Grumman Tiger was flying VFR from a private strip near Ketchum, Okla., to Oklahoma City. Skies were clear, the wind was calm and visibility was reported at 10 miles. At the controls, and alone in the airplane, was a 66-year-o...
The Cold Shoulder
Subscribers Only Freight dogs are a special breed. They are coming up the hard way. Their focus is on the left seat of a large air carrier – eventually. The standard model is a young guy who has put up with miserable pay as a flight instructor, battled his way on nickels and dimes through college and is accepting jobs as a pilot of a weary light twin hauling light freight and canceled checks. The outfit he flies for is underfunded, with all that goes with that. He is paying a big price to realize his dream. But he keeps the faith, he hones his instrument skills as best he can, without the luxury of paid simulator courses. Freight dogs squeeze all the experience they can out of every multi-engine flying h...
Molehill or Mountain?
Subscribers Only Telluride, Colo. Missoula, Mont. Kalispell, Mont. Jackson, Wyo. Aspen, Colo. Hayden, Colo. Sun Valley, Idaho. Welcome to the high and clean air of the Rockies. Even if you haven’t been to Jackson, you’ve undoubtedly seen the pictures of the Tetons. Yes, they are very real, very gorgeous – and very high. The valley that houses the airport at Jackson is surrounded by high mountains that quickly reach over 13,000 feet. During a daylight approach in good weather, Jackson is gorgeous. However, add night or bad weather and a place like Jackson is enough to make your blood chill. Back when I flew air ambulance, a co-captain friend of mine said he would hold his breath on the departures out...
Post Wrench Test
Subscribers Only It’s somewhat astonishing to see how many accidents, or at least scary moments, occur on the first flight after maintenance. Perhaps the most striking one is the notorious case of a Navajo, in which the aircraft came out of the shop, took off, rolled over,and crashed, killing the pilot. The investigators discovered that the ailerons were connected backwards – yoke left rolled the plane right. It’s pretty easy to sit back in the cold, hard light of day and think, “What a dummy!” about that pilot. If the pilot really did follow the preflight checklist and note “controls free and proper,” there’s a lesson for another day about seeing what you expect to see rather than what you really see. F...
Risky Safety
At AOPA Expo 2000 in Long Beach, Calif., the organization announced a great benefit that will doubtlessly save many pilots from disaster. Unfortunately, it will probably lead some pilots into trouble they might not otherwise have. Beginning next month, AOPA members will be able to download current NOS instrument approach charts for free. Print ’em, store ’em on your Palm Pilot or display them on your laptop. This is a good thing, because it will stop many pilots from flying with outdated (or nonexistent) charts. Show me an infrequent IFR pilot and I’ll show you someone without a subscription who tries to run down to the pilot shop before making a trip. Strike one excuse. The acc...
Going Up
Subscribers Only Many pilots consider takeoff to be almost a no-brainer. Point the airplane down the runway and advance the power. A little footwork keeps the prop pointed in the right direction, then lift the nose. Yet from an operational viewpoint, takeoff has proven to be one of the most critical phases of flight. NTSB accident statistics from 1998 – the latest available at this writing – show that general aviation airplanes of less than 12,500 pounds operated non-commercially suffered 262 takeoff accidents, 35 of which were fatal. That year, like each year in the five previous years, general aviation pilots averaged about 22 total and 3 fatal takeoff accidents per month, with no improvement as time p...