November 2001
August 31, Pagosa Springs, Colo. / RV-6A
Subscribers Only At approximately 13:30 mountain time, a homebuilt RV-6A departed the runway during takeoff from Stevens Field. The pilot was not injured. The pilot said he was departing on runway 19 and had used 7,500 of the available 8,500 feet when the airplane departed the runway. The airplane traveled another 250 feet and struck a fence. The airport’s elevation was 7,700 feet and the density altitude at the time was nearly 10,500 feet....
August 29, Marietta, Pa. / Grumman American Tiger
Subscribers Only At 16:15 eastern time, a Grumman American AA-5B was damaged during taxi at the Donegal Springs Airpark. The pilot was not injured. The pilot said he preflighted the airplane and found no anomalies. Then he taxied the airplane to runway 27 for departure but, as he attempted to turn onto runway 27, the right brake failed and the airplane traveled off the end of the runway and down a 10-foot embankment. Inspection of the airplane revealed the right brake lining was worn, and there was a hole in the right brake cylinder which was leaking hydraulic fluid....
August 26, Matawan, N.J. / Cessna Skyhawk
Subscribers Only At about 20:30 eastern time, a Cessna 172SP struck wires and crashed after a touch-and-go at Marlboro Airport, killing the pilot and passenger. Witnesses said the airplane had been flying locally for about 15 minutes when it returned and appeared to approach runway 9 for landing. The airplane did not touchdown until it was well beyond the approach end of runway 9, almost to the number “27” at the opposite end of the 2,156-foot runway. After touchdown, the engine revved and the airplane climbed, but it veered left and struck utility wires and crashed. The flaps were found extended, but no evidence of pre-impact malfunction was found on the aircraft. The wind at a nearby airport was recorded a...
August 25, Marsh Harbour, Bahamas / Cessna 402B
Subscribers Only At about 18:45 eastern time, a Cessna 402B crashed shortly after takeoff from Marsh Harbour Airport. The pilot and eight passengers were killed. Witnesses said the airplane lifted off and then nosed down, striking a marsh on the south side of the departure end of runway 27. The baggage from the airplane was removed and weighed. The total weight of the luggage, fuel and passengers showed that the total gross weight of the airplane was substantially exceeded. Preliminary center of gravity calculations showed that the center of gravity was significantly outside the flight envelope past the aft center of gravity. Preliminary information indicated that the pilot was not approved to act as pilot-i...
August 25, Amherst, N.H. / Socata Trinidad
Subscribers Only At about 07:37 eastern time, a Socata TB-20 crashed into the pilot’s residence, killing the pilot. An IFR flight plan was filed from Nashua to Atlantic City, N.J., but was not activated. Witnesses said the pilot appeared in a hurry before takeoff, taking off about 10 minutes after arriving at the airport. Radar data and witness accounts show the airplane made four circles over the pilot’s house before the pilot pulled the power and crashed into his house. A restraining order had been issued the day before and police escorted him off the property at that time. The medical examiner declared the accident a suicide....
August 24, Piqua, Ohio / Beech King Air
Subscribers Only At about 06:40 eastern time, a Beech BE-200 crashed on approach to Piqua Airport, killing the pilot. The airplane had been based at a nearby airport and had been chartered for a 06:30 flight by Hartzell Propeller. The chief pilot for Hartzell Propeller, who resides near the airport, said he awoke at 04:30 and discovered fog outside. He drove to the airport to prepare a company airplane to make the flight in case the King Air could not make it in. The accident pilot telephoned and asked about the fog, and the chief pilot said he would be at the airport with a handheld radio. The airplane appeared over the airport at 06:20, but the fog had thickened. The accident pilot said he would circle for...
August 23, Odom, Ark. / Cessna Skyhawk
Subscribers Only At 10:30 central time, a Cessna 172 was damaged shortly after engine start when it started unexpectedly and struck trees. The pilot was not injured and the passenger suffered minor injuries. The pilot said he could not start the airplane, so he exited while the passenger stayed in the airplane. The pilot turned the propeller and the engine started and the airplane began moving across the pavement. The passenger saw the trees ahead and jumped from the airplane....
August 22, Weatherford, Texas / Cessna 152
Subscribers Only At approximately 09:10 central time, a Cessna 152 overran runway 35 and collided with a tractor/trailer on Interstate 20, killing the student pilot. The pilot was on a solo cross country when he reported to air traffic controllers that he was lost and low on fuel. The controller gave him vectors to Weatherford , where he tried to land into a 20-knot wind. The airplane bounced a few times and the pilot executed a go-around. He then made a 270-degree turn and tried to land with a tailwind on the 2,850-foot runway 35. The airplane didn’t touch down until more than halfway down the runway and went off the end of the runway while still doing an estimated 45 mph....
August 21, Davidsville, Pa. / Cessna Cardinal
Subscribers Only At about 15:50 eastern time, a Cessna 177 struck trees while taking off from a field in Davidsville. The pilot received minor injuries. The airplane had suffered a loss of engine power and made a forced landing in the field several days earlier. Fuel was off-loaded to make the airplane lighter and the pilot was issued a ferry permit to depart the field. The grass was reported as six to 12 inches tall. The pilot was able to get the airplane airborne in 1,150 feet, but then struck a low dirt embankment, went through a fence and struck trees near a house. Water was found in the main sump drain and the carburetor. ...
August 21, Shirley, N.Y. / Pitts S-2B
Subscribers Only At about 12:45 eastern time, a Pitts S-2B crashed while maneuvering to land at Brookhaven Airport, killing the flight instructor and leaving the commercial pilot/student seriously injured. The student pilot broadcast a simulated engine-out landing and turned toward the runway. However, a witness said the airplane appeared “very slow” and “very, very low.” He then saw the right wing drop and the airplane struck the ground in the clear area just short of runway 24. The instructor had more than 3,000 hours, and the second pilot had about 350 hours. No pre-accident anomalies were found....
August 20, Sugarland, Texas / Beech Bonanza
Subscribers Only At 19:39 central time, a Beech F33C crashed while maneuvering during final approach. The pilot and passenger suffered serious injuries. On initial climb the pilot reported the door was open and he wanted to return for landing. The airplane was about 500 feet agl on downwind. When turning base to final the airplane overshot the runway centerline and the controller said the airplane appeared to stall as the pilot maneuvered back to the extended runway centerline....
August 19, Gibson, Ga. / Cirrus SR-22
Subscribers Only At about 08:30 eastern time, a Cirrus SR-22 lost engine power and crashed into a farm field. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The pilot said he was using the airplane’s stormscope to avoid thunderstorms when he inadvertently entered a convective buildup. The engine quit and the pilot could not get it restarted....
August 18, Rock Springs, Wyo. / Piper Turbo Lance
Subscribers Only At 07:30 mountain time, a Piper PA-32RT-300 made an emergency landing on a dirt road approximately 30 miles northeast of Rock Springs after losing engine power. The pilot and his three passengers were not injured. The cross-country flight had been in the air for one hour and 15 minutes when the engine failed catastrophically, coating the windshield with oil. Because of reduced vision and the unknown condition of the roadway, the pilot elected to land with the gear retracted....
August 17, Wilgrove, N.C. / Piper Cherokee 140
Subscribers Only At about 13:00 eastern time, a Piper PA-28-140 crashed on a go-around at Wilgrove Airpark, but the pilot was not injured. The pilot said he departed runway 17 and planned to stay in the pattern. As he approached for landing, he found he could not reduce power, so he elected to go around. The engine did not respond to increased throttle either, and he overflew the runway at 150 to 200 feet agl and 1,900 rpm. He concluded he could not get over trees at the departure end of the runway, so he performed a full stall landing into the tree canopy....
August 16, Summerfield, Fla. / Cessna 152
Subscribers Only At about 10:30 eastern time, a Cessna 152 struck a fence during a precautionary landing in the cow pasture. The student pilot was not injured. The pilot was on the second leg of a solo cross country when the ceiling began dropping. A thunderstorm moved in behind him, so he elected to enter IMC. He momentarily lost control of the airplane, so he descended to just above the treetops. Finally he elected to make a precautionary landing in a field....
August 15, Sikeston, Mo. / Cessna Cardinal RG
Subscribers Only At 21:06 central time, a Cessna 177RG struck trees and crashed a half-mile from Sikeston Airport. The intended cross-country flight was on initial climb after takeoff when it experienced partial loss of power. The pilot and passenger were not injured in the forced landing. The fuel selector was positioned to the left tank, which contained about three gallons of fuel and some water. The right wing contained an unreported amount of fuel....
August 13, Bluefield, W.Va. / Cessna Centurion
Subscribers Only At about 12:00 eastern time, a Cessna 210L suffered a catastrophic engine failure while in cruise flight near Bluefield. The pilot made a successful forced landing at Mercer County Airport. The pilot was in cruise flight at 8,000 feet when the engine began to vibrate, the propeller oversped and the oil pressure dropped to zero. The pilot then saw flames coming from the engine cowling and the cockpit filled with smoke. The engine showed a three-inch hole in the engine case. The airplane had been operated for about 4 hours since an annual inspection, at which time the Nos. 1 and 2 cylinder and piston assemblies were replaced and all of the intake and exhaust valve lifters were replaced....
August 12, Boulder City, Nev. / Piper Archer
Subscribers Only At 00:03 Pacific time, a Piper PA-28-180 struck power lines and poles one mile east of runway 27 at Boulder City Municipal Airport, killing the pilot and passenger. A witness in a helicopter saw the accident aircraft approach the airport and enter a wide arcing left-hand approach to runway 27. The helicopter landed and the witness saw the accident aircraft “very low” on final approach. The aircraft struck power lines 66 feet above ground level that were marked by red obstruction lights....
August 12, Brockport, N.Y. / Cessna Skyhawk
Subscribers Only At 22:55 eastern time, a Cessna 172L was damaged during an off-runway landing at Ledgedale Airpark. The pilot received minor injuries and the passenger was seriously injured. Dark night VMC prevailed. The flight was en route Akron, Ohio, to Brockport, the pilot’s home base. The runway lights were Notam’d out of service. The airplane landed to the right of the taxiway that paralleled runway 28. The left wing struck the ground, the nose wheel collapsed, and the lower part of the cabin was crushed....
August 11, Byron, N.Y. / Kitfox
Subscribers Only At about 14:45 eastern time, a homebuilt Kitfox crashed while maneuvering over a residential area, killing both aboard. Witnesses said the airplane was circling at 15 to 20 feet above the trees and power lines with bank angles approaching 90 degrees. The owner of the airplane said the pilot had approximately 450 hours of total time, with 30 hours in make and model, including 22 in the accident airplane in the last 30 days....
August 11, Fort Smith, Ark / Cessna Centurion
Subscribers Only At 20:52 central time, a Cessna 210 was damaged during a gear-up landing. The pilot and his passenger were not injured. The pilot was flying from Batesville to Fayetteville but, on approach to Fayetteville, the pilot noticed the right main gear did not appear down and locked when viewed from the wing mirror. The pilot determined the hydraulic reservoir was empty. The passenger put engine oil into the reservoir, but the gear would still not extend. The pilot elected to divert to Fort Smith, where the emergency equipment was better. The airplane landed with the nose gear extended and the main gear retracted. A mechanic who later examined the airplane said the “left landing gear actuator was bu...
August 11, Rohrersville, Md. / Piper Turbo Arrow
Subscribers Only At about 19:20 eastern time, a Piper PA-28RT-201 struck a ridge while in cruise flight, killing the pilot and two passengers. Witnesses said the airplane was flying “in and out of the clouds” in drizzly weather with low ceilings. The ridge was obscured by fog and mist. The pilot apparently attempted to pull up to get over the ridge, but crashed about 400 feet lower than the 1,800 feet msl peak. The pilot did not hold an instrument rating but reported 2,000 hours on his last medical certificate application....
August 10, Meadview, Ariz. / Eurocopter AS350
Subscribers Only At 14:20 mountain time, an American Eurocopters AS350-B2 crashed into mountainous terrain during a sightseeing flight. The pilot and five passengers were killed and one passenger suffered serious injuries. The flight had toured the Grand Canyon and was en route to its base in Las Vegas when the accident occurred. The surviving passenger said the helicopter “got quiet and fell from the sky.” The wreckage indicated the helicopter had descended approximately straight down to impact....
August 09, Key West, Fla. / Piper Cherokee Six
Subscribers Only At about 12:15 eastern time, a Piper PA-32-260 ditched in the Florida Straits about 30 miles southeast from Key West. The pilot escaped but two reported passengers were presumed to have drowned. The flight was operated by a business offering customers a chance to join the “mile-high club.” The pilot said an older Hispanic couple who spoke little English, paid cash and only provided their first names hired the flight. Once the flight was airborne, the male passenger produced a small knife and demanded to be flown to Cuba. The pilot maneuvered aggressively to disorient the man and reversed course toward Key West, but a struggle in the cockpit ensued in which the throttle handle snapped off. Th...
August 08, Rock Springs, Wyo. / Piper Aerostar
Subscribers Only At approximately 13:30 mountain time, a Piper PA-60-602P crashed while landing after aborting its flight. The pilot was not injured. The pilot had just taken off from Rock Springs and was climbing out on the downwind leg and getting his IFR clearance when he heard a loud explosion from the vicinity of the right wing. He returned and landed on runway 9. As soon as the airplane touched down, it began veering left and right and finally departed the right side of the runway, collapsing the landing gear. Half of the tire and most of the tube were found at the point of touch down. Evidence was found indicating the tire came off the rim....
August 07, Odenton, Md. / Piper Cherokee 140
Subscribers Only At 10:00 eastern time, a Piper PA-28-140 was damaged during an aborted takeoff from Tipton Airport. The pilot was not injured. The pilot told investigators he was having problems with his airspeed indicator and asked a mechanic to inspect the pitot/static system. The mechanic inspected the system and the pilot planned to perform high speed taxis to test the system. The pilot reported the pre-flight runup was normal. The pilot made one pass down the runway without seeing an acceptable airspeed indication. On the second attempt, the airplane began lifting off with about 1,000 feet remaining, so he decided to take off. At 300 to 400 feet agl, the engine RPM dropped to about 1,500. He then put t...
August 07, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / Mooney M20C
Subscribers Only At about 15:46 eastern time, a Mooney M20C lost engine power after takeoff from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and struck a car and bus as it landed on a city street. The CFI and private-rated student pilot suffered minor injuries. As the airplane took off and the pilot turned off the electric boost pump, the engine lost power. The pilot turned the pump back on but power was not restored. The engine was reportedly running smoothly but at reduced power. Post-accident examination showed one side of the bail wire that secures the gascolator bowl was found improperly positioned. The throttle lever with throttle cable attached was found separated from the carburetor, and there was no evidence...
August 06, Cooper Landing, Ark. / Cessna Skyhawk
Subscribers Only At about 12:00 Alaska time, a Cessna 172S was damaged during an emergency landing at Quartz Creek Airport. The pilot and one passenger were seriously injured, the other two passengers were not injured. The airplane was in cruise flight when it began an uncommanded pitch up. The pilot was unable to keep the airplane from climbing and shut off the engine during his attempt to land. The airplane touched down on runway 21 and bounced several times before continuing off the departure end and crashing into trees. The airplane was equipped with a two-axis autopilot, which is being examined....
August 05, Weaverville, Calif. / Beech Bonanza
Subscribers Only At about 14:15 Pacific time, a Beech B36TC struck trees and rising terrain after taking off from Lonnie Pool Field. One passenger was killed. The pilot and one passenger were seriously injured and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The pilot departed on runway 36 into rising terrain, despite warnings at the airport and in the Airport/Facility Directory to take off from runway 18 because of the runway’s steep slope and rising terrain to the north. The airport is unattended....
August 05, Washington, D.C. / de Havilland Dash 8
Subscribers Only A US Airways Express/Piedmont employee was struck and killed by the right propeller blades during taxi at Reagan Washington National Airport. The marshaller had signaled for the aircraft to stop because the nose wheel chocks had not cleared the right main landing gear. A baggage handler tried to remove the chocks from the front of the airplane and was struck by the propellers....
August 04, Rensselaer, Ind. / Beech Baron
Subscribers Only At 15:35 central time, a Beech E55 crashed into a barn and burned during a low-altitude pass. The pilot and passenger survived the crash, but the passenger later died. The airplane had departed Jasper County Airport at 15:30 and made a low pass over a farm before hitting the barn. The airplane traveled through the air another 700 feet, then skidded 100 feet along the ground. VMC prevailed and no flight plan had been filed....
August 03, Morrilton, Ark. / Curtis Travel Air
Subscribers Only At 08:30 central time, a Curtis Travel Air 4000 vintage biplane was damaged during its takeoff roll from a private grass airstrip. The three people aboard were not injured. The pilot raised the tail at about 50 to 60 knots, the right main landing gear hit a bump, and the airplane became airborne and banked left. The pilot over-corrected to the right and the right wingtip hit the ground. The airplane then went through several fences....
August 02, Mobile, Ala. / Cessna Skyhawk
Subscribers Only At about 11:30 central time, a Cessna 172 landed hard on its nosewheel at Mobile Regional Airport. The pilot and rated safety pilot were not injured. The pilot was flying the aircraft from the right seat to practice the ILS Runway 14 approach. The pilot had executed one practice approach and was three miles from the airport on the second approach when the tower requested the airplane keep its speed up. The pilot reported he maintained 120 mph and requested a touch and go from the approach, which was granted. He performed the maneuver without flaps. As he attempted to slow the airplane and land it, the airplane porpoised and landed hard on the nosewheel, damaging the nosewheel and firewall....
August 01, Sugar Grove, Ill. / Beech Bonanza
Subscribers Only At 11:31 central time, a Beech A36 lost engine power and was damaged in the ensuing forced landing. The pilot was not injured. The flight was a post-maintenance test flight and the airplane had just come from its annual inspection. A ground run showed no anomalies, but during a post-accident inspection it appeared a fuel line had loosened enough to leak but not enough to come off its fitting. There was evidence of an engine compartment fire....
The Race is On
Subscribers Only I went flying one Friday out of Farmingdale, N.Y., with Matt, a fellow pilot, and my friend John, who we picked up at White Plains. We had planned to go to Nantucket, Mass., for the day, but a front was moving in. Matt and I decided to meet at the airport and discuss it. When I got to FRG at 7:15 am he had already pre-flighted the airplane. I didn’t really want to go to Nantucket because I thought it would be difficult to beat the storms back. We talked it over and decided to pick up my friend at HPN, go to East Hampton to have lunch and return before the storms hit Long Island. The visibility was poor at FRG and it was IMC almost everywhere, so we filed IFR for the trip. Matt flew to HP...
Rude Awakening
There has been an attempt to increase pilot awareness of the dangers of runway incursions, and I have been trying to follow some of the published suggestions put forward by AOPA, namely: Do not taxi onto or across a runway unless you are certain the ground controller has given you clearance to do so. If there is the slightest doubt, ask. Unfortunately these have backfired on two occasions. Recently I was departing Islip, N.Y., and was told by Clearance to expect to depart from runway 24. The taxi instructions given to me by Ground included instructions to taxi onto runway 6 because there was a lot of work being done on the taxiways. As I was about to turn onto runway 6 I felt a littl...
Open to Trouble
Subscribers Only The following information is derived from the FAA’s Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts. The FAA Aircraft Certification Office has called again for inspecting the door handles of Beech Debonairs, Bonanzas, Barons and Travel Airs. The checks are required by AD 97-14-15, but pilots should also familiarize themselves with the POH section on actions required in the case of the door coming unlatched in flight. Pilots should be aware that an open door creates a lot of noise and loose objects in the cabin can blow around vigorously. When inspecting the door handles, ensure the door handles are installed correctly and that the door handle does not have a worn...
Preliminary Reports
Subscribers Only The following briefs were selected from the 223 preliminary reports filed with the NTSB in August 2001. Statements in quotes were taken directly from the NTSB documents. The information is subject to change as the investigations are completed. Aug. 01, Sugar Grove, Ill. Beech Bonanza At 11:31 central time, a Beech A36 lost engine power and was damaged in the ensuing forced landing. The pilot was not injured. The flight was a post-maintenance test flight and the airplane had just come from its annual inspection. A ground run showed no anomalies, but during a post-accident inspection it appeared a fuel line had loosened enough to leak but not enough to come off its f...
Going Up, Going Down
Subscribers Only There’s a classic children’s story in which a little train says “I think I can, I think I can” – and lo and behold, it can. The power of mind over body is ably summed up in the tale, as it is in cliches such as “when there’s a will, there’s a way.” But who’s fooling whom? Sure, there are times when you can suck it up and get through whatever it is you have to get through. Who hasn’t had to work through a deadline or clear a fallen tree before dawn or pull an all-nighter through college? Sometimes you just have to do it. But for every time you manage to endure the agony, there are countless times when you punt. With your exhaustion swaddling you like a Los Angeles smog, you wearily...
Risky When Real
Subscribers Only [IMGCAP(1)] I was driving down a country road when I had to blink to make certain I wasn’t hallucinating. There was a Cessna 152 by the side of the road. It was undamaged, which was surprising because the road had a number of power lines running along it. I stopped to see if the person standing next to the aircraft was okay. He said the flight instructor had pulled the mixture to simulate an engine failure when they were doing “S” turns along a road. The student had few options for an emergency landing area and chose the road. There was no time to try re-starting the engine. The student said the flight instructor had walked down the road to try to find a better stretch of the road for...
Nailing the Needles
Subscribers Only [IMGCAP(1)] The first time a pilot on an ILS approach sneaks under the glide-slope is almost always a situation where he is on an ILS final, approaching minimums. He’s close to decision height and suddenly there are patches of ground appearing intermittently below. An instant later, the strobes are visible. He drops below the glide path and the runway is straight ahead. The pilot later realizes that remaining on glide slope at decision height would have meant executing a missed approach and possibly a trip to the alternate airport. On the next gamble, he descends a little bit more below the glideslope path – and it works again. In fact it may work a number of times. The best estimates i...
Snowhere to Hide
Subscribers Only [IMGCAP(1)] I’ll admit right up front that I live for winter. After dealing with the sweltering heat and high density altitudes of the summer, it’s a relief to have the cooler temperatures. However, there are the obvious dangers with operating in a snowy climate, to include frost and snow covered aircraft surfaces, snow covered runways, rapidly changing weather, lower visibilities, more hours of darkness and icing, just to name a few. In snow country, the preparation for a winter flight is more time-consuming than a summer flight because of these conditions, and requires some additional items and procedures. When planning a winter GA flight, watch The Weather Channel. You can get...
Sticking to Cement
Subscribers Only [IMGCAP(1)] The key for all landings is the pilot’s ability to estimate how the airplane will descend to its landing. This ability directly affects the timing of configuration and power changes and the amount of maneuvering that might be necessary to arrive at a suitable touchdown point. The pilot needs to be able to maintain the correct glide angle while maneuvering the airplane. The most important ability – and it comes easier for pilots with glider flight experience – is the ability to estimate the gliding angle and what distance can be picked up with it. All pilots should be able to do a pretty good job of estimating where their airplane is going to land, knowing the normal glide ang...
A Whole New World
The worst thing anyone could do with an airplane has now been done. Several times. As this issue goes to press, just how the suicide hijackers will change aviation remains in a state of flux. Odds are that, when the dust settles, flying will be more like before rather than less so – that many of the flight restrictions will be lifted and pilots will again be essentially free to carry on. However, in light of the fact that much of the general public now sees light aircraft as potential threats, all pilots can do a few things to minimize the chance that the kinds of episodes that happened with an airliner will happen with a general aviation airplane. • Secure your airplane. Make...
Why Can’t We Land?
Subscribers Only [IMGCAP(1)] Day in day out, week after week, in good weather and in poor, pilots are beating the snot out of airplanes, using the runway, edge lights, signs, ditches or anything else that gets in the way of their landings. Landing accidents account for more than a third of all general aviation accidents. While landing accidents are not as likely to be fatal as other kinds of crashes – only 3 to 4 percent of fatal accidents are caused by poor landings – they are responsible for nearly 500 bent airplanes per year. General aviation accidents tend to be caused more often by pilot error than by mechanical problems, and those pilot errors can be separated into two categories: judgment error...