February 2003
November 28, Mobile, Ariz. / Cessna 170
Subscribers Only At about 1000 mountain time, a Cessna 170B ground looped and nosed over while practicing touch-and-go landings at an abandoned airstrip near Mobile. Neither the pilot nor passenger was injured. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office received a call on the evening of the accident by a person who reported what appeared to be an abandoned airplane lying inverted on a dirt road. Sheriff personnel traced the airplane to the owner and the pilot confirmed that he had ground looped on this strip and collided with a dirt berm....
November 27, Vernal, Utah / Piper Cherokee 180
Subscribers Only At 1540 mountain time, a Piper PA-28-180 ran out of fuel and crash-landed on a plateau six miles west of Vernal. The pilot and two passengers were uninjured. The pilot had planned to fly from Fort Collins, Colo., to Provo, Utah, but had landed at Laramie, Wyo., because of weather. When they resumed the trip several hours later, they again ran into weather near Vernal. The pilot deviated north and south, looking for a path around the weather. After about an hour, he began looking for an airport where he could refuel. He discussed the weather at nearby airports with another pilot on the radio and then decided to try to land at Vernal. One fuel tank ran dry when he was 15 miles from the airport...
November 27, McAlester, Okla. / Piper Seneca
Subscribers Only At 1604 central time, a Piper PA-34-220T crashed following a loss of control while executing a go-around. The pilot and four passengers were killed. A witness said the pilot made two radio transmissions, initially reporting that he was 10 miles south of the airport, and a subsequent transmission that he was 5 miles south and would be landing at McAlester. There were no further radio communications from the pilot. The witness said the airplane was fast on the approach approximately halfway down the 5,602-foot runway 01 at an altitude of 5 to 10 feet. He also said the left propeller was not turning. When the pilot started a go-around, the airplane pitched up slightly, then rolled toward the de...
November 25, Homer, La. / Van’s RV-4
Subscribers Only At approximately 0730 central time, an amateur-built RV-4 crashed while maneuvering in fog near Homer, killing the pilot and passenger. The non-instrument-rated pilot took off from Homer Municipal Airport in conditions of fog, low ceilings and half-mile visibility for a cross-country flight. He made a right downwind departure and struck 30-foot trees in a nearby marsh....
November 23, Prestonsburg, Ky. / Cessna 172
Subscribers Only At about 1630 eastern time, a Cessna 172K made a forced landing in a field after losing engine power near Prestonsburg. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured, but the airplane was damaged. The pilots reported the engine began to run rough while in cruise flight and the oil pressure indication dropped to zero. Investigation revealed a 2-inch hole in top of the engine crankcase. The engine had accumulated about 2,400 hours of operation since its last overhaul, which was conducted in 1986. The oil had been changed two days prior to the accident as part of a 50-hour inspection....
November 20, Williams, Ariz. / Cessna 210
Subscribers Only At about 1610 mountain time, a Cessna T210L made a precautionary off-airport landing after experiencing smoke in the cockpit. The airplane was destroyed during the ensuing crash sequence, but the two occupants got out with only minor injuries. The pilot reported he was cruising at 9,500 feet when he smelled and observed smoke from behind the front seats. The smoke did not smell like electrical insulation and the landing gear hydraulic power pack was not running. The passenger went into the back seat and held both doors open with his feet in an attempt to clear the smoke. The landing gear did not operate electrically and pilot tried to pump the gear down manually as the airplane approached th...
November 17, New Philadelphia, Ohio / Cessna 182
Subscribers Only At about 1440 eastern time, a Cessna 182D crashed during a missed approach in New Philadelphia after the pilot reported the airframe icing up. The pilot and passenger were killed. The pilot’s weather briefing included reports of forecast icing conditions, pilot reports of icing conditions and advisories of low clouds and instrument meteorological conditions over a wide area along the pilot’s route of flight. The pilot then filed an IFR flight plan. As the airplane was vectored for the descent and VOR-A Approach to Harry Clever Field, the pilot reported that he was picking up moderate ice. The pilot was asked if he needed to change altitude and climb back to 4,000 feet. The pilot replied, “.....
November 17, Albion, Mich. / Taylorcraft BC12-D
Subscribers Only At 1545 eastern time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D crashed after an inadvertent stall/spin while maneuvering. The pilot reported minor injuries and the passenger reported no injuries. The pilot said he was maneuvering at 500 to 800 feet agl on a deer-spotting mission when he stalled the airplane during a left turn at 500 feet. The airplane entered a spin, which he recovered, but he did not have enough altitude to arrest the descent. The airplane crashed into heavy brush at nearly a level attitude....
November 16, Napa, Calif. / Bellanca 14-19
Subscribers Only At 1115 Pacific time, a Bellanca 14-19 lost engine power when making a missed approach at the Napa County Airport and was ditched in San Pablo Bay. The pilot was not injured. The flight departed the Camarillo, Calif., at 0730 that morning and had diverted to Angwin during a period when Napa was below approach minimums. The flight departed Angwin at 1020 on an instrument clearance to Napa. The pilot said he departed Camarillo with full tanks, which gave him four hours of flight time plus a 45-minute reserve. The pilot said he made his approach too high and the tower controller instructed him to execute a missed approach. During the climb out the engine started to “sag” and the airplane would...
November 15, Rosamond, Calif. / Cessna 172
Subscribers Only At 1800 Pacific time, a Cessna 172M veered off the runway during the landing rollout on runway 7 at Rosamond Airport and was damaged when the left gear collapsed. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The pilot said the landing was normal and that the left gear collapsed when he braked to turn off the runway. An inspector detected tire signatures on the runway that were not skid marks and suggested the airspeed may have been too high to make the turnoff the pilot was trying to make. While reviewing the airplane’s logbooks, the inspector noted a reference from a year ago that the firewall was wrinkled, complete with photographs. There were no logbook entries detailing repair of the f...
November 15, Fairfield, N.J. / Mooney Cadet and Piper Lance
Subscribers Only At 1908 eastern time, a Mooney M10 and a Piper PA-32R-300 collided while maneuvering to land at Essex County Airport, killing the pilots of each airplane. The Mooney had been conducting touch-and-go landings on runway 22 and the Piper was flying in from Pittstown, N.J. At 1905, the pilot of the Piper established communication with the air traffic control tower and reported 7.5 miles west/northwest at 2,500 feet. The tower controller instructed the pilot of the Piper to report a right downwind for runway 22 but received no further transmissions from the airplane. The pilot of the Mooney had just completed a go-around and was turning onto a crosswind leg for runway 22. The Piper was entering t...
November 14, La Grande, Ore. / Piper Turbo Arrow
Subscribers Only At 1427 Pacific time, a Piper PA-28-201T on a private pilot checkride struck the ground during a simulated engine-out procedure about seven miles northeast of La Grande. The student pilot and the pilot examiner were not injured. During the simulated engine-out procedure, the DPE instructed the student to go around when the aircraft was about one foot agl. The DPE increased the throttle while the student was on the flight controls but the aircraft did not clear a rising knoll....
November 12, Vineyard Haven, Mass. / Mooney Ovation
Subscribers Only At about 1955 eastern time, a Mooney M20R crashed into the Atlantic Ocean about five miles south of Martha’s Vineyard Airport. The pilot and a passenger were presumed killed. The airplane was cleared for the VOR Runway 6 approach and descended to about 200 feet, and then began a climbing right turn to an altitude of 700 feet before radar contact was lost. A pilot who had landed at MVY about 15 minutes prior to the accident using the same approach said he had no problems tracking the VOR. His flight broke out at 700 feet with 2 to 3 miles of visibility in moderate rain. The accident pilot reported two miles out and asked if someone could confirm the runway lights were on, but they were not. T...
November 11, Fullerton, Calif. / Mooney M20J
Subscribers Only At 1130 Pacific time, a Mooney M20J lost power on initial climb and crashed near Fullerton Municipal Airport. The pilot and passenger were not injured. Inspection revealed about 30 ounces of water in the right fuel tank and water in the fuel distribution valve. The fuel selector was on the right tank....
November 11, Glade Spring, Va. / Boeing Stearman
Subscribers Only At about 1445 eastern time, a Boeing A75 crashed after losing engine power near Glade Spring. The pilot and passenger suffered minor injuries. The accident airplane was part of a three-airplane formation that had conducted a fly-by at a nearby Veterans Day celebration. At the completion of the fly-by, the three airplanes headed back to their departure airport, Abingdon, Va. Two airplanes continued on to Abingdon but the pilot of the accident airplane broke formation, descended and conducted low-level maneuvering below what witnesses said was the level of the surrounding hills. The pilot said he was maneuvering at a low altitude when the engine lost power. There was no suitable terrain nearby...
November 10, Chino, Calif. / Beech Bonanza
Subscribers Only At about 0800 Pacific time, a Beech A36 collided with power lines during an instrument departure climb to VFR conditions on top from the Chino Airport. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The pilot said he was on top of the fog, looked down at his instruments, and then looked up and saw the power lines. The airplane crashed in a pasture approximately 1 1/2 miles southwest of the airport....
November 07, Prairie View, Texas / Cessna 152
Subscribers Only At approximately 1351 central time, a Cessna 152 landed without incident at David Wayne Hooks Airport after the pilot occupying the left seat departed the airplane during descent near Prairie View. The flight instructor in the right seat landed without further incident. The aircraft operator and the flight instructor said the pilot scheduled flight instruction and said he had an ear operation and needed to see how his ears would feel at altitude before he went for an FAA medical certificate. He also stated that he was contemplating doing some aerial photography, and wanted to see how the aerial visibility was from a Cessna 152. During preflight, the private pilot requested to not wear the sh...
November 06, Kerrville, Texas / Piper Chieftain
Subscribers Only At approximately 1200 central time, a Piper PA-31-350 was damaged in an in-flight engine fire while in cruise flight near near Kerrville. The pilot said the airplane was approximately 25 miles out when the right engine lost power. He shut down the engine and landed without incident. Post-flight examination showed oil from the right propeller aft to the right vertical stabilizer. The outboard portion of the right flap, the right gear door and the right wing locker were destroyed by fire. In addition, there was thermal deformation of the aft right wing spar....
November 03, Memphis, Tenn. / Piper Malibu Mirage
Subscribers Only At about 1746 central time, a Piper PA-46-350P apparently crashed while on approach to General Dewitt Spain Airport. The two occupants are missing and presumed dead and the wreckage is believed to be submerged in the Mississippi River. Radar data showed the airplane flying a GPS approach to runway 16 but zig-zagging across the final approach course. It appeared to turn as depicted on the approach plate for a missed approach about a half-mile from the threshold, but then it dropped off radar at a point that corresponds to the river. ...
November 03, Las Vegas, N.M. / Cirrus SR20
Subscribers Only At approximately 1225 mountain time, a Cirrus SR20 struck terrain while maneuvering near Las Vegas, killing the pilot. Instrument conditions prevailed but the airplane was not on a flight plan. The pilot reportedly left Fargo, N.D., for Albuquerque and was reported overdue by a family member. An employee at the Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge came upon the wreckage during a period of heavy fog and visibility of about 100 feet....
November 01, Chugiak, Alaska / Kolb Fire Star II
Subscribers Only At about 1345 Alaska standard time, an amateur-built Kolb Fire Star II lost engine power and crashed into trees after takeoff from Birchwood Airport. The pilot was not injured. The pilot said the airplane had been stored outside unused for two years. He made two successful touch-and-go landings, but the engine quit on the third takeoff at about 50 feet agl. An FAA inspector found both carburetor float bowls contained murky, silty and rust-colored fuel. ...
November 01, New Braunfels, Texas / Rockwell Turbo Commander
Subscribers Only At approximately 1550 central time, a Rockwell 690B suffered the loss of the top portion of its rudder while in cruise flight at 16,000 feet near New Braunfels. The flight landed without further incident and none of the three aboard was injured. The plot reported that the gear-in-transit light was on for the duration of the flight but he continued the flight. While cruising on autopilot, the pilot noticed the ball was not centered. He adjusted the rudder trim and a couple of minutes later the airplane began violent shaking an yawing. The airplane rolled into a 70-degree left bank and pitched 10 to 15 degrees nose-down. He recovered the airplane and continued to his destination. During the de...
A Wave Here?
Subscribers Only I am an 1,100-hour instrument pilot flying an A-36 Bonanza. The other night, my friend Bill (a student pilot) and I were flying along in the Pittsfield, Mass., area and encountered a situation I had never seen before. We were cruising along northbound VFR on top at 7500 ft. in smooth air and unrestricted visibility with autopilot engaged at 154 knots IAS. There was a broken layer below us with tops estimated at 6,000 feet. The winds at our altitude were from the northwest at approx 65 knots. Outside air temperature was right around 0 Celsius. The highest terrain in the area was about 4000 ft. The nearest weather front was a strong low hundreds of miles to our south. In front of us we s...
Gender Bias
Thanks, Ibolds, for the article on emergency pilot instruction [Reality Check, November]. I’ll recommend it to my wife. However, I protest the male bashing that seems to not only be in vogue, but promulgated by Mrs. Ibold in “I Ride in Back.” “...I wanted a woman instructor, so I wouldn’t punch him for speaking to me like I was an idiot.” What Mrs. Ibold seems to need is a sensitive, thoughtful CFI, not necessarily one with XX chromosomes. Instruction should as a matter of course include awareness of what the student needs to hear, and encouragement is vital. As for punching out the instructor, why does she feel that’s a legitimate thing to say? It’s very insulting. “...(after g...
Turbo Troubles
Subscribers Only The following information is derived from the FAA’s Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts. ---------- A recent fatal accident of a single-engine aircraft involved the apparent separation of the tailpipe assembly from the turbocharger, which allowed hot exhaust gases to be expelled into the engine compartment. The pilot reported smoke and fire in the cockpit before the aircraft crashed short of the airport, killing both aboard. The NTSB investigation is targeting an exhaust clamp failure due to fatigue cracks found in the turbocharger to tailpipe clamp. A review of the FAA Service Difficulty Report (SDR) database reveals similar incidents involving this clamp as...
NTSB Preliminary Reports
Subscribers Only The following briefs were selected from the 117 preliminary reports filed with the NTSB in November 2002. 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, November." ---------- November 01, New Braunfels, Texas Rockwell Turbo Commander At approximately 1550 central time, a Rockwell 690B suffered the loss of the top portion of its rudder while in cruise flight at 16,000 feet near New Braunfels. The flight landed without further incident and none of the three aboard was injured. The plot reported that...
Crossed Up
Subscribers Only Disoriented on first landing try, pilot gets behind the airplane and can’t catch up before go-around goes bad
Airfoil Extensions
Subscribers Only Flaps can make takeoff and landing safer, but mismanagement can lead to an unrecoverable situation
Cold-Weather Starts
Subscribers Only Grinding away on the starter is no way to wake up a cold airplane. Warm it and prime it like you know what you’re doing
Unlucky Combination
Subscribers Only Static electricity can combine with fueling operations in unfortunate ways. Self-serve fuel only increases the chance of trouble
Runway Rejection
Subscribers Only Accidents on go-arounds reflect poor approaches, delayed decisions, lousy control and incorrect procedures
Back Seat Driver
Just for the fun of it, I decided to learn to fly my taildragger from the back seat. There’s a stick. PTT, throttle and carb heat in the back, but from there you can’t change the radio frequency, adjust the mixture, hit the start button or manipulate any of the panel controls. Because there has to be a person in the front, you can’t see much, either. Nonetheless, I wanted the challenge, so I enlisted the help of one of my favorite instructors and off we went. Taxiing was more Pitts or P-51 or Stearman than Citabria, with S-turns a requirement for seeing what’s in front of you. Suddenly the taxiways seemed much narrower. The runup and mag check were normal. I dictated a pre-takeoff flow...
Simple Stack IFR
Subscribers Only Flying IFR with a lightly equipped airplane can be legal, but your options dwindle even if nothing goes wrong