February 2004
November 30, Deming, N.M. / Cessna 210
Subscribers Only At about 1135 mountain time, a Cessna T210K was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Deming, N.M. The pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Oakland, Calif., at 0630, bound for Deming. The pilot reduced engine power to idle and lowered his gear and flaps in order to descend steeply from 17,000 feet msl to the airport elevation of 4,313 feet msl. The pilot advanced the throttle as he approached the airport but the engine did not respond. The airplane impacted terrain during the subsequent forced landing in a field short of the airport....
November 29, Wikieup, Ariz. / Cessna 172
Subscribers Only At about 1400 mountain time, a Cessna 172S was substantially damaged when it impacted the side of a mountain while maneuvering about 21 nautical miles northeast of Wikieup. The pilot was not injured. The solo instructional flight from Bullhead City, Ariz. to Prescott, Ariz. originated about an hour before the accident. The pilot had planned the flight at 9,500 feet msl, but he elected to fly at about 7,000 feet msl, or about 1,000 feet agl. The flight entered an area of rising mountainous terrain and subsequently an area the pilot described as a “dead end canyon.” The pilot attempted to gain altitude by applying power and adjusting the fuel mixture. The airplane would not out climb the risin...
November 27, Jacksonville, Fla. / Swearingen Merlin
Subscribers Only At about 0752 eastern time, a Swearingen SA-26-AT was destroyed when it collided with trees while on an instrument approach to the Craig Airport, Jacksonville. The pilot was killed and four passengers reported minor injuries. After a flight lasting about four hours, the pilot decided to attempt the ILS Rwy 32 approach even though ATC had advised him that the airport was below landing minimums and had suggested alternates in the area. Passengers on the airplane said that while en route the pilot had mentioned fog at their destination, but he did not alert them to any possible dangers before the approach. The airplane crashed in a wooded area behind a shopping center. The recorded visibility a...
November 25, Warren, Ore. / Beech Bonanza
Subscribers Only At about 0655 Pacific time, a Beech S35 was destroyed following an in-flight breakup and uncontrolled descent from cruise flight while en route from Arlington, Wash. to Fresno, Calif. The pilot and three passengers were killed. The pilot requested a weather briefing about 1 1/2 hours before the flight and filed an IFR flight plan. Instrument meteorological conditions were reported over the pilot’s route of flight. After about an hour of flight, while at 11,000 feet msl, the pilot requested a higher altitude and was cleared to 13,000 feet msl. He subsequently reported that he was at 13,000 feet and “clear of rime ice.” At 0655 the pilot advised Center that he had lost suction, and declared “m...
November 24, Fountain Hills, Ariz. / Cessna 172
Subscribers Only At about 1445 mountain time, a Cessna 172P was substantially damaged after colliding with a berm during an attempted go-around from a simulated forced landing near Fountain Hills. Both pilots sustained minor injuries. The flight instructor was providing a check-out in the Cessna 172 to the recently certificated private pilot. Both fuel tanks had been filled prior to the flight. When the accident occurred, the CFI was in the process of simulating a total loss of engine power. The maneuver began about 3,500 feet agl by closing the engine’s throttle. According to the student, he applied full carburetor heat. The CFI turned the carburetor heat off, saying that it was unnecessary. Both pilots rep...
November 21, Sweetwater, Texas / Piper Cherokee 235
Subscribers Only At approximately 0800 central time, a Piper PA-28-235 sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power while in cruise flight. The pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight was en route from Hobbs, N.M. to Abilene when the engine lost total power. The pilot attempted to reach Avenger Field Airport near Sweetwater for the forced landing, but headwinds prevented him from reaching the airport. The airplane collided with terrain about 400 feet short of the runway, then struck trees, a fence, and two poles before coming to rest on the runway. ...
November 21, Okolona, Miss. / Beech Bonanza
Subscribers Only At about 1022 central time, a Beech G35 was destroyed after colliding with a tree and then the ground near Okolona, Mississippi. The pilot and two passengers were killed. The flight originated from Hattiesburg, Miss. under instrument flight rules in VFR conditions to Okolona. About 10 minutes prior to the accident, the pilot cancelled his IFR clearance and proceeded to the site of a commercial building housing a business he owned. He then maneuvered at a low altitude in the vicinity of the building, as observed by the foreman and several employees of the business. The foreman lost sight of the airplane behind the building but when it reappeared east of the building, he thought the left wing...
November 19, Montgomery, Texas / Beech Mentor
Subscribers Only At 1016 central time, a Beech A45 (T-34), operated by Texas Air Aces of Houston, was destroyed when it impacted terrain following a loss of control after an in flight breakup while maneuvering near Montgomery. Both pilots were killed. The accident airplane was the flight lead of a flight of two aircraft that departed from the David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport, near Spring, Texas, about 45 minutes prior to the accident. They flew to a practice area, where the formation flight split up and conducted individual upset maneuver training. After completion of the training, the pilot of the second airplane suggested an air combat demonstration to the flight lead, who agreed. Both aircraft “rendezvo...
November 19, Bellevue, Idaho / Cessna 210
Subscribers Only At approximately 1830 mountain time, a Cessna T210N was destroyed after impacting mountainous terrain about five miles from the intended destination of Hailey, Idaho. The pilot was killed. The pilot was communicating with the tower at Hailey in preparation for landing. He requested and received approval for a 360-degree turn to lose altitude, and five minutes later reported that he was about five miles south of the airport at 7,500 feet msl. The tower cleared him to land but the clearance was not acknowledged, and subsequent requests for position reports were unanswered. Search and rescue was initiated and the wreckage was found 100 feet below a ridgeline of a 7,539 foot msl mountain. 5 1/2...
November 18, Daytona Beach, Fla. / Beech Duchess
Subscribers Only At about 1005 eastern time, a flight instructor preparing a Beech BE-76 for flight suffered serious injuries after being struck by the propeller. The student pilot and one passenger were not injured and the airplane was not damaged. The student pilot stated that he was seated in the right seat and the flight instructor boarded the airplane and sat in the left seat. He said the flight instructor then said something about the starter, and before saying anything else, stepped out of the cockpit and went to the left propeller. The student said he then saw the flight instructor move the propeller, and the next thing he saw was that the flight instructor was lying on the ground. ...
November 16, Westerly, R.I. / Cessna 180 and Piper Archer
Subscribers Only At 1330 eastern time, a Cessna 180 and a Piper PA-28-181 collided at the Westerly Airport while the Cessna was attempting to take off and the Piper was attempting to land on the same runway. Both flight instructors aboard the Cessna were killed, while the pilot and two passengers aboard the Piper were not injured. The Cessna was substantially damaged and the Piper received minor damage in the ensuing ground impact. The pilot of the Piper had made a previous attempt to land but was too high, so he elected to go around and make a second attempt. He remained in the pattern and announced his positions on the CTAF. A witness reported hearing these transmissions. On his second final approach, the...
November 15, Ormond Beach, Fla. / Cessna 152
Subscribers Only At about 1020 eastern time, a Cessna 152 was substantially damaged in a hard landing at Ormond Beach Airport. The student pilot, who was on her first unsupervised solo, was not injured. The pilot said she had flown the traffic pattern twice, and had made two uneventful landings. During preparations for her third landing, another pilot suggested on the Unicom frequency that all aircraft switch to a different runway. The student pilot said that switching runways in flight caused confusion for her. The airplane porpoised as she was executing the landing flare and touchdown of her third landing, and she was unable to gain control. The nose gear collapsed, the propeller contacted the runway, and...
November 14, Van Nuys, Calif. / OMF Symphony
Subscribers Only At about 1930 Pacific time, a passenger was seriously injured by walking into a moving propeller while disembarking from an OMF-100-160 at Van Nuys Airport. The passenger’s arm was broken in two places and the pilot was not injured. The airplane sustained minor damage. The pilot taxied the airplane to the base of the tower after landing. The passenger got out of the airplane and walked into the propeller. The operator of the aircraft reported that he was not informed of the accident by the pilot, but discovered a nick on the propeller the day following the accident and could not determined its origination. The accident pilot began his training at the flight school, but then changed schools....
November 13, Bahamas / Piper Cherokee Six
Subscribers Only A Piper PA-32-300 was reported missing after departure at about 0700 from Staniel Cay, Bahamas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane has not been located, and the whereabouts of the airplane and pilot are unknown. A witness reporting seeing the pilot board the airplane and depart to the southeast. Inquiries as well as subsequent searches did not reveal any information as to the whereabouts of the pilot or the airplane. ...
November 13, Phoenix, Ariz. / Caravan and Bombardier Challenger
Subscribers Only At 0647 mountain time, a Cessna 208B was damaged after being blown over by a Bombardier CL-600-2024 while taxiing to the active runway at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The pilot of the Cessna and the maintenance crew on the CL-600 were not injured. The pilot of the Cessna stated that he crossed behind the tail end of the jet after looking for and not seeing a red beacon light blinking to indicate that the engines on the jet were running. The cargo area is considered a nonmovement area, and therefore is not under the authority of the control tower. He also reported that there were no signs concerning jet blast in the accident area. ...
November 12, Minneapolis, Minn. / Saab 340
Subscribers Only At about 2200 central time, a Saab AB 340 operated by Mesaba Airlines Inc. received substantial damage during a bird strike on approach to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The two pilots, one flight attendant, and 22 passengers were uninjured. The flight departed from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and was en route to Minneapolis where it landed without incident. The airplane was descending through 4,000 feet msl at 245 knots indicated airspeed when an unknown number of geese struck the vertical stabilizer. ...
November 09, Philippi, W.Va. / Cessna 172
Subscribers Only At 1530 eastern time, a Cessna 172N was damaged when it collided with trees during takeoff from Simpson Airport in Philippi. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured. According to the pilot, he performed a short-field takeoff from runway 19 at Simpson. He rotated the airplane about 1,300 feet from the approach end of the 1,500-foot long turf runway. During the initial climb out, the airplane impacted the tops of 40-foot-tall trees, located about 200 feet from the departure end of the runway. The airplane descended through the trees, coming to rest inverted and suspended in a tree. The pilot stated that he was aware of the trees prior to takeoff. The weather station at Clarksburg,...
November 09, Wooster, Ohio / Cessna 150 and Cessna 150
Subscribers Only At 1530 eastern time, a Cessna 150M and a Cessna 150K collided at the Wayne County Airport in Wooster. The Cessna 150K, which was taking off, was substantially damaged and the Cessna 150M, which was landing, was not damaged. The student pilot in the Cessna 150M and the flight instructor and student pilot in the Cessna 150K were not injured. Both airplanes were on local instructional flights and both reported making position announcements on the CTAF. The Cessna 150K entered the pattern and landed after a third airplane that had approached the airport on a straight-in instrument approach followed by a touch and go. According to the CFI in the Cessna 150K, they heard the pilot of the Cessna 15...
November 09, Millington, Tenn. / Cessna 210
Subscribers Only At 1419 central time, a Cessna 210D was substantially damaged during an emergency landing at the Millington Municipal Airport. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The pilots were conducting touch and go landings at Dyersburg Municipal Airport, Dyersburg, Tenn. and received an unsafe landing gear indication after attempting to lower the landing gear. The landing gear would not come down even after the emergency gear extension checklist was followed. The pilot diverted to Millington and requested a fly-by so that the tower controller could check the status of the landing gear. The fly-by showed that the nose gear was extended but not the main landing gear. The pilot entered t...
November 08, Kilbourne, Ohio / Cessna 172
Subscribers Only At about 1530 eastern time, a Cessna 172K was substantially damaged after overshooting a private airstrip in Kilbourne. The pilot was not injured. The pilot said that he landed long on the 2,800-foot-long, turf runway and was not able to stop the airplane before it departed the end of the runway. The airplane entered a plowed field and nosed over. According to the pilot, winds were calm at the time of the accident. ...
November 06, Montauk, N.Y. / Piper Archer
Subscribers Only At 2020 eastern time, a Piper PA-28-181 struck trees when the pilot attempted to avoid deer on the runway during a night landing at the Montauk Airport. The pilot was not injured. The pilot had attempted without success to turn on the pilot controlled lighting system at the airport. After several attempts, he made a low pass over the runway in an attempt to scare any deer away, then landed without runway lights. During the rollout, the pilot observed deer crossing in front of the airplane from left to right. When the pilot turned the airplane to the left to avoid the deer, the left wing struck a small stand of trees and was substantially damaged. The lighting system was tested the following...
November 02 Fishers Island, N.Y. / Fleet 16
Subscribers Only At about 1115 eastern time, a Fleet 16B was destroyed when it impacted water following low-level maneuvering about one mile south of Fishers Island. The pilot and passenger were presumed killed. The accident airplane had departed Westerly, Rhode Island, about 15 minutes prior to the accident as one of a flight of three airplanes. The other airplanes in the flight were a Citabria and an RV-8. The pilot of the Citabria said he was flying in formation with the Fleet while a passenger in the RV-8 took photographs. Two witnesses in boats described the maneuvers of the two airplanes as “like they were performing in an air show” or “like they were dog fighting.” Both witnesses described steep turns...
November 01, Franklin, Ky. / Piper Tri-Pacer
Subscribers Only At about 1715 eastern time, a Piper PA-22-150 was substantially damaged following a loss of control during takeoff from a private turf airstrip near Franklin. One passenger received minor injuries, and the pilot and another passenger were not injured. The pilot stated that he over-rotated during the takeoff roll. The airplane climbed about 15 feet, then landed hard and departed the runway to the right. It came to rest inverted in the grass about 30 feet beyond the end of the 2,000-foot long, 100-foot wide runway. The pilot had 12,000 hours flight experience with 28 hours in Tri-Pacers....
Predictable in Chaos
Subscribers Only “There was a crowd of spectators on the ramp and adjacent to the runway. I was still not fully aware of all the aircraft around the airport and their locations”
Squawk Box 02/04: Exhausting Work
Subscribers Only Exhaust system faults can lead to lots of trouble, from poisoning to engine failure
NTSB Preliminary Reports
Subscribers Only Selected recent general aviation and airline accidents
Salt Lake Drop
Subscribers Only Skydiving trip meets unhappy end when pilot takes VFR trip into bad weather, with a scud-run planned to the airport
Smart Preflights
Subscribers Only Regardless of whether you’re too rushed or not mechanically inclined, here are five spots not to miss on your preflight inspection
Tricks for the 430
Subscribers Only Get more out of your Garmin 430 by setting it up so the information is logical and relevant. The factory settings aren’t the way to go
Desperate, On Top
Subscribers Only “I don’t want to go down, we’ll hit something,” I protested. “Would you rather go down now, or in the dark?” Martha replied
Are You Cleared?
Subscribers Only As GPS opens up remote airports to IFR approaches, you’ll have to fly these procedures without vectors. Here’s how
Penalty Box
Subscribers Only Enforcement for busting TFRs is all over the map, depending on how you bust which space – and what it means to another’s career
Unicom 02/04: Darwin Candidate
Avionics induce friend to fly in IMC, but without instrument rating
The Easy Sell
FAA can’t measure the success of its efforts on safety without a reliable measure of flying