September 2004
June 28, 2004, Perris, Calif. / SOCATA TB-20
Subscribers Only At 1439 Pacific time, the accident aircraft made a forced landing near Perris, Calif., following loss of engine power. Neither the Private pilot nor his four passengers were injured; however, the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight. The pilot subsequently stated that he leveled the airplane at 10,500 feet msl after its initial climb. While configuring the airplane for cruise, he noticed the oil pressure needle was in the yellow-green arc transition area, with the oil warning light flickering intermittently. The pilot then decided to turn back to his departure airport. About five minutes later, the engine started to vibrate and subse...
June 27, 2004, Barnesville, Ga. / Robinson R44
Subscribers Only The helicopter collided with trees and was substantially damaged at 0530 Eastern time during a cross-country flight from Greer, S.C., that had begin at about 0300 that morning. Instrument conditions prevailed but no flight plan had been filed. The flight instructor and two passengers were fatally injured. A witness reported hearing a helicopter over a residential area and, shortly afterward, heard an explosion. The helicopter was found engulfed in flames. Efforts by the witnesses to extinguish the flames were unsuccessful. No radio communication was received from the pilot prior to the accident....
June 27, 2004, Deep River, Conn. / Lake LA-250
Subscribers Only At about 0815 Eastern time, the amphibian was substantially damaged during a water landing. The Private pilot received minor injuries; no one else was aboard. After a normal approach, the pilot leveled the airplane several feet above the water to bleed off airspeed, and noted that the water surface was “rippled.” When he attempted to land, the hull of the airplane touched the water, and the airplane bounced. Just before a second touchdown, “the nose veered to the left” and the airplane touched down at an angle relative to the direction of flight. To the pilot’s best recollection, the right wingtip caught the water, and the airplane flipped, landing upside down with the nose pointing in a dir...
June 26, 2004, Fishers, Ind. / Cessna 172
Subscribers Only At 1150 Eastern time, the Skyhawk was substantially damaged when the nose gear collapsed during a landing attempt. Visual conditions prevailed for the solo instructional flight; the student pilot was not injured. The pilot later reported crossing the runway threshold approximately 100 feet above ground level and then reducing engine power to idle. During the landing flare, the airplane touched down with a “mild impact,” followed by a bounce. The pilot continued to flare, with no additional engine power, and the second touchdown was “harder than the first.” No additional corrective action was attempted for the third touchdown, which broke the nosewheel. The prop hit the pavement and the plane...
June 26, 2004, Cushing, Okla. / Bell 206B
Subscribers Only At approximately 2045 Central time, the helicopter was destroyed when it impacted water following an in-flight collision with power lines while maneuvering near Cushing, Okla. The Commercial pilot and a passenger sustained fatal injuries; three passengers were seriously injured. Visual conditions prevailed. The flight had been chartered to provide sightseeing rides to guests at a birthday party. The wreckage was located in the middle of the Cimarron River in approximately four to five feet of water. The helicopter impacted and severed three power lines approximately 30 to 40 feet above the river....
June 25, 2004, Show Low, Arizona / Lancair LC-40-550FG
Subscribers Only At about 1020 Mountain time, the Columbia 300 veered off Runway 24 during the landing roll. There were no injuries, but the airplane sustained substantial damage. According to a witness in a Cessna 150, a “dust devil” was in the area; it had lifted his airplane approximately 10 feet during a landing attempt. He recovered, then completed his landing. As he cleared the runway, he radioed a warning to the accident pilot. As the accident pilot landed, the witness watched the airplane encounter the same dust devil during landing. The wind turned the Lancair to the north and the airplane traveled off of the right side of the runway. The nose gear was sheared from the airplane and the right wing wa...
June 25, 2004, Dalhart, Texas / Piper PA-32R-300
Subscribers Only At approximately 1545 Central time, the airplane substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. No one among the Private pilot and three passengers aboard the airplane was injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight that departed Raton, N.M., with Seminole, Okla., as its destination. At 10,400 feet during cruise climb, the engine lost power. The pilot later stated that he switched fuel tanks, pushed the throttle full forward, cycled the magnetos, and turned the boost pump on. The engine did not regain power, so the pilot initiated emergency procedures and informed ATC that he would make an emergency landing. During the forced landing in...
June 24, 2004, Asheville, N.C. / Cessna 172S
Subscribers Only At about 2345 Eastern time, the Skyhawk collided with rising terrain during an instructional flight in visual conditions. Both the instructor and student were injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight was en route to Thomson, Ga., and encountered lowering ceilings. After descending to 3500 feet, the airplane collided with trees....
June 22, 2004, Dunkirk, N.Y. / Cessna 210P
Subscribers Only The Cessna was presumed destroyed when it impacted Lake Erie while in cruise flight near Dunkirk, N.Y., at approximately 1050 Eastern time. The solo Commercial pilot was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed Flint, Mich., for Jamestown, N.Y. Earlier, the airplane was cruising at 9000 feet and in contact with ATC. The airplane was cleared to descend to 5000 feet at the pilot’s discretion and was deviating around thunderstorm activity when radar and radio communication was lost. Initial radar data revealed that at 1049:30, the airplane was at 7400 feet when it began a right turn. Th...
June 18, 2004, Killingly, Conn. / Robinson R-44
Subscribers Only At 0324 Eastern time the helicopter was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain near Killingly, Conn. The Commercial pilot and a Private pilot were fatally injured. Night instrument conditions prevailed, but no flight plan had been filed for the Part 91 positioning flight from Scranton, Penn., to the Theodore Francis (T.F.) Green State Airport (PVD) in Providence, R.I. Preliminary downloaded data from a handheld GPS unit found at the crash site revealed that the helicopter had departed Scranton at 0047. It then proceeded east, along Interstate 84, to Middletown, N.Y., turned southeast, along Route 17, then south, along Interstate 87. The helicopter subsequently passed Nyack, N.Y., cross...
June 14, 2004, Crystal River, Fla. / Gulfstream American AA5B
Subscribers Only At about 0945 Eastern time the airplane crashed off the end of the runway at Crystal River, Fla. Visual conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The Private pilot and three passengers were uninjured, although the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight had originated in Sarasota, Fla., about 45 minutes earlier. While in level cruise flight at 8000 feet, the engine started running roughly. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude, declared an emergency with the Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Center, and was given vectors for an airport at Crystal River, Fla. The pilot later stated that he flew the subsequent approach to a forced landing with t...
June 14, 2004, Kodiak, Alaska / Beech C-45H
Subscribers Only At about 1137 Alaska time, the twin-engine turboprop was destroyed during an in-flight collision with tree-covered terrain, about 10 miles east of Kodiak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated non-scheduled domestic cargo flight under FAR Part 135 during the accident flight. The solo Airline Transport Pilot was fatally injured. Instrument conditions prevailed at the destination airport and an IFR flight plan was filed. According to the FAA, the flight departed Anchorage at 0955. As the flight approached Kodiak, the ceiling and visibility lowered, and the pilot elected hold east of the airport to await more favorable weather. After holding for about 45 minutes, the weather had improved and...
June 13, 2004, Rupert, W.V. / Beech King Air 200
Subscribers Only The King Air was destroyed at about 0830 Eastern time when it impacted Big Mountain, near Rupert, W.V. The Airline Transport Pilot and Commercial pilot board were fatally injured. Instrument conditions prevailed near the accident site; no flight plan had been filed for the positioning flight from Summersville, W.V., to Lewisburg, W.V. According to an FAA inspector, the flightcrew intended to meet passengers at Lewisburg and take them to Charlotte, N.C. Prior to the flight, the flightcrew obtained a weather briefing and filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan for the second leg of the trip to Charlotte. However, the flightcrew did not file a flight plan for the first leg of the tri...
June 13, 2004, Englewood, Colo. / Schweizer 269C
Subscribers Only At about 1430 Mountain time, the helicopter was substantially damaged during a hard landing to Runway 17R at Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colo. The Private pilot and his passenger were uninjured. Visual conditions prevailed; the flight departed had Jefferson County Airport (BJC), Broomfield, Colo., at approximately 1400. During a takeoff, the pilot reported that after crossing the threshold at 40 knots and 40 feet agl, he “felt like [he] was in a high rate of descent and the [helicopter] began to sink.” The pilot suspected he was “settling with power” and decreased the collective and pushed the cyclic forward. The helicopter continued to sink, impacting the runway hard and sliding for ap...
June 11, 2004, Reims, France / Piper PA-42 Malibu
Subscribers Only At 1210 UTC, a Piper PA-42 sustained minor damage while in cruise flight near Reims, France. The foreign certificated pilot was seriously injured. Weather conditions were unknown. While in cruise flight at FL 180, a left window departed the airplane. The airplane experienced a rapid decompression, and the pilot completed a successful emergency landing....
June 10, 2004, Golden, Mo. / Mooney M20C
Subscribers Only The Mooney sustained substantial damage during a landing on Runway 9 at the Table Rock Airport (MO32), Golden, Mo. The Private pilot was seriously injured. In a written report, the pilot stated that the airplane began to drift sharply to the left as it crossed the runway end about 20 to 30 feet agl. The pilot stated, “I dipped my right wing, applied full right rudder and I applied full power intending to go around. About the time I started to climb out my left wing and then the prop hit the branches of a couple of trees approximately 70 [feet] left of the runway. I remember seeing the prop bending just before the plane nose dived to the ground and settled right side up facing the opposite di...
June 05, 2004, Benton, Ark. / Cessna 150
Subscribers Only At 1038 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted trees following a loss of control during a go-around at the Saline County Airport (M99), near Benton, Ark. The solo student pilot was seriously injured. The supervised solo flight originated approximately eight minutes prior to the accident. After takeoff, the student pilot decided to perform a short field landing. While on final approach for Runway 17, he realized the airplane was a “little high” and selected 40 degrees of flaps, while noting the wind to be variable. The airplane started to drift left of the runway centerline while on short final. The student pilot crabbed the airplane into the wind attempting to...
June 04, 2004, Wichita, Kan. / Cessna T210L
Subscribers Only At 1236 Central time, the aircraft impacted terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power at the end of the flight from Gastons Airport, Lakeview, Ark. The Private pilot reported minimum fuel while on final approach to Runway 19L at the Wichita Mid-Continent Airport. Visual conditions prevailed; the pilot received minor injuries and three passengers were uninjured. The pilot later stated the fuel gauges indicated five gallons each while on a four-mile final. About three miles out from the airport, he determined that the landing runway would not be obtained due to a lack of engine power. He selected a landing site adjacent to the approach path in a large drainage area. The...
June 02, 2004, Kutztown, Penn. / Cessna 182C
Subscribers Only The airplane was destroyed when it impacted a gravel quarry shortly after a departure at about 1017 Eastern time. The Commercial pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the local glider towing flight. According to a student glider pilot who was being towed by the accident airplane, it was his third tow of the day. He stated they departed from Runway 17 and performed a 45-degree left turn simultaneously. About 30 feet above the ground, the student pilot noticed that the tow rope had “some slack” in it. After applying a correction, the student pilot noticed that the tow plane did not appear to be climbing well, and the tow rope “went slack” again at 150-200 feet above the gr...
Learning Experiences 09/04:
Crossfeed Checklist
Subscribers Only “Instead of those pesky mechanics screwing up, it was a pilot rushing through a checklist and allowing himself to get distracted.”
Squawk Box: 09/04
Subscribers Only The following information is derived from the FAA’s Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts. ---------- Various The New Piper Aircraft Models Control Yoke Attachment The FAA has published a new Airworthiness Directive (AD 2004-14-12) for certain models manufactured by The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper). The models affected are PA-28-161, PA-28-181, PA-28R-201, PA-32R-301 (HP), PA-32R-301T, PA-32-301FT, PA-32-301XTC, PA-34-220T, PA-44-180, PA-46-350P, and PA-46-500TP airplanes. According to the FAA, the screw used to attach the control wheel to the control column is too short in some installations and the nut-plate does not have adequate locking featu...
Switching Tanks
Subscribers Only It’s an article of faith that major maintenance work isn’t complete until a full test of all components and systems can be made. Here’s why.
NTSB Preliminary Reports
Subscribers Only Selected recent general aviation and airline accidents
Managing Energy
Subscribers Only Practical energy management is a critical skill used for each landing. How to put it on the numbers every time.
Maximum Range
Subscribers Only When flying beyond the pattern, you have two choices: Fast or far; you can’t have both. Here’s how to plan and fly maximum range flights.
ADIZ Strategies
Subscribers Only Yes, flying in the hyper-paranoid Washington, D.C., area is a headache. Here’s how to plan ahead and work around the existing airspace restrictions.
Flight Test Safety
Subscribers Only While the “Golden Age” of flight testing is no more, the lessons learned endure. Here’s how to apply those lessons to managing and reducing your risks.
Sloppy IFR
Subscribers Only This time, you can blame it on ATC. Controllers aren’t keeping up with GPS approach clearances and procedures, which is why you need to.
Unicom 09/04: Patterns And Pounds
Readers sound off on recent articles involving traffic patterns and aircraft loading while finding a few mistakes.
Perpetual Students
Everyone has an idea of what the word “risk” means. But connecting its definition with a real-world event is like nailing jelly to the wall, as Teddy Roosevelt once famously said. One man’s idea of acceptable risk is another’s sweat-soaked nightmare. It has always been that way and, the truth is, it will probably always be that way. One of the things we do in Aviation Safety is to illuminate the varying perceptions of what people call “risky.” For example, a few readers expressed dismay that we would advocate intentionally overloading an airplane. We didn’t. What we did say is, “Putting more stuff aboard than the airplane can legally carry happens more than anyone likes to admit. As long...