August 2005
June 13, 2005, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / Douglas R4D-8
Subscribers Only The airplane was destroyed at about 1550 Eastern time when it impacted a residential area following a loss of engine power after takeoff. Visual conditions prevailed. The two Airline Transport pilots and the passenger reported serious injuries; two persons on the ground reported minor injuries. The pilot later reported, as the landing gear was being retracted, he felt a slight hesitation and mild backfire from the left engine. He saw that the engine’s cowling was covered with oil. The crew attempted to secure the left engine, but its propeller never went into the feathered position. At that time, the decision was made to put the airplane down on a road....
June 12, 2005 in Geraldine, MT / Piper PA-25-260
Subscribers Only At about 1130 Mountain time the airplane sustained substantial damage following an off-airport precautionary landing attempt during an aerial application flight. The Private pilot and sole occupant sustained minor injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. The pilot subsequently reported that he was attempting to climb over a low ridge when the airplane encountered “bad air” and began to sink. The pilot stated he lowered the flaps and applied full power, however the airplane continued to sink and he elected to land the airplane in an effort to avoid approaching power lines. The airplane collided with terrain in a left-wing-low attitude, resulting in substantial damage....
June 12, 2005, Gloucester, Va. / Maxair Drifter Experimental
Subscribers Only The homebuilt airplane was substantially damaged at 1930 Eastern time, when it impacted terrain; the Private pilot received fatal injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. According to witnesses, the pilot flew over a large picnic at an altitude of about 200 feet. Several seconds later, the witnesses observed the tail section of the airplane “wobble, and then break off.” The airplane then pitched nose down and impacted the ground. Subsequent examination revealed corrosion in the tail boom attachment points, as well as in numerous other critical areas of the aircraft. The aircraft was equipped with floats, and was often operated in a salt-water environment....
June 11, 2005, Colorado Springs, Colo. / Beech S35 Bonanza
Subscribers Only At 0735 Mountain time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a forced landing following a partial loss of power. Visual conditions prevailed; the Private pilot and pilot-rated passenger were uninjured. The pilot subsequently reported experiencing a partial power loss shortly after takeoff and was unable to maintain altitude. He performed a forced landing on a highway median approximately one mile south of the airport. Examination revealed that the landing gear were separated, the firewall was buckled and the propeller blades were bent....
June 9, 2005, Telluride, Colo. / Piper PA-34-200T Seneca
Subscribers Only At approximately 0930 Mountain time the airplane was destroyed when it impacted terrain 11 nm southwest of Telluride, Colo. Visual conditions prevailed for the scheduled domestic cargo flight; the Commercial pilot was fatally injured. Several witnesses fishing nearby heard an airplane fly over. Shortly thereafter, they heard a loud explosion and observed a rock slide, dust and plume of smoke. Due to rugged, unstable terrain and hazardous weather, recovery operations were suspended until conditions improve....
June 9, 2005, Conroe, Texas / Beech 76 Duchess
Subscribers Only The airplane was destroyed at 1541 Central time when it impacted a house in a residential area following a loss of control while performing a go-around. The CFI, sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. A witness landing his airplane behind the accident airplane reported he heard the pilot report on the CTAF that “he was on a single-engine approach to 14, with a simulated engine out.” As the accident airplane was approximately 20 feet above the middle of the runway, he heard the pilot call out, “I’m going around.” The witness then saw the accident airplane with its right wing nearly straight up; there were no emergency transmissions reported. The pilot...
June 8, 2005, Dulles, Va. / Saab 340A
Subscribers Only At 2137 Eastern time, the airplane sustained minor damage during an emergency landing at the Washington Dulles International Airport. There were no injuries to the three crewmembers or 27 passengers. Visual conditions prevailed. According to the carrier, the flight crew observed a cockpit indication that the right main landing gear had not extended and locked while preparing to land. The flight crew subsequently performed an emergency landing on Runway 19L. During the landing, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest in a grassy area off the left side of the runway....
June 8, 2005, Aurora, Ore. / Micco MAC-145A
Subscribers Only The airplane was substantially damaged during a hard landing at at approximately 1740 Pacific time. The Commercial pilot and his pilot certificated passenger were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the sales-demonstration flight. The pilot later reported that the passenger flew most of the flight to get used to the flight characteristics of the airplane. On their final landing, the passenger got the airplane into a high rate of descent on final. The pilot took control of the airplane, added power for a go-around, but impacted the runway hard, bouncing back into the air and continued the go-around. Once aloft, a witness on the ground reported by radio that the left main landing gear...
June 7, 2005, Buckley, Wash. / Cessna 150G
Subscribers Only The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power on takeoff from a private airstrip at about 1730 local time. The Commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. According to the pilot, he made an approach and full stop landing with the carburetor heat on. The pilot then taxied the airplane back to the end of the runway, completed a run up and departed. He noticed the airplane was not climbing normally, and at approximately 300 feet agl, the engine coughed twice and lost power. The pilot executed a forced landing on a school football field. After exiting the airplane, the pilot noticed “a small puddle and drippin...
June 7, 2005, Wadsworth, Ohio / Piper PA-44-180 Seminole
Subscribers Only At about 1230 Eastern time the airplane was substantially damaged during an aborted takeoff. Neither the CFI nor the Student pilot were injured; visual conditions prevailed. The pilots were attempting a short-field takeoff, during which the CFI simulated an engine failure. The Student pilot reduced power on the good engine and began braking. The CFI then instructed the Student pilot to resume the takeoff. The Student advanced both throttles and attempted to rotate the airplane at an airspeed of 63 knots but it did not climb. The flight instructor then reduced the throttles and began braking. The airplane rolled off the end of the runway, through a ditch, and came to rest in a field....
June 7, 2005, Santa Ynez, Calif. / Cessna 172L
Subscribers Only The airplane impacted the ramp area during an aborted landing attempt at about 1355 Pacific time, sustaining substantial damage. The Private pilot and two passengers were seriously injured; visual conditions prevailed. The airport manager witnessed the accident and later stated that, during the initial climb from Runway 26, at about 100 feet agl, the airplane began to pitch into a nose-high attitude. The airplane’s nose then dropped into a nose-low configuration and impacted the ramp tie-down area just north of the runway. The pilot later reported that, while attempting to land, the airplane began to drift to the right and the nose pitched up. He opted to abort the landing and applied full p...
June 7, 2005, Clarendon, Texas / Cessna 208B Caravan
Subscribers Only At approximately 1015 Central time the airplane landed in a field during a forced landing following a total loss of engine power. The Airline Transport pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the IFR positioning flight. According to the 7500-hour pilot, an unusual whining/hissing noise was heard from the engine at 6000 feet msl. As the airplane climbed through 8000 feet msl, the noise got louder and the inlet turbine temperature gauge fluctuated. Suddenly, a “bang” was heard and the engine “quit.” An in-flight restart was unsuccessful. The pilot then made an uneventful landing in a grass field. Examination revealed no structural damage to the ai...
June 7, 2005, Broomfield, Colo. / Beech S35 Bonanza
Subscribers Only The airplane was substantially damaged at approximately 1725 Mountain time when it impacted terrain off the departure end of the runway. Visual conditions prevailed; the Private pilot sustained minor injuries. Several witnesses reported that, during the takeoff roll, the airplane appeared to take off, settle back to the runway and then take off again. One witness stated that the pilot appeared to abort the takeoff. The aircraft departed the end of the runway, rolled down the embankment and nosed over, coming to rest 1287 feet from the departure end of the runway....
June 5, 2005, Boerne, Texas / RV-6A Experimental
Subscribers Only At approximately 1300 Central time the airplane sustained substantial damage during a hard landing. The Private pilot and sole occupant of the airplane received minor injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. During the hard landing, the airplane lost its main landing gear. As a result, the airplane departed off the side of the runway “and flipped over,” coming to rest in the inverted position....
June 4, 2005, Rittman, Ohio / de Havilland DHC-6
Subscribers Only The airplane was substantially damaged at 1830 Eastern time while landing. The Airline Transport pilot received serious injuries, and the second pilot, also a certificated Airline Transport pilot, received minor injuries. Visual conditions prevailed for the local parachuting flight, which also involved an evaluation of the first pilot. Following a passenger drop, the pilots discussed single-engine operations. The first pilot subsequently reduced the right engine’s power to flight idle, and feathered the propeller. During the final leg of the traffic pattern, the airplane crossed over a fence near the runway threshold, and the first pilot pitched the airplane downward. The nose landing gear t...
June 3, 2005 in Jeanerette, La. / Beech 95-B55
Subscribers Only At approximately 0730 Central time the airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain following a loss of control during takeoff initial climb from the Le Maire Memorial Airport (2R1) near Jeanerette, La. The foreign-certificated Private pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries. Visual conditions prevailed for the 411-nm flight destined for Point Lookout, Mo. A witness heard the airplane’s engines “pop” several times during pre-takeoff taxi operations before clearing up. At the south end of the runway, the witness heard the engine noise increase for five to ten minutes before the noise decreased. The airplane then taxied in three complete circles before lining up on the runw...
June 1, 2005, Willimantic, Conn. / Cessna 150G
Subscribers Only The tailwheel-equipped airplane was substantially damaged while landing at the Windham Airport at about 1100 Eastern time. The Student pilot was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the local instructional flight. During the first landing attempt, the airplane bounced and touched down in a “left crab.” The pilot attempted to straighten the airplane; however, it departed the left side of the runway and struck a fence. Winds were from 140 degrees at three knots....
June 1, 2005, Van Nuys, Calif. / Mooney M20C
Subscribers Only At 2306 Pacific time, the airplane collided with mountainous terrain while executing an approach to the Van Nuys (Calif.) Airport. The Private pilot was the sole occupant and was fatally injured; the airplane was destroyed. Instrument conditions prevailed, but no flight plan had been filed for the flight that originated in Santa Ana, Calif. After receiving a pop-up IFR clearance for the ILS approach to Runway 16R at Van Nuys, the airplane made a sudden diversion to the right, off the localizer course. He was then directed to climb to 5000 feet on a southerly heading. The pilot acknowledged the instructions, stating he had a problem and was climbing. The pilot made no further transmissions be...
Squawk Box: 08/05
Subscribers Only The following information is derived from the FAA’s Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts. ---------- Cessna R182 Nose Gear Extension Failure The aircraft sustained nose damage due to the nose gear’s failure to extend for landing. The propeller linkage runs down the outside of the nose landing gear tunnel, and is attached in two places with Adel clamps, stand-offs and AN-3 bolts. The aft attach hole is directly in line with the nose door actuator arm, p/n 2213022-14. This aircraft had the aft AN-3 bolt installed with the threads and nut protruding into the wheelwell. The hollow actuator arm impacted the protruding bolt, loosening it with each gear cy...
On Guard: Learning Experiences 08/05
Subscribers Only Pilots should routinely monitor the VHF emergency frequency 121.5, especially when they are not in contact with ATC by operating IFR or using VFR flight following. The circumstances surrounding the recent airspace incursion around the Washington DC TFR would have been different for many people as well as for the pilots had they been monitoring 121.5 MHz. As an active member of the military aviation community, it is my experience in a number of these events, ones that do not make the press, this simple expedient has not been followed. Pilots are reminded that Notam FDC 4/4386, in effect since September 2001, specifies that “all aircraft operating in United States national airspace, if capabl...
NTSB Preliminary Reports
Subscribers Only June 1, 2005, Van Nuys, Calif. Mooney M20C At 2306 Pacific time, the airplane collided with mountainous terrain while executing an approach to the Van Nuys (Calif.) Airport. The Private pilot was the sole occupant and was fatally injured; the airplane was destroyed. Instrument conditions prevailed, but no flight plan had been filed for the flight that originated in Santa Ana, Calif. After receiving a pop-up IFR clearance for the ILS approach to Runway 16R at Van Nuys, the airplane made a sudden diversion to the right, off the localizer course. He was then directed to climb to 5000 feet on a southerly heading. The pilot acknowledged the instructions, stating he had a problem...
Racing Weather: Accident Probe 08/05
Subscribers Only It’s never a good idea to try beating a thunderstorm to your destination.
Pre-Flight Your Panel
Subscribers Only Finding out that your instruments or avionics don’t work after you’re in the clouds is too late. What you need to do before launching into the clag.
Dial 406 For Rescue
Subscribers Only Emergency locator transmitters are slated for an overhaul. The new ones will be more expensive, but will they work better?
Transitioning Down
Subscribers Only You wouldn’t hop out of your flivver into a shiny new bizjet without some training. You shouldn’t step down to a piston single without it, either.
Life After V1
Subscribers Only Light twins have two engines because they need them. Are you and your airplane ready for the dreaded post-liftoff engine failure?
Serious Singles?
Subscribers Only “I’ll use it for business” is often a rationalization for owning a high-performance single. But can it safely be used for serious business transportation?
Unicom: 08/05
Turbines, Plus Cirrus I disagree with many of the points in “Are Turbines Safer?” (June 2005). To start, the argument that turbines are prohibitively expensive to fabricate is no longer true. Widely available and relatively inexpensive CNC machining equipment is easily capable of the necessary precision. When/if small (200-300 hp) turbines are built in the same numbers as piston engines, the manufacturing costs will end up being very similar (greater precision, but fewer parts). The author says replacing piston engines with turbines wouldn’t help safety. The assertion is that a higher-performance engine will cause people to be in more accidents (weather, loss of control). As ad...
Editor’s Log: 08/05
Let It Rain For all of the grief pilots like to heap upon the FAA, some of its programs and activities are really quite good for an agency of the federal government. Certainly, across-the-board improvements can be made throughout the agency, but some of the things it does to “reach out” and provide continuing education and training to pilots are admirable. The Internal Revenue Service—another federal agency that regularly comes in for its share of criticism—could learn a few things from the FAA. An excellent example of the FAA’s outreach to pilots is the ongoing “Operation Raincheck” program, which the agency describes as one “designed to familiarize pilots with the ATC syst...