December 2006
Quality Control
Subscribers Only Beech A36 Incorrect Starter Adapter A repair station mechanic states, "This aircraft came to our shop with smoke and oil coming out of the tailpipe. Four hours prior an annual inspection was completed and at that time the starter adapter was replaced with the wrong part. This aircraft had been modified with a Tornado Alley Turbo Charger system. The STC requires the starter adaptor assembly be changed to p/n 642087A63, which includes an oil scavenge pump; p/n 652087A64…
First Fright
Subscribers Only I am actively involved in an organization offering introductory flights to youngsters. I have flown about 75 kids over the last few years, and enjoy seeing their thrill and excitement of flight. However, I had a situation happen recently that had me learning lessons from start to finish. For the first flight of the morning this day, I had one boy in the copilot’s seat and another behind him. The boy in the copilot’s seat was rather…
October 28, 2006, Maryville, Mo. / Cessna 172
Subscribers Only The airplane sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during landing. The pilot stated, "As I descended, I was not able to see as well as normal. As we touched the ground, we bounced a little, then touched down. The front wheel broke off, which caused the nose of the airplane to go into the ground."…
October 22, 2006, Rocky Mount, N.C. / Cessna 182T
Subscribers Only The airplane was destroyed by impact and a post-crash fire at 1535 Eastern time. Instrument conditions prevailed. The Private pilot and passenger received fatal injuries. An airport employee stated that the weather at the time was light rain, fog and mist, and that winds were light and favoring Runway 4. The employee stated that he could not see the airplane on approach until it broke through the clouds, at approximately 600 to 700 feet agl,…
October 21, 2006, Georgetown, La. / North American T-28C
Subscribers Only The airplane was destroyed at 1927 Central time when it impacted wooded terrain. The solo Commercial pilot was fatally injured. Instrument conditions prevailed. Shortly after the pilot advised ATC he was descending to 2000 feet msl to maintain VFR, the airplane began a descent and disappeared from radar. The airplane impacted terrain in a near-vertical descent, and the entire engine assembly, including two propeller blades, were imbedded about six feet into the ground.…
October 19, 2006, Odenton, Md. / Piper PA-46-310P
Subscribers Only At 1545 Eastern time, the airplane was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain during an approach to landing. The Commercial pilot/owner and the passenger were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed; an IFR flight plan had been filed. At 1542, the pilot contacted the Potomac Tracon and requested clearance. The controller informed the pilot he was violating the Washington Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), that he needed to land immediately and that he would provide…
October 15, 2006, Antlers, Okla. / Aero Commander 690A
Subscribers Only The airplane was destroyed during an in-flight breakup at approximately 1303 Central time. The Airline Transport pilot, copilot and both passengers sustained fatal injuries. Instrument conditions prevailed. According to preliminary information, the airplane was flying on a southeasterly heading at 23,100 feet msl. At 1302, radar indicated the airplane performed a left 180-degree turn while descending at a rate of approximately 13,500 fpm. The airplane was lost from radar at 15,100 feet msl. The wreckage…
October 13, 2006, Burbank, Calif. / Gulfstream G1159B (GIIB
Subscribers Only The airplane was not damaged when it rolled into the EMAS (Engineered Materials Arresting System) area at the departure end of Runway 8 after landing at 1134 Pacific time. The two pilots and five passengers were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. The landing was normal and the airplane continued down the runway, slowing to taxi speed. At the end of the runway, the captain attempted to turn the airplane 180 degrees to exit the runway.…
October 12, 2006, Leonardtown, MD / Beech Model 200 Super King Air
Subscribers Only At 1216 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged while landing. The Airline Transport pilot, the Commercial pilot and observer were not injured.
October 12, 2006, Osage Beach, Mo. / Piper PA-24-260
Subscribers Only The airplane was substantially damaged during a hard landing. The pilot reported experiencing light to moderate turbulence during descent to the airport and that, "immediately prior to touchdown there was a gust of wind jerking us in our seats. There was an immediate loss of airspeed and lift." The pilot reported applying full power but the airplane impacted the runway hard. The pilot reported that the winds at the accident airport were from 270 degrees…
October 11, 2006, Lebanon, Ore. / Piper PA-28R-201T
Subscribers Only At approximately 1205 Pacific time the airplane departed the side of the runway and impacted a VASI light standard and a nearby ditch. The Private pilot and sole occupant was not injured but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The flight was being operated in visual conditions. According to the pilot, about 100 feet into the landing roll, the aircraft veered sharply to the right. When he tried to correct back to the left, the aircraft…
October 7, 2006, Alabaster, Ala. / Piper PA-28R-180
Subscribers Only The airplane sustained a collapsed right main landing gear at 1300 Central time while landing. Visual conditions prevailed; the Private pilot reported no injuries. On the initial takeoff, after raising the gear, the pilot noticed the gear in-transit light remained on. After troubleshooting, the pilot continued on to the practice area to do some air work, then returned to the airport for some touch-and-go landings. The pilot stated that on the first landing the gear…
October 6, 2006, Stockbridge, Ga. / Cessna 177 Cardinal
Subscribers Only At 0945 Eastern time the airplane collided with a power line during initial climb and was destroyed by a post-impact fire. The Private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. According to witnesses, the airplane did not get airborne until it was approximately 2000 feet down the runway. The airplane barely cleared a tree at the departure end of the runway, and continued to climb "slowly." A witness watched the airplane climb…
October 5, 2006, Fargo, N.D. / Piper PA-28-161
Subscribers Only The airplane was substantially damaged during a hard night landing during a night cross-country solo training flight. The pilot stated she encountered light turbulence on final approach and that the airspeed was 80 knots, which is higher than normal. The pilot stated the nose gear and propeller struck the runway prior to the main gear due to the "...inadequate amount of flare...."…
October 4, 2006, Tucumcari, N.M. / Extra 300/L
Subscribers Only At 1325 Mountain time the airplane was destroyed when it impacted terrain. Visual conditions prevailed for the aerobatic performance flight. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. According to several witnesses, the pilot was exiting a loop, in a westerly direction, close to the ground. As the airplane descended and completed the loop, the wings began to shake back and forth. One witness reported that it appeared as if the airplane was rocking. The airplane impacted the…
October 3 2006, Centennial, Colo. / Beech 36 Bonanza
Subscribers Only The airplane was destroyed at approximately 1805 Mountain time when it impacted a light pole and three unoccupied vehicles following a loss of engine power during final approach.
October 1, 2006, Kalispell, Mon. / Cessna 340A
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Misidentified?
Subscribers Only When the chips are down, you only get one shot at handling an in-flight emergency.
Own A Piece Of History
Subscribers Only Order any three back issues of Aviation Safety and get the fourth one free! Here are the issues that are still available:
Aviation Safety2006 Editorial Index
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Landing on Roads
Subscribers Only In an emergency, setting down on a road may look like the best option for a landing. What you should look for and when a road is the worst choice.
The Lidle Turn
Subscribers Only For a fighter pilot, speed may be life. But to escape encroaching terrain or obstacles, the Lidle crash in New York shows that it’s anything but.
Situational Awareness
Subscribers Only Constantly evaluating our progress means more than glancing at the moving map. We also need to expect the unexpected and be prepared to change our plans.
ASRS
Subscribers Only NASA’s safety reporting program offers more than potential amnesty from an enforcement action. Instead, it helps operators and the FAA understand mistakes and learn from them.
Developing Judgment
Subscribers Only Making the go/no-go decision can demand more experience than the low-time pilot has. Decide when to call it a day or to take a look, but with a solid alternative.
Taking Exception
Subscribers Only take exception with the statement made in the sidebar "Oil-Changing Tips" in October’s article, "Is Oil Analysis Worth It?" You state, "If you are the owner, changing your own aircraft oil and filter is completely legal with the FAA." Not so! The authorization for this action is in FAR 43.3(g), which states: "The holder of a pilot certificate issued under Part 61 may perform preventative maintenance on any aircraft owned or operated by that pilot which…
“...none of your business...”
Subscribers Only It was a nice day for flying, even though a cold front was blowing in from the west and spawning a few showers along my route. I was level at 8000 feet, on an IFR flight plan, and about halfway into a planned 90-minute flight to my family home in Georgia.