April 1, 2006, Hudson, Colo.
Rans S-7 Experimental
At 1625 Mountain time, the aircraft was substantially damaged when it impacted an oil tank while landing. Visual conditions prevailed; the Airline Transport pilot and pilot-rated passenger sustained serious injuries. The pilot subsequently stated they were attempting to land on Runway 15 when the airplane impacted the oil tank on the left side of the runway. The right wing separated, and the right horizontal stabilizer was bent up and wrinkled. The closest official weather observation at the time of the accident included winds from 340 degrees at 21 knots, gusting to 27 knots. A peak wind recorded at 29 minutes past the hour was from 230 degrees at 29 knots.
April 2, 2006, Grayslake, Ill.
Piper PA-32-301
The single-engine airplane veered off the left side of Runway 9 during landing and sustained substantial damage. The reported winds were 120 degrees at 11 knots gusting to 21 knots at a nearby station. The pilot entered a left downwind and confirmed a right crosswind condition by observing the windsock. The airspeed was 90 knots with a right crab on final approach to landing. The pilot reported, Prior to touchdown the wind calmed to the point that the crab was not needed. He reported the airplane touched down on the centerline of the dry runway. He reported, Almost immediately after touchdown, the plane started moving left. He reacted by putting in full right aileron and applying right rudder but he did not apply the brakes. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway, encountered soft terrain, spun around and impacted a ditch.
April 5, 2006, in Denver, Colo.
Swearingen SA226TC
At 0623 Mountain time, a Swearingen SA226TC twin-engine turbo-prop sustained an in-flight failure of an elevator control cable during initial takeoff climb. Visual conditions prevailed; the Airline Transport pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured.At rotation speed, the pilot pulled back on the yoke and the aircraft left the ground. At this point, yoke came back all the way back and the aircraft quickly began to pitch upward. The pilot reported that moving the yoke forward had no effect and it felt disconnected from the elevators. The pilot quickly began to trim nose down and reduced power to stop excessive upward pitch. The pilot executed a gradual descent to the runway and landed uneventfully. Examination of the airplane revealed that the elevator down cable was improperly routed at the pulley in the vertical stab, just below the elevator bell crank. This caused the cable to wear against a guide until the cable failed.
April 7, 2006, in Kerrville, TX
Cirrus Design Corp. SR20
The airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a field at approximately 1430 Central time following a loss of engine power. The Private pilot and sole occupant was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. The pilot, who received a Private pilots certificate on February 7, 2006, reported to authorities that soon after leveling off at 5500 feet, the engine lost power and then stopped. An engine restart was unsuccessful. During the emergency landing, the airplane rolled through a wire fence while striking several steel posts.
April 9, 2006, Philadelphia, Penn.
Piper PA-28RT-201
At about 1030 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing shortly after takeoff. The Private pilot was not injured; visual conditions prevailed. The pilot subsequently reported completing a preflight inspection and an engine run-up, both per the checklist, and noting no anomalies.After the takeoff, as the landing gear retracted, there was a loud noise and the engine began to vibrate severely. The pilot immediately checked the engine gauges and cycled the landing gear back to the down and locked position. The pilot elected to land straight ahead, and completed an emergency-landing checklist. The airplane came to rest approximately 500-700 feet beyond the departure end of the runway.Examination of the engine revealed that the number three cylinder had separated from the engine case. The piston and connecting rod were found in the forward section of the engine cowling, and the rod end cap was found on the runway.
April 10, 2006, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Cessna 182 RG
The single-engine retractable sustained substantial damage when it impacted the runway after a gear-up landing. The pilot reported that he had performed four practice instrument approaches. After the final approach, the pilot was cleared to circle to land on Runway 23. The pilot reported that he failed to lower the landing gear prior to landing, and the airplane touched down about 300 feet from the threshold in a gear-up configuration. The pilot reported that the landing gear warning horn did not sound prior to touchdown.
April 10, 2006, Passadumkeag, Maine
Cessna 150M
At 1727 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The Flight Instructor and the Student pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. The instructor later said that the airplane was in cruise flight at 1500 feet when the engine lost power. At that time, he noted that the fuel quantity indicator for the right tank showed one-quarter full, and the left tank indicator showed three-quarters full. The engine would not restart, but when the primer was pumped, the engine produced short bursts of power. The instructor gave control of the primer to the student, and used the short bursts of power to help the airplane reach the field he had selected as a forced landing area. The airplane touched down, then overran the field and struck trees.
April 12, 2006, Smith Center, Kan.
Piper PA-25-235
The airplane sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain at about 1142 Central time. Visual conditions prevailed for the aerial application flight; the pilot reported no injuries. The pilot was on his first pass over a field when he noted that the airplane would not climb and initiated a left turn. The airplane descended, striking the ground and coming to rest in a ditch beside a highway.
April 12, 2006, Pearce, Ariz.
Velocity Aircraft XL-RG Experimental
At about 1515 Mountain time, the airplane collided with desert terrain. The Airline Transport pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed. Visual conditions prevailed. The operator recently purchased the airplane, outfitting it with numerous recording devices in an effort to obtain aerodynamic information of the airplane. The accident flights test protocol encompassed standard banks and maneuvers. The airplane wreckage was situated on level desert terrain, comprised of dirt and brush. The airplane sustained extensive thermal damage from a post-impact ground fire.
April 13, 2006, Hope, N.M.
Piper PA-46-350P
The airplane was substantially damaged when it struck a road sign at about 1607 Mountain time during a forced landing. Visual conditions prevailed; the solo Private pilot was not injured. The pilot subsequently reported that, while in cruise flight, the engine manifold pressure dropped followed by a loss of oil pressure. The pilot elected to divert to Artesia, N.M., when the airplanes engine seized. The pilot performed a forced landing to a highway. During the emergency landing, the airplanes right wing struck a road sign, causing substantial damage to the airplane.
April 14, 2006, Stilesville, Ind.
Dassault Aviation Falcon 2000
At 1830 Eastern time, the business jet received substantial damage when the left engine cowl separated and impacted the horizontal stabilizer during cruise at flight level 250 near Stilesville, Ind. Visual conditions prevailed; the pilot and copilot were uninjured. The flight originated from Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI), Springfield, Ill., at 1700 Central time and was en route to Dayton, Ohio. The flight diverted to SPI where it landed without incident.
April 14, 2006, Lubbock, Texas
Cessna 210F
The airplane was destroyed following an inflight fire and subsequent emergency landing at approximately 1455 Central time. The Private pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries; visual conditions prevailed for the local flight. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot heard a poof come from behind the instrument panel, smelled an odor consistent with an electrical fire, and observed dark gray smoke and flames around his feet. The pilot turned off the master switch; no change was noted. The pilot performed an emergency landing to a cotton field. Shortly after touchdown the airplane nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position.
April 14, 2006, Belgrade, Mon.
Lancair IV-P Experimental
At approximately 2040 Mountain time, the airplane impacted the terrain during an off-field forced landing about one and one-half miles northwest of the approach end of Runway 12 at Gallatin Field, Belgrade, Mon. The Commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured, but the aircraft was destroyed by the post-crash fire.According to the pilot, when the aircraft was about three miles from the approach end of the runway, the engine suddenly developed a loud howling sound, the torque became very erratic and the exhaust gas temperature (EGT) exceeded its normal limits. Soon thereafter the engine lost all power, and the pilot executed a forced landing. Although the touchdown was successful, after the airplane came to a stop a small fire developed near the engine exhaust. All occupants exited the aircraft without injury, but they were unable to extinguish the fire, which consumed the aircraft.
April 14, 2006, Klamath Falls, Ore.
Cessna 180
The Cessnas wing contacted the runway during the landing roll at approximately 1200 Pacific time. The Private pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured, but the aircrafts wing structure sustained substantial damage. Visual conditions prevailed.According to the pilot, the touchdown was uneventful, but during the landing roll a gust of wind lifted the left wing, and the aircraft began to veer from the runway heading. During her attempt to realign the aircraft, it turned sharply to the left, and the right wing and right elevator came in contact with the runway.
April 16, 2006 in Lady Smith, B.C., Canada
Lake LA-4-200
At approximately 1350 Pacific time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted water while landing. The Private pilot and sole occupant of the airplane was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. According to the Canadian authorities, while conducting touch-and-go landings, the airplanes left float dug into the water, followed by the left wing impacting the water. The airplane cart-wheeled, nosed over and sank.
April 16, 2006, Avondale, Penn.
Piper PA-28-140
The airplane was destroyed during a forced landing following a loss of engine power at 1318 Eastern time. The Private pilot was fatally injured and the passenger, his son, was seriously injured. Visual conditions prevailed. The surviving passenger subsequently stated there were no anomalies noted during the preflight, engine start, run-up or during taxi. The takeoff was normal, and the airplane climbed to about 1500 feet. At that point, without warning, there was a loud metallic-sounding explosion, and oil sprayed onto the windscreen. At the same time, a section of the propeller departed the airplane.The airplane struck trees, burst into flames, and then collided with terrain. It was destroyed by impact and post-crash fire.
April 19, 2006, Arkansas, Kan.
Cessna T210N
The airplane was destroyed when it struck power lines and then impacted terrain near Arkansas, Kan., at approximately 2035 Central time. A post-impact fire ensued. Visual conditions prevailed; the Private pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries. Local law enforcement at the accident scene reported that the pilot may have been flying low, taking pictures, when the airplane struck the power lines. A power line was observed being down at the site. The deputy said that a post-crash fire consumed most of the airplane. He also said that the power was out in the area.
