June 1, 2006, Port Townsend, Wash.
de Havilland DHC-3T
At approximately 0830 Pacific time, the float-equipped airplane was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing in Puget Sound. The Airline Transport pilot and his 10 passengers were not injured. The flight was being as a Part 135 air taxi; instrument conditions prevailed. The pilot later said that as he approached Port Townsend, the flight encountered lowering ceilings and visibility. Water conditions were glassy smooth with no visual definition. As he began to turn back, conditions worsened and he elected to perform a precautionary landing on the water. With no visual definition, he misjudged the landing and landed hard. The airplanes fuselage was bent/deformed, the fuselage skin was wrinkled, and the dorsal stabilizer was bent/wrinkled.
June 2, 2006, Groton, Conn.
Gates Learjet 35A
The airplane was destroyed and the two Airline Transport pilots aboard were killed when the business jet impacted water and light stanchions at about 1440 Eastern time while on approach to landing. Three passengers survived with minor injuries. Instrument conditions prevailed for the Part 135 charter. According to one of the passengers, as the flight neared its destination, the passenger looked out his window and saw sailboats about 300 feet below. The airplane continued its descent, until the passenger felt it power up, followed by an impact. Reported weather some 15 minutes after the accident included two statute miles visibility in mist and a broken cloud layer at 100 feet.
June 2, 2006, Laurel, Mon.
Piper PA-28-160
At approximately 1420 Mountain time, the airplane sustained substantial damage following a total loss of engine power and uncontrolled descent. The Private pilot, the airplanes sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. An interview with the pilot revealed that the airplane had just undergone its most recent inspection and engine overhaul. The pilot reported that following the takeoff, and in a left turn to return to the airport he experienced a yoke control problem, followed by the aircraft impacting terrain north of the airport boundary. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the airplanes fuel selector was positioned in the vertical position, between the left and right positions.
June 3, 2006, American Falls, Idaho
North American SNJ-6
The airplane sustained substantial damage when it struck a power line during cruise flight at about 1830 Mountain time. Following the collision, the flight continued to its destination and landed without further incident. The Commercial pilot and single passenger were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. The pilot later reported that he decided to descend from cruising flight at 8500 feet msl to about 100 feet agl to follow the Snake River. Although he checked a chart and didnt observe any charted power lines crossing on the segment of the river that he was flying, he subsequently saw three wooden poles and a crossbeam along the edge of the river and pulled up. He heard a loud bang as the airplane struck the wires. The airplanes pitot mast was torn from the right wing tip, the leading edges of both outer wing panels were damaged, and there were two puncture holes in the fabric of the left aileron.
June 4, 2006, Jacksonville, Fla.
Cessna 421B
At about 1130 Eastern time, the airplane sustained substantial damage during a gear-up landing in visual conditions. The pilot later reported that, during initial climb, he smelled smoke and felt heat in the cockpit, then turned back toward the airport. He said several aural warnings sounded. During the descent back to the airport his communications radio malfunctioned, and he was unable to contact the tower after declaring the initial emergency. The pilot said he thought the airplane was on fire, and landed gear-up in the dirt between the taxiway and the runway.
June 5, 2006, Du Bois, Penn.
Piper PA-28-180
The airplane was substantially damaged while landing at 1615 Eastern time. One Private pilot aboard received serious injuries; another Private pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. One of the pilots later reported the airplane was floating on final approach when it was caught in a gust of wind. The airplane subsequently nosed over, impacted the ground, and caught fire. A witness observed the airplane about 10 feet over the runway, during what appeared to be a normal landing. Then it was lifted in a vertical motion to an altitude of approximately 30 feet. The airplane nosed over and impacted the runway. Recorded weather at the field included variable winds at 3 knots.
June 5, 2006, Ennis, Mon.
Beech A36 Bonanza
At about 1730 Mountain time the airplane sustained substantial damage following a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing. The pilot and three passengers aboard the airplane were not injured; visual conditions prevailed. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane lost engine power and he elected to land in an open field south of the airport. The airplane had been fitted with a new engine some 30 hours of operation before the accident.
June 6, 2006, Pocahontas, Ark.
Christen Eagle I Experimental
The airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power at approximately 0800 Central time. The Airline Transport pilot and sole occupant was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. According to the pilot, he was in cruise flight at 4500 feet msl when he felt a slight vibration or light buzz from the engine. The engine vibrations lasted for about 15-20 seconds before they became sharper and more pronounced. The pilot diverted toward the closest airport, but the vibrations increased and began to shake the airplane violently. Some 45 seconds or so after the first indication of a problem, there was a loud bang…and oil covered my canopy, the engine seized (oil pressure confirmed at zero) and the prop stopped completely. The pilot made a forced landing to a field with three-foot-high grass. The engine had accumulated approximately 260 hours since being rebuilt.
June 7, 2006, Reno, Nev.
Beech H35 Bonanza
At 1505 Pacific time, the airplane lost engine power and crashed into a residential home. A fire ensued and the airplane was destroyed. The Student pilot/owner and a flight instructor were killed; visual conditions prevailed. According to ATC records and radar data, the flight departed and climbed straight out to 6200 msl. The CFI then reported the engines rpm was dropping and requested a return to the airport. After a few moments, the CFI indicated that the airplane would not be able to make it back to the airport and they were trying to find a safe place to land. Witnesses observed the aircraft flying low, with the wings rocking back and forth. The airplane then rolled to the left, nosed down, and impacted the house.
June 7, 2006, Carson City, Nev.
Cessna P210N
The airplane lost power and collided with objects during a forced landing at 1130 Pacific time, sustaining substantial damage. The Commercial pilot received minor injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. The airplane was on a left downwind and the pilot had completed the before-landing checklist when the engine quit producing power. The pilot performed the emergency checklist but the engine did not restart.According to FAA inspectors, approximately inch of fuel or less remained in the left wing when it was placed in a level position. Slightly more remained in the right fuel tank. According to the pilot, the recovery personnel drained three gallons of fuel from the left fuel tank and five gallons from the right; however, he noted that some had spilled out during the recovery process.
June 8, 2006, Gregory, Mich.
Beech B36TC Bonanza
At about 1915 Eastern time, the airplane was destroyed during an emergency landing following a loss of engine power. A post-impact fire occurred. Visual conditions prevailed; the pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was being flown on its first flight after an annual inspection. A cylinder was replaced, a turbocharger leak was fixed, and the right fuel bladder was removed and reinstalled during the annual inspection. At 1907, radar data showed the airplane descending to 4800 feet and slowing to 160 knots; ATC cleared it to 3000 feet but the pilot responded that he had lost engine power and needed the closest airfield.
June 8, 2006, Provo, Utah
Lancair IV-P Experimental
The turbine-powered aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants fatally injured at approximately 2345 Mountain time on impact with Utah Lake during final approach to land. Night visual conditions prevailed. Preliminary review of data recorded by onboard systems revealed that at 23:43:54, the aircraft was aligned for landing and was approximately 1.5 miles from the threshold. Altitude was about 750 feet above the runway; an indicated airspeed of 210 knots and a descent rate of 1900 fpm were recorded. At 23:44:06, the aircraft began a right turn. Airspeed was 197 knots and the descent rate 1300 fpm. As the right turn continued, the airspeed decayed. The final data point was recorded at 23:44:43: The aircrafts heading was some 200 degrees off the runways alignment. Altitude was 70 feet above the runway, airspeed was 123 knots and the descent rate was 1300 fpm.
June 12, 2006, Parkville, Mo.
Piper PA-32R-301T
The airplane experienced an in-flight break-up during a visual approach to Kansas City International Airport at 1912 Central time. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. Visual conditions prevailed. The flight was operating on an IFR flight plan. The flight originated from the Grand Glaize Airport (K15), Osage Beach, Mo., at approximately 1724.
June 12, 2006, Tampa, Fla.
Beech 65-A90-1
At about 1235 Eastern time, the airplane was destroyed during a forced landing. Visual conditions prevailed for the public use flight. The Commercial pilot received fatal injuries while a pilot-rated crewmember received serious injuries. A pilot-rated witness stated the airplane appeared to be five feet above the ground, with the landing gear retracted and yawing to the right. The airplane collided while airborne with a fence on the north border of an airport, then collided with trees, a car, and finally a residence. The witness further stated that a crewmember exited the airplane and stated …they had lost one engine and then the other…. The witness also reported that after losing both engines they were able to restart one of the engines and then had a discrepancy with the propeller governor of the running engine.
June 14, 2006, North Garden, Va.
Beech B36TC Bonanza
The airplane was destroyed and the Commercial pilot and passenger fatally injured at 1114 Eastern time on impact with terrain while atempting to land at a private turf field. Instrument conditions prevailed. While receiving vectors in an attempt to locate the VFR-only airport, the pilot stated, actually the field is directly under me if I could, ah, spiral down. The controller then cleared the flight for a visual approach. No further communication was recorded. Weather recorded at a nearby airport included calm winds, two statute miles visibility in mist, a broken cloud layer at 500 feet, and a broken cloud layer at 800 feet.
June 18, 2006, Peru, Ill.
RV-6A/RV-8 Experimentals
At 0848 Central time, the two aircraft collided while preparing to land. The RV-6A was destroyed and its pilot fatally injured; the RV-8 substantially damaged; its pilot was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. Both airplanes were part of a four-aircraft formation preparing to land at the time of the accident. The RV-8s pilot was the lead and reported the formation was established over the approach end of the runway when he initiated an overhead pattern.Shortly after starting his turn he felt the impact with the other airplane. He was able to maintain control and subsequently landed on runway 36. A ground-based witness reported the lead airplane executing a climbing left turn away from the other airplanes. Approximately two seconds later the second airplane began a left climbing turn. The witness reported that this airplane appeared to turn and climb much more aggressively than the lead aircraft. The second airplane then merged with the lead aircraft from below and from the left. The second airplane subsequently entered a near vertical, slow spiral descent in a nose-down attitude.
