Recent general aviation and air carrier accidents
At about 0740 Mountain time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground shortly after takeoff. A post-impact fire ensued. The solo airline transport pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
Several witnesses reported seeing the airplane bank steeply left and continue in a steep bank and a nose-low attitude. The airplane impacted the ground, nearly vertical, and came to rest on the north edge of a road.
The two aircraft collided in mid-air at about 1537 Eastern time. The flight instructor, commercial pilot receiving instruction and passenger aboard the helicopter were fatally injured. The private pilot aboard the airplane was not injured; his passenger sustained a minor injury. Visual conditions prevailed.
After the collision, the helicopter departed controlled flight, descended vertically and was destroyed by impact forces at ground contact. The airplane also departed controlled flight; its airframe parachute system was deployed, and the airplane landed nose-down in a thicket of low trees and brush.
At 1535:02, the local controller cleared the accident helicopter for takeoff. At 1536:49, the pilot of the accident airplane reported three miles out on a 45-degree entry for the left downwind on Runway 30. At 1537:30, the pilot of the airplane stated he had two of three helicopters in sight. Immediately after that transmission, at 1537:34, the local controller cleared the airplane to land, with the instruction to maintain your altitude to…until turning base. At 1537:49, the pilot of another helicopter in the traffic pattern reported an airplane and helicopter were both down. A flight instructor in another helicopter was following the accident helicopter in the traffic pattern. He said the airplane flew through the rotor system of the helicopter.
At about 1215 Central time, the airplane departed the runway while departing. The airline transport pilot was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual conditions prevailed.
The pilot subsequently reported that, during the takeoff roll as the airplane reached about 90 knots, the airplane made a hard left turn. He added right rudder and brake to stop the left turn; however, the airplane continued left off the runway. It came to rest in the grass in an upright position. The airplanes landing gear had collapsed, with the left landing gear strut penetrating the wing.
The airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain at about 1230 Eastern time, shortly after takeoff. The private pilot was fatally injured and the passenger received serious injuries. Visual conditions prevailed.
According to witnesses, the airplane lifted off from the runway about midfield. After reaching about 150 feet agl, the airplane entered a gradual left turn that progressed into a steep turn and slight descent. The airplane then entered a nose-down attitude before it impacted the ground, spun around and came to rest in a flat attitude about 350 feet from the runway. Examination of the accident site and wreckage revealed that the airplanes right wing made contact with the ground before the airplane spun and came to rest.
At about 1129 Eastern time, the airplane collided with a powerline pole, unmarked transmission lines and then the ground during a forced landing. Visual conditions prevailed. The airplane was destroyed by a post-crash fire. The flight instructor sustained serious injuries while the private-rated pilot was fatally injured. The flight had originated about one minute earlier.
A witness observed the airplane flying at an estimated altitude of 400 feet, heard a surging sound from the engine and noticed oscillations of pitch and roll. He then heard a loud sound from the powerlines and heard the sound of impact followed by seeing smoke. A second witness observed the airplane pitch up as if in an attempt to avoid the powerlines but a portion of a wing contacted the pole. The airplane then rolled and impacted the ground, coming to rest inverted. The cockpit, cabin and both wings were nearly consumed by the post-crash fire.
The airplane experienced a hydraulic malfunction and landed gear up at the Denver International Airport (KDEN) at 1522 Mountain time. The passenger and crew were not injured; the airplane sustained minor damage. Visual conditions prevailed; an IFR flight plan had been filed.
During the takeoff rotation, the pilot felt and heard a vibration from the airframe. Tower personnel observed white smoke come from the airplane. Shortly, the airplanes low hydraulic pressure warnings illuminated. The crew returned to the departure airport but could not lower the landing gear normally or with the alternate gear extension procedures. The airplane was landed with flaps and gear retracted. Pieces from one of the airplanes tires were found on the departure runway.
At about 1350 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged during an off-airport landing. The solo private pilot was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
While in cruise, the engine began running rough. The pilot noticed the number one cylinder head temperature data was missing and the engine began losing power. The pilot notified ATC and diverted to an airport about 20 miles away. As the engines power output continued to gradually decrease, the pilot decided to perform a precautionary landing to a farm field below. After aborting his first approach, the pilot approached the field from the opposite direction. During the second landing attempt, the airplane touched down hard, collapsing the nose landing gear and resulting in substantial damage to the firewall.
The airplane was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain at about 2240 Central time. The private pilot and two passengers sustained fatal injuries. Marginal VFR conditions prevailed. The flight originated at about 2235 from Midway International Airport (KMDW).
Preliminary radar information depicted the airplane climbing on runway heading (220 degrees) to about 2200 feet msl. Then it turned about left to a heading of about 190 degrees and began descending. During the descent, the airplane turned right to a heading of about 260 degrees. The airplane descended to about 1500 feet msl and then began climbing. The airplane then entered a left 360-degree turn before radar contact was lost. The final recorded altitude was about 2,000 feet msl. The accident site was about six nm southwest of KMDW. Broken tree limbs and the condition of the wreckage was consistent with a near-vertical attitude at impact.
At 2238, observed weather at KMDW included: wind from 170 degrees at nine knots; six statute miles visibility in mist; a broken ceiling at 1000 feet agl and an overcast at 1400 feet agl.
At about 1250 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it nosed over during a forced landing after a loss of engine power. The private pilot received minor injuries while the passenger was uninjured. Visual conditions prevailed; an IFR flight plan had been filed.
While descending for landing and in contact with an ATC control tower, the airplane began shaking violently and a loud noise was heard. The propeller stopped rotating and then began windmilling slowly. The engine would not produce power. The pilot turned toward an unobstructed area and successfully avoided nearby wires. The ground was soft and sandy however, and during the landing roll, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted.
The airplane sustained substantial damage following a partial loss of engine power and subsequent off field landing at 0715 Pacific time. The private pilot and his passenger received minor injuries. Visual conditions prevailed.
Shortly after takeoff and while still climbing, the engine started to shake and rattle violently, with an associated loss of power. The pilot reversed course, back to the departure airport but soon it became apparent they were not going to make the runway. Instead, he executed an off-field landing to flat, hard ground populated with large pine trees and boulders. The landing sequence resulted in the landing gear and the right wing being separated from the fuselage.
The airplane was destroyed by impact with terrain and a postcrash fire at about 1630 Pacific time. The solo airline transport pilot received fatal injuries. Visual conditions prevailed for the public-use aerial-firefighting flight.
The accident airplane was following a lead airplane to a drop zone. The crew of the lead airplane did not see the accident. The crew of the controller airplane reported that the accident airplane may have struck a tree with its wing, which separated from the airplane. Both aircrews reported that there was smoke in the area, but visibility was good.
At about 1255 Eastern time, the airplane was force-landed onto a high school sports field. The commercial pilot received minor injuries. The passenger, his wife, had suffered serious injuries. Visual conditions prevailed for the flight, an IFR flight plan had been filed.
While cruising at 6000 feet msl, the pilot reported a problem with the engines oil pressure. Although ATC provided vectors to a nearby airport, the pilot reported he would not make the runway and force-landed the airplane. It collided with trees and the ground before coming to rest upright. There was no fire. Initial examination revealed ample fuel was on board.
The airplane departed the runway surface and impacted boulders before coming to rest in a drainage area at 1343 Pacific time. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage undercarriage. Visual conditions prevailed for the public-use flight operated for the U.S. Forest Service under contract.
The pilot subsequently reported landing slightly long. While rolling out, the pilot selected reverse thrust and the airplane began to drift to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and brake to return the airplane to the runway, but it departed the runway surface.
At about 0837 Eastern time, the airplane experienced a pitch trim malfunction shortly after takeoff. The airline transport pilot and commercial-rated co-pilot were not injured, and the airplane was not damaged. Visual conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan had been filed.
Shortly after takeoff, the flying pilot noted the controls were stiff. The non-flying pilot assisted with resisting the trim forces and activated both electric and manual pitch trim, to no avail. An emergency was declared and the flight landed uneventfully. Inspection revealed a fractured jackscrew of the left elevator trim tab actuator assembly.
The unregistered aircraft was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain at an unknown time. The private pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
The accident pilot was last observed flying the single-seat gyrocopter at about 1350 on the day of the accident. The wreckage was subsequently located the following day about 0915, about 750 feet east of the departure airports Runway 26 threshold. The private pilot held a rating for single-engine land-based airplanes.
