Aircraft: RV-8. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Armistead, Calif. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.
What reportedly happened: Multiple witnesses located near the accident site reported seeing the airplane flying over their position about 130 feet above the ground followed by it performing several barrel rolls.
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Chickasha, Okla. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.
What reportedly happened: The non-instrument rated private pilot obtained an outlook weather briefing and was told that instrument meteorological conditions prevailed along his route of flight, with ceilings below 1,000 feet and visibilities less than three miles in mist and fog.
Weather at the time of the accident was a ceiling of 900 feet overcast and seven miles visibility.
Residents heard an aircraft engine at high power, followed by the ground shaking and the sound of impact.
The airplane crashed between two buildings in a near-vertical attitude.
The engine and propeller were buried in the crater. All cables were on their respective pulleys and all cable breaks bore overload signatures.
Based on the high speed impact at which the airplane hit the ground and the instrument conditions that existed in the vicinity, it is likely that the pilot became disoriented and lost control of the airplane.
A post-accident examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a pre-impact failure or malfunction.
Probable cause: The non-instrument-rated pilot’s decision to continue flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot’s spatial disorientation and loss of control of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of instrument certification.
NTSB Identification: CEN12FA101
This December 2011 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Piper Navajo. Injuries: None. Location: Kaltag, Alaska Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The pilot, who was attempting to land in icing conditions, had a hard time seeing the runway. He retracted the landing gear to prevent ice from building up on the gear.
As he applied power to abort the approach, he suddenly saw the runway and decided to continue the landing. The pilot forgot to re-deploy the landing gear and the airplane landed gear-up and slid into a snow berm.
The pilot said that due to fatigue and other distractions, he failed to re-extend the landing gear.
Probable cause: The pilot landed without lowering the landing gear. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s self-reported fatigue.
NTSB Identification: ANC12CA012
This December 2011 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Rans S-12. Injuries: None. Location: Festus, Mo. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: Neither the student pilot nor his instructor had flown the airplane before the accident flight. The student pilot had recently purchased the airplane and was receiving flight instruction toward a sport-pilot license.
Aircraft: Cessna Caravan Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Kwigillingok, Alaska. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The pilot reported that he was flying in visual meteorological conditions for most of the flight.
As he approached the airport, he inadvertently entered an area of instrument meteorological conditions that resulted in a buildup of ice on the airframe and windscreen.
He attempted to make a 180° turn to get out of the conditions but was unable to maintain sufficient airspeed. The airplane stalled and crashed.
Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to continue visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions with moderate icing, which resulted in structural icing and an aerodynamic stall.
NTSB Identification: ANC12CA016
This December 2011 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Beech Bonanza Injuries: None. Location: Cheyenne, Wyo. Aircraft damage:
What reportedly happened: The pilot stated that he was landing with a 40° crosswind.
Aircraft: Piper Pawnee Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Jacksonville, Fla. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.
What reportedly happened: The pilot was working as a banner tow pilot. [Read more...]
Aircraft: Waco YMF5. Injuries: None. Location: Marathon, Fla. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: According to the pilot, at the beginning of the day the main fuel tanks of the airplane were 7/8ths full. The pilot spent the day conducting sightseeing flights departing from an island airport.
Aircraft: Cessna 182. Injuries: None. Location: St. Paul, Minn. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The tower controller informed the pilot that the wind was from 230°. The pilot had the option of landing on runway 27 or runway 14, and chose runway 14, which gave the airplane a quartering tailwind.
Aircraft: American Champion 8KCAB Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Marysville, Ohio. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.
What reportedly happened: The pilot was performing low-altitude aerobatics for a ground-based observer to renew his low-level aerobatic competency waiver.
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