The June 2004 Accident Reports are provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, they are intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Piper Tomahawk.
Location: Lawrenceburg, Ky.
Injuries: 1 Serious.
Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: After the airplane was leveled at 2,500 feet, the pilot demonstrated to the passenger the effects of G forces by “floating” a notepad by pushing the nose over abruptly in flight to create negative G. During the demonstration, the engine lost total power. The pilot tried unsuccessfully to restart the engine then performed a forced landing to a field. The fuselage and wings of the airplane were substantially damaged. The engine was successfully test run after the accident, with no abnormalities noted.
According to the airplane’s Information Manual, “the shape of the wing fuel tanks is such that in certain maneuvers the fuel may move away from the tank outlet. If the outlet is uncovered, the fuel flow will be interrupted and a temporary loss of power may result. Pilots can prevent inadvertent uncovering of the outlet by avoiding maneuvers which could result in uncovering the outlet.”
Probable cause: The decision to perform a negative G maneuver, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
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Aircraft: Piper Cherokee Six.
Location: Leominster, Mass.
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
Aircraft damage: Destroyed.
What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to make an approach in instrument meteorological conditions at night. At the destination airport, weather was reported as three statute miles of visibility in mist, and an overcast cloud layer at 700 feet. The pilot requested and was subsequently cleared for the GPS approach. No further transmissions were received from the pilot.
Review of the approach plate for the GPS approach revealed that the inbound course from the final approach fix, located about five miles before the airport, was 324°. The minimums for the straight in approach to runway 32 were one statute mile of visibility, and a minimum decision altitude of 960 feet msl or 624 feet agl. No procedure turn was required for the approach. Review of radar data revealed that after the airplane crossed the final approach fix it turned right, away from the final approach course, and began tracking northbound for several seconds. The airplane then made a left turn and proceeded inbound towards the airport and tracked an approximate 300° until the last radar return was received, where the airplane was about one mile southeast of the airport at 1,000 feet msl. The airplane struck trees, and came to rest in a wooded area, about 1-3/4 miles from the runway threshold, and about a half mile to the right of the extended centerline. A postcrash fire consumed the main wreckage. The elevation of the accident site was 563 feet msl.
The pilot had accumulated about 409 hours of total flight experience. Within the previous six months, he had accumulated seven hours, of which 1.7 hours were conducted in simulated instrument conditions, and .7 hours were in actual instrument conditions. The pilot’s most recent flight conducted in nighttime conditions was about 20 months prior to the accident.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to follow instrument flight procedures resulting in a collision with trees.
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Aircraft: Cessna 182.
Location: La Belle, Fla.
Injuries: None.
Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The plane was involved in a skydiving operation. The pilot stated that while the first parachutist was climbing out on the airplane’s strut, her pilot chute got caught on a safety belt, resulting in the inadvertent deployment of her main parachute, which streamed back over the right horizontal stabilizer. The parachute lines damaged the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The parachutist cut the parachute line, releasing her and the chute from the airplane. She landed uneventfully with her reserve parachute. The pilot made a normal landing at the departure airport after a slow descent from 10,000 feet.
Probable cause: The inadvertent deployment of the main parachute which resulted in damage to the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator.
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Aircraft: Kitfox IV.
Location: Rigby, Idaho.
Injuries: None.
Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The accident pilot reported that the second pilot was checking him out in type. He stated the second pilot completed the first landing on runway 19, then they went around again. The accident pilot made a successful landing but during the landing roll the airplane veered to the right. The pilot applied brakes and corrective action, however, the airplane continued to track to the right. The airplane eventually exited the runway, encountered soft muddy terrain and nosed down.
Probable cause: Failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
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Aircraft: Cessna 150.
Location: Midland, Mich.
Injuries: None.
Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The student pilot had made several touch and goes with his instructor on board. The instructor exited the airplane and the student then attempted what was to be his second supervised solo flight. The student was on final approach maintaining 70 mph with 20° of flaps. He initiated the flare and the aircraft ballooned and started to drift to the right. The student tried to correct using left aileron. The airplane veered to the left. The student applied full power to do a go-around and the aircraft banked sharply to the left. The left wing hit the ground and the airplane cartwheeled, slid across a taxiway, and came to rest alongside a ditch.
Probable cause: The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the go-around.
