Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper approach speed, which resulted in in a hard landing and a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to fly the airplane without an instructor onboard.
Pilot mistakes wheat field for runway
Probable cause: The pilot’s selection of an unsuitable landing area, which resulted in the airplane impacting wheat stalks and a subsequent nose-over.
Broken glasses lead to runway excursion
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to attain a proper touchdown point during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impaired vision due to his broken eyeglasses.
Fuel exhaustion ends flight review
Probable cause: The flight instructor’s and pilot’s mismanagement of the available fuel, which resulted in exhaustion of the fuel in the selected fuel tank and a subsequent total loss of engine power.
Insect in pitot tube causes accident
Probable cause: Innacurate airspeed indications due to contamination of the pitot-static system with insect remains, which resulted in a high approach and landing speed and subsequent runway overrun.
Maintenance flight goes awry
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to see and avoid trees during low-altitude flight.
Pilot loses control while landing in the rain
Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of runway visibility during landing in rain, which resulted in the pilot’s loss of situational awareness and subsequent loss of airplane control.
Piper hits truck while landing
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate glidepath during approach, which resulted in an impact with a semi-truck.
Familiarization flight ends fatally
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s mistaken entry into a canyon surrounded by steep rising terrain while at a low altitude for reason