The non-instrument-rated pilot planned to conduct a cross-country flight. Before departure on the second leg of the flight, he obtained a weather briefing, which noted areas of instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions along his route of flight, including his destination airport. During the briefing, the pilot indicated that his vehicle and work was at his […]
Carb icing contributes to forced landing
The private pilot reported that the engine cylinders had been replaced and the flight was to continue a cylinder break-in period. The engine run-up and propeller check were completed during the taxi to the runway to keep the ground run-up to a minimum. After engine start, no anomalies were noted. Break-in procedures called for lower […]
Pilot’s improper maintenance leads to fatal crash
The private pilot conducted a 20-minute local flight in the Eros 1600, an experimental, amateur-built airplane, after installing a new ignition coil on the two-stroke, two-cylinder engine. He then returned to the airport in Lebanon, Tennessee, where he landed the airplane, back-taxied on the runway, and initiated a second takeoff. Witnesses reported that, shortly after takeoff, […]
Aerobatic flight in Yak ends fatally
The pilot was conducting a local aerobatic flight with a pilot-rated passenger occupying the rear seat of the Yak 52, which was equipped with flight controls. The pilot’s son was flying another airplane, returning to the home airport after a local sightseeing flight near Alpine, Wyoming. The airport was at the southeast corner of a […]
Fatigue cracks contribute to accident
Shortly after departure on a local flight, the private pilot observed that the Velocity’s engine temperature was higher than it had been on the previous day’s flight. After reducing power, the engine began to surge, which prompted him to return to the airport in Rosamond, California. Unable to maintain altitude, he elected to land in […]
Flight to break in engine goes awry
The purpose of the flight was to break in the engine and to evaluate the systems and flight characteristics of the newly-built RV-8A. During the flight, the private pilot observed an elevated cylinder head temperature, which he controlled with airspeed, altitude, fuel mixture and engine power settings. He returned to the airport in Salem, Oregon, and, […]
NTSB releases summary of 2015 accidents
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its summary of US civil aviation accidents for calendar year 2015. The summary includes details of all civil aviation accidents that occurred in 2015. Also available is accident trend data from 2006-2015, including: General Aviation Accidents, 2006-2015; General Aviation Accident Rates, 2006-2015; Purpose of Flight and Aircraft […]
Pilot crashes after failing to remove parachute locking pin
The private pilot was departing in the Golden Circle Air T-Bird experimental light-sport airplane. Onboard video footage from a wingtip-mounted camera provided a view of the cockpit. The pilot could be seen with his left hand on the control yoke, but his right hand, which was near the engine throttle, was obscured. The airplane took […]
Distraction fatal for Piper pilot
The private pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight. Shortly after takeoff, he told the air traffic controller that he needed to return to the airport due to an attitude heading reference system (AHRS) “miscommunication.” Air traffic control radar data indicated that, at that time, the Piper PA-46 was about 1.75 miles north of the […]