Before departure for the flight, the private pilot and owner of the Cessna 172 conducted the preflight and run-up and noted the airplane was operating normally. During takeoff, he rotated about 70 knots and the climb out was normal. About 300 feet above ground level, the engine suddenly lost power and shook violently. The pilot scanned for potential […]
Lancair crashes on dark, moonless night
The instrument-rated pilot and two passengers departed from the remote airport in Ranger, Texas, on a dark, moonless night. Two witnesses reported observing the Lancair LC40 500FG take off from the lighted runway and then turn right. The airplane’s bank angle then slowly increased to about 90°, and it subsequently descended. The airplane hit terrain 0.4 mile from […]
Builder’s improper calculations leaves plane uncontrollable
According to the pilot/owner/builder of the Minicoupe, he conducted taxi tests, and then a final engine run-up and flight control check prior to takeoff on the airplane’s second flight near Baltimore. After rotation, the plane reached approximately 3 feet above the runway when the nose dropped, and application of full up elevator had no effect. […]
Navion loses power on short final
The pilot reported that, while the Ryan Navion was on short final to the runway in Fresno, Calif., he increased power to maintain the glideslope and then heard a muffled “bang or chug,” followed by the engine sounding “as if it were drowning.” The airplane started to descend, and the pilot executed an off-airport landing. During […]
Landing at fly-in goes awry
The pilot of the aerobatic, tailwheel-equipped Aviat Pitts S2B planned to attend a fly-in at the airport in Lakeville, N.Y. As he overflew the 2,500-foot-long by 60-foot-wide private turf runway, he noted that numerous airplanes were parked along its left side, and elected to favor the right side of the runway during the landing. During the […]
Mountain flying course ends fatally
The flight instructor and private pilot-rated student were flying a five-leg, cross-country flight to conclude a mountain flying training course. The final leg of the flight was intended to cross over the mountains near a popular mountain pass, which was frequented by local pilots because of the landmarks and highway below. When the flight was overdue, […]
Failure to open fuel valves brings down Kitfox
During preflight refueling, the Kitfox pilot reported he closed a fuel shutoff valve located at each wing root to prevent cross feeding. Upon starting the engine and preparing for takeoff, he verified that the main fuel valve was in the on position, but failed to open the fuel shutoff valve located on each wing, causing […]
VFR into IMC results in spatial disorientation
The non-instrument-rated pilot was conducting a cross-country flight in his homebuilt RV-7A. GPS data indicated that the plane departed and then proceeded west-southwest at an initial altitude of about 4,500 ft mean sea level (msl). About 20 minutes later, the airplane’s track deviated from its initial heading, and it began to climb. It continued to climb at […]
Fuel starvation brings down Piper
The pilot reported that the Piper PA 28-180’s engine lost power about five minutes after takeoff and that the starter would not engage to facilitate a restart. He executed a landing on a highway near Sulphur, La., during which the landing gear collapsed. After the accident, a first responder who held a pilot certificate examined the fuel […]