Aircraft: Bowers Fly Baby 1-A. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Jefferson, Ga. Aircraft damage: Destroyed, What reportedly happened: A witness told investigators that the pilot was attempting to diagnose an engine problem prior to the accident flight. The witness said that the engine was running rough and backfiring during takeoff. When the airplane was about 200 feet AGL, it […]
VFR into IMC kills two
Aircraft: Cessna Cardinal. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: North Vernon, Ind. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: Before departing on the accident flight, the 458-hour pilot, who did not have an instrument rating, obtained several weather briefings, learning that instrument meteorological conditions prevailed along his route of flight. The pilot took off. When the airplane was at an altitude […]
Wind gust bends Maule
Aircraft: Maule M-5-180C. Injuries: None. Location: River Ranch, Fla. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot, who was on approach to the airport in VFR conditions, stated that he didn’t see any other airplanes or hear any radio communications to indicate the appropriate runway, and there were no visual indications of wind direction. He chose to land […]
Brake failure for Piper
Aircraft: Piper Super Cub. Injuries: None. Location: Del Norte, Colo. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The private pilot, who had recently acquired the Super Cub, was receiving instruction from a CFI to get more familiar with the tailwheel airplane. The airplane was equipped with an STC’d non-standard brake system. The CFI stated that when he had ferried […]
Christen Eagle hits deer
Aircraft: Christen Eagle II. Injuries: None. Location: Eureka, Calif. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: As the pilot was attempting to land at the rural airport, a herd of deer wandered onto the runway. He added power and attempted to avoid the herd, but was unsuccessful. The airplane hit one of the animals. The pilot was able to […]
Gear collapse for Duchess
Aircraft: Beech Duchess. Injuries: None. Location: San Carlos, Calif. Aircraft damage: Substantial What reportedly happened: The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff, the tower controller notified him that the right main landing gear did not appear to fully retract. The pilot did a fly-by over the runway, and the controller reported that all three landing gear appeared to […]
Low altitude aerobatics kills one
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. The pilot made a 180° turn, then initiated a loop at a low altitude. The airplane […]
VFR into IMC kills two
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 […]
Tired pilot forgets landing gear
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 […]