Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: None. Location: Fort Myers, Fla. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: According to the pilot, who was practicing touch and goes, a gust of wind pushed the plane to the left after the eighth landing. He applied full right aileron, but could not stop the uncommanded turn. The airplane went off […]
Beech crashes in ferry flight
Aircraft: Beech Sierra. Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious. Location: Wheeling, Ill. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The airplane, which had been operated by a flight school, was sold to a private individual. The purpose of the accident flight was to ferry the airplane to the new owner. The plane’s engine had been overhauled and […]
Poor decision kills two
Aircraft: Mooney M20E. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Colorado Springs, Colo. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot, 25, was a United States Air Force B-1B pilot. He also held multiple pilot certificates for airplane, including those of instructor. He had logged 913 hours, including 58 in the Mooney M20E. The Mooney was not equipped […]
Ice brings down Lancair
Aircraft: Lancair Legacy. Injuries: None. Location: Troy, Mich. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot obtained a weather briefing prior to the flight. There were no reports of icing along the intended route of flight. The experimental airplane was equipped with a de-ice system. The pilot checked the system as part of the preflight […]
Bonanza runs out of fuel
Aircraft: Beech Bonanza. Injuries: None. Location: Des Moines, Iowa. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: According to the pilot, shortly after takeoff the airplane’s alternator indicated a discharge condition. He attempted to return to the departure airport. When the airplane was on final approach at about 100 feet AGL, the engine lost power. The plane […]
Stuck valve leads to power loss
Aircraft: Cessna 180. Injuries: None. Location: Omaha, Neb. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The airplane was on final approach and a half-mile from the runway when the engine lost power. It came down in trees short of the runway. During the post-accident testing of the engine, it lost power when the throttle was moved […]
CFIT kills two
Aircraft: Beech Duke. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Edwards, Colo. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot, 67, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single, multiengine, and instrument privileges. At the time of the accident he held a third class airman medical certificate and had in excess of 1,300 hours total time. The pilot-rated […]
Poor maintenance leads to fatal crash
Aircraft: Cessna U206G. Injuries: 2 Fatal, 2 Serious. Location: Leverett, Mass. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The airplane was in cruise flight at 3,000 feet AGL when the engine developed a vibration, then lost power. The pilot attempted a forced landing in an open field. The airplane cleared trees adjacent to the field but […]
Poor planning leads to fuel exhaustion
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Wittmann, Ariz. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The student pilot was making a solo cross-country flight involving four legs. Before beginning the final leg, he made multiple full stop and touch-and-go landings that he had not included when he did his preflight planning. During the final leg […]