The non-instrument rated private pilot and his passenger completed a cross-country flight from their home base to another airport in the Piper PA-28R-180 earlier that day. They delayed their initial planned departure time for that flight due to weather concerns, ultimately arriving three hours later than planned. During that flight, they flew over a high […]
NTSB Accidents
SR22 hits power lines
The private pilot was flying a night visual pattern to a non-towered airport in Lancaster, Texas. Due to another airplane on final approach, he extended the downwind leg to create spacing. While on the extended final in a rural area with low lighting, he descended the airplane well below a proper glidepath to the runway […]
Beach landing bad for Piper pilot
According to the pilot, he intended to perform a touch and go “to roll the tires” on a beach in Old Harbor, Alaska. He reported that he touched down, added power, and became airborne. Shortly after becoming airborne the Piper PA-18-150 rotated 90° to the right, and the left wing hit the ground. The airplane […]
CFIT kills four
The commercial pilot and three passengers departed on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight in instrument meteorological conditions that included a ceiling of 200 feet agl. About a mile from the departure end of the runway at the airport in Pottsville, Arkansas, the A36 hit a ridge that was 216 feet above the airport’s elevation. […]
Carb icing brings down Champ
The commercial pilot was taking off for a personal local flight in the Champion 7ECA. He reported that, shortly after takeoff and as the plane reached about 700 feet above ground level, the engine began to gradually lose power. He attempted to return to the departure airport, but was unable to maintain altitude. He then […]
Cessna 150 ends up on Florida golf course after cylinder fails
The commercial pilot was conducting a personal flight in the Cessna 150M. He reported that, several minutes after takeoff and while en route to his destination airport, the engine began to run roughly and lose power. He attempted to restore power without success. He then maneuvered the plane for a forced landing on the fairway […]
Piston seizure contributes to fatal crash of unregistered homebuilt
The private pilot taxied out and took off for a personal flight from a private grass runway in Bennington, Kansas, in an unregistered homebuilt airplane. A witness reported that, when the airplane reached 150 feet above the ground, the engine stopped. The pilot then turned the plane back toward the runway, and it then dropped […]
The role of language in aviation accidents
Language plays a greater role in aviation accidents than the industry may realize, according to a team from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which is developing curriculum and training protocols in the hope of heightening awareness among pilots, air traffic controllers and others. One of the accidents the team studied as the January 1990 crash of Avianca Flight […]
Crankshaft failure proves fatal
The airline transport pilot was departing on a personal local flight in his Mooney M20M when the engine lost total power. Review of security video at the airport in Worcester, Mass., revealed that, after takeoff, the airplane reached an altitude of about 200 feet before turning right and reversing direction. The airplane subsequently stalled, rolled to the […]