The private pilot reported that the accident flight was the Mooney M20E’s first flight after being painted. After completing a preflight inspection, he started the engine and observed a decrease in power. He leaned the mixture slightly, and the engine rpm returned to normal idle speed. He reported that during the engine run-up, he noticed […]
NTSB Accidents
Ash-spreading ceremony goes awry
The pilot was participating in an ash spreading ceremony and planned to do a low pass over the runway at the airport in Reidsville, N.C. As the Aeronca 7BCM approached 50 feet above ground level and 70 knots, the pilot reported that the bag containing the ashes began to break and he “momentarily” let go […]
First flight after annual fatal
The private pilot was conducting a short flight to his home airport after picking up his Cessna 182C following an annual inspection. There were no recorded communications between the pilot and air traffic control services. Radar data first showed the 182 about 20 miles east of the departure airport. The radar targets indicated that the […]
Skydiving pilot crashes during precautionary landing
The commercial pilot of the Pacific Aerospace 750XL reported he was preparing to release skydivers when he noticed that the engine torque indication was in the red arc. The gauge was indicating a torque of 70 pounds per square inch (psi) when it should have been indicating about 25 psi. The maximum allowed torque indication […]
Spatial disorientation fatal for Piper pilot
The instrument-rated private pilot was operating the Piper PA-32-R on an instrument flight rules flight in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). As the plane neared the destination airport, the controller cleared the pilot for the instrument landing system (ILS) approach, instructed him to descend to 3,400′ mean sea level (msl), and provided him with a heading […]
Pilot dies in crash on golf course
The private pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight in Beech C24R. He last fueled the plane 10 days before the accident. Review of GPS data and fueling records revealed that between the last fueling and the accident, the airplane had been operated for nearly four hours. Several witnesses observed the airplane flying overhead as it […]
RV-7 breaks up inflight
The airline transport pilot was conducting a personal flight in the experimental amateur-built Van’s RV-7, with one passenger on board. Several witnesses near Hurricane, Utah, reported that they heard the airplane’s engine and that it sounded like it was making power changes. They then saw airplane debris floating in the air. One witness stated that […]
Cirrus pilot pulls chute too late
The private pilot had spent several hours flying practice instrument approaches to various airports. He stated he became distracted and failed to monitor the Cirrus SR22’s fuel state. His normal habit was to alternate between the airplane’s wing fuel tanks every 30 minutes, however he did not perform this action during the last hour of […]
Pilot commits suicide by plane
Witnesses reported seeing the Cessna 172 flying in an easterly direction at a very low altitude before striking the northwest corner of an office building in Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane’s wreckage continued traveling east while descending into an adjacent office building and subsequently struck an electrical transformer. A postcrash fire consumed the airplane wreckage. The […]