The student pilot reported that while on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, after crossing abeam the runway touchdown zone, he inadvertently shut off the fuel valve instead of activating the carburetor heat in the Taylorcraft BC12-D. Unaware of his mistake, he continued on the landing approach believing the engine was operating at a […]
NTSB Accidents
Distracted float pilot forgets to retract landing gear
The pilot of the amphibious float-equipped Cessna 185 reported that during the initial climb from an airport runway, he was distracted by other airport traffic and forgot to retract the landing gear. As he approached his destination, which was a lake near Emily, Minnesota, he did not perform the before landing checklist as he usually […]
Cracked cylinder head results in forced landing
The pilot reported that, during the agricultural spray run, the engine lost power. The Grumman G164-B was unable to maintain altitude, so the pilot made a forced landing to a rice field near Princeton, California. After touchdown, the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder. A post-accident examination of the engine […]
Loss of control on takeoff leads to 150 crash
The pilot reported that he applied power for night time takeoff and lifted off the runway in Ellijay, Georgia. The Cessna 150 reached a height about 5 feet above the ground. The pilot reported he could not see the runway lights and felt he was in a black hole. The airplane descended to the runway […]
Pilot’s lack of experience leads to water ditching
The non-seaplane rated private pilot stated that his intention was to get comfortable with the Aventura II. He performed several maneuvers in the air, then seven uneventful touch-and-go water landings with half flaps extended. On the final landing attempt, he fully extended the flaps and had difficulty controlling the airplane. It bounced on the water […]
Maintenance error contributes to C206 crash
The pilot was conducting the Cessna 206’s first flight since the engine had undergone maintenance several months earlier. He reported that, after about 45 minutes of flight, he noticed that the exhaust gas temperature (EGT) had increased but that he was able to reduce the temperature by increasing the fuel flow. Shortly after, the EGT […]
Pilot fills plane with contaminated fuel
The pilot and passenger were nearing the conclusion of a local flight when the JA30 Superstol’s engine began to “sputter and run rough.” The engine momentarily ran smooth before it began to run rough a second time, followed by a total loss of power. The pilot maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing, and stated […]
Fuel exhaustion brings down C182
The Cessna 182 pilot was on a personal sightseeing flight when she realized she was low on fuel, and immediately diverted to an alternate airport. While enroute to the alternate airport she determined that enough fuel remained by consulting her onboard fuel computer, and elected to continue to her destination. As she approached her destination […]
Airplane’s design contributes to fatal accident
The private pilot departed with two passengers for a personal, local flight in a Wheeler Express amateur-built airplane. Air traffic control data indicate that, after departing the airport, the airplane climbed and performed several maneuvers. A review of onboard flight data revealed that the airplane then maneuvered into a nose-high attitude while in a steep, […]