A de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter hit another Twin Otter on the runway at Sebastian, Florida. The pilot of the first Twin Otter reported that, once she started the engines, the airplane rolled forward and to the left 180° because the steering-tiller had been positioned sharply to the left when the airplane was last parked. She added that, […]
NTSB Accidents
Pilot loses control of Autogryo
After departing from the airport where the pilot kept the Autogyro, he flew to his family farm near Crozet, Virginia, and landed without incident on a 1,500-foot-long grass polo field. Later on, during an attempted takeoff from the same field, when the gyroplane was traveling at 25 to 30 knots and was about 150 feet […]
Extreme turbulence bends B300
The pilot reported that while in a descent from 16,000 feet, at 1,500 feet per minute, slowing from 190 knots indicated airspeed to 160 knots, the Raytheon Aircraft Co. B300 encountered extreme turbulence. He reported one hard jolt up/down, followed by about 15 seconds of light turbulence, then one final hard jolt similar to the first. […]
Student plows 152 into snow bank
According to the student pilot, he was performing takeoffs and landings in the local traffic pattern at the airport in Shirley, N.Y. While on short final, he flared too high, the Cessna 152 stalled, then landed hard and bounced. He attempted a go-around, however the plane veered to the left and hit a snow bank. An FAA […]
Fuel exhaustion brings down Piper
According to the flight instructor and the pilot-rated student, both believed the Piper PA 18-150 had been fueled at the time it was pulled out of the hangar by line personnel, and they both observed a fuel truck parked near the airplane prior to the flight. The student had performed the preflight inspection, during which he interpreted […]
Gusting winds surprise pilot
The pilot reported that he was landing the Piper PA-32 at the airport in Valdosta, Georgia, in turbulent conditions with gusting wind. During the landing flare, the plane encountered an updraft, followed immediately by a downdraft. The plane subsequently hit the runway and the nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the engine firewall. Review […]
185’s starting procedure goes awry
While preparing for the flight, the pilot initiated the Cessna 185’s engine starting procedure, which included steps to advance the throttle and engage the electric fuel pump, in order to prime the fuel system. A subsequent step required that the throttle setting be reduced to idle position before engaging the starter motor. The pilot stated […]
Check ride ends in crash
The designated pilot examiner (DPE) and student pilot were conducting a private pilot check ride. The DPE reported that, during climbout, he retarded the throttle to simulate an engine failure. The student attempted to recover the Cessna 172 by lowering its nose to maintain controlled flight. However, the airplane descended. The DPE terminated the simulated engine […]
Overrotation leads to prop strike
The pilot said that, when the Cessna 195’s tailwheel lifted off the runway at the airport in Llano, Texas, the engine lost power, and he thought it had quit. The airplane then pitched forward, and the propeller struck the asphalt runway. The airplane turned slightly right, went off the side of the runway, and nosed […]