The private pilot was landing his tailwheel-equipped Cessna 180H on a remote tidal beach in Seward, Alaska. On touchdown, the plane bounced slightly before settling on the right main landing gear (MLG). In an effort to correct for the right-wing-low landing, he applied left aileron, but the right wing continued to descend. The right MLG wheel axle […]
NTSB Accidents
Loss of control ends fatally
The pilot, who was the airplane owner, was on a local, pleasure flight near Carrollton, Georgia. Witnesses observed the Skybolt flying low, followed by a rapid pitch down or loss of airplane control. The plane hit a tree about 60 feet above the ground and continued another 46 feet until it hit the ground. Most of the wreckage was consumed […]
Cessna pilot mistakes road for runway
The private pilot planned to fly to at least two backcountry airports in Utah. His first destination was an unpaved United States Forest Service strip near Warren. The runway, designated 11/29, was reported to be 2,765 feet long and 50 feet wide. It was located in a narrow valley, and situated about 30 feet southwest […]
Taxiing on the river goes awry
While practicing step taxiing in a Searey on a river near Mount Vernon, Wash., the pilot under instruction attempted to transition from step taxi to plow taxi. During the transition, the right wing dropped and hit the water, which damaged the right sponson. The flight instructor added power and proceeded to takeoff. The airplane climbed to 10 feet […]
Student’s solo flight ends in fatal crash
The student pilot departed on a local, solo instructional flight in the Cessna 172. According to the flight instructor, the student was briefed to complete three takeoffs and landings and to stay in the airport traffic pattern. Instead, he completed one takeoff and landing and then departed the airport traffic pattern. Witnesses reported seeing the […]
Mooney hits building
After the Mooney M20L bounced on landing, the pilot aborted the landing by adding full power and confirmed that the flaps were in the takeoff position. When she realized the plane was not climbing normally and that the engine did not seem to be providing full power, she prepared for an emergency landing to a parking lot […]
Instability leads to fatal stall
The Raven departed its home airport for a local flight near Mattituck, N.Y. Radar data indicated that, about nine minutes after departure, the airplane was at 7,400 feet mean sea level (msl) and had begun a left 270° turn. The last radar return, which was recorded about a minute later, showed the airplane about 1,100 feet msl, which […]
Barley brings down Piper
The private pilot was attempting to land the Piper PA 18-150 at the airport in Monte Vista, Colo. He reported that, due to equipment obstructing the 2,600-foo dirt runway at midfield, he conducted a shallow approach to land on the eastern half of the shortened runway with the plane pointed west almost directly into the setting […]
Crop duster loses control on takeoff
The Air Tractor AT 502B was departing a rough, unimproved turf strip in Cavalier, N.D., for a crop dusting flight. During the takeoff, the plane hit a small turf obstruction and became airborne prematurely. It settled and the tailwheel collided hard with the ground followed by the main landing gear. The pilot lost control of the airplane as […]