The pilot of the Piper Saratoga was conducting a GPS instrument approach near Stafford, Virginia, with the autopilot engaged when the engine lost power. He adjusted the airplane to obtain the best-glide airspeed and tried to troubleshoot the problem, but was unable to restore engine power. He chose to land in a nearby field because […]
NTSB Accidents
Go-around goes bad for student pilot
The student pilot was attempting to land the Cessna 172 at Gila Bend, Ariz., when the airplane drifted to the left. He applied full power for a go-around. The airplane continued to the left during the go-around, hitting a tree on the left side of the runway, and then crashed. The pilot received minor injuries. […]
Downhill runway, distraction bad for new Aztec pilot
The flight was to be the private pilot’s first multiengine lesson in the Piper Aztec originating out of Hillsboro, Ore. Both the student receiving instruction and the MEI performed an uneventful preflight check and run-up, which included a check of the brakes and the security of the cabin door. During the takeoff roll, the cabin […]
Cessna runs out of fuel on approach
According to the pilot, the Cessna 172 lost power as it approached the destination airport in Temecula, Calif. He attempted to restart the engine, but was not successful, so he decided to land on a nearby street. During the landing roll, the airplane hit a chain link fence and sustained substantial damage to the engine […]
Practice forced landing becomes real
The student pilot, accompanied by a CFI, was practicing maneuvers in a Beech Bonanza near Fort Stockton, Texas. During the approach to landing, the student was instructed to move the fuel selector from the right tank to the left tank. When the plane was on the downwind leg for landing, the instructor told the pilot […]
Bellanca hits power line
The student pilot, who had logged 24 hours, including eight in the Bellanca Viking, accompanied by a passenger, took off at night from Plainview, Texas, although as a student pilot, flight with a passenger was prohibited. Visual conditions prevailed. During cruise flight, the plane hit a power line located 102 feet above ground. The power line […]
Harrison Ford injured in crash
Harrison Ford was “battered but OK” Thursday after his Ryan PT-22 lost engine power and crash-landed on a California golf course, according to a report at NBCNews.com. The 72-year-old actor, who was conscious and breathing when rescue crews reached him, was stabilized and taken to a hospital, where he was in fair to moderate condition, […]
Nosewheel failure for Cessna
The student pilot was practicing touch and goes in a Cessna 152 in College Station, Texas. The first two were normal. During the third landing, the airplane touched down on the main landing gear, and, as the pilot brought the nose down, the nosewheel collapsed. The student pilot was not injured. The post-accident examination of […]
Tailwheel checkout results in flipover
The accident happened in El Reno, Okla., when the pilot of the Cessna 140 was receiving a checkout in the tailwheel airplane. During the takeoff roll he pushed the control yoke forward to lift the tail off the ground. When the tail came up, he lost directional control. The check pilot tried to regain directional […]