Aircraft: Cessna 150. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Fredericksburg, Va. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: During takeoff in good visibility and calm wind, about 100 feet above ground level, the airplane banked 90° to the left and descended in a spiral until hitting the ground. The wreckage was located in a residential area, about 1,000 feet from the […]
NTSB Accidents
General aviation accidents decrease in 2013
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Transportation Safety Board released preliminary aviation accident statistics Sept. 15, which show an overall decline in the number of US registered civil aviation accidents, from 1,539 in 2012 to 1,297 in 2013. Although there has been a decrease in accidents involving scheduled Part 121 operations (commercial air transport), the first fatal […]
Crosswind catches Cessna
Aircraft: Cessna 150. Injuries: None. Location: St. Johns, Ariz. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was landing at a private dirt airstrip in gusting crosswind conditions. He reported that when he flared to land, the wind shifted. The airplane swerved and hit a dirt berm. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing […]
Delayed go-around leads to crash
Aircraft: Cessna 175. Injuries: None. Location: Spearfish, S.D. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot thought the airplane was too fast and too high on the first approach to the private airstrip, so he elected to perform a go-around. During the second approach, the plane encountered a crosswind, and he decided to abort the landing. He applied […]
$6.7 million settlement in cropduster’s death
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – On Sept. 3, a settlement was reached in front of Judge Scott Snowden (Ret.) on the wrongful death action filed by the family of agricultural aviator Steve Allen in the amount $6.7 million and, as a result, is establishing the standard as to the use of meteorological evaluation towers for wind prospecting in agricultural areas. On […]
Fatigued pilot crashes
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Land O’Lakes, Fla. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot had recently purchased the airplane and was flying it home. He checked in with an approach controller about 52 miles north-northwest of the destination airport. At the time, the airplane was flying under visual flight rules at night. The pilot […]
Tailwind landing proves fatal
Aircraft: RV-7A. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Laramie, Wyo. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot approached the non-towered airport for landing. The airport had two runways, 21/03 and 30/15. The winds at the time of the accident were reported to be 350° at 14 knots with gusts to 24 knots. The pilot entered a left downwind for runway 21. […]
Bad bolt brings down airplane
Aircraft: Cessna 150. Injuries: 2 Minor. Location: Corinth, Miss. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: According to the pilot, after about two hours of uneventful flight a loud noise came from the engine compartment and the engine cowling began shaking violently. The engine lost power. He was not able to restart the engine during the descent, so he […]
Night landing goes bad
Aircraft: Cessna 177. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Branson, Mo. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The accident occurred as the pilot attempted to make a night landing on a lighted runway. He reported that the plane was not properly aligned with the runway centerline, so he performed a go-around. During the go-around he lost control after losing external […]