Aircraft: Cessna 170. Injuries: None. Location: Pullman, Wash. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: A CFI was providing tailwheel instruction to a pilot who intended to purchase the airplane. They had completed 10.7 hours of training, which included 56 landings. The CFI said he felt pressured to complete the training since the pilot planned to depart the following […]
NTSB Accidents
Failure to maintain airspeed proves fatal
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: 4 Fatal. Location: Veneta, Ore. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: According to several people at the airport, shortly after the airplane took off from the grass runway, the sound of the engine stopped. One witness reported that he saw the airplane fly over 100-foot-tall trees north of him at an altitude of about […]
Poor go-around for Cessna 177
Aircraft: Cessna 177. Injuries: None. Location: West Milford, N.J. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: According to the pilot, the airplane bounced during the landing. He added power in an attempt to recover, then decided to perform a go-around. He performed the go-around checklist, but inadvertently retracted the flaps to the zero degree, or “UP” position, instead of […]
Non-approved modifications contribute to crash
Aircraft: Socata TV21. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Gold Hill, N.C. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot intended to fly from his home airport in North Carolina to Germany, where he had another residence. During the weeks before the accident, he made several modifications to the airplane in preparation for the trip. Friends and witnesses described the […]
Gusting winds roll Cessna
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: None. Location: West Palm Beach, Fla. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The flight instructor and student pilot were practicing touch-and-go landings on runway 31 in crosswind conditions. The student pilot’s landing was fine, but during the takeoff roll, the plane encountered a gust of wind and began to veer to the right. The […]
Tailwind takeoff leads to stall
Aircraft: Aviat A-1C-180. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Kooskia, Idaho. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: A witness at the airport told investigators that the pilot and passenger were in a hurry to leave because the weather at the airfield was deteriorating due to an incoming thunderstorm. The witness stated the airplane made an uphill intersection takeoff with a strong […]
Engine failure en route to annual
Aircraft: Piper Navajo. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Dalton, Ga. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: According to a friend, the pilot was taking the airplane to have an annual inspection completed. The friend said the airplane’s take off was normal. A witness in the vicinity of the accident stated the airplane flew over his house at an altitude […]
Blocked carburetor brings down Tecnam
Aircraft: Tecnam P2002 Sierra. Injuries: None. Location: Watsonville, Calif. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The flight instructor and student were on an instructional flight. During the initial climb, the engine started to vibrate violently and lost significant power. The CFI performed an emergency descent and landing to an open field. The post-accident examination of the engine’s dual […]
Failure to secure gas cap leads to engine failure
Aircraft: Beech A36. Injuries: None. Location: Rock Springs, Wyo. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot reported that the flight was uneventful, so she continued past her original destination to another airport. Shortly thereafter, she noticed fuel streaming from the left fuel tank cap and noted that the left fuel tank gauge indicated that the tank was […]