Aircraft: Bellanca Viking. Injuries: None. Location: Kansas City, Mo. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The accident happened during landing. According to the pilot, the airplane touched down, then suddenly veered off the left side of the runway and into the Precision Approach Path Indicator light system. The post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that a rod end […]
NTSB Accidents
Fast descent leads to bad bounce
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: None. Location: Mokuleia, Hawaii. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The accident happened during the approach to landing. According to the pilot, as the airplane approached the runway, he realized that the descent rate was higher than normal. He was unable to stop the rapid descent and the airplane touched down hard, bounced, and […]
Wake turbulence tumbles Mooney
Aircraft: Mooney M20. Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Minor. Location: Fayetteville, N.C. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was in the traffic pattern for landing and was informed by the tower air traffic controller that there was a Gulfstream at his one o’clock position on a five-mile final approach. The pilot replied “I see the Gulfstream, ah […]
Lights distract pilot
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee Six. Injuries: None. Location: Swainsboro, Ga. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to land at night in visual meteorological conditions. The runway lights were set on high intensity, which diluted the threshold lights. The airplane hit trees during final approach about 2,400 feet before the runway threshold. The pilot stated he […]
Snow on runway catches Cessna
Aircraft: Cessna 180. Injuries: None. Location: South Fork, Colo. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to land on a runway that had several patches of snow on it. The Cessna encountered a patch of snow during the rollout and veered out of control. The pilot was unable to regain control and the airplane nosed […]
Hand-propped airplane escapes
Aircraft: Piper Pacer. Injuries: None. Location: Hebron, Neb. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot reported that he could not start the engine using the electric starter, so he decided to attempt to hand-prop it. He set the parking brake and initiated the procedure. The engine started. The parking brake did not hold and the airplane began […]
Low-altitude manuever goes bad
Aircraft: Aventura II. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Laceys Spring, Ala. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot was said to have logged 700 hours, including about 10 flights in the accident airplane. However, his most recent flight review was completed nearly six years prior to the accident and he did not possess the required rating to operate […]
Low-time pilot ground loops C180
Aircraft: Cessna 180. Injuries: None. Location: Conroe, Texas. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The flight instructor, who occupied the right seat, allowed the private pilot to practice landings in the tailwheel airplane. During the second landing, the plane veered sharply off the runway centerline. The flight instructor took over the controls but was unable to regain directional […]
Over-rotation leads to loss of control
Aircraft: Zenair LTD CH 2000. Injuries: None. Location: Warrenton, Va. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The flight instructor and student pilot, who was the owner of the airplane, were practicing simulated engine out/aborted takeoff procedures. The student completed one aborted takeoff without incident. During a second attempt he over-rotated and the airplane climbed to an altitude of […]