Aircraft: Cessna 150. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Baraboo, Wis. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The non-instrument-rated student pilot departed on a 108-nautical-mile cross-country flight. He did not have an instructor’s endorsement to conduct the cross-country flight and was carrying a passenger, contrary to regulations. He had only accumulated 0.5 hours of simulated instrument training. […]
NTSB Accidents
Ground loop for Luscombe
Aircraft: Luscombe 8E. Injuries: None. Location: Taunton, Mass. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: At the time of landing the wind was reported as variable from 30° to 300° gusting from 12 knots to 22 knots. The touchdown was uneventful, however, on the landing roll, at taxi speed, a strong crosswind gust exceeded rudder authority, […]
Landing gets away from pilot
Aircraft: Cessna 182. Injuries: None. Location: Waynesburg, Pa. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot checked the wind conditions prior to landing and calculated the maximum crosswind component to be 15 knots, which included wind gusts. On final approach he was able to maintain runway alignment, but after touchdown, the airplane veered to the […]
Inexperience with autopilot fatal for Cessna pilots
Aircraft: Cessna 310. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Smyrna, Tenn. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: According to the technician who performed the autopilot installation and troubleshooting work on the airplane, when he accompanied the pilot on the first flight that day the pilot seemed to be unfamiliar with the autopilot operation. The pilot worked the […]
In-flight break up for experimental
Aircraft: KR2. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Newberry Springs, Calif. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot had no previous experience in the experimental airplane, although he did have the last registered owner of the airplane give him a one-hour overview of the airplane, including a demonstration of the flight controls. The previous owner stated […]
Downdraft catches Kitfox
Aircraft: Kitfox Classic IV. Injuries: 1 Serious. Location: Myrtle Creek, Ore. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: While taxiing to the run-up area, the pilot noted the windsock aligned with his intended departure runway. Following an uneventful engine run-up, he taxied onto the runway and noted the windsock shifted to a 90° crosswind, then realign […]
Hard landing for Piper
Aircraft: Piper Malibu. Injuries: None. Location: Allentown, Pa. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to land in a gusting crosswind. He applied a crosswind correction intending to land first on the the right main wheel, which was into the wind. The airplane touched down harder than the pilot intended and swerved […]
Unlicensed pilot uses closed airport
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: 2 Serious. Location: Welch, W.Va. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot, whose student pilot certificate was expired, was practicing landings with a tailwind in the traffic pattern at a closed airport in an unregistered airplane. According to FAA records, the airplane was registered to an individual in Georgia, but […]
Hard landing for Liberty
Aircraft: Liberty XL-2. Injuries: None. Location: Burlington, N.C. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: According to the student pilot, he was attempting a second touch-and-go landing and takeoff. As he turned onto final approach, another airplane was crossing the runway threshold for a full stop landing. The pilot continued the approach, but slowed the airplane […]