Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to confirm the throttle position before attempting to start the airplane’s engine by manually rotating the propeller, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.
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Student Pilot Hits Powerlines While Practicing Landings
Probable Cause: The student pilot’s failure to see and avoid powerlines during an unstabilized approach, which resulted in the airplane landing short of the runway and coming to rest inverted.
Water-Contaminated Fuel Brings Down Cirrus SR22
Probable Cause: A total loss of engine power due to water-contaminated fuel.
Frustrated Pilot Takes Off With Fuel Selector on Empty Tank
Probable Cause: A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the pilot’s mismanagement of the available fuel.
Corrosion Cause of Gear-Up Landing
Probable Cause: Corrosion on a landing gear retract rod assembly, which precluded an extension of the gear and resulted in a gear-up landing.
Zip Tie Fix Fails to Prevent Inflight Engine Fire
Probable Cause: The pilot’s inadequate inspection of the airplane following an inflight smoke event, which resulted in separation of the exhaust pipe and hot exhaust igniting the engine cowling, and a subsequent loss of engine power.
After the Accident
A pilot who did everything right but was still in an accident shares the lessons he learned in its aftermath, from dealing with the NTSB, FAA, and insurance companies, to handling the Seven Stages of Grief.
Pilot Crashes From Fuel Exhaustion on Way to Buy Cheaper Fuel
Probable Cause: The pilot’s improper preflight fuel planning that resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Human Factors: When Over and Above Isn’t Enough
A March 2024 accident where the engine failed “without warning” raises the question of whether an “old school” technique might be able to catch problems newer tools miss.