The flight instructor was demonstrating a takeoff to the student pilot in the tailwheel-equipped Bellanca 7GCBC. During the takeoff from the airport in Midlothian, Texas, the instructor was flying the airplane and was seated in the rear seat, with the student pilot observing and following along on the flight controls in the front seat. The […]
aviation accidents
Student’s solo bends Cessna 172
According to the student pilot, during landing on a solo flight at the airport in Payson, Arizona, the Cessna 172 porpoised. After landing he repositioned the airplane, but prior to takeoff, a fellow pilot, who witnessed the porpoise, contacted him on the VHF radio, and informed him that he should have the airplane checked out […]
LSA ends up on golf course after pilot fails to apply carb heat
The sport pilot reported that, as he was approaching the runway at the airport in Hilton Head, S.C., he retarded the throttle and descended from 1,300′ to 1,000′ mean sea level. He added that, a few seconds after retarding the throttle, the engine “ran rough” for a few seconds and then lost all power and […]
Fuel exhaustion brings down Beech A23
The pilot reported that about five hours into a night cross-country flight the Beech A23’s engine started running rough. He switched between the left and right fuel tanks several times, adjusted the mixture, but was unsuccessful in correcting the issue. He knew that he would not make it to the nearest airport, so he turned […]
Pilot hits light pole on busy ramp
The pilot reported that during taxi through a high traffic density ramp area at the airport in Punta Gorda, Florida, the Cessna 172’s left wing hit a light pole, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine […]
Fire destroys Champion after muddy landing
According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped Champion 7ECA, after performing a flight near Kinder, Louisiana, he made a normal approach to a dirt and grass covered airstrip. As he executed a wheel landing, the airplane veered left of the airstrip as the left main landing gear began to sink into the mud. The airplane […]
Bowers Fly Baby stalls on takeoff
The pilot reported that during the initial climb, the Bowers Fly Baby aerodynamically stalled. He was unable to recover the airplane due to the low altitude and the plane hit a field off the departure end of the runway in Guthrie, Oklahoma. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, right wing, and right elevator, […]
Would you report a risky pilot to the FAA?
In a new blog post, Leah Read, a senior air safety investigator in the NTSB Office of Aviation Safety, warns against turning a blind eye to risky behavior in another pilot. She notes that when NTSB investigators arrive at the scene of a fatal accident, they soon pick up on clues that the pilot exhibited […]
First flight after overhauled engine installed goes badly
The sport pilot/mechanic reported that the accident happened on the first flight in the experimental, amateur-built Ginny B after he installed an overhauled engine. About 30 minutes after takeoff, the engine experienced a sudden and total loss of power and would not restart. The pilot conducted a forced landing to a grass field near South […]