According to the flight instructor, during the turn from base to final, the Beech F33’s stall warning horn sounded and the descent rate increased. The CFI reported he told the student pilot to go-around, and the student increased power, but the plane continued to descend and touched down on the runway at the airport in […]
aviation accidents
Chain of bad decisions leads to forced landing
The private pilot was conducting a cross-country flight in a Diamond DA20-C1 without the owner’s permission. While en route, he reported to air traffic controllers that the engine had lost power and that he did not think he would be able to glide to the destination airport. He also said that it was dark and […]
Wrong turn distracts pilot
As the pilot was taxiing for takeoff, he inadvertently turned onto a vehicle service road instead of the taxiway as he was leaving the ramp area at the airport in Dallas. He then looked down to review the airport diagram on his tablet. As he was reviewing the airport diagram while still taxiing, the Beechcraft […]
Fuel starvation leads to crash
The pilot stated he had an uneventful cross-country flight and on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern at the airport in Salisbury, N.C., he switched the fuel selector from the right tank to the left tank and turned on the boost pump. While on short final approach, the engine started losing power as the […]
Distracted pilot hits fence post
The pilot reported he was taxiing on the ramp at the airport in Abilene, Texas, after landing. He looked to his left at the line serviceman who was “marshalling” him and the right wing hit a fence post. The Cessna 182R sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The line serviceman said he […]
First flight in homebuilt becomes pilot’s last flight
The private pilot/owner had recently completed the experimental, amateur-built Free Bird Classic and was conducting the first test flight near Kylertown, Pennsylvania. He completed two circuits around his private airstrip before witnesses saw the airplane approaching to land. While on final approach about 50-100 feet above the ground, the plane suddenly descended and hit terrain, […]
Plane gets away from distracted pilot
After the pilot started the Piper PA-46-350P’s engine, he noticed an error in the route programmed in the global positioning system (GPS). He reported the plane had begun to roll forward as he made changes to the GPS programming and he was not aware the airplane was moving. The airplane hit a steel pole and […]
Mechanic’s error bends Cessna 310
The commercial pilot and his passenger were returning to the airport near Tucson, Arizona, after a 30-minute personal flight. The pilot reported he configured the Cessna 310J for landing, but that the landing gear down indication did not illuminate. He cycled the landing gear several times, but the landing gear down indication still did not […]
Fuel exhaustion brings down Piper
According to flight service station records, the private pilot had planned a cross-country flight that was expected to be about 465 miles long and to take about 3 hours and 15 minutes. The first two-thirds of the flight were uneventful, but the pilot diverted to an alternate airport because the passenger needed a rest stop. […]