aviation accidents

The operator reported that the pilot was applying dry, granular fertilizer to a rice field near Basile, Louisiana. During the last application pass, the Air Tractor AT 502B’s left wing hit some trees. The plane then struck several additional trees, traveled about 550 feet, and hit terrain, killing the pilot. A post-impact fire ensued and subsequently consumed a […]

After engine start up, the pilot reported that he and his passenger were focused on untangling their headsets. He stated they both were “heads down” for about eight seconds and failed to notice the Cessna 177 moving forward. After rolling forward about 25 feet, the airplane struck an unoccupied airplane at the airport in Roxboro, N.C., which […]

The pilot reported that during a landing to a lake in Hartland, Maine, the float-equipped Cessna 180 hit the water, porpoised, and flipped over. The pilot reported the plane “flipped over like a ground loop” and subsequently sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the […]

The pilot reported that he was conducting a high-speed taxi test of a Buhl LA 1 at an airport in Cottage Grove, Oregon, during which he did not intend to fly, when the plane encountered a wind gust and then unexpectedly became airborne. Insufficient runway was available to abort the takeoff, so he decided to continue […]

According to the pilot, following his preflight inspection he attempted to start the engine with the electrical starter, but was unable to get the engine to turn over. He turned the magnetos to the off position and then got out of the Cessna 182 to “turn the prop through,” but was not attempting to hand prop […]

While maneuvering in mountainous terrain about 700 feet above ground level near Moriarty, N.M., the GlaStar encountered “an extreme clear-air [sic] microburst.” The pilot was unable to control the descent rate and executed an off-airport landing. During the landing, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical […]

The Midget Mustang hit the runway in Longmont, Colorado, during takeoff after it prematurely lifted off and cartwheeled to a stop facing in the opposite direction. The pilot said he knew the airplane was not at flying speed when it lifted off, so he moved the control stick forward to return it to the runway surface, but the […]

The pilot of the AX8 105 hot air balloon reported “a gust of wind created a false lift effect on the balloon” during takeoff near Intercourse, Pennsylvania. Heat application to increase lift was insufficient to avoid colliding with a building. During the collision the hot air balloon sustained substantial damage to 44 of the 384 balloon […]