According to both the flight instructor and the pilot undergoing instruction, during the landing rollout at the airport in Phoenix, the pilot undergoing instruction inadvertently retracted the landing gear. The landing gear handle was immediately selected to down, however they felt the Piper PA-28R-201 sink to the left. The airplane sustained structural damage to the left wing, […]
aviation accidents
Helicopter brought down when main drive belt fails
The pilot reported that while in cruise flight, the engine rpm of the Rotorway Executive 162F helicopter suddenly increased to the point where the rev limiter activated. At this point the helicopter was about 700 feet above ground level and the pilot performed an autorotation to a baseball field in Plymouth, Indiana. During the forced landing, […]
Engine fails due to lack of oil
The pilot reported that, during climbout on the return leg of an out-and-back flight, he noticed the engine hesitate for one or two seconds and then recover to normal operation. He continued climbing the Piper PA-28R and proceeded toward his home airport. While approaching the airport, the engine made abnormal noises, followed by a total loss of power. The […]
Jammed rudder contributes to crash
The pilot had recently purchased the Zodiac CH-650, an experimental amateur-built airplane. He was flying with a flight instructor to gain flight experience in the airplane. He reported he made a normal left hand pattern and approach to the runway at the airport in Greeley, Colorado. During the flare, he attempted to maneuver the airplane to […]
Piper ground loops during landing practice
The pilot was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings at the airport in Camarillo, California. During the second landing he failed to maintain directional control. The Piper PA-18 subsequently departed the side of the runway, and ground looped, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and left lift strut. The pilot reported there were no […]
Landing gear collapses
The pilot reported that he executed a normal approach for landing at the airport in Chicago. During the approach, he lowered the Piper PA-31’s landing gear and verified the extended position by checking the landing gear position indicators in the cockpit. Upon touchdown on the runway, the nose landing gear collapsed, and then the right […]
Balloon ride ends with broken leg
The pilot determined that the wind was faster than anticipated at the landing location near Bernalillo, N.M. He maneuvered the Cameron Z90 balloon for a landing in an open field, the gondola landed hard, and fell onto its side. One passenger sustained a broken leg and the balloon sustained no damage. The pilot reported no […]
Student loses control during landing
The flight instructor and student pilot were practicing landings to a full stop at the airport in Kankakee, Ill. During the sixth landing, the student overcontrolled the Cessna 172 during the landing flare. The flight instructor attempted to correct the flight control inputs, however he was unable to overcome the strength of the student pilot on the flight […]
Crosswind landing goes awry
The Piper PA-46 veered off the left side of the runway in Akron, Ohio, during landing with a left gusting crosswind. The maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity for the airplane was 17 knots. The pilot said he applied right rudder and left aileron control inputs for the landing. The left main landing gear touched down first and when the right […]