By AMELIA REIHELD. Aw, Shucks (or words to that effect) … In my defense, I did not say those famous last words when the bottom fell out. I didn’t even think them. Honest. But I guess this sad story needs to start at the beginning… The Saturday after Thanksgiving was a crisp, beautiful day to […]
aviation accidents
Piper bent when pilot loses control on landing
The pilot said that just as he was going to touch down on the runway at the airport in Cornelia, Georgia, the Piper PA 18-150 wanted to turn to the left. He applied right rudder, but it was not affective. He applied full power and attempted to abort the landing, but the airplane would not gain lift. It veered […]
Pilot porpoises on landing
The pilot reported that during landing, his airspeed was too high and the Cessna 172 bounced. He continued the landing at the airport in Clearwater, Florida, but the airplane porpoised, and on the third bounce slid off the runway. During the runway excursion, the nose landing gear collapsed and the propeller struck the ground. The pilot reported […]
LSA crashes after unauthorized aerobatics
The CFI piloting the light-sport aircraft, an Aero SP Z 0 0 AT-4, reported he was not performing aerobatic maneuvers, however a review of the onboard airplane video by the FAA Air Safety Inspector revealed that he had been performing aerobatic maneuvers in an airplane not certified for aerobatic flight. During the flight, the airplane […]
Turbulence contributes to Lightning crash
The pilot stated that during an approach to landing in gusty crosswind conditions at the airport in West Plains, Missouri, the Arion Lightning LS-1 encountered turbulence about 10 feet above the runway and suddenly lost altitude. The plane landed hard, and collapsed the nose landing gear, then exited the right side of the runway and collapsed the […]
Hard landing bends Bellanca
During the landing flare at the airport in Campbellsville, Kentucky, the pilot reported that it “felt like the air was sucked out from under the plane.” The Bellanca 1730-A landed hard on the main landing gear, bounced and touched down again, buckling the nose landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot […]
Misfueling brings down Cessna 421
The pilot reported that, after a flight the day before the accident, he requested that the FBO top off the tip tanks with fuel. Before the flight the next morning, he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane. There was no water in the fuel sample, which appeared to be blue, similar to 100LL aviation fuel. […]
Cessna 140 flips during emergency landing
The pilot made an emergency landing on a highway near Mize, Mississippi, due to weather conditions. During the landing roll, the Cessna 140 struck a highway sign, flipped upside down, and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot sustained minor injuries. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from obstacles during an off-airport precautionary […]
Crosswind landing bends 195
The pilot was landing on Runway 36 at the airport in Independence, Iowa. After touching down, the Cessna 195 began a slow right turn. The pilot attempted to correct by applying left rudder and light braking, but the airplane departed the right side of the runway, and was substantially damaged. The wind was from 100° at 14 […]