aviation accidents

During the approach for an attempted forced landing into a clearing near Poulsbo, Wash., the Ercoupe 415C hit trees and then collided with the ground in a nose-down attitude. The pilot sustained serious injuries during the accident but was able to call 911 on his cell phone. He subsequently died from complications related to his injuries […]

The pilot reported that, during the descent to the destination airport in Ashland, Mo., the Cessna 414’s left engine experienced a partial loss of power. He attempted to troubleshoot the issue. Unable to restore the engine power, he secured the left engine, feathered the propeller, and advised air traffic control of the situation. Shortly after, […]

The pilot reported that, while in cruise flight, the Piper PA-22-108 experienced a total loss of engine power about eight miles from the intended destination. Unable to restart the engine, he subsequently ditched the airplane in a lake near Forsyth, Mo. No fuel was found in the fuel system during the post-accident examination, however, the […]

The Piper PA18-150 pilot reported that he and his father had flown to a location near Willcox, Arizona, to camp and hunt. They made three passes over an open area to find a suitable landing spot. The pilot stated that the grass appeared to be knee-to-hip height, but he believed it was safe to land. He set […]

The non-certificated pilot reported that, following an uneventful local sightseeing flight in his Searey, he conducted a low pass over a lake near Stanwood, Wash., with glassy water conditions, but he did not intend to land. He thought the plane was about 3 or 4 feet above the water when it suddenly skimmed the water’s […]

The pilot reported that during takeoff from a private dirt runway in Wikieup, Arizona, the Cessna 170’s main wheel landing gear hit a dirt berm. The airplane nosed over and a post-accident fire ensued, which consumed the fuselage and inboard portion of both wings. The NTSB determined the probable cause as the pilot’s failure to maintain […]

According to the flight instructor and the student pilot, they flew from their home airport to another airport where the student completed four landings without the flight instructor touching the controls. After the fourth landing, the CFI got out of the Cessna 172 at the airport in Immokalee, Florida, so the student could complete three […]

The pilot and pilot-rated passenger reported that while in cruise flight, both of the Cessna 310’s engines experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot selected an open field near Aurora, Colo., and made a forced landing. Due to rough terrain, the plane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot stated that the […]

According to air traffic control (ATC) audio recordings, a tower controller cleared the Diamond DA20 for takeoff from the airport in Fort Carson, Colo., about 23 seconds after a UH-60 helicopter was cleared for takeoff from a midfield location. The tower controller ensured that a runway separation standard of 3,000 feet was present and did […]