The student pilot contacted a friend who was in a fishing boat and told him he was going to fly over the lake in Kingston, Oklahoma. The friend then saw the RV-9A circle over his fishing boat, which was a prearranged signal by the student pilot to notify the friend to drive his fishing boat towards […]
aviation accidents
Fuel exhaustion brings down 182
The pilot reported that before departing on the cross-country flight, he determined by visual inspection that the fuel level was about 1/2-inch below the top of the filler neck on each wing fuel tank. While established in cruise flight, after about four hours of flight, the Cessna 182 experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot […]
Ice brings down Diamond
The student pilot reported that he was practicing solo ground reference maneuvers about 1,600 feet above ground level when the Diamond DA-20’s engine began operating erratically. He added the airplane might have entered an aerodynamic stall. He advanced the throttle to full forward, but the engine did not respond and subsequently experienced a total loss of […]
First solo goes awry
The student pilot was attempting to land at the airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after his first solo flight. He thought his airspeed was high. The Cessna 152 landed hard and bounced three times, which resulted in the collapse of the nose landing gear. The nose of the airplane and the left wing hit the runway. A post-accident examination […]
Fuel starvation brings down Mooney
The pilot reported that, before departure, he conducted an engine run-up, and everything was in the normal operating range. He departed, and, shortly after takeoff, the engine lost power. During the forced landing in Lonoke County, Arkansas, the Mooney M20C hit trees and came to rest on its belly. Examination of the airplane revealed that no fuel […]
Cirrus pilot ditches in ocean
During the transpacific flight, the Cirrus SR22 pilot was unable to transfer fuel from the aft auxiliary fuel tank to the main fuel tanks. Despite multiple attempts to troubleshoot the fuel system issue, he was unable to correct the situation. After transferring fuel from the forward auxiliary fuel tank to both main fuel tanks, he estimated […]
Low altitude maneuvers fatal
Several witnesses observed the Aventura II during engine start at the airport in Sebring, Florida, and reported that, when the engine started, it tipped forward onto its nose and then fell back and its tail struck the ground. The pilot exited the airplane, walked to the back, returned to the cockpit, and then taxied out. No witnesses […]
Ice brings down RV-6
The pilot had purchased the RV-6A the day before, and was returning to his home airport when he elected to stop at an intermediate airport in Pikeville, Kentucky, for fuel. After crossing the runway threshold, he reduced engine power and entered the landing flare. He felt the airplane “balloon up slightly, then stall and drop around […]
VFR into IMC fatal for pilot
The commercial pilot was in the process of purchasing a block of flight time with the intent of building time toward an additional rating. According to the operator, she did not complete the mandatory checkout. However, she possessed the keys to the Cessna 152 since she had flown the previous day with an instructor, but he […]