Aircraft: Swift GC-1A. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: East Moriches, N.Y. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The airplane departed with an adequate supply of fuel in the main fuel tank but an unknown amount in the tip tanks. The Swift’s takeoff was witnessed by the mechanic who performed the last inspection on the airplane. The mechanic thought the […]
aviation accidents
Wind puts Cessna in ditch
Aircraft: Cessna 150. Injuries: None. Location: Seneca Falls, N.Y. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot did not obtain a preflight weather briefing before departing on the local flight. At the time of departure the wind was from 270° at 9 knots. The pilot took off and remained airborne for about 1 hour 15 minutes, during which […]
Takeoff ends in trees
Aircraft: Cessna 150. Injuries: None. Location: Mansfield, Mass. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The accident happened during a training flight. According to the flight instructor, during climb out when the airplane reached 250 feet AGL, the airplane stopped climbing and began to descend. The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane and verified the position of the […]
Carb icing at night for Cherokee
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Maryland Heights, Mo. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: A witness, who saw the airplane approaching the airport for a night landing, remarked that the engine sounded like it was sputtering. He thought the pilot was attempting to land on the beach of a nearby lake. The airplane hit the water […]
Pilot gets behind airplane
Aircraft: Beech Bonanza. Injuries: 1 Serious. Location: Wausau, Wis. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting an instrument approach. The airport’s weather system was reporting conditions below approach minimums. The pilot chose to attempt the approach and, if necessary, execute a missed approach and hold until conditions improved. He noted the decision altitude and lowered […]
Insects bring down Tomahawk
Aircraft: Piper Tomahawk. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Corona, Calif. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: After flying for about an hour, the pilot entered the pattern to land. During the approach the engine lost power. Unable to restart the engine, or make it to the runway, he performed a forced landing into an adjacent field, where the airplane […]
Improper use of flaps by 172 pilot
The pilot’s improper use of flaps for takeoff, which resulted in the airplane’s failure to attain adequate climb airspeed and subsequent collision will trees during takeoff.
Poor go-around for Piper pilot
Aircraft: Piper Comanche. Injuries: None. Location: Lake Tahoe, Calif. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot aborted a landing due to traffic on the active runway. As part of the go-around he retracted the landing gear. On the second approach he opted to carry extra power because of gusty wind conditions, and during the landing flare, he […]
Poor power management results in hard landing
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: None. Location: Miami, Fla. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: A flight instructor was attempting to demonstrate short field landing technique to a student pilot. About 50 feet over the runway, at an airspeed of 60 knots, with flaps fully deployed, the CFI reduced the throttle to idle and pitched the nose down to […]