The pilot stated that in preparation for a night flight from Portsmouth, N.H., he flew earlier that same evening. He inspected the Cessna 172S and noted the control lock was not installed in the control column. While searching for the control lock he located a “straight pin” in a seatback pocket and installed it. He […]
aviation accidents
Go-around goes bad
The pilot of the amphibian Piper Super Cub reported that she was flying a visual approach to a lake, over mountainous terrain, near Eagle Bay, N.Y. On an approximate 3/4 mile final approach to the lake, she observed a boat near her intended landing area and performed a go-around to circle for another approach. During […]
Tornado crashes when spark plug separates from cylinder
Shortly after takeoff in Wild Rose, Wis., the Titan Tornado’s engine lost power. The airplane hit trees and then terrain, resulting in substantial damage and serious injury. A post-accident examination revealed that one spark plug and its lead assembly had separated from its cylinder. Examination of the threads and the orifice on the cylinder revealed […]
Flight into IMC fatal
The instrument-rated pilot departed in the Cirrus SR22 with a reported cloud ceiling of 400 feet above ground level and 3 miles visibility. A witness, who was about 0.3 nautical miles west of the departure end of the runway in Chesterfield, Mo., saw the SR22’s navigation lights for about three to five seconds as it traveled […]
Unstabilized approach bends 182
As the pilot approached the airport in Stanwood, Wash., he maneuvered the Cessna 182 to enter a standard traffic pattern. On final approach, he fully extended the wing flaps while reducing the engine power. He then temporarily added power to attain adequate clearance from trees located before the runway. During the descent, the stall warning […]
Stearman ground loops
Prior to landing, the Stearman A75 pilot listened to the automated weather station at the airport in Appleton, Wis., which reported the wind out of the west at 8 knots. During the landing roll, the right wing lifted suddenly, the left wing hit the ground, and the airplane ground looped. He then asked the air […]
The last link: Dealing with the loss of a friend
By AMELIA REIHELD. “Oh, $%*@# !….” Waking up to the news that he had lost another friend to an aviation accident was not a good way to start the day for Tom Bush (CDR, USN, ret.) This latest tragic mishap claimed pilot number 21 in his own necrology of civilian and military pilots he had […]
Bellanca hits VASI
The pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were conducting a personal flight near West Yellowstone, Mont., in the tailwheel-equipped Bellanca 7GCBC. The pilot was in the rear seat, and the passenger was in the front seat. The passenger did not have a tailwheel endorsement, but he planned to follow the pilot on the controls during the […]
Carb ice brings down Flight Design CTLS
The pilot reported that as the Flight Design CTLS was descending through about 4,700 feet mean sea level, the engine began to run rough and eventually lost complete power. He noted that the engine monitoring system indicated that there was no fuel flow, despite the airplane having about 16 gallons of automobile fuel still available. Several […]