Aircraft: Sportsman 2+2. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Kimerling, Mo. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The float-equipped airplane was observed flying low over the lake, then appeared to make an attempt to land on the water. Witnesses said the engine sounded as if it was operating normally but that the airplane never leveled off before it touched down. […]
aviation accidents
Unusual mid-air captures national attention
The NTSB and FAA are investigating a skydiving/plane crash Saturday afternoon in Mulberry, Florida, according to a report at 970WFLA.com. The crash captured national attention with the skydiver appearing on the national morning television newscasts.
Tailwind approach leads to crash
Aircraft: Quicksilver MX Sprint II Injuries: None. Location: Willits, Calif. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: It was the student pilot’s first solo flight in the airplane. He was attempting to land on a private dirt strip when the airplane encountered a tailwind, which caused the airplane to lose altitude and crash into trees some 20 feet short […]
Expectations and fixation
My first flight lesson was out of Virginia’s Leesburg Executive Airport (KJYO), inside the Dulles Class B airspace. We took off and performed some air work in the practice area. Then we headed back toward the airport. My instructor told me to find the airport so he could show me how to do a pattern […]
Landing stall for Piper
Aircraft: Piper Super Cub. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Fort Collins, Colo. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to land at a private landing strip on his property. The flag near the landing location indicated a calm wind. The pilot said that the airplane encountered some turbulence and wind gusts during the approach. He attempted […]
Low-altitude stall kills one
Aircraft: Bellanca Citabria. Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious. Location: Brockton, Mont. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: Witnesses said the airplane made two low-altitude, 360° turns, climbed rapidly, then descended into the ground. They reported that the engine sounded normal throughout the accident sequence. The post-accident examination revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have […]
Loose canopy distracts pilot
Aircraft: Skeeter 1M. Injuries: 1 Fatal.Location: Oklahoma City. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot was flying his homebuilt airplane on a cross-country flight when the canopy came loose. He diverted to another airport to land and secure the canopy. He was on the downwind leg in the traffic pattern and another airplane was on final […]
Link: ‘Crashing a Belite Airplane’
James Wiebe, owner of Belite Aircraft, has an opinion. He’s one of the more transparent people I’ve met. It doesn’t surprise me he wrote about the accident of a Belite UltraCub on his website. The details of this stall/spin accident, in which the pilot survived, is eye-opening.
Disoriented pilot crashes
Aircraft: Cessna 350 Corvalis. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Salisbury, N.C. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: Before the airplane continued on a cross-country flight, a lineman at the airport spoke to the pilot, who did not have an instrument rating, and mentioned the marginal nature of the weather. The pilot responded that he was going to stay below […]