Aircraft: Midget Mustang. Injuries: None. Location: Erie, Colo. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The flight was the new owner’s first flight in the airplane. He said the wind was calm when he lined up for takeoff, but as he started the takeoff roll, a left quartering wind blew the airplane off the runway and into a ditch where […]
aviation accidents
Go around goes bad
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee Six. Injuries: None. Location: Palo Pinto, Texas. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The accident happened during an attempted go-around. The airplane drifted off the centerline and into trees off to the side of the runway. The pilot told investigators that the airplane was close to stall speed during the go-around, and would not climb. […]
CFIT claims Bellanca Pilot
Aircraft: Bellanca 7GCBC. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Imperial, Neb. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The accident happened around sunrise. The airplane was flying to the east toward rising terrain consisting of rolling hills and valleys. The Bellanca failed to clear the terrain, hitting a hill about 10 feet below its crest. The airplane then crashed and burned. […]
Poor fuel management for Piper
Aircraft: Piper Pacer. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: McKinleyville, Calif. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The 150-hour pilot, who had recently bought the Piper, had only five hours in the plane. He was flying his first cross-country in it. He thought the fuel selector was positioned to both tanks, however, it was positioned to the left tank for […]
Overweight airplane, unfamiliar pilot bad combination
Aircraft: Silvaire Luscombe 8A Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious. Location: St. Petersburg, Fla. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot, who had recently purchased the airplane, which he intended to fly as a Sport Pilot, had just resumed flying after a 30-year hiatus. In the weeks before the accident he had been flying with two CFIs to […]
Night approach goes bad
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: None. Location: Oshkosh, Wis. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: A flight instructor and student pilot were on final approach at the completion of a local night instructional flight. The CFI was to demonstrate the proper pitch attitude and sight picture needed for a landing at night. On short final, just before touchdown, the […]
Overloaded airplane crashes
Aircraft: Piper Tri-Pacer Injuries: None. Location: McGrath, Alaska. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to takeoff from a turf runway. The airplane was fully loaded with a passenger and cargo. According to the pilot, the airplane became airborne, but would not climb very well. The pilot was able to get over some trees at the […]
Upslope runway contributes to accident
Aircraft: Cessna 210. Injuries: 2 Minor. Location: West Glacier, Mont. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to takeoff from a 2,500-foot long runway in rising terrain. The airplane accelerated normally and became airborne between 1,000 and 1,200 feet down the runway. The pilot said the plane did have a positive rate of climb but […]
Luscombe loses power
Aircraft: Luscombe 8A. Injuries: 2 Minor. Location: Leander, Texas. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot performed an engine run-up, during which he checked the operation of the carburetor heat. However, he did not leave the carburetor heat on at higher power settings for more than a few seconds. He then taxied from the ramp area to […]