Aircraft: Piper Pacer. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Elgin, S.C. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was on a cross-country flight. While en route, a witness observed an airplane flying at a slow airspeed between 200 and 300 feet above the ground, and noted that the engine was revving up and down as if […]
aviation accidents
Scud run brings down Cherokee
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee Six. Injuries: 3 Fatal. Location: Fredericktown, Mo. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The private pilot, 61, did not possess an instrument rating. He was last issued a medical certificate dated Sept. 27, 2007. At that time, he reported his total flight time as 2,900 hours. At the time of the accident, […]
Attempt at low pass ends fatally for three
Aircraft: Piper Malibu. Injuries: 3 Fatal.Location: Monroe, Mich. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot, 58, had a private pilot certificate and an instrument rating. At the time of his last medical certificate application, he reported a total flight time of 1,600 hours. He had no FAA record of previous incidents, accidents, or enforcement […]
Cessna runs out of gas
Aircraft: Cessna 182. Injuries: None. Location: Humnoke, Arkansas. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot and two passengers were en route to their destination when the airplane’s engine surged. The pilot applied carburetor heat and engine power was restored temporarily, then surged and quit completely. The pilot performed a forced landing to a highway […]
Student pilot loses control
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: None. Location: Republic, Wash. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The student pilot was practicing forward slips to a landing for his private pilot checkride, which was scheduled for the following day. He had logged 130 hours, of which 39 hours was as pilot-in-command. He performed a no-flap landing and when […]
Crosswind compromises Cirrus
Aircraft: Cirrus SR22. Injuries: None. Location: Winslow, Ariz. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The accident happened during an attempt to land in gusting winds reported as 320° at 16 knots, gusting to 27 knots. The pilot stated that the approach was stabilized, but upon landing, a gust of wind lifted the airplane back into […]
Go-around goes bad
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: 2 Minor. Location: Statesville, N.C. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The CFI and student took off from a private grass strip and climbed to 800 feet and turned to the left. The CFI reduced the power to simulate an engine out, and the student pilot turned back towards the grass […]
Off-airport landing for Cessna 150
Aircraft: Cessna 150. Injuries: None. Location: Maury City, Tenn. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: During a local flight at 500 feet AGL and about 10 miles from the departure airport, the pilot reported hearing a “pop” sound from the rear of the airplane. Concerned about whether further flight was safe, he elected to perform […]
Student mistake puts plane off runway
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: None. Location: Appleton, Wis. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The student pilot was practicing takeoffs. During an attempted short field takeoff, he accelerated the airplane to about 58 knots indicated airspeed when the airplane veered left. He reduced the power and applied right rudder to keep the airplane on the […]