Aircraft: Cessna 172, Cessna 180. Injuries: 2 Fatal, 1 Minor. Location: Longmont, Colo. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: Day VFR conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, with reported visibilities at 60 miles. Neither pilot was receiving air traffic control advisories at the time of the collision. Radar track data depicted the airplanes on gradually converging […]
aviation accidents
Mechanical malfunction brings down Debonair
Aircraft: Beechcraft Debonair. Injuries: None. Location: St. George, Utah. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: According to the pilot, during cruise flight, the engine’s exhaust gas temperature was hotter than normal and the fuel flow was lower than normal. The engine lost power and multiple attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The pilot made a gear-up forced […]
In-flight break-up kills three
Aircraft: Beech Bonanza. Injuries: 3 Fatal. Location: Glencoe, Minn. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: There was no record of the non-instrument-rated private pilot receiving a preflight weather briefing. He was attempting to conduct the flight under VFR although the weather was IFR. Witnesses on the ground in the area of the crash reported hearing the airplane flying […]
Off runway ride in Cherokee
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee. Injuries: None. Location: Indianapolis. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The student pilot was on a solo flight. He completed three normal takeoffs and landings before attempting a soft-field takeoff. As the nose lifted, the airplane began to veer left. He attempted to correct with an application of right rudder, but lost directional control, so […]
Hard landing bends Arrow
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee Arrow. Injuries: None. Location: New Smyrna, Fla. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was preparing for his initial flight instructor check ride with a CFI on board. He performed a 180° power-off approach and landing. During the landing, he flared the airplane about 10 feet above the runway and it landed hard. After […]
Poor planning results in poor performance
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee. Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious. Location: Mexico, Mo. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot and his wife were departing from a 2,600-foot grass runway with a quartering right tailwind. The grass on the runway was between 6 and 10 inches high. The airplane took off about 1,900 feet down the runway, veered to […]
Crosswind crimps Bellanca
Aircraft: Bellanca Super Viking. Injuries: None. Location: Branson, Mo. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to land. At the time the wind was from the south at 8 to 10 knots with gusts to 20 knots. As he approached for landing on runway 12, he crabbed the airplane into the wind and slipped it […]
Poor visbility, poor decisions
Aircraft: Cessna 150. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Goble, Ore. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: A CFI and pilot receiving instruction were on a flight in an area of light rain, fog, and overcast ceilings. The airplane entered a hilly area during a steady rain. There were low ceilings and dense ground fog that extended to above tree […]
Bad water landing kills one
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. […]