Aircraft: Beechcraft Musketeer. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Dayton, Va. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: Before departing, the non-instrument-rated pilot obtained a weather briefing and was advised several times that VFR flight was not recommended due to existing and forecasted instrument meteorological conditions along his intended route of flight. He declined to file a flight plan and took […]
aviation accidents
Airplane stalls on departure
Aircraft: Aeronca 11AC. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Comfort, Texas. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot took off and at an altitude of 250 feet AGL, initiated a left turn. During the turn, the left wing dropped 60° to 70°. The pilot was unable to regain control and the airplane crashed into a fence. The pilot stated […]
Pre-purchase flight ends with crash
Aircraft: Socata TB 10. Injuries: 2 Fatal, 1 Serious. Location: Shirley, N.Y. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The flight was a pre-purchase demonstration of the airplane. The buyer intended to examine and photograph the maintenance records, then fly the airplane around the airport traffic pattern with the owner. However, the owner insisted they fly the airplane before […]
Too much brake for Bellanca
Aircraft: Bellanca 7GCBC. Injuries: None. Location: Sidney, Neb. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: According to the pilot, during the landing rollout as the airplane slowed, it started veering to the right. He applied left rudder and left brake to correct the problem. The tail came up, the propeller struck the ground, and the airplane nosed over. The […]
Low altitude loss of power kills one
Aircraft: Folke-Wolf-190 ½ Scale. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Columbus, Ga. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot, 71, had logged about 13,000 hours. He was flying the pattern at a tower controlled airport. After conducting a touch-and-go landing on Runway 24, he advised the controller that he had a partial loss of engine power and intended to […]
Bounced landing for Tri-Pacer
Aircraft: Piper Tri-Pacer. Injuries: None. Location: Napa, Calif. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The airplane touched down in a slight crab, bounced and went off the runway. No pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations were found during the investigation. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing […]
Gusty winds get Cessna
Aircraft: Cessna 180. Injuries: None. Location: Upland, Calif. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The airplane touched down on the centerline, but during the rollout veered to the right. The pilot was able to correct back to the centerline, then a wind gust from the right caused the right wing to lift, which resulted in the airplane tracking […]
First flight, bad flight
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 […]
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. […]