The pilot’s intentional flight into terrain as an act of suicide.
aviation accidents
NTSB releases preliminary report on fatal Reno crash
The pilot directly behind the two planes that crashed told NTSB investigators that the planes were not where he expected them to be.
Pilot seriously injured when plane crashes from fuel exhaustion
The pilot’s improper preflight fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
GA remembers AOPA’s McSpadden
The aviation community is remembering Richard McSpadden, senior vice president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s Air Safety Institute, who died in a plane crash Oct. 1, 2023, near Lake Placid, New York.
Picture of the Day: By the sea
Dan Chapman submitted this photo and note: “My 1977 Archer II at Bob Maxwell Memorial Airfield (KOKB) in Oceanside, California.”
Human Factors: Saving a buck costs a fortune
A pilot low on fuel passes up three airports to save 20 cents a gallon on avgas. It turns out to be an expensive mistake.
Mystery mid-air collision for Alaska pilot
A mid-air collision for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
Pilot’s attempt to beat a thunderstorm goes awry
The pilot’s decision to takeoff from a road with obstacles in his flight path and his failure to maintain control of the airplane when encountering changing winds from approaching thunderstorms which resulted in the airplane impacting signal light cables.
Distracted pilot fails to extend landing gear
The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear prior to landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the lower fuselage. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to utilize the aircraft checklist.