The National Transportation Safety Board has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking seeking public comments regarding its proposed changes to rules governing investigation procedures. The agency proposes to organize its procedures into mode-specific subparts to make the rules easier to access and consult. It also wants to update some terms and procedures, including using the […]
NTSB
Tailwind takeoff leads to accident
Aircraft: Piper Pawnee. Injuries: None. Location: Harvey, N.D. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: Prior to taking off on the aerial application flight, the pilot loaded applicant and fuel which, as reported by the pilot, put the airplane slightly over its maximum gross weight. In addition, he checked the automated report for the nearest airplane weather facility, which […]
Piper pilot flies into rising terrain
Aircraft: Piper Super Cub. Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Minor. Location: McNeal, Ariz. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot, who was taking a passenger on a tour of the local area, had previously conducted such flights, and had a normal route that he followed. However, on this occasion, he deviated from that route to “do something a […]
Thunderstorm claims two lives
Aircraft: Zenair CH 2000. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Nephi, Utah. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: Several people on the ground saw the airplane flying low in the airport pattern during a thunderstorm. As the plane turned from a crosswind to a downwind leg, airplane stalled at an altitude of approximately 150 feet, pitched down and crashed. A […]
CFI turns fuel off in flight
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: None. Location: Bardstown, Ky. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The CFI and student pilot had practiced various maneuvers during the training flight and were returning to the airport. The airplane was about 2,500 feet AGL and within gliding distance of the airport when the flight instructor turned the fuel selector to the “OFF” […]
CFIT for Super Cruiser
Aircraft: Piper Super Cruiser. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Rye, Colo. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: At the time of the accident, the pilot, 64, had logged more than 900 hours, including about 140 hours in the Super Cruiser. The pilot’s girlfriend said he flew frequently in the mountainous areas of Colorado, including near the Lake Isabel area […]
Poor maintenance, poor decisions kill pilot
Aircraft: Piper Twin Comanche. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Canton, Mo. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The 74-year-old pilot’s logbook was destroyed in a hangar fire in 2011, but remaining records indicated that he had about 6,459 total flight hours and 809 multi-engine hours. It could not be determined how many hours he had in a Twin […]
Hard landing wrinkles airplane
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee Arrow. Injuries: None. Location: Everett, Wash. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The private pilot, who had logged 269 hours, including 90 in a Piper Cherokee Arrow, had recently failed the practical flight test for his commercial pilot certificate and was flying with a CFI to re-qualify for another practical test. The two flew a […]
Pilot comes up short of runway
Aircraft: Piper Super Cub. Injuries: None. Location: Delta Junction, Alaska. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to land the tailwheel-equipped airplane on a rough and uneven, brush-covered airstrip. Before beginning the approach, he determined the wind direction and selected a touchdown point. After landing, the right main tire dropped into a hole and the […]