Aircraft: Piper Comanche. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Camas, Wash. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The private pilot’s most recent third-class medical certificate was issued July 28, 2010. At the time, he reported a total flight time of 4,000 hours. A pilot-rated witness reported watching the Comanche join what appeared to be the left downwind […]
NTSB
First flight, last flight
Aircraft: Rans S18. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Fayetteville, Tenn. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The private pilot was making his inaugural flight in the recently purchased, recently reassembled, but as of yet unregistered, experimental airplane. He had not flown in about six years. His latest medical certificate was issued June 6, 2005, and at […]
Pilot miscalculates fuel needs
Aircraft: Cessna 182. Injuries: None. Location: Dandrige, Tenn. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot reported he fueled the airplane with enough fuel for two flights with skydivers with a 30-minute reserve. The first approach was as planned. During the second approach, the pilot had to adjust his flight path for other airplane traffic. […]
Bent tailwheel compromises airplane
Aircraft: Avid Flyer. Injuries: None. Location: Yamhill, Oregon. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to land on a private airstrip in his homebuilt, tailwheel-equipped airplane. The winds were calm and the approach and touchdown were normal, but during the rollout the airplane began an uncommanded turn to the right. The pilot […]
Excessive airspeed breaks up Beech
Aircraft: Beech G35. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Byron, Ga. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The private pilot, 44, had logged about 400 hours, including 140 in the Bonanza. The accident happened during a cross-country flight. When the airplane was at 9,200 feet MSL, the pilot cancelled VFR flight following and initiated a descent toward […]
Flight review ends in ground loop
Aircraft: Cessna 170A. Injuries: None. Location: Mulino, Oregon. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The purpose of the flight was for the private pilot to regain tailwheel currency and to complete a flight review. Following basic air-work, the CFI asked the student to perform a wheel landing. The CFI said the landing was successful, but […]
NTSB releases GA video safety alert
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released the first of five short videos, each featuring an NTSB investigator highlighting a particular area of general aviation safety associated with the majority of GA accidents. Every year, the NTSB investigates about 1,500 preventable GA accidents that kill about 475 people, including pilots, and […]
Fuel tank dry, plane gets wet
Aircraft: Piper Comanche. Injuries: 1 Serious. Location: Sidney, N.Y. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot stated that he last checked the fuel quantity two weeks before the accident flight. During that flight, he noticed that the right auxiliary fuel gauge was inoperative. The purpose of the flight was to drain fuel from the […]
Poor weather, poor decision
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Berne, N.Y. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: There was no record of the 153-hour private pilot, who did not have an instrument rating, obtaining a weather briefing or filing a flight plan prior to the accident flight. Witnesses on the ground said the clouds were “right over […]