Piper over-stressed on landing

Meg Godlewski | Accident Reports | August 9, 2011

This August 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

Aircraft: Piper Pacer. Injuries: None. Location: Tacoma, Wash. Aircraft damage: Minor.

What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to land in a crosswind and was using a right wing low technique. Shortly after touchdown he heard the right gear leg pop and the strut collapsed. Continue Reading »

Stoned pilot crashes

Meg Godlewski | Accident Reports | August 8, 2011

This August 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

Aircraft: Piper Pawnee. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Creswell, Ore. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.

What reportedly happened: The airplane was being used to tow gliders. Shortly after the plane with a glider in tow departed, witnesses reported that the glider moved ahead of the tow airplane as the tow airplane descended. Continue Reading »

Engine surge puts Cessna into parked airplane

Meg Godlewski | Accident Reports | August 7, 2011

This August 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

Aircraft: Cessna 182. Injuries: None. Location: Sugar Land, Texas. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: According to the written statement provided by the pilot, during engine start the airplane experienced an unexpected power surge. Continue Reading »

Oil leak leads to engine failure

Meg Godlewski | Accident Reports | August 4, 2011

This August 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

Aircraft: Cessna 172RG. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Rockaway, N.J. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: The CFI and dual/student pilot were practicing maneuvers when the CFI noticed that the left main gear of the airplane was wet. As he looked for the source of the substance he noticed that the oil pressure was critically low Continue Reading »

Soft terrain leads to gear failure

Meg Godlewski | Accident Reports | August 3, 2011

This August 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

Aircraft: Air Cam. Injuries: None. Location: Hamilton, Mont. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: The pilot performed three takeoffs and landings on a river sandbar. During the last landing, a main landing gear wheel separated from the airplane when an attachment weld sheared. Continue Reading »

BFR ends fatally

Meg Godlewski | Accident Reports | August 2, 2011

This August 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

Aircraft: RV-6. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Orland, Calif. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.

What reportedly happened: The flight instructor was conducting a biennial flight review with the commercial pilot. The CFI, who had logged 6,000 flight hours, held an ATP certificate, multi-engine, instrument, and seaplane ratings, as well as a CFI certificate for single and multiengine airplanes, and instrument airplanes. The pilot receiving instruction held a commercial pilot certificate and had an instrument rating. He had logged 1,175 hours, including 79 in make and model, three in the preceding 90 days,

Continue Reading »

Creek bank busts Aeronca

Meg Godlewski | Accident Reports | August 1, 2011

This August 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

Aircraft: Aeronca 15AC. Injuries: None. Location: Palmer, Alaska. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: The private pilot was on a cross-country flight, which included landing at an off-airport site. Continue Reading »

Pilot crashes after passing out from lack of oxygen

Meg Godlewski | Accident Reports | July 31, 2011

This July 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

Aircraft: Cirrus SR22. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Ravenswood, W.Va. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.

What reportedly happened: The pilot of the single-engine, non-pressurized airplane in cruise flight at 25,000 feet above mean sea level requested and was issued a descent clearance to 12,000 feet. He acknowledged the clearance, but the airplane did not descend. Air traffic control noted that the pilot sounded “in distress and out of breath.” Continue Reading »

Improper go-around crunches Mooney

Meg Godlewski | Accident Reports | July 28, 2011

This July 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

Aircraft: Mooney M20S. Injuries: None. Location: Mayfield, Ky. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: According to the pilot, the airplane bounced on landing on the 5,001-foot runway, so he aborted the landing. Continue Reading »

Warrior collides with wires

Meg Godlewski | Accident Reports | July 27, 2011

This July 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

Aircraft: Piper Warrior. Injuries: 1 Serious. Location: Purcell, Okla. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: The student pilot was practicing simulated loss of engine power. Continue Reading »