This March 2010 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: Evektor Sportstar Plus. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Marysville, Ohio. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.

What reportedly happened: The Sport Pilot, who had logged 186 hours, departed on a cross-country flight. There was no record of him obtaining a weather briefing prior to takeoff and no flight plan was filed. Instrument meteorological conditions existed along the route of flight. Recorded radar data showed that as the airplane approached the area of IMC, it changed heading and altitude and tracked southward, which was then followed by a descending turn with increasing airspeed. The airplane crashed in a field in a nose-down attitude.

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This March 2010 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 152. Injuries: None. Location: Hearne, Texas. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: The student pilot, who was at the end of a solo cross-country flight, was attempting to land with a right quartering tailwind.

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This March 2010 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: Lancair IV-P. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Hilton Head, S.C. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: According to the pilot, the airplane was in cruise flight when the instrument panel begin to vibrate heavily and oil begin to cover the wind screen. There was a loud “bang” from the engine and then the engine then lost power. The pilot had no forward visibility because of the oil on the windscreen and could not maintain altitude. He elected to make an emergency landing on a nearby beach. During the landing the plane struck and killed a pedestrian.

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This March 2010 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 Twin Comanche. Injuries: None. Location: Baltimore, Maryland. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: The pilot said he had 26 hours of flight time in the accident airplane, but that it was two years before the accident and he had not flown the airplane since.

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This March 2010 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 Tri-Pacer. Injuries: None. Location: Terry, Mont. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: The pilot intended to make a night VFR flight. There was no record he obtained a weather briefing prior to departure. Instead, he gathered his weather information by making a phone call to an acquaintance who was at his destination and by checking with the FAA’s Flight Watch while en route.

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This March 2010 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: Stinson 108-3. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Lebanon, Ore. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane completed a number of touch-and-go landings, and then made a full-stop landing so that he could taxi to the parking area to talk with some friends. [Read more...]

This March 2010 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, 1 Serious. Location: Morton, Wash. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.

What reportedly happened: According to the passenger, she and the pilot were returning from a business trip. They refueled the airplane at an airport in the San Francisco Bay area, then began the flight home. While the airplane was in cruise flight, the pilot suddenly placed his hands on the controls, told her the engine had lost power, and they were going to land at a nearby airport.

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This March 2010 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 172. Injuries: None. Location: Ft. Pierce, Fla. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: A student pilot was practicing touch and goes with a CFI on board. According to the CFI, during the flare the student pilot pulled excessive back pressure on the elevator flight control and the airplane ballooned.

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This February 2010 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: Flight Design CTLS. Injuries: None. Location: Fort Myers, Fla. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: Once cleared for his first solo by his CFI, the student pilot listened to the ATIS, which indicated the wind was from 320° at 10 knots. He taxied to runway 31. He began the takeoff roll and felt that the airplane was being pushed from the left.

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This February 2010 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 Saratoga. Injuries: None. Location: Dolan Spring, Ariz. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: During the airplane’s last annual inspection, which took place five months before the accident, the pilot/owner noted that the airplane had not been producing full power at takeoff. According to the pilot, the deficiency was not resolved during the inspection, or on subsequent return trips to the maintenance facility. However, the pilot continued to fly the airplane.

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