High winds bring down student pilot

Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: 1 Serious. Location: Spanish Fork, Utah. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: The student pilot delayed his departure because of reported high wind conditions at his planned destination airport, which was five miles away.

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VFR into IMC kills three

Aircraft: Stinson 108. Injuries: 3 Fatal. Location: Dicken, Texas. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.

What reportedly happened: At the time of the accident, the pilot had over 600 hours total time with over 200 hours in make and model. He did not have an instrument rating but had logged 3.8 hours of simulated instrument flight time.

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Fuel exhaustion brings down Pacer

Aircraft: Piper Pacer. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Elgin, S.C. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: The pilot was on a cross-country flight. While en route, a witness observed an airplane flying at a slow airspeed between 200 and 300 feet above the ground, and noted that the engine was revving up and down as if it was running out of fuel. [Read more...]

Scud run brings down Cherokee

Aircraft: Piper Cherokee Six. Injuries: 3 Fatal. Location: Fredericktown, Mo. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.

What reportedly happened: The private pilot, 61, did not possess an instrument rating. He was last issued a medical certificate dated Sept. 27, 2007. At that time, he reported his total flight time as 2,900 hours. At the time of the accident, his last medical certificate had expired.

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Attempt at low pass ends fatally for three

Aircraft: Piper Malibu. Injuries: 3 Fatal.Location: Monroe, Mich. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.

What reportedly happened: The pilot, 58, had a private pilot certificate and an instrument rating. At the time of his last medical certificate application, he reported a total flight time of 1,600 hours. He had no FAA record of previous incidents, accidents, or enforcement actions.

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Cessna runs out of gas

Aircraft: Cessna 182. Injuries: None. Location: Humnoke, Arkansas. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: The pilot and two passengers were en route to their destination when the airplane’s engine surged.

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Student pilot loses control

Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: None. Location: Republic, Wash. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: The student pilot was practicing forward slips to a landing for his private pilot checkride, which was scheduled for the following day.

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Crosswind compromises Cirrus

Aircraft: Cirrus SR22. Injuries: None. Location: Winslow, Ariz. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: The accident happened during an attempt to land in gusting winds reported as 320° at 16 knots, gusting to 27 knots.

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Go-around goes bad

Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: 2 Minor. Location: Statesville, N.C. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: The CFI and student took off from a private grass strip and climbed to 800 feet and turned to the left. The CFI reduced the power to simulate an engine out, [Read more...]

Off-airport landing for Cessna 150

Aircraft: Cessna 150. Injuries: None. Location: Maury City, Tenn. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: During a local flight at 500 feet AGL and about 10 miles from the departure airport, the pilot reported hearing a “pop” sound from the rear of the airplane.

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