Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: 3 Fatal. Location: Cold Springs, Nev. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot held an instrument rating and was flying the airplane for the owner, who did not hold an instrument rating, from the departure airport, where instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, to another airport, which was reported as under visual […]
Poor decisions kill five
Aircraft: Cessna 180. Injuries: 5 Fatal. Location: Chugiak, Alaska. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot and four passengers departed on a cross country flight. According to witnesses on the ground, during the takeoff roll the airplane went off the left side of the runway before lifting off in a very nose-high attitude. Once […]
Lack of experience leads to rough landing
Aircraft: Zenith CH-701. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Puyallup, Wash. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot had logged more than 5,580 hours, but only seven in a Zenith. The purpose of the flight was to familiarize himself with the newly-built airplane. At the time of the accident, the pilot had logged just four hours […]
VFR into IMC kills one
Aircraft: Beech Bonanza. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Taos, N.M. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The 79-year-old private pilot, who held an instrument rating and had logged 1,643 hours, obtained two abbreviated weather briefings prior to departure. He initially planned to fly a familiar route over mountainous terrain, but then changed his proposed route of […]
Flight into freezing rain kills two
Aircraft: Bellanca Viking. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Rock Springs, Wyo. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The private pilot did not have an instrument rating. According to his logbook he had accumulated about 3,040 flying hours, including 1,330 hours in a Bellanca. The pilot’s initial plan was to make the cross-country flight on the day […]
VFR into IMC proves fatal
Aircraft: Air Tractor AT-802A. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Miles City, Mont. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The airplane was configured for VFR flight only. The purpose of the flight was to reposition the airplane to its base of operation about 316 miles northwest of the departure airport. Weather conditions at the departure airport were […]
Collision during ferry flight
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee, Piper Comanche. Injuries: 2 Fatal Location: New Hampton, N.Y. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The two pilots arrived at the airport in a Piper Comanche to pick up the Piper Cherokee. The intention was that one would fly the Cherokee back to the departure airport. The pilot of the Cherokee, 53, […]
Poor fuel management brings down airplane
Aircraft: Lancair Legacy Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Richlands, N.C. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The airplane had two fuel tanks, each capable of holding 33.5 gallons of fuel. Before departing on the last leg of a long cross-country flight, the pilot put 46.1 gallons fuel into the aircraft. The airplane had been flying for […]
Un-airworthy airplane crashes
Aircraft: Beech 18. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Miami Gardens, Fla. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot held an ATP certificate and had in excess of 6,400 hours of flight experience. He was the president and director of operations for the company that maintained the airplane, which was kept outdoors when not flying. The […]