According to the pilot of the Piper J-3C, which he was operating from the rear seat, while taxiing to the runway at the airport in Greeley, Colorado, his forward visibility was diminished by his airplane’s nose, requiring the use of “S” turns in order to clear the area in front of the airplane. He reported […]
NTSB Accidents
Two die when A36 crashes into lake
The private pilot was beginning a cross-country flight and was instructed by the ground controller to remain clear of Class B airspace. After an uneventful takeoff, while in Class B airspace, he was instructed by the local controller to remain outside the Class B airspace, and the pilot advised the controller that the flight was […]
Prairie dog holes contribute to bad landing
The pilot reported that during final approach he observed “prairie dog holes” on the private grass runway in Fort Morgan, Colorado. The touchdown was “normal,” but during the rollout he observed additional prairie dog holes ahead and applied the brakes. Subsequently, the Backcountry SuperCub skidded for about 50 feet on the “soft and sandy” area […]
Loss of control fatal
The non-instrument-rated private pilot departed on a cross-country flight in night visual meteorological conditions in the Flight Design CTLS. After takeoff, the pilot leveled the airplane at an altitude about 1,400 feet mean sea level (msl) and continued toward the destination airport for about 30 minutes until he requested and was cleared by air traffic […]
Propeller separates from Sonex in flight
The private pilot, who was also the builder of the experimental, amateur-built Sonex, reported that, during initial climb for the local flight, about 3,000 feet mean sea level, the propeller separated from the airplane and fell to the ground. He turned the airplane toward an airport in Morganton, N.C., that had a longer runway than […]
Fuel starvation leads to forced landing
The pilot reported that he had filled the Rans S6S fuel tanks the day before the cross-country flight, but did not visually check the fuel level in the tanks during the preflight inspection. He estimated the flight would take about 1.5 hours, and full fuel tanks would have given him more than three hours of […]
Student loses control on landing roll
The student pilot reported that during the landing roll at the airport in Perry, N.Y., he heard something fall in the back seat. He looked back and when he looked forward again the Piper PA 28-140 had veered to the right. He attempted to correct with the rudder, but reported that he “overcorrected” to the […]
Formation flight ends fatally
The airline transport pilot and a passenger were conducting a formation pleasure/sightseeing flight in an Aviat A-1C-200 with another airplane in mountainous terrain near Swan Valley, Idaho. The pilot of the second airplane, who was flying behind the Aviat, stated that the two airplanes flew into a canyon area. As they approached a ridgeline, the […]
Piper’s return journey over mountains ends fatally
The non-instrument rated private pilot and his passenger completed a cross-country flight from their home base to another airport in the Piper PA-28R-180 earlier that day. They delayed their initial planned departure time for that flight due to weather concerns, ultimately arriving three hours later than planned. During that flight, they flew over a high […]