Aircraft: Piper Cherokee. Injuries: 3 Fatal, 1 Serious. Location: Guntersville, Ala. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The private pilot, 52, had logged at least 500 hours, including 200 in the Cherokee, at the time of the accident. Several witnesses saw the airplane become airborne about two-thirds of the way down the runway. It then […]
NTSB Accidents
Intentional off-airport landing ends badly
Aircraft: RV-6A. Injuries: None. Location: Oakwood, Okla. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was landing on a paved country road to deliver paychecks to his farm crew. During the landing roll the left wing hit a school bus sign and the plane veered off the road and into a fence. Probable cause: The […]
Poor fuel management brings down Cessna
Aircraft: Cessna 177. Injuries: None. Location: Santa Clarita, Calif. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot visually checked the fuel quantity in both tanks prior to the flight, noting the left fuel tank fuel quantity was within one inch from the filler neck, and the right fuel tank appeared to be half full. As […]
First solo, first incident
Aircraft: Remos G-3/600. Injuries: None. Location: Apoka, Fla. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The student pilot did several takeoffs and landings with his instructor prior to being signed off for solo flight. His solo takeoff and pattern were normal, but as the airplane approached the runway for the flare, it encountered a wind gust […]
Poor flare, bad bounce for Mooney
Aircraft: Mooney M20R. Injuries: None. Location: Lake in the Hills, Ill. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot had recently purchased the airplane and was receiving instruction to become more comfortable flying it. The accident occurred as he performed a simulated forced landing at the end of an instructional flight. The airplane stalled as […]
Delayed decision bends Cardinal
Aircraft: Cessna 177. Injuries: None. Location: Boone, N.C. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot, who was attempting to land, overflew the runway to determine the wind direction and velocity. He entered the traffic pattern on the downwind leg, extended the flaps and maintained an airspeed of 80 mph. His approach was a little […]
Poor planning proves fatal
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: 4 Fatal. Location: Wendover, Utah. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The private pilot, 57, who had logged more than 186 hours, rented the airplane from an FBO to fly himself and three passengers to a business meeting. According to the FBO’s records, the pilot’s last flight in one of its […]
Fatigue failure brings down Cessna
Aircraft: Cessna 421B. Injuries: 3 Uninjured. Location: Truckee, Calif. Aircraft Damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The airplane entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern high, and, in an effort to descend, the pilot extended the landing gear and deployed full flaps. About the time the flaps reached their maximum extension, the right flap experienced […]
Pacer ground-loops
Aircraft: Piper Pacer. Injuries: None. Location: Yakima, Wash. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot was returning to land when, upon touchdown, a gust of wind lifted his left wing. Despite his control inputs, the airplane ground-looped. At the time of the accident, the wind at the airport was reported to be from 240° […]