The pilot had purchased the RV-6A the day before, and was returning to his home airport when he elected to stop at an intermediate airport in Pikeville, Kentucky, for fuel. After crossing the runway threshold, he reduced engine power and entered the landing flare. He felt the airplane “balloon up slightly, then stall and drop around […]
aviation accidents
VFR into IMC fatal for pilot
The commercial pilot was in the process of purchasing a block of flight time with the intent of building time toward an additional rating. According to the operator, she did not complete the mandatory checkout. However, she possessed the keys to the Cessna 152 since she had flown the previous day with an instructor, but he […]
Pilot commits suicide by plane
Witnesses reported observing the pilot taxi the airplane from inside his hangar and depart. For several minutes, the Piper PA 28 maneuvered at a low altitude and high airspeed. Witnesses then observed the airplane make a steep bank turn, descend, and hit terrain about five miles east of the airport in Brighton, Colo. The pilot’s wife had reported […]
Waco noses over when passenger hits brakes during landing
The pilot reported that while rolling out about 30 to 40 mph in the tailwheel equipped airplane for the full stop landing in San Luis Obispo, California, the Waco YMF F5C made a sudden stop and nosed over. The plane sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage and tail section during the landing. The passenger reported […]
Fuel exhaustion leads to 172 hitting power lines
The Cessna 172 pilot reported that, about three miles from the destination airport, the engine experienced a loss of power. During the forced landing to a field near Fresno, California, the 172 hit an unseen set of power lines before touching down in the field. Both the left wing and the empennage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that, when […]
Formation flight goes awry
At the conclusion of a local formation flight, the flight of weight-shift-control aircraft returned to their home airport in Eustis, Florida, and entered the traffic pattern. During the landing flare, the Storm pilot encountered the “prop wash” of the preceding aircraft, which resulted in his aircraft entering an uncommanded right bank. He attempted to counteract the turn […]
Cessna 310’s landing gear malfunctions
The pilot reported that, after departure, he noticed the Cessna 310’s landing gear did not retract as usual. He began to troubleshoot the problem and actuated the gear-down lever. The landing gear did not extend, and the green landing gear light in the cockpit did not illuminate. He recycled the landing gear, but the gear […]
Sudden wind shift contributes to crash
The pilot was attempting to land on Runway 18 at the airport in Minocqua, Wisconsin, while the wind was 170° at 11 knots, gusting to 21 knots. He explained that he attempted a three-point landing instead of a wheel landing because the Piper PA-18-150 was equipped with “wheel-penetration skis.” During the flare, snow began blowing directly across the […]
Missed approach proves fatal
The private pilot was conducting a business flight in the Piper PA-34-200T. He had obtained weather briefings on the day before and the day of the flight, which indicated marginal visual flight rules conditions. However, upon arrival in the vicinity of the airport in Port Huron, Michigan, instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, with visibility at or […]