aviation accidents

The private pilot had recently purchased the Pitts Model 12, and the flight was the second leg of his cross-country trip to fly the plane home. After the first leg, he topped off the main and auxiliary (wing) fuel tanks, which, according to the pilot’s operating handbook (POH), provided a total usable fuel quantity of […]

The pilot intended to perform a short field takeoff due to trees at the end of the 2,350-foot-long runway in Indian Trail, N.C. A pre-takeoff engine run up of the Piper PA 28-180 revealed no anomalies, and he initiated the takeoff with the wing flaps extended 10°. “Immediately” after takeoff, the pilot raised the flaps, […]

During a flight near Summerville, Ga., to take pictures of the passenger’s house, the Taylorcraft BC-65 entered a left turn. The passenger stated that he heard the pilot say “oh no,” and moments later the plane hit the tops of the trees. A witness on the ground stated she heard the airplane fly over and […]

The pilot departed on the 40-mile flight with an unknown quantity of fuel onboard the Mooney M20, but he estimated that it had about 10 gallons more than he thought was needed for the flight. While maneuvering to land at the airport in Georgetown, Del., he increased the engine power twice, but it did not […]

The pilot of the North American SNJ-6 had planned an overhead traffic pattern at the airport in Santa Fe, N.M, which provided for better visibility when he sat in the rear seat. While on downwind he was directed to extend downwind and fly a straight-in approach. He accepted the instructions, knowing his visibility for landing […]

The pilot reported that before taking off for a local flight in the Piper J-3 in Hopkinsville, Ky., when he conducted the engine run up, the magneto drop for the right magneto was 150 rpm, which was 100 rpm greater than the drop for the left magneto. He later stated that the “engine ran up just […]

The pilot, with three passengers, proceeded toward the runway in Dallas, Texas, for departure, in a Cessna 421A. As the twin-engine airplane approached the taxiway intersection, the right main landing gear collapsed, causing the right wing tank and right engine propeller to hit the ground. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the right […]

Several witnesses reported seeing the Stolp Starduster SA-300 spiral to the ground near Newton, N.C. A review of a video recorded by another witness revealed that, during the flight, the airplane entered a left spin and completed about seven revolutions before descending behind a treeline and hitting a wheat field, killing the pilot.A flight instructor […]

The pilot, who was conducting a local personal flight in the Piper PA-28-140 with three passengers onboard, was departing from a turf and sand-covered runway in Fountain, Florida, that had a usable length of 2,600 feet. Although a relatively clear area was located beyond one end of the runway, he elected to depart in the opposite […]