Aircraft: Zenair CH 2000. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Nephi, Utah. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: Several people on the ground saw the airplane flying low in the airport pattern during a thunderstorm. As the plane turned from a crosswind to a downwind leg, airplane stalled at an altitude of approximately 150 feet, pitched down and crashed. A […]
aviation accidents
CFI turns fuel off in flight
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: None. Location: Bardstown, Ky. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The CFI and student pilot had practiced various maneuvers during the training flight and were returning to the airport. The airplane was about 2,500 feet AGL and within gliding distance of the airport when the flight instructor turned the fuel selector to the “OFF” […]
CFIT for Super Cruiser
Aircraft: Piper Super Cruiser. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Rye, Colo. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: At the time of the accident, the pilot, 64, had logged more than 900 hours, including about 140 hours in the Super Cruiser. The pilot’s girlfriend said he flew frequently in the mountainous areas of Colorado, including near the Lake Isabel area […]
Poor maintenance, poor decisions kill pilot
Aircraft: Piper Twin Comanche. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Canton, Mo. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The 74-year-old pilot’s logbook was destroyed in a hangar fire in 2011, but remaining records indicated that he had about 6,459 total flight hours and 809 multi-engine hours. It could not be determined how many hours he had in a Twin […]
Hard landing wrinkles airplane
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee Arrow. Injuries: None. Location: Everett, Wash. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The private pilot, who had logged 269 hours, including 90 in a Piper Cherokee Arrow, had recently failed the practical flight test for his commercial pilot certificate and was flying with a CFI to re-qualify for another practical test. The two flew a […]
Pilot comes up short of runway
Aircraft: Piper Super Cub. Injuries: None. Location: Delta Junction, Alaska. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to land the tailwheel-equipped airplane on a rough and uneven, brush-covered airstrip. Before beginning the approach, he determined the wind direction and selected a touchdown point. After landing, the right main tire dropped into a hole and the […]
VFR into IMC kills one
Aircraft: Beechcraft Musketeer. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Dayton, Va. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: Before departing, the non-instrument-rated pilot obtained a weather briefing and was advised several times that VFR flight was not recommended due to existing and forecasted instrument meteorological conditions along his intended route of flight. He declined to file a flight plan and took […]
Airplane stalls on departure
Aircraft: Aeronca 11AC. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Comfort, Texas. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot took off and at an altitude of 250 feet AGL, initiated a left turn. During the turn, the left wing dropped 60° to 70°. The pilot was unable to regain control and the airplane crashed into a fence. The pilot stated […]
Pre-purchase flight ends with crash
Aircraft: Socata TB 10. Injuries: 2 Fatal, 1 Serious. Location: Shirley, N.Y. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The flight was a pre-purchase demonstration of the airplane. The buyer intended to examine and photograph the maintenance records, then fly the airplane around the airport traffic pattern with the owner. However, the owner insisted they fly the airplane before […]