Aircraft: Cessna 152. Injuries: None. Location: San Antonio, Texas. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The student pilot planned to practice solo takeoffs and landings at a nearby tower-controlled airport. Her logbook revealed that this was her second solo flight and the first time she traveled to the nearby airport without a flight instructor on board. On the […]
aviation accidents
Low altitude plus tall trees a bad combo
Aircraft: Cessna 170B. Injuries: None. Location: Winterville, N.C. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was participating in a bean bag drop competition at the airfield. He was flying from the left seat while his right-seat passenger was to drop the bean bag onto the target. The pilot overflew the runway at 70 feet AGL and banked […]
Crosswind creases Piper
Aircraft: Piper Malibu. Injuries: None. Location: Springfield, Vt. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to land when the airplane encountered a strong gust of wind from the right. He applied full right rudder in an attempt to compensate for the wind, but the airplane veered off the left side of the runway and into […]
Emergency landing goes badly
Aircraft: Glasair III. Injuries: None. Location: Darby, Mont. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: According to the pilot, approximately two hours into a VFR cross-country flight, he noted indications of excessive cylinder head and exhaust gas temperatures. He attempted to correct the issue by enrichening the mixture, which resulted in a higher fuel burn than he had planned, […]
Super Cub strikes wire on takeoff
Aircraft: Piper Super Cub. Injuries: None. Location: Pilot Mountain, N.C. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to takeoff from a 1,900-foot turf airstrip. At the end of the airstrip were power transmission lines. After liftoff, the pilot noted the aircraft’s performance was less than he anticipated it would be, and he didn’t think the […]
Low altitude stall kills two
Aircraft: Rans S-12. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Mesa, Ariz. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: According to witnesses on the ground, shortly after takeoff, when the airplane was about 200 to 300 feet above the ground, it made a sudden right turn and banked about 90°. Some witnesses reported that they heard a reduction in engine power just […]
Crosswing crimps Cessna
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: None. Location: Prescott, Ariz. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings in a crosswind. He said that the landing was uneventful, but as the airplane accelerated for takeoff, it veered to the left. He was unable to regain control and the airplane went off the runway and […]
Fence catches Cub
Aircraft: Piper Super Cub. Injuries: None. Location: Sierraville, Calif. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was practicing landings. The first two went well. On the third attempt he performed a three-point landing and the airplane began to drift left. He applied full engine power, but could not regain control of the airplane before it went off […]
Poor approach for Piper
Aircraft: Piper Super Cub. Injuries: None. Location: Eaton, N.Y. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to land on a grass runway. There was a river off the extended centerline on the approach to the runway. The pilot said he allowed the airplane to get low and slow during short final. He tried to increase […]