Aircraft: Loehle P-40. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Tullahoma, Tenn. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: Shortly after takeoff the airplane rolled into an uncommanded 10° bank to the left. The pilot initially assumed that the bank had been induced by a crosswind, but the bank angle continued to increase as the airplane’s speed increased. The pilot then leveled the […]
aviation accidents
Pilot forgets fuel valve
Aircraft: Rans S-7 Courier. Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Minor. Location: Riley, Kans. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: According to the pilot, he turned off the airplane’s fuel shutoff valve and tied the airplane down, thinking that he was done flying for the day, when he noticed a family with a 10-year-old boy at the airport and offered to […]
Poor preflight leads to crash
Aircraft: Cirrus SR22T. Injuries: 1 Fatal, 2 Serious. Location: Carrollton, Texas. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The 550-hour instrument-rated pilot reported 209 flight hours in a Cirrus SR22, and 35 hours in actual instrument conditions. The airplane was managed by a management company. The pilot requested that it be refueled before the flight, but according to the […]
Mid-air kills one
Aircraft: Piper Seminole, Beech Bonanza. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: St. Paul, Ore. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: A Beech Bonanza and Piper Seminole were both flying in the local practice area in VFR conditions. A CFI aboard the Seminole reported that at about 7,500 feet MSL, he told the pilot receiving instruction to conduct a simulated emergency […]
Cessna hits tree
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: 1 Serious. Location: Smoketown, Pa. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: According to the pilot he was attempting to land and did not notice he was too low until the left wing hit a tree. The airplane veered left and hit the ground. Probable cause: The pilot did not maintain a proper approach path, […]
Seat slides back on takeoff
Aircraft: Cessna 182. Injuries: None. Location: Branson, Mo. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: According to the pilot, during the takeoff roll his seat released and slid rearward. He reduced engine power. He could still reach the rudder pedals, but not the brakes. The airplane went off the runway and into a drainage ditch. The seat mechanism was […]
Slippery pedals lead to nose over
Aircraft: Piper Super Cub. Injuries: None. Location: Dyersburg, Tenn. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings. During the second landing, the airplane bounced. The pilot’s foot slipped off the right rudder pedal, landing on the right heel brake. The airplane nosed over and came to rest on its back. Probable cause: The […]
Piper caught in gusty winds
Aircraft: Piper Super Cub. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Brookings, S.D. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The airplane was in the landing roll when a gust of wind lifted the left wing and caused the plane to swerve to the right. The pilot added full engine power to initiate an aborted landing, but the wind increased, lifting the […]
Lack of maintenance brings down Bonanza
Aircraft: Beech Bonanza. Injuries: 3 Fatal. Location: Daggett, Calif. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: While in cruise flight, the pilot transmitted that he was in trouble because the airplane had experienced a propeller failure. The air traffic controller provided him with instructions to the nearest airport, which was about 21 miles away. The pilot radioed that he thought […]