Aircraft: Mooney M20E. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Colorado Springs, Colo. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot, 25, was a United States Air Force B-1B pilot. He also held multiple pilot certificates for airplane, including those of instructor. He had logged 913 hours, including 58 in the Mooney M20E. The Mooney was not equipped […]
aviation accidents
Ice brings down Lancair
Aircraft: Lancair Legacy. Injuries: None. Location: Troy, Mich. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot obtained a weather briefing prior to the flight. There were no reports of icing along the intended route of flight. The experimental airplane was equipped with a de-ice system. The pilot checked the system as part of the preflight […]
Bonanza runs out of fuel
Aircraft: Beech Bonanza. Injuries: None. Location: Des Moines, Iowa. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: According to the pilot, shortly after takeoff the airplane’s alternator indicated a discharge condition. He attempted to return to the departure airport. When the airplane was on final approach at about 100 feet AGL, the engine lost power. The plane […]
Stuck valve leads to power loss
Aircraft: Cessna 180. Injuries: None. Location: Omaha, Neb. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The airplane was on final approach and a half-mile from the runway when the engine lost power. It came down in trees short of the runway. During the post-accident testing of the engine, it lost power when the throttle was moved […]
CFIT kills two
Aircraft: Beech Duke. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Edwards, Colo. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot, 67, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single, multiengine, and instrument privileges. At the time of the accident he held a third class airman medical certificate and had in excess of 1,300 hours total time. The pilot-rated […]
Poor maintenance leads to fatal crash
Aircraft: Cessna U206G. Injuries: 2 Fatal, 2 Serious. Location: Leverett, Mass. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The airplane was in cruise flight at 3,000 feet AGL when the engine developed a vibration, then lost power. The pilot attempted a forced landing in an open field. The airplane cleared trees adjacent to the field but […]
Poor planning leads to fuel exhaustion
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Wittmann, Ariz. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The student pilot was making a solo cross-country flight involving four legs. Before beginning the final leg, he made multiple full stop and touch-and-go landings that he had not included when he did his preflight planning. During the final leg […]
Sandbar landing goes bad
Aircraft: Piper Super Cub. Injuries: None. Location: Carnation, Wash. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: During a local area flight, the pilot decided to make a practice landing on a gravel bar near the middle of a river. With limited landing distance, he decided to fly his approach at a low airspeed, with the intention […]
Poor approach, poor landing
Aircraft: Cessna 150. Injuries: 2 Minor. Location: Kenmare, N.D. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: The pilot, who was attempting to land in a farm field, applied full flaps while on final approach but did not flare quickly enough prior to touchdown and the airplane bounced twice. The nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed […]