The pilot departed on a two-hour banner tow flight in the Cessna O1-A with 58 gallons of fuel. After one hour, he returned to the airport to pick up a different banner for the second hour of the flight. The first pick-up attempt was unsuccessful. He then briefly circled the pick-up location and then completed […]
NTSB
Poor planning, coupled with bad battery, leads to crash
According to the pilot, he purchased the Cessna 172 and planned to fly it across the country “via the southern route.” The aircraft seller informed the pilot that the battery held a limited charge, but asserted that the plane could be flown if the pilot charged the battery and disengaged the master after takeoff. Prior […]
Inflight break-up fatal for two
The pilots of the twin-engine Piper PA-44-180 were conducting a cross-country instrument flight rules (IFR) flight. Although both pilots were instrument-rated and IFR-current, the right seat pilot had only 8.8 hours of actual instrument experience, and the left seat pilot had only 1.8 hours of actual instrument experience. While en route and likely operating in […]
Snow-covered runway contributes to collision
Prior to departure, the pilot was taxiing the ski-equipped Cessna 180 back-and-forth on a hard-packed, snow-covered runway in North Pole, Alaska, to warm up the engine oil, and polish any frost that might have accumulated on the bottom of the skis. During the last taxi pass the airplane began to drift to the left. He […]
Engine failure ends fatally
On the morning of the accident, the pilot terminated his first flight early due to a fuel leak in the fuel tank sight gauge on the Sonerai II LT. He made a repair before taking off for a second flight. During the second flight, witnesses reported seeing the airplane in distress and hearing the engine […]
Distraction contributes to water ditching
The pilot stated that after takeoff the flight proceeded IFR towards the destination airport, The Florida Keys Marathon Airport in Marathon, Florida. He cancelled his IFR clearance, and performed the pre-landing checklist. While on the base leg over water during the dark night, he became distracted by the failure of the landing light. With the […]
Flight to inspect livestock ends in crash
The flight instructor/owner and pilot-rated passenger departed the local airport in a tailwheel-equipped Piper PA-18A to inspect ranch property and livestock near Wheatland, Wyo. The pilots planned to land in a pasture. The CFI was in the rear seat of the tandem cockpit airplane, while the pilot in the front seat was on the controls. […]
Fuel leak ends in fire
The pilot reported that, after the Bellanca 8KCAB lifted off after several touch-and-go landings, he suddenly smelled fuel and observed streaming fuel. The fuel appeared to come from the fuel system header tank area and streamed onto the cockpit floor between his feet. He landed the airplane straight ahead and taxied clear of the active […]
Continued flight into IMC ends in field
The non-instrument-rated pilot departed late in the afternoon in marginal visual flight rules (VFR) conditions. After climbing the Cessna 172 to the desired cruising altitude, he was forced to descend due to worsening weather conditions to maintain VFR. Shortly after, an air traffic controller advised the pilot that the weather conditions at the destination airport […]