The pilot of the Cessna 172 was working as a banner tow pilot in New Orleans. The airplane was rigged with a grapple hook assembly. The procedure called for the pilot to capture the advertising banner with the hook, then initiate a steep climb. According to the pilot, on the first pass he missed picking up […]
NTSB
Ercoupe loses propeller in flight
Approximately 40 hours before the accident the airplane had gone in for maintenance. The owner stated that the crankshaft oil seal was replaced due to an oil leak. He did not recall seeing a cotter pin ever installed on the hub nut, noting instead the use of a cadmium plated bolt and “Nyloc” nut. The […]
Kitfox stalls on approach
Witnesses on the ground stated that the Kitfox took off from Runway 27 at St. Lucie, Fla., then entered the pattern for landing. One witness noted that, during the downwind leg, the airplane was “very close in” to the runway. The witnesses said that the sky was hazy and cloudy at the time of the […]
Loose wire brings down RV-6A
The pilot noted the takeoff of the RV-6A from Spearfish, S.D., was normal, but as the airplane climbed through 6,000 feet the engine suddenly lost power. He switched on the auxiliary fuel pump and tried to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful, so he made a forced landing to a nearby pasture. The nose landing […]
Aeronca swerves on takeoff
The pilot of the Aeronca Champ and a passenger took off from a private airport in Caldewell, Idaho, with the intent of landing at a public airport some three miles away. The pilot made a short field landing on Runway 12, brought the airplane to a stop, then added power for another takeoff. As he […]
Failure to communicate kills one
The accident happened when a Highlander and a Taylorcraft were attempting to land at an airpark in Bryan, Ohio. The passenger onboard the Highlander reported that it was approaching the runway to the east when the pilot noticed the Taylorcraft landing in the opposite direction on the same runway. The Highlander pilot added full power […]
Collision with power lines kills two
The private pilot had logged 212 hours, including 40 in the Piper Arrow. Two witnesses reported seeing an airplane matching the description of the Piper Arrow flying in the area of the departure airport at very low altitudes about 90 minutes before the accident near Norfolk, Neb. One witness described the flight profile as similar […]
Crosswind, brakes, bad combo for Waco pilot
The pilot of the Waco YKS-7 was attempting to land in a crosswind at Rialto, Calif. The airplane swerved during the landing roll and the pilot applied the brakes to regain directional control. The airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the wings, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot and passenger were not injured. […]
Poor approach creases Cirrus
A flight instructor and student were practicing short field landings in a Cirrus SR22 at the airport in Milledgville, Ga. When the airplane was about 20 feet above the ground and on final approach, the airspeed suddenly decreased. The student pilot applied full engine power. The airplane yawed to the left, then hit the ground […]