2007 December Accidents/Incidents - Part One

Hi Readers: Here is the December 2007 accounting of Accidents/Incidents as reported by NTSB, and with some preliminary analysis. No accidents were reported for December 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 30, and 31. A matter of no accidents occurring on those dates or more likely late reports. This seems to occur every month. And, generally, I would expect fewer accidents in December considering weather occurrences over the U.S. and the year-end events.
There was a total of 38 accidents and 4 Incidents (1 non-U.S.) as compared to 65 accidents (3 non-U.S.) and 2 incidents in November. There was 18 fatal accidents accounting for 37 fatalities as compared to 25 fatal (2 non-U.S.) accidents and 52 fatalities (9 non-U.S.) in November. A reduction of accidents and fatal accidents appear from November, without considering accidents that may be late in the reporting to NTSB.
There were 3 foreign accidents (accounting for 6 fatalities) as there were in November (accounting for 6 fatalities).
The Incidents: Two of the incidents involved Helicopters, a Bell 407 losing tail rotor control, and one involving a Robinson R22B on a practice hover. The remaining incident involved a PA-46 on climbout from Aspen, Colorado at 16,000 feet, when oil appeared on the windscreen from a propeller-crankshaft fracture. The pilot managed to dead-stick the airplane in to Aspen after losing the propeller.
There was a total of 6 Helicopter accidents and one Eurocopter BK 117C1 accident at Whittier, Alaska, which accounted for 4 fatalities (a lost medical response flight). One fatal Bell 206 accident at Venice, LA. involved "settleing with power" into the Gulf of Mexico ( one passenger drowned, 3 were injured). The remainder of Helicopter accidents involved matters of judgment and materiel failures.
There were 3 airline, Part 121, accidents: One a B-777-222 encountered smoke in the cabin during approach to the Chicago O'Hare airport. An immediate landing was made and the passengers were evacuated. One passenger was injured. Metallic deposits were found on one of the engine chip detectors, and oil deposits were located in the engine compressor section. Another accident involved a Bombardier CL 600-21319 at Providence, R.I. when the airplane departed the runway after a hard landing. The airplane porpoised after touchdown and veered from the runway. The left main gear collapsed and punctured the left wing. The third accident involve a Bombardier CL 600 when it struck a tug during taxi after landing.
There was a total of 5 Part 135 accidents, that of the 4-fatal Eurocopter in Whittier, Alaska; the Bell 407 at Hig Island; the 1-fatal Bell 206 helicopter at Venice, LA.; and a Bell 206 LA wire strike at Talladaga, AL.; and a Cessna 208 Caravan, 2-fatal, accident in Columbus, OH. The commercial pilot of the Caravan cargo flight may have encountered icing problems (after being de-iced) on takeoff from Columbus in IFR conditions.
There was one mid-air collision during December involving a Piper PA-30 (1 fatal) and a Cessna 152 (1 fatal) over the Everglades near Parkland, Florida. The certificated pilot in the Piper and the student pilot in the Cessna apparently did not see each other (although the Piper pilot was in communication with the Miami Approach Controller and was being given traffic advisories), both at the 2,000 ft. level.
Part II of the December 2007 Accident accounting will be forthcoming next.
Thanks for listening. R.S.