March 2008 Accidents/Incidents - Part II

Hi Readers: Part II covers, primarily, the fatal and nonfatal accidents with indicated causes and analysis where possible. All told, Cessna Aircraft dominated the accident picture with 21 accidents/Incidents. And this would be expected since there are more Cessna aircraft flying in GA; also dominating the small jet inventory. In fact, Cessna Aircraft, owned by Textron, Inc. (a $10 Billion industry in 33 countries) is the largest manufacturer of GA airplanes. It is of note that Textron, Inc. also owns Bell Helicopter, Lycoming Engines, and other companies in the aviaation industry. Therefore, considering the exposure, we don't tag Textron or Cessna as a bad accident actor. The individual accident rates tell the story.

Of the fatal accidents, a Cessna 500 topped the list, on a day X-C flight after takeoff from Wiley Post airport at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The ATP instrument rated pilot and 3 passengers sustained fatal injuries. Loss of control and impact with terrain occurred under VFR conditions on an IFR flight plan. A qualified aviation witness indicated a right engine compressor stall, the aircraft descending 60-70 degrees nosedown and observed pieces of bird falling. A Cessna 172 accident followed with 4 fatalities on a day VFR bird survey flight, with loss of control and impact with the ground. The aircraft was observed in low flight to strike the ground under power. A 2 fatal Cessna T210M collided with terrain on an instrument X-C night flight from Baton Rouge to Lafayette, LA. The instrument rated pilot was receiving vectors for an instrument approach to R/W4R at Abbeville, La. The weather was reported as multi-layered clouds with heavy rain showers. A Canadian Cessna 182B impacted a swamp near Wilwood, FL. while maneuvering near a private ranch at night under VFR conditions. The non-instrument pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries. The night was reported as dark, the ceiling between 800' and 1,000'. Another Cessna 172 crashed at Gun Barrel City, TX. after striking power lines on a day VFR flight from Athens, Tx. One fatal and one serious injury was reported.

A day ground collision occurred at Titusville, FL. airport when a Velocity XC RG aircraft and a Vans RV-8 came together on R/W 15 after landing in VFR conditions. Both aircraft were arriving for an Experimental Aircraft Association breakfast at Titusville. Four RV-8s had exited the runway at Intersection B after landing. The Veocity XC landed, following the 4 aircraft and departed the runway entering a grassy area separating R/W 15 and the taxiway. The pilot applied full power in a left bank (apparently trying to avoid the collision). The Velocity XL commercial pilot sustained serious injury and his passenger sustained fatal injuries. In the Vans RV 8 airplane that was struck, the ATP pilot and a pilot rated passenger received fatal injuries.

There were 3 Cirrus SR22 accidents during the period, one a non-U.S., losing power on a day takeoff and impacting a building. It was reported that the aircraft had been refueled with Jet A-1 instead of gasolene. The pilot and 3 passengers sustained fatal injuries. Another Cirrus SR22 aircraft impacted a mountain under power shortly after a marginal weather night takeoff on a X-C IFR flight plan flight to Baltimore from FT. Royal, VA. The elevation of the FT. Royal airport was 709' msl and the elevation of the mountain ridge was 1,200' msl. The pilot possessed a 3rd class medical certificate and had a total flight time of 180 hours; however he had an instrument rating. The reported weather was strictly IFR conditions. The aircraft was equipped with Engine Multifunction and Primary Flight Display. The pilot and a passenger sustained fatal injuris. One other Cirrus SR22 collided with trees on a day VFR approach to R/W6 at Weddington, NC. The pilot sustained fatal injuries.

There were 2 Mooney M20C accidents, both on day X-C flights. One was an inflight breakup of the aircraft offshore of the Grand Bahamas. Fishermen reported a loud noise and saw what appeared to be the engine and other components falling in the sky. The flight departed the Grand Bahamas Int'l airport en route to the ST. Lucie airport, FL. The pilot and a passenger sustained fatal injuries. The other Mooney M20C accident occurred near Atkins, VA., impacting terrain during an IFR flight from Charleston, West VA. to Jacksonville, FL. Cruising at 6,200' MSA (Minimum safe Altitude), the pilot reported icing and requested a lower altitude. Because of the MSA the Controller gave the pilot a 30 degree turn and asked if he would like to climb to 8,000' (another pilot 30 miles to the East reported cloud tops at 7,500'). The pilot reported that he would. Three minutes later the pilot advised that he was lossing altitude. There was no further communication. Radar data showed a climb to 6,500' before losing altitude. The crash site indicated a vertical descent. The Canadian pilot did not have an instrument rating. His total flight time was 327 hours, 10 hours of which was actual instrument flight. He had 10 hours of simulated instrument time. The weather was heavy IFR conditions.
A Ritter RV10 amateur-built aircraft impacted terrain, following loss of control in cruise flight near Ledbetter, Tx. The weather was VFR conditions. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. A Jenkins RV7 experimental aircraft crashed on a VFR day flight on takeoff at Winslow, AZ. The aircraft climbed nosehigh, rolled left, and struck the ground nose low. The pilot lost control and sustained fatal injuries. This was the first flight since engine repair. A PA-28-161 impacted water shortly after takeoff from Venice, FL. during night VFR conditions. This was the commercial pilot's first flight at night in the aircraft after a day checkout. The pilot sustained fatal injuries.
There were 44 nonfatal accidents, including one Bell 206B helicopter. The nonfatal accidents represented a myriad of GA aircraft types, including 11 Cessna types (one 525B Citation), 4 Piper types, 2 Beech types, 2 Diamond aircraft types, a Great Lakes aircraft, 6 helicopters, 2 Maule M4's, and a host of other types (12). There was one interesting accident at Tracy, CA. A certified flight instructor, with a student, was demonstrating an engine failure during takeoff initial climb by executing an 180-degree turn back to the airport. He then initiated a go-around by applying full power. The airplane, an American Champion 7GCAA, stalled and impacted the runway.
The indicated causes of the nonfatal accidents seemed to cluster around the landing, go-around, and approach phases of flight, associated with engine failure and loss of power, and X-wind conditions leading to loss of control. There were 9 accidents the direct result of x-wind conditions, 8 airplane hard landings (3 helicopters incurring hard landings after an initial problem), 5 forced landings due to loss of engine power, one forced landing due to fuel exhaustion (the pilot forgot to switch fuel tanks), 4 gear collapses on landing, 3 gear up landings (one at night), one aborted takeoff, one stalled on takeoff, several component failures such as malfunction of brakes, inflight separation of nosewheel, one partial rudder separation in flight, and 2 landing short of the runway due to wind shear.
One pilot attempted to land in a 90-degree x-wind and was swept off the runway. And one lucky pilot, departing on a night solo flight, encountered IFR weather conditions, became lost, and was forced down by impact with high terrain. The pilot was found several days later, after dispensing flares. He did not remember the impact.
There was one Hot Air Balloon accident, the balloon forced down by strong winds to a hard landing, then catching fire. There were several serious injuries.
The nonfatal accidents indicated a lack of proficiency, poor judgment, lack of flight planning, and non-use of a checklist.
Thanks for listening. R.S.

November 2007 Aircraft accidents/Incidents

Hi Readers: There were 65 accidents and two incidents for November 2007 as reported by NTSB (No accidents were reported for 11-17, 11-19, 11-24, 11-26, 11-29, and 11-30). The 65 accidents and the two incidents occurred in the Continental U.S., and 3 accidents occurred in foreign countries. There were 26 fatal accidents accounting for 52 fatalities (the 3 foreign accidents accounted for 9 fatalities). Alaska squeezed by this time with one Cessna non-fatal accident, with 2 serious injuries - an instruction flight, striking trees on an approach during dark night conditions. One incident involved a Delta Air Lines B-737 sustaining minor damage when the tire tread on the right outboard wheel separated and struck the airplane during takeoff from Phoenix Sky Harbor airport. The other, a UPS Douglas DC-8, experienced smoke in the cockpit from the lavatory area.

There was one mid-air collision - a Cessna 182A and an American Champion7GCBC collided at 1,500 ft msl over commencement Bay, Tacoma, Wa., the C-182A severing the Champions vertical stabilizer from above, the Champion then losing directional control and crash landing in the Bay. The Cessna landed successfuly. A taxiway collision occurred when a Cessna 208B collided with a Beech 18S at Opa LOcka, Fl. Both, cargo flights were taxiing to a refueling farm, neither pilot seeing the other airplane.

There were 5 non-injury and one fatal Helicopter accidents - a Bell 206A hard landing on a post-annual flight check, a Bell 222 when a wind gust forced the main rotor blade into the left vertical stabilizer fin and tail boom during engine start, a Hiller UH-12E involving inflight separation of a control rotor during an aerial application flight, a Robinson 22B touchdown in a left yaw during an instruction flight, and a Roloway Exec 162F impacted terrain in an emergency following a high frequency vibration in the main rotor blades. All incurred substantial damage. The fatal accident occurred when a Hughes 269C impacted the terrain, killing the pilot.

Once again the fatal accidents fuel the safety bin, indicating what we'll have to work on to prevent aircraft accidents. Taking the foreign accidents first, a Brazilian Learjet 35A crashed in a residential area of Sao Paula after takeoff, in daylight, incurring fatal injuries to the crew and 6 individuals on the ground, as well as 2 injuries on the ground. A French registered Piper PA-32R impacted terrain in daylight, under unknown circumstances, killing the pilot. A registered Mexican Cessna 208B experienced a forced landing following a loss of power on climbout. The Commercial pilot and two passengers were seriously injured, while 12 others sustained minor injuries.

There were 9 accidents involving the Cessna aircraft. An airline transport pilot departed Redding, Ca. on a day business x-c flight in a Cessna 340, 55 minutes later seen climbing out of a fog layer, heading into rapidly rising terrain at full power, clipping the tops of trees and impacting terrain. The pilot and two passengers recived fatal injuries. A Civil Air Patrol Cessna T182T was destroyed when impacting mountainous terrain at 7,200 ft msl below Mt. Potosi (8,514 ft msl) 24 miles SW of Las Vegas on a x-c flight to Rosamond, Ca. Both air transport pilots were fatally injured. VFR dark night conditions prevailed. A Cessna T210, on a night x-c flight, struck power lines on approach to R/W 19R to Jones airport near Tulsa, Ok. The weather was VFR, and an electrical problem was indicated. The pilot received serious injury, and the two passengers were fatal.

On a local instructional flight in VFR conditions, an instructor and student flying a Cessna 172N impacted terrain inverted, 90 degrees nose-down - witnesses indicated a possible engine problem. Injuries were fatal to both. A witness reported seeing a Cessna 177 impact the ground in a nose-down attitude near Auburn, CA. in daylight VFR conditions. The aircraft had been rented from an aviation club. The pilot and the passenger were fatally injured. Another impact with terrain was reported - a Cessna A150K loss of control during initial takeoff from R/W 35 at Mesquite airport in Texas - a local day flight. The pilot, an IP, and a passenger received fatal injuries. A witness saw the airplane enter a spin following folowing a nose-low steep turn. Another Cessna 172, piloted by a private certificated pilot, impacted terrain near Gladinar, Michigan, in day VFR conditions. The airplane was seen maneuvering at low altitude and descending nose-down into trees. And yet another Cessna 182Q was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain while maneuvering on a pipeline patrol flight, in daylight conditions, near Farmerville, Louisiana - the pilot was killed. A 2-serious injury accident was reported near Palmer, Alaska, when an Instructor and student in a Cessna 150 struck trees on the approach to R/W 34 during dark night conditions. The 9 fatal Cessna accidents, primarily loss of control and/or critical judgment factors appear as a result of multiple causes. We'll await the final determinations made by NTSB for these accidents.

There were 3 Amateur-built fatal aircraft accidents during the period, one a Vans RV-10 aircraft, one a Herink Challenger II, and one a Blondin 601 HDS. All three impacted terrain in day VFR weather conditions. Another experimental home-built airplane, a Kewlly FID, crashed in a flat spin near Reno, Nevada, in daylight VFR conditions. The Commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries. And another experimental light sport airplane, operating under a special airworthiness certificate, a Zodiac 601 XC, collided with terrain near La Rille, Missouri. The airplane was seen rolling into a vertical descent following a left turn.

There was one Amateur-built helium balloon, a Padelt PG 37-1, that collided with power lines in Hampton, Iowa. The Commercial pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The surviving passenger reported that a gust of wind pushed the balloon into a high tension power line. This, of course, is the principal hazard of the sport of balloon flying - you go where the wind blows and try to avoid the gusts.

The amateur-built aircraft accidents indicated low-time pilots, and some erratic flying at low altitude in VFR weather conditions. The amateur-experimental type aircraft requires a specific and special airworthiness certificate under FAR 21.191 (g), which includes air racing, kit-built aircraft, and light sport aircraft. The special airworthiness certificate, a study in itself, applies to the less complicated flying, but yet not without hazards. The experimental, amateur-built, and sport flying seems to be on the increase, and should be viewed in the same safety light as all other flying.

The subject of Airworthiness, very important, is simply aircraft being fit for flight, and will be discussed in detail at a later date.

Thanks for listening. R.S.