NTSB Reports: Recent general aviation and air carrier accidents

The pilot and flight instructor had been flying for over two hours, doing air work and making touch-and-go landings at area airports. Returning to the airplane’s base, they were making a final touch-and-go landing when the engine lost power. Unable to glide back to the runway, the flight instructor made a forced landing in a plowed field north of the airport. The airplane touched down hard, shearing off the landing gear and sliding 60 feet before coming to a stop. The firewall was buckled. The flight instructor and pilot sustained minor injuries. Examination revealed the fuel selector was positioned on the left fuel tank. One quart of fuel was drained from the left fuel tank. The right fuel tank had not been compromised and contained fuel.

Editorial Staff

Monday, August 26, 2013 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Many incidents involved a loss of engine power due to factors such as fuel mismanagement (exhaustion, incorrect selection, or contamination), improper mixture control, or foreign object obstruction in air intakes and carburetors.
Several accidents stemmed from a loss of aircraft control during critical phases of flight, including takeoff, landing approaches, and go-arounds, often resulting in stalls or uncontrolled impacts.
Mechanical and maintenance-related issues contributed to other incidents, encompassing brake system failures, in-flight structural component fractures, and pre-flight oversights allowing engine contamination or expired certifications.

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July 2, 2013, Bridgeport, Texas Beech P35 Bonanza
The pilot and flight instructor had been flying for over two hours, doing air work and making touch-and-go landings at area airports. Returning to the airplane’s base, they were making a final touch-and-go landing when the engine lost power. Unable to glide back to the runway, the flight instructor made a forced landing in a plowed field north of the airport. The airplane touched down hard, shearing off the landing gear and sliding 60 feet before coming to a stop. The firewall was buckled. The flight instructor and pilot sustained minor injuries. Examination revealed the fuel selector was positioned on the left fuel tank. One quart of fuel was drained from the left fuel tank. The right fuel tank had not been compromised and contained fuel.

July 5, 2013, Blairstown, N.J. Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee 140
The airplane was departing an airport near a ridge. During climbout shortly after departure, the airplane descended as if it was in a strong downdraft and could not maintain altitude.