NTSB Reports: October 2014

The student pilot was on final approach for landing when he encountered a crosswind from the left. He corrected for the crosswind and proceeded to land. The airplane ballooned, touched down and pulled to the right. The student pilot applied full power in an attempt to abort the landing. The airplane went off the right side of the runway, became airborne and struck a large hay bale. Post-accident examination revealed the firewall was buckled, both wing leading edges were crushed, the nose landing gear was sheared off and the empennage was damaged.

Editorial Staff

Tuesday, September 16, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A significant number of accidents involved loss of control during critical phases of flight (takeoff, climb, or landing), often resulting from factors like crosswinds, being too high/fast on approach, stalls, or unstable flight paths leading to runway excursions or impacts.
Engine and fuel system issues were common, including partial or total loss of engine power, suspected fuel exhaustion, and in-flight fuel system malfunctions leading to emergency landings or fires.
Several incidents resulted in multiple fatalities, with contributing factors ranging from dark night conditions, suspected pilot impairment, and unfamiliar runway conditions to critical errors during takeoff or climb.

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August 1, 2014, Beach, N.D. Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee 140
The student pilot was on final approach for landing when he encountered a crosswind from the left. He corrected for the crosswind and proceeded to land. The airplane ballooned, touched down and pulled to the right. The student pilot applied full power in an attempt to abort the landing. The airplane went off the right side of the runway, became airborne and struck a large hay bale. Post-accident examination revealed the firewall was buckled, both wing leading edges were crushed, the nose landing gear was sheared off and the empennage was damaged.

August 1, 2014, Statesville, N.C. Piper PA-46-350P Malibu Mirage
The pilot was flying an ILS approach when she noted that the glideslope was out of service. She transitioned to a localizer-only approach and continued. Night instrument conditions prevailed, with a 400-foot ceiling. She noticed the airplane was “high and fast” on final approach, so she used speed brakes and flaps to slow the airplane and descend to the minimum descent altitude. As the airplane descended below the ceiling, she observed runway lights and attempted to land on the runway. The airplane landed long, departed the runway at the departure end, and struck an embankment before coming to rest.