October 1, 2024, Englewood, Colo.
Cessna TR182 Turbo Skylane RG
After an uneventful flight, the pilot configured the airplane for landing and noted a green landing gear annunciator. During the landing, the airplane bounced once and then settled back onto the runway. While rolling out, the right wing slowly started to drop; the pilot used aileron to hold the wing up to counter what he thought was a flat tire. The airplane veered off the right side of the runway, damaging the right horizontal stabilizer.
After recovery, the landing gear was cycled several times, extending and retracting normally. No mechanical anomalies were found with the landing gear system or the annunciator light.
October 1, 2024, Crystal River, Fla.
Beech 95-B55 Baron
At about 1540 Eastern time, the airplane was destroyed when it collided with terrain near Crystal River, Florida. The solo private pilot was fatally injured.
Witnesses heard the accident pilot transmit a distress call over the CTAF, asking for assistance in locating the airport. After a second call, no further transmissions were heard. At about 1550, the pilot of another airplane observed black smoke and diverted to the area, finding the accident airplane engulfed in smoke and fire.
All major airplane components were located at the accident site. The left engine remained attached to the wing and exhibited a 10-inch hole in the engine crankcase above the #5 cylinder. The #5 and #6 connecting rods were separated from their pistons. The left propeller’s blades appeared to be in a feathered position.
October 2, 2024, Bakersfield, Calif.
Cirrus Design SR22
The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1347 Pacific time when it impacted terrain following engine failure and a delayed airframe parachute deployment. The solo pilot was seriously injured.
After refueling, the pilot climbed to 13,000 feet msl. When the pilot turned the low boost pump off, the engine immediately began running rough and misfiring. The pilot declared an emergency and was unsuccessful in restoring engine power. At 1200 feet msl, he identified a potential landing area and pulled the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System’s handle, but the parachute did not deploy. Pulling the handle a second time deployed the CAPS at a low altitude. Surveillance video showed the airplane impact the ground in a nose- and right-wing low attitude.
October 3, 2024, Tampa Bay, Fla.
Piper PA-28-181 Archer II/III
At about 1140 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it landed in Tampa Bay after engine failure. The solo student pilot was not injured.
There were about 50 gallons of fuel aboard when the student pilot and his flight instructor departed St. Petersburg, Fla., for Sebring, Fla., and back. On landing back at St. Petersburg, the flight instructor exited the airplane, and the student pilot departed on a solo cross-country over the same route. The airplane was not refueled before taking off. While en route back to St. Petersburg, at about 10 nm from landing and about 800 feet agl, the engine “stalled, came back and stalled again.” The airplane descended and impacted Tampa Bay, substantially damaging the left wing.
October 3, 2024, Rutherfordton, N.C.
North American Navion A
The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1730 Eastern time when it caught fire in-flight. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries.
While on final approach, the pilot heard a loud “pop” and felt heat coming from behind the front seats. As the airplane approached the runway threshold, the cabin filled with smoke, and fire was visible in the cabin. During the landing, the airplane’s nose gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest on the runway. The cause of the in-flight and post-accident fire was not reported, but it consumed a majority of the airplane.
October 4, 2024, Bakersfield, Calif.
Beech/Raytheon C90A King Air
At about 1340 Pacific time, the pilot lost consciousness in cruise flight at FL200 and subsequently died. The passenger attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The passenger then contacted ATC and was given assistance with navigation and airplane operation. The passenger subsequently landed the airplane at Bakersfield without any reported damage.
October 5, 2024, Rhinebeck, N.Y.
Fokker D-VIII Replica
At about 1456 Eastern time, the airplane was destroyed when its engine lost power, followed by an in-flight fire and impact with terrain. The solo commercial pilot was fatally injured.
The flight was a single-ship demonstration routine as part of an airshow. As the pilot’s routine began, ground observers heard an engine roughness; the air boss noted the sound and thought the pilot would enter the airport traffic pattern for landing. Instead, the airplane continued its routine and was near the end of a downwind leg when its engine lost all power and it began descending; a prominent fire was noted in the front portion of the airplane. The airplane continued descending while the fire’s intensity increased, eventually obscuring nearly the entire fuselage. Video of the event also captured parts separating from the airplane before it impacted a wooded area.
Examination of the Gnome 9N engine revealed that the #6 and #7 cylinders had separated. The engine crankcase displayed a wide crack between the threaded mounting bosses of the separated cylinders, which were subsequently recovered.
October 7, 2024, Norfolk, Neb.
Beech C99 Commuter
The airplane was destroyed at about 1939 Central time, shortly after takeoff, when it collided with terrain under unknown circumstances. The solo pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a FAR 135 on-demand cargo flight. The flight arrived at Norfolk about 1907 local time to take on additional cargo.
Airport surveillance video showed the airplane departed from Runway 20 and climbed. The airplane then entered a left turn, descended and impacted terrain. The accident site was about 640 yards southeast of Runway 20’s departure end.
October 8, 2024, Avalon, Calif.
Beech 95-B55 Baron
At 2005 Pacific time, the airplane was destroyed when it collided with terrain shortly after takeoff. The pilot, two pilot-rated passengers and two student-pilot passengers were fatally injured.
Earlier, a flight instructor and two student pilots were preparing to depart Avalon in a rented, single-engine airplane which experienced a magneto malfunction during preflight, preventing them from departing. The stranded pilots contacted the flight school where they had rented the airplane and were informed the Baron would fly to Avalon from Santa Monica to pick them up and fly them back.
The airport manager at Avalon gave the Baron pilot permission to land after closing hours, and advised they had to depart before sundown at 1831. The Baron landed at Avalon at 1820, shut down both engines and loaded the stranded pilots. However, the right engine would not start due to insufficient battery power. An extension cord was then attached to an on-board battery charger.
The airport manager then informed the Baron pilots that, since the time required to charge the battery would extend beyond sunset, their departure would not be approved. The pilot/Baron owner informed the airport manager that he intended to depart anyway. The airport manager advised him that, while he could not stop him, his departure would be unapproved and at his own risk. The airport manager then went to his residence and, at about 2000, heard what sounded like a normal departure.
Preliminary ADS-B data showed the airplane maintained a low altitude until reaching the departure end of the elevated runway. The data showed the airplane entered a slight descent after takeoff, followed by a right turn, until the data ended about 0.6 miles west of the departure end of Runway 22. The airplane impacted a ridgeline about 0.7 miles west of the last recorded ADS-B target and about 0.96 miles west-southwest of the departure end of Runway 22, at about 1230 feet msl.
According to the airport manager, the sky at the time of the accident was clear from the airport surface and above, with a light breeze from the right, approximately perpendicular to Runway 22. An hour after the accident, he observed cloud tops approximately 200 feet below airport elevation off the departure end of the runway. The wreckage was located below the cloud tops.
October 17, 2024, Altoona, Penn.
Zenith Zodiac 601 HDS Experimental
At 1515 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it lost power during initial climb and landed hard. The solo private pilot was not injured.
The pilot intended to remain in the airport traffic pattern; however, during the initial climb, when the airplane was climbing through 300 feet agl, the engine started to “misfire” and then stopped producing power. The airplane was still over the runway, and the pilot pushed the nose over and attempted a forced landing on the remaining runway. The airplane landed hard, the landing gear collapsed, and the fuselage and left wing were buckled. Examination revealed there were about 10 gallons of fuel on board. Engine crankshaft and valvetrain continuity was established and compression was noted on each cylinder. Both magnetos produced spark at each of the posts. The fuel system’s gascolator assembly included a gasket that was stiff and cracked, and exhibited evidence of a fuel leak.
October 26, 2024, Rose Hill, Kan.
Cessna 182Q Skylane
The airplane was not damaged but a passenger was fatally injured at about 1440 Central time. The pilot reported that he had completed six skydive flights during the morning of the accident.
The airplane was parked with its engine running as the pilot waited to board more skydivers for a seventh flight. A passenger, who was a photographer, was sitting in the back of the airplane. She exited the airplane and was moving into a position to photograph the skydivers as they approached the airplane when she backed into the turning propeller.
October 27, 2024, Ogallala, Neb.
Cub Crafters CCK-2000 Carbon Cub
At about 1215 Central time, the airplane was destroyed when it collided with terrain after the pilot lost pitch control. The pilot received minor injuries.
The pilot stated his preflight control checks found the controls operated normally. During initial climb, when the airplane was about 30 to 50 feet agl, the elevator control went slack. He could not regain elevator control and adjusted engine power in an attempt to control the airplane’s pitch. The airplane descended in a nose-low attitude and impacted the runway. The airplane skidded off the runway and a post-impact fire erupted. The pilot egressed and the fire destroyed the airplane.
Examination found the top elevator control cable was not attached to the elevator horn. The securing bolt and nut were not located. The lower elevator control cable remained attached via its bolt, but the securing nut was not located.
October 29, 2024, Pinedale, Wyo.
Daher TBM 700
The airplane was substantially damaged during takeoff in a snowstorm at about 1645 Mountain time. The pilot and five passengers sustained minor injuries; a sixth passenger was seriously injured.
According to a witness, the airplane landed and refueled. About 40 gallons of fuel was added to each fuel tank and the six passengers boarded the airplane during the stop. The witness noted that heavy snow was falling during the airplane’s time on the ground. Before taxiing, the pilot cleared the snow off the airplane with a brush.
The witness stated the snowfall was light when he observed the airplane taxi to and take off from Runway 29. Shortly after becoming airborne, the left wing dropped and struck terrain. Subsequently, the airplane came to rest on a snow drift adjacent to the runway. The left wing and fuselage were substantially damaged during the accident sequence.
