Accident Probes

Editor’s note: For our July 2021 Accident Probe, Oshkosh Or Bust, we explored an accident involving a non-instrument-rated pilot who took off into dark night IMC and crashed into an open field near the airport, killing himself and his passenger. This month’s accident is eerily similar, except both occupants were instrument-rated commercial pilots. The underlying […]

March 2, 2022, Mortmar, Calif. Cessna 182D Skylane At about 0800 Pacific time, the airplane sustained substantial damage during an off-airport landing following total loss of engine power. The solo commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. On departing a nearby airport, the pilot climbed to 400 feet agl. Shortly after leveling off, the […]

A typical pilot is concerned with aircraft maintenance only to a limited degree. He or she often lacks any ability to perform or approve maintenance at the same time they’re responsible for pre-flight inspections and ensuring the paperwork demonstrates airworthiness. And although the FARs make the owner/operator responsible for ensuring inspections and maintenance have been conducted, […]

In formal recommendations to the FAA and Cirrus Aircraft, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is urging action to “identify the cause and reduce the potential hazard” of accidents occurring from excessive fuel flow rates aboard the Cirrus SR22T. The NTSB has identified six accidents in which excessive fuel flow during initial climb—ranging from 42.2 […]

February 1, 2022, Danville, Va. Cessna 310R At about 1006 Eastern time, the airplane was destroyed when it collided with terrain. The solo commercial pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the aerial surveying flight. According to ADS-B data, the airplane climbed to 2300 feet msl about two minutes into the flight before beginning […]

I hit a bird once. I was flying a Piper Arrow II, on short final, with landing gear and full flaps extended, when I saw the bird ahead of the airplane. It was maneuvering and, from my perspective, flew in a circle as we neared each other, then disappeared under the left wing. I heard a […]

January 1, 2022, Southeast Arcadia, Fla. Mooney M20C Ranger At about 1211 Eastern daylight time, the airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. According to the pilot, he verified before takeoff there was sufficient fuel aboard for the flight. While on final approach […]

Ensuring there is fuel aboard the airplane adequate for the planned flight is a basic, primary responsibility for any pilot. Unfortunately, the accident record tells us it’s one responsibility not all pilots fulfill. In our experience, fuel exhaustion, starvation or simple mismanagement accounts for a healthy proportion of engine-failure mishaps. This is true despite the […]

December 2, 2021, Cleveland, Texas Beechcraft A36 Bonanza At about 1415 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged during an emergency landing to a highway after powerplant failure. There were no injuries. Visual conditions prevailed under an overcast. While en route at 6000 feet msl on an IFR flight plan, the engine suddenly lost power. […]

We’ve long maintained that weather poses the greatest risk on any given day to a proficient pilot flying a well-maintained aircraft. Presuming there’s adequate fuel aboard and the pilot knows how to ensure that it gets to the engine(s), it’s more likely than not that the flight will be completed pretty much as planned. Everything […]