Aviation Safety

The airplane was substantially damaged when it veered off the runway while landing. The private pilot was not injured and the commercial pilot-rated passenger received minor injuries. Visual conditions prevailed; an IFR flight plan was filed. The pilot reported lowering the landing gear during the approach and confirming they were extended by observing the landing gear position indicator lights.

At about 1045 Mountain time, the airplane collided with terrain. The private pilot was fatally injured; the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was found after family members reported it overdue. The wreckage was found at about 1830. There were no witnesses and no reports of a distress call. Initial examination revealed damage and ground scars consistent with a high-energy vertical impact.

At about 1600 Eastern time, the helicopter impacted the ground while conducting a post-maintenance test flight. The commercial pilot and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. The test flight was to perform a track and balance procedure on the newly installed main rotor blades. Multiple witnesses reported hearing an explosion as the helicopter flew overhead and seeing its empennage depart the aircraft before the initial impact.

At about 1800 Central time, the airplane was destroyed when it impacted terrain. The commercial rated pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an IFR flight plan. Several witnesses reported seeing the airplane descend into a small lot behind a vacant house. A post-crash fire ensued. There were no emergency or distress calls from the pilot.

I’ve been teaching people how to fly airplanes for 28 years now, and at this point people tell me I’m pretty good at it. One of the things I learned early on is that the cockpit environment is a horrible classroom in which to teach the basics of flight. It’s noisy, full of distractions, occasionally unpredictable and constantly moving. It should not be a secret to even the newest flight instructor that all of this is a challenge to a typical primary student’s senses. Frankly, any sane human being is scared of it, at first, though few would admit to it.

The average small airplane in the United States is now 40 years old and the regulatory barriers to bringing new designs to market are resulting in a lack of innovation and investment in small airplane design.” So states one of the findings in a new bill introduced May 7 in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) and four cosponsors. The bill, H.R. 1848, is named the “Small Airplane Revitalization Act of 2013,” and its main goal is for the FAA to finalize its ongoing effort to rewrite FAR Part 23, regulations on certification of small airplanes, by December 31, 2015.

Great article on cockpit gadgets (“Gadget Flight Rules,” February 2013) and I especially like “GFR”— I think that might stick. Could you please share the details of the mounting device you’re using for the iPad in the photo on page 19?Thanks!

The airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain at about 1320 Mountain time, shortly after takeoff. The private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged and a post-impact fire ensued. Visual conditions prevailed for the flight.

At about 1558 Mountain time, the airplane impacted trees and snow-covered mountainous terrain. The pilot was fatally injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on a VFR flight plan.

According to the pilot, after landing he taxied the airplane to the general aviation tiedown area on the airport. The pilot stated that he normally taxis the airplane through the open space between the second and third tiedown rows on the ramp. The pilot’s normal tiedown space was occupied and he initiated a 180-degree turn to exit the row for an alternate location.