Aviation Safety

Excellent article on zero/zero takeoffs (“Cant See Nuthin,” October 2009). Another unmentioned consideration is visibility on the takeoff roll. On the early morning (oh-dark-thirty) ride to the airport, I could make out glimpses of the moon through a occasional break in the fog. I did a thorough preflight and powered up to launch. At approximately 35 knots, I lost sight of the runway environment entirely. I decided continuing the takeoff was a better choice than trying to abort and rotated the Skyhawk on the gauges at the proper speed. Completely losing sight of the runway before launch is a factor that should be added to previously mentioned considerations in the decision to go or not.

The pilot overflew the 800-foot long remote airstrip and observed the windsock hanging limp. About the time he reached the approach end of the uphill-sloping runway, the airplane encountered a strong tailwind gust, which pushed it “…too far up the strip to land.” The pilot executed a go-around, but his decision was “too late,” and he was unable to out-climb terrain.

At 1720 Eastern time, the airplane collided with a tree while making a forced landing following loss of engine power. The airplane incurred substantial damage and the pilot and passenger received serious injuries. Visual conditions prevailed; an IFR flight plan was filed. The pilot later stated the engine power “rolled back” while in cruise at 8000 feet msl and the propeller continued to windmill.

The airplane was destroyed on colliding with wooded terrain during a forced landing at about 1920 Eastern time. The flight instructor and private pilot were fatally injured. Night visual conditions prevailed. The airplane departed Runway 36 and turned downwind at 1000 feet. The last three radar targets show the airplane at 1000 feet, 800 feet, and 400 feet respectively, in a left arc toward the airport.

The airplane sustained a bird strike at about 0750 Mountain time while on approach to land. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained damage to the left front pilot windshield. Visual conditions prevailed for the Part 135 all-cargo flight. While in a descent at an altitude of 11,000 feet msl, a bird impacted the upper part of the captains windshield, breaking a football-size hole in it.

At about 1534 Eastern time,the airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing while attempting to return to the departure airport. Day visual conditions. The two pilots and one additional crew member received minor injures. The captain subsequently reported that, during initial climb, he commanded the gear to be retracted. Shortly after the gear handle was placed in the “UP” position, he heard a loud “bang followed by three to four smaller bangs.”

At about 0830 Pacific time, the experimental helicopter collided with high tension wires and crashed, killing the commercial pilot and two passengers. The helicopter was destroyed by impact forces and the post-crash fire. Visual conditions prevailed. A witness flying behind the accident aircraft in another helicopter watched the PV-18 lift off from the airport and head southbound.

At about 1130 Central time, the airplane departed controlled flight and impacted the ground. The airplane was destroyed. The pilot and his two passengers were fatally injured. Instrument conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was in cruise flight at 9000 feet msl in an area of heavy rain when the pilot requested and received permission for a deviation around weather.

The airplane crashed into the Everglades north of Interstate 75 (I-75) at about 1843 Eastern time. Visual conditions prevailed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the solo private pilot was killed. The flight was cleared for takeoff at 1818, and the pilot activated his VFR flight plan at 1832. There was no record of any further contact with ATC. The airplane crashed at night in an area where the only ground reference lights were from vehicles travelling on I-75.

The airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain at about 1050 Eastern time, some ten minutes after takeoff. The non-instrument-rated private pilot/owner, and his 12-year-old son were fatally injured. Instrument conditions prevailed; no flight plan was filed. According to several witnesses, the pilot originally planned to depart on November 12, but poor weather caused him to delay his departure. The following day, the pilot again decided not to depart due to the weather.