Aviation Safety

During cruise flight at 3500 feet agl, a bird impacted the leading edge of the right wing, inboard of the wing lift strut attach point. The flight instructor did not see the bird until just before it impacted the wing. The CFI evaluated the damage in-flight and decided to continue the flight to his intended destination and landed without further incident. Examination of the right wing revealed the leading edge was crushed aft and two internal wing ribs were damaged.

At about 2026 Pacific time the airplane was substantially damaged when it collided with trees and the ground during an emergency landing following a reported loss of engine power. The flight instructor, pilot-rated student receiving instruction and one passenger sustained minor injuries. Dark night visual conditions prevailed. During a descent, the instructor noticed turbulence was becoming stronger and initiated a climb back to the original cruising altitude of 3500 feet. As the airplane climbed through about 3000 feet, a severe jolt shook the airplane followed by a loss of power in both engines. The instructor initiated a forced landing to an area that appeared dark to avoid hitting structures, and was unable to see the ground until the airplane was about 50 feet above ground level. Subsequently, the airplane stuck trees and impacted the ground.

The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1845 Mountain time when its left main landing gear collapsed during the landing roll. The commercial pilot and sole occupant was not injured. Night visual conditions prevailed. The pilot later reported making a normal left traffic pattern. During the landing roll, the pilot thought he had blown the left tire, followed by the airplane settling onto its left side a second or two later. Subsequently, the airplane veered to the left and exited the runway before coming to rest upright.

At 1018 Pacific time, the airplane collided with terrain and was substantially damaged. The private pilot in the right seat, the private pilot/owner in the left seat and the passenger were killed. A witness about two miles west of the accident site heard an engine revving up and down repeatedly. He saw the airplane come out of a cloud layer about 2000 feet agl. The right wing pitched down; the airplane was in a corkscrew pattern clockwise, at a descent angle of approximately 45 degrees, with its engine running. The witness then heard the airplane impact the ground. Earlier, the flight had been cleared to climb to 13,000 feet msl. At 1017, radar data recorded the airplane at 10,400 feet msl, and the pilot reported an emergency. Radar contact and communication were lost with the airplane at 1018.

The airplane was substantially damaged at approximately 1139 Central time following a forced landing after initial takeoff. The private pilot and sole occupant was seriously injured. Visual conditions prevailed. According to a witness, the airplane was departing the runway and climbed to approximately 400 feet above ground level when the engine began “sputtering.” As the airplane began a “sharp” turn back to the runway, the engine quit and the airplane descended towards the field. Both main landing gear were separated from the airplane and both wings sustained impact damage.

The student pilot later stated he was instructed to enter a right base and later was cleared to land. Four nm from the runway, the student pilot stabilized the approach and maintained a constant 65 knots. As the airplane descended over the end of the runway, the pilots attention shifted to runway markings. The airplane bounced on landing; the pilot recovered with power but the airplane bounced again, impacting the runway nose-low. The airplane sustained damage to its landing gear, limiting right rudder pedal travel.

The airplane was destroyed when it collided with terrain while maneuvering at approximately 1723 Central time. The flight instructor and private pilot aboard were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the post-maintenance flight. One witness heard the airplanes engine wind up hard. He later said, I turned to look at the plane, and it looked like it fell to the ground in a 45-degree angle-the plane disappeared behind a row of trees-then I saw a ball of smoke [and] heard it hit the ground. The witness also stated that he heard an airplane making circles around the airport before the crash but he was not sure it was the accident airplane. Several other people heard the airplane flying in the vicinity of the airport and reported hearing the airplanes engine missing or cutting out.

At approximately 1340 Pacific time the airplane was destroyed when it collided with mountainous terrain while maneuvering. The private pilot and his three passengers were killed. Visual conditions prevailed at the nearest official reporting station; instrument conditions prevailed in the accident area. The aircraft first contacted terrain 15 feet below the peak on the southern face of a canyon ridge at an elevation of 4800 feet msl. The wreckage distribution path extended over the peak and downslope on the northern face of the ridge. Investigators located all primary flight controls at the accident site.

At about 1130 Mountain time the airplane collided with terrain during an attempted landing. The airline transport pilot and sole occupant was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual conditions prevailed. According to the pilot, who was familiar with the airport, the runway was covered with two or three inches of snow and he could not easily discern its centerline. When he touched down, one of the airplanes main gear was not on the runway surface and impacted a snow-covered mound of previously plowed snow. That impact threw the airplane sideways and it collided with more previously plowed snow. All three landing gear struts collapsed and the airplanes belly sustained considerable structural damage.

At about 1748 Eastern time, the aircraft crashed in a wooded area shortly after takeoff. The private instrument-rated pilot and one passenger received fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed. Instrument conditions prevailed. At about 1730, the airplanes engines started and it was observed taxiing. An FBO representative noticed the airplane was not on the taxiway, but on the grass area on the south side of the asphalt taxiway. At that time the ground was covered with snow and ice. The airplane taxied through a ditch, which was covered with ice and snow. It was later discovered that the airplanes left main tire broke through the ice and became stuck in the ditch.