Aviation Safety

The airplane was substantially damaged during a bounced landing. The pilot stated he was too high on final approach and began to slip the airplane. As he started his flare, he noticed he was still too high and decided to reduce power to idle. The airplane bounced, became airborne and bounced again. He kept the flare going and touched down again, finally staying on the ground. He taxied to the ramp, shut down the airplane and discovered the nose-wheel tire was flat.

At about 1425 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged while landing. The Private pilot, Flight Instructor and passenger were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. Upon returning from the practice area, the pilot performed a touch-and-go landing and proceeded around the traffic pattern for a second landing. Prior to touchdown, the pilot and instructor verified the landing gear was extended by performing a visual check via a wing-mounted mirror and also by observing the illuminated green landing gear light.

According to the pilot, since the Cessna 172 was high, he adjusted the flight controls for a rapid descent and intercepted the visual glideslope on short final. At that point, the flaps were fully deployed and the throttle at idle. Once over the runway, the pilot flared too high, the airplane landed hard and bounced about four times with each bounce becoming more violent. On the last bounce, the airplane touched down nosewheel first and the propeller struck the runway. The pilot added the runway was twice as long and twice as wide as his home runway, causing him to initiate the landing flare too high.

The airplane sustained substantial damage at about 1030 Alaska time when its left main landing gear collapsed during landing on a gravel airstrip. The Private pilot and sole passenger were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.

At approximately 1500 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it collided with trees while on approach. The Private pilot and passenger were seriously injured. Visual conditions prevailed. The pilot subsequently reported, while on final approach, the airplane entered an uncommanded nose-down pitch attitude and banked to the left. Shortly thereafter, the airplane impacted trees and came to rest.

The Student pilot and Flight Instructor were returning from a local training flight. During the attempted landing on Runway 33, the airplane lifted off after touchdown. The instructor reported increasing powerbut the airplane yawed into the left crosswind. The airplane then exited the runway into the grass adjacent to the runway.

The airplane was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain short of the runway at about 1455 Mountain time. The solo pilot received serious injuries; visual conditions prevailed. The pilot reported losing pitch authority while in cruise flight at 12,500 msl. He maneuvered the airplane to a nearby airport in an effort to land.

At about 1450 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged following a loss of engine power. The airplane impacted terrain about one-half mile from the runways approach end. The Airline Transport pilot, the only occupant, was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

At about 1146 Mountain time, the airplane was destroyed when it collided with terrain during an emergency approach and landing. The solo Private pilot sustained fatal injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. At 1740:14 the pilot advised ATC he had “a very rough running engine trying to decide what to do here.” Approximately three minutes later, the pilot advised ATC he had smoke in the cockpit.

At approximately 1502 Eastern time the two airplanes collided in flight. Both airplanes were destroyed following separate uncontrolled descents and impacts. The Flight Instructor and Private pilot aboard the Cessna sustained fatal injuries, as did the Private pilot aboard the Beech.