Aviation Safety

At approximately 1205 Pacific time, the aircraft was destroyed after impacting terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power about one nm from an airport. The Private pilot and sole occupant received fatal injuries. Visual conditions prevailed.

At 1903 Central time, the airplane collided with terrain and was destroyed following a loss of control. The Private pilot and four passengers on board were fatally injured. Instrument conditions prevailed. Preliminary radar data indicates the airplane climbed to approximately 5700 feet after takeoff then entered a left spiral until radar data was lost.

The airplane was substantially damaged and the solo Commercial pilot seriously injured after losing power at about 1930 Mountain time during a landing approach. Night visual conditions prevailed. A witness near the airport heard the airplanes engine surge and rev loudly three times before going silent. About 10 seconds following the loss of engine power he heard a loud crash.

The airplane was destroyed on colliding with power lines and the ground at 2320 Central time during a night forced landing following a loss of engine power. The Commercial pilot and his two passengers were fatally injured. Night visual conditions prevailed. According to ATC, the flight was in cruise level flight at 6000 feet when the pilot reported “a rough running engine.”

At about 1139 Pacific time, the aircraft broke up while in cruise flight. The Private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. A ground-based witness reported the airplanes engine was “missing” and its power was “on and off.” Seconds later, the witness heard an explosion and observed the center section of the airplane falling straight down.

The airplane was destroyed on colliding with terrain during cruise flight at 0124 Central time. The Private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured; two passengers survived with serious injuries. Night visual conditions prevailed for the 114-nm flight from the Tulsa (Okla.) International Airport (KTUL), to the Wichita (Kan.) Mid-Continent Airport (KICT).

The airplane was substantially damaged at about 0930 Central time when it nosed over during a forced landing following loss of engine power. Visual conditions prevailed; the Private pilot and one passenger were not injured.

Its a myth that good pilots can “fly anything with wings.” The truly good pilot realizes each type of airplane has unique characteristics and systems. Understanding them is the difference between “flying” and “flying safely” in an unfamiliar aircraft type.

Everyone remembers their first solo flight. Mine was memorable for two reasons. First, the Cessna 150 I was flying had a habit of allowing its right-side window to pop open, seemingly at will. Of course, the airplane “willed” the window open shortly after I became airborne on my third touch and go.

Last September 29, over Brazils Amazon jungle, Gol Transportes Areos Flight 1907, a Boeing 737-800, and an Embraer Legacy 600 business jet collided at Flight Level 370. The Boeing tragically crashed shortly thereafter, killing all 154 aboard in the countrys worst-ever aviation accident.