Aviation Safety

Carb Temp
It was October 2004. I was flying a mid-70s vintage Cessna 172 from Paris, Texas, to Houston. I had received my Private pilot ticket about three months prior. There was not a cloud in the sky, winds were out of the south at about 12 knots; temperature on the ground was about 73 F. It was an absolutely beautiful day and perfect for flying; the kind of day that those of us who have the deep passion for flying clamor for. Just enjoying the scenery and the calm peacefulness that this sport imparts.

Though I had been officially checked out in the Cessna, all of my training and most of my 90+ hours (at that point) had been in a Piper Warrior. The Warrior, as is the case…

Weather And GA
It should come as no surprise that weather-related general aviation (GA) accidents continue to take their toll. For example, the AOPA Air Safety Foundations (ASF) 2004 Nall Report found that only 2.8 percent of all accidents involving single-engine fixed-gear airplanes were weather-related, but that weather was involved in 12 percent of fatal accidents involving these aircraft. The ASFs report goes on to note, The overwhelming majority resulted from continued VFR into IMC; quite simply, a pilot flying by reference to outside visual cues flew into low visibility conditions and lost control of the aircraft or hit terrain.

In September, the National Transport…

The following information is derived from the FAAs Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts.

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Beechcraft G33
Nose Gear Steering Rod-End
A mechanic describes finding the rod-end (p/n 35-820045) loose on the nose gear steering push-pull tube (p/n 35-825044-6). This connecting terminal slides into the tubes end and is mechanically fastened by two 5/32-inch solid rivets clocked at 90 degrees. (The) rivets were not properly driven due to (compression) inside the hollow portion of the tube, instead of (compressing) at the shop head, allowing the rod-end to come loose. Separation would cause loss of nose steering control. I recommend replacement o…

On The Money
Your editorial (Editor’s Log, September 2005) on the FAA’s actions leading to eliminating the traffic information service (TIS) is on the money…and “money” is the operative word.

I have three airplanes with TIS in my company fleet after being proselytized at length by FAA propaganda and at agency seminars by the folks bringing us TIS services. We invested in Mode S/TIS transponders to enhance the safety of our operations in high traffic areas.

Personally, I think all buyers of this equipment should corner AOPA or some aviation attorney and file a class action suit against the FAA and the nimrods within it who sell us on buying into their safety mantra only…

July 1, 2005, Canon City, Colo.
Piper PA46-500TP
At approximately 1330 Mountain time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it encountered turbulence while approaching Runway 11 at the Fremont County Airport. Visual conditions prevailed; the IFR cross-country flight was concluding at the time of the accident. The Private pilot and his passenger reported no injuries.After one go-around and during the second attempt to land, the airplane encountered turbulence. The pilot lost control of the airplane and departed the runway to the right. Both the left and right main landing gear collapsed and the propeller struck the runway. Both the left and right landing gear actuator…

At approximately 1330 Mountain time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it encountered turbulence while approaching Runway 11 at the Fremont County Airport. Visual conditions prevailed; the IFR cross-country flight was concluding at the time of the accident. The Private pilot and his passenger reported no injuries.

After one go-around and during the second attempt to land, the airplane encountered turbulence. The pilot lost control of the airplane and departed the runway to the right. Both the left and right main landing gear collapsed and the propeller struck the runway. Both the left and right landing gear actuator rods penetrated the wings, and the pressure vessel on the left…

The airplane was substantially damaged during a landing at the Ohio State University Airport at about 2330 Eastern time. The CFI, Private pilot and passenger aboard were not injured; night visual conditions prevailed. According to the Private pilot, she had just started flying again three weeks earlier, with flight instructors, after a five-year layoff. Earlier, the Private pilot and the CFI encountered difficulties trimming the airplane in cruise; with the maximum right trim set, the CFI had to hold right rudder to maintain heading.

On downwind, the CFI took over the flight controls. The airplane landed on both main landing gear, but it appeared that the airplane was moving to the righ…

At about 1430 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it landed short of the runway at the East Hampton Airport (HTO). The Commercial pilot/owner and passenger were not injured; visual conditions prevailed. According to the pilot, he was aiming to land on the numbers but, while on short final, the airplanes sink rate increased. The airplane landed a few feet short of the runway. Reported weather included winds from 180 degrees at six knots….

The airplane crashed into a swamp at about 1211 Central time; visual conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was in effect for the flight from Houston, Texas, to Panama City, Fla. The airplane was substantially damaged and the Private pilot was fatally injured; a passenger sustained minor injuries. While en route, the passenger was awakened by his father, the pilot, and advised to put on his seatbelt and shoulder harness. His father also advised him that the engine was running rough. The passenger reported that his father was talking with someone on the radio, and the aircraft was then in the trees….

At about 1758 Central time, the airplane sustained substantial damage on impacting terrain during takeoff. The Private pilot sustained fatal injuries. A witness later stated that, about halfway down the runway, the airplane emitted a sound like a rapid misfire, a pop, and then no more audible engine sounds. The airplane was about 300 to 400 feet agl at that point. He said that the airplane turned right then turned left to a bank where the wing was straight down. The airplanes wings then leveled, the airplane descended, and it impacted terrain. He stated that the time from the sounds to the impact was about two to three seconds. To date, the investigation has not discovered a reason for the…