Aviation Safety

At about 0905 central time, a Cessna 172M crashed shortly after takeoff from a private strip in Leesburg. The pilot received minor injuries. The pilot said he had just taken off and was climbing through 200 feet, milking the flaps up when he detected that the airplane was sinking. He maneuvered to avoid a trailer park and crashed in an adjacent construction area….

Pressure chamber training can help prevent the hazards of high-altitude flight. Hint: Hypoxia is just part of the problem.

High gas prices lead many to look at auto fuel options. The jury is out on whether thats a smart tactic or dumb shortcut.

Airlines take the switch to a new airplane type very seriously, but GA pilots tend to miss the importance.

Chieftain pilot shows a little misunderstanding, then a lot, when engine fails during climb – or did it?

While at a tower-controlled airport that has intersecting runway, I was having my student practice touch and goes. After about five, we were on crosswind and told the tower we wanted to depart the airport to the southeast after this landing.

We were cleared for the touch and go while on downwind, and the tower told us to keep our pattern tight. We acknowledged and started our base turn and then turned to final. The student proceeded to bring the airplane down to the runway. After the wheels were on the ground and the airplane was stable, he retracted the flaps and added full power for the takeoff. I was watching the climb angle, the field ahead and the airspeed as we started the climb ou…

When I arrived at the airport, the line crew had taken the airplane out of the gang hangar in Smyrna, Tenn., leaving it on the ramp in front of the hangar door. Due to a slight slope in the ramp, there was a chock in front of the nosewheel; otherwise, the airplane was unsecured.

As I did the preflight inspection, I noted the chock and also the fact that the airplane would roll downhill if it were removed. I deferred that until we were packed up to go.

Preflight completed, I loaded the bags into the back of the Mooney and waited for my three passengers to emerge from the facilities. Finally, toddler and infant were secure in their car seats in the back of the airplane and my wife and I…

The FAA says it has received a number of reports of failed landing gear hydraulic hoses in Cessna 177RGs and Cessna 210s. In several cases, the failures have resulted in the loss of hydraulic fluids and in some cases in the inability to extend the landing gear at all. The hose failures involve S2178-4 series hoses, which are identified in a 1992 Cessna service bulletin as requiring replacement. The bulletin, SEB-92-8, specifies replacing the original hoses with S2888 series hoses. Because service bulletins are not mandatory for Part 91 operations, the FAA says it appears that many operators have not upgraded the hose in question.

Beech A36 Bonanza
Broken Control Cable Turnbuckle