Aviation Safety

At 1145 eastern time, a Piper PA-46-350P ran off the runway upon landing at Laconia Municipal Airport. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The pilot said he attempted to obtain an airport advisory on the Unicom frequency but got no response. He entered a left downwind for runway 26L and maintained visual contact with a Mooney that was on final approach. He observed no abnormalities during the Mooneys landing. He proceeded with the landing and noted the windsock was limp. As the Mirage touched down, it veered dead left, slid off the runway and struck a snow pile. As the pilot walked to the FBO, he noticed that the runway was approximately 85 percent covered with ice approximately t…

At 1653 Pacific time, a Cirrus SR 20 struck power lines while making an instrument approach to runway 31R at Reid-Hillview Airport. The pilot was killed. The flight was inbound on the GPS approach and had passed the final approach fix when it began a gradual right turn from 310 degrees to 020 degrees. The airplane collided with high tension power lines located 6.7 miles southeast of the airport at an altitude of 1,600 feet msl. Preliminary inspection found no evidence of preimpact structural failure and the ballistic parachute system had not been deployed….

At approximately 1015 central time, a Cessna 208B crashed while landing at Ducote Airpark. The check airman and the pilot who was receiving a Part 135 proficiency check suffered serious injuries. The airplane took off from San Angelo Regional Airport, executed a few instrument approaches and then canceled IFR to head to Ducote. Witnesses said they heard an engine surging and saw the airplane approaching from the south. They stated that the airplane was approximately 100-200 feet agl with the wings rocking, then the airplane struck power lines and crashed. One witness said he smelled jet fuel at the accident site but did not see any fuel there. Two of the witnesses reported between a quarte…

At about 1700 eastern time, a Maverick Twinjet 1500 struck trees during a go-around at Melbourne Airport, killing the pilot. The flight had departed about 10 minutes earlier and the pilot reported a landing gear problem. He made a fly-by of the tower and controllers observed that one main landing gear was up, the nose gear and the other main gear was half way. The pilot retracted the gear and flew by the tower again, this time at 100 to 200 feet agl. The pilot notified the tower that he planned to do a gear up landing on the grass between a taxiway and runway 9R. He came around again at a low altitude, missed the intended landing area, and crashed into trees. …

At 1722 mountain time, a Cessna 172P and a PA-31T collided in midair over Denver. The pilot and two passengers aboard the Cessna and the two pilots aboard the Piper were killed. Six people on the ground suffered minor injuries from falling debris. The Cessna had departed Centennial Airport about 22 minutes earlier, bound for Cheyenne, Wyo. The Piper departed Jeffco Airport about 12 minutes earlier, bound for Centennial. The Piper was flying VFR to the southeast in Class E airspace at 7,800 feet squawking a discrete transponder code and under radar contact, but the airplanes Mode C altitude readout was apparently missing. The Cessna departed VFR northbound and was cleared into Class B airspa…

At about 1626 Pacific time, a Beech 95 lost a propeller blade, which resulted in the right engine tearing from its mounts. The airplane then crashed, killing the pilot. Witnesses reported observing the right engine suspended below the right wing and the airplane entering a steep right bank turn until rolling upside down. The flight was a post-maintenance test flight. The airplanes annual had been signed off that day and the flight was the first after the engine and propeller were overhauled. Preliminary inspection of the propeller showed that its fracture surface had a flat section that revealed beach marks, indicative of a fatigue fracture. Also, several corrosion pits were present on…

At 1210 Pacific time, a Cessna T210L suffered a collapsed landing gear during a precautionary landing at El Monte Airport following a loss of electrical power during cruise flight. The pilot and passenger were uninjured. The pilot said he had departed Cable Airport nearly two hours earlier. The airplane had been in maintenance for three months having the interior replaced, avionics installed and the exterior painted. This was the first flight since completion of the work. The pilot said he was entering the traffic pattern at Camarillo Airport and selected gear down. He then reached for the flap selector when all electrical power was lost. He circled and attempted to solve the problem, but wa…

At about 1520 eastern time, a Cessna 337-O2A crashed into the ocean during a whale-survey mission about seven miles east of Fernandina Beach. The pilot and three passengers were killed. The pilot radioed the survey company that they had spotted whales. The owner of the airplane said the flight customarily would circle at 1,000 feet until a whale was spotted and then would descend to 750 to 500 feet for closer observations. While tracking a whale the pilot would bank the airplane to 45 degrees right bank, use approach flaps of 10 to 20 degrees and fly at 100 knots. After tracking the whale the pilot would climb the airplane to 1,000 feet and continue the pre-planned search area. The last rada…

At approximately 1800 mountain time, a Cessna 172M struck trees during a go-around from an approach to Ute Dam Airport. The pilot and three passengers suffered minor injuries. The pilot said he decided he was too long so he executed a go-around. However, the airplane struck a tree. An examination of the airplane showed the carb heat was pulled on. No other anomalies were found….

At 1836 Pacific time, a Piper PA-28-140 struck terrain while on approach to Tehachapi Municipal Airport. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight departed Long Beach for Redding, but diverted to Tehachapi due to weather en route and at Redding. The pilot stated that he was approaching the airport on the extended centerline on a long final. He noticed a red light between his airplane and the runway and thought it was another airplane. He followed the light to the airport. As he got closer, he saw that the red light marked terrain and he immediately made a sharp, right, climbing turn to avoid contact. However, the airplane impacted the mountain and came to rest inverted on…