Aviation Safety

At about 1200 eastern time, a Piper PA-18 lost engine power near Belmar and was damaged in the ensuing forced landing. The pilot was not injured. The airplane has just taken off from Belmar, en route to Hollywood, Fla., and was level at 1,200 feet when the pilot reported the engine smoothly lost power. The airplane touched down in a soccer field and struck a fence as the pilot was trying to avoid people. At the time the power failed, the pilot had just switched from the left fuel tank to the right inboard tank. Inspection of the right inboard tank and the fuel system revealed oily deposits the pilot described as a fuel additive. Examination of the engine revealed low compression on all cylin…

At 2150 central time, a Cessna 152 lost engine power while on approach to Crystal Airport and was damaged in the forced landing that followed. Neither occupant was injured. The pilot said the flight departed Crystal with no less than 20 gallons of fuel at about 1815. They planned to make a sightseeing flight and a few landings at Cloquet Carlton County Airport, which the pilot estimated would take 2.5 hours with the forecast winds aloft of 5 to 15 knots. However, on the return flight they encountered headwinds of 40 knots and the airplane ran out of fuel….

At approximately 1439 central time, a Cessna 182P was damaged during a precautionary landing on a dirt road. The pilot was not injured but the landing gear struck a hole, a wingtip hit the ground and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported being en route when he became severely disoriented. He was unable to get the GPS or avionics to function correctly and could not verify his position or heading. His confusion mounted and he decided to land the airplane. A post-accident examination of the pilot revealed he had bleeding on the brain, which may have stemmed from a motorcycle accident in June. He had been cleared to return to flying in August and had successfully completed a flight a few d…

At 1130 mountain time, a Beech D95A operating as a multi-engine trainer suffered a landing gear retraction on the runway after landing at Jefferson County Airport. The flight instructor said the student went for the wrong switch and he couldnt get to the landing gear handle in time. The Travelairs flap and gear switches are in the opposite positions, relative to the throttle quadrant, than they are in most airplanes….

At 1821 eastern time, a Piper PA 32R-301T crashed in the woods in Byram Township following a loss of engine power. The pilot and one passenger were killed and two other passengers were seriously injured. The pilot declared an emergency at 1817 when the airplane lost engine power while cruising at 3,500 feet. The airplane was six miles from Aeroflex-Andover Airport and the controller gave the pilot vectors to the airfield. The airplane crashed three miles from the field. Examination of the engine revealed that the zinc-plated crankshaft gear attachment bolt was fractured. The manufacturers specifications revealed that a cadmium-plated bolt was indicated for the crankshaft gear application. T…

At 1205 Pacific time, a Cessna 172M was ditched into the ocean near Torrance, but the pilot was uninjured. The pilot said he was flying from Apple Valley to Catalina Island at 8,500 feet when he descended to avoid the Class B airspace at Los Angeles. He leveled at 2,500 feet and noticed an unusual vibration in the cowling. He reduced power but mistakenly applied carb heat, which he could then not remove. The EGT showed the airplane running hot, and he realized he had not enriched the mixture since descending. However, the mixture control also was inoperative. He turned back toward shore and deployed full flaps to descend to the water….

At 1440 Pacific time, an amateur-built Minkler Venture M20 airplane suffered structural failure of the horizontal stabilizers and the associated elevators at the Reno-Stead Airport while participating in the sport class race as part of the annual Reno Air Races. The pilot was killed in the crash. The accident occurred about halfway through the sport class race. As the airplane was rounding pylon No. 1, the horizontal stabilizers and elevators began flexing and then bent down at a point about two feet outboard of the root on each side….

At 0045 eastern time, a Cessna 177 was damaged when it veered off the runway during landing at Dayton Wright Brothers Airport. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The pilot said they were returning to Dayton after attending a baseball game in Cincinnati. He said the airplane ballooned during the flare and he elected to go around, but the airplane would not gain airspeed or climb. As the end of the runway approached, he elected to land the airplane. It landed hard and fast and the gear collapsed. Before the accident trip began, the pilot had logged only 1.6 hours in the previous 11 months, including a biennial flight review. His last night flight was logged nearly two years earlier…

At approximately 1035 mountain time, a Cessna TR182 struck fuel trucks during an attempted go-around at Joslin Field. The pilot and two passengers were killed. A fueler who was driving one of the five fuel trucks to its parking area on the ramp saw the Cessna veering to the left of the runway 12 extended centerline as it passed the approach end of the runway. The aircraft continued to diverge from the runway centerline while in an approximate 30-45 degree right wing down angle of bank. The aircraft remained in flight approximately five feet above the ground throughout the maneuver without losing or gaining any significant altitude. The airplane struck one of four fuel trucks parked together,…

At 1325 mountain time, a Piper PA-24-260 encountered a near miss with a Beech 1900D when both attempted to land simultaneously on intersecting runways at Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport. The Piper was landing on runway 21 and the Beech was landing on runway 27. The pilot of the Comanche noticed the impending collision and attempted a go-around, but lost control and crashed. The Beech continued its landing roll uneventfully. No one was injured….