Aviation Safety

At about 1230 Pacific time, an Aeronca 7AC was damaged when it departed the runway after landing at Paso Robles Municipal Airport. Neither occupant was injured. The pilot said that, after touchdown, the airplane swerved to the right and he had no control of the airplane. He and the passenger later determined the rudder pedals failed to respond because the passengers foot was stuck between them….

At 13:18 mountain time, a Piper PA-22-135 experienced an in-flight breakup shortly after takeoff from Ontario Airport. The pilot was killed. Investigators said the left side forward wing lift strut separated from the aircraft in flight and the wing tip section outboard of the lift strut attachment folded up. The aircraft then descended to an open field and was consumed by fire….

At approximately 11:32 eastern time, a Cessna 152 was substantially damaged during takeoff from Cross Keys Airport. The two occupants were not injured. The pilot, who held a flight instructor certificate and was flying from the right seat, reported that the controls felt spongy during takeoff. About half way down the runway, he felt a snap, and experienced a partial control failure. The pilot then felt a second snap and the right control yoke broke off the control column. He reduced the power and the airplane began to drift toward the right side of the runway. The airplane then impacted the middle of a 40-foot tall tree, and came to rest inverted on the ground. The pilot-rated passen…

At approximately 08:15 mountain time, a Cessna 206A was substantially damaged when the airplane taxied – without the pilot – into a hangar at Meadow Lake Airport. The pilot received minor injuries and the passenger received serious injuries. The pilot said that the airplanes battery was low and he was unable to start the engine. He asked his wife to sit at the controls while he hand-propped the airplane. The engine started and the airplane taxied into a hangar….

At 07:19 Pacific time, a Mooney M20F veered off the runway and came to rest in a ditch during takeoff at Cable Airport. The pilot and one passenger were not injured, two other passengers received minor injuries. The pilot reported that the cabin door came open during takeoff. He intended to continue the takeoff and return to land and close the door; however, the passenger in the right front seat panicked. In the time necessary to calm and reassure the passenger, the pilot lost directional control of the aircraft and it drifted off the runway to the left….

At about 09:58 eastern time, a Cessna 172K was damaged during takeoff from Hagerstown Airport. The pilot and three passengers were not injured. The pilot said the purpose of the flight was to introduce several passengers to the Young Eagles Program. He performed a pre-flight inspection, and explained to the passengers the function of each component as he checked it. He then taxied the airplane to Runway 27 and applied full power for takeoff. The airplane rotated on its own and the pilot noted the gust lock was still connected to the control yoke. The airplane climbed to about 20 feet and stalled, crashing to the runway….

At 23:15 eastern time, a Beech K35 was damaged during a precautionary landing at the Tulip City Airport, but the pilot was uninjured. The pilot reported that, while in flight, he found that the throttle control would only operate between throttle and full throttle, so he elected to land. He was at a point where he thought he could land, so he shut off the engine and attempted to glide to the airport. The airplane struck the ground about 300 feet short of the runway. An examination of the airplane found that the bolt that attaches the clamp for the throttle cable housing in the engine compartment was loose, limiting the movement of the throttle….

At about 15:20 mountain time, a Schweizer SGS-1-26 glider crashed while landing at Coyote Run Gliderport. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The pilot said she dropped the microphone in turbulence and it lodged behind the control stick, making it impossible for her to apply aft stick. The glider maintained about a 15- to 20-degree nose down attitude until it collided with the ground and a fence….

At about 17:45 central time, a Lake LA-4 seaplane crashed during a touch-and-go landing on the Perdido River near Pensacola. The CFI and the pilot receiving instruction were seriously injured. The pilot said he and the CFI had been conducting takeoffs and landings from the Perdido River in preparation for his seaplane rating. On the last touchdown, the seaplane bounced and he was recovering when the airplane got too close to a spoil island in the river. The CFI took control and started a left turn to avoid a collision but the right wing struck a tree….

At 22:44 eastern time, a Beech B60 crashed during an attempted forced landing at the Fulton County Airport, killing the pilot. The flight had departed Houston about 3:15 before the accident. Reportedly, the pilot had flown to Houston earlier in the week and had experienced engine problems. The airplane was taken to a local repair facility. After several days, the pilot topped the airplanes fuel tanks and departed for Atlanta. Approximately three hours into the flight, the pilot reported that he had about 30 minutes of fuel remaining. The pilot was advised of enroute airports where he could refuel, but the pilot elected to continue the flight to the destination airport. While on final approa…