Aviation Safety

At 11:00 Pacific time, a Beech B36TC went out of control on takeoff from Mammoth Lakes Airport. The pilot and four passengers were not injured. The pilot reported the airplane encountered a wind gust while taking off on runway 27 that caused one wing to lift and the other to strike the runway. Winds were reported from 200 degrees at 18 knots, gusting to 31….

At approximately 1305 Pacific time, a Coot amateur-built airplane crashed after losing power on takeoff near Creswell. The pilot was killed. Records show the pilot had recently bought the airplane and replaced the IO-360 aviation engine with a Mazda 13B rotary automotive engine. The accident was the owners first flight in the airplane. The engine failed 1 minute, 15 seconds into the flight. Examination of the engine showed it had been installed without a drive on its metering oil pump and that the oil injection nozzles associated with the metering pump were missing from the combustion chambers. The nozzle holes were plugged with a non-metallic substance….

At 1725 central time, a Beech 200 suffered minor damage when the airstair entrance door departed the airplane during cruise at flight level 190 near Hillsdale. The airplane made an emergency landing in Eau Claire. None of the nine aboard were injured. The door was found in a field. Inspection of the door revealed it to be locked….

At 1645 central time, a Cessna 182G struck a levee during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Tuckerman. The pilot sustained minor injuries and his passenger was seriously injured. The flight had been airborne for about 2 hours and 10 minutes when the engine began sputtering and quit. The pilot attempted to glide to a grass airstrip but hit about 60 feet short. Examination showed the left fuel filler cap was loose and its clip was broken. The fuel tanks were topped off before takeoff and the pilot had put duct tape over the left fuel filler cap, but the fuel still siphoned out of the tank….

At 16:30 Pacific time, a Cessna 206H went out of control on landing at Mammoth Lakes Airport. The pilot was not injured. As he approached the airport, the ASOS reported winds from 210 degrees at 25 knots gusting to 45. He landed successfully but, as he slowed to about 30 knots on the runway, a crosswind gust lifted the left wing and sent the airplane into a snow-covered embankment. Subsequent gusts lifted the tail and flipped the airplane inverted….

At about 15:00 central time, the pilot of a Bellanca 7KCAB experienced a loss of control during the landing roll at Peter Prince Field Airport. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The pilot said they were approaching with light and variable winds when he noted the ball was full left with no rudder input. He went around twice trying to figure out why the airplane was not flying as it should. During the third approach he had full left rudder pedal input and nearly full left aileron inputs applied and was, able to keep wings level and fly fairly straight down the runway. He performed a wheel landing and when the tailwheel touched the ground the airplane immediately swerved to the right…

At about 1230 Pacific time, an American Champion 8KCAB cartwheeled during the takeoff ground roll from Davenport Airport. The pilot and his passenger were not injured. The pilot said he was taking off from runway 23 with a 15-knot wind from 200 degrees that was gusting to 30. The aircraft came out from behind a row of hangars that parallel the runway when a gust of wind picked up the left wing….

At about 1724 eastern time, a Piper PA-32-260 crashed after takeoff from Bowman Field. The pilot suffered minor injuries. The pilot said the wing tip tanks were empty because maintenance on one of them was pending and that he took off with the left main tank selected. Investigators found the left tip tank selected. The pilot had recently purchased an interest in the airplane, and this was his first flight solo….

At 1906 eastern time, a Cirrus SR-22 crashed while maneuvering near Parish, killing the two pilots aboard. The two pilots had taken delivery of the airplane six days earlier and were flying from Syracuse to Rochester to show a friend. Radar data showed the airplane in cruise flight when it made what appeared to be clearing turns, followed by a 360-degree turn in each direction. Four witnesses reported what may have been several engine-out practice sequences, but on the last one the airplane pulled up sharply after power was restored, then spun to the ground. Each witness reported the spin beginning sharply nose down then flattening at the end. The airplane is not spin-certified and the manuf…

At 02:43 Alaska time, an Airbus Industrie A-340-300 operated by China Airlines took off from taxiway Kilo instead of runway 32 at Anchorage International Airport. The takeoff was without incident. The airplane was taxiing from the gate, southbound on taxiway Romeo and made a right turn onto Kilo. The airplane was cleared to take off on runway 32, but instead of taxiing on Kilo to the runway, the airplane accelerated down the 6,800-foot taxiway and took off. After departure, landing gear tire impressions were found in a snow berm at the end of the taxiway….