Preliminary Reports

At about 1435 Mountain time, the aircraft was substantially damaged after the Private pilot experienced a partial loss of engine power and performed a forced landing on a dirt road. There were no injuries. According to the pilot, he was in cruise flight about 10,500 feet msl along a 7000-foot-high ridge line where mountain wave action was present. The airplane began to slowly lose altitude, and efforts by the pilot to increase engine power and arrest the descent failed. The pilot then turned east, away from the ridgeline, to avoid an uncontrolled descent into terrain. Once clear of the ridgeline and any possible effects of the mountain wave, the pilot determined that the engine was capable…

The airplane was substantially damaged following a loss of control during landing at about 1030 Central time. The Student pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the solo cross-country flight. Subsequently, the 71-hour Student pilot reported that the airplane bounced on landing and she lost control. She tried to regain control of the airplane but the airplane departed the right side of the runway. The pilot reported the brakes were ineffective in the knee-high grass and the airplane impacted a tree….

At 1807 Eastern time, the airplane crashed into an unoccupied elementary school and burst into flames shortly after takeoff. Visual conditions prevailed; the Airline Transport pilot received fatal injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot requested a return to the Sarasota Airport and subsequently made a mayday call and declared that he was making a crash landing. There was no further communication. Witnesses stated the airplane was flying slowly with erratic lateral and pitch excursions; they did not hearf engine sounds before the airplane first contacted the building….

June 1, 2005, Van Nuys, Calif.
Mooney M20C
At 2306 Pacific time, the airplane collided with mountainous terrain while executing an approach to the Van Nuys (Calif.) Airport. The Private pilot was the sole occupant and was fatally injured; the airplane was destroyed. Instrument conditions prevailed, but no flight plan had been filed for the flight that originated in Santa Ana, Calif. After receiving a pop-up IFR clearance for the ILS approach to Runway 16R at Van Nuys, the airplane made a sudden diversion to the right, off the localizer course. He was then directed to climb to 5000 feet on a southerly heading. The pilot acknowledged the instructions, stating he had a problem…

At 2306 Pacific time, the airplane collided with mountainous terrain while executing an approach to the Van Nuys (Calif.) Airport. The Private pilot was the sole occupant and was fatally injured; the airplane was destroyed. Instrument conditions prevailed, but no flight plan had been filed for the flight that originated in Santa Ana, Calif. After receiving a pop-up IFR clearance for the ILS approach to Runway 16R at Van Nuys, the airplane made a sudden diversion to the right, off the localizer course. He was then directed to climb to 5000 feet on a southerly heading. The pilot acknowledged the instructions, stating he had a problem and was climbing. The pilot made no further transmissions be…

At approximately 0730 Central time the airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain following a loss of control during takeoff initial climb from the Le Maire Memorial Airport (2R1) near Jeanerette, La. The foreign-certificated Private pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries. Visual conditions prevailed for the 411-nm flight destined for Point Lookout, Mo. A witness heard the airplanes engines pop several times during pre-takeoff taxi operations before clearing up. At the south end of the runway, the witness heard the engine noise increase for five to ten minutes before the noise decreased. The airplane then taxied in three complete circles before lining up on the runw…

The airplane was substantially damaged at 1830 Eastern time while landing. The Airline Transport pilot received serious injuries, and the second pilot, also a certificated Airline Transport pilot, received minor injuries. Visual conditions prevailed for the local parachuting flight, which also involved an evaluation of the first pilot. Following a passenger drop, the pilots discussed single-engine operations. The first pilot subsequently reduced the right engines power to flight idle, and feathered the propeller. During the final leg of the traffic pattern, the airplane crossed over a fence near the runway threshold, and the first pilot pitched the airplane downward. The nose landing gear t…

At approximately 1300 Central time the airplane sustained substantial damage during a hard landing. The Private pilot and sole occupant of the airplane received minor injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. During the hard landing, the airplane lost its main landing gear. As a result, the airplane departed off the side of the runway and flipped over, coming to rest in the inverted position….

The airplane was substantially damaged at approximately 1725 Mountain time when it impacted terrain off the departure end of the runway. Visual conditions prevailed; the Private pilot sustained minor injuries. Several witnesses reported that, during the takeoff roll, the airplane appeared to take off, settle back to the runway and then take off again. One witness stated that the pilot appeared to abort the takeoff. The aircraft departed the end of the runway, rolled down the embankment and nosed over, coming to rest 1287 feet from the departure end of the runway….

At approximately 1015 Central time the airplane landed in a field during a forced landing following a total loss of engine power. The Airline Transport pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the IFR positioning flight. According to the 7500-hour pilot, an unusual whining/hissing noise was heard from the engine at 6000 feet msl. As the airplane climbed through 8000 feet msl, the noise got louder and the inlet turbine temperature gauge fluctuated. Suddenly, a bang was heard and the engine quit. An in-flight restart was unsuccessful. The pilot then made an uneventful landing in a grass field. Examination revealed no structural damage to the ai…