Preliminary Reports

At approximately 1000 Pacific time, the pilot of a Cessna 185 lost control during the landing roll at Deer Park Airport. Neither the pilot nor the flight instructor was injured. The pilot told investigators he had not flown a conventional gear aircraft in several years and wanted to be checked out by a qualified instructor. Prior to the accident flight he had received approximately 4 hours of dual instruction in the aircraft but did not yet feel comfortable in the airplane. The pilot made a wheel landing and the airplane veered, but the pilot just lost it, he reported. The aircraft struck a berm and a snow drift off the right side of the runway before flipping over and coming to rest inver…

At about 0630 eastern time, a Cessna 210L struck a fence during takeoff from a private airstrip in Fort Meade. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The pilot was not injured. The pilot said he noticed fog getting heavier as he was making his engine runup, but he decided to depart anyway. During the takeoff roll, he focused on keeping the airplane straight but did not notice he was not rolling parallel to the runway until he saw the fence….

At 1930 eastern time, a passenger boarding a Cessna U206G was seriously injured when he walked into the spinning propeller as the airplane was standing with the engine running at Kelleys Island Airport. The pilot and second passenger were not injured. The pilot said they arrived from Sandusky, Ohio, and he parked the airplane with the engine running to disembark two passengers. He said he did not consider it an unsafe practice because he had seen commuter airliners do it. The pilot set the parking brake and exited the airplane. He saw the two passengers exit the airplane and proceed to their vehicle. As the pilot was boarding a new passenger to Sandusky, one of the previous passengers retur…

At about 1415 Pacific time, a Cessna 180K and a Beech 95-B55 collided in flight about 6.5 nautical miles west of Tehachapi. The pilot in the Cessna was killed and the pilot of the Beech suffered minor injuries. Witnesses said the Beech was flying westbound and the Cessna was eastbound, with both in level cruising flight. They said it did not appear that either airplane altered course before the collision. The pilot of the Baron said he was in a cruise climb when he saw the Cessnas right lading gear approaching him. After the collision, he observed a dirt airstrip and landed….

At 1110 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 310R struck a snow bank after the pilot lost control while landing on runway 4 at St. Clair County Airport. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The pilot stated during the landing there was almost no traction between the airplane and the runway and the airplane slid off the left side of the runway. The pilot said the AWOS was broadcasting a notice to airmen that gave runway friction readings of 33, 35, and 36….

At 0552 mountain time, a Cessna P210N, N4873K, lost electrical power during cruise flight and returned to Tucson International Airport. During the landing roll, the landing gear collapsed and the airplane collided with a taxiway sign. The pilot was not injured. The pilot said he was en route to Dallas when a light illuminated, indicating that the battery was not charging. After lowering the landing gear and the flaps, the pilot turned the master switch to the OFF position in order to conserve power but apparently did not wait for the green down-and-locked indication. During the landing roll, the left gear collapsed, the airplane began skidding, the right main gear collapsed, and the airpla…

At 1611 eastern time, a Cessna 150G struck trees and crashed while maneuvering over a residence in High Falls. The pilot was killed. Several witnesses said the pilot was circling over several homes at a low altitude and waving his hand out the window. The witnesses then saw the airplane in a steep turn and descending into the trees….

Selected recent general aviation and airline accidents

At about 1427 eastern time, a Piper PA-30 and a Cessna 150H collided in-flight while in the traffic pattern at the Clearwater Air Park. The Cessna crashed and the pilot was killed. The Twin Comanche was damaged but the pilot was able to land the airplane with no injuries to the two aboard. The Piper was on an IFR flight plan from Winter Haven to Clearwater. The Cessna was on a local flight. The Piper had advised Tampa Approach that the airport was in sight and the controller cleared him for a visual approach. The pilot then canceled IFR and the controller acknowledged and advised the pilot of traffic 1.5 miles north of the airport, heading south. The Piper pilot advised he would look for tra…

At about 1825 Pacific time, a Cessna 172K struck trees while attempting to land at Nevada County Air Park. The pilot and passenger were killed. The flight originated as an IFR flight from Grass Valley to Palo Alto, but as the airplane approached the destination the transponder code changed to indicate a communications failure. Bay TRACON determined the pilot could receive but not transmit. Because of the Class B communications requirement, Bay TRACON suggested the pilot try to contact Stockton Tower. The pilot contacted Stockton while 12 miles west of the airport, and Stockton could barely hear his transmissions. The pilot advised Stockton to cancel his IFR flight plan and he would proceed V…