Preliminary Reports

Selected recent general aviation and airline accidents

At about 1115 eastern time, a Fleet 16B was destroyed when it impacted water following low-level maneuvering about one mile south of Fishers Island. The pilot and passenger were presumed killed. The accident airplane had departed Westerly, Rhode Island, about 15 minutes prior to the accident as one of a flight of three airplanes. The other airplanes in the flight were a Citabria and an RV-8. The pilot of the Citabria said he was flying in formation with the Fleet while a passenger in the RV-8 took photographs. Two witnesses in boats described the maneuvers of the two airplanes as like they were performing in an air show or like they were dog fighting. Both witnesses described steep turns…

At about 1109 central time, an amateur-built Swearingen SX300 was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a field. The pilot and one passenger were seriously injured. The pilot reported that he shut the engine down following the loss of a propeller blade in cruise flight. He then attempted an off-field landing. A post-crash inspection by the FAA revealed a broken shank connecting one of three blades of the composite propeller to the hub….

At 1530 eastern time, a North American T6G received minor damage while departing the runway following a loss of control on landing at a private airstrip. The pilot, Chuck Yeager, and passenger were not injured. The pilot attempted to land with a slight tail wind on runway 23, which is 5,000 feet long and 50 feet wide. After the tailwheel made contact with the runway, the airplane veered off the centerline, first to the south, then to the north, and finally again to the south. The airplane ran off the runway and into a 15-foot deep ditch about 2000 feet from the approach end of the runway….

At about 1600 Pacific time, a Cessna 340 was substantially damaged upon landing short of runway 01 at Blakely Island. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries. The pilot reported that the ceiling was about 700 feet all during his 30-minute flight, and the north end of the runway at Blakely Island was covered in low clouds upon his arrival. Due to the clouds, he elected to land to the north. He said that he preferred runway 19 because of the known turbulent air and downdrafts off the south end of the runway. The pilot reported that while on short final to runway 01, the aircraft encountered downdrafts. He attempted to control the sink rate by adding power, but the aircraft landed har…

At 1116 Pacific time, a Lockheed P2V was destroyed when it collided with a hillside while maneuvering in mountainous terrain. The ATP-rated pilot and ATP-rated copilot were both killed. A VFR flight plan had been filed for the cross-country positioning flight from Prescott, Ariz. to San Bernardino, Calif. Instrument conditions prevailed at the accident site, about seven miles from the destination airport. Two witness in a forest lookout tower at about 7,900 feet elevation, one of whom was pilot-rated, described a cloud layer that extended south as far as they could see. They estimated the cloud tops at 5,000 feet. The witnesses observed the airplane flying northward up a canyon near the edge…

At 1645 central time, a Piper PA-28R-180 and an amateur-built WAR F4V collided in the pattern at St. Clair County Airport. Both aircraft sustained substantial damage but neither pilot was injured. A witness waiting at the hold short line observed the Piper turning left base for runway 20 and again on final, well past the tree line and descending. At that time the witness saw the F4V approaching the Piper from inside the pattern and banking left. He then saw the right wingtip of the F4V collide with the left side of the Piper. Both planes yawed and then the F4V continued under the Piper, landing and nosing over in the grass to the right of the runway. The Piper landed on the runway. The wit…

At 1335 central time, an exhibition Piper J-3 Cub was substantially damaged when it fell from a 1961 Pontiac Catalina. The pilot, who was not injured in the accident, had attempted to take off from the specially configured automobile during an air show at the McKellar Sipes Regional Airport. The airplane landed as planned on top of the car, but when the pilot attempted to take off, the tail wheel caught on a support beam atop the car. The airplane then rolled off and crashed on the runway….

At 0330 eastern time, a Cessna 182H suffered a total loss of engine power about seven miles northeast of the Knoxville Downtown Island Airport and was substantially damaged in the ensuing forced landing. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight departed Auburn, Ala. about two and a half hours earlier on a VFR flight plan. Instrument conditions prevailed at the accident site. The pilot reported that the engine lost power and then during the forced landing to a field the airplane collided with a fence, separating the right wing from the fuselage. A post-crash examination discovered that the left fuel cap was missing and there was blue streaking along the left wing and left side of…

At 1250 central time, an amateur-built Vans RV-8 suffered a loss of control and crashed near Van, Texas. The pilot and passenger were killed. The airplane was one of four airplanes that departed as a formation flight from Gilmer Municipal Airport. Prior to departure, the lead pilot obtained weather and discussed formation procedures with the other pilots, including lost sight procedures. The accident airplane flew in the number two slot, 45 degrees behind the left wing of the lead airplane. The remaining two airplanes were to the right of the lead. The formation flight encountered unexpected clouds, which they elected to climb to avoid. During the climb, the visibility deteriorated and the f…