Preliminary Reports

At 1215 eastern time, a Cessna 172 suffered a loss of engine power on initial climb from Linden Airport and was damaged in the ensuing forced landing. The pilot, who suffered minor injuries, was the maintenance officer for the flying club that operated the airplane. He said the carburetor had been replaced on the airplane the week prior to the accident and the airplane had experienced several abnormal events since its installation. The purpose of the accident flight was to fly to Princeton to have the carburetor re-examined. The pilot said the engine began to run rough at about 300 feet agl, then lost power after about 10 seconds. During the forced landing the airplane struck a gas pipeline….

At about 1600 Alaska time, a Cessna 421 crashed while on an instrument approach about four miles north of Sitka Airport. The pilot and four passengers were killed. A technician at the Sitka Flight Service Station told investigators the pilot reported that a forward baggage door had come open, and that he wanted to land at Sitka and inspect the door. The pilot was cleared for the GPS Rwy 11 approach to Sitka. The pilot reported he was final approach fix inbound on the instrument approach, but the airplane never arrived at the airport. The accident site was inside the final approach fix, three miles from the missed approach point, and about two miles north of the course centerline….

At about 1115 eastern time, a Beech F-35 broke up in flight and was destroyed in the resulting crash. The pilot and passenger were killed. The VFR flight was about eight miles from the destination when he advised the air traffic controller he had the runway in sight. The controller terminated flight following and approved a change to the airport advisory frequency. Radar data showed the airplane began its descent about eight miles out, turned to the right about two miles out, and then disappeared from radar while still at 4,400 feet. The wreckage was spread over a half-mile, with the left and right horizontal stabilizers located at the beginning of the trail and the wing spars buckled in a d…

At about 1100 eastern time, a Grumman AA5B was damaged following a loss of engine power while landing at Block Island State Airport. The pilot and three passengers suffered minor injuries. The pilot said the airplane was at an altitude of 1,200 feet when he turned onto the base leg and the engine burbled momentarily. When the pilot turned onto the final approach, the engine began coughing and sputtering. He said he stretched the glide to make the runway. The airplane struck the runway hard, bounced, and the engine then gained full power. The airplane veered off the right side of the runway and struck several airplanes parked 1,200 feet from the approach end of the runway and 500 feet t…

At 1313 eastern time, a Beech BE-56TC crashed in a field after losing engine power while climbing near Bethany. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane had departed Parkersburg about 35 minutes earlier for a planned IFR flight to Watertown, N.Y. The pilot said he was climbing through 16,000 feet for 23,000 feet when the left manifold pressure gauge began to fluctuate. He then noticed oil streaking from the left engine cowling. The pilot secured the left engine and advised the controller that he wanted to return to PKB. About five minutes after the pilot had secured the left engine, the right engine lost all power. Neither engine would restart. During the restart attempts, the airplane…

At about 2030 eastern time, a Mooney M20C lost engine power and was damaged landing in a field in Utica. The pilot received minor injuries. The pilot said the airplane had 20 gallons in the left tank and 12 gallons in the right tank when he departed. He determined he had enough fuel for four planned flights, plus a 30-minute reserve. He planned a cruise speed of 105 knots, which should have resulted in a fuel burn of 8 gph. The first leg was uneventful. On the second leg, he had to circle for 15 minutes before landing because of traffic. There was no fuel available at that airport, so he proceeded on the next leg. At the next airport, there was no fuel available and he did not check the quan…

At approximately 0740 mountain time, a Cirrus Design SR20 crashed near Fish Haven. The pilot was seriously injured. The pilot said he made a low pass over a private airstrip at about 50 to 70 feet agl. The said that during the pass the airspeed got too low. He applied full power and intended to retract the flaps from full to half, but in actuality retracted them completely. The aircraft lost altitude and collided with the ground….

At 1130 eastern time, an amateur-built RV-6A flipped over during an aborted takeoff from Malcolm McKinnon Airport. The pilot suffered minor injuries. The pilot said the right control stick was secured with the passenger seat belt, acting as a gust lock. He took off without removing the belt from the stick….

At approximately 2100 Pacific time, a Cessna R182 struck terrain following an aborted takeoff at Crest Airpark. The flight instructor, pilot and passenger were not injured. The pilot was undergoing transition training to fly complex airplanes. During takeoff after the first touch and go, the flaps failed to retract and the airplane would not climb. The flight instructor attempted to land on the remaining runway, but the landing gear did not extend completely. The airplane had a documented history of the flaps not cycling correctly, including on the flight prior to the accident flight. The flaps cycled normally during an initial inspection after the airplane was recovered….

At approximately 1145 mountain time, a Cessna R172E suffered a damaged wing while taxiing when it was knocked over by jet blast from a DC-9. The student pilot was not injured. The pilot was taxiing to the runway at Albuquerque International Airport when an American Airlines jet was cleared for taxi from Gate B1. As the DC-9 added engine power for taxi, the jet blast struck the Cessna and the wing spar was bent when the wing struck the ground….