Preliminary Reports

At approximately 1030 central time, an Aerotek Pitts S-2A was damaged when it lost part of a wing while maneuvering near Grand Prairie Municipal Airport. The pilot and his passenger were not injured. The pilot said he was performing a power-off stall and the airplane entered a spin. As he recovered from the spin, a four-foot section of the bottom left wing separated. The pilot was able to fly the airplane back to GPM….

The following briefs were selected from the preliminary reports filed with the NTSB in May 2003. Statements in quotes were taken directly from the NTSB documents. Click here to view “Accident Totals, May.”

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May 03, Roanoke, Texas
Piper Super Cub
At 1500 central time, a Piper PA-18A-150 lost engine power during initial climb from Northwest Regional Airport and was damaged in the forced landing. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction suffered minor injuries. The pilot was receiving a flight checkout for his tail wheel endorsement and had been doing touch and goes. The pilot said that, when the flight depa…

The following briefs were selected from the preliminary reports filed with the NTSB in April 2003. Statements in quotes were taken directly from the NTSB documents. Click here to view “Accident Totals, April.”

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April 01, Lakeland, Fla.
Mooney M20C
At about 1630 eastern time, a Mooney M20C struck a ground marshaller during taxi after landing at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport. The ground marshaller was seriously injured and the airplane received minor damage. The pilot said he was taxiing west on taxiway Delta when he saw the ground marshaller off his left wing. The ground marshaller waved him on and then ducke…

At about 1630 eastern time, a Mooney M20C struck a ground marshaller during taxi after landing at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport. The ground marshaller was seriously injured and the airplane received minor damage. The pilot said he was taxiing west on taxiway Delta when he saw the ground marshaller off his left wing. The ground marshaller waved him on and then ducked down. A witness said the marshaller made a 90-degree turn to tell the witness, who was on a motorcycle, where to lead the airplane. The airplanes left wing struck the ground marshaller in the back, knocking him forward. The left wing then struck the ground marshaller in the back of the head, knocking him to the ground….

At 0935 eastern time, a Beechcraft B200 struck a building while on approach to Fitchburg Municipal Airport, killing the two pilots and four passengers, and leaving one passenger seriously injured. One person inside the building received minor injuries. The airplane had been cleared for the GPS RWY 14 approach into Fitchburg. The airplanes radar track showed the airplane flew the approach accurately up to the point where it crossed the missed approach point. At that point, the pilot apparently flew a circling approach to runway 32 from very close to the runway. A witness said the airplane banked 90 degrees in a continuous turn from downwind to final at about 450 feet agl until the airplane s…

At about 1045 Pacific time, a Piper PA-36-375 collided with a Grumman American AA-5B while both airplanes were attempting to land at Bottimore Ranch Airport. Neither pilot was injured. The pilot of the Piper said he was landing when he heard the collision, then noticed the Grumman, which had just touched down on the same runway. He went around and diverted to Franklin Field Airport. The pilot of the Grumman said the aircraft went all over the place just after the main landing gear touched down. He said he did not know he had been hit by another airplane until he saw the Piper flying away from him….

At approximately 1740 central time, a Piper PA-18 struck a tree while landing at a private airstrip near Moran. The pilot was not injured. The pilot said he was landing to the west and touched down about 10 feet short of the 800-foot grass strip. The airplane bounced, drifted right and struck a mesquite tree. Wind at the time was from 290 at 15 knots, gusting to 20….

At about 0745 eastern time, an Air Tractor 502B and an Air Tractor 502 collided on runway 09 at Belle Glade State Municipal Airport. The pilot of the 502B suffered minor injuries but the pilot of the 502 was killed. The 502B was started his takeoff roll but did not see the 502, which had landed and was taxiing off of the runway, until it was too late to avoid a collision. Neither airplane was equipped with a VHF radio for using the airports common traffic advisory frequency….

At 1850 central time, a Dassault Falcon lost power on approach to Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and was ditched into the Mississippi River. The two pilots suffered serious injuries. The airplane had departed Del Rio, Texas, about 2:20 before the accident on a Part 135 cargo flight. The airplane flew the ILS Rwy 30R approach, but missed. As the airplane was being vectored for a second approach, the pilots asked several times how far from the airport they would be going. When on base leg, the crew stated it had a fuel limitation and declared an emergency when switched to the tower frequency. No measurable quantity of fuel was detected in the fuel system when the aircraft was recove…

At about 2040 eastern time, a Mooney M20K suffered an apparent nose gear problem and was damaged during landing at Greenwood Lake Airport. The pilot received minor injuries. The pilot said he had transported another pilot to Stewart International Airport to pick up another airplane. At the landing at Stewart, he detected a nosewheel shimmy. The two pilots examined the nose gear but could find no anomalies. The two then departed in separate airplanes for the return flight. The pilot said that, after he touched down, the nose of the airplane veered to the right. He pulled back on the yoke to ease the nose up, but he pulled back too hard and the airplane became airborne again. He thought he wou…