Preliminary Reports

At approximately 1400 Pacific time, a Cessna 150 suffered a loss on control on takeoff from a private airstrip near Coos Bay, seriously injuring the student pilot and his passenger. The pilots son, who witnessed the accident, said he thought the pilot would abort the takeoff because it sounded like the power was being reduced. The son added that then the power increased, but the airplane rotated at too slow an airspeed….

At 1215 mountain time, a Christen Industries Pitts S-2B crashed in a field three miles north of Longmont, killing the pilot and passenger. Witnesses said the airplane was in a vertical climb, ran out of airspeed, nosed over and came down in a spiral. They also reported hearing the engine surging, then fail. The airplane had departed about 2:15 earlier, and the endurance of a Pitts S-2B with full tanks is about 1.7 hours, but there was no preliminary information about a fuel stop….

At about 1830 eastern time, a Cessna 172K struck trees during the takeoff roll from McCardle Farm Airport. The student pilot was not injured. The pilot said he applied full power and the airplane yawed left, departed the left side of the runway, went down an embankment, and struck several trees. The students last 90-day endorsement was approximately 1 year before the accident. He flew five to 10 hours a year, with the majority of his flying out of the accident airport. His last flight was in October 2002, when he flew about an hour, and completed five takeoff and landings at the accident airport. His last medical certificate was issued 3 years and 7 months before the accident….

At 0800 central time, a Robinson R-22 Beta rolled over during takeoff from Ardmore Downtown Executive Airport. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The pilot said a Cessna 172 was parked approximately 30 feet behind the helicopter and faced the opposite direction. As the helicopter lifted off, the Cessna 172s engine started, and the pilot feels that this caused the loss of control on takeoff….

At 1515 central time, a Cessna 150 crashed while chasing a bank robber near Trenton. The pilot was seriously injured and the passenger was not injured. The pilot was assisting the local police in tracking a bank robber. During the observation flight, the robber was tracked to an open field near the airport. The pilot entered a steep turn in an effort to corral the bank robber into a confined area until ground personnel were on site. As the pilot continued the maneuver, he encountered a wind gust and was unable to recover before the airplane collided with the ground….

At about 1630 eastern time, a Beech A36 crashed shortly after takeoff from James A. Rhodes Airport, killing the flight instructor and owner taking instruction. The accident flight occurred during a Beechcraft Pilot Proficiency Program. The pilot had attended an all-day ground school the day prior to the accident and was scheduled for a flight period from 1300-1700 with the instructor. Witnesses said the airplane departed from runway 01 and made a simulated emergency turnback to land on runway 19. The pilot backtaxied and reported he would make the same maneuver again. During the second maneuver, the airplane suddenly pitched down and spiraled to the ground. Another pilot who flew with the in…

At 1330 eastern time, an amateur-built Quickie Q-200 crashed while the pilot was attempting the airplanes first flight. The pilot was killed. The pilot had performed several hours of high-speed taxi runs with the accident airplane before the day of the accident. The accident flight was the first flight. Witnesses said the airplane departed from the 5,504-foot runway, climbed to about 30 feet and began to porpoise. It descended to the runway, bounced back into the air, touched down hard again, then veered off the runway, rolled inverted and burst into flame….

Selected recent general aviation and airline accidents

At 1930 eastern time, a Beech A36 hit terrain shortly after takeoff in instrument conditions from Mount Airy/Surry County Airport. The pilot and four passengers were killed. The wreckage was found after a nearby resident reported hearing what sounded like an airplane crash. The wreckage was found in a ravine 1.85 miles south of the airport. The airplane was found in a near-vertical attitude, with the engine and propeller embedded eight feet into the ground….

At about 1445 eastern time, a Socata TBM-700 struck trees during an instrument approach to Leesburg Executive Airport. The pilot and two other occupants were killed. The pilot was cleared for the LOC Rwy 17 approach and instructed to maintain 3,000 feet until established. The decision height for the approach is 400 feet. Radar data showed the airplane bracket the localizer course, making five or six turns across the approach course. Data showed the airplane was still at 700 feet about two miles from the airport when it turned toward the east. Groundspeed had slowed to about 70 knots. A pilot-rated witness said it appeared the airplane was on the backside of the power curve when the pilot tri…