Preliminary Reports

At about 1100 central time, a Mooney M20M suffered an in-flight fire shortly after takeoff from the Destin-Ft Walton Beach Airport. The pilot was able to return for landing but suffered serious burn injuries. The pilot said he departed from runway 32 and was climbing through about 2,500 to 2,800 feet when the cockpit was enveloped in thick black smoke and flames appeared underneath the instrument panel behind the rudder pedals on both sides of the cockpit. He turned off the master switch and initiated a descending left turn with the intention of ditching the airplane. He reduced the mixture control and opened the cabin entry door in anticipation of ditching but he was able to see outside and…

At about 1930 eastern time, a Piper PA-28R-201T was lost from radar and radio contact and crashed in the Gulf of Mexico near Cedar Key. The two occupants were presumed killed. The pilot was receiving VFR flight following at 12,500 feet from Key West to Tallahassee when The controller advised the pilot of weather located at his 10 oclock position and 40 miles. At 1856, the pilot advised the controller that he was trying to maintain VFR. The controller asked the pilot if he was IFR rated; the pilot said he was not. The pilot left the frequency to contact Flight Watch, then returned. Shortly after that, the controller advised the pilot of heavy weather ahead 2.5 miles at his 12 oclock positio…

At about 0710 mountain time, a Stinson 108-1 lost engine power and nosed over in a field near Eloy during the ensuing forced landing. The pilot suffered only minor injuries. The pilot told investigators she was flying at 4,500 feet when she heard a bang, followed by a total loss of power. The engine was examined and the number 3 and 4 cylinders were badly damaged. The number 4 cylinder exhaust valve had fractured at the stem and was missing….

At 1606 Pacific time, a Beech 3NM crashed while on approach to Lake Riverside Airport. The pilot and two passengers were killed. A witness said the airplane flew parallel to the right side of runway 29, then turned crosswind at the end of the runway and the landing gear came down. The airplane flew downwind and turned base. As it started the turn to final, the airplane appeared to be past the extended centerline of the runway. The witness said the airplane abruptly increased the left turn so that the bank angle approached 90 degrees and the nose moved quickly to a nearly vertical position. The airplane maintained this attitude until it collided with the ground. …

At 1600 central time, a Cessna 177A lost engine power due to fuel exhaustion and was damaged during the ensuing forced landing. The student pilot/owner was not injured. The pilot said he was departed Hope, Ark., for Sherrill, Ark., with each tank three-quarters full. He was unable to find the airstrip and circled the airfield for an hour looking for it. He ran low on fuel, so he landed in a field, obtained five gallons of gas and directions to the airport, and took off again. He was again unable to find the airstrip and the airplane ran out of fuel….

At approximately 1225 mountain time, a Piper PA-28R-200 on a post-maintenance test flight lost engine power and crash-landed in irregular terrain. The pilot and his passenger were not injured. The pilot said the airplanes engine had just been overhauled and this was the airplanes first flight since its installation. During the flight the engine quit….

At approximately 0945 central time, a Cessna FA150K aerobatic airplane sustained structural damage during recovery from an acrobatic maneuver near Houston. The pilot was not injured. The pilot said he completed a wingover and felt flutter in the elevator, then the elevator jammed. The pilot managed to land without further incident. Examination of the airplane revealed that the trim tab had separated from the right elevator, the right stabilizer was bent upward, the trim tab actuator was found loose in the mount and the rivet holes where the trim tab attached to the elevator were deformed. Black electrical tape was found under the clamp for the trim tab actuator….

At about 1300 central time, a Maule M-5-235C nosed over while landing at a private airstrip near Jay. The pilot was not injured. The pilot said he performed two touch-and-go landings without incident, then remained in the pattern for another touch-and-go landing. He said he touched down with 20 degrees of flaps extended within the first third of the 2,000-foot long runway, the airplane bounced but he did not go around because of powerlines that were located at the end of the runway. The airplane touched down again in a tail-low attitude with about 1,000 feet of runway remaining, and the pilot applied the brakes to stop. The airplane nosed over, coming to rest near the departure end….

At 1700 eastern time, a Cessna 310F landed with the nose gear partially extended at Rockingham County/Shiloh Airport. The pilot and passenger reported minor injuries. The pilot said it was the airplanes first flight since its annual inspection. When the pilot tried to raise the gear, he heard a pop. When he arrived at the destination airport the gear would not extend. The pilot opted to land in the wet grass. The airplane touched down on the main landing gear, ballooned back into the air and collided with the grass in a nose down attitude….

At about 1816 Pacific time, a Beech 19A struck terrain at the departure end of runway 14 at Harris Ranch Airport. The pilot and the passenger/owner were not injured. The pilot set 10 degrees of flaps for takeoff from the 2,820-foot runway. The aircraft was slow to climb and once the airplane was airborne, he raised the flaps. The airplane settled and collided with the ground. Additionally, the pilot said that the stall horn was operating throughout the flight….