Preliminary Reports

At approximately 2200 mountain time, an AMD CH2000 crashed 7.1 miles southeast of Milford, seriously injuring the instrument student and instructor. The airplane was flying from Cedar City to Salt Lake City and had filed an IFR flight plan to be activated at Delta, Utah. VMC prevailed at the time of the accident. Shortly after the accident, one of the occupants called 911 on a cell phone, reporting the accident and that one person remained trapped in the wreckage. The accident was found about two hours later at about 8,500 feet msl in an area where terrain rises to 8,840 feet….

At about 1655 eastern time, a homebuilt RV-6A crashed approximately 715 feet from the approach end of runway 31 after losing engine power during a practice instrument approach. The pilot suffered minor injuries. The pilot said he had switched tanks about an hour into his flight, and about 15 minutes after switching tanks the engine lost partial power. He applied more throttle and initiated the instrument approach. During his prelanding checklist, he turned on the auxiliary pump, applied carb heat and reduced power. The engine then quit smoothly as if the mixture had been pulled. He tried to restart the engine unsuccessfully. When he realized he would be unable to make the runway, he lowered…

At 1248 eastern time, an Embraer ERJ-145LR operated by Continental Express was damaged when it overran the departure end of runway 6L at Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport. There were no injuries. Preliminary investigation showed the airplane touched down at 150 knots indicated when the airplane was only 0.38 miles from the localizer/DME antenna that was located 510 feet beyond the departure end of the 6,800-foot runway. A Notam had been issued an hour earlier that described the runway as covered with thin, wet snow. The winds at the time were from 330 at 19 knots, gusting to 29….

At about 1220 mountain time, Albuquerque Center lost radar and radio contact with a Piper PA-23-250 near Flagstaff. At the time of the report, the airplane had not been found and the four occupants are presumed dead. The airplane was flying VFR from Boulder City, Nev., to Midland, Texas, when the pilot reported he could not maintain VFR. He was given vectors to Flagstaff and reported the airport in sight, then reported losing visual contact. He then requested an IFR clearance and was told to climb and hold over the Flagstaff VOR. No further transmissions were received….

At about 1330 Pacific time, an Aeronca 7AC struck a Boeing Stearman PT17 after the 7AC started and left its parking place while being hand-propped. Both airplanes were damaged. The pilot of the Aeronca, and individual who had been holding the airplanes tail and a bystander who attempted to render assistance all received minor injuries. The pilot of the Aeronca was attempting to start the airplane without anyone at the controls. The pilot of the Stearman was waiting in the run-up area and intended to depart with the Aeronca. When the Aeronca did finally start, the airplane got away from both the pilot and the individual who was attempting to hold the tail. The Aeronca then turned to the righ…

At about 1553 eastern time, a Cessna 150K ditched into the water at the end of the runway after an aborted landing at Everglades Airpark. The flight instructor received minor injuries and the student received serious injuries. The instructor stated the student was on a stable approach to runway 33 but bounced the landing. The student then advanced the power for a go-around and the airplane banked to the left. The instructor took control and banked the airplane back toward the runway centerline. The airplane struck the runway edge lights on the right side of the runway, but the instructor continued the go-around. The airplane was airborne by the end of the runway but could not climb. To avoid…

At about 1600 mountain time, a Cessna 182H and a Grumman F6F-5 collided in midair about 1 mile east of Parker. The Cessna crashed and the pilot and passenger were killed. The Hellcat suffered a damaged left wing but landed safely without injury to the Hellcat pilot. The Parker Airport was hosting an air show and the Hellcat was participating in a display of warbirds. The Cessna was departing runway 19 with a left climbing turn from the downwind leg when it collided at midfield downwind with the Hellcat that was returning to the airport after an air-to-air photo shoot with another airplane. Witnesses did not recall the Cessna broadcasting position reports, and preliminary inspection of the ra…

At approximately 0745 Pacific time, a Cessna 172K lost engine power shortly after takeoff from Tacoma Narrows Airport and was damaged in the ensuing forced landing on a road. The airplane struck an automobile on the road, but no one was injured. The pilot was climbing to 3,000 feet on an IFR flight plan when the engine began to surge. He declared an emergency and was vectored for the ILS approach to runway 17. He broke out of the 400- to 900-foot ceiling about 3.5 miles from the airport but could not see it. He could not hold altitude and elected to land on a road, striking the rear of a car that was traveling in the same direction….

At 1359 Pacific time, a Cessna 414 crashed after losing engine power while on approach to runway 31L at Palm Springs International Airport. The flight instructor and one passenger suffered minor injuries, and the multiengine-rated pilot in the left seat suffered serious injuries. The passenger and left-seat pilot had just purchased the airplane and the instructor was giving them transition training. The instructor noted that when they inspected the airplane the day before the accident, the left alternator circuit breaker was open. It was reset without incident. Prior to the accident flight, the pilots drained one quart of cloudy water and sediment from one of the fuel tanks on the right wing…

At 1440 eastern time, a Cessna 172 crashed into a field when it failed to climb after takeoff from Hampton Roads Airport. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The pilot, a flight instructor, said she had spend 1 hours cleaning snow from the airplane before attempting to take off. She said she cleared the leading edges but decided the snow of top of the wings would blow off during taxi. As the airplane reached 300 feet, however, the stall horn went off and the pilot attempted to return to the airport. During the turn, the airplane landed hard in a field. A witness, who is a Designated Pilot Examiner, said the airplane was covered with up to 4 inches of snow and ice as the airplane taxie…