Preliminary Reports

At about 1103 eastern time, a Beech BE-55 crashed in Norris Lake, killing the pilot. The pilot had filed an IFR flight plan for a 40-minute flight from McMinnville to Jacksboro. About 25 minutes into the flight he canceled his IFR clearance and proceeded in visual conditions. Witnesses reported hearing what sounded like engine trouble, followed by the airplane rolling into at least a 45-degree bank and pitching steeply down….

At about 1100 Pacific time, a Cessna 185A was damaged while making a low approach to Santa Paula Airport and subsequently was further damaged while making a precautionary landing in a nearby dry riverbed. The pilot departed Fresno at about 0930, but encountered low clouds upon arriving at Santa Paula. He was making a climbing right turn to get out of the clouds when he heard a loud bang. He then discovered the right gear was missing. Because of the narrow runway at Santa Paula, he landed in a nearby riverbed, at which time the left gear leg struck a stump….

At 0930 mountain time, a Cessna 172N aborted its takeoff from runway 4R at Falcon Field Airport after smoke was observed in the cockpit. The airplane was destroyed by fire but the flight instructor and student pilot were uninjured. The CFI said smoke started coming from the panel just after rotation. He aborted the takeoff, coming to rest in a ditch, and the two evacuated the airplane. He said the landing light circuit breaker had popped….

At 1849 eastern time, a Piper PA-28R-180 struck power lines that crossed the Muskegon River near Newaygo. The pilot and two passengers were killed. A witness said the rented airplane was flying along the river at about 20 feet above the water level when it hit the power lines….

At approximately 11:47 CST, a Learjet 35A was substantially damaged when the airplane undershot the threshold for Runway 19 while landing at the Rogers Municipal Airport. The first officer and one passenger suffered minor injuries, the captain and seven passengers were not injured. The 671-mile Part 135 flight originated from Winston Salem, N.C., at about 10:17. On landing, the airplane touched down 12 feet short of the landing threshold. The left main landing gear struck the concrete foundation for the approach lighting system and collapsed. The airplane traveled another 1,700 feet before coming to rest on the east side of the 6,011 foot asphalt runway. The winds were reported from 150 degr…

At about 11:23 EDT, a Beech Baron collided with a Cessna 172K while on final approach to runway 09L at Lakeland-Linder Regional Airport during Sun-n-Fun. Both airplanes were destroyed. The Baron pilot reported minor injuries and the two occupants of the Cessna also reported minor injuries. A witness said Baron did not make the correct entry to downwind or base leg for landing. The Baron flew the downwind leg at about 1,700 feet instead of 1,200 feet and the Cessna was observed on a low final. The Baron cut in front of another airplane and descended toward the Cessna, overtaking it and colliding with the Cessnas vertical stabilizer and the top of the fuselage. The nose of the Cessna pitched…

At about 11:39 EDT, a Flight Safety Piper Seminole crashed while attempting an emergency landing while on a check ride. Neither the check pilot nor the multiengine rating applicant were injured. While at 4,000 feet they simulated the failure of the right engine, shut down the engine and placed the propeller in the feathered position. After completion of the maneuver, the pilot-in-command was instructed to restart the right engine. As they were doing this, they heard a loud bang from the left side of the aircraft and looked out to see the left engine hanging down about 45 degrees from the normal position. They completed starting the right engine and turned toward the Vero Beach Airport for an…

At about 05:18 PDT, a Beech 36 hit trees and power transformers and crashed on a city street near Montgomery Field, killing the two occupants. The airplane was on an ILS approach to runway 28R when the accident occurred. At 05:18, the air traffic controller asked the pilot if he was receiving the glide slope satisfactorily and the pilot replied affirmative. The controller then advised the pilot to contact the Montgomery Advisory Frequency, since the control tower was not operating at this time. At 05:19, the controller issued a low altitude alert for the pilot -mile east of the outer marker. Two witnesses reported hearing an explosion, after which the streetlights went out. One witness sa…

At about 19:00 MDT, a Cessna 150 hit trees while maneuvering near the shoreline of Lake Mary and crashed approximately 13 miles southeast of Flagstaff. The pilot was seriously injured and his passenger sustained minor injuries. Witnesses reported observed the airplane performing low altitude maneuvers over the lake. The passengers wife told investigators that her husband, who was not a pilot, said they had been grazing the lake and could not pull up when the accident occurred. The fuel tanks reportedly contained a total of about 12 gallons of fuel at takeoff from Flagstaff. Together, the two occupants weighed about 450 pounds….

At about 10:45 CDT, a Piper J-3C operating as an airshow flight lost a performer, who fell from an externally fixed rope ladder at Hawkins Airport. The performer was killed. The performer was stationed on a truck platform, and had made the truck-to-ladder transfer. The airplane began to climb and was 60 to 120 feet agl when the performer lost his grip on the rope ladder. The routine had been given FAA airshow approval….