Preliminary Reports

At about 12:00 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-12 sustained substantial damage during takeoff from a private airstrip. The pilot, who held a student pilot certificate, and passenger received minor injuries, while a second passenger was not injured. The pilot refused to talk to an FAA inspector and refused to provide his name or discuss the details of the accident with the NTSB investigator-in-charge. The accident was reported by the president of the homeowners association where the airstrip is located, who notified the Alaska State Troopers office and talked to the NTSB. The homeowners association president told the NTSB that the pilot reported encountering wind shea…

At about 19:45 PDT, a Beech B200 exhausted its fuel and was ditched in the Pacific Ocean following a temporary incapacitation of the pilot, who was not injured. The flight originated at Parker, Ariz., about 17:54 MST, and was destined for Palomar, Calif. At 18:38, the pilot advised that he was sick and radio contact was lost thereafter. The aircraft was tracked on radar and intercepted by military aircraft about 100 miles beyond the destination airport. About 19:33, the pilot reported through a relay by another aircraft that he had passed out, was now recovered, but was out of fuel. The aircraft landed in the ocean about 160 miles southwest of San Diego. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued the pilo…

At 15:50 CDT, a Cessna T207A flipped over while taxing onto runway 24 at the Austin Straubel International Airport. The pilot reported minor injuries. Winds reported just prior to the accident were from 310 degrees at 34 knots gusting to 47 knots. Another reading was taken as the accident was occurring reported the winds at center field from 290 degrees at 27 knots gusting to 44 knots, with winds at the northeast quadrant reported from 360 degrees at 28 knots. The tower issued a low level wind shear advisory….

At about 10:30 EDT, a flight instructor and student pilot sustained minor injuries when their Piper PA-28-161 crashed -mile short of the runway at the Horace Williams Airport. The pilot reported encountering severe gusting winds while on final approach to runway 27 to the extent that control about the airplanes longitudinal axis was lost. Examination of the wreckage path revealed the airplanes initial collision with the ground was on a heading of about 180 degrees. Local TV news subsequently reported that numerous trees and power lines were down as a result of winds that reached 50 to 60 miles an hour as a weather system traveled through the area at the time of the accident….

At about 18:00 EDT, a homebuilt Long-EZ crashed in the vicinity of Collegedale. The private-rated pilot and private-rated passenger were not injured. According to the pilot, he had just purchased the airplane and was conducting in-flight familiarization with the delivery pilot. After 30 minutes of flight and two landings conducted from the back seat, the pilots decided to perform a full-stop landing and switch seats. The pilot reported that the airplane got too low on final approach with the speed brakes extended, and that he was not familiar enough with the cockpit control location for the speed brakes to retract them in a timely manner….

At about 10:45 EDT, two Avions Mudry CAP-10Bs operated by French Connection Airshows as an airshow practice flight, collided in flight and crashed at the Flagler County Airport. Both aircraft were destroyed and both pilots were killed. The formation flight departed about 15 minutes before the accident. According to eyewitnesses and examination of a videotape of the flight, the team had performed a formation hammerhead stall that terminates with the wingman rolling 180 degrees while the team is in their nose-down vertical recovery from the stall (essentially belly-to-belly), and an immediate pull-out that results in a formation split into flight paths 180 degrees apart. The accident occurred…

The following briefs were selected from the 224 preliminary reports filed with the NTSB in August 1999. Statements in quotes were taken directly from the NTSB documents. The information is subject to change as the investigations are completed. Click here to view “Accident Totals, August.”

———-

Aug. 3, Tusayan, Ariz.
Cessna 177B Cardinal
At 14:07 PDT, a Cessna Cardinal crashed shortly after takeoff from Grand Canyon National Park Airport, killing the pilot and one passenger and seriously injuring another passenger. Several pilot witnesses stated that the airplane appeared slow and did not climb much above the trees. Ab…

The following briefs were selected from the 105 preliminary reports filed with the NTSB in November 1999. Statements in quotes were taken directly from the NTSB documents. The information is subject to change as the investigations are completed. Click here to view “Accident Totals, November.”

———-

Nov. 2, Stites, Idaho
Hiller UH-12
At approximately 11:18 PST, a Hiller UH-12E suffered an inflight separation of a control rotor, after which the helicopter struck power lines and crashed. The pilot and one passenger were seriously injured; a third occupant was not injured. The pilot said he was on a fish-spotting mission at…

The following briefs were selected from the 98 preliminary reports filed with the NTSB in January 2000. Statements in quotes were taken directly from the NTSB documents. The information is subject to change as the investigations are completed. Click here to view “Accident Totals, January.”

———-

Jan. 2, Telluride, Colo.
Cessna Golden Eagle
At approximately 09:50 MST, a Cessna 421B crashed while maneuvering near Telluride. IMC prevailed but the pilot was not instrument rated and had not filed a flight plan. The flight had departed Montrose, Colo., approximately 30 minutes before the accident, en route to El Paso, Texas….

The following briefs were selected from the 173 preliminary reports filed with the NTSB in May 2000. Statements in quotes were taken directly from the NTSB documents. The information is subject to change as the investigations are completed. Click here to view “Accident Totals, May.”

———-

May 1, Kotzebue, Alaska
Piper Super Cub
At about 06:30 Alaska daylight time, a ski-equipped Piper PA-18 collided with snow-covered terrain 33.5 miles west-northwest of Kotzebue. The pilot, who held an expired student pilot certificate, was killed. Passing villagers found the airplane inverted about one mile east of the coast near Cape…