Preliminary Reports

At about 11:41 eastern time, a Learjet 55 and and Extra EA-300S collided in flight about 2 miles southwest of the Boca Raton Airport. The three occupants of the Learjet were killed and the pilot of the Extra, U.S. Aerobatics Team member John Lillberg, was also killed. The Extra had departed Pompano Beach Airpark about four minutes before the collision and the Learjet departed runway 23 at Boca about 1 minute 30 seconds before impact. The Extra was cruising at 2,400 feet on a heading of 341 when the Learjet took off. As it climbed out, the Learjet turned to a heading of 269. Shortly before the collision, the Extra turned to a heading of 360. A witness said the Extra appeared to begin an evas…

Between 16:00 and 21:45 mountain time, a Cessna 172 crashed approximately 11 miles northeast of Lusk while en route from Casper, Wyo., to Rapid City, S.D. The non-instrument rated pilot and his passenger were killed. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed….

At about 16:30 eastern time, a Beech BE-23 was damaged while taxiing at Lincoln Park Airport. The flight instructor and student pilot were uninjured. The pilot stated that he had recently bought the airplane and was teaching his wife to taxi. He was distracted by a wasp in the cockpit and the airplane veered off to the right side of the taxiway and struck a parked airplane. The right wing of the Beech sustained substantial damage and the propeller and windscreen of the parked airplane were damaged….

At about 20:43 mountain time, a Cessna 182 crashed into hills about 1.5 miles northeast of the Tuba City Airport, killing the pilot and passenger. The pilot had volunteered to transport blood to the Tuba City Hospital. According to a courier for the hospital, the airplane was to arrive about 20:35. The courier arrived about 20:25, and about five minutes later the pilot-operated runway lights came on. Within 3 to 5 minutes the courier saw an airplanes lights heading toward the airport. The airplane continued north and did not land. The National Weather Service had issued an advisory for turbulence and strong southwest winds 25 to 35 knots with gusts to 45 from early afternoon to early evenin…

At 13:07 eastern time, a Luscombe 8A departed the runway during the takeoff run at Clearview Airpark and was damaged when it struck a hangar. The pilot and flight instructor were not injured. The owner said he had recently purchased the airplane and needed a tailwheel checkout. The instructor said the owners handling of the airplane and use of brakes led him to believe the owner could make the takeoff. After the start of the takeoff roll, the airplane initially drifted right, and departed the right side of the 30-foot-wide runway. However, after running parallel to the runway for about 200 feet, it then crossed over the runway to the left and continued for an additional 225 feet, heading ab…

At 08:15 eastern time, a Cessna 172N ditched in the Atlantic Ocean 35 miles east of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., following a loss of engine power. All four occupants escaped without injury. The pilot said the flight departed the Bahamas and he climbed to a cruise altitude of 6,500 feet. About 30 minutes into the flight the pilot descended to 2,500 feet and, when he applied throttle to level off, there was no engine response. The pilot ditched the airplane near a commercial boat….

At 17:00 central time, a McClish Funk B85C nosed over during a forced landing following a total loss of engine power while on downwind at the Gardner Municipal Airport. The pilot received minor injuries. The pilot reported the accident occurred just after takeoff during the aircrafts maiden flight following restoration….

At approximately 01:30 mountain time, a Hawker Siddeley-125-700 was damaged when it missed the runway while landing at Jackson Hole Airport. No one was injured during the Part 135 flight. The captain said they could see runway 18 from five nautical miles away. He said he flew an ILS approach and landed the airplane on the runway. An investigation revealed the airplane first hit the ground approximately 160 feet left of the runway and 3,500 feet down the 6,300-foot runway. The airplane settled into approximately 2 to 3 feet of snow, and left a track in the snow for approximately 600 feet. The right wing separated from the airplane and the left wing was bent and badly damaged….

At about 15:15 Alaska time, a float-equipped Helio H-295 was damaged during a forced landing about 35 miles northeast of Port Alsworth. The pilot received minor injuries. The flight was en route to Anchorage when the engine began to run rough and lose power. The airplane collided with trees during a subsequent forced landing. Post-crash investigations found about 10 cc of clear water in the carburetor body drain plug. A visual inspection of the airplanes gascolator revealed the presence of about two cups of murky and silty water. The accident pilot stated that he had checked the accident airplanes fuel system for contaminants by draining a fuel sample from the gascolator….

At about 12:41 eastern time, an Embraer EMB-120RT operated by Comair Inc., had an in-flight fire in the right engine shortly after takeoff from Orlando International Airport. There were no injuries. The flight had just departed runway 17 in Orlando, en route to Fort Myers, when the right engine lost power and caught fire. The pilot made a teardrop maneuver and returned to MCO, landing without further incident on runway 35. After landing, the flight taxied onto a taxiway and the passengers and crew evacuated. Preliminary inspections of the engine revealed an internal failure of the No. 6 bearing, and subsequent failure of a fuel line, which resulted in an engine fire….