Preliminary Reports

At 13:01 eastern time, a Robinson R22 Beta helicopter crashed after an attempted prison break when it struck trees shortly after takeoff from the Martin County Treatment Center. The student-rated pilot and the prisoner he attempted to free were not injured in the crash and were apprehended the next day. The student was receiving instruction from a flight school in Fort Lauderdale and had been signed off for a solo flight from Fort Lauderdale to Pahokee, Fla., and Stuart, Fla. However, he diverted to the prison and hovered over the facilitys recreation yard while the prisoner climbed aboard….

At 11:38 eastern time, a Mooney M20J was damaged during a forced landing shortly after takeoff from Danbury Municipal Airport. The pilot was seriously injured and the two passengers were not injured. The pilot told investigators that, at 600 to 700 feet, the engine began running rough, then quit. The pilot then landed the airplane in a swamp. The pilot also said the airplane had sat on the ramp for about 2 weeks, and that he did not check the fuel tanks for water prior to departure….

At about 10:25 eastern time, a Cessna 172P was damaged during takeoff from Cross Keys Airport, leaving the pilot with minor injuries. The pilot said he was flying from the front right seat, practicing for his CFI practical test, when during his takeoff roll the seat slid rearward. He aborted the takeoff, secured the seat and departed uneventfully. He performed some maneuvers and landed at Millville Municipal Airport. He then departed and returned to Cross Keys. After landing, he made another takeoff, and this time the seat slid rearward again and he lost control of the airplane. The airplane climbed 20 to 30 feet, then cartwheeled along the left wing, struck two parked airplanes and burned…

At 15:09 central time, a Cessna 150 crashed in an uncontrolled descent following takeoff from the south runway at the Sky Haven Airpark, a private grass airstrip near Collinsville. The pilot was killed. A witness said two Cessna 150s taxied to the north end of the airstrip. The accident airplane was number one for departure. As the airplane climbed through 50 feet the pilot banked 35-40 degrees to the left and climbed to about 200 feet. Then he made a 45-degree banked turn to the left and wagged his wings in very steep banks. He then made another 45-degree banked turn and continued wagging his wings. During the recovery from the last wag, the airplane apparently stalled and made a one-turn s…

At 20:38 eastern time, an Embraer 120RT operating as Atlantic Southeast Airways flight 71 struck two deer just after landing at Yeager Airport. One passenger was seriously injured when the tip of one of the right propeller blades punctured the fuselage. The captain said the airplane hit two deer within seconds of landing. One of the deer was hit by the nose gear, the other by the right propeller. The separated chunk of one of the propeller blades was about four inches long and three inches wide….

At about 03:15 central time, a Piper PA-28-180 crashed about -mile north of runway 17 during an instrument approach to Stillwater Municipal Airport. The non-instrument rated pilot was killed and the passenger was seriously injured. An IFR flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight that departed Hays, Kan., at 01:10 en route to Stillwater. The pilot had flown to Stillwater from Cullman, Ala., with his wife, arriving Nov. 22 at about 18:30. At about 21:45 he left alone, flew to Hays and picked up his daughter. He refueled and filed an IFR flight plan back to Stillman, departing Nov. 23 at about 01:10. When he arrived at Stillman, visibility was 4 miles in light rain and mist, ceiling…

At 14:00 central time, an amateur-built Aero Comp-6 nosed over during a forced landing in a snow-covered field near Brainerd after losing engine power. The pilot was not injured. The pilot said the purpose of the flight was to check the calibration on a newly installed fuel gauge sending unit….

At 12:46 eastern time, a Piper PA-28-161 and a Piper PA-23-250 collided on final approach to runway 9 at Saint Lucie International Airport. The pilots, sole occupants of each plane, were killed. The pilot of the Warrior, a Saudi Arabian national with a private license making an instructional flight, made a touch-and-go landing and re-entered the traffic pattern. The tower controller instructed him to execute a 360-degree right turn on downwind. Meanwhile, the pilot of the Aztec reported 10 miles west inbound to the airport and was instructed to continue straight in and report crossing the interstate highway. When the Aztec pilot reported over the interstate, the tower controller told him to…

At 10:00 central time, a Smith 60-601P struck trees during initial climb from runway 28 at Fillmore County Airport. The pilot and passenger reported no injuries. The pilot reported, I initiated the takeoff on runway 28, accelerated to 100 MPH, rotated & lifted off. The gear and flaps were raised, and the aircraft stopped accelerating at about 112-115 MPH. I lowered the nose to pick up some speed, but it still wouldnt accelerate. I could see the trees approaching west of the airport and knew I didnt have climb speed, but also knew there was no choice but to pull up & hope I didnt stall. I pulled up sharply, but clipped the tops of the trees, the airspeed was still at 115 MPH IAS with 12+…

At 13:13 Alaska time, a Piper PA-31-350 was damaged during a wake turbulence encounter about 3.5 miles northwest of Anchorage. The pilot was not injured. The pilot was in contact with controllers, who pointed out traffic departing the Lake Hood Seaplane Base but did not advise him of a McDonnel Douglas MD-11 that was on final approach to land on runway 14. His flight path was behind and below the MD-11. Shortly after the MD-11 airplane passed his position, the pilot said his airplane encountered wake turbulence from the MD-11 that produced a violent vertical wind shear. The airplanes right winglet mounted landing light cover and the landing light assembly departed the airplane and the gear…