Preliminary Reports

At 06:20 eastern time, a Cessna 206H suffered an in-flight fire and crashed in a field in Mayville. The pilot was seriously injured. The pilot reported he was in cruise flight when an explosion occurred in the engine compartment. Flames immediately emanated from both sides of the engine, and smoke filled the cockpit. The pilot maneuvered the airplane toward some open fields, but had difficulty breathing and seeing outside the cockpit. He attempted to land in a clear area but clipped trees during the approach. The airplane was manufactured in May 1999 and had flown about 350 hours….

At about 11:20 eastern time, a Cessna 172R lost power while landing at Greenwood Lake Airport and crashed -mile from the runway. The CFI and commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight had originated at White Plains, N.Y., and had entered the traffic pattern for landing at Greenwood Lake. While on the base leg at 800 to 900 feet agl and with power set at 1,900 rpm, the pilot tried to apply power but the engine did not respond. No pre-impact anomalies were found and the engine was successfully run after the accident. Service Difficulty Reports for the Cessna 172R revealed 58 submissions regarding momentary engine roughness or intermittent loss of engine power, which have occurred b…

At about 15:55 eastern time, a Grob G102 crashed short of Seminole Lake Gliderport, but the pilot was not injured. The pilot said he deployed the airbrakes too early and the glider collided with trees short of the runway….

At approximately 15:15 Pacific time, a Cessna 172P that was taxiing for takeoff struck a Cessna 182J that was stopped on the taxiway with its engine running. No one was injured. The 172 pilot said he was taxiing south toward runway 16. As he approached the fuel island, he noted an aircraft fueling on the outside (taxiway side) of the fueling island. He also saw the Cessna 182 taxiing toward him. The 182 stopped abeam the fueling aircraft and, as the 172 pilot tried to taxi between the two airplanes, the 172s left wing struck the Cessna 182s left wing….

At 00:57 central time, a Beech E-55 departed controlled flight and crashed in a residential area three miles east of Joplin Regional Airport. All six aboard were killed. The airplane lost power on one engine and was making a single-engine instrument approach. Witnesses saw the airplane pitch up 30 degrees, roll counterclockwise and dive 45 degrees nose-down to the ground….

At about 11:45 eastern time, a Beech 77 overran the runway and struck a ditch while landing at a private airstrip named County Squire Field. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The pilot said he was making his first flight into the grass airstrip. The flight touched down about a third of the way down the 2,700-foot-long runway but rolled about 100 feet before all three wheels were on the ground. He applied the brakes and the airplane skidded to the left, which he corrected back to the runway centerline. He thought about performing a go-around but didnt think the airplane would clear trees ahead. The airplane went into the ditch at about 20 mph. Winds at the departure airport five mile…

At 10:10 Pacific time, a Piper PA-23 was damaged in a forced landing after a door opened in flight near Anza. The pilot suffered minor injuries. The pilot said he was at 9,500 feet msl when the cockpit door popped open. He said that he was unable to control the airplane in that configuration and subsequently initiated a reduced-power descent. He then performed an off-airfield, gear-up, forced landing in a flat, open, desert area….

At about 11:30 central time, a Cessna 172 landed hard on its nosewheel at Mobile Regional Airport. The pilot and rated safety pilot were not injured. The pilot was flying the aircraft from the right seat to practice the ILS Runway 14 approach. The pilot had executed one practice approach and was three miles from the airport on the second approach when the tower requested the airplane keep its speed up. The pilot reported he maintained 120 mph and requested a touch and go from the approach, which was granted. He performed the maneuver without flaps. As he attempted to slow the airplane and land it, the airplane porpoised and landed hard on the nosewheel, damaging the nosewheel and firewall….

At 13:31 eastern time, a Quicksilver crashed while maneuvering over a field in Duffield. The pilot was seriously injured and the passenger reported minor injuries. The pilot was dropping candy from the airplane to a group of people on the ground when the candy flew back into the pusher prop. The prop failed and the airplane was damaged in the ensuing forced landing….

At 08:30 central time, a Curtis Travel Air 4000 vintage biplane was damaged during its takeoff roll from a private grass airstrip. The three people aboard were not injured. The pilot raised the tail at about 50 to 60 knots, the right main landing gear hit a bump, and the airplane became airborne and banked left. The pilot over-corrected to the right and the right wingtip hit the ground. The airplane then went through several fences….