Preliminary Reports

At about 19:20 eastern time, a Piper PA-28RT-201 struck a ridge while in cruise flight, killing the pilot and two passengers. Witnesses said the airplane was flying in and out of the clouds in drizzly weather with low ceilings. The ridge was obscured by fog and mist. The pilot apparently attempted to pull up to get over the ridge, but crashed about 400 feet lower than the 1,800 feet msl peak. The pilot did not hold an instrument rating but reported 2,000 hours on his last medical certificate application….

At 13:07 mountain time, a Beech V35B lost power and landed in a field five miles east of Falcon Field. The two occupants reported minor injuries. The pilot said he had departed Marana, Ariz., about a hour earlier and, while in cruise flight using the left fuel tank, the engine lost power. He was unable to restart the engine and landed gear up in a field. Investigation revealed the left fuel tank contained about 1 quart of fuel and the right tank appeared to be approximately half full….

At 20:52 central time, a Cessna 210 was damaged during a gear-up landing. The pilot and his passenger were not injured. The pilot was flying from Batesville to Fayetteville but, on approach to Fayetteville, the pilot noticed the right main gear did not appear down and locked when viewed from the wing mirror. The pilot determined the hydraulic reservoir was empty. The passenger put engine oil into the reservoir, but the gear would still not extend. The pilot elected to divert to Fort Smith, where the emergency equipment was better. The airplane landed with the nose gear extended and the main gear retracted. A mechanic who later examined the airplane said the left landing gear actuator was bu…

At 09:33 eastern time, a homebuilt Lancair IV-P lost power and was damaged during a forced landing in Fryeburg. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The pilot said he was climbing through 8,000 feet for 14,500 feet, when the manifold pressure, which had been about 34 inches, dropped to about 15 inches. He turned toward Eastern Slopes Regional Airport but touched down about 100 feet short of the runway with partial landing gear extension. The pilot reported that he had just completed his phase 1 flight time requirements and had inspected the airplane. During the inspection, several people, some of whom were not rated mechanics, assisted the pilot. The engine cowling had been removed, and…

At about 20:00 eastern time, a Cessna 152 nose-dived into the ground during low-level maneuvering near La Grange, killing the student pilot. Witnesses said the pilot called his home by cell phone while airborne, saying hed soon be flying overhead. He circled his house at 100 to 300 feet, wagging the wings. After about five minutes, the airplane flew toward a prison complex and suddenly nose-dived into the ground. No pre-crash anomalies were found. The flight instructor said he had approved the students solo flight to practice coordination exercises and advised the student pilot not to do any low flying or any other inappropriate flying. The instructor said the student assured me he was…

At about 06:06 eastern time, a Piper PA-32RT-300 crashed during an ILS Runway 20 approach to Concord Regional Airport. The pilot was killed. The approach controller asked the pilot if he was familiar with the Notams at Concord, told the pilot that the glide slope was out of service and that the ILS DME was unmonitored. The pilot was further instructed by approach that the AWOS visibility report was unreliable at Concord The pilot was then cleared for approach. The pilot acknowledged the clearance. Thirty seconds later, the controller approved a frequency change and asked the pilot to report canceling IFR when he was on the ground. The pilot did not acknowledge the transmission….

At approximately 13:30 mountain time, a Cessna T206H was damaged during landing at Front Range Airport. The pilot was not injured. The pilot was en route IFR from Tea, S.D., to Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colo., when he encountered icing conditions. He requested various altitudes in an attempt to get out of the icing, but was unable to maintain altitude and diverted to Front Range. The airplane landed hard, departed the runway and struck a taxiway sign….

At 19:15 central time, a Cessna 206H struck trees on top of Penitentiary Mountain, killing the pilot. The Part 135 cargo flight was not operating on a flight plan and instrument conditions prevailed. Neither the FAA nor the cargo company reported having any communications with the flight, which was en route from Gainesville, Ga., to Bessemer, Ala. The operator notified authorities when the flight became overdue and an ELT signal was detected. The wreckage was spread on the upslope of the 1,400-foot mountain and on the downslope on the other side of the peak….

At about 14:45 eastern time, a homebuilt Kitfox crashed while maneuvering over a residential area, killing both aboard. Witnesses said the airplane was circling at 15 to 20 feet above the trees and power lines with bank angles approaching 90 degrees. The owner of the airplane said the pilot had approximately 450 hours of total time, with 30 hours in make and model, including 22 in the accident airplane in the last 30 days….

At about 22:46 Pacific time, a Cessna 172M crashed on initial climb following an aborted landing on runway 23 at Placerville Airport. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The pilot had obtained his private license about six weeks earlier and the accident flight was the pilots first nighttime, solo, cross-country flight since certification. He said that on his first approach the airplane appeared too high so he went around. On the second approach he also believed he was too high, but the airplane touched down on the runway. The pilot did not think he could stop on the remaining runway, so he applied power to go around. The airplane stalled and crashed about a half-mile west of the airport….