Preliminary Reports

At 13:15 central time, a Cessna 172RG was damaged during a precautionary landing near Washington after the pilots encountered smoke in the cockpit. The pilot and the CFI suffered minor injuries. The pilots were practicing commercial flight maneuvers when they smelled an electrical fire. They immediately began to return to the airport, but two minutes later the cockpit filled with smoke. The pilots secured all electrical equipment and landed in a field, where the airplane nosed over. An investigation showed chafing of electrical wires between the engine firewall and cockpit instrument panel. A plastic hydraulic reservoir was found melted and laying on the cockpit floor….

At about 17:30 eastern time, a Piper PA-28-161 struck trees during departure from Horace Williams Airport. The flight instructor and instrument student were not injured. The flight instructor said the engine sputtered and began to lose power at 100 to 200 feet agl. The engine then lost all power and the only option was a forced landing into trees off the departure end of runway 27….

At about 13:20 eastern time, a Piper PA-24-250 struck mountains near Paris, killing the pilot. IMC prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilots son said the airplane was being repositioned for an annual inspection. Examination of the wreckage found it was being operated on a mixture of auto gas and avgas. The seat belts were found unbuckled. An annual inspection had been performed at the departure airport, but the pilot was reportedly upset by the discrepancies noted. The mechanic noted in the logbooks that the airplane was unairworthy. The pilot did not obtain a ferry permit to reposition the airplane. The pilot reported more than 2,000 flight hours on his last medical application, b…

At about 16:33 eastern time, a Piper PA-32-300 crashed shortly after takeoff from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport. The pilot was seriously injured and four passengers were killed. The flight had been cleared to take off from runway 9L about three minutes earlier. The tower controller asked the pilot if he was experiencing difficulty and he replied slightly and advised he may have to circle. Witnesses said the airplane was about 800 feel agl in a steep bank when the nose pitched up and then dropped….

At about 10:15 eastern time, an Aerostar PA-60-601P crashed while attempting a landing at the Marco Island Executive Airport. The pilot was killed. The flight departed Venice about 30 minutes before the accident. Witnesses said the airplanes approach to runway 17 appeared unstable. The winds were from the southwest at 15 knots, gusting to about 20 knots, and the pilot appeared to have a hard time lining up with the runway centerline. The pilot climbed to about 50 feet agl, with little or no power advance, as it proceeded down the runway. At the midpoint of the runway, the aircraft entered a steep left bank and the nose dropped until the left wingtip contacted the ground. The aircraft skidde…

At approximately 16:14 central time, a Dehavilland DHC-6-300 crashed after a dual engine failure during the ILS Runway 34R approach to Meacham Airport. The three occupants were not injured. The pilot said the airplane was fueled at Alexandria, La. the day before the accident. On the day of the accident, the passengers were planning to deplane in Fort Worth and he was going to continue to Houston. After he was cleared for the approach and nearing the glideslope intercept, the right engine surged and quit, followed by the left engine. The pilot was unable to make the nearest airport and landed in a field, where the airplane struck a tree and a dirt berm. Inspection showed the aft main tank, wh…

At 22:55 eastern time, a Cessna 172L was damaged during an off-runway landing at Ledgedale Airpark. The pilot received minor injuries and the passenger was seriously injured. Dark night VMC prevailed. The flight was en route Akron, Ohio, to Brockport, the pilots home base. The runway lights were Notamd out of service. The airplane landed to the right of the taxiway that paralleled runway 28. The left wing struck the ground, the nose wheel collapsed, and the lower part of the cabin was crushed….

At about 08:25 eastern time, a Piper PA-28R struck a fence during taxi at Orlando International Airport. The commercial-rated pilot was not injured. The pilot was taxiing to park in preparation to meet a flight examiner for a flight evaluation ride. He looked to the left to ensure that he would be clear of another aircraft and the right wing hit a chain linked fence….

At 15:00 eastern time, a Piper PA-32-301 overran the runway after touching down fast at Seamans Field Airport. The pilot was not injured. The pilot said he was a little high on final and dove toward the runway, nearing the threshold at 95 knots. Witnesses said he landed about 1,500 feet down the 2,500-foot runway. The airplane almost stopped on the grass at the end of the runway, but the nosewheel went over an embankment and the airplane slid down a hill. The nearest weather report, from an airport 19 miles away, measured the winds as variable at 4 knots….

At approximately 07:30 Pacific time, a Cessna U206F on a Part 135 flight nosed over during the landing roll at a private airstrip about 13 nm northeast of Imnaha. The pilot said he circled the airstrip, located in a canyon, three or four times to determine the wind direction. He then set up for an approach to the southeast. He said the wind sock was limp during the approach, but shortly after touchdown a gust of wind picked the aircraft up and dropped it. The pilot opted to continue the landing instead of going around, but didnt have enough room to stop. He tried to ground loop the aircraft, but the nose gear separated and the airplane flipped inverted….