February 1, 2024, Coatesville, Penn.
Grumman American GA-7
At about 1330 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged when its pilot apparently lost control following a right engine failure. The solo private pilot was fatally injured.
Witnesses noted the pilot was “in a hurry” and did not sump the fuel tanks after filling them to the tabs. They also described the engine sounds as smooth and continuous until just after takeoff, when a loud pop was heard followed by sputtering. The airplane made an “aggressive” right turn, and then turned left and continued on an approximate runway heading. Witnesses on the ground described the airplane in a steep turn before ground contact.
The airplane’s last flight had been December 14, 2023, when it was delivered for an avionics installation and other work. Examination revealed both engines had valve train continuity and compression. Borescope examination revealed signatures consistent with normal wear and combustion deposits. Visible water and debris in the accident airplane’s right-engine fuel system were found, and both propellers were similarly damaged, with one of two blades bent aft from approximately midspan. The rubber gasket on the right-wing fuel cap was not installed.
The airplane was the subject of a restoration project, which was documented in a series of online videos, for the purpose of returning the airplane to service and reselling it. The purpose of the flight was to deliver the airplane to its new owner.
[su_box title=”Safety In Numbers” box_color=”#e5eaef” title_color=”#273957″ radius=”6″]
Above, this NTSB-generated graph plots accident rates for fatal and non-fatal U.S. accidents among personal flights of piston-powered airplanes from 2008 through 2022.
From the graph, it’s clear that accident rate have generally declined slightly over the years, with a significant and perhaps to-be-revised decrease in 2022.
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February 1, 2024, Clearwater, Fla.
Beech V35B Bonanza
The pilot reported an in-flight fire and was trying to find the nearby airport when the airplane collided with two residences and the ground at about 1907 Eastern time, destroying the airplane. The solo commercial pilot was fatally injured. Two occupants of one residence also were fatally injured, and one occupant of a second residence sustained minor injuries. Clear night visual conditions prevailed.
At about 1900, when the flight was some 4.1 nm east-southeast of the runway at the destination airport, the pilot cancelled his IFR clearance. Two individuals heard the pilot broadcast on the CTAF that he could not find the airport and asked that the lights be turned up. Both individuals then heard the pilot announce he had a “fire.” The pilot maneuvered to the west of the airport before heading nearly parallel to its Runway 34 and then turned left to a southeasterly heading. At 1905:15, the airplane was west of the airport at 1100 feet msl when a 7700 transponder code was observed by ATC. A minute later, the pilot advised ATC, “I’m losing engine.” Although ATC pointed out an airport three miles ahead, there was no further contact.
A pilot flying nearby reported seeing the accident airplane in a 30- to 40-degree nose-low attitude he described as “an uncontrolled descent” with a “very bright light” descending to impact.
February 2, 2024, Cherokee, Okla.
Piper PA-24-260 Comanche
At about 1042 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it failed to climb during an aborted precautionary landing with a rough engine. The solo pilot was not injured.
The pilot reported that the engine started running rough while in cruise flight at 2500 feet msl. Efforts to restore full engine power were not successful. The airport was covered in ground fog from the surface to about 200 feet agl, hindering the approach. The pilot inadvertently landed long and attempted to execute a go-around, but the airplane did not have sufficient power to climb. Instead, it went off the end of the runway, struck the airport perimeter fence, crossed a road and impacted a second fence before coming to rest.
February 3, 2024, La Porte, Texas
Zivko Edge 540
The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1430 Central time during an aborted takeoff attempt. The pilot was not injured.
The pilot reported the preflight and takeoff were normal until about 200-400 feet above the runway when the engine made loud popping noises and lost power. The pilot maneuvered the airplane toward a grassy area on the airport. Upon touchdown, the airplane flipped over twice and came to rest upright. A witness heard the engine quit, saw the airplane maneuver to avoid hangars and make a landing in a wet, grassy area. As soon as its wheels touched the ground, the airplane flipped end over end. Initial examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any obvious pre-impact anomalies. About 18 gallons of fuel were verified on board.
February 5, 2024, Parkland, Fla.
Cessna 150G
At about 1535 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged in an off-airport landing following engine failure. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were uninjured.
Shortly after leveling off at 2000 feet msl, the pilot realized the engine was not making full power. The engine then began shaking and the pilot declared an emergency with ATC, and flew toward a road, clearing a traffic signal crossbar and avoiding vehicles approaching head-on from the left and trees to the right. According to the NTSB, everything “looked good to the pilot until just after touchdown, when a two-inch tree branch caught the right wingtip and turned the airplane perpendicular to the road, stopping it.”
Examination revealed an approximate six-inch hole in the top of the engine case behind the #2 cylinder and indications of oil starvation, though the oil tank was found to contain five quarts of oil, and the oil pump was functional. The #2 connecting rod was twisted, displayed thermal damage and was separated from the crankshaft. Multiple fragments from the #2 cylinder’s rod end cap and piston rings were found in the engine and oil tank. The three other rod end bearings displayed distress. No metallic debris was discovered in either the engine oil screen or oil filter.
February 7, 2024, Westwater, Utah
Hawker Beechcraft Hawker 900XP
The airplane was destroyed at about 1048 Mountain time when it crashed out of control during a post-maintenance test flight. The captain and co-pilot were fatally injured.
The airplane had undergone routine maintenance and inspection beginning December 20, 2023; the accident flight was the first since the airplane was returned to service the previous day. The manufacturer’s post-maintenance requirements included a stall-warning and systems check in visual conditions. After takeoff, the crew leveled off at FL200 at 1043:49. At 1046:47, flight track data show the airplane beginning a rapid descent in a circular pattern resembling a corkscrew. The airplane made multiple rotations before the track ended at 1047:44. The airplane came to rest in flat, open terrain; all major structures were all accounted for at the end of a debris path and burn area that was about 200 feet long and 175 feet wide at the widest point. The flight data and cockpit voice recorders were recovered.
February 9, 2024, Naples, Fla.
Bombardier Challenger 604
At about 1517 Eastern time, the airplane was destroyed when it was force-landed on an Interstate highway following a dual engine flameout and collided with a concrete barrier. The two airline transport pilots were fatally injured. The cabin attendant and the two passengers sustained minor injuries, and one person on the ground suffered minor injury. The airplane operated as a FAR Part 135 on-demand passenger flight.
After an uneventful flight from Columbus, Ohio, the crew was maneuvering for five-mile final approach to Runway 23 and was cleared to land. The first of three Master Warnings was recorded at 1509:33 (L ENGINE OIL PRESSURE), the second immediately following at 1509:34 (R ENGINE OIL PRESSURE), and at 1509:40 (ENGINE). Twenty seconds later, at 1510:05, with the airplane on a shallow intercept angle for the final approach course, at about 1000 feet msl/agl and 122 knots, the crew announced, “…lost both engines…emergency…making an emergency landing.” The airplane touched down on Interstate 75, and impacted a concrete sound barrier.
After the airplane came to rest, a fire erupted. The cabin attendant coordinated the successful egress of her passengers and herself through the baggage compartment door in the airplane’s tail.
February 11, 2024, Santa Ana, Calif.
Evektor-Aerotechnik Harmony LSA
The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1035 Pacific time in an apparent wake-turbulence encounter. The flight instructor sustained serious injuries and the student pilot sustained minor injuries.
According to a witness, a transport category airplane had touched down on Runway 20R about 30 seconds before the accident airplane appeared to descend for a landing on Runway 20L. At about 50 feet agl, it entered an aggressive right roll and descended rapidly to terrain. Winds were calm. A review of recorded ATC communications revealed the pilots of the accident airplane had been issued a caution about wake turbulence, which was acknowledged by the student pilot.
February 14, 2024, Bentonville, Ark.
Beech 400A BeechJet
At about 1410 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it overran the end of the runway during a takeoff attempt. The two pilots and three passengers were uninjured while two other passengers were seriously injured.
During the takeoff roll, the pilot pulled the control yoke back to rotate the airplane, but it was unresponsive. He aborted the takeoff, but insufficient runway remained to stop, and the airplane departed the runway and came to rest in mud and grass. The right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing was damaged. Examination revealed the elevator control cable was separated.
February 16, 2024, Centreville, Ala.
Cessna 172M Skyhawk
The airplane was substantially damaged at 1029 Central time when it collided with power lines and a river surface, and then sank. The solo commercial pilot was fatally injured.
A witness observed the airplane flying low over the river and heard it strike the powerlines, severing one of the cables. The airplane’s engine was operating at high power. The airplane then veered left and impacted the river before it sank in 75- to 80-foot-deep water.
February 24, 2024, Jackson, Ohio
Piper PA-32-300 Cherokee Six
At around 1140 Eastern time, the airplane was destroyed when it collided with terrain shortly after takeoff. The non-instrument-rated pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. Instrument conditions prevailed.
According to two witnesses, the airplane departed Runway 01 during heavy snowfall. Another witness observed the airplane turn left after takeoff, also in heavy snow, and then heard a “crunching sound.” The airplane came to rest about ½ mile from the departure end of Runway 01. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures precluding normal operation. According to the pilot’s flight instructor, the accident pilot had accrued about 20 hours of simulated instrument flight toward his instrument rating. Reported weather at 1135 included an overcast at 1200 feet, 1¾ miles of visibility in light snow and gusting winds.
February 24, 2024, Cape Coral, Fla.
Bellanca 17-30A Super Viking 300A
The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1000 Eastern time when it was landed off-airport following loss of engine power. The solo pilot was not injured.
According to the pilot, the airplane had been airborne for approximately five minutes when it experienced a total loss of engine power at around 1500 feet msl/agl. The pilot’s remedial actions failed to restore engine power. During the approach, the airplane contacted powerlines before touching down in the grass of a divided highway and skidding into the roadway. According to the pilot, the airplane had 70 gallons of fuel aboard at takeoff; it had not flown or been refueled since December 2023. First responders observed a ”small” fuel leak from the right inboard wing when they arrived. Workers later reported both fuel tanks “appeared dry” when the wings were removed.
