June 1, 2024, Aitkin, Minn.
Cirrus SR20
At about 1218 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged when its pilot deployed the airframe parachute. The pilot and one passenger were not injured while a second passenger sustained minor injuries.
On landing, the airplane touched down and bounced. The pilot elected to go around but later reported “the engine did not seem right” when he applied full power and the airplane’s climb performance was degraded. The pilot then activated the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System. The airplane came to rest upright adjacent to the runway, with a damaged right wing.
June 1, 2024, San Diego, Calif.
Beechcraft 35-C33A Debonair
The airplane experienced a hard landing short of the intended runway at 1355 Pacific time, following partial engine failure while on short final. The pilot and two passengers were not injured.
The pilot stated that the fuel tanks were full when he departed on the approximately 330 nm flight. He departed with the fuel selector positioned on the left tank and switched to the right fuel tank about 200 nm into the flight. During the approach, he noted the right tank fuel gauge showed it contained more fuel than the left one.
On final approach, about one mile from the runway, the engine experienced a partial loss of power and was “running rough.” The pilot attempted to remedy the power loss but was unable. The airplane touched down hard, collapsing the nose landing gear. The left wing also sustained damage.
June 2, 2024, Bethel, Alaska
Cessna 207A Stationair 7
At about 1600 Alaska daylight time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it landed hard during takeoff after its wing flaps inadvertently retracted. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane operated as a FAR 135 cargo flight.
The pilot later reported conducting a short-field takeoff, lifting off at about 63-65 knots and climbing out at about 77 knots. At about 100 feet agl, the pilot felt the airplane “sink” and noticed the flap switch had moved to the full-up position. The pilot then noticed airspeed was dropping and pushed the nose down to regain airspeed. Instead, the airplane landed hard on the runway, damaging the fuselage and empennage.
June 6, 2024, Auburn, Wash.
Van’s RV-12 Experimental
The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1159 Pacific time when it collided with a warehouse after its pilot reported control system failure. The pilot was fatally injured.
After a local flight, the airplane returned to the airport from the east. The pilot reported on CTAF that he was over midfield and intended to perform a full-stop landing on Runway 35. As it rolled out onto the left downwind leg, the pilot transmitted, “Pan, Pan…I just had a control failure, I’m inbound for 35, without any controls.” Over the next 45 seconds, the airplane began a descending left turn that witnesses described as similar to a spin or spiral dive. A security camera captured the airplane in a 45-degree descending left turn. Its roll rate rapidly increased, and it struck the warehouse roof inverted in a 45-degree nose-down attitude.
Examination revealed the left control stick pushrod was not connected to the inboard eyebolt bearing at the flaperon mixer bellcrank. Comparison with the airplane’s plans showed the inboard eyebolts were installed with their studs connected to the pushrod and body to the mixing bellcrank, rather than the other way around. This allowed the eyebolt’s stud end to rotate freely within the threaded portion of the pushrod. The airplane was completed in May 2021, and had accrued about 100 hours of flight time.
June 7, 2024, Vero Beach, Fla.
Piper PA-28R-201 Arrow V
During preflight inspection, the flight instructor noticed missing rivets and bent sheet metal on the vertical stabilizer. Maintenance grounded that airplane and others in their fleet, and inspected them for any similar damage. No other damage was noted on the other airplanes. When the damage occurred could not be determined, but the NTSB states the “damage was likely the result of excessive side loading of the vertical stabilizer during flight.”
June 7, 2024, Arvada, Colo.
Beech V35A Bonanza
At about 0930 Mountain time, the airplane was destroyed when it was force-landed on a residential road following engine failure. The pilot and two passengers sustained serious injuries, and one passenger sustained fatal injuries.
About 10 minutes after taking off, the pilot radioed that he was having engine oil pressure problems and was diverting. Unable to reach the divert airport, the pilot attempted a forced landing to a roadway in a residential area. Witnesses stated that the airplane was flying low, and its engine did not sound normal. They also described what they thought was white smoke coming from it.
Evidence showed the airplane contacted the roadway, gear up, and slid down the road about 400 feet before colliding with a parked vehicle and coming to rest upright in the front yard of a private residence. The airplane was mostly consumed by a post-impact fire.
June 7, 2024, Deer Harbor, Wash.
Beech A45/T-34A Mentor
The airplane was destroyed at about 1140 Pacific time when it collided with water off the San Juan Islands. The solo pilot, Apollo 8 astronaut USAF Maj. Gen. William A. Anders (Ret.), was fatally injured.
A witness used his phone to record the accident sequence, which began with the airplane flying inverted, in a slightly nose-down attitude and on a southerly heading. Over the next three seconds the airplane transitioned to an almost vertical dive. As the airplane approached the water, it began to pull out of the dive, now facing the opposite direction. By the time it had recovered to an almost wings-level, upright attitude, the airplane struck the water with its right wingtip and spun across the water on a northern trajectory.
June 8, 2024, Tullahoma, Tenn.
North American Navion
At 0645 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged when its engine failed shortly after takeoff. The solo private pilot sustained minor injuries.
The pilot later reported estimating there were six gallons of fuel in the main fuel tank and between 12 and 14 gallons in the auxiliary tank. The pilot took off from Runway 24 with the main tank selected. While turning onto the crosswind traffic pattern leg, at about 300 feet agl, the engine “instantaneously” lost all power. The pilot switched the fuel selector to the auxiliary tank, and “toggled” the fuel boost pump on and off. The engine “abruptly” began producing power again and the pilot was able to climb the airplane and turned toward Runway 06. Shortly, the engine again lost all power. The airplane subsequently impacted trees short of Runway 06.
Examination revealed no fuel in the main tanks; the auxiliary tank contained 10 gallons of fuel. The fuel tanks remained intact and there was no evidence of spillage at the accident site.
June 10, 2024, Clinton, Mich.
Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee 140
The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1311 Eastern time when it collided with terrain. The flight instructor was fatally injured; the student pilot sustained serious injuries.
The flight took off at about 1132. At about 1308, the flight contacted ATC for a landing at the airplane’s base. About a minute later, the airplane began descending and entered a left turn. The descent continued until the airplane impacted a field in a steep, nose-down, right-wing-down attitude about 13 nm southwest of the destination airport.
Records indicate the airplane was last fueled “to the tabs” and flown about 1.2 hours before the accident flight. About 1.25 gallons of liquid consistent with 100LL was collected from the left tank; an unknown quantity of fuel leaked from the left tank during recovery operations. The right fuel tank contained a trace amount of liquid. No fuel blight, moistened soil or fuel staining was noted within the area of the right wing. The fuel selector was found positioned between the left tank and the off position.
June 15, 2024, Chino, Calif.
Lockheed 12A Electra Junior
At about 1236 Pacific time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it descended into terrain shortly after takeoff. The pilot and co-pilot were fatally injured.
During engine start, the ground crew warned the flight crew with hand and arm signals that the flaps were extended. Witnesses observed the accident airplane taxi to the runway and take off with the flaps extended. As the airplane reached the departure end of the runway, at about 200-300 feet agl, the airplane pitched up, turned to the left and entered a nose-low attitude before descending into terrain. A post-crash fire ensued.
June 17, 2024, Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Cessna 421 Golden Eagle
At about 1623 Mountain time, the airplane was destroyed when its pilot apparently lost control after its left engine failed. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured.
The flight took off from Longmont, Colo., at about 1515. While en route, the pilot reported to ATC loss of the left engine. The pilot soon reported a four-mile final for Runway 16 at the divert airport, and then reported on the base leg for Runway 32 shortly afterward. While on the base-to-final turn for Runway 32, the airplane was observed to enter a flat, spiraling descent and impact terrain. A post-impact fire ensued and consumed a majority of the airplane. The left propeller appeared to be feathered.
June 17, 2024, Loudonville, N.Y.
Piper PA-31-310 Navajo
The airplane was destroyed at 0816 Eastern time when it descended into terrain shortly after takeoff. The solo airline transport pilot was fatally injured. One person on the ground sustained minor injuries.
According to witnesses, radar track data and airport surveillance video, the airplane climbed to 200-200 feet agl after takeoff. As it passed the departure end of the runway, it abruptly pitched up, leveled, pitched up again and climbed to about 800 feet. The airplane then made a “barrel roll,” descended to 200 feet, turned left and completed one or two 360-degree rolls before it descended to the ground and impacted a wooded area. A post-impact fire substantially consumed the airframe.
The left and right propellers displayed chordwise scarring and leading-edge gouges consistent with rotation at the time of impact. The elevator trim actuator’s position corresponded to a full nose-up trim condition.
June 17, 2014, Jackson, Ga.
Lockheed 12A Electra Junior
The airplane was substantially damaged at 1949 Eastern time when it veered off the runway after landing and collided with trees. The flight instructor, commercial pilot and one passenger were seriously injured.
A video of the landing showed the airplane veering off the runway’s left side during the landing roll. The airplane came to rest about 1682 feet down Runway 36 and about 50 feet from its left edge. A tree trunk about two feet in circumference was observed in the cockpit, with the instrument panel buckled around it. The pilot, co-pilot and passenger seats were crushed up and aft.
Flight control continuity was traced from the flight control surfaces to the cockpit. The engine throttle controls were in the closed position, and the left and right propellers were in the high pitch/low rpm position. Examination of the right brake system revealed a B-nut fitting was finger-tight and leaking hydraulic fluid. The respective left brake B-nut fitting was tight and could not be moved by hand. No fluid leakage was observed from this fitting, but hydraulic fluid residue was present.
