Search Results for: Ercoupe

A full page ad in the morning paper invited readers to a showing and reception for one of the new small jets (VLJs) at Million Air Cincinnati on the following Tuesday evening. It sounded like fun so I called the 800 number for an invitation. The young salesman was cordial but seemed intent on establishing […]

Receiving inspection of a new Cessna leading edge skin (p/n 0523029-4) found it was drilled incorrectly. None of the nose ribs would line up with the rivet holes. The submitter wrote, “This (is) the second time we have received this same part. We have asked for this part not to be put back into Cessna stock since [it] is non-conforming. [It] came with an FAA Form 8130-3 Airworthiness Approval Tag.”

Axioms about landing abound in aviation. Sayings such as “flying is the second greatest thrill known to man; landing is the first” and “any landing you can walk away from is a good landing” are among the most popular. You also hear colorful language applied to the landing process: A greaser is good; crow-hopping, porpoising, groundlooping are bad.

There’s a crosswind. A stiff one. Yuck. I sigh and do a conscious file-sort through the very dusty bins in the back of my brain. Let’s see. Slip to the left and land left-wheel first, being careful not to overreact on these super-light controls, be ready to add a little power if it bounces, and […]

March 1, 2006, Manhattan, Kan.
Piper PA-32RT-300T
At approximately 1140 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it struck several runway lights and a taxiway sign during a forced landing. Visual conditions prevailed; the Private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The cross-country flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot later said the engine began to surge as the airplane lifted off Runway 03. As the pilot executed a slow left turn towards Runway 13, the engine lost power. He managed to land on Runway 13, near its intersection with the departure runway, but the airplane was not aligned with the centerline. It went off the side…

May 3, 2005, Bismarck, N.D.
Piper PA-31T
At about 2100 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged during an emergency landing on Runway 21 at the Bismarck Municipal Airport (BIS) in Bismarck, N.D. The right main landing gear failed to extend prior to landing and the left main gear collapsed during rollout. The airplane subsequently departed the runway pavement before coming to rest. Visual conditions prevailed, and neither the Private pilot nor the passenger reported injuries. The pilot elected to divert to BIS when the landing failed to extend prior to landing at his intended destination.

May 3, 2005, Kalispell, Mont.
Cessna T210N
The airplane w…

February 1, 2005, Shallotte, N.C.
Cessna T210M
At 1857 Eastern time, the airplane collided with trees and power lines in the vicinity of Shallotte, N.C., while maneuvering during a forced landing. Visual conditions prevailed. The airplane was destroyed, and there was a posr-crash fire. The Private pilot reported minor injuries; the Private pilot-rated passenger was fatally injured. The flight originated from Atlantic City, New Jersey, on February 1, 2005, at 1615. The airplane had been in cruise flight at 3000 feet, receiving flight following from ATC, when engine power decreased to idle. As the pilot was making a Mayday call, he lost sight of a highway on which he plan…

The future of sport aviation has arrived, but what does it mean to you? After more than a decade of work on them, the FAA has finally published the Sport Pilot and Light Sport Aircraft rules. It’s great news for the EAA and other organizations that have championed the new rules. But, what now? By […]

When fishing for the pavement, pilots keep bending and breaking airplanes for the same reasons. Heres what you can do about it.

The following briefs were selected from the preliminary reports filed with the NTSB in May 2003. Statements in quotes were taken directly from the NTSB documents. Click here to view “Accident Totals, May.”

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May 03, Roanoke, Texas
Piper Super Cub
At 1500 central time, a Piper PA-18A-150 lost engine power during initial climb from Northwest Regional Airport and was damaged in the forced landing. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction suffered minor injuries. The pilot was receiving a flight checkout for his tail wheel endorsement and had been doing touch and goes. The pilot said that, when the flight depa…