General Aviation Accident Bulletin

Recent general aviation and air carrier accidents.

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AVweb’s General Aviation Accident Bulletin is taken from the pages of our sister publication, Aviation Safety magazine and is published twice a month. All the reports listed here are preliminary and include only initial factual findings about crashes. You can learn more about the final probable cause in the NTSB’s web site at www.ntsb.gov. Final reports appear about a year after the accident, although some take longer. Find out more about Aviation Safety atwww.aviationsafetymagazine.com.

Piper PA-28-235 Cherokee 235

November 12, 2016, Taylor, Arizona

The airplane struck a berm at about 1640 Mountain time during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured, but the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual conditions prevailed.

While the student demonstrated an emergency descent and after descending through about 1300 feet agl, the instructor pushed the throttle forward but the manifold pressure gauge remained static, and the engine did not respond. He “pumped” the throttle, switched the fuel selector valve from the left to right tank, and set the fuel mixture to full rich, with no change. On final approach, the two noticed the berm and a fence obstructing their chosen landing area. The airplane landed hard, separating the nose and right main landing gear, and damaging the aft fuselage and right side of the stabilator.

Flight Design CTSW LSA

November 13, 2016, Port Allen, Louisiana

At about 1608 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during an off-airport forced landing. The solo student pilot was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.

The student pilot reported he had climbed to about 850 feet agl when he experienced a sudden and complete loss of engine power. He performed the emergency checklist for engine restart, but power was not restored. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted terrain in a recently harvested sugar cane field and came to rest partially inverted, sustaining substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. There was adequate fuel aboard, but no fuel spill, and no post-impact fire.

Cessna 152

November 13, 2016, Miami, Florida

The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1400 Eastern time during a forced landing following a total loss of engine power. The two private pilots were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.

The airplane was in cruise flight at about 2000 feet agl when the crew noted engine “roughness.” Oil temperature was “normal” but the engine oil pressure indication was “low.” The pilot on the controls turned the airplane towards the nearest airport, which was 18 miles away. Approximately a minute later, the engine stopped producing power, and the two selected a road for the forced landing. During the descent, an engine restart was attempted but was unsuccessful. The airplane touched down prior to the road on soft, wet ground, nosed over and came to rest inverted. Examination revealed large cracks in the engine crankcase in the vicinity of the number 2 cylinder.

Beech Model 95-B55 Baron

November 14, 2016, Plattsburgh, New York

The flight instructor reported that during a full-feathered, single-engine practice instrument approach in visual conditions, the pilot extended the flaps and the airspeed dropped about 20-30 knots. He further reported that the pilot added power to the operating engine and the airplane “veered” to the left and “lost more altitude resulting in a stalled condition.” The flight instructor took control of the airplane, reduced power to idle on the operating engine and attempted to level the wings, but the airplane impacted the airport ramp area with “excessive vertical speed.”

Curtis JN4D Jenny Experimental

November 17, 2016, Williamson, Georgia

At 1809 Eastern time, the airplane collided with terrain shortly after takeoff. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and fire. The airline transport pilot and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. Dusk, visual conditions prevailed.

According to a witness, the airplane took off and appeared to be in a normal climb, the engine sounding “as it always did.” When it was over the departure end of the runway, the witness heard a loud backfire, followed by two “pops” that were not as loud. He then observed the airplane in a left-hand turn. A flicker of flame appeared from the forward left side of the fuselage that progressed into a “raging fire,” with an audible “whoomp” sound. The fire streamed back over the top and left side of the fuselage for about one-half the length of the airplane and persisted until the airplane disappeared behind a tree line and crashed.

Cessna 172N Skyhawk

November 18, 2016, Moss Beach, California

The airplane sustained substantial damage on impacting terrain and obstacles in a residential area at about 1120 Pacific time, following a loss of control while on final approach. The private pilot sustained serious injuries; the passenger was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed.

The pilot reported encountering light turbulence at about 500 feet agl on final approach with flaps fully extended and at 60 KIAS. He reduced the flap setting and increased power. He then encountered very strong turbulence, which caused the wings to rock back and forth, followed by a very sudden downward push and a steep bank to the right. Despite applying opposite control inputs and increasing power, the airplane continued in the descending right bank. Shortly, the pilot observed trees and houses in front of him and attempted to slow the airplane by reducing power and pulling back on the control yoke in an effort to minimize impact with terrain.

Piper PA-31T Cheyenne II

November 18, 2016, Elko, Nevada

At about 1920 Pacific time, the airplane was destroyed when it impacted terrain following a loss of control during initial climb. The pilot, two medical crewmembers and one patient sustained fatal injuries. Night visual conditions prevailed. An IFR flight plan had been filed for the Part 135 medical transport flight.

A witness reported the airplane departed and, during its initial climb, made a left turn about 30 degrees from the runway heading, then stopped climbing and made an abrupt left bank and descended out of his line of sight. The airplane sustained extensive thermal damage from the post-crash fire. All major structural components of the airplane were located within the wreckage.

Ryan Navion A

November 19, 2016, New Gretna, New Jersey

The airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted wooded terrain, while maneuvering, at about 1902 Eastern time. The solo private pilot was fatally injured. Night visual conditions prevailed.

Preliminary radar data reveal the accident flight proceeded on a relatively direct course until approximately 1849, when it encountered the leading edge of a cold front. During the following 13 minutes, the flight completed numerous course deviations, including three complete left circuits and two right circuits, before impacting wooded terrain. Weather observed about 14 miles southwest of the accident site at 1730 included wind from 290 degrees at 24 knots, gusting to 31 knots.

Piper PA-28-181 Archer II/III

November 22, 2016, Upland, California

At 0417 Pacific time, the airplane impacted mountainous terrain, sustaining substantial damage. The solo private pilot was fatally injured. Night visual conditions prevailed.

Earlier, after takeoff, the accident pilot contacted ATC and requested flight following. He was assigned a discreet transponder code, and the airplane was radar identified. The pilot made a radio transmission that was unreadable at the same time as radar contact was lost. The wreckage was located on the south face of rising mountainous terrain 3.5 nm north of the departure airport at 2915 feet msl.

Beechcraft Model 200 Super King Air

November 23, 2016, Moorehead, Minnesota

The airplane impacted terrain at 1759 Central time during a missed approach. The pilot initiated a missed approach after losing visual reference with the runway environment during the final segment of a GPS instrument approach. The airplane impacted a field about 0.5 miles short of the intended runway. The pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries and five passengers were uninjured. The airplane received substantial damage. Night instrument conditions prevailed for the Part 135 on-demand passenger flight.

This article originally appeared in the February 2017 issue of Aviation Safety magazine.

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