AVweb’s General Aviation Accident Bulletin is taken from the pages of our sister publication, Aviation Safety magazine. All the reports listed here are preliminary and include only initial factual findings about crashes. You can learn more about the final probable cause on the NTSB’s website at www.ntsb.gov. Final reports appear about a year after the accident, although some take longer. Find out more about Aviation Safety at www.aviationsafetymagazine.com.
January 9, 2022, Los Angeles, Calif.
Cessna 172H Skyhawk
The airplane sustained substantial damage and was subsequently destroyed following an off-airport landing at about 1400 Pacific time. The solo private pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual conditions prevailed.
During initial climb, the pilot conducted an emergency landing to an asphalt highway about 265 feet west of the runway centerline, and about 50 feet beyond the airport’s southernmost perimeter. The airplane collided with a railroad crossing arm and came to rest on an active northbound/southbound railroad track. Bystanders and law enforcement officers extricated the pilot from the airplane. Seconds later, it was struck by a southbound passenger train.
January 12, 2022, Winter Haven, Fla.
Piper J3C-65 Piper Cub
At about 1427 Eastern time, the float-equipped airplane collided with terrain for unknown reasons. The flight instructor and airline transport pilot receiving instruction sustained serious injuries. Visual conditions prevailed.
The flight instructor later reported the pilot receiving instruction “tended to fly too slow and turn sharply.” The instructor had to “push the nose down and add power on several occasions.” After lunch, refueling and switching seats, the instructor later stated he was thinking “he is more reckless” in the backseat.
A witness observed the accident airplane make what appeared to be a landing approach. It made a small splash when the right float touched the water. The airplane then climbed and started turning right. He stated the turn “seemed like a steep angle” and that the “whole top of the airplane” was visible. The airplane descended to the ground, impacting “in a near vertical nose-down attitude.” The left wing was substantially damaged.
January 13, 2022, Phoenix, Ariz.
Extra EA-300L
The airplane experienced a ground loop during the landing roll, collapsing the right main landing gear and damaging the right aileron. The pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
The pilot reported the flight was normal until the right brake failed during the landing roll and the airplane subsequently ground looped. Examination revealed that the brake pad had separated from the brake assembly. A brake pad was found on the airplane’s taxi route and was recovered for future examination.
January 13, 2022, Lexington, S.C.
Cirrus Design SR22
At about 1326 Eastern time, the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System was activated and the airplane descended to a lake shoreline following engine failure. The pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
About 20 minutes into the flight, at 5500 feet MSL, the pilot saw a red oil annunciator light illuminate, followed by the oil pressure gauge falling to zero pressure. The engine tachometer was near red line and the engine sounded like it was over-speeding, so he reduced throttle, reported an emergency and then started looking for a place to land. He was over a lake, so he delayed activating the airframe parachute until, at 2000 feet MSL, he was closer to shore. The airplane descended to the water and the occupants swam to shore. Examination revealed a hole in the engine case near the No. 6 cylinder.
January 14, 2022, Spanish Fork, Utah
Zenith CH 750 Cruzer Experimental
The airplane was force-landed on the roof of a large building following loss of engine power shortly after takeoff. The solo pilot was seriously injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
The pilot reported this was his first flight in the accident airplane since he was involved in a prior mishap that took place in the same airplane about 18 months earlier. Knowing the airplane would quickly get airborne at full power, the pilot opted not to fully advance the throttle for takeoff. Shortly after liftoff, however, he observed a slow decay in engine power and was unable to maintain altitude. The pilot turned left to return to the departure runway and advanced the throttle to full power, but power was not restored. The pilot stated that the airplane slowed during the turn and impacted the roof during the subsequent forced landing.
January 15, 2022, Hana, Hawaii
Flight Design CTLS LSA
At about 0955 Hawaii time, the airplane sustained substantial damage when it descended into trees shortly after takeoff. The pilot sustained serious injuries and the pilot-rated passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual conditions prevailed.
After four touch-and-go landings, the pair took a short break before returning to the airplane’s base. Just after takeoff, at about 75 feet AGL, the airplane stopped climbing. It subsequently descended into tree-covered terrain, striking the ground in a nose-down attitude just past the departure end of the runway.
This article originally appeared in the April 2022 issue of Aviation Safety magazine.
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“Examination revealed a hole in the engine case near the No. 6 cylinder.”
Yikes! With all the fancy engine controls in a Cirrus (like, one lever?), I didn’t think it was possible to blow holes in the engine.
Is this a common occurrence in Cirrus’s?