General Aviation Accident Bulletin

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.

February 16, 2022, Lexington, N.C.

Beech 58 Baron

The airplane was destroyed at about 1707 Eastern time when it collided with a tractor-trailer shortly after takeoff. The solo private pilot was fatally injured; the truck driver and a truck passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual conditions prevailed.

Witnesses observed the right engine emitting white smoke during the takeoff roll, and later reported the right engine quitting and its propeller stopping. About the time the landing gear was retracted, a witness noted smoke trailing the left engine, also. The airplane banked left, stalled, pitched nose-down and disappeared behind terrain before colliding with the tractor-trailer.

February 21, 2020, Aspen, Colo.

Raytheon Hawker 800XP

At 1133 Mountain time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it departed the end of the runway during an aborted takeoff. The two pilots and four passengers were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.

According to the captain, the crew performed a static takeoff, with the first officer making the callouts. At rotation speed, the captain applied back pressure to the yoke but the airplane would not become airborne. The captain reported, “the yoke did not have any air resistance or any pressure on it as we experience normally in Hawkers (the weight and pressure on the yoke felt the same as though the airplane was stationary on [the] ground).” The captain aborted the takeoff, reduced engine power to idle, deployed the thrust reversers and applied the brakes, but the airplane rolled off the end of the runway into the snow.

February 22, 2022, Fostoria, Ohio

Piper PA-32-260 Cherokee 6 260

The airplane was destroyed at about 2241 Eastern time when it collided with terrain during an instrument approach. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Instrument conditions prevailed; the flight operated on an IFR flight plan.

The flight was cleared to the initial approach fix (IAF) outbound for a procedure turn. Crossing the IAF, it turned about 45 degrees to the left, consistent with a teardrop entry. It then turned back to the right and paralleled the inbound course of the procedure turn. About four nm from the IAF, the airplane turned right, as if to intercept the inbound course, but descended rapidly in a spiral and impacted terrain.

February 24, 2022, Hilltown Township, Penn.

Beech 35-C33 Debonair

At about 1656 Eastern time, the airplane was destroyed when it collided with terrain after an apparent loss of control. The private pilot and flight instructor were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed.

The pilot owned the airplane and was training for the commercial pilot practical examination. Review of ADS-B data revealed the airplane was performing maneuvers at about 2000 feet MSL when it entered a left spin and descended to a residential street. During the impact, a propeller blade separated and entered a residence. The wreckage came to rest upright with no observable debris path. Flight control continuity was confirmed from all flight control surfaces to the cockpit area. The three propeller blades were separated from the hub. Most of one blade was consumed by fire. Both of the remaining blades exhibited S-bending, chordwise scratching and leading-edge gouging. The flaps and landing gear were retracted.

This article originally appeared in the May 2022 issue of Aviation Safety magazine.

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