General Aviation Accident Bulletin, February 13, 2023

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. 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.


November 3, 2022, Mesa, Ariz.

Eclipse Aerospace EA500

At about 1915 Mountain time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it departed the runway while landing. The pilot and co-pilot were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the post-maintenance positioning flight, which operated on an IFR flight plan.

Both pilots later reported they touched down in the landing zone with the engines at idle, but braking did not appear to significantly decelerate the airplane, which started to drift to the left. The pilot stated he was applying full brake pressure along with full right rudder, but the airplane did not respond. It eventually departed the left side of the runway, crossed over the last two taxiways and came to rest in a drainage ditch.


November 3, 2022, Harlan, KY

Beech A36 Bonanza

The airplane was destroyed at about 1009 Eastern time when it impacted vertical terrain short of the intended runway. The instrument-rated private pilot was fatally injured. Low instrument conditions prevailed. There was no known communication between the pilot and ATC, nor was there any flight plan opened or on-file for the accident flight.

According to ADS-B data, the airplane departed Knoxville, Tenn., at 0932. The airplane arrived in the Harlan area at about 1000 and flew three approaches to Runway 08, with the final ending at 1009:54 about 0.10 NM from the runway’s threshold. A pilot-rated witness reported hearing what he believed to be the accident airplane complete two approaches to Runway 08 at about 1000, but never saw the airplane due to low visibility in fog. At the time of the accident, airport surveillance video showed fog that restricted visibility to about 175 feet; all airport lighting was NOTAM’d out of service.


November 4, 2022, Jasper, GA

Glasair Super II TD Experimental

At about 1500 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it was force-landed at the departure airport after engine failure. The solo private pilot was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.

Preflight, takeoff and initial climb were normal, according to the pilot. About five NM from the departure airport and at about 4500 feet MSL, the engine began to run rough and then lost all power. The pilot immediately turned back and began troubleshooting, but engine power was not restored. While maneuvering to land back at the departure airport, in a right turn to align with Runway 34 and about 30 feet AGL, the pilot felt the onset of an aerodynamic stall. He leveled the wings, the airplane overshot the runway and descended abruptly, impacting a grassy area next to the runway. According to recovery crew, a total of 13 gallons of fuel were drained from the airplane.


November 5, 2022, San Diego, Calif.

Cirrus Design SR20

The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1200 Pacific time when it collided with terrain during an attempted go-around. The solo student pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed.

The student pilot was performing touch-and-go landings in the traffic pattern and had been cleared to fly a base leg to Runway 28R. Another airplane was cleared to take off on 28R, followed by a third airplane, which was instructed to line up and wait on 28R. About 30 seconds later, the third airplane was cleared for takeoff. About that time, ATC instructed the accident pilot to sidestep to the left and go around. There was no response and the controller repeated the instruction, also without response. At this time, a radio transmission about a trim problem, thought to be from the accident pilot, was heard on the frequency. The controller responded that the pilot who radioed about the trim problem had a stuck microphone. Recorded ADS-B data show that at 1155:58, the accident airplane was in a climbing right turn until ADS-B contact was lost, about 350 feet southeast of the accident site.


November 6, 2022, Slidell, LA

Beech E90 King Air

At about 2145 Central time, the airplane was destroyed when it collided with terrain during an instrument approach. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries. Instrument conditions prevailed; the flight operated on an IFR flight plan.

Approaching the destination, the airplane descended and the pilot attempted a visual approach that was discontinued due to ground fog. The pilot then was cleared for the RNAV (GPS) RWY 36 procedure, which ended with a missed approach. The pilot flew the approach a second time, during which the airplane impacted wooded terrain about 800 feet right of the runway’s departure end. The pilot egressed the airplane without assistance but with serious injuries.


This article originally appeared in the February 2023 issue of Aviation Safety magazine.

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3 COMMENTS

  1. The glass air only had 13 gallons of fuel in it? What does it carry total? So much for a normal pre flight….

  2. Regards to to the Glasair pilot there is legal and there is smart. 13 gallons in a plane that burns 9.1 gph at cruise meets VFR mins for a local flight. 13 gal a tad more than its 8 gal header tank but those wing and tips tanks be mighty empty when depending on configuration the aircraft can carry between 50-81 gal of fuel. Runway behind you and fuel left back at the pump …

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