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.
October 23, 2022, Spartanburg, S.C.
Piper PA-28-235 Cherokee 235
At about 1700 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged in a forced landing following complete engine failure shortly after takeoff. The private pilot and the three passengers were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
The pilot later reported that pretakeoff checks and the takeoff itself were routine. On climbout, at about 600 feet AGL, the pilot heard a “boom,” engine rpm dropped to zero and the engine lost all power. He immediately pitched for best glide airspeed and completed a forced landing on a city street. The airplane struck power lines during the landing approach, resulting in substantial damage to the rudder.
Examination of the engine revealed smoke and fire damage on the engine and cowling area but no obvious signs of catastrophic engine failure.
October 23, 2022, Loveland, Colo.
Cirrus Design SR22
The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1705 Mountain time when it collided with terrain after the engine failed to develop power during an attempted go-around. The pilot and four passengers were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
The pilot later reported encountering wind shear while on final approach for Runway 33. He attempted to execute a go-around but when the throttle was increased, the engine did not respond. The airport manager noted that the airplane appeared to have departed the runway pavement about 500 feet from the approach end. It came to rest about 300 feet off the west edge of the runway and about 1000 feet from the approach threshold. The observed winds, recorded about nine minutes before the accident, were from 060 degrees at 19 knots, gusting to 27 knots.
October 31, 2022, Alpharetta, GA
Hawker Beechcraft G58 Baron
At 1304 Eastern time, the airplane was destroyed when it apparently departed controlled flight while attempting an instrument approach. The pilot and the passenger were fatally injured. Instrument conditions prevailed; an IFR flight plan had been filed.
The airplane was being vectored for the ILS RWY 21L approach at its destination. The pilot was cleared to maintain 3000 feet MSL until established on the localizer. The airplane then climbed to 3200 feet before it began to descend. The controller received a minimum safe altitude warning (MSAW) alert when the airplane descended through 2400 feet MSL, and instructed the pilot to check the airplane’s altitude and to start climbing. The pilot responded that he was climbing and “going around.” The airplane then initiated a climbing right turn to 3200 feet MSL, before it entered a descending left turn. The controller continued to receive MSAW alerts and made numerous attempts to contact the pilot, but there was no further communication with him. The airplane continued to descend; the last radar return was received at 1304:19, with the airplane at 1325 feet MSL (about 355 feet above ground level), heading 252 degrees, at a groundspeed of 215 knots. A witness later said, “The aircraft simply flew into the ground, with no visible attempt by the pilot to turn or pull up.”
This article originally appeared in the January 2023 issue of Aviation Safety magazine.
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