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 at www.aviationsafetymagazine.com.
February 16, 2017, Winder, Ga.
Beechcraft C23 Sundowner
At about 1400 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain. The flight instructor and student pilot were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
No one witnessed the takeoff. Security-camera video showed the flight instructor and student pilot walked out to the airplane at about 1317. At approximately 1400, a motorist passing the northwest corner of the airplane’s base airport saw it pass from left to right in front of her, flying low and fast. It then began to nose down, then leveled out, banked right. The witness then lost sight of the airplane.
The accident site was to the southwest of Runway 31; the wreckage path was oriented on an approximate magnetic heading of 146 degrees. Control continuity was established to and from impact-related breaks in the system. There was no evidence of any in-flight structural failure. The propeller displayed evidence of S-bending and chordwise scratching. Fuel was present in the fuel line and in the carburetor float bowl. At 1345, local weather included wind from 320 degrees at eight knots, gusting to 14.
February 16, 2017, Climax, Ga.
Beechcraft A45 (T-34 Mentor)
The airplane collided with trees and terrain at about 1852 Eastern time, while on final approach. The airplane was substantially damaged; the private pilot was fatally injured. Night visual conditions prevailed for the flight, which was the pilot’s first flight in the airplane since it had been delivered to the private runway after an annual inspection.
The airplane came to rest on the approach end of Runway 18. Oak and pine trees were located at the northern boundary of the runway. Examination revealed the airplane collided with two oak trees on a southerly heading before contacting the ground. The airplane’s tail cone remained in one of the trees, and numerous tree limbs had been broken. All structures and components were accounted for at the accident site. Flight control continuity was confirmed. The right wing fuel bladder was ruptured from impact forces and contained no quantifiable fuel. The left wing tank contained about 11 gallons of fuel. The cockpit fuel selector handle was found in the right tank position. The engine’s two-blade propeller was minimally damaged, and there was no discernible bending or twisting of the blades. Sunset occurred at 1827 and the end of civil twilight occurred at 1851.
February 18, 2017, Centennial, Colo.
Piper PA-28R-200 Arrow II
The airplane sustained substantial damage at about 1529 Mountain time when it impacted terrain shortly after takeoff. The airline transport pilot received minor injuries; the private pilot suffered serious injuries. Visual conditions prevailed.
After some difficulty starting the engine, the private pilot in the left seat stated that the airplane had difficulty obtaining lift during the takeoff roll on Runway 17L. After liftoff, at about 75 knots, engine rpm remained high and power seemed sufficient, but the airplane was not gaining altitude. Toward the end of the runway, the ATP in the right seat took over the controls and flew the aircraft past the departure end of the 10,000-foot runway, crossed over a highway, banked left and touched down in a grassy area.
According to the ATP, the airplane lifted off at about 65 knots within about a 1000-foot ground roll and accelerated to about 75-80 knots, but was climbing slowly. Upon reaching about 150 feet agl, the ATP “felt like something was pushing the airplane down.” He stated that the engine seemed to have full rpm, and both the throttle and mixture were full forward. He stated that he recalled the airspeed being at 65 knots and the stall warning horn had activated when the airplane contacted the ground.
Weather at the time of the accident included wind from 170 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 23. After the accident, the private pilot stated that a business jet took off from Runway 17L approximately two minutes before their takeoff.
February 19, 2017, Dawsonville, Ga.
Ercoupe 415-C
At about 1215 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing to a road. The solo private pilot was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
The pilot had recently purchased the airplane and was flying it back to his home airport. Prior to the flight, he added oil to the engine. About 30 minutes after takeoff, he noticed dropping oil pressure. He reduced engine power and turned toward a nearby airport. Oil pressure dropped to zero, however, and he performed a precautionary landing on a road. During the landing, the airplane skidded across the road until it impacted a tree and came to rest in a ditch. Examination revealed a hole in the oil sump, and oil was coming from the crankcase breather tube. Approximately three quarts of oil remained in the engine.
February 19, 2017, Bayonne, N.J.
Piper PA-28R-200 Arrow II
The airplane sustained substantial damage at about 1000 Eastern time during a forced landing to a road. The solo private pilot was seriously injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
The pilot reported he was maneuvering around the Statue of Liberty when the engine started to lose power and he was unable to maintain altitude. The pilot declared an emergency, flew toward land, and made a forced landing to a road. The airplane struck power lines and vehicles before coming to rest on a sidewalk in a congested city neighborhood. There was no post-impact fire or injuries to anyone on the ground.
February 21, 2017 in Gainesville, Texas
American Aviation AA-1A
At about 0050 Central time, the airplane made a forced landing short of a runway. The private pilot sustained minor injuries; the passenger suffered serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. Night visual conditions prevailed.
The non-pilot passenger had recently purchased the airplane and asked the pilot to fly with him on a familiarization flight. They departed the airplane’s base and executed about 15 touch-and-go landings at a nearby airport before heading to a third airport for fuel. They approached the third airport from the north, intending to land on Runway 18. During the approach, the pilot observed a coyote on the runway and executed a go-around. During the go-around, the engine lost power, and he made a 180-degree turn back toward the runway. The airplane was not able to make the runway so the pilot conducted a forced landing to a field.
The airplane came to rest upright in a field about 150 yards south of the runway, slightly right of the extended centerline. The right wing had separated from the fuselage; no fuel was observed in its wing-spar fuel tank. When the left wing was removed for transport, there was less than one cup of fuel in its fuel tank.
February 22, 2017, East Haven, Conn.
Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk
The airplane was substantially damaged at about 0957 Eastern time when it impacted terrain during initial climb after a touch-and-go landing. The flight instructor was seriously injured; the student pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
After three uneventful touch-and-go landings, one of the pilots declared an emergency during initial climb by stating “Mayday” on the ATC frequency but did not specify the nature of the emergency. The airplane then spun to the left, descended and impacted terrain about 1000 feet southeast of the departure end of Runway 20. Another flight instructor stated he heard the emergency transmission and could hear the airplane’s stall warning horn in the background.
The wreckage came to rest upright in a marsh; no debris path was observed. While both wing fuel tanks were breached during impact, several gallons of fuel remained in each wing. The empennage was curled up and to the left. Flight control continuity was confirmed from all flight control surfaces to the cockpit area. The throttle and mixture levers were in the forward position and the magnetos were selected to both. The fuel selector was found positioned to the right main fuel tank. The propeller blades did not exhibit rotational damage.
The engine had accumulated 2508 hours since major overhaul. The flight instructor had accumulated a total flight experience of approximately 236 hours, of which 12 were in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
February 23, 2017, Stevensville, Mon.
Beechcraft A36TC Turbo Bonanza
At about 1300 Mountain time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain shortly after takeoff. The private pilot and his passenger received minor injuries. Visual conditions prevailed.
According to the pilot, the airplane lifted off from Runway 12 at 80 knots but “couldn’t climb or accelerate.” He ensured the engine controls were positioned for full takeoff power, but the airplane “would not lift” any further. A pilot-rated witness reported the airplane climbed to about 50 feet agl, then began a “steep right descending turn.” The witness stated Runway 12 has a “substantial” uphill slope. He also reported there was a “quartering tailwind” from the “northwest” of about 15 knots that at the time the Bonanza was attempting its takeoff. Weather observed from 1255 to 1301, included wind from 340 and 350 degrees, at between nine and 12 knots, with numerous gusts to 16 knots.
This article originally appeared in the May 2017 issue of Aviation Safety magazine.
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