General Aviation Accident Bulletin

Recent general aviation and air carrier accidents.

AVweb'sGeneral Aviation Accident Bulletinis taken from the pages of our sister publication,Aviation Safetymagazine, 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 website atwww.ntsb.gov. Final reports appear about a year after the accident, although some take longer. Find out more aboutAviation Safetyatwww.aviationsafetymagazine.com.


April 2, 2018, Marion, Ind.

Cessna 150/Cessna 525 CitationJet

At about 1709 Eastern time, the airplanes collided at the intersection of two runways. The Cessna 150, which was taking off, was destroyed; the private pilot and passenger aboard it sustained fatal injuries. The CitationJet was landing. The airline transport pilot and the four passengers aboard it were not injured. The CitationJet sustained substantial damage. Visual conditions prevailed.

Witnesses reported the Cessna 150 had just gotten airborne when it struck the CitationJet's empennage. Two witnesses heard the Cessna 150 pilot on the CTAF. The CitationJet's pilot stated he did not see the departing Cessna 150, nor did he see it during the landing roll. He did not recall making a position report but his airplane's TCAS did not show any traffic on the airport.

April 4, 2018, Daytona Beach, Fla.

Piper PA-28R-201 Arrow V

The airplane collided with terrain at 0953 Eastern time following an in-flight breakup shortly after takeoff. The airline transport pilot and private pilot were fatally injured; the airplane was destroyed. Visual conditions prevailed. The flight, which departed at 0927, was the private pilot's commercial pilot practical test.

After maneuvering away from the airport, the Piper returned and executed a touch-and-go landing. Radar data indicate the airplane climbed to 900 feet MSL at 80 knots of groundspeed before radar con-tact was lost. Witnesses observed the airplane flying normally, then saw the left wing separate from the fuselage, which impacted a field. Preliminary examination revealed the left wing main spar exhibited cracks from metal fatigue extending through more than 80 percent of the lower spar cap, and portions of the forward and aft spar web doublers. The right wing also exhibited fatigue cracks in the lower spar cap at the same hole location extending up to 0.047-inch deep. The 2007 airplane had accumulated 7,690 flight hours since new. Weather at 0953 included wind from 260 degrees at seven knots, 10 statute miles of visibility and few clouds at 25,000 feet.

April 4, 2018, Bozeman, Mon.

Piper PA-12/Diamond DA42NG

At 1229 Mountain time, the Piper struck the Diamond's tail during taxi. Neither the student pilot and flight instructor aboard the Piper nor the flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction in the Diamond were injured. Both aircraft had just landed after local flights and both sustained substantial damage. Visual conditions prevailed.

After landing on Runway 11, ATC cleared the Piper to turn left onto taxiway C2, and then taxi back to the approach end of Runway 11 and hold short. While the Piper was taxiing, the Diamond landed on parallel Runway 12. It cleared at taxiway A3 and held position. After reaching the approach end of Runway 11, ATC cleared the Piper to cross the runway and hold short of Runway 12 at taxiway C3. After reaching Runway 12, the Piper was cleared to cross it and contact ground. The Piper crossed Runway 12, entered taxiway A3 and struck the Diamond, which was still on the taxiway.

April 6, 2018, Petaluma, Calif.

Mooney M20J 201

The airplane was destroyed by impact and a post-crash fire when it collided with terrain at about 1715 Pacific time, shortly after takeoff. The solo private pilot sustained fatal injuries. Instrument conditions pre-vailed; an IFR plan had been filed.

The pilot received an IFR clearance at about 1700, which included a void time of 1710. The airplane departed Runway 11 and climbed to about 300 feet AGL before initiating a shallow left turn and disappearing into the fog. A witness reported the engine sounded "strong, smooth and normal."

The wreckage was located about two miles northeast of the departure airport at an elevation of 307 feet MSL. The airplane impacted a soft, muddy field in a near-vertical attitude on a heading of about 200 degrees. All major components were located at the main wreck-age site. Weather observed at the departure airport 20 minutes before the accident included calm winds, -mile visibility in mist and an overcast at 600 feet.


This article originally appeared in the July 2018 issue ofAviation Safetymagazine.

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