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.
September 1, 2017, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Velocity SUV Experimental
At about 1236 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged while attempting to land at Albert Whitted Airport. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
The pilot later stated the approach to land was steeper and faster than normal as he was aware of cranes near Runway 18’s approach end. The airplane landed long and instead of going around, the pilot continued with the landing. The airplane went off the runway and into Tampa Bay. Observed weather included wind from 170 degrees at eight knots.
September 2, 2017, Lyndonville, Vt.
Piper PA-28-181 Archer II/III
The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1810 Eastern time when it collided with terrain during takeoff. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
After taxiing, the pilot performed a flight control deflection check. He said there was corresponding movement with the flight control surfaces, but that resistance in the controls was light. His concern led him to perform the check eight times before initiating the takeoff. After liftoff, the airplane was unresponsive—slow to respond—in the roll axis.
The pilot elected to close the throttle and perform a forced landing to the grass area beyond the departure end of the runway. During the landing, the wings, cabin, empennage and the tail section of the airplane were damaged. Flight control continuity was established from the individual flight controls to all flight control surfaces, except for the left aileron. The aileron was significantly impact damaged, and its control rod was fractured. Each half of the fractured control rod was retained for further examination.
September 2, 2017, Cascade, Idaho
Glasair Glastar Experimental
At about 1030 Mountain time, the airplane was destroyed when it impacted terrain while maneuvering. The private pilot was seriously injured; his pilot-rated passenger was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
Earlier in the day, the accident pilot flew the airplane with a flight instructor for a checkout. He planned to ferry the airplane to its new owner the next day. Subsequently and after adding 38.9 gallons of fuel, the accident pilot took off with his pilot-rated cousin, heading for a backcountry airstrip. While en route, the pilot inadvertently flew into a “box canyon” and realized the airplane could not outclimb the terrain. He began a turn to escape, but the airplane stalled and impacted the ground. The impact site elevation was approximately 7500 feet msl.
September 3, 2017, Merritt Island, Fla.
Piper PA-32R-300 Cherokee Lance
The airplane was substantially damaged at about 0908 Eastern time when it collided with water shortly after takeoff. The private pilot and three passengers were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
Prior to the flight, the pilot fueled the airplane to a total of 80 gallons. The preflight inspection and engine run-up did not highlight any anomalies. The extended the flaps “two notches” and rotated the airplane at 80 knots about two-thirds down the 3601-foot asphalt runway. As the airplane climbed above 20 feet agl, it experienced a decrease of engine power prior to the landing gear being retracted. The airplane was unable to climb without entering a stall. It then drifted left of the runway heading and landed in shallow water about 1000 feet from the departure end of the runway.
Weather observed eight miles southeast of the accident site included wind from 330 degrees at six knots. The pilot noted that although the automated surface observation system reported the wind from 350 degrees at five knots, the wind was light and variable at the time of the accident. Additionally, an airplane was in the airport traffic pattern and using Runway 11, so the pilot elected to depart in that direction.
September 4, 2017, Kodiak, Alaska
Cessna U206G Stationair
At about 1430 Alaska time, the amphibious float-equipped airplane sustained substantial damage while attempting a water takeoff. The airline transport pilot and three passengers were not injured. Marginal visual conditions existed.
The pilot later stated the airplane encountered small swells during the takeoff run and began to lose speed while simultaneously pitching forward. In an effort to correct for the forward pitching moment, the pilot applied full aft elevator. Shortly thereafter, he aborted the takeoff, but the airplane continued pitching forward and was struck by a larger swell. The right forward float strut fractured and the airplane rolled to the right, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing’s lift strut. An initial examination of the airplane by the pilot revealed that the left nose wheel was partially deployed with the landing gear handle in the up position.
September 4, 2017, Santa Paula, Calif.
Boeing A75N1 (PT17) Stearman
The airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted a dry river bed at about 1358 Pacific time. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
According to the pilot, the airplane’s takeoff roll and departure were uneventful. However, the airplane’s climb performance was reduced after the airplane transitioned to its initial climb. As the airplane reached about 250 feet agl, it stopped climbing, so the pilot turned to the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern. The airplane then began to sink into a dry riverbed. The pilot completed a stabilized approach and landed flat, but during touchdown the airplane contacted thick brush, nosed over and came to rest inverted. A witness reported that he could not hear the engine, but observed the propeller spinning throughout the airplane’s descent.
September 5, 2017, Jacksonburg, W.V.
Cirrus Design SR20
At about 1148 Eastern time, the airplane was destroyed when it collided with terrain. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Instrument conditions prevailed; an IFR flight plan had been filed.
Earlier, the pilot reported entering an area of moderate to heavy precipitation. He deviated off-course, reported clear of the precipitation, and then was cleared direct to a nearby Vortac. Shortly thereafter, the airplane entered a rapid descent from 8000 feet msl until radar contact was lost at 3000 feet. There were no further communications with the airplane. The airplane was located on September 8, in a densely wooded area about 1500 feet from its last known radar position.
The surface weather observation closest to the accident site at 1153 included 10 miles’ visibility, thunderstorms in the vicinity and a broken ceiling at 1800 feet.
September 6, 2017, Las Vegas, Nev.
Boeing 757-232
The airplane, operated by Delta Air Lines as a Part 121 scheduled domestic passenger flight, sustained a left engine undercowl fire during takeoff. The crew completed the quick reference handbook procedures, shut down the left engine, and discharged one of the fire bottles. The flight crew then initiated engine-out procedures to return to the airport. On the downwind leg, a second left engine fire warning indication was reported and the second fire bottle was discharged. The crew made an uneventful overweight landing and the airplane was met by rescue and firefighting equipment on the runway. Fire retardant was sprayed into the engine and the airplane subsequently taxied to the gate under its own power. No injuries were reported to passengers or crew.
This article originally appeared in the December 2017 issue ofAviation Safetymagazine.
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