Mastery Flight Training, Inc. 

Beech Weekly Accident Update archives

June 2008 Reports

Official information from FAA and NTSB sources (unless otherwise noted).  Editorial comments (contained in parentheses), year-to-date summary and closing comments are those of the author.  All information is preliminary and subject to change.  Comments on preliminary topics are meant solely to enhance flying safety.  Please use these reports to help you more accurately evaluate the potential risks when you make your own decisions about how and when to fly.  Please accept my sincere personal condolences if anyone you know was in a mishap. I welcome your comments, suggestions and criticisms.  Fly safe, and have fun!

©2008 Mastery Flight Training, Inc.  All Rights Reserved

FROM UNOFFICIAL SOURCES

5/28 1600Z (1100 local):  According to local news sources, a Be35 “apparently had some type of engine trouble” and its pilot force-landed in a wheat field near Richland, Oklahoma.  Two aboard walked out without injury.  A second online news report echoes this information and includes a photo showing the Bonanza on the ground with no visible damage, although it may have spun around and ended its ground roll/slide moving nearly backwards, based on the pattern of crushed wheat.  The Bonanza is a reported to be a 1955 F35, registration and serial number unknown, reportedly based in Oklahoma City, OK.

(“Engine failure in flight”—it appears this pilot followed the proper rules for off-airport landing: touching down under control, with wings level, at the slowest safe speed.  Given both walked away without injury, there’s a good chance the airplane owner has gone to the extra effort and expense to install shoulder harnesses in this vintage airplane…and pilot and passenger had the good sense to use them.)

For more see

www.kfor.com/global/story.asp?s=8398029

www.koco.com/news/16427226/detail.html      

NEW REPORTS THIS WEEK

(Date and time not reported):  While “on approach” a Be35 “lost power and landed on a dirt road seven miles WNW” of the Coral Springs, Florida airport.  Two aboard report no injury; damage is “unknown” and weather “VFR”.  N611Q (D-5248) is a 1957 H35 registered since 1999 to a corporation in Tampa, FL.

(“Engine failure on approach/landing”—another successful off-airport landing)

5/24 1800Z (1400 local):  “On landing,” a Be36 “veered off the runway and struck runway signs,” at Chesapeake, Virginia.  The solo pilot was not hurt despite “substantial” aircraft damage.  Weather conditions were “not reported”.  N4605M (E-1246) is a 1978 A36 recently (February 2008) registered to a Wilmington, DE corporation.

(“Loss of directional control on landing”; “Substantial damage”; “Recent registration”—loss of directional control on takeoff and landing seems to be occurring more frequently this year than before.  Look for a special review of runway loss of control mishaps in a future report.)

5/28 1515Z (1015 local):  A Be36 landed gear up at Lawrence, Kansas.  The lone pilot reports no injury; airplane damage is “minor”.  Weather: “not reported”.  N1814S (E-1883) is a 1981 A36 recently (April 2008) registered to an individual in Lawrence.

(“Gear up landing”; “Recent registration”—another in a very long string of similar reports.)

Note: There is also an FAA preliminary report of a Be77 Skipper missing since 1984 that was found in a receding lake near Amarillo, TX.  As this event took place in 1984 it is not included in the Summary of the Weekly Accident Update.

For more see www.faa.gov/data_statistics/accident_incident/preliminary_data/media/E_0602_N.txt.

NEW NTSB PRELIMINARY or FACTUAL REPORTS:  All previously reported in the Weekly Accident Update, and subject to change per NTSB findings.

** 5/10 B19 loss of control during landing at Burns, OR.  The NTSB preliminary adds a report of “shifting winds” at the airport, without quantifying them.**

** 5/23 quadruple-fatality V35B landing accident at Fall River Mill, CA.  The impact sequence as described in the report is illustrated in this diagram.  First impact was near the top of tree #1.  Momentum from the collision took the top of the tree into the area between the three trees.  Second impact was about 25 feet above ground level into

tree #2, only about 20 feet from tree #1.  Third impact was with tree #3.  The top of tree #3 was thrust into the area between the three trees, and the airplane itself came to rest between trees #2 and #3. 

This pattern of impact in such a small area supports the notion the Bonanza may have been in a spin when it collided with obstacles.**

NEW REPORTS THIS WEEK

6/3 0120Z (2020 local 6/2/08):  A Be35 landed gear up at Independence, Kansas.  The two aboard were not hurt and damage is “minor”.  Weather conditions were not reported.  N673D (D-2945) is a 1951 C35 registered since 2005 to an individual in Independence.

(“Gear up landing”—remember that even a “minor” damage Landing Gear-Related Mishap [LGRM] in Bonanzas costs as much as $60,000 to repair, according to the insurance industry.  This is often sufficient to “total” the airplane, especially if it is an older model and/or the owner has chosen to underinsure the aircraft to save money on premiums.  Further, many insurance companies will not insure a pilot who has had a gear-up landing in the last three to five years.  Review the current value of your airplane and adjust your insurance coverage accordingly.  Better yet, review information on LGRMs and employ techniques to avoid gear up and gear collapse mishaps).

6/5 1207Z (0707 local):  A Be58 “rejected [a] takeoff” at Jackson, Mississippi.  “While taxiing to the ramp [it] caught fire.”  The solo pilot reports no injury; damage is “unknown”.  Weather: 1100 overcast, visibility five miles, with surface winds gusting to 16 knots.  N3106W (TH-408) is/was a 1973 Baron 58 registered since 1983 to a Jackson-based corporation.

(“Fire during taxi: unknown source”; “Wind”—the source of the fire is unknown, but I suspect it may have been a brake fire resulting from brakes overheated in the aborted takeoff.  Why?  Given the level of difficulty attempting to taxi a Baron on one engine I suspect it was not a significant engine problem that prompted rejecting the takeoff, leaving overheated brakes as a likely contributor.  Do any readers have more information?)

6/5 2045Z (1545 local):  A Be76 landed gear up during an instructional flight at Little Rock, Arkansas.  Pilot and instructor were not injured, and the Duchess suffered “minor” damage.  Weather was 4500 broken, visibility 10 miles with winds at 17 gusting to 22 knots.  N3734K (ME-365) is a 1980 Duchess registered since 1989 to a Little Rock-based corporation.

(“Gear up landing”; “Dual instruction”; “Wind”—one or more of several factors might have been in play here:

• Instructional distraction.  Flight instruction itself is distracting.  It includes tasks and situations not usually encountered in day-to-day flying; the instructor in the right seat may intimidate the pilot receiving instruction, or the instructor may be bored or complacent, drifting away from his/her primary responsibility for safety of the instructional flight.  No wonder, then, that dual flight instruction in retractable-gear airplanes correlates to a disproportionate number of landing gear-related mishaps, especially in multiengine airplanes conducting engine-failure simulations.  For more about CFI distraction and “instructor-induced stupidity” see my article “Instructional Hazards.”

• Gear warning.  Engine-out practice can defeat landing gear warnings.  Establishing a “zero thrust” condition requires the “dead” engine’s throttle be reduced to a very low setting.  In most RG airplanes the landing gear warning horn will sound when the throttle is near idle.  Consequently the gear warning sounds continually during engine-out simulations; pilots very quickly get accustomed to the beep-beep-beep and ignore it when close to the ground. [The closest I ever came to a gear-up landing was in a twin while presenting a simulated zero-thrust landing].  Further, it’s common practice [even recommended in some Pilots Operating Handbooks] to pull the landing gear warning circuit breaker to get rid of the beeping while simulating single-engine maneuvering.  This disables the warning system if the MEI takes the simulation all the way to touchdown [preferably on a long runway].  If pilot and instructor forget to reset the breaker after practice there is no gear warning for the remainder of the flight.  Here’s a technique: if you have a real engine failure [or actually shut down an engine in training or on a Practical Test flight], after feathering the propeller and securing the engine simply match the “dead” throttle control to the “good” one, and move them together for through landing.  This restores the gear warning horn function, as well as eliminating any subsequent confusion about which throttle control to move [a confusion I’ve seen many times in the Baron simulator].

• Strong or gusty surface winds.  Strong or gusty surface winds also correlate to a large number of LGRMs.  Not only are nasty winds close to the ground yet another distraction that may rob the pilot of his/her attention to gear extension and verification, but a strong headwind on final approach provides the same visual cues as extended landing gear on a calmer day—reduced rate at which the runway appears to “approach the airplane” on final, and increased angle of descent toward the ground.  Further, in most airplanes gear warning systems activate when a throttle is reduced to near idle and/or if full flaps are extended and in either case the landing gear is not down.  Standard practice when landing in adverse winds is to carry some extra power through the flare to cushion against wind-driven changes in indicated airspeed [throttle not at idle = no gear warning], and often we’re taught to use less-than-full flaps when landing in a strong wind [no full flaps = no gear warning].  If some other distraction caused the pilot to forget gear extension, strong or gusty surface winds will mask the omission and defeat landing gear warning systems.

• Multiple takeoffs and landings.  Landing after landing after landing leads to complacency—you remember extending the landing gear, when in reality that was on the last time around the pattern.  And circuit and circuit can lull an instructor into complacency as well.  Suggestion: avoid more than four consecutive traffic patterns on a single flight.  Practice three or four landings, go away from the airport to practice something else, then come back for no more than four more landings on that same flight.)

6/6 2145Z (1745 local):  Departing from Pawtucket, Rhode Island in IMC, a Be36 collided on the runway with a Piper Twin Comanche that was landing.  Both airplanes were “destroyed”, but miraculously no one was injured in the Bonanza and the pilot of the PA30 suffered only “minor” injury.  Weather was 600 overcast with calm winds and 10 miles’ visibility.  N27199 (E-2321) was a 1986 A36 registered since 2004 to a corporation in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.

(“Impact on takeoff: collision with landing aircraft”; “Aircraft destroyed”; “IMC”—an online news report says the airplanes were 30 feet in the air when they collided. Pictures in the report show at least the nose of the Piper was damaged, and one wing was torn off the Bonanza.  Pawtucket Airport is nontowered and “both planes were being guided by air traffic controllers at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick [RI],” according to the report.  This would likely be reference to a remote clearance delivery function performed by Warwick for airplanes operating through a RCO [remote communications outlet] for clearance delivery at Pawtucket. 

Pilots should use every means at their disposal to ensure the runway and airspace is clear before takeoff.  This should include monitoring the airspace-controlling radio frequency to detect other airplanes in the area before taking off from nontowered airports.  This is not to absolve controllers for responsibility to separate IFR and participating VFR traffic—what are controllers if not responsible for traffic separation in IMC—but as this case illustrates traffic awareness ultimately comes down to the pilots.

Taking off into IMC from a nontowered airport using an RCO for clearance, then, is a juggling act that must include:

• Communicating position, intentions and actual takeoff on the CTAF;

• Obtaining clearance through the RCO;

• Monitoring the local airspace frequency (approach, a nearby tower, Center, whomever owns the airspace) for traffic awareness before taking off on a clearance.

We must be able to trust controllers when departing into instrument conditions.  But we must also protect ourselves to the extent we can.)

6/9 1600Z (1200 local):  A Be58 landed gear up at Frederick, Maryland.  The solo pilot was not hurt; damage is “unknown” and weather “not reported”.  N1856S (TH-1300) is a 1981 Baron 58 recently (October 2007) registered to a corporation in Woodbine, Maryland.

(“Gear collapse on takeoff”; “Recent registration”—witnesses report the airplane’s landing gear folded on takeoff after a roughly 1000 foot takeoff roll.  This suggests a mechanical cause, possibly a broken extension rod or rod end that broke during the stress of takeoff.  Alternatively the pilot may have inadvertently retracted the gear while the Baron was still on the ground but after the main gear struts extended enough to close the squat switch[es], or the pilot was too quick to retract the gear immediately after liftoff and the airplane settled back onto the runway while departing in what was widely reported to be very hot and humid conditions that rob aircraft performance.  Be certain to verify a positive rate of climb before retracting the landing gear after takeoff.)

6/8 1417Z (1017 local):  The pilot of a Be35 “reported [an] engine problem and force-landed on a dirt road” near Lake City, Florida.  Pilot and two passengers were not hurt; aircraft damage is “unknown”.  Weather at Plant City was “not reported”.  N555GG (D-8380) is/was a 1967 V35 recently (May 2008) registered to a Gainesville, Georgia corporation.

(“Engine failure in flight”; “Recent registration”)

6/9 0015Z (1915 local 8/8/08):  The pilot of a Be36 “reported engine problems” before making a forced landing in a field five miles from Grand Rapids, Minnesota.  The pilot and two passengers were not hurt despite “substantial” aircraft damage.  Weather was 6500 broken, 7500 broken, 8000 overcast, with nine miles’ visibility and a three-knot surface wind.  N7214Y (E-2169) is a 1984 A36 registered since 2006 to a partnership in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

(“Engine failure in flight”; “Substantial damage”)

6/9 1050Z (0550 local):  “On rotation for takeoff” a Be58 “struck a deer,” at Hernando, Mississippi.  The Baron then “skidded off the runway on [a] landing attempt.”  The solo pilot was not hurt despite “substantial” aircraft damage. Weather was “clear and 10” with a six-knot wind.  N827VJ (TH-1387) is a 1983 Baron 58 registered since 2005 to an individual in Hernando.

(“Impact with object/animal during takeoff”; “Substantial damage”)

NEW NTSB PRELIMINARY or FACTUAL REPORTS:  All previously reported in the Weekly Accident Update, and subject to change per NTSB findings.

**5/12 dual-instruction E55 loss of power on takeoff and collision with vehicles in a parking lot, at Coeur d’Alene, ID.  “According to the CFI, he and the private pilot were on a local instructional flight. After completing an approach into the airport, they initiated a takeoff. At approximately 200 feet above ground level, the left engine lost power. The private pilot was flying the airplane and the CFI pushed the nose of the airplane over to maintain airspeed. The CFI could not recall if the right engine also lost power. During the forced-landing, the airplane impacted a vehicle.”  Add “serious injuries”. **

NEW REPORTS THIS WEEK

6/13 1730Z (1330 local):  “During [its] landing roll” at Grove City, Pennsylvania, a Be76’s “nose wheel collapsed.”  The solo pilot was not hurt; aircraft damage is “minor”.  Weather was “clear and 10” with surface winds from 200˚ at 11 gusting to 19 knots.  N6717Y (ME-331) is a 1980 Duchess recently (August 2007) registered to a corporation in Morristown, Tennessee.

(“Gear collapse on landing”; “Wind”; “Recent registration”—strong or gusty surface winds correlate not only with gear-up landings, but with gear collapse mishaps as well.  Perhaps it comes from a hard landing and/or landing gear side loads on touchdown.  Maybe the pilot is in too much of a hurry to retract flaps rolling out in the gusty winds, from a misplaced sense of urgency thinking for some reason the airplane may be difficult to control with flaps down in strong winds, and he/she inadvertently retracts the gear instead of flaps.  Or the gear collapse could be entirely coincident with the reported winds, and perhaps the result of a mechanical condition.)

6/15 1448Z (0948 local):  En route from Point, Texas to Bay Minette, Alabama, a Be35 “crashed on approach” to Creola, Alabama.  The pilot and two passengers suffered “minor” injuries; the Bonanza was “destroyed”.  Weather at nearby Mobile, AL was “few clouds” at 1500, 9000 scattered, visibility 10 miles with a variable, three-knot surface wind.  N83LP (D-7775) was a 1965 S35 registered since 2002 to a co-ownership in Point, Texas.

(Engine failure in flight [from press accounts]; “Aircraft destroyed” –a track log of the flight shows the Bonanza was level at 7000 feet and perhaps had just begun its descent toward destination, approximately 3 ½ hours into the flight, when it began a controlled descent into terrain.  Local media reports “mechanical trouble” with the engine forced the pilot to attempt an emergency landing at Creola.  “The impact peeled back one of the Beechcraft S35's wings and smashed its nose, knocking off its engine, which came to a rest on the grass airstrip about 50 feet away from the airplane.  Despite the extensive damage to the plane, authorities said the pilot and his two passengers — his wife and stepmother — suffered only minor injuries.”  The airport’s owner “saw the plane come in while looking out the window of their home. ‘I thought, “Oh look, a plane is landing,'" she said. ‘The next thing I know, his left wing hits the ground, he bounces and the engine flies off.’”  A photo in the report confirms the engine and nose gear assembly came to rest far from the main body of wreckage [and also includes what appears to be a damaged Cessna’s tail in a distinctively contrasting color from the Bonanza’s paint, suggesting the S35 may have hit an airplane on the ground].  The report continues: “The pilot [said] he had been forced to make the emergency landing after his plane lost power a few miles away from the Creola strip but well short of the pilot's destination of Bay Minette.”   No cause is yet known for the engine failure.   History suggests that, this far into a flight, the NTSB will focus on fuel-related causes as well as other engine failure factors.)

6/17 1504Z (1104 local):  A Be76’s landing gear collapsed on the landing roll at New Smyrna Beach, Florida.  Pilot and instructor report no injury; damage is “unknown”.  Weather: 1200 broken, visibility six miles, with a six-knot surface wind.  N2013Z (ME-83) is a 1978 Duchess recently (October 2007) registered to an individual in New Smyrna, Florida.

(“Gear collapse on landing”; “Dual instruction”; “Recent registration”—possibly maintenance-related [see comments on the next report, below], likely pilot-induced by attempting to “clean up” the airplane while still rolling, possibly in a touch-and-go.  Training organizations: consider holding a standards meeting with your multiengine instructors to discuss the merits and hazards of touch-and-go landings vs. stop-and-goes and full stop/taxi-backs, the need for the MEI to actively guard against inadvertent pilot activation of the landing gear switch during fast-paced multiple landings, and the inadvisability of “cleaning up” the airplane before it is brought to a complete stop, preferably clear of the runway when the pilot [and instructor] have time to properly identify the correct [flap] control before moving it.  Include discussion of situations that increase stress on the gear [simulated engine failures, high performance takeoffs and landings, challenging wind conditions] and which will render ineffective landing gear warning systems [using power and/or reduced flap settings landing, especially in windy conditions] and impede squat switch function.)   

6/17 1830Z (1330 local):  While taxiing during a “training” flight, the nose gear of a Be76 collapsed, at Bridgeport, Texas.  Pilot and instructor were not hurt; damage is “minor” and weather conditions were “not reported”.  N2009E (ME-61) is a 1978 Duchess registered since 2004 to a Friendswood, Texas-based corporation.

(“Gear collapse during taxi”; “Dual instruction”—Sometimes “during taxi” is preliminary-speak for a collapse near the end of a landing roll, otherwise it’s as it seems, a collapse during ground operation not specifically part of a takeoff or landing.  If in fact the collapse happened during actual taxi, it’s most likely the nose gear failed from a mechanical cause.  Pilots of airplanes operated in training roles [or of types that likely were used in training at some point in their “life”] should especially carefully inspect the landing gear system before flight, and focus mechanics’ attention on the landing gear system during scheduled inspections.  Keep the gear mechanism very clean so you can inspect for cracks or other damage.  Contact the “type club” for the airplane in question [in this case, the Beech Aero Club], and see if its experts have recommendations for gear component inspection, maintenance and overhaul that build on those in the factory manuals.  Remember, even a “minor damage” landing gar-related mishap [LGRM] insurance claim can cost $60,000 or more in a typical training twin, enough to “total” many.  There are almost no new multiengine training airplanes being built [with very few Piper Seminoles being built and the Diamond DA42’s immediate future uncertain because of Thielert Engines’ insolvency], and new twins are far more costly than the trainers they’ll replace.  The future of business and commercial aviation depends on our ability to keep these fairly rare airplanes flying.  We must preserve our dwindling multiengine training fleet.)  

NEW NTSB PRELIMINARY or FACTUAL REPORTS:  All previously reported in the Weekly Accident Update, and subject to change per NTSB findings.

** 6/5 Baron 58 wing explosion during taxi at Jackson, Mississippi.  The investigation appears to be pointing toward a fuel tank leak that permits vapor to collect inside the wing, ignited by activation of a wing-mounted landing light—a scenario we’ve seen three or four times in the decade I’ve published the Weekly Accident Update.  From the report: “…about 37 inches of the outboard left wing and wing tip remained attached, but exhibited compression buckling and fire damage. The upper wing skin panel, located inboard of the wingtip, was bent upward, which sheared four rivets on four ribs…. The landing light power wire was separated and the exposed end of the wire exhibited melting, and there was evidence of arcing that existed along the base of the structure ("lightening hole") and adjacent interior upper wing skin.”  

Thoroughly check any unusual fuel odors or signs of fuel drips or leaks, and take any unusual indications to a mechanic right away without activating anything electric in the wings (lights, pitot tubes, electric fuel pumps, anti-ice equipment, etc).  Note that research done at the National Institute for Aviation Research’s Aging Aircraft Laboratory determined that aircraft wiring indeed deteriorates with calendar age regardless of hours of use, and needs to be increasingly inspected and replaced as necessary as an individual airplane ages [the subject airplane is a 1973 model, 35 years old].  Change “Fire during taxi: unknown source” [and my invalid assumption that this was suggestive of a brake fire] to “Wing explosion—suspected fuel leak ignited by arcing electrical wiring” and add “substantial” damage.** 

FROM UNOFFICIAL REPORTS

On or about 6/23, time not reported:  A reader reports a Be55 “lost six inches off [the right] propeller” while in cruise flight near Champaign, Illinois.  The pilot reportedly “reduced power” on the engine, which was “vibrating wildly,” but he did not shut it down.  Apparently the pilot declared an emergency because airport crash rescue was reportedly in place when the Baron touched down at Champaign, but the landing was otherwise uneventful.  Weather conditions and the airplane registration were not reported, other than it is thought to be an early 95-55 Baron.

(“Propeller separation in flight”—a local mechanic opines that since the engine was allowed to run in this unbalanced condition, there is a good chance of extensive damage to the engine mounts, possibly the wing spar and wing root, and even the aft fuselage bulkhead and stabilizers.  He suggests detailed inspection of all these points following an unbalanced propeller event.  Best practice generally would be to shut down an engine and feather its propeller upon detecting a strong propeller vibration.  In multiengine airplanes this permits a smooth transition to single-engine flight without the danger of additional vibration-related damage.  In single-engine airplanes it prevents a possible scenario where the engine shakes completely out of its mounts and separates from the airframe, with an accordant center of gravity shift that makes the airplane completely uncontrollable.  Unless an airplane has a specific Precautionary Engine Shutdown checklist, use the Engine Fire in Flight procedure to accomplish a precautionary shutdown.)

NEW REPORTS THIS WEEK

6/15 1330Z (1430 local):  Three died and the Be35 in which they flew was “destroyed” shortly after departing Regensburg, Germany.  The airplane “impacted terrain under unknown circumstances,” and visual flight conditions prevailed.  D-ECRD is a V35B, serial number not available, “owned and piloted by the accident pilot” according to the report.

(“Crash/unknown”; “Fatal”; “Airplane destroyed”)

6/18 2214Z (1714 local):  A Be35 landed gear up at Spirit of St. Louis Airport, Chesterfield, Missouri.  The solo pilot reports no injury and damage is “unknown”.  Weather at KSUS was “clear and 10” with a six-knot wind.  N861T (D-7507) is a 1965 S35 registered since 2006 to an individual in St. Louis.

(“Gear up landing”)

6/24 2010Z (1510 local):  “On departure” from Olathe, Kansas’ Johnson County Executive airport, a Be36’s “engine failed” and the Bonanza “landed off the end of the runway.”  The solo pilot was not hurt despite “substantial” airplane damage.  Weather was 4200 scattered, visibility 10 miles, with surface winds at five knots.  N28HN (E-1053) is a 1977 A36 recently (January 2008) registered to an individual in Plattsburg, Missouri.

(“Engine failure on takeoff”; “Substantial damage”; “Recent registration”—a television video shows extensive damage to the Bonanza’s wings and flaps.  The left main landing gear appears to have been forced up through the upper wing skin; the right flaps is severely twisted; and the cowling shows signs of failure downward…all suggesting a high rate of descent on impact.  Propeller blades are curled aft, often a sign no thrust was being developed at impact but sometimes misleading if the airplane hits at a high angle of attack. 

Despite the initial FAA report the pilot is quoted on TV news and does not suggest the engine quit.  Instead, he is quoted (by reporters) as saying he had "plenty of lift” when he took off, but the “suddenly the plane slammed back down on its belly" and off end of runway into field.  Whether the apparent stall was the source event or resulted after an engine malfunction the lesson is this:  angle of attack control is critical on takeoff.  If all is normal otherwise, the pilot should raise the airplane’s pitch to a known attitude that results in a safe angle of attack.  Crosscheck this attitude against indicated airspeed.  “Rotating” without a pitch and airspeed target [whether visual or by reference to instruments] invites the possibility of over-rotation and a stall or mush.  If the engine falters or completely dies, the pilot must immediately establish a safe attitude [again, by outside or inside reference] to maintain a safe flying speed for control all the way to the ground. 

To discover this beforehand: at a safe altitude, configure the airplane for takeoff [landing gear down, flaps up or partially extended per your preference].  Reduce throttle fully to idle and nose down to establish a short-field landing airspeed [usually the 50-ft obstacle speed off the Landing checklist and/or the conditions of the Landing Performance chart].  Note the attitude required to maintain this speed in this configuration.  This is approximately what’s needed immediately upon noting an engine failure on takeoff or from any airspeed below about 150% of best glide [in a single-engine airplane].  If at higher airspeeds when the failure occurs you can increase altitude or hold level as the airplane decelerates toward a glide speed, but you need to be ready to aggressively push the nose to this attitude as soon as you detect an engine failure from a takeoff or climb speed or pitch.  Only then do you have control to exercise any options that might be available [land straight ahead, make heading changes to a landing spot, attempt troubleshooting if time permits].)

NEW NTSB PRELIMINARY or FACTUAL REPORTS:  All previously reported in the Weekly Accident Update, and subject to change per NTSB findings.

**6/6 collision between a departing A36 and a landing PA30 at Pawtucket, RI.  “At 1735 (UTC) the Piper had been cleared for the…VOR/GPS-A approach. The approach ha[s] an inbound course of 001 degrees and conclude[s] in the vicinity of the threshold of runway 33. About 6 minutes later the pilot of the Piper reported that the airport was in sight and cancelled his IFR flight plan with the ATC facility, as requested.  [Apparently ATC had requested the Piper pilot to cancel when able so the Bonanza could be released for departure.  Pawtucket is a nontowered airport and ATC services were being provided by a control tower at a nearby Class D airport—tt].

“At 1738, the pilot of the Beech had requested an IFR clearance and departure time from the same ATC facility, and was instructed to ‘hold for departure’ at the hold short line for runway 5. About 5 minutes later ATC advised the Beech they were cleared for departure, ‘release is void 2148 (UTC) time is 2143 (UTC).’ The pilot of the Beech repeated the clearance and requested verification, after about 10 seconds and no response from ATC, he requested verification again. ATC then verified the clearance and void time.

 “According to the pilot of the Beech, after receiving the clearance, he ‘switched over’ to the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) published for the airport. He announced his intentions twice before beginning the takeoff roll by stating ‘North Central Traffic, Bonanza 27199 departing runway 5.’ As the airplane approached the rotation speed of 75 knots, the pilot saw the Piper ‘coming straight at my window,’ he turned left and pulled up slightly, collided with the Piper, reduced the power, and came to a stop in the grass adjacent to the runway.

“According to the pilot of the Piper, he descended out of the overcast cloud layer approximately 800 feet above ground level, with the airport in sight. He requested to cancel his IFR flight plan, and ATC acknowledged, stating ‘squawk VFR and change to advisory frequency.’ He then turned slightly left to parallel runway 33, to view the windsock, proceeded with a [circling] approach to runway 15, lowered the landing gear and reported his ‘position and plan on CTAF.’ He landed on the runway approximately 100 feet from the threshold, and was attempting to turn at the taxiway immediately past the intersection of the two runways. As he entered the intersection he saw and heard an airplane crossing right to left, felt the collision, and then came to a stop in the grass beside the runway.”

The report might also suggest the PA30 pilot turned downwind prior to reaching the runway, and circled with the runway not to his left, but to his right.  If so, he would have passed nearly directly over the Bonanza on the ground, making it difficult for either pilot to see the other before both were aligned with the runway intersection.  Improved visibility of the landing surface and potential obstacles on the ground is the reason the standard circling maneuver is to the left unless specifically directed otherwise in the approach procedure or by ATC.  The VOR-GPS(A) approach at KSFZ does not call for a right circling maneuver.—tt]**

**6/15 triple-fatality V35B crash at Regensburg, Germany, cited above.**   

SUMMARY: Reported Hawker Beechcraft piston mishaps, year-to-date 2008:

Total reported:  100 reports 

Operation in VMC: 65 reports   (65%)  

Operation in IMC:    4 reports   (4%)  

Weather “unknown” or “not reported”:  31 reports

Operation at night:  11 reports  (11%) 

Surface wind > 16 knots:  12 reports  (12%)           

Fatal accidents: 12 reports   (12%)  

“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 3 reports  (3%) 

“Substantial” damage: 34 reports   (34%)  

Aircraft “destroyed”:   12 reports   (12%)   

Recent registration (within previous 12 months):  22 reports   (22%)  

(Note: FAA preliminary reports no longer identify the purpose of the flight involved in mishap.  Consequently the number and percentage of Beech mishaps that occur during dual instruction will become less and less accurate over time.  Since the late 1990s the percentage of Beech mishaps that take place during dual flight instruction has remained very consistently about 10%). 

By Aircraft Type:

Be35 Bonanza  20 reports  

Be36 Bonanza  14 reports  

Be58 Baron  13 reports   

Be33 Debonair/Bonanza  12 reports  

Be76 Duchess  10 reports  

Be55 Baron  7 reports  

Be23 Musketeer/Sundowner  6 reports 

Be24 Sierra   4 reports 

Be95 Travel Air   3 reports  

Be18 Twin Beech  2 reports

Be50 Twin Bonanza  2 reports 

Be65 Queen Air  2 reports 

Be77 Skipper  2 reports  

Be19 Sport  1 report

Be45 (T-34) Mentor  1 report   

Be60 Duke  1 report 

PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE (all subject to update per NTSB findings):

LANDING GEAR-RELATED MISHAPS (47 reports; 47% of the total) 

Gear up landing

18 reports (Be18; two Be24s; five Be33s; five Be35s; Be36; Be50; Be58; two Be76s)

Gear collapse (landing)

12 reports (two Be35s; Be36; Be50; Be55; two Be58s; Be60; Be65; Be76; two Be95s)

Gear up landing—known mechanical system failure

4 reports (Be33; Be35; Be45; Be76)

Gear collapse—pilot activation of gear on ground

4 reports (Be33; Be35; Be55; Be58)

Failure of nose gear to extend due to mechanical failure

2 reports (Be65, Be76)

Gear collapse (takeoff)

2 reports (Be18; Be58)

Gear collapse during taxi

2 reports (Be58; Be76)

Gear collapse on landing—known mechanical system failure

1 report (Be55)

Gear collapse on landing: electrical failure/incomplete manual extension

1 report (Be45)

Gear collapse on landing—known incomplete electrical extension

1 report (Be58)

 ...for more on Landing Gear-Related Mishaps see these data and this commentary. 

ENGINE FAILURE   (18 reports; 18% of the total) 

Engine failure in flight

8 reports (four Be35s; four Be36s)

Engine failure on takeoff

4 reports (Be33; Be36; Be55; Be77)

Partial power loss: fuel line leak

1 report (Be36)

Propeller overspeed

1 report (Be36)

Engine failure—fuel system malfunction

1 report (Be36)

Piston/cylinder failure in flight

1 report (Be35)

Engine failure on approach/landing

1 report (Be35)

Propeller separation in flight

1 report (Be55)

...for more on fuel management-related mishaps see www.thomaspturner.net/Fuel.htm.  

IMPACT ON LANDING  (16 reports; 16% of the total) 

Loss of directional control on landing

4 reports (Be19; Be23; Be36; Be77)

Hard landing

3 reports (two Be23s; Be35)

Loss of control on landing—strong, gusty winds

3 reports (two Be23s; Be58)

Wing strike on landing

1 report (Be58)

Hard landing—strong, gusty wind

1 report (Be36)

Impact with animal while landing

1 report (Be76)

Landed long

1 report (Be33)

Impact with obstacle on landing

1 report (Be35)

Loss of control--attempted go-around in strong/gusty winds

1 report (Be55)

MISCELLANEOUS CAUSES  (6 reports; 6% of the total) 

Taxied into obstruction

2 reports (Be76; Be95)

Pilot incapacitation—heart attack

1 report (Be58)

Bird strike on landing

1 report (Be33)

Gear door damage—ice accumulation

1 report (Be33)

Wing explosion—suspected fuel leak ignited by arcing electrical wiring

1 report (Be58)

CAUSE UNKNOWN  (5 reports; 5% of the total)  

Approach/Unknown

2 reports (Be33; Be36)

Crash/Unknown

2 reports (Be24; Be35)

Takeoff/Unknown

1 report (Be35)

LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT   (4 reports; 4% of the total) 

Loss of control—single engine visual approach

3 reports (Be55; Be58)

Loss of control—airframe ice; in-flight break-up

1 report (Be35)

IMPACT WITH OBJECT DURING TAKEOFF   (3 reports; 3% of the total) 

Loss of directional control during takeoff

1 report (Be76)

Collision with landing aircraft

1 report (Be36)

Impact with object/animal during takeoff

1 report (Be58)

STALL/SPIN   (2 reports; 2% of the total)

Stall--attempted go-around in strong/gusty winds

1 report (Be23)

Stall/Spin during turn in visual traffic pattern in strong/gusty winds

1 report (Be35)

IN-FLIGHT CONTROL VIBRATION/ FLUTTER/ AIRFRAME SEPARATION  (1 report) 

In-flight break-up—probable pilot incapacitation

1 report (Be35)

Recognize an N-number?  Want to check on friends or family that may have been involved in a cited mishap?  Click here to find the registered owner.   

Please accept my sincere personal condolences if you or anyone you know was involved in a mishap.  I welcome your comments, suggestions and criticisms.  Fly safe, and have fun!

Thomas P. Turner, M.S. Aviation Safety, Master CFI

2008 FAA Central Region CFI of the Year

Mastery Flight Training, Inc.

mastery.flight.training@cox.net

There's much more aviation safety information at www.thomaspturner.net.

Return to  archives page.