Mastery Flight Training

Mastery Flight Training, Inc. Beech Weekly Accident Update archives

December 2006 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!

12/7/2006 Report

NEW REPORTS THIS WEEK

12/1 2045Z (1445 local): A Be58 departed Fort Worth, Texas for Hicks Field, also in Fort Worth, and landed gear up. The solo pilot was unhurt; damage is “minor”. Weather was “clear and 10” with a four-knot wind. N3807T (TJ-332) is a 1980 58P recently (July 2006) registered in a partnership based in Hurst, Texas.

(“Gear up landing”; “Recent registration”—sometimes the short trips have the highest workload…and the greatest chance of distraction)

12/2 1800Z (1200 local): A Be60 “hit some ice and the left [main] gear collapsed” at Miami, Oklahoma. The solo pilot was not hurt and damage is “minor”. Weather conditions were not reported. N178BG (P-459) is a 1978 B60 registered (date not given) to a corporation in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

(“Impact with obstacle on landing”)

12/3 1632Z (1132 local): A Be36’s nose gear collapsed on landing at Sarasota, Florida. Two aboard the “pleasure” flight avoided injury; damage is “minor”. Weather was “clear and 10” with a seven-knot wind. N66928 (E-1628) is a 1979 A36 registered since 1996 to a Wilmington, Delaware corporation.

(“Gear collapse on landing”)

12/5 1458Z (0958 local): A Be18’s landing gear collapsed on landing at Long Island Macarthur Airport, Islip, New York. The solo pilot reports no injury; damage is “unknown” and weather “not reported”. N729M (BA-517) is a 1960 G18S registered since June 2005 to a corporation in Wilmington, Delaware.

(“Gear collapse on landing”)

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

**11/22 V35 catastrophic engine failure near Mountain View, Arkansas. “According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot reported a total loss of engine power and was in the process of executing a forced landing to State Highway 5, when an on-coming car forced the pilot to swerve to the right and land in a field adjacent to the highway. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with a barbed-wire fence, which resulted in structural damage to both wings. Further examination of the engine revealed there was a hole in the engine case above the number 4 cylinder. The engine was retained for further examination.” Change “Impact with obstacle during attempted forced landing on a road” to “Engine failure in flight—rod/piston /cylinder failure”.**

**11/26 PT6-converted B36TC engine failure in the traffic pattern at Buena Park, California. “Documents indicated that the pilot intended to fly the airplane from Redding en route to Fullerton at 9,000 feet mean sea level (msl) at a true airspeed of 188 knots. The pilot estimated a time en route of 2 hours 38 minutes, with the total fuel on board listed as 4 hours 53 minutes.” The flight reportedly flew much lower and slower for a good part of the trip; fuel exhaustion is not likely even in that case, but fuel starvation along with other possible engine failure scenarios remain.**

12/14/2006 Report

NEW REPORTS THIS WEEK

12/8 1320Z (0820 local): Taxiing for departure from Lawrenceville, Georgia, a Be36 “went off [the] runway onto [the] grass” and its nose gear collapsed. The solo pilot wasn’t hurt and damage is “minor”. Weather at KLZU: “clear and 10” with a five-knot wind. N302BC (E-1982) is a 1983 A36 registered since 2001 to a Wilmington, Delaware corporation.

(“Loss of directional control during taxi”)

12/9 2111Z (1511 local): A Be55’s landing gear collapsed during the landing roll at Addison, Texas. Two aboard the Baron were not hurt; damage is “minor”. Weather was “few clouds” at 14,000 feet, 25,000 scattered, with visibility 10 miles and surface winds at 10 gusting to 17 knots. N337MB (TC-196) is a 1961 A55 recently (December 2005) registered to a co-ownership in Dallas, Texas.

(“Gear collapse on landing”; “Recent registration”—readers report the Baron's nose and one main gear folded well into the airplane's landing roll)

12/10 1414Z (0914 local): While en route, the pilot of a Be33 “reported electrical problems” and subsequently landed gear up at Saratoga Springs, New York. The solo pilot was not injured; damage is “unknown” and weather “not reported”. N47TJ (CE-1288) is an F33A registered since 2004 to a corporation in Fairfield, New Jersey.

(“Gear up landing—electrical failure”—A reader reports that during a solo flight while working to complete an instrument rating, the pilot had an unspecified electrical problem and “’did not remember’ that there is a manual landing gear extension” procedure. The pilot subsequently landed alongside the runway at Sarasota Springs, on bare, frozen ground; a local tow company lifted the airplane by the engine hoist attach point. The reader correctly implies that this landing and recovery may have caused additional damage. The whole incident, if it occurred as reported, speaks very poorly of the pilot’s checkout in type and any instruction she had received subsequently, as well as an overall lack of familiarity with the airplane and its operating procedures).

12/11 1853Z (1253 local): A Be36’s landing gear collapsed on landing at Houston, Texas, and the Bonanza “slid across [the] runway”. The solo pilot was not hurt; damage is “unknown”. Weather: 400 scattered, ceiling 700 broken 2400 overcast with visibility one mile in light rain, and a three-knot surface wind. N66532 (EA-351) is a 1983 B36TC registered since 2000 to a corporation in Midlothian.

(“Gear collapse on landing”; “IMC”—curiously, this Bonanza was on an IFR flight from Houston to Midlothian, Texas, but the gear collapse happened on landing at Houston. Was there a reason to return to the departure airport in IMC [e.g., door open, etc.] that may have introduced a sense of urgency or distraction that contributed to the gear collapse?)

12/13 0100Z (1800 local): During a twilight takeoff at Grants, New Mexico, a Be55 “veered off the side of the runway and into a ditch” at Grants, New Mexico. The two aboard avoided injury and aircraft damage is “minor”. Weather was clear with a six-knot wind. N66X (TC-773) is a 1964 B55 recently (July 2006) registered to an individual in Coos Bay, Oregon.

(“Loss of control on takeoff”; “Recent registration”—this same airplane [which I flew several times in the mid-1990s] was in a miraculous midair collision with a Piper Archer over Missouri in 2002, but which was only lightly damaged in that incident.)

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

**There are no newly posted piston Beech NTSB reports this week**

12/21/2006 Report

FROM UNOFFICIAL SOURCES

12/19 (time not reported): A Be55 was reported by news media to have received what appears to be “minor” damage, when while tied down at Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington, it was struck by one and perhaps two Cessnas that were torn out of their tiedowns by extreme winds. No registration information is available but the Baron appears to be an IO-470 Baron variant.

(“Struck by object propelled by wind storm”)

NEW REPORTS THIS WEEK

12/14 1404Z (0804 local): A Be36 “experienced a loss of engine power and an in-flight fire during cruise flight, and was subsequently destroyed by fire after a forced landing to a field about 1.5 miles west of the Greater Peoria Regional Airport (PIA), Peoria, Illinois…. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed…. The pilot reported that the airplane was in cruise flight west-northwest of PIA when the engine started ‘missing.’ The pilot put the mixture to full rich, switched fuel tanks, and adjusted the propeller and throttle, but the engine continued to run rough. The pilot reported that he turned to the nearest airport for an emergency landing. He reported that the airplane was about 5 - 6 miles from PIA at 4,500 feet mean sea level (msl) at 100 knots, but he was unable to maintain altitude. The propeller was still turning, but the windshield was 60 percent covered with oil and smoke was coming into the cockpit. The pilot reported that he realized that he could not reach the airport, so he executed a forced landing to a field. At about 150 feet above ground level (agl), he lowered the landing gear and turned to the north to align the airplane with the cornrows. The airplane was still on fire when the airplane came to a stop, and the pilot exited the airplane uninjured. The Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness and operations inspectors examined the wreckage. Fire consumed the engine compartment, cockpit, and cabin. The empennage was still intact. The engine was separated from the firewall. A hole was found in the top of the engine crankcase. The engine was shipped to Teledyne Continental Motors for engine teardown.” The Bonanza was “destroyed” by fire. N30799 (EA-469) was a 1987 B36TC registered since 2004 to an individual in East Dubuque, Iowa.

(“Engine failure in flight—rod/piston/cylinder failure”; “Aircraft destroyed”—a local press report includes a picture showing the extent of damage, but providing little additional detail)

12/16 1818Z (1318 local): A Be35’s “landing gear did not extend” at New Hudson, Michigan. The solo pilot reports no injury and damage is “minor”. Weather at nearby KPTK: 14,000 scattered, 22,000 overcast, visibility 10 with surface winds at 11 gusting to 18 knots. N8388D (D-5513) is a 1958 J35 registered since August 2005 to an individual in Bingham Farms, Michigan.

(“Gear up landing”--another in the correlation between landing gear-related mishaps and strong surface winds. From the phrasing of this report it may have been mechanically related, or it may have been simple human factors. Do any readers know?)

12/16 2116Z (1616 local): During a “training” flight departing Memphis, Tennessee for Springfield, Missouri, the nose gear of a Be76 collapsed during the takeoff roll at Memphis. The two aboard were not hurt and damage to the Duchess is “minor”. Weather: 5000 broken, visibility 10 miles with a 12-knot surface wind. N700MW (ME-134) is a 1978 Model 76 recently (February 2006) registered to a corporation based in Springfield, Missouri.

(“Gear collapse on takeoff”; “Recent registration”)

12/17 1843Z (1143 local): After landing, the nose gear of a Be35 collapsed, at Lordsburg, New Mexico. The solo pilot was not hurt; damage is “unknown”. Weather was “clear and 10” with winds at 16 gusting to 22 knots. N2896V (D-304) is a 1947 Model 35 recently (April 2006) registered to an individual in Prosper, Texas.

(“Gear collapse on landing”; “Recent registration”)

12/18 0101Z (1901 local 12/17/2006): One died, and three others on board a Be36 suffered “serious” injuries, when an IFR flight from Ardmore, Oklahoma to Fayetteville, Arkansas, ended one and a half miles south of Fayetteville. Weather for the night approach was 400 overcast with 10 miles’ visibility. The Bonanza was “destroyed”. N1100J (E-3058) was a 1996 A36 registered since September 2005 to a Fayetteville, Arkansas corporation.

(“Approach/Unknown”; “Fatal”; “Aircraft destroyed”; “IMC”; “Night”—local accounts provide no more details except to say that it was “foggy” at the time of the crash)

12/18 2350Z (1550 local): Three aboard a Be95 perished and the Travel Air was “destroyed”, when it “crashed under unknown circumstances into a waste water treatment facility and was submerged,” at Gilroy, California. The instructional flight originated at San Jose, California. Weather conditions were “not reported”. N144PG (TD-601) was a 1964 D95A recently (February 2006) registered to a corporation in San Jose.

(“Crash/Unknown”; “Fatal”; “Aircraft destroyed”; “Recent registration”—local press reports say “Authorities believe the three passengers killed were all Japanese nationals…. They believe the instructor was a U.S. resident, while the two students were visiting from Japan. A Japanese passport was recovered from the crash scene…. The Beechcraft Travelair plane was the same aircraft the Nice Air flight school in San Jose had reported missing Monday…. The plane took off about 1 p.m. and was scheduled to return at 5 p.m., but never arrived…. A pilot reported seeing the plane go down around 4 p.m. Monday.”)

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

**12/14 fatal B36TC catastrophic engine failure in cruise flight near Peoria, Illinois, cited above.**

12/28/2006 Report

NEW REPORTS THIS WEEK

12/23 0240Z (2140 local 12/22/2006): Four died, and the Be36 in which they flew was “destroyed”, when the Bonanza collided with terrain while on vectors for an approach at Chattanooga, Tennessee. The night IFR flight had begun at a fuel stop at Gainesville, Florida, with Chattanooga the planned destination. Weather was “few clouds” at 500 feet, 1800 overcast, visibility 9 miles with a southwest wind at six knots. Assigned a vector of 020 degrees for the ILS 20 approach at KCHA, the pilot was told to maintain 3000 feet and he replied “he had [already] descended.” The controller attempted to ascertain the pilot’s altitude and the pilot replied he was “disoriented” and heading “north”. The controller then “asked the pilot if he had the airplane under control and the pilot gave an affirmative answer. The pilot was asked his heading and responded north. The controller advised the pilot to maintain current heading and 3,000 feet MSL. The controller [then] assigned heading 020 degrees and asked the pilot if he was having any trouble with the airplane. The pilot responded that he was disorientated. The controller asked again to verify that the trouble is with the pilot and not the airplane. The pilot replied that was correct.” The controller then asked if the pilot could land or if he needed to “fly around” to regain orientation; the pilot replied he wanted to “fly around a little” and the controller assigned a block altitude of 3000 to 4000 feet. The pilot also reported he was in IMC and the controller offered him a climb to VMC; the pilot said “he was okay and was heading 020 at 3,300 feet MSL.” After a “series of slow turns to the localizer” the pilot reported breaking out of the clouds at 2100 feet. “The controller [then] asked the pilot if he was feeling all right and the pilot acknowledged that he was feeling fine now.” Five miles out and cleared for the approach, the pilot “requested the ILS frequency for runway 20, advised that he was not receiving the localizer, and that he might have had it dialed in wrong. The controller gave the ILS frequency and asked the pilot if he was receiving the localizer. The pilot responded that it was coming in and that he was a little right of course. The controller confirmed that the plane was right of course and asked if the pilot was able to intercept the course. The pilot responded yes and that he was picking up the glideslope.” The controller then “advised the pilot to check his altitude to which the pilot responded ‘roger.’ The controller advised the pilot that he [was] slightly left of course and asked if he want[ed] vectors back out to which the pilot responded that he was going to catch it and that the glideslope [was] coming in.” A minute later “the controller advised the pilot to check altitude to which the pilot responded that he was ‘climbing back up.’ The controller advised the pilot that the approach clearance was cancelled and to climb and maintain 2,500 feet MSL. No response was received from the pilot. The controller advised the pilot to climb and maintain 3,000 feet and fly his present heading. The pilot responded that he was climbing. The controller repeated several times to climb and maintain 3,000 feet MSL. No further transmissions from the pilot were received.” N3704B (E-1753) was a 1980 A36 registered since March 2005 to a corporation based in Wilmington, Delaware.

(“Controlled flight into terrain: Descent below IFR approach minimum altitude”; “Fatal”; “Aircraft destroyed”; “Night”—the airplane was attempting the ILS 20 at KCHA when the crash occurred.—note that the pilot was at a point five miles north of the airport when cleared for the approach, continued inbound [albeit at too low an altitude] and ended up back at a point about five miles north of the airport—inconsistent with the ILS 20’s missed approach procedure. From the pilot’s actions I’d strongly suspect fatigue and/or perhaps even subtle pilot incapacitation)

12/25 1940Z (1440 local): A Be35 landed gear up at Knoxville, Tennessee. The solo pilot was not injured despite “substantial” aircraft damage. Weather for the short flight from nearby Sevierville, Tennessee was 3900 broken, 4700 overcast, visibility 10 miles with calm surface winds. N5105C (D-2386) is a 1950 B35 recently (March 2006) registered to an individual in Jupiter, Florida.

(“Gear up landing”; “Substantial damage”; “Recent registration”—a local reader reports the Bonanza’s inner gear doors were not damaged, which means either [1] a gear-up landing, or [2] a mechanical failure of a gear component like a nose gear rod end. The pilot reportedly commented "I heard it scraping and the gear was not quite down I guess," suggestive of the former.)

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

**Fatal 12/18 A36 crash on approach at Fayetteville, AR. Change “Approach/Unknown” to “Controlled flight into terrain: Descent below IFR approach minimum altitude”. A handheld GPS recovered from the crash “revealed the airplane was on course for the runway and descending.” The three passengers remain in “serious” condition.**

**Quadruple-fatality 12/22 A36 crash during the missed approach at Chattanooga, TN, cited above.**

12/31/2006 Report

Beechcraft Piston Aircraft Accidents posted 12/28/06 through 12/31/06

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.

**THE WEEKLY ACCIDENT UPDATE IS AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCT OF MASTERY FLIGHT TRAINING, INC.**

UPDATE

Re: the 12/16 gear-up landing at New Hudson, Michigan: A reader reports that “the aircraft was purchased within the last year from a [previous] gear up accident. The owner, who is an A&P, spent much time restoring it. He had about 15 hours flying it since the restoration. On the day of the gear-up, he believed he had a low strut, and it was his intention to land softly on the strut in question. He admitted that his attention was focused on the strut, and with that distraction, he failed to put the gear down. When the aircraft was put on a jack, the gear came down correctly.” Beware fixation that distracts to the point it inhibits required action. Thanks, reader, for providing this important lesson.

FROM UNOFFICIAL SOURCES

12/27 (time not reported): Multiple readers report an unidentified Be35 was “destroyed” in a hangar fire after the pilot of a Cessna 172 reportedly lost control on landing at Riverside Airport, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and impacted the hangar. The Bonanza was reportedly a transient aircraft from Pagosa Springs, Colorado. There is no other information currently available. Thanks, readers, for your input.

(“Hangar fire resulting form another aircraft’s loss of control”; “Aircraft destroyed”)

NEW REPORTS THIS WEEK

10/10 0020Z (1920 local 10/9/2006): The pilot of a Be36, en route on an IFR clearance from Scott City, Kansas to Hays, Kansas, “lost control in instrument conditions, went into an unusual attitude [and] landed without [further] incident” at Hays. The lone pilot was not hurt but the Bonanza incurred “substantial” damage. Weather was “IMC”. N1801V (E-1859) is an A36, year not reported, registered since 2002 to a corporation in Hays.

(“Loss of control—en route IFR in IMC”; “Substantial damage”—this report first appeared on 10/28/2006, apparently after an assessment of damage prompted someone to note it was a “reportable” accident. The FlightAware log of this flight shows what must have been a wild ride.)

12/27 2040Z (1240 local): A Be36 “crashed in a remote area northwest of Lake Hughes, near Neenach, California. The flight, departing Lancaster, California en route to Chico, California, resulted in “minor” injury to the pilot and “substantial” aircraft damage. Weather conditions were “not reported”. N4598S (E-761) is a 1975 A36 registered since 1987 to an individual in Chico.

(“Crash/Unknown”; “Substantial damage”)

12/30 1710Z (1210 local): Two passengers aboard a Be23 suffered “serious” injuries, while the pilot and a fourth occupant were reportedly unhurt, when the Musketeer “struck trees” on “attempted landing” at Henderson, North Carolina. The airplane has “substantial” damage. Weather at nearby Asheville was 800 overcast, visibility two miles. N2319L (M-145) is a 1963 Model 23 registered since 2004 to an individual in Worthington, Ohio.

(“Impact with obstacle on final approach—attempted visual flight in IMC”; “Serious injuries”; “Substantial damage”; “IMC”—a reader forwarded that the pilot was reportedly attempting to “scud run” VFR into Henderson.)

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

**12/18 triple-fatality D95A crash at Gilroy, California, during a dual instructional flight. We learn nothing new from this report**

SUMMARY: Reported Raytheon/Beechcraft piston mishaps, year-to-date 2006:

Total reported: 235 reports

Operation in VMC: 151 reports (64% of total)

Operation in IMC: 18 reports (8% of total)

Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 66 reports (28% of total)

Operation at night: 25 reports (11% of total)

Fatal accidents: 41 reports (17% of total)

“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 8 reports (3% of the total)

“Substantial” damage: 63 reports (27% of total)

Aircraft “destroyed”: 42 reports (18% of total)

Recent registration (within previous 12 months): 52 reports (22% of total)

(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 59 reports

Be36 Bonanza 57 reports

Be33 Debonair/Bonanza 26 reports

Be55 Baron 20 reports

Be58 Baron 18 reports

Be23 Musketeer/Sundowner 12 reports

Be24 Sierra 12 reports

Be18 Twin Beech 7 reports

Be60 Duke 7 reports

Be76 Duchess 7 reports

Be19 Sport 3 reports

Be95 Travel Air 3 reports

Be77 Skipper 2 reports

Baron (model not reported) 2 reports

Be45 Mentor 1 report

Be56 Baron 1 report

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

LANDING GEAR-RELATED MISHAPS (92 reports; 39% of total)

Gear up landing

38 reports (Be18; three Be24s; six Be33s; thirteen Be35s; seven Be36s; two Be55s; three Be58s; Be76; Be95; Baron [model not reported])

Gear collapse (landing)

37 reports (three Be18s; three Be24s; two Be33s; nine Be35s; ten Be36s; four Be55s; three Be58s; two Be60s; Be76)

Gear up landing—known mechanical system failure

3 reports (two Be33s; Be60)

Gear collapse during taxi/on ramp

3 reports (Be35; two Be58s)

Gear collapse—takeoff

3 reports (Be24; two Be76s)

Gear collapse (touch and go)

1 report (Be55)

Gear collapse—known inadvertent pilot activation of gear on ground

1 report (Be55)

Gear collapse on the ground—engine not running

1 report (Be35)

Gear collapse on landing—known mechanical system failure

1 report (Be35)

Gear collapse (electrical failure)

1 report (Be55)

Gear up landing (electrical failure)

1 report (Be33)

Tire flat on landing

1 report (Be36)

Nose gear strut fracture/failure

1 report (Be36)

ENGINE FAILURE (46 reports; 20% of total)

Engine failure in flight

14 reports (Be23; four Be33s; two Be35s; five Be36s; Be58; Be77)

Engine failure on takeoff

6 reports (Be35; three Be36s; Be45; Be77)

Fuel starvation

7 reports (Be18; Be23; Be33; two Be35s; Be36; Be76)

Fuel exhaustion

5 reports (Be33; Be35; three Be55s)

Engine failure in flight—rod/piston/cylinder failure

5 reports (two Be35s; two Be36s; Baron [model not reported])

Engine failure in flight—loss of oil pressure

2 report (Be35; Be36)

Engine failure on approach/in traffic pattern

2 reports (both Be36s)

Engine failure on takeoff—loss of oil pressure

1 report (Be33)

Engine failure on takeoff—loss of fuel pressure

1 report (Be35)

Engine failure on takeoff—engine maintenance test flight

1 report (Be23)

Engine roughness in flight/precautionary landing

1 report (Be36)

Engine failure—improper mixture management

1 report (Be33)

Smoke in cabin in flight/probable engine fire

1 report (Be36)

IMPACT-RELATED FAILURE ON LANDING (28 reports; 12% of total)

Hard landing

7 reports (three Be23s; Be35; three Be36s)

Loss of directional control on landing

7 reports (Be19; two Be23s; Be24; Be33; Be36; Be58)

Landed long

4 reports (Be35; two Be36s; Be58)

Impact with obstacle following delayed landing abort

2 reports (Be36; Be58)

Landed short

2 reports (Be19; Be36)

Loss of directional control—blown tire on landing

1 report (Be33)

Loss of control during attempted go-around

1 report (Be36)

Loss of control on approach/in landing pattern

1 report (Be35)

Impact with animal on runway during landing

1 report (Be76)

Impact with obstacle on landing

1 report (Be60)

Impact with obstacle on final approach—attempted visual flight in IMC

1 report (Be23)

MISCELLANEOUS CAUSES (19 reports; 8% of total)

Taxied into obstruction/pedestrian/other aircraft

5 reports (three Be35s; Be60; Be95)

Bird strike

2 reports (Be33; Be55)

Midair collision on final approach

2 reports (both Be35s in a single incident)

Smoke in cabin in flight/possible electrical fire

1 report (Be58)

Blown tire on landing

1 report (Be58)

Window separation in flight

1 report (Be58)

Pilot incapacitation—alcohol impairment

1 report (Be36)

Apparent suicide

1 report (Be35)

Struck by taxiing aircraft

1 report (Be58)

Trim runaway

1 report (Be36)

Loss of directional control during taxi

1 report (Be36)

Struck by object propelled by wind storm

1 report (Be55)

Hangar fire resulting form another aircraft’s loss of control

1 report (Be35)

CAUSE UNKNOWN (18 reports; 8% of total)

Crash/Unknown

11 reports (two Be23s; Be24; Be33; four Be35s; two Be36s; Be95)

Landing/Unknown

5 reports (Be18; two Be35s; Be58)

Approach/Unknown

1 report (Be55)

Takeoff/Unknown

1 report (Be35)

CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN (10 reports; 4% of total)

Controlled flight into terrain—cruise flight/mountainous terrain

4 reports (Be33; two Be35s; Be55)

Attempted visual flight in IMC—mountainous terrain

3 reports (Be19; Be23; Be33)

Descent below IFR approach minimum altitude

2 reports (both Be36s)

Impact with obstacle/terrain during attempted visual approach in IMC

1 report (Be36)

IMPACT WITH OBJECT DURING TAKEOFF (9 reports; 4% of total)

Impact with object/animal during takeoff

3 reports (Be36; Be55; Be60)

Loss of control during takeoff

3 reports (Be18; Be55; Be58)

Runway excursion—low visibility takeoff

1 report (Be33)

Failure to climb—contamination with snow/frost

1 report (Be35)

Loss of control-unintended liftoff during taxi test with gust lock installed

1 report (Be35)

LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT (7 reports; 3% of total)

Loss of control during practice maneuvers at altitude

1 report (Be33)

Loss of control-- approach in IMC

1 report (Be35)

Loss of control—pilot incapacitation

1 report (Be56)

Loss of control--In-flight break-up

1 report (Be24)

Loss of control—door open in flight

1 report (Be24)

Loss of control during takeoff/initial climb

1 report (Be55)

Loss of control—en route IFR in IMC

1 report (Be36)

STALL/SPIN (5 reports; 2% of total)

Stall or spiral during go-around/missed approach

2 reports (Be23; Be76)

Stall during circling maneuver in low IMC

1 report (Be55)

Stall/Spin on takeoff

1 report (Be60)

Stall/spin from cruise flight in IMC

1 report (Be55)

IN-FLIGHT VIBRATION/CONTROL FLUTTER

In-flight vibration/flutter of unknown origin

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

Mastery Flight Training, Inc.

mastery.flight.training@cox.net

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

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