By Jim Timm JimTimm

July 2016

The following are the NTSB reports of the aviation accidents that have occurred in Arizona from late May thru late June of 2016. We use this detailed accident information to develop safety programs and briefings that we hope will help pilots learn from the mistakes being made by others and then take the action necessary to prevent similar accidents from occurring to them. The first half of the year didn’t get off to a very good start, as we had a number of accidents that involved fatalities. We really do need to get back to flying more safely for the balance of the year.

From a flight safety standpoint, this reporting period was exceptional. I don’t ever recall the case of not having any NTSB accident reports for the month long reporting period. I do know there was an accident in Prescott near the end of the reporting period that didn’t appear to have any serious, and most likely, no injuries at all. Apparently it was minor enough that the NTSB was not in much of a rush to get the report published. It will very likely show up in the next reporting period, and I hope with a detailed report. During this reporting period they did issue the details of four accidents that happened in the three previous months, and those details are available in this report.

I’m not sure what has happened, has the weather been too hot for anyone to fly, or has everyone been flying off to cooler parts of the country? If that’s the case, I certainly hope they didn’t take any serious accidents along with them.

The accidents from the last three months that had the details released this past reporting period are as follows:

Accident Date: Sunday, March 6, 2016

Report Dated 5/26/16

Title 14 CFR Part 91

Location: Scottsdale

Aircraft Type: Cessna 172

Injuries: 1 Uninjured

HARD LANDING, LOSS OF CONTROL

The solo student pilot reported that the airplane bounced after touched down, then veered off the runway to the left and came to a stop in gravel. A post-accident exam revealed substantial damage to the firewall. According to the student pilot there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The failure of the student pilot to maintain pitch control while landing, which resulted in a hard landing, loss of directional control, and runway excursion.

Accident Date: Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Report Dated 6/13/16

Title 14 CFR Part 91

Location: Payson

Aircraft Type: Cessna 172

Injuries: 1 Uninjured

HARD LANDING, LOSS OF CONTROL

According to the student pilot, during landing on his solo flight the airplane porpoised. He reported that after landing he repositioned the airplane, but prior to takeoff, a fellow pilot, who witnessed the porpoise, contacted him on the VHF radio, and informed him that he should have the airplane checked out before attempting to takeoff. The student pilot taxied to the parking area and the airport manager and airframe and powerplant mechanic inspected the airplane. The student pilot called his flight instructor and conveyed the situation and the level of damage. However, according to the flight instructor, the student pilot only conveyed the damage to the tail skid. The flight instructor reported that he told the student to confer with the mechanic and determine if the airplane was airworthy.

The student pilot departed and proceeded to the airport where his flight school was based. Shortly after the departure, the airport manager that looked the airplane over for the student pilot, called the flight school and conveyed the gravity of the situation and informed the school that the airplane actually sustained damage to the firewall, tail skid and rudder fairing. The flight instructor did not confer with anyone other than the student pilot to ensure the airplane was airworthy. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall.

The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with the airplane prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.

Accident Date: Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Report Dated 6/17/16

Title 14 CFR Part 91

Location: Chandler

Aircraft Type: Monocoupe 110

Injuries: 1 Uninjured

LOSS OF CONTROL LANDING

According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, after performing an initial test flight, during the landing roll the airplane rapidly veered right and the left wing struck the ground. The pilot reported that he overcorrected by applying full left rudder and the airplane exited the left side of the runway and nosed over. The pilot affirmed that prior to the flight he performed maintenance on the airplane to include the tail wheel single bungee steering system. The pilot reported that he installed the bungee incorrectly. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the windshield, and the fuselage.

Accident Date: Thursday, May 12, 2016

Report Dated 6/13/16

Title 14 CFR Part 91

Location: Wickenburg

Aircraft Type: Piper PA28

Injuries: 1 Uninjured

GROUND TAXI COLLISION

The pilot reported that while taxiing in the ramp area after landing, he was focused on an airplane parked to his right and was not monitoring the proximity of a vehicle parked to his left. Subsequently, the left wing struck the parked vehicle. The left wing spar was substantially damaged.

The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

I hope a low accident and serious injury rate can continue for 2016, and I also hope we have met our quota for fatal accidents for 2016. Please fly carefully out there! Based on information available when this summary was prepared, the three accidents in this period are as follows:

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