By Jim Timm 
October 2016
The following are the NTSB reports of the aviation accidents that have occurred in Arizona from late August thru late September, 2016. We will use this detailed accident information to develop safety programs and briefings to help pilots learn from the mistakes being made by others and hopefully take the action necessary to prevent similar accidents from happening. While the pilots did not get off to a very good year, things have gotten a bit better lately.
From a flight safety standpoint, this reporting period has not been as good as it could or should have been, but it was good in that there were no reported fatalities. In the past reporting period, there were four accidents reported by the NTSB, and unfortunately, two of the four reports were devoid of detailed information. One of the detailed accidents would have involved a fatality, if not for an unusual quirk of fate. Because of the nature of the operation, the pilot had a parachute on and was able to jump to safety shortly before impact. The end of this summary also contains the recently released details of an accident that had occurred last June.
BASED ON INFORMATION AVAILABLE WHEN THIS SUMMARY WAS PREPARED, THE REPORTED ACCIDENTS THIS PERIOD ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Accident Date: Monday, August 15, 2016
Title 14 CFR Part 91
Location: Peach Springs
Aircraft Type: American Eurocopter AS350B3
NO NTSB INFORMATION AVAILABLE
Accident Date: Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Title 14 CFR Part 91
Location: Sedona
Aircraft Type: American Legend Aircraft AL3
NO NTSB INFORMATION AVAILABLE
Accident Date: Friday, September 9, 2016
Report Dated: 9/22/2016
Title 14 CFR Part 91
Location: Wickenburg
Aircraft Type: Cessna 310N
Injuries: 4 serious
LOSS OF CONTROL ON TAKEOFF
On September 9, about 0700 MST, a Cessna 310 struck a refuse transfer trailer shortly after takeoff from Wickenburg Municipal Airport (E25). The airline transport pilot and three passengers were seriously injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal flight departed Wickenburg with a planned destination of Payson, Arizona. Witnesses reported observing the airplane takeoff from Runway 23, and veer to the right of centerline shortly after rotation. Having reached an altitude of about 75 ft above ground level, the airplane failed to climb, and crossed over the runway verge and towards an adjacent industrial park. A few seconds later, the airplane rolled almost 90 degrees to the right, and the right wing struck the refuse trailer. The right wing separated from the airframe, and the main fuselage came to rest about 75 ft downrange. The airplane came to rest within the confines of the City Sanitation Department, about 2,200 ft beyond the runway departure threshold, and about 30-degrees right of centerline.
Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
Accident Date: Saturday, September 17, 2016
Report Dated: 9/22/2016
Title 14 CFR Part 91
Location: Gilbert
Aircraft Type: Cessna 182P
Injuries; 1 Serious, 5 Minor
INFLIGHT FIRE, LOSS OF CONTROL
On September 17, 2016, about 1918 MST, a Cessna 182 was destroyed when it impacted a residential structure, following a reported inflight fire near Gilbert, Arizona. The commercial pilot was seriously injured and the 4 passengers sustained minor injuries. One of the two occupants of the house sustained a minor injury.
The airplane was participating in the Gilbert's annual Constitution Fair, which involved an aerial pyro technic display, and four skydivers parachuting into a predetermined drop zone about 1 mile northwest from the accident site. According to one of the skydivers, as the airplane arrived at the planned jump area and altitude, about 5,000 feet, mean sea level, he heard a loud noise and noticed damage to the airplane's left wing. Shortly thereafter, the skydivers successfully jumped out of the airplane as its left wing became engulfed with flames. The pilot radioed a distress call and then egressed out of the airplane. The airplane subsequently impacted in a residential area about 4 miles from the north of CHD.
Examination of the accident site by a National Transportation Safety Board, investigator-in-charge revealed that the airplane struck through the house's roof and a post impact fire consumed a majority of the airplane and the interior of the house.
Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the skydiving flight. The local flight departed Chandler Municipal Airport (CHD), at an unknown time.
THE FOLLOWING DATA IS FROM THE NTSB PRELIMINARY REPORT THAT WAS NOT AVAILABLE WHEN THE JULY SUMMARY WAS PREPARED.
Accident Date: Monday, June 13, 2016
Report Dated: 9/12/2016
Title 14 CFR Public Use
Location: Ajo
Aircraft Type: Eurocopter EC120
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
AFTER LANDING - ROLL OVER
The pilot of a skid equipped helicopter reported that after landing on a volcanic rock hill top, the pilot exited the running helicopter. The pilot further reported that he heard an audible change in the sound of the main rotor and observed the ground under the right skid of the helicopter give way and the helicopter rolled to the right.
The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom.
According to the pilot there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has published FAA-H-8083-21A, Helicopter Flying Handbook (2012). This handbook discusses pilots at the flight controls and states in part:
"Many helicopter operators have been lured into a ‘quick turnaround’ ground operation to avoid delays at airport terminals and to minimize stop/start cycles of the engine. As part of this quick turn-around, the pilot might leave the cockpit with the engine and rotors turning. Such an operation can be extremely hazardous if a gust of wind disturbs the rotor disk, or the collective flight control moves causing lift to be generated by the rotor system. Either occurrence may cause the helicopter to roll or pitch, resulting in a rotor blade striking the tail boom or the ground. Good operating procedures dictate that, generally, pilots remain at the flight controls whenever the engine is running and the rotors are turning."
PROBABLE CAUSE; The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The pilot's decision to exit the helicopter with the engine and rotors turning and the selection of unsuitable terrain for a landing, which resulted in a roll over.
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: