By Jim Timm

February 2017

The following are the NTSB reports of the aviation accidents that have occurred in Arizona from late December 2016 thru late January, 2017. We should use this detailed accident information to develop safety programs and briefings that will help pilots learn from the mistakes being made by others and then take the action necessary to prevent similar accidents from happening to them. Fortunately, 2016 ended rather well in that only one non-injury accident was reported thus far in December. However, 2017 started out very badly with an accident involving four fatalities at the very beginning of the year.

From a flight safety standpoint, this reporting period has not really been the greatest. On the positive side, we ended 2016 in good shape with two non-injury accidents, and with only one accident occurring in the entire month of December. The really sad news is that we started the New Year with a weather related accident that should not have happened, and ending ind four fatalities. When this report was being written, there was also an accident that had just happened that involved two fatalities. An NTSB report has not yet been issued.

Based on NTSB and other information available when this summary was prepared, the six accidents this period are as follows.

Accident Date: Thursday, November 24, 2016

Report Dated: 12/22/16 

Title 14 CFR Part 91

Location: Safford

Aircraft Type: Cessna 182A

Injuries:  4 Uninjured

LOSS OF POWER FORCED LANDING

On November 24, 2016, about 0850 MST, a Cessna 182A was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Safford. The commercial pilot and the three passengers were not injured.  The cross-country flight originated from the Safford Regional Airport (SAD) at 0815 with an intended destination of Holbrook.

The pilot reported that during the cruise flight at 8,500 feet msl, he noticed that the oil pressure began to fluctuate and decided to return to the airport. When the airplane was about 4 miles north of SAD, the engine lost power and the pilot initiated a forced landing to an area of open desert. During the landing roll, the airplane struck two dirt berms and the nose wheel collapsed.

Post accident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the forward portion of the fuselage structure and engine firewall was structurally damaged. 

Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight.

Accident Date: Thursday, December 29, 2016

Report Dated: 1/12/17

Title 14 CFR Part 91

Location: Kingman

Aircraft Type:  Diamond Aircraft GMBH DA 40 NG

Injuries:  1 Uninjured

LOSS OF POWER FORCED LANDING

On December 29, 2016, about 1120 MST, a Diamond Aircraft DA40 NG experienced a partial loss of engine power near Kingman. The private pilot was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings during the subsequent forced landing. The flight departed Kingman Airport about 1100 with a planned destination of Lake Havasu City Airport, Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The pilot was flying with the intention of gaining flight time experience in preparation for his commercial pilot's license test.

He reported that during level cruise at an elevation of about 9,500 ft msl, he felt the airframe shaking, and a few minutes later, he received an ECU (Engine Control Unit) A and B failure annunciation. He began to follow the emergency checklist, and while doing so he noticed that the engine oil temperature was rising. He reduced engine power and initiated a descent, and the oil temperature began to drop, however a short time later, the oil pressure dropped to zero. Having now descended to 3,500 ft, he decided to perform a forced landing into a field. During the landing roll, both wings struck vegetation, resulting in de-lamination of the upper and lower skins at the leading edge.

Subsequent examination revealed that the belly of the airplane was soaked in black-colored oil from the engine cowling through to the tail skid, with the source appearing to be from the engine oil breather hose.

The airplane was equipped with a four-cylinder, turbocharged, Austro AE300 (E4-series) diesel-fuel engine.

Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan was filed.

Accident Date: Monday, January 2, 2017

Report Dated: 1/10/17

Title 14 CFR Part 91

Location: Scottsdale

Aircraft Type: Hawker 800XP

Injuries:  2 Uninjured

NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE ON LANDING

On January 2, 2017, about 1643 MST, a Hawker 800XP sustained substantial damage when the nose landing gear collapsed during the landing roll at Scottsdale Airport (SDL). The two pilots, both airline transport pilots, were not injured. The personal flight originated from Tucson International Airport at 1532.

The pilot reported that, during the approach to SDL, the nose landing gear (NLG) light was red, which indicated that the NLG was not down and locked. In order to assess the situation, the pilot exited the traffic pattern, and referred to the emergency checklist. After using the hand pump to lower the landing gear manually, the red light still indicated that the NGL was up. The pilot asked the tower for a landing gear check and the tower replied that it appeared the NLG was down and straight. The pilot executed a normal landing, and as the airplane started to slow down, about 35-40 knots, the nose gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest about 50 yards down the runway from the location where the NLG collapsed.

Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument rules flight plan.

Accident Date: Monday, January 2, 2017

Report Dated: 1/9/17

Title 14 CFR Part 91

Location: Payson

Aircraft Type: Cessna T210K

Injuries:  4 Fatal

CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN / VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS

On January 2, 2017, about 0937 MST, a Cessna T210K was destroyed after it collided with mountainous terrain near Payson, Arizona. The private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight that departed Scottsdale Airport (SDL) at 0912 and was destined for Telluride, Colorado.

According to the pilot's friend, he planned a flight to Colorado with his family for their annual vacation. Preliminary Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Control (ATC) radar data showed an airplane that had departed SDL with a VFR transponder code on a direct course for the pilot's destination airport. After approximately 12 minutes of flight, the airplane reached a final cruising altitude of about 7,950 feet mean sea level. The airplane subsequently descended about 1,300 feet in one minute before it entered a momentary climb, followed by a shallow descent. In the remaining two and a half minutes, the airplane maintained a 300 foot per minute descent rate with some intermittent climbs. The final two radar targets showed the airplane ascend about 425 feet in 12 seconds. The airplane maintained a straight track from SDL to the last radar target, which was within a tenth of a nautical mile of the accident site and indicated a field elevation of 6,670 feet.

The last radar target was recorded at 0937:39. Between 0938 and 0942, an ATC facility received reports from three separate aircraft that had received ELT signals near the accident site.

The airplane came to rest on the south face of a mountain rim approximately 11 nautical miles north of Payson Airport at an elevation of about 6,601 feet. The initial impact point (IIP) was identified by an aluminum fragment embedded in a 50 foot tall tree about mid-span and several broken tree branches beyond the IIP. An initial ground scar was marked by airplane fragments, tree branches, and loose dirt approximately 40 feet forward of the IIP. Portions of the wings and elevators were found along the wreckage path. The main wreckage was found approximately 80 feet from the IIP and was comprised of the engine, fuselage, and tail section, which had been displaced approximately 30 degrees upward from the ground. The vertical stabilizer and rudder had separated from the fuselage and were hanging by the airplane's rudder cables. An odor of fuel was detected near each wing fuel tank, which were both separated and breached.

NTSB report stated instrument conditions prevailed at the accident site.

Temperature/Dew Point:  2°C/1°C

Accident Date: Saturday, January 14, 2017

Report Dated: 1/23/17

Title 14 CFR Part 91

Location: Buckeye

Aircraft Type: Cessna T210M

Injuries:  1  Serious

LOSS OF CONTROL LANDING

On January 14, 2017 about 1400 MST, a Cessna T210 sustained substantial damage during a runway excursion and subsequent nose over, after landing on runway 17 at the Buckeye Municipal Airport (BXK). The private pilot was the sole person on board and was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight; no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight originated from BXK at an unknown time.

According to a family member, the pilot stated that the airplane veered to the left during landing roll, and he used right controls to compensate. He further stated that he collided with an object that resulted in the nose over.

A witness located at the airport heard the airplane performing touch-and-goes prior to the accident, but did not see the accident sequence. The witness stated there were tire marks veering left from the runway centerline, about 1,400 feet from the approach end. The tire marks continued about 500 feet before entering the runway safety area, crossing over taxiway D, and reentering the runway safety area on the other side where the airplane came to rest inverted.

Accident Date: Monday, January 23, 2017

Report Dated:  Report Not Yet Issued

Title 14 CFR Part 91

Location: Tucson

Aircraft Type: Beechcraft 300

Injuries:  2  Fatal

LOSS OF CONTROL ON TAKEOFF

A Beechcraft 300 Super King Air was destroyed after impacting a concrete blast fence near the main terminal building of Tucson International Airport (TUS). Both occupants were killed. The accident occurred during an attempted takeoff from runway 11L.

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