The following are the NTSB reports of aviation accidents that have occurred in Arizona from late August through late September. APA will use this detailed accident information to develop safety programs, briefings, and posters/flyers that would help pilots learn from the mistakes being made by others and take the action necessary to prevent them from having similar accidents.
For the past reporting period the aviation safety really wasn’t too bad in that there were only four accidents reported by the NTSB, and fortunately, none of them were serious from a personal injury standpoint. Two of the accident reports were complete with preliminary reports, and two didn’t have their preliminary accident reports released for review. Fortunately, I did find an Aviation Safety Network report on one of the two accidents, however, and included it in this report.
THE FOLLOWING REPORTS WERE ISSUED IN THE PAST REPORTING PERIOD
Accident Date: August 18, 2020
Preliminary Report: September 22, 2020
Title 14 CFR Part 91
Location: Phoenix
Aircraft Type: Cessna 172
Injuries: 2 Uninjured
HARD LANDING
The pilot receiving instruction reported that, while practicing a short field landing, he misjudged the touch down location, flared early, and the airplane landed hard. The flight instructor reported that he warned the pilot to maintain his pitch attitude, but he continued to flare and the airplane landed hard. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage aft of the nose wheel.
The flight instructor reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Accident Date: August 28, 2020
Preliminary Report: September 3, 2020
Title 14 CFR Part 91 (Skydiving Operation)
Location: Grand Canyon
Aircraft Type: Cessna TU206
Injuries: 1 Minor Injury
INFLIGHT LOSS OF POWER, OFF AIRPORT LANDING
On August 28, 2020, about 1100 MST, a Cessna TU206B was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Grand Canyon Airport. The pilot sustained a minor injury, and the airplane was being operated as an air drop flight.
In a telephone conversation with a National Transportation Safety Board aviation accident investigator, the pilot reported that while on the left downwind to land on runway 21 at the Grand Canyon Airport, he was cleared to land and started to configure the airplane. He opened the cowl flaps, fuel mixture was full rich, and the propeller was full forward. The pilot stated that it was when he was abeam the approach end of the runway that a total loss of engine power occurred. He switched fuel tanks from right to left, turned on the electric fuel pump, and attempted to restart the engine, but to no avail. Concerned that he would not make the runway, he elected to land on a highway, which is adjacent to the east of the airport. During the landing roll the right wing impacted a pole, which resulted in the airplane nosing over and coming to rest inverted. The pilot also mentioned that two trips prior to the accident flight, he added 29 gallons of fuel. Subsequent to having egressed the airplane, he observed fuel leaking from both tanks.
Accident Date: September 7, 2020
Preliminary Report: September 15, 2020
Title 14 CFR Part 91
Location: Whitmore (Grand Canyon Bar Ten Airstrip 1Z1)
Aircraft Type: Cessna 208 Caravan
Injuries: 8 Uninjured
LOSS OF CONTROL LANDING
The NTSB Preliminary Report Was Not Released For Review.
Per an Aviation Safety Network report:
The aircraft experienced a loss of directional control and subsequent runway excursion upon landing at Grand Canyon Bar Ten Airstrip (1Z1), Whitmore, Arizona. The airplane sustained unreported damage upon impact with rocks and a berm. The pilot and seven passengers onboard the aircraft were not injured.
Accident Date: September 19, 2020
Preliminary Report: September 23, 2020
Title 14 CFR Part 91
Location: Somerton
Type: Air Tractor AT402
Injuries: UNK
The NTSB Preliminary Report Was Not Released For Review