The following are the reports of aviation accidents and incidents that occurred in Arizona from late June through late July. APA will be using this detailed 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 occurrences.
Aviation safety this reporting period has again not been very good because we had two fatal accidents in the reporting period that took three lives. The balance of the accidents only involved a few injures, if any, and for the most part, only bent airplanes. The number of accidents and incidents are about the same as last month, and they are much higher than they really should be.
Obviously, the virus hasn’t slowed flying down very much, if at all, as pilots are still out there committing pilot deviations, having accidents, and not paying attention or thinking about what they are doing.
In continuing with the expanded scope of the report, using information from the ASN, FAA, NTSB, and APA members, I hope this report will help you see what’s going on out there, and help you to avoid making the same mistakes others have made, and make your flying a bit safer.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THE ASN, FAA, NTSB, AND APA MEMBERS
Date: June 15, 2021
Info. Source: FAA
Location: Phoenix (DVT)
Type: Piper PA28-R201T
injuries: UNK
STRUCK AIRPORT SIGN TAXIING
The aircraft struck an airport sign with the wing while taxiing on a taxiway for a maintenance check. The movement was not intended for flight. Extent of damage was unknown.
Date: June 27, 2021
Info. Source: FAA
Location: Phoenix (IWA)
Type: EMB-550
Injuries: 5 Uninjured
INFLIGHT LIGHTNING STRIKE
On a flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Van Nuys the Embraer EMB-550 diverted and landed at Williams Gateway Airport (IWA) after a lightning strike shattered the windshield over Lubbock, Texas. The extent of damage was unknown.
Accident Date: July 1, 2021
Info. Source: ASN
Location: Grand Canyon
Aircraft Type: Bellanca 17-30
Injuries: 3 Uninjured
INFLIGHT FUEL ANOMALY
The Bellanca Viking sustained unreported damage subsequent to the off airport forced landing, following an inflight fuel anomaly, five miles southwest of Grand Canyon National Park Airport (GCN). The airplane had departed Upland-Cable Airport (CCB), California, with a destination of Grand Canyon-National Park Airport (GCN).
Accident Date: July 3, 2021
Info. Source: FAA
Location: Gila Bend
Aircraft Type: Cessna 172
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
HARD LANDING
The Cessna 172 made a hard landing resulting in a prop strike. The extent of damage was unknown.
Accident Date: July 10, 2021
Info Source: ASN, FAA, APA
Location: Chandler
Aircraft Type: Beechcraft A36TC
Injuries: 3 Minor Injuries 1 Serious Injury
RAN OFF END OF RUNWAY
The aircraft was destroyed by fire subsequent to an impact with the airport boundary fence during a takeoff attempt from runway 22R at Chandler Municipal Airport (CHD). The airplane had been refueled and four large men had boarded the aircraft before takeoff.
Accident Date: July 10, 2021
Info. Source: ASN, NTSB, FAA, APA
Location: Wickieup
Aircraft Type: Beechcraft C90
Injuries: 2 Fatalities
INFLIGHT STRUCTURAL FAILURE
On July 10, 2021, about 1255 mountain standard time, a Beech C-90, turbo prop airplane was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Wikieup, Arizona. The pilot and Air Tactical Group supervisor were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a public-use firefighting aircraft in support of the Bureau of Land Management conducting aerial reconnaissance and supervision.
The airplane was on station for about 45 minutes over the area of the Cedar Basin fire. Preliminary radar data showed that the airplane had accomplished multiple orbits over the area of the fire about 2,500 ft above ground level (agl). The last radar data point showed the airplane’s airspeed about 151 knots, its altitude of about 2,300 ft agl, and that it was in a descent, about 805 ft east southeast of the accident site.
According to a witness, the airplane was observed in a steep dive towards the ground. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the side of a ridge line in mountainous desert terrain about 15 miles northeast of Wikieup. The wreckage was consumed by a post-crash fire. Debris was scattered over an area of several acres. The left wing was located about 0.79 miles northeast of the main wreckage and did not sustain thermal damage. No distress call from the airplane was overheard on the radio.
Accident Date: July 10, 2021
Info Source: FAA
Location: Douglas
Aircraft Type: Slipstream Ultralite
Injuries: 2 Uninjured
OFF AIRPORT LANDING
While doing touch and go’s, the pilot reported he encountered engine issues, and the aircraft lost altitude resulting in an off-airport landing in the desert brush, and flipping upside down about 1/8th of a mile northeast of Douglas.
Accident Date: July 18, 2021
Info Source: ASN
Location: Carefree
Aircraft Type: Aviat A-1B Husky
Injuries: 2 Uninjured
LOSS OF CONTROL LANDING
The aircraft experienced a crosswind on landing causing a runway excursion. No damage was reported.
Accident Date: July 24, 2021
Info Source: ASN
Location: Buckeye
Aircraft Type: Cosman LSA
Injuries: 2 Uninjured
OFF AIRPORT LANDING
Following a loss of engine power, an experimental amateur built Michael A Cosman LSA force landed in open field terrain near Buckeye Municipal Airport (BXK), Buckeye.
Accident Date: July 27, 2021
Info Source: ASN, APA
Location: Tucson (RYN)
Aircraft Type: Rutan Long-EZ
Injuries: 1 Serious Injury 1 Fatality
LOSS OF CONTROL LANDING
The aircraft, an experimentally Borom amateur built Rutan Long-EZ, impacted the terrain short of the runway at Ryan Field Airport (RYN) Tucson. The canard winged experimental airplane came to rest inverted, sustaining substantial damage, and one occupant onboard received fatal injuries. The second occupant onboard was seriously injured.