by Jim Timm
The following are the reports of aviation accidents and incidents that have occurred in Arizona from late November through December. 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 for this reporting period was not good because two lives were lost in one of the accidents this period. Unfortunately, the number of accidents/Incidents were also up slightly from the previous reporting period. This is not the way we would have wanted to end the year. I can only hope that pilots will be a bit more careful in the coming year, and we will have fewer accidents, injuries, and fatalities. Let’s put our mind to it and make it happen. Please fly safe.
The following is the information obtained from the ASN, FAA, NTSB, and from APA members.
DATE: November 14, 2021
Info. Source: FAA
Location: Phoenix (PHX)
Type: Cessna 750 Citation X
Injuries: None
BROKEN WINDSHIELD
On November 14 a Cessna 750 Citation X declared an in-flight emergency due to a broken windshield and diverted into Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX). They did not request equipment on the ground and made a safe landing.
Date: November 17, 2021
Info. Source: FAA
Location: Chandler
Type: Cessna 210 T
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED ON LANDING
The aircraft nose gear collapsed during the landing, and the extent of aircraft damage was assessed to be minimal.
Date: December 1, 2021
Info. Source: ASN, FAA, NTSB
Location: Lake Havasu
Type: Cessna 510 Citation Mustang
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
GEAR UP LANDING
The aircraft departed Huston Executive Airport (TME), Huston, TX, with a destination of Lake Havasu City Airport (HII). At approximately 12:30 p.m. the aircraft landed at Lake Havasu and made a wheels up landing which punctured the right-side fuel tank and caught fire. The Lake Havasu City Fire Department responded to the scene and quickly extinguished the fire and the aircraft was secured. There were no reported injuries to the pilot or to firefighters. The extent of damage was undetermined, and the cause for the gear up landing is under investigation.
Date: December 19, 2021
Info. Source: APA, ASIAS
Location: TUCSON (TUS)
Type: Mooney M-20F
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
GEAR UP LANDING
Per ASIAS & APA info, it was a Part 91 personal flight, and damage was minor. Unconfirmed reports say the manual gear control lever broke, preventing lowering of the gear.
Date: December 20, 2021
Info. Source: NTSB Location: Phoenix
Type: Cameron Balloons A-315
Injuries: 1 Serious, 15 Uninjured
BALLOON LANDING INCIDENT
The very limited NTSB information only stated one passenger sustained serious injuries and the pilot and 14 passengers were uninjured, and that the balloon did not sustain any damage. Apparently, the accident didn’t attract any media attention, and therefore it wasn’t reported by the Aviation Safety Network (ASN).
Date: December 22, 2021
Info. Source: ASN
Location: Show Low
Type: Vans RV-6A
Injuries: 2 Fatal
CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN
Per ASN, an experimental Van's RV-6A, amateur built by Hazen Dennis Willerton, was destroyed upon impact with terrain and a subsequent fire, near Long Lake, northeast of the Show Low Regional Airport (SOW). The pilot and an 11 year old passenger were fatally injured. The NTSB has been notified and will investigate.
Date: November 22, 2021
Info. Source: ASN
Location: Kingman
Type: Embraer ERJ-145LR
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
GROUND RUNUP ACCIDENT
Preliminary information indicates the aircraft was doing an engine run up on the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) ramp. According to an interview with a Kingman Aviation Services, Inc. (KASI) employee, the aircraft was chocked and connected to a tug, but he wasn't sure about brakes. The aircraft surged forward colliding with two KASI owned vehicles and crushing the legs of a KASI employee. Kingman Fire Department and River Medical provided emergency care.
Upon further investigation it seems that KASI was doing a full power run up on the aircraft and it was missing one wheel and possibly had reduced braking ability. It seems that under power the aircraft pivoted around the landing gear on the side with both wheels, and struck the vehicles and personnel.
The NTSB will not investigate the occurrence because the aircraft wasn’t in preparation for flight. One or two mechanics were seated in the pilot seats and operating the controls.