By Jim Timm
December 2014
The following are the preliminary NTSB reports of the aviation accidents that have occurred in Arizona from late October thru late November. Hopefully, we in APA can use the information from these reports to develop safety programs and briefings that will help pilots learn from the mistakes being made by others and thus take the necessary action to prevent similar accidents from happening. It continues to be challenging to be able to develop the most timely safety programs to reduce accidents when a number of accident reports do not contain any detailed accident information.
This past reporting period has been a really bad one from a flight safety standpoint. Since the last reporting period, there were ten accidents reported, but fortunately, there were no fatalities. Two accidents had one serious injury each, one accident had 2 minor injuries, and one accident had one uninjured person. Unfortunately, there were six reported accidents that were devoid of detailed accident information. Fortunately, these reports devoid of details usually only involve minor or no injuries.
During this past reporting period there were three accident reports dating as far back as last May that have finally had a detailed accident report issued. These reports are appended to the end of this month’s report.
Based on information available when this report was prepared, the reported accidents are as follows:
Accident Date: Saturday, October 18, 2014
Report Dated October 27, 2014
Title 14 CFR Part 91
Location: Bullhead City
Aircraft Type: Piper PA28-151
Injuries: 2 Minor
POWER LOSS ON TAKEOFF
On October 18 about 1230 MST, a Piper PA28-151 landed off-airport following a partial loss of engine power during the initial climb from Sun Valley Airport (A20) near Bullhead City. The private pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The fuselage sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence. The cross-country personal flight was departing with a planned destination of Henderson, Nevada. The pilot reported a partial loss of engine power shortly after liftoff; the airplane would not climb or maintain altitude. The pilot felt that she would be unable to get it back to the airport, and power lines were in the flight path. She elected to stay under the wires, and made a forced landing in uneven terrain.
Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed.
Accident Date: Thursday, October 23, 2014
Location: Lake Havasu
Aircraft Type: Cessna 172R
NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE
Accident Date: Thursday, October 23, 2014
Location: Mesa
Aircraft Type: Rockwell 690B
NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE
Accident Date: Thursday, October 23, 2014
Report Dated November 14, 2014
Title 14 CFR Part 91
Location: Mesa (IWA)
Aircraft Type: North American P51D
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
GEAR UP LANDING
On October 23 about 1215 MST, a North American P-51D airplane sustained minor damage following a gear up landing at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (IWA), Mesa. The certified commercial pilot, who was also the owner of the airplane and the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight departed Stellar Airpark (P19), Chandler, Arizona, about 1117.
In a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported that after takeoff from P19, and in the process of retracting the landing gear, he became aware that the left main landing gear had not retracted fully. The pilot stated that he then attempted to extend and retract the landing gear, however, he was not successful. After about 45 minutes of trouble shooting the problem, and still unable to extend the left main landing gear, the pilot elected to proceed and land gear up at IWA. During the landing sequence the airplane's belly scoop was damaged, however, the airplane did not sustain any additional damage.
Accident Date: Friday, October 24, 2014
Report Dated October 28, 2014
Title 14 CFR Part 91
Location: Globe
Aircraft Type: Winston Walker Thunder Mustang
Injuries: 1 Serious Injury
OFF-AIRPORT FORCED LANDING
On October 24 about 0800 MST, a Winston Walker, Thunder Mustang experimental airplane was destroyed following impact with terrain while attempting to make a forced landing about five nautical miles northwest of Globe. The certified commercial pilot/owner, who was the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which had departed Tucson, Arizona, at an undetermined time.
It was reported by first responders that the pilot stated that he had experienced an oil pressure issue, which necessitated an off-airport emergency descent and forced landing.
According to the aircraft recovery team, the airplane initially impacted a telephone pole on an easterly heading with its right wing, cartwheeled, and then came to rest in a dry lake bed. The estimated distance of the debris path from the first point of impact to where the airplane came to rest was about 300 feet. There was no post impact fire.
Accident Date: Monday, October 27, 2014
Report Dated November 7, 2014
Title 14 CFR Public Use
Location: Bisbee
Aircraft Type: Eurocopter AS350 B2
Injuries: 1 Serious Injury
IN FLIGHT POWER LOSS
On October 27 at 1604 MST, a Eurocopter AS350B2 experienced a sudden loss of engine power while maneuvering near Bisbee. The Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was operating the helicopter as a public-use flight. The certified flight instructor, the sole occupant, was seriously injured and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The pilot departed from Sierra Vista Municipal Airport-Libby Army Airfield, Fort Huachuca about 1530 for a local area border patrol flight.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that he was maneuvering the helicopter up a small valley in an effort to aid Border Patrol Agents on the ground. As he completed a second pass, with the helicopter maneuvering about 25 feet above ground level (agl), the pilot could audibly detect that the engine was shutting down. He immediately decided on the best suitable landing site and began an autorotation toward that location. The helicopter touched down hard and the tail then impacted the ground, separating from the airframe.
Accident Date: Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Location: Havasu City
Aircraft Type: Beech A35
NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE
Accident Date: Friday, November 7, 2014
Location: Bullhead City
Aircraft Type: Cessna 210B
NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE
Accident Date: Saturday, November 15, 2014
Location: Chino Valley
Aircraft Type: Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE
Accident Date: Monday, November 17, 2014
Location: Wittman
Aircraft Type: ULTRAMAGIC N-250 Balloon
NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE
THE FOLLOWING ACCIDENTS WERE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED DEVOID OF ACCIDENT INFORMATION. IN THIS DECEMBER REPORTING PERIOD, THE ACCIDENT DETAILS BECAME AVAILABLE.
Accident Date: Friday, May 16, 2014
Report Dated November 14, 2014
Title 14 CFR Part 91
Location: Tucson
Aircraft Type: Piper J3C65
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
LOSS OF CONTROL ON LANDING
The pilot reported that, while on short final, he made note of the wind direction. After touchdown the wind direction changed and he attempted to adjust for the wind shift, however, the airplane departed the right side of the runway, traversed on the dirt, and struck a ditch. The landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to a rest on its belly, which substantially damaged the fuselage. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Pilot Ratings; Private, Single-engine Land. No other pilot information.
Accident Date: Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Report Dated November 19, 2014
Title 14 CFR Part 91
Location: Marana (El Tiro Glider Port)
Aircraft Type: Schweizer SGS 1-34 Glider
Injuries: 1 Minor
PREMATURE TOW RELEASE
The pilot reported that during initial climbing out, while under tow, the glider's canopy became loose.
Despite his attempts, he was unable to lock the canopy. As a result of trying to lock the canopy, he lost sight of the tow airplane, so he elected to disconnect the tow rope about 300 feet above ground level. The pilot stated that he had to use his left hand to hold the canopy closed during flight and was unable to deploy the spoilers. Without use of the spoilers and a tailwind, the pilot aborted the approach due to the glider traveling too fast for landing so he turned right in an attempt to land on a
perpendicular runway. During the landing, the glider encountered additional lift and bounced upon
touchdown. The pilot elected to land off-field to the right of the runway. During the landing sequence,
the right wing struck a tree and the glider landed hard, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.
The pilot reported no pre accident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further reported that he failed to ensure the canopy was locked during the pre-takeoff inspection.
Pilot Ratings; ATP, Commercial, FE, MEL, SEL, Glider
Accident Date: Sunday, October 5, 2014
Report Dated November 19, 2014
Title 14 CFR Part 91
Location: Sedona
Aircraft Type: Cessna 172S
Injuries: 1 Minor
LOSS OF CONTROL ON LANDING
The pilot stated that he was on an extended final for landing. As he got closer to the runway, he noted
that he was right of centerline, and made corrections to return to the runway centerline for landing.
The pilot indicated that he was still making corrections as he initiated the flare to land. The flare was too high, and as a result, the airplane developed a greater than desired sink rate, which he corrected by adding power. The pilot stated that the landing was firmer than normal, and the airplane bounced before it settled back to the runway. The pilot looked inside the cockpit to retract the flaps and reduce the power to idle. When he looked back outside, the airplane was pointed off the runway. The pilot added right rudder to correct back to the runway. He did not want to add too much rudder and lose
airplane control, and when he went to apply the brakes, he noted that his feet were too far down the
rudder pedals, so there was no braking action. The airplane departed the runway surface, and traveled onto the grass, toward a ditch. As the airplane traversed through the ditch, the nose landing gear collapsed, the propeller struck the ground, and then the airplane came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to right wing, rudder, and vertical stabilizer.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have
precluded normal operation. In the Recommendation (how could this accident/incident have been
prevented) section of the accident report, the pilot reported that the flight school has changed their
policy, and no longer allows solo students to fly to the accident airport. He further reported that if he had ensured positive aircraft control prior to retracting the flaps, or taking his attention away from the landing, the airplane would not have yawed to the side of the runway.
Pilot Ratings; Commercial, CFI. No other pilot information.