by Jim Timm
The following are the reports of aviation accidents and incidents that occurred in Arizona from late August through September. We hope to use the following detailed accident/incident information to develop safety programs, briefings, and posters/flyers that would help pilots learn from the mistakes being made by others and be able to take the necessary action to prevent them from having similar occurrences.
The number of accidents/Incidents are down, and the really good news is that there still weren’t any local fatalities reported. We all need to continue to prevent accidents, and I think that perhaps these past high temperatures may have kept a lot of people from flying.
In continuing with the expanded scope of the report, we’re using information from the Aviation Safety Network (ASN), FAA, NTSB, and APA Members. This more inclusive information source suits our purpose of trying to get an idea of what is happening out there so we can help make flying safer.
In the meantime, here are the results from the above sources.
Date: August 23, 2024
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Goodyear (GYR)
Type: Cirrus SR20
Injuries: 2 Uninjured
Pilot: Comm/CFI
BIRD STRIKE
During the landing a bird struck and damaged the leading edge of the wing. Per the NTSB the damage was minor.
Date: August 26, 2024
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Southeast Of Mesa Gateway (IWA)
Type: Piper PA-28-181
Injuries: 2 Uninjured
Pilot: Comm/CFI
ELECTRICAL FIRE
The pilot made a safe landing on a road southeast of Mesa Gateway airport (IWA) upon detecting an electrical fire behind the instrument panel. The damage was minor.
Date: August 28, 2024
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Tucson Ryan Field (RYN)
Type: Cessna 172
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
Pilot: Student Pilot
LOSS OF CONTROL LANDING
The solo student pilot made a full stop landing but went into the grass when exiting the runway. There was no damage to the airplane or airport.
(The following accident involved an Arizona pilot and passenger, but the accident didn’t occur in Arizona.)
Date: August 29, 2024
Source: ASN, NTSB, APA
Location: Johnson Creek, Idaho (3U2)
Type: Cessna 206
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Pilot: Certification Unknown
BACKCOUNTRY GO-AROUND ATTEMPT
Johnson Creek is a backcountry turf airstrip in a mountainous area at an elevation of 4,960 ft., and the runway is 3,400 ft. long, and 150 ft wide. Because of the slope, RWY 17 is the preferred landing runway, and the airplane was landing on RWY 17, but was heavily loaded, landing fast, and it initially touching down mid field, bounced and then initiated a go-around, stalled, and crashed. The pilot may have never flown into Johnson Creek before, and it’s doubtful he had availed himself to local information on how to make a safe approach, and landing at the problematic airstrip. (Always fly informed.)
Date: August 31, 2024
Source: ASN
Location: Show Low (SOW)
Type: Beechcraft B35
Injuries: 2 Uninjured
Pilot: Certification Unknown
GEAR UP LANDING
The Bonanza departed Sedona Airport with two persons on board with a destination of Show Low Airport. On arrival the Bonanza made a gear up landing. No one was injured and the damage was determined to be minor.
Date: September 1, 2024
Source: FAA
Location: St Johns (SNJ)
Type: Flight Design CTLS
Injuries: 2 Uninjured
Pilot: Sport Pilot
HARD LANDING
An updraft on final caused the aircraft to bounce hard causing damage to the engine mount and firewall. The full extent of the damage was unknown.
Date: September 2, 2024
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Yuma (NYL)
Type: Piper PA-28-181
Injuries: 2 Uninjured
Pilot: Comm/CFI
HIT A FENCE
The wing tip of the Piper Archer struck a fence during taxi. The extent of damage was unreported.
Date: September 7, 2024
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Goodyear (GYR)
Type: Columbia Lancair
Injuries: Unreported
Pilot: Private Pilot
LOSS OF CONTROL LANDING
After landing the Lancair ran to the end of the runway and exited the runway. Because of a brake failure, the pilot spun the aircraft around and went off the taxiway into the grass and stopped. There was no reported damage to the aircraft or airport property.
Date: September 8, 2024
Source: ASN, FAA, APA
Location: Cottonwood
Type: Mooney M20F
Injuries: 1 Serious Injury
Pilot: Certification Unknown
CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN
The Mooney departed Phoenix Deer Valley Airport (DVT) for Cottonwood and crashed into a residential structure in Cottonwood under unknown circumstances. The aircraft first hit a tree, then struck the house without injuring the occupant.