Piper PA-12
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina/Injuries: 1 Minor
NTSB Report: ERA23LA356
The aircraft was being used to tow banners. The pilot said he refueled the airplane the day before the accident and checked the fuel level during his preflight inspection the following morning. During the second banner tow of the day over the coastline, about 2 hours and 30 minutes into the flight the engine suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot made a forced landing in the ocean just offshore of the beach, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The postaccident examination of the airplane was compromised by the saltwater damage to the engine. The pilot reported departing with 33 usable gallons of fuel, however, there was no evidence of fuel leaks and both fuel tanks were intact and empty of fuel.
Probable cause(s): A loss of power due to fuel exhaustion.
Beech 23
Coolin, Idaho/Injuries: 2 Serious, 1 Minor
NTSB Report: WPR23LA290
The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, he “saw rotation speed” and then pitched for best climb speed. He had no further memory of the event. A witness reported that they saw the airplane lift off from the runway and remain in ground effect until it crossed the departure end of the runway. As it crossed the departure end of the runway, it was in a left bank and then struck a tree, then came down in shallow water off a public beach. The wings and fuselage sustained substantial damage. Investigators noted at the time of the accident the temperature was 30 degrees Celsius, the dew point was 4 C, and the altimeter setting was 29.98. The calculated density altitude was 4,790 feet. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable cause(s): The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees after takeoff, during high density altitude weather conditions.
John Espe Cruiser
Buhl, Idaho/Injuries: None
NTSB Report: WPR23LA29
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing, he encountered a gusting tail wind. While attempting to control the speed to prevent stall, the airplane veered to the left of the runway. The pilot applied right rudder in an attempt to correct this, resulting in a ground loop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable cause(s): The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during landing with a gusting tail wind.
Cessna 152
Maiden, North Carolina/Injuries: 2 Minor
NTSB Report: ERA23LA31
During an instructional flight the CFI and student flew to a nearby grass airstrip for pattern work. Although the flight instructor had flown into the airstrip before, he did not check the runway length before the flight departed and thought it was longer than the actual published 2,400-foot length. After arriving at the destination airstrip the student entered left downwind for Runway 13, resulting in a right quartering tailwind of about 5 knots. The flight instructor told the student to perform a short field landing. The student turned early onto the base leg of the airport traffic pattern, then turned onto final approach, resulting in the airplane being high and fast. After informing the student that the airplane was high and fast the student pitched the airplane down, which increased the airspeed, but he did not reduce power. The airplane continued to be high and fast, and somewhere before the midpoint of the runway the flight instructor told the student to go around, then repeated the instruction when the student hesitated. The student leveled off, added full power, removed carburetor heat, but left the flaps extended at 30 degrees while he pitched for VX airspeed.
While climbing slightly, and with insufficient runway remaining to land, the flight instructor took the controls and realized the flaps were still at 30 degrees. The airplane collided with trees beyond the end of the runway then hit the ground resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage. The CFI reported that the accident could have been prevented by executing a go-around much earlier.
Probable cause(s): The flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the landing approach and go-around, and his delayed remedial action.
Glasair III
Pahrump, Nevada/Injuries: None
NTSB Report: WPR23LA272
According to the pilot, he detected the odor of fuel in the cockpit shortly after takeoff. He turned the fuel boost pump off, but the fuel smell remained, and the engine surged then lost power. The pilot turned the fuel pump back on and switched fuel tanks in an attempt to restart the engine. When the engine did not restart the pilot performed a forced landing on a highway. The airplane struck a sign and the landing gear collapsed resulting in substantial damage to both wings. The postaccident examination revealed a fuel leak in a fitting where the fuel line passes through the firewall to the engine. The connection at the fitting was tight, but abrasion damage was found to the fitting threads when the fuel line was disconnected.
Investigators learned maintenance had been performed on the fuel-related engine components about three months before the accident, but it was not determined if the fuel line to the damaged fitting was manipulated at that time. Investigators noted the accident is consistent with the engine losing total power due to fuel starvation resulting from a fuel leak that interrupted fuel flow to the engine.
Probable cause(s): TA fuel leak due to damaged threads on a fuel line fitting, which resulted in an interruption of fuel flow and a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Mooney M20R
Chattanooga, Tennessee/Injuries: 2 Serious
NTSB Report: ERA23LA314
The pilot and a flight instructor were climbing out after takeoff from the airport when the cabin door suddenly opened. The flight instructor was able to close the door but could not get it secured properly. The pilot decided to return to the airport for landing. The pilot was distracted, and flew too low, striking several approach lights short of the runway threshold. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable cause(s): The pilot’s failure to maintain the proper glidepath during final approach, which resulted in a collision with the approach lights short of the runway. Contributing was the pilot’s distraction due to the cabin door opening.
Cessna 185F
Friday Harbor, Washington/Injuries: None
NTSB Report: WPR23LA291
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that the airplane bounced during touchdown on a three-point landing. The pilot did not execute a go-around. During the second touchdown, the airplane veered to the right and ground looped. The airplane went off the runway and the left gear collapsed, which caused the left wing to hit the ground and sustain substantial damage.
Probable cause(s): The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing, which resulted in a ground loop.
Piper PA-30
Sherman, Texas/Injuries: 1 Fatal
NTSB Report: CEN23FA284
The multiengine airplane was in level flight at 5,000 feet on a north heading toward the destination airport. Onboard data indicated the right engine’s fuel flow fluctuated for about 15 seconds. About 20 seconds later, the left engine fuel flow reduced to zero. The airplane made a slow descent toward the east for about nine minutes, away from the destination airport. The airplane then turned west back toward the airport and continued a slow descent. About 10 minutes later, the airplane was less than 100 feet above ground level, with a ground speed of about 61 knots. The airplane turned left about 40 degrees during the last four seconds of recorded data and subsequently impacted a field with a nose-down attitude.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. The pilot had a total of 540 hours of which 317 were in the accident aircraft make and model.
Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the left engine’s fuel selector was in the off position and the right engine’s fuel selector valve was in the main tank position.
The right fuel selector valve was corroded, which most likely resulted in the right engine fuel flow fluctuations. It is possible that the pilot moved the left engine fuel selector from the auxiliary tank to off inadvertently when he intended to move the right engine’s fuel selector from the auxiliary tank to the main tank.
The left-engine propeller was not feathered at the accident site, which resulted in additional in-flight drag and a higher minimum controllable airspeed (VMC).
During the attempted forced landing, the pilot failed to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a loss of control and a nose-down impact with terrain.
The pilot’s toxicology results indicated use of the sedating antihistamine medication diphenhydramine, and investigators determined he may have experienced associated impairing effects at the time of the accident.
Probable cause(S): The pilot’s failure to maintain control during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. Contributing was the pilot’s failure to feather the left propeller following the loss of engine power.
Cessna 172N
Greenwood, Indiana/Injuries: None
NTSB Report: CEN23LA307
While performing a soft-field takeoff, the solo student pilot, who had 34 hours total time, lost directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll. He attempted to correct with the application of rudder and brakes but was unsuccessful, and the airplane came to rest upright in a ditch adjacent to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing.
Probable cause(s): The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
