-T / T / +T | Comment(s)

Monday, April 27, 2009

Accidents & Incidents

Date Aircraft Type Narrative Death/Injury Remarks
April 01, 2009 Kilshanchoe, Ireland SCHWEIZER 269C EI-CZL Schweizer 269C owned and operated by European Helicopter Academy, destroyed when impacted terrain following wire-strike near Kilshanchoe. Two fatalities Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. Both crewmembers were fatally injured. The local flight originated from Weston (EIWT), Ireland.
April 01, 2009 Sherwood, OR PIPER PA-22-150 N9996D A/c collided with terrain near Sherwood. Cross-country personal flight departed Lusardi Field, Salem, Oregon with a planned destination of Hillsboro, OR. Witness standing in driveway when heard a/c circling overhead, but could not see it due to foggy conditions. Estimated that a/c was about 100 feet above him, and visibility was 30 feet. Engine was sputtering and backfiring, but then went quiet. Two fatalities Witness looking into fog when a/c suddenly appeared. Only recalled seeing the wing and a light, and estimated that a/c was in a 90-degree bank angle. He ducked and estimated that the airplane flew less than 10 feet over his head, and then struck the ground less than 50 feet away.
April 05, 2009 Camarillo, CA LIBERTY AEROSPACE INCORPORATED LIBERTY XL N519XL A/c experienced loss of majority of left side cockpit door during cruise flight 3 miles E of Camarillo Airport. Separated door components impacted and dented a/c's left stabilator. A/c operated by Armed Forces Aero Club, San Diego. By design, doors constructed of composite material. Safety Board investigator noted that body of door is not ridged, and the door's frame can be torsionally twisted by application of force on either the door's lower front or lower rear surface. No injuries CFI reported to NTSB investigator that a/c's pre-takeoff checklist followed, and student properly/securely closed left cockpit door prior to takeoff. No discrepancies noted with door's operation. At no time during instrument training flight did student open or attempt to open the door. The door "popped open" minutes after the airplane entered an area of moderate clear air turbulence. Thereafter, the door separated from the airplane and the CFI took control of the airplane.
April 12, 2009 Haines, AK AEROSPATIALE AS350 B2 E N208CH A/c operated by Coastal Helicopters there to pick up skiers, but sustained substantial damage when collided with snow-covered glacier, 32 miles NW of Haines. Solo pilot received serious injuries. Flight originated from Mile 33 of Haines Highway and was en route to Little Jarvis Glacier to pick up skiers at bottom of the glacier. Pilot had just flown from bright sunshine into shadow, and due to all white surface of glacier and flat lighting conditions, was unable to accurately gauge height above the glacier. One serious Manager said flight to Little Jarvis Glacier was not pilot's first landing at site day of accident, but approached it from slightly different direction and at a shallower angle than previously. During the accident flight's approach to landing site, manager said pilot told him flew into small, unseen rise on the glacier, hit hard, bounced about 5 feet into the air, and spun about the vertical axis three times before descending onto the glacier near the initial impact point.
April 15, 2009 Lopez Island, WA RAYTHEON A36 N464TJ A/c substantially damaged during forced landing following loss of engine power near Lopez Island. Cross country flight originated from Snohomish County Airport (PAE), Everett, WA about 30 minutes prior to accident with intended destination of Friday Harbor, WA. No injuries Pilot reported that while in cruise flight, noticed propeller RPM was increasing. Despite efforts to reduce propeller RPM, continued to rise. As pilot reduced throttle, heard a loud "bang" from engine followed by white smoke originating from cowling along with loss of engine power. Pilot initiated forced landing to nearby road.
April 17, 2009 Oakland Park, FL CESSNA 421B N1935G A/c substantially damaged during impact with residence in Oakland Park following loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Fort Lauderdale, FL. One fatality Several witnesses near accident site observed a/c in shallow climb from Runway 8, flying low, with right engine on fire. Witnesses reported flames were yellow in color and no smoke observed. A/c banked right and descended into residential area.
April 17, 2009 Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada Beechcraft King Air 200 20 year old unruly passenger jumps from cabin over Arctic to his death at 23,000 feet Adlair Aviation charter flight. Two pilots and two passengers onboard. Pilots landed the a/c at Cambridge Bay, where victim lived.
April 18, 2009 Dubre, KY Gladstone Kitfox, N191KF experimental amateur-built a/c registered to private owner collided with ground while maneuvering near Dubre. Witness heard a/c approaching his house. A/c was 200 feet above trees. It made left turn next to a creek and reversed its course. A/c reversed its course again, and was observed above the creek coming back towards his home. One fatality Fuselage swaying left to right and a/c made steep left turn. The left wing of the a/c was perpendicular to ground and speed of a/c appeared slow. A/c continued in steep left turn, reversed course and leveled out. Wings were observed to wobble, and nose of a/c pitched down. A/c collided with the ground in a nose down attitude, and came to rest upright.
April 18, 2009 San Jose, CA CHAMPION 7ECA N5174X A/c substantially damaged when impacted mountainous terrain near San Jose. Cross-country flight originated from Watsonville, CA, with an intended destination of Wilton, CA. Two fatalities Examination of a/c by NTSB investigator-in-charge revealed that it came to rest in a near vertical attitude on an approximate 40-degree slope. Leading edge of left and right wings crushed aft throughout their span. Forward area of fuselage crushed aft. All major structural components and flight controls of a/c were located at accident site.
blog comments powered by Disqus