• In January 2006, two pilots flying an American Eagle Saab 340 out of San Luis County Regional Airport in San Luis Obispo, Calif., nearly lost control after the autopilot shut off during icing conditions on climb-out. The Saab 340 lost 5,000 feet during the recovery. NTSB recommendation: Require all operators of turboprop- driven airplanes to instruct...
moreCoincidental to the early taste of winter weather the Northeast received in mid-October, NBAA–in conjunction with local airport user groups and state business aviation associations–sponsored a pair of cold-weather operational seminars aimed at exploring the challenges and threats presented by in-flight and ground icing, as well as runway...
moreThe FAA and co-sponsors Mitre and the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) are holding the first International Runway Safety Summit December 1 to 3 in Washington, D.C. All aviation safety professionals are invited, including pilots, controllers, researchers, aviation executives and government and labor officials. The purpose of the meeting is...
moreStatic electricity may cause pitot static probes to fail, according to a Cessna Citation X owner-pilot who survived a simultaneous failure of all three pitots during a flight earlier this year. Kirill Minovalov, a Russian entrepreneur and private pilot, was flying in stormy weather conditions when the incident happened; he managed to land safely at Moscow’s...
moreEurocopter AS 350, Georgetown, S.C., Sept. 25, 2009–N417AE, operated as a medical transport by Omniflight Helicopters, was substantially damaged when it crashed near Georgetown County Airport. The helicopter was operating on a VFR flight plan for a positioning flight to Conway-Horry County Airport in South Carolina. A review of preliminary radar data...
moreBell 206, Kahramanmaras City, Turkey, March 25, 2009–The helicopter was destroyed and the pilot and all five passengers on board were killed when the JetRanger crashed in mountainous terrain. The accident is being investigated by the Turkish Accident Investigation Board, with assistance from the NTSB.
moreHawker Beechcraft King Air B200, Hayward, Calif., Sept. 16, 2009–The turboprop twin crashed during initial climb after takeoff from Hayward Executive Airport. According to the pilot, who was uninjured in the accident, the King Air began to veer uncontrollably to the left while still “very close to the ground.” As the aircraft was losing altitude, the pilot...
moreBell 430, Kurnoon, India, Sept. 2, 2009–Operated by the Government of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, the helicopter crashed en route to Chitoor, India, from Hyderabad, India. The two crewmembers and three passengers–including the Secretariat of Hyderabad–were killed and the helicopter was destroyed. The Indian Central Government is investigating, and...
moreBombardier CL-600-2B16, Vineyard Haven, Mass., Sept. 27, 2009–The twinjet suffered substantial damage to its nose section following a rough landing at Martha’s Vineyard Airport. The Challenger had been cleared for an ILS approach and was approximately 15 to 20 feet above the runway when it encountered wind shear, resulting in a reported 25-knot loss in...
moreEurocopter AS 350B2E, Haines, Alaska, April 12, 2009–The NTSB determined the cause of the Coastal Helicopters crash to be the pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from snow-covered terrain during the landing approach in flat light conditions. The AS 350, which was engaged in helicopter skiing operations at the time of the accident, sustained substantial...
morePilatus PC-12/47E, Sante Fe, N.M., Sept. 29, 2008–The Board attributed the fatal crash to the pilot’s fatigue. On the day of the accident, the sole-occupant pilot had flown eight-and-a-half hours, crossed two time zones and been awake for at least 17 hours. The aircraft crashed three miles north of its destination of Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF). Dark...
moreCommander 690, Wenatchee, Wash., Aug. 17, 2009–The twin turboprop suffered damage to its wing spar and ailerons after hitting trees during a family scenic mountain flight. According to a passenger, as the aircraft flew over a local ski area, friends of the family were spotted in the parking lot. The pilot performed a climbing turn for another pass and was...
moreCessna 501 Citation I, Las Americas, Dominican Republic, Aug. 18, 2008– The Citation I, registered as N223LC to Corus Hardware, vanished from radar shortly after takeoff while en route from the Dominican Republic to East La Grande, Puerto Rico. The pilot was the sole occupant. An intensive search was called off after five days with no trace of wreckage...
moreCessna 525, West Gardiner, Maine, Feb. 1, 2008–N102PT, registered to Symons Jeanette Trustee, was destroyed and the pilot and single passenger were killed when the CJ crashed soon after takeoff from Augusta State Airport (AUG). IMC prevailed at the time of the accident and an IFR flight plan had been filed for the Part 91 flight to Lincoln Airport in...
more