AVweb General Aviation Incident Notification From the pages of our sister publication, aviation safety Magazine. All reports listed here are preliminary and contain only preliminary fact-finding findings about the accident. You can learn more about final possible causes on the NTSB’s website at www.ntsb.gov. Final reports emerged about a year after the accident, although some took longer.learn more about aviation safety At www.aviationsafetymagazine.com.
September 4, 2022, Galt, CA.
Beech 58 Baron
The aircraft was reported to have been severely damaged in a side-spinning collision with terrain at around 0850 PT. The flight instructor and the pilot he was mentoring were mortally wounded. Visual conditions prevailed.
Several witnesses reported seeing the plane spinning. “It’s not nose down, it’s flatter,” said one witness. Another said there was no engine noise. Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data showed that at approximately 0837 hours, the aircraft maintained 4600 ft MSL and the aircraft’s ground speed began to decrease from 168 knots to 87 knots. The ground speed then increased to 149 knots. At about 0839 hours, the aircraft began to decelerate again. One minute later, the aircraft slowed down at 100 knots and began to turn left. The last ADS-B data point showed it continued to slow down and turn left to descend.
Freeland, Washington, September 4, 2022.
de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter
At 1509 PT, the plane was badly damaged and sank when it hit the water. The pilot and nine passengers were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed for scheduled FAR Part 135 flight.
Tracking data showed the aircraft heading south before turning south-southeast while maintaining an MSL of 650 to 975 feet and a groundspeed between 115 and 125 knots. At 1508:43, the altitude increased to 1125 feet and the ground speed slowed to 109 knots. 1508:49, altitude 875 feet, ground speed 100 knots. Tracking data ended at 1508:51 at an altitude of 700 feet and a ground speed of 55 knots.
Witnesses reported that the plane was in level flight before entering a slight climb before diving into a near vertical descent. Several witnesses described the plane “spinning”, “twirling” or “circling” during the steep descent. A witness reported hearing engine/propeller noise. The aircraft continued to descend until it hit the waters of Mutiny Bay.
According to the NTSB, the plane’s most recent 100-hour inspection was on Sept. 1, 2022. Airworthiness Directives required inspections of the control column lower assembly and elevator control tabs. Last 100-hour inspection was 16 August 2022; work included periodic AD inspections above and replacement of horizontal stabilizer hinge bolts.
September 5, 2022 Tupelo, Mississippi
Beech 36 Bonanza
The pilot is performing a touchdown landing. On approach, he heard the horn, but thought it was a stall warning because it went off when he increased manifold pressure. But then he heard the sound of metal plates rubbing against concrete as the plane stabilized.
He applied full power and the plane cleared the runway. He then lowered the landing gear, but the plane’s left wing fell off and the plane hit the ground with severe damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot later reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical problems with the landing gear system or the rest of the aircraft that affected normal operations.
September 7, 2022 in Mesa, Arizona
Cessna 750 Citation X
Around 1453 Mountain Time, the aircraft was severely damaged during a runway excursion during landing after losing its main hydraulic system. The pilot and co-pilot were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
The pilot reported that the landing gear would not retract after leaving Tucson, Arizona, and decided to divert to Mesa. Shortly after, he noticed that hydraulic system “A” had lost fluid and pressure. The pilot completed the appropriate hydraulic system failure emergency checklist.
The ensuing landing was smooth and at Vreferences speed, the pilot immediately begins applying emergency braking. A few hundred feet after touchdown, the left main gear tire burst and the aircraft veered off the runway. The right main landing gear then snapped off and the aircraft stopped in the runway safety area. Inspection revealed that the nose gear centering hydraulic lines were worn near their upper fittings.
September 8, 2022, Santa Monica, California.
Czech sports aircraft Piper Sport
The plane was destroyed around 1626 PT when the pilot lost control while landing. The flight instructor and student pilot were mortally wounded. Visual conditions prevailed.
This flight is an introductory flight lesson for future student pilots. Multiple witnesses watched the plane land on runway 21, with one witness describing the landing as “difficult”. Witnesses observed the aircraft pitch and climb violently, while the engine sounded consistent with full power operation. It continued to climb in a nose-up attitude, then flattened out at the apex of the climb before spinning to the left, descending and colliding with the ground.
This article was originally published in the December 2022 issue aviation safety Magazine.
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