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.
October 3, 2022 in Houston, Texas
Embraer EMB-545 Legacy 450
At approximately 1740 Central Time, the aircraft’s main hatch opened in flight, causing significant damage. The two pilots and two passengers were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
After the passengers boarded, the first officer closed and locked the main door. No Crew Alert System (CAS) message displayed during takeoff taxi. No CAS information displayed before takeoff. As the aircraft climbed through 7000 ft. MSL, an amber pressurized CAS message followed by a red door CAS warning was displayed. The captain tried to put away the door handle and returned to his seat. Shortly thereafter, the main hatch opened, causing significant damage to the hatch and fuselage. The crew landed safely without further incident.
October 4, 2022, Milan, GA
Piper PA-30 Dual Comanche
The plane was badly damaged after two engines failed in-flight due to suspected water-contaminated fuel. The solo pilot was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
After the aircraft was purchased in Florida in July 2022, it was flown to a maintenance facility for annual inspection and maintenance. By the time the work was completed, several engine running and coasting checks had been performed with no abnormalities found. On the day of the accident, the mechanic who completed the annual inspection told the pilot that he had drawn black, sooty water from the tank. The pilot then drains the water from the tank until the fuel is clean.
About five to six minutes after making the short ferry flight, the left hand engine started to run wild and lose some power. When the pilot tried to increase power to the right engine, it immediately lost all power. He aligned with the freeway centerline and landed, during which time his right wingtip collided with a freeway sign. Two days after the accident, the pilot and the FAA inspector drained the tank again; more water drained from the tank. After the fuel became clear again, they started the engine. Both engines ran vigorously for several minutes until the water passed through them, after which they did not run normally.
Jamul, California, October 4, 2022.
Mustang II Experiment
At about 1238 PT, the plane collided with a mountain peak under unknown circumstances. The solo pilot was mortally wounded. Visual conditions prevailed.
The aircraft took off from El Cajon, California at approximately 1225 hours, turned southbound and climbed to approximately 3000 ft MSL. It then turned northeast near Mont Lyons and traveled about four miles. The aircraft then climbed to approximately 4600 feet before changing course and maneuvering back to Mont Lyons. Radar tracking of the aircraft terminated around 1238 near Mont Lyons. The remains lie at the base of a crag adjacent to Mont Lyons dating from about 1600.
October 5, 2022 Arundel, ME
Beech A36 Bonanza
The aircraft was destroyed when it collided with terrain during an instrument approach around 1356 ET. The instrument-grade private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Instrument conditions prevail; IFR flight plan submitted.
The aircraft passed the initial approach fix at a ground speed of 109 knots and an altitude of approximately 2100 feet, 200 feet below the minimum altitude for the segment. The aircraft then passed the final approach fix 750 feet below the minimum altitude for the segment and decelerated to 58 knots ground speed. The aircraft continued to descend at a ground speed of approximately 60 knots for the next 0.75 miles before the data ended near the accident site.
Several witnesses reported hearing the plane but could not see it due to low clouds, rain and fog. One said the sound of the engine was “not the normal rhythm of a piston engine…it would crackle and go away.” Another witness said the engine didn’t crackle, but it “didn’t sound good”. The plane struck a tree about 40 feet above the ground. 1356 Weather observed approximately 11 miles west of the destination airport included 7 knot winds at 010 degrees, 2.5 miles of visibility in light rain and mist, broken ceiling at 700 feet, and cloudy skies at 1000 feet AGL.
This article was originally published in the January 2023 issue aviation safety Magazine.
For more great content like this, please subscribe aviation safety!
