Emergency Water Landing

NTSB Identification: DEN04FA064
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, April 17, 2004 in Boulder, CO
Aircraft: Cessna 150H,
Injuries: 1 Minor.

On April 17, 2004, at 1930 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 150H was substantially damaged when it impacted into a lake, 1/2 mile east of the Boulder Municipal Airport (1V5), Boulder, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant on board the airplane reported minor injuries. The local flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated at approximately 1900.

The pilot said that he had just completed his third touch-and-go landing. He was approximately 300 feet in the air when his engine started to run rough. The pilot said he "put a little mixture in [and] the engine started to run fine for about 5 seconds. Then the engine died ..." The pilot said the only place he could land was the lake. He said that as he touched down the airplane "skimmed for a few seconds and then it went over on its back." The pilot said he got out through the windscreen, got on top of the bottom of the wing and then swam to shore. He said that the airplane sank nose first about 30 seconds later.

Fluctuating Altitude, Heading, And Ground Speed

 NTSB Identification: ATL04FA093
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, April 12, 2004 in North Augusta, SC
Aircraft: Cessna 182S
Injuries: 3 Fatal.
On April 12, 2004, at 1007 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182S, N364ME, registered to and operated by the private pilot, collided with trees and the ground in North Augusta, South Carolina. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with an instrument flight plan filed. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. The private pilot and two passengers received fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight departed Aiken Municipal Airport in Aiken, South Carolina, at 0939 on April 12, 2004.

According to air traffic control records, the flight was en route to Greenville, Mississippi. Shortly after departing Aiken Municipal Airport, the pilot contacted air traffic control and reported climbing from the airport. The controller stated to the pilot that radar contact was established, and the flight was cleared to proceed on course. A preliminary review of radar data revealed the flight path exhibited constantly fluctuating altitude, heading, and ground speed, and was not following its filed course. An air traffic controller contacted the pilot and asked if he was experiencing equipment problems; the pilot reported none and requested to proceed on course. The controller cleared the flight to proceed, and radar data revealed the flight did not intercept its course, and the altitude, heading, and ground speed continued to fluctuate. The controller stated to the pilot to level the airplane and to contact him when the airplane was straight and level. As the flight neared Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field in Augusta, Georgia, the pilot elected to proceed to that airport for landing. An air traffic controller provided the pilot a heading and altitude to fly for a Surveillance Approach, and the pilot acknowledged. Radar data revealed the flight's heading, altitude, and ground speed continued to fluctuate, and the flight was lost from radar at 1007. Witnesses at a nursing home a few hundred yards from the accident site reported seeing the airplane flying low and erratic over the trees, then it banked left and nosed straight down through the trees and to the ground. Witnesses at the nursing home telephoned the 911 operator, and nurses from the home ran to the site to try to help.

Examination of the accident site revealed the wreckage came to rest in a wooded area 16 nautical miles southwest of the Aiken Municipal Airport. The engine and propeller were damaged and remained attached to the fuselage at the engine mount. The left wing was found separated on the ground 24 feet forward of the fuselage. The right wing displayed crush damage from the leading edge aft and was found adjacent to the fuselage. The tail assembly was displaced to the right and remained attached to the empennage. All flight control surfaces were observed at the accident site. Both wing fuel tanks were breached, and fuel was recovered from the left wing.

NTSB Identification: FTW04LA103
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, April 04, 2004 in Cherry Valley, AR
Aircraft: PZL-Bielsko SZD-50-3
Injuries: 1 Serious.
On April 4, 2004, approximately 1400 central daylight time, a PDPS PZL-Bielsko SZD-50-3 glider sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain following a loss of control during a forced landing to a field near the Lawrence Field Gliderport (4AR5), near Cherry Valley, Arkansas. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The glider was registered to and operated by the Memphis Soaring Society, Inc., of Memphis, Tennessee. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local soaring flight departed the Lawrence Field Gliderport approximately 1330.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot was attempting to land at 4AR5 when he noticed another aircraft on the runway. The pilot then executed a go-around to delay his landing. During the go-around, the glider lost lift and altitude, and the pilot initiated a forced landing to a field adjacent to 4AR5. Subsequently, the glider stalled, spun approximately 1/4 turn and impacted the terrain. The inspector reported there were no eyewitnesses to the accident; however, other personnel located at the airport at the time of the accident stated the runway was clear of other traffic when the pilot attempted the go-around.

Examination of glider by the inspector revealed the glider nose structure was destroyed, the left wing spar was fractured, and the empennage was buckled.

 Sun N Fun Accidents

 NTSB Identification: MIA04LA072
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, April 15, 2004 in Lakeland, FL
Aircraft: North American SNJ-5B
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

On April 15, 2004, about 1231 eastern daylight time, a North American SNJ-5B, N31443, registered to and operated by Classic Air, Inc., ran off the right side of runway 27 (designated as runway 27 left for the Sun and Fun Fly In) during landing roll at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, Lakeland, Florida, collapsing the left main landing gear, bending the left wing, and nosing down. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airline transport rated pilot and commercial-rated passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight last departed Suwannee, Florida, the same day, about 1110.

The pilot stated the owner of the airplane had asked the pilot-rated passenger to fly the airplane to Lakeland for the Sun and Fun Fly In. He had just checked her out in the airplane the weekend before. The owner asked him to fly in the back seat with her because he had more experience in the airplane. He stated that his experience from the backseat was very limited. He found out after the accident that the pilot-rated passenger had not been checked out in the airplane to the point of solo. He stated that when things started to go bad on the landing there was a lack of experience which may be attributable to the outcome. The reason for why the airplane didn't respond to control inputs is still being questioned by him and the pilot-rated passenger. He stated he was at the controls from the back seat. The control tower operator told them to land mid-field. He came down on final at 80 knots and flew in ground effect until approximately the mid-field point. He retarded the throttle to idle and the airplane settled nicely to the runway. The airplane rose back into the air slightly and he held the control stick all the way aft. The airplane settled again very smoothly then the tail rose up and the nose lurched to the right. The tail came back down and he was holding left rudder to correct the direction. The tail came up again and the nose lurched to the right again. The airplane them began hopping sideways before it left the runway and the left landing gear collapsed. The airplane has had a history of the brakes intermittently grabbing and catching up, which makes him suspect that as a possible cause, but he can not say definitely. This history was verified by the lead mechanic of the airplane.

Post accident examination of the airplane by NTSB and FAA Investigators showed the left and right main landing gear tires had no worn or scuff spots on them. The left and right main landing gear brakes operated normally. The tail landing gear was rotated 90 degrees to the normal position after the accident, but the gear rotated freely back to the normal position and locked in the detent. The left landing gear had collapsed when the landing gear strut failed in overload at the time the gear made contact with the soft dirt at the edge of the runway.

NTSB Identification: MIA04LA074
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, April 18, 2004 in Lakeland, FL
Aircraft: Terry E. Morris Glasair III
Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 Uninjured.
On April 18, 2004, about 0810 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt Glasair III registered to a private individual, nosed over during the landing roll at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (KLAL), Lakeland, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91personal flight from the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, Lakeland, Florida. The airplane was substantially damaged and the commercial-rated pilot was not injured, while one passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight originated about 0725, from the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport.

The pilot stated that before departure he obtained a briefing on the arrival procedures from Sun 'n Fun.org web site. The flight departed and before arrival to KLAL, he and his pilot-rated passenger monitored the KLAL Automated Terminal Information Service (ATIS) which was broadcasting information "A." He recalled ATIS information "A" indicated landings would be performed on runway 09, but he couldn't recall left or right designator. He heard on the frequency a controller advise for a "low wing" airplane to turn base two times. He later reported he was not sure the controller was referring to his airplane due to the fact that the controller did not specify color. Due to the altitude he was flying (1,700 feet mean sea level), he could not have made the runway had he turned when the controller advised him to turn, if in fact his airplane was the low wing airplane the controller was advising to turn base. He continued on the downwind leg, turned base, and while on final approach to runway 09 (designated during Sun 'n Fun as runway 9R), he expected the controller to advise the left or right side. While on final approach, with half flaps extended, he experienced a high sink rate of approximately 1,500 feet-per-minute. He was then advised by the controller to jog over to a taxiway designated as 9L for landing, which he complied with. During the turn, the sink rate increased and he applied full power. The left main landing gear touched down on the surface of the taxiway and the nose landing gear contacted a concrete pad for a taxiway light and the airplane nosed over. He further reported that he should have gone around, and there were no problems with the airplane or engine. He also reported that he first flew into Sun 'n Fun, in 2003, and had landed a total of six times. In all those occasions, he landed on runway 9, and he expected to land on that runway during the accident flight.

Examination of the taxiway revealed rubber transfer within 24 inches from the south edge of the taxiway, approximately 650 feet past the intersection of that taxiway and taxiway designated "A4." Two other marks were noted in grass south of the taxiway edge associated with the mark made on the taxiway surface. The mark on the taxiway surface continues to a point where the mark travels off the surface onto grass, while the two marks in the grass continue. Three distinct marks on the grass were then noted; the mark from the middle of the two marks contacted a taxiway light concrete pad, and a heavy gouge and segments of shattered propeller blades were noted on the ground 80 feet past the taxiway light concrete pad. The airplane came to rest inverted on grass adjacent to the south edge of the taxiway, approximately 570 feet past the point of contact on the taxiway surface made by the left main landing gear.

According to preliminary air traffic control information, the pilot was advised to land on the taxiway designated 9L, but the pilot flew through the final approach path for that runway and rolled out onto final approach for runway 09 (designated 9R). He advised the pilot to maneuver the airplane to land on runway 9 L and the pilot complied with the request.