Saturday, October 10, 2020

Rockwell Commander 112A, N146JB: Incident occurred September 11, 2020 at Cullman Regional Airport (KCMD), Alabama

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Alabama and Northwest Florida

Aircraft on departure and ran off the end of the runway going through a ditch and into tall grass. 

https://registry.faa.gov/N146JB

Date: 11-SEP-20
Time: 22:20:00Z
Regis#: N146JB
Aircraft Make: ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL
Aircraft Model: 112A
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: TAKEOFF (TOF)
Operation: 91
City: CULLMAN
State: ALABAMA

Departing Runway 02 and ran off the north end Runway 02. Aircraft went through a ditch into tall grass and lost a gear door. 

Date: 11-SEP-20
Time: 22:20:00Z
Regis#: N146JB
Aircraft Make: ROCKWELL
Aircraft Model: 112A
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: TAKEOFF (TOF)
Operation: 91
City: CULLMAN
State: ALABAMA

Piper PA-28-181, N28051: Incident occurred October 08, 2020 at Falcon Field Airport (KFFZ), Mesa, Arizona

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Scottsdale, Arizona

After landing Runway 4L aircraft lost directional control and exited runway. 

Piper Aircraft Inc


Date: 08-OCT-20
Time: 17:40:00Z
Regis#: N28051
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA28
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: INSTRUCTION
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: MESA
State: ARIZONA

Flight Design CT2K, N922HT: Incidents occurred October 08, 2020; January 18,2020 and November 03, 2019

 Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; San Diego, California


October 08, 2020:  Lost control on takeoff from Runway 26L at Brown Field Municipal Airport (KSDM) San Diego, California


Date: 08-OCT-20
Time: 16:40:00Z
Regis#: N922HT
Aircraft Make: FLIGHT DESIGN
Aircraft Model: CT2K
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: TAKEOFF (TOF)
Operation: 91
City: SAN DIEGO
State: CALIFORNIA


Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Riverside, California

January 18, 2020: Aircraft ran out of fuel and made an emergency landing in a field near French Valley Airport (F70), Murrieta, Riverside County, California.

Date: 18-JAN-20
Time: 17:10:00Z
Regis#: N922HT
Aircraft Make: FLIGHT DESIGN
Aircraft Model: CT2K
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: EN ROUTE (ENR)
Operation: 91
City: MURRIETA
State: CALIFORNIA

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; San Diego, California

November 03, 2019: Aircraft veered off runway striking a taxiway light.


Date: 03-NOV-19
Time: 16:40:00Z
Regis#: N922HT
Aircraft Make: FLIGHT DESIGN
Aircraft Model: CT2K
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: UNKNOWN (UNK)
Operation: 91
City: SAN DIEGO
State: CALIFORNIA

Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer, N8621D: Incident occurred October 08, 2020 in Kern County, California

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Van Nuys, California

Wheels sank into the mud and aircraft nosed over after landing on what the pilot thought was a dry lakebed. 


Date: 08-OCT-20
Time: 16:45:00Z
Regis#: N8621D
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA22
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: KOEHN LAKE
State: CALIFORNIA

Vans RV-8, N348CW: Incident occurred October 08, 2020 in Morris, Grundy County, Illinois

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Greater Chicago, Illinois

Experienced engine failure and made an emergency landing on road. 

4 For Fun Inc


Date: 08-OCT-20
Time: 16:51:00Z
Regis#: N348CW
Aircraft Make: VANS
Aircraft Model: RV8
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: NONE
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: EN ROUTE (ENR)
Operation: 91
City: MORRIS
State: ILLINOIS

Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub, N8788D: Accident occurred October 08, 2020 at Plymouth Municipal Airport (KPYM), Massachusetts

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Boston, Massachusetts

County of Plymouth
Commissioners Office


Location: Plymouth, MA 
Accident Number: ERA21LA013
Date & Time: October 8, 2020, 15:30 Local 
Registration: N8788D
Aircraft: Piper PA18 
Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 None
Flight Conducted Under:

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper 
Registration: N8788D
Model/Series: PA18 150 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site:
Condition of Light:
Observation Facility, Elevation:
Observation Time:
Distance from Accident Site:
Temperature/Dew Point:
Lowest Cloud Condition: 
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: / ,
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility:
Altimeter Setting: 
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point: 
Destination:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 None 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 41.910697,-70.728913 






PLYMOUTH — Chief G. Edward Bradley reports that the Plymouth Fire Department Responded to Plymouth Municipal Airport Thursday afternoon for a report of an overturned airplane. 

Firefighters arrived on scene at approximately 3:30 p.m., and found a Plymouth County Fire Patrol Cessna light aircraft that was overturned. 

After a preliminary investigation, it was discovered that the plane, which was returning from routine air patrol, encountered a large gust of wind upon landing and the pilot was unable to prevent the plane from overturning. 

The plane is used by fire departments in Plymouth County during extreme drought conditions, such as the ones currently ongoing, to monitor the area for potential fires. The crew includes a pilot and an observer who searches the area for smoke. The pilot and observer are hired through the Plymouth County Fire Chiefs’ Association.

Both the pilot and the observer were able to safely exit the plane on their own. They were in the process of securing the plane when crews arrived on scene. 

No injuries were reported as a result of the incident, but both occupants were transported to an area hospital for evaluation as a precaution. 

The plane sustained severe damage as a result of the incident. It will remain on scene until crews from the Federal Aviation Administration respond to assist.

Pipistrel Alpha Trainer, N227PF: Accident occurred October 08, 2020 in Rural Hall, Forsyth County, North Carolina

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. 

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:
Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Charlotte, North Carolina 

Mount Ptisi LLC
Location: Rural Hall, NC 
Accident Number: ERA21LA014
Date & Time: October 8, 2020, 16:20 Local 
Registration: N227PF
Aircraft: Pipistrel Alpha Trainer
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under:

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Pipistrel 
Registration: N227PF
Model/Series: Alpha Trainer 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: 
Operating Certificate(s)  Held: Pilot school (141)
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KINT,970 ft msl
Observation Time: 16:54 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 7 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 27°C /16°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear 
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: / ,
Lowest Ceiling: None 
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.06 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point: Winston Salem, NC (INT) 
Destination: Rural Hall, NC

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: Aircraft
Fire: None
Ground Injuries: 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None 
Latitude, Longitude: 36.240195,-80.293202 (est)









STOKES COUNTY, North Carolina —  The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is investigating a plane crash Thursday on the edge of Stokes County.

Troopers said a small plane crashed into trees near Payne Road, which is just north of Rural Hall.

The pilot, who is an instructor at Piedmont Flight Training at Smith Reynolds Airport, is uninjured, according to troopers.

"The aircraft parachute deployed, the pilot is okay, and it was in a wooden field, so no one else was injured," said Tara Connell, the general manager at Piedmont Flight Training.

Connell went straight to the scene of the crash when she heard one of her pilots crashed.

Neighbors also witnessed the crash. Janet Griffin was the first person to talk to the pilot.

"That guy in a blue shirt walked out of the woods and I said, 'Did you just crash your plane?' And he said, 'Yeah,'" Griffin said. "This guy looked like he had been playing golf. He looked better than us."

She said she couldn’t believe how calm he was but was glad he is okay.

"I went and got him a bottle of water because I said 'Dude, you need a drink,'" Griffin said.

Lancair IV-P, N28487: Incident occurred October 08, 2020 at Lake County Airport (KLKV), Lakeview, Oregon

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Portland, Oregon

At altitude, a cabin door window blew out and aircraft diverted and landed without incident. 

JCB Enterprise LLC


Date: 08-OCT-20
Time: 20:45:00Z
Regis#: N28487
Aircraft Make: LANCAIR
Aircraft Model: LANCAIR 4P
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: EN ROUTE (ENR)
Operation: 91
City: LAKEVIEW
State: OREGON

American Autogyro SparrowHawk II, N40380: Accident occurred October 07, 2020 in North Myrtle Beach, Horry County, South Carolina

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Columbia, South Carolina 


Location: North Myrtle Beach, SC
Accident Number: ERA21LA031
Date & Time: October 7, 2020, 19:02 Local 
Registration: N40380
Aircraft: Sparrowhawk II 
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under:

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Sparrowhawk 
Registration: N40380
Model/Series: II NO SERIES
Aircraft Category: Gyroplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC 
Condition of Light: Dusk
Observation Facility, Elevation: CRE,33 ft msl
Observation Time: 19:53 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 5 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 24°C /22°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 8 knots / , 220°
Lowest Ceiling: None 
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.96 inches Hg 
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Greenville, SC (SC33)
Destination: North Myrtle Beach, SC

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None 
Latitude, Longitude: 33.846688,-78.576558 (est)
 



HORRY COUNTY, South Carolina – Horry County Fire Rescue crews responded by boat and by land to a downed helicopter on Waties Island near North Myrtle Beach.

HCFR spokesperson Tony Casey said crews were dispatched around 6 p.m. Wednesday to a gyroplane that crashed on the beach.

Casey added that there was one person onboard and was not hurt in the crash.

The gyroplane will be removed from the beach before an investigation into what caused it to crash down gets underway.

Stinson 108-3, N6942M: Incident occurred October 07, 2020 at Manassas Regional Airport (KHEF), Virginia

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Washington, District of Columbia

Landed on Runway 16L and due to a brake issue, veered off the runway momentarily then back on. 


Date: 07-OCT-20
Time: 17:51:00Z
Regis#: N6942M
Aircraft Make: STINSON
Aircraft Model: 108-3
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: MANASSAS
State: VIRGINIA

Cessna 414, N8132Q: Accident occurred October 08, 2020 at North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport (F45), West Palm Beach, Florida


This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando, Florida 
Textron; Wichita, Kansas 


Location: West Palm Beach, FL 
Accident Number: ERA21LA011
Date & Time: October 8, 2020, 11:15 Local 
Registration: N8132Q
Aircraft: Cessna 414 Injuries: 7 Serious
Flight Conducted Under:

On October 8, 2020, about 1115 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 414, N8132Q, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport (F45), West Palm Beach, Florida. The private pilot and six passengers sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to the pilot’s son, a multiengine airplane rated passenger who was seated in the front right seat, his father was flying family members to Claxton-Evans County Airport, Claxton, Georgia, where they planned a fuel stop before proceeding to their home-base of Columbus Municipal Airport, Columbus, Indiana. After the preflight inspection, engine start and taxi, he noted no irregularities when his father performed the engine run-up. His father then taxied onto the runway, checked the trim for takeoff, applied brakes, and advanced the throttles to full power. Once at full rpm, his father released the brakes and the airplane began its takeoff roll. Shortly into the takeoff roll, he felt a momentary “slight shudder” which appeared to come from the controls. As the airplane continued down the runway, he looked out of the window and thought that they should have rotated. He observed that the airspeed indicator showed about 10 to 15 knots past “blueline;” however, the airplane remained on the runway and continued to gain speed. 

The airplane was running out of runway, and the pilot’s son attempted to pull back on the control yoke; however, the controls would not move, so he pulled the throttles back to idle and applied maximum braking; he estimated that the airplane’s indicated airspeed was between 120 and 130 knots when the aborted takeoff was initiated. The airplane departed the paved portion of the runway, travelled through the grass and impacted a dirt mound before coming to rest in a marsh.

A witness who observed the takeoff stated, “They were going fast enough to fly, but they weren’t coming up off the ground.” He further stated said the engines never lost power until the pilot shut them off in an attempt to stop. 

Initial examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that it came to rest upright and submerged in about 5 ft of water about 450 ft beyond the departure end of runway 14. The fuselage and cabin area remained relatively intact. The right wing and engine were separated. The right elevator was bent upwards nearly vertical with the vertical stabilizer; the left elevator separated. The left wing and engine remained attached in their respective locations, with the outboard portion of the left wing sheared at the wing tip fuel tank.

 The airplane was recovered from the accident site and retained for additional examination.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna 
Registration: N8132Q
Model/Series: 414 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC 
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KPBI,21 ft msl 
Observation Time: 10:53 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 11 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 29°C /23°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 3100 ft AGL 
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 9 knots / , 120°
Lowest Ceiling: None 
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.04 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point: West Palm Beach, FL 
Destination: Claxton, GA (CWV)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 5 Serious
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 7 Serious 
Latitude, Longitude: 26.840056,-80.215806 (est)

A photo of the Joseph Allen family, with Angela and Joseph Allen and their children Abrams McCarthy, 12, Logan Allen, 4 and Heidi Allen, 2.


WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — Seven members of a local family were injured when their plane went off a runway at the North Palm Beach County airport Thursday, flipping into a pond.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office identified the seven on the plane as Joseph Allen, 70, who owned the plane, Diana Allen, 70, both of Edinburgh, and another Joseph Allen, 36, Angela Allen, 38, and children, Abram McCarthy, 12, Logan Allen, 4, and Heidi Allen, 2, all of Columbus. Two other people who helped rescue them were also injured.

The plane crash happened at 11:15 a.m. Thursday while the Cessna 414 was taking off from the North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Brandon Allen, son of the older Joseph Allen, said his father and the others were in Florida on vacation and were on their way back to Columbus Municipal Airport when the plane crash occurred.

The members of the Allen family and two rescuers who worked to pull the victims out of the plane were taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, according to Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue.

Brandon said that his father and stepmother were initially in the intensive care unit, and he believes they’re were being transferred out. He said that he believes his brother and sister-in-law, the younger Joseph Allen and Angela, were in a regular hospital and both will be released soon. Hospital officials had said they could be released Friday or today.

“Everybody’s been spoken to,” he said. “They’re all lucid. They’re in good spirits.”

He did say that some family members “sustained painful fractures and lacerations.”

Brandon said his father has flown for about 44 years, and his brother is also a pilot.

The FAA entry said that the Cessna 414, “failed to climb during takeoff and ran off (the) departure end of (the) runway,” according to reporting in the Palm Beach Post.

Christopher Markgraf watched the plane carrying his friend’s extended family — four adults and three children as young as 2 — shoot down the runway at the North County Airport. He saw it run out of asphalt and flip into a pond.

“We saw it. Heard all of it,” Markgraf said Friday. Within five minutes, Markgraf said, crews from businesses at the airport had all seven people out of the partially submerged plane and on their way to the hospital, the paper reported.

“If you would have seen it all, they shouldn’t be here,” Markgraf told the Palm Beach Post. “It’s an absolutely God-given miracle.”

“They’re all in stable condition,” son-in-law Kevin Schuldt said Friday from Michigan. “A lot of them have to have surgeries to fix some broken stuff. They’re all out of the ICU,” the Palm Beach Post reported.

According to relatives, Joseph Allen is an Air Force veteran and a retired electrician, the Palm Beach Post reported. Diana is involved with the Purina pet food company. Both are active breeders of American Eskimo dogs, and Diana is president of the national association, the newspaper reported

The younger Joseph Allen, or “Joe,” works in internet technology. Angela is an autism coordinator for Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp., according to her social media account. BCSC is on fall break this week.

BCSC Superintendent Jim Roberts said school corporation officials learned about the crash earlier Friday and were stunned to learn that it involved a BCSC employee who works in the administration building. Describing Angela Allen as extremely talented in her role as autism coordinator for the school corporation, Roberts said she has been in that role as long as he has been at the school corporation, for about the past five years. School officials are gathering details as many families return to Columbus from fall break this weekend.

On the day of the crash, Markgraf and a friend had taken the Allen family to the airport and were watching when the plane left the airport, according to the Palm Beach Post. While both Joseph Allens are certified pilots, it is unknown who was piloting the plane.

“About a third of the way down the runway, I said, ‘Hey. They’re in trouble,’ “ Markgraf told the Palm Beach Post. “They were going fast enough to fly, but they weren’t coming up off the ground.”

He said the plane’s engines never lost power or even sputtered. “I could see the plane just skipping along. It wanted to fly,” Markgraf said. “I heard them kill the power and start trying to stop. There was not enough real estate,” he told Palm Beach Post reporters.

Nearby people sprinted to the site and got the seven family members out of the aircraft from chest-deep water, the Palm Beach Post reported.

Sean Nowlin, a mechanic at the airport, was working when a colleague from outside shouted that a plane had crashed. Nowlin and a colleague grabbed a fire extinguisher and cutters, jumped into a golf cart and raced down the runway. When they got to the pond, everyone still was in the plane, the newspaper reported.

“One of the guys yelled out, ‘They’re alive! And there’s kids in there!’ Everything sort of ramped up exponentially,” Nowlin said. “They ripped the door open and started getting people out,” according to the newspaper.

The nose and part of the cabin were under water, as the plane lay on an angle on the bank of the pond. He said the water was over his head at some points, the newspaper reported

Nowlin said he helped carry some of the smaller children, sliding down a wing. He said a man he believed was the senior Joseph Allen sat, dazed, on the bank, the newspaper reported.

“I kept saying, ‘Are you OK, mate? Where are you hurting?’ “ said Nowlin, who’s Australian. “He said, ‘I don’t know what happened. I just don’t know what happened.’ I said, ‘Don’t worry. You’re all out of the plane. The kids are here. The kids are OK. The kids are next to you,’ “ he told the Palm Beach Post.

Only later, Nowlin said, did he think of his own children.

“You think about them being in that situation,” he said. “It tugs at your heartstrings.”





Hard Landing: Aerostar RX-7, N9126K; accident occurred October 07, 2019 in Rio Rancho, New Mexico




Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Albuquerque, New Mexico

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

https://registry.faa.gov/N9126K

Location: Rio Rancho, NM
Accident Number: GAA20CA012
Date & Time: 10/07/2019, 0900 MDT
Registration: N9126K
Aircraft: Aerostar International RX 7
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Hard landing
Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under:  Part 91: General Aviation - Air Race/Show 

Analysis 

The balloon pilot reported that, during an air race, she identified a landing area with dirt roads. She had a gradual descent to land, but as the balloon neared the surface, the winds were "in the 20+ mile per hour range." The balloon landed hard and bounced. She instructed the passenger to get lower in the basket, regained control, and attempted another landing. During the second landing, the pilot "pulled the red line to let the hot air out of the envelope but was dragged across the ground," and she was ejected from the basket; the passenger remained in the balloon. A crewmember on the ground instructed the passenger to pull the red line again. The balloon landed hard, the passenger was ejected, and the basket was destroyed by postaccident fire. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation. 

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate descent rate during landing, which resulted in a hard landing and a postaccident fire. 

Findings

Aircraft
Descent rate - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Aircraft control - Pilot (Cause)
Aircraft control - Passenger

Factual Information

History of Flight

Landing
Hard landing (Defining event)
Miscellaneous/other

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 66, Female
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Unknown
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Balloon
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: BasicMed With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 09/15/2019
Flight Time:   (Estimated) 537.4 hours (Total, all aircraft), 343.9 hours (Total, this make and model), 377.9 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 3.8 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 3.8 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 2.3 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Aerostar International
Registration: N9126K
Model/Series: RX 7 No Series
Aircraft Category: Balloon
Year of Manufacture: 1998
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Balloon
Serial Number: RX7-3326
Landing Gear Type: None
Seats:
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 09/03/2019, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1480 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines:
Airframe Total Time: 300 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer:
ELT: Not installed
Engine Model/Series:
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power:
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KAEG, 5837 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 6 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1447 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 193°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 3 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: Variable
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.25 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 13°C / 0°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Corrales, NM
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination:
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0800 MDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 35.241667, -106.767778 (est)

Loss of Engine Power (Total): Cessna 150J, N50618; accident occurred October 07, 2019 near Fallon Municipal Airport (KFLX), Churchill County, Nevada

 



Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Reno, Nevada

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board:https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf 


Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms


https://registry.faa.gov/N50618


Location: Fallon, NV
Accident Number: GAA20CA010
Date & Time: 10/07/2019, 1930 PDT
Registration: N50618
Aircraft: Cessna 150
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

Analysis 

The pilot reported that, during the preflight inspection, the fuel gauges indicated that each tank was half full. The pilot did not visually inspect the fuel tanks to verify the fuel gauges' indicated reading. After a 40-minute local flight, the engine lost power as the pilot was turning the airplane onto the base leg of the airport traffic pattern. The pilot recalled that the fuel gauge indicated that 1/4 tank of fuel remained. He made a forced landing in a flat attitude in a desert. The nose landing gear dug into the soft, dry surface, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He added that the accident could have been prevented if he had visually inspected the fuel tanks using a fuel stick to assess the fuel quantity.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's improper preflight fuel planning and quantity inspection, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a total loss of engine power, a forced landing on unsuitable terrain, and a subsequent nose-over.

Findings

Aircraft
Fuel - Inadequate inspection (Cause)

Personnel issues
Fuel planning - Pilot (Cause)
Preflight inspection - Pilot (Cause)

Environmental issues
Soft surface - Effect on operation (Cause)

Factual Information

History of Flight

Approach
Fuel exhaustion
Loss of engine power (total) (Defining event)

Landing
Off-field or emergency landing

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 63
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s):None 
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: None Unknown
Last FAA Medical Exam: 12/12/1985
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 01/08/2008
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 670 hours (Total, all aircraft), 630 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N50618
Model/Series:150 J 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture:1968 
Amateur Built:No 
Airworthiness Certificate: Utility
Serial Number: 15069437
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats:2 
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 03/19/2019, 100 Hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1601 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 5189 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: Installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: O-200-A
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 100 hp
Operator:On file 
Operating Certificate(s) Held:None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Night
Observation Facility, Elevation: KQAV, 3934 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 5 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1256 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 155°
Lowest Cloud Condition:Clear 
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: Calm /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction:
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 30.2 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 2°C / -5°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Fallon, NV (FLX)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Fallon, NV (FLX)
Type of Clearance:VFR 
Departure Time: 1830 PDT
Type of Airspace: Class D

Airport Information

Airport: Fallon Muni (FLX)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 3966 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 21
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5705 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing; Full Stop; Traffic Pattern

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries:1 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude: 39.499167, -118.748889 (est)