Aeronca 11AC Chief
2 Fatal
Ishpeming, Michigan
During a personal local flight, the private pilot made a low pass in the airplane over the runway and turned left to enter the traffic pattern for landing. A witness stated that the airplane "looked mushy" when it made its left crosswind turn. Another witness reported that the airplane appeared to enter a "close-in" traffic pattern at an estimated altitude of 100 to 150 feet above ground level. He further stated that the airplane's airspeed seemed slower than normal.
He stopped watching the airplane until he heard a change in its engine noise. When he looked back, the airplane was in a left bank turning from the base leg to final approach, and the engine stopped producing power. The airplane immediately went into a left spiral and turned about 360° before impacting the ground. The accident site was located about 1,200 feet from the approach end of the runway near the runway centerline. A post-accident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.
Although the airplane's calculated weight at the time of the accident was about 6 pounds over its maximum gross weight, this likely was not a factor in the accident as it would not have significantly increased the airplane's stall speed. A carburetor icing probability chart indicated a probability of serious icing at glide power at the temperature and dew point reported at the time of the accident. Given that no mechanical reason for the loss of engine power was identified, it is likely that the loss of engine power was due to carburetor icing. Following the loss of engine power, the pilot likely failed to maintain adequate airspeed, resulting in the airplane's wing exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed following a loss of engine power due to carburetor icing while turning from base to final at a low altitude, which resulted in the airplane's wing exceeding its critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.
Beech 76 Duchess
2 Nonfatal
Davis, California
The flight instructor in the multi-engine airplane reported that during a biennial flight review, the pilot released the brakes and added full power for takeoff. The flight instructor further reported that during the takeoff roll, he utilized the left engine mixture control to simulate a left engine failure, but the pilot "froze" at the flight controls and the airplane veered to the left. The flight instructor attempted to fail the right engine via the right mixture control in order to regain directional control, but his hand came off the mixture control and the airplane exited the runway. During the runway excursion, the flight instructor "finally got [his] hand back on the right mixture and pulled it to idle cut-off"; subsequently, the nose landing gear collapsed.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.
The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a simulated left engine failure during takeoff. Also causal to the accident was the flight instructor's delayed remedial action to maintain directional control and reduce the right engine mixture control.
Cessna 172 Skyhawk
2 Nonfatal
Destin, Florida
The student pilot reported that during the landing roll of a touch-and-go, the airplane was off the centerline and he added right rudder, but he "overcompensated." The flight instructor reported that the airplane drifted to the right and was about to exit the runway, so he pushed in the throttle, applied left rudder, and pulled back on the yoke to initiate a climb. The student pilot reported that as the airplane became airborne, they heard a "slight bang" and thought the landing gear had struck a runway light. The flight instructor further reported that they conducted a full-stop landing to examine the landing gear, but there was no damage noted.
During a postflight inspection at their home airport, it was revealed that the left horizontal stabilizer had sustained substantial damage.
The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The student pilot's overcorrection with right rudder, which resulted in a loss of directional control, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
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