NTSB Accident Reports – January 2023

October 1, 2023, Olathe, Kan.

Cessna 182R Skylane

At about 1302 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it touched down short of the runway after the engine failed to respond on short final. The solo pilot was not injured.

On downwind, the pilot ensured that the mixture and prop controls for the carbureted engine were full forward. When he turned final, there was no response to throttle input. The airplane continued descending before touching down short of the runway. It then flipped over inverted when the nosewheel struck the runway surface, damaging the wings, vertical stabilizer and fuselage.

October 1, 2023, Moab, Utah

Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee 140

The airplane was substantially damaged at about 2024 Mountain time when it collided with terrain shortly after a nighttime takeoff. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injured.

The airplane arrived at about 1747 and took on 27 gallons of fuel before its occupants borrowed a courtesy car. They returned and boarded the airplane about 2011. Security video showed the airplane taking off without activating the runway lights.

A witness reported it was very dark outside. He first heard and then saw the airplane take off. After liftoff, the airplane banked steeply right until “it was parallel with the runway but going in the opposite direction.” The airplane appeared to be losing altitude before the witness lost sight of it and then heard two distinct impacts. Recorded ADS-B data show the airplane climbing to about 200 feet agl during the right turn and then descending. The accident site was about 2540 feet northwest of the departure runway’s end, in open, hilly terrain at an elevation of 4590 feet msl. Examination established flight-control continuity and did not reveal mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations.

October 1, 2023, Lake Placid, N.Y.

Cessna 177RG Cardinal RG

At 1608 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during an attempted return to the departure airport for unknown reasons. The commercial pilot and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured.

The flight’s purpose was an air-to-air photo shoot, with an A36 Bonanza as the camera ship. The Bonanza took off first, with the accident airplane following about 700 feet behind. During the takeoff roll, a witness noted the engine sounded as if it was not running at full power. Shortly after takeoff from Runway 32, the accident airplane closed to within about 1000 feet of the Bonanza but then made a sudden, hard right turn back toward the departure airport. During the turn, the Bonanza pilot heard the accident airplane’s passenger radio: “We have a problem and we’re returning to the airport.”

Before it could reach a runway, the accident airplane impacted an on-airport embankment in a right-wing and nose-low attitude. The airplane’s initial impact was about 440 feet from the approach end of Runway 14 and approximately 250 feet left of its centerline. Weather recorded about 13 nm northwest of the departure airport at 1551 included wind from 010 degrees at seven knots, 10 sm visibility and clear skies.

Examination of the wreckage failed to discover any mechanical discrepancies with the airframe. One propeller blade was partially dislodged from its hub, and exhibited leading edge scratches and gouges. The other blade was bent slightly aft at midspan with an approximate two-inch curled section separated from its tip. That blade exhibited chordwise scratching and leading edge gouging on its outer third. One potential issue with the engine involved the fuel servo’s four mounting bolts, which were found loose when slight pressure with a wrench was applied. Torque stripes were present on the studs and nuts, which appeared undisturbed.

October 1, 2023, Twisp, Wash.

CubCrafters CCK-1865 Experimental

The airplane collided with terrain during an apparent go-around attempt at about 1030 Pacific time. The solo pilot was fatally injured.

Another pilot with the same make of airplane landed upslope on nearby hilly terrain. He suggested a landing area to the accident pilot and watched as two low passes were performed before touching down. The friend observed the accident airplane touch down, but it then appeared to initiate a go-around and became airborne again. It then struck a large rock, folding the left main landing gear under the fuselage. The accident pilot radioed, “I’m flying, but I’m having problems.” The airplane then collided with terrain, coming to rest about 1700 feet northeast of the rock.

October 3, 2023, Newberg, Ore.

Piper PA-44-180 Seminole

At about 1847 Pacific time, the airplane was substantially damaged when its crew apparently lost control and it descended to impact a residential structure. The flight instructor and the commercial pilot receiving instruction were fatally injured; a pilot-rated passenger was seriously injured.

The pilot receiving instruction had recently obtained a commercial certificate; the accident flight was his first in a multi-engine training program. After a series of maneuvers, recorded ADS-B data show the airplane turned and flew to the southeast. On that heading, its groundspeed began to decrease from 133 knots. By 0145:56, the airplane was at 5750 feet msl at 69 knots groundspeed and began to descend. Multiple witnesses observed the airplane in level flight before it pitched downward and entered a near-vertical descent. Several witnesses described the airplane as “spinning” or “spiraling.” The last recorded ADS-B target, at 0146:38, was about 50 feet northwest of the accident site at 525 feet msl. The airplane came to rest in a near-vertical attitude in the residential structure.

October 6, 2023, Saginaw, Mich.

Cirrus SR22

The airplane’s right wing was damaged at about 0945 Eastern time, when its right brake caught fire during taxi operations. The pilot and passenger were not injured.

As the pilot applied brakes to hold short of the departure runway, it turned to the left and completed a full 360 degrees of turn before stopping. The pilot and passenger concluded they had no control of the right brake. The passenger then observed a fire under the right wing.

October 10, 2023, Centerville, Utah

Van’s RV-8 Experimental

At about 1130 Mountain time, the airplane was substantially damaged when its pilot lost control while attempting an emergency landing following a reported engine failure. The solo pilot was fatally injured.

Recorded ADS-B data show the airplane turned to the north and climbed to about 1000 feet agl after takeoff. Shortly, other pilots on the CTAF heard the pilot radio that the airplane’s oil pressure had dropped to three psi. The pilot made a 180-degree turn back toward the departure airport. Witnesses observed the airplane stall at about 150 feet agl, and impact terrain about four miles north of the departure airport in a nose-down, left-wing-low attitude. Examination revealed damage to the #2 cylinder’s piston rod bearings.

October 10, 2023, Jonesboro, Ga.

Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee 140

The airplane was substantially damaged at about 2230 Eastern time when its crew landed it in trees after the engine failed. The private pilot/owner (non-flying pilot) in the left seat and the commercial pilot (flying pilot) in the right seat were seriously injured.

Before takeoff on the planned 220-nm flight, the pair added 15 gallons of fuel, bringing the total aboard to 38 gallons, determined with a measuring stick. As they neared the destination, at 3500 feet msl, they switched the fuel selector from the left tank to the right one. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost all power. They were unable to restart the engine or glide the airplane to an airport and performed an emergency landing into trees.

Examination revealed the airplane came to rest nose-down in a wooded area. Both wing fuel tanks were breached; there was no fuel odor or browning of vegetation at the accident site. The left wing fuel cap remained secured; however, the right wing fuel cap was missing and was not located at the accident site.

October 11, 2023, Martinsville, Va.

Cirrus SR22

At about 2130 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it collided with trees shortly after takeoff. The pilot and three passengers were not injured.

Before takeoff, the pilot refueled the airplane, completed a preflight inspection and updated the airplane’s electronic flight instrument system. Shortly after retracting the takeoff flaps, the primary flight display blinked off momentarily and then reappeared with a “Taxiway! Taxiway!” banner. The multifunction flight display was “completely orange” and appeared to depict an autopilot track turning left, which made him wonder if the autopilot was engaged. About then, he “just happened to look up” and saw the airplane was flying directly toward a large pine tree. His attempt to avoid trees failed, but he maintained control. He circled back toward the departure airport, trimmed the airplane for landing and made an otherwise uneventful arrival. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its wings.

October 15, 2023, Red Oak, Iowa

Cirrus SR22

The airplane was substantially damaged when its pilot made a precautionary landing to a closed runway and encountered a barricade and ground equipment. The pilot and passenger were not injured.

While en route at 7000 feet msl, the pilot encountered icing and climbed to visual conditions at 9000 feet. However, the pilot observed the engine ran rough, with vibrations and engine indication fluctuations. The pilot diverted to a nearby non-towered airport. While ATC cleared him for an RNAV approach to Runway 5, they informed him on multiple occasions the runway was closed. The pilot proceeded to land on Runway 5 and the airplane impacted the obstacles.

October 17, 2023, Williams, Ariz.

Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee 140

At about 1219 Mountain time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it failed to climb after takeoff. The two flight instructors and a passenger were fatally injured.

A witness observed the airplane take off from Runway 18 and climb to about 200 feet agl. The airplane continued on the runway heading for about 1/4 mile, and then began a slight left turn. The airplane appeared to slow, lose altitude and stall. Another witness observed the airplane flying at a low altitude with its wings rocking. The airplane impacted flat, rocky terrain in an open field on a heading of about 340 degrees and came to rest about 90 feet from the initial point of impact. All major structural components of the airplane were located within the main wreckage site. Density altitude at the time of the accident was about 9100 feet.

October 18, 2023, Atlanta, Ga.

Beechcraft 300 Super King Air

The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1511 Eastern time when it overran the landing runway and came to a stop in the engineered material arresting system, EMAS. The airline transport pilot and passenger aboard were not injured.

The pilot later stated he tracked the three-degree glideslope to Runway 21L. At 500 feet agl on the approach, the airplane was flying at 162 KIAS, faster than the full-flap extension airspeed of 157 KIAS. The flight continued for a “half flap landing,” which reportedly was “slightly long,” though the pilot thought there was adequate runway remaining to stop.

Upon touchdown, the pilot moved each power lever to ground fine, but did not detect normal deceleration. The pilot applied the brakes, then “stood on the toe brakes” and applied maximum reverse thrust. The airplane rolled onto the displaced threshold and then into the EMAS at about 40 knots. The airplane came to rest with a collapsed nose landing gear.

Recorded ADS-B data revealed an average calculated groundspeed to about a mile from the runway of about 166 knots. According to the POH/AFM, approach speed at about the airplane’s landing weight of 11,000 pounds with flaps fully down was 93 KIAS.