November 3, 2022, Mesa, Ariz.
Eclipse Aerospace EA500
At about 1915 Mountain time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it departed the runway while landing. The pilot and co-pilot were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the post-maintenance positioning flight, which operated on an IFR flight plan.
Both pilots later reported they touched down in the landing zone with the engines at idle, but braking did not appear to significantly decelerate the airplane, which started to drift to the left. The pilot stated he was applying full brake pressure along with full right rudder, but the airplane did not respond. It eventually departed the left side of the runway, crossed over the last two taxiways and came to rest in a drainage ditch.
November 3, 2022, Harlan, Ky.
Beech A36 Bonanza
The airplane was destroyed at about 1009 Eastern time when it impacted vertical terrain short of the intended runway. The instrument-rated private pilot was fatally injured. Low instrument conditions prevailed. There was no known communication between the pilot and ATC, nor was there any flight plan opened or on-file for the accident flight.
According to ADS-B data, the airplane departed Knoxville, Tenn., at 0932. The airplane arrived in the Harlan area at about 1000 and flew three approaches to Runway 08, with the final ending at 1009:54 about 0.10 nm from the runway’s threshold. A pilot-rated witness reported hearing what he believed to be the accident airplane complete two approaches to Runway 08 at about 1000, but never saw the airplane due to low visibility in fog. At the time of the accident, airport surveillance video showed fog that restricted visibility to about 175 feet; all airport lighting was Notam’d out of service.
November 4, 2022, Jasper, Ga.
Glasair Super II TD Experimental
At about 1500 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it was force-landed at the departure airport after engine failure. The solo private pilot was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
Preflight, takeoff and initial climb were normal, according to the pilot. About five nm from the departure airport and at about 4500 feet msl, the engine began to run rough and then lost all power. The pilot immediately turned back and began troubleshooting, but engine power was not restored. While maneuvering to land back at the departure airport, in a right turn to align with Runway 34 and about 30 feet agl, the pilot felt the onset of an aerodynamic stall. He leveled the wings, the airplane overshot the runway and descended abruptly, impacting a grassy area next to the runway. According to recovery crew, a total of 13 gallons of fuel were drained from the airplane.
November 5, 2022, San Diego, Calif.
Cirrus Design SR20
The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1200 Pacific time when it collided with terrain during an attempted go-around. The solo student pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
The student pilot was performing touch-and-go landings in the traffic pattern and had been cleared to fly a base leg to Runway 28R. Another airplane was cleared to take off on 28R, followed by a third airplane, which was instructed to line up and wait on 28R. About 30 seconds later, the third airplane was cleared for takeoff. About that time, ATC instructed the accident pilot to sidestep to the left and go around. There was no response and the controller repeated the instruction, also without response. At this time, a radio transmission about a trim problem, thought to be from the accident pilot, was heard on the frequency. The controller responded that the pilot who radioed about the trim problem had a stuck microphone. Recorded ADS-B data show that at 1155:58, the accident airplane was in a climbing right turn until ADS-B contact was lost, about 350 feet southeast of the accident site.
November 6, 2022, Slidell, La.
Beech E90 King Air
At about 2145 Central time, the airplane was destroyed when it collided with terrain during an instrument approach. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries. Instrument conditions prevailed; the flight operated on an IFR flight plan.
Approaching the destination, the airplane descended and the pilot attempted a visual approach that was discontinued due to ground fog. The pilot then was cleared for the RNAV (GPS) RWY 36 procedure, which ended with a missed approach. The pilot flew the approach a second time, during which the airplane impacted wooded terrain about 800 feet right of the runway’s departure end. The pilot egressed the airplane without assistance but with serious injuries.
November 9, 2022, Bignell, Neb.
Piper PA-46-500TP
The airplane was destroyed at about 0934 Central time when it collided with terrain during an instrument approach. The pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries. Instrument conditions prevailed; the flight operated on an IFR flight plan.
After being vectored for the ILS Runway 30 approach, ATC cleared the flight for the procedure and approved a frequency change. A controller position change occurred and the relieving controller then reported the airplane overdue. About that time, a resident about three miles southeast of the destination airport noticed smoke coming from a nearby field. Authorities responded to the area and reported the airplane accident.
During the last minute of recorded ADS-B data, the airplane’s descent rate increased from 500 fpm to 3000 fpm. In the last 30 seconds, the airplane entered a climb at 2000 fpm, and then transitioned to a descent exceeding 5000 fpm.
A flight instructor reported the pilot had purchased the airplane about three weeks before the accident. By October 28th, the instructor and the pilot completed 10 hours of ground instruction and 15.1 hours of flight instruction in the accident airplane. The pilot’s accumulated flight time totaled 505.3 hours, of which 24.5 hours were in the accident airplane. The pilot had logged 5.2 hours of actual instrument time, of which one hour was in the accident airplane. The instructor reported the pilot’s actual instrument time in the accident airplane was at high altitude.
November 10, 2022, Chickaloon, Alaska
Piper PA-18 Super Cub
At about 1140 Alaska time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it collided with an unmarked cable crossing a river. The solo student pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
The accident airplane and a Cessna 172 were flying together along the Matanuska River. The Cessna pilot saw the accident airplane descend and fly at a low altitude along the river. He saw the airplane strike an unmarked tram cable strung about 30 feet over the partially frozen river. The airplane came to rest inverted in the river. Damage to the airplane was consistent with contacting the cable.
November 12, 2022, Dallas, Texas
Boeing B-17G/Bell P-63F
The two airplanes collided in mid-air at about 1322 Central time. A post-impact fire ensued. The pilot, co-pilot and three crewmembers aboard the B-17G and the solo pilot of the P-63F were all fatally injured. There were no ground injuries reported. Visual conditions prevailed; both airplanes were participating in the Wings Over Dallas Airshow.
The P-63F was #3 in a three-ship formation of vintage fighters airplanes. The B-17G was lead of a five-ship formation of historic bombers. The Air Boss directed both formations to maneuver southwest of the runway, instructing the fighter formation to transition to in-trail, fly in front of the bomber formation and proceed near the 500-foot show line. The bombers were directed to fly down the 1000-foot show line.
There were no altitude deconflictions briefed before the flight or while the airplanes were airborne. When the fighter formation approached the flying display area, the P-63F was in a left bank and collided with the left side of the B-17G, just aft of the wing section. Both airplanes broke up in flight and impacted terrain on airport property. A fire ignited in the wing center section of the B-17G as it descended to the ground. It exploded upon impact.
November 14, 2022, Opa-Locka, Fla.
Antonov An-2
At about 1330 Eastern time, the Cuban-registered airplane was substantially damaged when it was force-landed following loss of engine power. The pilot and co-pilot were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
On October 21, 2022, the airplane landed at a nearby airport after a flight from Cuba. The pilot sought asylum in the U.S. and was detained. The airplane was taken into custody by federal law enforcement. After being transferred to a seized-property contractor, the airplane was to be flown to a warehouse for storage.
After a nominal preflight inspection and takeoff, the pilot noticed the engine was producing more smoke than normal. At about 1325, the engine lost power, airspeed decreased and the airplane began descending. Shortly, the pilot aligned the airplane with a levee and touched down on the main landing gear. As the tailwheel was about to touch down, the airplane turned to the left and the pilot was unable to keep the airplane on the levee. The airplane then rolled down the bank on the side of the levee, contacted the water, nosed over and came to rest inverted in water and vegetation.
November 15, 2022, Pewaukee, Wis.
Fairchild SA227-AT Expediter
The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1500 Central standard time when it collided with terrain during an instrument approach. Both flight crew members received minor injuries; the passenger was not injured. Instrument conditions prevailed for the Part 135 on-demand cargo flight, which operated on an IFR flight plan.
After being cleared for the approach, the crew encountered a flight-director anomaly and disconnected the autopilot. The airplane immediately rolled right. Both pilots got on the controls and increased engine power, attempting to regain control. They were able to regain partial control before the airplane flew through trees, which separated its wings, before it impacted the ground in a near-wings-level attitude.
November 15, 2022, Oak Hill, Fla.
Davis DA-2 Experimental
At 1530 Eastern time, the airplane was destroyed during an attempted takeoff. The solo student pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
On the morning of the accident, a witness sold the airplane to the accident pilot, suggesting he should taxi the airplane up and down the runway a couple of times to get familiar with it before departing. Other witnesses saw the airplane taxi up and down the runway several times, followed by a takeoff attempt at full power. The airplane never became airborne. Instead, it veered left, departed the runway and struck a tree 150 feet to the left side of the runway.
The 74-year-old pilot held a student pilot certificate and reported 70 total hours of flight experience in 2018. His logbook was not recovered and no determination could be make about any recent or total flight experience.
November 18, 2022, Snohomish, Wash.
Cessna 208B EX Caravan
The airplane was destroyed at 1019 Pacific time when it broke up in flight. All four occupants were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the data-collection test flight.
The flight testing was being conducted in support of Raisbeck Engineering’s bid to expand an existing supplemental type certificate to the accident aircraft’s model. The accident flight’s purpose was to complete baseline testing of the unmodified airplane’s aft CG stall characteristics. Witnesses observed the airplane break up in flight and watched pieces float down. The airplane descended to the ground in a nose-low, near-vertical corkscrew pattern. Radar tracking shows the airplane’s descent rate exceeded 14,000 fpm and gradually lessened to 8700 fpm at the last data point, recorded at 1019:18 local time. The main wreckage was about 2145 feet east of that point. The wreckage was distributed over an approximately 1830-foot distance.
November 18, 2022, Las Vegas, Nev.
Cessna 172M/Robinson R44
At about 1027 Pacific time, the two aircraft collided over Runway 30R at the North Las Vegas (Nev.) Airport. The flight instructor and student pilot aboard the Cessna and the Robinson helicopter’s student pilot were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
The helicopter’s student pilot later reported that ATC had instructed him to make his landing approach to taxiway Papa. However, he made the approach to Runway 30R and terminated in a hover over the runway, facing the takeoff direction. He was unaware the Cessna was on approach to Runway 30R.
The Cessna’s flight instructor reported she and her student pilot were cleared by ATC to land on Runway 30R. During the landing flare, she observed the helicopter hovering over 30R and took the flight controls. It was too late to abort the landing, so she elected to touch down and roll out underneath the hovering Robinson. The Cessna’s left wing collided with the skids of the hovering helicopter. The Cessna pivoted left and its right wing struck the runway surface before coming to a stop. The Robinson’s pilot was able to maintain control and landed upright on Runway 30R.
November 22, 2022, Banning, Calif.
Velocity XL-RG Experimental
The airplane was destroyed at about 1824 Pacific time when it caught fire while airborne before impacting terrain. The solo pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
A motorist observed a trail of smoke and fire from the rear of the airplane, which was confirmed by video footage. The airplane appeared to be in a stable flight condition as it crossed an Interstate highway, but then the fire progressively got worse. Shortly after, the airplane entered a right bank and impacted terrain about 1.5 miles from a suitable airport.
November 25, 2022, Mount Comfort, Ind.
Cirrus Design SF50 VisionJet
At about 0800 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted a retention pond after deployment of its airframe parachute system. The solo pilot was not injured. Instrument conditions prevailed; an IFR flight plan had been filed.
According to the pilot, preflight and pretakeoff checks were normal. After takeoff, he retracted the landing gear and flaps, and engaged the autopilot. A short time later, he received audible and visual gear unsafe warnings. The airplane pitched up and he noticed a reduction in engine power; neither the pitch up nor power reduction were commanded by the pilot.
The pilot first attempted to disconnect the autopilot using a press and release of the yoke-mounted autopilot disconnect, followed by pressing and holding the button. He also attempted to disconnect the autothrottle system with the center console-mounted button. He did not believe that the autopilot or autothrottle systems had disconnected and the airplane continued to pitch up and slow down until the airplane was close to an aerodynamic stall. The left wing dropped and the pilot activated the Cirrus Airplane Parachute System. The parachute deployed and the airplane descended under canopy, landing in a retention pond.
