February 1, 2006, Greensboro, N.C.
Cessna Model 500 Citation
At 1317 Eastern time, the aircrafts right main landing gear collapsed during the landing roll; the airplane came to rest in the mud on the right side of the runway. The Commercial pilot and copilot were uninjured; the airplane sustained substantial damage.According to the flight crew, after takeoff they could not get the right gear to fully retract. The crew declared an emergency and proceeded to land. Examination of the right main landing gear found the upper portion of the gear trunnion fractured and pulled out of the forward wing spar. Damage to the wing consisted of the forward spar, and the flap.
February 1, 2006, Buckeye, Ariz.
Beechcraft F33A Bonanza
The airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and impacted terrain at about 1500 Mountain time, killing the Student pilot, its sole occupant. The airplane was destroyed. Visual conditions prevailed. The Student pilot was flying her third solo flight of the flight training syllabus. The student was to depart, go to the Buckeye Airport, perform at least one landing, taxi back, and takeoff, then proceed to a practice area south of the departure airport, perform maneuvers and return.
February 3, 2006, N. Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Beech 200 Super King Air
At 2045 Eastern time, the airplane crashed while on final approach to Runway 23 at the Grand Strand Airport. Visual conditions prevailed. The Airline Transport-rated pilot, and five passengers received fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed.According to witnesses, the airplane made two approaches. During the first approach the airplane was observed fish-tailing while about 30 feet over the runway. The airplane appeared to regain control but continued flying over the runway until passing the control tower, at which time the airplane began a climbing left turn. The pilot told ATC that his left engine kept power up a little too much and would not come back. The witnesses observed the airplane circle the airport to the left, and watched it line up for a second approach. The airplane descended to the runway and, without any indication of trouble, climbed and rolled left, went inverted and nosed down into the grass to the left of the runway and burst into flames.
February 5, 2006, Watertown, Wis.
Short Brothers SD-360-300s
The two airplanes collided in mid-air at approximately 2500 feet msl at 1653 Central time. One aircraft was destroyed by ground impact and fire; its pilot, co-pilot, and passenger were fatally injured. The other aircraft was substantially damaged but its crew made a successful emergency landing at nearby Dodge County Airport, Juneau, Wis. Visual conditions prevailed; both airplanes departed the General Mitchell International Airport. The flights were performed to verify the fuel flow rates for auxiliary fuel tanks that had been recently installed on both airplanes. Prior to departure, both flight crews decided that they would join up after departure in order to take video and still photography of each airplane.Subsequently, one aircraft came up along the left side of the other and flew in formation with approximately 100-150 feet lateral separation. The crew of the leftmost aircraft announced they would turn right and descend below the other aircraft. The leftmost aircrafts left wing then impacted the left wing and engine of the other airplane. The surviving crew experienced a complete hydraulic failure and performed an emergency landing with flaps retracted and a partially extended landing gear. The airplane overran the end of the runway, coming to rest about 100 feet from the departure threshold.The left aileron from the destroyed aircraft was found on the runway where the surviving crew had landed.
February 6, 2006, Wagner, S.D.
Cirrus Design Corp. SR22
At about 1324 Central time the aircraft sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain following an in-flight loss of control during a climb in instrument conditions. The Instrument-rated Private pilot and passenger reported no injuries. The flight originated from the Wagner Municipal Airport, near Wagner, S.D., at about 1315, and was en route to the Schaumburg Regional Airport, near Schaumburg, Ill.
February 8, 2006 in Paris, Tenn.
Swearingen SA-226-TC
The aircraft, operated as a Part 135 cargo flight, collided with the ground in a nose-down, near-vertical attitude at 1210 Central time. Visual conditions prevailed; the Airline Transport-rated pilot received fatal injuries and the airplane was destroyed.While in cruise flight at 16,000 feet, the pilot requested and was cleared to make a 360-degree turn to the left. Shortly afterward, the pilot requested a 360-degree turn to the right. The pilot then requested radar vectors to the closest airport and reported an asymmetric fuel condition. Controllers cleared the flight to 4000 feet. About a minute later the pilot transmitted Mayday six times and shortly after this radar and radio contact with the flight was lost. Witnesses saw the aircraft descending at a high rate of speed in a near-vertical attitude. It then collided with the ground and exploded.
February 8, 2006, Philadelphia, Penn.
Douglas DC-8
At about 0107 Eastern time, a DC-8 freighter operated by United Parcel Service landed at the Philadelphia International Airport after declaring an emergency due to smoke in the cockpit. The airplane was immediately engulfed in fire and the three flightcrew members evacuated the airplane via the cockpit window and L1 door slide. The flightcrew was not injured and the airplane was destroyed.
February 8, 2006, El Cajon, Calif.
Cessna 172RG/Cessna 182Q
The two aircraft collided in flight approximately three miles south of the Gillespie Field Airport at 1642 Pacific time. Both aircraft were destroyed in the collision sequence and post-impact fires. The CFI and pilot undergoing instruction in the Cessna 172RG and the Private pilot/sole occupant of the Cessna 182Q were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed, and included high broken cloud cover with a visibility of 25 miles.A pilot-rated witness reported the two airplanes were flying at an estimated 1800 feet msl. One airplane was flying southwest; the other was flying east. The airplanes were in the Gillespie Field Class Delta airspace when the airplane flying eastbound impacted the airplane flying southwest bound. The eastbound airplane impacted the right side of the southwest-bound airplane. Upon impact there was a ball of fire and the wings separated from the fuselages of the airplanes as they descended to the ground. The distance between the impact point of the main wreckages of the Cessna 172RG and the Cessna 182Q was about 810 feet. The wings of the Cessna 172RG came to rest approximately 430 feet from each other.The Cessna 182Qs right wing was located 1000 feet north-northeast of the main wreckage. Its left wing was approximately 775 feet northwest of the main wreckage and near the locations of the Cessna 172RG wings. Investigators located the Cessna 182Qs left aileron between the left wing of the Cessna 182Q and the left wing of the Cessna 172.
February 8, 2006, Oakdale, Calif.
Zodiac 601XL Experimental
At 1518 Pacific time, the aircraft broke up in flight and impacted terrain in a nosedown attitude. The airplane was destroyed and the Private pilot/owner and CFI aboard were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. Witnesses, who saw them boarding at Modesto, indicated that the CFI was seated in the left seat, and the pilot/owner was seated in the right seat. Subsequently, the airplane entered the traffic pattern for landing. Witnesses disagree on details, but all agree one wing bent up perpendicular to the fuselage and folded back. The airplane started to spin, pitched down between 60-70 degrees and impacted the ground.
February 9, 2006, Aspen, Colo.
Canadair CL-600 Challenger
The aircraft was substantially damaged while landing in visual conditions at approximately 1245 Mountain time. The Airline Transport pilot, co-pilot and passenger were uninjured. According to the pilot, he was landing on Runway 15 when the airplane encountered wake vortices from a departing BAe 146, which took off from Runway 33. At 50 feet agl, the airplane rolled hard to the left and the stall warning horn activated. The pilot added power and the airplane rolled hard to the right. The pilot was able to stop the roll; however, the nose dropped and the right main landing gear impacted the runway. The right main landing gear strut penetrated the right wing, the leading edge of the right wing was crushed aft and the right aft wing spar was bent and buckled.
February 11, 2006, Sacramento, Calif.
Cessna 172N/Cessna 172P
At about 1510 Pacific time, a taxiing Cessna 172N collided on the ground with a standing Cessna 172P. The Private pilot and one passenger in the taxiing Cessna 172N were not injured; the airplane sustained minor damage. The CFI, the Student pilot, and one passenger in the standing Cessna 172P were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Both aircraft were preparing to depart. Visual conditions prevailed. The Cessna 172Ns pilot subsequently stated that, while attempting to taxi around a stationary airplane in a crowded run-up area, he took his eyes off the wing area, and the wing tip of his airplane collided with the other airplanes rudder and vertical stabilizer.
February 13, 2006, Rancho Murieta, Calif.
Piper PA-24-260 Comanche
The airplane landed short of the runway at 1901 Pacific time, sustaining substantial damage. The Private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight, which originated from Colorado Springs, Colo. After takeoff, the pilot was unable to retract the landing gear. He diverted to Delta, Colo., to have the landing gear inspected. No mechanical anomalies were noted. The pilot refueled and continued to Rancho Murieta. When he arrived at Rancho Murieta, he lowered the landing gear handle but did not receive a down and locked indication inside the cockpit. He tried to manually lower the landing gear, but it did not fully extend. After flying around to troubleshoot the landing gear, the airplane was getting low on fuel and the sun had set. The pilot decided to make a precautionary landing, which occurred short of the runway. The main landing gear collapsed, and the nose landing gear was sheared off the landing gear strut.
February 16, 2006, Lehigh Acres, Fla.
Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee
At about 2012 Eastern time, the aircraft collided with brush then nosed over during a forced landing to a road, following loss of engine power. Visual conditions prevailed. The airplane was substantially damaged; the Private pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The pilot stated the fuel tanks were filled prior to takeoff. After takeoff and with the fuel selector positioned to the left tank, the engine experienced a loss of engine power. He reduced throttle, turned the fuel pump on and noted there was fuel pressure, then increased throttle, placed the mixture control to the full-rich position, moved the fuel selector to the right tank, and pumped the primer but was unable to restore engine power. He initiated a descent for a forced landing on a road but a car pulled onto the roadway. He pulled up to clear the car and headed for the left side of the road. The airplane collided with brush, then nosed over.
February 17, 2006, Greeley, Colo.
Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche
The aircraft sustained substantial damage during a wheels-up landing at approximately 1410 Mountain time. The solo Airline Transport pilot sustained minor injuries; instrument conditions prevailed. The pilot was cleared for an ILS approach to Runway 34 but went missed approach for no gear indication. The pilot subsequently performed a wheels-up landing. During the landing, the airplanes right wing struck a runway sign. A witness that recovered the airplane following the accident reported that the airframe was covered with ice that measured approximately -inch thick. Weather was reported as ceilings 400 broken, 5500 broken, 7500 overcast, 1 mile visibility, temperature 1 degree Fahrenheit (F), dew point -2 degrees F and winds from 040 degrees at 16 knots.
