Accidents and incidents

Air Classics, Jun 2001 by Larkins, William T

On 9 January, Nord Noralpha N208F crashed during takeoff at Aero Country Airport, McKinney, Texas, following a loss of power. The pilot was seriously injured but his passenger escaped without injuries.

On 17 January, Hispano HA-200 Saeta N3179Z was totally destroyed and the pilot killed when it appeared that a wing tip tank hit the runway and exploded when landing at Phoenix, Arizona.

To update our report in the last issue on the destruction of Aerovodochody L-- 39C N90INL on 10 February (correcting the date 12 February): The aircraft, registered to and operated by Northern Lights Aerobatics USA Inc. of Lafayette, Louisiana, was destroyed upon impact with terrain white maneuvering in the vicinity of Pecan Island, Louisiana. Pilot David Jeansonne and his passenger received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the Part 91 flight. The flight originated from the Lafayette Regional Airport at 1127. Several witnesses, located .3-mile from the accident site, observed the jet maneuvering at low altitude over the pilot's hunting camp for several minutes prior to the accident. They stated the jet was in a wings level, inverted position just seconds prior to impact. A few of the witnesses remarked they observed what they thought to be the pilot attempting to roll upright as the airplane impacted the ground at a high rate of speed. Jeansonne, 40, an oil-industry executive and part owner of the Northern Lights USA team, had funded the team's switch to L-39s from Extra 300s. The year 2001 was to be a rebuilding year in which pilots would get acquainted with their new aircraft. The team, apparently, wanted to compete with the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds on the airshow circuit. One high-time L-- 39 pilot commented that the team probably could not have made a worse choice in their selection of the L-- 39. Also, with the loss of Jeansonne and the lawsuits that will certainly result from the crash, it would appear that the fate of the Northern Lights USA team is decidedly bleak.

On 12 February, BAC Jet Provost T.5A G-BYED landed in a mud flat at Lough Foyle, Northern Ireland, while on approach to City of Derry Airport. While on approach, the engine apparently quit and the pilot tried several times to restart the engine before the aircraft went down in the mud flat. No injuries, but the aircraft was submerged by the rising tide and was considered a write-off.

On 27 February, at 1450 hours Pacific Standard Time, an experimental Ascher Yak 11 N19AW (note that this aircraft was originally built up by Ascher Ward for air racing from an ex-Egyptian Air Force Yak 11 airframe) was substantially damaged when the aircraft veered off the runway and impacted a berm during takeoff at Eagle's Nest private airport, Ione, California. The airline transport certificated pilot received minor injuries. According to an FAA inspector, witnesses reported that, during takeoff on runway 1 (paved 4000 ft long x 100 ft wide), the aircraft drifted to the right edge of the runway and then continued off the runway until it struck a berm at the mid-field taxiway. Impact with the berm damaged the landing gear and deflected the aircraft to the left and into the air where it traveled back across the runway (airborne). The Yak came to rest in the dirt on the left side of the runway about 3000 feet from the start of the takeoff role. The all-white Yak was well-known to Reno race fans as the mount of Tom Camp. He had recently sold the aircraft, which was fitted with a Pratt & Whitney R-1830, and the owner was making his first flight in the plane.