Accidents & incidents

Air Classics, Feb 2002

On 16 July 2001, Yakovlev Yak 52 N48GA crash-landed one mile north of Moultonboro, New Hampshire, following an engine failure. The pilot escaped uninjured but the aircraft received substantial damage.

On 16 July 2001, North American T-6G N48JC was landing on runway 15 at Aspen, Colorado. The right wing tip struck the ground, the right main gear collapsed, and the aircraft ground-- looped off the runway. No injury to the pilot, major damage to the aircraft.

On 24 July 2001 at 1030 central daylight time, Boeing Stearman PT-17 N56920 collided with the ground at Indian Oaks Golf Course in Anniston, Alabama. The craft was being flown by an airline transport pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The pilot and passenger received fatal injuries and the airplane was destroyed. The PT-17 departed Anniston Metro Airport at 10 15.

According to witnesses, the airplane was doing a slow spiral over the golf course and then began to climb. Shortly after climbing to an undetermined altitude, the airplane went into a nose down spin and impacted into a stand of trees. Examination of the wreckage found that the airplane impacted the ground in a near vertical nose down attitude and rested inverted on the side of a hill. The PT-17 was recovered from the accident site and moved to a facility for further examination.

On 24 August 2001, approximately 1930 MDT, North American SNJ-5 N2686D, registered to and operated by SNJ Adventures, was destroyed when it impacted terrain while maneuvering .5 miles north of Raton Municipal Airport, Raton, New Mexico. The airline transport certificated pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Raton at approximately 1925.

Witnesses said the airplane approached the airport in a slight nose down attitude to gain speed at approximately 1000 ft AGL. It then pulled up "to do a loop," slightly past vertical, trailing smoke. A fellow pilot called the pilot and asked him if everything was all right. The pilot replied, "My engine just quit." The Texan was seen to hesitate momentarily, then slide back on its tail and wing over in recovery from a hammerhead stall. The aircraft then assumed a slightly nose high attitude, snap rolled, and entered a spin before disappearing from sight. The on-scene examination revealed the airplane struck the ground in a left wing low attitude, cartwheeled, and burned.