Site Map
Subscribe
Private Pilot
Learn to Fly
Instrument Pilot
7 day IFR Rating
IFR Adventure
Commercial Pilot
Multi-Engine Pilot
Human Factors/CRM
Recurrent Training
Ground Schools
Articles
Privacy Policy
About Me
Keyword:
|
Bending Metal - Common Aircraft Incidents
by Darren Smith,
CFII/MEI
from PocketLearning, November
2005, Updated, November 2010
CFIDarren
Newsletter, November 29, 2011
There is a handful of simple mistakes that cause the most damage to GA
aircraft. These mistakes normally lead to aircraft damage but
sometimes such incidents lead to a fatality. The source of this
material is a two year review of NTSB accident/incident reports.
The results were presented in an FAA
Safety Meeting briefing on
"Common Accident Scenarios" complete with pictures, causes, and
antidotes. In Florida, FAA inspectors believe that pilots do two
things when they cross the state line: forget to buy gas and fail
to put the gear down. After reviewing thousands of accidents
& incidents, it couldn't be more true. Not just for Florida,
but in all general aviation activities. Here are
the "big ones" that bend metal:
- Gear Up
- Loss of control
- Fuel exhaustion
For fatal accident information, see the companion article, What's Killing Pilots. The following is
the summary of the non-fatal accident information in
general aviation. I
encourage you to print it and share it with your fellow pilots at
EAA meetings, Safety Seminars, and Airport Meetings. Please see your
favourite CFI and get a refresher on crosswind technique, complex
aircraft procedures, flight planning, and fuel management.
Below is a summary of the antidotes for each of the common accident
scenarios.
Metal Bender
|
Prevention
|
Gear Up - #1 non-fatal accident,
accounting for 12% of all non-fatal accidents.
|
Recognize how it happens:
- Distraction
- Failure to follow checklists.
Break the accident chain:
- Be willing to go around if things aren't right.
- Understand your gear system completely.
- Proper crosswind technique to prevent side loading of
gear.
- If your aircraft is susceptible to gear problems,
consider more frequent inspections than the annual.
- Make a good preflight of landing gear on retract
aircraft, at minimum
looking at leaking fluids, cracks, linkages, tires, worn parts.
- Make a check of the gear position lights at least on
downwind, base, and final. A quick check just before touching
down is also a good safeguard.
- Make a visual check of gear position if possible by
looking out the window or using mirrors.
- A smooth, stabilized approach will lead to a smooth
touchdown.
|
Loss of Control - doing research on
instructional accidents, I found that 25% of all accidents with a
flight instructor on board are loss of control accidents. Of all
part 91 accidents, 11% are loss of control.
|
Recognize how it happens:
- Inexperience, in type, or total time
- Not knowing where the wind is
- Non-stable approaches.
- Over braking
Break the accident chain:
- Log time with a CFI comfortable in the aircraft
you're flying. Practice soft field & short field takeoffs and
landings.
- Use proper aileron controls while taxiing, performing
crosswind takeoffs and landings. Taxi slowly.
- Know the performance limitations of your aircraft.
- Be aware of where the wind is coming from... always.
- Be willing to go around if things aren't right.
- Less is more: don't over control the aircraft.
- Brake smoothly and use aerodynamic braking below 40
knots.
- Smooth aircraft operation including the use of brakes
will not only make your passengers happier, but also allow recovery if
something fails.
- A proper preflight should include leaking fluids,
brake lines, pads, rotor surfaces, cracks and tire wear.
- Follow the visual glideslope information, whether
you're VFR or IFR.
- A smooth, stabilized approach will lead to a smooth
touchdown.
|
Fuel Exhaustion - pilots
consistently undertake flights which are longer than the fuel
supply. Many crash within 10 NM of the airport.
|
Recognize how it happens:
- Improper or lack of fuel planning.
- Improper preflight weather briefing.
- Improper or lack of flight planning.
- Improper fuel management.
Break the accident chain:
- Land as soon as possible if there is any doubt about
your ability to complete the flight as planned.
- Know your aircraft performance, fuel burn.
- Use a simple kitchen timer (magnet removed) to
determine how much time is left in the tanks.
- Lean your mixture above 3000 MSL and at cruise.
Don't forget to set mixture rich (or set for density altitude) as you
descent.
- In multi-tank systems, switch fuel source at regular
intervals.
- Monitor fuel usage during flight, compared to flight
& fuel planning.
|
Other Safety Resources
IFR
Risk Management
Things
Your Flight Instructor Wish You Knew (Airplane) or Helicopter
15
Things Pilots Must Learn(Airplane) or Helicopter
Making
Safe Choices
Flying
Discipline
Hazardous Attitudes
Things
Your Flight Instructor Worries About
Characteristics of Successful
Pilots
Personal
Minimums Checklist (Airplane)
Flight Profile Flying - how to improve
safety flying the profile
Introduction
to Aeronautical Decision Making
Hazardous
Attitudes
“I have often said that the
lure of flying is the lure of beauty. The reason flyers fly is
the aesthetic appeal of flying.”
— Amelia Earhart, 1897-1937.
Your Thoughts...
|
|