homebuilt

  • | | |

    Experimental Plane Makes Emergency Landing in Cache County Hay Field

    A home built experimental plane made an emergency landing in an open hay field near 4800 West and Highway 218 in Cache county, Utah, on March 28.

    Authorities said the plane took off from Logan Cache Airport and was flying over the Trenton area when it began experiencing engine trouble. The pilot, identified as John Kerr, 74, of Logan, then decided to return to the airport, however, the plane’s engine failed midway.

    The aircraft made a hard landing and sustained major damage. The pilot remained uninjured.

    The incident is being investigated by the NTSB and FAA.

  • | |

    Home-Built Plane Crashed Near Bagdad Airstrip; Pilot Injured

    A light-weight plane crashed near Bagdad airstrip in Arizona, on January 16.

    Authorities said the home-built plane went down after a strong wind gust bent its wing during a test flight.

    The pilot, identified as Donald Low, 79, of Bagdad suffered minor leg injuries and was shifted to Flagstaff Medical Center.

    The NTSB is investigating.

  • | | | |

    Zombie Plane Crash Kills Movie Crew

    zombieplane
    Dennis Monroe, 65, and Josepha Sardinas, 70 died in a Van’s RV-7 plane crash while filming the airplane scene in a a low budget zombie movie in Bellevue Florida. The experimental kit plane circled for an hour over a 20-acre field before it crashed near Monroe Airpark in Summerfield/Belleview. The passenger was filming the pilot as the pilot banked (turned) and the engine quit. The plane went down, impacting nose first in a back yard in the 1700th block of Southeast 140th Street. The plane did not catch fire.

    The accident occurred on Sunday. The plane will remain in the back yard until NTSB investigators arrive on the scene. The NTSB is expected to use the film footage in lieu of a CVR which is not required on this type of small homebuilt plane.

    Dennis W. Monroe was piloting at the time of the accident. He was Belleview Public Works Director for 26 years.

    *Plane built by PAUL T COWDREY

  • | | |

    Homebuilt Crashes in Spain


    A homebuilt plane crashed near El Álamo, Madrid after departing from Casarrubios Airport. The pilot was the only one aboard and died in the crash.

    The plane caught on fire, and two fire crews from Madrid responded to teh scene.

    The cause of the crash has not been determined. An investigation is underway.

    The pilot was a sixty year old aeronautical engineer.

  • | | | | | |

    Ultralight Pilot Walks Away from Crash

    On January 21, 2013, a Rotax 447 ultralight was flying, clipped treetops and crashed after takeoff.

    The pilot, Randy R. Roman took off at 2:45 pm and shortly later crashed on Mendoza road in Manatee County.

    The pilot was uninjured but the ultralight was a total loss. After crashing his homebuilt ultralight, reports say Roman called his wife and asked for his toolbox, without letting on anything was out of the ordinary.

    He attributed his crash to “the corrosive effects of ethanol in his fuel caused…the fuel cap to flake off into the tank and plug a fuel line.”

  • | | | |

    Missing Coyote Found, Pilot Safe

    On January 10, 2013, a homebuilt Rans S4 Coyote went missing. A search was underway for the plane which is not equipped for night flight. Only the pilot, ERIC P HEINZ was aboard.

    The missing plane was located when the pilot’s campsite was discovered, at 9:30 after it had crashed in Lake Pleasant Arizona.

    The experimental plane sustained damage. The pilot survived.

    FAA Prelim:

    Regis#: N571K Make/Model: COYO Description: S-4/5 Coyote
    Date: 01/11/2013 Time: 0004

    Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Minor Mid Air: N Missing: N
    Damage: Substantial

    LOCATION
    City: PEORIA State: AZ Country: US

    DESCRIPTION
    AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO LAKE PLEASANT

  • | | | | | |

    Emergency Landing on Route 67

    What: Homebuilt Europa en route from Gillespie Field
    Where: Route 67 in Santee
    When: July 21, 2012
    Who: Pilot
    Why: When his engine locked up in a turn after taking off from Gillespie Field, pilot Wayne Oehler of El Cajon made an emergency landing on to the freeway near Riverton road. A California Highway Patrol officer saw the plane in distress and flying low, and cleared the road.

  • | | | |

    Croatian Pilots Survive Coyote Crash but not the Fire

    What: Rans S-6 Coyote
    Where: Letjelište Zvekovac, Croatia
    When: June 16, 2011
    Who: 2 fatalities, one injury
    Why: A home built ultralight carrying two passengers on a training exercise crashed at an airfield two hundred feet from the runway between 10:00 and 10:15 pm. The plane fell from the sky, and exploded when it impacted the ground. A local farmer who was on site to cut the grass attempted to come to the aid of the pilots who were calling for help, and was injured by the fire.

    The light aluminum frame burned quickly.

    Apparently Vladimir Bodiš and Marinko Lovri? survived the impact but died in the fire. Bodiš was an Eagle test pilot with a commercial license, and Lovri? taught military pilots although a Croatian newspaper said they found no license for him.

  • | | | |

    Rag Bags Plane Crashes during Vancouver Island Airshow

    What: Home built “rag bags” kit plane
    Where: Nanaimo Airport, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
    When: June 4, 2011
    Who: pilot Dr. Bill Phipps, 71, of Campbell River
    Why: Six minutes into a planned eight minute exhibition before 1000 spectators at the Wings and Wheels air show, while supposed to be doing a four point roll, Dr. Phipps home built plane was “tail-on to the crowd and upright” and flew into the ground. A witness describes that “The right wing clipped the ground and he did a cartwheel.” Another witness said it was likely he stalled and that his wings lost lift.

    Rag Bags was Phipps name for his home-built wood and fabric plane.

    B.C. Ambulance and Cranberry Fire and Rescue recovered Phips, who was airlifted to Victoria General Hospital. He was in serious condition, with severe injuries but was stable Monday.

    See Video here: https://airflightdisaster.com/?p=17289

  • | | |

    Valencia County Crash

    What: home built plane en route to Los Chavez
    Where: Mid-Valley airport in Los Chavez, Valencia County
    When: Oct 17, 2010 7: 58 am
    Who: pilot and passenger
    Why: The plane was on approach to Los Chavez when it crashed into a drainage ditch. The occupants survived but had to be extracted from the wreckage.

  • | | | | |

    Missing Plane Crash Couple Found

    What: Privately owned Glasair Aviation “Sportsman 2+2” plane en route to a fishing trip on Lake Klemka
    Where: Pipmuacan Reservoir in the Saguenay region
    When: Sunday August
    Who: Carol Tremblay, 56, and Nathalie Cote, 44,
    Why: The couple had decided to go fishing on Lake Klemka, and flew there on the Sportsman configured with floats. They landed on the Pipmuacan Reservoir and were checking for directions when the plane started letting in water. They donned their life jackets and swam (for an hour) for the island. Tuesday they swam from the island to the reservoir and walked till they found a cabin where they found a battery, which enabled them to light-signal the helicopters searching for them.

    Joint Co-ordination Rescue Centre in Trenton, Ont., recovered them shortly at 9 p.m. on August 31.

    George’s Point of View

    So many crashes end badly, it is a real pleasure to hear of survivors who walked away—in this case, swam away—from a downed plane. Their fishing trip turned out to be, not a tragedy, but simply rather more of an adventure than they had anticipated.

  • | |

    Missing Plane and Pilot

    What: RV-7 aircraft en route from Ohio to Georgetown, Texas.
    Where: (missing in the) Ark-La-Tex area
    When: August 22, 2010
    Who: pilot Charles Miller
    Why: The pilot took off from El Dorado Arkansas Thursday and has not been seen again.

  • | | | |

    Experimental Plane Crashes in Oregon


    Pictured: An RV-8 domiciled at Scappoose – Industrial Airpark
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Phil Gilston

    What: Vans RV-8 kit plane
    Where: hills of Columbia County, 5 miles from Scappoose, Oregon
    When: October 5 2009
    Who: Kenneth Turpen of Bainbridge Island, Wash
    Why: The plane had been cleared for approach, but was found crashed up in a wooded area 5 miles from Scappoose, Oregon.

    Rescuers hiked to reach the pilot, who was apparently banged up, but conscious.

  • | | | |

    NC: Kit Plane Crash Kills Pilot


    Pictured: An Experimental Homebuilt RV-6 kit plane
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Connector

    What: RV-6 experimental kit plane en route from Wilmington to Louisburg, 31 miles northeast of Raleigh.
    Where: Behind Magnolia Mobile Home Park off Highway 903 near Magnolia in Duplin County NC
    When: Oct 05, 2009 12:45 pm
    Who: a Yorkville, Illinois pilot
    Why: According to witnesses, the plane nosedived into the ground. There was a loud noise, like an explosion, but it is not known if it was before or when the plane impacted the ground. The crash is under investigation.

  • | |

    Homebuilt Amphibious Crashes on Lake


    Pictured: an Avid Catalina aircraft
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer David Morrell

    What: Avid Catalina home-built, single-engine amphibious aircraft taking off from the lake near Camp Longhorn.
    Where: Inks Lake in Burnet County
    When: Wednesday at 1:30 p.m
    Who: pilot Jim Eachus
    Why: The plane’s wing tip skimmed the water, sending the plane into a cartwheel. The pilot appeared outside of the plane but did not make it ashore. It was several days before the pilot was found.

  • |

    Homebuilt Emergency Landing

    What: privately owned experimental-class plane
    Where: Eastern Iowa Airport
    When: Sept 19 2009 9:30 A.M
    Who: pilot
    Why: After declaring an unspecified emergency, the pilot glided to safety in Cedar Rapids.

  • | |

    Kit Plane Fatality in Pennsylvania

    What: small one seat experimental aircraft built and owned by Neal O. Bond
    Where: behind a home near the Pegasus Air Park on McIlhenny Road in Chestnuthill Township, Monroe County, about 40 miles north of Allentown PA
    When: August 30, 2009
    Who: the pilot
    Why: A witness says that the plane was coming down with an unusual attitude, and part of the tail came off. A second or two later a wing came off. The plane crashed behind the airport; the pilot had been ejected from the craft, a homebuilt one seat vehicle.

    The plane’s owner is treasurer of a radio-controlled vehicle club

  • | | | |

    Homebuilt Crashes Football Game; Two Fatalities


    Pictured: A Skybolt
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Dubravko Sertovic

    What: Fixed Wing Single-Engine Steen Skybolt (Cooper Skybolt) bi-plane en route from West Harrison Airport (Cincinnati West)
    Where: McNicholas High School in Harrison Ohio
    When: Aug 21, 2009 8:08 p.m.
    Who: pilot and a female passenger
    Why: Witnesses watching a football scrimmage between Harrison and McNicholas High School say that while en route, the plane climbed, pitched left, seemed to struggle, then took a nosedive, crashing near the high school and killing 47 year old pilot Raymond Robben of Guilford, Indiana, and passenger 52 year old Belinda Roy of Lawrenceburg, Indiana. The pilot and his girlfriend were on a pleasure ride when the plane failed, crashing a quarter of a mile from the end of the runway.

    Robben was a corporate pilot for the JTM Food Group.

    FAA registration lists the biplane as being manufactured in 1996, classified an amateur built experimental aircraft and Robben is listed as as a certified commercial pilot and flight instructor.

    George’s Point of View

    As with all tragic flights, we express condolences to the families.

  • | | | |

    Cabin Fumes Diverts Airbus to Daytona


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Timothy Redfern

    What: Spirit Airlines Airbus A319-100 en route from Chicago to Ft Lauderdale
    Where: Daytona Beach
    When: July 1 2009
    Who: 143 on board
    Why: When a burning smell filled the cockpit, the plane diverted to Daytona Beach. Passengers debarked normally; some individuals who experienced shortness of breath were taken to Halifax Medical Center.

    Passengers stated that the smoke was not visible but it made their eyes water, and smelled like rotten eggs.

  • | | |

    Two In One Day

    What: experimental plane
    Where: Healdsburg Municipal Airport
    When: Thursday, May 21 10:58 a.m.
    Who: Pilot
    Why: A quartering wind caused the pilot to veer off the runway and into the Funsten Ranch vineyard grape vines. Plane owner/pilot was not injured when his homebuilt crashed.

    Then…a mere six hours later…same place…

    What: low-wing, single-engine Mooney
    Where: Healdsburg Municipal Airport
    When: 4:55 p.m
    Who: pilot
    Why: Right after take-off, the Mooney went to partial power, passed a home and powerlines, then skidded on its belly into the vineyard where this Mooney also crash-landed on grapevines by the Mazzocco Winery

  • |

    Small Plane Crashes in Residential Neighborhood

    What: SPORTSMAN GS-2 registered to THOMAS P ALEXANDER
    Where: Crown Drive just west of El Dorado Hills Blvd. in El Dorado Hills CA
    When: Friday 04/17/2009 after 5 p.m.
    Who: THE ONE PERSON ON BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED. The pilot’s name has been disclosed as THOMAS P ALEXANDER
    Why: AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY between two houses. The plane caught fire but neither home was damaged. However, the pilot did not survive the crash. His flight record is currently under investigation. The homebuilt plane was certified in March.

  • | | |

    Ultra Light Crash in Suwannee

    What: Experimental Light Sport (ultra light) flying from Flying Little River Airport in McAlpin.
    Where: Suwannee County off Highway 90 and 89th Road just past Live Oak
    When: Mar 10, 2009
    Who: An early report said that pilot Walter Richard of Louisiana has been flown to Shand’s Hospital in Gainesville. The name now released is Jimmy Burkholder, 68, of McAlpin, who is in the burn unit at Shands UF. A woman passenger was dead on the scene; her name has been released: Linda Sturtevant, 58, of Rhode Island
    Why: The pilot dropped below power lines as the plane lost altitude, and struck the tree line.

  • | |

    Homebuilt Crash in Torrance

    What: TOLAND S/THORNBURGH J TWIN 503SL Glider owned by SURE FLIGHT INC
    Where: Torrance Airport
    When: 02/27/2009
    Who: Two men were injured in the crash
    Why: The homebuilt “experimental class”ultralight was taxiing on a ramp at Torrance Airport when it clipped a parked aircraft and went airborne up to approximately 100 feet; the flight crashed off the runway fatally injuring at least one passenger.