Taylorcraft B Safety Record

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE AND CLEARANCE WITH WATER, WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH WATER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO DESCEND WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT FOR LANDING. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE POOR BRAKING CONDITIONS ON THE WET GRASS STRIP.

INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS, SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, AND SNOWBANKS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.

IMPROPER TAKEOFF PLANNING BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES DURING INITIAL CLIMB. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S DECISION NOT TO USE THE FULL LAKE SURFACE AVAILABLE FOR TAKEOFF.

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT OPERATIONS, WHICH FAILED TO DETECT THE PRESENCE OF WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL SYSTEM, AND RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF POWER AND SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING. OTHER RELATED FACTOR: STANDING WATER ON THE GRASSY AREA.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND HIS SUBSEQUENT INADVERTENT STALL DURING HIS ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. A FACTOR WAS THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

THE UNCERTIFICATED PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AND THE PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT BY DRUGS (MARIJUANA) OF THE PILOT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE STALL WHICH WAS NOT IDENTIFIED BY THE NONRATED PILOT.

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED TO AVOID OBSTRUCTIONS AND TERRAIN, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL/MUSH. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE WIND, OBSTRUCTIONS, AND TERRAIN CONDITION.

THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING, NOT MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND ATTEMPTING A GO-AROUND WITHOUT SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED. A FACTOR WAS THE RUTTED RUNWAY SURFACE.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S NOT MAINTAINING SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED AND ENTERING INTO AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE FUEL STARVATION AND THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S NOT SELECTING A PROPER FUEL TANK SELECTOR POSITION.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING MANEUVERS (BUZZING) WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL OF THE AIRCRAFT. A FACTOR WAS THE INTENTIONAL BUZZING OF FAMILY MEMBERS.

PILOT DISPLAYED POOR INFLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISIONS BY ALLOWING THE AIRPLANE'S SPEED TO DETERIORATE TO THE POINT THAT THE AIRPLANE STALLED. THE PILOT COULD NOT FULLY CORRECT THE SITUATION DUE TO A LOSS OF ALTITUDE AND INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE FROM THE TERRAIN.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY SECURE THE AIRCRAFT AND/OR ADEQUATELY BRIEF THE PASSENGER (STUDENT PILOT), AND INADVERTENT BUMPING OF THE THROTTLE BY THE PASSENGER.

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION BY THE PILOT BY NOT ASSURING THAT THE ACFT WAS PROPERLY SECURED, OR THAT SOMEONE WAS AT THE CONTROLS WHILE HE WAS HAND PROPPING THE ENGINE. A RELATED FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER ADJUSTMENT OF THE THROTTLE CABLE.

THE PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED AND ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO INADVERTENTLY ENTER A STALL/SPIN. TURBULENCE WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.