1. Presented to: Sun n’ Fun
By: TONY JAMES
Air Safety Investigator , AVP-100
Date: MARCH 27, 2012
Federal Aviation
Administration
TOP TEN CAUSES
OF GENERAL
AVIATION ACCIDENTS

2. 2 2Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
OVERVIEW
• Getting results through non-regulatory, productive
strategy and education.
• Help to understand why accidents occur.
• One of the FAA’s top priorities is to reduce the
number of fatal accidents in general aviation.
• Develop an accurate picture of contributing factors.

3. 3 3Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
NUMBER TEN
WINDSHEAR or THUNDERSTORM
Preflight Planning, Weather Knowledge,
“Get Home ‘itis”
Contributing Factors
Distraction, Monitoring Airspeed, Situational
Awareness, Multitasking

4. 4 4Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation

5. 5 5Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
Scott Crossfield

6. 6 6Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
NUMBER NINE
MIDAIR COLLISIONS
Traffic Pattern, Fly Ins, Glider Operations,
Practice Areas
Contributing Factors
Distractions, Situational Awareness
Instructional Flight

7. 7 7Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation

8. 8 8Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation

9. 9 9Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
NUMBER EIGHT
System Component Failure
Non-Powerplant
Electrical Failure, Cabin Fire/Smoke,
Vacuum Pump Failure, Carbon Monoxide
Contributing Factors
Airspeed, Situational Awareness, Distraction,
Pilot Fatigue, Maintenance, Preflight

10. 10 10Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation

11. 11 11Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
•NTSB Identification: CHI01MA011.
Accident occurred Monday, October 16, 2000 in
HILLSBORO, MO
Aircraft: Cessna 335, registration: N8354N
Injuries: 3 Fatal.
The pilot's failure to control the airplane while
maneuvering because of spatial disorientation.
Contributing to the accident were the failure of the
airplane's primary attitude indicator and the adverse
weather conditions, including turbulence.

12. 12 12Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
NUMBER SEVEN
• FUEL RELATED
• Bad Gauges/A Good Watch, Preflight
Planning, Weather/Winds, Fuel
Management, Systems Knowledge
Contributing Factors
• Distraction and Trust, Flight Crew
Experience and Planning

13. 13 13Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation

14. 14 14Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
•NTSB Identification: ERA10FA502
Accident occurred Friday, September 24, 2010 in
Chatsworth, GA
Aircraft: CESSNA 172, registration: N84249
Injuries: 2 Fatal,1 Serious.
•The pilot's inadequate flight planning and in-flight
fuel management resulting in a total loss of engine
power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the
accident was the operator's failure to ensure aircraft
records pertaining to engine modifications and fuel
burn rates were available to flight crewmembers

15. 15 15Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
NUMBER SIX
OTHER
• Instrument Approach Procedures, Track and
Altitude Flown, Pilots Situational Awareness
are Unknown
Contributing Factors
Non rated Instrument pilot
Got to get there ‘itis

16. 16 16Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation

17. 17 17Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation

18. 18 18Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
NUMBER FIVE
UNKNOWN OR UNDETERMINED
Self Explanatory, No Witness, Recorders,
Non-Volatile Memory (GPS)
Contributing Factors
Airspeed Control, Bank Angle,
Situational Awareness, and Distraction
And Lots of Other Things!

19. 19 19Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
Steve Fossett

20. 20 20Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
NUMBER FOUR
LOW ALTITUDE OPERATIONS
• Pipe/Power Line Patrol, Crop Duster, Fire
Fighting, EMS Operations
Contributing Factors
• Distractions, Situational Awareness,
• Out-of-Date Charts, Cell Phones

21. 21 21Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
P-3B Air Tanker

22. 22 22Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
NUMBER THREE
SYSTEM COMPONENT FAILURE
POWERPLANT
Single Drive Mags, Cylinders, Valves,
Cam/Crankshafts, Pumps, and other
components
Contributing Factors
Maintenance, Preflight

23. 23 23Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
Rear cylinder separation

24. 24 24Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
NUMBER TWO
CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO
TERRAIN
• Rising Mountainous Terrain, Dark Night
(Moonless), Cleared for the Visual
• Contributing Factors
Situational Awareness, Training, Preflight
Planning, Distractions

25. 25 25Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
KingAir B-200 N45MF
• On 2/6/07 the aircraft collided with mountainous terrain.
• Night VMC conditions prevailed at the destination.
• Wind 300@4kts, 10SM, 11,000 overcast.
• The pilot stated to ATC that Bozeman was in sight and
was cleared to descend from 15,000’ to 13,000’.
• The pilot acknowledged and requested a visual
approach.
• The aircraft was cleared for the visual and radar
services were terminated. (coverage to 11,000’)
• The wreckage was located approx. 80 feet below the
peak of a ridgeline at an elevation of approx. 5,700’.

26. 26 26Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
•LAST RADAR HIT
•IMPACT POINT

27. 27 27Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation

28. 28 28Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
•Top of Ridge

29. 29 29Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
Number One
Loss of Control in Flight
Environmental Conditions/Wind, Experience,
Perceptual, Physical/Sensory
Contributing Factors
Airspeed Control, Distraction, Situational
Awareness, Currency, Medical

30. 30 30Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation

31. 31 31Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation

32. 32 32Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
Summation
The FAA has focused on pilot
Education and Awareness,
However, better Technology has given
the pilot
Better Safety Tools.

33. 33 33Federal Aviation
Administration
General Aviation Accident Investigation
Contact Information
TONY JAMES
Air Safety Investigator
US Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
Accident Investigation Division, AVP-100
800 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20591
(202) 267-7619
tony.f.james@faa.gov