"The present plateau [in accident trends] may indicate a practical bottom level without major changes in technology, training, or other resources." 

The Lift Reserve Indicator is such a resource enhancing a pilot's skill by providing a continuous and instantaneous display of his aircraft's lift.

Total Number of NTSB reports - GA fixed wing aircraft- 650

Number accidents in which the Lift Reserve Indicator could have enhanced pilot control- 134

Injuries

• Fatal - 39

RED CLIFF, CO                      Aircraft: MOONEY M20F                                    Injuries: 2 Fatal.    TWO FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS TOLD THE AIRPLANE OPERATOR THAT THEY   PLANNED TO MAKE A LOCAL FLIGHT, AND THEY RESERVED THE AIRPLANE   FOR FLIGHT ON THE NEXT DAY. BEFORE FLIGHT, THEY TOLD AN AIRPORT   RECEPTIONIST AND A FRIEND THAT THEY WERE GOING TO FLY IN THE   MOUNTAINS. THEY DEPARTED WATKINS, COLORADO AT 0800. AT ABOUT 0930,   THEY LANDED AT LEADVILLE AIRPORT, THE HIGHEST AIRPORT IN NORTH   AMERICA. SHORTLY AFTER 1000, TWO WITNESSES SAW AN AIRPLANE FLYING   AT LOW ALTITUDE INTO THE PEARL CREEK DRAINAGE. THE WRECKAGE WAS   LOCATED AT THE 10,800 FOOT LEVEL. THE AREA WAS SURROUNDED BY THREE   MOUNTAIN PEAKS (12,365 FEET, 12,693 FEET, AND 12,247 FEET). A CRATER WAS   FOUND WHERE THE AIRPLANE HAD CRASHED. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST   ABOUT 45 FEET FROM THE CRATER. THE PROPELLER BLADES HAD CURLED TIPS   AND CHORDWISE SCRATCHES, INDICATING THAT THE ENGINE WAS   PROVIDING POWER DURING IMPACT. EXAMINATION OF BOTH PILOTS'   LOGBOOKS DISCLOSED NO DOCUMENTATION OF MOUNTAIN FLYING   EXPERIENCE AND NO RECORD OF HAVING RECEIVED A MOUNTAIN FLYING   CHECKOUT.    Probable Cause    IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE FLIGHT CREW, AND THEIR   FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN,   WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND COLLISION WITH   TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIGH DENSITY   ALTITUDE, RISING TERRAIN, THE FLIGHT CREW'S LACK OF MOUNTAIN FLYING   EXPERIENCE, AND OVERCONFIDENCE IN THEIR PERSONAL ABILITIES.

• Serious - 23

HAROLD, FL                      Aircraft: FAIRCHILD 24-G                                 Injuries: 2 Serious.   DURING CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE MISSED SLIGHTLY, BUT A LOSS  OF ENGINE POWER WAS NOT PERCEIVED BY THE PASSENGER. THE PILOT  INITIATED A RIGHT TURN TOWARD A LANDING AREA USING ABOUT 60  DEGREES OF BANK. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED, ENTERED A SPIN, AND CRASHED.  POSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY AND MAGNETOS  SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.  EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR SHOWED THAT THE LOCKING NUT FOR  THE MIXTURE CONTROL METERING VALVE WAS LOOSE AND DID NOT HAVE  REQUIRED SAFETY WIRE INSTALLED. THE LOOSE VALVE APPEARED TO HAVE  BEEN IN THAT CONDITION FOR SOME TIME. NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF A  CARBURETOR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.   Probable Cause   THE ENGINE MISSING FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND THE FAILURE OF  THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE TURNING TOWARD A  LANDING AREA.

• Minor/None - 157

COLORADO SPGS, CO                      Aircraft: PIPER PA-28-140                           Injuries: 1 Minor, 2 Uninjured.   THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF AND CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 200 FEET. THE  PILOT SAID THAT WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 500 FEET FROM THE END OF THE  RUNWAY, HE ENCOUNTERED WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS "WIND SHEAR" OR A  "DOWNDRAFT." HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A FIELD BUT THE DESCENT RATE  FORCED HIM INTO A GRAVEL PIT AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH  TERRAIN. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE WIND WAS FROM 230 DEGREES  AT 19 KNOTS, WITH GUSTS TO 26 KNOTS. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED  TO BE 8,164 FEET MSL. THE "RATE OF CLIMB VS DENSITY ALTITUDE"  PERFORMANCE CHART INDICATES THAT BETWEEN 1,950 POUNDS AND 2,150  POUNDS GROSS WEIGHT, THE AIRPLANE WILL CLIMB BETWEEN 350 AND 430  FEET PER MINUTE. THE AIRPLANE WAS ESTIMATED TO WEIGHT BETWEEN 1,950  AND 2,150 POUNDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.   Probable Cause   AN INADVERTENT WINDSHEAR ENCOUNTER. A FACTOR WAS THE HIGH  DENSITY ALTITUDE.

 

• Singles - 127
• Twins - 7
• (Homebuilts - 5)

• Destroyed - 34
• Substantial - 100

Stalls

• Takeoff - 12

CIRCLE, AK                       Aircraft: PIPER PA-18                                Injuries: 2 Minor.  THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE DEPARTING A REMOTE GRAVEL BAR ALONG THE BANKS OF A RIVER. THE PILOT HAD LANDED ON THE SAME SECTION OF THE RIVER NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE PAST. THE STRIP WAS ABOUT 650 FEET LONG AND WATER WAS PRESENT AT BOTH ENDS OF THE AREA. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER FOR TAKEOFF AND AFTER ROLLING ABOUT 300 FEET, THE AIRPLANE BECAME LIGHT. AFTER ABOUT 400 FEET OF DEPARTURE ROLL, THE PILOT ADDED FLAPS. THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF BUT THEN SETTLED BACK TO THE GROUND AND BOUNCED OFF AN OPEN SECTION OF WATER. THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUCK A LOG AND THE RIGHT WINGTIP CONTACTED A SMALL RIVER BANK. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST FACING 180 DEGREES FROM THE DEPARTURE HEADING.  Probable Cause  THE PILOT'S PREMATURE LIFTOFF DURING TAKEOFF.

THE PILOT STATED THAT AT 65 MPH ON TAKEOFF, A SUDDEN CROSSWIND GUST HIT THE AIRPLANE, LIFTING IT INTO THE AIR, AND THAT HE COULD NOT SUBSEQUENTLY MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AT FULL POWER. HOWEVER, A WITNESS AT THE AIRPORT STATED THAT HE NOTICED NO UNUSUAL WIND GUSTS DURING THE EVENT. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WENT RIGHT WING DOWN, LEFT WING DOWN, RIGHT WING DOWN AGAIN, THEN LEFT WING DOWN, CONTACTING THE GROUND; AND THAT THE AIRPLANE THEN CRASHED INTO A FIELD. A NEARBY WEATHER OBSERVATION FACILITY REPORTED THE WIND AS SOUTHERLY AT 9 KNOTS. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 6,944 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT OWNER'S MANUAL INDICATES A ROTATION SPEED OF 65 TO 75 MPH AND A FLAPS 15 DEGREE/GEAR DOWN STALL SPEED OF 63 MPH.  Probable Cause  THE PILOT'S PREMATURE LIFTOFF AND FAILURE TO ATTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING TAKEOFF. THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS A FACTOR.

GOSHEN, OH                       Aircraft: BEECH V35B                                 Injuries: 2 Uninjured.   THE PILOT PERFORMED THE TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 06, A GRASS RUNWAY,  1640 FEET LONG. DURING THE TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE SETTLED BACK TO THE  RUNWAY AND BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES. THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER  STATED, "[DURING THE TAKEOFF], I ENCOURAGED THE PILOT TO LIFT THE  NOSEWHEEL CLEAR OF THE GROUND....IT DROPPED BACK IMMEDIATELY....IT  BOUNCED UP AGAIN AS THE PILOT APPLIED BACK PRESSURE....THE STALL  WARNING HORN BEGAN BLARING....AS WE CLIMBED NOSE HIGH, THE LEFT  WING DROPPED (STALL)....THE LEFT WING MADE CONTACT WITH TOP OF THE  SHRUBS...." THE FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED, "THE PILOT...STATED...THAT THE  AIRCRAFT FAILED TO REACH FLYING SPEED AND THAT HE TRIED TO PULL THE  AIRCRAFT OFF THE GROUND PRIOR TO REACHING THE END OF THE RUNWAY."  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS  WITH THE AIRPLANE, AND THAT THE WINDS WERE CALM AT THE TIME OF THE  ACCIDENT.   Probable Cause   the pilot's premature liftoff which resulted in an inadvertent stall and a subsequent collision with  trees.

• Landing - 9

NEW PRAGUE, MN                     Aircraft: PIPER J3C-65                                 Injuries: 2 Serious.  THE PILOT OF THE FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS LIGHT TO MODERATE TURBULENCE AS HE APPROACHED CEDAR LAKE FOR LANDING AND ESTIMATED THAT THE SURFACE WIND WAS SOUTHERLY AT 20 - 25 KNOTS. ON FINAL APPROACH NORTH OF THE LAKE AT AN AIRSPEED "ADEQUATE" FOR A FLOATPLANE LANDING THE RIGHT WING DROPPED ABRUPTLY TO NEARLY A 90 DEGREE ANGLE. THE PILOT LEVELED THE WINGS BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO ROLL ABRUPTLY INTO A LEFT BANK UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT WAS INVERTED. HE WAS AGAIN ABLE TO LEVEL THE WINGS HOWEVER THE AIRCRAFT FLEW THROUGH AN AREA OF TREES AND IMPACTED THE GROUND, ON SHORE, IN A WINGS LEVEL, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE.  Probable Cause  the failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed to permit control of the aircraft and to prevent an inadvertent stall. Contributing factors include gusty wind conditions and turbulence.

• Descent - 3

WILLIAMSON, GA                     Aircraft: LUSCOMBE 8A/E                                  Injuries: 2 Uninjured.   THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A NORMAL FINAL APPROACH PATH UNTIL IT CLEARED  THE TREES THAT PRECEDED THE 3100 FOOT GRASS STRIP. THE AIRCRAFT THEN  BEGAN TO SINK RAPIDLY AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CALLED FOR A  GO-AROUND. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT DESPITE FULL POWER,  THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT CLIMB OR MAINTAIN LEVEL FLIGHT. HE FURTHER  STATED THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY IN THE AREA,  AND THAT THEY HAD ENCOUNTERED A WIND SHEAR. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A  HARD LANDING, AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY COLLAPSED UPON  IMPACT.   Probable Cause   THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO COMPENSATE FOR WIND CONDITIONS  WHICH RESULTED IN A FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT  WHEN A WINDSHEAR WAS ENCOUNTERED.

• Windshear induced - 3

ELKO, NV                      Aircraft: BEECH P35                                 Injuries: 1 Fatal.  THE CROSS-COUNTRY PILOT WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 12, WITH THE WINDS REPORTED TO BE FROM 190 TO 230 DEGREES AT 35 KNOTS. THE PILOT WAS OBSERVED TO BE LANDING TOO LONG AND HE STATED HE WAS GOING AROUND. GROUND WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT BEGIN A TURN TO THE LEFT, FLYING AT A SLOW AIRSPEED AND AT A LOW ALTITUDE, WITH THE WINGS ROCKING BACK AND FORTH. THEY THEN SAW THE AIRCRAFT STALL AND DESCEND NOSE FIRST INTO THE GROUND. THE OTHER RUNWAY (05/23) THAT WAS MORE FAVORABLE FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS WAS CLOSED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION.  Probable Cause  the failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed in a turn during high wind conditions while executing a go-around at a low altitude, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and an uncontrolled descent into the ground.

• Maneuver - 19

DAUPHIN ISLAND, AL                Aircraft: AERONCA 7AC                                 Injuries: 2 Serious.  WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING PARALLEL TO THE SHORE LINE AT A LOW ALTITUDE. APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET ABOVE THE WATER, THE PILOT EXECUTED A SHALLOW, ASCENDING LEFT-HAND TURN, WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS A "CROP DUSTER TURN". HE STATED THAT TOO MUCH LEFT RUDDER WAS APPLIED, AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND BECAME INVERTED. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER AND PULLED BACK ON THE STICK, WHICH KEPT THE AIRPLANE STALLED. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE WATER IN A NEAR-VERTICAL ATTITUDE. DURING THE POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION, THE RIGHT AILERON PUSH-PULL ROD WAS DISCOVERED BROKEN BECAUSE OF DOUBLE-BENDING FATIGUE FAILURE. THE PILOT STATED THERE WER