We close out this busy week with the following couple of stories...
Have a safe weekend!
Tom
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Plane makes emergency landing on busy road in Peachtree City
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — “You can’t park there.”
That’s what the Peachtree City Police Department said after a plane had to make an emergency landing on Highway 74 southbound Friday morning.
Police said there were no injuries when a single-engine aircraft suffered engine trouble and landed near the Peachtree City Athletic Complex.
Return to Atlanta News First for updates as we learn more.
https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/03/13/plane-makes-emergency-landing-busy-road-peachtree-city/
NTSB Final Report: Holmes William B Air Creation Twin
The Aircraft’s Approach Speed Was Fast, And The Aircraft Collided With A 10-Ft Tall Mesquite Tree, Subsequently Impacting The Ground
Location: Gila Bend, Arizona Accident Number: WPR24FA112
Date & Time: March 17, 2024, 09:42 Local Registration: N4425L
Aircraft: Holmes William B Air Creation Twin Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional
Analysis: The non-pilot-rated passenger in the front seat reported that he was in the process of purchasing the weight-shift-control aircraft from the pilot seated in the rear seat. The pilot was providing the passenger with instruction to gain flight experience and to familiarize him with the flight characteristics of the aircraft. Before departure, the pilot briefed the passenger that they would take off and fly in the local area then return to the airport to practice touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. The pilot briefed that the passenger would fly the approach and that the pilot would perform the landing.
The passenger reported that the flight was about 45 minutes and they had performed one touch-and-go. During the second approach, on the final leg of the airport traffic pattern, the passenger was on the controls, the pilot called out “my airplane” and took the flight controls. The aircraft drifted to the right of the runway centerline and overflew the unimproved desert surface that consisted of brush and mesquite trees. The pilot increased the engine power and maneuvered the aircraft to the left toward the runway. During the descending left turn back to the runway, the aircraft’s approach speed was fast, and the aircraft collided with a 10-ft tall mesquite tree, subsequently impacting the ground about 85 ft to the right of the runway surface. The passenger reported that the engine sounded strong, and there were no observable aircraft malfunctions before the collision with the tree. The nearest weather reporting facility, 5 miles from the accident site, recorded calm wind at the time of the accident.
Postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed no anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have contributed to a loss of control.
Probable Cause and Findings: The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be -- The pilot’s loss of control and subsequent collision with a mesquite tree on approach to land.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
59 Years ago today: On 13 March 1967 South African Airways flight 406, a Vickers Viscount, crashed into the sea while on approach to East London Airport, South Africa, killing all 25 occupants.
| Date: | Monday 13 March 1967 |
| Time: | 17:10 |
| Type: | Vickers 818 Viscount |
| Owner/operator: | South African Airways - SAA |
| Registration: | ZS-CVA |
| MSN: | 317 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1958 |
| Engine model: | Rolls-Royce Dart 525 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 25 / Occupants: 25 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 2,4 km SE off Kayser's Beach - South Africa |
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Port Elizabeth Airport (PLZ/FAPE) |
| Destination airport: | East London Airport (ELS/FAEL) |
| Investigating agency: | SA BoI |
| Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:
South African Airways flight 406, a Vickers Viscount, crashed into the sea while on approach to East London Airport, South Africa, killing all 25 occupants.
Vickers Viscount ZS-CVA, named "Rietbok", was on a scheduled public transport flight SA406 from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg via East London and Bloemfontein, South Africa.
At Port Elizabeth crew took on board 2,000 lb of fuel in excess of the normal sector fuel uplift, on the basis that they may had to overfly East London and proceed to Bloemfontein due to poor weather at East London.
The flight made a normal takeoff from Port Elizabeth at 16:41 UTC and climbed to Flight Level 90. At 16:58 UTC the aircraft contacted East London Airport Control and was given a weather report: 8/8ths Nimbo Stratus at 200 feet to 300 feet overhead, lowering on the approaches to runway 28; continuous drizzle; visibility 3/4 of a mile; ground temperature plus 16°C.; QNH 1025.
At 16:59 UTC the aircraft acknowledged the weather and requested descent clearance from Flight Level 90. Clearance was given by East London Tower and acknowledged.
At 17:07 UTC the flight was cleared for a runway 10 approach. The last radio transmission was at 17:09 UTC when the flight reported at 2000 feet with the coast line in sight. The airplane impacted the sea at high speed about 17:10 UTC.
Bits of floating wreckage, consisting mainly of cabin interior fittings, were recovered by naval vessels and other pieces were washed ashore.
The main wreckage of the aircraft is believed to he lying at a depth of between 180 and 220 feet, approximately 1½ miles off-shore. Extensive salvage operations were attempted, but were hindered by murky water, a current up to 8 kts. and dangerous sea conditions.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The available data is not sufficient for the originating cause of the accident to be determined with any degree of probability. In the opinion of the Board certain possibilities can be excluded as being consistent with the evidence and/or as being remote and improbable; among these possibilities are structural failure, failure of the controls, or control surfaces, multiple engine failure, instrument failure, explosion, fire, a 'bad weather' accident and pilot error.
However, on the evidence the Board cannot exclude as the originating cause of the accident a heart attack suffered by the captain in the air, with ensuing loss of control of the aircraft, and with the first officer being unable in the time available to regain sufficient control to prevent contact with the sea."
It was later rumored that the aircraft crashed as a result of a structural failure, because comparable accidents happened during that time.
