June 27, 2004, Deep River, Conn. / Lake LA-250

At about 0815 Eastern time, the amphibian was substantially damaged during a water landing. The Private pilot received minor injuries; no one else was aboard. After a normal approach, the pilot leveled the airplane several feet above the water to bleed off airspeed, and noted that the water surface was rippled. When he attempted to land, the hull of the airplane touched the water, and the airplane bounced. Just before a second touchdown, the nose veered to the left and the airplane touched down at an angle relative to the direction of flight. To the pilots best recollection, the right wingtip caught the water, and the airplane flipped, landing upside down with the nose pointing in a dir...

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We Fly: Beechcraft King Air 250

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Piper Comanche

The original airplane had a 60-gallon fuel system. In 1961, Piper offered an optional 90-gallon system, which gave the Comanche 180 seriously long legs: nine hours, provided it was only loaded with the pilot, one passenger and a little baggage. Range remains one of the Comanche's strong points and many have been fitted with even more fuel capacity in tip tanks and fuselage tanks to give it impressive endurance. In 1961, the gross weight of the 250 was boosted by 100 pounds. Electric flaps replaced the manual ones in 1962 models. Production of both the 180 and 250 ended after the 1964 model year. The 180, which obviously came second to its bigger brother in load carrying and was not selling as we'll as the 250, was dropped altogether while the 250 was upgraded to the 260.

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