Cessna 414 Chancellor

The emergency medical service (EMS/medevac) flight was dispatched to transport a patient in response to a medical emergency. During arrival to the destination, the pilot contacted the airport unicom for advisories and was advised to land on runway 25. Runway 25 had a 2.2 percent uphill grade and was restricted to landings only. After landing, the airplane was refueled and the patient was put on board. The pilot back-taxied on runway 25 and proceeded to take off uphill with the airplane near its maximum gross weight. According to ground witnesses, there was a tailwind, which they estimated was between 4 and 15 knots. The temperature was about 100 degrees, and the density altitude was about 3,200 feet. After the airplane became airborne, the pilot started an immediate left turn to avoid rising terrain. However, the left tip tank contacted the ground, and the airplane cartwheeled. It came to rest about 711 feet from the departure end of the runway. The flaps and landing gear were found fully extended; the published configuration for takeoff data in the flight manual was for 'wing flaps - up.' The airport had no signs to indicate runway use restrictions; however, the restrictions were published in the airport facility directory.

Just prior to the accident the airplane was seen on final approach flying in an erratic manner at a low altitude. Two witnesses riding in a car wrote they saw the airplane, 'going up and down toward the ground. We could hear a faint clicking noise, and the propellers were going around slowly.' The witnesses saw the airplane take 'a short nosedive and crashed.' They wrote that the airplane was not traveling 'very fast and it was pretty level to the ground.' The witnesses could not hear the engines because they were in a car. According to fuel records, the pilot of N1576T put 112 gallons of fuel on board the airplane on march 17, 1994, and the flight started at 1030 on march 19, 1994. The accident occurred at 1355, for a total flight time of 3 hours and 25 minutes. Using fuel consumption data for this aircraft it was estimated that fuel exhaustion would occur after 3 hours and 4 minutes of flight. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

A student pilot in American AA-1A, N9317L, was on an approach to land on runway 05 of the uncontrolled airport, as a commercial pilot in Cessna 414A, N47WD, was on an approach to land on runway 14. The two runways intersected near their approach ends. The two aircraft collided as they were about to touch down at dusk over the intersection. Witnesses on the ground stated that they observed lights on the Cessna, but did not observe any lights on the American. Witnesses in other aircraft in the area stated that they heard the pilot of the american announcing his position in the traffic pattern and landing intentions, but did not hear the pilot of the Cessna on the Unicom frequency. The pilot of the Cessna stated that he announced his intention to land on runway 14 over Unicom frequency 123.0. The published Unicom frequency for the Statesboro Airport was 122.8.

A Cessna 414 collided with a tree in a mountainous residential area about 1 mile from the airport. Instrument meteorological conditions with 1/8 mile visibility prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed, but was not opened. The airplane departed under visual flight rules. The elevation of the collision was about 100 feet higher than the airport. The standard instrument departure procedures for the airport prescribe takeoff minimums of 3,500 foot ceiling and 3 miles visibility. The procedure requires a minimum climb rate of 425 feet per nautical mile, a right turn after takeoff to intercept a 002° radial off a VOR, and a climb to a specified altitude. The airman's information manual recommends that pilots climb to 400 feet agl before turning when executing standard instrument departure under IFR. The airplane was also determined to be about 400 pounds over maximum gross weight at the time of the takeoff. The wreckage examination disclosed no evidence of any pre existing aircraft or engine malfunctions or failures. All four occupants were killed.

A Cessna 414 collided with a level ground while attempting to land during a snow shower. The pilot reported an emergency one minute after departing ifr and requested to return to the airport under visual rules. The pilot indicated to air traffic control that 'I can't get any speed.' The visibility was variable around the airport with the lowest report of 1/2 mile. Witnesses observed the airplane traveling fast at low altitude and indicated both engines were running. Investigation revealed during servicing before the flight, the pitot tube covers were not used. About 1.5 inches of snow had accumulated on the airplane during the refueling and was brushed off. The airplane was seen flying into a snow shower and reversing course. Witnesses reported the airplane's angle of bank to be 80 to 90° with a 20° pitch down attitude. The airplane descended into a snow covered pasture. Witnesses reported the airplane leveled its wing just before impact. Manufacturer's safety and warning supplements indicate inflight ice protection is not designed to remove snow on parked aircraft. The manufacturer recommends use of heated hangars or approved deicing solutions to insure the are no internal accumulations in pitot static system ports. Both occupants were killed.

The twin engine aircraft departed Wels Airport on a short positioning flight to the nearest airport of Linz-Hörsching before continuing to Bratislava. Weather conditions were poor with visibility down to 100 metres due to fog and an RVR of 325 metres for runway 27. After takeoff from runway 27, the aircraft struck tree tops located 1,125 metres past the runway end, lost height and crashed 300 metres further, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by fire and all three occupants were killed.

While approaching Zanzibar Airport by night on a positioning flight from Dar es-Salaam, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in the sea off Chenguu Island, few hundred metres offshore. The pilot, sole on board was killed.

While loading a patient & his personal gear in the aircraft for an air ambulance flight, the aircraft tipped onto its tail. As a result, the tail bumper was forced upward into the belly of the empennage. The pilot refused the offer to have a mechanic look at the damage, and remarked 'this has happened before.' after takeoff, the pilot radioed to the tower that he had a jammed elevator, and was coming around to land. While maneuvering on a base leg, control was lost & the airplane was observed to crash with one wing perpendicular to the ground. Another airplane was in the takeoff position on the runway. The airplane was configured with a hospital litter/stretcher and oxygen bottle on the right side of the cabin. There was no record for the approval for, or installation of, the stretcher. In addition, there was no weight & balance record for the airplane with the stretcher installation. All three occupants were killed.

The pilot reported that he had lost the left engine during the initial climb phase of a cross-country flight. Ground witnesses observed that the airplane's landing gear was down and the left propeller was feathered as it turned left onto the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. Other witnesses observed the airplane's wings dip before it nosed over into the terrain while turning onto the final approach course. The airplane struck the ground and a fence that separated two residential yards. The wreckage examination disclosed that the left engine's scavenge pump failed. This failure led the pilot to believe that the engine failed. The pilot's improper emergency procedures by failing to retract the landing gear and maintain airspeed precipitated the resulting stall and uncontrolled descent. Both occupants were killed.

The pilot was approaching Atlantic City Airport by night and poor weather conditions when the twin engine aircraft struck the ground and crashed few miles short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.