Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo C in Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1994 at 1854 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-GDOU
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saint Anthony - Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon
MSN:
31-7612033
YOM:
1976
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
8000
Captain / Total hours on type:
1550.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1079
Copilot / Total hours on type:
650
Aircraft flight hours:
11050
Circumstances:
On 11 January 1994, the crew were on a chartered round-robin flight on a PA-31 Navajo, between Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon airport, Quebec, and St. Anthony, Newfoundland, in accordance with visual flight rules (VFR) . During the return flight, at night, the crew advised the St. Anthony flight service station (FSS) that they departed at 1813 Newfoundland standard time (NST). At 1846 NST, the crew transmitted that they were flying at 2,500 feet and that they were 32 nautical miles (nm) and 13 minutes southeast of Blanc-Sablon. Seven minutes later, the crew called the Sept-Iles FSS through the Blanc-Sablon repeater. They requested airport information and reported being 16 nm and six minutes from the airport. After receiving information on the winds and the altimeter setting, the crew reported that they would use runway 05 and would call back on final. No further transmissions were received from the crew. Fishermen found the wreckage seven months later.
Probable cause:
The cause of the occurrence could not be determined; however, it is probable that the pilots did not monitor the altimeter properly and allowed the aircraft to descend until it struck the surface of the ice.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Ciudad Constitución

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1993
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
OB-1453
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
31-7812067
YOM:
1978
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo off Hilo

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1993 at 1414 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N7079J
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Christmas Island - Hilo
MSN:
31-663
YOM:
1970
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
3500
Captain / Total hours on type:
100.00
Aircraft flight hours:
4356
Circumstances:
During an oceanic ferry flight, the right engine developed magneto problems which resulted in only residual power being available. The pic increased the power on the remaining left engine, but it soon overheated. The pic elected to ditch the airplane into the pacific ocean. Both crewmembers were successfully rescued.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine's magnetos for undetermined reasons and the resulting overtemperature of the remaining left engine.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31P Pressurized Navajo in San Antonio: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1993 at 1723 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N891SP
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
San Antonio - San Antonio
MSN:
31-7300145
YOM:
1973
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
1668
Captain / Total hours on type:
12.00
Aircraft flight hours:
6374
Circumstances:
During takeoff roll, the left engine began to emit black smoke. The tower informed the pilot, who did not respond, and continued his takeoff. After becoming airborne, the aircraft was observed to level off then enter a left turn and impact the ground approximately 2 miles west of the airport. Examination of the engine provided no evidence of malfunction. Review of available pilot records indicated the pilot had 12 hours in type.
Probable cause:
Failure by the pilot-in-command to maintain VMC following takeoff. Factors were: partial loss of power to one engine for undetermined reason, and lack of total experience in aircraft type.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo near Nibinamik: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1993 at 2015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
C-GSWG
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Steinbach - Webequie
MSN:
31-492
YOM:
1969
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route from Steinbach to Webequie, the pilot informed ATC about his position some 64 km north of Pickle Lake. Few minutes later, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the region of Nibinamik, southwest of Webequie. The wreckage was found on September 23 in an isolated area. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo C in Guildford: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1993 at 0805 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
G-SEAS
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Stapleford – Southampton – Cambridge – Berlin
MSN:
31-79
YOM:
1979
Flight number:
STL819
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
1493
Captain / Total hours on type:
15.00
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Stapleford on a positioning flight to Southampton. He was due to pick up passengers at Southampton and fly to Cambridge where more passengers were to be collected; from Cambridge he would fly to Berlin. Heathrow Approach frequency was fairly busy but by 0653LT, G-SEAS had been identified, and been cleared direct to Ockham not above 2,000 feet on QNH 1011 mb; this clearance was acknowledged by the pilot. The radar recording confirmed the track of STL819 to Ockham and from there the aircraft made a gentle turn onto a track of approximately 185°T; all three radars confirmed the aircraft speed as approximately 160 knots and at a level altitude of 1,500 feet amsl until a few seconds before 0705LT. At that point the aircraft started a high rate of descent with increasing speed but maintaining a fairly constant southerly track. Radar contact was lost 2.6 seconds after 0705LT. The last radar contact was within 250 metres of the crash site and at that point the aircraft was at 1,000 feet amsl, the crash site is approximately 400 feet amsl.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. Nevertheless, the assumption that the loss of control was the consequence of an autopilot failure was not ruled out.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo near Brisbane: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1993 at 1546 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UFO
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Brisbane – Caboolture
MSN:
31-7712060
YOM:
1977
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
531
Captain / Total hours on type:
35.00
Circumstances:
The aircraft, with only the pilot on board, was being flown from Archerfield to Caboolture via the light aircraft lane to the west of Brisbane in company with another aircraft. About five minutes after departing Archerfield, the pilot radioed that he was experiencing problems with both engines and that he was in an emergency situation. The pilot of the other aircraft advised him that there were suitable forced landing areas in and around a nearby golf course. However, the aircraft continued and slowly lost altitude before rolling inverted and diving steeply into the ground. Ground witnesses reported hearing loud backfiring and fluctuating engine RPM from the aircraft. These sounds were accompanied by erratic rolling and yawing of the aircraft before it rolled to the left and inverted. The right wing was severed outboard of the engine as the aircraft impacted a large tree before crashing onto a road.
Probable cause:
Wreckage examination revealed that the fuel selectors for both engines were set at the auxiliary tank positions, causing fuel for each engine to be drawn from the corresponding auxiliary tank in each wing. It was established that the aircraft had been refuelled to full main tanks prior to the flight. Further, the pilot had advised in a telephone conversation with an engineer before the flight that the contents of both auxiliary tanks was 60 litres or less. All fuel tanks except the left auxiliary tank were ruptured during the impact sequence. About one litre of fuel was recovered from this
tank. Examination of the aircraft engines indicated that the right engine was under power at impact while the left engine was not. The mechanical condition of the engines indicated that they were capable of normal operation.
The following factors are considered relevant to the development of the accident:
- The pilot did not use a written checklist.
- The pilot operated the aircraft with the auxiliary tanks selected when the fuel contents of these tanks was low.
- The pilot failed to conduct a forced landing.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo off Providenciales

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1993 at 1015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N36L
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cap Haïtien - Great Inagua
MSN:
31-10
YOM:
1967
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2027
Captain / Total hours on type:
380.00
Circumstances:
On July 10, 1993, about 1015 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-31, N36L, registered to and operated by the Schaked Corporation, experienced total loss of power from both engines due to fuel exhaustion and was ditched about 18 nautical miles south of the Providenciales Airport, Turks and Caicos Islands, while on a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane has not been recovered and is presumed to be destroyed. The airline transport-rated pilot and commercial pilot-rated passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight originated about 0900 from Cap Haitien, Haiti. The day before the accident flight, the fuel tanks were filled and the airplane was then flown for about 2 hours. After landing, the pilot requested an auxiliary power unit (APU) for the following morning to jump start the engines due to electrical system problems. The pilot further stated that during the airplane preflight, he visually determined that the fuel tanks were 1/2 full. The APU was used to start the engines and about 20 minutes after departure, the electrical system failed. The flight continued and about 44 minutes later, Grand Turk Approach Control was contacted using a hand held radio. A clearance to land was requested and the controller was advised that the airplane was low on fuel. The controller advised the crew that the flight was about 60 miles east of the airport and the Providenciales Airport was about 31 miles north of their position. The flight proceeded directly to that airport and shortly thereafter, the pilot stated that the left engine failed due to fuel exhaustion. About 5 minutes later, the right engine failed due to the same reason. The airplane was ditched and the occupants were rescued about 7 hours after the ditching. According to the pilot-rated passenger, the pilot reset the alternators and voltage regulators after contact was established with the approach control facility.
Probable cause:
Total loss of engine power from both engines due to fuel exhaustion after the pilot became lost/disoriented. Contributing to the accident was the delay by the pilot-in-command to execute the emergency procedure by resetting the alternators and voltage regulators following total failure of the electrical system. Also contributing to the accident was the operation of the airplane by the pilot-in-command with known deficiencies in equipment.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31P Pressurized Navajo off Oceanside: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1992 at 1445 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N55UF
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Carlsbad – Santa Ana
MSN:
31-7400182
YOM:
1974
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
1790
Circumstances:
The pilot and his passenger, his son, departed from a controlled airport at 1436 hours. He climbed the airplane to about 5,200 feet mean sea level. Recorded communications between the pilot and the control tower did not reveal anything out of the ordinary. Radar data showed the pilot in a progressive climb to about 5,200 feet. After maintaining that altitude for over two minutes, the airplane descended at an excessive rate until it collided with the ocean about one mile offshore. The engines and propellers were recovered and examined. The engine examination did not reveal any pre existing discrepancies. The propellers had deep leading edge gouges, 'S' twists, and one broken blade. No pre existing deficiencies were found during the examination of the airplane's logbooks and maintenance records. Investigation did not reveal any reason for the airplane's rapid descent and its in flight collision with the ocean. Both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The airplane colliding with the ocean due to unknown reason(s).
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo B off Chaitén: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1992
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CC-CSR
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chaitén - Puerto Montt
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Chaitén Airport, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in the gulf of Corcovado, few hundred metres offshore. All eight occupants were killed.