Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

The aircraft was on a flight from Canouan, a small island in the St Vincent group, to Barbados. Shortly after entering Barbados airspace, radar recordings show the aircraft deviated to the south of a direct easterly track to Barbados and descended from cruise flight level (FL) 55 to an altitude of 2,300 feet. The aircraft levelled at 2,300 feet and resumed an easterly track for about six minutes before once again deviating to the south and commencing a further descent. About 16 minutes after the aircraft's initial descent from FL55, the pilots of a commercial aircraft flying from Grenada to Barbados relayed a MAYDAY call from G-ILEA to Barbados Arrivals reporting that the pilot "had lost one engine; it appeared he was losing fuel and he doubted that he would be able to make it to Barbados". Some three and a half minutes after the initial MAYDAY call, the pilot of the commercial aircraft relayed a further message stating that the pilot intended to ditch. The final radar return for the aircraft showed it at an altitude of 600 feet about 55 miles on the 259° radial from Barbados Airport. Despite an extensive search and rescue operation, no trace of the aircraft or its two occupants was found. A reconciliation of fuel receipts and flight times shows that, at best, the aircraft would have been short of fuel for the flight, and at worst could have run out of fuel.

The aircraft took off from Feilding Aerodrome on a visual flight rules flight to Paraparaumu. The normal flight time was about 17 minutes. The pilot and his 2 sons, aged 7 years and 5 years, were on board. Earlier that evening the pilot, his wife and 4 children had attended the pilotís farewell work function in Palmerston North. After the function they all went to Feilding Aerodrome where he prepared ZK-TZC for the flight. The pilotís wife saw him carry out a pre-flight inspection of the aeroplane, including checking the fuel. The pilot seemed to her to be his normal self and he gave her no indication that anything was amiss either with himself or ZK-TZC. She did not see the aeroplane taxi but did see it take off on runway 10 and then turn right. She thought the take-off and the departure were normal and saw nothing untoward. She then drove to Paraparaumu with her 2 younger children, the 2 older boys having left in ZK-TZC with their father. An aviation enthusiast, who lived by the aerodrome boundary, watched ZK-TZC taxi and take off, but he did not see or hear the pilot complete a ground run. He saw the aeroplane take off on runway 10 immediately after it taxied and thought the take-off and departure were normal. He did not notice anything untoward with the aeroplane. A radar data plot provided the time, track and altitude details for ZK-TZC. No radio transmissions from the pilot were heard or recorded by Palmerston North or Ohakea air traffic control. Palmerston North Control Tower was unattended from 2030 on the evening of the accident. The radar data plot showed that after take-off ZK-TZC turned right, climbed to 1000 feet above mean sea level (amsl) and headed for Paraparaumu. When the aeroplane was about 2.7 nautical miles (nm) (5 km) from Feilding Aerodrome and tracking approximately 1.3 nm (2.4 km) northwest of Palmerston North Aerodrome it turned to the left, descended and headed back to Feilding Aerodrome. The aeroplane descended at about 500 feet per minute rate of descent to 400 feet amsl. At 400 feet amsl (about 200 feet above the ground) the aeroplane passed about 0.5 nm (900 m) east of the aerodrome and threshold for runway 28, and joined left downwind for runway 10. In the downwind position the aeroplane was spaced about 0.3 nm (500 m) laterally from the runway at an initial height of 400 feet amsl, or about 200 feet above the ground. ZK-TZC departed from controlled flight when it was turning left at a low height during an apparent approach to land on runway 10, with its undercarriage and flaps extended. ZK-TZC first rotated to face away from the aerodrome before striking the ground in a nose down attitude. The 3 occupants were killed in the impact. Two witnesses, who were about 3.5 km southeast of Palmerston North Aerodrome and about 6 km from the aeroplane, saw the aeroplane at a normal height shortly before it turned back towards Feilding. They described what they thought was some darkish grey smoke behind the aeroplane shortly before it turned around. A witness near Palmerston North recalled seeing the aeroplane in level flight at about 1000 feet before it rolled quickly into a steep left turn and then headed back toward Feilding Aerodrome. After the steep turn the aeroplane descended. He thought that one or both engines were running unevenly. He did not see any smoke or anything unusual coming from the aeroplane. He lost sight of the aeroplane when it was in the vicinity of Feilding. He remembered that at the time it was getting on toward dark and that there was a high cloud base with gusty winds. Another witness travelling on a road from Feilding Aerodrome to Palmerston North saw the aeroplane fly low over his car. He saw the undercarriage extend then retract and that the left propeller was stationary. He believed the other engine sounded normal. He then saw the aeroplane continue toward Feilding Aerodrome and cross the eastern end of the runway. He thought the aeroplane was trying to turn and said it seemed to be quite low and slow. He did not see any smoke coming from the aeroplane. He was not overly concerned because he thought it was a training aeroplane. He said the weather at the time was clear with a high overcast. The aviation enthusiast saw ZK-TZC return for a landing and fly to a left downwind position for runway 10. He thought the aeroplane was quite low. He said the left propeller was feathered and was not turning and believed the right engine sounded normal. He did not see any smoke coming from the aeroplane. He could not recall the position of the undercarriage or flaps. After a while he became concerned when he had not seen the aeroplane land. He described the weather at the time as being fine with good visibility but that it was getting on toward dark. A further witness living near Feilding Aerodrome by the threshold to runway 10 heard the aeroplane coming and then fly overhead. He said the aeroplane sounded very low and very loud, as though its engine was at maximum speed (power). The engine sounded normal, except that it sounded as though it was under high power. He said there was a slight breeze, clear conditions and a high overcast at the time. A couple living by Feilding Aerodrome on the approach path to runway 10 heard the aeroplane coming from a northerly direction. They thought its engine sounded as though it was under a heavy load and said it was making a very loud noise like a topdressing aeroplane. The engine was making a steady sound and was not intermittent or running rough. The steady loud engine noise continued until they heard a loud thump, when the engine noise stopped abruptly. They said that at the time it was getting on toward dark but the weather was clear with good visibility. An eyewitness to the accident saw the aeroplane at a very low height, about the height of some nearby treetops, when it turned left to land. The aeroplane was turning left when she saw it nose up sharply and then suddenly turn back in the opposite direction, before nosing down and hitting the ground nose first. She said the aeroplane seemed to snap in half after it hit the ground.

The twin engine aircraft departed San Miguel de Tucumán-Teniente Benjamin Matienzo Airport at noon on a positioning flight to a private airstrip located in Estancia La Juliana, 75 km from there. Before departure, the crew was unable to add more fuel in the tanks because they did not have sufficient cash. At Estancia La Juliana, the crew waited for two hours before the owner of the farm was taken to another of his property in Estancia El Descanso, about 70 km from there. Again, the crew waited for two hours before the final flight back to San Miguel de Tucumán. The return flight was completed under VFR mode at an altitude of 3,500 feet. While approaching San Miguel de Tucumán-Teniente Benjamin Matienzo Airport, the crew declared an emergency after both engines stopped. In a flaps and gear up configuration, he attempted to make an emergency landing when the aircraft impacted a tree and crashed in an open field located near El Chañar, about 13 km northeast of the runway 20 threshold. All three occupants were injured, two seriously, and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and fire, when it impacted the ground about 3.7 miles from the destination airport. The airplane had been cleared for an ILS approach to the airport. No anomalies were found during the on-scene examination of the airframe, engine or gyroscopic flight instruments that could be associated with a pre-existing condition. The minimum descent altitude for the approach is 243 feet above ground level. The inbound course for the instrument approach is 298 degrees magnetic. The radar data shows that the airplane headed in a northerly direction prior to commencing a left turn onto the inbound course of the instrument approach. The last radar return, was received prior to the airplane reaching the locator outer marker for the approach. Altitude returns show the airplane descending from a pressure altitude of 4,000 feet to a pressure altitude of 2,800 feet. The 2,800-foot return was the final return received. The wreckage path was distributed on a magnetic heading of approximately 145 degrees. The weather reporting station located at the destination airport recorded a 100 foot overcast ceiling with 1 statute mile of visibility about 20 minutes prior to the accident. The current weather was available to the pilot via the Automated Weather Observing System at the destination airport. No communications were received from the airplane after controllers authorized the pilot to change to the destination airport's advisory frequency.

The aircraft was cleared direct and to climb to 14,000 feet. During the climb out, the controller inquired several times as to the flights altitude. The pilot's response to the controllers queries were exactly 10,000 feet lower than what the controller was indicating on radar. Eventually the controller instructed the pilot to stop altitude squawk, which he did. During the last communication with the pilot, he reported that he was level at 14,000 feet. During the next approximately 45 minutes, the aircraft was observed proceeding generally in the direction of its destination. When the controller observed the flight track turn approximately 45 degrees to the right and headed generally northwest, he attempted to contact the pilot without a response. The tracking then turned about 90 degrees to the left for a few minutes, then turned 180 degrees to the right. The aircraft dropped from radar coverage shortly thereafter. On site investigation revealed that the aircraft broke-up in flight as the wreckage was scattered generally east-to-west over the mountainous terrain for approximately .3 nautical miles. Further investigation revealed that the right wing separated at the wing root in an upward direction. Separation points indicated features typical of overload. The right side horizontal stabilizer separated upward and aft. The left side horizontal stabilizer remained attached however, it was twisted down and aft. The aft fuselage was twisted to the left. Both engines separated in flight from the wings. Post-crash examinations of the airframe and engines did not reveal evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction. Both altimeters were too badly damaged to test. Autopsy and toxicology results indicated that the pilot had severe coronary artery disease with greater than 95% narrowing of the left anterior descending coronary artery by atherosclerotic plaque. The coroner also reported that superimposed upon this severe narrowing was complete occlusion of the lumen by brown thrombus. Toxicology results indicated a moderate level of diabetes. The pilot's actions leading up to the accident were consistent with an incapacitation due to hypoxia. The role of a possible heart attack was unclear, since it is possible that it occurred as a result of the hypoxia.

The twin engine aircraft departed Mahajanga, Madagascar, on a charter flight to Saint-Denis de La Réunion, with an intermediate stop in Antananarivo, carrying five passengers and two pilots. While approaching Antananarivo-Ivato Airport, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a mountainous area located about 30 km from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven occupants were killed.

The flight took off on Runway 22 at Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, at 1428 Newfoundland daylight time with the pilot and four passengers on board. Their destination was Sango Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, with an intermediate stop in Charlottetown, Newfoundland and Labrador, to drop off one of the passengers. Radar data show that, on departure from Gander, the aircraft climbed at about 500 feet per minute at 125 knots ground speed to 2500 feet, then descended and proceeded en route to Charlottetown at 1900 feet and 150 knots. The aircraft landed at Charlottetown at 1615. After a brief stop, the flight continued to Sango Bay. The pilot broadcast his intention to take off on Runway 10, taxied the aircraft to the threshold of the runway, and commenced the take-off roll. Part-way down the runway, the pilot aborted the take-off. He then broadcast his intention to take off on Runway 28. Both radio broadcasts were acknowledged by a local pilot who was approaching the airport to land. Upon reaching the threshold of Runway 28, the aircraft turned and accelerated, without stopping, on the take-off roll. The aircraft lifted off shortly before the runway end and remained near treetop height until disappearing from view. After lift-off, the stall warning horn sounded intermittently until impact. The aircraft was unable to climb above the hilly terrain and struck the road 1.5 nautical miles from the departure end of the runway. A passing motorist spotted the downed aircraft and notified firefighters and medical personnel who were then dispatched to the scene. The accident occurred at about 1621 during daylight hours, at 58°45' N, 55°66' W, at 440 feet above sea level.

The flight was maneuvering in instrument meteorological conditions and was observed on radar making climbing and descending turns prior to making a final descending turn and being lost from radar. Examination of the crash site showed the airplane had impacted the terrain in a about a 90-degree nose down attitude. The crash site was about .09 miles from the last radar contact, when the airplane was 2,000 feet above ground level. Post crash examination of the airplane structure, flight controls, engines, propellers, and airplane systems showed no evidence of pre-crash failure or malfunction.