Crash of a Lockheed 12A Electra Junior in Chino: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 15, 2024 at 1235 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N93R
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chino - Chino
MSN:
1257
YOM:
1939
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Chino Airport runway 21, while climbing, the twin engine airplane rolled to the left, descended to the ground and crashed in a grassy area, bursting into flames. Both occupants were fatally injured. The airplane was operated on behalf of the Yanks Air Museum.

Crash of a Rockwell Gulfstream 695A Jetprop 1000 in San Bernardino: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 2024 at 2019 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N965BC
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Stockton - Chino
MSN:
96071
YOM:
1984
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Stockton Airport on a solo flight to Chino. On a standard approach in rainy conditions, the airplane suffered two altitude deviations which the pilot attributed to a problem with the autopilot. Towards the end of the flight, the airplane descended past the Minimum Vectoring Altitude (MVA) of 7,400 feet and was issued an altitude alert by the controller, but there was no response from the pilot. The airplane entered an uncontrolled descent with a rate of about 10'000 feet per minute until it crashed in mountainous terrain. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and the pilot was killed.

Crash of an Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 in Provo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 2, 2023 at 1135 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N555NR
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Provo - Chino
MSN:
505-00327
YOM:
2015
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While taking off from Provo Airport runway 13/31, the airplane went out of control and crashed. Both passengers escaped with minor injuries while both pilots were seriously injured. One of them died from injuries sustained. The airplane was destroyed. It was snowing at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Canadair CL-601-3A Challenger in Chino

Date & Time: Jun 13, 2013 at 1817 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N613SB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
5088
YOM:
1991
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Two technicians were performing engine tests on apron at Chino Airport. While facing a hangar, the aircraft jumped over the chocks and collided with the metallic door of the hangar before coming to rest half inside. Both occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
No investigation has been conducted by the NTSB about this event.

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 680FL near Perris: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 2010 at 1000 LT
Registration:
N316KW
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Palm Springs - Chino
MSN:
680-1753-146
YOM:
1968
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
33000
Aircraft flight hours:
2278
Circumstances:
The pilot departed the airport mid-morning to fly to his home airport, 63 miles to the northwest. Weather conditions at the departureb airport were visual flight rules (VFR), the weather at the destination airport was not reported, and the weather conditions en-route were marginal VFR. The global positioning system (GPS) track for the flight indicated that the airplane departed from the airport and headed west along a highway corridor flying approximately 1,000 feet above ground level (agl) through a mountain pass. For the majority of the flight, the airplane maintained altitudes between 900 feet and 1,200 feet agl. Twenty-nine minutes after takeoff, the airplane’s GPS track turned southwest away from an area of concentrated precipitation and directly towards an isolated mountain peak that rose approximately 1,000 feet above the surrounding terrain. The pilot contacted the local air traffic control facility, reported his position and requested traffic advisories through the local airspace to his destination airport. About 6 minutes later, the pilot stated that he was having difficulty maintaining VFR and asked for an instrument flight rules (IFR)clearance. At the same time, the GPS track showed that the airplane came within 50 feet of the mountainous terrain. No further transmissions from the pilot were received. The final GPS position was recorded 1 minute later, at 500 feet agl and approximately half a mile from the crash site. The terrain rapidly ascended in this area and intersected the airplane's flight path over the remaining 1/2 mile. An airport located about 4 miles from the accident site and in an area of flat terrain 1,000 feet below the isolated mountain top, recorded weather at the time of the accident as few clouds at 900 feet agl, overcast clouds at 1,500 feet agl, and a variable ceiling between 1,200 and 1,800 feet agl, in drizzle. Weather radar images at the time of the accident depicted precipitation at the elevation and location of the accident site, indicating probable mountain obscuration.
Probable cause:
The pilot’s decision to continue visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an in-flight collision with mountainous terrain.
Final Report:

Crash of a Pilatus PC-12/45 in Hayden: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 2009 at 0942 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N604WP
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hayden - Chino
MSN:
604
YOM:
2004
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
867
Captain / Total hours on type:
82.00
Aircraft flight hours:
558
Circumstances:
The pilot had filed an instrument flight rules flight plan with a planned departure time of 0700 in order to arrive at his intended destination in time for a planned engagement. He and his passenger arrived at the airport approximately 0800 and requested that the airplane be fueled. The airplane was pulled from its heated hangar into heavy snowfall and fueled at 0917. As the airplane sat outside in the heavy snowfall, a measurable amount of wet slushy snow accumulated on the airplane. The Fixed Base Operator manager suggested to the pilot that the airplane be deiced, but he declined. The airplane was then pulled out to the taxiway in an effort to prevent it from becoming stuck in the snow. At 0939, approximately 22 minutes after the airplane was pulled out if its hangar, the pilot departed with a visibility of 3/4 of a mile in snow and with a 4-knot direct tailwind. The pilot then made a right turn and announced that he was heading to his first waypoint. The airplane continued into an ever tightening right turn until it impacted the ground while in an inverted position about one mile north-northwest of the runway. An examination of the airplane’s wreckage revealed no anomalies with either the engine or airframe that would have contributed to the loss of control. The airplane’s Pilot Operating Handbook and Airplane Flight Manual contained the following limitation: "The aircraft must be clear of all deposits of snow, ice and frost adhering to the lifting surfaces immediately prior to takeoff."
Probable cause:
The pilot's loss of control due to snow/ice contamination on the airplane's lifting surfaces as a result of his decision not to deice the airplane before departure.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 340A near Cabazon: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 2, 2008 at 1340 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N354TJ
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Palm Springs – Chino
MSN:
340A-0042
YOM:
1976
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
5972
Circumstances:
The airplane departed under daytime visual meteorological conditions on a cross-country flight from an airport on the east side of a mountain range to a destination on the west side of the mountains. The airplane, which had been receiving flight following, then collided with upsloping mountainous terrain in a mountain pass while in controlled flight after encountering instrument meteorological conditions. The controller terminated radar services due to anticipation of losing radar coverage within the mountainous pass area, and notified the pilot to contact the next sector once through the pass while staying northwest of an interstate highway due to opposing traffic on the south side of the highway. The pilot later contacted the controller asking if he still needed to remain on a northwesterly heading. The controller replied that he never assigned a northwesterly heading. No further radio communications were received from the accident airplane. Radar data revealed that while proceeding on a northeasterly course, the airplane climbed to an altitude of 6,400 feet mean sea level (msl). A few minutes later, the radar data showed the airplane turning to an easterly heading and initiating a climb to an altitude of 6,900 feet msl. The airplane then started descending in a right turn from 6,900 feet to 5,800 feet msl prior to it being lost from radar contact about 0.65 miles southeast of the accident site. A weather observation station located at the departure airport reported a scattered cloud layer at 10,000 feet above ground level (agl). A weather observation system located about 29 miles southwest of the accident site reported a broken cloud layer at 4,000 feet agl. A pilot, who was flying west bound at 8,500 feet through the same pass around the time of the accident, reported overcast cloud coverage in the area of the accident site that extended west of the mountains. The pilot stated that the ceiling was around 4,000 feet msl and the tops of the clouds were 7,000 feet msl or higher throughout the area. Postaccident examination of the airframe and both engines revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable cause:
The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions and failure to maintain terrain clearance while en route. Contributing to the accident were clouds and mountainous terrain.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft A100 King Air in Chino: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 6, 2007 at 0918 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N30GC
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chino - Visalia
MSN:
B-177
YOM:
1973
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
3136
Aircraft flight hours:
11849
Circumstances:
The reported weather at the time of the accident was calm winds, a 1/4-mile visibility in fog and a vertical visibility of 100 feet. Shortly after takeoff for the instrument-flight-rules flight, the airplane made a slight turn to the left and impacted the tops of 25-foot trees about a 1/2 mile from the runway. An enhanced ground proximity warning system was installed on the airplane and data extraction from the system indicated that the airplane achieved an initial positive climb profile with a slight turn to the left and then a descent. A witness reported hearing the crash and observed the right wing impact the ground and burst into flames. The airplane then cartwheeled for several hundred feet before coming to rest inverted. The airframe, engines, and propeller assemblies were inspected with no mechanical anomalies noted that would have precluded normal flight.
Probable cause:
The pilot's failure to maintain a positive climb rate during an instrument takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the low visibility.
Final Report: