Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Lufkin – Denver – Nacogdoches

MSN:

BB-112

YOM:

1976

Location:

Parker

Colorado

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

10225

Captain / Total hours on type:

550.00

Circumstances:

About 9 1/2 minutes after departure from Denver-Arapahoe County Airport, while climbing, the crew declared an emergency, reporting airframe icing. The crew was vectored to Denver-Stapleton International Airport when the aircraft entered a controlled descent until it crashed in a prairie located about 13 miles east of Arapahoe Airport, northeast of Parker. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact and all 10 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The probable cause of the accident was the rapid accumulation of ice on the underwing surface aft of the deicing boots which destroyed the aircraft's capability to maintain level flight because the flightcrew: failed to obtain a current weather briefing before departure; failed to make a timely decision to discontinue the climb and return to Arapahoe Airport; and operated the over-gross-weight aircraft at high angles of attack in severe icing conditions.

Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 36 in Sebha

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1980

Type of aircraft:

Learjet 36

Operator:

Registration:

D-CDFA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Cessna 421C Golden Eagle III

MSN:

36-006

YOM:

1975

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Struck the ground and crashed on approach to Sebha Airport. All three occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Cessna 421C Golden Eagle III in Decatur: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 20, 1980 at 2323 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Peterson Industries

Registration:

N31LP

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Little Rock - Decatur

MSN:

421C-0046

YOM:

1976

Location:

Decatur-Crystal Lake

Arkansas

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

28260

Captain / Total hours on type:

610.00

Circumstances:

On an instrument approach to Decatur-Crystal Lake Airport, the pilot cancelled the IFR flight plan and continued under VFR mode when he encountered limited visibility due to fog. He decided to initiate a go-around when the twin engine airplane struck power cables and crashed in flames. Both occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Collision with wires/poles during a go-around after the pilot continued VFR flight into adverse weather conditions. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Fog,
- High obstructions,
- Weather conditions below minimums,
- Fog on runway surface,
- Runway lights on,
- VASI inoperative.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 414 Chancellor near Vacaville: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1980 at 1845 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 414 Chancellor

Operator:

414 Associates

Registration:

N4632G

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Auburn - Novato

MSN:

414-0903

YOM:

1976

Location:

Vacaville

California

Country:

Region:

Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Auburn to Novato, both engines stopped almost simultaneously. The pilot attempted to make an emergency landing when the airplane struck tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located near Vacaville, about 31 miles northeast of Novato-Gnoss Field. All five occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure in flight and subsequent collision with trees while attempting an emergency landing due to an inadequate preflight preparation on part of the pilot. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Mismanagement of fuel,
- Fuel exhaustion,
- Forces landing off airport on land.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain off Nice

Date & Time: Mar 6, 1980

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Airmore Aviation

Registration:

G-BGIN

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

31-7405433

YOM:

1974

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Mediterranean Sea while on approach to Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport. There were no casualties while the aircraft was lost.

Crash of a Learjet 25 near Port-au-Prince: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 3, 1980 at 2025 LT

Type of aircraft:

Learjet 25

Operator:

Registration:

N211MB

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Miami - Port-au-Prince

MSN:

25-059

YOM:

1970

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The descent to Port-au-Prince-François Duvalier Airport was initiated by night. For unknown reasons, the airplane was too low and crashed onto houses located about 21 km from the airport. A passenger was seriously injured while three other occupants as well as three people on the ground were killed. For unknown reason, the crew as approaching at an insufficient altitude.

Crash of a Mitsubishi MU-2-40 Solitaire off New Orleans: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 23, 1980 at 1118 LT

Type of aircraft:

Mitsubishi MU-2 Marquise

Operator:

Proform

Registration:

N962MA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Chicago - New Orleans

MSN:

401

YOM:

1979

Location:

New Orleans-Lakefront

Louisiana

Country:

Region:

Rockwell Aero Commander 700 (Fuji FA-300)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

10000

Captain / Total hours on type:

2500.00

Circumstances:

The approach to New Orleans-Lakefront Airport was completed in limited visibility due to low ceiling and foggy conditions. The twin engine airplane struck the water surface and crashed into Lake Pontchartrain. The wreckage was found about 400 yards to the left of the localizer and all seven occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled collision with water on final approach due to improper IFR operation. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Low ceiling,
- Fog,
- Visibility 1/4 mile or less,
- Weather conditions below minimums.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 700 in Everett: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1980 at 1615 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Roberts Construction

Registration:

N9908S

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Everett - Portland

MSN:

700-08

YOM:

1978

Location:

Everett-Paine Field

Washington

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2567

Captain / Total hours on type:

66.00

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Everett-Paine Field Airport, the twin engine airplane encountered difficulties to climb, stalled and crashed. Two passengers were seriously injured while five other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Stall during initial climb due to inadequate preflight preparation on part of the pilot. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Airframe ice,
- Improperly loaded aircraft,
- 1,000 lbs over max gross weight,
- CofG 1,59 inch behind aft limit,
- Ice and snow on wings and tail prior to takeoff.

Final Report:

Crash of a Mitsubishi MU-2-35 Marquise in Houston: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1980 at 1902 LT

Type of aircraft:

Mitsubishi MU-2 Marquise

Operator:

Registration:

N346MA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Houston-George Bush-Intercontinental

Schedule:

Corpus Christi - Houston

MSN:

613

YOM:

1973

Location:

Texas

Country:

Region: