Crash of a Learjet 25B near Conlon: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1980 at 1719 LT
Type of aircraft:
Learjet 25
Operator:
Thunderbird Airways
Registration:
N25TA
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Vernal - Houston
MSN:
25-196
YOM:
1975
Location:
Conlon
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
7800
Captain / Total hours on type:
1000.00
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 41,200 feet, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent following an airframe failure in flight. The airplane crashed in an open field and was totally destroyed. Both pilots who were completing a ferry flight from Vernal to Houston were killed.
Probable cause:
Airframe failure in flight, separation in flight and subsequent uncontrolled descent for undetermined reasons.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Ecuador: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-31-310 Navajo
Operator:
Ecuavia
Registration:
HC-AQC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
31-397
YOM:
1968
Location:
Ecuador
All Ecuador
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane crashed in a mountainous area located in Ecuador. Both pilots were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 421C Golden Eagle III near Escondido: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1980 at 0824 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 421C Golden Eagle III
Operator:
Stephen H. Elmore
Registration:
N15SE
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Brawley - McCllelan-Palomar
MSN:
421C-0115
YOM:
1976
Location:
Escondido
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
6500
Captain / Total hours on type:
109.00
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Brawley Airport at 0800LT on a ferry flight to McClellan-Palomar Airport where the aircraft was supposed to follow a maintenance check. En route, control was lost and the airplane crashed in flames in Lake Wohlford, northeast of Escondido. The burnt wreckage was found 31 hours later. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
Uncontrolled descent for undetermined reasons.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan II in Leeds-Bradford

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 404 Titan
Operator:
Registration:
G-WING
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
404-0442
YOM:
1979
Location:
Leeds-Bradford
West Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot was completing a ferry flight to Leeds-Bradford Airport so the airplane could be taken by Northair Aviation for a 50 hour maintenance check. On approach, the pilot encountered very bad weather conditions with strong winds and heavy rain falls. The airplane was unstable and landed too far down the runway. After touchdown, it was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran, struck a fence and eventually came to rest on a road. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Due to poor weather, all other flights were diverted to other airport.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 500 near Santa Fe: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1979 at 1319 LT
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Aero Commander 500
Operator:
Registration:
N6194X
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Albuquerque - Denver
MSN:
500-1055-44
YOM:
1961
Location:
Santa Fe
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
1340
Captain / Total hours on type:
71.00
Circumstances:
While flying in marginal weather conditions, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the twin engine airplane struck trees and crashed in a mountain shrouded in clouds. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
Collision with trees and subsequent crash in normal cruise due to improper IFR operation on part of the pilot. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Traffic control personnel issued improper or conflicting instructions,
- Santa Fe weather observation reported mountain tops obscured,
- The controller was not familiar with high terrain in area or MVA.
Final Report:

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Vologda: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1979 at 1841 LT
Type of aircraft:
Yakovlev Yak-40
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-87454
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Veliky Ustyug - Vologda
MSN:
9 43 11 36
YOM:
1974
Flight number:
SU564
Location:
Vologda
Vologda oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a ferry flight from Veliky Ustyug to Vologda and initiated the descent by night and poor weather conditions with fog and reduced visibility. On short final, the aircraft passed below the glide and at a height of 20 meters, it struck trees and crashed in flames in a wooded area located short of runway threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and three crew members were killed while two others were seriously injured. At the time of the accident, the visibility was 700 meters, well below minimums, but the crew was informed about a visibility of 1,500 meters.
Probable cause:
It was determined that people at Vologda Airport (ATC, meteo,...) falsified weather bulletins to allow certain aircraft to land. The crew was also blamed to let the aircraft descending below the glide without any visual contact with the runway lights.

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 680E in Quesnel

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Grand Commander 680
Operator:
Futura Aviation
Registration:
C-GFAC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
680-0837-68
YOM:
1959
Location:
Quesnel
British Columbia
Country:
Canada
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot encountered technical problems and decided to attempt an emergency landing in Quesnel. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair while the pilot, sole on board, was uninjured.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 500 in the Atlantic Ocean: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 4, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Aero Commander 500
Operator:
Iron Bird
Registration:
N3815C
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Andros Town – West Palm Beach
MSN:
500-771
YOM:
1959
Location:
Atlantic Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
623
Captain / Total hours on type:
102.00
Circumstances:
While in cruising flight between Andros Town and West Palm Beach, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the Florida Strait. SAR operations were initiated but no trace of the aircraft nor the pilot was found. The wreckage was not recovered.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined. The following findings were reported:
- Thunderstorm activity in the area,
- The pilot reported heavy thunderstorm activity over the ocean.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 207 Skywagon in Rainy Pass: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 207 Skywagon/Stationair
Operator:
Registration:
N6405H
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Anchorage - Galena
MSN:
207-0512
YOM:
1979
Location:
Rainy Pass
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
1500
Captain / Total hours on type:
150.00
Circumstances:
En route from Anchorage to Galena, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with low ceiling. Lost and disoriented, he flew into a blind canyon when he saw high obstructions. While initiating an evasive maneuver to avoid collision, he made a steep turn to the left when the aircraft struck the ground and crashed in flames in a mountainous terrain located about 125 miles northwest from the city of Anchorage. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated but eventually abandoned few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the pilot was found. On September 2, 1980, the burnt wreckage was found near Rainy Pass.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the pilot became lost and disoriented. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The pilot continued VFR flight into adverse weather conditions,
- The pilot misjudged distance, speed, altitude or clearance,
- Low ceiling,
- High obstructions,
- The pilot flew into blind canyon,
- Evasive maneuver to avoid collision,
- In-flight steep left turn,
- Recovery date September 2, 1980.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45H Expeditor in Hastings: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1979 at 0204 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor
Operator:
Northern Air Service - USA
Registration:
N600NA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Baltimore - Grand Rapids
MSN:
AF-726
YOM:
1954
Location:
Hastings
Michigan
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
4902
Captain / Total hours on type:
430.00
Circumstances:
While approaching Grand Rapids-Gerald R. Ford Airport on a ferry flight from Baltimore, the twin engine airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field located in Hastings, about 18,5 miles southeast of the destination airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed, debris scattered on a wide area and all four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
In-flight fire or explosion on approach and subsequent uncontrolled descent after the air condition, heating and pressurization system failed. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Material failure,
- Fire in brakes, wheel assembly and wheel well,
- Inadequate maintenance and inspection,
- Smoke in cockpit,
- Pilot fatigue,
- No log book entries for heater, Southwind model 853A, operation or required inspections/overhauls.
Final Report:
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