Ferry

Shortly after takeoff from Palm Springs Airport, the right engine failed. The crew elected to make an emergency landing, reduced his altitude and was able to land in a prairie near the airport. While both occupants were uninjured, the airplane was considered as damaged beyond repair. Initially manufactured as a Lockheed PV-2D Harpoon for the US Navy, the airplane was later converted by Oakland Airmotive Corporation as an 'Oakland Centaurus' prototype.

While in cruising altitude, the twin engine aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent until it crashed in an open field. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

While cruising in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft struck a hilly terrain and crashed in the region of Aguila, Arizona. The wreckage was found two days later and both crew members were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to low clouds, strong winds, heavy rain falls and thunderstorm activity. The airplane was owned by Edwin L. Byrd.

While descending to a local airstrip, the engine failed. The airplane lost height, struck tree tops and crashed in a wooded area. The pilot was slightly injured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

The crew was completing a ferry flight from California to Hawaii. While cruising by night, the pilot lost his orientation and was unable to locate his position with certainty. While cruising, both engines stopped simultaneously. The pilot reduced his altitude and ditched the aircraft. USCG personnel was able to rescue both occupants who were evacuated. The aircraft sank and was lost.

Shortly after takeoff from Middletown-Summit Airpark, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft banked left and crashed in a huge explosion. Both occupants were killed and the aircraft was destroyed.

While in cruising altitude, the twin engine airplane went into a dive and eventually crashed in a prairie. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a ferry flight from Nice to London-Gatwick. While descending to Gatwick Airport in VFR mode, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with rain falls and turbulences. While flying in clouds, he lost control of the airplane that plunges into the earth and crashed in a field. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

While in cruising altitude, one of the engine failed while the second lost power. The crew decided to reduce his altitude and attempted an emergency landing on a beach located in Dorchester. The aircraft completed a wheels-up landing and came to rest into the sea. Both pilots were uninjured while the aircraft was lost.

The prototype aircraft, after having carried out several demonstration flights in Germany, was on its way back to England. It took off from Emden, Germany, at 1137 hrs local time on a non-scheduled international VFR flight to Southampton, England, with the pilot and one passenger. Two minutes after take-off the aircraft made radio contact with Eelde and at 1150 hrs informed Eelde that it was "abeam Eelde VOR" and flying at 1 500 ft VMC on top of cloud. At this position the aircraft could not have had any visual ground contact. At 1156 hrs the aircraft asked Amsterdam Flight Information Service for radar assistance in order to pass through Schiphol Control Zone but was informed it was not possible because positive radar contact could not be established. At 1209 hrs the aircraft was advised to divert to Eelde because weather conditions in the Schiphol Control Zone precluded VFR flight through the zone at 1500 ft. On receipt of this information the pilot informed Amsterdam that he would proceed according to his flight plan. At 1220 hrs when flying at 1 500 ft the pilot informed Schiphol that he would clear Schiphol Control Zone to the west. This was after the controller had positively instructed him to remain clear of the Control Zone and that it was impossible to pass through the zone at 1 500 ft under VFR. Reconstruction of the aircraft's flight path showed that at about 1225 hrs it deviated from its route and cleared the Schiphol area on a heading of about 040°. Shortly afterwards, at 1234 hrs the pilot reported he vas experiencing "serious compass trouble1' and asked for a "steer" but Amsterdam still had no radar contact with the aircraft. According to eyewitnesses, the aircraft was, at about this time, flying at a very low height around the vicinity of the village of Rijs, returning to or passing over the same area several times. It was also established from these witnesses that the weather conditions were such i.e. fog and rain, that the pilot would not have had adequate visual reference. At 1240 hrs the pilot reported "some compass trouble" and again requested radar guidance but radar contact had still not been established. Flight at low altitude was apparently discontinued at about 1247 hrs and at 1249 hrs the pilot reported at 3 000 ft in IMC and that he had a serious instrument failure. Schiphol Control instructed him to maintain FL 30 (3 000 ft) and a heading of 200'. Contrary to this instruction, the pilot reported at 1251 hrs as being at FL 50 and at 1254 hrs at 6 000 ft. At 1255 hrs the controller asked if the aircraft was circling, the pilot replied in the affirmative and said "I think I am going around it". The controller acknowledged this transmission and remarked that he thought the aircraft should be heading 200°; the pilot then replied "I cannot maintain a heading". At that moment the aircraft was positively identified on the radar screen. Replying to the radar controller's instruction to fly specific headings and to make a left-hand turn the pilot said he could not maintain a heading and that right hand turns were easier to mase. At 1258 hrs the pilot requested the height of cloud tops and inquired if there were any clear layers in which he could find visual flight conditions. At his request he was cleared to climb to FL 80; however, a German military aircraft which had recently flown over Spijkerboor at PL 100 reported that it had been "fully IMC" there. At 1301 hrs the pilot reported at 8 700 ft and "climbing as fast as I can, I want to pet out on top"; this was the last recognizable transmission heard by Schiphol. The aircraft was observed on the radar screen until about 1309 hrs at which time radar contact was lost. According to the radar controller the indications observed on the screen for the last 10 to 12 minutes indicated that the aircraft made a series of random small radius right and left-hand turns. At 1310 hrs witnesses near Ringwiel lake saw parts of an aircraft falling, most of it into the lake; these were later identified as parts of the subject aircraft. Calculations and evidence suggested that the aircraft climbed to an altitude above 10 000 ft where it would have encountered severe icing and would have reached a region of moderate to severe turbulence. The time of impact was estimated to be approximately 1310 hrs. The aircraft was totally destroyed and both occupants were killed.