Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2B-20 Islander in Samarinda

Date & Time: Sep 9, 2005 at 1115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PK-VIA
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Samarinda - Samarinda
MSN:
2250
YOM:
1992
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Samarinda Airport. While on a fourth approach, the twin engine airplane stalled and crashed on a softball field located in the Segiri sports complex near the airport. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/AU-23A Peacemaker off Prachuap Khiri Khan: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 6, 2005
Operator:
Registration:
JTh2-31/19
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Prachuap Khiri Khan - Prachuap Khiri Khan
MSN:
2090
YOM:
1974
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea off Prachuap Khiri Khan while completing a local training flight. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 200 in Rittman

Date & Time: Jun 4, 2005 at 1830 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N3434
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Rittman - Rittman
MSN:
193
YOM:
1968
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
10420
Captain / Total hours on type:
3000.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
7400
Aircraft flight hours:
33058
Circumstances:
The purpose of the flight was for the second pilot to perform an evaluation of the first pilot, who was recently designated by the operator as a backup pilot. Following several successful flights with and without passengers, the pilots discussed single engine operations, and the first pilot reduced the right engine's power to flight idle and feathered the propeller. During the final leg of the approach to landing, the airplane crossed over a fence near the runway threshold, and the first pilot pitched the airplane downward. The nose landing gear contacted the runway "hard," and the airplane began to bounce. After several bounces, the first pilot elected to abort the landing, increased power on the left engine to "full." As the first pilot pitched the airplane upward, it yawed to the right, "stalled," and impacted the ground.
Probable cause:
The pilot's improper flare and recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a stall and subsequent impact with the ground.
Final Report:

Crash of a Let L-410UVP near Pisco: 13 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 2005 at 1128 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EP-830
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pisco - Pisco
MSN:
79 03 04
YOM:
1979
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Pisco Airport on a local training flight with 13 people on board, among them one Guatemalan instructor and several pilots under training on this model recently purchased by the Peruvian Armed Forces. Seven minutes after takeoff, the instructor shut down the left engine to simulate a failure when control was lost. The aircraft crashed and burned. All 13 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed P-3V-1 Orion near Chico: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 20, 2005 at 1850 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N926AU
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Chico - Chico
MSN:
185-5171
YOM:
1963
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
4937
Captain / Total hours on type:
2915.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4317
Copilot / Total hours on type:
192
Aircraft flight hours:
15614
Circumstances:
Prior to the accident flight, the air tanker airplane had flown 9 times on the day of the accident, for a total flight time of 5 hours and 46 minutes. The purpose of the flights was to provide recurrent training for pilots scheduled to conduct fire-fighting operations for the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USFS) during the upcoming fire season. Pilots aboard the airplane during the earlier flights reported no mechanical problems with the airplane. As was the mission for other flights that day, the accident flight, the tenth flight, was a training flight to conduct practice drops of water over an area of rugged mountainous terrain located north of the airport. Aboard the flight were the captain, the copilot, and the company's Chief Pilot, who was providing flight instruction. The Chief Pilot had been on board all the flights that day. Radar data indicated that the flight departed the airport and proceeded about 10.5 nautical miles to the north where it began maneuvering in a manner consistent with the conduct of practice water drops. The data showed the airplane entering and then following a right-hand racetrack pattern oriented northeast-southwest, during which it appeared that practice drops were being made on the southwest leg. During the last minute of the flight, the airplane was on the northeast leg of the racetrack pattern, flying up a valley that was oriented northeast-southwest with uphill being to the northeast. The airplane's flight path was initially near the middle of the valley. During the last 36 seconds of the flight, the airplane's flight path began to deviate towards the rising terrain on the eastern side of the valley. The last two radar hits show the airplane at an altitude of less than 100 feet above ground level. The airplane had completed approximately 1.75 circuits of the racetrack when the data ended with the airplane at 2,900 feet msl, heading northeast. The initial impact point was located about 2,150 feet northwest of the last radar data point at an elevation of about 2,450 feet msl, indicating the airplane entered a left descending turn and completed about 90 degrees of turn between the last radar hit and the impact. No distress calls were received from the airplane. According to local authorities, witnesses observed a "fire ball" at the time of the accident. Examination of the wreckage site revealed that the airplane impacted on about a 304 degree magnetic heading in a 40 degree left bank with the left wingtip striking the ground first. The airplane was severely fragmented and a severe post crash fire burned most of the structure and surrounding vegetation. Remnants of the entire airplane were accounted for at the wreckage site. There was no evidence of pre-existing structural failures or impact with foreign objects in any of the wreckage. All four of the engines and propellers were found at the wreckage site. The engines did not have any indications of an uncontainment, case rupture, or pre-impact in-flight fire. All four engines had damage to the compressor and/or turbine rotors that was consistent with engine operation. The cockpit engine instrumentation gages indicate that all four engines were running at about 2,200 shaft horsepower at impact. Review of the airplane's maintenance records did not reveal any chronic issues with the airplane nor any system/component anomalies that would have contributed to the accident. The airplane was equipped with neither a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) nor a flight data recorder (FDR) and Federal Aviation Regulations did not require the airplane to be so equipped. The reason for the in-flight collision with terrain could not be determined.
Probable cause:
Terrain clearance was not maintained while maneuvering for undetermined reasons. Mountainous terrain was a factor.
Final Report:

Crash of a Mitsubishi MU-2S Marquise on Mt Mikagura: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 14, 2005 at 1350 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
73-3229
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Niigata - Niigata
MSN:
929
YOM:
1974
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Niigata Airport, while flying in good weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft crashed on Mt Mikagura located about 55 km southeast of Niigata. All four crew members were killed. They were engaged in a local training mission.

Crash of a Lockheed MC-130H Hercules near Gramsh: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 2005 at 2000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
87-0127
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tirana - Tirana
MSN:
5118
YOM:
1987
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Assigned to the 352nd Special Operations Group based at RAF Mildenhall, the four engine aircraft departed Tirana-Rinas Airport in the evening for a night training mission with the Albanian Army. While flying at low height, about 300 feet above the ground by night and using night-vision goggles, the crew elected to gain height while approaching a ridge. Unable to climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed in hilly and snow covered terrain. The aircraft was destroyed and all nine occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident investigation board determined that the crew's loss of situational awareness placed the aircraft in too low a climb with respect to the surrounding mountainous terrain. Responding to the situation, the crew did not use all available power and stalled the aircraft during a turning climb. This resulted in a loss of aircraft control and almost immediate crash.

Crash of a Swearingen SA227AC Metro III in Dade-Collier

Date & Time: Mar 30, 2005 at 0735 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N811BC
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Miami - Dade-Collier
MSN:
AC-463
YOM:
1981
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
3500
Captain / Total hours on type:
250.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
15700
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1500
Aircraft flight hours:
32203
Circumstances:
The pilot stated that the landing on runway 27 had initially been without incident. During the landing rollout, while the engines were in reverse and brakes were being applied, one of several deer which had entered the airport property, crossed the runway, and impacted the airplane's nose wheel. The impact threw the deer into the left propeller, and the propeller was detached and it punctured the fuselage.
Probable cause:
The airplane's inadvertent impact with one of several deer that had entered the airport property and crossed the runway during the landing rollout.
Final Report:

Crash of a Casa 212 Aviocar 200 in Harare: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 24, 2005
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Harare - Harare
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed Harare Airport for a local night training flight. Shortly after takeoff, the twin engine aircraft lost height and crashed. Both pilots were killed.

Crash of a Grumman G-21A Goose in Penn Yan

Date & Time: Feb 15, 2005 at 0942 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N327
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Penn Yan - Penn Yan
MSN:
1051
YOM:
1939
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
17573
Captain / Total hours on type:
46.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
18347
Copilot / Total hours on type:
24
Aircraft flight hours:
8825
Circumstances:
The purpose of the flight was for the flight instructor to provide multiengine airplane training, in a late 1930's vintage amphibious airplane, to his brother, a single engine airplane rated private pilot. No published performance data was available for the airplane, and according to the flight instructor, much of what he knew about the performance of the airplane he learned from previous flights. Just after takeoff on the accident flight, and about 600 feet above ground level (agl), and as the pilot was retracting the landing gear and starting a left turn to the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern, the flight instructor retarded the right throttle in order to simulate a failure of the right engine. The pilot executed the procedures for an in-flight engine failure and the instructor looked out of the window to check for traffic in the airport traffic pattern. The flight instructor then heard the pilot state "I am at blue line but losing altitude." The flight instructor continued to scan for traffic and moved the right throttle forward to about the "half throttle" position. The pilot could not recall if he had adjusted either of the power controls after the initial application of power for takeoff. The airplane continued to descend, impacted the ground, and caught fire.
Probable cause:
The flight instructor's inadequate planning/decision and his remedial action to conduct or recover from a simulated emergency procedure.
Final Report: