Mountains

The non-instrument rated pilot departed VFR on a dark night at 0359, with an adequate fuel supply for the intended flight, and proceeded in a south-southeasterly heading (approximately 150 degrees) climbing to a maximum altitude of 4,700 feet msl. The flight continued on the south-southeasterly heading, descended to 4,500 feet msl, then descended gradually to 3,800 feet msl where radar contact was lost at 0411:37. The flight continued 4.6 nautical miles on the south-southeasterly heading, and impacted trees in upslope mountainous terrain while on a magnetic heading of 150 degrees. The airplane was destroyed by impact and a postcrash fire; the accident site was located north of, and approximately 146 feet below an east-west oriented ridge line. The tree elevation was 3,299 feet msl, while the elevation at a ridge south of the site was 3,445 feet msl. Cloud tops in the area were calculated to be about 4,000 feet msl. Examination of the airplane structure, flight controls, engines, propellers, and systems revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The altimeter settings for the departure and destination airports were 30.02 inches Hg and 30.01 inches Hg, respectively. The altimeter was found positioned to 29.91 inches Hg. This error would have resulted in the altimeter reading 100 feet lower than if the correct altimeter setting was entered.

The twin engine aircraft departed Maracaibo Airport on a charter flight to Panama City with three passengers and one pilot on board. While cruising over the Sierra de Perija between Venezuela and Colombia, the pilot informed ATC about technical problems. Shortly later, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a mountainous terrain near Valledupar, bursting into flames. All four occupants were killed.

On January 9, 2007, at 2323 central standard time, a Gates Learjet model 24F airplane, N444TW, serial number 348, was destroyed upon impact with terrain, about 18.8 nautical miles east of Guadalajara, State of Jalisco, in the Republic of Mexico. The airline transport-rated pilot and the commercial pilot functioning as first officer were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to the Sierra American Corporation of Wilmington, Delaware, and was being operated by Ameristar Jet Charter, Inc., of Addison, Texas, as Ameristar flight 878, a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand cargo flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the flight from Laredo, Texas. The cargo flight had originated in Laredo, Texas, at about 2210, with the Don Miguel Hidalgo International Airport (MMGL) near Guadalajara, Mexico, as its intended destination. Mexican Air Traffic Control personnel reported that the flight had approached MMGL from the north. At 2313, Guadalajara Approach Control cleared the flight to descend to 12,000 feet, provided an altimeter setting of 30.28, and told the flight to expect radar vectors for the ILS runway 28 approach to MMGL. After being provided a vector of 190 to intercept the localizer for the ILS runway 28 approach, there were communications between the flight and the controller to clarify which runway was active, and at 2318:00, the flight was given a right turn to a heading of 200 degrees. At 2318:56 the flight was cleared to descend to 10,000 feet, and at 2320:38, the flight was cleared to descend to 9,000 feet. The airplane was last observed on radar descending through 9,200 feet, while crossing the GDL VOR 085 degree radial.

The single engine aircraft was on a routine flight from Medellín to Tolemaida AFB with 3 crew members on board. On approach in poor visibility (mist), the aircraft struck the slope of Mt La Siberia located few km from the airbase and was destroyed. All three occupants were killed.

The twin engine aircraft departed Mulia on a special flight to Ilaga, carrying a delegation of nine people flying to Ilaga to visit several districts of the Irian Jaya province on behalf of a talks between several administrations. While cruising at an altitude of 10,500 feet in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft struck Mt Puncak Jaya. The wreckage was found the following day. All 12 occupants were killed.

The twin engine aircraft departed Valetta Airport, Malta, on a night flight to Milan-Linate Airport, carrying one passenger and one pilot. After passing Elba Island at an altitude of 21,000 feet, over the Gulf of Genoa, the aircraft deviated from the prescribed route to the east while it was supposed to pass over Genoa before descending to Milan. Few minutes later, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a wooded and hilly terrain located in Cassano di Centenaro, about 43 km southwest of Piacenza. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and both occupants were killed.

The pilot, sole on board, departed San José-Alajuela-Juan Santamaria Airport at 0500LT on a positioning flight to Liberia-Daniel Oduber Quiros Airport located in the Guanacaste cordillera. About 30 minutes into the flight, the single engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the Monteverde National Park. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

The twin engine aircraft departed Abuja on a flight to Obudu, carrying 15 passengers and a crew of three. The pilots started the descent in poor weather conditions when the aircraft impacted hilly terrain near Vande Ikya, about 29 km northwest of Obudu. Five occupants were injured while 13 others were killed, among them several high ranking officers who were flying to Obudu to proceed to an inspection of the military equipments. At the time of the accident, the visibility was poor due to low ceiling.

The private pilot and the sole passenger were in the first of two airplanes of a flight of two, operating as a personal flight under Title 14, CFR part 91. The pilot of the second airplane reported that both airplanes were in radio contact, and the accident airplane was about one mile ahead as they entered a mountain pass along the intended flight route. As the flight progressed, both airplanes descended due to deteriorating weather conditions as they neared the narrowest part of the pass. The second pilot said that visibility deteriorated to a point that it was difficult to discern topographical features, and he told the accident pilot that he was uncomfortable with the lack of visibility and was turning around. The second pilot stated that the accident pilot responded by saying, in part: "Turn around if you can... I am not able to." The second pilot indicated that the last time he saw the accident airplane was as it entered a cloudbank. During the accident pilot's final radio transmission, prompted by the second pilot's inquiry about how he was doing, he responded that he was just trying to get through the pass. No further radio communications were received from the accident airplane. There was no ELT signal, and the search for the airplane was unsuccessful until three days later. The wreckage was located at the 3,100-foot level of the mountain pass, in an area of steep terrain. Impact forces and a post crash fire had destroyed the airplane. During the IIC's on-site examination of the wreckage, no pre accident mechanical anomalies were discovered.

The twin engine aircraft departed La Serena-La Florida Airport at 1053LT on a geophysical mission over Domeyko, carrying one passenger and one pilot who were involved in a magnetic prospection mission on behalf of a mining program. Seven minutes after takeoff, the pilot informed ATC about his altitude at 6,500 feet and that he would descend to 500 feet once over the Domeyko area. About half an hour later, the aircraft crashed on the slope of Mt Yerbas Buenas, about 84 km north of La Serena Airport, bursting into flames. The wreckage was found four hours later at an altitude of 1,579 metres. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and both occupants were killed.