Mountains

While descending to Ononge, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to divert to the Yongai Airfield located about 27 km northeast of Ononge. Few minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 2,286 metres in clouds, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain. Rescuers arrived on scene a day later. The loadmaster was seriously injured while both pilots were killed.

At 0906 Eastern Standard Time on 28 July 2004, a Piper Aircraft Corporation PA31T Cheyenne aircraft, registered VH-TNP, with one pilot and five passengers, departed Bankstown, New South Wales on a private, instrument flight rules (IFR) flight to Benalla, Victoria. Instrument meteorological conditions at the destination necessitated an instrument approach and the pilot reported commencing a Global Positioning System (GPS) non-precision approach (NPA) to Benalla. When the pilot had not reported landing at Benalla as expected, a search for the aircraft was commenced. Late that afternoon the crew of a search helicopter located the burning wreckage on the eastern slope of a tree covered ridge, approximately 34 km southeast of Benalla. All occupants were fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post-impact fire.

The airplane, which was not operating on a flight plan, was proceeding in clear skies to an airport where the passenger was joining his wife. After crossing a lake near the destination, the airplane flew over rising terrain, along a saddleback, until it struck a stand of old-growth trees that jutted above new-growth trees. During the last 48 seconds of radar coverage, the airplane climbed 600 feet with no erratic course deviations. From the accident location, the airport would have been about 5 nautical miles off the airplane's right wing. The pilot had 32,000 hours of flight experience. The passenger was under investigation for fraud, and attempted to obtain life insurance prior to the flight. The passenger had also loaned money to the pilot, and was receiving "flight services" in lieu of cash payment when the pilot failed to pay back the loan. A .380 caliber pistol magazine was found at the accident site with two rounds of ammunition missing; however, no weapon was located at the site, and no weapon of that caliber was known to be associated with either the pilot or the passenger. Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) were found on electrocardiograms performed in conjunction with the pilot's airman medical certificate applications in 2002 and 2004. The pilot's autopsy report indicated "severe calcific... coronary disease, with 90 percent narrowing of the left anterior descending coronary artery and 75 percent narrowing of the right coronary artery." Cause of death, for both the pilot and passenger, was listed as "undetermined." The autopsy reports also noted that, "due to the inability to perform a complete autopsy...of either of the two aircraft occupants, it cannot be determined whether either the pilot or the passenger were alive or dead at the time of the crash." Post accident inspection of the airplane disclosed no evidence of any preimpact anomalies.

An IFR flight plan and slot reservation were filed for the planned flight over mountainous terrain. The flightcrew intended to reposition to an airport about 30 miles southeast of the departure airport, pick up passengers, and then complete a revenue flight to another airport. The airplane departed VFR, and the flightcrew never activated the flight plan. A debris path was located, consistent with straight and level flight, near the peak of a mountain at 3,475 feet msl. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed near the accident site, about the time of the accident. Further investigation revealed the aircraft operator was involved in two prior weather related accidents, both of which resulted in fatalities. A third accident went unreported, and the weather at the time of that accident was unknown. Over a period of 14 years, the same FAA principal operations inspector was assigned to the operator during all four accidents; however, no actions were ever initiated as a result of any of the accidents.

While descending to Lukla Airport from the south following a cargo flight from Kathmandu, the crew encountered poor visibility due to clouds when, at an altitude of 11,600 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near the Lamjura Pass, in the Solukhumbu district. The wreckage was found west of the airport and all three crew members were killed.

The crew was completing a geophysical survey flight in the region of Vallecillos, Durango. While cruising at an altitude of 2,000 metres, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located in the Sierra del Rosario. Both occupants were killed.

The single engine aircraft departed Ciudad Bolívar at 1016LT on a flight to Uonquén, State of Bolívar. En route, around 1100LT, the pilot reported flying at 11,500 feet in poor weather conditions. About 45 minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 7,000 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Awakapa Tepuy located in the Chimanta Mountain Range. All seven occupants were killed, among them two church women.

The twin engine aircraft departed Skopje on an official flight to Mostar, carrying two pilots and seven passengers, among them Boris Trajkovski, President of the Republic of Macedonia. He was flying to Mostar with members of his government to take part to an economic conference. On approach by night and limited visibility due to marginal weather conditions, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Berkovići, about 32 km southeast of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all nine occupants were killed.

The aircraft departed Rome-Ciampino Airport on an ambulance flight to Cagliari, carrying three pilots, three doctors and a cooler containing a heart for a patient. The descent to Cagliari-Elmas Airport was initiated by night under VFR mode. After the crew was cleared to descend to 2,500 feet, ATC reported runway 32 in use and asked the crew to report on short final. About two minutes later, at an altitude of 3,333 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Su Baccu Malu located 32 km northeast of Cagliari Airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and all six occupants were killed.

The airplane collided with trees and mountainous terrain at the 3,600-foot-level of Mauna Kea Volcano during an en route cruise descent toward the destination airport that was 21 miles east of the accident site. The flight departed Honolulu VFR at 0032 to pickup a patient in Hilo, on the Island of Hawaii. The inter island cruising altitude was 9,500 feet and the flight was obtaining VFR flight advisories. At 0113, just before the flight crossed the northwestern coast of Hawaii, the controller provided the pilot with the current Hilo weather, which was reporting a visibility of 1 3/4 miles in heavy rain and mist with ceiling 1,700 feet broken, 2,300 overcast. Recorded radar data showed that the flight crossed the coast of Hawaii at 0122, descending through 7,400 feet tracking southeast bound toward the northern slopes of Mauna Kea and Hilo beyond. The last recorded position of the aircraft was about 26 miles northwest of the accident site at a mode C reported altitude of 6,400 feet. At 0130, the controller informed the pilot that radar contact was lost and also said that at the airplane's altitude, radar coverage would not be available inbound to Hilo. The controller terminated radar services. A witness who lived in the immediate area of the accident site reported that around 0130 he heard a low flying airplane coming from the north. He alked outside his residence and observed an airplane fly over about 500 feet above ground level (agl) traveling in the direction of the accident site about 3 miles east. The witness said that light rain was falling and he could see a half moon, which he thought provided fair illumination. The area forecast in effect at the time of the flight's departure called for broken to overcast layers from 1,000 to 2,000 feet, with merging layers to 30,000 feet and isolated cumulonimbus clouds with tops to 40,000 feet. It also indicated that the visibility could temporarily go below 3 statute miles. The debris path extended about 500 feet along a magnetic bearing of 100 degrees with debris scattered both on the ground and in tree branches. Investigators found no anomalies with the airplane or engines that would have precluded normal operation. Pilots for the operator typically departed under VFR, even in night conditions or with expectations of encountering adverse weather, to preclude ground holding delays. The pilots would then pick up their instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance en route. The forecast and actual weather conditions at Hilo were below the minimums specified in the company Operations Manual for VFR operations.