Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air in Arlit

Date & Time: Apr 27, 2010 at 1830 LT
Operator:
Registration:
F-GLIF
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Niamey - Arlit
MSN:
BB-192
YOM:
1977
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Arlit Airport, the crew lost visual contact with the runway due to a sand storm. The aircraft was too low and hit the ground short of runway. Upon impact, the undercarriage were torn off and the aircraft slid over few dozen metres before coming to rest. All 10 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The crew continued the approach in a reduced visibility due to blowing sand and descended too low without visual contact with the ground.

Crash of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air in Sioux City

Date & Time: Jan 19, 2010 at 0715 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N586BC
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Des Moines – Sioux City
MSN:
BB-1223
YOM:
1985
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
6018
Captain / Total hours on type:
1831.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
6892
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2186
Aircraft flight hours:
10304
Circumstances:
The pilot of the Part 91 business flight filed an instrument-flight-rules (IFR) flight plan with the destination and alternate airports, both of which were below weather minimums. The pilot and
copilot departed from the departure airport in weather minimums that were below the approach minimums for the departure airport. While en route, the destination airport's automated observing system continued to report weather below approach minimums, but the flight crew continued the flight. The flight crew then requested and were cleared for the instrument landing system (ILS) 31 approach and while on that approach were issued visibilities of 1,800 feet runway visual range after changing to tower frequency. During landing, the copilot told the pilot that he was not lined up with the runway. The pilot reportedly said, "those are edge lights," and then realized that he was not properly lined up with the runway. The airplane then touched down beyond a normal touchdown point, about 2,800 feet down the runway, and off the left side of the runway surface. The airplane veered to the left, collapsing the nose landing gear. Both flight crewmembers had previous experience in Part 135 operations, which have more stringent weather requirements than operations conducted under Part 91. Under Part 135, IFR flights to an airport cannot be conducted and an approach cannot begin unless weather minimums are above approach minimums. The accident flight's departure in weather below approach minimums would have precluded a return to the airport had an emergency been encountered by the flight crew, leaving few options and little time to reach a takeoff alternate airport. The company's flight procedures allow for a takeoff to be performed as long as there is a takeoff alternate airport within one hour at normal cruise speed and a minimum takeoff visibility that was based upon the pilot being able to maintain runway alignment during takeoff. The company's procedures did not allow flight crew to depart to an airport that was below minimums but did allow for the flight crew, at their discretion, to
perform a "look-see" approach to approach minimums if the weather was below minimums. The allowance of a "look see" approach essentially negates the procedural risk mitigation afforded by requiring approaches to be conducted only when weather was above approach minimums.
Probable cause:
The flight crew's decision to attempt a flight that was below takeoff, landing, and alternate airport weather minimums, which led to a touchdown off the runway surface by the pilot-in-command.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air in Greenville

Date & Time: Nov 9, 2009 at 1009 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N337MT
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Greenville - Greenville
MSN:
BB-1628
YOM:
1998
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
15717
Aircraft flight hours:
3060
Circumstances:
The pilot flew the airplane to a maintenance facility and turned it in for a phase inspection. The next morning, he arrived at the airport and planned a local flight to evaluate some avionics issues. He performed a preflight inspection and then went inside the maintenance facility to wait for two avionic technicians to arrive. In the meantime, two employees of the maintenance facility test ran the engines on the accident airplane for about 30 to 35 minutes in preparation for the phase inspection. The pilot reported that he was unaware that the engine run had been performed when he returned to the airplane for the local flight. He referred to the flight management system (FMS) fuel totalizer, and not the aircraft fuel gauges, when he returned to the airplane for the flight. He believed that the mechanics who ran the engines did not power up the FMS, which would have activated the fuel totalizer, thus creating a discrepancy between the totalizer and the airplane fuel gauges. The mechanics who performed the engine run reported that each tank contained 200 pounds of fuel at the conclusion of the engine run. The B200 Pilot’s Operating Handbook directed pilots not take off if the fuel quantity gauges indicate in the yellow arc or indicate less than 265 pounds of fuel in each main tank system. While on final approach, about 23 minutes into the flight, the right engine lost power, followed by the left. The pilot attempted to glide to the runway with the landing gear and flaps retracted, however the airplane crashed short of the runway. Only residual fuel was found in the main and auxiliary fuel tanks during the inspection of the wreckage. The tanks were not breached and there was no evidence of fuel leakage at the accident site.
Probable cause:
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot’s failure to visually verify that sufficient fuel was on board prior to flight.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air in Hayward

Date & Time: Sep 16, 2009 at 1215 LT
Registration:
N726CB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hayward - San Carlos
MSN:
BB-1750
YOM:
2001
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2913
Captain / Total hours on type:
1707.00
Aircraft flight hours:
1229
Circumstances:
The airplane just had undergone a routine maintenance and this was planned to be the first flight after the inspection. During the initial climb, the pilot observed that the airplane was drifting to the left. The pilot attempted to counteract the drift by application of right aileron and right rudder, but the airplane continued to the left. The pilot reported that, despite having both hands on the control yoke, he could not maintain directional control and the airplane collided into a building. The airplane subsequently came to rest on railroad tracks adjacent to the airport perimeter. A post accident examination revealed that the elevator trim wheel was located in the 9-degree NOSE UP position; normal takeoff range setting is between 2 and 3 degrees NOSE UP. The rudder trim control knob was found in the full left position and the right propeller lever was found about one-half inch forward of the FEATHER position; these control inputs both resulted in the airplane yawing to the left. The pilot did not adequately follow the airplane manufacturer's checklist during the preflight, taxi, and before takeoff, which resulted in the airplane not being configured correctly for takeoff. This incorrect configuration led to the loss of directional control immediately after rotation. A post accident examination of the airframe, engines, and propellers revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable cause:
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight and failure to follow the airplane manufacturer's checklist to ensure that the rudder trim control and right propeller control lever were positioned correctly.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air in Quito: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 19, 2009 at 1725 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AEE-101
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
San Vicente - Quito
MSN:
BB-811
YOM:
1981
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew (four pilots under supervision and one instructor) departed San Vicente on a training flight to Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport. On approach in foggy conditions, the twin engine aircraft descended too low, collided with a 4-floor building and crashed 4 km short of runway. All five occupants as well as two people on the ground were killed and four other people on the ground were seriously injured.

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air in Recife: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 23, 2008 at 1115 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PT-OSR
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Teresina - Recife
MSN:
BB-784
YOM:
1981
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
10000
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Teresina, the crew started the approach to Recife-Guararapes Airport runway 18. On final, both engines failed simultaneously. The aircraft stalled and crashed in a residential area located 5 km from the runway threshold. A passenger and a pilot were killed while eight others occupants were injured. There were no victims on the ground while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion. The following contributing factors were identified:
- Poor flight planning,
- The crew failed to add sufficient fuel prior to departure from Teresina Airport,
- The fuel quantity was insufficient for the required distance,
- The crew failed to follow the published procedures,
- Overconfidence from the crew,
- Poor organisational culture on part of the operator,
- Lack of discipline and poor judgment on part of the crew,
- Lack of supervision.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air in Punta Chivato: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 3, 2008 at 1330 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N200JL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
BB-127
YOM:
1976
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft was completing a flight from South Pacific to the US with an intermediate stop in Punta Chivato, Baja California Sur, where a passenger was dropped off. Shortly after takeoff from Punta Chivato Airfield, the aircraft lost speed and height, stalled and crashed near the Hotel Posada de la Flores. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and the pilot was killed.

Crash of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air near Huambo: 13 killed

Date & Time: Jan 19, 2008 at 0832 LT
Registration:
D2-FFK
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Luanda – Huambo
MSN:
BB-1026
YOM:
1982
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Luanda-4 de Fevereiro Airport shortly prior to 0700LT on an exec flight to Huambo, carrying 11 passengers and two pilots, among them two Portuguese citizens and the CEO of the operator. While descending to Huambo Airport in poor weather conditions (limited visibility due to rain and fog), the aircraft collided with Mt Mbave (2,021 metres high) located about 40 km north of Huambo Airport. All 13 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew descended too low during an approach in IMC conditions.