Beechcraft 90 King Air

On a flight from Bremen (EDDW) to Frankfurt-Egelsbach (EDFE), a Beechcraft King Air (F90) changed from IFR to VFR rules prior to the final approach, during which it collided with trees, crashing in a wood and catching fire. On board were the pilot and two passengers. The right hand cockpit seat was occupied by a passenger who conducted radio communications. The approach to runway 27 at EDFE was chosen and executed via the so-called High Performance Aircraft Approach (HPA-approach) as published in the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP). From 1558 hrs onwards the aircraft was under control by Langen Radar (120.8 MHz), and radar contact was confirmed by the controller. After about six minutes the controller issued the instruction: “[call sign], report if able to cancel IFR”. Subsequently, further instructions were issued to descend to altitude 5,000 ft on QNH 1,012 hPa and fly towards Egelsbach entry point Hotel 1. About four minutes later the controller gave instructions to descend to 4,000 ft, then 3,000 ft. Simultaneously, clearance was given to fly from entry point Hotel 1 to Hotel 2 and then Hotel 3. When overhead entry point Hotel 2 at 1613 hrs, the King Air reported flight conditions as ‘Victor Mike Charlie’ (VMC – Visual Meteorological Conditions) and the switch to VFR (Visual Flight Rules). At this time, the radar recorded the aircraft’s ground speed as about 180 kt. Langen Radar confirmed the report and gave an instruction to continue the descent and report passing 1,500 ft. About 42 seconds later the pilot was instructed to contact Egelsbach Info (130.9 MHz). The radar trace indicated that at this time the aircraft was at an altitude of about 1,800 ft and about 5.5 NM from the airfield. The ground speed was about 180 kt. The first radio call from the Beech to Egelsbach Info took place about 15 seconds later at 1615:06 hrs, at an altitude of about 1,500 ft and ground speed of about 190 kt. Egelsbach Info gave the information that the aircraft was north of the approach centreline and asked for a course correction to the left. They further reported the wind as Easterly at 4 knots with Runway 27 in use. After the response “[call sign], thank you” Egelsbach Info responded: “lights and flashes are on“. During the subsequent approach, the aircraft ground speed reduced over a distance of about 1.3 NM from about 190 kt to about 130 kt (distance to aerodrome about 3 NM). The radar trace indicates that from a position of 3.7 NM from the aerodrome to 2.5 NM from the aerodrome, the aircraft descended from 1,500 ft to 1,000 ft.At about 1616:03 hrs Egelsbach Info advised: “[…]coming up onto centreline”. This was acknowledged with “[call sign]”, following which Egelsbach Info advised: “you are now on centreline”. This was acknowledged with “thank you very much“. The radar trace indicates that at this time the aircraft descended from 900 ft to 800 ft. When Egelsbach Info advised “check your altitude”, the aircraft was at an altitude of about 800 ft. After a further two seconds, at 1616:18 hrs, the radar data indicated the aircraft height as about 700 ft; there was no more indication on the radar screen afterwards. In this area, the terrain is about 620 ft, with trees extending to about 700 ft AMSL. At 1616:24 hrs the aircraft was requested by Egelsbach Info to alter course slightly to the right. Neither a reply was received to this request nor to a subsequent transmission from Egelsbach Info about 22 seconds later. Egelsbach Info assumed there had been a crash and alerted the emergency services, the first of which arrived at the accident site at about 1638 hrs and found a burning wreck.

On approach to Mamuno Airstrip, the pilot decided to initiate a go-around procedure. After the undercarriage were raised, the twin engine aircraft continued to descent and hit the runway surface. It slid for few dozen metres then veered off runway to the left and came to rest in a grassy area. The high engine temperature set the grass on fire and the aircraft was destroyed by fire. There were no injuries among the occupants.

The pilot was cleared to 17,000 feet approximately 7 minutes after takeoff. After arriving at 17,000 feet, radar showed the airplane in a meandering flight path increasingly off course that continued through the end of the flight, even after several prompts from the controller. The pilot was cleared to flight level 240 (24,000 feet) after about 6 minutes at 17,000 feet, and about 2 minutes later, while passing through about 18,000 feet, he made his last radio transmission, acknowledging a corrected heading. About 6 minutes later, the airplane arrived at 24,000 feet and the pilot did not make any intelligible responses to controller inquiries for the remainder of the flight. At 1456, radar showed the airplane in a descent to 21,000 feet before beginning a rapid descent and continuing to impact. The airplane was substantially damaged by the impact forces and the pilot, who was the only occupant, was fatally injured. During the review of the air traffic control recordings, it was determined that none of the voice transmissions from N43KM sounded as if the pilot was speaking through an oxygen mask microphone. At the accident scene both bleed air switches were observed to be in the closed position and the airplane pressurization switch on the console was observed to be in the dump position. No other preimpact anomalies were observed that would have prevented the normal operation of the airplane.

The twin engine aircraft departed Imbaimadai for a geophysical research mission on behalf of a Canadian company, carrying one passenger and two pilots. The accident occurred in unknown circumstances and the aircraft was missing. SAR operations did not find any trace of the aircraft nor the three occupants.

On 29.10.2008 Punjab Government King Air C90 aircraft, VT-EHY met with an accident while operating flight from Chandigarh to Ludhiana. This accident was notified to DGCA by ATC at Ludhiana and Punjab Government officials shortly after the occurrence. The accident occurred when the aircraft was in the process of making second attempt for landing at Ludhiana Airport. The accident was investigated by Inspector of Accident under Rule 71 of Aircraft Rules, 1937. As per the obligations under ICAO Annex 13, notification was sent to USA, the country of aircraft manufacture, Canada, the country of engine manufacture and ICAO. Transport Safety Board Canada appointed an accredited representative and authorized engine manufacturer M/s P&W to associate with investigation of engines. Low visibility conditions were prevailing at Ludhiana at the time of accident. Due to which the crew located the runway late. They were estimating their position based on GPS. Though they did spot the runway at some stage of the approach, they lost sight of it again and were unable to locate it subsequently. They carried out orbits on the right side (East Side) of R/w 12 in an effort to visually locate the runway and then followed non standard procedure to land. Not comfortable with the approach, the crew decided to go around. Due to low visibility and that they probably did not want to lose the sight of the airfield, carried out non-standard go around. In their anxiety not to lose the sight of the field they descended in three orbits in the vicinity of the airfield on the west side of R/w 12, perhaps to land after making the short circuit from the right. However, due to smoke in the cockpit, severe disorientation, lack of qualification & experience on type of aircraft and on sighting the communication tower, the panic gripped the crew. In their anxiety, the control was lost and aircraft impacted the ground in the steep left bank. Aircraft was destroyed in the crash due to impact and post impact fire. Both the occupant on board died due to fire and collapsing aircraft structure.

The Bill Dause Beech 65-A90 King Air (United States registration N17SA, aircraft serial number LJ-164) took off from Pitt Meadows Airport, British Columbia, with the pilot and seven parachutists for a local sky diving flight. At 1521 Pacific daylight time, as the aircraft was climbing through 3900 feet above sea level, the pilot reported an engine failure and turned back towards Pitt Meadows Airport for a landing on Runway 08R. The airport could not be reached and a forced landing was carried out in a cranberry field, 400 metres west of the airport. On touchdown, the aircraft struck an earthen berm, bounced, and struck the terrain again. On its second impact, the left wing dug into the soft peat, spinning the aircraft 180 degrees. Four of the parachutists received serious injuries and the aircraft was substantially damaged. There was no fire and the occupants were evacuated. The emergency locator transmitter functioned at impact and was turned off by first responders.