Crash of a Beechcraft 99 Airlines in Galveston: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1974 at 1347 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N853SA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Galveston - Houston
MSN:
U-41
YOM:
1968
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Captain / Total flying hours:
6346
Captain / Total hours on type:
129.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Galveston-Scholes Field Airport, while in initial climb at an altitude of 400 feet, the airplane became unstable, lost height then crashed in a field past the south runway end. A pilot and five passengers were killed while six other occupants were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
Uncontrolled descent after takeoff following an inadequate preflight preparation on part of the crew. The following factors were reported:
- Lack of familiarity with aircraft,
- Misused or failed to use flaps,
- Gust locks engaged,
- 10 minutes behind schedule,
- Passengers not briefed concerning emergency evacuation procedures,
- Trim stab on standby position,
- No foam available from the fire truck,
- The captain had only three hours flight during last 90 days.
Final Report:

Ground fire of a Beechcraft 99 in Brunswick

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1974 at 1710 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N848NS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Brunswick - Atlanta
MSN:
U-077
YOM:
1969
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
8900
Captain / Total hours on type:
130.00
Circumstances:
While taxiing at Brunswick-Malcolm McKinnon Airport, a fie erupted on board and the crew immediately stopped the airplane. All four occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
The cause of fire could not be determined. However, heavy deposit of black soot was found in area adjacent to the power distribution panel.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 99A Airliner in Johnstown: 12 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1974 at 1905 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N125AE
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pittsburgh - Johnstown
MSN:
U-125
YOM:
1969
Flight number:
AE317
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Captain / Total flying hours:
6331
Captain / Total hours on type:
383.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1790
Copilot / Total hours on type:
380
Aircraft flight hours:
7503
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Pittsburgh-International Airport, the crew deliberately started the descent prematurely, causing the aircraft to approach below the minimum published altitude. While descending in marginal weather conditions, the twin engine airplane struck an ILS antenna and crashed few dozen yards short of runway 33 threshold. A pilot and four passengers were seriously injured while 12 other occupants were killed. The aircraft was destroyed. By reason of numerous violations, unsafe practices, policies, and coercing tactics, Air East has demonstrated that it does not possess the judgement, responsibility or compliance disposition required of a holder of an air taxi commercial operators certificate. Thus, the operator's AOC was revoked on March 7, 1974.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was caused by a premature descent below a safe approach slope followed by a stall and loss of aircraft control. The reason for the premature descent could not be determined, but it was probably the result of the combination of the following factors:
- A deliberate descent below the published minimum descent altitude to establish reference with the approach lights and make the landing,
- A visual impairment or an optical illusion created by the runway/approach lighting systems,
- Downdrafts near the approach end of the runway.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft C99 in Auvers-sur-Oise

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-BSRZ
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris - Paris
MSN:
U-19
YOM:
1968
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Paris-Le Bourget on a local post maintenance test flight. En route, technical problems forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft belly landed in a field and came to rest. While both occupants escaped uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Beechcraft B99 Airliner in Allentown: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1971 at 2307 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N986MA
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Wilkes Barre - Allentown
MSN:
U-044
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
VM098
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
4600
Captain / Total hours on type:
800.00
Circumstances:
Monmouth Airlines Flight 98 departed Wilkes-Barre at 2253LT for a short IFR flight to Allentown. Allentown Approach Control cleared the flight for a VOR approach and instructed the pilot to report when it was 12 miles North of the Allentown VOR. At 2307LT, upon receiving the flight's position estimate, Allentown Approach Control cleared Monmouth 98 for a VOR approach to a landing on runway 06. Monmouth 98 was requested to report when inbound over the Allentown VOR. The airplane then collided with the ridge of Blue Mountain at an elevation of 1540 ft (470 m). The wreckage was found 11,3 miles north of Allentown-Bethlehem Easton Airport. Both pilots and two passengers were killed while four other passengers were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The pilot's nonadherence to approved approach procedures for executing a non precision instrument approach in instrument flight conditions. The Board further finds that there is a high degree of probability that the extensive on-duty time and actual instrument flight time prior to this accident resulted in the fatigue of both pilots and affected their judgment and decisions during the approach.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 99A Airliner in Killeen

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1971 at 1820 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N12RA
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dallas – Killeen
MSN:
U-131
YOM:
1969
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
4200
Captain / Total hours on type:
1000.00
Circumstances:
On approach to Killeen Airport, the crew encountered marginale weather conditions with fog and ceiling. He was informed from ATC about a visibility below minima but the captain decided to continue the descent until the aircraft struck the ground short of runway and came to rest. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all 15 occupants were injured, nine of them seriously.
Probable cause:
Improper IFR operation on part of crew. The following factors were reported:
- Low ceiling and fog,
- The pilot knew that weather was below VOR minimums from ATC and another pilot who had to divert to alternate airport.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 99 Airliner in Chambéry

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-BRUF
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Paris-Le Bourget – Chambéry
MSN:
U-121
YOM:
1969
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Paris-Le Bourget, the crew started the approach to Chambéry-Aix-les-Bains Airport by night. In a limited visibility, the twin engine aircraft struck the ground and came to rest in a swampy area located few dozen meters short of runway 18 threshold. All 17 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. At the time of the accident, the airport was not equipped with an ILS system.

Crash of a Beechcraft B99 Airliner in Monroe: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1969 at 2122 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N844NS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Atlanta - Greenville
MSN:
U-016
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
KQ168
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Captain / Total flying hours:
8753
Captain / Total hours on type:
987.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3898
Copilot / Total hours on type:
254
Aircraft flight hours:
2226
Circumstances:
Air South Flight 168 departed Atlanta at 21:07. At 21:13 the flight reported level at its assigned cruising altitude of 7,000 feet. The Beech had been cruising for eleven minutes when it attained a gradual nose down attitude due to a change in the longitudinal trim. The pilots noticed the change after about six seconds and initiated a recovery action. The horizontal stabilizer continued to move to a full nose down position. Excessive pulling force on the control column was necessary to recover from the high speed dive. The necessary stick forces for such an out-of-trim condition can exceed the capability of one pilot, and in some cases two pilots, to control. The Beech continued to descend until both wings failed at high speed, just before the airplane crashed into the ground in a near vertical attitude.
Probable cause:
An unwanted change in longitudinal trim which resulted in a nosedown high-speed flight condition that was beyond the physical capability of the pilots to overcome. The initiating element in the accident sequence could not be specifically determined. However, the design of the aircraft flight control system was conducive to malfunctions which, if undetected by the crew, could lead to a loss of control.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 99A Airliner in Pasco: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 20, 1969 at 1505 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2550A
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pasco - Spokane
MSN:
U-106
YOM:
1969
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
4280
Captain / Total hours on type:
51.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Pasco-Tri-Cities Airport, while in initial climb, the airplane adopted a high angle of attack and nose high attitude. It stalled then crashed in a huge explosion near the airport, killing both pilots.
Probable cause:
Inadequate preflight preparation on part of the pilot and improper operation of flight controls on part of the copilot. It was determined that the airplane pitched up steeply after takeoff as the pitch trim was found in a full nose up position and the pilot-in-command's seat was unlock and found in a full aft position.
Final Report: