Crash of a Cessna 402A in Avon Park: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1995 at 0632 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N402RL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Avon Park – Moss Town – Port-au-Prince
MSN:
402A-0051
YOM:
1969
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
2700
Captain / Total hours on type:
104.00
Aircraft flight hours:
11512
Circumstances:
After takeoff at dawn on a foggy morning, the airplane collided with electrical transmission wires about one mile from the end of the runway, on an extended line about 50 degrees left of the extended runway centerline. The left wing tip fuel tank (left main) was partially severed from the airplane, breaching the tank. Additionally, the top of the vertical stabilizer and rudder were severed, and a portion of the windscreen was separated. A suggestion was made by the operator that the autopilot trim may have been improperly set, precipitating a nose pitch down upon engagement of the autopilot during the climb. The airplane continued to fly for about 20 minutes, then impacted in a steep right wing down attitude into a densely wooded area that was surrounded by open terrain. The ensuing fire precluded any determination of engine malfunction, systems' discrepancies, or wire strike damage to the left propeller. No determination of pilot incapacitation was possible because of the post impact fire. Based upon the ground witness statement, the left engine was probably inoperative following the wire strike. The impact attitude was inconsistent with a decreasing speed loss of control with the left engine inoperative. However, the flight control trim settings, left main fuel tank selected, and throttle quadrant settings all may have been indicative of pilot incapacitation that precluded proper emergency procedure response. Additionally, the airplane impacted into a densely wooded area surrounded by flatter terrain absent of tall obstacles.
Probable cause:
The failure of the pilot to maintain the proper climb rate and direction of flight following takeoff, resulting in a collision with obstacles. The reason for the loss of control and subsequent unusual attitude ground impact was not determined.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 402C near Wabush

Date & Time: Oct 22, 1995 at 1907 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N67850
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Auburn – Montreal – Schefferville
MSN:
402C-0410
YOM:
1980
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The Cessna 402, with five persons on board, took off from Auburn, Indiana, USA, around 0630 local time (1130 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)) for Schefferville, Quebec, with stops en route. Their final leg was from Montreal International (Dorval) to Schefferville, with Wabush, Newfoundland, as the alternate, and they took off at 1523 EDT (1923 UTC). The flights were conducted in accordance with instrument flight rules (IFR). While in cruising flight and west of Wabush, the pilot requested the weather conditions for Schefferville and Wabush. Because of poor conditions in Schefferville, the pilot decided to fly to his alternate, Wabush. During the ILS approach for runway 01, the aircraft was too high to complete the approach, and the pilot requested and received clearance to execute another one. During the missed approach, the pilot proceeded an unknown distance outbound and turned back toward the airport. During the inbound leg, the aircraft contacted trees on the side of a mountain, at an indicated altitude of 2,460 feet asl, and decelerated over a distance of about 900 feet. The aircraft came to rest 23 nautical miles north of the airport, on the extended centre line of runway 01, on a heading of 186 degrees magnetic. The aircraft crashed probably at just after 1907 ADT (2207 UTC) during the hours of darkness. All five occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The pilot did not follow the missed approach procedure as published, particularly with regard to minimum altitudes, and the aircraft crashed on the side of a mountain.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 402B in Marsh Harbour: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1995 at 2030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N69303
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bimini - Mores Cay
MSN:
402B-0423
YOM:
1973
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
On September 13, 1995, about 2030 eastern daylight time N69303, a Cessna 402B, registered to and operated by Bimini Air Charter Inc. crashed near Marsh Harbour, Bahamas while on a 14 CFR Part 129 on-demand, international, passenger flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed. The pilot and four passengers were fatally injured, and four passengers were seriously injured. the flight originated from Bimini, Bahamas, about 1935 the same day. The intended destination was Mores Cay, but one of the survivors stated the pilot could not find the island and diverted to Marsh Harbour.

Crash of a Cessna 402A in Miami

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1995 at 1054 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7884J
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marsh Harbor - Miami
MSN:
402A-0103
YOM:
1969
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
9800
Captain / Total hours on type:
7800.00
Aircraft flight hours:
4980
Circumstances:
The aircraft crashed on a visual approach to runway 09 left at Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed. The airline transport pilot sustained serious injuries. The flight originated from Marsh Harbor, Bahamas, about 1 hour 14 minutes before the accident. Witnesses stated they observed the airplane descending to the right of the final approach path for runway 09 left with the landing gear down and an engine was heard sputtering. The wings of the airplane were observed to be rocking back and forth. The airplane rolled right 90 degrees. The nose pitched up, the airplane rolled over inverted, the nose pitched down, the airplane collided with a parking lot and slid in between a front end loader and a dump truck coming to a complete stop. Transcripts of recorded transmissions between Miami Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT), N7884J, and review of Miami ATCT continuous data recording radar revealed there were no airplanes in the vicinity of N7884J at the time of the accident.
Probable cause:
The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain airspeed (VMC) after loss of power of one engine while on final approach, resulting in an in-flight loss of control and subsequent in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was a total loss of engine power of the right engine due to fuel exhaustion.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 402B II off Buenos Aires: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1995 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LV-MIU
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Buenos Aires - Paraná
MSN:
402B-1332
YOM:
1978
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Buenos Aires-Aeroparque-Jorge Newbury Airport runway 13, while climbing, the crew declared an emergency following an engine failure and was cleared to return. While completing a 180 turn, the crew lost control of the aircraft that crashed in the sea about 2,700 metres short of runway 31, three minutes after departure. A passenger survived while six other occupants were killed, all members of the corporate of LAER.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Cessna 402B in the Pacific Ocean: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N2NB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kolonia – Tarawa
MSN:
402B-0410
YOM:
1973
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Kolonia Airport on a 5 hours and 45 minutes flight to Tarawa Island, Gilbert Islands. En route, radar and contact were lost with the airplane that crashed in the Pacific Ocean. SAR operations were initiated but abandoned after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the pilot was found.

Crash of a Cessna 402B in Tabora

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1995 at 0745 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5H-TZB
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
402B-0444
YOM:
1973
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Tabora Airfield, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height, stalled and crashed 130 metres past the runway end. All six occupants were injured.

Crash of a Cessna 402B near Mombasa: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
5Y-PAL
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
402B-0584
YOM:
1974
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Mombasa-Daniel Arap Moi Airport, while climbing, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in an open field located 20 km south of the airport. Both passengers were seriously injured and the pilot was killed.

Crash of a Cessna 402C in Koyuk: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1994 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N1238K
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Nome - Koyuk
MSN:
402C-1019
YOM:
1985
Flight number:
XY2402
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
15804
Captain / Total hours on type:
828.00
Aircraft flight hours:
10722
Circumstances:
The airplane was on a flight at night from Nome to Koyuk, AK, when it crashed into a mountain at the 2,725 foot level. The accident site was directly on a course line between the Nome and Koyuk Airports. The ceiling at nome was 3,500 overcast at the time of departure. According to rescue personnel, weather at the accident area was: indefinable ceiling and poor visibility with heavy snow and blowing snow. The pilot had a hand held GPS on board that he had barrowed from another pilot. But the database could not be retrieved from the GPS. According to the owner of the GPS, he and the accident pilot programmed different waypoints. The pilot did not file a VFR or an ifr flight plan with the FAA.
Probable cause:
VFR flight by the pilot into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his failure to maintain sufficient altitude or clearance from mountainous terrain. Factors related to the accident were: darkness and the adverse weather conditions.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 402B in Le Havre-Saint-Pierre

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1994 at 1714 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-FFAS
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon - Le Havre-Saint-Pierre
MSN:
402B-0820
YOM:
1975
Flight number:
ASJ638
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
689
Captain / Total hours on type:
29.00
Aircraft flight hours:
7012
Circumstances:
The Air Satellite Cessna 402B, flight 638, took off from Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon, Quebec, on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight to Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec, with a load of mail. At 6,000 feet above sea level (asl), meteorological conditions were visual (VMC). About 35 nautical miles (nm) from Havre-Saint-Pierre, the pilot began his descent. At 25 nm from the airport and at an altitude of 5,000 feet asl, the pilot contacted the Flight Service Station (FSS) specialist at Sept-Îles, Quebec, via the remote communications outlet (RCO). He requested weather information for Havre-Saint-Pierre Airport. The specialist gave him the latest weather report available for the Havre-Saint-Pierre FSS. The report had been issued three hours previously by Environment Canada. The meteorological sequence indicated VMC. The pilot could see the town of Havre-Saint-Pierre when he commenced his back course approach for runway 27. During the descent, the aircraft flew into snow showers. The pilot contacted the company to check the weather at Havre-Saint-Pierre Airport, and he was told there was light snow. The pilot continued the approach to the MDA indicated on the Havre-Saint-Pierre approach chart, that is, 420 feet asl. There was moderate turbulence during the approach. The pilot tried to maintain control of the aircraft while operating the radio in an attempt to obtain more detailed weather information. One of the company pilots told him the snowfall was heavier. The aircraft then banked right. The pilot corrected, and, at the same time, the wheels touched the ground. The aircraft crashed and slid on its belly about 100 feet before coming to rest. The pilot sustained minor injuries; the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The accident occurred about 1.5 nm from the threshold of Havre-Saint-Pierre runway 27 on marshy ground. The pilot remained in radio contact with overflying aircraft and said he would stay on board the aircraft until rescuers arrived. Search and rescue crews walked toward the crash site, but they were unable to find the aircraft because of the rough terrain and reduced visibility. Five hours later, a Search and Rescue helicopter located the aircraft with the aid of the direction finder. The weak signal from the emergency locator transmitter (ELT) was still readable and was received. The pilot was transported to hospital for first aid treatment.The accident occurred during the hours of darkness.
Probable cause:
The pilot continued the descent below the MDA without the required visual references.
Final Report: