Cessna 402

Few minutes after takeoff from Margate Airport, while on a charter flight to Nelspruit, the pilot encountered a red warning light for the right main gear. He was cleared by ATC to divert to Durban Airport for an emergency landing when the twin engine aircraft crashed on approach. All eight occupants were rescued.

The airplane used about 1/2 of the 8,602 feet runway for the t/o roll. After t/o it pitched nose-down briefly over the runway during initial climb. The pilot radioed that he was having a problem with the elevator which required 'full back pressure' to keep the nose up, and that he was returning to land. After maneuvering around the airport, the aircraft pitched 70-80° nose down and dove into terrain off the approach end of the runway. The wreckage examination revealed that the bolt securing the elevator trim tab pushrod to the actuator was missing. The rod had become wedged inside the elevator which resulted in an extreme tab up (nose down) condition. The aircraft underwent an annual inspection two days/5 flight hours earlier. The ia mechanic reported that no maintenance was performed on the tab system, and that he was certain the bolt was properly safetied. Another pilot who flew the aircraft the day of the accident reported that he found the pushrod to be secure during his preflight inspection. The 402B poh indicated that the aircraft should have request about 1,200 feet for the t/o ground roll. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The aircraft was operating a charter flight from Rubondo to Arusha via Kigoma. It was carrying a party of four passengers who had previously travelled to the Island for photography expedition. 5H-GTS left Arush at 0400 hours for Rubondo with the pilot as the sole occupant. The flight to Mwanza was uneventful and the aircraft landed at Mwanza at 0530 hours. At Mwanza, the aircraft was refulled to full tanks giving an endurance of 5 1/2 hours. His flight plan filed with the tower, indicated that he intended to fly three sectors: Mwanza-Rubondo (25 minutes), Rubondo-Kigoma (1 hour 15 minutes) and Kigoma-Arusha (2 hours and 15 minutes). The aircraft left Mwanza at 0657 hours and landed at Rubondo about 25 minutes later. Four passengers joined the flight to Arusha and takeoff was initiated from runway 06 at about 0915 hours. One observer who was at the airstrip said that the aircraft was seen to rise momentarily and then came down hitting trees as it did so. A change of engine sound was heard followed by a loud bang. There was a huge ball of fire in the forest ahead and a few explosions were heard. On eye witness said that the fire was so intense that no rescue efforts were possible. The fire was localised around the area of the accident. The aircraft was completely destroyed and all the five occupants were killed.

On final approach, the pilot encountered strong crosswinds when he lost control of the airplane that crashed on rocks located near a beach. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The aircraft was on a flight to Chadron via Chadron VOR. About 30 miles south-southeast of the VOR, the pilot requested and was cleared to fly direct to Ackme IAF for an NDB runway 02 approach. The aircraft continued toward the VOR which was in the same general direction, but 11.9 miles south of Ackme. The NDB was at the airport. Ackme IAF was 9 miles southwest of the airport on a bearing of 227° and defined by an intersection with the 356° radial of the VOR. About 3 to 4 miles southeast of the VOR, radar service was transmitted and frequency change was made. Subsequently, the aircraft struck trees on a ridge and crashed. Initial impact occurred in wings level flight at approximately 4,480 feet on a direct route between the VOR and Ackme IAF. An investigation revealed that after the frequency change, the aircraft continued to the VOR, then maneuvered as if the pilot was flying the NDB approach, but was using the VOR as the IAF. Radar data showed contact was lost after a procedure turn was made and the aircraft was outbound about 6 miles northeast of the VOR. The crash site, however, was about 3 miles west-southwest of where radar contact was last recorded. The weather at Chadron was in part: 500 feet overcast, 1.5 mile visibility with light snow and fog. No preimpact part failure/malfunction was found. The passenger was seriously injured and both pilots were killed.

During arrival in heavy traffic, Reeve flight 726 (Boeing 727) and Wilburs flight 304 (Cessna 402B, N969JW) received radar advisories for visual approaches to runways 06L and 06R, respectively. Subsequently, both flights were cleared to land. At 1555:04, the local tower controller transmitted that the wind at the approach end of runway 06R was from 340° at 9 knots and the midfield wind was 330° at 7 knots. At approximately 1557, flight 726 landed on runway 06L. Approximately 69 seconds later, as flight 304 was crossing the threshold (thr) of runway 06R at about 100 feet agl, the aircraft encountered wake turbulences (w/t) and rolled sharply to the right, byd 90°. The pilot corrected with aileron and power, but the aircraft lost altitude and hit the ground before recovery. The wind during the 1601 weather observation was 020° at 5 kts. Runway centerlines were 700 feet apart, threshold of runway 06L was 4,600 feet byd the threshold of runway 06R. The approach control did not advise either flight of the other's position, nor did the tower controller give a w/t advisory to flight 304. Calculations showed vortices could have drifted from runway 06L to runway 06R in as little as 28 seconds. FAA handbook addressed w/t advisory for parallel runway options with less than 2,500 feet separation, but did not address offset thresholds. All five occupants were injured.

Crashed under unknown circumstances while approaching Arthur's Town Airport. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

En route, one of the engine failed. The pilot reduced his altitude and completed an emergency landing in a pasture. There were no casualties.

On approach to Malekolon Airstrip, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea and sank. Both occupants were killed.

While cruising at an altitude of 9,000 feet, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of Mt Cuilato located southwest of Saravena. As the aircraft failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended on 15 October 1987 as no trace of the aircraft nor the nine occupants was found. The wreckage was localized in an isolated area on 30 March 2000.