Mitsubishi MU-2 Marquise

The twin engine aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Neuquén to Buenos Aires-Ezeiza Airport with an intermediate stop in Bahía Blanca, carrying two pilots on behalf of Encotesa. Shortly after departure from Neuquén-Juan Domingo Perón Airport, while climbing by night, the crew informed ATC about his ETA in Bahía Blanca when control was lost. The aircraft crashed in Chimpay, in the suburb of Neuquén, about 4 km northeast of the airport, bursting into flames. Both pilots were killed.
Crew:
Horacio Ovidio Filippini, pilot,
Valerio Augusto Diehl, pilot.

The aircraft departed Sydney for Melbourne International airport at 0130 on 21 December 1994. En-route cruise was conducted at flight level 140. Melbourne Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) indicated a cloud base of 200 feet for the aircraft's arrival and runway 27 with ILS approaches, was in use. Air Traffic Control advised the pilot of VH-UZB, another company MU2 that was also en-route from Sydney to Melbourne, and the pilot of VH-IAM while approaching the Melbourne area, that the cloud base was at the ILS minimum and that the previous two aircraft landed off their approaches. VH-UZB was slightly ahead of VH-IAM and made a 27 ILS approach and landed. In response to an inquiry from the Tower controller the pilot of VH-UZB then advised that the visibility below the cloud base was 'not too bad'. This information was relayed by the Tower controller to the pilot of VH-IAM, who was also making a 27 ILS approach about five minutes after VH-UZB. The pilot acknowledged receipt of the information and was given a landing clearance at 0322. At 0324 the Approach controller contacted the Tower controller, who had been communicating with the aircraft on a different frequency, and advised that the aircraft had faded from his radar screen. Transmissions to VH-IAM remained unanswered and search-and-rescue procedures commenced. Nothing could be seen of the aircraft from the tower. A ground search was commenced but was hampered by the darkness and reduced visibility. The terrain to the east of runway 27 threshold, in Gellibrand Hill Park, was rough, undulating and timbered. At 0407 the wreckage was found by a police officer. Due to the darkness and poor visibility the policeman could not accurately establish his position. It took approximately another 15-20 minutes before a fire vehicle could reach the scene of the burning aircraft. The fire was then extinguished.

The crew was engaged in a post maintenance test flight. En route, the copilot informed ATC about technical problems when control was lost. The aircraft entered a dive and crashed in the sea off Hamamatsu. All four crew members were killed.

The day prior to the accident, both propellers have been changed at Basel Airport and the pilot returned to his base in Zurich. Due to poor weather conditions en route, he was unable to conduct a test of both propellers, reason why a test flight was scheduled on September 3. After his departure from Zurich-Kloten Airport runway 28, the pilot flew to the east and was cleared to climb to FL130, the assigned altitude where the test should be performed. Ten minutes after takeoff, he informed ATC that he would shut the right engine down. The aircraft lost speed and height then deviated from the prescribed flight path. The pilot was able to restart the right engine and to regain control when, three minutes later, he informed ATC he would shut the right engine down for the second time. The aircraft entered a right turn then a rapid descent and crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The aircraft was completing an ambulance flight from Rarotonga (Cook Islands) to Tahiti, carrying to Australian patients, two doctors and one pilot. On final approach to Papeete-Faaa Airport runway 04 by night, the twin engine aircraft descended too low and crashed in the sea about 6,4 km short of runway. The pilot did not send any distress call prior to impact and the aircraft struck the water surface in a flat attitude. All five occupants were killed. For unknown reasons, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was insufficient on short final. The lack of visibility and visual references were considered as contributing factors.

The pilot reported the right engine failed, followed by the left engine approximately one minute later while he was in cruise at 25,000 feet. He said he initiated a steep descent to get below 18,000 feet, and attempts at restarting the left engine were unsuccessful. The pilot landed 500 feet down a 1,900 feet long runway and ran off the departure end, 300 feet, into a wooded area. Post accident investigation found 130 gallons of fuel onboard in the main tanks. The fuel was tested and found to be free of water. The fuel lines were free of obstructions and the fuel pumps worked. A failed torque sensor was found on the left engine which would disconnect the left engine driven fuel pump. The right engine was test run satisfactorily.

While cruising at FL240, a propeller (prop) hub arm on the left prop failed, releasing the prop blade, which struck a 2nd blade, breaking off its tip. This resulted in a severe engine vibration and shutdown of the left engine. The left engine was forced downward and inboard on its mounts. The cabin depressurized, possibly from blade contact. The flight crew made an emergency descent and received a vector to divert for an ILS approach to Dubuque. The airplane was incapable of maintaining altitude and descended in instrument conditions. Subsequently, it collided with a silo and crashed about 8 miles south of Dubuque. An investigation revealed the left prop hub failed from fatigue that initiated from multiple initiation sites on the inside diameter surface of the hole for the pilot tube. There was evidence that the fatigue properties of the hub were reduced by a combination of factors, including machining marks or scratches, mixed microstructure, corrosion, decarburization, and residual stresses. All eight occupants were killed, among them George Mickelson, 52, Governor of South Dakota.

The aircraft was on an air ambulance (EMS) flight and was cleared for the ILS runway 08 approach at Casper, WY. Radar data showed the aircraft tracking and descending normally on the DME arc, until it was below radar coverage for the area. Subsequently, it collided with the top of a ridge, along the localizer centerline, before reaching the outer marker, about 8 miles from the airport. Elevation of the crash site was about 5,800 feet; minimum descent altitude before intercepting the ILS glide slope was 7,100 feet; crossing altitude at the outer marker was 6,700 feet. All four occupants were killed, a patient, two doctors and a pilot.

On final approach to Araxá-Romeu Zema Airport runway 33, the twin engine aircraft touched down few dozen metres short of the new displaced threshold as there were construction road in the pre-threshold area. The left main gear struck an excavation and was torn off. The left wing and the left engine struck the ground and the aircraft veered off to the left and came to rest 200 metres further. All seven occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

While in cruising altitude in a flight from Cologne-Bonn to Vienna, the pilot lost control of the airplane that entered a dive. He was able to send a brief maybay message but give no indication about the situation he was facing. The aircraft crashed in a field located near Beucherling and was destroyed. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.