Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

Crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all five occupants.

The airplane was observed to rotate about 3,217 feet down the 3,746-feet runway. One or both engines were heard running rough. The airplane climbed to about 300 feet agl, banked left, pitched nose down and impacted the ground. During the investigation, the left engine operated to full rated rpm after replacement of the damaged ignition harness, adjustment of the turbocharger density controller, and adjustment of the magneto-to-engine timing. The right engine also operated normally after replacement of the magneto, ignition harness, and engine-driven fuel pump. The density controller required adjustment to obtain full rated rpm. The #3 cylinder fuel injector nozzle was also partially blocked by contaminant. The right engine magneto contact assemblies operationally checked ok. The capacitors were heat damaged. Right engine magneto-to-engine timing and internal timing of the magneto were not determined. Pilot's toxicological results were positive for butalbital (1.768 ug/ml blood, 0.553 ug/ml urine), and also positive for acetaminophen and salicylate (aspirin) in urine. Butalbital is a prescription medication (barbiturate) not approved for flying. Both occupants were killed.

On 11 January 1994, the crew were on a chartered round-robin flight on a PA-31 Navajo, between Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon airport, Quebec, and St. Anthony, Newfoundland, in accordance with visual flight rules (VFR) . During the return flight, at night, the crew advised the St. Anthony flight service station (FSS) that they departed at 1813 Newfoundland standard time (NST). At 1846 NST, the crew transmitted that they were flying at 2,500 feet and that they were 32 nautical miles (nm) and 13 minutes southeast of Blanc-Sablon. Seven minutes later, the crew called the Sept-Iles FSS through the Blanc-Sablon repeater. They requested airport information and reported being 16 nm and six minutes from the airport. After receiving information on the winds and the altimeter setting, the crew reported that they would use runway 05 and would call back on final. No further transmissions were received from the crew. Fishermen found the wreckage seven months later.

Crashed in unknown circumstances. There were no casualties.

During an oceanic ferry flight, the right engine developed magneto problems which resulted in only residual power being available. The pic increased the power on the remaining left engine, but it soon overheated. The pic elected to ditch the airplane into the pacific ocean. Both crewmembers were successfully rescued.

During takeoff roll, the left engine began to emit black smoke. The tower informed the pilot, who did not respond, and continued his takeoff. After becoming airborne, the aircraft was observed to level off then enter a left turn and impact the ground approximately 2 miles west of the airport. Examination of the engine provided no evidence of malfunction. Review of available pilot records indicated the pilot had 12 hours in type.

En route from Steinbach to Webequie, the pilot informed ATC about his position some 64 km north of Pickle Lake. Few minutes later, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the region of Nibinamik, southwest of Webequie. The wreckage was found on September 23 in an isolated area. Both occupants were killed.

The pilot departed Stapleford on a positioning flight to Southampton. He was due to pick up passengers at Southampton and fly to Cambridge where more passengers were to be collected; from Cambridge he would fly to Berlin. Heathrow Approach frequency was fairly busy but by 0653LT, G-SEAS had been identified, and been cleared direct to Ockham not above 2,000 feet on QNH 1011 mb; this clearance was acknowledged by the pilot. The radar recording confirmed the track of STL819 to Ockham and from there the aircraft made a gentle turn onto a track of approximately 185°T; all three radars confirmed the aircraft speed as approximately 160 knots and at a level altitude of 1,500 feet amsl until a few seconds before 0705LT. At that point the aircraft started a high rate of descent with increasing speed but maintaining a fairly constant southerly track. Radar contact was lost 2.6 seconds after 0705LT. The last radar contact was within 250 metres of the crash site and at that point the aircraft was at 1,000 feet amsl, the crash site is approximately 400 feet amsl.

The aircraft, with only the pilot on board, was being flown from Archerfield to Caboolture via the light aircraft lane to the west of Brisbane in company with another aircraft. About five minutes after departing Archerfield, the pilot radioed that he was experiencing problems with both engines and that he was in an emergency situation. The pilot of the other aircraft advised him that there were suitable forced landing areas in and around a nearby golf course. However, the aircraft continued and slowly lost altitude before rolling inverted and diving steeply into the ground. Ground witnesses reported hearing loud backfiring and fluctuating engine RPM from the aircraft. These sounds were accompanied by erratic rolling and yawing of the aircraft before it rolled to the left and inverted. The right wing was severed outboard of the engine as the aircraft impacted a large tree before crashing onto a road.

On July 10, 1993, about 1015 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-31, N36L, registered to and operated by the Schaked Corporation, experienced total loss of power from both engines due to fuel exhaustion and was ditched about 18 nautical miles south of the Providenciales Airport, Turks and Caicos Islands, while on a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane has not been recovered and is presumed to be destroyed. The airline transport-rated pilot and commercial pilot-rated passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight originated about 0900 from Cap Haitien, Haiti. The day before the accident flight, the fuel tanks were filled and the airplane was then flown for about 2 hours. After landing, the pilot requested an auxiliary power unit (APU) for the following morning to jump start the engines due to electrical system problems. The pilot further stated that during the airplane preflight, he visually determined that the fuel tanks were 1/2 full. The APU was used to start the engines and about 20 minutes after departure, the electrical system failed. The flight continued and about 44 minutes later, Grand Turk Approach Control was contacted using a hand held radio. A clearance to land was requested and the controller was advised that the airplane was low on fuel. The controller advised the crew that the flight was about 60 miles east of the airport and the Providenciales Airport was about 31 miles north of their position. The flight proceeded directly to that airport and shortly thereafter, the pilot stated that the left engine failed due to fuel exhaustion. About 5 minutes later, the right engine failed due to the same reason. The airplane was ditched and the occupants were rescued about 7 hours after the ditching. According to the pilot-rated passenger, the pilot reset the alternators and voltage regulators after contact was established with the approach control facility.