Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

Operator:

Calif Air Charter

Registration:

N1938W

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Redding - Montague

MSN:

31-7300959

YOM:

1973

Location:

Mt Shasta

California

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2238

Circumstances:

While cruising under VFR mode in very bad weather conditions at an altitude of 13,600 feet, the pilot lost his orientation and became lost when the twin engine airplane struck the slope of Mt Shasta. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled collision with ground during normal cruise after the pilot continued VFR flight into adverse weather conditions. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The pilot became lost/disoriented,
- Improper in-flight decisions,
- Low celing,
- Fog,
- Icing conditions,
- Turbulences associated with clouds and thunderstorms,
- Visibility down to zero.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-325 Navajo C/R off Bridgeport: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 10, 1980 at 2222 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N62987

Flight Phase:

Bridgeport-Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Worcester - Bridgeport

MSN:

31-7712007

YOM:

1977

Location:

Connecticut

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6500

Circumstances:

At 2219LT, while approaching Bridgeport by night on a flight from Worcester, the pilot reported to ATC he was low on fuel. Three minutes later, after becoming lost, the airplane descended and crashed into the sea off Bridgeport. SAR operations were initiated and a dead body was found a day later. All three other occupants as well as the wreckage were never found.

Probable cause:

The pilot became lost and disoriented while approaching Bridgeport by night. Following a double engine failure due to a fuel exhaustion, he attempted to ditch the aircraft that crashed into the sea.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Naples

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1980 at 1440 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N9044Y

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Illegal (smuggling)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

31-64

YOM:

1968

Location:

Naples

Florida

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances near Naples while engaged in a contraband flight. The pilot, sole on board, was not recovered. The airplane was destroyed in the accident.

Probable cause:

Due to lack of evidences, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Nigeria: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1980

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

5N-AKO

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Lagos - Benin City

MSN:

31-7512067

YOM:

1975

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in southwest Nigeria while completing a flight from Lagos to Benin City. All four occupants were killed.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Culpeper: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1980 at 0530 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Culpeper Aviation

Registration:

N6702L

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Culpeper – Chantilly – Baltimore

MSN:

31-592

YOM:

1969

Location:

Culpeper

Virginia

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4601

Captain / Total hours on type:

223.00

Circumstances:

Shortly after a night takeoff from Culpeper Airport, while in initial climb, the twin engine airplane baked right then lost height, struck trees and crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

Powerplant failure during initial climb for undetermined reasons. The following findings were reported:
- High obstructions,
- Still dark at the time of the accident,
- Right engine found shut down and its propeller feathered at impact.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31 Navajo in Barbacena: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1980 at 2110 LT

Type of aircraft:

Companhia Textil Ferreira Guimaraes

Operator:

Registration:

PT-IAJ

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Rio de Janeiro - Barbacena

MSN:

31-772

YOM:

1971

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach in limited visibility due to rain falls, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located less than 2 km from the runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-325 Navajo C/R in Earl Stonham: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1980 at 1730 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

G-LCCO

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Stapleford - Hethel

MSN:

31-7812082

YOM:

1978

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

822

Captain / Total hours on type:

230.00

Aircraft flight hours:

497

Circumstances:

The aircraft was returning from Stapleford Tawney aerodrome, where it had just been serviced, to its base at Hethel aerodrome, near Norwich. When under the surveillance of Honington Radar, the pilot requested and was granted permission to manoeuvre between flight level (FL)75 and FL60. A few minutes later the aircraft was observed on radar to be flying in a south-easterly direction and shortly thereafter to disappear from the radar picture. At about this time the aircraft was heard to be in a high speed descent and was seen to break up at about 2,500 feet. The main portion of the wreckage burst into flames shortly after impact and the pilot, who was the only occupant, was killed.

Probable cause:

It is concluded that the accident was caused by the pilot attempting to recover from a dive whilst flying at a speed considerably in excess of the aircraft's permitted maximum. The excessive speed resulted from his loss of control of the aircraft, most probably following an attempt to perform a prohibited aerobatic manoeuvre.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-325 Navajo C/R in Montevideo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1980

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Taxis Aéreos Uruguayos

Registration:

CX-BMT

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Montevideo-Carrasco

Montevideo City District

Country:

Uruguay

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On approach to Montevideo-Carrasco Airport, the pilot passed out. The pilot elected to take control of the aircraft that lost height and crashed. Both occupants were killed. The passenger was not familiar with piloting techniques.

Crash of a Piper PA-31P Pressurized Navajo in Charleston: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1980 at 0858 LT

Type of aircraft:

Aircraft Finance and Leasing Company

Operator:

Registration:

N776SW

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Charleston - Paducah

MSN:

31-7730009

YOM:

1977

Location:

Charleston-Intl

South Carolina

Country:

Region: