Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain

The aircraft was found where it had crashed and burned on a rough lava bed. The crash site was about one mile northeast of a road where drug smuggling aircraft had been known to land in the past. There was evidence that cocaine had been removed from the accident site. The wreckage had been camouflaged by placing lava rocks on the shiny pieces of metal. There was evidence that the plane had crashed in a left wing low attitude while in a landing configuration. No preimpact/mechanical part failure or malfunction was found. The elevation of the crash site was about 2,930 feet. The aircraft wreckage was discovered on 6/2/84. The actual time of the accident was not determined. Both occupants were killed.

The aircraft crashed in a wooded area after the loss of engine power. The weather was VMC. The pilot made a missed approach after trying to land on runway at Oneonta, at 1838 hrs. Later the pilot radioed that he was unable to 'pick up' the Kring beacon. Boston center vectored the flight to the area of the Kring beacon. The pilot then proceeded to question his position. When boston terminated radar service the pilots answer was unintelligible. No further communications were received from the flight. The wreckage was found about 1/2 mile from the airport. The left full tank selector was found on the left outboard tank. This aircraft is restricted to level flight for use of fuel from the outboard tanks. All five occupants were killed.

Shortly after takeoff from Las Ánimas, while climbing, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances. Both passengers were injured and the pilot was killed. The aircraft was engaged in a flight on behalf of a livestock pest control program jointly organized by a US and Mexican commission.

A Piper PA-31, N35206, (South Central Air flight 59) was cleared to taxi to runway 06L. The weather at that time was foggy with about 1/8 mile visibility, but the RVR was improving and the airport was expected soon to be acceptable for takeoffs. The PA-31 crew taxied and waited in the holding area for the visibility to improve. A Douglas DC-10, HL7339, Korean Air Lines flight 084, was cleared to runway 32; however, while taxiing in the fog, the DC-10 crew inadvertently taxied to runway 06L/24R. Tower personnel were unable to see the aircraft in the fog and were unaware of the DC-10's position. The DC-10 was cleared to take-off on runway 32 and the PA-31 was cleared to hold on runway 06L. The DC-10 crew taxied on runway 24R and began taking off toward the PA-31 with 2,400 feet of runway remaining. Its estimated takeoff distance was 8,150 feet. Subsequently, the DC-10 collided with the PA-31, continued off the runway and hit stanchion lights, small trees and rough terrain. An investigation revealed the DC-10 pilot did not confirm his position by using his compass and that there was a lack of legible taxiway and runway signs.

The aircraft was on its first production flight test. Shortly after lift-off it was observed to enter an abrupt right bank, followed by a steep left bank before crashing. Examination of the left wing revealed that its aileron cables were connected to their respective bellcrank attach points backwards. Both pilots were killed.

The aircraft had departed Laredo, TX, on a flight to Fort Smith, AR, with an intermediate stop at Brinkley, AR. The fuel tanks were 'topped' at Laredo, but no fuel was added at Brinkley. During arrival at Fort Smith, the pilot declared an emergency for 'extremely low fuel.' He was cleared for a straight-in approach. Very shortly after that, both engines began running rough with both fuel boost pump lights illuminated. The pilot informed the tower that he would not be able to reach the airport. He selected a dark unpopulated area to land and extended the gear. When he turned on the landing lights, he realize he had selected a wooded area. The aircraft was destroyed after impacting trees. The pilot had begun the first of six flights at 0608 cdt and had gotten very little sleep the preceding night. Both occupants were seriously injured.

The aircraft departed Las Vegas, NV as the 2nd of 5 aircraft on a scheduled Grand Canyon sightseeing flight. The 1st portion of the flight was over the Las Vegas strip area and Lake Mead and was uneventful. However, weather conditions precluded the pilot from continuing over the Shivwits plateau. Radio conversations between the pilot and other company aircrews indicated that the pilot of N88LV had encountered deteriorating weather conditions in the canyon and that he had decided to abort the flight and climb out. Later attempts to contact the aircraft were unsuccessful. The wreckage was found on 8/18/83 where the aircraft had collided on the west wall of a mesa inside the canyon. A helicopter pilot flying about 14 miles north of the crash site reported clouds at ground level (4,500 feet msl). The elevation of the accident site was 6,320 feet. Shortly before his last transmission, the pilot stated he was 'just short of Twin Peaks.' The pilot had transmitted his position from Peach VOR, indicating he was in the area of the crash site. Twin Peaks was northeast and had similar terrain. All 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Wallace S. Gustafson Jr., pilot.
Passengers:
Enrico Annibali,
Maria Vittoria Annibali,
Giancarlo Annibali,
Luciano Annibali,
Guliana Ranieri-Annibali,
Francesca Annibali,
Federica Annibali,
Stefano Annibali,
Daniele Vernava.
Photos: https://www.lostflights.com/Grand-Canyon-Aviation/81783-Las-Vegas-Airlines-Piper/

The aircraft was engaged on a charter flight from Adelaide to Moomba and Dullingari. The flight from Adelaide to Moomba was without incident and after landing the pilot parked the aircraft adjacent to the refuelling cabinets. He then assisted the passengers from the aircraft and removed baggage from the nose locker. During this period a conversation took place between the pilot and the aircraft refueller. The exact content of that conversation could not positively be determined but it appears that the pilot did not specify the type of fuel to be placed in the aircraft, only which tanks were to be fuelled. As the refueller was fuelling the aircraft, the pilot accompanied his passengers to the airport terminal. When the fuelling was completed the pilot returned, with his passengers, to the aircraft. He signed the fuel release note which showed that 263 litres of Jet A-1 (Aviation turbine fuel) had been supplied, then completed a check of the aircraft's fuel tanks to ensure no water was present in the fuel. The pilot reported that the fuel sample taken was free of water and appeared to him to be the normal fuel used by the PA-31 aircraft, AVGAS (Aviation Gasoline). The pilot and the passengers then boarded the aircraft, the engines were started and the aircraft taxied for a DEPARTURE on runway 12. During the taxiing phase the pilot completed the pre-take-off checks, these including a check that the temperatures and pressure relevant to the operation of the engine were within limits. The pilot subsequently advised that the take-off was normal and after the landing gear was raised, engine power was reduced to the standard settings for the climb. However, at about 500 feet above ground level the pilot sensed a loss of performance and noted that the indicated airspeed was 115 knots, 5 knots lower than normal. He then noticed a further decay in airspeed, accompanied by the onset of engine surging and rough running. He was unable to diagnose the cause of the loss of performance and commenced a turn back towards the aerodrome. Shortly after entering the turn the right hand engine began to misfire and feathering action was initiated for the propeller. At about this time the indicated airspeed had reduced to 85 knots, the aircraft had developed a high rate of sink and the pilot realised that impact with the ground was imminent. The aircraft initially struck the ground with the right wing, then the nose section before the fuselage made heavy contact in a flat attitude, sliding about 45 metres before coming to rest. The aircraft caught fire during the impact sequence and was completely burnt out. The pilot and two of the passengers escaped from the wreckage but attempts to assist the third passenger were thwarted by the fire.

Few minutes after takeoff from Bogotá-Guaymaral Airport, while climbing, the pilot encountered technical problems and lost control of the airplane that crashed in hilly terrain located near Chingaza, about 40 km southeast of Bogotá. All nine occupants were killed.

On a flight from Newark, NJ to Richmond, VA, the departure time was delayed, and subsequently, the aircraft did not arrive at Richmond until after the refueling facilities were closed. The pilot decided there was sufficient fuel aboard to complete the next flight to the Washington National Airport, so he departed on that flight. However, about 21 mikes from his destination, he declared a low-fuel state and requested vectors to the nearest airport. Vectors were provided toward Davison Army Airfield. However, both engines subsequently lost power from lack of fuel and the aircraft crashed in a wooded area approximately 500 yards short of runway 32. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were seriously injured.