Crash of a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne II in Delta

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1982 at 1435 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N91TW
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Delta - Las Vegas
MSN:
31-7820078
YOM:
1978
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
4000
Captain / Total hours on type:
520.00
Aircraft flight hours:
340
Circumstances:
Approximately 1/2 mile from the airport after takeoff, the pilot noticed the left front baggage door partly open and made a left turn back toward the airstrip. After the turn, the baggage door came completely open, the left wing dropped immediately and the aircraft stalled. The pilot added full power and lowered the nose. When he raised the nose near the ground, the aircraft shuddered and crashed. Two rescue personnel, both certified pilots, arrived shortly after the accident and found the nose baggage door in the unlocked position with the bayonet pins retracted. A Piper representative stated that if the left side nose baggage door of a PA-31 opened in flight there would be the likelihood of an interruption to the smooth airflow through the prop, possibly reducing the thrust produced by the blades.
Probable cause:
Loss of control in flight while maneuvering to landing area after the pilot failed to maintain flying speed. The following findings were reported:
- Cargo door unlocked,
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Aircraft performances deteriorated,
- Inadvertent stall by the pilot.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne in Madison

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1981 at 1715 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N15SS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Peru - Louisville
MSN:
31T-7820068
YOM:
1978
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
7126
Captain / Total hours on type:
1305.00
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude from Peru to Louisville, both engines failed. The pilot reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in an open field. Upon landing, the undercarriage collapsed and the airplane came to rest on its belly. All five occupants were seriously injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in normal cruise due to inadequate preflight preparation. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Mismanagement of fuel,
- Fuel exhaustion,
- Instruments: fuel quantity gauge, erratic,
- Rough/uneven terrain,
- Complete failure of both engines,
- Forced landing off airport on land.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne in Richlands: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 29, 1981 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N47CC
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Birmingham - Asheboro - Richlands
MSN:
31-7820016
YOM:
1978
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
11000
Circumstances:
While descending to Richlands Airport, the pilot cancelled his IFR flight plan and continued under VFR in marginal weather conditions. About one minute later, the twin engine airplane struck the slope of an obscured mountain ridge and crashed. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled collision with ground due to improper IFR operation. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Low ceiling,
- Fog,
- No published instrument approach at destination.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne II near Charallave: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1981
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YV-215CP
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Barquisimeto - Charallave
MSN:
31T-7820071
YOM:
1978
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft was approaching Charallave-Óscar Machado Zuloaga Airport on a flight from Barquisimeto when it collided with a Mitsubishi MU-2B-36A Marquise registered YV-174CP and operated by Immobiliara Uracoa. En route to Puerto Cabello, the Marquise was carrying five people and just took off from the same airport. Following the collision, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed few km from the airport. All 10 people in both aircraft were killed.

Crash of a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne II in Perth: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1981 at 1125 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-CCW
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Jandakot - Perth
MSN:
31-7720046
YOM:
1977
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
4279
Captain / Total hours on type:
576.00
Circumstances:
The aircraft was flown from Jandakot to Perth at approximately 08:00 hours on 3.5.81. However, the engineer who had agreed to meet the pilot sent a message that he could not attend. At times during the morning, persons observed the aircraft parked at the airport. The engine cowls had been removed and the pilot was seen to be working in the area of the propeller governors. At about 11:00 hours, the pilot started the aircraft's engines, taxied to a clear area and carried out a series of checks" at high power. Then, at 11:09 hours, he contacted Perth Surface Movement Control by radio and requested clearance for an air test at Flight Level 200. This was approved and the aircraft was instructed to taxi to Runway 20. After take-off, the aircraft turned right and tracked to the west on the 270 radial of the VHF omni-directional radio range (VOR), in accordance with departure instructions give n by Perth Tower. When asked for his intentions, the pilot advised that he wished to continue tracking to the west until further notice. Weather conditions in the Perth area were fine; there was no cloud and the surface wind was a light southwesterly. The aircraft as it climbed out appeared to be operating normally , except for a thin smoke trail which was observed coming from the right engine. At 11:19 hours, the pilot advised that his test was completed. He reported he was at 7,000 feet and 10 miles from the airport by distance measuring equipment (DME). During the next five minutes there were a series of routine exchanges between VH-CCW and Perth Tower as the aircraft was cleared to track visually, north of Perth city, to a right base position for Runway 20. During these exchanges the pilot did not indicate that any abnormality or emergency existed and his voice sounded normal. At 11:24 hours, he reported at right base and was cleared to land. The final transmission received from the aircraft was the usual acknowledgement of the landing clearance. The right base position for Runway 20 is over the suburb of Bassendean and local residents are used to aircraft overflying. However, attention was drawn to VH-CCW as it was lower than normal traffic, the engine noise was louder and smoke was trailing from its right engine. Otherwise, it appeared to be operating normally; both propellers were rotating and the landing gear was reported to be retracted. The aircraft had commenced an apparently normal right base turn when it suddenly rolled inverted. The nose of the aircraft may have pitched up just before the sudden roll. The aircraft then began to rotate and rapidly descend. At some stage, it rolled back to the normal upright attitude. After about two turns, the rotation stopped and the aircraft dropped vertically to the ground in the backyard of a private house. The left wing and tailplane struck the roof of the house just prior to ground impact. An intense fire immediately broke out and consumed most of the wreckage. Subsequent examination of the wreckage found no evidence of pre-existing defects or malfunctions, apart from loose attachment nuts on the left side of the propeller governor fitted to the right engine. Oil had leaked from the governor at this position, covering the engine and causing the smoke trail observed by witnesses. Internal inspection of the right engine established that all bearing surfaces were oil-wetted, but it could not be determined how much oil remained in the engine at the time of ground impact as any residual oil had leaked and been consumed by fire. Both engines had been operating at impact. The right engine was at a low power setting, probably idle. The left engine was at a higher power, although the exact power setting could not be determined. The left propeller was at a blade angle consistent with higher power output. The right propeller was at a blade angle outside the normal operating range but consistent with the propeller moving towards the feather position, either as a result of pilot selection or exhaustion of the engine oil supply. It was not possible to determine whether or not the pilot had initiated feathering. The stability augmentation system servo was at the maximum, elevator-down spring tension position. The automatic system would drive the servo to this position when the aircraft was flown at low airspeed. The elevator trim was set at 10 degrees nose-up, also consistent with low-speed flight. The rudder trim was at the full-left rudder position, indicating that the pilot had been operating the aircraft for some time with high power on the left engine and the right engine at a low power setting. The flaps were half extended and the landing gear was down at ground impact. Post-mortem examination found that the pilot had extensive coronary artery disease, such that he may have suffered a sudden incapacitating attack or death. Alternatively, he may have experienced severe chest pain, causing him to unintentionally apply coarse movements to the aircraft controls. The pilot had completed regular medical examinations for the renewal of his pilot's licence, but his condition had not been detected.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the following defect was discovered: two nuts attaching the propeller governor to the right engine were loose, permitting oil to leak from the governor.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne II in Pontiac: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1981 at 1903 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N321SS
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tulsa - Pontiac
MSN:
31-8020035
YOM:
1980
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
1700
Captain / Total hours on type:
33.00
Circumstances:
On approach to Pontiac-Oakland County Airport runway 09, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to low ceiling and fog. On final, the twin engine airplane struck two 40 feet approach lite towers located 2,400 and 2,200 feet from the approach end of the runway. The airplane lost height and crashed, bursting into flames. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Collision with wires/poles on final approach due to improper IFR operation. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Low ceiling,
- Fog,
- Visibility down to zero,
- Weather conditions below minimums.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31T-620 Cheyenne II in Don Torcuato

Date & Time: May 4, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
LV-MOC
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
31T-7920031
YOM:
1979
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Don Torcuato while completing a flight on behalf of the Argentinian National Office for Meat. Both occupants were injured and the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Piper PA-31T-620 Cheyenne II in Zárate: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LV-MYY
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
31T-7920085
YOM:
1979
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Zárate, killing all three occupants.

Crash of a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne II in San Angelo

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1979 at 1835 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N444JW
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dallas - San Angelo
MSN:
31-7720015
YOM:
1977
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
5680
Captain / Total hours on type:
670.00
Circumstances:
Upon touchdown at San Angelo-Mathis Field Airport, the twin engine airplane swerved then nosed over and came to rest in flames. All four occupants escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Swerved on landing due to improper operation of brakes and/or flight controls on part of the pilot-in-command who delayed in initiating a go-around.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31T-620 Cheyenne II in Elyria: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1979 at 1150 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N82282
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Elyria - Elyria
MSN:
31-7820055
YOM:
1978
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
3510
Captain / Total hours on type:
8.00
Circumstances:
The crew (an instructor and a student pilot) was completing a local training at Elyria-Lorain County Airport, Ohio. On approach, the crew initiated a go-around procedure when control was lost. The airplane crashed five miles southwest of the airport and both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Uncontrolled collision with ground during go-around due to inadequate supervision of flight. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Improper operation of flight controls,
- Misused or failed to use flaps,
- Lack of familiarity with aircraft,
- Simulated conditions,
- Witnesses describes southeast go-around, flaps down, engine windmilling.
Final Report: