Piper PA-46 (Malibu/Meridian/Mirage/Matrix/M-Class)

The airplane collided with trees shortly after takeoff and came to rest in a church yard. There were no witnesses to the crash; however, several local residents heard the airplane overfly their homes at a low altitude. One resident stated that he heard the airplane collide with the trees. Another resident stated that he heard the engine operating as the airplane flew low overhead. Both residents reported that reduced visibility hampered their ability to find the wreckage. One resident estimated that the visibility was about 50 to 60 feet. The prescribed takeoff minimums for that airport is 300 feet and 1 mile visibility. Examination of the airplane did not disclose evidence of mechanical malfunction. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The single engine airplane departed with two pilots, two passengers, baggage and equipment. At takeoff, the airplane was 955 pounds over the maximum allowable gross weight, and 2 inches beyond the aft c.g. Limit. After 4 hours of flying, the pilot elected to divert to another airport, due to icing conditions. During the descending left turn from base leg to final approach to runway 22, the airplane dropped, struck the ground, and slid 250 feet. The wings were separated from the airplane during the ground slide by two trees. A satisfactory postaccident engine run was completed. The airplane was calculated to be about 600 pounds over the maximum landing weight, and 2 inches beyond the aft c.g. Limit. The air induction lever was in the primary position, and not the required alternate position for icing conditions. The propeller and stall warning heat switches were off. The airplane had been flying in light freezing rain, which the poh stated should be avoided. Severe mixed icing was reported 25 miles northwest of the airport. Winds at the airport were from 150 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 16 knots. Both pilots were killed and both passengers were seriously injured.

The airplane departed on runway 31 in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and turned right to a heading of 090°. Radar contact (arts tag) was acquired about 1 to 2 miles north of the airport. Reportedly, the arts tag would typically be acquired as the airplane climbed through an altitude of about 700 feet agl. Subsequently, the airplane crashed about 2 miles north of the airport. A witness reported hearing a loud engine noise before the plane crashed. The wreckage path was oriented along a westerly heading and over an area of about 380 feet. There was evidence of an in-flight breakup. An outboard portion of the right wing was found about 150 feet from the main impact crater. An examination revealed the right wing had failed near the production seam. The right spar exhibited features 'typical of an upward bending overstress separation.' Examination revealed no other evidence of preimpact aircraft or engine malfunction. The airplane's gross weight was estimated to be about 4,696 pounds; its max limit was 4,300 pounds. The pilot's logbook indicated that he had flown only 2 instrument approaches in the previous 14 months. All three occupants were killed.

Owned by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA), the aircraft was dispatched at Sion Airport to perform several local training flight. At the end of the day, a pilot under training and an FOCA inspector decided to complete a local training flight out of Sion Airport. The single engine aircraft took off at 1935LT and the crew completed several touch-and-go maneuvers. Less than an hour later, after takeoff from runway 26, while in initial climb, the engine failed. The crew attempted to make an emergency landing in an open field when the aircraft collided with a car on a street and crashed on the ground. Both pilots escaped with minor injuries while one people in the car was seriously injured. The aircraft and the car were destroyed.

Witnesses stated that the airplane was on final approach to runway 03 with the landing gear and flaps extended. One witness reported that when the airplane was about 50 to 100 feet above the ground, he heard the engine go to full power, and the airplane entered a steep climbing right turn. The witness stated that the airplane looked very slow during the steep climb. While in the climb, the airplane's wings leveled and then the airplane banked left and nosed down into the ground. A no-radio gyrocopter had just taken off on runway 03. Both occupants were killed.

The flight was a private pleasure/travel flight for the purpose of transporting the pilot, his wife, and two other couples from Windsor to Killarney, Ontario, where they were to spend the weekend with friends. The flight had been planned in advance of the departure date. The pilot commenced taxiing at 1058 eastern daylight saving time (EDT), and was issued an instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance to Killarney via the routing "Windsor, radar vectors Sarnia, direct Wiarton, direct Killarney, to maintain 3,000" feet asl. The pilot took off at 1105. After take-off, the flight proceeded in a routine manner in accordance with the IFR clearance and was issued a final cruise altitude of 9,000 feet asl. The pilot reported level at 9,000 feet asl at 1125. At 1137, while the flight was 65 to 70 nm southwest of Wiarton, Ontario, the pilot was issued and acknowledged a clearance to fly direct to Killarney. At 1151, he requested and was issued a clearance to climb to 12,000 feet asl to get above a cloud layer, and reported level at 12,000 feet asl at 1155. The flight passed 20 nm to the west of Wiarton at 1203. At 1206, the pilot was given the Sudbury altimeter setting of 29.913 and was cleared to maintain 4,000 feet asl at his convenience. He acknowledged the clearance and commenced descent from 12,000 feet asl, 62 nm south of Killarney. Shortly after issuing the descent clearance, the air traffic services (ATS) controller advised the pilot that the IFR flight plan could be cancelled with the controller on his frequency while still airborne or with the Sault Ste. Marie flight service station (FSS) on the ground by a toll free telephone number. The ATS controller asked the flight crew of another aircraft on the same frequency to listen for an IFR cancellation from C-GSEV and to relay the cancellation to the controller. At 1221, the pilot of C-GSEV advised the ATS controller that he would be descending to 2,000 feet asl. The controller advised the pilot that the flight was in uncontrolled airspace and descent would be at the pilot's discretion. The pilot acknowledged the message, and this was the last direct controller/pilot communication (DCPC) between ATS and the aircraft. The last recorded radar position of the aircraft was at 1223:43, when it slowed to 180 knots ground speed and was descending out of 3,000 feet asl, 3 1/2 to 4 nm south of the Killarney airport. At about 1224, the flight crew from another aircraft on the frequency advised the ATS controller that C-GSEV had cancelled the IFR flight plan. There was no further communication with the flight after the pilot cancelled the IFR flight plan. The aircraft was reported missing to officials of the pilot's company the following morning by friends and family of the passengers. Search and rescue authorities were notified at approximately 0930, and the wreckage was located by search and rescue late that afternoon. The aircraft struck the rock face of a mountain at 1,321 feet asl in near level flight, on a northeast heading. The top of the mountain was 1,408 feet asl. The six occupants were fatally injured, and the aircraft was destroyed on impact. The accident occurred at about 1230 EDT during the hours of daylight, at latitude 46°02'N and longitude 081°26'W.
Crew:
Emidio Simone, pilot.
Passengers:
Laila Simone,
William and Lynne Bolton,
David and Pauline Moore.

The airplane was on takeoff climb, about 400 feet above the ground, when the engine partially and then totally lost power. The pilot did a forced landing in a bean field. The flight occurred following maintenance to check a low manifold pressure condition. According to the pilot, a 'full' engine runup was done before takeoff. He stated: 'the takeoff was smooth, we rotated at an airspeed of slightly more than 80 knots. The climb for the first 350 (feet of altitude), airspeed was routine... I felt a power loss and noticed the manifold pressure dropping. At this point I felt I had enough power to return to the airport... as the turn was being completed, power went out completely.' The post-accident examination of the airplane did not disclose evidence of mechanical malfunction.

The airplane was en route at 14,000 feet msl when the manifold pressure dropped from 30 to 18 inches. Eleven minutes later the oil light came 'on'. The airplane continued under partial power at an airspeed of 90 knots, while descending at 100 to 300 feet per minute (fpm). By 9,500 feet msl the engine oil pressure dropped to zero. The pilot shut down the engine and made a forced landing in the Gulf of Mexico near a ship. The airplane remained afloat for 5 to 7 minutes. During this time, the emergency exit was opened, all occupants donned a life vest, exited, and boarded the life raft, which the pilot had deployed. All were rescued by personnel from the ship. The airplane was not recovered; therefore, the cause of the power loss was not determined.

The pilot was executing an ASR approach to runway 32 and 9 seconds after the approach controller advised the pilot that the flight was over the missed approach point, the pilot advised the controller that the airport was in sight and he would be circling to land. The controller acknowledged this and witnesses observed the airplane flying northwesterly west of runway 32 about 150-200 feet above ground level. They then observed the airplane enter a left bank between 60-80 degrees and the airplane pitched nose down and collided with trees then a fence and the ground. There was a small post crash fire which was extinguished by the fire department. Examination of the airframe revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction of the flight controls. The engine was removed and placed on a test bench and after replacement of several components which were impact damaged, the engine started and operated normally. The passenger was seated in the furthest aft right seat and the lap belt attach point on the right side of this seat failed due to overload.