Quest Kodiak 100

The single engine airplane departed Tavernaero Park in Tavernier (Florida Keys) in the afternoon on a private flight to Lorida, carrying six people. After touchdown in a grassy area, the airplane overturned and came to rest upside down. All six occupants were rescued, among them three were injured.

En route from Masset to Tofino, the single engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in hilly terrain about 29 km northwest of Tofino. Two occupants were killed and two others were rescued.

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a cargo flight to Cobán. After takeoff from Guatemala City-La Aurora runway 02, while in initial climb, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in trees located in a garden along the 4th Avenue, in the Zone 9 district, approximately 980 metres from the end of runway 02. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and the pilot was killed.

On 12 May 2020, a Quest Kodiak 100 aircraft, registration PK-MEC, was being operated by Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) as a cargo flight from Sentani Airport (WAJJ), Jayapura, Papua with intended destination of Mamit Airstrip (WAVS) Tolikara, Papua. The pilot was the only person on board for this flight and the aircraft carried 694 kgs of cargo goods. At 0622 LT (2122 UTC), the pilot of PK-MEC aircraft requested clearance to the Sentani Tower controller to start aircraft engine and flying to Mamit at radial 241° with intended cruising altitude 10,000 feet. The Sentani Tower controller approved the request. At 0627 LT, on daylight condition, the aircraft took off from runway 12 of Sentani Airport, thereafter, the Sentani Tower controller advised to the pilot of PK-MEC to contact Jayapura Radar controller. At 0628LT, the pilot of PK-MEC declared “MAYDAY” on Jayapura Radar radio frequency. The Jayapura Radar controller tried to contact pilot of PK-MEC four times but no answer. At 0630 LT, the Jayapura Radar Controller requested the pilot of PK-RCE that was just took off from Sentani to visually observe the position of PK-MEC aircraft. Few minutes later, the pilot of PK-RCE reported to Jayapura Radar controller that some debris were seen on Sentani Lake and some boats were moving toward the debris location. The pilot of PK-RCE assumed that PK-MEC aircraft had crashed to the lake. The pilot fatally injured. The wreckages have been recovered including the Global Positioning System (GPS) data card.

The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger were returning to the airport in night visual meteorological conditions with a cloud ceiling about 1,500 ft above ground level. Radar data indicated that the airplane overflew the airport and completed a 360° descending right turn and overflew the airport again before entering an approximate 180° left climbing turn toward and over an unlighted area within a denselywooded national forest. The airplane continued the left turn and entered a descent to impact in a river about 1 mile from the airport. All major components of the airplane were recovered from the river except the outboard section of the left wing and the left aileron. An examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Because each of the two pilots onboard would have been capable of safely landing the airplane, it is unlikely that an acute event from either occupant's heart disease contributed to the accident. The night conditions, which included overcast clouds that would have obscured the nearly full moon, and the pilots' maneuvering for landing over an area devoid of cultural lighting provided conditions conducive to the development of spatial disorientation. It is likely that the pilots experienced a "black hole" illusion while maneuvering to align with the runway for landing, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and impact with water.

The aircraft took off from the Bom Futuro Municipal Aerodrome (SILC), Lucas do Rio Verde - MT, to the Anápolis Aerodrome (SWNS) - GO, in order to carry out a transfer flight, with a pilot and three passengers on board. During the flight, the pilot identified conflicting information related to the amount of fuel remaining and chose to make an intermediate landing on an unapproved runway, located in the city of Goiás Velho - GO, in order to check the data visually. After the conference, the N154KQ took off from that location and, reaching approximately 300ft height, the aircraft lost power, colliding with vegetation 1.86 km from the runway used for takeoff. The aircraft was destroyed by the fire. The pilot suffered serious injuries and the three passengers suffered minor injuries.

Shortly after takeoff from Moretecocha Airfield, while climbing in poor weather conditions, the single engine airplane impacted trees and crashed in a river bed. All seven occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

The commercial pilot was departing on a routine positioning flight in dark night visual meteorological conditions. Footage from a security camera at the airport showed the airplane
take off normally and initiate a right turn, which was the established direction of traffic for the takeoff runway. The airplane continued the right turn, then entered an increasingly rapid descent and subsequently impacted terrain about 1 mile southwest from the airport. The wreckage distribution was consistent with a high-energy impact. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Autopsy and toxicology testing of the pilot did not reveal any evidence of impairment or incapacitation. Visual conditions prevailed in the area at the time of the accident; however, the setting Moon was obscured by cloud cover, and the airport was located in an area of remote, sparsely-populated high desert terrain. This would have resulted in few visual references to which the pilot could have oriented the airplane. Although the pilot had experience operating in this environment in night conditions and held an instrument rating, the circumstances of the accident are consistent with the known effects of spatial disorientation. The investigation could not determine the initiating event which led to the pilot's mismatch between the airplane's perceived and actual attitude; however, he likely experienced a sensory illusion as a result of spatial disorientation, which led to a loss of control.