Rockwell Grand Commander 690

The pilot of the nonscheduled domestic passenger air taxi flight was flying the VOR/DME runway 22 approach to Wiley Field, Miles City, MT. The pilot said he turned on the autopilot and after turning inbound from the procedure turn towards the faf he engaged the approach mode. After crossing the faf the pilot descended to MDA and engaged the altitude hold mode. When he reached the map the pilot started to make a missed approach but a passenger, seated next to him in the copilot's seat, reported the runway in sight. The pilot said he saw the runway and retarded the throttles in order to descend for landing. The aircraft nose pitched up abruptly, the aircraft stalled, and mushed to the ground. The aircraft hit hard and skidded off the runway. Two occupants were injured and four others escaped uninjured.

The aircraft was cleared for an NDB approach to Cadillac. The weather was 300 feet overcast, one mile visibility. Shortly after cancelling IFR the aircraft crashed on the opposite side of the airport from the approach end of the runway. The pilot activated runway lights were never turned on during the approach. It was a newly commissioned system not yet on approach plates. They were on a notam. An ntap revealed that the aircraft was following the rnav final approach course rather than the NDB final approach course. In addition, a lighted christmas tree farm was located adjacent to the airport. Lastly, no evidence of mechanical malfunction could be found in the wreckage. Both occupants were killed.

Pilot was cleared for VOR/DME approach to Rogers airport by Fayetteville approach control; Fayetteville altimeter setting of 29.85 (confirmed by recorded transcript) furnished. Pilot did not read back. During approach, aircraft impacted trees 25 feet agl at approximately 1,320 feet msl, 3 miles short of airport. Investigation showed pilot's altimeter set at 30.14 (altimeter would read 290 feet higher than aircraft actual altitude). Pilots's recall was that the 30.14 setting was furnished by approach control. Pilot further stated last recalled altitude reading was 1,750 feet. Approach plate shows 1,700 feet mda with Rogers altimeter setting; increase mda by 100 feet if using Fayetteville setting. The pilot was seriously injured and the passenger was killed.

The crew was in charge to deliver the aircraft in Europe and departed Windhoek bound for Abidjan. While cruising over the water, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the Atlantic Ocean. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.

The aircraft was flying from Dublin to Paris (Le Bourget) at a height of 25,000 feet. In the area of Petersfield, Hampshire, the aircraft began a gentle turn to the left from a south easterly heading. After the radar controller queried the departure from the expected heading the commander reported that the autopilot had 'dropped out', and the south easterly heading was resumed. Approximately 7 minutes later, the radar recording shows that the aircraft again began to turn left and started to lose height. After the aircraft had reached a northerly heading it began to lose height rapidly following which secondary radar returns were lost and the primary returns became fragmented before they also disappeared. The aircraft suffered an in-flight disintegration at approximately 19,000 feet and all 9 occupants were killed. A positive cause of the accident was not determined but there was evidence that a part of the aircraft's electrical supply had been lost. This would have caused the autopilot to disengage and also have resulted in the failure of the commander's flight director indicator. It was concluded that, following the disengagement of the autopilot, the aircraft probably entered a steep spiral dive and that the disintegration of the aircraft occurred as recovery was attempted.

After takeoff from San Martín-Chapelco-Aviador Carlos Campos Airport runway 06, while climbing to a height of 150 feet, the aircraft lost height and crashed near the Río Quilquihué, about 5 km east of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven occupants, en route to Neuquén on an ambulance flight, were killed. For unknown reasons, the captain decided to takeoff with only one engine (the right engine) operative.

About 10 minutes after takeoff at 1005 mdt, the pilot was cleared to climb to FL190. This was ATC's last communication with the aircraft. At 1030:39, the controller attempted to contact the pilot to advise that he had lost radar contact and to recycle the transponder and squawk 6062. There was no response. Two witnesses reported seeing the aircraft just before it impacted the ground. According to them, they saw fire and/or an explosion before impact and one witness reported the aircraft broke up after it came below an estimated 1,000 to 1,200 feet ceiling. However, the wreckage was scattered over a 2 miles area. An exam revealed evidence of a catastrophic in-flight breakup from overload which included positive overload of both wings. Radar data showed that just before radar contact was lost, the aircraft's speed varied between 221 and 272 knots, heading varied from 072° to 014° and vertical velocity varied from +300 to -2,400 feet/min. Thunderstorms, turbulences, rain and cloud tops to 25,000 feet were reported. Probable light to moderate icing in clouds above the freezing level of 14,000 feet. Aircraft had weather radar aboard. All four occupants were killed.

The pilot stated that approximately 15 minutes from his destination the low fuel light illuminated in the cockpit. The aircraft was flown for approximately 10 minutes when the engines sputtered and quit. The pilot stated he 'came in too hot' and bounced off the runway, pulled the gear up looked for a field or road finally coming to rest on a frozen pond. Post accident investigation revealed less than 2 gallons of fuel aboard the aircraft.

As the pilot was making an ILS approach in IMC weather, the aircraft descended into trees and crashed about 1-1/2 mi from the runway threshold. The decision height for this approach was 1,316 feet msl and was located less than a mile from the threshold. A controller said that the last altitude readout he remembers for the aircraft was 1,200 feet at about 2 miles from threshold. When the radar target disappeared from the display, the controller asked for a position report, but received no reply. The 0740 est weather at Greenville, SC, was in part: sky condition zero obscured, visibility zero with fog, wind calm. The elevation of the crash site was 980 feet msl. All four occupants were killed.

After transporting passengers from Longview, TX to Oklahoma City, OK and return to Longview, the aircraft was refueled for a flight back to Nacogdoches, TX, where the aircraft was based. About 12 min after takeoff, the pilot was cleared for an NDB approach to Nacogdoches and instructed to contact the Lufkin FSS for weather and current altimeter setting. During the NDB approach, the aircraft collided with trees, crashed and burned. An investigation revealed no evidence of either an engine or airframe failure or malfunction. Initial impact occurred with trees about 700 yards east of the NDB site. Initially, trees were cut in an upsloping manner where the terrain sloped upwards. Elevation of the crash site was 530 feet msl. The minimum descent altitude (MDA) was 900 feet msl. About 28 miles north, the 1955 cdt weather at Lufkin was, in part: 3,500 feet broken, visibility 5 miles. However, witnesses at Nacogdoches reported considerably lower ceilings, reduced visibility and some hilltops obscured by clouds. A pilot witness reported light rain, fog in the treetops. Reportedly, the airport was below minimums. Both occupants were killed.