Coolidge

When the flight was about 7 miles from the airport and approaching it from the south in dark night conditions, the noncertificated pilot canceled the instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. A police officer who was on patrol in the local area reported that he observed a twin-engine airplane come out of the clouds about 500 ft above ground level and then bank left over the town, which was north of the airport. The airplane then turned left and re-entered the clouds. The officer went to the airport to investigate, but he did not see the airplane. He reported that it was dark, but clear, at the airport and that he could see stars; there was snow on the ground. He also observed that the rotating beacon was illuminated but that the pilot-controlled runway lighting was not. The Federal Aviation Administration issued an alert notice, and the wreckage was located about 7 hours later 2 miles north of the airport. The airplane had collided with several trees on downsloping terrain; the debris path was about 290 ft long. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The town and airport were located within a sparsely populated area that had limited lighting conditions, which, along with the clouds and 35 percent moon illumination, would have restricted the pilot’s visual references. These conditions likely led to his being geographically disoriented (lost) and his subsequent failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear terrain. Although the pilot did not possess a valid pilot’s certificate, a review of his logbooks indicated that he had considerable experience flying the airplane, usually while accompanied by another pilot, and that he had flown in both visual and IFR conditions. A previous student pilot medical certificate indicated that the pilot was color blind and listed limitations for flying at night and for using color signals. The pilot had applied for another student pilot certificate 2 months before the accident, but this certificate was deferred pending a medical review.

Apache Airlines Flight 33 of May 6, 1971, was a regularly scheduled air taxi flight from Tucson to Phoenix, Arizona. The aircraft was a De Havilland Dove Model 104-7AXC (Carstedt CJ600A Conversion), N4922V. The flight departed Tucson International Airport, under visual conditions, at 1253 m.s.t. with 10 passengers and a crew of two, and with 140 gallons of fuel on board. At about 1315, ground witnesses near Coolidge, Arizona, observed the aircraft flying in a northwesterly direction. Some of these witnesses reported that they first heard loud engine noises emanating from the aircraft, and that the engine sound then ceased. According to two of the witnesses, the aircraft initially descended at a “slight angle” which steepened to a 45-to-50 degree dive angle. None of the witnesses saw smoke or fire while the aircraft was in the air, and none saw parts separate from the aircraft. According to the witnesses, there were high scattered cumulus clouds in the area. A pilot, who flew a light aircraft through that general area after the accident, reported that he encountered severe turbulence at about 4,200 feet in the Phoenix area. The 1258 surface weather observation at Phoenix was reported as, measured ceiling of 4,800 feet broken clouds, 25,000 feet overcast, visibility 40 miles, wind from 250’ at 8 knots, and an altimeter setting of 29.78 inches. The crew was current in the aircraft and qualified for the operation involved. The wreckage site, a flat plowed field, revealed two distinct craters with no impact marks between them. One crater was oriented north/south. Most of the fuselage and left wing wreckage was found north of that crater and within 200 feet of it. The other crater, which contained remains of the right wing and the right engine, was located approximately 35 feet southeast of the fuselage crater. Scattered parts of the right wing were located northeast of the crater formed by that wing. Only one piece of wreckage was found outside the immediate area of the craters. This piece, a fairing from the lower aft wing root, was located 1,160 feet northwest (downwind) of the fuselage crater. Although the entire airframe of N4922V was fragmented, the degree of fragmentation was greater on the right side of the fuselage. Both engines were recovered, still attached to portions of their wing attach structure. No evidence of any pre-existing damage was noted on the engine mounts. The engines revealed no evidence of malfunction or failure prior to impact. Neither engine was producing power at impact. Both propellers were found in the feathering range: Disassembly and examination of both fuel controls, the fuel pumps, and the propeller governors revealed no discrepancies except for impact damage. All 12 occupants were killed.

While performing a training flight, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and decided to bail out and to abandon the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in a field located three miles west of Coolidge. All crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed.