Dallas

The airplane impacted terrain during takeoff initial climb in dark night conditions with a 100 ft ceiling and 1/4 mile visibility in fog. The instrument rated private pilot sustained serious injuries and does not recall the flight. No discrepancies were found with the aircraft, flight instruments, or engines that would have contributed to the accident. A weather briefing was obtained and an IFR flight plan was filed. The pilot had 312.8 hrs total time (54.2 hrs in this aircraft), 61 hrs night flight time (36.9 hrs in this aircraft) and 26.8 hrs actual instrument time (19.6 hrs in this aircraft). Toxicological findings were positive for benzoylecgonine (metabolite of cocaine), ethanol, and cocaethylene (substance formed when cocaine and alcohol are simultaneously ingested) in a urine sample subpoenaed by the NTSB from the hospital that treated the pilot. Benzoylecgonine can be found in urine for 3 to 5 days after cocaine use. Since blood was not available for analysis, it could not be determined how much of each substance was ingested and when they were ingested. The pilot stated that he was not under the influence of cocaine or alcohol on the day of the crash.

The pilots of Mitsubishi MU-2, N106MA, and a Cessna 310 with no registration number elected to fly in formation at night, though neither pilot had formal training in formation flying nor experience in night formation. They joined up in flight and the MU-2 pilot was flying on the wing of the Cessna 310. The MU-2 pilot communicated that he was going to change positions from the right side to the left side of the 310C. The Cessna 310 pilot and his passenger lost sight of the MU-2 when it dropped back to a position in the rear of the Cessna 310. Soon thereafter, the two aircraft collided and the MU-2 went out of control and crashed. The right horizontal stabilizer was torn from the Cessna 310 and the 310's empennage, right wing and props were damaged, but it was landed without injury to its occupants. An investigation revealed the tail light of the Cessna 310 was inoperative. Sole on board, the pilot was killed.

After leveling at 5,500 feet, the standby power annunciator light illuminated, followed by loss of oil pressure. The pilot turned back toward the airport, but there was a progressive loss of engine power and the prop went to a feathered position. During an emergency landing at night, the aircraft hit a power line and trees, then crashed. During an engine teardown, disassembly of the reduction gearbox scavenge pump revealed that a retaining nut and tang washer (w/i the scavenge pump) had backed off and lodged between the spur gears, which resulted in a sheared scavenge pump drive shaft. In turn, this resulted in the loss of oil pressure and allowed the prop to feather.

A student pilot in a Cessna 152, N5522L, had departed Redbird Airport at Dallas. He was practicing solo maneuvers in a privately designated practice area that overlapped the extended inbound course to runway 31L and 31R at Love Field. At the same time, a Cessna 441, N400BG, was being vectored for a back course ILS to rwy 31R. DFW approach control cleared N400BG to continue descending to 3,000 feet and fly heading 290°. While N400BG was descending thru approximately 3,600 feet, about 14 miles southeast of Love Field, the two aircraft collided. The Cessna 152 pilot was maneuvering at or near the edge of the practice area when the collision occurred. An investigation revealed the Cessna 152 had just completed an approximately 180° turn toward an easterly heading. Both aircraft were demolished in a quartering head-on collision. Radar info from both aircraft was displayed on the controller's scope. The Cessna 152 was depicted as a 1200 beacon code; however, it was not equipped with a mode C (altitude reporting) transponder. The controller did not provide a traffic advisory for the Cessna 441 pilot; but, in this situation, an advisory was not mandatory. All five pilot on both aircraft were killed.

N100HC and N33177 collided due to the failure of both pilots to maintain adequate visual separation. The pilot-in-command of N100HC made a poor decision by performing the simulated emergency descent on a low altitude airway. The southerly descending maneuver was performed between 5,500 and 3,500 feet, which coincided with the westerly cruising altitude of N33177. The pilot of N33177 would have been hindered to an unknown degree by the high wing design of the aircraft from perceiving N100HC as it descended at a convergence angle of about 90°. The crew of N100HC saw N33177 just prior to collision and initiated an unsuccessful rolling pull-up evasive maneuver. A portion of the right wing and the empennage of N33177 were separated during the collision resulting in its uncontrolled vertical descent. Post crash fire consumed the wreckage. Damage to N100HC led to a forced landing 7 1/2 miles from the mid air collision. Both pilots on board the Beech were unhurt.

No evidence of preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction was noted during wreckage examination. The FAA operations inspector who was on board at the time of the accident stated there were no aircraft problems involved. The pic, who was in the process of taking her type rating checkride in the aircraft, failed to maintain directional control during a simulated engine failure after reaching V1 speed during the takeoff run. The total flight experience for the pic was 2,454 hours, most of which was acquired in multi-engine aircraft, with 387 hours being in the make and model aircraft involved in the accident. All listed experience in this make and model was obtained as second-in-command. All three occupants were killed.

The aircraft crashed after starting a go-around or aborted landing at Norman, OK. The aircraft was on a cross-country flight from Dallas to Wichita. There was no radio communication with the aircraft after it was cleared to land. The approach looked ok but on short final the aircraft suddenly turned right, leveled then entered a steep climbing right turn and continue to roll until inverted then pitched nose down until crashing. The pilot in the right seat had reportedly worked late the night before installing what appeared to be an auxiliary fuel system in the cabin. The aircraft had just been sold and the identity and location of the owner was not established. No one claimed the wreckage. Evidence revealed that both propellers were rotating at high rpm at impact. The fire after impact burned most intensely and persistently in the center of the cabin where the remains of what appeared to be an auxiliary fuel system were found. No pre-impact malfunctions or failures were found. Both occupants were killed.

The aircraft had been on sales demonstration flights and was on a delivery flight from Memphis, TN to Dallas, TX. The plane was observed departing at 1550 CDT in a max performance climb. Radar info from mode C of the transponder returns indicated that the aircraft climbed from 1,000 to 16,000 feet in 7 min and 14 seconds. Level flight was indicated at 16,300 ft from 1558:16 to 1601:17 CDT. The last alt return was from 16,000 ft at 2201:07. Two more returns were received at 2201:49 and 2202:08, but with no altitude readout. At about that time, the aircraft was observed spiraling down, counterclockwise, with a portion of the left wing missing. The wing tip (outer wing panel outboard from about wing station 190), left aileron and left engine tail cone panel were found about 3 miles from the main wreckage impact point. An examination revealed that the wing panel separation occurred upward from positive overload forces. No evidence was found of fatigue or pre-existing failure. Light to moderate turbulence was reported between 14,000 and 18,000 ft msl. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

While cruising at an altitude of 21,000 feet, the pilot was cleared to climb to 23,000 feet when the airplane's speed dropped about 53 knots. The airplane entered a rapid descent and was observed spinning until it crashed in a field. All five occupants were killed.

While in cruising altitude in marginal weather conditions on a flight from Houston to Dallas, the pilot lost control of the airplane that entered a dive. During the descent, wings and stabs separated and the aircraft crashed near Madisonville. All three occupants were killed.