Houston-William P. Hobby

After takeoff from Houston-William P. Hobby Airport, while in initial climb, the right engine failed. The crew initiated a right turn when the airplane lost height and crashed in a field. Both occupants were slightly injured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

The flight from William P. Hobby Airport, Houston, Texas, to Brownwood, Texas, was scheduled to depart Hobby Airport at 1915. Two intermediate stops were scheduled. It was operating behind schedule because of delays in the first three flights of the day which were flown by the same captain who was readying Flight 108. The aircraft had been on the ground for 31 minutes between the time it landed and the time it taxied for takeoff. Two crewmembers and eight passengers were on board Flight 108. At 1941, the ground controller cleared Flight 108 to taxi to runway 22. At 1943:40 the captain reported that Flight 108 was ''ready to go on 22," and at 1945:10 transmitted "Eagle Air 108 is No. 1 for 22." At 1945:55, Flight 108 was cleared to taxi into position and to hold on runway 22. A pilot of an aircraft in the runup area adjacent to runway 22 stated that Flight 108 did not use the runup area, nor did he see the crew conduct an engine runup while awaiting takeoff clearance. At 1947:50, Flight 108 was cleared for takeoff, and at 1948:35, the tower air traffic controller inquired if Flight 108 would be making a right turn away from the airport. Flight 108 responded, "Eagle 108 just lost the right engine." The controller stated that when this transmission was made the aircraft was about 4,300 ft from the start of its takeoff roll and about 100 ft above the runway. A pilot witness on the ground stated that the aircraft was between 100 and 200 ft above the runway when the crew reported the loss of the right engine. An Eagle Airlines employee identified the person who made the transmission as a company employee--a pilot-in-command trainee who was in the copilot seat. The aircraft maintained runway heading for about 10 sec more before it began a right turn and a shallow descent. The rate of turn, the angle of bank to the right, and the rate of descent continued to increase as the aircraft turned 90° away from the runway heading. The angle of bank also increased as the aircraft descended, but the crew managed to level the wings just before impact. A passenger who was seated two seats behind the captain stated that when the aircraft was about 50 ft in the air he heard an engine "sputter" which continued until impact. The aircraft dropped, veered left, then right, and down." He recalled that a crewmember said, "What's next or what do we do now." A passenger on the right side, four seats back, heard a "popping or thudding" noise after the aircraft left the runway and veered to the right. He recalled that someone said, 'What do I do?". The third survivor was seated in the left rear seat. He heard an engine go "pop-pop like a backfire." He saw the captain pull back the "left red controls and the right pilot reach and turn things." None of the survivors could tell who was flying the aircraft. The aircraft crashed on a concrete airport parking ramp in a nearly level pitch attitude, with the right wing slightly lowered, about 1,000 ft from the runway. It then slid 200 ft on the ramp and hit two aircraft, four cars, and finally a hangar. A fire broke out when the aircraft hit the cars and the hangar. The accident occurred during hours of darkness.

On approach to Houston-William P. Hobby Airport, a low oil pressure in the right engine gearbox forced the crew to shut down the engine and to feather its propeller. For unknown reason, the propeller was not properly feathered and the airplane was approaching too low and too fast. After touchdown, as the airplane already rolled half of the landing distance (7,600 feet), the captain decided to initiate a go-around. After liftoff, fire was observed coming out from the tail exhaust pipe while the left engine lost power. The crew attempted an emergency landing and completed a belly landing in an open field near the airport. All 20 occupants were rescued, among them a passenger was seriously injured. The aircraft was written off.

After takeoff, while climbing, the left engine failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed near the runway. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

During the takeoff roll, after a course of 1,058 feet, the undercarriage were retracted. The aircraft sank on runway and both engines struck the ground. Out of control, the aircraft crashed in flames, killing all five occupants.