Naples

On February 9, 2024, about 1517 eastern standard time, a Bombardier Inc CL-600-2B16, N823KD, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Naples, Florida. The two airline transport pilots were fatally injured. The cabin attendant and the two passengers sustained minor injuries, and one person on the ground suffered minor injury. The airplane was operated by Ace Aviation Services (doing business as Hop-A-Jet) as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand passenger flight. The airplane was returning to Naples Municipal Airport (APF), Naples, Florida, from Ohio State University Airport (OSU), Columbus, Ohio, where it had flown earlier in the day. The airplane was serviced with 350 gallons of fuel before departure from OSU. Preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) flight track and air traffic control (ATC) data revealed that the flight crew contacted the ATC tower at APF while on a right downwind leg of the approach to the airport and maneuvering for a 5-mile final approach to runway 23. At 1508, the tower controller cleared the flight to land. The airplane was about 6.5 miles north of APF, about 2,000 ft geometric altitude (GEO) and 166 knots groundspeed, as it turned for the base leg of the traffic pattern. A preliminary review of the data recovered from the airplane’s flight data recorder revealed that the first of three Master Warnings was recorded at 1509:33 (L ENGINE OIL PRESSURE), the second immediately following at 1509:34 (R ENGINE OIL PRESSURE), and at 1509:40 (ENGINE). The system alerted pilots with illumination of a “Master Warning” light on the glareshield, a corresponding red message on the crew alerting system page and a triple chime voice advisory (“Engine oil”). Twenty seconds later, at 1510:05, about 1,000 ft msl and 122 kts, on a shallow intercept angle for the final approach course, the crew announced, “…lost both engines… emergency… making an emergency landing” (see figure 1). The tower controller acknowledged the call and cleared the airplane to land. At 1510:12, about 900 ft and 115 knots, the crew replied, “We are cleared to land but we are not going to make the runway… ah… we have lost both engines.” There were no further transmissions from the flight crew and the ADS-B track data ended at 1510:47, directly over Interstate 75 in Naples, Florida. Dashcam video submitted to the National Transportation Safety Board captured the final seconds of the flight. The airplane descended into the camera’s view in a shallow left turn and then leveled its wings before it touched down aligned with traffic travelling the southbound lanes of Interstate 75. The left main landing gear touched down first in the center of the three lanes, and then the right main landing gear touched down in the right lane. The airplane continued through the break-down lane and into the grass shoulder area before impacting a concrete sound barrier. The airplane was obscured by dust, fire, smoke, and debris until the video ended. This information is preliminary and subject to change. After the airplane came to rest, the cabin attendant stated that she identified that the cabin and emergency exits were blocked by fire and coordinated the successful egress of her passengers and herself through the baggage compartment door in the tail section of the airplane.

After takeoff from his home airport with about 50 gallons of fuel in each fuel tank, the pilot climbed to 7,000 ft and proceeded to his destination. When he was about halfway there, he switched from the right fuel tank to the left fuel tank. Immediately after switching fuel tanks, the engine started to sputter and lost power. The pilot switched back to the right fuel tank but there was no change. He then tried different power settings, adjusted the mixture to full rich and switched tanks again without regaining engine power. The pilot advised air traffic control (ATC) that he was having an engine problem and needed to land at the nearest airport. ATC instructed him contact the control tower at the nearest airport and cleared him to land. The pilot advised the controller that he was not going to be able to make it to the airport and that he was going to land in the water. During the water landing, the airplane came to a sudden stop. The pilot and his passenger then egressed, and the airplane sank. An annual inspection of the airplane had been completed about 2 months prior to the accident and test flights associated with the annual inspection had all been done with the fuel selector selected to the right fuel tank, and this was the first time he had selected the left fuel tank since before the annual inspection. The airplane was equipped with an engine monitor that was capable of recording engine parameters. Examination of the data revealed that around the time of the loss of engine power, exhaust gas temperature and cylinder head temperature experienced a rapid decrease on all cylinders along with a rapid decrease of turbine inlet temperature, which was indicative of the engine being starved of fuel. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any evidence of any preimpact failures or malfunctions of the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation. During examination of the fuel system, the fuel selector was observed in the RIGHT fuel tank position and was confirmed to be in the right fuel tank position with low pressure air. However, when the fuel selector was positioned to the LEFT fuel tank position, continuity could not be established with low pressure air. Further examination revealed that a fuel selector valve labeled FERRY TANK was installed in the left fuel line between the factory-installed fuel selector and the left fuel tank. The ferry tank fuel selector was observed to be in the ON position, which blocked continuity from the left fuel tank to the engine. Continuity could only be established when the ferry tank fuel selector was positioned to the OFF position. With low pressure air, no continuity could be established from the ferry tank fuel line that attached to the ferry tank’s fuel selector. The ferry tank fuel selector valve was mounted between the pilot and copilot seats on the forward side of the main wing spar in the area where the pilot and copilot would normally enter and exit the cockpit. This location was such that the selector handle could easily be inadvertently kicked or moved by a person or object. A guard was not installed over the ferry tank fuel selector valve nor was the selector valve handle safety wired in the OFF position to deactivate the valve even though a ferry tank was not installed. Review of the airplane’s history revealed that about 3 years before the accident, the airplane had been used for an around-the-world flight by the pilot and that prior to the flight, a ferry tank had been installed. A review of maintenance records did not reveal any logbook entries or associated paperwork for the ferry tank installation and/or removal, except for a copy of the one-page fuel system schematic from the maintenance manual with a handwritten annotation (“Tank”), and hand drawn lines, both added to it in blue ink. A review of Federal Aviation Administration records did not reveal any record of a FAA Form 337 (Major Repair or Alteration) or a supplemental type certificate for installation of the ferry tank or the modification to the fuel system.

An annual inspection had been completed on the airplane the same day, and on its first flight after the annual inspection, as the airplane was departing from runway 05, at Naples Municipal Airport, witnesses said the engine ceased operating. They also said that the propeller was rotating either slowly or had stopped, and they then observed the airplane enter a steep turn, followed by an abrupt and uncontrolled nose-low descent and subsequent impact with the ground. The airplane came to rest in a nose-low, near vertical position, suspended at its tail section by a fence and some trees along the eastern perimeter of the airport. It had incurred substantial damage and the pilot and two passengers who were onboard the airplane were fatally injured. Postaccident examination of the airframe, flight controls and the engine did not reveal any mechanical failure or malfunction. The flaps were found to have been set to 10 degrees, and the propeller showed little or no evidence of rotation at impact. The FAA Toxicology Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological studies on specimens obtained from the pilot and the results showed that diphenhydramine was found to be present in urine, and 0.139 (ug/ml, ug/g) diphenhydramine was detected in blood. Diphenhydramine, commonly known by the trade name Benadryl, is an over-the-counter antihistamine with sedative side effects, and is commonly used to treat allergy symptoms. Published research (Weiler et. al. Effects of Fexofenadine, Diphenhydramine, and Alcohol on Driving Performance. Annals of Internal Medicine 2000; 132:354-363), has noted the effect of a maximal over the counter dose of diphenhydramine to be worse than the effect of a 0.10% blood alcohol level on certain measures of simulated driving performance. The level of diphenydramine in the blood of the pilot was consistent with recent use of more than a typical maximum single over-the-counter dose of the medication.

While engaged in a mosquito control flight, the right engine failed. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed east of Naples. Both crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Registration to be confirmed.

Approximately 7 minutes after takeoff (at 1441), the pilot declared an emergency and said the left engine had lost power. He feathered the engine, diverted back toward the airport and descended to VFR conditions below the clouds. At 1448, the pilot said he had the airport in sight and turned onto a left downwind for runway 15. Reportedly, he extended the landing gear and began a left turn toward the runway. Reportedly, the aircraft was too close in and/or the pilot chose to make a right turn away from the airport to land. Witnesses lost sight of the aircraft during the turn due to low clouds or obstructions. The pilot lost sight of the airport for a short time, then relocated it, but said he had his 'hands full.' Shortly thereafter, the aircraft entered a steep descent, hit the edge (roof) of a building, crashed into a utility pole and the ground and burned. There was evidence the aircraft was inverted just before impact. An exam of the left engine revealed evidence the #6 connecting rod had failed from oil exhaustion. Only one cup of oil was found in the engine and it had a history of high oil consumption. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Shortly after takeoff, both engines lost power and a wheels up landing was made in an open field. The aircraft was destroyed by impact and fire. An investigation revealed that the aircraft had been refuel with Jet-A fuel rather than 100 low lead avgas. The lineman had inadvertently used the Jet-A fuel truck which was identical to the Avgas truck except for a decal, appx 4' by 16', which identified the type of fuel. The lineman stated that his training consisted of approximately 30 minutes of reading the company maintenance manual on how to refuel the different company aircraft, then was given on-the-job training for a brief time. When he went to refuel N89PB prior to the accident flight, he went to the parking space where the Avgas truck was normally parked, but on that occasion, the Jet-A fuel truck was there.

After takeoff from Naples, the twin engine airplane struck trees and crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, escaped and was not recovered. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crashed in unknown circumstances near Naples while engaged in a contraband flight. The pilot, sole on board, was not recovered. The airplane was destroyed in the accident.

After being stolen for an illegal mission, the twin engine airplane crash landed near Naples. The pilot selected an unsuitable terrain and the gear collapsed upon landing. The aircraft was then destroyed by a deliberate fire.

Shortly after takeoff from Naples Airport, while initial climb, the airplane collided with a flock of seagulls that entered the engines. Both engines' compressors stalled, the airplane lost speed then stalled and crashed in an open field located past the runway end. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all 11 occupants were seriously injured.