Wichita Falls

The pilot was flying a non precision approach in instrument meteorological conditions at night. While flying the procedure turn for the approach, the airplane’s speed decayed toward the stall speed before the airplane accelerated back to the standard approach speed. During the descent from the final approach fix, the airplane’s descent stopped for about 30 seconds and then the airplane descended at a rate of about 1,300 ft per minute. The airplane decelerated and continued to descend until the airspeed was about 85 knots (about 7 knots above the calculated stall speed for flaps 20°) and the altitude was 500 ft mean sea level. The last recorded data point showed the airplane about 460 ft mean sea level and 750 ft from the accident site. The airplane impacted a private residence, and a postcrash fire ensued and destroyed the airplane. Impact signatures were consistent with a low-energy impact. Examination of the airframe and engines did not detect any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. Signatures on the engines and propellers were consistent with both engines providing power at impact. A review of the pilot’s toxicological information found that the level of eszopiclone in his specimens was subtherapeutic and thus not likely a factor in the accident. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with an inadvertent aerodynamic stall from which the pilot was unable to recover.

The airplane departed on a long cross country flight, with thunderstorms and rain squalls along the general route. Approaching the destination airport, the airplane entered a rain squall, stalled, and impacted the ground in an almost vertical descent. Other than the onboard weather radar being previously removed for maintenance, there were no mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane. The pilot, whose logbook was not recovered, was not instrument qualified. Although he was recently observed flying four to five times weekly, when the pilot applied for a multi-engine rating about 3 1/2 months earlier, he indicated 107 hours of total flight experience.

The copilot was flying the aircraft as it was being ferried after minor maintenance. As they were in a descent and were approaching the destination airport, the captain noted a left engine torque fluctuation of 20% to 30% and elected to secure the engine, although no yawing was noticed. During shutdown, the left propeller did not feather and drag increased until the aircraft would not sustain level flight. An attempted restart of the left engine was unsuccessful, so the captain tried to feather it again. However, the left propeller still did not feather. Subsequently, the pilots were forced to land in an open field on uneven terrain and the aircraft was damaged. An extensive investigation was made, but no cause could be found for the torque fluctuation, nor could the condition be duplicated, however, the investigation did note that the air and ground procedures for engine shutdown were similar. A variation in the ground shutdown procedures allowed for engagement of the start latches.

The aircraft crashed while completing a charter flight that began at 1220 cst on 11/25/83 to transport a TV Sports film crew. The flight began at Midland, TX and proceeded to Fort Worth and Wichita Falls, TX, then began a return flight to Midland. During arrival, the pilot transmitted that he was turning on a 1/2 mile final approach for runway 16R. Witnesses observed what appeared to be a normal approach, but at 30 to 50 feet agl, the pilot initiated a go-around, the aircraft pitched up in an extremely nose high attitude, then entered a left bank, stalled and crashed. To duplicate the aircraft's observed profile, simulation tests showed full aft yoke pressure had to have been applied with full nose-up trim engaged thru-out the maneuver. No preexisting mechanical defects were found during the investigation. A test of the right front seat passenger's blood showed a blood/alcohol level of .144%. A test of the pilot's blood showed no drugs or alcohol, but a microscopic tissue exam showed changes possibly indicative of myocardial infarction; no cause of an infarction was conclusively established. All eight occupants were killed.

Crash in unknown circumstances in a prairie located near Stilwell, east Oklahoma. All 11 crew members were killed.

Shortly after take off from Wichita Falls Airport, while climbing, the three engine airplane crashed in a field located five km east of the aerodrome. There were no casualties and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.