United States of America

On approach to Temecula-French Airport Runway 36 at night, the crew encountered foggy conditions. Due to poor visibility, the crew initiated a go around then made a right hand turn and followed a circuit for a second attempt to land. On short final, at a speed of approximately 130 knots, the airplane impacted the ground and crashed short of runway, bursting into flames. The airplane was totally destroyed and all six occupants were killed.

On July 6, 2023, about 1330 mountain daylight time (MDT), a Piper PA-60-601P airplane, N100PB, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Burlington, Colorado. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A search of radar and automatic dependent surveillance–broadcast (ADS-B) data sources did not reveal any track data for the flight. There were no witnesses to the accident. Video surveillance at the Kit Carson County Airport (ITR), Burlington, Colorado depicted the aircraft departing the runway about 1330 MDT. No flight plan was found to be filed. Day instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed at the accident site. The airplane impacted a fallow cornfield about 11.8 nautical miles (nm) southwest of the departure airport. A 350 ft long debris path, oriented on a 345° magnetic heading, preceded the l cation of the main wreckage. The airplane impacted the ground in a near wings level nose down attitude. The nose landing gear wheel and fork was found separated from the strut about 325 ft from the initial point of impact. The wing tips were found separated from both wings along the wreckage debris path on their respective sides.

While climbing the airplane to cruise altitude after takeoff, the pilot observed an increase in engine oil temperature above the normal range and requested to return to the departure airport. While receiving vectors for an instrument approach, the pilot saw smoke in the cabin and the engine lost total power. Unable to glide to any runway, the pilot selected a field for the forced landing, during which the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Postaccident examination revealed that about 2 quarts of oil remained in the engine, and the recovered oil displayed evidence of metal contamination. There was evidence of an oil leak in the engine compartment and along the lower fuselage. There was evidence of a crankcase fracture near the oil dip stick port; however, a laboratory examination determined the fracture to be consistent with overload and likely due to impact-related damage. The engine exhibited no evidence of any loose or disconnected oil lines. The oil filter was removed, and the filter material was found to be saturated with metallic particles. The oil suction screen plug, located on the oil sump, was not secured with safety wire as required per the manufacturer’s maintenance manual. There was no evidence that the plug or required safety wire was damaged by other objects. The oil suction screen plug was found to be loose, with engine oil observed below the oil suction screen plug. The crush washer behind the oil screen plug was intact and exhibited no damage. Laboratory analysis of the metallic debris recovered from the oil suction screen was consistent with connecting rod material as well as steel from fittings, fasteners, and brackets. The metallic debris found in the recovered oil, oil filter, and oil suction screen was likely due to mechanical damage associated with oil starvation. Eleven days before the accident flight, the pilot observed decreased engine manifold pressure and a partial loss of engine power. He diverted to an airport, where he had the turbocharger replaced by an aviation mechanic. In addition to replacing the turbocharger, the mechanic also drained and replaced the engine oil, which included removal and reinstallation of the oil suction screen plug. The loss of engine power was likely due to a loss of oil during the flight that led to oil starvation within the engine. The loose oil suction screen plug, the absence of safety wire on the plug, and the evidence of an oil leak beneath the plug were consistent with the mechanic’s failure to properly secure the oil suction screen plug during recent maintenance.

The pilot reported that while taxiing, after using a self-serve fuel station, the airplane’s left wing-tip fuel tank struck a post at the fuel station and a fire ignited. The pilot shut down the airplane’s engines and disembarked the airplane with his passenger. The left wing and fuselage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

The airplane was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Panama City, Florida. The pilot, copilot and three passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed Cobb County International Airport – McCollum Field (RYY), Atlanta, Georgia about 1932 destined for Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP), Panama City, Florida. According to the pilot, all the airplane’s systems (steering, engines, electrics, hydraulics, and avionics), worked normally for taxi and takeoff, and the enroute portion of the flight which was operated at FL220 (22,000 ft) was uneventful. The pilot set up for a straight-in ILS 16 Approach to ECP in the night visual meteorological conditions. The landing gear and wing flaps extended normally, and the hydraulic pressures and quantities were normal. The airplane touched down 2,500 ft from the approach end of the runway. The pilot then extended the airbrakes (speed brakes) and placed both engines into reverse idle; however, the reversers never deployed, and the system disagree horn annunciated. The pilot applied normal brakes and felt no deceleration. He verbalized on the interphone “no brakes” and the copilot immediately tried his brakes with no effect. The pilot then pulled the emergency brake handle to the first notch, with no effect, followed by the second stop (full emergency brakes), with the same result. The pilot tried recycling the brakes and reversers, again with no effect. He elected not to abort the landing at that point because he was unsure of the position the reversers (deployed or stowed) and the airplane was approaching the end of the 10,000-foot-long runway. The pilot Page 2 of 3 ERA23LA261 This information is preliminary and subject to change. then tried to shutdown both engines with the throttles but was unable because the reverser piggyback handles were still up. The pilot did not consider telling the copilot to pull the fire handles (another means of shutting down the engines) because the airplane was exiting the prepared surface of the runway and he was distracted by approaching obstacles. The pilot used the rudder to maneuver the airplane between two runway 34 approach lighting support poles. The airplane’s wings struck the poles, driving them across the inboard portion of the wings and into both engines inlets. The airplane bounced over a mound in the grass and then traveled into deep, soft sand where the gear collapsed, bringing the airplane to a stop.

The airplane departed Elizabethton Airport in Tennessee on a private flight to Ronkonkoma-Long Island-McArthur Field (Islip), New York. Approaching the destination, the airplane did not initiate a descent but an almost 180 turn and continued to the southwest. As there was no radio contact with the pilot anymore and as it was approaching the Washington DC area, ATC informed the authorities about the situation and two F-16 fighters were dispatched. The military pilots were unable to establish any contact with the crew. Flying at an altitude of 34,000 feet, the Cessna entered a right turn then an uncontrolled descent and spiraled to the ground before crashing in a wooded and hilly terrain located near Staunton, Virginia, some 600 km southwest from the destination airport. All four occupants were killed.

Shortly after takeoff from Tupelo Regional Airport, while climbing, the twin engine airplane entered a right turn then lost height and crashed near the boundary fence, bursting into flames. Both occupants were killed.

The airplane departed Santa Rosa-Sonoma County Airport on a ferry flight to Honolulu, carrying two pilots. It crashed in unknown circumstances into the Pacific Ocean some 54 km west of Half Moon Bay. No trace of the aircraft or the crew was found.

After touchdown on wet runway 24 at Summerville Airport, the airplane is believed to have hydroplaned. Unable to stop within the remaining distance (runway 24 is 5,000 feet long), it overran and came to rest against a berm, bursting into flames. All five occupants evacuated safely while the airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.

The pilot departed University-Oxford Airport on a private flight to Fayetteville. On approach to Drake Airport Runway 34, the twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in rugged terrain located south of the airfield. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.