United States of America

The pilot stated that after parachutists egressed from the airplane, he returned to the airport and found that he did not have a green down-and-locked indication for the left main landing gear. He stated that he executed emergency procedures and did two fly-bys over the runway. Ground personnel stated that the landing gear appeared to be down-and-locked. During the landing roll, the airplane began to slide side-ways, and the right main landing gear began to collapse and eventually separated from the airplane. The left main gear also collapsed as the airplane slid to a stop. After the accident, the upper torque knee on the left main landing gear was found broken. The failure mode of the upper torque knee was not determined.

The crew departed Hunter AFB on a local training mission when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances on Ossabaw Island, south of Savannah. Both pilots were killed.

The pilot had contacted the FSS 11 times on the day of the accident to obtain weather briefings. The conditions were below VFR minimums, which were required to conduct the passenger carrying commercial flight in a single-engine airplane. The conditions later improved and the pilot departed under a special VFR clearance. The pilot performed two approaches at the destination airport in IMC that were consistent with the two GPS approaches that were available there. Weather data and witnesses indicate that daylight conditions, low clouds and poor visibility prevailed, with cloud tops at 1,000 feet. After the second approach, the pilot radioed that he was heading back to the departure airport because he could not see the airport. No distress calls or unusual engine noises were heard. The airplane subsequently flew north of the airport and away from the departure airport at an altitude beneath the minimum radar coverage of 2,200 feet. It impacted the frozen Arctic Ocean in a right bank and at a 60-degree nose-down attitude about three miles away from the location of the pilot's last radio transmission. An examination of the airplane (before it sank through cracking ice) revealed no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. An examination of the propeller revealed that it was under a power setting consistent with a maneuvering airspeed at the time of impact. An examination of the autopilot annunciator filament revealed that the autopilot was not engaged at impact. The airplane was nearly full of fuel and over its published maximum gross weight at impact. Small pieces of clear ice, about 1/4-inch thick, were found on portions of the tail surfaces. Interviews with operator employees and the pilot's wife revealed that the pilot may have felt pressure from himself and passengers to complete the flight.

The aircraft was being operated on a trans-Pacific ferry flight. A special flight permit authorized a gross weight increase and ferry fuel tanks had been installed along with long range communication and navigation radios. The pilot reported that when 85 miles from the departure airport, the right engine failed and he was unable to restart it. Power from the remaining engine was insufficient to maintain level flight at the overweight condition and the pilot permitted the aircraft to drift down until it was necessary to ditch in the ocean 28 miles offshore. The pilot had departed and returned to Hawaii twice previously. The first time he returned due to an oil leak on the left engine, and the second time because of a loose window. A mechanic who repaired the window reported that the left engine appeared to still be leaking oil. Both pilots told the FAA inspector that the oil leak had been repaired.

Witnesses observed the airplane overfly their homes at low altitude in a tight circular pattern. A witness about 1/2 mile from the airport '. . . watched the plane try to make a turn to the left trying to go back west to the Highland County Airport. The plane made a sharp turn, seemed to be having difficulty stabilizing the airplane . . . .' Also, a witness reported that she heard a loud noise, and then she observed an airplane just barely above the trees. The landing gear was down, and the airplane 'kept dipping up and down.' Another witness reported the airplane was 'wobbling left to right,' and then it descended into trees, struck vehicles, came to rest against a tree, and was destroyed by a post crash fire. A person, who flew with the pilot as a safety pilot on several occasions, reported that the pilot had a habit of making steep close-in turns, from downwind to base, to final; and he noticed 'lack in airspeed management during approach.' Examination of the wreckage did not disclose any preimpact failure of the airplane or engine.

During the airplane's takeoff roll, about 3/4 down the 3,700 foot runway, a witness reported that the color of the #1 exhaust flame changed from blue to yellow, accompanied by an audible change in the engine power level. The nose of the airplane yawed left and the left wing dipped. Directional control was regained and the takeoff continued. Skid marks were found about 650 feet before the departure end of the runway that continued about 1360 feet to an abandoned grocery store impacted by the plane. About 315 feet before the building, the left wing contacted a privacy fence, and a utility pole, resulting in a fire at the disrupted left wing main fuel tank. A pilot/mechanic who helped dispatch the airplane observed that the elevator was free as it taxied. Fire damage to all engines precluded a detailed post crash examination of essential fuel and ignition systems. The toxicological report regarding the second pilot indicated that 1.110 mcg/ml (ug/ml, ug/g) of Diphenhydramine, was detected in the blood. According to NTSB medical personnel, Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine often found in over-the-counter allergy medications. A single oral dose of medication containing Diphenhydramine, at twice the recommended maximum of over-the-counter dosage, resulted in maximal blood levels of between 0.08 and 0.16 mcg/ml. The level of Diphenhydramine found during the toxicology examination of the second pilot approximated ten times the levels found following a dosage at twice the recommended strength. Diphenhydramine was also found in the urine. Additional prescription and nonprescription medications were also found during the toxicological examination of the second pilot.

The pilot of Cessna 207A, N800GA, was returning to his company base, passing about 2 miles north of a remote airstrip that was along the route of flight. The airstrip did not have any control tower. [Communications around an uncontrolled airport are conducted on a common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF)]. The pilot of a Short SC7, N451SA, announced his departure from the same airstrip on the CTAF, and took off in a northerly direction. He then began a climbing right turn toward the same destination as the Cessna 207A was proceeding. The two airplanes collided in mid-air, about 1.49 nautical miles east-northeast of the airstrip, which was about 18.3 miles west of their destination. They were observed spiraling downward from about 800 ft above the ground. Both airplanes were found lying flat and upright on a frozen lake, entangled together at the accident site. The Cessna's burned wreckage was lying on top of (and positioned toward the aft third of) the burned wreckage of the Short SC7.

The pilot of Cessna 207A, N800GA, was returning to his company base, passing about 2 miles north of a remote airstrip that was along the route of flight. The airstrip did not have any control tower. [Communications around an uncontrolled airport are conducted on a common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF)]. The pilot of a Short SC7, N451SA, announced his departure from the same airstrip on the CTAF, and took off in a northerly direction. He then began a climbing right turn toward the same destination as the Cessna 207A was proceeding. The two airplanes collided in mid-air, about 1.49 nautical miles east-northeast of the airstrip, which was about 18.3 miles west of their destination. They were observed spiraling downward from about 800 ft above the ground. Both airplanes were found lying flat and upright on a frozen lake, entangled together at the accident site. The Cessna's burned wreckage was lying on top of (and positioned toward the aft third of) the burned wreckage of the Short SC7.

All positions at LaGuardia Tower were combined to the local control position from 0011 EST until after the accident. At about 0430 EST, ground personnel in 'Vehicle 1277' (communicating on ground control frequency), were cleared on runway 13/31 to perform 'lighting maintenance.' Later, during repair of centerline lights and while N117FJ was inbound to the airport, Vehicle 1277 stalled on runway 13/31. Personnel of Vehicle 1277 attempted to restart the vehicle, but were unable, so they shut off all vehicle lights to reduce electrical load, and again attempted to restart the vehicle, but to no avail. At 0507 (during darkness), N117FJ made initial call to the tower for landing. The controller acknowledged the call, scanned runway 13/31, did not see Vehicle 1277, and cleared N117FJ to land on runway 31. At 0510, personnel of Vehicle 1277 observed N117FJ in the approach/landing phase and radioed ground controller that they were stuck on the runway. The controller then radioed, 'go-around, aircraft on the runway go-around, aircraft on the runway go-around, seven fox juliet go-around.' Moments later, N117FJ impacted Vehicle 1277. The FAA ATC Handbook stated, 'Ensure that the runway to be used is clear of all known ground vehicles, equipment, and personnel before a departing aircraft starts takeoff or a landing aircraft crosses the runway threshold.'

The twin engine airplane had been cleared for a night instrument approach to Galveston, Texas, after flying non-stop from San Diego, California, when the pilot reported that he had lost the right engine and did not have much fuel left. The controller vectored the airplane toward the closest airport, and the airplane was approximately 1 mile northeast of that airport when radar contact was lost. A witness observed the airplane enter a spin, descend in a nose down attitude, and impact near the center of a lake. When the pilot filed his flight plan for the cross country flight, he indicated the airplane carried enough fuel to fly for 7 hours and 30 minutes. At the time radar contact was lost, 7 hours and 32 minutes had elapsed since the airplane departed San Diego. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical discrepancies. The landing gear was down, the flaps were extended to about 15 degrees, and neither propeller was feathered. The single engine approach procedure in the airplane owner's manual indicated that the landing gear should be extended when within gliding distance of the field and the flaps placed down only after landing is assured.