United States of America

The airplane was over gross weight at takeoff but within Weight and Balance at the time of the accident. Witnesses observed the airplane flying low with the landing gear retracted over a wooded area then observed the airplane bank to the left and pitch down. The airplane then pitched nose up and entered what was described as a flat spin to the left. The airplane descended and impacted the ground upright with the landing gear retracted and the flaps symmetrically extended 6 degrees. Examination of the flight control systems, and engines revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. A cabin door ajar indicating light was not illuminated at impact but the gear warning light was illuminated at impact. The pilot recently purchased the aircraft and only accumulated a total of 1 hour 23 minutes during 6 training flights. He accumulated an additional 3 hours 37 minutes after completion of the training flights while flying with other qualified pilots. The accident flight was the first flight in the make and model while flying with no other multiengine-rated pilot aboard.

The pilot was conducting the localizer approach to runway 15 when the aircraft overran the runway and struck an obstacle. According to the pilot, a loss of power occurred in both engines as he attempted to do a missed approach, and the airspeed subsequently decreased from 105 to 80 knots. The pilot reported that he pushed the nose over to avoid a stall, broke out of the clouds over the mid-point of the runway, landed long and continued off the end of the runway into terrain and a tower structure. A witness reported the 'aircraft broke out of the clouds just above the trees north of runway 5 and west of runway 15. Reportedly, the aircraft as being banked from a right to left to get aligned with runway 5, flaps appeared to be up, and the gear was down. The witness said the engines sounded to be at idle and at high rpm, and the aircraft appeared to be 50 feet above the ground at midfield when it went out of sight behind hangar.' The weather observed at the time of the accident was in part: ceiling 100 feet overcast, visibility 0.5 mile with fog and rain. The published landing minimums for the approach was ceiling 400 feet and visibility 0.75 mile. Recorded radar data of the flight indicated a descent below the minimum descent altitude at a constant airspeed. Both engines started immediately and ran during a postaccident check of the aircraft.

The flightcrew of a Gulfstream G-IV began taking off on Runway 34 with a crosswind from 280° at 24 knots. About 1,340 feet after the takeoff roll began, the airplane veered left 5.14° to a heading of 335°. It departed the runway, and tire marks indicated no braking action was applied. One of the pilots said, "Reverse," then one said, "No, no, no, go, go, go, go, go." The airplane traversed a shallow ditch that paralleled the runway, which resulted in separation of both main landing gear, the left and right flaps, and a piece of left aileron control cable from the airplane. The airplane became airborne after it encountered a small berm at the departure end of the runway. Reportedly, the left wing fuel tank exploded. The main wreckage was located about 6,650 feet from the start of the takeoff roll. Examination of the airplane indicated no preexisting anomalies of the engines, flight controls, or aircraft systems. The Nose Wheel Steering Select Control Switch was found in the "Handwheel Only" position, and not in the "Normal" position. The pilot-in-command (PIC) routinely flew with the switch in the "Normal" position. The PIC and copilot (pilot-not-flying) comprised a mix crew in accordance with an Interchange Agreement between two companies which operated G-IV's. The companies' operation manuals and the Interchange Agreement did not address mixed crews, procedural differences, or aircraft difference training.

Prior to takeoff from a private turf airstrip (1400'x 90'), the pilot adjusted the left engine's fuel pump. On takeoff roll the left engine began surging. The pilot continued the takeoff. The pilot lifted off at approximately 1000' and pulled back on the yoke to get over the trees on the left side of the airstrip. The airplane drifted to the left. The pilot said he stalled the airplane and should have pushed the yoke forward to gain airspeed. The Pilot Operating Handbook indicted a takeoff roll of approximately 2,500 feet was needed on a dry paved surface.

The pilot and two passengers departed for a remote area on an on-demand charter flight in a float-equipped airplane. An emergency locator transmitter signal was heard in the area of the intended destination about 55 minutes after departure. The flight was reported overdue and search personnel located the wreckage at an elevation of about 2,850 feet in mountainous terrain about 2 and 1/2 hours after departure. The airplane collided with terrain below the top of a steep ridge. Search personnel reported the weather conditions in the area included low ceilings. The conditions deteriorated during subsequent rescue operations. The area forecast included an AIRMET for marginal VFR conditions with mountain obscuration due to clouds and precipitation.

The pilot said that after climbing about 500 feet after takeoff, at 120 knots with the gear retracted, the left engine lost power. He feathered the propeller, lowered the nose to the horizon, and began a shallow left turn back to the airport. He left the flaps at 20° and noted a descent of 200 feet to 300 feet per minute in the turn. After clearing trees, the pilot extended the landing gear, banked the aircraft to the right to align it with the runway and lowered flaps to 40°. After touchdown, he applied single engine reversing. The aircraft went off right side of runway and into a ditch, collapsing the right main and nose gear. Examination of the engine revealed the torque sensor housing had failed, resulting in loss of drive to the fuel pump. Metallurgical exam of the housing arm of the torque sensor revealed it had failed from fatigue. On 9/14/79, a service bulletin (SB) was issued for replacement of the torque sensor housing with an improved housing. The manufacturer overhauled the engine on 12/1979, but SB was not complied with. SB indicated a history of resonant vibration causing cracks in the housing arm of original torque sensor and gear assemblies, and that the housing should be replaced, no later than during next part exposure. Investigation revealed pilot did not comply with engine failure procedures and airspeeds. Flight manual cautioned not to use 40° of flaps during single engine landings.

The pilot and three passengers were departing a remote lake in a float equipped airplane. The pilot positioned the hydraulic actuated flaps to 20 degrees. After takeoff, about 150 ft above the water, the pilot positioned the flap lever to the 'UP' position in preparation of pumping the flaps up, but said he did not move the pump handle. Turbulence was present during the takeoff, and during a left turn, the pilot encountered a severe gust at the time he positioned the flap lever. The airplane stalled in a left turn that steepened to almost a 90 degree bank. The airplane descended and the left wing contacted the surface of the lake. The left wing was torn off the fuselage, and the floats were crushed upward. Both flaps are activated by a common torque tube connected to a double-acting flap actuating cylinder. At the accident scene, the right wing flap and right aileron were observed to be extended to an intermediate position. The weather conditions included 20 kts of wind, turbulence, and rain. The pilot expressed a concern that the flaps may have retracted without being pumped to the up position. An examination of the flap system and the ratchet valve assembly was conducted after the airplane was recovered and the wings were removed. Leakage of hydraulic fluid and air was observed through the ratchet valve. Additional testing of the ratchet valve at an overhaul facility did not reveal any leakage.

The airplane was being positioned to another airport at night. The flight was over mountainous terrain. The airplane collided with the top of a 4,600-foot bluff. The pilot had a history of transient global amnesia. Examination of the accident site revealed a 567-foot long wreckage path, oriented along the direct course line from the departure point to the destination. Damage to the engine and propeller indicated that the engine was developing power at impact.

The pilot had flown this route in make and model airplane for nearly 4 years. He calculated 900 pounds of fuel were required for the flight, and saw 956 pounds on the fuel totalizer. The pilot was told by the ground controller of weather delays to his destination that ranged up to 2.5 hours. En route he was issued holding instructions with an EFC of 50 minutes later. After released from holding, 52 minutes after takeoff, the pilot was told that he was being vectored for a 35 mile final approach. The pilot then told the controller that he was fuel critical and the controller vectored him ahead of other airplanes. Ten minutes later, 84 minutes after takeoff, the controller asked his fuel status, and the pilot responded 'pretty low, seems like I'm losing oil pressure.' The pilot then advised the controller, 85 minutes after takeoff, that he shut down the right engine. He then declared an emergency and advised that he was not going to make the airport. Examination of the wreckage revealed the fuel tanks were intact, the fuel caps were secured, and the amount of fuel recovered from both tanks was 1.5 gallons, which was less than the specified unusable quantity. Company records showed that similar flights took about 48 minutes, and the airplane's average fuel flow was 580 pounds per hour.

After takeoff, the pilot transmitted to ATC controllers that he had lost power in an engine. He made a steep turn to the left back toward the airport, then a right turn toward the runway. The aircraft's nose dropped in the right turn, and the aircraft crashed nose first on a taxiway. Post crash examination of the aircraft structure and flight control systems revealed no preimpact failure or malfunction. The left propeller was found in the feathered position, and the right propeller was found in a high blade angle. The right propeller had damage consistent with the engine operating. Teardown examination of the engines and propellers showed no findings that would have resulted in engine or propeller malfunction or failure. At the time the aircraft was purchased by the pilot in March 1996, he had not flown for about 10 years. Since purchasing the aircraft, he had logged 2.5 hours of transition/checkout in the airplane and had flown it for a total of about 22 hours, mostly on 'sightseeing flights.'