United States of America

While cruising at FL240, the pilot observed the engine oil pressure gradually decrease from the normal to the caution range and a drop in manifold pressure. He requested and received vectors for a precautionary landing at an airport short of his destination. During the descent, the oil pressure continued to drop to zero and engine power was lost. He was able to locate the airport underneath the overcast, but loss of engine power prevented him from reaching the runway. The airplane impacted trees 1,200 feet from the airport. The 6 engine cylinder assemblies were changed 7 hours prior to the accident. Examination of the engine and turbochargers did not reveal the source of the oil loss.

A Beech liner, Boeing 757 and Israel Westwind (WW) were vectored for landings on runway 19R. The 757 and WW were sequenced for visual approaches behind the Beech. Before being cleared for visual approach, the WW was closing 3.5 miles from the 757 on a converging course. The 757 and WW crews were told to slow to 150 knots. The 757 slowed below 150 knots and was high on final approach with a 5.6° descent. The WW continued to converge to about 2.1 miles behind the 757 on a 3° approach. ATC did not specifically advise, and was not required by ATC handbook to advise, the WW pilots that they were behind a Boeing 757. Captain discussed possible wake turbulence, flew ILS 1 dot high, noted closeness to the 757 and indicated there should be no problem. While descending thru approximately 1,100 feet msl, the WW encountered wake turbulence from the 757, rolled into a steep descent and crashed. The crew lacked specific wake turbulence training. Chlorpheniramine (common over-the-counter anti-histamine; not approved for flying) detected in pilot's lung tissue (0.094 ug/ml).

The flight was cleared for the ILS approach to runway 30. The flying pilot was the pilot-in-command. According to the cockpit voice recorder transcripts, the flying pilot had difficulty making a stabilized approach. During the initial descent the airplane entered an overspeed condition and the airplane flew through the localizer. During his attempt to re-establish the airplane on the localizer, the pilot allowed the airspeed to decrease to the point where the prestall 'stick-shaker' activated. The stick shaker continued until the airplane departed controlled flight and impacted terrain. No evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies were discovered during the investigation. All three occupants were killed.

The pilot stated that he was attempting a takeoff on a 2,700 foot sod runway and hit a soft spot which decreased his groundspeed by 15 to 20 miles per hour. He continued the takeoff attempt and struck trees at the end of the runway. The airplane fell to the ground and burst into flames.

En route at FL240, the plane entered a left spiraling descent and subsequently experienced an inflight break-up at 7,000 feet with separation of outboard wings, tail sections and internal vinyl from the nose baggage door. There was no distress call. Witnesses heard the engines and an explosive sound, then they saw the plane in a spin, trailed by falling debris. Debris was strewn over a distance of about 3.5 miles. Light weight pieces including vinyl from the baggage door, wing skin, and tail skin pieces were among the 1st debris on the wreckage path. Tail sections were found about 2.5 miles from the main wreckage with evidence of overload failure; pieces of the wings were found with evidence of downward/overload separation. No preexisting airframe failure was found that would have led to loss of control, inflight breakup, loss of pressurization or hypoxia. The plane was inactive for about 2 years before being purchased 2 months before accident. Last annual inspection was on 6/8/92. Icing was forecast from 9,000 feet to 17,000 feet msl; turbulence was forecast below 8,000 feet msl. Both occupants were killed.

While on a localizer back course approach the airplane collided with trees and the terrain approximately 3 miles from the runway threshold. The captain delayed the start of the descent that subsequently required an excessive descent rate to reach the FAF and MDH. The captain's actions led to distractions during critical phases of the approach. The flightcrew lost altitude awareness and allowed the airplane to descend below mandatory level off points. The captain's record raised questions about his airmanship and behavior that suggested a lack of crew coordination during flight operations, including intimidation of first officers. Company management did not address these matters adequately. The airline's flight operations management failed to implement provisions to adequately oversee the training of their flight crews and the operation of their aircraft. FAA guidance to their inspectors concerning implementation of ops bulletins is inadequate and has failed to transmit valuable safety information as intended to airlines. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 18 occupants were killed.

The instrument rated private pilot departed on a night ifr cross country flight into forecasted icing conditions. During the approach at his destination airport, the pilot requested lower altitude to attempt to breakout from the weather. After being assigned 3,100 feet and obtaining a clearance for the ILS approach, the pilot cancelled ifr during descent and proceeded visually for the airport. The aircraft operated in an area of reported freezing rain and ice pellets, with fog and drizzle. Control was lost during the turn from base to final approach. Both occupants were killed.

The pilot had been charged with 'lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor.' He was jailed on Friday and released on bond on Saturday. During a meeting with a friend in the pilot's car on Sunday evening, he was drinking beer. The friend said the pilot made comments referring to intentionally crashing the aircraft and that 'he didn't want to die, but didn't know of any other way.' He had a gun in the car and told the friend 'don't call the police or I'll kill myself sooner.' The pilot departed Twin Falls at about 2230 on Sunday night in his PA-46. He flew to Boise, ID (via Ely, NV) before turning back toward Twin Falls. After passing over Boise, intermittent radio contact was made between the airplane and approach control. Radar vectors and descent were issued. Radar contact was lost during descent and pilot announced descending thru 11,000 feet; 38 seconds later, he reported at 6,000 feet. Ground impact was at 4,650 feet. Toxicology tests of the pilot's lung and muscle tissue showed an alcohol level of 175 & 117 mg/dl (0.175% & 0.117%). No preimpact failure of the aircraft was found.

Cargo was not weighed and weight and balance calculations were not performed. The airplane was about 321 pounds over gross. While taxiing, a witness reported seeing black smoke trailing the left engine which had been worked on the night before the accident. Two cylinders were worked on and a fuel injector nozzle was cleaned. The climb after takeoff was 'low and slow' during which the airplane rolled left, pitched nose down, and impacted the ground coming to rest adjacent to a house. Examination of each engine revealed no evidence of internal mechanical failure or malfunction. Heat damage precluded testing of the magnetos, turbocharger components, and fuel servos of each engine. Examination of each propeller revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The fuel nozzles from the left engine were examined which revealed that they were blocked in various places due to contaminants. After the accident the faa performed a focused inspection of the operator revealing that the cargo was not being weighed, the chief pilot of the company was in name only, and load manifests were not being kept by the company. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The single engine airplane was returning to its base in Ketchikan following maintenance in Thorne Bay. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, the engine lost power, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. While landing on water, a control wire snapped, causing the airplane to nose down in the water, coming to rest upside down. All three occupants were rescued by coastguard 20 minutes later and the aircraft sank.