United States of America

While parked at Erie Airport, the BAe Jetstream 31 was hit by a private Cessna 441 registered N117EA. Both aircraft caught fire and were destroyed. There were no casualties.

While en route on an IFR flight plan at FL180, the pilot acknowledged instructions to descend to 16,000 feet. Later, the radar controller noticed the aircraft had deviate from course and was not replying with mode 'C' altitude info. The controller requested altitude info and the pilot responded, '. . . I've lost an (awful) lot of altitude, I got mixed up in here and lost altitude, I'm goin' back up . . .' When queried, the pilot reported he was at 9,000 feet and acknowledged instructions to climb to 14,000 feet. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft entered a spiral, then radio and radar contact were lost. An in-flight breakup occurred and the wreckage fell over a widespread area. An exam revealed evidence the wings and right horizontal stabilizer had failed from overload, with the wings separating in an upward direction. A weather study indicated there were cloud layers from about 14,000 feet to 20,000 feet with light to moderate mixed icing in clouds above 14,000 feet. Also, light to moderate turbulences was forecast below 20,000 feet and widely scattered, imbedded thunderstorms were forecast in an area north of the accident area. Witnesses reported clouds and occasional lightning to the east. All four occupants were killed.

The aircraft suffered a right landing gear leg breakage due to a fracture in the area where the fork assembly separated during landing roll. The pilot, sole on board, was uninjured.

During climb after takeoff, left engine seized. Pilot said he attempted left engine restart; propeller would not rotate or feather. No emergency declared. Pilot stated engine shutdown procedure was used, scientific bus switches were shut off, right generator was recycled and appeared to operate normally. Pilots got immediate vector to return to Martin Airport, but radar contact was lost for about 5 minutes. Electrical problems were encountered and pilots had problems maintaining headings, thus were delayed in diverting to alternate. With left prop unfeathered, they could not maintain altitude. Due to bad weather at Martin, they diverted to Baltimore. Radar and radio contacts were lost and they could not reach Baltimore. During forced landing, aircraft hit tree and crashed short of intended landing area. Teardown of left engine revealed #4 and #5 connecting rods had failed at crankshaft; they were discolored from heat and scored; other rod bearings had indications of oil starvation. Metallic debris from failed engine found in oil system. Several oil feed holes to rod bearings were obstructed with metallic debris. Fire damaged most of the electrical system. Aircraft (modified for environmental testing) not flight tested for drag inducing modifications; written flight crew instructions not avail for modifications. A pilot was killed and three other occupants were injured.

The pilot stated that shortly after departure the cockpit filled with smoke. While returning for landing his visibility was reduced due to the smoke and ground fog. On landing roll the the aircraft ran off the left side of the runway, went through a cow fence and came to rest against a tree. A post crash fire erupted in the left wing area where a fence post punctured the wing and the aircraft was destroyed by the fire. The cause of the smoke in the cockpit could not be determined. The pilot, sole on board, escaped with minor injuries.

The airplane was on a positioning flight so it would be in place for an early monday morning freight run. Pilot called for missed approach and after receiving clearance, declared he was in VFR conditions and thought he would land on runway 31. During a turn, the airplane impacted the terrain inverted and burned. Weather at airport 21 minutes prior to accident was: indefinite ceiling 100 feet, sky obscured, visibility 1/4 mile in fog. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Pilot was attempting the VOR-B instrument approach to Butte, MT Airport. Pilot reported over the Coppertown vortac inbound on the airport. The procedure turn inbound course to the vortac is 124°. The inbound course to the airport is 094°. The aircraft wreckage was found on the 124° radial 5 miles southwest of the airport. The wind was reported to be 340° at 9 knots. The VOR-B approach terminates at runway 11. Runway 33 is 9,000 feet long and equipped with mirl's and reil's. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Approximately 5 1/2 minutes after departure and while the aircraft was climbing enroute, an unknown ignition source triggered an explosion of fuel/air vapor which existed within the interior of the left wing. Wing skin from the upper/lower wing surface was lost, however, the wing structure remained integral and the pilots continued to fly the aircraft executing a 180° course reversal back to McCarran-Intl Airport. Subsequent to the explosion a fire developed within the left engine area. As the aircraft continued back towards mccarran the airspeed gradually diminished and the landing gear were lowered. Shortly thereafter the left wing entered a stall condition brought about by a decrease of airspeed as well as the degradation of its lift developing capabilities due to the explosion induced damage. The aircraft then entered an uncontrollable left roll several hundred feet above ground from which a successful recovery could not be executed. Both occupants were killed.

While in cruise flight, the pilot noted that the left engine began losing power and oil pressure. He stated that he then shut down the engine and feathered the propeller. He declared an emergency and descended to land. While on final approach, he lowered the landing gear and selected full flaps to slow the aircraft. He stated the airspeed decayed and the aircraft began to roll and yaw to the left. Subsequently, it contacted the ground in a left wing low attitude, then partially cartwheeled before coming to rest. A post accident examination of the left engine revealed that a turbocharger oil seal had deteriorated & failed, allowing oil to escape through the turbocharger exhaust. There was evidence of the beginning of progressive failure of the turbocharger. Also, there were indications that the left propeller was not fully feathered and that it was windmilling at impact. The pilot believed that he may have moved the left prop control out of the feather position by mistake. Both occupants were slightly injured.

During a pleasure flight, the pilot reported that the right engine caught on fire. The pilot made a landing on dry lake bed and disembarked from the plane examination of the wreckage revealed that the path of the landing roll showed no signs of melted metal or debris. There was a large fuel stain visible around the remains of the right wing, right engine and right cowling. The engine components and accessories showed moderate heat distress with no evidence of a blow torch effect. The right wing fuel sump drain valve was located inside a cup of melted aliminum and was in the open position.