United States of America

The aircraft involved was experimentally configured with 4-bladed props and was on a test flight to determine handling characteristics following a throttle chop to idle power at 50 feet agl. This maneuver had been accomplished twice on the test flight without incident. On the third landing, the pilot later stated, that he retarded the throttles more briskly than on previous approaches. Observers on the plane and on the ground then saw a yaw and a wing drop. The right gear struck the runway first, followed by the left and nose gears. All three gear then sheared off. The aircraft slid to a stop off the runway 975 feet from initial impact. A postaccident teardown of the props revealed no preexisting misadjustments or abnormalities.

The pilot was making a short (35 minutes) local flight to 'check N333AA over' before turning it over to its new owner. The aircraft collided with the ground in a steep descent, wings level, attitude during an entry into the traffic pattern at Billings, Montana. VMC prevailed at the time. Witnesses said the engines were operating and there was no apparent attempt by the pilot to avoid the crash. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

At 2003 cdt, the flight was cleared for an ILS localizer approach to runway 36 at the Harrison-Boone County Airport. About 7 minutes later, the aircrew reported making a missed approach and the flight was cleared to the outer compass locator for another approach. The crew asked the Harrison FSS specialist to increase the intensity of the approach lights because they did not see the airport until mid-field; the specialist complied. At about 2015 cst, the aircrew reported inbound at the Bakky intersection (outer marker). The outer marker was located 4.7 mi south of the i-hro localizer DME on an outbound heading of 179°. When the flight did not arrive, a search was initiated. The wreckage was found where the aircraft collided with a mountain at the 1,840 feet level on a heading of 335°, 3.5 miles wsw of the airport. The crash site was also located along the 179° radial of the Harrison VOR, roughly the same distance and direction from the VOR as the outer marker was from the localizer DME. The airport weather was 500 feet overcast, 2 miles visibility with fog. Airport elevation is 1,364 feet msl. Both pilots were killed.

A simulated engine failure was initiated by the check airman at 200 feet agl. The pilot followed the emergency procedures and advanced the power levers to bring power back to the engine. The pilot then noticed the engine failed and had insufficient altitude to get an air restart. The subsequent descent resulted in contact with trees off the end of the airport runway. The descent was not arrested and the aircraft struck the terrain and flipped inverted. Examination of the aircraft's left engine revealed foreign contamination of the fuel control governor by air restrictor. Static testing revealed significant malfunctioning at the idle and max governoring speed limits. All three occupants were injured.

Shortly after takeoff, on the last leg on it's flight, the engine of the air cargo aircraft started to sputter. The pilot turned the fuel selector handler from the left tank to another position and turned on the boost pump. The engine stopped running and the pilot elected to land in a public park. The left wing was torn off the aircraft during the emergency landing. Investigation revealed that the fuel selector had been turned to the 'off' position, a check of the fuel quantity in each tank showed less than five gallons in the left tank and about twelve gallons in the right tank. Sole on board, the pilot was slightly injured.

During an IFR arrival, the aircraft was vectored for an NDB runway 23 approach to the Westmoreland County Airport. At the NDB final approach fix (8.1 miles from the runway), the crew turned inbound and continued to the airport. They contacted the tower and reported over the ILS outer marker (an intermediate point on the NDB final approach, 3.9 miles from the runway). The tower issued the local landing advisories and cleared the aircraft to land. Moments after the copilot advised the captain that they were 15 seconds from the missed approach point, the aircraft collided with trees. Impact occurred 3.8 miles se of the airport at the minimum descent altitude (MDA) of 1,900 feet amsl. An examination of the aircraft records indicated a recurring and current squawk concerning the hsi slaving system. Just before beginning the approach, the Latrobe wind had changed from 230° at 4 knots (a headwind) to a strong quartering tailwind. During arrival the crew were advised the wind was from 340° at 18 knots. They had figured their timing to the missed approach point by using a ground speed of 120 knots. Earlier that day, the same crew and aircraft had terminated the same NDB approach, 1 mile east of the airport. All seven occupants were injured, five seriously.

According to the pilot-in-command, he was attempting to fly through a mountain saddle. As he turned towards the mountain and began his climb the weather deteriorated rapidly with ceilings zero, visibility zero and severe turbulence. The airplane struck the side of a 1,707 foot high mountain at the 1,590 foot level on a magnetic heading of 015°. The pilot-in-command stated that just prior to impact he could not see anything. Two passengers were killed while three other occupants were seriously injured.

Shortly after departure and level off, the pilot reported an engine malfunction and initiated a return to the airport. About 2 minutes later, he reported an engine fire and declared an emergency. Approximately one minute thereafter, the right wing separated from the aircraft and the plane crashed. An exam of the wreckage revealed extensive inflight fire damage in the area of separation. A 2.5 by 3 inches hole was found in the right inboard exhaust tube, pn 0850712-6. It was oriented toward the accessory compartment with numerous fuel and oil lines which were fire damaged and charred. Also, much of the engine support structure and wing spar were melted in that area. An exam of the exhaust tube revealed its walls were thin, brittle and discolored in the area of the rupture and several areas of cracks and small holes were found. The exhaust tube had 5,862 hours of total service and 1,762 hours since it was overhauled. Records showed that ad 75-23-08 had been complied with during the last inspection, 25 flight hours prior to the accident. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Pilot took off from Scottsdale at 1934 mst for a 13 nm flight to reposition the aircraft to home base. Within minutes the pilot advised ATC that he was 6 miles out with minimum fuel and requested no delay. He then asked for clearance to runway 22R and was cleared to land on runway 22R, at 1943 mst the pilot advised the tower that he was not going to make the runway. Both engines had stopped due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot made a forced landing 1/4 mile from the approach end of runway 22R in a level dirt area. The pilot reported the aircraft contained 120 lbs of fuel upon departure from Scottsdale and no low fuel warning was received. The pilot's operating handbook states the low fuel warning light should illuminate when there is less than 60 gallons of fuel in either tank or when there is less than 120 gallons total fuel on board. The manual also stated the aircraft burns 170 gph at 70 percent power. The pilot, sole on board, was seriously injured.

High sink rate developed on short final. Acft touched down 13 feet prior to runway before sink rate could be arrested. Landing gear collapsed after contacting edge of runway which is 7 inches higher than surrounding terrain. Tail section of aircraft caught fire just prior to coming to a complete stop 2,900 feet down the runway. Pilots who frequently fly in and out of the airport stated, wind shifts near the runway are common in gusty conditions because of hilly terrain.