United States of America

At 0630 akdt the pilot obtained a weather briefing for the flight which forecast VFR with occasional marginal conditions along the route of flight. At 0704, the pilot obtained an updated briefing at which time the destination of Cantwell was reported IFR. At 0731 akdt, the aircraft departed Anchorage International on a company VFR flight. No further communication took place with the aircraft. The aircraft did not reach Cantwell. An extensive search revealed no trace of the aircraft or its occupants.

N2021A departed Kodiak, AK, at 0904 akdt under a special VFR clearance. Two other pilots stated N2021A was then circling over Monashka Bay while waiting for the weather over the Narrow Strait to clear. At 0920 akdt the pilot of N2021A stated to one of the other pilots that the weather appeared to be getting better and he was going to take a look. The aircraft collided with the waters of the Narrow Strait, northwest of Monashka Bay. Witnesses reported the weather was IFR in the area at the time. N2021A was not equipped for instrument flight nor was the pilot current with fars to conduct IFR operations. While circling over Monashka Bay the pilot of N2021A expressed concern to the other pilot about cargo of frozen meat thawing. All four occupants were killed.

During flight, the pilot transmitted to ARTCC 'we've got a problem, we're losing altitude.' The controller provided a vector to the nearest airport, but shortly after that, the pilot stated that he would not be able to reach the airport. The pilot did not inform ARTCC of his specific problem, except to say that the aircraft was descending rapidly. Subsequently, the aircraft crashed in a wooded area about 1/2 mile from an open area. During the investigation, about 1 quart of fuel was found remaining in the left inboard (aux) fuel tank. All of the other tanks were ruptured from impact. No evidence of fuel spillage was found at the accident site. The left prop was found in the feathered position and the right prop was found partially feathered. No preimpact part failure or malfunction was found. Both engines were started and both operated satisfactorily, after fuel was supplied by temporary tanks. The pilot and two passengers were killed while a fourth occupant was seriously injured.

During takeoff at about 50 feet agl and 4,000 feet down runway 04R, the right engine lost power. According to the pilot, his airspeed was 105 mph and the right engine 'popped' before it lost power. He also stated that power on the left engine deteriorated after the the right prop was feathered. The aircraft went into a right bank and the pilot maintained control of the aircraft until impact with the water. Examination of the right engine revealed that the right magneto, american bosch sb9ru-3, ser #b88470, was not timed correctly. Disassembly of the magneto revealed that all except 11 distributor gear teeth were stripped off. At the time of the power loss of the right engine, about 5,000 feet of rwy was remaining.

Ground witnesses reported that this and another aircraft were engaged in a mock 'dogfight'; both aircraft were circling the accident area between 500- 800 feet agl and neither aircraft was negotiating any aerobatic maneuvers. The pilot stated that during a descending 30° right banking turn, the aircraft entered into a right spin. Control inputs, including 'aft stick pressure,' could not arrest the spin. The pilot had not received any spin/spin recovery instruction from a cfi in the aircraft. However, the pilot's father stated he had given the pilot spin/spin recovery instruction. The passenger was killed and the pilot was seriously injured.

The piper PA-31T was a foreign registered aircraft (Federal Republic of Germany). The owner/pilot in the left front seat held a German commercial certificate with airplane instrument, single engine land and multi-engine land ratings. The pilot in the right front seat held an American private certificate with an airplane single engine land rating. During arrival, the aircraft was cleared to enter a right traffic pattern for runway 32R and was to follow a Decathlon that was landing on the same runway. When the PA-31 aircrew called turning onto a base leg, the tower asked if they had the Decathlon in sight, but they did not reply. The Decathlon pilot was then instructed to change his approach to 32L and was cleared to land. The PA-31 was observed to overshoot the turn to the final approach course to runway 32R. Witnesses reported the aircraft made an erratic, slow speed, nose high turn at low altitude, then it entered a right turn, nose down spin, crashed and burned. Impact occurred on a ground structure. An investigation revealed no preimpact/part failure or malfunction. Fire damaged to 5 autos. All six occupants were killed.

The aircraft was on a cross country trip. On previous flights over the same route, two refueling stops were made. During this trip, no refueling was accomplished, and while en route, the low fuel warning light came on. The pilot declared an emergency and was vectored and assigned the lowest possible IFR altitude. Shortly thereafter, both engines quit. When he enquired about nearby airports, the pilot was told there were none and advised to find a road or suitable area to land. The pilot overshot a road after feathering both engines and crashed on an embankment. There was no smell of fuel at the scene of the crash. Both props were in the feathered position. The pilot was injured.

The aircraft entered an embedded thunderstorm after being advised by artc of several large areas of heavy precipitations in his area and along the vicinity of his flight path. The pilots response was that his aircraft radar showed no build-ups or returns. ATC allowed deviations at pilot's discretion according to the recorded taped conversation. The pilot continued his flight path and was lost on radar shortly thereafter in a descending right turn at 16,800 feet msl. Witnesses saw him exit the bottom of the cloud at about 1,000 feet agl. The wings were seen to separate from the fuselage. Other witnesses saw the fuselage descend inverted, minus the wings, empennage and engines, to impact in a corn field. The wreckage was scattered over an area 1 and 1/2 miles long and 1/2 mile wide. Witnesses who had observed the aircrafts preparations for departure described it as 'mass confusion' in the cockpit. The aircraft reportedly crept forward six times during an extended 10-15 minute checklist while the engines were running at a high rpm setting on a ramp with other aircraft and people around. All four occupants were killed.

During arrival, the flight was cleared for an ILS/DME approach to runway 27. While on the approach, the aircraft crashed in the ocean about 2.7 miles east of the runway threshold. The pilot reported that he was making the approach, using instruments, and landed short for unknown reasons. He received a serious head injury, but was rescued by fishermen who heard the aircraft crash and went to where they heard the voices of the victims in the fog. The 0835 weather at Boston was in part: partial obscuration, 25,000 feet overcast, 4 miles visibility with fog and haze, wind from 140° at 7 knots. Other pilots reported low ceilings and a fog bank in the vicinity of the crash site. The captain survived while the copilot died.

Pilot requested fuel from fbo but failed to make it clear what type he wanted. The fbo personnel misunderstood the pilot's request and refueled the aircraft with 'Jet-A' instead of aviation grade gasoline. The pilot did not monitor the refueling process and failed to recognize the wrong fuel as stated on fuel receipt. The pilot did not realize the improper fuel on his preflight of the aircraft. The aircraft departed and shortly there after the pilot radioed that he was returning to the airport because of a serious problem. Witnesses near the accident site stated that the aircraft was in a left bank (about 45° bank angle) before impact in a densely wooded area. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed.