United States of America

The aircraft was on a flight from the El Paso Intl Airport to the West Texas Airport. A hard landing was made causing all three landing gear to collapse, folded the left wing aft just inboard of the engine and twisted the entire right wing about 30° leading edge down. According to the pilot the aircraft was flown with 30° of flaps on downwind and 47° of flaps on base. He also reported that both airspeed indicators were stuck at 110 knots. According to photographs taken by an unidentified party, the flaps were in the up position in the pattern and during touchdown. Touchdown was made with the right main gear off the right side of the rwy. The aircraft wheel track is only 4 feet less than the width of the runway. The pilot did not have a type rating nor authorization in lieu of a type rating for the 15 minutes ferry flight. The pilot had 4,140 hours copilot time in the aircraft, during which he had never landed the aircraft.

The pilot and three passengers took off at night on an over water flight to an island in Lake Erie to provide help to a heart patient. No flight plan was filed and no record of a weather briefing was found. Reportedly, after takeoff, the aircraft disappeared in a cloud or haze. Also after departing, sheriff's personnel received a radio call from the aircraft stating 'we are in it.' According to local residents, there was patchy fog in the area. When the aircraft did not arrive at its destination, a search was initiated. The plane was found in Lake Erie along the expected route of flight. The aircraft was intact, except the engine was loose from the firewall and there was major damage to the right, outer wing panel. No preimpact/mechanical malfunction/failure was found. About 45 miles west at Toledo, OH, the 2150 weather in part was: 1,500 feet overcast, visibility variable 1 to 2 miles with fog, temp 32°, dew point 31°, wind from 330° at 4 knots.

The pilot had just taken off at night on a flight to Mexico when he declared an intent to return and land with some unspecified emergency. While he was using his radio, the sound of both engines, running at high power, was audible. When asked if he required assistance, he gave an affirmative reply, but when asked if he required a crash crew, he gave a negative reply. Shortly after that, the aircraft collided with power lines about 1 mile from the runway, then impacted the ground and was demolished by fire. Impact with the power lines occurred at about 55 feet agl. A wire impact mark on the nose door indicated the aircraft was in a vertical bank when the collision occurred. An exam of the wreckage revealed no evidence of a preimpact/mechanical malfunction or failure; however, there was extensive damage from fire. There was evidence that the aircraft was loaded beyond its max certificated gross weight. The pilot had a temporary US license based on his canadian license. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The aircraft was a Beech TC-45J that had been modified into a Hamilton Turboliner under STC SA-1821-WE. During arrival, the pilot reported that he encountered moderate icing at 4,000 feet. He made a localizer-only approach to runway 35. An ATC specialist stated that they saw the aircraft break out of the clouds over the approach end of the runway. At about that time, the pilot transmitted that he was going to enter a left base turn for runway 35 and that he had the runway in sight. He started a turn, and shortly thereafter, the aircraft enter a steep nose down attitude. The aircraft impacted in a railroad yard in a relatively level attitude with the landing gear extended and the wing flaps retracted. However, during impact, it was still descending at a steep angle (estimated approximately 30°). It was destroyed by impact and ground fire. No preimpact, mechanical failure or malfunction was found. The minimum ceiling and visibility for a straight-in approach were 500 feet and one mile, and for a circling approach, the minimums were 700 feet and one mile. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The aircraft was on its first production flight test. Shortly after lift-off it was observed to enter an abrupt right bank, followed by a steep left bank before crashing. Examination of the left wing revealed that its aileron cables were connected to their respective bellcrank attach points backwards. Both pilots were killed.

The aircraft crashed while completing a charter flight that began at 1220 cst on 11/25/83 to transport a TV Sports film crew. The flight began at Midland, TX and proceeded to Fort Worth and Wichita Falls, TX, then began a return flight to Midland. During arrival, the pilot transmitted that he was turning on a 1/2 mile final approach for runway 16R. Witnesses observed what appeared to be a normal approach, but at 30 to 50 feet agl, the pilot initiated a go-around, the aircraft pitched up in an extremely nose high attitude, then entered a left bank, stalled and crashed. To duplicate the aircraft's observed profile, simulation tests showed full aft yoke pressure had to have been applied with full nose-up trim engaged thru-out the maneuver. No preexisting mechanical defects were found during the investigation. A test of the right front seat passenger's blood showed a blood/alcohol level of .144%. A test of the pilot's blood showed no drugs or alcohol, but a microscopic tissue exam showed changes possibly indicative of myocardial infarction; no cause of an infarction was conclusively established. All eight occupants were killed.

The aircraft collided with a hilltop during a missed approach in IMC weather. The aircraft was on an IFR flight plan. The pilot stated visual contact was established at about 2,000 feet msl but ground features were masked in snow. When the pilot did not see the airport at the proper time he commenced a missed approach and the aircraft struck the ground. Investigation revealed that the obs (vor course indicator) was set on 222° instead of 202° for the published inbound heading. The resultant course passed directly over the accident site. The aircraft was not observed on radar because of its low alt. The pilot, sole on board, was seriously injured.

While en route, the pilot encountered icing conditions, then reported he was unable to maintain altitude and was having engine problems. He diverted toward Allentown, PA, then advised he had lost power in the left engine. Approach control began issuing vectors for a VOR approach; however, the pilot advised he was unable to open his approach plates and requested a surveillance radar approach. Radar vectors and advisories were provided until the pilot reported he had the airport in sight. Several witnesses observed that the left prop was feathered as the aircraft approached the airport. The pilot maneuvered the aircraft to a left downwind for runway 24 at about 400 feet agl with the landing gear extended. Witnesses reported the aircraft's nose pitch up, then down, then the aircraft rolled to the left and crashed. In a trailer court it hit a mobile home and a propane tank and burned. A person in the mobile home was fatally injured. An exam of the wreckage revealed the left prop blades were at the low pitch stops. No preimpact failures were found.

After departure at 1417 cst, radar track showed the aircraft climbing to and maintaining 7,600 feet until about 1733 est and 28-30 miles north of the Knoxville VOR. The aircraft then descended and crossed the snowbird VOR at about 6,700 feet. There were several up and down altitude excursions. After crossing snowbird VOR the aircraft turned south and again there were altitude excursions. The final radar contact was at 6,100 feet and about 1 mile from the crash site. The aircraft had impacted mountainous terrain at about 6,000 feet msl and 11 miles from the destination. Meteorological conditions at the crash site included low clouds and precipitation. The pilot's blood alcohol level was 0.4‰. Both occupants were killed.

During weather briefings the pilot was advised of icing conditions in the Denver area. While approaching the Denver area the pilot radioed 'can you get me down, it's a little bit icy up here.' The pilot was subsequently asked and was given a close turn onto the outer marker. The aircraft was observed to overfly the airport at about 500 feet agl. The pilot then acknowledge the missed approach instructions, and 1 minute later reported ...'lots of ice...' and '...i'm stalling out...' The pilot reportedly did not like to fly approaches to minimums and set the altitude alerter to an altitude above minimums as a safety margin. The pilot had logged 3.5 hours actual and 4.1 hours simulated instrument time, and 3 instrument approaches in the last 6 months. The aircraft's cg was 6 inches aft of the aft cg limit.