United States of America

Shortly after takeoff at about 800 feet agl, the left engine oil temperature became high and reportedly there was a loss of oil pressure. The pilot reported that he then feathered the left engine and declared an emergency. On final approach, he did not get a safe gear indication. The pilot started that he attempted to go around. But at about that time, he was committed to land. While maneuvering, the aircraft crashed in the desert. There was 2,700 lbs of cargo on board. The elevation was about 3,950 feet and the temperature was reported at 72 degrees Fahrenheit. All three occupants were uninjured.

7-seat aircraft took off with 4 adults and 8 children aboard. Aircraft rotated at about 2,000 feet down runway and climbed in a flat nose high attitude before settling into 30 feet trees about 4,223 feet from point of lift-off. Aircraft oscillated violently 2 or 3 times in the pitch axis during the 20-30 seconds flight. Aircraft was about 445 lbs over max gross weight and CofG was 4.26 inches aft of the aft limit. On 6/9/82 the pilot took a checkride to have a "centerline thrust only" restriction removed from his multi-engine rating. 59 of his 62 hrs multi-engine were as copilot. He had no formal C414 training and had recovered only 2 hours of instruction in conventional multi-engine aircraft. He had never been required to perform weight and balance computations in his military flying or any FAA exam or checkrides. Company management did not comply with insurance stipulations which required pilot of the flight to attend a Cessna flight training school, nor did the pilot satisfy the minimum hour requirements. FAA certificate examiner lost certificate on 7/10/82, history of incomplete or substandard checkrides. Occupants died of thermal burns and smoke inhalation.

At about 1005 mst the pilot received a weather briefing for a flight to Florida with an overnight stay in Texas. Thunderstorm activity was forecast along the proposed route of flight. The briefer advised the pilot to get an updated briefing before departure because of the developing thunderstorm activity and to use the services of enroute flight watch outlets in obtaining pirep information. At 2045 the pilot contacted Phoenix Tracon and stated his intention to land at Phoenix. The pilot indicated he was in the clouds at 17,500 feet. Radio and radar contact was lost at 2049. The wreckage was found approximately 28 mi wnw of Luke AFB. Portions of both wings were located 3 miles from the wreckage. The above weather is the 2055 observation at Luke AFB. The sheriff's deputy dispatched to the scene reported strong winds and heavy electrical storms in the area. A helicopter pilot estimated a ceiling of 1,500 ft overcast.

The aircraft was on a functional check flight. According to the pilot and a witness (employed by the pilot), the left brake was locked during touchdown. Subsequently, the aircraft nosed over and a ground fire erupted which destroyed the plane. The pilot reported that the left brake had locked due to rust and corrosion and that the aircraft logbooks were destroyed in the fire. The pilot, sole on board, was uninjured.

At approximately 800 feet down the left side of the runway the left engine experienced a power loss. The aircraft swerved off the left side of the runway colliding with a drainage ditch and coming to rest inverted. Examination of the fuel control unit revealed that the bellows within the assembly were found in an extended position, indicating a leak into the evacuated area. A failure was noted at the seam in the bellows. In addition, examination of the propeller revealed that the start locks were engaged and the blades were at the start lock position at impact. In order to engage the start locks, the power lever has to be moved to reverse during shutdown with the engine rpm below 50%. After engine start the pilot must again retard the power levers to reverse to disengage the start locks. The locks will not disengage after the power lever is set to the flight range.

Pan Am Flight 759 was a scheduled flight from Miami (MIA) to Las Vegas (LAS), with an en route stop at New Or1eans (MSY). At 15:58:48 Boeing 727 "Clipper Defiance" taxied from its gate at the New Orleans International Airport. Before leaving the gate, the flightcrew had received ATIS message Foxtrot which read in part "....time one eight five five Zulu, weather, two thousand five hundred scattered, two five thousand thin broken, visibility six miles in haze, temperature niner zero, wind two four zero at two, winds are calm altimeter three zero zero one...". The flightcrew requested runway 10 for the takeoff and ground control cleared the flight to taxi to runway 10. At 15:59:03, the first officer requested a wind check. Winds were 040 degrees at 8 knots. At 16:02:34, while Flight 759 was taxiing to runway 10, the crew heard a transmission from ground control, advising another airplane of low level wind shear alerts in the northeast quadrants of the airport. At 16:03:33, the first officer requested another wind check. Ground control replied, "Wind now zero seven zero degrees at one seven... peak gusts two three, and we have low level wind shear alerts all quadrants, appears to be a frontal passing overhead right now, we're right in the middle of everything." The captain then advised the first officer to "...let your airspeed build up on takeoff..." and said that they would turn off the air conditioning packs for the takeoff, which would enable them to increase the EPR's on engines Nos. 1 and 3 to 1.92. The flightcrew completed the takeoff and departure briefings and turned onto the active runway for takeoff. At l6:06:22, Flight 759 informed the tower that it was ready for takeoff. The local controller cleared the flight for takeoff, and the first officer acknowledged the clearance. About 16:07:57, the Boeing 727 began its takeoff. According to witnesses, the airplane lifted off about 7,000 feet down runway 10, climbed in a wings-level attitude, reached an altitude of about 100 feet to 150 feet above the ground (AGL), and then began to descend towards trees. The airplane crashed into a residential area and was destroyed during the impact, explosion, and subsequent ground fire. Eight persons on the ground were killed.

While completing a local training mission at Corpus Christi-Cabaniss Field, the twin engine airplane collided with a second USN Beechcraft T-44A Pegasus. Registered 160967, it was also completing a local training flight. It is believed that all occupants on board 161067 survived while all six occupants on board 160967 were killed.

While completing a local training mission at Corpus Christi-Cabaniss Field, the twin engine airplane collided with a second USN Beechcraft T-44A Pegasus. Registered 161067, it was also completing a local training flight. It is believed that all occupants on board 161067 survived while all six occupants on board 160967 were killed.
Crew:
Ens Cary P. Jones,
Lt Thomas A. Vonnegut,
Ens Joseph F. West Jr.,
Lt Cdr Curtis Raymond Barkdull,
Ens Robert Bernard Barnett Jr.,
Ens Jeffrey Allan Edwards.

At about 700 feet msl the pilot reported to Santa Monica tower that his left eng had failed. He immediately feathered the left prop and continued to climb, planning to attempt a restart before returning to land. At about 1,000 feet msl the pilot determined that the aircraft was no longer climbing. His airspeed was below the single engine best rate of climb speed and he felt a power loss in the right engine. He put the nose down and feathered the right prop. The aircraft struck the water 2,000 yards from the Santa Monica pier. Life guards were on the scene with a rescue boat when the pilot surfaced.

Just after liftoff from runway 29R, the aircraft began to pitch up. As the pitch up progressed, the pilot applied right aileron and full right rudder. The aircraft responded by rolling to the right with the nose falling thru. Subsequently, the pilot was able to pull out before the aircraft hit the ground. It collided with a 6 feet wire fence which tore off the engines and caused the aircraft to rotate clockwise on the ground. Cargo in the aircraft was thrown thru the side of the fuselage. The pilot exited the aircraft without injury. The aircraft immediately burst into flames and the fuselage was badly burned. An investigation revealed that 2,989 lbs of freight plus a 359 lb motorcycle were being carried between bulkheads 5 & 11. The bulkhead loads were limited to 450 lbs (5-8) and 300 lbs (8-10). The max gross weight at takeoff was estimated to be 10,310 lbs. The pilot reported that none of the freight was tied down.