United States of America

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Grand Junction – Walden

MSN:

60-0873-8161248

YOM:

1981

Location:

Mead

Colorado

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

668

Captain / Total hours on type:

70.00

Circumstances:

While cruising poor weather conditions, the pilot got lost and disoriented. Due to an insufficient flying speed, the airplane stalled, entered a dive and crashed near Mead. Both occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Stall and subsequent loss of control due to inadequate preflight preparation. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The pilot became lost/disoriented,
- The pilot continued VFR flight into adverse weather conditions,
- The pilot failed to maintain flying speed,
- Rain,
- Low ceiling,
- Thunderstorm activity,
- Visibility half a mile or less.

Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 65-A80 Queen Air near Gerlach

Date & Time: Jul 17, 1981

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 80 Queen Air

Operator:

Soren Edward Jensen Jr.

Registration:

N6867Q

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Illegal (smuggling)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

MSN:

LD-223

YOM:

1965

Location:

Gerlach

Nevada

Country:

Region:

Beechcraft 200 Super King Air

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot was attempting to land in a rough terrain when the airplane crash landed, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in flames. The pilot was injured while the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Gear collapsed on touchdown after the pilot selected an unsuitable terrain. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Rough/uneven terrain,
- Marijuana residue found at crash site.

Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air near King Cove: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1981 at 1040 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N631SR

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Kodiak - King Cove

MSN:

BB-244

YOM:

1977

Location:

King Cove

Alaska

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

18800

Captain / Total hours on type:

16.00

Circumstances:

While descending to King Cove Airport in marginal weather conditions, the twin engine airplane (fog and rain) was too low and struck the slope of a mountain located southeast of King Cove. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all six occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Control flight into terrain following improper in-flight decisions on part of the pilot-in-command. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Inadequate supervision of flight crew,
- Low ceiling,
- Rain,
- Low altitude visual approach in mountainous terrain,
- Crew not familiar with destination geography.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas SC-54G Skymaster in Kenai: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1981 at 1739 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

N3373F

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kenai - King Salmon

MSN:

36061

YOM:

1945

Location:

Kenai

Alaska

Country:

Region:

Ralph Lowry Aircraft Sales

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9776

Captain / Total hours on type:

276.00

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Kenai Airport, while climbing to an altitude of 2,000 feet, the engine n°1 caught fire and exploded. The crew declared an emergency and elected to return to Kenai when a part of the left wing detached. Out of control, the airplane crashed in a pasture and was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. All three occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Engine fire and explosion in flight due to engine structure: cylinder assembly material failure. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Overload failure,
- Fire in engine and wing,
- Separation in flight,
- Failure of cylinder n°2 in engine n°1.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31P Pressurized Navajo in Wilmington: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1981 at 1513 LT

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

Operator:

Registration:

N7318L

Flight Phase:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Flight Type:

Demonstration

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Fayetteville - Wilmington

MSN:

31P-71

YOM:

1968

Location:

Wilmington-New Hanover County

North Carolina

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2453

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, departed Fayetteville, NC, on a flight to Wilmington to demonstrate the airplane to potential customers. After being cleared for a VOR approach to runway 34, the pilot started the descent in bad weather conditions with thunderstorm activity. In severe turbulences, control was lost and the airplane stalled and crashed in a field. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

Stall on approach after the pilot continued flight into known areas of severe turbulences. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The pilot failed to maintain flying speed,
- Low ceiling,
- Rain,
- Fog,
- Unfavorable wind conditions,
- Turbulence associated with clouds and thunderstorms,
- Thunderstorm activity,
- Visibility 3/4 of a mile or less,
- Lightning in vicinity of accident,
- Wind gusting 27 knots.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 411 in Columbus: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1981 at 2156 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 411

Operator:

Registration:

N7007R

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Ozark - Augusta

MSN:

411-0047

YOM:

1965

Location:

Columbus

Georgia

Country:

Region:

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

Circumstances:

While cruising by night on a flight from Ozark, Alabama, to Augusta, Georgia, the pilot lost control of the airplane that entered a dive and crashed in a residential area, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed. There were no casualties on ground.

Probable cause:

Loss of control after unqualified person operated the aircraft. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Failure of the electrical system,
- The pilot attempted operation beyond experience/ability level,
- The pilot diverted attention from operation of aircraft,
- The pilot failed to follow approved procedures,
- Improper emergency procedures,
- Battery weak,
- Alternators off during GPU start,
- Emergency gear handle extended, observed without light,
- Dark night.

Final Report:

Crash of a Fairchild C-119C-17-FA Flying Boxcar near Frazier Park: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1981 at 0927 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N13742

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Santa Barbara - Santa Barbara

MSN:

10431

YOM:

1949

Flight number:

Tanker 88

Location:

Frazier Park

California

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

5014

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Santa Barbara Airport at 0857LT, heading for a fire burning on the Los Padres National Forest. The airtanker arrived at the fire location and was given direction for the drop by the Incident Commander (IC). The IC instructed the airtanker pilots to keep the drop high because of steep terrain and snags. They were also instructed to drop only one-half the retardant, saving the remainder for another run. The airtanker pilots acknowledged the instructions. The airtanker pilots notified the IC that they were on final approach. As the airtanker approached the intended drop area, the IC noted from the sound of the engines that they were "revved up." He also heard cracking and popping sounds. When the airtanker came into his sight, the IC and another person noticed that the drop doors on the airtanker were not open and that the landing gear was retracted. The IC had worked with this airtanker and its crewmembers on several previous occasions. The IC noted that the airtanker was lower than he had expected, traveling at an air speed higher than he had observed on previous drops, and that the airtanker was in a descending attitude. The IC and one other person observed the airtanker continue past the intended drop site and then suddenly drop vertically approximately 50 to 100 feet. At that moment, the left wing tip (approximately half of the total left wing span) flexed downward, snapped off, and began cartwheeling along behind the airtanker. The airtanker began to roll left, its nose began to drop, it began to strike trees, and then it struck ground at 0927. The captain and copilot were fatally injured upon impact. The aircraft was totally destroyed.
Source: USDA & USFS

Probable cause:

Ground investigation confirmed the loss of the left wing prior to impact. Portions of the left wing, left flap, left inboard aileron, and approximately 20 feet of intact left wing tip were recovered between 50 to 800 feet in front of the impact point. Investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Forest Service teams showed definite pre-mishap cracks in the inner left wing aileron bell crank control assembly. The possibility of a bell crank failure could have induced aileron flutter, which in turn could have contributed to wing destruction causing the wing to separate from the airtanker.

Crash of a Beechcraft 65-A80 Queen Air near Madisonville: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1981 at 1230 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 80 Queen Air

Operator:

Universal Airways - USA

Registration:

N100UV

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Houston - Dallas

MSN:

LD-151

YOM:

1964

Location:

Madisonville

Texas

Country:

Region:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

398

Circumstances:

While in cruising altitude in marginal weather conditions on a flight from Houston to Dallas, the pilot lost control of the airplane that entered a dive. During the descent, wings and stabs separated and the aircraft crashed near Madisonville. All three occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control in flight after the pilot suffered a spatial disorientation. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The pilot exceeded designed stress limits of aircraft,
- The pilot attempted operation beyond experience/ability level,
- Lack of familiarity with aircraft,
- Thunderstorm activity,
- Wings: spars,
- Flight control surfaces: horizontal stabilizer, attachments,
- Overload failure,
- Separation in flight,
- Aircraft observed falling from clouds with wings and stabs separated,
- Pilot lacked recent instrument experience and multi-engine instrument time.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas R4D-1 in Pilot Point: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1981 at 1430 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

United Aircraft Services

Registration:

N111ST

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Pilot Point – Anchorage

MSN:

4661

YOM:

1942

Location:

Pilot Point

Alaska

Country:

Region: