United States of America

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

1362

Captain / Total hours on type:

56.00

Circumstances:

En route from Chattanooga to Birmingham, while in cruising altitude, the twin engine entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the loss of control could not be determined.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 414 Chancellor in Sacramento

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1980 at 2338 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 414 Chancellor

Operator:

Air Trans Association

Registration:

N1665T

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Fullerton - Sacramento

MSN:

414-0458

YOM:

1974

Location:

Sacramento-Executive

California

Country:

Region:

Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2433

Captain / Total hours on type:

40.00

Circumstances:

On approach to Sacramento-Executive Airport by night, both engines stopped simultaneously. The airplane lost speed then stalled and crashed into a residential area, bursting into flames. Both occupants were injured while there were no casualties on the ground.

Probable cause:

Engine failure on final approach due to fuel exhaustion. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Mismanagement of fuel,
- Miscalculated fuel consumption,
- Fuel exhaustion.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain in Vero Beach: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1980 at 2130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N398GT

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Illegal (smuggling)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

31-7652065

YOM:

1976

Location:

Vero Beach

Florida

Country:

Region:

Cessna 207 Skywagon/Stationair

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

5000

Captain / Total hours on type:

40.00

Circumstances:

By night, the crew was trying to land on a remote area located in the region of Vero Beach when the twin engine airplane struck power lines and trees and crashed. Both occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Collision with power lines and trees during a low pass after the pilot-in-command misjudged altitude.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 207 Skywagon in Paimiut

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1980 at 1920 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N1712U

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bethel - Holy Cross

MSN:

207-0312

YOM:

1976

Location:

Paimiut

Alaska

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

1655

Captain / Total hours on type:

500.00

Circumstances:

En route from Bethel to Holy Cross, the pilot encountered technical problems with the engine that oversped and failed. He reduced his altitude and completed an emergency landing in Paimiut. The pilot escaped uninjured while the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure during normal cruise due to inadequate maintenance and inspection on part of the maintenance personnel. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Engine structure: other,
- Lack of lubrication - specific part, not system,
- Material failure,
- inadequate preflight preparation on part of the pilot,
- Propeller and accessories: governors,
- RPM-uncontrollable-overspeed,
- Rough terrain,
- Complete engine power loss,
- Forced landing off airport on land,
- N°4 main bearing turned, lube passages not aligned,
- Crankcase halves loose,
- Oil very black, tarry.

Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 60 Duke off Pompano Beach

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1980 at 0917 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 60 Duke

Operator:

Registration:

N354D

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Fort Lauderdale – Freeport

Location:

Pompano Beach

Florida

Country:

Region:

Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

1826

Captain / Total hours on type:

109.00

Circumstances:

Few minutes after takeoff from Fort Lauderdale-Executive Airport, while climbing, both engines failed. The pilot elected to ditch the aircraft off Pompano Beach. Both occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Powerplant failure for undetermined reasons. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Forced landing off airport on water,
- Complete failure both engines.

Final Report:

Crash of a Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer in Ramona

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1980

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N2870G

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Schedule:

Ramona - Ramona

MSN:

66304

YOM:

1944

Flight number:

Tanker 122

Location:

Ramona

California

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll at Ramona Airport, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. While both pilots escaped uninjured, the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Loss of control on takeoff after a tire burst.

Crash of a Beechcraft E90 King Air off Kotzebue

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1980 at 1204 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 90 King Air

Operator:

Registration:

N908CM

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Kotzebue-Ralph Wien Memorial

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Barrow - Kotzebue

MSN:

LW-233

YOM:

1977

Location:

Alaska

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9430

Captain / Total hours on type:

553.00

Circumstances:

On final approach to Kotzebue-Ralph Wien Memorial Airport in good weather conditions, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was too low. The twin engine airplane struck the water surface and crashed short of runway threshold. All six occupants were rescued.

Probable cause:

Controlled collision with water during initial approach due to improper IFR operation. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The pilot misjudged altitude and clearance,
- The aircraft came to rest in water,
- The pilot descended below minimum IFR altitude to VFR conditions, 400 feet cig, over water approach,
- Hit water while keeping landing in sight.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 340A off Petersburg: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1980 at 1933 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 340

Operator:

Staal Leasing

Registration:

N110RA

Flight Phase:

Petersburg-James A. Johnson

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Ketchikan - Petersburg

MSN:

340A-0315

YOM:

1977

Location:

Alaska

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

1310

Captain / Total hours on type:

850.00

Circumstances:

While descending to Petersburg Airport, the pilot reported he was having all kinds of problems. The tail apparently detached and the airplane crashed into the sea. The wreckage was not found and all four occupants were presumed dead.

Probable cause:

As the wreckage was not found, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 411A in Cape Coral: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1980 at 0515 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 411

Operator:

Burt H. Clubb

Registration:

N1411M

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Illegal (smuggling)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

411-0160

YOM:

1966

Location:

Cape Coral

Florida

Country:

Region: