United States of America

Site:

Schedule:

Nikiski - Kodiak

MSN:

207-0533

YOM:

1979

Location:

Nikiski

Alaska

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9500

Captain / Total hours on type:

2000.00

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Nikiski Airfield, the single engine airplane failed to gain height, struck trees and crashed in flames in a wooded area. A pilot was killed while the second occupant was seriously injured.

Probable cause:

Engine failure during initial climb and subsequent collision with trees due to powerplant failure for undetermined reasons. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Failed to see and avoid objects or obstructions,
- inadequate preflight preparation,
- Misused or failed to use flaps,
- Set and soft runway,
- Improperly loaded aircraft,
- High obstructions,
- Momentary power reduction,
- 340 lbs over MTOW.

Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft C90 King Air in Indianapolis: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 5, 1979 at 1750 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 90 King Air

Operator:

Registration:

N6040M

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Concordia - Indianapolis

MSN:

LJ-840

YOM:

1979

Location:

Indianapolis

Indiana

Country:

Region:

Cessna 421A Golden Eagle I

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

12463

Captain / Total hours on type:

30.00

Aircraft flight hours:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Indianapolis Airport, both engines failed due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot lost control of the airplane that struck trees and crashed. A passenger was killed while both other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Engine failure on final approach and subsequent collision with trees due to inadequate preflight preparation. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Improper in-flight decisions,
- lack of familiarity with aircraft,
- Mismanagement of fuel,
- Fuel exhaustion,
- Powerplant- instruments: fuel quantity gauge, erratic,
- Complete engine failure both engines,
- Forced landing off airport on land,
- Power schedule pilot used exceeded max structural cruising speed, increasing fuel consumption rate by 100 lbs per hour.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 421A Golden Eagle I in Norfolk

Date & Time: Aug 5, 1979 at 1630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Cooper-Bregstein Realty Company

Registration:

N3126K

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Myrtle Beach - Farmingdale

MSN:

421A-0107

YOM:

1968

Location:

Norfolk

Virginia

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

8000

Circumstances:

En route from Myrtle Beach to Farmingdale, the pilot encountered engine problems, informed ATC about his situation and was vectored to Norfolk for an emergency landing. The aircraft descended from 8,000 to 3,000 feet when the pilot realized he could not reach Norfolk Airport. He attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed in an open field. Both occupants were seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Engine failure during normal cruise due to piston rings failure. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Material failure,
- Failed to maintain flying speed,
- Improper in-flight decisions,
- Complete engine failure,
- Forced landing off airport on land,
- N° two cylinder piston failed,
- Pilot descended from 8,000 to 3,000 feet 12 miles from field with right engine shut down.

Final Report:

Crash of a Mitsubishi MU-2B-10 Marquise in Hays: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 3, 1979 at 2125 LT

Type of aircraft:

Mitsubishi MU-2 Marquise

Operator:

Turbine Aircraft Parts

Registration:

N208MA

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Salina - Denver

MSN:

YOM:

1967

Location:

Hays

Kansas

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2168

Captain / Total hours on type:

140.00

Circumstances:

En route from Salina to Denver, the pilot informed ATC about an engine failure and elected to divert to the nearest airport. The airplane lost height and eventually stalled and crashed in Hays. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Engine failure during normal cruise and subsequent stall due to compressor assembly bearing failure. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Material failure,
- Improper in-flight decisions,
- Failed to maintain flying speed,
- Complete failure one engine,
- Forward main shaft bearing failed.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 501 Citation I in Akron: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1979 at 1602 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 501 Citation I

Operator:

Thurman L. Munson

Registration:

N15NY

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Akron - Akron

MSN:

501-0110

YOM:

1979

Location:

Akron-Canton

Ohio

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

428

Captain / Total hours on type:

6.00

Aircraft flight hours:

Circumstances:

About 1607 e.d.t., on August 2, 1979, a Cessna Citation piloted by Mr. Thurman L. Munson crashed short of runway 19 at the Akron-Canton Airport near Canton, Ohio. The pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings during a local flight with two passengers aboard. The aircraft first touched down in a relatively level, clear area about 870 feet short of the runway. The aircraft slid through a small clump of trees, hit a large stump, and came to rest on a road adjacent to the airport boundary fence. Fire erupted immediately after the aircraft came to rest. The two passengers escaped from the wreckage; the pilot was killed. Thurman Lee Munson, aged 32, an American Major League Baseball catcher, was killed.

Probable cause:

The pilot's failure to recognize the need for, and to take action to maintain, sufficient airspeed to prevent a stall into the ground during an attempted landing. The pilot also failed to recognize the need for timely and sufficient power application to prevent the stall during an approach conducted inadvertently without flaps extended. Contributing to the pilot's inability to recognize the problem and to take proper action was his failure to use the appropriate checklist, and his nonstandard pattern procedures which resulted in an abnormal approach profile.

Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed 18-56-23 LodeStar in Brunswick

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1979 at 1600 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 18 LodeStar

Operator:

Wiregrass Aviation

Registration:

N33LM

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Brunswick-Golden Isles (Glynco Jetport)

Schedule:

Rockmart - Brunswick

MSN:

2341

YOM:

1943

Location:

Georgia

Country:

Region:

Rockwell Aero Commander 560

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

11500

Captain / Total hours on type:

85.00

Circumstances:

Upon landing at Brunswick-Glynco Jetport Airport, the twin engine airplane bounced. The gear collapsed and the airplane went out of control and came to rest on its belly. All three occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Ground loop/swerve and subsequent gear collapsed upon landing due to improper recovery from bounced landing and improper operation of brakes and flight controls. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Overload failure,
- Pilot-in-command previously held commercial mel and agricultural operator certificates.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 560A in Pavilion: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1979 at 0905 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N2748B

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Demonstration

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Pavilion - Pavilion

MSN:

560-0248

YOM:

1955

Location:

Pavilion

New York

Country:

Region:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4405

Captain / Total hours on type:

217.00

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, was taking part to a local air show when, flying at low height, the airplane banked right and crashed following the failure of the right engine. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

Engine failure and subsequent stall after the left engine failed due to valve assemblies failure. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Material failure,
- The pilot failed to maintain flying speed,
- High vegetation,
- Forced landing off airport on land,
- Exhaust valve, second cylinder on right engine failed.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-50-DK off Honolulu: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1979 at 1930 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Trans National Airlines - TNA

Registration:

N63250

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

San Jose - Honolulu

MSN:

17062/34329

YOM:

1945

Location:

Honolulu

Hawaii

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

8000

Circumstances:

While approaching Honolulu on a ferry flight from San jose, California, the crew declared an emergency via an auxiliary emergency system that all communication and navigation systems failed. Few minutes later, the airplane crashed into the ocean off Honolulu. SAR operations were initiated but eventually abandoned few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the two crew members was found.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure in flight following a fuel exhaustion. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The crew became lost/disoriented,
- Failure of the communications and navigations equipment,
- Failure of the Loran receiver,
- Communications failure,
- Failure of both engines,
- Forced landing off airport on water,
- Aircraft not recovered,
- Pilot reported HF radio and Loran inoperative,
- Lost,
- No fuel.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo near Naples

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1979

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

Operator:

DuPont Oil Company

Registration:

N101MC

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Illegal (smuggling)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

31-219

YOM:

1964

Location:

Naples

Florida

Country:

Region: