Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

The commercial certificated pilot, with four passengers, departed for a remote lodge on an on-demand air taxi flight in an amphibious float-equipped airplane. The airplane was the second of two company airplanes to depart for the lodge. The route of flight would have transited around the north end, from the west side to the east side of a large island. The first company airplane completed the flight, but the accident airplane did not arrive at the lodge, and was reported overdue. Throughout the morning, before the accident flight, the pilot received two telephonic weather briefings from the local FAA flight service station, which included an AIRMET for mountain obscuration, and two pilot reports from the first pilot. In addition, the pilot visited the FSS for another weather briefing. The weather conditions along the route of flight had reported visibilities as low as 2 miles, and ceilings as low as 200 feet due to rain and mist, and wind of 35 to 40 knots. The area of the accident flight is characterized by steep mountainous island terrain, numerous ocean channels, and an extensive shoreline, containing small coves and bays. The area frequently has low ceilings and reduced visibility due to rain, fog, and mist. The island is one of several barrier islands between the north Pacific Ocean and mainland Alaska. The western coastal portion of the island is exposed to open ocean. The eastern coastal portion of the island is adjacent to a wide strait, which separates the island from several inner islands. The area of operations for the accident airplane has no low-level radar coverage, intermittent radio communications, and limited weather reporting capability. The company's operations manual states that aircraft may not be released for a flight at any location unless there is agreement about the parameters of the flight with the pilot-in-command, and any of the following: Director of operations; chief pilot; or trained individuals granted the authority by the director of operations. The airplane has been declared missing, and is presumed to have crashed; the occupants are presumed to have received fatal injuries.

Shortly after takeoff from Sevilla-San Pablo Airport runway 27, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft suffered a right engine failure. It rolled to the right then lost height and crashed 1,500 metres from the runway end, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all three occupants were killed.

The airline transport certificated pilot was conducting a VFR cross-country business flight, transporting cargo and personnel to a remote airport. The accident airplane was one of two airplanes transporting supplies for a hunting/fishing company, traveling a multi-segment route. The pilot was accompanied by a pilot-rated passenger occupying the right front seat, and a second passenger seated behind the pilot. The pilot obtained a weather briefing from the FAA, which included AIRMETs for mountain obscuration, and IFR conditions due to low ceilings and visibility in smoke, light rain and mist. The pilot said that when he took off on the accident flight, the visibility was 1 to 3 miles in smoke, haze, and fog, but was VFR. He recalled hazy conditions in which he could see rolling hills and river cuts. The pilot-rated passenger was initially flying the airplane. Upon entering lowering visibility, the pilot said he reassumed control of the airplane, and attempted a 180 degree turn to clear the low visibility area, but collided with trees and crashed. The rear seat passenger reported that the accident airplane was flying about 500 to 1,000 feet above the ground because of smoke and fog. He estimated the visibility at takeoff was about 1 mile. About 30 minutes after departure, the airplane was flying over mountainous terrain, and appeared to be following a canyon. The passenger said that the visibility decreased due to fog. He said that the airplane's throw-over control yoke was initially positioned in front of the right seat, pilot-rated passenger, when suddenly a mountain ridge appeared in front of the airplane. The pilot repositioned the control yoke in front of the left seat, banked the airplane to the left, and added engine power. Within a few seconds, the passenger indicated that he felt the airplane collide with several trees and then descend to the ground. The airplane came to rest upright with extensive fuselage damage, about 1,400 feet msl. One wing was torn off the airframe. A postcrash fire consumed the wreckage. A terminal forecast for the airport of departure included few clouds at 500 feet, and visibilities as low as 3 miles in smoke and mist. The destination airport for the accident flight segment had few clouds at 100 feet, and visibilities as low as 2 1/2 miles.

The airplane, which was not operating on a flight plan, was proceeding in clear skies to an airport where the passenger was joining his wife. After crossing a lake near the destination, the airplane flew over rising terrain, along a saddleback, until it struck a stand of old-growth trees that jutted above new-growth trees. During the last 48 seconds of radar coverage, the airplane climbed 600 feet with no erratic course deviations. From the accident location, the airport would have been about 5 nautical miles off the airplane's right wing. The pilot had 32,000 hours of flight experience. The passenger was under investigation for fraud, and attempted to obtain life insurance prior to the flight. The passenger had also loaned money to the pilot, and was receiving "flight services" in lieu of cash payment when the pilot failed to pay back the loan. A .380 caliber pistol magazine was found at the accident site with two rounds of ammunition missing; however, no weapon was located at the site, and no weapon of that caliber was known to be associated with either the pilot or the passenger. Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) were found on electrocardiograms performed in conjunction with the pilot's airman medical certificate applications in 2002 and 2004. The pilot's autopsy report indicated "severe calcific... coronary disease, with 90 percent narrowing of the left anterior descending coronary artery and 75 percent narrowing of the right coronary artery." Cause of death, for both the pilot and passenger, was listed as "undetermined." The autopsy reports also noted that, "due to the inability to perform a complete autopsy...of either of the two aircraft occupants, it cannot be determined whether either the pilot or the passenger were alive or dead at the time of the crash." Post accident inspection of the airplane disclosed no evidence of any preimpact anomalies.

Upon landing on Birch Lake, the second compartment of the right float ruptured. The aircraft nosed down and sank. All five occupants were able to evacuate the cabin and to swim to the shore. The aircraft was written off.

The twin-engine airplane was damaged during a precautionary landing following a reported loss of power to the right engine on takeoff. The pilot reported that the right engine lost power as the landing gear was retracting after takeoff. He stated that he elected to land the airplane on the remaining runway and selected gear down. The pilot stated, "I then flew the aircraft maintaining directional control and landed on runway 24 however due to the short time between selecting gear down and landing the landing gear had not extended and the aircraft landed gear up." No anomalies were found with respect to the right engine or fuel controls during the on-scene or follow-up examination. Examination of the right propeller indicated that it was not in the feather position. The pilot reported that the autofeather system did not engage. The airplane came to rest on the runway with approximately 2000 feet of the runway surface remaining.

Following technical problems, a DC-3 operated by Viarco diverted to Las Gaviotas Airport and was grounded. The operator send a second aircraft to Las Gaviotas to pick up the passengers. Shortly after takeoff from runway 24, while in initial climb, the right engine failed and caught fire. The aircraft stalled and crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. All 20 occupants were injured, six seriously. The aircraft was destroyed.

The single engine aircraft departed Kyzylorda on a charter flight to the island of Vozrozhdeniya with an intermediate stop in Bozoy, carrying 10 doctors and two pilots. They were taking part to a plague control program. After takeoff from Bozoy, while climbing to a height of about 50 metres, the aircraft stalled and crashed in an open field. All 12 occupants were rescued, among them three passengers were seriously injured. Few hours later, one of them died from his injuries.

Pickerel Arm Camps is located about 22 km south of Sioux Lookout, Ontario. It operates a main campsite at its water base and several remote fishing lodges. The company operates two float equipped de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver aircraft to fly guests and supplies to their remote sites. Seven guests of the company arrived at the water base on 18 May 2004, the day before their scheduled four-day fishing trip at Fawcett Lake, one of the remote lodges. Because the remote lodge was available, a decision was made to fly in that afternoon. The group was divided in two, and a group of three guests and all the supplies for the seven guests were to go in the first aircraft. The second group of four, with their personal baggage, was to follow in the company’s other Beaver. The occurrence aircraft, a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver (C-GQHT, serial number 682) with one pilot and three camp guests on board, departed the company water base at approximately 1700 eastern daylight time on a day visual flight rules flight to Fawcett Lake. At approximately 1930, the pilot and the other four guests arrived in the second aircraft to discover that the first group had not arrived. The guests later found the accident aircraft overturned in the lake. Ontario Provincial Police divers recovered the bodies of the pilot and the three passengers. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. There was no fire.

The Beechcraft A100, registration C-FMAI, operated by Myrand Aviation Inc., was on a chartered instrument flight rules flight from QuÈbec/Jean Lesage International Airport, Quebec, to Chibougamau/Chapais Airport, Quebec, with two pilots and three passengers on board. The copilot was at the controls and was flying a non-precision approach for Runway 05. The pilot-in-command took the controls less than one mile from the runway threshold and saw the runway when they were over the threshold. At approximately 1018 eastern daylight time, the wheels touched down approximately 1500 feet from the end of Runway 05. The pilot-in-command realized that the remaining landing distance was insufficient. He told the co-pilot to retract the flaps and applied full power, but did not reveal his intentions. The co-pilot cut power, selected reverse pitch and applied full braking. The aircraft continued rolling through the runway end, sank into the gravel and snow, and stopped abruptly about 500 feet past the runway end. The aircraft was severely damaged. None of the occupants were injured.