Demonstration

The airplane was operated by the manufacturer and was on a sales demonstration itinerary. On the accident flight the airplane was being repositioned following a demonstration and the two pilots included a commercially licensed manufacturer's sales pilot and a private licensed regional sales distributor. One of the two pilots onboard requested, and received, an abbreviated weather briefing prior to departure, the details of which included an airman's meteorological information notice (AIRMET) for occasional moderate rime ice. He then filed an instrument flight rules flight plan for a route passing over mountainous terrain, with a published Minimum En route Altitude (MEA) for the airway that was above the predicted icing level. The flight plan was not activated and the pilots told a TRACON controller who was providing VFR advisories that they intended to continue under visual flight rules through a mountain pass and open their IFR flight plan after reaching the other side of the pass where the MEA was lower. A review of the mode C reported altitudes flown by the pilots and an analysis of the cloud bases and tops revealed that the flight was likely in at least intermittent, if not mostly solid, instrument meteorological conditions as it flew through the pass. As the flight approached the other end of the pass, the controller advised the pilots that the radar showed they were heading into rising terrain. The controller asked, "Do you have the terrain in sight?" One of the pilots responded, "we're maneuvering away from the terrain right now." After that, radar contact was lost. Recorded radar data showed that the airplane made a righthand turn toward rising terrain while continuing to climb to an approximate altitude of 8,800 feet mean sea level (msl). The last minute of radar data showed the airplane at altitudes of 8,000 feet msl, 8,800 feet msl, and 8,600 feet msl. The last radar return was at an altitude of 7,300 feet msl. An aircraft performance study was accomplished using recorded radar data and aerodynamic data provided by Cessna. Based on the radar data and other relevant information, as the aircraft turned toward the rising terrain, the bank angle steadily increased, until a very abrupt change in pitch consistent with a stall occurred, and the airplane departed controlled flight and descended at a very steep nose down attitude into the mountainous terrain. The airplane wreckage was subsequently located at an elevation of 6,073 feet. Nearby ground witnesses first noticed the sound of the airplane, that then suddenly changed to a high pitched increasing rpm. Witnesses then saw the accident airplane coming out of the clouds almost straight nose down. The witnesses described the weather as cold with drizzling rain and reduced visibility due to the clouds. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failure.

The airplane crashed onto a street adjacent to the airport shortly after takeoff. As the airplane started its takeoff roll, it began to veer to the left off of the runway. About midway down the runway the airplane lifted off the ground and flew over a crowd of people assembled at the airport for an airport appreciation day. The airplane climbed to about 50 feet, made a steep roll to the left, flying in-between the control tower and a light pole, and crossed over the boundary fence where the left wing struck a moving vehicle before coming to rest against several parked cars. Numerous photographs (including video footage) were taken by witnesses on the airport of the airplane on the takeoff ground roll and throughout the accident sequence. The photographs clearly show a nylon strap connecting the left elevator and rudder. It was surmised that the use of the nylon strap was as a flight control/gust lock for the airplane. During the investigation, a nylon strap was observed hanging from an S-hook that was attached to the vertical stabilizer/rudder hinge attach point. The loop at the other end of the strap had come apart, and when investigators looked under the left stabilizer/elevator hinge attach area they noted a similar S-hook attached to the hinge attach area.

The twin-engine airplane was observed at a low altitude of approximately 1,000 feet agl performing power off stall maneuvers. The witness described the first stall maneuver initiation and recovery as "good." During the second stall maneuver, the nose rose higher than it did during the first maneuver, the right wing dropped, followed by a steep nose down attitude. The airplane rotated about one and one half revolutions before disappearing behind trees. Prior to ground impact, the witness heard the engines rev up. The purpose of the flight was to demonstrate the airplane to a prospective buyer. A radar and aircraft performance study indicated that the accident airplane departed the airport and began a series of heading, speed and altitude changes ultimately crashing 14.6 nautical miles east of the departure airport. During several time periods, calculations of the calibrated airspeed indicated a trend towards and below published stall speeds of 63 knots flaps extended and 71 knots flaps retracted. No structural or mechanical anomalies were observed during an examination of the airplane and engine.

Two Indian Navy Ilyushin II-38 were engaged in a demonstration flight at Dabolim Airport, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the 315th Squadron based at Dabolim. While approaching the airfield in formation at a height of about 100 metres, both aircraft registered IN302 and IN304 collided and crashed. All 12 occupants were killed (five on board IN302 and seven on board IN304) as well as four people on the ground.

Two Indian Navy Ilyushin II-38 were engaged in a demonstration flight at Dabolim Airport, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the 315th Squadron based at Dabolim. While approaching the airfield in formation at a height of about 100 metres, both aircraft registered IN302 and IN304 collided and crashed. All 12 occupants were killed (five on board IN302 and seven on board IN304) as well as four people on the ground.

Operated by Overtec, the aircraft was leased from a Polish company and was engaged in a demonstration flight from Puerto Cabello to Caracas on behalf of the Venezuelan National Guard. Shortly after takeoff from Puerto Cabello-General Bartolomé Salom Airport, while climbing, the twin engine aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height, stalled and crashed in an open field, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire and all 13 occupants were killed.

The aircraft was dispatched at Issoire-Le Broc to take part to an airshow. The crew already completed several low passes and presentation to the public (about 8,000 people). At the end of the afternoon, the crew approached the grassy runway to perform a new low pass when the aircraft went out of control, overturned and crashed, bursting into flames. Both occupants were killed.
Crew:
Jean-Louis Escoffier, pilot,
Gérard Launois, pilot.

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a demonstration flight while taking part to the MAKS-97 Airshow at Moscow-Zhukovsky Airport. On takeoff, he lost control of the airplane that crashed by the runway. The pilot was killed.

The flight was part of a pre-buy inspection of the airplane. Witnesses reported the airplane did not climb more than 200 feet above ground level (agl) after takeoff. The airplane entered a shallow left turn and completed about 210 degrees of heading change before it impacted a flat field near the approach end of runway 26. Witnesses reported that the landing gear were retracted and that the engines sounded like they running at high power, but the airplane did not accelerate or climb normally. The airspeed was slow and 'mushy.' The engines' gas generator sections exhibited strong rotational scoring. The engines' power sections exhibited light rotational signatures. The left and right propellers exhibited minimal leading edge damage. Both propellers exhibited high blade angles. The secondary low pitch stops (SLPS) had been installed on the aircraft four days prior to the accident. A ground check, but no flight check, had been conducted. The SLPS sensors were found in the full aft position on the mounting bracket, not in the normal mid-range position. The SLPS control box installed on the aircraft was an updated box and was incompatible with the existing wiring.

The aircraft was approaching to land after completing a handling display during an Open Day at RAAF Richmond. At an altitude of about 800 feet, on the base leg for runway 28, both engines stopped simultaneously and without warning. As there was insufficient altitude to reach the field for a power off landing, the flaps and landing gear were retracted and a successful forced landing carried out into a cleared field short of the airfield. The crew evacuated the aircraft without injury.