Ferry

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Tucson – Van Nuys

MSN:

1121-044

YOM:

1966

Location:

Van Nuys

California

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

5000

Captain / Total hours on type:

90.00

Circumstances:

The pilot, executing an ILS approach, observed a primary hydraulic pressure drop and declared his intent to land without the use of flaps, speed brakes, reversers or nose wheel steering. The aircraft ran off the end of the runway during landing, traveled approximately 1,300 feet and came to rest on a golf course after striking two vehicles and a chain link fence. Post accident investigation revealed 0.8 quarts of hydraulic fluid (skydrol) in the reservoir. Reservoir capacity is 1.28 u.s. gallon. The pilot stated he pumped the brakes on approach to build pressure in the emergency brake system. The pilot announced he had no braked after touchdown. The Jet Commander 1121 operator's manual cautions against this practice. A functional check of the thrust reversers by on-scene investigators produced two complete cycles of operation. Two persons located in a ground vehicle were injured during the overrun landing.

Probable cause:

Occurrence #1: overrun
Phase of operation: landing - roll
Findings
1. (f) hydraulic system, reservoir - low level
2. (f) brakes (normal) - not possible - other maintenance personnel
3. (c) brakes (emergency) - improper use of - pilot in command
4. (c) improper use of procedure - pilot in command
5. (c) reversers - not used - pilot in command
6. (f) aircraft preflight - not performed - pilot in command

Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 in Borogon

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1985 at 1101 LT

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-44905

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Republic of Yakutia (Sakha)

Schedule:

Borogon - Tiksi

MSN:

1G24-05

YOM:

1962

Location:

Borogon

Country:

Russia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After completing a cargo flight from Tiksi to Borogon, the crew was returning to Tiksi on a ferry flight. There were no passengers and no cargo on board. After takeoff from Borogon, while climbing to a height of 8 meters at a speed of 120 km/h, the flaps retracted automatically from 30° to zero. The aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent, struck the snow covered ground and crashed 250 meters past the runway end. All three crew members escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the flaps retracted prematurely and accidentally following a short-circuit by the flaps button where electrical resistances were corroded by condensation.

Crash of a Douglas A-26B Invader in Lawton

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1985 at 1635 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-26 Invader

Operator:

Ada Aircraft Museum

Registration:

N142ER

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Ada - Frederick

MSN:

6928

YOM:

1941

Location:

Lawton-Fort Sill

Oklahoma

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

5395

Captain / Total hours on type:

158.00

Circumstances:

An intermittent fire in the left engine accessory section led to loss of fuel to the engine. The right engine ingested water and quit. The landing gear had been left pinned in the down position because of a malfunction reported on the previous flight. Neither propeller was feathered, but the resulting high rate of descent led to a forced landing before the left tank blew up and the wing burned off. The aircraft was destroyed by fire after all three occupants escaped without serious injury. The aircraft was being ferried to another facility for restoration.

Probable cause:

Occurrence #1: miscellaneous/other
Phase of operation: standing - pre-flight
Findings
1. (c) maintenance, inspection - inadequate - company maintenance personnel
2. (f) preflight planning/preparation - inadequate - pilot in command
3. (f) operation with known deficiencies in equipment - intentional - pilot in command
----------
Occurrence #2: fire
Phase of operation: cruise - normal
Findings
4. (c) accessory drive assy - fire
----------
Occurrence #3: loss of engine power (total) - nonmechanical
Phase of operation: descent - emergency
Findings
5. (c) fluid,fuel - water
----------
Occurrence #4: forced landing
Phase of operation: descent - emergency
----------
Occurrence #5: forced landing
Phase of operation: landing
Findings
6. Engine assembly - fire
7. Nacelle/pylon - fire
8. Wing - fire
9. Horizontal stabilizer surface - fire
10. Landing gear - overload

Final Report:

Crash of a Dornier DO228-100 near Dakhla: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1985 at 1730 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO228

Operator:

Registration:

D-IGVN

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Desert

Schedule:

Dakar - Lanzarote

MSN:

7039

YOM:

1984

Flight number:

Polar 3

Location:

Dakhla

Oued Ed-Dahab-Lagouira

Country:

Western Sahara

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was returning to Germany following an expedition in the South Pole (Antarctica). The aircraft departed Dakar on a leg to Lanzarote, and was following another Dornier DO228 from the same Alfred Wegener Institute christened Polar 2 that was flying higher than Polar 3. En route, the aircraft was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and crashed in a desert area located south of Dakhla. All three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a surface-to-air missile from the Front Polisario.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Port Heiden: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1985 at 1900 LT

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

Operator:

Registration:

N63719

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Becharof Lake - Cold Bay

MSN:

31-7712042

YOM:

1977

Location:

Port Heiden

Alaska

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4427

Captain / Total hours on type:

2250.00

Aircraft flight hours:

4284

Circumstances:

This flight originated near Becharof Lake and was destined for Cold Bay. Aircraft crashed into the side of a mountain at the 7,500 feet level, 23 miles left of course. Marginal weather conditions existed including a 35 knot right crosswind. Pilot had flown the same route about 1 hour prior to the accident. Company VFR flight plan was filed. Accident occurred at sunset. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

Occurrence #1: in flight collision with terrain/water
Phase of operation: cruise
Findings
1. (f) weather condition - obscuration
2. (f) weather condition - unfavorable wind
3. (f) weather condition - snow
4. (c) flight into known adverse weather - intentional - pilot in command
5. (c) vfr flight into imc - continued - pilot in command
6. (c) compensation for wind conditions - inadequate - pilot in command
7. (f) terrain condition - mountainous/hilly
8. (f) light condition - dark night
9. (f) in-flight planning/decision - poor - pilot in command

Final Report:

Crash of a Mitsubishi MU-2B-25 Marquise in West Point: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1985 at 1852 LT

Type of aircraft:

Mitsubishi MU-2 Marquise

Operator:

Chesapeake Aviation

Registration:

N275MA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

West Point-Middle Peninsula

Schedule:

Youngstown - West Point

MSN:

255

YOM:

1973

Location:

Virginia

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

28818

Captain / Total hours on type:

1500.00

Aircraft flight hours:

45804

Circumstances:

After being delayed at least 2 days at Youngstown, OH, due to maintenance problems the pilot departed at approximately 1725 hours with the knowledge that the weather at his destination was ift to lifr. In addition, the pilot was scheduled for a vacation and had expressed hopes of departing on it that evening. The aircraft was seen circling West Point Municipal Airport in and out of low clouds, fog, and/or smoke from a nearby mill. Immediately before the aircraft collided with trees 6.5 miles west of the airport, a witness saw red lights, one on the rear and one close to the front of the aircraft, which was estimated to be flying at approximately tree top level. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

Occurrence #1: in flight encounter with weather
Phase of operation: circling (ifr)
Findings
1. (f) weather condition - below approach/landing minimums
2. (c) became lost/disoriented - inadvertent - pilot in command
3. Self-induced pressure - pilot in command
4. (f) weather condition - low ceiling
5. (f) weather condition - fog
6. (f) weather condition - obscuration
----------
Occurrence #2: in flight collision with object
Phase of operation: circling (ifr)
Findings
7. (f) light condition - dark night
8. (f) object - tree(s)
9. (c) missed approach - not performed - pilot in command

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Pontiac: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1984 at 1932 LT

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

Operator:

Richards Aviation

Registration:

N9011Y

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bolivar - Pontiac

MSN:

31-16

YOM:

1967

Location:

Pontiac

Michigan

Country:

Region:

De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2247

Aircraft flight hours:

3979

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed the airport with one dry air pump inoperative and the other pump reading low. Aircraft control was lost during an instrument approach in IMC approximately 2.5 hours later. Both pump driveshafts were found sheared in the wreckage and both broken shaft surfaces showed polished surfaces. During further testing it was discovered that tape or pipe dope had been used in the threading of the intake and outflow fittings of the left pump. No contaminants were found in the right pump but the pump wall inner surfaces gap was approximately .005 inch. This gap is approx 50% over the allowable tolerance for a serviceable air pump. The pressure regulator valve to the attitude indicator gyro and the compass gyro were examined and found to require pressure exceeding normal requirement standards. Both occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Occurrence #1: airframe/component/system failure/malfunction
Phase of operation: unknown
Findings
1. (f) pneumatic system - no pressure
2. (c) operation with known deficiencies in equipment - improper - pilot in command
3. (c) improper use of equipment/aircraft - pilot in command
4. (f) flight/nav instruments, attitude gyro - disabled
5. (c) judgment - improper - pilot in command
6. (f) psychological condition - pilot in command
7. (f) flight/nav instruments, attitude indicator - false indication
8. (c) maintenance, installation - improper - company maintenance personnel
9. (f) pressure - pilot in command
----------
Occurrence #2: loss of control - in flight
Phase of operation: approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr)
Findings
10. Flight/nav instruments,attitude indicator - false indication
11. (c) emergency procedure - not followed - pilot in command
12. (c) improper use of procedure - pilot in command
13. (f) qualification - pilot in command
14. (f) lack of experience - pilot in command
15. (f) lack of recent experience - pilot in command
16. (f) lack of recent experience in type operation - pilot in command
----------
Occurrence #3: in flight collision with terrain/water
Phase of operation: descent - uncontrolled

Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou in the Atlantic Ocean: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1984 at 0307 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N5488R

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Intercontinental Air Lease - IAL

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Santa Maria - Saint John's

MSN:

216

YOM:

1964

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

50000

Captain / Total hours on type:

5000.00

Aircraft flight hours:

4500

Circumstances:

Pilot ditched aircraft in Atlantic Ocean following a loss of power due to fuel exhaustion. Copilot stated they were aware of bad weather along the route but the pilot was anxious to get to their destination. Headwinds encountered en route were stronger then expected. Copilot stated they had shut down one of the engines approximately 1/2 hour before the ditching in an effort to conserve fuel. A pilot died while the second was rescued.

Probable cause:

Occurrence #1: loss of engine power (total) - nonmechanical
Phase of operation: cruise - normal
Findings
1. (f) weather condition - rain
2. (c) preflight planning/preparation - poor - pilot in command
3. (f) weather condition - unfavorable wind
4. Judgment - poor - pilot in command
5. (f) anxiety/apprehension - pilot in command
6. Fluid, fuel - exhaustion
7. (c) fuel consumption calculations - inaccurate - pilot in command
----------
Occurrence #2: forced landing
Phase of operation: descent - emergency
----------
Occurrence #3: ditching
Phase of operation: landing
Findings
8. Terrain condition - water, rough

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-118A Liftmaster in San Manuel

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1984 at 1630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-118 Liftmaster

Operator:

Registration:

N92860

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Saint Petersburg – Chandler

MSN:

44619/549

YOM:

1955

Location:

San Manuel

Arizona

Country:

Region: