Ferry

The aircraft was flown earlier in the day for a sales demonstration. On the return flight, when the landing gear were lowered, the pilot thought he heard a noise emitting from the gear, although cockpit indications were normal. The aircraft landed at Johnny Cake Airport and was refueled for a flight to Bradley Field where it is hangared. The pilot stated he intended to make the 22 miles flight with the gear down as a precaution. He also stated his intention to fly below the overcast because of delays of up to 45 minutes in obtaining IFR clearances. Moments after takeoff the aircraft collided with trees east of the airport. About one mile east of the airport is a north-south ridge. Another pilot, who departed 15-20 mins earlier, reported entering the overcast between 400 and 700 feet agl. Ground witnesses one mile southeast of the airport who heard the crash described the weather as heavy fog and mist. One witness estimated the ceiling as 100 feet agl. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

For undetermined reasons the pilot experienced a power loss on both left engines while turning from left base to final for landing. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control and elected to reduce power on the right engines. During the forced landing roll the aircraft collided with three ditches as well as small trees. As the aircraft touched down both left engines resumed full power. The pilot, sole on board, was uninjured.

A popping or backfiring sound was heard by several people who later observed the aircraft flying at low altitude on what appeared to be a final approach to runway 13 at Jennings Airport (located about 75 miles southwest of the departure point.) No radios were onboard the aircraft so no distress calls were made. Because of the wind this would have been a downwind landing. The aircraft then aborted the approach due to an aircraft landing from the opposite direction and appeared to start a left turn onto abase leg when it stalled, pitched nose down and impacted the ground with its landing gear and flaps extended. Wreckage examination revealed that all 3 blades of the right prop were bent smoothly and symmetrically rearward. However, no preimpact failure or malfunction of the right engine was found. There were no entries in the aircraft's logbook from 7/1/78 until 4/3/84 when the aircraft was inspected for the ferry flight. The pilot was not multi-engine rated and had not flown this type aircraft in about 10 years. The pilot's commercial certificate was revoked on 11/21/81. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from Port McNeill, Vancouver island, BC. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The non-instrument rated pilot was on ferry flight from Bartlesville, OK to Ontario, CA. An en route stop was made at Tucumcari, NM, where the aircraft was refueled and 14 qts of oil was added to the left engine. The line boy who serviced the aircraft saw no visible oil leaks or spillage around the engine. While on the next leg of the flight, the aircraft crashed near interstate highway 40. Two witnesses that saw the crash stated rain was falling, the wind was blowing very strong and there were low ceilings. Reportedly, a squall line was moving thru the area and there was moderate to severe turbulence. An exam of the wreckage revealed the aircraft had crashed in a steep nose down attitude, with 20° to 30° left bank and at high speed. No preimpact, mechanical failures were found and both engines had evidence that they were operating during impact. The weather briefer said the pilot indicated he would fly around the area of precipitation and remain VFR. Radar info showed the pilot had been following the interstate highway and varying his alt between 7,900 and 6,300 feet msl. Both occupants were killed.

At 1604 est, the aircraft departed Fort Wayne on a ferry flight. IFR conditions prevailed and the pilot had filed an IFR flight plan. While climbing after takeoff, the pilot passed his assigned altitude of 2,500 feet msl and flew to 4,200 feet. Also, he failed to turn to his initial assigned heading of 130°. He had problems contacting departure control as he was not on the assigned frequency. He reported problems with his heading indicator and his 'gyro'. Shortly after his last transmission, the aircraft left 4,200 feet msl and crashed in a steep dive. Before takeoff, the atp pilot reported he had flown all King Air aircraft and was currently flying the Beech 200. A review of his last log book revealed over 2,000 hours in the Beech 200, but showed no time in the Beech C90. A witness that reviewed the aircraft with the pilot before the flight believed he (the pilot) was very familiar with the aircraft systems. During an inspection of the wreckage, no evidence was found to verify a pre-impact malfunction or failure of the aircraft or engines. All instruments were destroyed. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

After lift-off a flock of birds approached from left to right at about 400 feet. The pilot maneuvered the aircraft behind and above the birds in an attempt to avoid them. Both engines flamed out and the aircraft made a forced landing on a road. Ground witnesses described the climbout as '...very steep...' and '...a steep angle, between 40° 45°.' There was some bird residue on the engines. Both pilots escaped uninjured.

At about 60 feet agl black smoke was observed coming from the left engine. The aircraft continued a climb in a nose high attitude and the nose pitched down and the aircraft rolled inverted. Engine teardown revealed extensive damage to the supercharger assembly. The impeller shaft was bent and its associated bearing damaged. The aircraft had not flown for about 14 years. Engine service instructions describe pre-oiling of the supercharger drive shaft bearing after any prolonged period of inactivity. The owner, a paraplegic, was seated in the left seat. The pilot seated in the right seat had a history of heart and pulmonary disease. The gear and flaps were in the down position. Prior to departure, a witness asked the owner 'are you doing the elevators and ailerons and is he your rudders.' the owner responded with 'we have an arrangement'. Both occupants were killed.

The aircraft departed Oakland, CA at 1733 PST on a night flight to Honolulu, HI. The flight proceeded without incident until approximately 0050 PST when the pilot advised that the left engine was slowly losing oil pressure. At that time, the aircraft was at an altitude of 6,000 feet. At 0205, the pilot reported he shut down the engine and was unable to maintain 6000 feet. A descent was started. In his last transmission at 0228 PST, the pilot reported that he was at 500 feet, barely maintaining altitude. Radio contact was lost when the aircraft was approximately 500 miles east of Honolulu. At 1559, the crew of a search aircraft sighted floating debris and one body floating in that area. A marker buoy was deployed, but no recovery was accomplish. The aircraft was presumed to have been destroyed and both occupants were presumed to have been fatally injured. The aircraft crashed in moderate sea conditions with waves heights estimated at three to five feet.

Aero Commander 560E, N3827C (27C) was returning from Blairstown where it had been flown for minor maintenance. The pilot was on an IFR flight plan, cleared by New York tracon to proceed at 2,000 feet msl on a radar vector of 170° for an ILS approach to the Teterboro Airport. The aircraft was equipped with an altitude encoding transponder that was being used. The pilot was advised of numerous targets at his 12 o'clock position. At approximately the same time, Cessna 182Q, N96402 (402), was on a flight from the Kupper Airport to Ramapo Airport. A direct route between these airports would have intersected the nw edge of the New York TCA where positive control began between 1,800 and 7,000 feet msl. The pilot was proceeding VFR with no flight plan and was not in radio communication with any ATC facility. 402 was equipped with a transponder that was operating, but had no altitude encoding capability. As the aircraft converged, 402 was on a northeasterly heading. The planes collided about 1 mile inside the TCA. Then impacted the ground approximately 1,500 feet apart. A map was found in 402 with a line drawn between the airports and intersecting the TCA. All three occupants in both aircraft were killed.