Flight

The aircraft was flying over the Luhansk oblast at an altitude of some 6,500 metres when it was hit by a surface-to-air missile. All eight crew members were able to bail out. The aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field located in Izvaryne, near the Russian border. Four crew were uninjured, two others were taken prisoners by pro-Russian separatists and two others were killed.

The crew departed Lanseria on a positioning flight to Lubumbashi where the aircraft was based. En route, the crew encountered engine problems and elected to make an emergency landing on the Lusaka - Chirundu Road. Eventually, the twin engine aircraft crashed in a cliff. Both occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

On 23 June 2014 at 1522 hrs the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) informed the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) that a collision involving a civil Learjet 35A (Learjet) and a German Air Force Eurofighter had occurred during aerial target demonstrations. According to the Law Relating to the Investigation into Accidents and Incidents Associated with the Operation of Civil Aircraft (FlUUG) accidents and incidents involving civil and military aircraft will be investigated under the responsibility of the BFU. The BFU immediately deployed a team of five investigators to the accident site. The BFU was supported by the Directorate Aviation Safety of the German Armed Forces (AbtFlSichhBw). The Learjet, operated by a civil operator specializing in manned aerial target demonstrations, had taken off at Hohn Airport and had initially been flying with a southern heading in accordance with Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). At the time of the accident the Learjet had changed to Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and was flying in airspace E with a northern heading. A formation consisting of two Eurofighters had taken off from Nörvenich Air Base with the order to conduct a so-called Renegade mission, i.e. the unknown civil aircraft had to be intercepted, identified, and accompanied to a military airport. After the collision with a Eurofighter, the Learjet crashed to the ground. The pilots of the Learjet suffered fatal injuries and the aircraft was destroyed. The pilot of the Eurofighter could land the severely damaged airplane at Nörvenich Air Base.

The private pilot was conducting a personal flight during day, instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions. The pilot checked in with an air route traffic control center, and, after radar data showed multiple changes in altitude that were not in accordance with the assigned altitudes, an air traffic controller queried the pilot about the altitude changes. The pilot reported an autopilot problem and then later requested clearance to deviate around weather at a higher altitude. The airplane passed through several sectors and controllers, and it was understood that the pilot was aware of the adverse weather due to the deviation information in the flight strip. The air traffic controller did not provide additional adverse weather information and updates to the pilot, as required by a Federal Aviation Administration order; however, general broadcasts of this weather information were recorded on the frequency the pilot was using before the accident. Multiple weather resources showed rapidly developing multicellular to supercell-type convective activity with cloud tops near 48,000 ft. Forecasts and advisories warned of potential strong to severe thunderstorms with the potential for moderate-to-severe turbulence, hail, lightning, heavy rains, and high wind. Radar data indicated that the pilot turned into the intense weather cells instead of away from them as he had requested. The pilot declared a "mayday" and reported that he had lost visual reference and was in a spin. Damage to the airplane and witness marks on the ground were consistent with the airplane impacting in a level attitude and a flat spin. No mechanical anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation before the loss of control and impact with the ground. The investigation could not determine if there was an anomaly with the autopilot or if the rapidly developing thunderstorms and associated weather created a perception of an autopilot problem. The autopsy identified coronary artery disease. Although the coronary artery disease could have led to an acute coronary syndrome with symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, or fainting, it was unlikely to have impaired the pilot's judgment following a preflight weather briefing or while decision-making en route. Thus, there is no evidence that a medical condition contributed to the accident. The toxicology testing of the pilot identified zolpidem in the pilot's blood and tetrahydrocannabinol and its metabolite in the pilot's cavity blood, which indicated that he was using two potentially impairing substances in the days to hours before the accident. It is unlikely that the pilot's use of zolpidem contributed to the accident; however, the investigation could not determine whether the pilot's use of marijuana contributed to the cause of the accident.

The airline transport pilot was repositioning the airplane to an airport near the owner's summer home. The airplane was not maintained for instrument flight, and the pilot had diverted the day before the accident due to weather. On the day of the accident, the pilot departed for the destination, but returned shortly after due to weather. After waiting for the weather conditions to improve, the pilot departed again that afternoon, and refueled the airplane at an intermediate airport before continuing toward the destination. The route of flight followed a highway that traversed a mountain pass. A witness located along the highway stated that he saw the accident airplane traveling northbound toward the mountain pass, below the overcast cloud layer. He also stated that the mountain pass was obscured, and he could see a thunderstorm developing toward the west, which was moving east toward the pass. A second witness, located near the accident site, saw the airplane descend vertically from the base of the clouds while spinning in a level attitude and impact the ground. The second witness reported that it was snowing and that the visibility was about ¼ mile at the time of the accident. The airplane impacted terrain in a level attitude, and was consumed by a postcrash fire. Examination of the flight controls, airframe, and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot experienced spatial disorientation and a subsequent loss of aircraft control upon encountering instrument meteorological conditions. The airplane exceeded its critical angle of attack and entered a flat spin at low altitude, resulting in an uncontrolled descent and impact with terrain.

The single engine aircraft was completing a training flight from Sabi Sabi to Lydenburg on behalf of the 41st Squadron. While descending to Lydenburg, the aircraft crashed in a mountainous area near the Long Tom Pass. Two passengers were seriously injured while three other occupants were killed.

On 12 June 2014, at about 1530 Eastern Standard Time (EST), a Piper PA-46 aircraft, registered VH-TSV, departed Dubbo, New South Wales for a private flight to the Sunshine Coast, Queensland with a pilot and one passenger on board. The planned route was to track via Moree and Toowoomba at 13,500 ft above mean sea level (AMSL). The pilot had operated the aircraft from Sunshine Coast to Lightning Ridge, Brewarrina and Dubbo earlier that day and reported that all engine indications were normal on those flights. About 1 hour after departing Dubbo, when about 26 NM south of Narrabri, at about 13,500 ft AMSL, the pilot observed the engine manifold pressure gauge indicating 25 inches Hg, when the throttle position selected would normally have produced about 28 inches Hg. The pilot selected the alternate air1 which did not result in any increase in power. He then elected to descend to 10,000 ft, and at that power setting when normally the engine would have produced about 29 inches Hg, the gauge still indicated only about 25 inches Hg. He turned the aircraft towards Narrabri in an attempt to fly clear of the Pilliga State Forest. The pilot assessed that the aircraft had a partial engine failure and performed troubleshooting checks. As the aircraft descended through about 8,000 ft, he observed the oil pressure gauge indicating decreasing pressure. When passing about 6,500 ft, the oil pressure gauge indicated zero and the pilot heard two loud bangs and observed the cowling lift momentarily from above the engine. The passenger observed a puff of smoke emanating from the engine and momentarily a small amount of smoke in the cockpit. The pilot established the aircraft in a glide at about 90 kt, secured the engine and completed the emergency checklist. He broadcast a ‘Mayday’ 2 call on Brisbane Centre radio frequency advising of an engine failure and forced landing. The pilot looked for a clear area below in which to conduct a forced landing and also requested the passenger to assist in identifying any cleared areas suitable to land. Both only identified heavily treed areas. The pilot extended the landing gear and selected 10º of flap and, when at about 1,000 ft, the pilot shut the fuel off, deployed the emergency beacon then switched off the electrical system. As the aircraft entered the tree tops, he flared to stall3 the aircraft. On impact, the pilot was seriously injured and lost consciousness. The passenger reported the wings impacted with trees and the aircraft slid about 10 m before coming to rest. The passenger checked for any evidence of fuel leak or fire and administered basic first aid to the pilot. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The crew was on his way to east Ukraine on a reconnaissance mission for pro-federalist militants positions. While overflying the region of Slavyansk, the aircraft was hit by a surface-to-air missile SAM that struck the right engine that caught fire. Three crew members were able to bail out and later found alive but injured. Out of control, the aircraft entered a dive and crashed in an open field located in Drobyshevo, between the villages of Krasny Liman and Nikolayevka. It was totally destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire and all five occupants were killed.

Following a C-Check at Bratislava Airport, the aircraft was returning to its base in Kano, Nigeria, with an intermediate stop in Ghardaïa. While flying over the Niger airspace, the crew was in contact with Niamey ATC when he apparently encountered poor weather conditions (sand storm) and lost all communications. The exact circumstances of the accident are unclear, but it is believed that the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing due to fuel shortage. The aircraft landed in a desert area located in the region of the Ganla beacon, south of Niger. Upon landing, the aircraft lost its undercarriage and slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. Both pilots evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The wreckage was found about 190 km north of Kano.

The aircraft departed Villavicencio on a cargo flight to Florencia, carrying three passengers, two pilots and a load consisting of 2,540 kg of various goods. While cruising under VFR mode at an altitude of 6,500 feet, weather conditions worsened and the crew attempted to modify his route when the aircraft impacted ground and crashed in a wooded and mountainous area located some 45 km north of San Vincente del Caguán, near Uribe. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all five occupants were killed.