Flight

Radar contact was lost with the airplane while en route from Cumaná to Coro, heading 262° some 30 NM off Barcelona. The airplane failed to arrive at destination. SAR operations were initiated and no trace of the airplane nor the occupants was found.

On 28 February 2023, the Cessna 208B Caravan (208B) aircraft (registration C-GMVB) operated by 1401380 Ontario Limited, doing business as Wilderness North Air (WNA), was scheduled for 2 cargo flights from Nakina Airport (CYQN), Ontario, to Fort Hope Airport (CYFH), Ontario. The occurrence pilot, who had recently been promoted to pilot-in-command (PIC) on the 208B aircraft, was scheduled to fly alone in daytime visual flight rules (VFR) conditions. After reviewing the weather information with his colleagues at their morning briefing, he assessed that the weather was satisfactory for the flight and noted that the winds were forecast to be gusty. A pilot who was present at the briefing but was not scheduled for flight duty that day offered to accompany him. For all flights that day, the occurrence pilot would be the PIC and occupy the left seat, and the 2nd pilot went along as an extra crew member without any assigned duties, occupying the right seat. The cargo was loaded onto the aircraft, and the 1st flight of the day departed CYQN at 1020 and landed in CYFH at 1055. After unloading the cargo, they departed CYFH at 1120 and returned to CYQN at 1156. The pilots loaded the aircraft with cargo for their 2nd flight to CYFH. According to the load sheet, there were 3320 pounds of groceries and household goods on board. The pilots refuelled the aircraft and departed from Runway 27 at approximately 1245. A few minutes after departure, it was reported that they made a radio call on the aerodrome traffic frequency, indicating their location and an estimated time of arrival at CYFH of 1330. Approximately 30 minutes after the occurrence flight departed, a 2nd 208B aircraft (registration C-FUYC) operated by WNA departed also from CYQN to CYFH, with cargo for a different customer. The flight crew encountered snow showers en route, and shortly after they arrived at CYFH at 1400, there was a snow squall, which significantly reduced visibility. At that time, 2 customers were waiting at CYFH for their cargo, and it soon became apparent that the occurrence aircraft had not yet arrived. At approximately 1430, WNA personnel at CYQN were informed that the occurrence aircraft had not arrived at 1330 as expected. At 1445, management at WNA notified the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC), in Trenton, Ontario, that the aircraft was overdue. WNA began its own aerial search along the flight path using C-FUYC, which departed CYFH at 1510 with 2 crew members on board, flew along the direct route of flight of the missing aircraft, and returned to CYQN at 1546. They refuelled the aircraft and departed on another search flight at 1620, with 2 additional pilots in the back to act as spotters. They searched along the route of flight until 1840 and returned to CYQN. JRCC had initiated its response at 1500, and the first tasked aircraft arrived in the search area at 1700. The search continued over the following 4 days. The occurrence aircraft was found on 04 March 2023, 30.8 nautical miles north-northwest of CYQN along the direct track to CYFH. Both pilots were fatally injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces. There was no post-crash fire. There was no emergency locator transmitter (ELT) on the occurrence aircraft because it had been removed for recertification.

The single engine airplane departed Reno-Tahoe Airport Runway 16L at 2058LT on an ambulance flight to Salt Lake City, carrying four passengers and one pilot. During initial climb, the pilot made two successive turns to the left according to the procedure then continued to the northeast. At 2113LT, at an altitude of 19,400 feet and at a speed of 191 knots, the airplane initiated a right turn then entered a spiraled descent and crashed one minute later in a snow covered prairie located southwest of Stagecoach. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and all five occupants were killed, a pilot, a flight nurse, a flight paramedic, a patient and a patient’s family member.

The flight was bound for Manila with one pilot, one aircraft mechanic, and two passengers on board. The aircraft was reported missing after it took off from Bicol International Airport (RPLK) at Daraga, Albay. The aircraft is being operated by the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) and was on a routine general aviation flight. All aircraft occupants were fatally injured in this accident. The pilot submitted a VFR to IRF flight plan that will utilize standard departure on RWY 05 of RPLK. According to the flight plan, it will be transitioning to IFR and intercepting NAGA VOR. It will further continue W9 airway and proceed to ALABAT for the arrival procedure in Manila. The flight departed from RWY 05, made a procedural right upwind turn, and crossed the final approach of RWY 05. At 0647LT, ATC established contact with the aircraft while passing 2,600 ft. The ATC inquired if the flight had already passed Camalig by-pass, and the pilot responded "We're passing Camalig by-pass now". The pilot was instructed by ATC to continue climbing and report twenty nautical miles out of RPLK, which was acknowledged by the pilot. At 0650LT, no position report was received from the aircraft. The ATC initiated contact with the aircraft several times, but no response was received. The duty ATC contacted the Manila Area Control Center (MACC) for any signatures of the aircraft that they might have picked up. The MACC informed the ATC that there was an initial signature contact that later disappeared on the radar monitor. At about 0900LT, the Philippine Aeronautical Rescue Coordinating Center (PARCC) elevated the alert to a DETRESFA on the missing aircraft. On the next day, February 19, 2023, the operator launched their own search operation using an AW139 helicopter, which was able to locate the missing aircraft at about 6,300 feet on the south-west slope of Mt Mayon Volcano with grid coordinates of 13°14'56.45 N and 123°40'57.79 E. An aerial reconnaissance by CAAP-AAIIB investigators and EDC using a helicopter was conducted on 20 February 2023. The general impact area shows the scattered wreckage of aircraft debris and signs of post-impact fire. All four occupants were killed.

On a cargo flight from Montevideo to Buenos Aires, while cruising at night over the Río de la Plata, the crew encountered engine problems and decided to divert to La Plata Airport located in the Buenos Aires Province. On approach, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing when the airplane impacted trees and crashed on a small road located about 5 km northeast of runway 20 threshold, bursting into flames. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the airplane was totally destroyed by a post crash fire.

The pilot encountered an unexpected situation and elected to make an emergency landing in an open muddy field. He lowered the landing gear and upon touchdown, the airplane overturned and came to rest upside down. All five occupants were rescued and the airplane was destroyed.
Crew:
Zvikomborero Nyamakura, pilot,
Passengers:
Salfina Karimazondo, Murowa Diamonds’ security officer,
Obey Mabvundwi, constable of CID Minerals Flora and Fauna Unit,
Petros Chaguruka, Fawcett's guard,
Fredrick Maroyi, Fawcett's guard.

The airplane suffered an engine failure in flight and the pilot attempted an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed, lost its undercarriage and came to rest with its left wing and fuselage bent. Both occupants were injured.

The air tanker, callsign Bomber 139, departed from Busselton Airport, Western Australia (WA) on a firefighting task to Fitzgerald River National Park, WA. There were 2 pilots on board, the aircraft captain in the left seat as the pilot flying and a copilot in the right seat as the pilot monitoring. At about 1614, during the go-around from a second partial retardant drop, the aircraft impacted a ridgeline at an elevation of about 222 ft and subsequently crashed, bursting into flames. The pilots suffered minor injuries and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

The pilot was taking the airplane on a flight to another airport for maintenance. During the preflight inspection, the pilot turned on the electrical power and noticed that the fuel gauge was indicating 80 gallons of fuel. The pilot reported the airplane holds a maximum of 156 gallons of fuel and he calculated that he needed 113 gallons of fuel to legally complete the flight. He informed the fixed base operator (FBO) that he wanted the fuel tanks topped off, but was informed by the ramp technician that the fuel tanks were full and he did not need fuel. The pilot went back to the airplane and removed the fuel cap. He noticed fuel in the filler neck and assumed the fuel tanks were full. He did not push open the anti-siphon fuel valve to see if the tanks were full or if residual fuel was pooled on top of the anti-siphon fuel valve. When the pilot started the engines, he noticed the fuel gauge was flickering and thought it was malfunctioning. He proceeded to depart for the maintenance base. After about 2 hours of flight time both engines lost power. Unable to reach the closest airport, the pilot executed an off field landing in a cotton field. After landing, the airplane rolled into the trees and the left wing separated from the fuselage. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left and right wings. According to the fueler at the FBO, she drove out to the airplane to fuel it on the morning of the accident and, after removing the single fuel cap, saw fuel on top of the anti-siphon valve. She used her finger to push down the valve and felt fuel, so she believed the airplane was full of fuel and it did not need additional fuel. Both wing fuel bladders were breached during the accident and a minor amount of fuel was leaked onto the ground. Personnel from the company who recovered the wreckage stated that there was no fuel in the fuel tanks when the airplane was recovered. The fuel quantity transmitter was sent to the manufacturer for examination. Testing of the transmitter revealed no anomalies with the unit. Based on this information, it is likely that the pilot erred in his assessment of the airplane’s fuel quantity prior to departing on the accident flight and that the available quantity of fuel was exhausted, which resulted in the total loss of engine power and the subsequent forced landing.

The single engine airplane departed Ust-Kara on a schedule service to Naryan-Mar with an intermediate stop in Karatayka, carrying 10 passengers and two crews. Approaching Karatayka, the crew encountered icing conditions and decided to divert to Varandey. Engine power was at maximum but the airplane was unable to climb above 200 metres. In such conditions, the captain decided to attempt an emergency landing when the airplane crashed landed in a snow covered area located some 10 km northwest of Karatayka. A passenger and the captain were killed while 10 other occupants were injured. Shortly before the accident, the crew reported severe icing conditions.