Landing (descent or approach)

The flightcrew stated that approximately 8 miles out on a visual approach for runway 10 they requested winds and altimeter setting from the control tower. They received altimeter setting 29.95 inches Hg., and winds from 090 degrees at 20 knots. About 5 miles out, in full landing configuration, they checked wind conditions again, and were told 090 at 16 knots. They were holding Vref of 125 knots plus 10 knots on final. The approach was normal until they got a downdraft on short final. The airplane sank and they reacted by immediately adding engine power and increasing pitch, but the airplane continued to sink. The airplane's main landing gear came in contact with the top of the barbwire fencing at the approach end of the runway. The airplane landed short of the threshold. The airplane was under control during the roll out and they taxied to the ramp. A special weather observation was taken at the Vance W. Amory International Airport at 1930, 10 minutes after the accident. The special weather observation was winds 090 at 15 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, scattered clouds at 2,000, temperature 27 degrees centigrade, dewpoint temperature 23 degrees centigrade, altimeter setting 29.95 inches hg.

Crew twin engine aircraft was performing an ambulance flight from Grande Prairie to his base in Fort Vermilion with one patient, one doctor, one accompanist and two pilots on board. On final approach, the aircraft was too high and eventually landed hard. Upon touchdown, the right main gear collapsed and the aircraft veered off runway to the right and and came to rest. All five occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The airplane, which was not operating on a flight plan, was proceeding in clear skies to an airport where the passenger was joining his wife. After crossing a lake near the destination, the airplane flew over rising terrain, along a saddleback, until it struck a stand of old-growth trees that jutted above new-growth trees. During the last 48 seconds of radar coverage, the airplane climbed 600 feet with no erratic course deviations. From the accident location, the airport would have been about 5 nautical miles off the airplane's right wing. The pilot had 32,000 hours of flight experience. The passenger was under investigation for fraud, and attempted to obtain life insurance prior to the flight. The passenger had also loaned money to the pilot, and was receiving "flight services" in lieu of cash payment when the pilot failed to pay back the loan. A .380 caliber pistol magazine was found at the accident site with two rounds of ammunition missing; however, no weapon was located at the site, and no weapon of that caliber was known to be associated with either the pilot or the passenger. Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) were found on electrocardiograms performed in conjunction with the pilot's airman medical certificate applications in 2002 and 2004. The pilot's autopsy report indicated "severe calcific... coronary disease, with 90 percent narrowing of the left anterior descending coronary artery and 75 percent narrowing of the right coronary artery." Cause of death, for both the pilot and passenger, was listed as "undetermined." The autopsy reports also noted that, "due to the inability to perform a complete autopsy...of either of the two aircraft occupants, it cannot be determined whether either the pilot or the passenger were alive or dead at the time of the crash." Post accident inspection of the airplane disclosed no evidence of any preimpact anomalies.

The twin engine aircraft departed Biscarosse Airport, Landes, at 1629LT, on a private flight to Alicante, carrying five passengers and one pilot. At 1840LT, while descending to Alicante, the pilot contacted ATC and reported a low fuel situation. After being vectored to Albacete-Los Llanos AFB, he modified his route and started the descent for an approach to runway 09. Four minutes later, at an altitude of 3,000 feet and a distance of 8 NM, he declared an emergency following an engine failure. Two minutes later, the aircraft crashed near Chinchilla, about 10 km southeast of the airport. All six occupants were rescued and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Upon landing on Birch Lake, the second compartment of the right float ruptured. The aircraft nosed down and sank. All five occupants were able to evacuate the cabin and to swim to the shore. The aircraft was written off.

Following an uneventful passenger flight from Reykjavik to Sauðárkrókur, the crew decided to fly to Siglufjörður Airport to perform a competence control flight for this airfield. On approach in good weather conditions (visibility over 10 km with clouds at 1,500 feet), the captain disconnected the GPWS system to avoid repetitive alarms. After landing on runway 07, he attended to perform a touch-and-go so he increased engine power and took off. During initial climb, the landing gears were raised and the crew made a right hand turn circuit at an altitude of 500 feet. Following a second approach to runway 07, the aircraft landed on its belly and slid for 280 metres before coming to rest. Both pilots evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

After landing on runway 02 at Chitral Airport, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a grassy and sandy area. All 40 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The pilot and sole occupant of the DHC-2 seaplane, registration C-GJST, serial number 1368, was on his first flight of the season on the Ottawa River at Gatineau, Quebec. This training flight, conducted according to visual flight rules, was to consist of about 12 touch-and-go landings. The aircraft took off at approximately 1300 eastern daylight time, and made several upwind touch-and-go landings in a westerly direction. At approximately 1340 eastern daylight time, the aircraft was seen about 50 feet above the surface of the water proceeding downwind in an easterly
direction, in a nose-down attitude of over 20 degrees. The right float then struck the water and the aircraft tumbled several times, breaking up on impact. Despite the waves and gusting wind on the river, some riverside residents who witnessed the accident attempted a rescue, but the aircraft sank before they could reach it. Even though the pilot was wearing a seat-belt, he sustained head injuries at impact and drowned.

The solo airline transport pilot departed on a commercial cargo flight in a twin-engine, turboprop airplane. As the flight approached the destination airport, visibility decreased below the 2 mile minimum required for the initiation of the approach. The pilot entered a holding pattern, and waited for the weather to improve. After holding for about 45 minutes, the ceiling and visibility had improved, and the flight was cleared for the ILS 25 instrument approach. After the pilot's initial contact with ATCT personnel, no further radio communications were received. When the flight did not reach the destination airport, it was reported overdue. A search in the area of an ELT signal located the accident airplane on a hilly, tree-covered island. A witness located to the north of the airport reported seeing a twin-engine turboprop airplane flying very low over the water, headed in an easterly direction, away from the airport. The witness added that the weather at the time consisted of very low clouds, fog, and rain, with zero-zero visibility. A local resident also stated that the weather conditions were often much lower over the water adjacent to the approach end of the airport than at the airport itself. The missed approach procedure for the ILS 25 approach is a climbing left turn to the south. About one minute after the accident, a special weather observation was reporting, in part: Wind, 060 degrees (true) at 11 knots; visibility, 2 statute miles in light rain and mist; clouds and sky condition, 500 feet broken, 900 feet broken, 1,500 feet overcast; temperature, 46 degrees F; dew point, 44 degrees F. According to FAA records, the company was not authorized to conduct single pilot IFR operations in the accident airplane, and that the accident pilot was the operator's chief pilot. Toxicology tests revealed cocaethylene and chlorpheniramine in the pilot's blood and urine.

An IFR flight plan and slot reservation were filed for the planned flight over mountainous terrain. The flightcrew intended to reposition to an airport about 30 miles southeast of the departure airport, pick up passengers, and then complete a revenue flight to another airport. The airplane departed VFR, and the flightcrew never activated the flight plan. A debris path was located, consistent with straight and level flight, near the peak of a mountain at 3,475 feet msl. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed near the accident site, about the time of the accident. Further investigation revealed the aircraft operator was involved in two prior weather related accidents, both of which resulted in fatalities. A third accident went unreported, and the weather at the time of that accident was unknown. Over a period of 14 years, the same FAA principal operations inspector was assigned to the operator during all four accidents; however, no actions were ever initiated as a result of any of the accidents.