Landing (descent or approach)

The crew of C-GKBN, a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air with 5 passengers, made a straight-in approach, with approach flap settings, to a snow-covered and icy runway at Hamburg, AB, Canada. Upon touchdown in 2 inches of snow, directional control was lost. The aircraft turned sideways on the strip, struck a snow windrow, which then pulled the aircraft off the strip into a stand of trees. The First Officer had made the landing. The aircraft had picked up about 1/8 inch of ICA on the approach. Approach flap had been used for the landing instead of landing flap. The aircraft had landed with a five knot tail wind. The landing touchdown was reported to be very firm. There were no injuries but the aircraft was substantially damaged. Company representatives examining the runway surface after the accident discovered a rut running diagonally across the runway, which was apparently present prior the landing and may have contributed to the loss of directional control of the aircraft.

Prior to takeoff from Lambert Field/St. Louis International Airport, St. Louis, Missouri, the pilot contacted the operations manager at M. Graham Clark Airport, Point Lookout, Missouri, and asked about the current weather conditions there. The operations manager told the pilot that the weather was "pretty poor." The airplane took off from St. Louis, at 1411 cst. At 1447:12 cst, the pilot checked in with Springfield Approach Control. The pilot was told to expect the ILS approach to runway 2 at the Springfield-Branson Regional Airport. At 1501:01 cst, the pilot requested to go to Point Lookout and shoot the GPS to runway 11. Springfield Approach instructed the pilot to descend to 3,000 feet msl and cleared him for the approach. At 1507:08 cst, Springfield radar showed the airplane crossing the initial waypoint at 3,000 feet msl, and turn to 116 degrees approach heading. At 1507:17 cst, the airplane descended to 2,500 feet msl. At 1508:51 cst, Springfield Approach cleared the pilot to change to advisory frequency. "Call me back with your cancellation or your miss." The pilot responded, "Okay we're, we're RAWBE inbound and we will call you on the miss or cancellation." The operations manager at M. Graham Clark Airport said that he heard the pilot on the airport's common frequency radio say, "Citation 525KL is RAWBE inbound on the GPS 11 approach." At 1509:01 cst, Springfield radar showed the airplane begin a descent out of 2,500 feet msl. The last radar contact was at 1509:48 cst. The airplane was five nautical miles from the airport on a 296 degree radial, at 2,100 feet msl. At 1530 cst, the operations manager heard Springfield approach trying to contact the airplane. The operations manager initiated a search for the airplane. At 1430 cst, the weather observation at the M. Graham Clark Airport was 300 feet overcast, rain and mist, 3/4 miles visibility, temperature 53 degrees F, winds variable at 3 knots, altimeter 29.92 inches HG. Approach minimum weather for the GPS RWY11 straight in approach to Point Lookout are a minimum ceiling of 600 feet and visibility of 1 mile for a category B aircraft. An examination of the airplane wreckage revealed no anomalies. The results of FAA toxicology testing of specimens from the pilot revealed concentrations of Doxepin in kidney and liver. The Physicians' Desk Reference states that "... drowsiness may occur with the use of this drug, patients should be warned of the possibility and cautioned against driving a car or operating dangerous machinery while taking the drug." The physician who prescribed the Doxepin to the pilot said that he was using it to treat the pilot's "irritable bowel" condition. According to his wife, the pilot had not slept well for several nights, up to the day of the accident, due to problems he was having with the FAA. A friend, who spoke with the pilot just before the accident flight, confirmed the pilot saying "I haven't slept for three days." The friend stated further that the pilot "wasn't himself that day."

On a night approach to Kuwait-Ahmed Al-Jaber AFB, the aircraft impacted the ground approximately 2,895 feet short and about 40 feet to the left of the runway centerline. On impact, the undercarriage were torn off and some penetrated the cabin floor. The crew initiated a go-around procedure and diverted to the Kuwait International Airport where he completed an emergency belly landing. Three passengers were killed while all other occupants were rescued. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Too low on approach to Annemasse Airport, the twin engine aircraft struck the ground short of runway, lost its undercarriage and came to rest. The pilot, sole on board, was uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

After extending the gear for landing, the down-and-locked indication (green light) for the left main gear was not illuminated. The crew performed the emergency checklist procedures for abnormal gear extension with no success. The aircraft subsequently landed with the left main landing gear retracted. Inspection of the landing gear revealed that the pin (part number MY20248-001), which is part of the forward gear door lock, was corroded and cracked at the point of rotation, preventing proper movement of the gear door uplock.

Upon touchdown at Benguela-General Deslandes Airport, the nose gear collapsed. The airplane slid on its nose for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All five occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Ten minutes after takeoff from Ningbo Airport, the crew informed ATC about engine problems and was cleared to return. After making a 180 turn, the crew started the descent and was eventually forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crashed in a rice paddy field located near the runway threshold. All seven occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair after it lost its undercarriage and one wing.

The crew departed Melle-Grönegau Airport at 0736LT on a charter flight to Poznań, carrying four passengers and two pilots. While descending to Poznań at an altitude of 7,000 feet, the crew was informed about weather conditions at destination with a visibility of 700 metres, an RVR of 650 metres and a ceiling at 200 feet. After being cleared to descent to runway 29, the crew was informed about local patches of fog at the airport and the RVR dropped to 350 metres. On short final, at a height of about 500 feet, as the crew was unable to establish any visual contact with the approach lights and the runway lights, the captain decided to initiate a go-around procedure. Shortly later, the aircraft struck the ground to the left of the runway. Upon impact, the undercarriage were torn off. The aircraft slid for about 150 metres and came to rest with both engines and the left wing torn of as well. All six occupants escaped uninjured.

On landing, the left main gear collapsed. The aircraft skidded on runway for few dozen metres before coming to rest on the left side of the runway. While all six crew were unhurt, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and abandoned at Lucapa Airport.

While in cruise flight, at 6,000 feet, the left engine lost power. The pilot attempted a restart of the engine, but only about one-half rotation of the left engine propeller was observed, and the engine was secured. The pilot stated that he was unable to maintain altitude and initiated a decent. He requested and was cleared for an instrument approach at an airport where the weather conditions were, 1/4 statute mile of visibility, fog, and a vertical visibility of 100 feet. On the approach, at the minimum descent altitude, the pilot executed a missed approach. As the airplane climbed, the pilot reported to the controller that the 'best altitude [he] could get was 2,200 feet.' A second approach was initiated to the reciprocal runway. While on the second approach, the pilot 'was going to fly the aircraft right to the runway, and told the controller so.' He put the gear down, reduced power, and decided there was 'no hope for a go-around.' He then 'flew down past the decision height,' and about 70-80 feet above the ground, 'added a little power to smooth the landing.' The pilot also stated, 'The last thing I remember was the aircraft nose contacting the runway.' A passenger stated that once the pilot could not see the runway, [the pilot] 'applied power, pitched the nose up,' and attempted a 'go-around' similar to the one that was executed on the first approach. Disassembly of the left engine revealed that the crankshaft was fatigue fractured between connecting rod journal number 2 and main journal number 2. Review of the pilot's operating handbook revealed that the single engine service ceiling, at a weight of 4,800 pounds, was 11,700 feet. The average single engine rate of climb, at a pressure altitude of 6,000 feet, was 295 feet per minute. The average single engine rate of climb, at a pressure altitude of 1,625 feet, was 314 feet per minute. Review of the ILS approach plate for Runway 34 revealed that the decision height was 200 feet above the ground.