Crash of a Pilatus PC-12/45 in Clarenville

Date & Time: May 18, 1998 at 1741 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
C-FKAL
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saint John’s – Goose Bay
MSN:
151
YOM:
1996
Flight number:
FKL151
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
4700
Captain / Total hours on type:
800.00
Aircraft flight hours:
3913
Circumstances:
The aircraft, a Pilatus PC-12, serial number 151, was on a scheduled domestic flight from St. John's, Newfoundland, to Goose Bay, Labrador, with the pilot, a company observer, and eight passengers on board. Twenty-three minutes into the flight, the aircraft turned back towards St. John's because of a low oil pressure indication. Eight minutes later, the engine(Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67B) had to be shut down because of a severe vibration. The pilot then turned towards Clarenville Airport, but was unable to reach the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed during the forced landing in a bog one and a half miles from the Clarenville Airport. The pilot, the company observer, and one passenger sustained serious injuries. The Board determined that the pilot did not follow the prescribed emergency procedure for low oil pressure, and the engine failed before he could land safely. The pilot's decision making was influenced by his belief that the low oil pressure indications were not valid. The engine failed as a result of an interruption of oil flow to the first-stage planet gear assembly; the cause of the oil flow interruption could not be determined.
Probable cause:
The pilot did not follow the prescribed emergency procedure for low oil pressure, and the engine failed before he could land safely. The pilot's decision making was influenced by his belief that the low oil pressure indications were not valid. The engine failed as a result of an interruption of oil flow to the first-stage planet gear assembly; the cause of the oil flow interruption could not be determined.
Final Report:

Crash of a Fokker F28 Friendship 4000 in Singapore

Date & Time: May 16, 1998 at 1315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PK-VFY
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Jakarta - Singapore
MSN:
11179
YOM:
1982
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
73
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Jakarta-Halim Perdanakusuma Airport on a charter flight to Singapore, carrying expatriates who were leaving Indonesia due to political unrest. On approach to Singapore-Seletar Airport, the copilot followed the checklist but failed to arm the lift dumper which affected the antiskid system that could not be used. After landing on a wet runway surface, the crew started the braking procedure but this was insufficient so the captain applied emergency brakes which is not recommended when hydroplaning is suspected. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, lost its left wing and left main gear before coming to rest. All 80 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain in La Grande-3

Date & Time: May 14, 1998 at 0947 LT
Operator:
Registration:
C-GUVK
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Montreal – Rouyn – La Grande Rivière
MSN:
31-7405451
YOM:
1974
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
1560
Captain / Total hours on type:
60.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
265
Copilot / Total hours on type:
15
Circumstances:
At 0525 eastern daylight time, a Piper Navajo PA-31, registration C-GUVK, serial number 31-7405451, with two pilots on board, took off from Dorval Airport, Quebec, on a three-day charter flight. Two passengers boarded at Rouyn, Quebec, travelling to La Grande Rivière, Quebec. All flight segments over the three-day period were planned in accordance with instrument flight rules. At La Grande Rivière, the aircraft completed a VOR/DME approach to runway 31, but could not land due to weather. A missed approach was executed, and the aircraft proceeded toward the alternate airport, La Grande 4. About 15 nautical miles north of La Grande 3, the engines misfired. The fuel selector lever was reselected, and the engines operated normally for about five minutes, and then stopped. The pilot-in-command declared an emergency and proceeded toward La Grande 3 Airport for an LOC/DME approach to runway 29. The aircraft broke through the cloud layer at approximately 300 feet above ground level and the pilot set the aircraft down in some trees beside a small lake, four nautical miles southeast of La Grande 3 Airport. The accident occurred at 0957. One of the two passengers sustained minor leg injuries. The other occupants were uninjured. They were rescued by helicopter approximately 45 minutes later. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
Probable cause:
The crew did not refuel at Rouyn as planned, and did not have sufficient fuel to complete the segment. Contributing to the accident were the following: the crew did not fully understand the flight plan documents and did not calculate fuel consumption en route.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 421B Golden Eagle II in Nassau

Date & Time: May 11, 1998 at 1349 LT
Registration:
N17BN
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Charlotte Amalie – Nassau
MSN:
421B-0396
YOM:
1973
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On May 11, 1998, about 1349 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 421B, N17BN, registered to Quinn Industries, Inc., operating as a 14 CFR 91 personal flight, crashed into Lake Killarney, New Providence Island, Bahamas, while on approach for landing to Nassau International Airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received unknown damage, the pilot suffered serious injuries, and two passengers suffered minor injuries. The flight originated about 26 minutes before the accident. According to initial reports, the flight originated earlier that day from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, with a stop at Governor's Harbour, Eleuthera, for refueling. Upon landing at Governor's Harbour, the pilot was advised no fuel was available and elected to proceed to Nassau for refueling. Some time during the straight-in approach the pilot transmitted he was "low on fuel", and N17BN crashed about 400 yards short of the runway into a swamp.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12B in Luanda

Date & Time: May 11, 1998
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
RA-12973
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cabinda - Luanda
MSN:
9 3 465 05
YOM:
1969
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Cabinda to Luanda, carrying a load of 10 tons of various goods and seven crew members. On approach, at a distance of 1,850 metres from the runway threshold, the aircraft was about 13 metres above the glide so the crew increased the rate of descent by 6,6 metres per second, causing the aircraft to descend below the glide at a distance of 1,350 metres from the runway threshold. The aircraft was stabilized at a height of 12 metres at a distance of 290 metres from the runway threshold when it encountered strong winds. The aircraft nosed down while its speed dropped from 260 to 248 km/h and struck the ground short of runway threshold with a positive acceleration of 3,45 g. Upon impact, the undercarriage were torn off and the aircraft slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All seven crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Cessna 414 Chancellor in Tenerife: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1998 at 1240 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EC-CVV
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tenerife-Sur - Tenerife-Norte
MSN:
414-0631
YOM:
1975
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
1000
Captain / Total hours on type:
20.00
Aircraft flight hours:
750
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Tenerife-Sur-Reina Sofia Airport on a taxi flight to Tenerife-Norte-Los Rodeos Airport, carrying one passenger and one pilot. While descending to Los Rodeos Airport runway 12, weather conditions worsened and the pilot was instructed by ATC to make an approach to runway 30 via a special VFR clearance. Few minutes later, while approaching at an insufficient altitude, the aircraft collided with a house under construction and crashed in a garden. The aircraft was totally destroyed and both occupants were killed. The accident occurred in IMC conditions.
Probable cause:
Collision with obstacle while approaching under VFR mode in IMC conditions. The following factors were identified:
- The pilot did not have sufficient experience,
- Marginal weather conditions,
- The pilot failed to see and avoid the obstacles and may have suffered a spatial disorientation,
- Excessive workload in the cockpit during the approach associated with lack of visibility, low experience and too many radio communications on the frequency.
Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-32B in Vaalwater

Date & Time: May 7, 1998 at 0830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
3D-DRV
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Durban – Bulawayo – Harare
MSN:
2302
YOM:
1990
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While cruising at the altitude of 13,000 feet on the leg from Durban to Bulawayo, the crew informed ATC about smoke spreading in the cockpit and was cleared to reduce his altitude. Shortly later, while flying at low altitude, the pilots open the cockpit windows to allow the smoke to evacuate and elected to make an emergency landing at Vaalwater Aerodrome which offers a grassy runway of 780 metres long and 10 metres wide. After touchdown, the aircraft struck a tree on the left side of the runway, cartwheeled, lost a landing gear and came to rest. All four occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The smoke that spread in the cockpit was coming from behind the captain's seat as a result of a short circuit in the electrical system supplying the weather radar.

Crash of a Boeing 737-282 in Andoas: 75 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1998 at 2130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FAP-351
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Iquitos - Andoas
MSN:
23041
YOM:
1983
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
80
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
75
Captain / Total flying hours:
16901
Copilot / Total flying hours:
12066
Aircraft flight hours:
37129
Aircraft flight cycles:
23935
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a charter flight from Iquitos to Andoas on behalf of the Occidental Petroleum Company, carrying eight crew members and 80 employees of this company and their subcontractors. While descending to Andoas-Alferez FAP Alfredo Vladimir Sara Bauer Airport by night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with rains falls and limited visibility. On final, the aircraft descended below the glide, collided with trees and crashed in a dense wooded area located 5 km short of runway 12. First rescuers arrived on site three hours later. Thirteen occupants included two crew members were seriously injured while 75 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
For undetermined reasons, the crew descended below the minimum safe altitude during an approach in IMC conditions until the aircraft impacted the ground.

Crash of a Beechcraft E90 King Air on Mt des Avaloirs: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 1, 1998 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-GABV
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Toussus-le-Noble – Bagnoles-de-l’Orne
MSN:
LW-102
YOM:
1974
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Toussus-le-Noble, the pilot was cleared to descend to Bagnoles-de-l’Orne Airport located about 37 km northwest of Alençon. On final, weather conditions were poor with low clouds when the aircraft struck the slope of Mt des Avaloirs (417 metres high) located 20 km short of runway 30. The wreckage was found 104 metres below the summit and both occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the ceiling was up to 100 metres from the ground.
Probable cause:
The pilot was completing the approach under VFR mode in IMC conditions, resulting in a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Embraer C-95B Bandeirante in Resende: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 23, 1998 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
2321
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Resende - Resende
MSN:
110-433
YOM:
1983
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Resende Airport with eight paratroopers and three crew members on board. In altitude, the skydivers bailed out and the crew initiated a descent to return to Resende. On short final, the crew aborted the approach and completed a low pass over the runway. Then the aircraft collided with power cables and crashed near a farm located near the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed. It was reported that the right engine was at idle and its propeller was feathered at the time of impact while the left engine was at full power for unknown reasons.