Crash of a Rockwell Turbo Commander 681 in Nassau

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1995 at 1400 LT
Registration:
N70RF
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Miami - Puerto Plata
MSN:
681-6013
YOM:
1970
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Miami to Puerto Plata, while cruising at an altitude of 13,000 feet, the pilot informed ATC about the failure of the left engine and was cleared to divert to Nassau. On final approach to Nassau Airport, the aircraft struck a fence and crashed about 300 metres short of runway threshold. All four occupants were rescued and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine in flight for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Valdez: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1995 at 1557 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N62851
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Homer - Valdez
MSN:
31-7612085
YOM:
1976
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
4800
Circumstances:
The pilot received an instrument approach clearance to a non tower airport surrounded by mountainous terrain. Weather conditions on the ground were VFR, and the pilot descended through an overcast. The approach environment was not serviced by any atc radar facility. The pilot declared a missed approach to the appropriate faa flight service station, and was advised to contact ARTCC. ARTCC never received a radio transmission from the pilot. The airplane wreckage was located approximately 6 miles beyond the airport, slightly to the north of the extended runway centerline. Missed approach procedures were for an immediate climb, and then a climbing right turn to reverse direction away from the airport. The missed approach segment began 5.2 DME miles prior to the airport. Minimum descent altitude (MDA) for the approach was 4,320 feet msl (4,200 feet above the runway elevation); impact with mountainous terrain occurred at about the same altitude. All four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot's failure to follow the published ifr (missed approach) procedure and assure adequate altitude/clearance from mountainous terrain.
Final Report:

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134A in Lagos: 15 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1995 at 1605 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-65617
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kaduna - Lagos
MSN:
08068
YOM:
1974
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
74
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Aircraft flight hours:
24844
Aircraft flight cycles:
15740
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Kaduna, the crew started the approach to Lagos-Murtala Muhammed Airport in poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls and strong winds. On short final, the wind changed to a tail component and became stronger. This caused the aircraft to land too far down the runway, about 1,000 metres past the runway threshold. On a wet runway surface, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran, struck the concrete structure of a drainage ditch and came to rest 147 metres further, bursting into flames. 65 people were rescued while 15 passengers were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was the consequence of the following factors:
- Poor quality in the organization of the meteorological support at Lagos airport, as a result of which the crew did not receive reliable information about the actual direction and force of the wind during the approach and landing procedure, which caused the aircraft to land too far down the runway;
- The presence of a layer of water on the runway, about which the crew was not informed prior to landing, which caused the aircraft to enter an aquaplaning mode and the loss of braking action efficiency;
- The failure of the crew to initiate a go-around procedure after he encountered poor weather conditions during the final stage of the approach and an erroneous estimation of the actual remaining length of the runway for the safe completion of the landing in case of heavy rainfall;
- Violation on part of the cabin crew requirements for the number and placement of flight attendants at landing, which led to unnoticed penetration of 15 passengers into the rear trunk and toilets after the plane crashed and their death in the event of a fire;
- Unsatisfactory organization of rescue operations at Lagos Airport.

Crash of a Cessna 402A in Miami

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1995 at 1054 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7884J
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marsh Harbor - Miami
MSN:
402A-0103
YOM:
1969
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
9800
Captain / Total hours on type:
7800.00
Aircraft flight hours:
4980
Circumstances:
The aircraft crashed on a visual approach to runway 09 left at Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed. The airline transport pilot sustained serious injuries. The flight originated from Marsh Harbor, Bahamas, about 1 hour 14 minutes before the accident. Witnesses stated they observed the airplane descending to the right of the final approach path for runway 09 left with the landing gear down and an engine was heard sputtering. The wings of the airplane were observed to be rocking back and forth. The airplane rolled right 90 degrees. The nose pitched up, the airplane rolled over inverted, the nose pitched down, the airplane collided with a parking lot and slid in between a front end loader and a dump truck coming to a complete stop. Transcripts of recorded transmissions between Miami Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT), N7884J, and review of Miami ATCT continuous data recording radar revealed there were no airplanes in the vicinity of N7884J at the time of the accident.
Probable cause:
The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain airspeed (VMC) after loss of power of one engine while on final approach, resulting in an in-flight loss of control and subsequent in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was a total loss of engine power of the right engine due to fuel exhaustion.
Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 35A in Tepic: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1995 at 2330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
XA-SWF
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ciudad Obregón - Toluca
MSN:
35-391
YOM:
1981
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
11408
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Ciudad Obregón Airport at 2001LT on a charter flight to Toluca, carrying four passengers and two pilots. For unknown reasons, the crew cancelled the flight plan and returned to Ciudad Obregón. A second takeoff was recorded at 2118LT and en route, the crew cancelled again the flight plan as he wanted to divert to Tepic, then Guadalajara and later Puerto Vallarta. After ATC informed the crew that Guadalajara Airport was closed to traffic, the crew finally decided to fly to Tepic. But this airport was also closed to traffic. On final approach to Tepic Airport, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft struck the ground and crashed 8,3 km short of runway 02. At the time of the accident, the airport was closed and the approach light system was off. One of the passenger was the drug lord Héctor Luis Palma Salazar who was later arrested.
Probable cause:
The crew attempted to land by night on an airport that was closed to traffic (opening time 0600-1800LT) and continued the approach below the minimum safe altitude until the aircraft impacted terrain.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-54G-15-DO Skymaster in Ramona: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 21, 1995 at 1108 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N4989P
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hemet - Ramona
MSN:
36082
YOM:
1945
Flight number:
Tanker 19
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
6100
Aircraft flight hours:
23507
Circumstances:
A Douglas C-54G & Beech 58P were on a fire suppression mission with the USDA Forest Service. The C-54 (Tanker 19) was being used as an aerial tanker, while the Beech 58 (Lead 56) was on a lead operation. Lead 56 departed the fire area about 5 minutes before Tanker 19. Both airplanes proceeded to an uncontrolled airport at Ramona, CA, for landing on runway 27 with a 360° overhead approach. Tanker 19 was on the initial approach about 1 mile east of the airport, when the two planes collided. Investigation revealed that Lead 56 struck the vertical stabilizer of Tanker 19, while descending. The empennages of both airplanes separated, and both crashed in uncontrolled descents. Before the accident, a Grumman S2 pilot was following Tanker 19. While in a shallow descent to the airport, he saw Tanker 19 slightly below the horizon and heard Tanker 19 make two calls (at 8 and 2 miles on initial approach). He also heard a transmission from Lead 56 moments before the collision, but did not see Lead 56, nor was he watching Tanker 19 when the collision occurred. Investigators were unable to determine Lead 56's activities after departing the fire area. Transmissions were heard from Lead 56 on the forest service tactical (operations) frequency when the plane was within 10 miles of the airport. Moments before the collision, Lead 56 was heard on the airport's common traffic advisory frequency (ctaf). Forest service procedures required that all pilots transmit their position on the ctaf within 10 miles of the airport. The forest service had not made arrangements with the airport manager to perform overhead approaches, nor were parameters published for initial approach altitude or airspeed.
Probable cause:
Inadequate visual lookout by the Beech 58P pilot, and the operator's inadequate procedures concerning 360° overhead approaches.
Final Report:

Crash of a Casa 212 Aviocar 200 in Catumbela: 48 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T-401
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Ondjiva - Catumbela
MSN:
326
YOM:
1985
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
50
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
48
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a charter flight from Ondjiva to Catumbela on behalf of the Angolan Company Maboque, and was carrying some of their employees as well as football players. While descending to Catumbela Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 15 km from Catumbela Airport. Five passengers were seriously injured while 48 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew initiated the descent prematurely in limited visibility due to poor weather conditions.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 400M in Jérémie

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1995
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TC-73
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
10407
YOM:
1969
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
31
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a humanitarian mission to Jérémie on behalf of the United Nations Organization. Upon touchdown, the left main gear collapsed. The aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and eventually collided with the Airport main terminal. All 35 occupants were rescued, among them two were seriously injured. The aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left main gear upon landing for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Dornier DO228-202 in Taitung

Date & Time: Jun 15, 1995 at 1507 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
B-12288
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lyudao – Taitung
MSN:
8142
YOM:
1987
Flight number:
VY7314
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Lyudao (Green Island), the crew forgot to lower the landing gear while approaching Taitung Airport. The aircraft landed on its belly and slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All 19 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The same aircraft suffered another accident in similar circumstances at the same airport on 21 April 1993.
Probable cause:
The crew failed to follow the approach checklist and failed to lower the landing gear.

Crash of a Learjet 35 in Magdalena de Kino

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1995 at 1040 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
XA-SVX
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Veracruz - Nogales
MSN:
35-012
YOM:
1975
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Veracruz to Nogales, while 112 km from the destination, the crew declared an emergency following a fire in the left engine and was cleared to divert to Magdalena de Kino Airport. The aircraft landed too far down the runway which is 1,386 metres long. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran and came to rest few dozen metres further, bursting into flames. All four occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the fire in the left engine was the consequence of a hydraulic leak. Aircraft performances were reduced and the crew was unable to complete a safe landing.