Crash of a Rockwell Gulfstream 690C Jetprop 840 in Golden: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1992 at 2022 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N81TR
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Rifle - Denver
MSN:
690-11690
YOM:
1981
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
5400
Captain / Total hours on type:
910.00
Aircraft flight hours:
7768
Circumstances:
While in a descent for arrival at the destination airport, the aircraft sustained structural failure with the right outer wing, horizontal stabilizer, and vertical stabilizer separating from the aircraft. The aircraft impacted approximately 10 miles from the planned destination. According to radar data and other research, the descent was conducted at vne and known severe turbulence was present in the area at the time of the accident.
Probable cause:
The pilot flying the aircraft beyond the design maneuvering speed and exceeding the design stress limits. A factor was: clear air turbulence.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 727-2L5 in Tripoli: 157 killed

Date & Time: Dec 22, 1992 at 0807 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5A-DIA
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Benghazi - Tripoli
MSN:
21050
YOM:
1975
Flight number:
LN1103
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
147
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
157
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Benghazi, the crew was cleared to start the descent to Tripoli Airport. Due to military traffic, the crew was instructed to hold over the Papa Echo beacon located 4,1 DME from runway 27 threshold. At an altitude of 3,000 feet, the Boeing 727 collided with a Libyan Air Force MiG-23 that just took off from Tripoli Airport. The fighter struck the tail of the Boeing that entered a dive and crashed 9 km from the airport after the tail separated. All 157 occupants were killed while both pilots on board the fighter ejected safely.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-10-30CF in Faro: 56 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1992 at 0833 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PH-MBN
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Amsterdam - Faro
MSN:
46924
YOM:
1975
Flight number:
MP495
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
327
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
56
Captain / Total flying hours:
14441
Captain / Total hours on type:
1497.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2288
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1787
Aircraft flight hours:
61543
Aircraft flight cycles:
14615
Circumstances:
At 0552LT, the aircraft departed Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport on a charter flight to Faro. The flight had been delayed for 40 minutes due to n°2 engine reverser problems. After a flight of 2 hours and 17 minutes, the crew was cleared to descend to FL070. Shortly afterwards Faro Approach Control provided the crew with the following weather: wind 15°/18 knots; 2,500 metres visibility, thunderstorms with 3/8 clouds at 500 feet, 7/8 clouds at 2,300 feet and 1/8 cumulonimbus at 2,500 feet, OAT 16° C. Clearance to descend to 1,220 metres was given at 0820LT, followed by a clearance to 915 metres and 650 metres 4, respectively 6 minutes later. At 0829LT the crew were informed that the runway was flooded. At an altitude of 303 metres and at a speed of 140 knots, the aircraft became unstable and at 177 metres the first officer switched the autopilot from CMD (command mode) to CWS (control-wheel steering). One minute later it was switched from CWS to manual and the airspeed began falling below approach reference speed. About 3-4 seconds short of touchdown, elevator was pulled to pitch up and engine power was increased. When the n°3 and 5 spoilers extended, the aircraft banked to the right to an angle of 25°. The right main gear struck the the runway surface with a rate of descent of 900 feet per minute and at a speed of 126 knots. With a nose up attitude of 8,79° and a roll angle of 5,62°, the aircraft touched down with a positive acceleration of 1,95 g. Upon impact, the right wing separated while the aircraft slid down the runway and came to rest 1,100 metres from the runway 11 threshold and 100 metres to the right of the centreline, bursting into flames. Two crew members and 54 passengers were killed while 284 other occupants were evacuated, among them 106 were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
The high rate of descent in the final phase of the approach and the landing made on the right landing gear, which exceeded the structural limitations of the aircraft.; The crosswind, which exceeded the aircrafts limits and which occurred in the final phase of the approach and during landing. The combination of both factors determined stresses which exceeded the structural limitations of the aircraft. Contributing factors were: The instability of the approach; the premature power reduction, and the sustaining of this condition, probably due to crew action; the incorrect wind information delivered by Approach Control; the absence of an approach light system; the incorrect evaluation by the crew of the runway conditions; CWS mode being switched off at approx. 80ft RA, causing the aircraft to be in manual control in a critical phase of the landing; the delayed action of the crew in increasing power; the degradation of the lift coefficient due to heavy showers. The Netherlands Aviation Safety Board commented that the probable cause should read: "a sudden and unexpected wind variation in direction and speed (windshear) in the final stage of the approach. Subsequently a high rate of descent and an extreme lateral displacement developed, causing a hard landing on the right-hand main gear, which in combination with a considerable crab angle exceeded the aircraft structural limitations. Contributing factors: From the forecast and the prevailing weather the crew of MP495 did not expect the existence of windshear phenomena.; The premature large power reduction and sustained flight idle thrust, most probable due to crew action.; CWS mode being disengaged at approx. 80ft RA, causing the aircraft to be in manual control at a critical stage in the landing phase.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 550 Citation II in Billings: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1992 at 1645 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N6887Y
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Watertown - Billings
MSN:
550-0293
YOM:
1981
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Captain / Total flying hours:
6200
Captain / Total hours on type:
4415.00
Aircraft flight hours:
5275
Circumstances:
During descent into Billings, the Citation was sequenced behind a Boeing 757, and both airplanes were eventually cleared for visual approaches. About 1-1/2 mile from the runway the Citation was observed to roll rapidly to the inverted position and descended almost vertically into the ground. According to ATC transcripts and the airplane's cockpit voice recorder, the crew of the Citation had maintained visual awareness of the position of the B757 throughout the approach. At the time of the upset, the vertical separation between airplanes was 600 - 1,000 feet, and the horizontal separation was decreasing below 2.6 miles. One of the Citation captain's last comments was 'almost ran over a seven fifty seven.' Winds were 5 knots. All eight occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot-in-command's failure to follow established vortex avoidance procedures, as published in the airman's information manual, to provide his own wake turbulence separation.
Final Report:

Crash of a Grumman G-21A Goose off Turks and Caicos Islands

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1992
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N3116T
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
B104
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing in the west part of the Turks & Caicos Islands, the seaplane collided with reef and sank in deep water. All four occupants were rescued.

Crash of a Cessna 402B in Cedar Rapids

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1992 at 1801 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N17CH
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kansas City - Cedar Rapids
MSN:
402B-0519
YOM:
1973
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
3700
Captain / Total hours on type:
1200.00
Aircraft flight hours:
5929
Circumstances:
During the second ILS approach the airplane descended below the glidepath and impacted the terrain 2,500 feet short of the intended landing runway. The pilot indicated that a failure in the approach lighting system contributed to the accident. A post accident functional check of the approach lighting system failed to reveal any anomalies.
Probable cause:
The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain a proper glidepath.
Final Report:

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 400M near Goma: 37 killed

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1992
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9Q-CBH
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Kindu - Goma
MSN:
10649
YOM:
1983
Flight number:
ZM140
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
31
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
37
Circumstances:
En route to Goma, while cruising at FL190, the crew was cleared to descent successively to FL150, FL110 then FL085. Preparing for an approach to runway 36, the crew descended prematurely when, at an altitude of 8,800 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 40 km southwest of Goma. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 37 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
For unknown reasons, the crew failed to follow the published approach procedures and initiated the descent prematurely, causing the aircraft to struck the ground. The minimum altitude of 8,500 feet could be reached only after the last turn completed between 19 and 25 km from the runway threshold.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Maykop: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1992
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-71245
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Ventsy – Maykop
MSN:
1G207-16
YOM:
1984
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane was completing a flight from Ventsy (krai of Krasnodar) to Maykop, carrying two pilots and one mechanic. On approach to Maykop Airport, the crew encountered below minima weather conditions with clouds down to 100 metres and a visibility of 1 km. The crew was unable to establish a visual contact with the runway and when ATC suggested the crew to return to Ventsy, the crew said he was short of fuel. Shortly later, the engine failed; the aircraft lost height and crashed in an open field located 3 km from the airport, bursting into flames. All three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure due to fuel exhaustion. Weather bulletin transmitted to crew prior to departure from Ventsy was not relevant and did not reflect the actual situation in Maykop. Also ATC failed to transmit suitable information to the crew.

Crash of a Rockwell Sabreliner 75 in Quito: 13 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1992 at 1845 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AEE-402
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Machala - Quito
MSN:
380-45
YOM:
1975
Flight number:
FAE001A
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The descent to Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport was completed by night and poor weather conditions. On short final, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft struck a 10-floor building under construction and crashed about 3 km short of runway 35. All 10 occupants as well as three people on the ground were killed, among them General Carlomagno Andrade, Chief of the Ecuadorian Armed Forces.

Crash of a Cessna 425 Conquest I in Leutkirch: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1992 at 1656 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-ICEK
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Antwerp - Leutkirch
MSN:
425-0055
YOM:
1981
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
On final approach to Leutkirch-Unterzeil Airport, the twin engine aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed on a railway road located less than 500 metres short of runway 06 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed.