Crash of an Aviation Traders ATL-98 Carvair in Venetie

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1997 at 1618 LT
Registration:
N103
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Venetie - Fairbanks
MSN:
10273/4
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
20000
Captain / Total hours on type:
3000.00
Aircraft flight hours:
7145
Circumstances:
The air cargo flight had just off loaded its cargo at a remote site. Shortly after takeoff, the number two engine begin to run rough. The engine was shut down, and the propeller feathered. During the shutdown process, a fire warning light illuminated, and fire became visible near the number 2 engine. The crew activated both banks of engine fire extinguishers, but were unable to extinguish the fire. While on approach to an off-airport emergency landing site, the number two engine fell off and ignited a brush fire. The crew made a successful landing and ran away from the airplane. The airplane continued to burn and was destroyed by fire. The number 2 engine was not recovered or located.
Probable cause:
A fire associated with the number 2 engine for undetermined reasons.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in Willow

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1997 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N765D
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Willow - Sleetmute
MSN:
A-818
YOM:
1952
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
8000
Captain / Total hours on type:
35.00
Aircraft flight hours:
8600
Circumstances:
The pilot took off from a 4400-foot-long gravel airstrip with a near gross weight load of cargo. He said that shortly after lift-off the airplane felt 'sluggish', and he believes the left engine began to lose power. He said the airplane would not climb, and he elected to bring both engines to idle and land on the remaining runway. The airplane touched down a short distance from the end of the runway, and continued off the end and into the woods. A fire erupted, and the airplane was destroyed by fire. The pilot is unsure if the fire occurred in the air, or shortly after the airplane went off the end of the runway. The engines were extensively damaged by fire, and were not examined. FAA inspectors on scene said there was no obvious signs of catastrophic engine failure.
Probable cause:
The loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 727-21F in Bogotá

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1997 at 0122 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1717
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bogotá – Barranquilla
MSN:
18993/215
YOM:
1965
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
20067
Captain / Total hours on type:
8664.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4854
Copilot / Total hours on type:
292
Aircraft flight hours:
51014
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll un runway 31 at Bogotá-El Dorado Airport, at a speed of 130 knots, the crew heard two explosions. As the aircraft started to vibrate, the captain decided to abandon the takeoff procedure and initiated an emergency braking manoeuvre. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, rolled for 497 metres then lost its nose gear and came to rest. All six occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the tread on the left front tyre (nose gear) deflated and broke off during takeoff, causing severe vibrations. This caused the antiskid system to be unserviceable and the aircraft could not be stopped on the remaining distance as the runway surface was humid. It was also reported that no information were available from both CVR and FDR systems. At the time of the accident, the total weight of the aircraft was 1,461 kilos above MTOW, making the decision speed (V1) to be higher by reducing the stopping distance, which was insufficient when discontinuing the pilot controls takeoff in wet runway conditions.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo Chieftain in San Diego: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 20, 1997 at 1231 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N266MM
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
San Diego - San Diego
MSN:
31-140
YOM:
1968
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
10041
Captain / Total hours on type:
1586.00
Aircraft flight hours:
8473
Circumstances:
The aircraft concluded an aerial survey and landed at Brown Field to clear U.S. Customs. On restart, as the left engine began running, a witness noticed two short, yellow flame bursts exit the exhaust. During taxi, the witness heard a popping sound coming from the aircraft. As power was applied to cross runway 26L, the sound went away. The aircraft stopped for a few seconds prior to pulling onto the runway; the witness did not observe or hear a run-up. Witnesses reported hearing a series of popping sounds similar to automatic gunfire and observed the aircraft between 600 and 1,000 feet above the ground with wings level and the landing gear up. The aircraft was observed to make an abrupt, 45-degree banked, left turn as the nose dipped down. Witnesses reported the nose of the aircraft then raised up toward the horizon. This was followed by the aircraft turning to the left and becoming inverted in an estimated 30-degree nose low attitude. With the nose still low, the aircraft continued around to an upright position and appeared to be in a shallow right bank. Witnesses then lost sight of the aircraft due to buildings and terrain. A May 20, 1997, work order indicated the left manifold pressure fluctuated in flight. Both wastegates were lubricated and a test flight revealed the left engine manifold pressure lagged behind the right engine manifold pressure. On June 18, 1997, the left engine differential pressure controller was noted to have been removed and replaced. This was the corrective action for a discrepancy write up that the left engine manifold pressure fluctuated up and down 2 inHg and the rpm varied by 100 in cruise. A test flight that afternoon by the accident pilot indicated the discrepancy still occurred at cruise power settings, but the engine operated normally at high and low power settings. Post accident functional checks were performed on various components. No discrepancies were noted for the left governor. The left engine differential pressure controller was damaged and results varied on each test. The left density controller was too damaged to test. The right engine density and differential pressure controllers tested satisfactory. The left and right fuel pumps operated within specifications. Both fuel servos were damaged. One injection nozzle on the left engine was partially plugged; all others flow tested within specifications.
Probable cause:
The loss of power in the left engine for undetermined reasons and the pilot's subsequent failure to maintain minimum single-engine control airspeed. A contributing factor was the pilot's decision to fly with known deficiencies in the equipment.
Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Tula: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1997
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
RA-84700
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tula - Shakhty
MSN:
1G192-18
YOM:
1981
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Tula Airport, while climbing, the crew noticed that the engine oil temperature increased while the engine pressure dropped. In such conditions, the captain decided to return to Tula Airport for an emergency landing and completed a turn when the engine failed. The aircraft lost speed and height then struck power cables and crashed. The captain and three passengers were killed while three other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The following factors were identified:
- Engine failure as a result of the destruction of the bushing of the crankshaft of the main connecting rod due to a manufacturing defect in the absence of adhesion of bronze to the steel base of the bushing on a sufficiently large section,
- An unused chip-in-oil signaling system, due to the fact that the engine was not equipped with a chip signaling filter during repair, which deprived the crew of information about the beginning of the collapse of the sleeve and did not allow a timely decision to return to the departure point;
- Difficult terrain with the presence of various obstacles.

Crash of a Vickers 781D Viscount near Irumu: 23 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1997
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9Q-CWL
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bunia - Kisangani
MSN:
280
YOM:
1958
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Bunia Airport, the captain informed ATC about engine problems and reported fire in the cabin. Shortly later, the four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed about 40 km southwest of Bunia, in the region of Irumu. All 23 occupants were killed.

Crash of an Embraer EMB-820C Navajo in Jacobina: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1997 at 1245 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PT-ENI
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Jacobina - Salvador
MSN:
820-068
YOM:
1978
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total hours on type:
180.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
133
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Jacobina Airport, while in initial climb, the left engine lost power. The crew initiated a sharp turn to the left when the aircraft lost height, struck an electric pole and crashed near the runway end. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The following findings were identified:
- Poor crew training,
- Pool fuel consumption calculation on part of the crew,
- Wrong crew's decision to fly on one engine,
- Inappropriate of aircraft controls,
- Poor crew coordination,
- Poor flight planning.
Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 in Novoshcherbinovskaya

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1997
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-02555
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a crop spraying mission on behalf of the the collective farm 'Dimitrova' in Novoshcherbinovskaya. After takeoff, while climbing to a height of 10 metres, the engine lost power. The captain attempted to make an emergency landing when the aircraft struck the ground, nosed over and came to rest upside down, bursting into flames. Both occupants were slightly injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Loss of engine power after takeoff for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Cessna 402C in Rawlins

Date & Time: Jun 1, 1997 at 2240 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N1233P
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Rawlins – Riverton
MSN:
402C-0804
YOM:
1984
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
13000
Captain / Total hours on type:
4000.00
Aircraft flight hours:
7674
Circumstances:
During the initial climb after takeoff, while executing a dark-night departure, the pilot failed to maintain clearance from rising terrain about one and one-quarter mile off the end of the runway. Operator records indicated that the pilot had flown out of this airport in the past, and that the aircraft was approximately 600 pounds below maximum certificated gross weight at the time of departure. A teardown inspection of both engines revealed no pre-impact anomalies, and visual and teardown inspections of the propellers showed damage signatures consistent with ground contact in a flat pitch under significant power.
Probable cause:
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the terrain during the initial climb after a night takeoff. Factors include a dark night and rising terrain off the departure end of the runway.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in Saskatoon

Date & Time: May 29, 1997
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-FOCS
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
54
YOM:
1949
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
11000
Captain / Total hours on type:
5000.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Saskatoon, while in initial climb, the single engine aircraft nosed down and crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was seriously injured and the aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
Bought by Athabaska Airways four days prior to the accident, the aircraft was checked by the company's mechanics. It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of an issue with the elevator control cables that were not installed in a properly manner by the people in charge of the maintenance.